be plain and bold in preaching the Word for Application How far short then are those Ministers and Preachers of the Word Vse 1 that do flatter and sooth up men in their sinnes and lull them asleep in their carnal security and will never come near them to tell them of their sinnes unlesse it be in a general manner all along and never come to instance in particular sinnes No they are afraid of offending and of angering their hearers Yea there are many who are justly to be taxed that doe not onely Lull men in their sinnes but doe encourage men in a course of evil and strengthen the hands of the wicked Jer. 23.19 so as that they cannot return As for example Doe not not some Ministers and Preachers of the Word tell men they need not be so strict in observing and keeping the Sabbath as from Morning to Evening and after that repetition what need all this adoe to be so strict and so nice in their ordinary Communication as not to swear by faith and troth what these are nice things they themselves will doe this and say they there is no such danger as these foolish fantastical and puritanical Preachers will make you believe they will tell you you are in danger of hell fire for breaking the Sabbath and swearing by Faith and Troth but there is no such matter These are they whom the Lord complaineth of in Jer. 6.15 They lead the daughters of my people with sweet words and say peace peace all is well when there is no such matter when they are ready to be swallowed up of the devil And as the same Prophet saith in Jer. 14.13 When the true Prophets did come and threaten sword and famine upon the people the false Prophets come and tell them they shall have no such thing such Ministers and Preachers are odious and hatefull in the sight of God Jer. 23.14 These daubing and soothing Preachers the Lord saith he will feed them with Wormwood and they shall drink of the water of gall yea if the Lord doe not give them repentance they shall one day drink of the deep Cup of his vengeance in the pit of Destruction in hell But to passe by that if we that are Ministers of the Word must thus tell our people of their sinnes Then our Hearers must be content to bee plainly dealt withal and to be told of their danger they must have their lives ript up and their sinnes displayed and their Consciences ransacked and rifled and their danger laid open and men must not rage nor flye in the faces of their Minister Drunkards Whoremongers uncivil shag-hair'd and Civil honest persons they must be told of their estate and that so long as they remain therein they are in danger of hell and destruction and unlesse they repent the Lord will one day come against them in vengeance and they shall be as thornes bound up in a bundle and as Drunkards in their drunkennesse and as stubble ready dryed for the fire Nahum 1.10 For while they be folden together as thornes and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry And thou must not be offended if a man should come and tell thee that fire hath took hold of thy house and unlesse thou make speed to quench it it will burn thy house to the ground wilt thou be angry with him And shall the Ministers and Preachers of Gods Word stand and cry Fire fire fire yea the fire of Gods wrath and vengeance which is kindled with the breath of the Lord as a river of brimstone shall he I say thus cry out The fire of hell is ready to burn thy soul and body and wilt thou be angry with him Oh consider with whom art thou offended surely with God for God speaketh it and art thou offended and angry with God whence cometh it it cometh from thy own vile Corruptions helped forward by the Devil Oh then to conclude learn then whatsoever thou art with patience to hear the Word of just reproof and to hear thy faults reprehended for it is the best good that a Preacher can do to thy soul to bring thee out of the snare of the devil unto amendment of life that thy soul may be saved eternally in the day of the Lord Jesus Esayas also cryeth concerning Israel Though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand on the Sea a remnant shall be saved For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth c. THe next thing here to be considered is the persons against whom the Prophet cryeth and the thing he cryeth The persons are the Children of Israel and the thing that though their Number were as great as the sand on the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved Now what were the Children of Israel they were the seed of Abraham descended of the holy Patriarks a very honourable people yea they were Gods people his peculiar people they had the Law the Temple the Sacrifices the service of God amongst them yet the Prophet telleth these people that though their Number were as the sand on the Sea-shore yet a Remnant shall be saved and this the Prophet doth to shake the hypocrites amongst them who going on in exceeding great impenitency boasted themselves that they were of the seed of Abraham and that God had fulfilled his promise in them in making them a great multitude and therefore the Lord loved them Now the Prophet he sheweth that this was a vain brag and notwithstanding their great number this will not help them nor avail them in the case of salvation this was the general thing intended by the Apostle Now from hence ariseth two Propositions to be observed the first is this That a great Number of people may bear the name of Gods people Doctrine and yet but a few of them have true repentance or put it down positively that Multitudes of people may bear the name of Gods people and have the true Worship of God amongst them ordinarily and commonly and yet but a few of those be true repentant sinners and in the estate of grace and of salvation this Proposition hath ground and footing in other places of Scripture Gen. 6.1 2. When men began to multiply upon the face of the earth then the Text saith they ran on in sinne together with the multiplication of men and women upon the earth there was a multiplication of evil and sinne a great number of sinnes yea the Sonnes of God the godly and righteous seed such as were the Worshippers of the true God they began to degenerate and to run on in sinne And the Apostle Peter saith in his first Epistle second Chapter and fifth verse that there was onely Noah and seven other with him who was the Preacher of righteousnesse were saved and the world of ungodly had the deluge brought upon them and in the first verse of
to the ground and not be accomplished to whom it belongeth it is impossible but that they should be accomplished and made good unto those that have title to them whatsoever standeth in opposition against them or gainsayeth them For the further confirmation of this point read Matth. 5.18 the Lord Jesus speaking of the Law of God and thereby meaning the whole Word of God he maketh it more firm and stable then the whole frame of heaven and earth heaven and earth shall passe away they shall perish but not one jot or tittle of the Law shall escape unfulfilled every tittle of the Word of God whether promise mercy threatning or Judgment and especially the Promises it shall not escape unfulfilled and in 2 Sam. 2.28 we read the Lord having promised to David to build him a house David doth assuredly rest upon the accomplishment of it and he groundeth his assurance thus For why thou are God and thou canst not change thou art most true and Rom. 3.3 4. The Apostle speaketh thus of the Jewes Though some of the Jewes do not believe shall their unbelief make the Word and Promise of God of none effect God forbid Let God be true and every man a lyar God is certainly true and in Josh 23.15 saith Joshua Now all things are come unto you which the Lord your God hath promised so in Act. 13.32 33. Paul saith to the Jewes the promise made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled unto us their children evidence of Scripture might be plentifully brought for the clearing of this truth That all the Promises of God touching good things of this life or that to come they cannot possibly be frustrate but shall come to passe in Gods appointed time The Reasons and grounds of it are these two Reason 1 First from the Nature of God because God himself is unchangeable and therefore this word is proportionable and answerable to himself yea God is truth it self al-sufficient and able to make good his word and to fulfill his promise and to make it good in despight of all oppositions whatsoever whether it be men or devils he is the truth it self the God of truth and he is also infinite in power Reason 2 Secondly because all the promises of God they are made unto his in Christ he is the ground and foundation of all the sweet and comfortable promises unto his in him they are made good unto his children as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1.20 In Christ Jesus all the promises are yea and in him amen they are ratified and confirmed in him now Christ Jesus is a most sure and firm foundation all the devils in hell cannot shake this foundation and therefore doubtlesse upon this ground we may resolve that all the promises of God concerning this life and the life to come they are firm and stable and shall certainly in Gods appointed time be fulfilled Object I but say some God promiseth many excellent temporal blessings unto his children we read in the Book of God of abundance of promises that God doth promise unto his children in this life which many of his children never come to see Answ It is true indeed but yet withal know thus much that even these temporal things are fulfilled as they are propounded they are propounded conditionally with the condition of obedience and with the exception of a Crosse if his children do fear and obey him or if otherwise the Lord see it good to exercise them with some crosse or some affliction and therefore if that many of the children of God do not enjoy the Promises it is because the Lord is pleased to chastise them for their sinnes and he is pleased so to do for their good because the Lord seeth it better and fitter for them to be exercised with afflictions and yet the promises of God are fulfilled according to the tenour that it is made unto them so they are fulfilled with condition of obedience and exception of the Crosse Psal 34.10 Gods Children shall want nothing that God hath promised that he seeth to be good concerning their temporall estate or the good estate in the life to come thou shalt want nothing now for the Application of it First of all this truth that you have here delivered That the Promises Vse 1 of God shall certainly be accomplished whatsoever seemeth contradictory unto them this discovereth unto us what a foul sin it is to be discouraged and daunted to be dejected and cast down and to walk uncomfortably heavily sadly and unchearfully either because they be under some great affliction already or because some great tryal is like to come upon them and hereupon they begin to be sad whence cometh this unchearfulnesse in a Child of God that he walketh thus sadly surely from the bitter root of unbelief because Gods Children consider not as they ought to do the truth and the stability of the comfortable promises of God they trusted not God barely on his Promises where God hath promised I will be with thee when thou walkest through the water and passest through the fire Esay 43.2 in the time of their greatest distresse God will be with them they do not believe and trust this promise of God that he will deliver them in all danger to uphold them and assist them he hath made this promise and this they believe not but withdraw their trust and affiance from this promise of God and so they greatly dishonour God for he that resteth upon the bare promise of God and stable word of God when he hath nothing else to rest upon he doth assuredly honour God wonderfully if we rest upon God when we see all things opposite to us then to rest upon the stable promise of God hereby we shew our zeal unto God but he that withdraweth his heart back from trusting on God dishonoureth God and robbeth him of his truth and maketh God no better then a lyar for if we trust not God when means seem to be with us much lesse will we trust him when all things seem to be contrary unto us therefore we ought carefully to avoyd this sinne This truth in the second place That all Gods Promises are certain Vse 2 this truth duly considered and thought upon may afford matter of strong comfort and great consolation to as many of us that find our selves to be such that have right and title to the gratious Promises of God but if we find our selves to be none of those here is no comfort belonging unto us wicked and ungodly persons that go on in a course of evil howsoever the Doctrine is most sweet and comfortable thou that art an ignorant and a gracelesse person if so be thou findest not thy self qualified aright thou hast no right nor title to the gracious Promises of God but if thou findest thy self to be called to faith and holinesse seconded with a holy and godly life and conversation thou findest thy self now believing in Christ thou art not a debauched wretch or
be in the matter of justification and sanctification but to answer more fully I hope the Papists will not deny but that Abraham and David had as well Moral works as Ceremonial works if they do they deny the plain truth of God and yet the Apostle saith Rom. 4.4 5 6. These two holy men they were not justified or saved by any thing done by themselves but even by the faith of Jesus Christ being imputed unto them for righteousnesse Object 2 Again say the Papists we grant they were justified by faith why then Faith is a work and therefore works have some stroke in the Justification of a sinner I answer Answ It is true faith is a work it is a work of God Christ calleth it so Joh. 6.29 when the Scribes and Pharisees say what shall we do that we may do the works of God Christ saith believe in God that is a work of all works the best work but we must know that faith doth not justifie as it is a work no not by the worth and goodnesse of faith the very act of believing justifieth not for the vertue and goodnesse of it but it justifieth relativè as an instrument or hand applying and taking hold of the Lord Jesus Christ and so doth faith justifie apprehending Christ as the matter of Justification Yet further they object say the Papists in the places alledged where Object 3 there is an opposition between grace and works the Holy Ghost meaneth works of nature such as are done by the strength of nature and not of the works of grace no these two may well stand together works that come from the grace and Spirit of God and grace these two may well stand together in the matter of salvation To this I answer Answ I beseech you consider with me that place in Ephes 2.8 9. where the Apostle saith by grace you are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God then he subjoyneth not of works lest any man should boast of what works doth the Apostle speak of works of nature no such matter but works done by the power of grace how may that appear in the tenth verse he saith we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus to good works plainly teaching us that the works he speaketh of are works done by us framed anew in Christ Jesus by the power of his Spirit and grace we being in Christ made new creatures so to leave the Papists Is it so That Gods eternal election of his chosen before all time and Vse 2 effectual calling in time is merely and onely of Gods free grace and favour and not of the works of men upon this ground we must learn our Lesson and duty howsoever we are bound to the doing of good works of all sorts and kinds within the compasse of our place and callings both duties of piety to God duties of love equity mercy and justice to men and are bound to be rich and plentiful in all good works for necessary uses that they may be fruits of faith evidences of Gods love and favour unto us in Christ testimonies of our thankfulnesse unto God for his mercy and necessary antecedents to God before the reward of life and glory in heaven so that good works are necessary yet mark the Lesson howsoever we are thus bound to good works yet we must renounce the merit of them take heed that we rest not upon the merit of good works we must renounce all trust and confidence in them and stick onely and wholly to the free grace of God for our justification our comfort here and happinesse hereafter all from the beginning to the consummation from predestination to glorification is all of the free grace and favour of God Many silly ignorant people there be that say they hope to be saved but ask them the question how you shall have a blind answer by their good dealing by their good serving of God and by their good prayers they are just and true and by this means they hope to be saved they have no other ground but that which is merely natural Popish and carnal and doth shoulder and thrust out the free grace and favour of God alas if there were no other way to come to heaven but by our good dealing and good serving of God woe be unto us for then no flesh shall ever be saved no mere man shall ever come to heaven if all our happinesse depend upon our own goodnesse all our comfort were at an end For the best of our works are stained like menstruous clouts your hearing the Word our preaching and prayer they are but as menstruous and filthy clouts and have many imperfections cleaving unto them and herein learn a trick and subtilty of Satan if Satan cannot prevail with a man to be abominable and vile in his life to be a debauched creature but that he will live civilly and orderly and will be doing good things then he will temper with him and stirre him up to be conceited of his goodnesse and to rest upon it as the ground of comfort when a man doth avoid the bloody-faced sins of the world then the devil maketh him to think he is a right honest man and make that the ground of salvation but this is as pleasing to the devil as a lewd and a wicked course of life for assuredly the trust and ground of comfort in any thing done by us shall assoon bring a man to hell as the most vile and debauched course of life Oh then trust perfectly to the grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.13 the word is very significant and signifieth soundly holily and solidly trust to the free grace of God for if thou trust upon any thing else it will plunge thy soul into the bottomlesse pit of hell yea if we rest upon the grace of God though the Lord do afflict and bring us under in grievous afflictions yet happy are we we are built upon the free grace of God and he will never take his grace and mercy from us as he saith to David 2 Sam. 7.14 15. if thy son sin against me I will correct him with the rods of men but my mercy will I never take from thee thou art in a blessed estate that resteth upon the mercy of God VERSE 12. It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger IN this Verse our Apostle putteth down the speech of God unto Rebekah which we read of in Gen. 25.23 the Holy Ghost in that Chapter telleth us that Rebekah having conceived twins two children in her womb and feeling the children to strive in her womb she went to ask counsel of the Oracle of God touching that matter and the text saith God gave her this Answer two Nations are in thy womb Rebekah two manner of people shall be divided out of thy bowels and the one people shall be mightier then the other the elder shall serve the younger these were the very words of
to that there is no truth in them they are lying spirits and I may justly say to such as Abraham said to the rich man in hell Luk. 16.29 thy friends have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them so we have the writings and the words of the Apostles and holy Prophets of Jesus Christ and God speaketh unto us therein there is the Oracle of God and we must give leave and liking to them and not upon the fancies of men that say such and such a day shall be great disasters Oh but say some these things sometimes come to passe It may be so in Judgment they come to passe because men give ear unto them what saith the Lord by Moses Deut. 13.1 2 3 4 5. If a lying prophet or a dreamer of dreames do tell you of strange things and they come to passe believe him not for the Lord doth it to try you and it is the just hand of God to bring it upon you because we give ear and liking to them Again observe we the Apostle bringeth these words of Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy to prove that God was not unjust in loving Jacob and hating Esau he having denyed this with a God forbid he subjoyneth presently as a reason to prove it For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy A man would think this were a strange kind of clearing God from injustice is not God therefore unjust when he loveth Jacob and hateth Esau without cause because he saith I will have mercy because I will hath God no other reason to give But we must learn to acknowledge that this is the soveraign power of the great God of heaven and earth that his will must be reason enough to rest upon and this is the true obedience that is acceptable and pleasing to his holy Majestie Doctr. That Gods will and pleasure and his appointment touching all things that are in the Word and touching the ordering and disposing of all things and coming of all things to passe in this world it is holy just and good and it cannot be taxed as unholy and unjust though we cannot dive into the depth of it the will of God that is holy just and good though we cannot comprehend the depth of it And the reason and ground is Because it is the very nature of the Will of God he doth all things Reason 1 most freely and justly as in Ephes 1.5 He hath predestinated us to be adopted through Christ Jesus in himself nothing out of himself according to the good pleasure of his will Again secondly the will of God is the square and rule of all goodnesse Reason 2 and righteousnesse whatsoever God willeth it is good because he willeth it but whatsoever is in Scripture is agreeable to the will of God is good and whatsoever dissenteth from the will of God it is evil so that upon this ground Gods will and pleasure it is holy just and good and cannot be taxed with evil because he willeth it How is the good will and pleasure of God just and holy in respect of sin for he doth appoint it else it could not be in the world Object It is true sin could not be in the world unlesse God did appoint it Answ and yet Gods appointment is good God willeth the being of sin in the world not simply as it is peccatum sin but as it is a pupishment for some evill foregoing and so he maketh it to serve for the manifestation of the glory of his Justice in this respect the being of sin is good and so God who is able to bring light out of darknesse good out of evil he doth righteously and willingly permit evil Upon this ground we must learn to lay aside all reasonings of the flesh Vse against the will and appointment of God touching all things that come to passe in the world we must learn not onely in our words but thoughts also to justifie the will of God as holy and just in respect of the being and coming to passe of every thing in the world But to apply this a little nearer and to another purpose to teach us that as we must justifie the working will of God so we must justifie his signifying will in his Word whereby he doth signifie his mind to acknowledge that to be holy just and good yea we must learn to esteem and to hold every Commandement of God every denunciation threatening and every promise of God that we find in the holy book of God to be holy just and good Rom. 7.12 And it is a sure sign of grace when we can acknowledge the wisdom of God in his Word and every Commandement of God to be holy and righteous as when a man can justifie the Commandement of the Sabbath the Commandement against uncleannesse usury or any Commandment that doth crosse and thwart and contradict our sins whatsoever that we can say Lord thou art just and upright in thy Commandements howsoever I am sinfull this is a sign of a sanctified soul whereas every worldling will be disputing against every Commandement of God and will pick a quarrel with them at the Commandement of the Sabbath that requireth we should not think our own thoughts speak our own words nor do our own works on that day Esay 58.13 Oh saith the carnal man may I not walk to Taverns and Ale-houses and talk of matters of the world this is too strickt and rigorous And so in the matter of apparel whereas the Lord requireth our apparel should be modest befitting such as fear the Lord Oh say they this is too strict if I should not follow the fashions of the world I should be accounted as an Owl and as no body in the world thus they wrangle and cavil against the Commandements of God but they that do justifie the Word of God as holy and true though it meeteth with our dearest lust yet we subscribe unto Gods Commandements this is a signe of true grace in our hearts Oh therefore labour to subscribe unto the Commands of God if we will be assured of grace For he said to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Object VPon occasion of these words I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy A blasphemous Heretick did hold That mercy was not a natural property in God but an act of the will of God Because that Moses bringeth in the Lord saying I will have mercy upon whom I will And thus he reasoneth God doth alwaie suse his natural properties such as be essential in God they are in exercise and he useth them continually but saith he mercy whereby God doth offer grace unto sinners and pardon of sin unto man is not alwaies exercised and shewed forth as namely to all sinners impenitent And the Apostle affirmeth that God hath mercy upon whom he will And so the Apostle
doth limit and restrain the mercy of God to them to whom the Lord vouchsafeth mercy and therefore mercy is not a natural property in God Answ To this I answer First of all this Cavil is grounded upon a mistaking and misconstruction of the words of the Apostle For the Apostle doth not here intend and mean the natural property and essential attribute of mercy in God but he meaneth the act exercise and work of that property which is extended and reached out unto man and that is ever guided by the holy will of God Again it is false and utterly untrue that this heretick affirmeth that all the natural properties of God are ever in use to us for justice mercy goodnesse and power and the like be essential and natural in God and yet God doth extend and reach them out to whom he pleaseth according to his own purpose when he will and where he will and how it pleaseth him so that it is false and blasphemous to say that mercy is not natural and essential in God for the testimony of Scripture contradicteth it in Exod. 34.6 the Lord there proclaimeth himself in this manner The Lord the Lord strong merciful gratious and abundant in goodnesse and in truth yea this might be illustrated by many testimonies of Scripture but I forbear it in so pregnant and plain a truth And come we then to that which may be truly concluded from these words I will have mercy upon whom I will And compassion upon whom I will These words being understood as heretofore I have explained them That the act the exercise and the work of Gods mercy and pity and compassion it is ever by God extended to them to whom he pleaseth Hence then we are given to understand thus much Doct. That Gods mercy reached out unto his chosen it is most free and voluntary it dependeth upon nothing out of God but cometh onely and merely out of his own good will and pleasure That the Lord is merciful unto any or that he sheweth any fruit of his love or mercy to any one it is merely from his own good will and pleasure and not depending upon any thing out of his holy and blessed Majestie the Lord being the author of mercy pity and compassion he extendeth his mercy pity and compassion to those to whom he will Or more briefly thus The reason why the Lord doth extend and reach out mercy unto any is his mere will and nothing else And to clear this a little further mark what the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 1.3 the Apostle there calleth God Pater misericordiarum the Father of mercies shewing that God is the Father and begetter of mercy and that mercy and love are as it were his children coming from him and in Joh. 1.15 saith the Evangelist of him we receive grace for grace one grace to another And Christ Jesus saith Luke 10.12 Father I confesse Lord of heaven and earth thou hast hid these things even the things of thy Gospel from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes even so because it pleased thee It was so of thy good will and pleasure nothing moving thee thereunto so that the reason why the Lord doth vouchsafe mercy unto any it is the free will and favour of God nothing else moving him But haply then some may say to me It seemeth not to be true Object that God vouchsafeth mercy unto his chosen and pardon for their sins for the sake of Christ if he shew mercy of his own free will then not for the sufferings of Christ which were a grosse errour to conclude To this I answer that these two things are subordinate Answ as we speak in schooles they do and may well agree and stand together God vouchsafeth mercy to his chosen for the sake of Christ and merely out of his own will how can these two stand together yes very well for why God vouchsafeth mercy to his chosen for the sake of Christ the will of God is that his chosen should have the pardon of their sins through Jesus Christ and that pardon of sin should not come without Christ as Christ affirmeth John 6.40 for this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the son and believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Now if any do object that of the Prophet Esay 43.25 Object I am he that hath put away all thine iniquities for mine own sake therefore it seemeth it is not for Christs sake but for his own sake as the Lord professeth I answer Answ God doth therefore pardon the sins of his chosen for his own sake because he doth it for Christs sake for all the works of every person is the work of the whole Trinity that which the Son worketh the Father and Holy Ghost worketh in Unity of Godhead so that mercy cometh only from God the Father And the reason why God vouchsafeth mercy to any is nothing else but Gods free will This first meeteth with a false conclusion of Arminius and of the Arminians Vse 1 that say God may decree to shew mercy unto such as believe and repent and such as persevere in grace and sanctification Now this is to restrain Gods shewing of mercy to mens qualification And to make something in man to be the cause and reason of Gods shewing mercy Where as these two stand together never they can possibly agree being contraria contraria sine medio That Gods will is the cause of his mercy to man and that God sheweth mercy because of their faith vertue and qualification in good things they are two opposites but to leave them Farther this being so That Gods mere Will is the cause of his mercy Vse 2 unto us and nothing else hereby then we must learn to magnifie the mercy of God vouchsafed unto us in any kind whatsoever hath God vouchsafed mercy unto us in regard of our bodies but especially in respect of our soules hath he converted our sinful soules from wickednesse to himself hath he reached out his mercy so far as that he hath extended his saving grace unto our soules Oh then learn we to acknowledge that it is most free and that it hath been vouchsafed merely from God himself nothing in us as a reason or cause to move him why he should shew us the least mercy And thus meditate and think with thy self whosoever thou art that hast found Gods mercy and his saving grace reached out unto thy sinful soul Oh consider surely I was in the common estate and condition of all men I was guilty of damnation by reason of the sin committed by Adam I was begotten and brought forth in sin and lived therein in a miserable estate and condition and I had no feeling of my misery no desire to be saved and when God sought me I desired him not I closed mine eyes against him and would not see the light I stopped mine eares and would not hear his voyce But the
throughout all the earth That is the praise and glory of my power and my Justice appearing in the destruction of thee so mighty a King might be published and might be spread abroad in every part and corner of the world and might be every where spoken of in every part and corner of the world So then thus conceive the meaning of the Apostle in these words as if he had said For God said in his written Word in his holy Scripture unto Pharaoh Exodus 9.16 For this very cause for this very purpose have I with-held my grace and hardned thy heart a fruit following the rejection of thee and I have stirred up my messengers to come to deliver my judgements unto thee and have caused thee not to profit by my judgements and my messengers and I have caused thee to harden thy heart and to exalt thy selfe against me that I might make thee to see and feel the force of my hand and of all my power in the bottome of the Sea and that all other my people and all in the world may see and take notice of thy destruction and my power in destroying so mighty a king Come we now to matter of Observation and Doctrine and first of all observe the Apostle here he speaketh and alledgeth Scripture as he had done heretofore and as he doth frequently and often in this Chapter to ground the matter that he hath in hand upon the Scriptures hence followeth this conclusion Doctrine That the Scriptures the written Word of God hath sufficient ground touching all fundamental Truths of God It is a sufficient rule and ground to guide us in all things and all matters both of Faith and of good life the holy Scriptures they doe contain in them all things needful to be known to be believed and to be practised of us to life and salvation to this purpose is that in 2 Tim. 3.16 17. where the Apostle Paul saith to Timothy Thou hast known the holy Scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith of Iesus Christ For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable to teach to improve to correct in righteousness and to make the man of God absolute and perfect in every good work it is able to make a man intire in godliness I know the Cavil of the Papists against this clear evidence of Scripture for they seek to illude the evidence of this Text in this maner It is true indeed say they the Apostle saith the Scripture is profitable but where doe you finde he saith it is sufficient A meer shift and easily answered for the Apostle saith not barely that the Scripture is profitable and there stay himself and goe no further but he doth point out unto us to what use it serveth it is profitable and it is profitable to to teach to instruct and to improve and to make a man absolute and intire in every good work Is it not then sufficient a foolish cavill so in the 15 verse of the same Chapter saith the Apostle the Scripture is able to make a man wise unto salvation Is not the Scripture then sufficient it is able to bring a man unto Heaven and yet say the Papists it is not sufficient certainly it cannot be denied but that the whole Scripture containeth all things needful to life and salvation and to make a man to come to Heaven would any man desire more sufficiencie then this the reason is Reason Because the written Word of God it is the breath of the holy spirit of God so saith the Apostle it is given by inspiration from whom from the Devil No from the holy Spirit of God the holy Ghost And in the Scripture Gods will is made known unto his chosen and as I have often said Gods Word is his Epistle and love-letter sent unto his children to guide them in the way of life and salvation Psalm 119.105 It is a lanthorn to their feet and a light unto their paths to guide them in every step they tread as a lanthorn and light doth guide a man in dark and obscure places so doth Gods Word guide them in the way of life and salvation And hath God bestowed upon his Church and chosen a guide insufficient that is not able to lead them to Life and salvation but to suffer them to wander into by paths of errors and sinnes no it is blasphemous so to think for the holy Scripture doth contain all things needful to be known and practised both for life and manners Wickedly then deal the Papists in this in that they joyne to the written Applicat 1 Word of God their own unwritten traditions their unwritten verities to make up and supplies as they imagine the imperfection in the holy Word of God the Word is not a sufficient rule unless the unwritten verities of the Church be joyned to it what is this but to offer injurious dealing to the great Lord of Heaven and earth and to his Word that we must supply his wisedome as insufficient with something of mans foolish brain Is the Scripture the written Word of God sufficient to guide us in all Vse 2 matters of Faith and good Life and in all things necessarie to be known to salvation learn we then to acknowledge it so to be and learn we to cleave fast unto it as the onely sufficient rule to guide us in the way that leadeth unto Life and salvation in all matters of Faith and good manners and take heed we be not carried away from the Truth of God 2 Thess 2.2.1 either by spirit by letter or by word or to speak plainly take heed we be not deluded neither by vision nor revelation besides the Word of God as the Anabaptists and Familists teach nor by the traditions of Rabbins and great learned men neither by the writings of those that are ancient Fathers and Doctours For this is an ancient device of the Papists to wrest into the Church such and such speeches tenents and bastardly writings and father them upon the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church thereby to draw men to errour and sinne Now we know not how soon we may be tried in this very kind and therefore it concerneth us we had need to look unto it and to hold fast to the written Word of God And take heed we admit not of everie thing whatsoever or whosoever bringeth it under what counterfeit soever they offer it Though a great Rabbine or a great Doctor bringeth it yet if we find him to swerve and dissent from the written Word of God and have no ground nor footing there disclaim it For this is that they triumph in they have they think the great Rabbins and learned men of the world and above all take heed of practising what they teach contrarie to the written Word of God Object I but some will say how shall I be certain that the Scripture is Scripture you tell me that I must
us by six priviledges vouchsafed unto them as that unto them was vouchsafed the adoption the glory the covenant the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises Thirdly and lastly he sheweth the reason and ground of his wish because of that people of Israel the fathers came yea Christ Jesus according to the flesh came of them and was of their seed and line of the seed of Abraham even the Lord Jesus the Lord of life and glory whom the Apostle further describeth that he is God over all and blessed for ever unto whom the Apostle assenteth Amen Now before we come to open these words and to handle them particularly I hold it sit one generall thing be observed and that may be thus grounded the Apostle being about to speak of a thing which would be very harsh and hard and odious to the Jewes that they were rejected of God In wisedome he useth as you see a patheticall insinuation of his love unto them it was out of his love and not of hatred he would have them to know and to take notice of it that his speech was from the grief of his heart and soul he had no pleasure in it but with a desire of their good yea he speaketh it with a desire to be severed from Christ for their salvation Now then herein appeareth the wonderfull wisedome of the Apostle to be imitated of the ministers of the Gospell and the observation is this That though Ministers of God must speak such things as they have to speak that are hard and harsh and unpleasing and distasteful to the hearers as just occasion is offered unto them yet it must be with a signification of their love unto them and so as their hearers may discern that those harsh hard things delivered are out of love and to do them good Ministers of the Gospel they must not be men pleasers or daubers to daube with untempered morter and draw a fair skin over a foul ulcer and soothe up men in their sins for if they so demean themselves they are not the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 saith Paul If I please men I am no true servant of Christ but they must tell men plainly of their sins and of their miserable estate and condition which they are in in regard of their sinnes yea they must set things close unto their hearts and souls and speak such things as be harsh and hard to their hearers yet so as it be with an insinuation of their love and that their hearers may perceive that it cometh of love We read in Luke 19.43 44. Christ Jesus uttereth a very sharp sentence and heavy doom that should befall the City of Hierusalem he telleth them that the time should come when their enemies should cast a trench about the City and compasse it on every side and should lay the City even to the ground and all her children in her and not leave a stone upon a stone a heavy doom yet withal even in the pronouncing of this heavy doom he spake these heavy things how the Evangelist saith in the 41. and 42 verses he spake it with trickling tears in his eyes and shewed his pity and compassion for he wept for them saying Oh I wish that thou hadst known these things that belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And in Gal. 3.1 The Apostle uttereth very hard and harsh things he calleth them fooles and bewitched Galathians that they would not obey the truth revealed unto them yet in the 15. verse he sheweth this was out of his love he called them brethren which before he called fooles and bewitched and in Gal. 4.19 he calleth them little children with whom he travelled in birth like a mother and thus are the Ministers of God to do in dispencing of harsh and hard things they are to deal roundly with hearers and to tell them of their sins and to speak unpleasing things to their hearers as just occasion is offered yet so as their hearers may discern that they love them and that it cometh out of the love of the Minister and out of the pity and compassion and tender care that they have of them though they pronounce harshly Ministers must thus do because their hearers being carnal Reason will else take occasion to quarrel with their affection and to carp against them saying they speak out of malice and hatred and spleen and out of a distempered humour unlesse they be mitigated with their love and so they will reject the reproof that may be for their good and not profit by it because it seemeth harsh and displeasing to them We know a wise Physitian when he giveth a bitter pill lappeth it up in sugar that the patient may more willingly receive it and the better retain it in his stomack so must the Ministers of God in this case even in delivering harsh and hard things telling them of their sins and publishing Gods judgments lap them up in the sugared expressions of their love and good will and desire and tender compassion of them that they may be the better received and their hearers profit by the same This concerneth us that are Ministers of the Gospel Vse that we thus deal in dispensing of hard and harsh things such as be displeasing to the eares and hearts of the people with a signification of their love unto them we may and ought to teach hard-hearted impenitent sinners that they are in the way that leadeth to hell and that if they go on in that way without repentance it is not possible for them to escape the damnation of hell they are going on in that way and are sure to come to hell without repentance yet it must be with some insinuation of love and testification of it as we must say I am grieved at the very soul for your miserable estate oh that you had hearts to consider and eyes to see that your miserable estate and fearful condition and the Judgment of God against you and to beseech them earnestly that they would labour to come out of that miserable estate and condition Vse 2 And for you that are Hearers for the use of your part onely to pray unto God and to intreat the Lord for us and to be earnest with God that the Lord would vouchsafe to guide us by his good Spirit that we may shew our selves such as are faithful to the Lord that hath sent us and not such as are studious to speak that which pleaseth men and soothe them up in their sins But that the Lord would give us to shew our studious care and indeavour of the peoples good by a signification of hearty love unto them and tender affection And as the Prophet saith Esay 58.1 We are such as must cry aloud and lift up our voyce like Trumpets this you must pray for us Vers 1 Come we now unto these five Verses as they lye in order I say the truth in Christ I lye not
my conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost that I have continual sorrow in my heart c. I have given you the annalysis of these words already Come we now to the general meaning of them I say the truth in Christ The Greek proposition is here a note of an oath the meaning is not I speak in the name of Christ as I am a Christian or by the authority of Christ but by Christ I call Christ to witnesse I speak the truth I lye not These words the Apostle addeth both to signifie the sincerity of his heart that he spake the truth simply and plainly with an honest and sincere heart without either mental reservation or equivocation not speaking one thing and meaning another and secondly to add weight to his speech to make it more ponderous more weighty more powerful and more prevailing to those that hear it after the manner of the Hebrews who for more weight and certainty of speech put down the thing in the affirmative and then denyed the contrary in the negative as it is said in the 1 Sam. 3.18 when Eli bad Samuel tell him what the Lord had said unto him it is said he spake every word and he hid nothing so in John 1.20 it is said of John that he confessed and denyed not but said plainly he was not the Christ so this is added for more weight and ponderousnesse of speech as first he spake it without any colloguing or equivocation and secondly for the weightinesse of his speech my conscience bearing witnesse here the Apostle doth not swear by his Conscience as some would think but sheweth that his conscience was a witnesse and gave testimony to him that he spake without collogueing or dissembling or that his conscience did not smite him nor touch him for it in the holy Ghost that is my conscience renewed by the grace of the holy Spirit of God as if the Apostle had said I speak the truth my conscience bearing me witnesse simply and plainly and that conscience rectified and renewed by the Spirit of God so ordered and guided it witnesseth holily and truly that I have great heavinesse and continual sorrow in my heart These words are to be taken in the literal sense as they lye onely the word sorrow is a Metaphorical and is taken from a woman that is in travel with child such sorrow as she hath that travelleth in child-bearing such was the sorrow in the heart of the blessed Apostle and for what his sorrow was he leaveth it to be gathered but it may be added namely for the rejection of the Jewes so then the Apostles meaning is thus plainly I say the truth even by Christ Jesus I speak it simply and plainly and with an honest and upright heart without any manner of doubling or dissembling or lying or any manner of untruth in my speech Christ is my witnesse I lie not and my own conscience beareth me witnesse also and that conscience of mine rectified and rightly ordered by the grace of Gods Spirit my conscience bearing me witnesse and that holily after an holy manner that I am possessed with continual sorrow and that in my heart and soul for the rejection of the Jews even as the sorrow of a woman travelling with child Come we now to the Instruction I say the truth in Christ I lye not The Apostle shewing his sorrow doth not here only say that he speaketh the truth and lyeth not but sweareth by Christ Jesus that he spake the truth for this his particular sorrow the point is thus That a Christian man sometimes may lawfully swear and take an oath Doctrine though it be not in publick and before a Magistrate but in private matters of great weight and importance as this was concerning the glory of God and a private man or woman may take a private oath between themselves so as it be with reverence and with a good conscience and for this we have not only the example of the Apostle but other examples in Scripture as Gen. 24.3 Abrahams servant sware unto his Master that he would take a wife for his son Isaac of his own seed and in Josh 2.12 the Spies that came to see the Land took an oath of the harlot and Jonathan and David 1 Sam. 26.42 made a covenant the one with the other and in Gen. 50.22 Joseph took an oath with his brethren to carry his bones with them out of Egypt And many other examples we have to this purpose clearing and confirming this truth that it is lawful to take an oath in private so as that it be in matters of weight and great importance namely in such a case as concerneth greatly the glory of God our own salvation and the preservation of others such a case as this being doubtfull is to be confirmed by an oath in private so as it be with reverence and a good conscience The Reason Reason is because that to this end an oath is appointed and ordained to be an end of all strife in matters of weight and controversie as the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 6.16 that an oath amongst men for confirmation putteth an end to all strife in matters of great weight and consequence not in every trivial trifling occasion no it must be with rariety and reservednesse First of all this meeteth with the errour of the Anabaptists that deny Vse 1 the use of all Oathes and hold it altogether unlawfull to swear in any case whatsoever either in publick or in private their opinion is false Object they alledge for themselves the Word of Christ in Matth. 5.34 35. Swear not at all but let your communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is else cometh of evil of the Devil Answer Answ Indeed it is true that we may not swear falsely therein it is evil and not in our familiar talk and conference between man and man for whatsoever therein is more cometh of evil of the Devil but to leave them This Truth serveth for the just reproof of those that do take rash Vse 2 Oathes for an oath must be in a just manner and not upon an ordinary occasion in our ordinary communication as such as use common and customary swearing in their ordinary communication they cannot speak a word but an oath is at the end of it a sin that is grown to a fearful height in this Land of ours yea it is rife and common both in the City and Countrey to swear and to rap out an oath at every word to tosse the name of God a sin for which the Land groaneth and mourneth even because of Oathes Jer. 23.10 Oh consider it how the land mourneth and weepeth for this sin you see Sommer is turned to Winter and why because of the Oathes of the land the earth doth not yeeld her fruit as she was wont to do The reason is because what is more common then for men and woto rap out an oath at every word and if they be reproved will
man are far greater then the evils on the body though it be Famine and Pestilence because the evils that be upon the souls of men they are simply evil things and such as in themselues do make men subject to the wrath of God and power of the Devil which no other outward misery can do of it self indeed a mans behaviour therein may make him lye open to the wrath of God and power of the devil but the evils on the soul of man do make him lye wide open unto it And I may safely say that the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart was a heavier and a greater Plague unto him then all the plagues of Egypt besides for these are the most fearful evils and make a man lyable to the wrath of God and power of the devil and therefore doubtlesse this we may resolve upon that the evils that be upon the hearts and souls of men are especially to be grieved for Vse This concerneth every one of us to take notice of and we are to labour to put this duty in practice and I must tell you withal it is a duty wherein many of us are defective and wanting and come far short of and the most may justly be reproved and taxed in this particular that we have not grieved for the evils that be upon the souls of men and women we can grieve for the miseries that be upon the bodies of men and outward estates and we can bemoan and bewail them and shew forth a greater measure of sorrow and grief for those and sometimes weeping especially if they be our friends and near and dear unto us as we are bound unto by speciall bonds as our Father Mother wife brother or sister or friends or such like we can shew forth a great deal of sorrow for them but the miseries that lye upon the souls of others though they be never so near or dear unto us few there be that are touched and moved with this evil to draw yet a little nearer thou canst grieve if so be thou hearest thy son thy brother or thy friend near unto thee prove a bankrupt or an unthrift and decay in worldly things or if thy child or servant or any other be suddenly overtaken by some accident and some hand of God as strucken blind lame or the like thy heart is full of sorrow for this and indeed so thou oughtest to be But let thy brother thy friend thy own child thy husband or wife that lyeth in thy bosome be one that is given to sin to live in ignorance drunkennesse swearing and the like thou art touched nothing at all with this thou art grieved for their bodies but let thy husband be an ignorant person or an hard-hearted person thou art not touched with it at all we grieve not for the miseries that lye upon their souls and this sheweth the cursednesse of thy heart that thou art an hard-hearted person and according to the cursednesse of thine own heart thou respectest not the hardnesse of the hearts of others and it is a plain evidence and demonstration of thy heart that it is not right in thee it is an argument that thou art but a carnal person and enlightened onely by the light of nature and that thou hast not in thee the life of true grace that ought to be in a Child of God therefore in the fear of God take notice of this duty and learn we to find this in our selves that we be grieved for the miseries that be upon the soul especially those that we are bound unto by special bond as for the ignorance of thy father or mother thy wife thy child or servant that they will not be reformed and for the evils that lye upon their hearts and soules we must showr down tears for them that have the means of salvation and yet will not turn unto God yea thy heart and soul must be pierced through with grief for thy neighbours even such as live in thy own Land and Kingdom with thee as the miseries that lye upon the souls of poor men and women that have not one that is able to teach them the Word of God we should cry to heaven and send up sighes and tears for them and intreat the Lord to send forth Labourers into his harvest they want it they live in darknesse and blindnesse and never touched in Conscience for the same but go on with an high hand in sin and this should grieve our soules We should mourn in secret and seek unto the Lord by prayer with sighes and groans that the Lord would be pleased to send forth such as would labour amongst them and bring them out of the darknesse they are in thus we are to mourn for the known evils that lye upon the souls of others Haply the Lord may threaten us with Judgment and Dearth and Famine which we may justly look for yea the Famine of the Word of God For men that live in their sins without touch of Conscience this should grieve us exceedingly Now then to stirre us up to the practise of this Duty first of all consider Motive 1 If so be we be grieved for the evils that lye upon the souls of others it is a plain evidence that we have our soules enlightened and our eyes opened and are not ignorant and blind persons but have a true sight and discerning of evils and of the nature of evil things we are able to see and discern what is the cause of evil namely sin Secondly it will be an evidence unto us that we are truly sorrowfull Motive 2 and that we are truly humbled for our own sins if we can mourn for the sins of others And hence it is that you shall find that such as have been the most notorious sinners if once they come to be wrought upon and to be converted they come to be the most pitiful and compassionate persons in the world to others they see the uglinesse of sin and have felt the weight and burthen of it and they have the greatest grief in their hearts for the sins of others Motive 3 And thirdly it will be an evidence that we have true grace and true faith in our hearts and souls not a counterfeit but a true faith and that we are truly zealous for the glory of God and especially grieved for the sins of others that cannot grieve themselves even for those that live in the farthermost part of the world that have not the preaching of the Word that live in ignorance and blindnesse And to shut up all in one word of Exhortation If then we would have a good evidence that we are not such that have our eyes shut up like Balaam but that we have a true sight and discerning of the nature of evils and if we would have good evidence that we are truly touched and humbled for our own sins and have true faith and grace in our soules and are truly zealous of the glory of God this will yeeld us true
up to strong delusions and to believe lies because we receive not the truth in love of the truth For if we do receive the truth out of love unto it we shall find that our love unto the truth will be a strong preservative against the seducing of Antichrist and better arm us against the subtilties of our enemies and their powerful efficacy and working though all the Devils in the world do assist them and this defend us better then all the learning in the world we see great Doctours are seduced because though they have learning yet have no love And therefore let thy heart be set upon the Church of God and the holy Religion of God that we may be sure it is true and hearty love as it ought to be that we are able to say with the Apostle we have continual sorrow for the evils upon the soules or afflictions upon the bodies of Gods Church One thing farther the Apostle putteth down his sorrow with the subject of it in his heart hereby he pointeth out thus much unto us That we are to be grieved for the miseries of others even from the heart we must not rest in an out-side sorrow in a verbal sorrow to say we are sorrowful and grieved for it as St. John saith 1 Joh. 3.18 our love must not be in tongue but in deed and in truth As also our pity must not be a verbal pity to say go thy way fill thy belly James 2.15 16. and yet supply nothing to their wants so that the miseries of others known unto us must be indeed and in truth yea in our very hearts and soules especially for the known miseries of the Church and people of God we must expresse our grief to others by sighes and groans and prayers and tears as any just occasion is offered and thereby manifest that our grief is a grief of the heart and soul when we so reach out our help unto them And know we if so be our grief and sorrow be not in our hearts and soules but verbal and outward it is counterfeit for nature can put on a mourning semblance and counterfeit grief and there may be a glad heart under a mourning gown as a poor man having a black gown at a rich mans funeral mourneth not but is glad that he hath it to cover him but we must have sorrow in our heart for the Church of God And again God hateth the sorrow that is not in the heart Psal 51.6 the Lord loveth truth and soundnesse in the affections when we have cause of joy to rejoyce heartily and when we have cause of sorrow to be grieved heartily Oh then in the fear of God look to this that thy sorrow and grief for the miseries of others especially for the Church of God that it be as it ought to be not in word onely verbal but in truth look that our hearts be dissolved into sorrow and that it shew forth the powerful working of it in sighes in groans and in tears for the poor distressed members of the Church to shed abundance of tears for them that we may say with the Apostle I have sorrow in my heart for my brethren in their Afflictions VERSE 3. For I could wish my self to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my Kinsmen according to the flesh IN this Verse our Apostle putteth down as a fruit of his love to the Jews and as a manifestation thereof an earnest desire of their good as before he did manifest his sorrow for them so here he doth manifest his love unto them in an earnest desire of their good expressing that in wishing himself to be separated and accursed from Christ for their salvation and conversion then he subjoyneth one special cause of this his earnest desire and of this wish because they were his kinsmen and beloved brethren according to the flesh so we see the generality of these words come we now to the sense of them For I could wish Or I would wish it he saith not I could wish another but he putteth it down with an ego ipse I I my self would wish it to be separated or accursed the Text original anathema is the same we read in the 1 Corinth 16.22 where the Apostle saith If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed an execration Anathema Maranatha yea I my self saith the Apostle could be Anathema Touching this word Expositors make much ado and make divers expositions of it not so pertinent to this place But this word Anathema in the general acceptation of it signifieth any thing that is set apart from the common use of man and is dedicated consecrated and devoted either unto God as in Levit. 27.28 29. They were to set apart certain men and beasts and devote them unto God or it signifieth things dedicated and devoted unto the Devil as those things that were consecrated and devoted unto Idols among the heathen that were devils indeed and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were hanged up in the Idols temples and so called Anathema or in the third place it signifieth any person or thing that is set apart and devoted unto destruction and hence cometh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matth. 26.74 Peter beginneth to curse himself and to wish himself to be destroyed if he knew Christ as many wicked persons say would they might be destroyed body and soul Now in this third sense and signification is the word here used by the Apostle not as a thing dedicated to God or the Devil but as a thing dedicated and devoted to destruction as appeareth in that the Apostle wisheth to be anathematized or separated from Christ for to be separated is to be removed and set apart from salvation purchased by Christ and from all hope of it In a word it signifieth to perish and to be utterly condemned for out of Christ there is no hope of salvation that so he might perish in hell and utterly be damned there and feel the pains of the damned in hell And for further Explanation of this phrase some think that this wish of the Apostle was absolute and actual without any condition at all but others are of another mind to whom I rather encline for it was not an absolute wish to be severed from Christ but it is to be understood with a Condition namely he would thus wish to be separated from Christ and damned in hell if it were possible that he being damned the Jews might be saved and God and Christ have the more glory this speech it is like unto that of David in the 2 Sam. 18.33 where David saith Oh Absalon my son my son would God I had dyed for thee Oh Absalon my son my son he wisheth with a condition if it might be possible would I had dyed for thee so the Apostle would wish himself to be separated from Christ for the Jews if it were possible that he being damned the Jewes might be saved that
he going to hell they might go to heaven and the greater glory thereby come to God and Christ For without question the Apostle here in this speech of his had not onely respect to the salvation of the Jews but he had respect to the glory of God and of Christ that Gods glory might be advanced and his Kingdome amplified and inlarged now it must needs be that the Apostle speaketh with a condition if it were possible For otherwise the speech of the Apostle had been clean contrary to the purpose of God yea to that purpose which the Apostle was acquainted withal that the Lord did purpose to save him which is manifest in the two last Verses of the former Chapter where he saith nothing should separate him and yet now doth he wish separation absolutely Rom. 8.38 39. no sure it is with condition for my brethren which are my kinsmen an usuall phrase among the Hebrews to call them brethren that were of the same bloud Gen. 13.8 Abraham said unto Lot we are brethren who was his nephew according to the flesh This the Apostle addeth to signifie that they were his kinsmen according to the flesh not by the Spirit because they were not converted though they were his brethren by flesh and blood descended of the same Parents yet not by grace or by the Spirit and indeed the Apostle meaneth the Jewes which he setteth out that they were his kindred according to the flesh so then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if he had said Even I my self and no other for me could wish that I were removed and even set apart from salvation purchased by Christ and all hope thereof yea I could wish my self to be damned in hell and to perish if it might possibly be provided that I being damned the Jews might be saved the Jewes who are my brethren I mean my kinsmen according to the flesh according to the bond of flesh and blood that they might come into the Faith of the Gospel I wish it that the glory of God in their salvation might be increased So much for the meaning of the Apostle First of all here cometh a question Quest to be answered viz. Whether the holy Apostle did well in thus wishing himself if it had been possible to be accursed from Jesus Christ to go to hell for the salvation of the Jewes this seemeth a thing not tolerable For there is or ought to be in every Child of God a holy self-love and a sanctified self-love whereby they are bound to love themselves above all others and to use all good means for the good estate of their own bodies and soules and that above the estate of any other howsoever as the Apostle John saith 1 John 3.16 That as Christ laid down his life for us so are we one for another yet a Christian is not bound to deprive himself of a temporal life for the safety of the temporal life of another no nor yet to deprive himself of eternal life for the eternal good estate of others did the Apostle then do well thus to wish Yes the Apostle doth well in this wishing Answ even in wishing himself to be accursed from Christ for the conversion of the Jews because in this wish and desire of the Apostle he had not onely respect to the salvation of the Jews and their conversion but also to the glory of God and of Christ and he knew that indeed the glory of God and the glory of Christ would be wonderfully inlarged by the conversion of the Jews and the glory of God and of Christ ought to be procured if it were possible even with the eternal confusion of our soules though we be the Children of God Quest But it may be some may further say Admit it were for the glory of God that the Apostle wished himself to be separated from Christ or to be accursed or anathema from Christ May a man wish himself separated from Christ and so an enemy to Christ and Christ an enemy to him as the Devils and damned in hell are I answer Answ again the Apostles wish is not so to be taken he wished if it had been possible to be separated from Christ not in love but in punishment he wished not to become an enemy to Christ nor to be deprived of Christ his love to him and to have Christ an enemy to him but to want the fruition of the fruits of Christ his love that is everlasting happinesse and to lose his part in heaven and to undergo the torments of hell if it had been possible yet still to love Christ and still to be beloved of Christ Christ himself was made a curse for us as Gal. 3.13 yet was he not then when he was under the curse an enemy to God his Father nor his Father an enemy to him but he only out of his love to Gods chosen of his own accord underwent the curse for their sins to redeem them from the curse And so doubtlesse the Apostle wished to be separated from Christ or accursed from Christ yet so as that he would still love Christ and still be beloved of Christ and so we are to understand his wish and so this question is answered Now in that the Apostle doth here manifest his love to the Jews in his earnest desire of their good expressing that in wishing himself to be separated and accursed from Christ for their conversion and salvation it points out to us plainly thus much Doctr. That we are to desire every way the good of those whom we love and are bound to love and especially the good of their soules we are to wish and desire that it may go well with others whom we love and are bound to love in respect of their bodies and outward estate but especially that it may go well with their soules that they may have saving grace in their soules and an increase of it and that their souls may be possest of saving grace here in this life and eternally saved hereafter in heaven that is the thing we are most earnestly to wish and desire in the behalf of those whom we love and are bound to love And to this purpose we find that the Apostles do usually in the beginning and fronts of their Epistles wish to those Churches and persons to whom they writ out of their love to them especially spiritual good things concerning the good of their soules even grace and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ as Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 And so in other Epistles they wish the same particular good things to the soules of them whom they writ to not onely in effect but in a manner word for word and we find that the Apostles do likewise usually give thanks to God especially for good things bestowed on the soules of those to whom they writ as for their faith their hope their love to God and to the Saints their
nature or by some special bond as sometimes it breaks out of the mouth of a gracelesse husband that he could love his wife well were she not his wife And what more common then for brethren and kindred to jarre and to fall out one with another and for men and women to esteem them least that are nearest to them in the flesh and knit to them by the bond of consanguinity or affinity and that because of their familiarity with them and because they were best acquainted with their infirmities Oh but remember thou when thou art moved to withdraw thy love and good affection from thy kindred and from such as thou art tyed to by some speciall bond it comes from the Devil and from the strength of thine own corruption because they are weak or poor or in misery or such like but know thou art to love and respect thy kindred because they are thy kindred and be thou mindful of this duty love thy kindred respect them and wish good to them because they are thy kindred and labour that as they are knit to thee in the bond of flesh so they may be knit to thee and thou to them in the bond of the Spirit That so as thou hast fellowship with them in the flesh thou mayst have fellowship with them in the Spirit and that there may be an eternal fellowship and communion between thee and them in the Kingdom of Heaven VERSE 4. Which are the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises IN this Verse our Apostle puts down another reason moving him to wish himself separated or accursed from Christ for the conversion of the Jewes namely this Because they were the people of God the Israelites which he further amplifies and makes manifest by six priviledges vouchsafed unto them as that to them did belong the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants giving of the Law the service of God and the Promises Which are the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises I will first lay forth the meaning of the several branches of this Verse and then descend to matter of observation and instruction hence offered Which are the Israelites That is which are the people that descended from Jacob their father who was also called Israel and of whom they had the name of Israelites and they rather took their name from Jacob then from Abraham or Isaac because Abraham and Isaac had sons which belonged not to the people of God but all Jacobs sons were the fathers of the Lords people and they rather had their name from Jacobs name Israel then from his name Jacob because it was a more excellent and a more worthy name it being given to Jacob by God himself upon a special occasion as we read Gen. 32.28 And it being a name of speciall signification it signifying one prevailing with God as the Lord himself there saith thy name shall be called Jacob no more but Israel because thou hast prevailed with God or had power with God and hence it was that Jacob thought it an excellent blessing to have Josephs children called by his name Israel as we may see in his prayer Gen. 48.16 Let my name be named on them on Ephraim and Manasseh To whom pertaineth the Adoption Or whose is the adoption by adoption here we are not to understand Adoption by grace in Christ which is proper and peculiar to Gods Elect spoken of by the Apostle Ephes 1.5 but an external adoption in that God did select and sever the seed of Jacob from all nations and people in the World to be accounted only his Church and People and to be a peculiar people to himself in regard of which dignity the Lord calls them his Son yea his first born Exod. 4.22 yea his chief treasure above all people Exod. 19.5 yea his Lot and his inheritance Deut. 32.9 And the glory Some would have the word glory here to be understood of Miracles and great Works whereby the people of Israel became famous and glorious And some of Divine Visions and Apparitions but it is better to be understood of the Ark of the Covenant which was a token of Gods presence amongst his people where God heard the prayers and praises of his people and gave forth his Oracles to them which is called glory 1 Sam. 4.21 22. and hence is the Temple called the place where Gods honour dwelleth Psal 26.8 and the Covenants By Covenants is not here meant the Covenant made with Abraham and often renued as some think that is comprehended under the word Promises but rather by a metonymie the two tables in which God wrote the Moral Law which are called the Tables of the covenant Deut. 9.11 and so also termed Heb. 9.4 And so the Apostle here reckoneth three kinds of Laws which Israel had the Moral Law contained in the two Tables of the Law here called the Covenants The Judicial Law for the Common Wealth of the Jews which was an excellent Law having God the Author of it and being full of Equity called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the giving of the Law And the ceremonial law consisting of the Priesthood and such outward rites and sacrifices wherein God would be lawfully served of the Jews till the coming of Christ here called the service of God or the Worship of God for that is here meant by the service of God the ceremonial Law touching the outward Worship of God And the Promises That is promises of Gods favour as that promise made to Abraham Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thee and to thy seed afterwards often renued to him and to his seed comprehending under it Promises both temporal as touching the inheritance of the Land of Canaan And Spiritual touching the Messiah and promises legal touching life on the condition of keeping the Law of God perfectly And Promises Evangelical touching remission of sins and salvation to believers in Christ as Peter said Act. 2.39 The Promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And so we see the particulars of this Verse explained and briefly thus conceive we the meaning of the Apostle in the words of this Verse as if he had said I could wish my self to be separated from Christ for my brethren which are my kinsmen according to the flesh which are the people who descended from the Loynes of Jacob their father who was also called Israel a prevailer with God of whom they had that honourable name of Israelites Which people God did select and sever from all the Nations and people in the world to be accounted onely his Church and People and to be a peculiar people to himself who had also the Ark of God as a token of
Gods presence amongst them and was their glory who had also the Moral Law written in two Tables by the finger of God himself called the tables of the Covenant And the Judicial Law The Metaphrase for the government of their Common Wealth which was an excellent Law having God the Author of it and full of equity And likewise the Ceremonial Law touching the outward worship of God which was also an excellent Law distinguishing them from all other Nations in the worship of God And they had also the Promises of God touching Gods favour and touching good things temporal and spiritual and the promises Legal and the promises Evangelical many sweet gracious and comfortable Promises Now thus understanding the words of this Verse come we to such things as are hence offered for our further instruction And in that the Apostle makes this a further ground of his wish to be separated or accursed from Christ for the conversion of the Jews because they were the Israelites the ancient people of God I might stand to shew that the Jews are to be respected and that we ought to wish them good spiritual good even because they were the ancient people of God but of that we shall speak more fitly when we come to the next Verse We see the Jewes are here set out by the Apostle as a most honourable people endowed with many excellent and worthy priviledges vouchsafed to them and yet all their priviledges did nothing avail them they did them no good at all in regard of Gods favour towards them and of Gods acceptance of them because they did not imbrace the Gospel and believe in Christ they rejected Christ and refused to imbrace the faith of the Gospel and so their excellent priviledges did nothing profit them to commend them in the sight of God and to make them pleasing to God And therefore the Apostle here wisheth himself to be separated or accursed from Christ that they might come to be converted and to believe in Christ notwithstanding their great priviledges hence then we are given to understand thus much Doctrine That no priviledge whatsoever be it never so great or excellent is available to make a people or a person wanting faith and saving grace accepted of and pleasing to God it is not the greatest priviledge or excellency in the world that is of any force or worth to commend either people or persons wanting faith in Gods sight to make them accepted with God Rom. 2.25 we find that the Apostle reproves the great folly of the Jewes who being breakers of the Law yet held themselves acceptable to God because they were circumcised they stood on the outward priviledges of circumcision who saith the Apostle to the Jew if thou be a transgressour of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision thou art no more pleasing to God then the Gentile without question it was a great priviledge to be of Christ his kindred in respect of the flesh it was more then to be of the Blood Royal of the greatest Monarch in the world yet mark what the Lord Jesus himself speaks of it Matth. 12.48 Who is my mother and who are my brethren as if he had said What is it to be of my kindred according to the flesh is that the thing that makes any one more pleasing to God no no saith he behold my mother and my brethren pointing to his Disciples they are my mother and my brethren that do the Will of my Father which is in heaven Alliance in faith is nearer and dearer to me then that which is in the flesh Who ever had greater honour then was vouchsafed to the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of the Lord Jesus yet as One saith well had not Mary her self carried him in her heart by faith her conceiving and carrying him in her womb had nothing availed her nor made her any thing at all pleasing in Gods sight And the Reason is this Reason Because the best good things in the world without faith are but vanishing and transitory things things common to the Reprobates as well as to the Elect and chosen Children of God they are not things coming from the eternal Spirit of grace and sanctification nor agreeable to the nature of God things that are of esteem with God are spirituall and eternal even things agreeable to the nature of God Vse 1 Now then to make use of this truth first it meets with an errour of the Papists who hold and teach that some outward state and condition of life is of force to commend men in Gods sight and to make them pleasing to God as single life and voluntary poverty yea they say that Virginity and single life is a state of perfection far excelling Marriage and of such worth in it self as it commends a person before the Judgment Seat of God and deserves Gods grace and life eternal a position blasphemous and full of contumelie and derogatory from the blood of Christ and it cannot stand with this truth I leave it and for the use of the point to our selves Vse 2 Is it so that no priviledge or excellency whatsoever be it never so great or excellent is available to make a people or person wanting faith acceptable and pleasing to God Oh then learn we not to bear our selves on any excellency any good thing we enjoy whatsoever nor to trust to it as able to commend us in Gods sight and to make us accepted with God we wanting faith no not on the Word and Gospel and holy Ordinances of God nor on our profession of Religion nor on our good gifts and qualifications as wit memory learning and such like It was the conceit of the people of God the Jewes that they were highly in Gods favour because they had Gods Temple and his outward worship amongst them Jer. 7.4 They cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and is it not the conceit of too many in our dayes do not many blesse themselves and think that they are highly in Gods favour only because they have been baptized and they live in the bosome of the Church and enjoy the Ministery of the Word and they have good preaching amongst them and they are made partakers of the holy Ordinances of God they come to the Church and they partake in the holy things of God in the Word and Sacraments Oh deceive not thy self whosoever thou art these things are excellent priviledges which thou enjoyest and haply others want But alas these things do not make thee pleasing to God or nearer to heaven thou wanting faith in Christ and saving grace in thy soul No thou mayst enjoy these priviledges and yet perish and be damned yea they may be to thee seales of deeper condemnation And indeed know it for a certain truth the better means of salvation thou livest under the heavier shall be thy Judgment and the deeper thy condemnation in hell thou not profiting by them to the working of faith
we labour to understand it aright and to make a right application of it and we are to take heed how we wrest the word of God by wronging and perverting of it to make the Word of God to serve our fantasies as the Usurer will seek out a place of Scripture to defend his Usury a foul and a fearful sin to make the word of God to speak according to our fantasies and conceits for this is the seed of all heresies whatsoever and therefore we must labour to understand the word aright But here may some object Object and say What would you have me to do that am a poor and unlearned man alas how should I come to a right understanding of the word of God and come to make a right application of it Many Scholers and many Divines are not able to reach into the Depth of it can I then that am a simple and unlettered man or woman To this I answer Answ Be thou careful thou that thus pleadest for thy self to use the means that God hath set up in his Church for the opening and unfolding of his Word and for thy guidance and direction in the way of truth and of love both towards God and man be careful in these means that is be careful in frequenting and using the ordinary meanes of the word the Ministery that God hath set up in his Church for thy direction Prov. 8.33 be thou careful to attend at the gates of wisdome be frequent in hearing the VVord of God opened and expounded and be sure to come to the hearing and reading of the Word of God with an humble heart that thy heart be not lift up with a conceit of thy own understanding but be emptied of all self-conceit and pride in respect of the pregnancy of thy own wit and to this joyn earnest and hearty prayer unto the Lord be attentive to the means that serve to open the word come to the hearing and reading of it with an humble heart and also be instant in invocation and calling upon the name of the Lord that the Lord would open thine eyes and ears and give thee the Spirit of Revelation of understanding do as David did Psal 119.18 Lord open mine eyes that I may behold the wonders of thy Law It is a worthy saying of an Ancient Divine saith he though there be many things in the Scripture hard to be understood difficult to reach into the depth of them yet whatsoever is necessary and needful to be known to salvation it is plainly set forth in the Scripture and easie to be understood to them that will read diligently mark attentively pray heartily and judge humbly come without any self-conceit of thine own wit come even as a fool to the Word of God in comparison of the wisdom of God revealed in it and then by this meanes we shall come to a right application of the Word of God and effectually understand and apply it Come we now to the Apostles reason all they are not Israel that are of Israel that is all they are not the true Israelites and elect and chosen seed of Abraham that are descended of Israel according to the flesh hence we are plainly taught thus much Doctrine That indeed all are not true Israelites that bear the name of Israelites or thus all they are not true Christians that have taken upon them the name of Christ and bear the name of Christians or thus all they that are in the visible Church and are of the visible Church yet they are not members of the true Church of God And for the further manifestation of this if we look in the Book of God we shall find that in all ages from the beginning there hath been some in the visible Church and of the visible Church that were not true members of the Church of God Thus it was in the dayes of Moses in the dayes of Christ and of the Apostles yea when the Church of God was in one Family in Abraham in Isaac and in Jacobs Family in Abrahams Family was an Ishmael as well as an Isaac in Isaac's Family an Esau as well as a Jacob and so in all ages and hence it is that Christ compareth the Church to a field that hath not onely good wheat but tares Matth. 13.26 and in the 47. and 48. verses Christ speaketh of some that said they were Jewes and were not they were Jewes by birth and nation but they were the Synagogue of Satan and in Revel 3.9 he saith some called themselves Jews and were not they were in the visible Church and yet they were not the true Church of Christ Reason Because all they that live in the bosome of the visible Church and make open profession of it they are not all such as God hath set apart to life and salvation though they be in the visible Church and of the visible Church and make the same profession yet indeed they are not true members of the Church 1 Joh. 2.19 where John saith they went out from us because they were not of us they did not truly believe in Christ and if they had been of us they would have continued with us but by this it appeareth that they were not of us because they have made a disjunction from us now to apply this Vse First of all this truth now delivered beareth witnesse strongly against the foolish conceit of the Separatists and what is their opinion They hold and teach That the visible Church is the body of Christ Jesus and all the members of the visible Church they are members of the mystical body of Christ they are partakers of the Spirit of Christ of the life of Christ and the grace of Christ Surely then it must needs follow that all the members of the visible Church are Gods children and heires of salvation yea then Cain and Ishmael and Esau and Saul and Judas they were the children of God and have obtained salvation If this were true that all that are partakers of the visible Church are members of Christ and heires of salvation it were easie to prove that these men were in the visible Church and of the visible Church and therefore by this reason are saved but how false it is to think that these men have obtained salvation any man that hath been exercised in the truth may easily see it they are mistaken in the Tenent and the ground of their error is this Whatsoever they find in Scripture spoken of the invisible Church the Catholike Church seen by the eye of faith they apply to the visible Church as it is said that the Church of God is a holy Nation a peculiar Priesthood they apply it to the visible Church and their definition is a hoch poch a mingling of the properties of the invisible Church and the visible Church together and an appropriating of them to the visible Church this is common both in their Writings and Conferences But come we now to lay the truth delivered a
