a Christian life goes farther and hath griefe for invvard corruptions 2. A Ciuill man makes some conscience of publike greater offences as murther treason c. but secret sinnes and those of lesser account as idlenes continuall gaming c. hee swallowes without checke so also common swearing by Faith and Troth and by your leaue your ciuill man can sweare in the most odious manner if he be angred But a true beleeuer makes conscience to be idle and in the least manner to offend God 3. A ciuill man regards onely to haue reputation in the world The true Christian to haue it with God 4. A ciuill man regards something the duties of the second Table but nothing of the first Indeede hee will come to Church but for a fashion and ciuilitie if he haue no other businesse to meete and speake with a friend if no bargaine or merry meeting be in his way but a true Christian makes regard of both Tables specially of the first Now alas this righteousnesse cannot auaile nay indeed the opinion of it is one of the greatest impediments to a mans saluation that can be because it is hard to bee vnpossest of that which attributes so much to our selues As a horse ill paced at first is harder to bee brought to a good pace then one which was neuer handled so a notorious wicked man is sooner brought to repentance then one righteous inough in his owne conceit As there is more hope of a foole then of one wise in his own conceit Pro. 26.12 So our Ciuill man might haue attained that righteousnesse if he were not perswaded hee had attained it already Mat. 21.31 Publicanes and Harlots shall goe before such into the Kingdome of Heauen As therefore vvhen blinde Bartimeus came to Christ Mar. 10.50 he threw away his Cloake so must we throw off our owne righteousnesse as a Beggers Cloake if we would be iustified in the sight of God Vse 4. Here is the Necessitie and commendation of Faith wee dispraise not good workes but we affirme they are not the cause for which wee are iustified in the sight of God From hence the Papists take occasion to slander vs as if we were enemies to good workes Am I an enemy to a Noble man because I will not attribute that to him which is onely due to the King We acknowledge good workes to bee necessarie in euery one that will be saued but wee ascribe our Iustification not to our good workes but to the good workes of Christ apprehended by Faith Not that wee would dishonour good workes but that wee would not dishonour our Sauiour Christ Ob. But this brings in slothfulnes and liberty and makes men carelesse to liue holily An. If I say to a common Souldier in an Armie You cannot lead this Armie against the enemy Will the Souldier say Then I may be gone There is no neede of Mee Or if I see a poore man at his day-labour and say to him that hee shall neuer purchase 10000. pound land a yeere by working for a groat a day Will hee therefore giue ouer his worke and say he is discouraged So neither doth our denying Iustification to good workes set men off from a care to liue well If any are enemies to good Workes they are the Papists who dispense with Lying with Whoredome Murder c. This we teach That Faith is necessary to iustifie a mans person Good workes necessarie to iustifie a mans Faith Yea that without them we cannot be saued Hee that attributes his Iustification to good workes is a Papist he that quite denies good workes is an Atheist Beleeue and thou shalt bee saued but if thou beest a profane wretch thou neither beleeuest nor shalt be saued if thou repentest not Doest thou beleeue in Christ Doe the workes which Christ commanded thee that thy Faith may liue and then liue by thy Faith As the Waxe in the Candle makes not the light but maintaines and cherisheth it So good workes iustifie not but yet they maintaine and cherish Faith which doth iustifie and according as is the degree of our Sanctification and Obedience so more or lesse doe wee feele the sweetnesse of Faith in our Iustification before God VERSE 32. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone 33. As it is written b Esay 8.14 18.16 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rocke of offence and whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be c Or confounded ashamed THe Iewes misse of Righteousnesse to Iustification because they beleeue not in Christ Here is shewed the reason why they beleeue not in Christ who came of their flesh and preached amongst them The Reason is set downe in the end of verse 32. vnder a Metaphor continued by Paul The Iewes pursue and follow after righteousnesse but as hee that runnes in a race if hee stumble and fall loseth the prize for another gets before him So they stumbled at the meanes of Christ in whom onely righteousnesse was to bee had Is not this the Carpenter Maries Sonne say they Mar. 6.3 Can he giue vs a righteousnes better then our owne So when Christ told the woman of Samaria of Water of Life Art thou saith she in contempt Ioh. 4.12 greater then our Father Iacob that gaue vs this Well Canst thou giue better water then this Thou art a like man In this reason Christ in regard of his outward pouertie is compared to a stumbling stone And the Iewes refusing to beleeue in him because of his pouerty are said to stumble and not to attaine the righteousnesse for Iustification which they pursued Wee stumble many times at a stone which for the littlenesse is not marked so the littlenesse of Christ was the occasion of their stumbling they thinking that the neglect of so meane a person as hee outwardly seemed could not preiudice them Now because some might aske who this stone is and who laid it in their way Paul shewes these things with other verse 33. by the Testimonie of Esay 8.14 and 28.16 where we haue fiue things 1. Who this Stone is namely Christ who is often called by Dauid his Rocke Psal 118.22 not for offence but defence Ephes 2.20 and by him and Paul a chiefe Corner Stone because as the walles of a building are ioyned and holden together by the Corner Stone so the Church is vpholden by Christ But here hee is a stumbling stone Not in himselfe properly in the first place but by accident when he is reiected of the builders Hee is so Passiuely not Actiuely for hee is giuen to saue men not to destroy them to keepe them vp not to make them fall In his owne Nature he is a Iesus but when hee is not receiued he is a Rocke of offence and becomes a seuere Iudge A Stone to stumble at and a Rocke of offence are diuersly by Interpreters applyed The first to the Gentiles the second to the Iewes and contrarily also by
is preached all are not conuerted by it Verse 16. Doct. The Gospel was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles Verse 18. Doct. The corruption of our hearts leades vs to the practice of those things which we know to be sinne Verse 19. Doct. 2. God will forsake them which forsake him Doct. Ministers are boldly to preach the Truth Verse 20. Doct. 2. Our Conuersion and Calling is onely from Gods mercy Doct. Disobedience and persecution of Gods messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes Verse 21. CHAP. XI Doct. 1. ALl the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation Verse 1. Doct. 2. The Elect of God are sure of their estate and know it and shall neuer perish Doct. 1. It is profitable to be acquainted with the Histories of the Bible and to make vse of them Verse 2. Doct. 2. We must be zealous for the Lord. Doct. 1. God suffers sometimes the enemies of his Church to preuaile against it Verse 3. Doct. 2. The Enemies of True Religion are sauage and cruell Doct. 1. All doubts in matters of Religion are to bee decided by the Word of God Verse 4. Doct. 2. The Church of God shall neuer be in such an exigent but that there shall be many thousands to worship God in Spirit and in Truth Doct. 3. Those which in dangerous times are preserued in grace it is by the power and goodnes of God Doct. 4. Sincere worshippers of God must not in the least manner worship an Idol Doct. The cause why some are reserued in dangerous times is their Election Verse 5. Doct. Election and Saluation are of Grace not of Merite Verse 6. Doct. No Elect cast away No Reprobate but cast away Verse 7. Doct. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such as are enemies to the Gospell to the Diuell to be blinded that they cannot conuert Verse 8. Doct. Persecutors of Christ and his Gospell are iustly accursed of God Verse 9 10. Doct. 1. The Iewes are reiected that the Gentiles might be called Verse 11. Doct. 2. The Vocation of the Gentiles is the prouocation of the Iewes Doct. The generall Calling of the Iewes shall be the enriching of the world Verse 12. Doct. The way for a Minister to make his office glorious is to bee diligent in preaching Verse 13 14. Doct. The Calling of the Iewes shall be a new life and happinesse to the world Verse 15. Doct. The Iewes are still a people Verse 16. Doct. The Gentiles may not despise the Iewes Verse 17 18. Doct. Our standing is by Faith our breaking off by Infidelitie Verse 19. Doct. 1. Faith shuts out boasting Verse 20. Doct. 2. He that beleeueth feareth God Doct. All without respect which continue not in Grace shall be broken off Verse 21. Doct. 1. It is the duty of all diligently to keepe a note-booke of the mercies of God to themselues and of his Iudgements to others Verse 22. Doct. 2. Perseuerance is a necessary condition of true sauing Faith Doct. Whatsoeuer sinner beleeueth and repenteth it is possible he should be saued Verse 23 24 25 Doct. 2. Before the end of the world the Iewes in regard of their multitude shall be Called Doct. Not onely some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be Called Verse 26 27. Doct. The Iewes are beloued of God Verse 28. Doct. God repenteth not of his gifts and Calling Verse 29. Doct. The Gentiles were Infidels Verse 30. Doct. The Iewes are now in an estate of vnbeliefe but they shall be receiued to mercy Verse 31. Doct. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all Verse 32. Doct. It is neither lawfull for man to search nor possible to finde the hidden wayes of God Verse 33 34 35 Doct. God is of all his Creatures specially of his Church to be praised glorified Verse 36. THE SVMME OF THE Eleuen first Chapters of the EPISTLE to the Romanes SAint Paul in the eleuen first Chapters of this Epistle intreateth of Iustification his order is this In the fiue first hee proueth against all obiections of Iewes and Gentiles that all men are iustified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ apprehended by Faith In the sixe next hee ouerthrowes the engines whereby Satan went about to oppugne this heauenly Doctrine These Engines were 4. First that this Doctrine brings in liberty and licentious liuing 2. That it makes God inconstant and not so good as his word to the Iewes 3. That it abolisheth the righteousnesse of the Law 4. That from thence it followes that GOD hath quite cast away the people of the Iewes The first of these Paul remoues Chapter 6. 7. 8. the second Chapter 9. the third Chapter 10. the fourth Chapter eleuen Chap. 6. The Doctrine of Grace teacheth men not to liue loosely but to deny all vngodlinesse and to walke in newnesse of life Therefore all beleeuers are to fight against sin which they may doe with so much the more comfort in as much as they are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Chap. 7. Indeed before they were conuerted they were subiect to the curse of the Law and by it became more sinfull but hauing receiued Grace to beleeue they are freed by Iesus Christ notwithstanding the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit which is the condition of euery regenerate man in this life Chap. 8. Therefore though sinne remaine in them and for it they bee chastised of God yet it raignes not in them nor can condemne them neither can any tribulations separate them from the loue of God in Christ AN EXPOSITION vpon the eighth ninth tenth and the eleuenth Chapters of the Epistle to the ROMANES CHAP. VIII THis Chapter hath two parts First a sweet consolation to all that are regenerate to the 31. verse Secondly a conclusion to the end The Consolation is double against two speciall sore tentations whereby it might seeme that a regenerate man were miserable and destitute of inward peace the one arising from the remainder of sinne then which nothing is more heauy the other from the Crosse then which nothing is more bitter Against the first hee dealeth from the beginning of the Chapter to the 17. verse Against the second from thence to the 31. verse The first hath 4. parts First the Consolation it selfe propounded verse 1. Secondly the Confirmation to the 9 verse Thirdly an Application from the 9. to the 11 verse Fourthly an Exhortation from thence to the 17. verse VERSE 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit IN this verse are two things 1. The Consolatory proposition There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ 2. A description of one of the Termes namely Who are in Christ such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit In the Proposition as in all of this kind there are 3. parts 1. The subiect or
