nature and by carnal generation we are not to take it in a Metaphorical sense but in the very literal sense of it For to confirm the Exposition it is most evident and clear that the thing which made the Jews to stand upon and to think themselves that they were within the Covenant and had right and title to it which is made to Abraham the very cause they so thought what was it the seeking of righteousnesse by the Law no such matter that he beateth against in the next Chapter But because they were the Israelites because they were of Abraham in regard of carnal generation and were Abrahams seed according to the flesh this they vaunted and stood upon what may we think to be meant by Abrahams seed which the Apostle speaketh of in the verse foregoing and here doth explain that term but such as came of the seed of Abraham and that by nature not such as sought righteousnesse by the Law no his meaning is no such matter because the matter they stood upon as a priviledge and prerogative belonging unto them are not the children of God That is they are not such children as God bound himself unto by a special promise to do good unto in a special manner as he said unto Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed such as he had bound himself unto in a Covenant but the children of the promise For the understanding of this phrase and form of speech we must know that Isaac Abrahams son was a child of the promise what is that why surely such a child as the promise gave birth unto Abraham begot Isaac of his wife Sarah indeed according to the course of Nature but not by the force strength and vertue of nature he was born merely by a special promise made unto Abraham and by vertue and strength of that special promise cited by the Apostle made in Gen. 18.9 Sarah thy wife shall have a son and so though he was begotten by Abraham according to the course of Nature but not by the force of Nature For when this promise was made unto Abraham Sarah thy wife shall have a son Abraham and Sarah were old and both strucken in years and not of ability by nature to have a child so that in regard of the force of nature it was as impossible for Abraham to beget or Sarah to bear a Child as for a stone to flye upward so that he was begotten by vertue of the Promise for she was past childbearing and Abraham very old so that the force and strength of Nature in Abraham and Sarah was not the cause of Isaac's birth but by vertue of the promise so that we are to understand by children of the promise such as after the manner of Isaac are children of the promise Gal. 4.28 Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise That is all such as by vertue of the promise of grace of life and salvation are adopted and made the children of the Promise by the vertue and force of the promise the Gospel being a quickening Gospel it being published and they believing in it they come to be the children of the promise and born anew not by nature but by the Promise The meaning of the Apostle is this That is or my meaning is that not they that are descended from Abraham onely by the course of Nature and according to the flesh and by carnal generation they are not such children as God hath bound himself unto by promise in a special manner that is to do good unto by a special promise according to the speech unto Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed But all such that belong unto Gods election in time to be called to be the sons and daughters of God the promise being published unto them and are wrought upon by vertue of the Spirit and the Promise They onely and none but they are accounted and reputed for the true seed and children of Abraham to whom the promise of mercy grace righteousnesse and salvation belongeth Come we now to the Doctrines And here observe That the Apostle doth expound himself touching that which is put down in the verse foregoing and delivereth his mind more plainly then in the seventh verse the conclusion is this That the holy Prophets and the holy Apostles of God Doctrine the Pen-men of Scripture they do explain the things that are needful for the Church and people of God and make them more easie that are hard to be understood expressing them more plainly in one place then in another an usual thing in the Book of God for the Pen-men of Scripture to explain such things as is necessary for the people of God to expresse things that seem to be doubtful obscure and ambiguous more in one place then in another and not to leave it obscure and ambiguous For the further manifestation of it I might insist on divers places of Scripture but take these few in Gen. 17.10 we read that circumcision is called the Covenant and in the 11. verse he explaineth it and saith it is the sign of the Covenant so in Exod. 12.11 The Paschal Lamb is called the Lords Passeover that should be eaten in destroying the Egyptians then in the 27 verse it is said to be the sacrifice of the Lords passeover more plainly expounding it so in 1 Cor. 10.4 Christ is called a rock and by and by he subjoyneth unto it a spiritual rock so that phrase used by Christ which the Papists so much abuse as the ground of their transubstantiation and would prove it that the Body and Blood of Christ are really and corporally in the Sacrament under the form of Bread and Wine it is expounded by the Holy Ghost and by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death untill he come doth not this set out the meaning of that speech abused by the Papists Take eat this is my body For these are memorials and visible signs and representations of the Body and Blood of Christ I might further instance in divers passages of the Scripture to shew that this is usual in the Scripture to explain in one place what is difficult in another the Reason is Reason Because it is Gods purpose the very purpose of the Lord in his revealed Will to make his will known unto man by Scripture so much as he would have man to know necessary to salvation And in the Scripture to give man a perfect rule of holinesse of righteousnesse of faith and of good life of all things to be known or believed and to be practised and therefore he maketh known in one place what is difficult in another to make man wise unto salvation as in 2 Tim. 3.15 thou hast known the Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise unto salvation to make thee to come to the understanding of it at least