little nearer to our selves Is it so that all that live in the bosome of the Church are not members of the true Church of God Upon this ground learn we to take heed of a strong delusion that deludeth thousands in the world Many in the world have this conceit and are strongly possessed with it that because they have been bred and born in the visible Church they breathe in it and joyn with it and make the same profession that we do they partake in the holy Ordinances of God they come to the Ministery of the Word they have been partakers of the holy things of God the Word the Sacraments they come to the Table of the Lord therefore certainly they are true Members of the Church of God they are Christians true Christians and who shall say to the contrary and yet we shall find these men that thus believe their phantasies they are ignorant of God and of the truth of God and of the Word of God yea many of them though they be old men and women understand not the grounds of Catechisme nor the Fundamental points of Religion their hearts are full of unbelief and of Covetousnesse and of disordered passions of pride of lust of envy and anger they perform good duties in publick carelesly both in publick and in private never care to examine how they thrive in grace and goodnesse no not so much as perform the duty of prayer or if they do they perform it customarily and with dull and dead hearts they are asleep in hearing the Word and very untoward in performing of holy duties and yet they hold themselves to be in very good case they are good Christians why do they not come to the holy Word and Sacraments and yet are ignorant of the grounds of Catechisme The truth now delivered maketh known unto you that you are in the wrong yea in the case of Judas and Saul they were in as good case as thou art men may joyn themselves to the Church even to the visible Church of God and may participate in all the holy Ordinances of God and yet be no true members of the Church of God and therefore take we heed of deceiving our selves and be stirred up to labour not to rest in this formality labour to find your selves not only in the visible Church and professe the same truth but that we find our selves to be true Christians such as know God and obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Apostle telleth us 2 Thessal 1.8 that Jesus Christ shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance upon all that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ yea let us never rest untill we find we be such as Nathaniel was Joh. 1.47 that we are true Israelites in whom there was no guile no coverers nor clokers of sinnes but that we are upright hearted both in regard of good things and also in regard of sinne for herein we must shew that we are upright and sound hearted if that in doing of good things we seek not the pleasing of men or of our selves to avoid the danger of the Law and such Sinister and by-respects but in a simple obedience unto God because God commandeth them and with a due respect to the glory of God And also in respect of sinne labour we to be sound hearted that there be no regarding of sinne Psal 66.18 If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not hear me if I cleave unto it so that there must not be in us any regarding of sin and cleaving unto it as by favouring of it either in our selves or in others or by lessening and cloking of sin or a little extenuation of sin oh we are guileful and deceitfull hearted if we do thus extenuate and lessen and cloke sin account some sins little and trifling but to resolve against it accounting them to be vile and odious yea we finding our selves to be guilty to be forward in the acknowledgment of our sin without covering and cloking of sin with God but soundly and freely and throughly acknowledging and confessing our sins and with a resolution to leave it and to break it off and confesse it with grief of heart if we be thus upright hearted we are true Christians and true members of the Church of God without this we can have no assurance that we are in the favour of God we may have a conceit that our sins are done away and that we are in the favour of God but we must labour to be sound hearted therein standeth the assurance of the pardon of our sins Psal 32.1 2. saith David Blessed is the man whose sinnes are forgiven and whose wickednesse is covered and then he subjoyneth as a qualification he is one that hath no guile in his heart Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin and in whose spirit there is no guile whereby we may demonstrate that we are in the number of those blessed people if there be no guile in our hearts Oh then labour we to perform holy duties not to please men or to please our selves but out of obedience to God not to cloke and cover sin and to say for breaking the Sabbath what is it so great a matter to set things in order against the next day On these are not sound hearted therefore if we would have comfort to our soules labour to be true Members of the Church VERSE 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called IN this Verse the Apostle maketh a distinction of the seed of Abraham and having affirmed that all they that are of the seed of Israel are not Israelites so here in this seventh Verse he instanceth in Abrahams Family and here the Apostle affirmeth how that not all they that came of Abraham by natural generation are the true seed of Abraham to whom the promise belongeth and this he doth in the first part of the verse Then in the second place the Apostle maketh known by way of opposition and of particular instance who were the true seed of Abraham to whom the promise belongeth namely Isaac which the Apostle putteth down in the words of Scripture alluding to that in Gen. 21.12 where we find the true seed of Abraham that should inherit the promise that God would call it was Isaac so that the reasoning of the Apostle considered with that place in Genesis may be thus illustrated why Ishmael was of Abraham as well as Isaac he was his son yet onely Isaac was the true seed and the true son of Abraham therefore all that are of Abrahams seed by carnal generation are not the true seed of Abraham children of God But now if any should object and say If Ishmael was the seed of Abraham then Ishmael was his child It is true but how according to the flesh the child of the flesh verse the eighth but Isaac onely was the child of the
sanctified unto their use and they may lawfully use them after a holy manner much more then are their children sanctified by a holinesse that cometh by vertue of the covenant so speaketh the Holy Ghost they are to be accounted holy and such as belong unto Gods election howsoever many of them belong not unto Gods election yet they are so to be esteemed in the judgment of charity This being a truth that to come of good and godly parents is not sufficient Vse 1 to intitle them to salvation Let all then that are well discended that are the children of good godly and religious parents take heed of pride and of a swelling conceit that cometh to them from their parents Because their parents are such as truly fear God It is a thing usual and incident unto us to be proud of nothing more then of Nobility and gentry that we are come of such parentage and hereupon to be lifted up with a swelling conceit and especially if we come from religious parents Indeed I confesse it is a matter of honour and dignity to be the children of religious parents yet do not thou think that because thou art a child of one that feareth God that therefore thou hast promise to life and salvation no thou must find better evidence to thy heart and soul if thou be able to look into thy self with a right eye and be able to see and discern of thy own estate thou shalt find thy self to be in the common condition of all men that thou art lying and wallowing in thy filthinesse and blood though thou be of the most religious parentage upon the face of the earth thou shalt see thou art defiled and polluted and imagine not that thou art of a better nature then others because thou art come of better parents this is a conceit that runneth in the minds of many they are come of good stock and of good parents and therefore they are of a better nature no thy stock is rotten of it self and conveyeth nothing but pollution and corruption to the sprigs It may be thou art not so vile and wicked as others be not such a debauched wretch as others are but yet know this that it is not the goodnesse of thy nature that thou art so but from restraining grace thou being brought up in a religious family the reason why thou breakest not out into sin it is from restraining grace not from the goodnesse of thy nature for the root of it is rotten nature is as corrupted in thee as in the vilest Monsters upon the earth and that thou art not so bad or so vile as Judas Cain Saul the Sodomites or Pharaoh it cometh from restraining grace not from any goodnesse of thy nature do not therefore build upon the goodnesse of thy nature labour to change thy self from what thou art and rest not in a civil formality and think that is sufficient never rest untill thou find thy heart is renued by grace that thou art framed anew in some measure according to the Image of Jesus Christ labour for renovation and then thou hast ground of true comfort and right and title unto life and salvation otherwise if thou rest in thy good education and in thy good nature it will deceive thee but labour for the powerful working of the Spirit in thee Vse 2 Is this so That the very coming and discending from the loynes of good and godly parents is not sufficient to intitle children unto life and salvation It concerneth then such as are good and godly parents that they do labour to work better things in their soules then those that their children receive from them by generation and birth For why by generation and birth what do they receive nothing but a common disease and corruption Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh And it may be with thy common corruption thou hast derived a particular infection not alwayes so but it may be thou hast therefore it concerneth all good and godly parents to convey better things then those they have received by generation and birth to labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature Prov. 22. labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature the bundel of folly and vanity by teaching by instructing comforting reproving commending and exhorting moderately to work the fear of God in their soules labour to intitle them to the promise of life and salvation and be an Instrument of the promise of life and salvation and be an instrument of their eternal good Neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called THe particular instance of the true seed of Abraham cometh now to be stood upon in that he saith in Isaac shall thy seed be called which words are the words of God to Ahraham in Gen. 21.12 and that place of Genesis considered with this of the Apostle giveth us to understand the meaning of the words to be this Ishmael was Abrahams child as well as Isaac Ishmael came of Abraham by course of nature and that as well as Isaac yet God saith thy son Ishmael should not be thy son and heir but told him plainly and directly that his son Isaac was the child in whom he would accomplish and make good his Promise concerning mercy grace righteousnesse and salvation in him shall thy seed come to participate in the promise in thy son Isaac Now then the Lord in these words maketh known that Isaac was the chosen seed of Abraham that did belong unto Gods election that he had rejected Ishmael from all eternity though he was the son of Abraham and appointed Isaac to life and salvation And so this example of Isaac and of Ishmael doth very well fit the purpose of the Apostle namely this to shew that though the Jews come of Abraham according to the course of Nature and are his seed by carnal generation yet are not all such as belong unto Gods eternal election and though they be rejected there is no breach of the promise of the Lord of which the Apostle treateth in this Chapter Now we are to observe in the first place touching these words they being considered as you heard the words of God to Abraham thus much That God in these words maketh known unto Abraham a great difference that was between his two sons Ishmael and Isaac such a difference as Abraham did not think upon nor could not take notice of untill God did make it known Abraham without question did judge both of his sons to be in the same estate Ishmael and Isaac to be in the same condition and that both had right and title to that Covenant in Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Thus Abraham thought and therefore Abraham circumcised both his children yea Ishmael in the first place and instructed both and brought them up both alike yet you see God putteth a wide and a large difference between
them his sons Ishmael and Isaac Isaac was the chosen seed Ishmael was not Isaac belonged to the election Ishmael did not Isaac was the child in whom God would fulfill his promise Ishmael was not but Abraham respected both alike untill the Lord did cast out Ishmael hence we are to understand thus much That there is no manifest difference between Gods chosen and others Doctrine in regard of their spiritual estate untill God put a difference between them by his Word and the works of his Spirit I grant there is a difference between Gods chosen and others even from everlasting and before they have a being in the world but it is not known unto us and there is no difference between them touching their spiritual estate manifested known and discernable either by our selves or by others untill God do put and make a difference between them by calling and converting the one by his Word and the work of his Spirit and leaving the other uncalled effectually Before the effectual calling of Gods chosen they are in the same estate and condition with those that belong not unto Gods election they are prone unto evil as well as others they are as vile in the practise of sinne as any other unlesse God do restrain them No man can say this is one that belongeth to Gods election and this is not untill God do put a difference between them And this truth hath not onely ground here but also plentiful evidence in many places of Scripture in 1 Cor. 6.9 10. The Apostle having reckoned up many grosse sinners and given them their doom that they can never come to inherit Gods Kingdome as neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeves nor Drunkards nor Raylers nor Extortioners shall never inherit Gods Kingdome living and dying so he subjoyneth vers 11. such were some of you you were no better but now you are washed and justified and sanctified now God hath put a difference between you and others by the work of his grace and power of his Spirit you were as vile as any debauched sinner untill you were cleansed and in Ephes 2.1 2 3. The Apostle saith of the believing Ephesians they were now believers but in times past they were dead in trespasses and in sinnes yea they walked before their calling and conversion after the fashion of the world and followed the Prince that ruled in the ayr that is the Devil that now worketh strongly in the children of disobedience you were dead and you walked how could that be you had the life of nature and you walked after the Fashions of the World yea I and other believing Jewes we had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh and were by nature children of wrath as well as others there was no difference untill God put a difference Thus the Apostle speaketh of the believing Romans Romans 6.17 That they had been servants of sinne and slaves thereunto but ye now God be thanked through grace have obtained a form of godlinesse whereunto you are delivered So likewise the Apostle speaketh of himself and other true believers in Titus 3.3 4 5. We our selves were in times past disobedient deceived servers of lusts and pleasures hateful and hating one another But when the bountifulnesse of God appeared through Christ Not by the works of righteousnesse that we have done but of his mercy he saved us by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost now there is a difference but before there was none So that this doth manifest unto us that there is no known difference between Gods chosen and others in regard of their spiritual estate and condition untill God put a difference between them by the work of his grace and Spirit The Reason Reason is manifest because Gods Children have no priviledge above others in regard of their birth they are born and brought forth in sinne as well as others they are tainted and stained with the pollution of sin as well as others and Nature in them is as vile and corrupt as in the vilest sinner upon the face of the earth yea it is as predominant and powerful in them as in any so that we see that Gods Children have no manifest difference between them and others till God put a difference Vse 1 Upon this ground in the first place learn we to take heed that we take not upon us to determine of the Final estate of any man being yet in his natural estate and condition we may not be so bold as to say this man or that woman is a Reprobate and a cast-away it is bold presumption in any Abraham could not discern that his son Ishmael was one that had no right and title to the Covenant of grace till God saith I have cast him off And there is no manifest difference between Gods chosen and others touching their spiritual estate untill God do difference them by working upon the one and leaving the other unwrought upon and therefore judge not of the future and final estate of any man by his present condition we may lawfully judge a carnal man to be a carnal man and in the way that leadeth to hell and damnation and if he do hold on in that way and not repent he shall be damned but to go beyond this is to break into Gods several and secret counsel what a carnal man may be in after time leave that unto Gods determinate counsell Vse 2 In the second place the truth now delivered is to be thought upon by as many as find tnemselves to be effectually called by the Word and the holy Spirit of God the consideration of this ought to stirre them up to blesse God and magnifie the mercy of God for that great mercy and benefit bestowed upon them they are bound in this respect so to do what were they before they were so wrought upon they were in the same estate and condition even with others that belong not unto Gods election there was no manifest and known difference between them and others either in the eye of the world or the judgment of others neither could themselves judge themselves in a better estate it was not discernable unto them or unto others they were as prone to evil as others as vile in the practise of evil as others they were wallowing and tumbling in sin and had no more desire of good then the vilest miscreant upon the earth Now who hath put a difference between thee and them that remain uncalled surely onely the Lord and that of his mere goodnesse and mercy and if thou throughly consider it thou canst not be sufficiently thankful to God and therefore when thou seest them wallowing and tumbling in sin and taking much delight and pleasure therein passe it not by without consideration but consider of it not to insult over them but to pity them and thereby call to mind what thou wast before the Lord wrought upon thee by his Word and holy Spirit
and consider that thou seest in them that so go on in their sins a lively image picture and proportion of thine own former natural estate and miserable condition such a one was I once I took as much delight as they do posted as fast to damnation as they do how much then am I bound to magnifie the goodnesse and mercy of God to me who of his mere goodnesse and mercy hath turned my feet another way even the Lord of his rich and abundant mercy hath put a manifest difference between my self and many others he hath put now a new mind in me and hath given me a delight in good things what shall I render unto the Lord what thanks what glory what honour and obedience shall I render to my God This ought to be the meditation and consideration of thee whosoever thou art that findest thy self wrought upon by the holy Word of God when thou seest other run on in sin with delight and pleasure to post to destruction as if they meant to come thither with all speed hasting to damnation Oh then lift up thy heart in Serious contemplation upon the free grace and goodnesse of God in calling thee out of that number and electing thee to salvation Further in that God saith here unto Abraham in Isaac shall thy seed be called Isaac being one that belonged unto Gods eternal election I might here stand to shew that God doth effectually call none but such as belong unto Gods election but I stood upon that in the 30 verse of the eight Chapter onely one thing now that is this We are to mark that God here saith not unto Abraham in Isaac will I make good my Covenant in Isaac will I make good my promise but he saith in Isaac shall thy seed be called Isaac shall be called and his seed and so will I make good my Covenant in Isaacs calling The doctrine is this That Gods effectual calling of men out of the state of nature Doctr. into the state of grace by the Word and work of his Spirit Effectual calling is an evidence of a mans being in Covenant with God it is a sure evidence unto them that are so called that they are in Covenant with God and God with them that God is their good and gracious Father yea it doth infallibly evidence unto them that God hath loved them from everlasting God now hath set upon them a seal of his special love and that now they have right and title to the promises of God concerning righteousnesse life and salvation 2 Pet. 1.10 saith the Apostle Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure You see he putteth down calling before election not that it is so in the order of nature but if a man be called he is certainly elected if we be sure of our calling we may be sure of our election we may certainly and infallibly conclude that we are in Covenant with God and have right and title to the promises of God we may so conclude not doubtfully or conjecturally but certainly conclude I have right and title to the Promises of God Know then what an excellent and sweet comfort may this be to them Vse that find themselves effectually called hast thou good evidence of thy effectual calling hath the Word a kindly working hath it wrought upon thee a change and set thee out of the state of nature into the state of grace thou art certainly in a most blessed and happy condition this doth evidence that God did love thee before the world was before it had a being now thou art in Covenant with God and God hath now set his seal upon thee thou art one of his good Isaacs one of his beloved think upon it therefore the meditation of thy effectual calling is more comfortable unto thee then to think upon thy election or redemption by Christ these are matters of great comfort but thy effectual calling is more comfortable unto thee it sealeth up that thou art one of Gods chosen that thou art redeemed by the Blood of Christ look to thy effectual calling or else it appertaineth not unto thee but thou being called here is wonderful comfort for thee VERSE 8. That is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed IN this Verse our Apostle doth deliver by way of Explication that which he put down in the verse foregoing and having in the seventh verse before affirmed that not all they that came of Abraham by the course of nature are the true seed of Abraham because Ishmael was the seed of Abraham but God said he should not inherit the promise but in Isaac should the seed be called he should participate in the promise now this being brought by the Apostle and set down in the verse foregoing In this verse the Apostle explaineth himself and layeth open his meaning a little further shewing what he meaneth by children and by the seed of Abraham here he explaineth his meaning Neither are they all children in the verse before because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called then he subjoyneth in this eighth verse That is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed And in this eighth verse we have laid before us an opposition between the children of the flesh and the children of the promise First of all denying them to be the children of God who are the children of the flesh and secondly affirming that they onely are accounted the true seed who are the children of the Promise Now for the explication of this verse lesse need it to be stood upon and spoken of if so be some erring spirits did not wrest and pervert it and labour to draw it to a wrong sense I will therefore endeavour to lay open the true sense of it viz. That is my meaning is they which are the children of the flesh The Arminians and the Anabaptists joyn together hand in hand and do understand by children of the flesh those that seek for righteousnesse and salvation by the righteousnesse of the Law and so seek for it by a carnal and fleshly course after the law and the flesh and so such as are Justitiaries and seek to be justified by the Law this say they is meant by children of the flesh this is their conceit But this cannot be the true sense of the phrase flesh though I grant indeed by children of the flesh we note out such as are Justitiaries in some places of Scripture and such as seek for salvation by their own righteousnesse the righteousnesse of the Law and that in and by the Law yet here in this place the literal sense and the literal meaning is to be taken and by children of the flesh we are to understand those that discended of Abraham according to the course of
so much as is needful to be known unto salvation this being the very end of God as appeareth Joh. 20.31 saith the Evangelist Many other things Jesus did but these are written that you might believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God and by believing might have life i. e faith and salvation through his name so that this is undoubtedly true that the pen-men of the Scripture have thus explained it Vse 1 Wickedly then deal the Papists in that they lay a hardnesse and obscurity on the Word of God and teach that though the Scriptures be delivered in our Mother tongue yet they are so hard to be understood not onely of the ignorant and common sort of people the laity but the learned among themselves they cannot tell when they have the true sense and meaning of the Word of God no not of the things that are fundamental unlesse the Church consent with them Nay the greatest Rabbins and Doctours amongst us cannot understand the Scriptures without consent of the Church Oh consider hath God sent unto us his Word as a Letter and Epistle to testifie his mind unto us and unto his Church and hath he shut it up in such doubtful terms that a man cannot tell when he hath the understanding of it he sendeth it to testifie his mind and will unto us and hath he so shut it up that we cannot tell when we have the sense of it Oh fearful blasphemy why It were better that we had no Scripture written at all far better then to have it so doubtful But there is no jot of it but serveth for the good of his people both in this life and the life to come God hath so ordered the tongues of the holy Writers and Pen-men of Scripture his Prophets and Apostles that the meaning is easie to be understood by such as come unto it with attentive minds that do read diligently mark attentively judge humbly and pray heartily Vse 2 But to make use of this to our selves Is it so that the holy Prophets and Pen-men of Scripture do deliver plainly in one place what is hard in another upon this ground it followeth that the best way of expounding Scripture is by Scripture it self we commonly give thus much to a man that he is the best expounder of himself so then learn we to apply and compare Scripture with Scripture and in that we do not apply Scripture with Scripture it is the reason why we do let slip other places that may help us in the true Application of Scripture it is a subtilty that Satan or the Divel and our hearts are ready to joyn with him that he maketh men to hale and draw unto themselves such places of Scripture as they think do favour them in their sin by their abuse of it they lay hands upon those places that so seem willingly and purposely forgetting other places that do draw them back from such conjecturing as the Usurer wil draw such places as may countenance his sin to his seeming and neglect those that draw him to the contrary Yea many men they turn Gods grace unto wantonnesse to go on in sin with an high hand and stiffe neck adding drunkennesse to thirst they are impenitent in their sins and will not be reformed and yet for all this they perswade themselves that they shall find mercy from the Lord And why whence cometh this The Devil is ready to suggest unto them and to furnish them with remembrance of a number of comfortable places of Scripture that set forth Gods mercy as that in Psal 103.8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse and in Psal 145.9 The mercy of the Lord is over all his works these the devil maketh to intitle to themselves yea with a Psalm of mercy to carry them up to the highest pitch of presumption and to lay violent hands upon those places of Scripture that are full of comfort and to say certainly God is merciful and forgivenesse is with the Lord and though I go on in sin yet I shall find mercy purposely forgetting many other places of Scripture that shew God is a revenging God and a consuming fire that punishes those that go on in sin Psal 25.10 that mercy and truth go together God is merciful but he is also true true in his threatnings as well as in his promises yea forgetting to apply these places full of comfort with the consideration of that which Moses saith Deut. 29.20 If any man go on in the stubbornnesse of his own heart and adde Drunkennesse to thirst one sin unto another the Lord will not be merciful to that man They never remember this the devil teacheth them to forget that God is just and full of judgment and that his jealousie shall smoke against those that go on in their sins surely the Lord will render vengeance upon them Oh therefore in the fear of God take notice of it of this manner of expounding and applying of Scripture therefore learn we to compare Scriture with Scripture and see what qualification thou hast before thou lay hold on the promise of God and learn to compare Scripture with Scripture that we may mitigate the comfort of it and draw us back from wresting and perverting of it else we shall make that which should be our life our death and that which should administer comfort and sweetnesse unto us to be a means to encourage us to sinne and to adde sinne to sinne and so to rush upon our own ruine and destruction In the fear of God therefore consider it and the Lord give you all understanding That is they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are accounted for the seed TOuching the Apostles Denyal that they that came of Abraham according to the flesh are not the true seed these words being an Exposition of the words foregoing the point hence offered is the same which hath been stood upon before which I think needlesse to stand upon the Doctrine being That the coming or descending of good and godly parents is not sufficient to intitle us to be heires of the promise and Gods children I say the point hence arising being the same therefore I will not here meddle with it But come to the Apostles affirmation leaving his negation That they onely are accounted the true seed of Abraham who are the children of the promise that is as we shewed you in opening the Text they only that are after the manner of Isaac children of the promise belonging unto Gods election by the special grace of God and made Gods children hy the vertue of Gods promise they onely are reckoned and accounted for the true seed of Abraham to whom grace and salvation belongeth Now from these words thus understood two things are offered unto our consideration to be stood upon in particular the first is the efficacy and force of the words of Gods promise
the force and strength and vertue of it concerning mercy grace righteousnesse life and salvation to all that believe in Christ and repent of their sins In a word the efficacy and force of the Word of the Gospel which indeed is a word of promise it propoundeth to all true believers that are repentant for their sins mercy grace righteousnesse life and salvation the observation is this That the Word of Gods saving promise the Word of the Gospel is a most powerful and a most effectual Word it is of a begetting nature it is able as an Instrument to beget children unto God and it doth in Gods appointed time effectually work upon Gods chosen and make them actually the Children of God so that they may be truly called the children of the promise as that special promise in Gen. 18. Sarah thy wife shall have a son as that gave birth and being to Isaac when there was no likelihood or possibility of his being and birth from his parents Abraham and Sarah so the Word of Gods saving promise the words of the Gospel giveth a spiritual being and birth to Gods chosen and make them actually the children of God in his appointed time when there is no likelihood nor possibility in nature Yea when their Nature is in flat opposition and contrariety unto it then doth the Word of the Gospel make them actually the children of God And to this purpose speaketh that holy and Evangelical Prophet the Prophet Esay Esay 11.6 7 8.9 the holy Prophet sheweth that in the dayes of Christ such should be the force and powerful working of the Gospel that it should make men of Wolves to become lambs and of Leopards as meek as kids and men that were as Lions of a Lionish nature to be as meek as a fat beast and as gentle that children should lead them such as were of a wolvish and lionish Nature for so we are by nature fierce and cruel and savage to become meek and gentle and so he goeth on in setting forth the powerful working of the Gospel so in Joh. 5.25 saith the Lord Jesus Verily verily I say unto you the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the Word of God and they that hear it shall live where by dead ' we shall understand those that are spiritually dead and not corporally dead for of those he speaketh in the 28 verse he saith that the voyce of the Spirit of God shall come to those that are in the graves and they shall arise but hereby those that are dead in sins and trespasses Ephes 2.1 and such as are spiritually dead to put the life of grace and of faith and of holinesse into their hearts and soules in the 1. of James 18. saith the Apostle speaking of God of his own will begat he us with the Word of truth by an emphasis or excellency a begetting word the word of the Gospel and not to adde more places this doth sufficiently prove that the Gospel of God is an effectual Word and doth work upon Gods chosen in time and make them to become Gods children actually whereas before they were potentially and may be called the children of the Promise The Reasons and grounds are these First of all the Gospel it is the arm of the Lord so saith the Prophet Reason 1 Esay 53.1 to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed that is the word of the Gospel yea it is the power of God so the Apostle saith Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 it is the arm of the Lord and the power of God it is a power far passing the power of man or of hell it self and of all the devils it is strong powerful and prevailing there is no opposition whatsoever is able to gainsay it or withstand it but it is able to bear it down to the ground The word of the Gospel it administreth to Gods chosen Gods Spirit Reason 2 whence it is that the Apostle in Gal. 3.2 demandeth of the Galathians What saith he Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or rather by the preaching of the doctrine of Faith the doctrine of the Gospel that is the means of conveying unto you the Spirit namely the Gospel of God which conveyeth it Now the Spirit of God stirreth up the unbelieving that are Gods chosen and inableth them to believe yea it doth beget faith in their hearts and doth certainly and infallibly and that without resistance actually incline their hearts to believe in Christ and so to become actually Gods children thus doth the holy Spirit of God given to Gods chosen bend and bowe their hearts inabling them to believe and make them certainly and infallibly Gods Children such is the power of the Gospel This Doctrine in the first place doth point out unto us one main difference Vse 1 that is between the Law and the Gospel the law doth onely discover sin unto man and what the least sin of man deserveth and is able to go no further it cannot deliver unto a man any means of comfort but seaveth a man liable to the curse of the Law it sheweth them not the means to escape the curse onely as a Schoolmaster it sendeth men to Christ not by teaching and instructing but by whipping and scourging by terrifying upon the sight of sin it sheweth them no pity nor no compassion it driveth them from it self to seek unto a better Schoolmaster and better Physitian to go unto Christ Gal. 3.14 the Law is our Schoolmaster to drive us to Christ But now the Gospel is of force to work upon Gods chosen effectually it is able to confer and to administer unto Gods chosen the Spirit of God which Spirit doth beget faith in their hearts and so they become actually the Children of God this is the efficacy and power of the Gospel Is this so that the Word of Gods promise the Gospel is so powerful Vse 2 and so effectual and able as an Instrument to beget children to God Oh then I beseech you in the fear of God look unto it learn we upon this ground that the Word of the Gospel we living under the preaching of it be thus powerful in our hearts and soules in particular let us never rest untill we find that the preaching of the Gospel hath so wrought upon our hearts and soules that it be so effectual in us to bear down the strength of nature and whatsoever standeth in opposition against it and to cast down the strongest hold of sin and Satan in our hearts and that it hath conferred and conveyed the holy Spirit of God and thereby wrought faith in our hearts Oh let us never rest untill we find this working And consider the Gospel it is the arm of God it hath made some men of wolves to become as lambs of Lions fat beast it hath beaten down the pride of their hearts it hath hammered their hard hearts it hath quelled and overmastered their over-ruling and predominant corruptions take onely the
in the seventh Verse that Isaac was the true and chosen seed of Abraham in whom Abrahams seed should be called and to whom God intended to make his Covenant of grace mercy righteousnesse life and salvation why because he was the child of the Promise begotten not by strength of nature but by the efficacy and power of the promise Then in the eighth verse our Apostle putteth this down in the general That they onely are the true children of Abraham because they are the children of the Promise In this ninth Verse he confirmeth it by a testimony of Scripture that Isaac was a child of the promise taken out of Gen. 18.10 I will certainly come unto thee in the time appointed and Sarah shall have a son this the Apostle affirmeth to be the Word of promise So then in this ninth verse we have for the general matter of it these two things to be considered First The speech of God to Abraham in Gen. 18.10 and in the substance here recorded by the Apostle wherein God hath set down the time when Sarah shall have a son Secondly the Apostles note upon this speech of God what kind of speech this was to Abraham namely a promissory sentence This is a word of promise in the same time will I come and Sarah shall have a son Come we now to the opening of the words This is a word of promise That is this testimony of Scripture which now I alledge which is the speech of God to Abraham it is a promissory sentence a word of promise promising a special mercy a special blessing and a special good thing to Abraham In the same time will I come Or as it is in Genesis I will come according to the time of life his meaning is when this time of the year shall come and revive and come again even in plain terms this time twelve moneths as in Gen. 17. where God saith he will establish his Covenant and Sarah thy wife shall have a son at this time the next year the meaning is this time twelve moneths Sarah thy wife shall have a son That is she shall conceive and bear a son of her own body and bowels and none other womans child shall be for her so the meaning in general is this This sentence that I alledge which is the speech of God to Abraham Gen. 18.10 it is a promissory sentence promising a special blessing unto Abraham wherein God saith when this time of the year shall revive even this time twelve moneths shall thy wise Sarah have a child begotten and born of her own body Come we to the observations And in that the Apostle here alledging a sentence and place of Scripture doth not barely deliver the words of Scripture but he putteth it out with this note this is a word of promise In that he telleth us plainly that the speech which God used to Abraham and here cited by himself is a promissory sentence which any man that looketh upon the text and is able to judge of it aright shall see it to be so when God saith at such a time will I come and Sarah thy wife shall have a son And yet the Apostle pointeth it out this is a word of promise Hence we learn That it is justifiable Doctrine and a warrantable course in preaching the Word of God for the Preacher to say unto his hearers this is a point of doctrine yea when he comes to make use and application unto the people to say this is a word of comfort this is a word of terrour this of Instruction this of Exhortation and the like we find it an usual thing with the holy Prophets of God in the time of the Old Testament when they did threaten Judgments they did set this before the burthen of the Lord as the burthen of the Lord against Edom the burthen of the Lord against Hierusalem and the like as we may see in the Prophet Esay Jeremiah Ezekiel and other Prophets But indeed it is thought by some that are utter enemies to the plain teaching of the Word that this is needlesse And they do find fault with this manner of teaching and deride it and say it is a base and contemptible manner of preaching why say they this is all one as if a man should draw the picture of a man and paint it out in colours and then to write in Capital letters by him this is his head this his armes this his nose and the like were not this ridiculous say they Thus you see these sons of Belial these men they deride that which is warranted by the holy Prophets and holy Apostles and that which doth most good in all experience 2 Tim. 3.16 The Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable to teach to correct to improve now may not the Scriptures be applyed to this end and purpose and being so applyed may not the people be told that this is matter of Doctrine and that this is a word of comfort or a word of Instruction or a word of Confutation confuting the Papists or other enemies doubtlesse they may Because indeed by this means the people shall be the better able to go along with the Preacher and more distinctly to take notice of the things delivered what serveth for information of Judgement in matters of faith what for reformation of their hearts and lives in doing of good and avoiding of evil and the building of them up in the wayes of holinesse therefore let others mock and scoffe what they will yet Ministers of God that make conscience of their duty have no cause to be ashamed of it it is the most powerful and profitablest kind of preaching and doth build up the people in faith and encourage them in every good duty Again the Apostle having said This is a word of promise he then subjoyneth the promise of a temporal blessing that Sarah should have a son Hence we see that the Promises of God in Scripture are of two sorts Doctr. either principal promises or of a lower degree principal Promises touching Christ mercy grace life and salvation and of a lower degree as to have food and apparel and outward good things and children Now the promises of God that are of a lower degree they do depend upon those principal promises and we cannot apprehend the Promises of God with true comfort for our good unlesse we first lay hold on the promises of God in Christ Abraham did first believe the promises of mercy of righteousnesse and salvation for his justification and then he believed the promise that he should have a son in his old age as appeareth Rom. 4.9 19 20. And that holy Father Noah first he was by faith made the heir of righteousnesse and then did he believe the Promises of God for his preservation in the Ark Heb. 11.7 Therefore deceive not thy self in any particular Vse we cannot trust God with any true comfort for any temporal good thing unlesse we be able to rest
