light and salvation whom should I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid The Vse of the third That if God be true Vse 3 and the same for ever and that no word of his shall faile this is the infinite consolation of Gods children Is he still the same then remember how God hath used his power for the deliverance his wisdome for the instruction his mercie for the comfort of his servants hee will doe the same for us 2. It brings infinite feare and terrour to the wicked Is God unchangeable then looke to it for hee will surely execute his threatnings if you prevent them not by unfained repentance So I come to the words of the complaint They have killed The branches of Eâ—â—as complaint c. The branches of the complaint are three 1. That they had slaine his servants the Prophets 2. They had digged downe his Altars 3. They sought his life I begin with the first The Prophets were men of speciall use place service neere unto God the guides and teachers of the people and the furie of Ahab and Iezabel were directly bent against them In time of trouble and persecution Doct. the wicked persecute none so much as the best and neerest unto God This Christ himselfe fore-told the Iewes I shall send unto you Prophets Wise-men and Scribes but you will kill them and crucifie them and scourge them and persecute them from Citie to Citie Matt. 23.34 When the Church endured persecution under Herod who was also called Agrippa nephew unto Herod the Great hee bent himselfe against the brother of Iohn and killed him with the sword and when he saw that this pleased the Iewes he proceeded against Peter also Acts 12.2 3. that the holy men of God may take up that complaint of Hypemnestra in the Poet when shee was cast into prison because shee would not slay her husband as her other sisters had done Clausa domo teneor Ovid. Epist gravibusque coercita vinclis Est mihi supplicii causa fuisse pium Sometimes they are vexed by seeing the ungodly deeds of the wicked Carda piè viventium perditu suu morrbies crâ—ciant August de Civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. Malè vivens ctsi non faciat consentientem tamen crâ—ciai sentientem Arsâ—lm in 2 Tim. 3. as Augnstine They doe by their naughtie manners vex the soules of the godly And the Sodomites vexed the soule of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 And The wicked although hee cannot make him consent unto yet vexeth him seeing and perceiving his wickednesse as Anselmus But alwayes they bend their bowes against the best If Herod behead but one it shall be Iohn if Ahab put but one in prison it shall be Micah if Ieroboam banish but one it shall be Amos there is nothing that stopt the mouths of the Iewes but the delivering up of Iesus wicked Barabas shall escape but Christ shall not as the King of Aram did with Israel 1 King 22.31 See above in Matth. 4.1 If there be a Moses like to deliver Israel hee must bee banisht Exod. 2.15 If a Nehemiah then Sanballat Tobias the Arabians will fight against him Nehem. 4.7 If Zerubbabel c. The Vse is To teach us that if ever we begin to bee good wee looke for trouble Vse and arme our selves against it as it was with Israel while they lived in Aegypt they did eat onions and garlicke they had peace and rest but so soone as ever they turned their backs on Aegypt and set their faces toward Canaan then were charriots provided and horses saddled and men of warre sent after them to pursue them While Paul breathed nothing but threatnings studied nothing but to sucke the bloud of the Disciples practised nothing but crueltie aimed at nothing but the ruine of all the Churches wee read of no enemie that opposed him but when he was once wrapt up in a heavenly vision baptized into the name of Christ and preached in the Synagogues then did the Devill raise armes against him and suborne desperate Iewes to murther him Acts 9.24 It fares with good men as it doth with the silly bird that is taken in the snare so long as shee is still she feeles no hurt suspects no danger but when she prepareth to flee away then she feeleth her selfe intangled c. Againe observe that when they meane to beat all profession of God to the ground and to bring all the people to worship Baal they lay sore to the Prophets and in the first place dispatch them from whence it followes That if the Prophets were once made out of the way the people would quickly fall from God Doct. What would men doe if there were no Prophet to admonish them when they fall from God to idolatrie if they refuse to heare the Prophets when they have them In 2 Chron. 24.18 19. they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served Idols in groves yet God sent Prophets to bring them againe to the Lord but they would not heare The Prophets are such as Elisha called Elias 2 King 2.12 My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horse-men of the same Father to signifie the love and good will of Prophets to the people and the chariots and horsemen that is by a metaphor the power and strength of Israel saith Iunius the Prophets they are the Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 He is now called a Prophet that was in old time called a Seer and if the Seers were once out of the way into what error would not the blinde multitude suddenly fall and the point will bee cleare if wee consider the Prophets dutie which if undone the people must needs fall First he reproves them for sin as Moses did Aaron and the people for making the golden Calfe and had there beene no Prophet to reprove they would have gone on in their idolatrie Exod. 32.21 Secondly to denounce judgement upon Idolaters to keepe the people from that sinne So Elias for idolatrie erected by Ahab proclaimeth a famire and want of raine for three yeares and six moneths 1 King 17.1 Thirdly they be messengers to acquaint the people with the will of God as Iethro wisht Moses in another case Admonish them of the ordinances and lawes and shew them the way wherein they must walke and the worke they must doe Exod. 18.20 Now if the Prophets be taken away which should admonish if the Prophets bee made away which must threaten sinners if there be no Prophets to lead them or speake to the people from God how should they chuse but fall to everie sinne against God And therefore when wicked men would mislead the people into a wrong path they take a ready course to put out their eyes and take away the Seers which are the Prophets Therefore it is that they contend especially with the Prophets that they may all lament with Ieremie Woe is mee that I am a contentious man that strive with the whole
