point which may bee built upon the immutabilitie of God 2. Vpon Christs keeping of the elect 3. Vpon Christs testimony Ioh. 10. 4. Vpon the sealing of Gods covenant Vnto these I may adde the authoritie of Augustine a Si quispiam eleclorum pereat tum fallitur Deus sed nemo corum perit quia non fallitur Deus Aug. de corrept gratia cap. 7. If any of the elect should perish then God is deceived but none of them perisheth because God is not deceived b Herum si quispiam peroat vitto bumano vincitur Deus sed nemo eorum perit quia xulla re viâ—citur Deus If any of these should perish God is then overcome by humane vice but none of them perisheth because God is overcome by nothing And against the Romanist I oppose their owne Espencaeus on 2 Tim. pag. 51. citing that of Augustine of catechizing the simple chap. 11. out of that Ierusalem there was not any that perished And Lombard Non potest utrumque esse c. Distâ—â—ct lib. 1. dist 40. Both these cannot bee true that any should be predestinate and not saved And Aquinas Part. 1. quaest 23. Art 3. One predestinate may die in respect of himselfe in a mortall sinne yet not in supposition or in a compounded sense And againe Quaest 24. Art 3. They that are written in the booke of life can never be blotted out The Vse is Vse To stay the trembling and fearefull hearts of many of Gods people in the day of temptation for though they fall yet shall they rise againe The most just man falleth seven times and riseth againe Prov. 24.16 The dearest of Gods servants may sinne as Peter did and as David and yet be pardoned and received to mercie againe Yet observe a difference betweene to sinne and to make or commit a sinne They sinne that deflect never so little from the strictnesse of the Law whether it be of ignorance infirmitie or malice they doe doe and commit sinne who sinne purposely although they have not performed the worke As Christ said to Iudas knowing what was in his heart what thou doest doe quickly So that to dâ—e a sinne is in ones minde to purpose or devise a sinne and of this is the Apostle to be understood 1 Ioh. 3.8 9. Everie one that doth sinne is of the Devill and hee that is borne of God sinneth not So the conclusion stands good that though the elect may sinne yet they cannot finally be cast off You may bee tolerably well armed against Popish objections if you remember that there is a two-fold election 1. To the undergoing of a certaine office as of Saul to a Kingdome of Iudas to an Apostleship Ioh. 6.70 Have not I chosen you and one of you is a Devill 2. To eternall life as Luk. 10.20 Your names are written in heaven In this Gods people are to rejoyce Secondly that many seeme to have faith which indeed have not and therefore make shipwracke of a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 Of such Ezechiel If the righteous man fall away from his righteousnesse Chap. 18.24 which places are alleaged by Bellarmine De justifi lib. 3. cap. 12. to prove the falling from grace And thus S. Luke himselfe speakes Luke 8.18 From him that hath not that which it seemeth he hath Perdiderunt fidem quà m viderentur potiùs babuisse quà m habu sse shall bee taken away They lost their faith which they seemed rather to have than to have indeed saith Espencaeus on 1 Tim. 1.19 Thirdly that hypocrites and unbeleevers may for a while bee counted amongst the branches of Christs owne planting though they be not such Everie plant which my Father hath not planted c. Matth. 15.13 They are branches secundùm praesentem justitiam according to the present righteousnesse non secundùm praescientiam not according to fore-knowledge as Ambrose distinguisheth of them Fourthly Faith in Scriptures is sometimes used for the sound doctrine of godlinesse In the latter times some shall depart from the faith 1 Tim. 4.1 Sometimes for the gift of miracles If I had faith c. 1 Cor. 13.10 Fifthly the faith of the best of the elect may decay and be shaken be like fire under the ashes like the soule in the time of a swounding like the Moone under a cloud a Sed electorum fides aut non deficit aut si deficiat reparatur antequam vâ—ta finiatur De Corrept gratia cap. 7. But the faith of the elect either faileth not or if it faileth it is repaired before life be endèd saith Augustine I end all with that of Lombard b Sinihil à charitate Dei nos separet quid non solùm melius sed certius hoe bono esse potest Lib. 1. diâ—â— 17. Analysis If nothing can separate from the love of God what can bee not onely better but more certaine than this good So I come to the third Argument Know yee not what the Scripture saith of Elias c. This Argument stands upon a comparison of Israel in the dayes of Elias with the present estate of the Iewes in Pauls time The estate of the Iewes in Elias his time is expressed in 1 Kin. 19.14 Elias complaineth Lord they have digged downe thine altars c. To which the Lord answereth vers 18. Yet have I left me seven thousand in Israel c. The state of the Iewes in Pauls time is Rom. 11.5 Even so at this time is there a remnant In the Argument I observe 1. Whither Paul goes for resolution to wit the Scripture 2. The resolution which containes 1. Elias his complaint vers 2 and 3. 