either flye in your face and blot or blemish you and say you will not swear but you will do worse I warrant you or else they will say I swear nothing but the truth and men will never believe me unlesse I swear Oh in the fear of God consider it that it is credit dearly bought that is got with the pawning of thy soul to the devill for so thou doest in rapping out thy rash oathes and though thou swear nothing but the truth yet every truth is not to be confirmed by an oath no it must be a truth of speciall weight and consequence the preservation of thy life or such like great and weighty cause and then it must be with a good conscience and therefore thy swearing in thy buying and selling as to swear by God it cost me so much thou sinnest against God fearfully and thou takest the name of God in vain and this thy ordinary swearing is a sign of a gracelesse wretch that thou hast no dram of grace in thy heart that thy tongue is set on fire of hell James 3.6 And know withal that as thy ordinary swearing hath the devil for the Father of it so without repentance hell shall be the end of it and of thee also thou shalt be plunged body and soul into hell In matters of great weight and consequence we may take an oath for the glory of God the salvation of a mans soul the reducing of men from Popery all other Oathes as to swear rashly that is a fearfull provoking of God against thy soul and remember that connexion of the Lord which he hath put to the Commandement that the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain And therefore in the name of God let us make conscience of swearing and flie from an Oath as from a Serpent For thy tongue is set on fire of the Devil if thou swearest ordinarily in thy common conference and those that use it labour to repent of that sin for it is a fearful impiety and a declaration that thou hast no grace in thy heart but art a very Miscreant and therefore in the fear of God let thy communication in thy usual speech be yea yea or nay nay for whatsoever is more Matth. 5.34 35. cometh of evil of the Devil I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In that the Apostle calleth Christ to witnesse and sweareth by his name it is a sufficient evidence and proof of the God-head of Christ And hence I might stand to prove the God-head of Christ that none can know the heart but God but we shall have more cause to speak of this in the last verse of the context Doctr. But from hence we may learn that such as are lawfully called to swear they must swear onely by the name of God when a necessary and a weighty truth is to be confirmed by an oath and that men and women are called to swear they knowing it to be a truth they must call God to witnesse that truth and must only swear by the holy Name of God so the Lord himself hath commanded Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt swear by the name of the Lord thy God and he repeateth the same again Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt swear by the name of the Lord thy God and in Esay 45.23 every tongue shall swear by me saith the Lord. Howsoever swearing there may be taken for the whole worship of God yet it may be applyed to this that every one that sweareth must swear by the holy Name of God And indeed an oath lawfully taken is a part of Gods worship as appeareth in the two places in Deuteronomy before alledged it is a part of Gods Worship thou shalt fear the Lord thy God thou shalt serve him and swear by his name yea swearing upon a lawful calling and lawfully in truth in righteousnesse and in Judgment it is a reverent use of the holy Name of God it is so far from dishonouring God that it is a reverent use and a glorifying of God For it is an acknowledgment of God to be the Searcher and Knower of the hearts of men and of their secret thoughts and that God is a witnesse even unto those that swear falsly and perjuriously and a revenger on those that forswear themselves and that he testifieth to the things that lye hid and dark in our secrets from men and therefore God must be called to witnesse the truth when any truth is witnessed by an oath As for the formes of speeches used in the Scripture viz. As thy soul liveth 2 King 2.4 and Verily Verily used by Christ in John 3.5 they be earnest asseverations and they do strongly and vehemently affirm truth and an oath or oathes taken and used as it ought to be in a right manner in truth in righteousnesse and in Judgment before a Magistrate or in private with reverence it is a worshipping of God Hereby we are to take notice Vse of a foul sin that many of us are guilty of and make light reckoning and account of For what is more usuall with many amongst us then to swear even in their ordinary speech by the Blood and Wounds of his blessed body namely by all the parts of the blessed body of Jesus Christ yea some by the bread the drink the light the fire the money the Crosse of the coyn and to swear by their faith and troth and they that so swear think they swear no great oathes and some swear superstitious oathes by St. Mary by S. Anne and by the abominable Idol the Masse and some that swear by mincing detracting oathes as by Masse by Making and by Laking gods so and good lack is not this common amongst us yea too too common in your mouthes Now by swearing thus what do you but sin fearfully that which ought to be highly honoured in the matter of an oath you dishonour God exceedingly yea take notice of it you abuse the things you swear by and put them into the place and room of God and give unto these things what is to be attributed unto God as infinite Justice infinite Knowledge infinite Power as if they were able and of power and knowledge to know the thing we call them to witnesse and as if so be they were able to punish if you swear falsly a fearful height of sin will the Lord suffer such a foul sin to escape his punishing hand Will the Lord suffer you to place your Faith and Troth in his room to thrust him out of his Throne and Seat of Majestie and shall not his hand of vengeance light upon you for so great a sin yes surely without repentance the hand of the Lord will light fearfully both upon body and soul Jer. 5.7 saith the Lord How shall I spare thee for this as if he had said I cannot spare thee for this for what thy children have forsaken me How they have sworn by things that