bee made a snare the other of Isaiah Chap. 6.9 They shall see and not perceive heare but not understand from the seventh verse to the eleventh 3. The happy product and event that will follow this rejection of the Iewes and this calling of the Gentiles And this is double the one Salus Gentium i. The salvation of the Gentiles vers 11. The other in the same place Vt Iudaei conversione Gentium ad zelum provocati resipisoant i. That the Iewes being provoked to jealousie by the conversion of the Gentiles shall repent The which is enlarged by circumstances to the seventeenth 4. An exhortation to the Gentiles that they wex not proud nor insult over the Iewes First because they may bee cast off againe if they stand not constant in the faith Secondly because the Iewes shall againe be called home before the end of the world as Luke 21.24 this is from the seventeenth verse to the three and thirtieth 5. A conclusion of his disputation containing an admiration and astonishment of Paul to see the deepnesse or rather because hee cannot see the deepnesse of Gods wisdome in the ordering and effecting of mans salvation and happinesse to the end of the Chapter I begin with the consolation Consolation It consists of a question and an answer The question I say then hath God cast away his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the answer in the next God forbid Which answer is proved and made good by three arguments First his owne example I also am an Israelite vers 1. Secondly A Dei praecognitione From the prescience of God Non potest repellere quos praecognovit God hath not cast away his people whom hee fore-knew vers 2. Thirdly from the state of the Church in the time of Elias vers 4. I begin with the question Hath God cast away Quest c. which seemes to carrie this sence and meaning If it be true that God hath cast away the Iewes then God hath cast away his owne people then is God vnfaithfull in his promise made to Abraham their father Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed for ever will God make such faire promises and then let his mercies faile forget to be gracious Psal 77.9 and shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure Then it is to no purpose to bee in league with God neither any privilege of Gods people above others Before I come to the question it selfe you may observe that though in ten Chapters he had proved against them yet now he begins to speake on their sides and to question in their behalfe whence I gather this conclusion Be a people never so wicked and sinfull Doct. yet if the Word afford any comfort the Minister may not conceale it from them Simon Magus offering to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost with money and purposing by them to get money committed such a sinne as made Peter denounce a heavie judgement Acts 8.22 Thy money perish with thee yet affords him that comfort which might raise him againe yet goe and pray it may bee the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven Act. 8.22 The people of Israel after they came out of Aegypt grieved the Lord and Moses sometimes murmuring for flesh Exod. 16. Exod. 16. sometimes for water Chap. 17. sometimes by idolatrie Chap. 17. for they made a molten calfe Exod. 32.5 6. and said These be thy Gods O Israel Exod. 32.5 6. Sometimes by wantonnesse they sate downe to eat c. Exod. 32. Yet Moses must not deny them that comfort which God hath in store for them but bids them plucke up their hearts and be strong dread not nor bee affraid for the Lord God himselfe will goe before them Deut. 31.6 Deut. 31.6 Isaiah prophesieth thus unto Ezekiah Behold all that is in thine house thy sons thy children shall bee carried captives to Babylon Isa 39.6 Isay 39.6 Yet wil there be a day when he will bid his Prophets speake comfort to his people againe Comfort ye Chap. 40. 1. comfort ye c. chap. 40. 1. It is required of a dispencer that he be found faithfull 1 Cor. 4.2 1 Cor. 4.2 that if judgement belong to a man he denounce it if after judgement comfort he administer it and therein must endeuour to have alwayes a cleare conscience in keeping backe nothing that God would have spoken Acts 20.20 Acts 20.20 I adde no more but that of God unto Elijah touching Ahab Seest thou how Ahab is humbled God meaning him but so much comfort as to deferre his punishment till his sonnes dayes yet God will make the Prophet and the Prophet make Ahab acquainted with it 1 King 21.28 1 King 21.28 29. 