2. Gods answer But what saith the answer of God vers 4. 3. The application that Paul makes of it to his present use Even so at this time vers 5. I begin with the first whither Paul goes for resolution that is the Scripture The Scripture is able to make us wise unto salvation Doct. through faith that is in Christ Iesus and is profitable c. 2 Tim. 3.15 That the man of God may be absolue and perfect Or as Salomon speakes Prov. 2.9 The word will make us understand righteousnesse and judgement and everie good path we must repaire to the Law and testimony Isa 8.20 and above that which is written we may not presume 1 Cor. 4.6 When one asked Christ what hee might doe to be saved hee referres him onely to the Scriptures How readest thou and What is written Luc. 10.26 So Abraham answered the rich Glutton They have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Luk. 16.29 So the conclusion stands good That for resolution of doubts in things to be beleeved we have recourse onely to the word of God The Scripture alone is a sufficient Iudge of controversies unto this for satisfaction marke yee what Basil saith to Eustatius a Physitian Epist 80. Let the holy Scriptures be arbitrators betweene us and whosoever hold opinion consonant to
wrath as they come from Adam yet holy as they descend from faithfull Abraham And this holinesse which is derived from the fathers to the children is nothing but an inward and inherent benediction of the covenant made betweene God and the fathers God hath bound himselfe to the fathers to be the God of them and their children and therefore children are holy and blessed because of that covenant For the further explication of this hard and difficult point it will not be amisse to answer a few objections 1. If the Iewes be holy branches Quest. 1 because descended of an holy root and therefore wee must not doubt of their restitution how is it that the Prophet Isay 65.2 saith in the name of God All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to a stubborne people and that the Lord covered them with a spirit of slumber Isay 29.10 Whereto I answer Answ that the Iewes are a rebellious people 1. Not universally but a part of them for I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham saith Paul vers 1. 2. Not perpetually for it is but till the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in vers 25. So that there is no contradiction betwixt these two propositions Israel is for a time and in part rebellious and Israel is in part and in the fulnesse of time to be called againe 2. Quest. 2 How can the children of holy parents bee holy whereas both Scripture and experience teach that the holinesse of parents is not traduced to their sons See Ezek. 18. If a man be just vers 5. hath walked in all the judgements of God vers 9. yet if he beget a son that is a theefe or shedder of bloud that sonne shall die the death vers 13. The holinesse of his father can doe him no good Besides this Christ himselfe cals the Iewes sometimes a generation of vipers sometimes the sonnes of the Devill Ioh. 8.44 Sometimes bad parents have good and sometimes good parents have bad children wicked Ahaz hath good Ezekias good Ezekias hath wicked Manasses wicked Manasses hath good Iosias and good Iosias hath wicked Sallum and Iehojakim Whereto the answer must be Answ that here is not meant a personall and habituall holinesse but an hereditarie holinesse of the whole Nation the former is not traduced from parents to the children the other is personall holinesse is a qualitie infused by regeneration confirmed encreased by the exercise of holy actions whereby a man is made conformable to the Law of God and begins to please God as the holinesse of Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is not found in everie Israelite but onely in the regenerate nor propagated from Abraham to all his posteritie for Ishmael and Esau had it not nor doth the Apostle meane it in this place here ditarie holines common to the whole Nation is an outward dignitie or the grace of the Covenant whereby all the children are within the Covenant which is made to their fathers The right to this Covenant is that which the Apostle cals holinesse and from this the Apostles argument is good If the root be holy that is covenanted to God then the branches are holy that is within the same Covenant 3. Quest. 