gold and siluer c. 2. Tim. 2. v. 20 Therefore in the worke of our predestination and redemption Gods mercy and goodnesse is all in all and hath not any respect to any thing that is without and not partaker of his owne nature and essence It serueth to beate downe all pride and humane glory and all confidence in any of our owne workes because all the workes and glory of our saluation is from Gods grace and mercy onely and not from our selues or any thing in vs Rom. 9.18 2. Vse And if it did hang vpon our owne workes wee should bee vncertaine because wee cannot satisfie GODS iustice Secondly in that GOD hath beene so good vnto vs wee must pay vnto him the continuall impost of praise and thanksgiuing and for a document and proose hereof labour to frame and conforme our liues wayes and workes to the rule of his written word 3. Vse Lastly wee must not doubt aâ—d remaine in suspence of his loue and fauour but take notice of it secure and perswade our selues of it more and more For God is full of mercie and goodnesse who is a louing Father a kinde and sweete Sauiour in Christ and doth by the perfume and magneticall attraction of his mercies prouoke and allure all men to worship feare loue inuocate and trust in him And therefore wee cannot offer greater indignitie nor doe more notable iniurie to so good a Maiestie then to call his grace goodnesse or mercy into question What then Israell hath not obtained that he sought 2. Section i. What shall wee say and confesse namely this as the trueth is that Israell i. those carnall Israelites who boasted themselues to be Israelites and gloried in the flesh hath not obtained that he sought i. that whereas they went about and endeauoured to attaine vnto iustification and eternall life by their owne workes and merits they haue not obtained it v. 22. But the election hath obtained it i. the elect as farre forth as they are elect haue obtained it in and by the force of election and because they sought it onely of grace through faith But the rest i. they are not elected but reiected haue beene hardened i. their heart hath in Gods iust iudgement through their owne malice and contempt of Christ beene so brawned and drawne with such an hard skin that no doctrine of saluation and faith can bee wrought or rooted in them According as it is written i. by the Prophet Isayas God hath giuen them i. powred out vpon them in his iudgements and indignation the spirit of pricking according to the translation of the septuagint which Paul followed i. all ill affection and bitternesse of spirit against the light of truth and sharpe and greeuous biting of minde or the torments of enuie and of a galling conscience by reason of the preaching and successe of the Gospell or according to the Hebâ—â—w the spirit of slumber i. a dull and drowsie minde and a deepe and dead sleepe in so much that they are depriued of all iudgement and feeling eyes that they should not see i. such a minde whereby they cannot vnderstand the true doctrine of saluation and eares that they should not heare i. such an heart whereby they cannot obey the Gospell and thereby bee conuerted vnto this day i. from Elias his time vnto the time of Pauls preaching for so long continued their hardening and euer since vnto our present time Quest. Why should not Israel obtaine that he sought for seeing that Christ is the doore and Heauen gates stand open day and night Ans. First because they would not acknowledge nor receiue Christ the true Messias and mediator Secondly they did not nor would not goe the right way to saluation but by their owne workes The rest were hardned Quest. Who is the author and cause of the Iewes hardning Sathan or themselues or God Ans. If wee consider it as it is a sinne and an offence against God then it proceedeth onely from man and from Sathan for mans heart is stony and as hard as Flint by nature whereby it is fitte for Sathan to worke vpon Secondly mans heart beeing so hard Sathan doth counsaile â—gge and solicite it to sinne and man beeing destitute of grace willingly forsaketh God and yeeldeth his assent and consent vnto euill and detesteth good and so becometh more hard and indurate Thirdly the more meanes either of instruction and mercy or of threatnings and iudgements GOD offereth to soften and ouer-come their hardnesse the more they by with-standing and resisting them are hardened and confirme the habite of their nature and so growe worse and worse And thus with Pharao they more harden their owne hearts so that the sinne and fault resideth in themselues and is not to bee imputed to God Quest. In what respects doth God harden Ans. As it is an action and iudgment and a worke of iustice and in respect of the end and euent so God doth it and is the author of it As it is an action or motion it is good for wee all haue our beeing and moouing from God but the corruption and defect of the action proceedeth from mans corrupt minde and will as it is a iudgment God is the author of it thus hee hardened Pharoes heart and doth by the ministerie of