29. The Minister must breake but hee must binde againe wound but he must heale againe cast downe but he must raise againe they must not be onely like Bonarges sonnes of thunder but like Barnabas sonnes of consolation to preach not onely captivitie but deliverance not onely judgement but mercie not onely desolation and miserie but joy and comfort Misericordia juduium sunt duo pedes Domini In Cant. Serm. 6. Mercie and judgement are the two fect of the Lord saith Bernard Therefore wee must not conceale them but tell them the people when God comes in judgement and when in mercie Therfore their course cannot be justifiable Vse 1 who doe nothing but teare the hearts of the people with judgements and will not reueale those mercies which the word affords whereas some might be won with mercie that are too much wounded with judgements sometimes a little suppling oyle may doe asmuch good as a great deale of wine Psal 101.1 Nemo sibi ad impunitatem blandietur quia est judicium nemo ad melius commutatus exhorreat judicium quia est misericordia Aug. in Psal 101.1 and milde lenitives may be as profitable as biting corrasives It is good to follow Dauids rule Psal 101. I will sing of mercie and judgement Augustine saith No man will flatteringly promise unto himselfe impunitie because there is judgement no man changed to better will tremble at judgement because there is mercie The long suffering of God leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 The long suffering of God is salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 God is as much to bee feared for his mercies as for his judgements Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.15 For there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 143.4 Psal 143.4 We will not bruise a broken reed nor quench the smoking flax but like Christ himselfe Isa 42.3 Isay 42.3 Stengthen the weake knees and comfort the feeble minded and as we destroy so we will plant as we throw down by judgement so we will by mercie build you up againe to be lively temples for Christ to dwell in So I come to the question it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Question c. Hath God
against a malignant Church Oâ—imus in malis malit am dâ—â—igi mus naturaâ— ercaturam odimâ—s qued seâ— it homo amamâ—s quod fecit Deus fâ—cit Deus bominem bomo pâ—ccalum August in Psal 139 Mediâ—us dâ—ligit aegâ—otum â—orbum odio hobâ—t Aug. de Teâ— pore Serm 148. that God would restraine their wrath and furie as doubtlesse Elias did here against Ahab and Iezabel So that wee observe the rule of Augustine we hate malice in evill men we love nature and the creature wee hate that which man made we love that which God made God maketh man man sinne And againe A Physitian loves the patient hates his disease Thus the words being plaine the first thing I observe is this The mutuall conference between the Prophet and his God one complaines the other answers Whence observe that There is a familiaritie betweene God and his children Doct. Our conversation is in Heaven said the Apostle Phil. 3.20 therefore he could not chuse but be familiar with God and how this familiaritie growes the Prophet tels Micah 6.8 Doe justly love mercie humble thy selfe this is to walke with God So did Enoch before the floud Gen. 5. he walked with God vers 22. So did Elias he talked familiarly with God the Lord questioning and Elijah answering what doest thou here Elijah and he answered I have beene verie zealous for the Lord c. 1 King 19.13 14. So was Abraham familiar with God Gen. 18.11 23. to the end So Moses sometimes tarried with God fortie dayes and fortie nights together Exod. 24.28 Sometimes the Lord talked with him face to face Exod. 33.11 And this is signified by many phrases in Scripture as that he will come into a man and sup with him Apoc. 3.20 That we are made neere unto God Ephes 2.13 That we are the habitation of God by the spirit vers 22. That wee are the temples of God 1 Cor. 6.19 Sometimes that we are his friends Ioh. 15.14 Sometimes his brethren sometimes that Christ and we are all one For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one therefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 And there is such a league and familiaritie that the Godly have a kinde of command over God as one friend of another Sometimes it appeares in staying his judgements as Genes 19.22 Hâ—ste thee away c. So God to Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wex hot Exod. 32.10 So when God purposed to destroy Israel Moses stood in the gap Psal 106.23 Sometimes to procure blessings Euseb Hist Eccleâ— lib. 5. cap. 5. Eusebius reports that when the Romans warred with the Germans and Sarmatians being undone for want of water the Emperour was informed that there were some in the Armie which were a Christian Legion that could command any thing they needed who being moved to give their assistance for the releefe of the Armie fell downe upon their knees and prayed upon which presently followed a terrible thâ—nder that destroyed the enemie and plentifull raine whereby the Armie was releeved in memorie whereof they were honoured with the name of Fulmâ—nea Legio i. The thundring Legion And not onely Christians but even old Heathens have had a familiaritie with their Gods as Plut rch reports in the life of Numa that Numa was alwayes with the Goddesse Aegeria though amongst the Phrygians Atte amongst the Bithynians Herodoâ—us amongst the Areadians Endiâ—ion haue familiarly parlied with their Gods So was Hyacinthus and Admetus with Apollo Sophoâ—les with Aesculapius Hesiodus Pindarus and Hippâ—litus who as often as he passed the sea the Oracle would utter this Heroicke Dulceiterum caput Hippoliti c. If you desire to know how wee may come to this familiaritie See Micah 6.8 where there are set downe three wayes to attaine it 1. Deaing justly 2. Loving mercie 3. Humilitie And Isidore Hee that will alwayes bee with God ought to pray often to read often Qui vâ—â—t sâ—mper esse cuâ— Diâ— debeâ— srequenter â—â—are frequenter leâ—â—re Isict de Sun mo Bâ—no lib. 3. cap 8. Vse of comfort The which may teach us to admire the happie estate of Gods children even then when in the hardest exigents in the height and rage of Fortunes malice they