3 Whereas wee Gentiles are not of the holy root from Abraham whether doth this belong to us and to our children Whereto I answer That branches Answ some are native some ingrafted the sap and the moysture and the fatnesse of the root is conveyed to both We Gentiles though we be not the naturall branches yet are the naturall cut off and we engrafted in their stead as the Apostle shewes at vers 17. Thou being a wilde olive tree was graft in for them and art made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree So that we are succeeded in their right and therefore me thinkes the reason is good If their sonnes were by the right of the Covenant borne Iewes why are not the children of Christians by the same right borne Christians and as this Covenant of grace was not conferred upon them by Circumcision but onely confirmed so in Baptisme the same right is not conferred but sealed Whereupon Tertullian cals Baptisme the signing of faith Chrysostome the seale of faith Basil the seale of faith and Augustine the Sacrament of faith By all which it appeares that there is no grace before Baptisme Therefore Hierome sayes well Nos non nasci Christianos hoc est conditione naturae sed renasci Christianâ—s hoc est conditione gratiae Wee are not borne Christians that is in the condition of nature but wee are regenerated Christians that is by the condition of grace Wherefore ignorant are those men and foule are those mouthes who affirme that infants dying without Baptisme are damned Christ saith Mark 16.16 He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved Qui non est baptizatus sed qui non crediderit condemnabitur but he that will not beleeve shall bee damned He saith not He that is not baptized but he that beleeveth not shall be damned S. Augustine who was harsh and unfound enough in this point confesseth Ad Scleucian Epist 108. that Baptisme of fire or bloud is called Baptisme as well as that of water And S. Ambrose in his funerall Oration at the death of Valentinian who was slaine when hee was but Catechumenus Regnare cum Christo in coelis â—tsi tincius non erat affirmes that hee did reigne with Christ in the heavens although he was not baptized For though God have tied us to use it yet he hath not tied himselfe to it for hee doth not save all that are baptized and yet will save some that were not baptized as amongst the Iewes they were not all condemned that died without Circumcision so neither are all they now that die without Baptisme In 2 Sam. 12.18 Davids childe died the seventh day which was before the day of Circumcision and yet saith David I shall goe to him vers 23. God cals them his sonnes Ezek. 16.20 21. so I come to the third argument VERS 17. Vers 17 And though some of the branches bee broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast graft in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree boast not THis is the third reason taken from the twofold condition of the Gentiles the one shewing what they were in former time the other what now they are They were branches of a wilde olive now engrafted into the right olive tree More particularly thus the argument consists of an antecedent in the 17. verse and a consequent in the 18. In the antecedent I note first the estate of the Iewes which was like to a tree whose branches be broken off in the beginning Secondly the double estate of the Gentiles the first they were like to a wilde olive tree without the compasse and hedge which was about the Lords garden as also void of all
our selves from thy presence masses of corruption mountaines of sin dead and dry trees fit fuell for thy fierce wrath to worke upon If wee should climbe up into heaven to hide us from thee thou art there or goe downe into the bottome and depth of hell thou art there also or take the wings of the morne and fly to the utmost part of the seas even there also will thy all-seeing eye behold us and thy right hand will quickly visit and finde us out wee will therefore here dissolve and melt our selves into a floud and fountaine of many teares bewailing and bemoaning our wofull and miserable estate for albeit by reason of that foule Chaos and staine of naturall corruption and originall sin wee have deserved long since to have had the sweet issue of all thy good blessings to be stopped and dried up thy milde and gentle corrections to bee turned into the sudden execution of bloudy to â—utes and fearefull judgements upon us even in this life and at ouâ— departing out of this world to be plunged everlastingly into a piâ—â— destruction there to be fried and scorched with Sataâ— and his Angels for evermore And yet for all this O Lord we have never ceased to adde oyle unto this flame and to blow up the coales of thy fearefull displeasure through the hot and eager pursuit of many loud crying actuall sinnes and transgressions so that from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is not one place sound or whole within us but we are full of sores and swellings and botches full of sinne full or corruption our understandings which should have knowen thee to bee our true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ our Redeemer these are blinded and mis-led with ignorance and doubting our affections which should have beene good guides to have directed our feet into the way of peace they are become swift messengers of Satan to buffet us our bodies which should have been sweet Temples for thy blessed Spirit to dwell and lodge in they are sinks of sin and cages of filthy birds Our eyes O God are like open windowes and doores to receive sin our hearts like common Innes to lodge sin our heads like skilfull Politicians to contrive sinne our tongues smooth and sweet Orators to plead for the maintaining of sin and all our hands like stout Souldiers and couragious Champions to fight in the defence of sin Thus