his word instrumentally harden the wicked Lastly in respect of the end and euent which is his owne glory and thus God in the hardening blinding and obstinacie of the Iewes tooke occasion to call and shew mercy to vs Gentiles and thus hee turneth their hearts whether soeuer pleaseth him and doth mooue them to execute his owne iudgements and thus God directed Sathans malice the Scribes and Pharisies enuie Iudas his couetousnesse and Pilate his iniustice in killing the Lord of glorie to the redemption of mankind the instruments intending no such matter Isay. 1â— v. 7. Qu. How doth God harden and in what forme Ans. Not by infusing malice or instilling sinne into the delinquent for he is iust holy and purity it selfe and therefore he cannot but hate and punish it but he doth it first either by not imparting grace or by with-drawing his spirit from them for God is not bound either to conferre grace vpon them which they want or to continue that they haue receiued Hee is an absolute Lord and a most free agent hee hardeneth whom hee will and sheweth mercie vpon whom hee will shew mercy Secondly God hardneth them by an outward action that is indirectly and accidentally by casting and obiecting certaine outward things to their eyes eares and outward senses whereby they might bee enlightned mollified and saued Of this kinde are preaching sacraments miracles benefites warnings threatnings punishments all these through their owne fault and want of faith become hurtfull and dangerous vnto them euen as good and strong wine is most vnholesome and perilous to a sicke man Thus the gospell is the sauour of death to them yea and a killing letter
Thirdly God reiecteth and putteth into their minds and heartes good thoughts principles and motions which they peruert and turne to their owne destruction thus God put into Caiphas his minde That it was necessary that one should dye for the people and to gather all the sonnes of God into one and not that all the nation should perish The principle was good but Caiphas his construction conclusion and apply of it was euill That saying of Pilate I finde no harme in the man was good and of God but I will chastice him c. This consequence but a bad conclusion of himselfe and altogether euill Now the cause why God offereth these outward obiects vnto and doth put these inward motions into men whom hee knoweth will abuse them is that his iustice might bee seene and acknowledged by their iniustice Fourthly by giuing successe to their endeuours and by letting them prosper in sinne Thus hee bad the Diuell goe and seduce Ahabs 400. false Prophets and prosper and thus Iudas and Pharao prospered in their wicked designes but herein Gods end and scope and their end and scope much differed Isay. 10. v. 7. Quest. How can God bee said to blind the reprobate seeing that many times and in many places hee offereth the light and brightnesse of his glorious gospell vnto them which is a meane and instrument to informe and enlighten them An. First they are blind by nature and vncapable of the sauing trueth and God is not indebted nor bound vnto them who albeit hee putteth blindnesse into no man yet hee leaueth them therein and doth not infuse light into them so that the more meanes are vsed for their instruction and illumination the more they are hardened and blinded for euen as the Owle by the brightnesse of the Sunne is blinded albeit all other birds are enlightned by it and as the Claye is hardened by the same Sunne by which the waxe is softned and melted so by the same holy Scripture and glorious Gospell whereby the Elect are enlightened and conuerted the reprobate are blinded and hardened and that onely through their owne default and impotency and not through the Gospell Secondly God in his iustice now euery action of iustice hath in it the nature and respect of God because it is the punishment of sinne doth by further blindnesse and hardenesse of heart punish their corruption and stubborne rebellion which they haue and doe most greedily drinke in and draw vpon themselues inso much that they winke with their eyes purposely and will not see and acknowledge the trueth shining forth vnto them Quest. In Isay the Lord fore-telleth but a particuler iudgement and why is it here generally applyed Ans. First the rule of iustice and equitie is one and the same with God in euery age and therefore hee may according to the proportion and number of their offenses as well punish many of the Iewes in Pauls time and sithence as some particulers in Isaiahs time Secondly their sinne and contumacie since Christ his comming hath beene more generall and grieuous then the sinnes of all their ancestors therefore it is accordinglie to bee punished Thirdly the punishments of particuler men in Scripture serue for generall lessonings and warnings vnto vs that except wee repent and beleeue wee are to expect the like iudgements and so looke to drinke of the same cup. Israell hath not obtained that he sought It is not enough and sufficient for men to desire to be blessed