intercession for vs. So that vpon these grounds whosoeuer stands must needs be certaine Yea with reuerence be it spoken Christ must cease to be himselfe if we be not saued neither can he be saued without vs as the head liues not without the body Vse 4. The state of Gods children is sure in it selfe and in God and they know it to be so and that it shall so continue Obiect But they doubt Ans True but they ouercome doubting by their Faith So that though by their flesh they doubt yet by their Faith they are certaine as Paul saith here He is perswaded Ob. Paul was indeed sure but by Reuelation A. It is no where so written nor can be proued Apostolus non loquitur singulariter de se sed in persona omnium Praedestinatorū Aquin. in loc and Paul speakes heere not singularly of himselfe but in the person of all the predestinate as in the whole current of the rest of this Chapter and Epistle appeares Otherwise by this obiection of exemption by priuiledge it may as well bee auouched that Saint Paul intendeth to proue or auerre no more then that onely Paul accounted the afflictions of this present to be vnvaluable to the future glory 8.18 that onely Saint Paul had the first fruits of the Spirit 8.23 that Christ made intercession onely for S. Paul And so his comfortable arguments here deliuered should serue rather for a glorious displaying of the speciall priuiledge of the Writer then for the personall application sound comfort of the children of God his fellow-beleeuers to whom and for whom hee wrote this and other Epistles Therefore this comfortable and firme perswasion certainely is a thing common to all beleeuers Ob. But the word sometimes signifies a coniecturall perswasion which may faile A. But so it cannot here by the iudgement of our Aduersaries themselues who say that he was certain by Reuelation When this word is vsed of others singulars it is the perswasion of Charity which may faile But when of the holy Catholike Church or of our selues according to the word then it is the perswasion of Faith which is most certaine Ob. But we may be sure now but not of the time to come A. Yes well inough because Paul saith no future thing can separate vs from Gods loue 1. Cor. 13.8 And if our Charitie shall neuer fall away much more shall Gods loue continue Doubt not therefore but be beleeuing And yet this is not our praise not to doubt but to ouercome doubting by our Faith Let this encourage thee against all tentations Martiall men descend with great resolution to the battell vncertaine of the euent Thou art certaine of victory be therefore couragious Vse 5. If we esteeme not Christs loue aboue all other things hee may haue iust cause to account his bloud loue ill bestowed on vs. If a wife should loue her husbands estate more then himselfe she were vnworthy so were we if wee should preferre any thing before God who loues vs Thus. Phil. 3.8 Paul accounts all other things as dung in comparison hereof Nay our Sauiour saith Luke 14.26 that hee that hates not all deare things in comparison of Him is not worthy of him Heauen is not so much to be desired as Gods loue nor hell so much to be feared as the want of it It is better to bee in hell with Gods loue then in Heauen without it if that were possible Loue Christ then more then Heauen more then thine owne soule who left heauen to redeeme thy soule Whom doest thou loue best Christ or other things If thou bestowest more paines to get riches and more cost to compasse thy pleasures then thou doest to obtaine Christ sure thou louest these aboue Christ If thou wilt neglect Christ and his Word rather then renounce thy vile affections thou louest thy selfe more then Christ He that tasteth hony rellisheth not other things so where the loue of Christ is other things will be of small account As the Starres though they be as well in the day as in the night yet shine cleerely in the absence of the Sunne and are obscured in his presence so till men taste of Christ worldly things are pleasant and admired but when Christ comes they be nothing delightfull as before THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANES CHAP. IX WHile we were conuersant in the former Chapter we dwelt amongst many comforts Now wee are to deale in a subiect of another nature Then we camped as it were in Elim in a place of Palme trees and water now we are to passe into a wildernesse of much difficulty and trouble There we lodged in a sweet Harbour of consolation here we must put into the Ocean and almost bottomlesse depth of abstruse and hidden mysteries If it be as a wildernesse we hope for the holy Spirit as that piller to guide our way and to lead vs into the Truth which is more nourishable then the honey and milke of Canaan If it be as an Ocean we hope by the benefit of our Card which is the Word and the Pylot which is the Spirit with the wind of Prayer and Oares of diligence to arriue safely vnto the Land yea with Moses to walke thorow the Bottom vnto the desired shore of Truth he that gaue vs assistance to speak of comfort will also enable vs to speake of these secrets Qui dedit quod locuti simus dabit sicut eredimus quod loquemur Leo serm 1. de pass Dom. This and the two next Chapters following pertaine to one Argument about the coherence whereof Interpreters speake diuersly yet almost all agree in this that Paul here remooues a great obiection of the Iewes against the doctrine of Iustification before deliuered which was made after this manner If none be iustified but by faith in Christ then the Iewes are not iustified but in the state of condemnation for they hate Christ haue crucified him and persecute such as belieue in him But it is absurd to affirme that the Iewes should not be iustified Therefore men may bee iustified though they belieue not in Christ The Minor assumed hath three fortifications as the Iewes thinke impregnable First the promises are made to them and theirs But if Pauls doctrine of Iustification bee true then the promise faileth and God is made lesse then his word which is blasphemy to auouch Secondly No people vnder the Sunne are so zealous of righteousnesse which their righteousnesse and zeale that it should be of no reckoning and the Gentiles that neuer intended the Law to be receiued for their faith in Christ seemes contrary to Reason and Iustice Thirdly then hath God cast off his people whome he hath chosen which is not to be thought and therefore they conclude that Iustification by faith is a doctrine of Pauls deuising and not the Truth of God For answere to the Argument the Minor is to be denied For it is not absurd to affirme
a Minister be ignorant of the Scriptures or a Physician of the difference and cause of diseases the complexion of his simples c. it excuseth not So for a Christian to be ignorant of Gods righteousnes and the way of Iustification before him is most dangerous So is it for a man to imagine he knowes when hee is most ignorant which is as if a drunken man should thinke himselfe sober or a sicke man well Stop the fountaine of these inconueniences by sound knowledge as a blind man so an ignorant man must needes erre out of the way As a man expects not a voice from fishes so nor from ignorant men vertue If the vvoman of Samaria had knowne who it was that offred her vvater Iohn 4.10 she would not haue mocked him If the Iewes had knowne many of them the Lord of life 1. Cor. 2.8 they would not haue crucified him If the Papists many of them knew better they would accordingly professe Our profane persons if they knew the rigour of Gods iustice the heat of his anger the burning of hell they would not I thinke so shamelesly carry themselues Vse 3. Trust not in thine owne righteousnesse in they ciuill and harmelesse carriage there is no more goodnesse in it then life in a dead carkasse It is like a childes baby made of clouts there 's not more difference between such a puppet a strong man then between our righteousnesse and that vvhich may iustifie vs before God Vse 4. They which receiue not Christs righteousnes are Rebels then are the Papists Rebels so are all they which seek not after faith Whatsoeuer gifts of nature thou hast thou art a rebel if thou belieuest not the Word and receiuest not the righteousnesse of God offred thee therein A more open rebell is a drunkard blasphemes c. Alas vvhat shal becom of these A Iew is better then such a one so is a Papist they can say something for themselues and many of them are free from such notorious crimes Surely such shall be dealt withall as rebels and because they will not repent and be subiect to the righteousnes of God in faith they must be subiect to the reuenging iustice of God in torments VERSE 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth THe Iewes are zealous of the righteousnesse of the Lavv yet are ignorant of Gods righteousnes and submit not vnto it for God gaue the Law not to make vs righteous but to make vs seeke Christ the end of the Lavv that wee might be righteous in him Here Paul brings an Argument to shew that Iustification by faith establisheth the righteousnesse of the Law That which aimeth at and attaineth the end of the Law destroyeth it not But faith attaineth the end of it which is Christ Therefore And as hee which runneth not to the end of the race misseth the prize so the Iewes misse of Iustification because they haue not Christ the end of the Law In this verse are two things 1. A Proposition 2. The amplification The Proposition Christ is the end of the Lavv both Ceremoniall and Morall The Iewes sought to be righteous by the obseruation of both these The end The end of a thing is either Mathematicall or Morall The Mathematicall end is the vtmost part of a thing in which the length or continuance is determined as a point is the end of a line Death the end of life the day of Iudgement the end of this vvorld The Morall end of a thing is the scope and perfection of it Now Christ is the end of the Law both waies The Mathematicall end both of the Ceremoniall and Morall but diuersly Of the Ceremoniall by a direct signification of the Morall by an accidentall direction The Ceremonies signified Christ and ended at him The Morall Law also after a sort leades to Christ Properly the Morall Law leades sinners to the Curse but by account to Christ as the disease leades to the medicine or Physician He is also the morall end of both For hee is the body of those Ceremonies and shadowes and hee perfectly fulfilled the Decalogue for vs and that three waies 1. In his pure conception 2. In his godly life 3. In his holy and obedient sufferings and all for vs for whatsoeuer the Law required that we should Bee Doe or Suffer hee hath performed in our behalfe Therefore one wittily saith Aretius that Christ is Telos the end or Tribute and we by his payment Ateleis tribute-free vve are discharged by him before God Christ is both these ends but principally the last is heere vnderstood The Amplification is by a double determination 1. For vvhat 2. For vvhom 1. For righteousnes to be done or imputed This first and more principally also for the other 2. For whom Described 1. by quality for Beleeuers 2. By generality Euery Beleeuer Q. Is Faith and Christs righteousnes of the Law A. In substance the righteousnesse of the Law and the Gospell are all one For none can be iustified by any other righteousnes then that which the Law requireth They differ onely in the manner of performance the Law exacting it to be done by our selues the Gospell offering it done by Christ to be apprehended by faith Iustifying faith is not directly of the Law for the Law knoweth no Grace but indirectly it is as the Law commands obedience to God doctrine God hath giuen the Law in writing to bring men to Christ that beleeuing in him they might be iustified by his righteousnesse Gal. 3.24 Vse 1. Humane lawes are branches of the Morall law therefore not abolished by Christ and that is an vniust lawe whose end is not Christ Vse 2. For righteousnesse to the beleeuer not to the worker we are not iustified by doing but by beleeuing Vse 3. All beleeuers admitted to Iustification none excluded for faith is a supernaturall grace of which all are equally capable if God bestow it Vse 4. A beleeuer is happy for he hath Christ and so the righteousnesse which the Lawe exacts He hath the perfection of the Lawe which beleeueth in Christ Talis est ille qui in Christum credidit die qua credidit qualis ille qui vniuersam legem impleuit Com. Hieron ad Script Yea such a one is euery beleeuer in the day that he beleeues as he should be if hee could as perfectly keep the Lawe as the very Angels Satan would discourage poore sinners from the scant measure of their sanctification But if thou beleeuest be comforted for thou hast liuery and seysin of all the promises of the Lawe in the first moment of thy faith It cannot hurt thee it curses onely vnbeleeuers and bad liuers hauing a full blow at them to their condemnation Seeke faith and the increase of it more then gold for it is much more precious inriching the conscience with peace comfort and confidence euen in the houre of death Many lament outward