seeme to sit as widdowes without comfort mourning as orphans without hope lamenting as the rejectany off-scoure and impurest metall they seeme to bee washt and swept away without regard for even then they hold a sweet parley and pleasant conference with God their hearts are fixed upon their Maker their love is upon Christ their head and Christ he is in heaven and therefore they can feare no drowning O happy you that are godly when men oppresse you you may make your complaint unto God when they wrong you you may open your mindes unto God whatsoever you endure you may ease your hearts by telling your griefe unto God whatsoever you aske you may have it of God and here I might honour the godly above the wicked The worldling hath familiaritie with Mammon the other with God the wanton with his Dalilah the other with his God the Drunkard with Bacchus and his Priests and Knights the other with his God thou art more familiar with men he with God thou hast more countenance from men hee from God So I proceed to a second conclusion Elias stands up against Ahab and Iezabel in behalfe of Israel from whence the proposition is Prophets and good men must stand in the gap to defend the people of God from persecution So did Moses for Israel God had destroyed had not Moses stood in the gap Psal 106.23 And not only against persecutions of men but even against God himselfe As Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man that might stand in the gap So did Phinchas Numb 25.11 Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath turned mine anger away from the children of Israel So did Abigail stand in the gap to turne away destruction from the house of Nabal 1 Sam. 25.34 As the Lord liveth except thou hadst hasted and met me there had not beene left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall And they that hinder God himselfe from hurting can easily hinder man from destroying now God cannot destroy when his servants stand against him as Gen. 19.22 and Exod. 32.10 Let mee alone nay hee will not Genes 18. and most plainly Ierem. 5.1 Plutarch reports that at the sacking of Cities those houses which were built neere to any Temple of the Gods were never toucht when all the rest were ruinated and burned Such are the Prophets and good men even temples of God 1 Cor. 6. which procure immunitie and freedome from all dangers in the day of trouble which may bring us in love with good men and make us labour to get them amongst us that wee may say with Micah Iudg. 17.13 Now know I that the Lord will doe mee good c. But I will not dwell on this but come to
offered by Moses and Aaron The Iewes they slue Christ and the Apostles and upon this followed the judgement Then came the floud upon the old world fire upon Sodome the sea in upon Aegvpt the spirit of slumber upon the Iewes There cannot be a greater judgement than to be strucke with a spirituall lethargie that nothing will waken to have hearts so hard that nothing can soften them to be like Epimenides in his cave or like the famous sleepers in the time of the Emperour Deâ—ius oâ— like Dionysius of Heraclea c. But this will better appeare in the two particulars whereof the first is Eyes that they should not see Salvian Lib 2. The eyes of the body which are fenestrae mentis the windowes of the minde should guide from corporall and the eyes of the minde from spirituall dangers * Tria impâ—â—iunt occulum 1. Tenâ—brae viz. peccata 2. Humor concretus viz. confluâ—us pecoâ—torum 3. Cura terrenorum With the former they lookt cleere enough not a mote in them but in the eyes of their mindes there were great beames that they could not see Three things hinder the eye 1. Darknesse to wit sinnes 2. a Concrete humour to wit a concusse of sinnes 3. The care for earthly things This Christ upbraided them with I speake to them in parables because seeing doe not see c. Matth. 13.13 which was a just judgement saith Musculus a Quia cùm loquebatâ—r perspicùe noluerunt intellâ—gire in paenam jam loquitur obscurè Because they would not understand when he spake cleerely to their punishment hee now speaketh obscurely And againe in Ioh. 12.40 He hath blinded their eyes c. Will you know a point by the way When the Iewes bewrayed their blindnesse that was in the time of Christ the Prophets and Apostles as Musculus observes and hee gives this note upon it b Malum ingenium impiorum nunquaÌ„ clâ—riùs deprehenditur qùam ubâ—lux veritatis splendere incipit The ill disposition of the wicked as never more clearely discerned than where the light of the truth begins to shine As c Splendente solenoctuae vespertiliones naturae defectum ostendunt sed noctè circum circa volitant hae solae aves The Sunne shining the Owles and Bats shew the defect of their nature but these birds alone in the night fly about here and there So wicked men shew themselves most vile when the best meanes are used to doe them good when this light came into the world then did this people bewray their blindnesse when Christ preached powerfully professed himselfe to bee the Messias then did they most of all whet their malice and rage against him when hee said I am of God and would have instructed them in his divinitie then they goe about to take him Ioh. 7.30 When he taught that high mysterie I and the Father are one then they goe about to stone him Ioh. 10.31 The more light they had the more their blindnesse appeared In the night time all colours are alike the foulest fogs and fens are not discerned from the crystall streames but in the morning they are discerned Reprobate men are never so bad as when the best meanes are used to doe them good Herod never worse than when Iohn preaches against Herodias till then all is well but if hee lay a plaister to that sore off goes his head Whence make