in many places at one and the same time properties which cannot agree with a true body for so they hold and teach it is a common Tenent of theirs that the body of Christ is really locally in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper under the form of Bread there is the outward form but under that bread there is the substance of Christ yea that the whole body of Christ is in every part and parcel of their consecrated hoast and yet not seen nor felt onely the accident of bread but the substance of Christ is there what is this but to overthrow the truth of Christ his body and to make the body of Christ to be no true body but rather a spirit and to make it infinite to be in many places at one time for why Christ Jesus took flesh upon him he took our Nature upon him the body of man even a true body and therefore his body cannot possibly have such properties as they fashion Oh but by your leave say they God can make it God is omnipotent and he can make it so what God can do we do not question but what God will do let them shew it in the Will of God revealed that God will do it or and if I should affirm it that God cannot make the body of Christ it still remaining a true and perfect body in many places at one and the same time if I should affirm it they cannot nor never were able to disprove it for this were to make the body of Christ to be no body to be circumscribed and not circumscribed which are contradictories and contradictories can never agree to the Nature of God to make a body to be a body and no body at the same time God cannot do it is contrary to the Nature of God to make contradictories agree together and therefore if I should affirm it they cannot disprove it Again seeing Christ Jesus took our humane Nature upon him the properties of a body and faculties of a soul herein appeareth the infinite love of God unto man whose nature he assumed and took in unity with his Godhead herein appeareth the advancement of mans Nature above all creatures in heaven and in earth yea above the Angels being received into unity of person with the Son of God the second Person in the Trinitie he did assume our Nature and the common infirmities of our nature From hence Gods children such as are true believers members of Christ may gather much comfort for why the Lord Jesus their Head and Saviour will be pitiful and compassionate unto them when they lye under any distresse of body or mind Christ hath as it were his bowels yearning towards them he knoweth the infirmities common to the nature of man and that by experience he hath felt the anguish and the pain that appertain to his members in his blessed body and soul and therefore he is touched with a fellow-feeling of them even a compassionate feeling of them we know a man that hath been under any pain or grief of body or mind will be exceeding pitiful to any that be under the like grief and marvellous compassionate unto them saying Oh I have felt it I know what belongeth unto it I pity him Thus the Lord Jesus having the experience of the common nature of man much more will be compassionate to his poor members in time of their Afflictions and to this purpose is that in Heb. 2.17 18. that in all things he became to be made like unto his brethren that he might be merciful and pitiful and might have a fellow-feeling of their miseries and in the 18. verse For in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour and will succour all that are tempted so also the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 4.15 For we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but in all things tempted and tryed like unto us yet without sin Doest thou then that art a believing member of Jesus Christ lye under any affliction or trouble of mind remember this to thy comfort that the Lord Jesus thy Head and Saviour having had experience of the common grief he is compassionate and will put under his hand and support thee in the time of trouble and affliction and give thee ease in his due time it may be thou being under some great Crosse men will pity thee do men pity thee assuredly the Lord Jesus doth much more pity thee that art a true believing member of his body therefore comfort thy self and do not think which may be some scruple in thy mind that Christs advancement into heaven maketh him forget his poor members here on earth no he is touched with a fellow feeling of their misery his advancement cannot make him forget thee no the holy Ghost preventeth this scruple in Hebrewes 4.14 15. We have such an high Priest that is gone into heaven alas may some say he is gone into heaven far away out of my sight and as they say out of sight out of mind he hath no pity nor compassion on me mark what the Holy Ghost saith he preventeth this though this High Priest be gone into heaven yet we have not such an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but what in all things tryed onely without sin though our high Priest be exalted to the highest glory in heaven yet this maketh him not forget his poor members his pity and compassion is nothing at all diminished though he be so great an high Priest and liveth in blisse and in glory yet comfort thy self he is still as compassionate as ever he was although the Lord doth suffer the wicked to ride over their back and to triumph yet he is the King of his Church and will rise in Judgment to execute Justice howsoever he may whip and scourge his children yet he will burn the rod and deliver his So that this may be a matter of excellent comfort to Gods children that Christ is true Man Who is God over all blessed for ever Amen THe Apostle now goeth further on in a description of Christ and having affirmed That Christ came of the Jewes concerning the flesh he presently addeth that he is God over all blessed for ever that is as I formerly shewed you Who is true God very God God by nature God by being God over all persons and over all things yea God eternal to be blessed praised and Magnified and worshipped and glorified of all things and in all ages for ever Amen Here then we have a plain and pregnant proof of the God-head of Christ Jesus which is also a fundamental truth and such a truth as we must believe upon pain of damnation and from hence it is evident that Christ is not onely true man coming and having original from the Jewes concerning the flesh but God also the Doctrine is this That the Son of God Christ Jesus is true God very God Doctrine he is
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