have we waged and managed war against thee our God ever since wee were borne so that now thou maist justly spâ—e us out of thy mouth cut us off in the midst of our sins come amongst us this verie present and binde us hand and foot and at the end of these few and miserable dayes send us all into hell together that so Satan might pay us our wages only whom thus long we have obeyed and served thus emptying our selves from all trust and confidence in the arme of flesh wee fly unto thee O God the anchor of our hope and the tower built for our defence with many deepe sighes and groanes from our perplexed consciences and diseased soules most humbly intreating thee to be gracious and mercifull to all our sins for they are wondrous great make it thy glorie to passe by and to winke at them poure into our soules the oyle of thy mercie supple our hard and dry hearts with the sweet influence of thy best graces and cure all our swelling wounds with the true balme of Gilead Purge good Lord and cleanse all the polluted and infected corners of our hearts that though 〈◊〉 this day our sins be as old as Adam as numberlesse as the stars oâ— heaven as high as the tallest Cedars in the Forrest Lord plucke them up by the roots burie them in everlasting forgetfulnesse that they may never stop the issue of thy blessings nor draw downe upon us the vials of thy wrath nor be a wound and griefe to our troubled consciences in this life or worke despaire in us at the end of our dayes nor stand up in judgement to be the utter ruine and condemnation of our soules and bodies at the last day Good Lord prepare us all for a better life sit us all for the Kingdome of thy Sonne Christ Jesus guide us all with thy blessed Spirit tutor us out of thy holy Word humble us by thy mercifull corrections and by thy fatherly blessings wed our affections and knit our hearts more neere unto thee in newnesse of life than ever heretofore they have beene that living as becommeth thy obedient children and servants an holy and a religious remnant of our dayes we may by thy grace and mercie be partakers of a joyfull and a comfortable death and after death of a glorious resurrection to everlasting life and peace among thy Saints Neither doe wee pray to thee for our selves onely but for all people and Nations of the earth but more particularly for the place in which wee live and therein according to our bounden dutie for thy servant and our Sovereigne Charles by thy speciall Providence King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the most true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith and in all causes and over all persons within these his Majesties Realmes and Dominions next under thee and thy Sonne Christ Jesus supreme Governour adde unto his dayes as thou diddest unto the dayes of Hezekiah that he may enjoy a long and a prosperous reigne over us and in the meane time remember him in goodnesse for the good he hath done already to thy Church Bestow the sweetest of thy blessings upon our gracious Queene Marie our hopefull Prince Charles and the Lady Marie and the rest of those royall Branches beyond the seas season them in their young and tender yeares with thy feare that they may bee great in thy favour and if it may stand with thine eternall Decree let us never want an holy and a religious man of that house and line to governe the Scepters of these Kingdomes and to maintaine the preaching of thy glorious Gospell within these his Majesties Realmes and Dominions so long as the Sun and Moone endure Blesse 〈◊〉 King with an honourable valiant and a religious Councell and â—obilitie blesse him with a learned painfull and a zealous Clergie by what names or titles soever they be called whether they be Arch-Bishops or Bishops and all other painfull Labourers in this thy Vineyard blesse him with a wise prudent and a religious Gentrie blesse him with a peaceable a loyall and a religious Commonaltie and good God wee beseech thee to showre downe thy blessing upon the right hand and upon the left to them whom it hath pleased thee to send to this Congregation that by the blessing of thy good Spirit whensoever they shall stand on thy Mountaine to deliver a Message from thee give them good Father what wilt thou giue them give them wise and understanding hearts that they may open to thy people the wondrous things
of thy Law good Father touch their tongues with a coale from thine holy Altar that by the blessing of thy holy Spirit they may be able to worke some holinesse in the hearts of a sinfull and unbeleeving people and cut downe the head and strength of some sinne that remaineth in us and to this end and purpose make them sound in thy Doctrines terrible in thy threatnings sweet in thy comforts powerfull and effectuall in all thy perswasions and mercifull Father make thy word like the bow of ionathan and like the sword of Saul or Gideon that never returned emptie from the bloud of the slaine and the fat of the mightie Lastly wee come unto thee for our selves againe thy most unworthy servants that are here assembled in a reverent feare of thy most holy and blessed name most humbly