upon his promise and mercy in Christ for salvation unlesse we rest upon the main promise of Christ we cannot rest upon him for outward good things with any comfort for the promises of God whether of this life or the life to come they are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.20 in Christ they are ratified and confirmed Come we now to the Promise it-self In the same time will I come and Sarah shall have a son or at this time twelve moneths shall thy wife Sarah have a child Here we see that God doth promise to Abraham a temporal thing and limiteth and setteth down a certain time when he would accomplish his promise and the time set down he broke not the day with him as appeareth in Gen. 21.2 where the text saith that Sarah conceived and bare a son in her old age according to the very time of God that he had appointed did Sarah conceive and bear Abraham a son hence the Doctrine is this Doctrine That the Promises of God that are made to his concerning good things of this life or the life to come are fulfilled and made good in Gods own time in the time that God hath appointed hath God fulfilled and will fulfill his promise I shewed you a point formerly like unto this That Gods Promises are firm and stable But now the point is That God doth perform his promise in his appointed time he keepeth his time strictly in the very nick and point of time will he accomplish it Gen. 15.13 14. God told Abraham that his seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs and should be in bondage and thraldome for a long time but when that time shall come to an end I will judge that nation and they shall come out with great riches how was this fulfilled read Exodus 12.41 when that the very time was expired in the same day in the very self-same day all the power of Pharaoh and Egypt could not hold them but they were delivered and Pharaoh and his host destroyed So the Lord threatened that Israel should be in Babylon 70 yeares as we read Jer. 25.11 12. they should be in thaldome there so long But when the time was come and the very day Daniel understanding it by books he goeth unto God by prayer Dan. 9.23 and in the very beginning of his humiliation and supplication unto God did the decree come forth in the peoples deliverance in the very day that the time was expired and in Habbac 2.3 saith the Prophet The Vision is for an appointed time the time shall come and not lye though it tarry long and not to heap up many places indeed all the Promises of God are of an appointed time and when that time is come God doth fulfil and make them good to his children what is the ground of this Reason Because the Lord is most wise and he knoweth the fittest time for the fulfilling and accomplishing of his Promises and what in his decree he hath set down not all the power in earth or hell can hinder him from performing it in the very season Vse This serveth as a ground of Instruction to all that are Gods children for the Promises are made unto them and it serveth to teach us that we are to believe the promises of God not only in the general in the matter and substance of them but we are to believe them with the particular circumstance of the time that there is a set and an appointed time of God for the accomplishing of all his Promises and we are to wait untill that time come when we are under any distresse of body or mind we must not onely believe that God hath promised ease and comfort and refreshing and deliverance but that he hath promised an appointed time for their deliverance Not onely to say I am a child of God and God hath promised me deliverance why doth he not deliver me but let me lye under the affliction surely God hath forgotten his promise No no the Lord hath set his time yea consider also that not onely dayes and minutes of comfort are not onely known to the Lord but are most strictly and precisely known and kept of the Lord and as we cannot come in particular to any comfort for our bodies or soules till the time come so when the time is come we may assure our selves God will not passe one minute of an hour he will not break with thee but will give it thee in his time therefore wait untill that time come Hester 4.16 when Hester denyed to go unto the King saith Mordecai breathing and deliverance shall come but thou and thy fathers house shall perish Mordecai was sure deliverance should come in his appointed time Oh learn we then in time of trouble and distresse to carry the Lords leisure till the good hour be come Gods good hour is not yet come when he will send deliverance to his people certainly deliverance will come and take heed that thou dost not limit the Lord nor tye him to thy time and find fault that God hath forgotten thee and respecteth thee not take heed of this seek unto the Lord earnestly by prayer and if the Lord seem to deny thy prayer and will not hear thy prayer though thy throat be hoarse and dry yet do thou believe that God will fulfil his promise Esay 28.16 he that believeth maketh not haste he that believeth not onely the Promise in general but the particular time that when the Lord seeth it fit he will perform it Oh this is an excellent comfort to consider that the Lord will make his Promise good in his time when we are under Afflictions to consider oh Gods time is not yet when his time is come he will send ease refreshing and deliverance and will not passe a minute of his time VERSE 10 11 12 13. And not onely this but when Rebekah also had conceived by one even by our father Isaac For the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger As it is written Jacob have I loved But Esau have I hated FRom the ninth verse in that God saith to Abraham Sarah shall have a son Sarah who was now 90 years old past child-bearing A woman of fourscore and and ten is past bearing of children I might here stand to shew That nothing is hard and impossible to God he is the God of Nature he is not tyed to nature or the order of nature he can give children and power to one to bring forth children that have no natural power at all God can bring things to passe when there is no probability in nature But to passe by this as not intended by the Apostle here in this place Come we now then to the tenth Verse and so to the verses following to the 14 verse for they all make
passe that God giveth them over to strong delusions to believe lyes it may be they come to some understanding of the truth but they have no love unto it and therefore God sendeth them strong delusions that is such delusions as doth deceive them and hold them fast when they are deluded the Lord will not send unto them only such errours that do prevail but shall hold them and keep them and they think themselves in a very good case and in the right way when they are most perverse and so go on in a stubborn rebellion against the truth and their own salvation Therefore let us receive the truth in love to the truth and to testifie our love unto the truth by hating all contrary errours not only thinking indifferently of them and judging well of them but hating of them thus did David Psal 119.104 hate all wayes of falshood and thus it ought to be with us not onely to receive the truth after a slubbering manner but to hate all errours and assuredly it is a worthy speech of One to this purpose Unlesse we hate Atheisme and Irreligion we do not love the truth of God and his holy Religion nor God himself so unlesse we hate Papisme Anabaptisme and Familisme and Brownisme and other separations we do not love the truth as we ought to do we see the Papists can well endure the Familists and the Familists well indure the Papists they can live together quietly Oh say the Familists what need you make such ado against the Papists we can live amongst them and not be tainted I believe them for they both hate the truth But let us testifie our love unto the Gospel while it is amongst us and be well affected with every Sermon every threatening every comfort every promise published and hate all Papisme all Anabaptisme all Familisme all Brownisme all separations though they say we are too hot against the separation no if we love the truth we hate all errours and separations Neither onely this but when Rebekah also had conceived by one even by our father Isaac IN that the Apostle here bringeth an example and instance of Jacob and of Esau being an instance and an example more strong and free from all exception and cavils sufficient to answer the Cavils of the Jewes and to silence them they having nothing to say against it touching their Objection that all that came of Abraham by natural generation are heirs of salvation Hence we may note thus much That the Scripture hath sufficient ground of truth in it self Doctrine it hath evidence of truth and example sufficient for the clearing and resolving of all doubts all difficulties and questions and cases of Conscience and for the convincing of all manner of errours it is sufficient in it self to answer all false conceits and erroneous opinions in respect of the positions and examples of it even to answer all cavils and opinions whatsoever and convince all manner of errours 2 Tim. 3.16 saith the Aposile the whole Scripture is given by inspiration and it is profitable and useful not onely to teach and to instruct in the truth but also to improve and exhort And indeed in the Scripture is found the good acceptable and perfect will of God is revealed in the Scripture even that will in the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.15 which is able to make us wise unto salvation it containeth the perfect will of God that is able to make us wise to our comfort here and salvation hereafter what can we have more Vse Therefore wickedly and most injuriously deal the Papists in this point in that they charge upon the written Word of God imperfection and insufficiency and they say it is not a sufficient ground and rule of truth it is not able to clear all doubts and questions and cases without some addition without we adde some unwritten verities and therefore they joyn unto the Word of God and equal and match with it the Books Apocryphal and their traditions unwritten even the Popes Decretals and the constitutions and Canons of the Church they tender to the people to be received with the same reverence and the same affection as the true and perfect written Word of God is to be received So the Councel of Trent hath thus blasphemously decreed and set it down That they ought to receive upon pain of damnation as well the Decrees of the Pope and Canons of the Church with like love affection and reverence as they do the written and perfect Word of God thus blasphemously they deal But further come we now to consider the example of Jacob and Esau particularly as it is here laid before us And first of all the Apostle maketh known unto us in this tenth verse they being understood as before That Jacob and Esau were the children of the same parents they were begotten of the same Father and born of the same Mother and at one and the same time they were twins yet the holy Word of God doth further make known unto us that there was a large and a wide difference between these two brethren Jacob and Esau he maketh known they were of different dispositions and qualities and of a different life and conversation in other places of Scriptures as that Jacob was a plain man Gen. 25.27 a simple innocent a harmlesse a downright honest man a good man a holy man a man fearing God But the Holy Ghost saith of Esau and setteth this black mark upon him to be a prophane person a vile man one that sold his birth-right for a portion of meat Heb. 12.16 yea the context saith Gen. 25.34 that Esau contemned his birth-right which was a great honour and dignity he contemned it in respect of a portion of meat to satisfie his hunger for the present thus you see a large wide difference between these two men the one holy the other irreligious so that children of the same parents and born at the same time may differ one from another exceeding much and the observation arising hence is this Doctrine That the coming of the same Parents and blood and being born at the same time even under the same position of the heavens and stars and constellations these are not the things that do make children of the same mind and of the same disposition and quality children are not of the like qualities carriage and behaviour because they come of the same parents and blood and are born at the same time and under the same positions of the heavens and constellations and stars as we see in this example of Jacob and of Esau And to adde some further ground for the proof of this point we find that the Lord did forbid his people continually and from time to time to observe times and to mark the constellations of the heavens as if so be that either the manners or dispositions of men and the affaires of men and the successe of things were over-ruled and overswayed by them Deut. 18.10 Let there be
only meant of their posterity and off-spring and not of the persons of Esau and Jacob. Answ When God saith unto Rebekah two Nations are in thy womb two manner of people shall proceed out of thy bowels it could not possibly be taken literally and in the proper sense that two Nations should be in her womb then she were a Monster but the meaning is that in her womb there were the Authors and the Fathers of two Nations Esau the father of the Edomites and Jacob the Father of the Israelites and that two Nations shall spring from them so Rebekah her self did conceive of it that it was meant of her two children and therefore she set her affection upon Jacob and not upon Esau and she was marvellous industrious that the blessing should light upon the younger and not upon the elder Gen. 27.6 to the 14. she causeth her son to bring a Kid and informeth him what he shall do and Isaac affirmeth in the 40 verse that Esau should be his brothers servant Rebekah knowing it from the Oracle of God yea the two brothers themselves Jacob and Esau were even so perswaded Jacob was perswaded that the blessing of his father did belong to his person and not his posterity only and Esau was inraged because Jacob was made his lord and he made a servant to him and therefore he threatned the death of Jacob Oh saith he Isaac my father will dye shortly and then I will take away Jacobs life he was not troubled with his posterity which came to passe in the time of David so that this is to be understood first personally and afterward historically in their posterity 750 years after Then thus conceive we the meaning of the Apostle in these two verses When these two children which Rebekah conceived were in her womb and had done neither good nor evil that the purpose of God which he had decreed from everlasting touching the free choyce of some and the rejection of others might be firm and stable not depending upon any works of these two brethren Jacob and Esau but his own free grace calling his elect effectually even then was it said to Rebekah by the Oracle the elder shall serve the younger and the younger rule over the elder and that was fulfilled in their persons and afterward in their posterity But yet further for the clearing of these words Object a doubt remaineth to be removed some may say that the words of God here the elder shall serve the younger do not prove this conclusion that the one should be received to salvation and the other rejected to damnation for why a man may be in poverty may be poor in bondage and in miserable slavery so as that the Turks and others may be lords over them doth it thereupon follow that the one of them is elected and the other a reprobate therefore it seemeth this was meant only of a temporal and outward servitude and not of eternal election and say the Anabaptists the Apostle here doth not write of eternal election and reprobation he treateth of an outward servitude that is one may serve another and be in bondage to another doth it follow the one is chosen and the other rejected Those words of God the Elder shall serve the Younger Answ have not only respect to temporal servitude and dominion the one shall be a lord and the other an underling in respect of outward estate but they had also a spiritual meaning and a spiritual sense and had respect to spiritual things of a heavenly life eternal life and eternal damnation how prove you that Thus Jacob in his own person in outward things was never as a lord over Esau but Esau was rather a lord over him and Jacob his servant yea Jacob doth often acknowledg in Gen. 32.18 20. Gen. 33.8 13 14 15. My lord Esau it is a Present sent to my lord Esau by thy servant Jacob so that Jacob in his own person was rather a servant then a lord yet doubtlesse this did concern Jacobs person as appeareth by the words of Isaac the elder shall serve the younger and the Oracle of God was fulfilled in Jacobs person yet you say Jacob was rather in subjection to Esau 't is true yet it was fulfilled in a spiritual manner in that the birth-right was bestowed upon Jacob therein was Esau made a slave unto Jacob in the time of this life for Jacob was a holy and good man and the birthright conferred upon him and in that respect Esau was an underling and a slave though he was a lord for Esau being deprived of the birth-right was cut off from the covenant of grace the birth-right being a type of adoption and he being deprived of that was cut off from the hope of grace from life everlasting from the heavenly inheritance which was properly and truly annexed to those that had the birth-right now he having lost this and being derived to Jacob he became a slave in his very person though he was a lord and had many Dukes came of him yet Esau a slave a servant in comparison of Jacob and therefore these words of God they had not only respect to temporal Dominions and outward servitude the one a lord and the other a servant which was fulfilled in their posterity but they had a spiritual meaning and had respect to heavenly things that concern eternal life and eternal damnation and do fitly prove the matter of Gods election and reprobation the elder shall serve the younger Come we now to matter of observation And from the general view of this text in that the Apostle here treateth of eternal election and reprobation in particular persons in Jacob as the Elect and Esau as the Reprobate hence we are given to understand thus much Doctrine That Gods electing and appointing of men to life and salvation is only of some men of a certain number of men not of all and onely some amongst men are appointed of God to life and salvation as Jacob was and others rejected as Esau was Gods appointing of men to life and salvation it is of a certain number and others are rejected to reprobation this is proved Joh. 10.3 saith Christ he calleth his sheep by their names and leadeth them forth he is able to know them by their very names and he taketh notice of them in particular and not of others as he saith in the 14 verse I am the good Shepherd I know my sheep and they know me and others know me not Luke 10.20 Christ biddeth the seventy Disciples rejoyce in this that their names were recorded in the Court Rolls of heaven And hence it is that we read of the book of life in Exod. 32.33 Psal 69.28 Rev. 20.12 wherein the Holy Ghost doth descend to the capacity of man meaning that God hath as it were a remembrance wherein he doth write down the names of his children they stand upon Record which doth evidence unto us that Gods eternal election is of particular
cannot be that they should be drawn aside finally into any fundamental errour or wicked life and so go on and perish everlastingly and come short of life and salvation though they come with great force as the Imps of Satan and followers of Antichrist do bear down weak ones yea if it were possible to deceive the very elect yet they cannot in the 2 Tim. 2.19 The Apostle speaketh expresly that the foundation of God standeth sure and hath this seal the Lord knoweth who are his that is Gods eternal decree in saving his chosen upon which their election is built as upon a foundation remaineth sure and certain and unchangeable for ever And there is good Reason for it Because God is almighty he is of infinite power and he having from Reason 1 everlasting willed and decreed the salvation of some he is able to bring them into the possession of it in despight of Satan and all the power of hell opposite unto it for he is a God of infinite power and can bring them into possession none can frustrate and make void and disappoint what God hath decreed Again God is in his own nature unchangeable yea and in his love which is essential unchangeable and therefore that purpose and decree in saving some must needs be suitable to his nature and answerable to his love which are essential in his holy Majestie and therefore his decree is immutable and unchangeable Reason 2 Take the sufferings of Jesus Christ the bitter passion of the Lord Jesus and they are a sufficient evidence and proof that God is unchangeable in his decree touching the salvation of some did the Lord Jesus descend down from the highest glory in heaven it self so low as to take upon himself the form of a servant and humble himself to the cursed and shameful death of the Crosse and felt such agony and pains as his sweat was drops of blood Luke 22.44 did he in his very soul indure the wrath of his Father that made him cry out under the weight and burden of it My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Did he thus suffer the wrath of his Father for the sins of Gods chosen And yet did not the Lord for all this determine that any should be saved infallibly but left that at randome to depend upon the will of man that if man would imbrace Christ and believe in him thus suffering he should be saved if not be damned Can we with reason judge this or imagine this that Christ should thus shed his blood upon such uncertainty that the whole fruit and benefit of his suffering should depend upon the frail will of man that if man would imbrace it he should be saved if not he should be damned no the bitter sufferings of Christ do strongly evince this and do clearly manifest that God hath certainly concluded the salvation of some and the damnation of others so that we may conclude upon this as a certain truth that God having fore-appointed some particular persons among men to life and salvation they cannot misse of it but God will certainly and infallibly bring them to the possession of it Object But it may be some will object and say unto me If Gods decree and his eternal purpose be as you say thus certain and unchangeable and cannot be disanulled then you bind God by his decree to do that which he hath decreed of necessity yea so as that God cannot do otherwise whereas God is a free worker will you bind the hands of God that he cannot chuse but do it and not do otherwise To this I answer Answ If so be God be bound by his decree who bound him but his own blessed Majestie Again more fully what absurdity is there in it to say that God cannot deny himself and that he cannot lye they are the words of the Apostle Titus 1.2 That which God hath purposed and decreed to be done he doth it of necessity of infallibility not of constraint or compulsion but of necessity of certainty why God is good he is onely good and cannot be evil he is good of necessity necessarily good he cannot be evil yet he is not constrained to be good no he is a voluntary and a free worker and no inconveniency or absurdity will follow upon this to say that God doth that upon necessity of infallibility which he hath decreed and purposed to be done Nay rather if we should say as some do that the purpose of God were alterable and changeable we should derogate from the wisdom of God and impeach it as if so be God by some after wisdom did see something whereof he before was ignorant which caused him to alter his mind and change his purpose and decree this were monstrous horrible and fearful blasphemy Object Again some will say If so be this be true that Gods eternal purpose and decree be thus unchangeable then those that God hath appointed to life and salvation must needs be saved this will follow then they must needs believe and if they must needs be saved they must needs believe and so they are forced to believe they believe of necessity they cannot otherwise choose and faith is forced upon them Answ I answer Gods elect they shall believe in time and that certainly and infallibly but not whether they will or no not by any inforcing of their wills not by any violence offered unto them the will of man is free no violence can force it but the Lord by the secret working of his holy Spirit doth cause it to be willing Ex nolentibus facit Deus volentes and doth alter and change the course and motion and work of the wills of men and makes them fit to receive grace and this is that Christ speaketh of Joh. 6.44 None can come to me except God the Father draw him what drawn by force no there is an alteration wrought by the inward work of the Spirit of God altering the motions of the will making the will willing to receive grace and faith and so when Gods elect do receive faith they receive it willingly when they come actually to believe the motion of their will is turned another way by nature they cannot but will and choose evil but the motions of their will is turned another way by the secret working of the holy Spirit of God and made willing so that we may resolve upon this that God hath from everlasting foreappointed some particular persons amongst men certainly and infallibly and so as that they cannot misse of coming to life and glory in heaven First of all let this teach us to savour this truth aright and to receive Vse 1 it into honest and good hearts take heed of abusing of it that we rightly conceive it and rightly apply it for many there be that do pervert and wrong this holy truth of God and grosly abuse it and like the spider suck poyson from sweet flowers many in the world do thus
God Now these words our Apostle bringeth to prove that Gods promise of mercy grace righteousnesse life and salvation did not nor doth not belong to all that came of Abraham and Isaac by the course of Nature and that all Gods promises appertained not to the Israelites for saith the Apostle before those children which Rebekah had conceived in her womb by Isaac our Father before they were born when they had neither done good nor evil It was thus said unto Rebekah The elder of thy children shall serve the younger therefore those promises of God belong not to all that came of Abraham and Isaac by course of nature Now the words of this verse they are thus to be conceived That it was said unto Rebekah even by God himself that the elder of her children should serve the younger and should be in subjection to the younger and that the younger should rule over the elder And that this should be made good both personally in their persons and also historically in the Idumeans or Edomites which came of Esau and in the Israelites which came of Jacob yea I withal farther shewed you in laying open these words that these words had not onely a respect to a temporal Dominion and servitude the one should be a lord and the other a servant but they had a spiritual meaning and had respect to things concerning salvation and damnation and under these words the elder shall serve the younger we must understand that the one of Rebekahs children was chosen to salvation and the other refused and cast off to damnation so that we are thus to conceive the meaning of these words Now to come to stand upon the verse more particularly you see here our Apostle affirmeth it was thus said unto Rebekah even by God himself who cannot lye the elder of thy children shall serve the younger I will not curiously stand here to search in what manner or how the Lord made this known unto Rebekah touching the different estate of her children whether by dream by vision by Urim or Prophet a certain truth it is she received such an Oracle from God the Apostle affirmeth it that it was thus revealed by God who cannot lye he did manifest and make known thus much unto Rebekah when she was thus with child with her two children that the elder should serve the younger and that the one was received and the other rejected which thing without question when Rebekah heard it no doubt it troubled her much she not being without natural affection for a woman having two children in her womb and receiving this Answer from God consulting with him that the one was received of God and the other rejected and cast off it would be a hard Answer For a woman to consider surely one of my children is an elect child of God and the other a reprobate so doubtlesse it was a very unwelcome and a harsh and a very unpleasing answer unto her and yet we find that this good woman did not once mutter or reason against that Answer which was given unto her we find not one such thing in the Book of God she might have thought alas what one of my children reprobated to be damned in hell but she never uttered a word against this Answer of God but quieted her self in the good will of God revealed unto her and contented her self in the good will and pleasure of God thus delivered unto her Indeed we find that afterwards she set her love upon Jacob chiefly and used means though she failed in it as appeareth in Gen. 27.6 to the 14. she used means to get the special blessing she took away her chief love from Esau and set it upon her son Jacob her youngest son that should be lord over his brother and therein she followed the good will of God yet we find she did not once open her mouth to mutter against the good will of God for her son Esau's rejection Her example is imitable it is to be imitated and followed of us we are according to the example of this holy woman Rebekah to rest and to quiet our selves in the good will of God made known unto us touching the things that concern our selves or our children or those that belong unto us and not answer or open our mouthes to mutter against this good will of God though it seem clean crosse and contrary to our corrupt reason but to quiet our selves in God and not to repine against him for it is a bitter fruit of our cursed corruption for a man or a woman to mutter and reason against the good Will of God in such things as are harsh and hard and unpleasing unto us As to keep to the point if so be a Mother looking upon her little Infant lying in her lap born of her body have thus thought Alas my poor Babe I make much of thee I tender thee I nourish thee I dandle thee and yet it may be thou art a reprobate it may be thou art rejected of God it may be thou shalt one day become a firebrand of hell this is impious and monstrous and not to be thought on for it is a secret and secret things belong to the Lord Deut. 29.29 nay what do I propound this For some women there be that have discovered thus much this hath been their very thought they have thought I nourish thee my child and cherish and dandle thee and yet it may be thou art not a child of God but a reprobate this is wicked and impious and this is to go beyond our compasse to know whether the poor infant belongeth unto God or no for secret things belong unto God Deut. 29.29 and we are not to meddle with them what if the Lord should say unto a mother as he said unto Rebekah this little infant of thine that thou doest make so much of I have cast it out and have refused it it is a reprobate it is out of my love and favour we are then after the example of this woman Rebekah to trust confidently in this Will of God revealed with contentation and not to mutter no not in our very secret thoughts for the Will and Counsel of God though it be many times secret yet assuredly it is ever just yea that that is revealed unto us in the holy Word of God concerning the matters of duty or practise or faith or whatsoever it is we must rest upon it and not mutter against it Come we now to stand upon the speech of God himself the elder shall serve the younger these words being understood as before we have heard they do afford unto us two things of special good use and consequence as first of all it being thus spoken to Rebekah and that according to Gods eternal purpose and unchangeable Decree even of him that cannot lye the Doctrine hence is this Doctrine That not only the everlasting and heavenly estate and condition of men but also the different estates and conditions of men
working of a change in him it will alter the corruption of his heart and turn him and make him a new man it will turn him from his stiffnesse and rebellion and make him pliable to the will of God and change him and bring him from the state of ignorance and unbelief rebellion and hardnesse of heart unto the state of saving faith saving knowledge and holy obedience to the will of God yea the Lord hath a time of calling and working upon the souls of men some at one hour some at another converting some at the third hour some at the sixth hour some at the ninth hour yea some at the eleventh hour Matth. 20.3 4 5. so that this must teach us not too rashly to condemn any man unconverted or uncalled Vse 2 Again Is this so that Gods eternal election is so powerful and so effectual as that it altereth the corruption of nature in time surely then upon this ground it followeth necessarily that a man may come to know and to be assured of it that he is one belonging to Gods election and that he is in particular in the number of Gods chosen would any man know it no doubt every man desireth it would any man know he belongeth to Gods election surely a man need not in this case to climb up into heaven and pry into the secret closet of the Lord and search the Court-Rolls of heaven whether he be there written or no no he may take a shorter course let him look into himself and dive into his own heart and soul try and examine how the case and state stands with him in respect of his own soul and if in his own soul he find that upon due tryal and examination this effect is wrought in him that he is now changed from what he was wont to be in his will in his affection in his mind and in the course of his life now not a drunkard or a proud person as he was wont to be now he is set out of the state of Ignorance and unbelief and disobedience to the will of God into the state of saving knowledge saving faith softnesse and pliablenesse to the will of God more particularly if so be now he find that he hath a new light set up in his mind his mind is inlightened with A glorious light by which he is able to understand the will of God and the wayes of God and the things of God which the natural man perceiveth not and he findeth his will disposed otherwise then it was heretofore he was stout and stubborn and disobedient to the will of God revealed in his Word but now he findeth in his heart plyableness yeelding to the Word of God no sooner can the Lord command a duty to be done but his heart answereth Lord this is my duty I ought to do it and I will certainly do it so when God forbiddeth a sin be it what it will be pride covetousnesse Sabbath-breaking he answereth I confesse it is my sin and I will forsake and leave it when the Lord forbiddeth his pride his garishnesse of apparel and long shaggy hair he will leave it off and also he findeth whereas it was odious and hateful for him to recapitulate and repeat the Word of God after publique exercises now he findeth it delightful to him and is made able in some measure he being truly set at liberty to follow the holy will of God or whatsoever the Lord revealeth in his Word he will imbrace the duty and omit and hate the sin be it whatsoever it will be here is a good evidence and upon this ground a man may certainly conclude that he belongeth to Gods election he yeeldeth obedience to all the Commandements of God no Commandement is hard unto him but he intirely yeeldeth to the whole though imperfectly Object Indeed the Papists deny this that a man in the time of this life can come to be assured that hr is in the state of grace and salvation by any ordinary course by Extraordinary course and Revelation they say he may but not by any ordinary course Answ Herein they are deceived for a man may by an ordinary course by secret examination of his own heart and will searching his Illumination Faith and Obedience he may know it infallibly Let us therefore hereby try and examine our selves and not presume that we belong unto God when indeed there is no such matter and never find this alteration and change wrought in our hearts and soules but men are the same to day as they were before still the same Ruffians yesterday the same to day Drunkards yesterday the same to day Sabbath-breakers the last Sabbath and Sabbath-breakers still And onely live as they are led by the light of Reason and the state of Nature to live a civil honest orderly life And for men or women upon this ground to perswade themselves that they thus belong unto Gods election they deceive themselves For there must be a further change wrought it is not thy civil honesty that will serve turn thou must have thy old rotten and corrupt heart taken out of thee Oh what striving will there be before that this be done but this thou must find even an alteration and a change that thou art now changed from the state of ignorance and unbelief into the state of saving knowledg and faith and obedience to the wole Will of God and then thou mayst conclude certainly I am in the number of Gods chosen if thou rest upon thy Civil honesty it is a rotten ground and foundation it will plunge thy soul into the bottom of hell when thou hast most need of comfort labour therefore to find this change wrought in thee Come we now to the thirteenth verse VERSE 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved But Esau have I hated OUr Apostle in this Verse maketh known whence it was that there should be such a great difference between these two brethren Jacob and Esau he giveth this reason of it namely that it was from the love of God to the one and Gods hatred of the other the Apostle citing a Text of Scripture to this purpose Mal. 1.2 3. so that in this verse our Apostle doth explain and expound the place of Genesis the elder shall serve the younger by this place of Malachy shewing the reason of the difference that it pleased God to put between these two brethren proceeding from Gods love and hatred In a word in this thirteenth verse there be two things in general to be considered First the Apostles citing of Scripture As it is written Secondly the testimony of Scripture which he alledgeth in the words following I have loved Iacob and hated Esau First in that he alledgeth Scripture As it is written yet the Apostle doth not cite either Book Chapter or Verse but putteth it down in the general whence I might stand to shew that we ought be so well acquainted with Scripture that when the text of Scripture
in the 1. of Malachy speaketh of things appertaining to this life it cannot be denyed but yet he speaketh not of those things onely he speaketh of those external things but not onely of those things For the drift of the Apostle in that place was to reprove the Jews for their unthankfulnesse to God In that they did neither honour God nor fear him for saith God Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my fear who had indeed loved them effectually and testified his love in giving them a fruitful Land even the Land of promise and in the sequel he goeth on in a further matter and sheweth that God was angry with Esau for ever but he would be glorified and magnified in Jacob and in the borders of Israel as appeareth in the fourth and fifth Verses And therefore that testimony of the Prophet is not to be so applyed onely to things outward and temporal for the Lord saith he would be glorified in Jacob and he had hated Esau for ever but it concerneth the matter of eternal election and reprobation of which the Apostle in this Chapter treateth Come we now to the particular unfolding of these words I have loved Iacob and hated Esau Gods love it is essential in God it is of the same Nature with himself God is love saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.16 and so Gods love it is free even as his own blessed Majestie and it being extended and reached out unto man it is the free and eternal motion so I may describe it the free and eternal motion of Gods good will and pleasure the free motion and the eternal motion of Gods good pleasure touching the eternal and everlasting good of man God freely purposing and determining the everlasting good of man out of his good will and pleasure as the Apostle saith expresly in Ephes 1.5 we are predestinated to be adopted through Christ and that through the good pleasure of his will so then when God saith I have loved Jacob what is his meaning I have freely out of my own good will and pleasure nothing moving me thereunto I have freely and voluntarily from everlasting decreed the everlasting good of Jacob and his eternal salvation And I have hated Esau saith the text Now here some stumble and do think that this was spoken not simply but comparatively not simply I have hated Esau but comparatively and for this they say God indeed loved Jacob and Esau both though he loved not Esau with the same degree of love as he loved Jacob but with a lesse love and therefore it is said I have hated Esau and they instance in Deut. 21.15 where the Lord saith by Moses If a man hath two wives as in the Old Testament many of the Patriarks had the one is loved and the other hated this God speaketh not that a man that hath two wives hateth either but that he loveth the one not so well as the other as Jacob had Rachel and Leah he loved Leah with a lesse love then he did Rachel so that in comparison of Gods love to Jacob Gods love to Esau was a hatred But beloved these are exceedingly deceived for the Apostle calleth those whom God hateth in the 22. verse of this ninth Chapter of the Romans vessels of the wrath of God and his vengeance and therefore they are hated simply being vessels of his wrath to destruction And if we look in that text of Malachy alledged and duly consider it we shall find upon due examination that it will easily appear that God hated Esau simply Mal. 1.2 saith the Lord I have hated Esau and he doth exemplifie and make it appear that he hated Esau in that he laid his Mountain waste and a Wildernesse for Dragons as if he had said I have spoyled Esau of all his goods stripped him and turned him out naked and I have given his fair palaces and goodly houses for to be a den for Dragons if there had been any hope of Esau's coming to his habitation and palace and ancient possession then it may haply seem God did not hate Esau simply but comparatively but go on with the text Mal. 1.4 saith God Though Edom say we are impoverished and cast out and undone but we will return and build the desolate places yet saith the Lord of hosts they shall build but I will destroy and they shall be called The border of wickednesse and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever that is against whom he proceedeth in wrath and Judgment for ever Oh see is this hatred but in comparison the Lord setting himself so purposely and professedly against Esau no it is simply Now for the simple meaning of the words I have hated Esau we must know hatred in Scripture applyed unto God it is not a disordered inveterate and distempered passion as it is in us but hatred applyed unto God in Scripture it signifieth three things First It signifieth a negation a denial of Gods love that God loveth not and chooseth not some to life and salvation that is the first signification of it Secondly hatred in Scripture applyed unto God it signifieth a just decreeing of punishment for sin and an inflicting of punishment for sin yea he hateth the wicked themselves Psal 5.5 thou hatest all the workers of iniquity Thirdly it signifieth Gods utter abhorring and disliking of that which is directly against Gods holy and righteous Law and so God is said to hate iniquity and sin as the breach and transgression of his most holy law so then the meaning of God in these words is this I have loved Jacob and hated Esau as if the Lord had said I have and that out of my good will and pleasure decreed and from everlasting purposed the eternal good of Jacob and his salvation and I have not out of that good will and pleasure of mine from everlasting so purposed and decreed Esau's eternal good nay I have before the world was in my secret counsel rejected him and have cast him off and refused him Come we now to such things as are observeable from hence and first of all observe the Apostle here maketh the ground of the advancement of Jacob over his brother Esau to be Gods love to Jacob in that he was preferred before Esau hence we may gather this conclusion Doct. That Gods free and eternal love is the cause of all the good that cometh unto Gods chosen both here in this world and hereafter in heaven all the good things in this life and the life to come even from a bit of bread to the glory of heaven they come from the good will and pleasure of God Jer. 31.3 the Lord saith unto his people Israel I have loved thee with â— everlasting love then presently he subjoyneth therefore with mercy have I drawn thee And hence it is that the Lord maketh known that the good things he hath bestowed upon his chosen from time to time they have