reason upon this ground If so be I be appointed of God to life and salvation I shall surely be saved howsoever I live though I live most wickedly and be a a Drunkard a filthy person and a Usurer be I what I will be my sins cannot damn me Gods decree is certain and unchangeable Oh this kind of reasoning is all one in effect as if a man should speak thus why God hath given unto us his holy Word as the rule of holiness and yet hath therein opened unto us a gap for all manner of wickednesse and prophanenesse and lewdnesse which indeed is horrible blasphemy against the infinite wisdom of God we must know as God hath appointed some to life and glory in heaven so hath he appointed the means by which he will bring them to the possession of it what is that the way of Faith the way of holinesse without which no man shall see God to his comfort Heb. 12.14 what a foolish thing is it for men then thus to reason If I be appointed to life and salvation I shall be saved howsoever I live men will not so reason in the matters of the body will a man having received a grievous and sore wound in some part of his body say why if God hath appointed this wound shall be cured and healed it shall be healed though I never apply means salve or medicine to it And if God hath appointed me to live to such a time I shall live so long though I never eat nor drink nor use any thing for the preservation of this life were not this a madnesse and a folly So what madnesse and folly is it for men to reason thus in respect of their soules I am sure a child of God dare not so reason the seed of grace that is in the heart of a child of God will not suffer him and if thou so reason surely it is a fearful sign that God never appointed thee to life and salvation nay it is more then a probable sign though I will not determine of thy final estate that thou art a reprobate and in the estate of reprobation this is the devils logick and his manner of reasoning and used indeed by none but such as are irreligious and prophane Is it so that God hath from everlasting fore-appointed and fore-ordained Vse 2 some amongst men to the inheritance of heaven certainly and infallibly so as that they shall certainly come to the possession of it here is a ground of sweet and excellent comfort to as many as find themselves to be in that number they may assure themselves of it that they shall be eternally saved for God himself is sure with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing Jam. 1.17 and this ought to stirre us up to labour to find our selves to be in that number in the number of Gods chosen and to give all diligence to make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 not sure in it self for so it is already but sure unto us in our assured knowledg of it that we know it certainly and infallibly that we appertain to God to give all diligence to this this is a matter of weight if we come near to that assurance that we are in the number of Gods chosen happy are we then though tryals and troubles and persecutions come as we may justly expect for great troubles and persecutions are ready to break in upon us they are at the door in evil and dangerous times we live and we may justly look that the fiery tryal should come upon us in regard of our sins to be bound at the stake now if we be out of the gun-shot in the state of grace and in the number of those that appertain to life and salvation what need we fear it no though our implacable enemies the blood-sucking Papists though they should prevail so far which the Lord avert and turn away from us yet if they should prevail to take away our lives by fire and faggot and most cruel torments we need not fear if we be in the number of Gods chosen then our everlasting good the good of our soules and bodies cometh to us they cannot hurt us our everlasting good of soul and body standeth upon a sure ground Gods foundation not mans foundation which is tottering and wavering and rotten so saith the Apostle the foundation of the Lord remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 and all the devils and powers in hell cannot shake that foundation Quest I but some will say How shall I know and be assured of it that I am built upon this foundation hoc opus hic labor and that my estate is settled hereon and that I am in the number of Gods chosen Answ I answer there be many infallible notes of it onely take this one special note of it Gods eternal election of some to life and glory in heaven doth imprint the very image and stamp of it self in the souls of those that be elected the print and impression of it remaineth there and what is that why surely it worketh in them another Election God hath chosen them for his and it maketh them to choose God in Christ for their God and to choose the Saints of God the houshold of God above all others in the world to be their Companions and to delight in their Communion and society and fellowship Psal 16.2 above all other men in the world these be their darlings try then if thou find this effect in thy heart and soul that thou doest choose God to be thy God the Lord is thy lot and portion and the delight of thy soul Psal 16.5 and thou doest resolve to cleave fast unto God and to keep fast unto the truth and profession of it though all the world divert from it and follow Popery and Antichristianisme Josh 24.17 and to resolve even with good Joshua I and my house will serve the Lord Let all the world run after Baal after the Pope and after whom they will thou art resolved rather to shed thy dearest blood then to shrink from the sound profession of the Gospel yea God assisting thee in the very flames of fire thou wilt imbrace the profession of God and God for thy portion happy art thou then thou mayst certainly conclude thou art in the number of Gods chosen and though they rend and tear thy body in a thousand pieces they cannot pull thee from thy inheritance that is firm and stable therefore comfort thy self upon this evidence Not by works but by him that calleth THese words shew unto us that the purpose of God touching Election and Reprobation might not nor did not depend upon the works of Jacob and Esau but upon the free grace of God calling his elect in time effectually Here then we see the Apostle maketh an opposition and a contrariety and a flat Antithesis between these two things grace and works hence the observation is this That not the works of man