intreating thee in Jesus Christ to be gracious and mercifull to all our sinnes and to be effectually present with thy blessed Spirit in the midst of us all and grant that thy word may drop and distill upon our tender consciences like raine upon the mowen grasse and as dew comes downe from Heaven to water the earth take away the scales of ignorance from all blinde and darke understandings remove farre from us all lets and hinderances whereby the blessed seed of thy Word hath beene too many and sundry times made unfruitfull in the hearts of sinfull and unbeleeving people and to everie soule that is present in thy house this day or at any other time grant 〈◊〉 all holy diligence to seeke thee godly wisdome to know theâ— and sanctified understanding to finde thee aright that so thâ— Word may prove the the sweet savour of life unto everlasting lift â—â—ough Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour in whose most holy and blessed name wee are bold to conclude these our weake and imperfect prayers in that perfect forme of prayer which Christ hath taught us saying Our Father c. AN EXPOSITION VPON The eleventh Chapter to the ROMANS VERSE 1. I say then hath God cast away his people God forbid for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin IN the former Chapter the Apostle disputed at large touching the fall and rejection of the Iewes The Coherence and Argument Quatenus corum causa culpa contigit In Rom. 11. so farre forth as it came to passe through their meanes and fault saith Solo applying that unto them which was prophesied of them so long before in the 65. of Isaiah vers 2. Tota dit expendi manus meas All the day have I spread out my hands unto a rebellious people and Rom. 10.21 And in this Chapter hee disputes of the casting away of the lewes Quatenus à Deo ob bonam causam permissa suit Zab. de necess lib. 1. cap. 2. so farre forth as it was permitted by God for a good cause they were cut off that the Gentiles might be planted in Rom. 11.19 yet after this he goes about to comfort them by laying downe two conclusions which make the two maine and principall parts of the Chapter The first That the rejection was not uniuersall respectu subjecti i. in respect of the subject that is The Iewes were not all cast off from the first to the eleventh verse The second That their rejection was not universall respectu temporis i. in respect of the time that is eternall and forever from the eleventh verse to the end Or with Calvin more particularly thus In Rom. 11. The mitigation of their despaire after their rejection consists in these six Theorems 1. That all Israel is not rejected God hath not cast away his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. which hee fore-knew vers 2. The 2. That by their fall the Gentiles have obtained salvation vers 11. The 3. That in the end the Iewes shall be converted to the faith and kingdome of Christ in great number vers 12. The 4. That Abraham who was the root was holy and therefore hath some holy branches among them vers 16. The 5. That God can as easily graft them into the Olive tree againe as hee cut them off vers 23 24. The 6. That Gods purpose and counsell to graft them in againe is like the Lawes of the Medes and Persians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. For the gifts of God are without repentance vers 29. This is the Coherence and Argument I have no purpose to insist upon the Author Paul so named of Sergius Paulus Of the Author of the Epistle the Pro-Consull of Cyprus whom he and Barnabas converted to the faith Act. 13.7 12. as Hierome avoucheth Lib de claris Scriptoribus nor of the signification of his name which in the Hebrew signifies Marvellous or as Buxtorâ—ius Etymol In the Greeke Ease and Rest à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cesso or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quies or small and little as Augustine De spiritu litiera cap. 7. In Psal 72. nor why his name was changed it is done by Augustine Hee was first Saul viz. superbus i. proud then Paul viz. Humilis i. humble Nor of the authoritie of this Epistle Lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 4. Non debet esse admirationi aliquaâ—na arbor ubi in candem proceritatem â—otasylva surrexâ—â— Quid primuÌ„ in eo admirer quid poste à comprobem quid postremò laudibus inestimandis vehendam arbitror planesum animi dubius which is knowen and beleeved to be divine by the witnesse of Gods Spirit in Scripturis non ex traditionibus i. in the Scriptures not by Traditions as Bellarmine vainely goes about to prove nor of the excellencie of this Chapter which I have select It was an excellent saying of Seneca in one of his Epistles Some one tree is not to be wondred at when as all the whole wood hath growen to the like talnesse I am altogether doubtfull what I should first admire what afterwards I should approve and what finally I should judge worthy to be extolled with inestimable praises * Convivium sapientâ—ae singuli libri singula â—ercula Ambr. script oâ—â—ic lib. 1. cap. 22. Hieron de Psalmis Epist ad Paulinum It is a banquet of wisdome and everie booke a daintie dish as Ambrose speaketh And as one said of the writings of Salvianus there is not one Iota or phrase in this whole Chapter which is not pregnant and full of supernaturall knowledge Thesaurus sapientiae i. even a treasure of wisdome as Hierome stileth the Booke of the Psalmes I come to the Analysis The parts are five 1. A consolation of the rejected Iewes Analysis that notwithstanding God had cast them off yet such a remnant of them as were within the covenant of election should be saved through grace from the first verse to the seventh 2. A confirmation of the rejection of the stubborne Iewes by Testimonies of two Prophets the one David Psal 69.22 Let their table