can take notice of to see or know but onely God and a mans own heart and conscience a groaning under inward and spiritual sins a groaning under unbelief hardnesse of heart deadnesse and dulnesse in performing holy duties pride of life pride of heart self-love which no man can discern a groaning unto God in secret to remove these things Now then if thou findest these things that thou hast a true and thorough change by the work of Gods Spirit thou art able to stand against thy best pleasing and darling sinnes and the more grace thou hast the more careful thou art to use the meanes thou doest not think the time tedious in hearing the Word or repeating of Sermons the more thy love to the means increaseth and the more thou groanest under such evils and sins as no eye of man can take notice of no not the devil and thou accountest it thy greatest misery to bear the burthen of sin thou couldest endure any torture in thy body rather then sin certainly thereupon thou mayest conclude that thou art one belonging to Gods election and hast outstripped and gone beyond a reprobate Oh then hereby try and examine your selves labour to find this change wrought in thee by the power and means of grace and then this will yeeld thee sweet and heavenly comfort indeed VERSE 14. VVhat shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse with God no God forbid COme we now unto the 14 Verse Our Apostle having from the sixth verse of this Chapter hitherto cleared God from inconstancy from being inconstant in his Word and Promises notwithstanding the rejection of the Jewes for the body and greatest part of them though they be the seed of Abraham and Isaac and descended of Jacob who was called Israel yet God was not inconstant having cleared God from that imputation now he cometh to clear God from iniquity and injustice and in this argument he continueth from this 14. verse to the 19. verse of this Chapter Now in this 14 verse our Apostle preventeth a false inference and a wrong conclusion that mans corrupt and carnal reason might infer and bring upon that before delivered in the verses foregoing For the Apostle having made known thus much concerning these two brethren that they being equal in birth and neither of them in better or worse estate in regard of nature but both in equal conditions God hated the one and loved the other this may seem very hard to flesh and bloud and the carnal humane reason of man at this might stumble and hereupon be offended and rise up in a complaint against God and charge him with injustice and partiality that therefore because he loved Jacob and hated Esau the Lord is partial in his doings Now this inference and conclusion our Apostle preventeth and meeteth with and sheweth it to be a mere cavil of the flesh and a false and wrong conclusion drawn from the premise unjustly and that on this manner this is his manner of proceeding First of all the Apostle knowing that that which he had delivered was a truth and is confident and bold in it and doth provoke any one that doth cavil against him to tell what they could say against him or infer upon that position VVhat shall we say therefore Say what you can he doth provoke every man to tell him what they can say against this God loved Jacob and hated Esau Then in the second place having made this challenge what can we say and infer against this holy position he delivereth that conclusion which in all likelihood flesh and blood was ready to make and bring in And that by way of interrogation is there therefore unrighteousnesse with God what canst thou say is there unrighteousnesse with God to this he answereth Negatively no and that not barely but answereth it by way of detestation and abhorring such a conclusion as grosse and absurd saith he God forbid Shall we conclude God is unrighteous no and that he denyeth most emphatically and powerfully and thereunto the Apostle subjoyneth a further and more special denyal of that grosse conclusion by a more special refutation in the 15 16 17 and 18. verses but to keep within the compasse of this 14 verse wherein is contained the Apostles challenge the particular conclusion and the powerful denyal And first of all briefly to open the sense of the words VVhat shall we say then These words are to be understood with reference VVhat shall we say therefore in the 13 verse where the Apostle bringeth in God speaking from the testimony of the Prophet I have loved Jacob and hated Esau and they are thus to be conceived VVhat shall we say therefore see what conclusion we shall infer Is there unrighteousnesse with God Shall we hereupon bring and infer this conclusion that therefore there is unrighteousnesse with God because God did from everlasting purpose and decree out of his mere good will and pleasure Jacobs eternal salvation and also before the world was out of his free good will and pleasure nothing moving him Esau's rejection that therefore God is unjust and unequal because he so dealt with equal persons in his Justice and mercy God forbid Oh far be it from us let us never entertain such a thought in our hearts that God should be so unequal and so unjust and that he dealt not according to the rule of equity and Justice So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle What shall we say what conclusion shall we infer that God did love Jacob and hate Esau shall we thereupon make this conclusion and inference that therefore God is unjust and unequal and that God proceedeth not according to the rule of equity and justice God dealing so unequally with persons that be equal out of his mere good will and pleasure Oh no far be it from us to infer that the Lord keep us from bringing in such a conclusion such an absurd inference the Lord keep us from uttering of such a thought Come we now to such things as may be observed out of the words of this verse and may be for our instruction And first of all note how confident the Apostle is and resolute upon the truth of it that he provoketh any to tell him what he would say against it what shall we infer what inference or what conclusion can any man bring upon this position that God loved Jacob and hated Esau And beloved not to stand upon this Thus confident ought we to be in delivering the holy Word of God and in preaching the truth of God we are so to deliver Gods truth and especially material and fundamentall truths that we may be able to avouch it against all gain-sayers and all that come against us we must be able to challenge and avouch it to any man and say this is the holy and Divine truth of God and to this purpose is that in 2 Tim. 2.15 That every Minister must study to shew himself a workman that needs
not be ashamed dividing the Word of truth aright and in Titus 1.9 He doth affirm that the Preachers of the Word must hold fast the faithful Word and let none wring it out of their hands and that according to doctrine that he may be able to instruct the people of God by wholsome doctrine and also reprove them that gainsay it and refute them whatsoever they be that gainsay it thus confident ought every Minister of the Word to be This sheweth and discovereth unto us Vse that many are justly to be blamed and taxed that deliver their Doctrines carelesly and loosely and also their Applications without any ground of truth in Gods Word that when any come to object against it they flye from it and say it is the opinion of this or that man of this or that Father of this or that ancient Doctour nay it may be of such or such a Postiller or such a Popish Doctour Oh this doth not agree with the power authority and majestie of the Word of God we ought to deliver the Word of God with such power as we may stand to it and not flye to Fathers or Doctours or Postillers In the next place observe we our Apostle having delivered this holy truth of God grounded upon the truth of God touching Jacob and Esau he knew that some out of their natural reason and understanding would be ready to cavil against it and to make a wrong conclusion of it he knew that some would stagger at it and wrest and pervert the truth of God and would draw from it this conclusion therefore God is unjust so that the Apostle is forced to cry out VVhat shall we say then is God unjust hence the observation is this Doctrine That the holy truth of God it is subject to misconstructions to be perverted and to be wrested and to have false inferences and wrong conclusions and forced opinions wrested from it Mans carnal and corrupt reason doth commonly pervert the holy truth of God the doctrine of piety yea though it be made known to be the holy truth of God yet mans carnal reason and understanding is ready to pervert it and to force wrong conclusions from it And for the farther manifestation of it read Rom. 3.8 there it is said that the Apostle was blamed that he should say that we might do evil that good might come thereby Because the Apostle saith that by our wicked lives God was glorified so we read of the Sadduces Matth. 22.23 they laboured to pervert the truth concerning the resurrection from the dead and to draw from it a grosse absurdity that if there were a resurrection how should a woman that had seven husbands know whose wife she was but Christ telleth them they are deceived not knowing the Scripture so in 2 Pet. 3.16 the Apostle saith some did pervert and wrong the Gospel to their own destruction and in Esay 52.6 the Prophet speaketh of the niggards the niggard will speak like the niggard and in the middle of the verse he saith that he will speak falsly against the Lord he will labour to bring an untruth from the truth of God that thereby he might have some strength to his niggardlinesse that he might make hungry the weary soul and cause the weak to fall And not to adde further testimonies of Scripture common experience doth shew the truth of it for whence come errour and heresies but out of this bitter root that men do abuse and pervert the Scripture and make men believe that God speaketh that in his Word which he speaketh not and make that the purpose of the Holy Ghost which was never his purpose as Papists Anabaptists and Separatists and other erring spirits do whence cometh it but that they fasten their errours upon the Word of God whence cometh it that men go on boldly in their sins but that they draw false conclusions from the Word of God as in that the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 5.8 they that provide not for their own are worse then Infidels and therefore may they upon this ground practice the damnable sin of usury and extortion and of covetousnesse and of hoording up and also use fraud cosening and deceit and all unlawful meanes to enrich themselves so again some out of Exod. 22.25 where the Lord saith thou shalt not oppresse thy brother with usury Oh say they I may practise the sin of usury if I do not oppresse mine is not a biting but a toothlesse usury so that here is a wrong conclusion to imbolden men in sin so some hearing the speech of Christ the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath therefore say they we may upon the Sabbath use our recreations and sports and pastimes and we may walk to Tavernes and Ale-houses Oh what a grosse conclusion is this forced on the truth of God! so I might instance in many more to shew how mans nature is ready to pervert the truth of God Vse 1 First of all this holy truth of God is to be considered by us that are Teachers and Preachers of the Word of God it must teach us our Lesson that we delivering the holy truth of God we are not to think it strange or to stand amazed and wonder at it that men should pervert that truth and wrest wrong conclusions from it yea draw such things as are not thence to be drawn and force such conclusions as we never thought upon Neither are we hereupon to shut our mouthes and resolve with Jeremiah I will speak no more in the name of the Lord my words are wrested and perverted But we must remember that the holy truth of God is subject to be perverted yea it is an argument that the truth we deliver is a sure truth of God because the devil and his instruments rage so much against it and because carnal men and unsanctified hearts and soules do wrangle against it we must not therefore be driven away from delivering the truth of God but we must be comforted in the truth Again this being so that the truth of God is subject to be perverted Vse 2 and to have wrong and false conclusions drawn from it surely then let us take heed how we do either hear or read the Word of God I do not disswade any man from hearing or reading the Word of God but take heed how we read or hear it for the adulterer or the prophane Sabbath-breaker or any other can draw a conclusion from the Word of God but take heed what we conclude from the Word of God And know it is not enough for us that we are taught the Word of God truly and live under a good Preacher a holy and faithful Ministery as many do to increase their deep condemnation but we must remember that so great is the corruption of our hearts and understanding our judgments are so perverted and so out of order that indeed unlesse they be sanctified and renued by grace they are ready to pervert the truth of
of his own mercy I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy I will shew this kindnesse unto thee to see the back parts of my glory because I will have mercy on whom I will Now by mercy in this text of the Apostle and the other of Moses we are to understand the act the exercise and work of mercy and by compassion the act the exercise and work of compassion and pity or rather tender love for the word compassion cometh from a radix Dilexit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth to love with such a tender affection as mothers do love their children naturally such love as the woman exprest to her child before Solomon And this mercy and pity being attributed ascribed and given to God it signifieth either a propension a readinesse of his Divine will to help those that be in misery which is the essential and natural property of mercy in God Or else it signifieth the act and exercise and the work of Gods mercy extended and reached out unto his people and so we are to understand it here not the property of mercy which is natural and essential in God but the extent of it to the creature And when the Lord saith I will have mercy and compassion on whom I will his meaning is the act and exercise and work of my mercy and compassion and tender love it is ever by me extended reached out and exercised to those amongst men to whom I will exercise extend and reach it out and that merely and onely of my own free will nothing in man or coming by man moving me to do it so then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle in this verse God saith unto Moses in Exod. 33.19 upon Moses request unto him God promising out of his favour to him to shew him his back parts that the act and exercise and work of my mercy is ever by me extended and reached out to those amongst men to whom I will extend and reach it out and that merely and onely of my own good pleasure nothing in man coming from man moving me to reach it out I wil have mercy on whom I will Come we now to matter of Doctrine And beloved I cannot passe it by without noting that the Apostle here alledging a text of Scripture uttered by Moses saith God spake it so saith God to Moses whence it is clear That the Scripture the Word of God the written Word of God Doctrine it is a speaking word of efficacy not a dumb Word and it is Gods Oracle as the Apostle calleth it in Rom. 3.2 yea God speaketh to his people and Church in and by his written Word and in every part and parcel of it so saith the Apostle God saith unto Moses Indeed I grant that God spake all the words of the ten Commandements after a more special and peculiar manner Exod. 20. God spake all these words and said but yet the whole Scripture is Gods speaking Word and Gods Oracle yea his lively Oracle not a dead or dumb Oracle as the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 4.12 the Word of God is lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword a quickening word and a word of power and hence it is the Prophet Esay sendeth the people of his time to enquire of God Esay 8.19 20. saith he should not a people enquire of their God then presently he adjoyneth To the Law and to the Testimony there you shall hear God speak and know his mind Now if any do object that of the Apostle in the 1 Cor. 7.12 Object where the Apostle saith Reliquis autem ego dicò non Dominus and to the remnant I say and not the Lord It seemeth therefore the Apostle speaketh here and not the Lord I answer the meaning of the place is Answ that the Lord hath not given any such expresse Commandement in any place of his Word as the Apostle doth there deliver it but the Apostle did gather so much by interpretation of the Scripture and he so spake as he was guided by the Spirit of God as he saith in the 40 verse Et ipse Spiritum dei habeam and I have the Spirit of God I speak it in the name of the Lord So then this is a truth that the Scripture is the speaking Word of God it is Gods speaking word he uttereth his voyce his Church in the Word Application Wickedly therefore deal the Papists in this respect Vse In that they fill their mouthes full of bitter and blasphemous speeches against the truth of God in that they term the holy written Word of God to be dead Ink and a dumb Judge say they put a scarlet gown upon an Image and see what it will speak so say they is the Scripture And they set up other Judges in the place of Gods Word as the authority of the Church or a general Convention or the Pope speaking Judicially out of his chair setting him up as a Judge in all matters of controversie refusing the Scripture as insufficient and calling it dead Ink and a dumb Judge Thus they shew themselves to be utter enemies of the holy written Word of God and seek to crush the authority of it and to set up the voyce of a sinfull man the son of perdition the limb of the devil over the Church and to disclaim the voyce of the living God speaking to us in his holy Scripture But we must learn to acknowledge and to reverence the Scripture as Gods speaking Word and the written Word of God to be that which God uttereth to his people and not say as some ignorant people do Oh if God would speak unto us from heaven in his own immediate voyce and if Christ would come upon the earth and preach unto us how attentive would we be we would not fall asleep then at Sermons But if thou wouldest know what God saith to his people then come to the written Word of God It is folly and madnesse in the foolish Familists and others of that sect that they depend upon Revelations besides the written Word of God but not to contend with them to apply it to our selves Vse 2 What is it better then madnesse and folly in us to rest upon the fancies and conceits and Judgments of men touching the events and coming to passe of such and such things Against superstitious observation of dayes because men tell us such a day shall be such and such disasters and such a day such fearful signs and wonders thunderings and lightenings and such and such direful wonders shall come to passe yea there is a day of special note amongst ignorant people now at hand namely St. Swithin's day if it rain on that day it will rain more or lesse fourty dayes after these are dotages of idle braines and are suggested by a lying spirit even by the spirit of the devil whereas the Lord saith Esay 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if men speak not according
him that willeth or desireth good so it is not in him that worketh any good thing as David saith Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at large then when thou hast set my heart free that is pend up by reason of corruption I will do all that is required in thy Lawes and Commandements so by running we are to understand a working of good But in him that sheweth mercy That is in Gods mere mercy and will in vouchsafing and reaching out his gracious hand So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if the Apostle had said So then or So therefore that which we have hitherto spoken of and treated on touching Gods election of Jacob or any particular person to life and salvation in heaven It is not either in Jacob or in any other man that willeth or desireth good or endeavoureth after good by the power and strength of all the powers and faculties of his soul of his mind will and affections and all the rest of his powers neither is it in Jacob or any other man working or doing good things no not in any one's running the right way of Gods Commandements and holinesse neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but it is in Gods mere mercy and free will onely out of Gods reaching out his hand of mercy to any one thus understand we the words Come we now to matter of observation And first of all observe we the Apostle here bringeth in this sixteenth verse as a conclusion upon the fifteenth verse and the Apostle doth here apply that which he had set down in the verse foregoing by way of consequence by way of conclusion and application So therefore having cited that testimony of Scripture of God unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will thereupon in this verse our Apostle draweth out and bringeth in a consequence to that purpose So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but God that sheweth mercy thus you see the Apostles Application so then the Observation is this Doctrine That in preaching of the Word general truths found out in the Word must not onely be made known and delivered but such deductions such consequences such conclusions and applications must be drawn from thence as Gods holy truth will bear the Preachers of the Word must not onely deliver general truths from the holy Word of God but they must also apply them particularly reducing such truths as it will bear and drawing from it matter of exhortation and reproof as that truth will adhere unto and such applications as do flow from such truths necessarily In the 2 Tim. 4.2 the Apostle chargeth Timothy to preach the Word and to open the secrets of the Gospel and not there to rest but to be earnest in reproving and rebuking and exhorting with all long suffering and doctrine not onely preach but so preach the Word as that in preaching he be instant in rebuking reproving and exhorting as occasion is offered And in Titus 2.15 the Apostle having taught Titus how he ought to behave himself in his Ministry and how to carry himself to all people saith Speak these things and not onely so but exhort and rebuke with all long patience and authority And we find this hath been the practice of the sound and faithful Preachers of God in all ages and times yea we have the example of God himself as we may instance in Amos 4.12 you shall find in the verses foregoing the Lord maketh known this for a truth that he would bring his hand upon them and a heavy Judgment to attach them He teacheth them that Doctrine that they shall have a mighty plague he doth not rest there but he laboureth to make Use and Application of that general truth and to bring it home to their hearts and to stirre them to repentance Because saith the Lord I will do this therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel Reason 1 Because God hath appointed the preaching of his Word not onely for the inlightening of their minds to teach them the points of Catechisme for the information of their judgements but also the reformation of their hearts and lives that their hearts may be wrought upon and their affections moved that they may be stirred up to the love of God and the study of good things and that they may be exercised in holy duties Reason 2 The Minister and Preacher of the Word is Gods disposer of his secrets so he is called 2 Cor. 4.1 a steward of the house of God 1 Cor. 4.2 And it is required of these stewards that they be faithful 2 Tim. 2.15 he must divide the Word of truth aright And he must carry himself as a steward and divide to every one his portion he hat power to point out the Word into several shives and not deliver it in a whole lump but distribute unto every one what is meet As Instructions to the ignorant Comfort to the afflicted Conscience sharp rebukes and reprehensions to the dead and senslesse hearted in their sins and Denunciations of Judgments to such as are secure and slightly passe by the Word of God so that it is a certain truth that the Preachers of the Word must not onely deliver general doctrines of the holy Word of God but they must apply it to the hearers particularly by drawing from them matter of Application not forcing it in by head and shoulders but such as naturally and aptly it will bear How far those Preachers are from this duty that onely rest in delivering the general truth and hover aloft in the clouds and never come down to Application to apply it to their hearers A man may discern with half an eye And I might bend my force to reprove them but I passe them by having none of them to speak unto And first of all take we notice of this by way of Application to this Vse 1 end That the Minister and Preacher of the Word ought and may apply the indefinite and general Promises of the Gospel to any one particular believer for their comfort yea he may assure particular persons that they believing shall certainly be saved It is a Cavil of the Papists to the contrary who are enemies to Gods grace and all saving comfort it is their doctrine and Satanical delusion For say they the Ministers and Preachers of the Word know not whether that particular person he speaketh to be in the number of Gods election or no. But beloved this skilleth not it is not material whether the Minister of God doth know it or no he doth not assure any man that he shall be saved because he knoweth he is in the number of Gods chosen but upon condition of believing upon the condition required in the Gospel And a Minister of Christ according to his office is to apply the general Promises of the Word to particular persons and draw from thence
matter of comfort to believing soules and particularly comfort those that are capable of comfort He telleth him that he believing in these promises shall certainly be saved For thus runneth the tenour of the Word and the Gospel Whosoever truly believeth in Christ Jesus shall certainly be saved hereupon the Minister standing in the room and place of Christ being his Ambassadour doth make this particular application and draw out this conclusion The text saith he that believeth shall be saved The Minister saith Believe thou Richard Thomas William or whatsoever thou art and thou shalt surely be saved And this is as much as if Christ himself did preach by his immediate voyce from heaven For why Christ hath committed to us Preachers the delivery of his Word as appeareth 2 Cor. 5.19 20. And therefore upon the ground of believing the general promises of the Gospel that such shall be saved they may assure themselves they shall be saved And a man finding faith in his heart and soul which he may prove by the fruits and works of faith may thereupon assure himself that he is in the number of Gods chosen and shall certainly be saved And thereupon we may see it is but a cavil that these enemies of God affirm That the Minister knoweth not whether a man belong to Gods election or no when the Minister assureth him not upon that ground but upon the ground of believing Is this so that the Minister of the Word must not onely make known Vse 2 general Doctrines but particularly apply them Surely then the hearers of the VVord must not onely hear the general truth of the VVord made known unto them but they must also be content to have those truths applied unto them particularly by way of instruction by way of exhortation and by way of just reproof as occasion is offered And beloved men must not start aside and fret and chafe and take on when that the truth of the word is brought home unto them and applied particularly unto their souls for the discovery of their particular sins as their pride and vanity of apparel or whatsoever it is no they must willingly chearfully and readily yield and submit themselves unto it and not begin to quarrel with the affection of the Preacher and say now he speaketh out of malice and spleen and distemper and now he speaketh against such a man as if the man and the sin were one substance the Minister cannot speak against pride garishness of apparel long shagged hair but he speaketh against the man as if the sin were the man and the man and the sin all one therefore take heed of being in a chafe when thy sins are reproved And know that if thou thus do fret and chafe it is not onely an Argument that thou art possessed with a spiritual pride and a spiritual frenzy and madness but it is a sign of Gods heavy wrath and judgment ready to break out upon the souls of those men that so fret and chafe and take on in impatiency It is an immediate fore-runner of Gods heavy wrath when men cannot abide to be touched or to have the word of God applied particularly they are impatient of reproof and must have the Preacher to speak pleasing things and to daube them up with untempered morter this bringeth upon them the hand of God unto remediless and easless Destruction Esay 30.13 14. of saith the Prophet this is a foul sin when men teach their Preachers what to say it is like the breaking of a high wall that is sodain or like a bump in a wall a swelling knob that upon a sodain falleth down to the ground and is broken all to pieces like a Potters Vessel that is broken in shivers and there is not so much left as to hold fire or water so it is with those that repine at the particular application of the word their destruction is sudden Again further consider we if so be we be willing and ready to hear the word of comfort applied unto us though it belongeth not unto us and we can accumulate the preaching of the Gospel and yet put away from us the word of reproof we cannot endure that surely the Lord will then punish us in the same kinde he will deal with us proportionably and accordingly he will make his word of comfort that we so eagerly take hold on an unprofitable word and a word that shall yield no comfort unto us when we lie on our sick beds and in the hour of death because we receive the word of comfort that appertaineth not unto us and put away the word of reproof therefore he will make the word of comfort comfortless Consider to this purpose the example of Herod Mark 6.20 Herod heard and did many things gladly that John Baptist taught and found much comfort in hearing of him but when John came to touch him and to hit him on the bare his beloved sore and pleasing Dalilah that it was unlawfull for him to have his Brothers Wife then Herod shewed what he was he carried then a splenative minde and a grudge in his heart and never left till he had his head what touch my beloved Sin And the Lord dealt with Herod accordingly for those comforts that he appropriated to himself from Johns preaching were fruitless he went on in his sin and perished fearfully in his folly Then learn we to hear the word not cunningly for our instruction and comfort but in matter of exhortation and just reproof to be taxed for our sins And when the Lord meeteth with us in his word for our particular sins to say it is his Mercy and his blessing and to thank God that we have Ministers which do not daube us with untempered morter and to say as David saith in Psal 141.5 let the righteous smite me it is a pretious balm this is the affection of the godly but if we do accumulate to our selves the comforts that are promulgated in the Gospel and cast away the reproofs denounced against our sins God will then make his comforts comfortless and they shall do us no good So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy HAving formerly handled the reference this verse hath with precedent matter I now come to handle the matter of the verse it self And first of all we see the Apostle in the first place doth deny Gods eternal election of some to life and salvation to be in him that willeth good or worketh good And so the observation is briefly this That nothing in man or done by man coming from him Doctrine is the cause and ground of mans election or salvation Neither any mans willing of good or working of good no not the willing or working of good by a regenerate person by a person truly sanctified and in the estate of grace not his willing or working of good that is the cause and ground of his election or salvation And so to prevent an
that can befall man in this world and yet they see it not Oh here is the hand of God already they are blind in their minds and hard in hearts And take notice of it the Lord doth not now in this latter age of the world stand over men with his Judgments and whips and his sword of vengeance in temporal plagues and punishments but rather in spiritual plagues and Judgments upon the soules of men in hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of mind and the nearer the general day of Judgment is at hand wherein the Lord will render to every man according to his works the more the Lord doth surcease from temporal Judgments and plagues and lets them go on filling the number of their sins and then he layeth load upon them so that the nearer the day cometh the more the Lord surceaseth temporal punishments and punisheth with blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart and therefore let none think that they are well and in good case as many do because they are free from temporal plagues and punishments nor sick nor molested with these and these troubles and yet in their soules they lye under the heavy hand of God in blindnesse and hardnesse in ignorance and obstinacy for herein God hath begun to execute his Judgments already God now sitteth in Judgment upon him his heavy hand of wrath and vengeance is now over him and doth now point and mark him out for a cast-away and seal up unto him his own everlasting damnation the fearfullest and miserablest estate and condition that can befall a man Doth God harden none but Reprobates and such as are fitted for Reprobation Vse 2 Oh learn we then in the fear of God to take heed of that which provoketh God to give us up to blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart the ten plaguess of Egypt were not so great unto Pharaoh as the hardening of his heart and if we would know what that is it is this Custome in sin continuance in known sins wittingly and willingly and a going on in known sins after many Instructions many admonitions many exhortations used to the contrary when men are come to this passe and to this height of sin that they are obstinate and wilful and they will not be reclaimed nor reformed from evil they will swear and swagger and be drunk and run into every idle and new fangled fashion they will live and continue in the damnable sin of Usury in the prophanation of the holy Sabbath of the Lord whosoever speaketh against it surely when men come to this passe and are thus obstinate in sin then the Lord cometh in Justice against them and giveth them over to blindnesse of mind and to a filthy life and so to passe on to their own destruction And to presse it a little nearer take heed whosoever you be that darest justle with the threatening and denunciations of the Word of God that are applyed to your particular sins as in particular that are applyed against your pride and vanity in apparel you that are so shamelesse and so impudent that say we have no warrant to speak against it no have we no warrant and if we have no warrant we are false prophets and deliver visions of our own braines Oh it grieveth my soul to think that you of whom we should have better hopes do speak so wickedly and so shamelesly have we no warrant for it take heed God is stronger then you it will be to the confusion of your soules because you stand in defence of your pride I will not go so far with you as to say that you are already given over to blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart but take this with you you are at the very next door and near unto it to be given over of God and blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart to go on with a full swing and full wind and tyde to hell I grant you the best of Gods children may sometimes through the corruption of their minds cast away wholsome admonition as David did 2 Sam. 24. yea though he was dutifully admonished by Joab not to number the people yet David through the pride of his heart would do it so the servants of God may refuse reject and cast off wholsome admonitions and counsels but when men are come to that height that the Prophet speaketh of in Zach. 7.11 12. that they will not hearken but they will have brazen faces and whores foreheads and they dare stand to outface the Preacher and they will not be reformed they are swearers swaggerers Usurers Sabbath-breakers and filthy persons and they will be so they do then provoke the Lord to give them over to Reprobation yea to give it them under the great Seal of Heaven thou art a Reprobate which indeed is a condition fearful and miserable and to be considered with trembling Vse 3 Last of all Is it so that God hardeneth reprobates and none but reprobates are hardened do not thou whosoever thou art imagine or once think that God will ever give thee up to blindnesse of mind or hardnesse of heart altogether that art a Child of God I grant God doth sometimes withdraw his grace from his dear children but in part and a child of God may sometimes in some measure and in some degree be blinded in his mind and hardened in his heart yea a child of God may feel in him the grace of the holy Spirit of God wonderfully decayed but not utterly extinct Psal 51.10 11 12. Oh cast me not away from thy presence with-hold not thy Spirit from me c. What do these prayers argue but that he felt his heart rotten and corrupt and yeelding unto lust and some of his light gone but yet God never blindeth their minds and hardens their hearts altogether for this is proper to Reprobates and such as belong not to God It is the complaint of the dear children of God sometimes Alas I feel such a deadnesse and dulnesse in my heart and soul that I doubt God hath left me forsaken me and given me up to hardnesse of heart I can mourn and weep for other things but I cannot mourn and weep for my sins that I fear I am given up to hardnesse of heart Oh take comfort in it thou that fearest the hardnesse of thy heart it may be a testimony thou art not altogether given to the hardnesse of heart because thou feelest it where there is feeling there is life Corruption feeleth not corruption grace feeleth corruption and if there be a feeling of hardnesse of heart and a groaning and a sighing under it thou art not altogether given up to hardnesse of heart and blindnesse of mind therefore comfort thy self For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this very end have I stirred thee up that I might shew my power in thee And that my name might be declared throughout the earth ANd beloved it is not to be passed by without noting that the Lord saith his