time after time yet still they will continue in them and be reprobate to every good work and go on in their sinful lives the Lord will not lose his glory by those persons no not by the vilest wretch and miscreant that lives upon the face of the earth though they live in open blasphemy against his holy name think upon it then thou that art a drunkard a swearer a proud person a Sabbath-breaker an Usurer one that goest on in thy vile courses and debauched sins the Lord will have glory in thee thou that so goest on yea in thy destruction Consider this you that still go on in your pride and vain glory assure thy self if thou so going on do live and die in thy sins as commonly such persons do thou shalt assuredly be damned as God will be glorified and it is as impossible for thee to escape damnation as for God to lose his glory which is impossible and well were it for thee if so be the Lord would vouchsafe so much grace and mercy unto thee as to make thee now to tremble and to make thy heart to ake within thee and to humble thy soul for thine evil courses Vse 2 Is this so That God will have glory in the utter confusion and overthrow of wicked sinners and that God will not lose his glory this therefore ought to teach us to prize Gods glory as dear unto us before the best good thing we enjoy yea even before our own best good and everlasting salvation and happinesse a very hard lesson this is to learn but this we must labour to come and to attain unto even to prefer the glory of God before our own salvation and to set the glory of God before us as the main chief and principal good to be aymed at in all our thoughts words and actions And when we are about to think speak or do Consider will this be to the good of my body and soul and also bring glory to the name of my God Oh then let me so think speak and do and then we may with comfort so think speak and do And if I find it will not tend to the glory of my God though it tend to the salvation of my soul I dare not do it and hereby we shall have good evidence that we love God and are truly beloved of God for if we honour God God will honour us in the 1 Sam. 2.30 they that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Yea the Lord will not onely honour us here but give us salvation he will give us honour and glory in the hearts of those that hate us and force the wicked that do hate and condemn us with their mouthes when they smite us with their tongues to honour us in their hearts and we shall not onely be honoured of him here but when we cease to be Prov. 10.7 the memorial of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot when the body of the righteous is raked up in the dust then shall his name be sweet and he eternally blessed Oh then the consideration of this should stirre us up to glorifie the name of the Lord and to prefer it before our own good yea the salvation of body and soul for this is our Duty the Lord will have his glory and therefore give it him willingly in this life VERSE 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy And whom he will he hardeneth NOw come we to the 18. Verse Therefore saith the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth This Verse beloved is a conclusion of the whole matter handled by the Apostle in the three verses foregoing In the 15 16 and 17. Verses our Apostle having made it clear that God hath absolute power and free liberty of shewing mercy to some by the speech of God unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And having made it manifest that God hath the like absolute power and free liberty in passing by some others and rejecting them to the glory of his own name and proving that by the example of Pharaoh whom God hardened as a manifest sign of his reprobation the Apostle having thus proved both these parts upon this premises the Apostle in this verse bringeth in this Conclusion that God hath free liberty and absolute power to shew mercy on whom he will and to harden whom he will and this is the relation of this verse to the foregoing matter Now in this verse observe we a double act of God the one is Gods shewing of mercy unto some and the other Gods hardening of some others and then from whence this double act of God proceedeth namely from the mere good will and pleasure of God so that the double act of mercy and hardening proceedeth from one ground Gods good will Now a little to lay open the meaning of the words Touching the phrase and form of speech that God hath mercy we had the same phrase in the 15. verse where I shewed you what we are to understand by mercy namely not the properties of mercy which is essentially in God but the Act the exercise and work of Gods mercy God hath mercy upon some the act the exercise and the works of God is extended and reached out unto some particular persons unto them to whomsoever he will and on whomsoever he pleaseth merely out of his own free will and absolute good pleasure and whom he will he hardeneth that is whomsoever pleaseth him out of the same free and absolute will he hardeneth and the word harden here is put in opposition to Gods shewing of mercy before spoken of for these two are opposed God hath mercy and he hardeneth so then the meaning of it is whereas before is meant the shewing and extending of Gods mercy to some so here by hardening is meant that God doth harden and withhold his mercy from some and in his just Judgment doth leave them to themselves and to their natural hardnesse for hardening must be understood as a Judiciary act and act of Gods Justice whereby God doth inflict Judgment upon men as a manifestation of their reprobation and rejection called a Judiciary act So then briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if he had said Therefore God doth extend and reach out the act the exercise and the work of his mercy and of his grace unto whomsoever it pleaseth him even meerly out of his own free and absolute will and out of his own good pleasure and also out of the same meer free will and absolute good pleasure the same God doth deny his saving mercy and withhold his grace and mercy from some and leave them in his just judgement in their natural hardnesse as a manifest sign of their reprobation so thus God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardenneth Come we now to matter of Observation and Doctrine And