the love of God Wee know that we are translated c. 1 Ioh. 3.14 By this are wee knowen to be Christs Disciples Ioh. 13.35 and the triall of this must be first if it make thee bountifull 1 Cor. 13.4 especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 For he that seeth his brother have need and shutteth up his compassion how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 Ioh. 3.17 We adde that of our Saviour Matth. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome for I was hungrie and yee fed me and surely they are highly in Gods love for God loveth a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 so that is the first of your love Secondly if you be ready to forgive wrongs for love is not provoked to anger 1 Cor. 13.5 7. If wee observe the Apostles rule Rom. 12.14 Blesse them which persecute you c. If any man forgive not his brother he is without hope of being the childe of God Which makes mee to wonder at the cutting Gallants of our dayes who will not put up the smallest wrongs done to them nay nothing shall wash it away but the hearts bloud it is a dishonour to mee and a discredit to all my kinred I end with that of the Apostle Ephes 4.32 Be courteous one to another and tender-hearted forgiving one another and with the same Apostle Coloss 3.12 13. Put yee on the bowels of compassion tender mercie kindnesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you 8. Love to Gods Ministers The eighth signe as a good childe loves those that tell him of his father and brings him home for they that love them doe shew that they have gained peace with God by their labors which makes them thinke that all their temporall goods will not be sufficient to requite them for those spirituall graces which by their meanes and ministerie they have reaped This kinde affection was in the Galatians I beare you witnes you would have pluckt out your owne eyes have given them unto mee Gal. 4.15 They will bee had in singular honour 1 Thess 5.12 in double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 If their hearers have profited by them Everie man loves them by whom hee gaines and there is nothing under Heaven whereby you can so much as by your Minister You may gaine knowledge Eccles 12.9 You may learne the truth for they preach the word of truth Ephes 1.13 You may be sure of reconciliation with God for they preach the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 You may obtaine peace for the Word is preached that yee might have peace Ioh. 6.33 You may gaine life for they preach the Word of life Acts 5.20 inestimable is that gaine and treasure which you reape from them they plow and sow you reape the benefit they cast in the seed and manure the ground and you carrie away the harvest they toyle like oxen in the plow you sit still and have all the profit no marvell then if Paul cry out O how beautifull are the feet of those that preach glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 which makes mee to thinke that there are but few that have benesited by the Word few that reaped comfort because there be so few that reverence and love the Ministers as they ought For great men few of them doe love Ministers Quianullo discrimine agendum Tros Tyriusie fuit That must in their Ministeries have no respect of persons nor make any difference between Trojan and Tyrian Because they must speake against their ambition their atheisme therefore they love them not for Patrons the most part of them like a Minister so farre as his money goes but if there be no other mettall than schollership and learning they will rather salute Philips Asse than a learned Divine They that professe most love to Ministers are some forward Citizens and they love no longer than hee pleaseth their ill and predominant humour Some must bee pleased onely by length some by lowdnesse some by squeazing of zeale some by pushing at a Father some by declaiming against a Lutine sentence others by betraying their sillinesse in squibbing authoritie If he doe none of these hee shall finde the love of many burning Professors as cold as snow water They wil many times reward the Prophets but not in the name of a Prophet but because they are built up in their itching qualitie If a man would have any thing of them hee must declaime against other mens sins and not theirs and it is a wonder but some or other will shew his impatience against me even for this I will not speake of those that thinke all too