stirring and raising up of Pharaoh was to a certain end and to peculiar and particular purpose for this very same purpose and this very same end saith God unto Pharaoh have I raised and stirred thee up the Lord doth make known unto us that it was to a proper and peculiar end Hence note we thus much That God in every act of his he hath a special and a particular end Doctrine and the Lord propoundeth a particular end and purpose in every act of his touching his creatures Therefore beloved they are deceived for to this purpose I speak and note it who think as some erroneous spirits do that God propounded an indefinite and an uncertain end touching his creatures in the creation and making of them when God decreed to make his creatures he did not purpose to bring them to this or that end particularly but he left that indefinitely and uncertain indeed say they God did propound in some kind or other to have his glory by them that we confesse but in what manner or in what end of theirs that he left altogether uncertain indefinite and undetermined a foul and a grosse errour that God should make his creatures and not determine what way he would glorifie his name we find in the highest acts of Gods counsel his eternal decree touching men and angels the Scripture maketh known unto us that God propoundeth his end and that not generally but in special the Lord in the everlasting counsel in his everlasting act touching men and Angels he did demonstrate a special end namely the glory of Gods grace and mercy in the salvation of some and the glory of his Justice in the just damnation of others this God propounded but to passe by that as a confutation of that errour And come we now to the next thing for this same end saith the Lord unto Pharaoh have I stirred thee up you may remember I shewed you that these words do carry this sense For this same purpose Pharaoh have I withheld my grace hardened thy heart left thee to thy self so that still thou dost exalt thy self against my people and dost keep them in bondage and wilt not let them go I have stirred thee up hardened thy heart and caused thee to rebel against me and my people Here we see that wicked Pharaoh a cruel tyrant over the people of God as he was in his time he did nothing against the people of God but what God appointed and what the Lord stirred him up unto the Lord withholding his grace leaving him to himself and hardening his heart although in the malice of his heart he raised up his forces against the people of God yet he did nothing but what the Lord had appointed him to do against them Hence we may observe this directly and plainly That wicked tyrants such as Pharaoh was enemies of the Church and people of God they do nothing against the Church or against Gods people Doctrine but what the Lord appointeth them and what the Lord will have them so to do and no more And when the enemies of the truth of God do vex trouble molest disquiet and deal hardly with the people of God what do they nothing but what God hath willed and appointed them to do in leaving them to themselves and as this is a truth so we have evidence for it in the Scripture in Esay 10.6 the Lord speaking concerning Ashur a great enemy to the Church of God he saith To him have I given the Charge of my wrath and in the 22. and 23. verses of the same Chapter he saith that the Consumption shall come upon the whole land and the tyranny was decreed by the Lord himself in Acts 2.23 the Apostle Peter saith unto the people of the Jewes Him have yee taken by the determinate councel and hand of God and him have you crucified and slain And in Acts 4.27 28. saith the Apostle For doubtless against thy holy Sonne Jesus both Herod Pontius Pilate and the Jewes were conspired and band together to doe whatsoever thy hand and counsel hath determined to be done Reason Because the will of Lord is the highest cause of all things the will of the Lord doth will and appoint the motions actions events and effects of every thing in the world whether they be things weightie or of lesse moment and by the will of the Lord even tyrants and malicious enemies of the Church of God have their being and their motion and actions and in him they live move and have their beings Acts 17.28 and therefore the enemies of the Church of God do no more then God hath appointed Object If this be a truth that the wicked enemies of the Church and people of God when they vex and deal hardly with them do no more then God hath appointed to be done then this doth justifie the deeds of wicked tyrants and clear them from rebuke and they may plead for themselves that they are free from sinne in harming and molesting and dealing hardly with the Church of God because they doe no more then God hath appointed and why then should they be accounted wicked sinners evil doers and cruel men because they doe no more then God hath appointed and it is injustice with God to punish them for their so doing Answ To answer this we must know howsoever the wicked tyrants of the Church and people of God doe what God hath willed and appointed yet they sinne grievously how can that be Sinne grievously in doing the will of the Lord yes because in their hard dealing and crueltie with the Church and People of God they respect not the will and purpose of the Lord no they onely have respect to the fulfilling of their own lusts and satisfying of their own wicked and beastly minds For if a man should ask a cruel persecutour and tyrant when he is molesting the Church or any member of the people of God what doe you intend to doe the will of God in vexing the people of God If he deal truely he must needs answer that he intendeth nothing lesse but merely intends the satisfying of his own cursed humour to satisfie his cruel savage and bloudy mind upon the poor members of Jesus Christ And in that his cruel and hard dealing is Gods will it is to him merely accidental but his purpose is destruction as the Lord saith Esay 10.6 I will goe against my people and Ashur shall tread them down as mire in the streets then he subjoyneth in the next verse but he thinks not so he is not of that mind neither doth he in his heart esteem it so but he imagineth to destroy and utterly cut off the people of God by wrong Not immagining that he is the rod of the wrath of God against his people and that he commeth by the appointment of God no he commeth not with such a thought he commeth onely to satisfie his own cruel and accursed humour not as an actour of what God determineth so
neither the Word of God which is as a piercing fire and as a sword to divide between the joynts and the marrow Jer. 23.29 cannot humble them Nor the exhortations of the Word of God which are as soft rain and dewe Esay 55.10 11. cannot mollifie them nor afflictions can better them surely then the Lord hath a purpose to destroy and root them out and they are near unto utter destruction when the Lord withdraweth the grace of repentance and of amendment that they are not humbled by the denunciation of the Word of God nor mollified by the exhortations nor bettered by afflictions nor by any means the Lord vouchsafeth unto them surely the Lord maketh it apparant that their destruction is present and at hand and this is to be considered by every one of us It is a point that we have stood upon formerly for the matter and substance of it that those whom God doth harden it is a sign of their reprobation and therefore I passe by it onely upon occasion of this truth some Objections are to be answered Object As happily some may say why the Lord doth not will the death of a sinner he doth so make it manifest by his Prophet Ezechiel in the 18. chapter and the 23. verse Have I any desire that the wicked should die no He rather willeth that they should live if he return from his wickednesse And so in the last verse Have I any delight in the death of the wicked saith the Lord God no cause him to return and live I have no delight nor desire in his death And again the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is given in Scripture to God it sounds forth nothing but Essence and being yea and everlasting being He is called Jehovah because he hath his being of himself and the Nature of God is Essence and being and he giveth Essence and being to all things Now death and destruction make things cease to be that already are death in man utterly overthrowes destroyes and ruinates life how can it then be that God doth purpose to destroy and extirpate any man seeing death and destruction come not from God Answ To answer this first we must know that the Prophet Ezechiel in the place alledged speaketh of penitent sinners mark what is precedent and in the sequel verses and you shall easily see it and then death and destruction God willeth it not neither shall they die eternally And again we must distinguish between the absolute will of God and Gods recompencing will simply God doth not will death for death came by sinne as Rom. 5.12 But God doth will death as a Just judgement for sinne As a Judge simply willeth not the death of an offender as he is a a man but as he hath committed the fault and the offence so God in his just Judgement doth will the death of a sinner as a recompence for their sinne Again it is true that the Name of the Lord doth send forth nothing but essence and being and an absolute subsistence The Lord is life and being of himself and from him every thing hath life and being yet notwithstanding the Lord can withdraw and withhold life and being at his own good will and pleasure Psalm 104.28 29. saith David If thou take away their breath they perish and die life is in thy hand and man returneth to dust again but to passe from that Again For this purpose have I stirred thee up that my name might be declared throughout all the earth That is that the praise and the glory of my Justice appearing in the ruine and Destruction of so mighty a King rebelling against me might be propagated and spread abroad throughout all the Corners of the world and every where spoken of getting my self a name in thy destruction the point hence is this That God will have glory in the confusion of wicked hard hearted Doctrine and impenitent sinners they that live in their blindnesse of mind hard heartednesse and impenitency the Lord will have glory and glorifie himself by them such as go and walk on stifly stubbornly and rebelliously in their sins God will have glory in their everlasting confusion and utter destruction Psal 50.17 Consider this you that hate to be reformed so he describeth them for saith he in the 22. verse he will tear you in pieces he giveth it them as a Caveat and forewarning Consider this you that forget God for he will tear you all to pieces Again in Rom. 2.5 Thou saith the Apostle after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapeth unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and the indignation of the just Judgment of God As if the Apostle had said Thou hard-hearted wretch that goest on and continueth in thy sins thou dost but heap up wrath against the day of wrath when the Lord will revenge himself upon thee and execute his wrath and vengeance to the full thou whose heart is as it is said in Jer. 5. as hard as a stone and as Adament the Lord will get himself glory by thee and in Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his own glory sake yea even the wicked for the day of evil as if he had said howsoever hard-hearted and impenitent sinners do contemptuously rebel and refuse to yeeld glory to the Lord yet even those wicked reprobates are made for the glory of God as well as others and they are appointed to the day of vengeance the Lord will have his glory in their Destruction they will not glorifie God in their lives he will have glory in their confusion and destruction and good reason there is for it Because the good which God aymeth at in the doing of all his actions Reason intentions and purposes is the advancement of his own glory and the Lord doth delight in that as in his chiefest glory yea the Lord can bring good out of evil glory out of shame he can bring glory in the confusion of the wicked and assuredly the Lord will not lose his glory by them he will not lose his chiefest happinesse but he will be glorified one way or other Oh then consider it you that dare go on in your sins and do continue Vse 1 and daily increase in your grosse evils and fearful sins that live in most unnatural and wicked evils as in pride and in swearing their mouthes are full of oathes and of unclean and debauched evil speeches and in their drunkennesse and Sabbath-breaking and usury and the like though they do not say with Pharaoh VVho is the Lord yet they kick against the holy Word of God and they set light by the threatenings of it when they are denounced against their particular evils they make put a pish and a tush of it and so they live in open contempt of the great honour and glory of God and this is the lives of many amongst our selves they hate to be reformed though they hear their sins beaten against and they told of them
work grace in the soules of men to mollifie and soften the hearts of men are vouchsafed and yet all are not softened but some continue in their hardnesse living under the means of softening because the powerful meanes of grace are uneffectual unlesse it please God to put life unto them and to give efficacy by the work of his grace Now the Lord is pleased sometimes to withhold his saving and softening grace from men and to inflict hardnesse upon them as a Judgment and then no marvel it is that they continue in their hardnesse and sins and stiffe-neckednesse And beloved upon this ground the Preachers and Ministers of the Word may stay themselves when they see that after their labour and pains taking with the soules of men they see little or no fruit of their labour he seeth that the profit of the same Word delivered by him to one and the same people is so divers and different that some are bettered by it and yeeld obedience to it and do according to it and some do clean contrary unto it it is a savour of life unto some and a savour of death unto others thus it was in Exod. 9.20 21. with the preaching of Moses those whom God gave grace unto yeelded others yeelded not The Lord is pleased sometimes to withhold his softening grace from men and to leave them to themselves And beloved the Lord commonly dealeth thus with hypocrites and such as come unto the means of grace onely out of form and of fashion and of custome and are asleep when they come unto it they come without any longing desire to profit by the means they have no more desire to profit by it then the seats they sit upon then when they so come without a desire to profit and onely for form and fashion then the Lord suffereth them to go on in blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart that though they hear a hundred Sermons yet they are dull and dead and have no more good by them then the seats in the Church And hereby the Minister may cheer up himself that the Lord hath hardened their hearts and will not suffer them to profit by the means but permits them to post on the way to hell Is this so that Gods will is to harden some amongst the sons of men and Vse 2 inflict hardening upon their hearts how are they then to magnifie the goodnesse of God to them to whom the Lord hath given soft and melting hearts and such as are flexible pliable and yeelding to the will of God in the admonitions and threatenings of it yea such a heart as good Josiah had in 2 Chr. 24.27 that when he heard the Book of the Law read his heart melted and dissolved with tears so dost thou when thou hearest the threatenings and denunciations of the Word against thee tremble and is thy heart humbled when thou hearest the sweet comforts of the Word of God even as the matter is so is thy heart affected if matter of comfort thou rejoycest if matter of threatening thou art humbled yea though it be against a sin thou art not guilty of when thou hearest the threatenings of God against sins thou art not guilty of thou tremblest considering he is a just God thy heart is flexible pliable the text is clear in Ezek. 36.25 26. Here we find that those whom the Lord doth please to justifie and sanctifie and to pour the clean waters upon their soules and to cleanse them from the filthinesse of their sins to them he giveth a heart of flesh this is a work of God vouchsafed to such that God doth cleanse mollifie even a flexible plyable and yeelding heart to the Word of God and the means of grace and of salvation Oh hast thou such a heart blesse God for it this is a special mercy of God for of all the plagues that befall men in this world hardnesse of heart is the worst none worse then that that is the most dreadful so softnesse of heart assuredly is a special blessing of God and given to none but those whom God loveth Oh then labour to have this bowing bending yeelding heart to the good hand of God labour to cheer it up and to have a plyable heart yeelding not stubborn and to that end use these meanes that may mollifie thee more and more namely be frequent and often in hearing and reading of the holy Word of God and when thou hast heard and read it second it by meditation Oh what enemies are they that hear the Word and do not respect to call to mind what they have heard but let it slip away and secondly be often and frequent in thinking upon the sweet and comfortable mercies of God in Jesus Christ that will soften thy heart and keep it soft the heart of the prodigal when it began to relent to yeeld and to be moved and to come to himself and to consider the tendernesse and love of his gracious Father Oh saith he I am a poor wretch here and an outcast but I have a good father I have sinned against heaven and against thee Luke 15.17 18. he will entertain and receive me again so the consideration of the tender mercies of Christ Jesus to consider what the Lord hath done for thee hath he not vouchsafed his mercy in Christ Jesus And last of all be thou earnest above all be earnest with God in prayer that he would be pleased to vouchsafe unto thee the Spirit of grace and of softening and continue in thy breast a soft heart Oh Lord never suffer me to be given over to hardnesse of heart Lord keep this heart of mine soft plyable and yeelding to the Word of God Thus we are to hear it and to read it and to meditate upon it and to pray unto God to keep the heart in us for it is the greatest blessing of God that can befall a man in this world as hardnesse of heart is a great curse so softnesse is a great blessing therefore labour for to get and increase it VERSE 19. Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet complain Who hath resisted his Will OUr Apostle having cleared God from the imputation of inconstancy and of unfaithfulnesse in his promises notwithstanding the rejection of the Jewes for the body of them from the sixth verse of this Chapter to the 14. verse and having proved from the 14 verse to the 19. verse that God is not unjust in that he hath out of his own absolute good will and pleasure chosen some to life and salvation and hath passed by and rejected others and that without respect had to any thing in them or foreseen in them having I say cleared God from this slander He now in this 19. verse falleth upon a new and a further Cavil and reasoning of the flesh namely such a Cavil as doth charge God with no lesse then cruelty and with Tyrannical dealing with some men and from this the Apostle cleareth God also Now
sticketh in the rine barke and outside of Spiritual and divine Truths it cannot find out the pith and marrow of it carnal reason sticketh in the very letter of the truth and never looketh to the Divine mysterie of it so that it is no marvel that carnal reason is sticking in the rine and outside of truths because it is blind Hence then take we notice of it whence it is that erring spirits do commonly Vse 1 fasten foul and false conclusions upon the Holy and Divine truths of God because they look upon them with a carnal eye As from that sound and Holy Doctrine of God touching his absolute Decree to life and salvation of some and his rejection to damnation of others hereupon some erring spirits do conclude and they think it followeth necessarily that therefoe God is a Tirant and dealeth tirannically with his people So again some hearing this Holy Truth of God that God hath a hand in every act of man that cometh to passe and in the act of every creature that Gods providence is in every thing that cometh to passe in the world then the carnal reasoner bringeth in this false conclusion that then God is the authour of sinne and he thinketh in his judgement it followeth necessarily that God is the authour of sinne because sin is an act And beloved do not the Papists deal thus in the matter of Justification of a sinner in the sight of God They hearing that a sinner is justified in the sight of God onely by faith then say the Papists this Doctrine hath a foule taile coming after it for it doth dispossesse mans heart from all care and indevour of good works and hereupon slanderously they give out this false report of us that in this Doctrine that men are justified onely by Faith they say we are utter enemies to God utter enemies to Gods Law and utter enemies to all good works this they think they may lawfully charge upon us Thus these and many others doe wrest false conclusions from the Holy Truth of God and why Because they look upon them by the rule of natural reason which is the ground of all Atheistical conclusions there catching and snatching and carping against the Divine Truths and mysteries of God because they stick in the rinde and dive not into the depth of them Again beloved is this so that carnal reason doth wrest false conclusions Vse 2 from the holy and Divine truths of God Then this must teach every one of us our dutie to take heed that we measure not divine Truths by the meatyard and rule of our own carnal reason especially such holy Truths of God as are of a high nature and strain such as are transcendent such as goe beyond and extend the compasse of natural reason such truths as are matters of Faith and above reason Oh take heed of measuring these by the rule of natural reason For if we seek to bring these Truths within the model scantling and rule of our natural reason we shall run into many by-paths and erroneous conceits and opinions as he must needs lose his way that knoweth not the way and followeth blinde guides So Fides est oculus animi Faith is the eye of the soul and if we in matters of Divinitie and high points of God follow your own blind reason we shall assuredly run into many gross errours yea beloved let me tell you it is a dangerous thing to hear or read the Word of God with a carnal understanding and an unsanctified wit for if we so doe we shall abuse the holy word of God and wrest from it such conclusions as are not there to be found doth yet experience shew it to be true Are there not some who looking upon that place of the Apostle in 1 Timothy 5.8 where he saith He that provideth not for his own and namely for them of his Family is worse then an Infidel doe not some I say looking upon this with a shut eye and carnal understanding gather and conclude that therefore they may pinch and spare and scrape together by all means and live a base and sordid life and not part with a farthing token to the poore or to any good use but niggardly utter these words they must provide for themselves and they may come to live by the almes of the Parish themselves and will not spare a pennie more then by the Law they are enforced and compelled and so pervert the Scripture Again some others looking upon that place in Ezekiel 16.11 12 13. verses where the Lord saith He decked Hierusalem with Ornaments with Bracelets with goodly Jewels with golden Crowns and with Gold and silver and Imbroydered works Doe not some hereupon gather that therefore they may be vain in their Apparel and may follow every new fashion and may goe like ruffians in their long haire and foretop and think this is their warrant whereas they are deceived for the Lord there speaketh by way of similitude tropically that the Lord had blessed them with all good things and so expresseth it after that manner figuratively and they would have him speak properly and so they draw a false conclusion from the holy word of God Thus I might instance in many particulars that it is a dangerous thing to hear or read the Word of God with a carnal eye yea I dare boldly affirm that we shall never rightly conclude from any part of the Word of God whether touching manners or touching heavenly things if we consult with flesh and bloud unlesse our eyes be annointed with the eye salve of the spirit of God Therefore to conclude learn we in reading the word of God to lay aside our own reasons to come with the eyes of the minde shut and to look with the eye of Faith and of the Spirit of God lay aside thy owne reason yea thy owne wisedome for the wisedome of man is enmitie to God Romans 8.7 Yea the best act and exercise of the mind of man not sanctified it is enmitie to the will of God therefore let us yeeld our selves to be guided onely by the will of God and then we shall certainly tread the paths that lead to true happinesse and salvation Thou wilt say then unto me Why doth he yet complain Who hath resisted his Will IN these words Why doth he yet complain is something to be observed generally For they being considered as an Objection of carnal persons they make directly against that opinion of the Arminians who hold that God did decree to reject some amongst men upon a foresight of their wilful obstinacy in sin and their wilful rebellion against him Now beloved if this were a true Position and a truth of God then God justly complaineth of such as were hardened and that in the Reason of man for though God did decree their rejection and consequently their hardening yet the reason and the cause of Gods decree was his foresight of their wilful obstinacy and rebellion in a course of evil
absurd thing for men to quarrel with God as for example it is as if a piece of clay in the hand of the Potter should rise up and find fault with the potter for making one vessel to a better use and another to a baser use why because the Potter hath full power and authority over the clay to make what he will Now the particular implication of this verse that which is herein implyed is thus God is the Potter and man is the clay and as it is lawful for the Potter to make of the clay one vessel for service at the Table and another for baser service in the kitchin or Chamber so much more is it lawful for God to make of man one for honour and another for dishonour the Apostles reasoning is à minore ad majus from the lesser to the greater and if the Potter who is but a creature hath power over the clay which is a creature also to make one vessel to an excellent use and the other to a baser use surely then the authority of God over all and every creature is far greater the Lord hath absolute power to dispose of all as it pleaseth him this way or that way that is the general drift and purpose of the Apostle Now the words of this verse being taken as the first part of the Comparison of the Potter the clay there is no hardnesse in them for the sense and meaning of them Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An non habet potestatem figulus Luti Explication of the words of verse 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex eadem massa Divers opinions concerning the sence and meaning of these words onely they are put down by way of interrogation which is of greater force and not by way of position and the affirmation of this Interrogation is thus much That the Potter hath power and lawfull authoritie over the clay for so the word in the Original signifieth But being taken in the Application as that which they doe imply as namely implying God to be the Potter and man to be the Clay then there is something in them very needful to be explained and there is difficultie in them Hath not the Potter power over the Clay That is in the implication of them Hath not God power and lawful authoritie over Man as the Potter hath over his Clay Yea much more hath the Lord power over Man to make to ordain and to appoint of the same lump Some doe understand of the same lump to be meant the sinne of Idolatrie in which the Children of Israel were in Egypt That the Lord out of that same lump of Idolatrie in which the Children of Israel were with the Egyptians saved the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians but this is too scantie too narrow and not large enough for to expresse the Apostles meaning for the Apostles drift is not here of inflicting of punishment for that man can give a reason of but the Apostle speaketh of Gods ordaining and appointing And again some Divines doe by this word lump understand the masse of corruption mans fall mans corrupting by Adams transgression Adam being wrapped in sinne Alludens inquit ad Adami creationem humanum genus umdum conditum nisi in opificis mente comparat massae Luti ex qua Deus postea prout ab aeterno decreverat condiderit quotidie condat tum eligendos tum reprobandos qui etiam declarat verbum faciendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Objection of the Anabaptiste propounded and answered But though this be the opinion of many reverent Divines yet it cannot be the Apostles meaning because as saith Reverend Beza in this sence the Lord cannot be said to make men vessels of dishonour but to finde men alreadie in their estate vessels of dishonour Again the comparison it self seems to exclude and shut out all respect to corruption that there is no respect had to the corruption of man from everlasting for you see here God is compared to a Potter that taketh a piece of clay not stained with any pollution corruption spot or tincture for then the Potter might have some excuse to make a base vessel of it because it was a spotted and tainted piece of Clay so God taketh man as in himself not corrupted for then there was some cause why the Lord should cast away this man and not that man therefore we are here to understand not man corrupted but mankind generally taken One vessel to honour and another to dishonour that is to make one vessel to his Glory to honour everlasting and another to be vessels of wrath to shame and confusion I know what the Anabaptists object against this for they say it is very impious grosse and absurd thus to expound this comparison this maketh God to have no wisdome For what Potter is so foolish to make his pots to break them and to throw them away purposely shall we say then God made man to destroy him to throw him to utter confusion so that say they this is a very impious Exposition of the comparisons But herein they shew their foolishness and weakness I answer we affirme no such matter either of the Potter or of God that God makes man to destroy him for what is it for God to destroy a man It is when he confounds and turneth man to nothing when he doth annihilate and dissolve him to nothing but for God to finde a man in his corruption to throw him into Reprobation this is no destroying of a man Again beloved the Potter is a Creature and hath received a Law from God his Creatour that he must carrie himself toward his workmanship according to his Law that he may prove profitable either to the Church or to the Common-wealth Now this he doth not if he make his Pots with a purpose to break them then he liveth idlely and is a vain foolish fellow But God the great Lord of Heaven and Earth who hath made the world he is not bound to any such law will the Anabaptists in their foolerie bring God under a Law he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he hath the Prerogative Royal and he is bound to no Law no more to preserve them being made then to make them of nothing when they were not will they bring God under their girdle and under their law therefore notwithstanding their cavil the meaning remaineth a truth and it is as if the Apostle had said Sence and meaning of the words Hath not God power and absolute lawful authoritie over man and as the Potter hath over the Clay even out of the same lump and mass of mankind taken generally to appoint and to ordain one man to be his vessel of mercy in life and glory in Heaven and to another to be a vessel of his wrath in the destruction of hell And thus much for the Apostles meaning Come we now to stand upon the words
Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour IN the next place consider we God is here compared to a Potter in respect of the Potters power over his clay that as the potter hath lawful power over his clay and may lawfully make of his clay what he will even several vessels to several uses even such power and such authority or rather greater power and greater authority hath God over mankind to make and appoint men to several ends even some to honour and some to dishonour You see then this being the ground of the comparison that man hath lawful power over the clay to make of the same lump different vessels to divers uses so Gods power is far greater to make out of mankind some to honour and some to dishonour the Observation from this implication is thus much That God hath lawful power and authority over man to ordain and Doct. 2 to appoint them unto several ends at his own good pleasure as the potter may put upon his clay what form or fashion soever he will and may make and frame of it vessels to divers purposes and uses by the same right and with greater reason it stands that God may ordain and appoint men to several ends as it pleaseth him And to this purpose in the very same comparison speaketh the Lord to the house of Israel by the Prophet Jeremiah in Jer. 18.6 O house of Israel cannot I do with you as the Potter doth with his clay as the clay is in the hand of the Potter so are you in my hand O house of Israel As the Potter may do with his clay what he will so may I with you and in Luke 12.6 The Lord Jesus forewarning of us whom we ought to fear as namely God onely he describeth that God to have power to cast into hell fire fear not him that can kill the body but fear him that can kill both body and soul and the same word is used there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth lawful power as is here thereby shewing that God hath lawful power not onely to take away the life of the body but to cast it into hell And it must needs be so that God hath greater power and authority then the Potter to appoint and ordain men to several ends then he hath to make vessels of the same lump of clay to several uses why The Reason is because the Pottter he is but a creature himself Reason and the clay is as much and the potter hath the clay made to his hands but God he made all men of nothing as Psal 100.3 The Lord hath made us and not we our selves and in this respect the Lord hath Sovereign power and authority over all men yea his right over all men is absolute yea such and so absolute is the right of God over all men as that the Lord might have made man and he might not have made man and the Lord now having made man of nothing so he may at his pleasure bring him to nothing suddenly the Creator out of the liberty of his will and absolutenesse of his power may do with his creature what he will which power the potter hath not because he is but a creature and the clay is a creature also it is made to his hand This serveth as one special ground to clear God of injustice and wrong doing that he hath appointed some men to life and glory in heaven Vse and others to everlasting shame and confusion this ground of truth cleareth God in this cause though carnal Reasoners do go about nothing else but to quarrel with God as the Arminians and Anabaptists say they herein you do go about to prove God a tyrant and that he doth deal tyrannically with men in destroying of them But they are deceived for why we know tyrants they do their own will either with men or against them onely because their pleasure is so they respect neither law nor equity nor Conscience so he may do his will and have his pleasure this is the manner of a Tyrant Now God he ordaineth men to several ends not onely according to his own good pleasure but according to the lawfulnesse of his good pleasure as he may lawfully do and as he hath lawful power and authority whereas the Tyrant careth not whether it be right or wrong he will break through all the bounds of truth and law there is no such matter with the Lord but the Lord he doth it according to his lawfull power and lawful authority to dispose of men to do with them as he will the tyrant hath not so And again there is a large and wide difference between God and a Tyrant both in respect of their wills and also in regard of their ends As first of all the will of Tyrants what is it according to their own lusts and their own pleasure and they being wicked and sinful make their wills as wicked and sinful but the Will of God God being most holy it is according to his nature and his nature being holy and pure his Will is most holy and pure Again Tyrants respect wicked ends in dealing hardly with their subjects in taking away their lives and their liberties and that is to satisfie their own cruel and bloody minds But now the purpose of God in dealing with men respecteth the praise of his glory and of his mercy which two ends are ever holy and good the ends of Tyrants are according to their Tyranny but the end of the Lord in ordaining some to shame and some to honour is the glory of his Justice and mercy and therefore it doth not follow from hence that we make God cruel and Tyrannical because we affirm that God hath out of his mere good will and pleasure appointed some to shame and some to honour because the Lord hath power so to do And this should teach us to be so far from charging God with Tyranny and indeed to drive this further we are not suffer once such a thought to arise in our hearts that God dealeth hardly with us in any thing whatsoever no not when thy estate seemeth unto flesh and blood to be most desperate nay we are to be far from this to think that God dealeth hardly with us nay when we are under the hand of God in some great and grievous distresse let us then remember thus much and think with our selves the Lord hath lawful authority to appoint men to everlasting destruction now if the Lord hath not thus dealt with us but given us a better and everlasting estate to life and glory Oh how can we think that God dealeth hardly with us in any thing he having evidenced his love unto us in Christ Jesus no though our distresses be but at the height and we in the deepest mire of misery We are to be thankful unto God in our deepest distresses and to give him the glory of
Now more particularly we have in these two Verses the 22. and 23. two things laid before us First of all a description both of Reprobates and of Gods Elect. And secondly that which the Apostle affirmeth and putteth down concerning Reprobates these be the main general things Reprobates are thus described by the Apostle vessels of wrath and those prepared to destruction Gods Elect are thus described vessels of mercy prepared unto glory both vessels but the one of wrath and the other of mercy one prepared to destruction the other prepared to life and glory Now the thing which the Apostle putteth down concerning Reprobates is that God suffereth them with long and much patience and that out of his own mere will and good pleasure what if God would suffer the vessels of wrath then the Apostle amplifieth this long-suffering of God to Reprobates by the ends of Gods long-suffering and patience namely in respect of Reprobates themselves to declare and manifest his just wrath and vengeance upon them for the Manifestation and Declaration of his just power in punishing of them then in respect of Gods Elect that thereby he might shew forth the riches of his glorious mercy to the Elect in the 23. verse that he might declare the riches of his mercy unto them that are prepared for glory so we have the general things of these two Verses Come we now to the opening of the sense of these two verses Explication of the words and first of all of the 22. verse What if God would What if God being willing or it being his good pleasure and here something must be supplyed to make it a perfect sentence something must be conceived as a Consequent what if it be the good will and pleasure of the Lord to suffer the vessels of wrath to go to destruction with long patience what if God will so do what is that to thee this maketh it a perfect sentence what canst thou accuse God of in this particular to shew his wrath By wrath is here meant both Gods displeasure for and against sin and Gods vengeance for the same and God is said to manifest and shew his wrath when he conceiveth just displeasure against men for their sins and doth inflict just Judgment and just punishment upon them for the same and to make his power known Or as it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make it possible to make it appear that it is possible and easie unto God that God hath power to confront and bear down the Reprobates be they never so mighty with a stroke of his hand and to send them soul and body to destruction as it is 1 Sam. 2.10 all the adversaries of the Lord shall perish they shall be destroyed and confounded suffer with long patience Or with long-suffering for the word is the very same as in Rom. 2.4 where the Apostle saith despisest thou the patience and long-suffering of the Lord now Gods long sufferance is his slownesse to anger Exod. 34.6 where the Lord is described to be slow to anger and Gods long sufferance and slownesse to anger is when he beareth with them a long time and keepeth back his wrath suffering them to go on and to add sin unto sin he spareth them a long time when he might strike and suddenly send them to hell vessels of wrath The Apostle still is in the comparison of a Potter and compareth man to a vessel a vessel of wrath and though by vessel may be understood any instrument or utensel used about a house yet hereby is meant such a vessel which by reason of his concavity and hollownesse is fit to receive and contain either things liquid or dry so the Reprobates being vessels they have this concavity this hollownesse in them they are fit receptacles and vessels to receive the wrath of God and the arrows of his vengeance yet for the better understanding of this we must put here a difference between a vessel of wrath and a child of wrath these are not both one Now a child of wrath for the present estate Difference between a vessel of wrath and a Child of wrath may be a vessel of mercy so was Paul so were the Elect Ephesians Ephes 2.3 we were by nature children of wrath as well as others but a vessel of wrath cannot become a vessel of mercy and of those speaketh our Apostle here prepared to Destruction Expositors in this place do make a very curious distinction between these termes prepared to destruction and prepared to glory the one say they is spoken in the passive prepared to destruction the other in the active he prepareth them to glory but this is a needlesse distinction for this is to be expounded by some other places of Scripture as that in 1 Thess 5.9 where vessels of wrath are said to be prepared and ordained of God the Lord having in his eternal decree ordained and appointed them to everlasting shame and confusion as a potter maketh a vessel to receive excrements so these are appointed to destruction not as it is a misery of the creature but as it is a manifestation of his glory who is the Creator which he will have made known to all the world So then thus conceive we the meaning of the Apostle in this 22. verse Sence and meaning of the words of the 22. verse What if God be willing out of his good pleasure that he might conceive just wrath and inflict and execute just Judgment and that he might make it appear that he is a God of power and able to confront the Reprobate and to bring them to destruction What if God willing to keep back his wrath even with long patience suffering such as are fit receptacles to receive his vengeance as any vessel by reason of concavity to receive water I mean Reprobates such as God hath eternally decreed to destruction not as it is the misery of the creature but as it maketh way for the manifestation and declaration of the Justice of God but if the Lord will so do what is that to thee what canst thou say against it if the Lord will so do Observ Come we now to the Observation You see here in the general that both Gods Elect and Reprobates are compared to vessels framed by the hand of God the heavenly Potter hence note we thus much Doctrine That Gods Elect and Reprobates differ not in their matter at all they are both of them vessels and have both one general nature and are alike but the difference is in the use They are both made of the same lump by the same Potter but they differ in the use he useth the one as vessels of mercie the others as vessels of wrath Gods Elect they are vessels fit to receive grace goodnesse holinesse sanctification all good things are poured into their hearts and soules but the other they are fit to receive nothing but the sinke of sinne and all manner of uncleannesse it