in particular Ministers in preaching of the Word must bring similitudes of things known to their hearers not of strange uncouth and far fetcht it may be of such things as never were in the world or at the least never knowâ— to their hearers and first of all in regard of the comparison which is brought from a thing that is easie and ordinarie obvious things the potter and the pots before a mans eyes ordinarily And this we shall find hath been usual with the holy Messengers and Ministers of God in preaching and publishing the word they have brought examples and similitudes not rare and far fetched but things that are known to the people Thus did the Lord Jesus in Matth. 13. He compared the Kingdome of Heaven to many obvious things well knowne To seed sown in the ground to a grain of Mustardseed to a Leaven hid in three pecks of meal which every common huswife knowes And this therefore may bee reprofe to such Preachers that doe in preaching to a common populous Auditorie they fetch comparisons from things beyond the Moon from Celestial bodies and orbes Centrivals and Concentrivals I know not what and also from things beyond sea from Histories out of Plinie beasts aad creatures that vulgar people know not Vse and so they make the poore people who understand them not to gaze and and wonder at them and in stead of explaining they make things more hard and difficult Again We see man is compared to an earthen vessel and a pot of clay here we are put in mind of our framing and making and what we are in respect of our matter and substance and hence the observation is this That man is as an earthen vessel as a pot of clay Doctrine the best and the strongest man in the world in respect of his body is but a vessel of earth a compound of clay made of the dust of the earth this speaketh the Holy Ghost in Gen. 2.7 Man was made of the dust of the ground and in Gen. 3.19 The Lord saith unto man after his fall Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Thou art immortal in respect of thy first making but now thou art but dust Gen. 18.27 Abraham acknowledgeth himself to be but dust and ashes A man of excellent parts and endowments And in the 2 Cor. 5.1 The Apostle calleth our bodies Earthly houses tents and tabernacles made of earth and clay The Scripture is plain and plentiful in expressing this to be a Truth that man yea the strongest man is but an earthen vessel and a compound of clay and we may see this to be a truth in common experience the soul being removed from the body by death the body falleth flat upon the ground it rots putrifies and is soon dissolved to the Elements and materials of which it was made and lieth like a stinking carrion if not buried and turns to the earth of which it was Eccle. 12.7 Dust returneth to the earth as it was For the Application the consideration of this truth that our bodies are Vse 1 but clay serveth as a notable means to work in us humilitie and to frame in every one of us an humble conceit of our selves why should dust and clay be proud and lifted up in conceit of its own worthinesse in decking and garnishing the body What art thou A lump of earth a clod of clay and if this were truely considered it would abate the pride of these proud Peacocks that spend almost a whole day in tricking and trimming themselves nay in setting of a band they would then say what do I in tricking and trimming up a pot of clay an earthen vessel But grant this to be true that thou excellest others in beautie and in comely proportion yet remember thy making thy mettal whereof thou art made of the same earth with others and for all thy beautie and comely proportion a little cold a little sicknesse a fit of an ague or feaver will shake thee and make the shrink and goe shaking and quaking and as David saith Psalme 39.11 When God rebuketh and chasticeth man for his sinne his beautie consumeth and turneth to nothing the red cheeks beauty and comely propotion at one blast of sicknesse commeth to nothing And consider we are but potsheards and a potsheard is but a potsheard overlaid with silver clay is but clay gilded with gold and if thou hast these endowments of thy body above others it commeth not from thy bodie which is but clay but it is put upon thy body by the good hand of thy God and therefore be not proud of it but learn we to be humble and to walke humbly before the Lord of Heaven and Earth we are but earthen vessels before the Lord he may even quash us and beat us in pieces yea as the Psalmist saith in Psalme 2.9 The Lord hath a rod of Iron and we know the stroake of an Iron rod upon an earthen pot shattereth it all to pieces The Lord hath an Iron rod to smite the men of the world that goe on in their sinnes of riot and excesse especially now at this time of the yeare If they did but consider that the Lord hath an Iron rod and can breake them in pieces in the very middest of their mirth we see it sometimes in many merrie meetings the body is thrown on the ground and the breath taken from it for can the earthen pot indure the stroke of the Iron rod no it dasheth it all to pieces not so much as a sheard left to take fire out of the earth and can many a poore silly earthen vessel endure the stroke of the Iron rod of God therefore learne we to walke humbly before the sight of the great and glorious God remember thy making whereof thou art made Vse 2 This being so that man is an earthen vessel and a pot of Clay upon this ground all Gods Children are to know to their comfort that the Lord doth tender them as earthen vessels as weak frail and brittle vessels according to their weaknesse and tendernesse and according to their infirmities As we know the Potter he knoweth that his pot of earth cannot endure a hard knocke and stroake and therefore he handleth them very nicely and gently and according to the tendernesse of it so dealeth the gracious God of Heaven and Earth with his own Children he knowes whereof they are made he knowes they are but dust Psalme 103.13 14. He is a pittifull Father and hath compassion of his Children because he knoweth whereof they are made and that they are but dust and ashes as the Prophet Esay saith Esay 27.16 of the Lord I will not be alwayes angry with my People for then the Spirit would fail before me I will not alwayes strive and contend with them lest they should be destroyed so that this may be a comfort to Gods Children that the Lord esteemeth of them as they are dust and ashes and so pittieth them Hath not the
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