a difference betweene the good and bad at the hearing of the word The one trembles and therefore onely is fit to heare as Isay 66.5 Heare yee that tremble at my word The other rages as Zidkijah did with Michaiah 1 King 22.24 When this Sunne shines the one is mollified like wax the other hardened like clay when the Law is read the one melteth like the heart of Iosiah 2 King 22.19 the other is never harder than then like as Pharaoh the more miracles Moses wrought and the more Aaron spake from God the more hee was hardened to be short we may see here both the nature of the word that it can discover a mans blindnesse and finde out everie uncleane corner in his heart as Heb. 4.12 It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Secondly it is a marke to know a castaway by his hearing of the word the seeing the light makes him more blind the hearing more hard Let them take heed then that have heard so many Sermons against pride and yet studie new tricks to cover foule carkasses more than ever they did So many against neglect of the word and now absent themselves more than ever they did Against greedinesse and yet wooe and sollicite the world more than ever they did I will not say what I feare not that they are reprobates But as old Iacob said of Simeon and Levi Genes 49.6 Into their secrets let not my soule come I come a little neerer It is not Eruit illis â—culos Soto in Rom. 11. He hath pluckt out their eyes that they should not see But though hee give other eyes to to see hee gives them eyes that they should not see a greater judgement than if hee had quite taken away their eyes Qui privati sunt oculis non possunt videndo seduci For They that have no eyes cannot be seduced by seeing But the purblinde though he have eyes and see somewhat as hee in Mark. 8.24 Menlike trees is many times more wronged by seeing than if he were quite blinde for so our Saviour tels this people in Ioh. 9.41 If yee were blinde yee should not have sinne but now you see therefore your sinne remaines They had eyes to see corâ—icem Legis the barke and outside of the Law sed non penetrabant oculi corum ad medullam but their eyes pierced not to the marrow thereof The points are many 1. That the word which is the best salve for some mens eyes doth take away the sight of others yet the fault is not in the word but in themselves Non crimen Phoebus noctua crimen habet The fault is not in the Sunne but in the Owle 2. When God gives a blessing as eyes to see and men abuse it and regard not God in justice deprives them of the use of it So in the Word and the Ministers which is the note of Anselmus But the note which I insist on is Observat that they saw his miracles and beleeved not The eyes of their body saw him doe those works which none could doe but God and by delegation from him as healing the sicke cleansing Lepers raising the dead yet they smoaked out the eyes of their understandings that it might not sinke into their hearts and for all that they saw they beleeved him not and therefore God in judgement casts such a mist upon their understanding that now they cannot see though they would and such a distemper is now in their eyes that the sight not onely failes but deceives them and
makes much for Gods glorie Reason 1 that his judgements and secrets especially in matters of election and reprobation as also of particular events and of the times and seasons are hid and it is not fit for us to know them Acts 1.6 God doth not as Ezechias did 2 Chron. 32. shew all his riches and treasures to the Babylonish Ambassadours Secondly Reason 2 we cannot finde them out because God in his dispensation of his workes hath hidden contraries under contraries viz. contrarie ends under contrarie meanes life under death riches under povertie glorie under shame as the Apostle speakes He being rich became poore that we through his povertie might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 and by dying destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 And therefore if we trouble our braines in these we shall be oppressed by the brightnesse of Gods Majestie confounded in our owne imaginations The Poets report of Prometheus the Father of Doucalion Horat. lib. 1. Od. 3. Ovid. Mâ—â—am lib. 1. Natal Comes Mytholog li. 4. cap. 6. that for prying too farre into the secrets of Iupiter the God rewarded him thus sent him a box by Pandora the wife of Epimetheus which so soone as ever he opened a thousand evils and diseases brake forth Mille morborum malorum geuera cruperunt by which they intimated the danger of prying into Gods secrets Thirdly Reason 3 they that in this have been inquisitive and curious have plunged themselves into such inextricable labyrinths and mazes that they have never been able to come out of them unto which we may adde That we have employment sufficient for our soules health to busie our mindes all the dayes of our life in searching out in musing upon in bringing into practise the lessons of Gods revealed will and word which containes whatsoever is necessarie for our salvation Wee can never in this mortalitie sound the just depth of that much lesse obey it and follow it Therefore what vanitie and folly were it to omit and leave undone that which God hath commanded and so highly concernes us and preposterously and unprofitably to dwell in the search of things impossible to be knowen and unprofitable if they were knowen Which serves first to answer all curious and unnecessarie questions Vse 1 as for example Why did God create man apt to fall Why did hee not keepe him from falling Why did God elect some and refuse others Why doth not God cause his word to be preacht at once in all places Why doth God condemne men for unbeleefe seeing no man can beleeve except God conferre faith upon him