Antecedent To them which are in Christ 2. the Predicat or Consequent Condemnation 3. the Bond negatiuely set downe There is no. The whole Proposition in the naturall order is thus To them which are in Christ there is no condemnation This order is inuerted for more Elegancy and force The Arguments disposed in this proposition are the cause and the contrary effect The contrary effect negatiuely deliuered of the cause The cause beeing in Christ The contrary effect Condemnation The proper effect Iustification set down negatiuely for our greater comfort because wee are more sensible of the euill things we are freed from which wee haue deserued then of the good things we haue by Grace There is therefore now Anselmus Some make this particle Now an Aduerbe of Time in a double relation First to the time past thus before when you were out of Christ your estate was damnable but now it is otherwise Secondly to the time to come viz. Of the glorification of the body thus Now there is no condemnation then there shall be no concupiscence But it 's better taken for a note of inference from somewhat going before thus Those which are iustified are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Now then it followes that there is no condemnation to such There is no condemnation Condemnation is a sentence or Doome giuen by a competent Iudge concerning the punishment of an offender the contrary whereof is Absolution Acquitting Iustification The Iudge is GOD. The delinquent to be arraigned sinfull Man the Court double Inferior of Conscience Superior of Christ To them which bee in Christ In Christ and by Christ differ by the first effectuall Vocation by the second Iustification is vsually set forth To bee in Christ is to bee vnited vnto him which vnion is spirituall not corporall Hee in vs by his Spirit wee in him by our Faith The meaning ariseth from the coniunction of the Subiect and Predicat by a Negatiue Bond for though they are ioyned in the Proposition yet they are really separated To them which are in Christ That is which beleeue and so are effectually called there is no condemnation not before men for such are most subiect to reproachfull censures but before God either at the Barre of their owne Conscience or at the Barre of Christ at the last day The terror of damnation is vnspeakeable specially before the Iudgement seat of CHRIST for if the iudgement of a guilty Conscience be so fearefull as wee cannot be ignorant much more is the iudgement of God who is greater then our Conscience Ioh. 3.20 doctrine Those which are in CHRIST by Faith shall not bee condemned Iohn 3.5.16,36 Marke 16.16 Ephes 5.23 Vse 1. Hee saith not There is no sinne or nothing worthy to be damned but there is no condemnation for he that saith he hath no sinne deceiues himselfe 1. Ioh. 1.8 And the Apostle in the 7. Chapter confessed the remainder of sinne which manifests it selfe too often in our words deeds and desires contrary to the Law by which if the most righteous man be examined he must appeare worthy to be damned and hath need enough to vse Dauids Prayer Psalme 143.2 Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Vse 2. There is no Condemnation to Them Here appeareth the Prudence of the Apostle who when hee in the 7. Chapter spake of the force of inhabiting Sinne expressed it in his own person that we might know there is no man so holy in this life who is exempted But when hee speakes of Comfort to such hee speakes in the person of others lest wee should imagine that onely some principall and choise Christians did enioy this benefit It is the fashion of Christians distressed in Conscience to exempt themselues from the communion of this comfort as if it belonged to others not to themselues Vpon this Paul professedly changeth the manner of his speech Doest thou beleeue in Christ with a true though weake faith Thou shalt be saued Hold fast this faith For euen as a halfe-penny is currant lawfull money as well as a shilling so is the least true Faith of his weight and allowance before God Therefore Paul elsewhere saith There is laid vp for Mee a crowne of righteousnesse Yea for Thee an holy and famous Apostle Nay saith Paul 2. Tim. 4.8 not for mee onely but for them also who loue the appearing of Christ Vse 3. Miserable are the vnbeleeuers and impenitent There is no Condemnation If Paul had stayed here many would haue applauded him O how would the Drunkard and Blasphemer c. haue reioyced and all the rout of wicked ones If Thou beest such how doest thou wish in thy heart that it were true But heare and tremble thou Profane There is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ This is the Childrens bread it is not for Dogs that is for Impenitent sinners What then shall become of them which repent not Woe vnto them For they shall perish they shall be damned for them is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer euen vtter Darknesse where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Who can tell the Misery the Flames the Anger the Vengeance which shall fall downe vpon the heads of the wicked as a tempest of Thunder When thou art glossing and quaffing thinke of this Damnation When thou art puffed vp with Pride thinke of the shame and Confusion following When thou art Coueting think of the wrath thou treasurest vp against the day of Wrath. Of these things we dayly speake and write and yet thou wicked wretch turnest not as if it were a triflle to be damned to be separated from the Saints from Christ from God a trifle as if it were a light thing to haue eternall fellowship with the Diuell and his Angels Yet yet conuert that if it be possible thou mayst escape Damnation Yet leaue thy Whoredomes c. While the doore of grace is open He which now stoppeth his eare O how shall he in That day call to the Mountaines and Rockes to couer him Preuent this damnation by repentance and though other fall into hell labour thou to bee in the number of them to whom there is no Condemnation Vse 4. Great is the Blessednesse and Securitie of the Godly I say Securitie not Carnal whereby the feare of God is shaken off but spiritual wherby the feare of damnation is ouercom There is no Condemnation to them they haue peace with God with themselues Vnderstand you blessed of the Father your happinesse and reioyce My life for yours you shall not perish That tormenting flame shall not touch one hayre of your heads As the garments of the three men smelt not of the fire so you shall bee most free Remember this golden this most diuine Sentence and in all distresses of Conscience conquer yee But thou wilt say Alas I am led captiue vnto sinne what hope therefore Indeede in thy selfe there is none but in Christ
bee most probable if the restoring be onely to some singulars of all kinds And whereas it may bee obiected why these of the kinds rather then other I would aske them also why at the Deluge these of the kinds rather then other were preserued in the Arke But it is not safe walking in the darke without a light Wee know not how it shall be but this I am sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to passe Vse 3. Seeing all these things shall bee dissolued what manner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse 2. Pet. 3.11 If our seruants shall be changed why are we yet intangled in old things Let vs become new Creatures that we may be worthy Inhabitants of the new Heauens and new Earth which shall be Vse 4. Glorious liberty is proper to the Children of God what shall become of the wicked Alasse they shall be holden in the bondage of euerlasting torments They shall bee worse then many bruit Creatures for many of them shal cease to be and therefore to be miserable They shall neuer cease to be that they may neuer cease to be miserable As they now follow the liberty of the flesh so then they shall bee in the bondage of euerlasting punishment VERSE 23. And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit Euen wee our selues groane within our selues waiting for the Adoption to wit the * Luc. 21.28 Redemption of our body IN this Verse is the Application of the former Example The words haue no difficulty if wee vnderstand to whom the Application is referred Wee Some expound Caietanus We Apostles which Apostles had the first fruits that is the Riches of the Spirit As the first fruits are most precious so they receiued Grace both before others and in greater measure and then the Argument is from the greater to the lesse Aretius If we Apostles which are sydera as starres if we sigh and grone then much more inferiour Christians But it is rather to be taken of Christians in generall the Apostle neither in the precedent or subsequent verses speaking of himselfe as of an Apostle but as of a Christian as in the next verse we are saued by Hope which is not the prerogatiue of Apostles but of all Christians We then that is we Christians both of that and all times So here is an Argument from the lesse to the greater thus If the Creature which hath not such sense of the glory to come as we haue do abide the Lords leisure expecting a day of deliuerance then much more ought we to waite c. In this verse are two things First a practice of Christians Secondly a reason of the practice The practice is set downe in two words 1. Grone 2. Wayte 1. We grone Among our selues say some Beza but better in our selues And so it is an Amplification from the manner or measure of Groning That is our Grones come from our very heart roote as we say There is a reioycing which is but in the face and appearance so there is a groning but in appearance therefore he saith in our selues 2. Cor. 5.12 to note the Greatnesse and the Truth of it that it is not fained but without hypocrisie or to shew that there is matter within the best of vs to make vs mourne Pareus Ansel The second practice We wayte amplified by the thing we waite for The Adoption which is expounded The Redemption of our bodies these words being added by apposition But we are the sonnes of God why then should we wayt for that which we haue already The answere is wee haue the Right but not the Complement Wee haue the right of the Inheritance Habemus Ius haereditatis non possessionē Iuris but wee shall not haue the full possession of our Right till the Resurrection of our bodies But why of the bodie because all miseries are conueyed to the whole man by the bodie or rather because the body is subiect to death corrupting and rotting in the graue when the soule is in Heauen it is the last is redeemed and all wayt euen for that Luk. 21.28 The reason is because we haue the first fruites of the Spirit which breeds sighes and grones in them which haue it The first fruites that is the Prelibation A say or taste which we receiue here in righteousnesse peace and ioy being but a sip in comparison of the full draught we shall haue hereafter Saint Paul here alludes to the law of the first fruits which were a pawne to the offerer of Inning his whole crop Leuit. 