is so exceeding patient Vse 2 toward wicked sinners and reprobates such as provoke him to anger every day Learn we upon this ground to be like unto God our Heavenly Father we professing our selves to be the Children of God after the example of God our Heavenly Father Let us learn to be patient and to be forbearing towards our brethren towards them that provoke us unto anger by some offence or injurie it is a dutie often pressed upon us by weightie Arguments in the Colossians 3.11 Now therefore as the elect of God Holy and beloved put on meeknesse humblenesse tender bowels tender mercie long suffering as a special part of the glorious vesture of the soul Doe you professe your selves to be new men put on this as a special ornament and abiliment of your souls the world accounts it a matter of disgrace unto them to put up an injurie and a wrong done unto them nay a matter of folly What say they shal we be made fools and so doing they think to avoid the name of fools and yet practice the works of fools for revenge rests in the bosome of fools saith the wise man Eccles 7.11 Hastie anger and sudden passions upon every turn of the hand resteth in the bosome of fooles Oh then labour we to put on this part of the holy garment and godly Saint-like ornament of the soul long-suffering howsoever the world accounts it a matter of folly yet it is a note of wisdome to be slow to anger and howsoever the world accounts it a note of disgrace of a coward of a milksop to put up wrong yet the holy Ghost saith it is a note of valour and of great fortitude Prov. 16.32 where the Holy Ghost saith He that is slow to anger is better then a mighty man and he that ruleth his own passion and spirit better then a man that overcometh a City And remember this withal long-suffering maketh us like unto God our heavenly Father and it bringeth unto our souls exceeding comfort never did any man repent himself of his long patience and long suffering but many have repented of their swift anger and wrath and that exceedingly and justly too Last of all is God patient to wicked men then much more is God patient to his own children is he patient to those that are fit fuel for the fire of hell such as run on in their filthinesse and will he be stirred up to anger against his own children doth the Lord suffer them to run on with an high hand against him in their sinnes and will he be soon provoked against thee that art his child will he be patient to impenitent persons and punish thee that art penitent will he suffer them to prosper that make no bones of any sin but run headlong into all manner of sinnes and punish thee that art grieved for thy sins and tremblest at the Word of God assuredly no take it to thy comfort he that is long-suffering to the wicked his enemies will much more be so to thee that art his Child VVhat if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction IN the next place is to be considered the end of Gods long patience and long suffering to Reprobates The end of Gods long suffering and patience to the Reprobates is to manifest the power of his wrath and that is to make his power known God suffereth Reprobates a long time that there may be a Manifestation of his power and wrath in punishing of them which are holy and good ends Here we might stand to shew that the Lord will be known to be a God of power not onely of infinite power of mercy but he will be known to be a God of just anger and of punishment on wicked persons and therefore the Lord hath appointed some to everlasting destruction for the setting forth of his power for if all were to be saved then he were onely a God of mercy but the Lord will be known to be a just God in his punishing of them and to be a God of infinite power Now if it be so as the Anabaptists hold that he hath ordained all to salvation he were then a God of mercy and not of Justice Let us consider these two ends 1. to shew his wrath 2. to make his power known And first of the end to shew his wrath What if God willing to shew his wrath God suffereth wicked persons that he might conceive just displeasure against them and might inflict punishment upon them and might justly be angry with them to this end is he patient and forbears them Now then from this we may gather this Conclusion That God is justly offended with such persons that do abuse his patience Doct. 3 and his long forbearance and are nothing at all bettered by it such persons as are not bettered by his long forbearance he will at length inflict most just and fearful punishment and vengeance upon them Wicked persons having escaped a long time unpunished and still continuing obstinate and wilful in their sins shall surely feel the just vengeance of God poured out upon them and to this purpose is that a clear text in Rom. 2. 4 5. where the Apostle threateneth Judgment to fall upon as do abuse the bounty gentlenesse kindnesse and patience of God and are not bettered by it but rather worse Oh saith the Apostle thou that sufferest thy self to go on in sin and art not led to repentance by the long suffering of God what dost thou thou dost heap up to thy self wrath and heavy vengeance against the day of wrath In Prov. 1.22 the Wisdome of God cryeth out to wicked and ungodly persons in this manner O you foolish people how long will you be so foolish how long will the scornful take pleasure and delight in scorning Oh you wicked and ungodly persons you that go on in sin without repentance will you still spend your time and yeares and dayes in vanity will you not make use and profit of the means of grace then she threateneth them for their contempt of grace in the 24 25 and 26. verses O you fooles how long will ye love foolishnesse Seeing I have called and you have refused I have wooed you I have sought unto you and sent my Messengers and Ministers time after time and you have refused my Correction and my Counsel therefore saith the Lord I will laugh at your destruction and mock when your fear cometh You still going on Gods laughter is more to be feared then his anger and casting my words at your heeles therefore I shall mock when your fear commeth when I see you wallow and tumble in your destruction I will laugh it shall rejoyce my heart where the Holy Ghost doth plainly teach us that the Lord doth thus deal with those that abuse his patience Because the abusing of the long-suffering of God it is a resisting of God Reason
33.21 that can consider the wrath of God against sin and not tremble at it Therefore in the fear of God consider it and do not mock and scoffe at it lest the wrath and vengeance of God break out upon thee to thy utter Destruction What and if God would to shew his wrath and to make his power known suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction COme we now to the second end of Gods long suffering and patience to wicked men and that is not onely to shew his wrath The second end to make his Power known but to make his Power known The Lord is patient and long suffering to reprobates to this end that they abusing his patience being obstinate and not being bettered he may at the length make it appear that he is a God of Power He makes it appear that he is a God of Power able to pull down the stoutest sinner in the world how soever he may seem to wink at it able to beat down the most stubborn hearted wretch that is living upon the face of the earth and able to bring upon them utter ruine and destruction to the praise and glorie of his own Power Now then from hence we may easily gather this conclusion That God will one day shew forth his Power in punishing of wicked and ungodly persons such as goe on wilfully in their known sinnes Doctrine and continue obstinate in their evil courses and will not be bettered by his patience and kindnesse toward them Though the Lord doe suffer obstinate and rebellious sinners to goe on a long time yet at the last he will rise up and then manifest his Power and make it appear to all the world that he is a God of Power in their just vengeance thus the Lord speaketh in Deuteronomie 32.22 That when once he taketh hold of his sword of vengeance he will pay them home As if he had said though I may suffer vile and obstinate sinners to escape my Power a long time yet at the length I will whet my glittering sword and take hold on judgement then will I shew forth my Power in executing vengeance upon the wicked and obstinate sinners In the 50. Psalme the Psalmist in the 16. verse bringeth the Lord reckoning up the sinnes of the people of Israel and in the 21. verse He shutteth up all in a word These things hast thou done and I did forbear thee and because I did forbear thee therefore thou diddest think that thy course of life was pleasing unto me but saith the Lord The time will come that I will call thee to account and set thy sinnes in order And then mark that which my speech aimeth at in the 22. verse there is added a very pithie and powerful speech by way of Exhortation Consider this you that forget God the great God of Heaven and Earth least he will teare you in pieces and there shall be none to deliver you which is verie emphatical wherein we see the Lord compareth himself to an hungerie Lion that having gotten his prey rendeth and teareth it in pieces and none can rescue or take it off from the paw of the Lion so will the Lord one day rise up in judgement against those that are wicked obstinate and rebellious sinners and then he will shew himselfe even as an angrie Lion that crusheth the bones of a poore sheep between his teeth so he will manifest his Power in punishing wicked sinners and none can be able to free them from his punishing hand And in Revelation 11.17 We finde that the Saints gave God thanks and praise in this manner VVe thanke thee O Lord God Almightie that art from everlasting and shalt continue for ever c. Then in the latter end of the verse they render a reason of this their thanksgiving unto God in these words and terms For thou hast received thy great might and thou hast obtaind thy Kingdom Why is God stronger then then he is now No but the meaning is That though God be a great God in respect of Power and alwaies retaineth fulnesse of Power and Might and shall not at the day of judgement receive any greater power or might then now he hath yet at the day of judgement shall exercise and shew forth his Power in the utter overthrow of his enemies and deliverance of his Church and therefore he is said to receive his mightie Power and then shall the 24. Elders sing their song Now is thy Might and Power come So that we see though God doe for a long time suffer the wicked to goe on in their sinnes yet he will shew forth his Power in punishing of them and it must needs be so for these Reasons Reason 1 Because the Lord having in divers places of the Book of God threatned and denounced plagues and fearful punishments and judgements against wicked and rebellious sinners and he being able to make good what he hath threatned he will not suffer his threats and denunciations alwaies to be in vain and to lie dead and never be brought to execution but in his due time appointed he will make them good upon the bodies and souls of those that live and die in their sinnes Reason 2 The Lord will be known as he is a God of Power here he sheweth himself to be a God of Patience but he will be known to be a God of Power in executing judgement and vengeance upon the wicked Psalme 9.16 For this is one proof that there is a God That he will execute his Power in bringing destruction upon the wicked rebellious sinners though the Lord suffer them to goe on in their sinnes for a long time yet he will one day make it apparent that he is a God of Power in their just punishment howsoever he seemeth to see as if he saw it not yet he will one day make his all-seeing Power known Object But now if any doe object against this that of the Apostle in 2 Thessalonians 1.9 where the Apostle saith That Christ Jesus at his comming unto judgement shall come in flaming fire and rendring vengeance to punish the wicked in everlasting perdition from the presence of his Power So that we see the Apostle saith he will separate the wicked from his Power they shall have nothing to doe with it how is this answered Answ To this I answer the Lord will execute vengeance upon the wicked and put them from his Power what Power not his destroying Power but his saving Power God hath a saving Power and a destroying Power his glorious Power James 4.12 There is one Law-giver even God who can save and destroy so that they shall be severed from the saving power of God but not from the destroying power that shall fall upon them heavily and fearfully Vse 1 Upon this ground of Truth take we notice of the miserable and woful estate and condition of all wilful and rebellious sinners that goe on in their sinnes with
an high hand that are drunkards filthie persons Sabbath-breakers revilers of Gods Children and the like God is justly angrie with them for their sinnes that they can confesse but they say as it is their common Proverb Vana sine viribus ira anger without power is in vain for a man to be angrie and have no power to execute his anger is nothing worth but this God he is a God of Power and he will one day shew his strength and his power in punishing of them and in executing wrath and vengeance upon them Oh then who is able to bear the punishing hand of God and the stroke of his arm can a wicked sinner endure it when God striketh with the strength of his arme Psalme 90.7 Oh then consider it whosoever thou art a wicked and rebellious sinner that hath been told of thy particular sinnes thy drunkennesse thy whoredome thy usurie thy Sabbath breaking and the like Thou that persistest and goest on in thy sinne a drunkard yesterday and still the same an Usurer yesterday and still the same thou art obdurate in thy sinne Consider the Lord is angrie with thee and justly offended and hee is not onely justly offended but he is a God of infinite power able to execute his wrath yea consider further that God is not onely a God of Power able to doe it but he is also a God that will doe it he will execute his power and his wrath Who is able to stand against the Lords revenging power and when he so doth What shall become of the drunkard What shall become of the usurer and what shall become of the Sabbath-breaker and the whoremonger and the blasphemer of the Name of God when the Lord shall execute his wrath and put forth his vengeance Oh consider it and tremble We know it be experience amongst men Men that are of a revenging spirit given to seek the hurt and ruine of those they are offended withal nothing will satisfie them but their very heart blood And according to the might and power of those men so revengeful the more mighty and powerful is the evil and hurt that they inflict upon those The greater their might the heavier their stroke against whom they are enraged Oh then consider Is this so with men of revengefull spirits Oh then the Lord is a sin revenging God and he being provoked unto anger by thy wilful obstinate and rebellious sins he will punish thee consider then whom hast thou provoked a God of infinite power and he will make it appear in thy just destruction and in thy just punishment the heart of man is not able to conceive or imagine the fearful punishment that will befall thee Oh that those that are obstinate and rebellious sinners would consider this that God is so offended with them for their rebellious sinnes it would make them to tremble and affright them and make their bones shake in their skins and their hearts ake in their bodies but this is one and a chief part of their misery Hab. 3. that they never think nor consider it in their hearts and so we may conclude that they are in a fearful estate and condition Again this being so that God is such a revenging God against obstinate Vse 2 sinners let this then keep us from the revenging of our wrongs that are done by spiteful enemies and such as seek our ruine why should we seek to be revenged though we have never so much power leave it unto God and know this that we cannot desire a greater vengeance to light upon them then the Lord will inflict upon them and consider if our spiteful enemies do continue seeking to do us wrong the Lord will one day take thy cause in hand and punish them according to the greatnesse of his power Alas what is our power if we had the might of all the men in the world it is nothing to the power of the Lord if the Lord should give our enemies into our hands and should say Do with him what thou wilt could we be avenged so as the Lord will for our sakes if we be patient and commit the cause unto the Lord for the Lord will be avenged on them if they continue and live and dye in their spight and envy And to conclude in one word let us when we are wronged and hardly dealt withal by malitious and spightful enemies that are full of rancor and malice commit our cause unto the Lord and without question his punishment will be greater then the bitterest stroke that we can wish to fall upon our enemies and therefore we ought to comfort our selves with this when we are wronged that the Lord will revenge our cause and he will shew forth his vengeance upon them in their Destruction and that according to the greatnesse of his power What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory THere is one thing yet remaineth to be further observed from this 22. verse The Apostle saith that God will one day shew his wrath upon Reprobates the vessels of wrath and he will also exercise his power he will make it apparent manifest and evident that he is a God of power in their just punishments so that these two things are here coupled and put together as the ends of Gods long patience and forbearance toward the Reprobates namely the manifestation of his just wrath and his power in punishing of them hence then take we notice of this Observation which lyeth plain before us viz. Doctrine That the highest and utmost end of the everlasting destruction of the Reprobates is the manifestation of Gods Justice and of Gods power which here are coupled and put together in their destruction The destruction of the Reprobates is indeed the nearest end in respect of Reprobates themselves but God respecteth it no further then as it maketh and tendeth to the manifestation and declaration of the glory of his Justice and power The highest end which the Lord aymeth at in the punishment and destruction of the Wicked what is it it is nothing else but that he might have his Justice and Power glorified the Lord aymeth not at their destruction though it be the nearest end to them yet farthest off in Gods intention for he aymeth at his own Justice and Powers glorification And to this purpose speaketh Solomon expresly Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his own sake yea the very wicked for the day of evil he hath made them for the day of destruction ayming therein at the manifestation of his Justice and the glory of his power this is the main end the Lord aymeth at In Rom. 11. The Apostle having largely discussed and stood upon the rejection of the Gentiles in the 36. verse he concludeth
the meanes of our Lord Jesus Christ So then thus conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if he had said And in like sort that God might make it known to all the world both to men and Angels his exceeding great and abundant grace and mercy toward and upon his Elect who are vessels as capable of mercy as any vessel to receive water the Lord having from everlasting ordained and appointed them to the Kingdom of glory Now the words being thus understood I will onely point at one thing briefly We see here the Apostle maketh it apparent and known that God sheweth his Justice and maketh his power known upon the Reprobates thereby to amplifie and to set forth the greatnesse of his mercy toward his chosen and make known the riches of his mercy upon the vessels of mercy This is the ground of the Observation And the Doctrine hence arising is this viz. Doctrine That Gods mercy vouchsafed to his Children in any kind whatsoever whether concerning soul or body it appeareth the greater and is felt the sweeter by considering Gods wrath and punishment in the same kind inflicted upon the wicked The riches and the greatnesse of Gods mercy toward any of his children is more evident more apparent and more conspicuous and the better discerned by comparing it with his just punishing hand that he layeth upon others And to this purpose we have many evidences of Scripture the mercy of God in saving Noah and his Family in the Ark when the flood was upon the earth being considered with the Lords wrath and vengeance upon the whole world besides it made the mercy of God to be more conspicuous and better discerned of Noah So the freedome that the people of Israel had in the Land of Goshen in Egypt from the plagues of Egypt when the heavy hand of God was upon the Egyptians being considered with those heavy plagues did exceedingly set forth the riches of Gods mercy to his Children that they should be saved and the other punished in the same land and in Exod. 14.30 31. the Text saith of the Israelites they saw the Egyptians dead upon the bank and saw their final overthrow and no doubt that Gods Justice in their overthrow made the mercy of the Lord in their deliverance appear the better and thereupon they were stirred up to praise God after an extraordinary manner for an extraordinary blessing in the 15. Chapter And to these places I might adde many more all expressing that the mercy of God vouchsafed to his Children feeleth sweeter and the more comfortable Considered together with Gods wrath in punishing the wicked and reprobate yea it doth ravish the soul of a Child of God and maketh it more comfortable The Reason Reason and ground of it is from that Logical rule Contra juxta se posita c. Contraries set in opposition maketh them the better to appear black and white set together it maketh white more resplendant and appear the clearer so Gods mercy opposed to Gods Justice maketh his mercy appear more conspicuous And for the Application Vse let this teach us to consider the mercy of God to us that are his Children in comparison of his Judgment to others as for example thou being a Child of God consider God hath given thee sanctification in thy heart and soul a feeling of thy sins and groaning under it then consider this thy Illumination and sanctification together with the Ignorance and obdurancy of others and it will make thee to praise and set forth the greatnesse of Gods mercy so again in outward mercies the Lord hath given thee abundance thou hast strength and ability of body thou hast liberty and freedom from imprisonment and thou seest others that are blind sick lame and under the heavy hand of God in some Affliction they are weak and poor And in this hard time that now is upon us thou seest others wanting firing wanting lodging wanting means to defend them from the injury of the weather surely the Lord setteth these before thee not onely that thou shouldest be pitifull unto them and help and relieve them but herein also to see the greatnesse and goodnesse of Gods mercy towards thee Lay not out so much upon thy pride in excesse of Apparel but extend some to the poor and praise the Lord for his greatnesse and goodnesse that hath made thee rich and healthfull and others lye up and down ready to be famished Oh consider this what the Lord hath done for thy body and soul he hath inlarged his hand to thee inlarge thou thy hand in giving to others and inlarge thy heart in praising of God and let it stirre thee up to great thankfulnesse unto God for this his mercy to thee And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory ANd in the next place observe that the Apostle here saith not barely God will extend and reach out his abundant mercy toward his Children or that he might shew his mercy upon them abundantly but mark the manner of his speech he putteth down his mind and meaning in these tearms that God might declare the riches of his glorie upon his I hil dren every word is very emphatical and full of weight and the meaning is that God might make known to all the world to men and Angels his exceeding great and abundant grace and mercy upon his Elect and toward his Children Hence then we may easily gather this conclusion Doctrine That God will one day manifest his exceeding great and abundant mercy toward his chosen and he will one day make it appear to all the World to Men and Angels that he is a most wonderful and gracious God unto his Chosen indeed God is exceeding gracious and abundantly merciful unto his Chosen at all times especially after their effectual Calling and Conversion and turning from sinne unto him from the estate of Nature unto the estate of Grace then giving unto them the pardon of all their sinnes sealing his love unto them in Christ as it is in Romans 10.5 Then giving unto his Children libertie to approach and come near unto his holy presence with comfort and thankesgiving then beautifying their soules with many excellent gifts of his Spirit with Faith with Zeale and with Humilitie so that God is exceeding great and abundantly merciful unto his Chosen yet let me tell you that his abundant grace and mercie to his Elect is not so apparent to the eyes of men It lieth hid and obscured either under that excellent grace of Humilitie or under their afflictions so as that the world seeth it not yet the time shall come that howsoever it is now darkned it shall appear to men and Angels yea men and Angels shall admire at the wonderful mercie of God to his Chosen and to this purpose is that of the Apostle in the 2 Thessalonians 1.10 where the Apostle saith that Christ Jesus at the day of
judgement he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvelous and wonderful in all that believe He will invest his Saints then with heavenly glory and manifest his rich grace and abundant mercy upon them and that to the admiration and astonishment of all the world that shall looke upon him and be eye-witnesse of it in 1 John 3.2 Dearly beloved saith the Apostle We are now the Sonnes of God yet it doth not appear what we shall be is not now apparant nor evident to the eye of the world but the time shall come when it shall be apparant and manifest and that shall be when Christ shall come in glory unto judgement then the Saints of God then the true believers and the Chosen of God shall be made like unto him in fulnesse of grace and in fulnesse of glory not equal unto him but like unto him a plain Text evidencing and confirming this Truth That God will one day manifest his exceeding greatnesse and mercy to his chosen and make it appear to all the world to men and Angels that he is a merciful God to the confusion of the wicked and the admiration of the Angels Now beloved if so be we desire to be further enformed touching this what shall make men and Angels to admire the wonderful mercy of God to his Chosen Beloved it shall be not onely in respect of the abundant greatnesse of Gods mercy to his Chosen but also in respect of the freeness of Gods grace and of Gods glory that God bestoweth abundance of grace and of mercy and that freely for when as the wicked and reprobates shall at that day have justly according as they have deserved inflicted upon them even everlasting wrath and vengeance so on the other side God hath revealed the greatnesse of his mercy upon his chosen not for any merits or deserts of theirs and herein appeareth the wonderful admiration of Gods mercie in that he giveth it not in respect of any merit or desert of theirs for they have deserved the same wrath with the Reprobates but onely of his free mercy this shall make men and Angels to wonder at it that God vouchsafeth such a weight of glorie which they have not deserved freely out of his own mercie and it must needs be so for these Reasons Because the glorie of his mercie is as dear unto him as the glorie of his Reason 1 Justice and he will no more loose the glorie of his mercie then the glorie of his Justice Because God having promised grace unto his Chosen yea fulness of Reason 2 grace and fulness of mercy according to their measure The Lord will be justified in his Word and in his sayings and in his promise he will make it good yea the most wicked in the world shall one day justifie the goodness and the mercie of God to his Chosen and he will make them one day will they nill they to confess his goodness and this is not done in this world but in the world to come then he will wring a confession from them howsoever now they will not confess it yet then they shall manifest the riches of Gods grace to his Chosen The due consideration of this yieldeth matter of sweet and excellent comfort to Gods Children two waies First in respect of the cause and estate of Gods Children as it standeth with them when they are under some great and grievous affliction or under some strong temptation and violent assaults by Sathan in that he feels such a weight of sinne and such a burthen of corruptions lying and pressing down his heart and soul as for the present he hath no apprehension of the special love of God unto him nay he concludeth the Contrarie even against himself as that God hath forgotten him and left him though there be no such matter but God is pleased to exercise his Faith and to trie the soundness of his grace and he will have him to know that his faith and grace is even as pure gold tried in the furnace 1 Peter 1.7 That the trrial of your Faith is much more precious then gold Now in this case a Child of God may call to minde in this miserable estate he thinketh himselfe may call to minde what comfort and what mercie the Lord hath vouchsafed upon me and what pledges of his saving goodness the Lord hath vouchsafed and then he may consider that though the saving mercy of God be now hid from him for a time and that he can finde no comfort yet he having had experience of his saving grace formerly he may resolve that he will again return and manifest his mercie unto him for consider to reason thus Will God one day make it apparant to all the world that he is a merciful and gracious God to his Children and will not the same God make it manifest and apparant to thy soul here in this life at one time or other it cannot possibly be thou having had love tokens of his favour though they seem to be lost yet the Lord will come with abundance of grace and goodness Romans 15.13 Yea the Lord one day so exprest his grace as that the Child of God shall himselfe wonder and magnifie the grace of God unto his own soul yea he shall be ravished with the wonderful mercie of God unto his Chosen in general and to himselfe in particular For though when the Devil opposeth the godly by temptations they feele not the mercie of God to them yet the time shall come when it shall be manifest to all the world much more then to themselvess and to their own souls Again will God one day manifest his abundant mercie unto his Chosen Vse 2 making it to appear to the view of men and Angels it yieldeth a matter of comfort to Gods Children in respect of the censure and judgement that they pass upon Gods Children The men of the world seeing Gods Children walk humbly before the Lord and looking upon their humble and low carriage and behaviour which they account baseness they presently shoote out their fools bolt that they are the Reprobates they look upon the outside and see not what is within they are not able to see what mercy the Lord vouchsafeth unto his Children even in this world in that he giveth them assurance of his love unto them in Jesus Christ and a feeling of the sweetness of his grace and of mercie and the pardon of their sinnes this they are not able to see through the darkness of affliction and the cloud of their miserie Now this is to be remembred and to be thought upon for our comfort that are Gods Children in respect of this censure that howsoever the grace and the mercie of God be obscured and they cannot see it yet comfort thy self the time shall come that God-wil make it appear to men and Angels that he is a gracious God and that he is rich in mercy unto them and that the love of God is
spread abroad in thy heart yea the time shal come that men and Angels shal se thee Crowned with a Crown of glorie and a Crown of mercie that they shal be driven to an admiration of it and then they shal befool themselves and say we fools thought these mens lives to to be madness yea we accounted them contemptible and base fellows but now behold the riches of Gods mercie that he is wonderfully gracious and merciful unto his Children they shal befool themselves to see the greatness of Gods mercie unto his Chosen which shal be so great that they shal admire at it yea the verie Angels shal wonder at it Angels that are able to understand more then all the men in the world they shal be amazed and wonder at the riches of Gods mercie unto his chosen Therefore let the calumnie and the slander of the wicked pass by unregarded for the Lord wil one day manifest his mercie to the admiration of Men and Angels And that he might declare the riches of his glorie unto the vessels of mercy prepared unto glorie AGain observe we here the Apostle putteth glorie for mercie and maketh them both tending to one end from hence the Doctrin is this viz. Doctrine That God in shewing of mercie unto his Chosen intendeth the glory of his grace and the glorie of his mercie The Lord in shewing of mercie unto his Chosen doth it to this end that he might have his praise and glorie by it he aimeth at this end that it might be known and admired and spoken of and magnified and that he might have glorie by it as good Kings and Princes next after the things that concern Religion they doe esteem this above all the honour of their name that they might be respected of their Subjects for their Clemencie and bountie unto their Subjects so it is with the Lord the great King of Heaven and Earth all the graces and favour and mercy that he vouchsafeth unto his Chosen from the first mercie to the last from their Election to their glorification in Heaven it tendeth to this end that his grace and mercy unto his Chosen may be manifested and appear and that he may have the praise and the glorie of his grace and of his mercie In Ephesians 1.5 God saith the Apostle He hath Predestinated us to be Adopted through Jesus Christ in himself nothing moving him thereunto out of his own blessed Majestie according to the good pleasure of his Will to what end To the praise of the glory of his grace of his rich and abundant grace and mercie And as glorifying of the riches of his grace and mercy is that which the Lord delighteth in so he aimeth at it as the supream and highest end in shewing of mercy And the Lord may safely seek his own glory and praise without any danger of pride in it as it is in man for they looking at their own praise and estimation among men they are tainted with pride but it is not so with the Lord because indeed he is the highest and there is none above him And hence it was in Exod. 34.6 7. when the Lord shewed himself unto Moses he magnified his mercy above all other attributes and he proclaimeth his mercy by many several titles and passages The Lord the Lord strong merciful and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse and in truth reserving mercy unto thousands forgiving iniquities transgressions and sins there is mention of Gods power in a word very sparingly but there is nothing sufficient to extol the glory of his mercy explicating that in variety of expressions and setting it out to the full Now this being a truth first of all this serveth to stir us up to give God Vse 1 the praise and glory of his mercy vouchsafed unto us in any kind whatsoever this is the main thing the Lord aymeth at in shewing of mercy unto his chosen that it might be known and glorified Oh then surely we ought never to let the grace and the mercy of God to be out of our mouthes this is that he delighteth in and therefore we must have his mercy in our mouthes especially we professing our selves to be his children and servants for consider I beseech you how will those servants that belong and appertain to bountiful Lords and Masters how will they be ever setting forth and extolling the bounty and beneficence of their Masters in what company soever they are commending their frank House-keeping and good hospitality in being beneficial to the poor and good to their followers And so indeed they are not the children of God that do not thus magnifie the riches of Gods mercy unto them and have them in their hearts and mouthes continually crying out Oh the mercy of God to us is large else they are bastards and not the children of God for such as belong unto Gods grace God giveth them grace unto this end that his grace and mercy might be known and magnified that they may say Oh what hath God done for my soul this is the practise of a holy servant of God therefore we are to be stirred up for any mercy the Lord hath vouchsafed in any kind not onely for health restored or for any such things that are temporal but also for things that are spiritual or for any mercy that he hath bestowed upon us we are to be thankful and especially we are to give praise and thanks unto God for his great and wonderful mercy bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus in that he gave Christ Jesus to be a Saviour for our soules this we ought to be thankful unto God for above all other mercies Again is this so that Gods shewing of mercy unto his chosen it tendeth Vse 2 to the glory of his mercy surely then it cannot be that life and glory is given unto Gods chosen from the hand of Justice as a thing due unto them by their meritorious deserts this cannot possibly be for mercy is given for the magnifying of his mercy for if it were so as the Papists teach given for their merit by the hand of Justice surely then God should aym at his Justice as the main and highest end of all in their glorification which is not so for he aymeth at the glory of his mercy for indeed as God intendeth and aymeth at the glory of his Justice and power as the highest end in the destruction of the Reprobate and wicked and so he aymeth at the glorification of his mercy as the highest end in the salvation of the Elect and godly And whereas the Papists say that life and glory is given as an act of mercy and of Justice and so they would make a hotch-potch and a compound of that which cannot be compounded for it is as possible that God should send a man to hell and condemn a man out of his revenging Justice and saving mercy at the same time as that God should give a man mercy and salvation out of his hand
Gentiles into the estate of grace and salvation and that by the Testimony of the Prophet Hoseah by his predictions and foretellings of their calling many years before and because the calling of the Gentiles was a thing harsh and hard to the Jewes they could not endure to hear of it what dogs base people called as you may see in Act. 11.28 The text saith that they of the Circumcision the Jewes wrangled with the Apostle and were angry because he went to the Gentiles to Dogs therefore the Apostle taketh the more pains and confirmeth it by a double Testimony of the Prophet though with some alteration of the words The Apostle setting that in the last place which is in the first place The first Testimony is out of Hosea 2.23 and the second Testimony out of Hosea 1.10 and he doth alter the words of the Prophet both for brevity sake and the better to fit his purpose and yet the Apostle keepeth the sence of the Prophet entire and whole without any alteration or change And the general matter of the Apostle citing these two Testimonies in this he proveth that that which he had said was nothing else but that which God himself had spoken by his Prophet Hosea should come to passe recorded in holy Writ as he saith also I have shewed you God calleth some among the Gentiles and what is that a new invention no such matter He also saith it in Hosea Now in these words in this 25. and 26. verses we may observe two general things First of all a bringing in of the Lord speaking a speech being recorded by the holy Prophet and cited by the Apostle Secondly the words that the Lord uttered I will call them my people which were not my people c. And in these words thus uttered we may obseve a double description of the Gentiles for of them the Apostle and Prophet speaketh first a describing of them by their estate before their conversion they were then not beloved not pitied and secondly a description of their estate after their calling then they were the people of God the beloved his Children a great alteration from no people to be a people from not beloved to be beloved from no children to be children and this their estate is amplified by three things First by the free mercy of God toward them in their calling Secondly by the place where it is said they are not my people Thirdly their excellent dignity being called they shall be styled the children of the living God which epithet and title is given to distinguish him from the Heathen gods who were dead and dumb Idols Now come we to the Exposition As he saith also You may easily conceive the person here meant to be God As God saith also the word also is not a word that is idly and superfluously put down but a word of special force and great emphasis as if the Apostle had said That which I say of the Gentiles it is no fained thing but it is the same thing that the Prophet hath spoken and that the Lord himself delivered to his Prophet I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved These are the words of the Prophet here cited by the Apostle and here is a difficulty to be unfolded for he maketh here his application to the Gentiles But if you look in Hosea 1.10 the 2.23 you shall find them spoken directly to the Jewes for their comfort after their dispersing and scattering abroad they should be called again so the context doth plainly expresse to the Comfort of the Jewes how then can the Apostle apply these words to the calling of the Gentiles for the clearing of this doubt we must consider that the Apostle Paul had the infallible assistance and guidance of the Spirit of God he did what he did by the guiding of the Spirit so that he could not erre either in his allegation or application of Scripture And again though this be directed to the Jewes that were now scattered abroad for their sins and telleth them to their comfort that the time shall come when they shall be gathered together again and that the Lord would restore the Elect among the Jewes meaning spiritually by the preaching voyce and call of the Gospel in the Kingdome of the Messiah though this be directed to the Jewes yet under these termes are also the Gentiles signified and understood and indeed the Gentiles were properly not the people of God it was never properly spoken to the Jewes but to the Gentiles they were not the people of God properly so that these words are properly spoken to the Gentiles and accidentally to the Jewes by reason of their impiety and Idolatry And we shall find it a marvellous usual thing that when the Prophets do speak of the defection of the Jews and their dejection and falling from God then they make a transition a passage from that to the Kingdome of the Messiah And they promise that under the coming of the Messiah a greater number of the people should be aggregated and joyned to the Jewes and so concopulated and made one body Ephes 2.16 Now you are made one body through Jesus Christ God hath made one body both of the Jewes and Gentiles Come we now to the Explication and I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved I will onely descant upon these words and the meaning is thus Those that were strangers from the Covenant of grace those that were in their natural estate and condition and are none of my people that have not me for a God and Father to them even those that were aliens from the Common wealth of Israel these will I call effectually and through the preaching of the Word and Gospel bring them to the state of faith and grace in Jesus Christ and within the compasse of my special love and favour and mercy and I will make them to be within the number of my peculiar people and I will be a living and gracious Father unto them A paralel place unto this we have in 1 Pet. 2.10 where the Apostle speaketh thus which in times past had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy which is an expressing of what is meant by being called the people of God And in the place where it is said that they were not my people By place is meant the Countries the Nations the Kingdomes of the Gentiles which were without the pale of Jewry the Precincts and limits of Canaan now saith the Lord them will I call also my children even those that are without in those places will I cause men to know me to worship me and to fear me as in Mal. 1. and they shall be called and styled by that worthy title the Children of God the living God who is the Authour and giver of all life I will not stand to draw them into a narrower compasse for you may