tumbleth down into them Hence it is that the Lord Jesus in Acts 9.15 speaking of Saul afterwards called Paul saith unto Ananias that his purpose was to send him unto the Gentiles and he calleth him a chosen vessel a vessel fit to receive grace and to bear the Name of Christ to all Nations And of the reprobate Heathen the Apostle saith in Romans 1.29 God gave them up to a reprobate sence to receive the fulnesse of all uncleannesse when the Lord did poure out the tokens of his wrath they were full of all uncleannesse And also the Apostle speaketh of the reprobate Jewes in 1 Thess 2.15 16. That they killed the Lord Jesus and their owne Prophets persecuted us and they are contrarie to all men and they forbid us to preach to the Gentiles and they fill up the measure of their sins because the wrath of God is come upon them unto the uttermost Vse Vessels of mercie how known This being so that Gods Elect are Vessels fit to receive mercy and the reprobate vessels to reeeive all manner of filthinesse and uncleannesse then learn we to trie our selves whether we be the vessels of mercie or no I conceive well of you and every one conceiveth well of himself then trie whether we be in the number of Gods vessels of mercie or no looke to thy own heart and soul If thou finde the Heavenly liquour the Heavenly moysture of Faith Repentance Love to God love to his Children a care to please God a desire to feare God Humilitie Patience and all other adorning Graces here then is comfort but if thou find thou art an ignorant person ignorant of the wayes of God hard hearted thou art full of Pride Hypocrisie self love a desire of earthly things thou art a vessel of wrath and fitted to destruction and if thou goe on and remain unreclaimed though I will not determine of thy final estate if thou so live and die thou art appointed unto everlasting destruction trie then thy selfe which of these thou art deal truely with thy selfe and by that which floweth from thee thou maiest know it as a bottle of sweet water sendeth forth a sweet savour so if thou have this heavenly moisture of grace and of sanctification in thee it sendeth forth holy and gracious words thou canst speak comfort to those that are sick it sendeth forth sweet Actions of love to God mercie and justice to men thou art readie to every good work Now then to conclude If we have these sweet graces in our hearts it shall spring up to everlasting life as in John 4.14 It will ever be ejaculating and casting up and springing unto life and as a stream of water will rise as high as the fountains so will grace now the head of this fountain where is it in Heaven thither will thy grace climbe and thou shalt certainly bee saved but if otherwise woe bee unto thee thou art in a miserable estate What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction COme we now to the proposition What if God willing to suffer the wicked for a long time to escape his punishing hand and thus forbearing towards men what if the Lord be thus patient when he might strike them suddenly down and send them unto Hell Now then this propoposition laid down thus before us by way of interrogation What if the Lord would thus spare them doth note unto us this position or conclusion viz. That God is very patient toward sinners yea even towards the Reprobates Doct. 2 God is not onely patient in forbearing as we have it in 1 Pet. 3.9 But he also beareth with wicked and ungodly persons though they goe on adding sinne unto sinne provoking him to wrath and to their destruction daily when he might suddenly send them to the pit of Hell And for proofe of this we have not onely evidence here but in Psalme 50. The Psalmist bringeth in God speaking to the wicked and ungodly and expressing their wicked and lewd behaviour from the 16. verse to the 21. verse in this manner that they hate to be reformed cast the Word of God behind them run with the adulterer and the theefe sit with the slanderer and joyn hands with all manner of wicked persons and no sinne came amisse unto them And then he subjoyneth these things hast thou done and I held my peace forbearing to punish thee and was patient towards thee while thou rannest on in all manner of sinnes thus patient and thus forbearing was the Lord toward Cain that wicked reprobate who as the Text saith in 1 John 3.1 Was of that evil one the Devil that slew his brother yet he having done this vile act and villanie in shedding of innocent bloud the Lord was patient with him and suffered him still to live the Lord suffered him to grow rich and wealthie to beget children and to be the father of a great Nation thus patient was the Lord with him and thus patient was the Lord with Saul to Judas to Herod though they were branded and marked for Reprobates the Lord suffered them to live a long time and as we have it in Acts 14.16 saith the Lord he suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes and that for many thousand yeares together and yet the Lord was patient with them in their grosse idolatrie and did suffer them many thousand yeares to continue in their sinnes and in Acts 13.18 Paul saith that the Lord suffered the evil manners of the people of Israel fourtie yeares in the Wildernesse together And beloved the Lord doth not onely forbear to punish wicked and ungodly persons and reprobates whilest they are sinning against him and provoking him but so abundant in mercie and goodnesse is the Lord that he suffereth them to enjoy many outward good things as we see in Esau the Lord permitted him to enjoy many outward good things yea he was the father of many sonnes of many Dukes many great and mightie men in the world yea wicked Ahab who sold himselfe to work wickednesse in the fight of the Lord 1 Kings 21. Of whom the Text saith in 1 Kings 16.30 He did worse then all that were before him and in the 33. verse it is said he provoked the Lord God of Israel more to anger then all the Kings of the people that had been before him he sold himself to work wickednesse yet the Lord suffered him to enjoy a flourishing Kingdome for a long time in the 29. verse He was the King of Israel two and twentie yeares together yea come but to our own experience and we may see it many wicked vile abominable sinners are advanced to high dignitie and worldly promotion and the Lord powred upon them an overflowing cup of worldly glorie and they have good successe in everie thing they put their hands unto and they enjoy an overflowing cup though they be gracelesse and wicked persons
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
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