23. so the first fruits of the Spirit which we receiue here in remission of sinnes is as a pawne to vs of receiuing the whole masse of Glory promised doctrine The Children of God because they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doe grone for the present corruption expecting the Redemption euen of their bodies from the same Ephes 4.30 2. Cor. 5.2,3,4,5 Phil. 3.20,21 Vse 1. The power of Sinne brings death of body goes with it to the Graue remaines with it turnes it into dust and neuer leaueth it till the day of the Generall resurrection Vse 2. Gods children now mourne yet they are called to Ioy and Ioy they shall haue going from the vale of teares to the Mountaine of Ioy. Heauinesse may endure for a night the time of this life but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 30.5 Illo Mane Psal 49.14 in That morning which shall haue no night to succeed it And this with as vndoubted assurance as the first fruites assured of the whole crop and as the earnest assureth of the bargaine Now the first fruites of the Spirit are the earnest of future glory Ephes 1.13 Vse 3. We haue no perfection in this life for we haue but the first fruites and hence the diuell would deceiue vs perswading vs that we haue no faith no sanctification not the Spirit at al because we haue not al faith perfect sanctification and the fulnes of the Spirit Well Remember that God requires according to that he giues he knows thou canst haue no grace but from him and therefore he expects obedience no farther then he giues Hast thou much grace He expects from thee much obedience And a man is accepted according to that he hath not according to that he hath not Be humbled for thy wants but despaire not Vse 4. He that hath the first fruits of the Spirit grones to be deliuered from the power of sinne not onely to condemne him but also to rule and raigne in him Where are thy sighes and Teares for thy sinnes and manifold faylings The godly are euery where brought in in their mourning apparell Dauid waters his couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Iobs mourning came before his meat Iob. 3.24 and Paul cries out lamenting Rom. 7.24 If then thou
exercises It was meat and drinke to him to do his Fathers will to thee to do thine owne vile will What likenesse is here this is not to be conformable but contrary vnto him Doest thou thinke to bee like him in glory which liuest thus That that body of thine which thou hast made an Instrument of Whoredome Drunkennesse c. shall be endued with his glory No no. It is as possible for thee to bee saued liuing thus as it is possible for Christ to be like thee That hee might be the first borne among many brethren This is the limitation of the conformity We shall haue glory not equall but like not by Arithmeticall but Geometricall proportion not inch for inch but sutable to our estates He is the first borne and therefore must haue the double portion That This is not to be taken finally but causally for this was not the end but the reason why we should be patient because so was our Elder brother vnto whom we must be conformable That hee might be the first borne He is so called by allusion to the priuiledges of the first borne They were the Princes of their Families a Gen. 4.7 and Priests till the Tribe of Leui was separated to that Office in their stead b Num. 3.12 And they had a double portion c Deut. 21.2 Chro. 21.3 diuiding the inheritance among the rest of the brethren So Christ is our King Prophet Priest and is anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes d Psal 45. Heb. 1. Among many brethren That is the Elect which by Adoption are the sonnes of God and so the brethren of Christ Christ tooke our Nature vpon him but we are not his brethren hereby but when wee partake of his Nature being Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh by a supernaturall birth as he is Bone of our Bone by a naturall then are we his brethren These brethren are called many in regard of themselues not in regard of the Reprobate Here are three things 1. Christ is the first borne Colos 1.18 Reuel 1.5 We are his brethren Iohn 20.17 Heb. 2.11 We shall be like him 1. Iohn 3.2 Vse 1. It is much to be Gods seruants but to be his Sonnes euen the brethren of Christ is an excesse of Loue. We giue God iust cause to be ashamed of such children as wee are and our blessed Sauiour to be ashamed of such brethren Christ is not ashamed of thee though thou beest poore though ful of infirmities be not thou ashamed of him and his seruice the world casts shamefull and opprobrious things vpon them which followe Christ which keepes many from professing the Gospell this being such a rub which they cannot get ouer Remember Christ is not ashamed to acknowledge and call thee brother put on thou therefore Dauids Spirit I will saith he Psalm 119. confesse thy name before Princes and will not be ashamed Vse 2. A friend in the Court is worth much Wee haue in the Court of Heauen a speciall friend euen a brother to speed our suits Let it comfort vs in Prayer and make vs confident to go to him and not to the Virgin Mary c. Vse 3. Naturall brethren howsoeuer they may discent among themselues yet they will take one anothers part against enemies so that wrong one wrong all Let then the World and prophane men take heed how they wrong vs for Christ is our brother and hath promised protection and to take our parts Vse 4. Christ is our Elder Brother therefore our Prince vnto whom we owe subiection and obedience If we be sanctified and performe this Hee is not ashamed of vs. Thou art ashamed of thy brother if he be a Drunkard a Thiefe a Whoremaster if thou beest such assuredly Christ is ashamed of thee VERSE 30. Moreouer whom hee did predestinate them hee also called and whom he called them hee also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified THe Elect are Predestinate to bee conformable to the Image of Christ this Conformity is when they are called Iustified and glorified of which speakes this verse And so is absolued the whole order of our saluation God purposeth to saue some of mankind falne These he fore-knoweth these fore-known he predestinateth these he calleth iustifieth and glorifieth In the two verses going next before Paul carried vs vp into the third Heauen Here he bringeth vs downe againe to the Earth to behold the patefaction of Predestination by Vocation Iustification Glorification Those whom hee predestinateth that is to saluation from euerlasting He also called In time and out of their sinfull estate from the number of the wicked outwardly by the Law the Gospell which calling is common to the Elect Reprobate Inwardly by the operation of the Spirit in their hearts whereby they are inabled to fulfill the condition of the Gospell which is to beleeue and this is proper to the children of God Them hee also Iustified That is hee accounteth and pronounceth them righteous by the offred righteousnesse of the Gospell which in their vocation by Faith they apprehended Them he also glorified Not maketh them renowned and famous but did gloriously saue Glorification is a putting away of basenesse and dishonour and a putting on of honour euen the honour of immortality and saluation Q. But where is Sanctification A. Some say it is included in Vocation and Iustification but rather in Glorification Sanctification is Glorification inchoate and Glorification is Sanctification consummate These are so inuiolably connected that hee who is predestinated is as certaine to be saued as if hee were in heauen already The way vnto this Glorification is the Crosse therefore we are to be patient in sufferings The fore-acknowledging or loue of God is the fountaine of the Predestination of Saints of which loue wee may say that it is from euerlasting to euerlasting from the Eternitie of Predestination without beginning to the eternity of glorification without end the Necessary meanes betweene both Vocation Iustification I purpose not to common place of the Nature of these graces but onely to speake of their Connexion and Relation one with and toward another which are so linked together that they follow and conuert Affirmatiuely and Negatiuely from the first to the last and from the last to the first as in a chaine of diuers linkes if yee draw any one the rest follow doctrine The way from Predestination to Glorification is by Vocation and Iustification so that whosoeuer is called and iustified was predestinated and shall be glorified This appeares by comparing together these places 1. Cor. 1.9 Rom. 1.7 1. Pet. 1.9 Iude 1. Act. 13.48 Vse 1. These graces proceed not from merit but from Gods foreknowledge and loue Vse 2. The opinion of vniuersall Election is here exploded All are not called therefore all are not elected So long as God continues his Gospell presse to the doore of his House to obtaine this Calling
is more offended with the ill behauiour of a seruant aduanced by him Remember at the day of Iudgement thou shalt bee stript of all thy priuiledges of Birth Honour c. and shalt stand naked before God Vse 5. As it helped not the Iewes because they were Idolaters to haue Abraham to their Father so neither the Bishops of Rome because they are vile Idolaters to haue Peter for their Predecessor VERSE 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect c. NOw Paul enters the lists with the Iew who obiected against Iustification by Faith on this manner If Iustification be by Faith then the Iewes not belceuing in Christ cannot be iustified But the Iewes must be iustified though not beleeuing Therefore The Minor is denied which they proue thus If they be not Iustified but Reprobated then the Word of God takes no effect but failes Therefore In this part of the sixt verse which we haue in hand Paul denies the Maior affirming the plaine contrary that though they bee reprobated yet the Word of God is not of no effect This conclusion Paul proues in the verses next following taking away the ground on the which the Iewes built their Consequence as we shall see by and by The summe of that which in these words is propounded is That though the multitude of the Iewish Nation be reiected yet the word of promise failes not doctrine The promises of God are sure Rom. 4.16 2. Cor. 1.20 Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.17 Vse 1. God is full of compassion and hath made many mercifull promises this is comfortable yet this were nothing if God were changeable as we are to day a friend to morrow a foe making a promise to day and repealing and reuersing it to morrow Laban changeth often with Iacob but God neuer changeth with vs but keepeth his promise for euer and his truth endureth from generation to generation We promise and many times faile either by the mutability of our will or the Imbecilitie of our power or the scantnesse of our knowledge not being able to foresee impediments But God is not mutable nor weake nor ignorant When he promiseth he foresees what can be against it he is the same he neuer repents and he is able to bring it to passe Therefore if we be sure of the promise we are as sure of the performance This stabilitie and truth of God vpholds vs in trouble Which if it could faile Satan had a thousand times ere this ouerthrowne vs. God promised Dauid he should be a King But Saul was aliue and his enemy and went about by open force and secret practices to kill Dauid so that in the eye of flesh and bloud it is a thousand to one but Dauid shall dye before Saul For all this Dauid lookes to be King Why Because God had promised which promise comforted him in all his troubles Psal 119.41,42,49,50 If thou wouldst not be swallowed vp in the surges of tentation Cast anchor on the truth and promises of God Vse 2. As are the promises so are the threatnings It cannot bee proued from Adam to this day that God did euer in any tittle fayle of his promise to the godly Neither can it or euer shall be found that God euer hath or will faile of one iot of his threatnings but that he will make them good vpon the hayry