in the world wonder not nor be not amazed forr these things must come to passe and be fulfilled And it argueth a true and a sound faith to see through the thick mists of errour and iniquity and abundance of evil the bright resplendant shining beames of the Majestie and purity of the Word of God And therefore we are to be so farre from being offended at the Combustions and Uproares of the world as that we should be strengthened so much the more and settled and grounded in the holy Word of God seeing God hath Revealed it in his Word and foretold it long before As he saith in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved c. COme we now to the words of the Testimonie it selfe in these two verses And herein the Apostle doth invert the Order of the words of the Prophet putting that which is first last yea the Apostle doth something alter and change the words of the Prophet and keepeth not strictly and precisely to the very words of the Prophet citing word for word yet he keepeth the scope sense and meaning of the Prophet sound and intire without any alteration or change hence then note we thus much That it is not alwayes necessarie that the very words of the Scripture Doctrine should be strictly orderly and precisely kept in the preaching of the Word so that the sence and scope and meaning of the place be kept sound and intire without wrong change or alteration The Preachers of the Word must look unto it that they neither deprave nor corrupt the places of Scripture that they doe not cut them off and leave out something needful this was the sinne of the Devil in Matthew 4.6 He shall give his Angels charge over thee and leaveth out to keep thee in all thy wayes Nor that they doe not wrest and wring the places of Scripture to a wrong sence and wrong purpose and make them as a nose of waxe and draw them to a wrong purpose and vex the Holy Word of God which is the dealing of all hereticks and especially such as doe turne the places of Scripture and the plain Stories of the Bible into Allegories and so wrong the sence of the Scripture yet Ministers of the Word they may alledge and cite places of Scripture with some alteration so they keep the sence safe sound and intire John 7.38 He that believeth in me as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flow rivers of water Where doth the Scripture say so Surely in no place that we finde in the Old Testament expresly totidem verbis in the very same words yet for the matter and substance of these words they may be collected and gathered out of the holy Prophets as out of Esay 44.3 and 49.10 Joel 3.18 in all which places mention is made of pouring water upon the drie and thirstie ground and of diving into the Waters of Life and of a fountain that should issue out from the house of the Lord. Now the Lord Jesus doth apply these words of the Prophets having respect to Christ who is the Fountain of Life and of all Spiritual graces he doth apply them to all those that truely believe in him that though they were drie and barren yet out of them shall flow the rivers of water of Life so that though he doth not set down the words of the Prophets expresly yet he keepeth the sence and meaning of the words So that it concerneth the Preachers of the Word to be very well acquainted with the scope and drift of the Scriptures that howsoever they may misse of the words yet they must keep the sence intire and see that they doe not swerve from the intent and purpose of the Holy Spirit of God in the Text. And as they must be careful that the places of Scripture be fit and pertinent to the purpose they have in hand so also that the places they doe alledge be truely understood and rightly applied according to the meaning of the Word and then they are the true Word of God and are a notable means to beate down the strong holds of sinne and of Sathan to pass by that Come we now to the Testimonie it self recorded by the Prophet and here alledged by the Apostle I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved These words are a plain Text and doe evidence unto us the vocation and calling of the Gentiles which was long agoe foretold and now fulfilled the Gentiles are called the Gentiles embrace the faith of Christ which is one of the great mysteries of the Gospel and of Religion 1 Tim. 3.16 VVithout controversie great is the mysterie of godliness what was that God manifested in the flesh seen of Angels justified in the Spirit preached to the Gentiles a high and excellent mysterie Now touching this mysterie of calling the Gentiles observe the Lord saith I will call them my People which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved Hence appeareth the free mercy and the free grace of God in calling the Gentiles out of the estate of ignorance and unbelief into the estate of true knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ into the estate of grace hence then ariseth this point viz. Doctrine That God calleth men effectually out of their natural estate into the estate of grace and doth work grace in them effectually by the power of his Spirit through the preaching of the Word out of his meer good will and free mercy nothing moving him thereunto but onely his free mercy the Lord he is pleased to reveal the Gospel to none but to those who out of his meer good will hee pleaseth to cause to understand it and the light of the Gospel though it shine most clearly and resplendantly yet it doth enlighten none nor worke upon none but onely such as it pleased God to illuminate and enlighten by the preaching of the Word though it fall upon their eyes and sound in their eares and shine about them yet the hearts are shut up of all such unlesse those whom God doth illuminate Eph. 1.9 The Apostle speaking of himselfe and other true believers saith expresiy God hath opened unto us the mysterie of his Word the secrets of his Gospel according to his own good pleasure And in the same Chapter the 17. verse He prayeth that the Ephesians might have the Spirit of Revelation and the Spirit of Wisedome Oh Lord open the eyes of their understanding that they may clearly see the riches of his calling and the sweet comforts of the Gospel And hence it was that the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 4.6 That God by the same Almightie power whereby he brought light out of darkness causeth them to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ yea the Lord doth afford the outward sound and preaching of the Word out of his free mercie where it pleaseth
him He appointeth the drops of rain to fall in this place and not in that so he doth cause the dew of his Word to fall upon the clay the Gentiles in Matth. 10.6 into the Cities of the Samaritans enter not and in Acts 16.6 7 we find that Paul and Timothy they were forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia Yea when they had a mind to goe to Bythinia the Spirit of God would not suffer them but sent them to Macedonia Acts 16.9 Come over into Macedonia and help us so that the outward preaching of the Word it is vouchsafed to some and not to others as when Christ lived upon the face of the earth the bodily eyes of all men were not opened but onely some and others remaine blind some blind persons were left in their blindness And the dead bodies of all were not raised though some were at the death of Christ so dealeth the Lord with the minds and souls of men he onely out of his gracious pleasure doth open the minds of some men and make them to see know and understand and believe by the preaching of the Word according to his gracious pleasure therefore we may resolve upon it as a certain truth that God doth call men out of the estate of nature into the estate of grace effectually out of his free grace and mercy Vse 1 If this be so it is not then upon foreseen merit that God doth call men effectually and doth work upon them powerfully by his Spirit that is the error of the Papists they hold indeed that the election of God and consequently the revelation of the truth of God it is upon their merit foreseen because God doth foresee some worthiness in them we are to renounce this as a gross Popish errour yea the truth now made known unto us being duely considered and thought upon it beareth strongly against that position that is held by some that redemption wrought by Christ is universal that Christ died for all men universally without any exception of any Now not to stand upon this erroneous position which is a dangerous errour in the ground of it it making the sin of men the sins of the world death and hell to be stronger then Christ that Christ should die for all men and yet some of those men goe to hell a fowl and a gross errour besides this it cannot stand with the truth now delivered that Christ died effectually for all men without exception of any for if so be Christ did die for all men generally and universally then doubtless all are acquainted with it savingly as a benefit belonging to themselves such as are redeemed assuredly God doth bring them to the saving knowledge of their redemption Now this is not so the preaching of the Word and plain experience doth tell the contrarie for God out of his mere good will and pleasure doth call none effectually but such as are redeemed by Christ and so all men are not for then they should savingly be brought to the knowledge of their redemption but all are not so for as in the time of Christ all men that were blinde had not their eyes opened so all have not their minds enlightned and therefore universal redemption wrought by Christ is a meer fancie of the brain of man forged in hell and there is no truth in it to say that Christ died for all and if we rest upon this we shall finde a deceiving ground of comfort Howsoever some will say how shall we comfort a poor soul a prisoner that is to be executed but by telling him Christ died for all upon what ground No Christ died not for all Again is it so that God worketh freely upon the minds and souls of men out of his free grace and mercy Oh then such as find themselves to be in Vse 2 the number of the called of God and throughly wrought upon by the power of the preaching of the Word that are brought to the saving knowledge of God in Christ they are bound to acknowledge the riches of his free grace and mercy and be thankful unto God for the same Consider it thou that hast good evidence of thy effectual calling that art transformed and changed and brought into a new mold and fashion consider with thy self that many are left in their natural ignorance and unbelief yea many are given over to Popish superstitions many living in the same place frequenting the same means hearing the same sermons sitting in the same seat with thee they remain ignorant in their blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart but God hath given thee not onely his Word and Gospel preached but a heart enlightned to receive it therefore thou hast cause to magnifie the mercy of God for this blessing of all blessings And learn thou to break out and say Lord what am I that thou shouldest vouchsafe unto me such a mercie I see thousands in their natural estate and ignorance I was born and brought forth in sinne like other men and have increased and multiplied my sinnes exceedingly my unthankefulnesse is great and my unworthinesse greater and yet thou hast vouchsafed mercy unto me above many thousands Lord thou art gracious and merciful unto me Thus we ought to be stirred up our selves to magnifie the mercie of God in that many thousands are given to Popish superstition and God hath given thee a flexible heart to his Word Oh thou canst not be sufficiently thankful for so great a favour As he saith also in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved COme we now to the very words of the text to enter into the bowels of it In these words as I have shewed you we have a double description of the Gentiles First of their estate before their calling when they were not the people of God by nature Secondly of their condition after their Calling that they were now become the people of God and beloved of the Lord hence then first of all appeareth the estate of man by nature as yet unconverted and not wrought upon by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the Word and Gospel hence the Doctrine is this Doctrine That men who are in their natural estate as yet not effectually called and as yet not wrought upon by the Spirit of grace by the preaching of the Word and Gospel are in a miserable estate and condition they are not the people of God nor beloved of God so saith the Text and we find that that the Scripture setteth out the miserable estate and condition of men in their natural estate by many notable speeches in Rom. 5.6.8 it is said that they were sinners in a high degree ungodly yea enemies unto God and unto Christ such as are in their natural estate they are enemies unto God and there is open defiance between God and them and they may look that the Lord shall deal with them as a professed
the Lord would bring these people to a smal number He decreeth that this consumption which God hath determined he will bring upon them for their sinnes shall overflow them and they shal be as unable to stand against them as a poore thinne weake bridge is unable to stand against a stiffe stream and a strong runing swelling water it shal overthrow them as a river overflowing the bankes doth bear all things before it Now the Apostle following the Translation of the Septuagint with which the Romans were best acquainted expresseth it in these words That hc will make vp his account and draw it to a short summe in righteousnesse that is by making account and drawing it to a short summe we are to understand that the Lord would bring that consumption which he had decreed and that speedily and make a short worke and a short businesse of the matter for the word Logon may as well signifie a short work as a short word for hee will make a short worke of the businesse and we are also here to consider the extent of this consumption that as it shall be speedy and swift and they shal be soon wasted so that few of them should be left that they should be as trees in a grove which a Childe may tell Esay 10.19 For the Lord will make a short account in the earth hereby we are to understand that the Lord would bring this consumption and finish this work in the very midst of the earth in the very bowels and chiefest part of the Kingdome Esay 10.25 Now then thus receive we briefly the meaning of the words of these two verses Esaias the Prophet he also speaketh plainly and boldly concerning the people of Israel in this manner that though the Number of the Children of Israel were an exceeding great Number a Numberlesse Multitude yet but a few of them should return from the Captivitie of Babilon and return to God and repent of their sinnes and be saved eternally for so saith the Prophet The Lore he hath purposed and decreed and appointed to bring that sinneful Nation of the Jewes to a very small remnant and Number Yea finishing the great work of their Consumption speedily and extending it so farre as that a smal Number shal be left for the Lord will finish his work in the very heart and midst and principal part of the Land thus we are to conceive the meaning of the Prophet scited by the Apostle Come we now to instructions First of all observe we that the Apostle here bringeth in the Prophet Esayias speaking not barely of the rejection of the Jewes but also crying of it speaking with the extension of his voice he speaketh boldly plainly and to the purpose proclaiming it to the purpose that though their number were never so great even as the sand upon the Sea shore he would destroy them though doubtlesse this was a very harsh and unpleasing message yea the delivering of it was like to bring many about his eares what Esaias shall few of us be saved yet we see the Prophet Esaias uttereth it boldly without fear or fainting I tell you to your faces that though your number were as the Sea shore yet but a few of you shall be saved see how bold and plain the Prophet is in delivering this message so harsh and hard Hence we may observe this instruction viz. Doct. That Ministers and Preachers of the Word in executing their Office and Ministery with plainnesse and boldnesse must deliver the Messages of God to the people though they seem never so harsh or hard or rather thus That it is the part and duetie of Ministers to be plain That it is the part and duetie of Ministers to be plain and bold with their hearers and to tell them of the estate and danger that they see and discern them to be in upon good grounds without feare or fainting though their hearers fret and storme and flie in their faces yet they must be bold and plain as in Esay 58.1 Crie aloud saith the Lord spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet tell my people of their transgressions and the House of Israel their sinnes See how earnest the Lord is Be thou bold crie out and tell my people of their transgressions and the danger which they are in by reason of their sinnes though they be never so much incensed And in Matthew 3. from the seventh to the thirteenth you shall finde that John the Baptist dealt thus roundly with the people Oh generation of Vipers a viperous brood how will ye escape the damnation of Hell and flie from the danger to come And he telleth them unlesse they did repent and bring forth fruits worthie amendment of their lives and had better footing and ground for their comfort then this that they were the Children of Abraham by Nature he telleth them that they should be as rotten and fruitlesse trees and should be hewen down with the Axe of Gods vengeance and throwne into the fire Nay they should be as chaffe burnt with unquenchable fire thus also dealt the Apostle Peter with Simon Magus Acts 8.22 23. Simon Magus would by the power of conferring the Holy Ghost upon others with money but Peter saith unto him Oh repent of this and pray God if it be possible that the very thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee for I say thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie and thy case is fearful and damnable and thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this work and thus Ministers of the Word are to do in their preaching of the Word with their hearers and people and to tell them plainly and boldly the estate and danger in which they discern them to be upon good ground though their hearers be incensed and inraged against them Because God requireth it and the Office of the Ministry it self calleth Reason 1 for this duty for God hath made his Ministers Watch-men and given them the oversight of his people Heb. 5.17 And also in Ezek. 33.7 the Lord saith unto his Prophet O Son of man I have made thee a watch-man thou shalt receive the word at my mouth and admonish my people And if I say unto a wicked man O wicked man thou shalt dye the death and if the watch-man do not give him warning and admonish him of the danger he shall dye in his iniquity but his blood shall be required at thy hands Because plain and bold dealing in the preaching of the Word is of excellent use it stirreth up and quickeneth mens attention it helps the understanding and maketh them the sooner understand and the better perceive yea with the blessing of God this plain and bold dealing it hammereth the heart and worketh upon the Conscience it doth leave a wonderful deep impression in the soules of men and it stoppeth the mouthes of men that they have nothing to say for themselves so that it is the duty of Ministers to
the same Chapter he telleth them that there should false teachers arise and then in the second Verse he saith many shall follow after them as we see in woful experience let an Anabaptist or Familist arise and you shall see multitudes follow after their damnable wayes and speak evil of the way of truth in Matth. 7.13 14. Christ telleth us of a multitude and an heap of people which enter in at the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction but few there are that find the narrow wicket and strait way that leadeth to salvation so that a multitude of people may bear the name of Gods people and yet few are true repentant sinners and why so Because the Spirit saith Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few are Reason 1 chosen many have the outward calling but onely Gods Elect are effectually called and hence it is that Christ saith his flock is a little flock Luke 12.32 indeed the elect of God ara a little flock in comparison of the multitudes of the Reprobates though they be numberlesse in themselves Reason 2 Because many of those that live under the Gospel they content themselves with a drowsie profession an empty shadow void of life and power that they care not for the substance and pitch saving grace and saving repentance they respect not nay is there not many of them that live under the meanes of grace that respect better Infidelity and Atheisme to be of no Religion at all and many have their hearts taken up with cares of this world they have stony and thorny hearts so that the good seed of the Word cannot enter into them but they choak it and as we read in Luke 8.4 to the 9. of four sorts of grounds there were but one of them good of honest sound and good hearts we have but a small number yea take we but a view of men in the world and of particular places how many ignorant persons how many common swearers and contemners of God and of all goodnesse how many filthy persons how many proud persons setting themselves forth in vanity of attire shagg hair'd persons Usurers and covetous persons shall we find to one true sound upright-hearted Christian 't were nigh a thousand to one so that it is a certain truth That a multitude of people may have the true worship of God and yet few of them repent and be saved How absurd and grosse is it then for the Papist to stand so much as they doe upon their number and multitude for the grounding of their Religion Multitudes say they follow our Religion therefore it is the true Religion this is but a weak and an unsound ground for men to build Religion upon Multitudes yea in all Societies in all Fellowships and Families for the most part the greatest number is the worst number and therefore to say their Church is the true Church because multitudes flock unto it is a mere shadow without substance but to leave them Vse 2 Is it so that a multitude of people may follow the Church of God and be in the Church and yet not in the estate of grace and of salvation Then it concerneth every one of us to look unto it and to labour to find our selves in the number of those few When one said unto Christ Luke 13.23 Lord are there few that shall be saved the Lord Jesus answered him not directly to his curious question but in the 24. verse Strive to enter in at the strait gate that will yeeld thee true comfort So if so be repentant persons such as are in the state of grace be but few when there are heaps and troops and multitudes of such as onely bear the name of Gods people labour thou then to be of that small number what will it avail us to say we have born a part with thousands in hearing the Word prayer and performing holy duties what will it avail us to say we have been at a Sermon with thousands and yet continue in ignorance and in hardnesse of heart No Christ telleth us Luke 13.24 that many shall say Lord we have eaten and drunk at thy Table we have preached in thy name and flocked to hear thy Word with troops and thousands and wilt thou reject us being a great multitude but then in the 27. verse Christ shall say Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know ye not and then they shall be shut out of heaven with a multitude so that it is but a shallow and sandy ground for us to say we come to the hearing of the Word with thousands unlesse we labour to be of the number of repentant sinners Vse 3 And beloved give me leave to apply this a little nearer If this be so It is then no good plea for any one to say I doe no other but that which many professours doe I see many professours they will be medling with the matter of Usury yea many Preachers doe warrant it yea many professours make no bones of wantonnesse of lasciviousnesse and of dancing yea they teach their children to dance as Job saith Job 21.11 their sonnes and their daughters dance yea many professors go beyond the bounds of modesty and sobriety in the matter of meat and drink both in regard of excesse and curiosity wonderful excessive and exceeding curious none so curious as the professours yea many professors ordinarily and usually follow the fashions every idle fashion they have their foretops and locks and carelesse ruffes and their short wastes up to the arm-pits and broad brim'd hats with garters hanging to the ancles and their Roses and â—et these persons have the name and account of holy men and holy women Dost thou think that this plea will bear thee out either in the Court of Conscience when thy Conscience is grapling and conflicting with sin or when thou standest before the Judg of all the world no if so be thou so thinkest thou deceivest thy selfe for I tell thee such professors as thou speakest of may hang their profession upon the hedge as a rotten rag for any soundnesse there is in them although they bear the name of professours and would be thought to be some body and to give them their due they are tongue-Christians excellent in their words and can speak of the matters of God and of salvation to good purpose and yet follow every new fangled fashion and if thou follow them thou shalt but discover the vile unsoundnesse and rottennesse of thy own heart but a few of them are true repenting sinners and go labour thou to get into the number of those that are mortified Christians for those are the onely sound Christians Labour thou to be in the number of those that are sincere and keep themselves unspotted of the world and do even hate the garment spotted by the flesh if any thing savour of the flesh they dare not use it but away with it to the dunghill and what though they say thou art a mopish fool and a
and honour to his name his name must be honourable and pretious unto us and when we either think upon or have any occasion to make mention of the holy name of Jesus Christ we are to do it with honour and reverence and to give unto it due praise and due glory yea we are to mention it with fear and trembling And to illustrate this point hence it is that we find many excellent epithets given unto Christ importing the glory of his name 1 Cor. 2.8 the Apostle saith he is the Lord of life and glory and in 1 Tim. 6.15 The Apostle speaking of Christ saith thus he is blessed the Prince of princes King of kings Lord of lords blessed for ever and in Heb. 1.2 3. the Authour of the Epistle saith he is the heir of all things the Lord and Governour of heaven and earth the brightnesse of his glory the ingraven image of the Person of God yea he hath a more glorious name then the Angels These titles do point unto us the excellency of his name and do manifest unto us that indeed the name of Christ must be honourable unto us and we must look that we think and speak of it with reverence and honour And there is good Reason for it Reason 1 Because he is God and Man in one Person and as he is God his name is great and glorious honourable and fearful Psal 111.9 he hath commanded his Covenant for ever holy and fearful is his name as he is God and in respect of his Manhood surely he is more excellent then the very Angels and doth exceed all of them in wisdom holinesse goodnesse power Majestie and glory and as the humane Nature the Manhood of Christ is received with his Godhead it is to be adored and worshipped with Divine and religious worship not apart by it self but as it is considered as united to the second person it is to be adored with the same worship wherewith we adore God Heb. 1.6 even then let all the Angels worship him even when his Manhood is received into unity with his Godhead and therefore the name of the Lord Jesus ought to be honourable and pretious and we are to give him praise and glory due to his name Justly then are they to be taxed and reproved that do abuse and abase Vse 1 the name of the Lord Jesus you will say Is there any so vile and so debauched as to abase the name of the Lord Jesus Yes many do First of all the Papists when they repeat the name Jesus after the manner of exorcisme to drive away the devil and to put away some evil from them or to bring some good and thus do witches and wizzards when they use the name Jesus in their charms and inchantments and think there is vertue in it and are able to work a feat or wonder by the name Jesus they prophane the holy name of Jesus Yea is it not a common thing with many ignorant persons amongst our selves to abuse the name of the Lord Jesus what more common then with many to swear by the name of Jesus and of Christ and what more usual then for some upon every trifling occasion out of a foolish admiration or in merriment or laughter to say oh Jesus oh Christ Jesus God they abuse his name what is it but an abusing of the holy name of God a thing little thought upon yea some will say what shall we not have the name of God in our mouthes must we name the devil but let these know that they take the name of the Lord their God in vain and prophane it and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will not hold thee guiltlesse that so takest his name in vain and there is no other name to come to life and salvation but onely this Act. 4.10 and doest thou look for salvation by it thou deceivest thy self the Lord Jesus will not suffer that sin to escape his punishing hand we are not to name it upon every trifling occasion of laughing and merriment for know that the hand of the Lord will one day overtake them and therefore break off this sin before the revenging hand of the Lord light upon you for assuredly that hand will crush thee both body and soul to hell without timely and hearty repentance And in the second place learn we every one of us to acknowledge the Vse 2 greatnesse and the glory of the blessed Name of the Lord Jesus the best of us all howsoever ignorant persons are taxed herein come far short in acknowledging the honour due to this Name Learn we therefore to magnifie it and give him the glory and the praise and say blessed for ever assenting unto it Amen And to this purpose consider if so be the name of the Lord Jesus which is pretious and honourable in it self if it be not honourable and pretious to every one of us when we either think upon it or have occasion to make mention of it that we have not our mouthes opened in lauding and praising of it it is a sign that our hearts are not right within us our hearts are rotten and corrupt we are not affected with the greatnesse of the holy Name of God as we ought we have not a lively sense and feeling of the comfort to be found in Christ the name of Christ to us is not a pretious oyntment poured out Cant. 1.2 For without question every honest and good heart is ready upon the consideration of the comfort to be found in Christ to break out in magnifying and praising that holy Name so if our eyes be opened and we see the sweetnesse found in Christ Jesus to be the Fountain of all happinesse how can we but blesse him and praise him and give him the honour and glory due to his blessed Name all generations do call the Virgin Mary blessed because she found favour with God so far as to bear in her womb the Lord Jesus and those whose hearts are truly affected unto Christ cannot but praise and magnifie the Instruments of publishing the name of Christ the very feet of such are beautiful unto them Esay 52.7 How beautiful are the feet of them that bring the glad tydings of peace and of reconciliation between God and man Now then if we would be sure of it that our hearts are right within us and that indeed we are heavenly minded and that we are such that have Jesus Christ in a due admiration and have a lively sense and feeling of the comforts in Christ then let us whensoever we name Christ do it honourably and reverently and when we do speak of it either in publick or private take heed of abusing his name but speak of it honourably for if we do not love the name of the Lord Jesus let him be had in execration let him be accursed 1 Cor. 16.22 Therefore let us be stirred up to the practise of this duty to praise the name of the Lord Jesus saying Blessed praised magnified and
glorified be his name for ever in all ages and all times Amen VERSE 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel OUr Apostle having in the Verses foregoing in the five Verses precedent expressed the grief and sorrow of his heart for the Jews rejection who were his brethren according to the flesh yet not expressing their rejection but onely intimating of it and leaving it to be concluded and gathered in this sixth Verse he entreth upon the second part of the Chapter and herein he falleth upon a defence of Gods Promise proving it to be firm and stable though the Jewes be rejected and he defendeth the stability of it both against the Objections of the Iewes and against the humane reasonings of flesh and blood that might be brought to the contrary from the sixth verse to the 24. And first of all the Apostle cleareth the Lord from inconstancy from the sixth verse to the 14. Secondly he cleareth God from iniquity and injustice from the 14 verse to the 19. Thirdly he cleareth God from cruelty from the 19 verse to the 24. Now in this sixth Verse first of all the Apostle putteth down a prevention of an Objection that the Jewes might make in the first words of the Verse for this they might object Object and say If so be we that are the sons of Abraham be rejected and cast off as you Paul seem to intimate and imply in your complaining surely then the Word of God unto Abraham and unto his seed should be voyd and of none effect Answ therefore you are deceived we are not rejected Now this our Apostle preventeth and meeteth withal by denying their consequence and shewing that it maketh not the Word of God voyd and of none effect if the Jews coming of Abraham for the greatest part be rejected no saith the Apostle this is no good consequence though the Jewes for the body of them and generality be rejected to say that the promise of God is frustrate then to this denyal of their consequent he subjoyneth a reason of it why it is so that though the Jewes be rejected yet the Word of God is not void because many of the Israelites of the body of the Israelites and of the seed of Abraham they are not such to whom the Promise belongeth why so because they are not true Israelites they are not the Israel of God they are Israelites by the flesh by carnal generation they descended of the Loynes of Abraham but they are not Gods chosen and elected seed of Abraham and therefore the Word of God is stable notwithstanding and this the Apostle propoundeth in the latter end of the sixth verse for they are not all true Israelites that are of Israel and in the beginning of the seventh verse all they are not the children of God because they are the seed of Abraham and this the Apostle amplifieth to the 14. Verse But come we to the opening of the sixth verse Notwithstanding As if he had said Howsoever the Jews do cavil and object that if they be rejected Gods Word taketh no effect it cannot be it is simply and absolutely impossible though they mutter against it that the word of God By the Word of God here we are to understand not the legal Covenant the word of the Law the Apostle speaketh not here of them as they sought salvation by the works of the Law and the righteousnesse thereof legall they were so rejected in all times even before this kind of rejection did befall them they were rejected by the legal Covenant in all ages and the Apostle speaketh of that in the next Chapter But by the Word of God here we are to understand the word of promise Gen. 17.7 where God saith he would be Abrahams God and the God of his seed In which promise God doth promise a perpetual being with Abraham and his seed for ever and not only with temporal blessings but with blessings belonging unto life and salvation namely the spiritual seed of Abraham the children of Abraham after a spiritual sense meaning the chosen of God them he would be with to guide and direct his elect seed those that should believe in God as Abraham their Father did whether Jewes or Gentiles for we may see in the course and tenour of the Scripture that all that came of Abraham were not blessed with this heavenly blessing as Ishmael and Esau but the elect of God to those the Promise was made should take no effect Or should fall to the ground or fail of the end for which it is appointed for then when a promise is made and not performed it falleth to the ground it is unstable and of none effect it attaineth not the appointed end for all they are not Israelites that are of Israel By Israelites in the first place we are to understand the true Israelites Israelites indeed and not in name only Joh. 1.47 such as was Nathaniel behold a true Israelite one in whom there was no guile so that by Israel is meant the elect of God the true Israelites among the Jewes and by Israel in the second place we are to understand Jacob individually who was the Father of the Patriarks and was called Israel because of his prevailing with God those that came of his race and line according to the flesh and according to the course of Nature that is to be of Israel then thus conceive we the Apostles meaning Howsoever the Jews mutter and murmur and object against it and seem to be much discontented that they are rejected and that if they be rejected the Word of God unto Abraham faileth and cometh to no effect yet saith the Apostle it cannot be it is altogether impossible and can never so be that the Word of promise made unto Abraham and unto his seed wherein God did promise to blesse Abraham perpetually temporally spiritually and eternally that this word of promise made to the spiritual seed of Abraham to the elect should be frustrate and not performed it is impossible saith the Apostle For saith he I must tell you that the Promise was not made unto all Israel which came of Israel by natural generation they are not all true Israelites but to the elect of God true believers those that believe in God as Abraham did so that though they be rejected for the body of them yet the promise is effectual Come we now to the Doctrines And first of all in that the Apostle saith notwithstanding it cannot be that the Word of God should be of no effect it is altogether impossible that the Word of God should be void and of none effect Now then from hence the observation is this Doctrine That the Promises of God unto us they are most firm they cannot possibly be frustrate and unstable and of none effect it cannot be that any promise of God either concerning good things of this life or of the life to come should fall
that howsoever cruel tyrants do whatsoever God hath appointed to be done and as God in his secret counsel hath set it down yet in that regard they are not justifiable they are not free from blame in so doing But they are wicked damnable and sinfull they intend not the will of the Lord but they intend the wicked humour of their hearts and that expresly against the Law of the Lord therefore justifiable they are not Vse 1 Let not the wicked enemies and persecutours of the Church of God think that they are excusable and free from blame and sinne in their hard dealing and crueltie with the Church of God because they doe nothing but what God hath appointed for they mind no such matter they intend onely the doing of the will and lust of their own hearts and so they remain wicked and sinful God can make Judas the executioner of his own will and he did make him the actor of his Decree in betraying of Christ and yet Judas still remaineth the child of perdition and wicked enemies persecutours of the Church of God they are but rods in the hand of God as in Esay 10.15 And when the Lord hath whipped his children for a time then he throweth the rod in the fire of his wrath and everlasting vengeance Again doe wicked enemies of the Church of God no more then God Vse 2 hath appointed to be done Then the serious consideration of this may be a ground of sweet and excellent comfort to the members of the Church in particular and to the whole Church in general when they are vexed by injurious indignities of wicked Opposers when the Church and people of God are hardly dealt withall by the hands of wicked persecutours remember this to their comfort howsoever their enemies doe execute their crueltie to satisfie their own lusts yet herein they are but executors of the purpose and will of God they doe but act the purpose of God and what the Lord hath commanded they are but the rodde in the hand of the Lord to be dealt withall as God pleaseth and not to doe as they list for if it were so they would utterly root them out but when the wicked enemies of the Church of God doe their uttermost and wicked rage then they are but instruments used by the hand of the Lord for the executing of his will and appointment and when the Lord hath so done he will ease himself and his children of them and they cannot go beyond the will and the appointment of the Lord though they be raging mad in the executing of their crueltie when they come to the full point and period they must not nor cannot go any further he hath stirred them up by his will and eternal Counsel and he can keep them within the limmits and compasse of his own will and what he hath appointed them to doe that they shall doe and no more though they would burst in sunder in Esay 10.24.25 the Lord sweetly speaketh to this purpose having before given the Assyrians charge to destroy then in the 24. verse he saith Oh my People be not afraid of Ashur for all this for he shall but smite thee with the rod and lift up his staffe after the manner of Aegypt and for a very little small time but he shall be consumed in my anger and destroyed in my wrath howsoever they may scourge thee for a time yet in my anger shall he be destroyed Thus the wicked enemies of the Church of God doe thus execute their wrath upon the Church of God yet they can goe no further then God hath appointed and when they have done Gods Will then he will cast the rod into the fire 1 Pet. 4.17 the Apostle saith Though afflictions begin at the the House of God certainly it shall not rest nor abide there but from thence it shal be removed unto the enemies of the Church and then the Lord doth vouchsafe ease and comfort and delivery to his people then from the rage of enemies then doth God bring plagues and troubles and vexations upon the heads of the enemies of the Church Proverbs 11.8 The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked cometh even in the place they change places one with the other the righteous are taken out of the stocks and they are put in the prison with the wrath and vengeance of the Lord yet let us know to our comfort when the rage and violence of the enemie is come to the full height then is the ruine of the enemy near at hand and come to the full and deliverance near to the Church of God See it in the estate of the people of God in Aegypt when Pharaoh dealt with most crueltie against them and was in the greatest rage in Exodus 3 7 8. saith the Lord I have seen the trouble and oppression of my people and now I will help them So that if so be the Lord should suffer the bloudy minded Papists that are our mercilesse and cruel enemies if he should suffer them to over top us and to have a hand over us which God prevent but if that they should deale hardly with us then take notice of it to our comfort they neither can nor shall doe any thing but what God will have them to doe no not a haires breadth in the exercise of their crueltie for when their rage is most violent and they most mad then is their utter destruction near then Antichrist falleth finally and then is our deliverance near at hand And therefore let this be thought upon to our comfort it will be a means to strengthen us against all discouragement though they be fierce and cruel against us for when they are in their pride then destruction cometh to them and ease and delivery to us For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh For this cause have I stirred thee up that I might shew my power in thee NOw proceed we to farther matter of this speech to Pharaoh For this cause have I stirred thee up that I might shew my power in thee that is as I shewed you that I might make thee see and feel the force of my power in thy utter destruction and in thy utter ruine and overthrow in the bottome of the Sea The Lord still hardened the heart of Pharaoh that he might shew his power in the utter destruction and overthrow of him as we see in this Text so that from hence we may gather Doctrine That when God withholdeth his grace from men and hardneth their hearts then his purpose is to destroy them The purpose of the Lord is their destruction when he hardneth their hearts we may see it in Elies sonnes 1 Sam. 2.25 The Lord had a purpose to destroy them because they did not yield obedience to the voice of their Father therefore the Lord determined to destroy them by a violent death as we may reade in the 4. Chapter the 11. verse So when the Lord with-holdeth his grace from men that