Why doth God suffer the greatest part of the world to lye buried in blindnesse and infidelitie Why doth hee at one time call moe than at another Is not God unjust and cruell to predestinate men to condemnation before they have done any evill I will not say to these as once Augustine answered him that made the question what God did ante mundum conditum before the world was made Aug. Confess lib. 11. cap. 12. That God was making hell for such idle and curious Questionists But I say with Chrysostome Ista ignorantia ipsâsâ—imtiâ sapâ—enâ—â—or est Chrysost in Eph. 5. Hom. 19. Bern. de pugna spirituals serm 2. Cave inquirere quae non debes scire curiositas pericâ—losa praesumptio est damnosa pâ—ritia in obscuris an daces in periâ—â—losis praecipites facit De modo banc vivendi serm 44 That ignorance is wiser than knowledge it selfe And I say with Bernard that it is contraria omni pietati contrarie to all godlinesse Take heed thou inquirest not after those things which thou oughtest not to know curiositie is dangerous presumption damned skill it makes men wex bold in hidden points to run headlong in dangerous points Let us passe by curious questions bid adue to all vaine speculations Let us exercise our selves in searching the Scripture First to know and practise such things as concerne our faith the sanctification of our life and the salvation of our soule Vse 1 this will finde employment enough though wee were as wise as Salomon and could live as long as Methusalem did And so I come to examine what particular conclusions will come from the word And first from this that it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The riches of wisdome and knowledge True riches consists in true wisdome and in knowing of God There is one dives sibi rich to himselfe another dives Deo rich unto God Luk. 12.21 He that hath onely outward treasures is rich to himselfe but he that hath the treasures of wisdome and knowledge is rich in God But where is this rich minerall of wisdome and knowledge to be found I answer out of the Apostle Coloss 2.3 All the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid in Christ How then may wee come to have our part in them I answer By searching and knowing the Gospell that is the field spoken of Matth. 13.44 Disce home ubi sunt verae divitiae regnum caelorum vere divitem facit praestat Deum ipsum quo praesente quid deosse potest Learne O man where are the true riches the kingdome of heaven makes man truly rich it gives God himselfe who being present nothing can bee wanting saith Ferus A man may bee like unto Lazarus without bread like Peter without money like Iob without friend yet if hee have a costly jewell in a box hee is rich and wealthy so is hee that hath that pretious jewell of wisdome and knowledge If you desire to be enformed what riches it is to have wisdome and knowledge See Prov. 8.10 Secondly Vse 2 from these How unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out VERS 34. Vers 34 Who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who hath beene his Counsellour 1. HIs wayes and judgements viz. the course and order which God observes in managing and disposing universall and particular things Doct. The course and order which God observes in managing and effecting his workes and purposes are not to be sought into farther than they are manifested in the word So Moses Deut. 29.29 Things secret belong unto God but things revealed to us and to our children When the Disciples moved that question Master wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome Our Saviour answers that it is not fit for them to know the times and seasons Acts 1.6 Where the Spirit of God hath had no mouth to speake we must have no cares to heare and where hee ceaseth to direct wee must cease to enquire They are too malapart and saucie schollers who will needs know more than Gods Spirit is willing to impart Hee hath written enough to convert their soules to give wisdome unto the simple to rejoyce the heart and to give light unto the eyes Psal 19.7 8. He hath revealed enough to make them wise unto salvation to teach to reprove to correct to instruct in righteousnesse to make them
yet say I not by God onely for there be three efficient causes of mans induration Man the Devill and God 1. The first cause of hardnesse of heart The wicked hardens of his owne heart so did Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not let Israel goe And Exod. 8.32 Pharaoh hardened his heart at that time also Therefore saith Moses to Israel Harden your necks no more Deut. 10.16 And 2 King 17.14 The Lord bade them turne from their evill wayes but they would not obey but hardened their hearts and necks like to the necks of their fathers that did not beleeve in the Lord their God And Ierem. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and have made their faces harder than a stone which phrase is frequent in the Prophet Ieremie as in Ier. 7.26 They hardened their necks and did worse than their fathers And Ierem. 