scalpe of such as goe on in their wickednesse without repentance Art thou a blasphemer or a drunkard c. and repentest not If thou beleeuest God to be true and his Word thou mayst reade thine owne sentence and doome Remember that God can as soone deny himselfe as not performe his word to penitent and impenitent For hee is true and constant and requireth such Worshippers For they are not all Israel which are of Israel VERSE 7. Neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they all children Gen. 21.12 but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 8. That is they which are the Children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seede 9. Gen. 18.10 For this is the word of Promise At this time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne THe Iewes did thus argue as we haue seen that if they be Reprobated then the word of Promise takes no effect The contrary whereof Paul auouched in the first part of the sixt verse Here Paul proues that which hee auouched In which proofe hee takes away the ground on which the Iewes did insist Their ground was this that the Promise was made to Abraham and his seede and to Isaac and his seede which seede they affirmed themselues to bee and from hence argued thus To Abrahams seede is the Promise made But we are Abrahams seed therefore the promise of Remission of sin and Eternall life must be performed to vs and if it be not then doth God faile of his promise Paul answers to this Argumēt by a distinction of the subiect to whom the promise was made which subiect is the seed of Abraham The seed of Abraham is of two sorts Carnall to which the promise is not made and Spirituall to which it was made The error of the Iewes was that they made the Promise too generall counting all that descended of Abraham Isaac and Iacob by a carnall generation to be that seed to which the promises should belong But Paul shewes that the promise was neuer meant to all that come of Abraham by the flesh but to the spirituall seed which were the children of the promise So that there are two parts of Pauls answer In the first part he sheweth that the promise is not meant to all them vvhich are Israelites according to the flesh In these verses and so to the 24. The second that it is meant to the elect of all Nations from the 24. verse to the end of the chapter In this first part of Pauls answere he shewes that though many of the Iewes be cast away yet the promise is not made void because the promise was neuer meant to all the Iewes thus If all were the Israelites to whom the promise is made then if all that descend of Israel were not saued the promise failed But all that descend of Israel are not that Israel to whom the promises were made verse 6. therefore The Minor is proued by a double instance the first of Abrahams children the second of Isaac and Rebeccaes children The first instance is in the 7.8.9 verses The second in the 10.11.12.13 verses In the first instance are two things the Proposition vers 7. the summe whereof is that though the tenor of the promise be to Abraham and his seed yet that seed is determined in Isaac so that all that are the carnall seed of Abraham are not children that is of God or of the promises For Ismael and his posterity were excluded 2. The exposition v. 8. confirmed by a testimony ver 9. They which
most contrarie to this of the Apostle here who affirmeth that Iacob was elected before hee had done any workes that Election might be not of Workes but of him that calleth Arminius expounds these words of him that calleth thus Armin. in analis ca 9. ad prim script ad Gellium Succanum that the purpose of Gods election might bee not of workes but of Faith whereby it is obeyed to him that calleth This Glosse corrupteth the Text and is like an old piece sowne to a new garment For first this quite crosseth the meaning of the words and in effect it should be thus not of workes but of him that is called for they also absurdly hold that Faith is of our selues Secondly when there is an opposition betweene Faith and Workes it is in the point of Iustification and Faith not opposed in regard of it selfe but of the righteousnesse of Christ by it apprehended as it is a vertue it comes vnder the account of workes which in as much as they hold there must needs follow a confusion in the sense Gods election is without Faith as the cause of it not without it as the meanes appointed to Iustification and saluation So also Reprobation is without sinne as the cause discretiue impelling not without it as a condition without the which God reprobateth not as for instance God considers Esau Iacob falne in Adam His authoritie and power is this Hee may saue both and he may damne both and that iustly if hee will Or he may elect Esau if hee will and reprobate Iacob But what hath he done Hee hath chosen Iacob Why Because hee would Hee hath passed by Esau and reprobated him Why Because he would And this will is iust because Esau hath deserued it But so hath Iacob also True but it pleased God to forgiue Iacob in Christ and not Esau as a man hauing two debtors may forgiue the one and require the debt of the other without any iniustice Vse 2. This Doctrine affords comfort in tentation Thy vnworthinesse may dismay thee but remember that thy Election depends not vpon thy worthinesse but vpon the will of God Let this Doctrine also prouoke thee to thankefulnesse and due praises Which two vses Saint Augustin makes of his preaching this Doctrine There is great cause thou shouldst praise God if thou bee elect for it is of his mercy not of thy deseruing In regard of thy selfe there was no difference betweene thee and a Reprobate If now there be God found it not in thee but put it into thee Consider Esau and Iudas in what art thou better then they Thou art of the same Nature hewne out of the same Rocke of the same wooll as I may say and making Nothing hath parted thee but the knife of Gods Election Nothing in thee more then in Iudas to make him Elect thee Thou seest many commit lewd things some whoredome some drunkennesse some murder Thou hatest these sinnes what is the cause The grace of Gods Election If God should haue left thee to thy selfe thou wouldst haue proued a Iudas or a Iezabel Giue glory to God which hath discerned thee and seeing he hath put a difference betweene thee and the Reprobate manifest thou this difference by thy godly life doctrine The Doctrine out of the third part The Predestination of God is sure Ioh. 13.1 2. Tim. 2.19 as this is affirmed of election so holds it also of Reprobation Vse 1. Great comfort followes the Elect Their state is as sure as God is sure As none can be saued but they which are predestinated to it so they most certainly for God neither can deceiue nor be deceiued So certaine saith one Nullo detrimentâ—… minui potest summa praecognita l. de voc Gent. 1. c. vlt. inler opera Amb. In sensu diuiso non in sensu composito The. Sum. 1. p. q. 23. art 23. is the number of them which are predestinated that it can neither be increased nor by any detriment be diminished In deede if we consider an Elect by himselfe without the Decree of God hee may dye in sinne but if wee consider him with the Decree of God he cannot If our Saluation did not for the certainty of it depend on God but on our selues it were hazardable and wee must needs despaire and runne madde in trouble because wee are mutable The foundation is in God The markes in vs. God hath not reuealed to men whether they bee Elect or Reprobate 'T is not written in euery ones forehead but this is written in the Word 2. Pet. 1.10 that we must make our election sure not in it selfe but in our assured knowledge of it which may be done à posteriori as they say that is by certain effects of election which are infallible markes of the same There are two speciall markes of election noted by Saint Paul 2. Tim. 2.19 Faith and Repentance If thou hast Faith thou art Elect for only such beleeue which are ordained to life Repentance also approues thy election For we are elected that we should be holy and God hath ordained vs to walke in good workes and to be clothed with righteousnesse and the obedience of a new life If thou sayest Alas what shall I doe I finde not these markes in me but the contrarie as Ignorance Contempt of the Word Profanenesse Whoredome Pride Drunkennesse c. I answere thee Yet despaire not but vse the meanes and submit thy selfe to them and if thou beest elect they shall become effectuall to worke in thee all such graces vnto life Some as Spiders gather poison out of this hony Either of malice or as I would rather iudge of Ignorance blaspheming this Doctrine and saying If there be Predestination and so certaine then let vs neuer trouble our selues about Faith and Repentance For if I be predestinated to bee saued my sinnes cannot damne mee if to bee damned my care cannot saue mee To affirm this is horrible blasphemy for it is in effect to say that God who hath giuen vs his word to teach vs to liue wel hath therein opened to vs a Doctrine of carelessenesse and dissolutenesse Which is to deny the wisedome and purity of God Also they consider not that by the same act God both predestinates a man to life and to the meanes of obtaining it which are Faith and Repentance without which he hath predestinated to saue none A man hath a grieuous wound will he say if God hath appointed it shall heale It will heale though I vse no playster Will a man neglect to eat because God hath appointed how long he shall liue Did Hezekiah so for the terme of those fifteene yeeres because of Gods appointment Will a man on the top of an house refuse the ordinary meanes of safety and leape down vpon these termes Will we not on these termes trust our bodies and shal we our soules In bodily things will wee ioyne the meanes and end together whatsoeuer Gods predestination be and
mens thrift it is conuenient nay it must be so These things are but preparatiues to their greater iudgement But alas wicked men thinke not so they say Let the Preacher say his mind I am sure whatsoeuer I am I thriue I prosper I haue good crops c. O they know not that they are as Oxen fatted for the slaughter If thou beest rich thou thinkest thy selfe happy though a wicken man but thou shalt pay deare for all one Day when Diues will wish he had beene Lazarus Nay for the hope of that Day the poorest man that feareth God will not euen Now change states with the richest vpon earth For Mary hath chosen the better part Luke 10.42 Further if thou maruellest at the great power and pompe of the Turk who wastes Gods inheritance filling the places of the Apostles chiefest labours with detestable doctrines or at the pride of the Pope who playes the Diuell in burning and raging against the Saints Remember there is a Day comming wherein they shall be made examples and that God will get himselfe a name glorious and magnificent in their destruction fore-prophesied in the Reuelation Reu. 17. Vse 3. Sinne not in hope of Impunity which if it bee long is a strong inticement to offend For GOD is patient not that thou shalt quite escape but that thou maist be made an example Because sentence is not speedily executed vngodly men take courage to offend Eccles 8.11,12,13 But though a sinner doe euill and liue long yet it shall not bee well with him in the end The Drunkard or vncleane person c. offend once and feele no Iudgement yea a second and a third time and God takes them not in hand Now they thinke God sees not hath forgotten and will neuer marke Ah Fooles which consider not that the more they sinne and are not punished the more their reckoning increaseth They deale with God as the Birds with a Scar-crow at first it makes them afrayd but seeing it not to stirre at length they come neere it and light and sit vpon it So at first the wickedest man is afraid to offend but through impunitie he hardens himselfe to commit iniquitie But though God hath woollen feet yet he hath Iron hands He spares them to haue the greater stroke at them All this while hee is whetting his sword and euery sinne makes it the sharper he is preparing deadly Arrowes and is long in drawing his Bow because he means to haue a speeding shoote The old World is an example so is Sodome yea Ierusalem famous Ierusalem is an example of this There was neuer any place so