under a despised and afflicted estate and therefore they esteem basely of them but they lift up their conceit in regard of men that are great and mightie in the world they have cappe and knee and all outward pomp given unto them Alas they are blinde and cannot see and discern their miserable estate for all the honour that great and mightie men have it is nothing in comparison of a Childe of God No though their excellencie did mount up to Heaven and touch the skie with their heads and make their nests among the Stars yet being not in the estate of grace they are in a base condition and shall be tumbled down and trodden down as the dung under their feet therefore they are deceived that magnifie them and honour them so much Haste thou then good evidence that thou art a Childe of God and in Vse 2 the estate of grace surely then know this to thy comfort thou art in a most excellent and honourable estate though thou be in a mean estate far better then those that lift up themselves and cheer up thy self thou art precious in the sight of God Esay 43.4 Because thou art precious and honourable in my sight yea thou art honourable in the sight of all the holy Angels of God yea of the Saints of God And howsoever the world doe seek to blemish thee and to cast dirt in thy face and say thou art a Schismaticke a Puritan an Hypocrite yet they cannot possibly disgrace thee for the honour that is put upon thy head is put by the hand of God and it will make thee honourable and glorious in the sight of men and Angels Alas the honour of the world conferred upon men it hath many interruptions and breakings off and if it continue as long as they live yet then it leaveth them and they leave a rotten and stinking name behind them but the honour conferred upon thee is holy and heavenly Honour and continueth after death Yea consider that thou being a Childe of God thou art the Childe of him that liveth for ever thy Father never dies and assuredly thy Father never dying there is no end of his dayes and glory so he will make thee glorious also and crown thee with Eternal happinesse and therefore thou art an honourable person VERSE 27 28 29. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel Though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand of the sea a remnant shal be saved For he will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnesse because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth And as Esaias said before Except the Lord of Sabbath had left us a seed we had been as Sodoma and been made like unto Gomorrah IN these three verses our Apostle affirmeth and further amplifieth the vocation and calling of the Gentiles by an Antithesis namely by the rejection and casting off of the Jewes for the body of them and the greatest part and number of them the Lord only calling a few and a remnant and a seed of them And this our Apostle confirmeth by two Testimonies from the Prophet Esay The first as you may reade in Esay 10.21 22. verse which is here laid down in the 27. and 28. verses The second Testimonie is in Esay 1.8 and here put down in the 29. verse Now in these two Testimonies tending both to one and the same purpose there are in general two things considerable First of all the thing witnessed and secondly the amplification of the thing witnessed The thing witnessed is that a very smal number of the people of the Jewes in comparison of the multitude shal be saved expressed under the term remnant in the 27. verse and seed in the 29. verse and the amplification of the thing witessed is in 5 particulars First of all the person witnessing the Prophet Esay Secondly the manner of his giving Testimonie that is with crying Thirdly the confession of a grant made by the Prophet and here cited by the Apostle That though the number of the Children of Israel were exceeding great set out by a comparison of the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved Fourthly the Reason and ground of this why but a remnant shal be saved and that is Gods purpose and Gods will which is amplyfied by the execution of it in righteousness in the 28. verse Fifthly a magnifying of Gods mercy in saving a few and a small number of the people of the Iewes which is set out by a comparison taken from Sodom and Gomorrah and also by a Title given unto God who is called the Lord of Hosts Thus we see the general matter of the Holy Ghost in these three verses Now come we to handle them particularly and first of the 27. and 28. verses for these verses are very difficult and hard to be understood As Esaias also crieth Crying doth import a loud a plain a bold and an earnest speaking not an ordinarie speech but a speaking with an extension and lifting up of the voyce and he crieth concerning the people of Israel what doth he crie That though the people of Israel were as the sand on the sea That is though they were a numberlesse multitude even as sands upon the Sea shore Yet but a remnant shal be saved The word remnant is taken from tradesmen Metaphorically who use to cut out a whole piece of cloth into parcels until a little be left and that they call a remnant or remainder so a remnant a very smal number of the Jewes shall be saved Shalbe saved Now the Prophet he saith not a remnant shal be saved but shall return in Esay 10.22 meaning historically they shal return from the Captivitie of Babylon yet we must know that the Prophet under the title of return doth intend a further matter namely a spiritual returning a returning to God as he saith in the 21. vers of that Chapter The remnant of Iacob to the mightie God shal return that is they shal repent of their sinnes and be saved so the Apostle and the Prophet do wel agree For he will make his account draw near and bring it to a short summe in righteousness Not to trouble you with varietie of Expositions with which this verse is exceedingly vexed and doth much pusle Interpreters but the words of the Prophet Esayias are these The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness and here the Apostle saith for he will make his account and draw it to a short summe in righteousnesse And for the understanding of this we must know that the thing intended and signified both by the Prophet and Apostle is this as we may easily gather from the context That God hath purposed and ordained to bring the sinneful and unthankful people of the Jewes to a small number and a short summe and that justly for their unthankfulnesse and sinnes which the Prophet expresseth in these termes The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousnesse because the Prophet knowing that
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