17.23 They made their necks stiffe and would not heare by which it appeares that ungodly and wicked men are a cause of their owne hardening when they either oppose the truth acknowledged or persevere in sinne against their conscience as may bee seene in Cain Pharaoh Iudas and the Iewes A second cause is the Devill The second cause of hardnesse of heart helping forward the wicked and sinfull purposes of man plunging him everie day further than other into finne and easting thicke and foggie mists over his eyes as 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the Gospell might not shine unto them which God of this world is not the true everliving God as Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose expounded it when they dealt with the Manichees and Arrians but the same which is called the Prince that ruleth in the aire the Prince of darknesse viz. the Devill and these two efficients of induration doe both sinne most grievously man by his owne will Satan by instigation mans corruption is as the coale that sendeth forth sparkes the Devill blowes the coales and kindles the fire The third cause is God for first The third cause of hardnese of heart mans heart sends forth fire Satan blowes it and then God strikes on the anvill and frames and disposeth everie thing to his owne will The first and neerest cause is mans corruption the Instigator and Tempter Satan and God as a just Iudge I will harden Pharaohs heart saith God Exod. 4.21 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9.12 And the Prophet Isay 63.17 questions thus with God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare So God is said to give men over to a reprobate sense and reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 To blinde Isay 6.10 To deceive Ezek. 14.9 If that Prophet be deceived then I the Lord have deceived him to put a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophet 1 King 22.23 Behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these Prophets Now how God doth harden and blinde is not agreed Some say that all those Scriptures Hee hardened Pharaohs heart and hee gave them over to a reprobate minde c. are to be expounded by the word of permitting that God did suffer them to be done and not without shew of Scripture Psal 81.12 They would not hearken therefore I gave them up to the hardnesse of their heart and let them walke in their owne counsells And also from the speech of Barnabas and Paul Acts 14.15 16. when the people of Lystra would have sacrificed unto them Why doe you these things we be men as you are who preach unto you the living God who made all things and in times past suffered the Gentiles to walke in their owne lusts and when it is said that God gave them over to doe such things as are not meet they understand it that God suffered them to doe such things as were not convenient and that God hath no more to doe in hardening mans heart than a man that stands upon the shore and sees a ship to bee drowned when hee might have holpen it which was the interpretation of Iulian the Pelagian August contra luâ—â—anum Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine sheweth But Augustine shewes there that God doth it not by patience alone but by his patience which implyes an action for if he would not for no reason would hee have permitted it So that he doth not onely suffer it but will it for Gods permission is voluntarie and he suffereth willing not unwilling See Calvin Inst lib. 1. cap. 18. seâ—â— 2. God permits nothing against his will so that when God suffers sin to be done hee also wils it to be done Some say that they must be expounded by the word of substracting That God is no otherwise said to harden or blinde but by with-drawing his grace which they that are blinded and hardened are unworthy of As the ship-man withdrawing his helpe le ts the ship be drowned or a man that takes away the pillar that sustained the house then the house fals of it selfe and there bee two causes why God useth to withdraw his grace and spirit sometimes to punish the unthankfull that abuse his grace sometimes that they might better acknowledge the necessitie of grace that without it wee can doe nothing that is good that wee may bee more enflamed with a desire of it and embrace it joyfully when wee feele it and for these causes God sometimes denies his servants the powerfull working of his Spirit and suffers them to fall into foule sins and that not onely in justice to punish former ingratitude but also in mercie and for their good both in the sight of our owne weaknesse and in seeing the necessitie of Gods grace and in making us more carefull not to abuse grace when we have it So that God doth blinde when he takes away his light for take away light darknesse followes take away grace hardnesse followes and therefore Peter Martyr sayes That God is such a cause of sinne as is called in Philosophie the removing prohibiting cause that takes away the helpe by which they should bee kept from induration and though this bee somewhat yet it is not all for surely these sayings God did harden give over to a reprobate minde lead into temptation and encline the hearts of men doe signifie some action of God in man Some come a little neerer and say that God doth blinde and harden not by his owne but by an outward act indirectly that is by proposing to the eyes and eares such objects whereby they should be softned and enlightned and reclaimed from sinne but yet it comes to passe by their owne faults that they are thereby blinded and hardened and plunged further into sinne These objects are the preaching of the Word Sacracraments miracles mercies judgements
These God giveth to man for his good and man turnes them to his owne destruction As for example God proposed the Word to Pharaoh by Aaron miracles by Moses by these his heart should have been softened but by his owne fault it became more hard so were the Iewes at the preaching of Isay And to this purpose saith God in Ierem. 