abounded with blessings as Ierusalem our vnthankfull England excepted How long did God spare How often did he fore warne And when nothing would serue how was his patience turned to fury and her mercy into Iudgement Not a stone vpon a stone Her riuers flowing with milke and honey turned into bloud The suruiuing Inhabitants and their posteritie vagabonds dispersed this 1600. yeere ouer the face of the earth Let England so long spared so greatly blessed looke to it yea let euery one looke to it This is a time of patience without wrath There is a day comming of wrath without patience Let the patience of God moue thee to Repentance VERSE 23. And that hee might make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy HEre is the end of Gods shewing his wrath and power on the Reprobates after his long induring them namely that he might shew the riches of his glory on the Elect. Contraries illustrate each other being laid together Contraria iuxta se posita magis illucescunt So these things by comparing not that Gods Iustice and Mercy are contrary one to the other but that their effects in contrarie subiects are after a contrary manner There is no difference betweene the diuine attributes but onely rationall in regard of our conceit which difference also ceaseth when the operation of our vnderstanding ceaseth For as it is the same Sunne which hardneth the Clay and softneth the Waxe So it is the same will in GOD which sheweth mercy on the Elect and Iustice on the Reprobate God maketh the Reprobate drinke off the very dregges of his wrath that the rellish of his immeasurable goodnesse might by comparison be the sweeter to the Elect. And that this Particle And is not in some Copies and the Ancient reade it not and indeed without it the sence appeares the more plainely but beeing in very approued Copies it would be here taken as often it is for Euen The Riches of his glory Glory is that wherby God appeares to bee glorious and is to bee glorified Now hee appeares glorious by the effects of his goodnes and power whereby hee is willing and able to saue The Interpreters for the most part here interpret it of his mercy but I thinke Gods power also to bee vnderstood and so the opposition is notable His mercy to his wrath and his power in shewing mercy to his power in executing wrath As Glory is sometimes put for Mercy so sometimes for power Rom. 3.23 Rom. 6.4 The riches of his glory This is an Hebraisme where Glory is not the addition but riches noting as vsually abundance So we say a man rich in plate land c. which hath store of these things That hee might shew his most rich and abundant glory doctrine The wrath shewed on the Reprobates doth amplifie and commend the mercy to the Elect. Gods sauing Noah and drowning the world made his mercy to Noah the more conspicuous The plaguing of Egypt and sparing the Israelites by comparison the more setteth forth the goodnesse of God to the Israelites So also the drowning of Pharaoh and his hoast and their deliuerance noted Exod. 14.30,31 Vse 1. Here are two comforts First the riches of glory layd vp for the Elect comforteth against our present basenesse and disgrace put vpon vs by the world Secondly we haue friends here but many times we faile of their helpe either for want of loue in them or for want of power But God wants neither nay hee is infinite in both He hath riches of glory Whatsoeuer thou wantest as Faith Repentance c. Aske and thou shalt haue That fountaine can neuer be drawne dry Learne Humilitie For thou didst neuer earne or purchase the happinesse thou hast and shalt haue and that there should be such difference betweene thee and a Reprobate it comes from the riches of Gods glory It is not a little thing or ordinary which God giues his Elect but riches of Glory the pledge of it here in Faith and Sanctification the perfection of it hereafter To bring vs to this estate and to make vs capable of such glory cost the treasure euen of heauen the richest Iewell there euen Christ Iesus was pawned for it Forget not to bee thankefull And that thou mayst so much the more doe it Compare thy estate with the estate
some a Stone to the Ignorant a Rocke to vnbeleeuers by some a Stone to his Incarnation a Rocke to his Passion c. but these are too curious the best is to take them as signifying one and the same thing Three things made the Iewes to stumble First the meanenesse of his Person they expected that the Messiah should haue come as another Alexander Ioh. 7.48,49 Secondly the meanenesse of his followers his Disciples Fishermen his Hearers the meanest of the people Thirdly the qualitie of his Doctrine full of reproofe of their Hypocrisie and vile dealing They sought to bee praised of all men but hee vncased their Hypocrisie and laid them open denouncing woe woe woe against them 2. Where this stone is laid in Sion in Iewry in the Church 3. Who put it there God himselfe in the first and chiefe end to build men vp to saluation but if they refuse and disobey then to be a Rocke of offence 4. To whom To vnbeleeuers noted by the contrarie 5. The effect They that stumble shall be ashamed noted also by the contrarie They that beleeue shall not bee ashamed doctrine Christ is a Rocke of offence to them which beleeue not nor repent Luke 2.34 1. Cor. 1.23 1. Pet. 2.6 Vse 1. Many speake euill of the Gospell and of hearing Sermons 2. Cor. 6.14 Be not offended at it you see it is no new thing If any wonder that the Gospell hath such enemies as the Diuell and the Pope are and that it is such a moat in their eyes Let them remember that light and darknesse are contrary and they which doe euill hate the light Ioh. 3.20 and Christ himselfe is stumbled at Vse 2. The Reason why so much preaching brings forth so little Faith is because men thinke not reuerently of it but account the preaching and professing of the Gospell a meane thing The meane conceit the Iewes had of Christ bred their Infidelitie The meane conceit Nathaniel had of Nazaret Ioh. 1.46 at first hindred his Faith When the Woman of Samaria began to conceiue more highly of Christ she left scoffing and beleeued And when Nicodemus is perswaded that Christ is a Teacher sent from God Ioh. 4.19 Ioh. 3.2 he resorteth vnto him for instruction So when we heare the Word not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of the liuing God it will be powerfull and worke Faith in our hearts Vse 3. Nothing more Soueraine then Christ yet an offence to wicked men No sauour more sweet then of the Gospell yet a sauour of death to the wicked As wholesome meate to a healthfull man hath a good rellish but to one that is agueish euen honey is bitter and as the light is cheerefull and comfortable to sound eyes but an offence to sore so to good men there is nothing more delightfull then the Word then the which there is nothing more tedious to the wicked There are diuers kindes of them which stumble at Christ and his Word 1. The Iewes as appeares in this place 2. The Turkes who cannot be brought to seeke for saluation in him who hath hanged on a Tree 3. The Papists Tell them that their Masses doe no Good that workes iustifie not that the Virgin Mary cannot helpe vs that Christ is our onely Mediator They cry out Sedition Heresie c. We are made blocks good works are spoken against 4. The Worldling Who affecting pleasure and gaine and perceiuing the Crosse to follow the Gospell is by and by offended 5. Ignorant people who are offended with the paucitie of Professors If this be the true Religion why is it so much spoken against Shall none be saued say they but they which follow Sermons c 6. A sort of people among vs called Separatists or Pharises whom I much pitie because I am perswaded there are some amongst them that are conscionable These stumble at our mixt assemblies they will not know that the best field hath Tares the best Wheate chaffe the best men faults and the purest Christians defects Yea they will not see the beames in their owne company but in our Church euery moate troubles them 7. Our ordinarie profane people who cannot afford a good word either to a Preacher or conscionable Professor These say It was neuer merry world since there was so much Preaching so much following of Sermons is to make men Beggers Fooles to runne out of their wits What is the matter with these men What is that which troubles them The Truth is These men which say after this manner are either Drunkards Whore-masters common Swearers or giuen to some notorious lewdnes and because the Word findes them out and diseases them in their euill courses therefore they are offended at it If they bee not controuled for their faults they are quiet enough Herod was a wonderfull Gospeller for a while till Iohn told him of his Incest So the Preacher is a good man till he tell them of their faults Vse 4. Christ and his Word are good to them which vvalke vprightly Mic. 2.7 Beleeue in CHRIST and obey his Word then will Christ be thy defence and his Word thy Comfort But if thou bee profane and thereby an enemy to thy selfe then is the Word thy enemy which if thou didst loue obey would be thy faithfull friend euen in the houre of Death When Moses threw his Rod out of his hand it became a Serpent and hee was afraid of it but when he laid hold of it and tooke it to him it became That Rodde whereby hee wrought many Miracles So cast the Word from thee and it is a Serpent but lay hold of it by Faith and obey it and thou shalt haue the great Worke of thy Saluation wrought thereby Blessed is the man which is not offended at Christ and his Word It is hard to kicke against the prickes If a man strike his hand vpon the point of a speare he hurts not the speare but his hand If hee spurne at a stone hee hurts not the stone but his owne feete so whosoeuer maligne and speake euill of the Word Alas they hurt not that but themselues euen to their vtter condemnation if they repent not If thou hast beene a despiser repent loue and obey the Word that thou maist be saued THE TENTH CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANES VERSE 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saued IN the ninth Chapter appeared that the Reiection of many Iewes doth not preiudice the promise of God and therfore the doctrine of Iustification by faith remaineth firme In this Chapter the Apostle answereth another Argument in which the Iewes put wonderfull trust viz. in their holinesse and zeale thus If none be saued but those which beleeue in Christ then vvhat shall become of our strict and zealous obseruation of the Law morall and Ceremoniall Paul tells them that all this auailes not before God but faith
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