and to seeke for righteousnesse and saluation yea to take great paines for it for so much Heretickes Idolaters Hypocrites Iewes Turkes Papists yea and Pagans haue performed vnlesse it bee by the right lawfull meanes and those wayes that God hath oâ—dained and sanctified in holy Scripture It must not bee by the lawe for that can iustifie and saue no man for no man can keepe it nor by mens owne workes and deserts for if they proceed onely from ciuill and meere naturall men they are altogether sinne in Gods sight and as for the good workes of the regenerate they are but vnperfect yea and stained with many defects and therefore they cannot abide the rigour of Gods iustice Secondly they are counteruailed yea infinitely exceeded with sinnes both of commission and omission but true righteousnesse and happinesse is onely to be sought and found in Christ Iesus as hee is reuealed and set forth vnto vs in holy writ Act. 4.12 Act. 13. vers 38. 39. Luke 24. v. 47. Reas. Otherwise if wee seeke righteousnesse and saluation preposterously and not by right meanes wee labour in vaine wee denie the grace of God and do digge Wells that will hold no water To this purpose the Prophet Isay sheweth that the people doth foolishly who neglecting the sweete and sauing meate and drinke of Gods Gospell did bestowe great paine and cost in procuring other meate namely humane traditions and supeâ—stitions which had no vertue of nourishing in it and which held no true contentment to the ouer-seers of them Why doe yee saith hee lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without beeing satisfied Hearken diligently vnto mee and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse The vses of this doctrine are manifold 1. Vse First hereby are condemned all endeuours and good meanings and intentions that are not of faith and so are nothing but sinne Roman 14. verse 14. 2. Vse Hereby is refuted the grosse errour of those that hold that euery man is and shall bee saued by his owne religion and profession where-as there is but one trueth and one way of saluation and that fully and perfectly described in holy Scripture Iohn 14. vers 6. Math. 7. vers 13. 3. Vse We must if we would be blessed and so saued seeke for righteousnesse and iustification in Christ onely for there alone it is to be found Acts 4.12 1. Ioh. 5.11 But the Election hath obtained it Here hence in a word for the point hath beene handled before wee may note that the cause of obtaining iustification and saluation is without vs in Gods predestination and free mercy and not in the merites of our workes Rom. 9.18 Titus 3. v. 5. for here is an vtter opposition betweene Election and workes Vse Wherefore wee must bee thankefull vnto the diuine Maiestie for so great and free saluation and ascribe all the glorye and praise of it vnto his mercie onely And the rest haue beene hardened The beginning of the ruine and damnation of the reprobate ariseth from the desertion and reprobation of God Reprobation is the very tree roote and fountaine of blindnesse for the wicked forsaken of God can doe nothing in all their deeds words and counsailes but pull hale and heape vpon them Gods curse 1. Vse Let not the Elect and the true seruants of God be offended in the madnesse and senselesnesse of Reprobates seeing that it hath his originall and foundation from Gods decree of reprobation 2.
Vse Hereby is condemned the errour and ignorance of such who are of opinion that God did not freely of himselfe before Adams fall determine of all things persons accidents circumstances c. where as GOD doth effect and execute nothing in time but that which hee most wisely and holily determined before all times The spirit of pricking or comâ—unction Taking the word in this sense and signification we are taught this lesson and conclusion That God doth most seuerely and grieuously punish those that distast contemne and reiect his grace offered and tendered to them in Christ namely they are so giuen ouer of God and so possessed by Satan that they pure and powerful ministery of the gospell and testimonies of Gods word applied against them doth nothing but vex gall enrage and torment them Act. 7.54 Apoc. 11. v. 10. Nay they are so offended at and so enuie the successe and prosperity of the gospell and the true professors of it that they cannot rest and do to the consuming of themselues and hastining of their owne speedy and iust damnation nothing but breath out gall and bitternesse against good mâ—n and designe Gods Church and children to death and destruction Act. 4.16.17.18 Ioh. 9.22 Math. 2. v. 3. Apoc. 20. v. 9. Rea. The reason is that they might to their greater damnation haue some checks and inward torments of conscience whiles they trouble and persecute the Godly which is to them but a beginning and a fore-runner of euerlasting damnation Vse Let vs beware that we do not foster and norrish any roote of gall and bitternesse in our selues against Gods truth and seruants least otherwise wee in time become indurate senselesse and desperate