6.21 I will lay stumbling blocks before this people the fathers and the sonnes shall fall upon them the neighbour and the friend shall perish Yet surely though all this be true it is not all the truth for in the storie of Pharaoh I observe three things 1. The preaching of the Word by Aaron 2. The working of miracles by Moses 3. The hid action of God in the heart of Pharaoh And these three God did thus order that Aaron should speake the word Moses should doe miracles but hee would reserve to himselfe the action of induration I will harden the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 4.21 as if he should say I will reserve that to my selfe So that besides the outward objects of the Word and miracles proposed by Moses and Aaron there was an internall action of hardening wrought by God not to goe still about the point the conclusion is God doth blinde harden and give over to a reprobate minde not onely by suffering it not onely by withdrawing his grace and helping hand nor onely by proposing of outward objects against which the wicked may stumble but also by an inward and strange working in the heart of man and all these be acts of Gods just judgement whereby hee punisheth mans sinne So that hardnesse and excaecation in respect of it selfe is sinne In respect of the consequents the cause of sinne and it is in respect of 〈…〉 God workes is difficult from the blame God is free from the guilt he is also free let man looke to both these But the punishment of sinne being an act of his justice hee acknowledgeth and in the punishment note three things 1. The matter wherewith a man is punished 2. The contrarietie betweene the partie and the punishment 3. The order of consequence that where such an offence went before such an evill shall follow to make the offender feele the smart of it In those punishments which be punishments onely and not sinnes God is the Author of all things implyed In those which be sinnes as well as punishments God is onely the Author of the order of consequence and of the contrarietie betweene the punishments and the parties punished as for example Pride is punisht by envie now envie is not of God But there is a contrarietie betweene the soule of a proud man and it which makes it bitter and afflictive and there is an order of consequence that where such a sinne went before there such a punishment should follow This is of God So that God workes in sinne 1. Positively as it is a physicall act 2. Morally as it is a just punishment of sin 3. Permissively as it is a sin not by giving consent to the doing of it but in not hindring it Yet in all this we doe not say that God is the author of sinne Antid in Rom. pag. 715. as Stapleton accuseth Calvin and Becanus p. 6. who saith that the God of the Calvinists is the author of sinne nor as Bellar mine 〈…〉 Beza First that we say God to be truly and properly the cause of those sinnes which men commit De amissione gratiae et statu peccatt Lib. 2. Cap 4. Secondly that we say God truly properly to sinne Thirdly God alone truly to sinne whereas Calvin holds the quite contrary Insâ—â—ut Lib. 1. Cap. 14. Sect. 16. Lab. 2. Cap. 4. Sect. 2. Neminem indurat nisâ—â—eâ—â—ò Epist 106. Non inâ—uâ—dendo malitiam sed â—â—bâ—r â—â—endo gratiam Aug. ad Sixtum Epist 105. But wee say that induration and excaecation bee just judgements of God He hardens none but deservedly saith Augustine and in Calvins judgement there bee these parts to bee considered First the withdrawing of his divine helpe Not by infusing malice but by withdrawing grace The punishment of precedent sinne when God takes away those helps of grace which formerly they had and when man wants this help of his owne accord hee rusheth into sinne Hence Pharaos heart grew hard because God would not give him grace to hearken to his ministers Moses and Aaron And the Gentiles having their cogitations darkened that is God not enlightening them with his grace they gave themselves over unto wantonnesse and to worke all iniquity with greedinesse Eph. 4.18.19 and this denying of grace is no sinne because it doth not conferre grace Secondly the delivering of man into the power of Satan which is Gods just judgement upon man for sinne as 1. King 22.22 when hee bade Satan deceive the false Prophets Thou shalt intice him and prevaile goe forth and doe so and in this no sin for Satan being the executioner of Gods anger and judgements doth so plunge those that are turned over to him into eternall destruction that he punisheth their former sinnes by making them commit greater than they did before thus did God with the wicked people Rom. 1.24 Because they regarded not to know God therefore God gave them over that Sathan might punish them by driving them into greater sinnes than ever they had committed before Thirdly divine permission when God suffers Sathan and wicked men to runne into sinne but without his furtherance as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken Israel would not obey therefore I gave them over to the hardnesse of their heart let them follow their owne imaginations as he did here with the Iewes so did he with the Gentiles Act. 14.16 The God that made heaven earth in time past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies and in Zach. 8.16 I set all men every one against his brother and yet in this permission God is neither altogether unwilling that it should bee done for it were impossible to bee done if God were wholly against it neither is he simply willing because hee doth both hate sinne and punish it as Psal 5.5 So that if permission be referred to the act of sinne God hates it wills it not but unwilling permits it but if referred to the end not which the agent doth intend but which the divine wisdome deduceth from thence then he permits it willingly Fourthly the determination of sinne when God will not suffer the wicked to goe on in sinne so farre as they desire but sets them bounds that they cannot goe beyond and as hee did with the seas Iob 38.11 Hither shalt thou goe as hee did with Sathan in the tempting of Iob All that hee hath is in thy power but upon himselfe put not forth thy hand Iob 1.12 as hee did with Pharaoh he suffered him to vex and persecute Israell but when Pharaoh would have maliciously brought them backe againe and intended more exquisite cruelty