wants but few the want of faith Vse 5. The Lawe is a heauenly thing and many wonders are contained in it of which wee shall comfortably vnderstand if we studie it aright Study it not as the Iewes or Papists doe to be iustified by it but to bring thee to Christ and then to walk in all obedience with thankfulnesse If thou doest thus thou hittest the nayle on the head If the Lawe driue vs not to Christ as the storme the birds to the Row and the ship to the hauen all other intents and studies are of no value Euery precept must teach vs our weaknesse euery promise must set our teeth on edge and euery curse as the lash of a whip make vs cry peccaui and bring vs down vpon our knees with Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy as the blind man cried in the Gospell And when thou art come to Christ thou must not cast away the Lawe but vse it still to make thee more to cling vnto Christ and as a rule of righteous liuing Christ is the end of the Lawe not the killing but fulfilling end Finis non interficiens sed persiciens Aug. not to end but to vrge thy obedience When the Marchant is come aboord his ship by boat he drownes not his boat but hoyses it vp into his ship he may haue vse of it another time or as a Noble-man neglects not his Schoolemaster when he is come to his lands but preferres him So certainly if the Lawe though sharpe hath brought thee to Christ thou canst not but loue it for this office if thou doest not thou hast not Christ Yea it will be the delight of a man to be then doing when Christ is with him as Peter then willingly and with successe cast out his net Without Christ the Lawe is an vncomfortable study but with him nothing more delightfull VERSE 5. For Moses describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Lawe that * Leuit. 18.5 Ezech. 20.11 Gal. 3.12 the man which doth those things shall liue by them 6. But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise * Deut. 30.12 Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heauen That is to bring Christ downe from aboue 7. Or Who shall descend into the Deepe that is to bring vp Christ againe from the dead 8. But what sayth it * Deut. 30.14 The Word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of faith which we preach HEre Paul brings an Argument to euince that faith abolisheth not but stablisheth true righteousnesse thus The righteousnesse of faith is that which Moses teacheth vnto Iustification Therefore Iustification by faith abolisheth not righteousnes but establisheth it Paul compares in these verses the righteousnesse of the Lawe and of faith together shewing that the righteousnesse of the Lawe to be performed by vs is vncertaine and impossible and that the righteousnesse of faith is certaine and possible and both these by the testimony of Moses The Iewes thought that faith had been contrary to Moses but Paul shewes that Moses taught faith as Christ himselfe witnesseth Ioh. 5.46 The impossibility of the righteousnesse of the Law vnto Iustification Paul shewes in the 5. verse out of Leuiticus The man that doth these things shall liue thereby that is shall be iust for life flowes from Iustice The Gospell teacheth not a diuers righteousnesse from that of the Law but a diuers way vnto it namely Faith in Christ who fulfilled the Law The Argument from hence against Iustification by the Law is drawne from the Cause To performe the Law is impossible But righteousnesse of the Law is to performe it Therefore This impossibility of our performing the Law is not from the Law but from our selues who are corrupt That the righteousnesse of Faith is certaine and possible Paul shewes verse 6 7 8. that it is certaine verse 6 7. that it is possible verse 8. The Righteousnesse of Faith that is which the Gospell offereth and Faith receiues is certaine This Paul declares by a Negation of contrary doubtfulnesse elegantly compounded by a figure out of Deuteronomie The doubting which presseth sinners is two-fold 1. how they may enter into Heauen and 2. how they may auoid Hel. These two Moses shewes to be taken away by Faith The first because we beleeue the Ascension of Christ for vs. The second because we beleeue his Resurrection whereby hee demonstrated his victory ouer Hell and Death as if Moses had said He that seekes Iustification by the Law must needs be in continuall feare of Hell and despaire of Heauen but he that beleeueth that Christ is risen and ascended is freed from both Christ rose for vs and ascended for vs and before which must be implied liued and dyed for vs he which beleeueth not and seeketh for Iustification from himselfe in effect denies the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ That the righteousnesse of Faith is possible Paul shewes by the facility of it out of Moses vers 8. Faith is easie because it is giuen otherwise the hardest thing in the world for a sinner to beleeue the Gospell In the 8. verse we haue two things 1. Moses Testimonie The Word is nigh thee c. 2. Pauls exposition That is the Word of Faith which we preach The Word is nigh thee The Word of Promise so was the Word of the Law but nigh thee in thy mouth and heart not in Tables of Stone as the Law As if hee should haue said by a Prouerbiall manner of speaking This is righteousnesse before God to beleeue with the heart and with the mouth to confesse the Resurrection and Ascension of our Sauiour Christ for vs. The Generall summe That Righteousnesse is the safest and sufficientest to saluation which maketh vs assured before GOD and succoureth vs in tentation but so doth not the righteousnesse of the Law but that of the Gospell Therefore In this passage many things might be spoken of as of the Law our insufficiencie and impossibilitie to performe it Of the Ascension and Resurrection of Christ But I will onely consider of doctrine The Doctrine Faith not the Law makes vs certaine of our saluation before God Luke 8.12 Rom. 9.33 Ephes 2.8 1. Pet. 1.9 Vse 1. The Law is too weake to iustifie vs but strong enough to condemne vs which thou shalt finde which repentest not of thy sinnes Seeke not that which the Law cannot doe but feare that which the Law can doe Vse 2. Faith takes away but the Law breeds doubting both because we doe but little of that which the Law commands and in that little there is much defect deseruing the curse As then the doctrine of the Iewes so of the Papists who teach men to bee iustified by inherent righteousnesse must needs leaue men in suspence and doubt which doubts Faith ouercomes If our bodies were as hard as an Adamant wee should not feele the sting of Serpents so if the soule
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
weake gifts yet if hee preach the Gospel thou must account his feet beautifull It s not the gifts of men but the Word of God which workes the feate in our Conuersion Vse 5. If it be the Gospel of peace the professors are to be peaceable Vse 6. The great sinne of this Land is the contempt of the preaching of the Gospel that we account it not a precious but a tedious thing Neuer merry vvorld say some since wee had so much preaching as if the Sun shone too bright Like the Israelites who stumbled at the plenty of Manna These are a kinne to those Diuels who asked Christ if he were come to torment them So they account the Gospell a torment because it crosseth their profane couetous and Epicure-like courses These can spend daies and nights in vanitie but an houre at a Sermon is tedious Bleare-eyed Leah is more comly in their eye then Rachel The Onions of Egypt haue a better relish in their mouthes then Manna and Quailes They had rather liue at the Hogs-trough for what are all worldly pleasures but draffe in comparison then in their fathers house Preferring their pigges with the Gadarenes before our Sauiour Christ O say they We cannot liue by Sermons But alas what are all pleasures without this euen vanity vexation of spirit yea the more of these the more torment to the conscience at the day of death when the Gospel of peace is worth all the world But what 's the cause we loue the Gospel no better Surely this we know not our own poore estate and so are ignorant of the worth of it If we knew these wee would runne from East to West for it If drunkards and the rabble of vvicked wretches knew their fearefull estate the Minister should be as welcome to them as bread to the hungry or a pardon to a Theefe To them which are visited in their consciences is the Gospell sweet but to them which are hardned it hath no sauor Poore soules If a man in the street cry fire fire euery man runnes but we daily cry the fire of Hell to consume all impenitent sinners yet none almost are moued What 's that fire to this What the burning of rotten houses to the burning of body and soule in fire and brimstone for euer If the Lord would be pleased but to shew a wicked man the torments of Hell or to visite his conscience with the apprehension of his wrath then the very crummes of the Gospell would be welcome when now they lothe the full measses of Consolation Then to see the sweetnes of but one sentence or line in the Gospell would be more acceptable then the whole riches of the world When the Conscience is wounded and the Diuell strongly accuseth then how beautifull will the feet be of the now contemned Ministers of the Gospell Sell all thy profits pleasures sinnes to purchase this treasure of peace which comes by the Gospel Many are daily cheapning but they vnderbid for it they would faine haue it but are driuen away with the price because it requires a forsaking of all to follow Christ But indeed Daniels fare with the Gospel is a roiall feast if thou accountest not so thou hast a proud and an ignorant heart VERSE 16. But they haue not all obeyed the Gospell for Esayas saith Lord who hath belieued our report IN this verse Paul preuents an Obiection against that which was said concerning the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles that it was of God As if some Iew should say No Paul God neuer sent you to preach to them for if hee had he would haue sent you first to vs and haue blessed your labours but the greater part obey you not either of Iewes or Gentiles It may be here and there a few of the common sort follow you but where are the great Rabbines the Pharises The fourth part follow you not but persecute you Therfore because this busines profits not in your hands God neuer sent you but you runne of your own head This was a plausible Argument to the Iewes to vvhich Paul answers by a Concession with a Correction annexed as if he should say Indeed all doe not obey the Gospel yet you Iewes are not to be offended because as our sending vvas fore-told so your and their incredulitie and the small fruit and effect was fore-told also In this verse we note two parts 1. A declaration of the successe of the preaching of the Gospel Not all obey it Secondly a Confirmation of it out of Esay All haue not obeyed that is beliued So called because obedience is an inseparable effect of faith The effect is put for the cause so we say of the trees in our Orchards this is a Peare that a plum when they are the trees that beare such fruit so Faith is the tree that beares the fruit of obedience This obedience of Faith is two-fold First or Reason Secondly of Works That of Reason is when it giues place and way to the Gospel though it conceiue it not For the Gospel goes beyond reason as in the point of the Trinitie Incarnation of Christ Iustification of a sinner before God Resurrection c. Abraham belieued aboue or against reason and the Gospel is said to bring into subiection our Reason 2. Cor. 10.5 That of vvorks is when we obserue the Law for Faith worketh by loue and is to be showne by our works Gala. 5.6 For Esay saith By this is rendred the cause not of the thing but of the Proposition For not because Esay fore-told did not all obey but because all did not obey Esay fore-told it Lord This is added by the Septuagint for explanation Who hath belieued The Interrogation is a forcible Negation propounded as some say by way of Admiration that so few should belieue but that 's no wonder It s rather a wonder that any doe considering our corruption and the diuels subtile tentations then that many do not It s no wonder to see men runne into all manner of sinne as t is no vvonder to see a stone roule downe from the top of a steepe hill I thinke it is spoken rather by way of complaint that so fevv should beliue the Gospell Report or hearing that is preaching by an vsuall Hebraisme because nothing in the world is so worthy to be heard as it Our Report vvhich are the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel Who hath that is none haue so few as in comparison None So Iohn saith Iohn 3.32 that No man receiueth the testimony of Christ Did not Mary Andrew Peter c Yes but in comparison of the multitude which did not None doctrine When the Gospell is preached all are not conuerted by it and belieue it Iohn 3.32 and 12.37 Mat. 20.16 2. Thes 3.2 Vse 1. Faith is called obedience Obey thou in life and make thy reason obey No man standing on his own reason euer belieued an vnsanctified wit is a great hinderance