but let vs feare God and his iudgments for hee that alwaies feareth in blessed but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill The spirit of slumber Thus it is in the originall and perhaps as it is well gessed at by some the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth might to signifie some deepe sleepe wherewith men are vsually possessed in the dead of the night this senselesse slumber may well be an effect and the issue of a pricking and enraged conscience The Doctrine which I raise hence is this that God in his iust iudgements doth many times to punish mens vnthankefulnesse and contempt of the truth depriue them of all sense both of their sinnes and of Gods anger and displeasure against sinne in so-much that neither by plagues nor promises they will suffer themselues to bee awakened out of this deepe sleepe and dead securitâ—e Isay 28.15 The reasons hereof in respect of the wicked themselues are first because they reuolt and depart from the word of God and hence become so blockish that they haue no sense at all neither acknowledge Gods hand and counsaile in their paines and punishments Secondly enioying long peace and prosperity and hauing no open and professed enemies they like the secure citty of Laish and the proud carelesse whore of Babylon thinke they are farre from al danger and shall see no euill Thirdly they vainely imagine that they haue sufficient defense and prouision against imminent euils and if they fall out they haue waies and meanes enough to elude and escape them Let vs be aduised from the consideration of Gods hand vpon the Iewes and beware and take heed that we neuer despise nor reiect the gospell and blessings of Christ propounded and offered vnto vs least with them wee bee left and forsaken in our naturall blindnesse and by continuing stubbernely and stifly in our sinnes wee become worse and worse and so die in our sinnes and bee damned Eyes that they should not see God as a iust iudge doth deliuer vp the reprobates being destitute of his grace vnto Satan and their owne lusts to be blinded more and more Ioh. 9. ver 39. Math. 13.13 and this God doth not by iniecting new blindnesse into them but by withdrawing his grace from them and by leauing them to their naturall blindnesse and so it must of necessity be encreased when men are forsaken of God The reasons hereof are first because they are none of his people and elect and hee is not indebted any way vnto them therefore he sheweth his power and iustice in their blinding and hardning Secondly because for the abuse of the gifts and graces of God and for the ill imployment of their talents God depriueth them of the knowledge and preaching of the word and so they ranne daylie into great blindnesse and obstinacie God in his iust iudgment forsaking them or els if they enioy the ministery of the word their hearts are so hardned and starkned with wicked desires and lusts and by the custome of sinne draweth as it were such a thicke skinne vpon it that it can by no warnings and admonitions be bent or bowed and they so hate the doctrine of the gospell that they neuer heed it much lesse meditate vpon it 1 Vse Let vs not maruaile at this iudgement as though it were some new thing that they that doe stubbernely and stifly reiect the gospell be thus blind seeing that the Prophets so long before complained of it and fore-told it but let vs rather beware of it and pray that we be not for our naughtinesse and negligence giuen ouer to the same iudgment 2 Vse Let vs be truly thankfull vnto God and giue glorie and praise vnto him that leauing and forsaking many others in the blindnesse of their minde and hardnesse of their hearts hee hath by his spirit opened our eyes and eares to vnderstand the doctrine of the gospell and to receiue it by faith vnto saluation for hee hath not done so with euery person neither haue the most knowne his lawes V. 9. And Dauid saith let their table bee made a snare and a net and a stumbling block euen for a recompence vnto them V. 10. Let their eyes be hardned that they see not and bowe their backe alwaies And Dauid as a figure of Christ saith Let their table i. their meat drinke law scripture sacraments of out-ward worship and all their prerogatiues and excellencies bee made i. turned into a snare That is as vnhappy birds are ensnared in that wherein they sought releife and comfort so let the fore-named benefits wherein they outwardly rest and which by their wicked opinions and errors they haue peruerted and abused and their preposterous zeale against the gospell turne to their destruction Let it bee a stumbling blocke and recompence vnto them i. Let them stumble against the Law and holy Scripture as against a stone that they may not bee builded thereby to saluation but may runne head-long to their owne destruction and let it as a recompence turne to their more grieuous punishment and iudgement and leaue them without all excuse Let their eyes of their vnderstanding be darkned i. blinded that they may not admit and receiue the sauing