Iewes seeking to gather them into the bosome of his loue Vnto a disobedient and gainesaying people The word signifies such a one as will not be perswaded but is incorrigible Not euery disobedience is here meant but when neither faire meanes nor foule will bring vs to a better course Gainesaying This is a farther Rise of sinne signifying not onely such a one as refuseth to obey but beeing reproued thwarteth mocketh and persecuteth their reprouers Of this Steuen accused the Iewes Act. 7.51 Esay hath but one word for both these but such is the force of it that both these will scarcely expresse it Socer It is attributed to the stubborne sonne that vvas to be stoned to death Deut. 21.18 Me thinkes Dauid makes a Commentary of it in the 78. Psalme The Iewes are there called a rebellious generation in Esays word Dor. Socer What a one is that A generation as it followes that set not their heart aright whose spirit was not faithfull to God that kept not the Couenant of God that he refused to walke in his Law that forgate his workes that tempted God that spake against God c. Such were the Israelites as Esay saith that prouoked him to his face doctrine Disobedience ioyned with contradiction and persecution of Gods Messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes 2. Chro. 36.16 Mat. 23.37 Mat. 21. Vse 1. If we be damned the cause is in our selues refusing the saluation which God offers to vs. To whom hath not God offered mercy What drunkard or wicked person is there among vs to whom God hath not sent his Ministers or some godly man or other to tell him that if he repent not he shall be damned Vse 2. Gods Patience is infinite As a Nurse beares with her crying froward Child so did God beare with the Iewes euen many hundred yeeres and did not cast them off though they many thousand times deserued it Had not the Lord beene God hee could not haue holden his hands off them they were so rebellious This patience God vseth toward vs by this we are saued for if God hath not long waited for vs we had beene ere this swept away by his fearefull iudgements as the doung of the earth Therefore let vs bee thankefull Vse 3. Is God so patient toward Rebels O how mercifull and louing will hee bee to them which with contrite hearts seeke vnto him Vse 4. The Ministery of the Word is the stretching forth of Gods armes when thou resortest vnto it thou runnest into the armes into the very bosome of God Vse 5. Rebels and gainesayers are in continuall danger to bee reiected of God they are euen at the pits brinke Search your bosomes whether you be such or no. If thou mockest and contemnest admonitions stubbornly walking on in wickednesse thou art such a one Many when they heare of Predestination of the necessity of preaching of puritie of life c. they cauill mocke and blaspheme Is it not equall that such profane mouthes should be stopped Such a profane heart punished Such contempt reuenged Let vs obey in all holy submission lest the hand that is stretched forth to receiue vs bee lifted vp to strike vs and to throw vs to hell CHAP. XI VERS 1. I say then Hath God cast away his people God forbid For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin IN this chapter the Apostle remoues the third maine obiection which followes vpon these things deliuered before For if Iustification be by faith in Christ on whom the Iewes beleeue not and their righteousnes auayleth nothing but for all that they are accounted rebells and traitors and the Gentiles brought in because of their faith then God hath cast away his people But he will neuer cast away his people Therefore c. To this obiection Paul answers in this Chapter shewing that the reiection of the Iewes is neither totall nor finall and therefore God still is most constant though he cast away and punish such vnbeleeuing and disobedient rebels The drift of this passage is to comfort the beleeuing Iewes and to admonish the Gentiles who though Christians yet insulted ouer the Iewes and hated them so that among vs euen at this day the name of a Iew is growne into a prouerbe to note one that is hated Now that the Gentiles might not be proud of their standing nor the Iewes vtterly despaire and that they might entertaine a more charitable opinion each of other Paul shewes that the reiection of the Iewes is not of euery mothers sonne nor for euer but as some of them in all ages of the Church haue bene conuerted so before the end of the world the thousands of Israel shall be gathered The wrath of God lieth not vpon all neither shall it alwayes on the multitude of them but euem the multitude before the end shall come thicke and threefold vnto Christ whom they now blaspheme and persecute And in the midst of these things he digresseth into a speciall admonition to the Gentiles to be humble In this Chapter are two parts First the principall matter to ver 33. Secondly the conclusion ver 33. and so to the end of the Chapter The principall matter is twofold First that the reiection of the Iewes is not totall to verse 11. Secondly nor finall in the rest of the verses The first part is handled by way of disputation Paul enters into the schooles propounds his position His aduersarie appeares and opposeth Paul takes his argument answers it and plainly makes good his answer by Scripture The position is that Moses and Esay haue fore-prophecied the reiection of the Iewes as in the tenth Chap. ver 19.20.21 The Repliers argument suppose a Iew is this If they be so to be vnderstood then God hath cast away his people But the last is false therefore the first This argument is in these words I demaund then Hath God cast away his people propounded by way of question Pauls answer to the question is in all the rest of the words to verse 11. First by a strong negation Secondly by a special instance Thirdly by an accurate distinction Fourthly by an elegant similitude Fiftly by a graue determination fortified by euident Scriptures which he alwayes hath in a readinesse as a sacred anchor to stay vs from being caried about with euery wind or waue of doctrine The two first parts of this answer are in the first verse The first is in the negation in these words God forbid Paul denies with indignation and defiance as if he should say Farre be it from me to teach that God should cast away his people wholly or that all the Iewes or that a Iew because a Iew should be reiected of God doctrine All the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation though their Temple be ruintaed their sacrifices ceased their land in the hands of Infidels and their multitude dispersed For
out thou wert receiued in but this was not the cause of that neither is thy goodnesse the cause of thy standing in the Oliue which wert wont to stand among the bryers in the wildernesse God could haue brought thee in without breaking off the Iewes but he would not but hath done thee good out of their euill and hath brought thee in that thou mightest be the cause of their bringing in againe The proper cause of the breaking off of the Iew his infidelitie of the standing of the Gentile Gods grace Faith is the gift of God whereby we know apprehend and apply the promises relying vpon them Infidelity is a fruit of corruption whereby we know not the promises or knowing beleeue them not or beleeuing them to be true make them not our confidence Standing notes an estate wherein a man hath the fauour of God to iustification and saluation Breaking off the contrary Standing is a manifestation of Election by faith heere by saluation hereafter Breaking off is a manifestation of Gods Iudgement in this world by taking away from a people the Word and Sacraments the tokens of his loue and cognisance of his people so are the Iewes and also those famous Churches of Asia broken off and by giuing particular persons to hardnesse of heart After this world by separating such from Angels and Saints and by throwing them into hell Obiect It seemes then that a man may bee a branch and yet broken off Ans Similitudes are not to be pressed too farre Branches are to be distinguished some that haue onely an outward fellowship with the Oliue these may be broken off some that haue an inward partaking of the sappe and fatnesse of the Oliue these cannot So that there are Infidels out of the Church and Infidels in the Church The first Infidelitie is called Negatiue the second Priuatiue Yet it is to bee vnderstood that faith is not so the cause of standing as infidelity is of breaking off for infidelity is the meritorious cause of breaking off and faith but the instrumēt or staffe whereby we stand doctrine Our standing is by faith our breaking off by infidelitie 2. Cor. 1.24 Heb. 3.12 In this place to the Hebrewes there is the same name giuen to an vnbeleeuing heart which is giuen to that naughtie-packe the Diuell And Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground of things hoped for or as Sanit Augustine Aug. tract 79. sup Ioh. of persons hoping God hath giuen faith to vphold vs not as a reed that may deceiue but as a pillar well translated ground being as the vnmoueable earth which we stand on we haue good footing by faith The Israelites were destroyed for their infidelitie Iude 5. Vse Beleeuers are truely happy vnbeleeuers truly miserable He stands in Gods fauour This is throwne away as a withered branch into vnquenchable fire Cain sinnes beleeues not hence he is tormented in conscience afraid of his owne shadow thinking the Diuell should meet him in euery corner a picture of the misery of an vnbeleeuer He that beleeueth is the sonne of God Iohn 1.12 what a prerogatiue is this What is he then that beleeues not Euen the childe of the Diuell Can there be any thing worse He that beleeues sayes God is true He that beleeues not sayes God is a lyar should not this be plagued Ioh 3. Ioh. 5.10 Christ dwels in the heart of a beleeuer as in his Temple Gal. 3.17 But the heart of an vnbeleeuer is the Diuel shoppe in which he forgeth and his anuile on which he hammereth all villanies his stye his stable and whatsoeuer can bee said that is more base Nay an vnbeleeuer is a Diuell Haue not I saith Christ Ioh. 6.69.70 chosen twelue and one of you is a Diuell see how Christ accounts of Iudas for his infidelity and treason Did I say a Diuell nay worse then a Diuell Iam. 2.19 The Diuels beleeue and tremble but many among vs beleeue not and many that beleeue there is a God and that he is a hater and reuenger of iniquitie yet when they are admonished of their pride drunkennesse breaking of the Sabbath c. moue no more then the stones in the wall What shall I say to make thee sensible of thy misery If thou beleeuest not the wrath of God dwelleth vpon thee The diuell worketh effectually in thy heart as he possesseth thee here so thou shalt possesse him hereafter for euer This consideration should moue vs to three things First to seeke faith Secondly to examine whether wee beleeue or no Thirdly to mourne for infidelity 1. Aboue all things labour for faith sell all for this let the fooles of the world drudge and droyle for a penny let vs seek for faith and whatsoeuer wee want let not vs want this by which we stand and without which we fall eternally 2. Many perswade themselues that they haue faith which will be found Infidels at the day of Iudgement Bee thou of good ground that thou beleeuest The fiue foolish Virgins thought they should doe as well as the other fiue but they were deceiued Thou shalt know whether thy perswasion be true sauing faith or no by three things 1. By the meanes whereby it is wrought which is the preaching of the Gospell If it arise from a conceite of thine owne braine it is but a mocke-faith and will not stead thee 2. By the manner how it is wrought first there is in euery true beleeuer a sight of sinne Secondly Humiliation for it Thirdly a change of the heart Fourthly a hungring after righteousnesse then comes faith 3. By the fruits faith workes by loue As the fruit shewes the tree so obedience shewes faith Many shew plainely they haue no faith for when prosperitie comes they feare not God and when aduersitie they runne from God to the Creature to Wizards to the Diuell for helpe as if there were no God in Israel Herein they are like a dogge hold vp a crust he comes fawning hold vp a cudgell and he runnes away so many let them thriue then God is a good God But let God lay his hand vpon them then they are gone to seeke a new master the Diuell yea if it bee but for the sauing a pigge or a cow what are such but Infidels Faith purifyeth the heart it will not suffer a man to be an Hypocrite to bee one thing without and another within one thing before men and another in secret Hee that beleeues Christ died and shed his bloud for him cannot but die to sinne and delight to liue righteously 3 Mourne for infidelitie euen for the least motion to it and the rather because it is the fashion of most to mourne for other things and not for this If a man be robd or his house be burnt he cryes out I am vndone But who is heard to cry woe is me for want of faith I am vndone for my vnbeleefe If wee heare of a theefe we cry hang him and perhaps we will cry