much with a Dicite Pontifices in templo or with a Ne capiat Christus capit rapit omnia sisous My conclusion is If you love the Ministers truly blessed are yee for then you love Christ that sends them then you have surely got some wisdome by them then you take pleasure and joy in hearing them then you esteeme them as men set over you by God to doe you good It is a good signe that you either have beene built and grounded or strengthened and confirmed in your holy faith by their paines and preaching and I pray God that they may build you and you may love them everie day more and more The last evident token The last signe of our election that a man is sure of salvation is an earnest longing for Christs comming to judgement when a man cries with the Spouse Apoc. 20.22 Come Lord Iesus come quickly and with the soules that lye under the Altar How long Lord how long Apoc. 6.10 It is a peremptorie signe that a man is certaine of the crowne of salvation as 2 Tim. 4.8 From henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of glorie and not for mee onely but for all such as love his appearing And the Apostle Rom. 8.23 They that have the first fruits of the Spirit doe sigh in themselves waiting for the redemption of our bodies Whereas on the other side reprobates and they that are without hope cannot endure to heare of the day of his comming They shall say unto the mountaines and rocks fall upon us and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the day of wrath is come and who can stand Apoc. 6.16 Prisoners that have no hope doe quake and tremble at the name of Iudge but a prisoner that hath his pardon sealed that hath no Iudge but his Father that knowes the Iudge to bee his Saviour that knowes the Iudge hath ransomed his life with his owne life and bloud thinkes everie houre a yeere till the Iudge come that he may be free When we are the Spouse of Christ then we long for the comming of the Bridegroome if we be ingrafted and incoporate into Christ then wee long to be dissolved and to
and had rather be a doore-keeper in Gods house that is have the meanest place than to dwell in the Tabernacles of ungodly men Psal 84.10 Salomon accounts it happinesse enough to stand at wisdomes gates and give attendance at the posts of thy doores Prov. 8.33 Si iste versus esset in hominum cordibus currerent ad convallem plorationis If that verse were in mens hearts they would run into the valley of teares or bewailing Aug. in Psal 84. When the Apostles seemed to grow proud that they could subdue the Devils our Saviour bid them rather rejoyce in this that their names are written in Heaven Luk. 10.18 19. There bee two things that make holinesse above greatnesse 1. The worke of holinesse 2. The reward of holinesse The worke is to heare the Lord sometimes threatning in the Law sometimes wooing and perswading in the Gospell sometimes to be praying unto him sometimes to be praising him sometimes to bee feeding him in his servants sometimes cloathing him in his members to have our whole conversation with him It is the repairing of Gods image in us and the quieting of those clamorous consciences that will never be friends with us till we be friends with God 2. The reward is blessing Blessing shall cover the head of the righteous Prov. 10.6 Blessed in the things of the earth Psal 37.20 For the righteous shall inherit the earth Blessed in his name for the memoriall of the just is blessed Pro. 10.7 yet if hee should have none of these the glorie hereafter would recompence all for if either life or glorie or kingdome or inheritance will doe it they shall have it in abundance What so much to be desired as life What life so much as the life of glorie The faithfull behold the image of the Lord with open face as in a myrrour and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie from this to eternall glorie 2 Cor. 3.18 So that when you have named the highest titles of honour and majesty you may say with David Psal 149.9 Such honour have all his Saints Or as Haman said of Mordecai when hee had upon him the royall apparrell Esth 6.9 I adde but one word more God is so strong with them that hee will have great ones to esteeme them above their greatest favourites as Zeresh told Haman If Mordecai be of the seed of the Iewes before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile but shalt surely fall before him Esth 6.13 To bee the sonnes of Nobles is nothing to the sonnes of God to bee borne of Princes is but basenesse in comparison of this to be borne of God Moab is but a washpot Edom but a wiper of shooes Psal 108.9 Let this pull downe the pride of wicked men Vse Be they never so high and honourable never so great and powerfull yet they are indeed base and worthlesse if they bee not children of faithfull Abraham for howsoever they may spit at the name of slave yet such they are See the Apostle Rom. 6.16 See August de Civit. Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. An evill man although he reigne he is a servant a good man although he serve hee is free c. And this sinne hath such a command in them as the Devill had in the man possessed sometimes it casts them into the fire where they burne in lust sometimes into the water where they swim and are drowned in vaine delights sometimes it blowes them into the aire with a giddy desire to hunt after preferment and sometimes casts them on the ground and weds them to the world and what basenesse was ever like unto this It was Plato's judgement Neminem regem non esse ex servis oriundum neminem non servum ex Regibus Seneca Epist 44. askes the question who is honorable and answers it thus Non facit nobilem atrium plenum fumosis imagâ—ibus an mus sacit nobilem A Court full of smoakie images maketh not noble but the minde maketh noble Quis fructus generis tabula jactare capaci Corvinum posthac multa deducere virga Fumosos equitum cum dictatore magistros Si coram lepidis malè vivitur c. Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus Lâ—â— enâ—l Sat. 8. I conclude this point with that 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee will I honour Thinke not to get you honour at the Court that honour is but glasse not by policie Achitophel had as much as any and yet died basely 2 Sam. 17.23 nor by great buildings they will fall downe againe on heapes if the foundation be not laid in holinesse nor by your eloquence Herod could not perswade the silly wormes Acts 12.23 But bee once the children of God Et nil poterunt regales addere manus All the Kingdomes of the earth cannot make thee so honourable I come to the last of the tribe of Benjamin The tribe of Benjamin The Tribe of Benjamin When Moses blessed all the Tribes Deut. 33 1â— he blessed Benjamin thus The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him the Lord shall cover him all the day long and dwell betweene his shoulders that was because the Temple should be built in Sion which was in the tribe of Benjamin and in the Temple the Lord would dwell and yet for all this privilege that Tribe was destroyed as well as any others and though destroyed for their sinnes yet some of them saved from whence come two conclusions The one Doct. There is no people so graced with privileges so crowned with blessings so beloved of God but sinne will bring ruine and destruction upon them as it did upon Benjamin That Common weales and Kingdomes have their fals and periods Let Athens Sparta Babylon Nineve and Carthage be witnesses who have at this day no other fences but paper-wals to keepe their memories But what have beene the causes of these subversions most men have beene verie ignorant The Epicure ascribes it to Fortune the Stoicke to Destiny Plato and Pythagoras and Bodin Method 6. to number Aristotle Booke 5. of Polit. Chap. 12. to an asymmetrie and disproportion in the members Copernicus to the motion of the center of excentricke circle Cardanus and the most part of Astrologians to starres and planets But all these have groped in the darknes for if we consult with the Oracles of God we shall finde that sinne is the onely cause why God falls out with his dearest children turnes Cities into ashes ruinates Kingdomes makes States but Ludibria fortunae The mocking stocks of fortune Everlasting monuments of desolation aske of Ierusalem she will tell you that this Doctrine is too true she will not sticke to tell you what she was and whither she is fallen c. So I come to the second argument from fore-knowledge VERS 2. God hath not cast away his people Vers 2 which he knew before Wote yee not what the Scripture saith of Elias how hee maketh intercession to God against Israel
against a malignant Church Oâ—imus in malis malit am dâ—â—igi mus naturaâ— ercaturam odimâ—s qued seâ— it homo amamâ—s quod fecit Deus fâ—cit Deus bominem bomo pâ—ccalum August in Psal 139 Mediâ—us dâ—ligit aegâ—otum â—orbum odio hobâ—t Aug. de Teâ— pore Serm 148. that God would restraine their wrath and furie as doubtlesse Elias did here against Ahab and Iezabel So that wee observe the rule of Augustine we hate malice in evill men we love nature and the creature wee hate that which man made we love that which God made God maketh man man sinne And againe A Physitian loves the patient hates his disease Thus the words being plaine the first thing I observe is this The mutuall conference between the Prophet and his God one complaines the other answers Whence observe that There is a familiaritie betweene God and his children Doct. Our conversation is in Heaven said the Apostle Phil. 3.20 therefore he could not chuse but be familiar with God and how this familiaritie growes the Prophet tels Micah 6.8 Doe justly love mercie humble thy selfe this is to walke with God So did Enoch before the floud Gen. 5. he walked with God vers 22. So did Elias he talked familiarly with God the Lord questioning and Elijah answering what doest thou here Elijah and he answered I have beene verie zealous for the Lord c. 1 King 19.13 14. So was Abraham familiar with God Gen. 18.11 23. to the end So Moses sometimes tarried with God fortie dayes and fortie nights together Exod. 24.28 Sometimes the Lord talked with him face to face Exod. 33.11 And this is signified by many phrases in Scripture as that he will come into a man and sup with him Apoc. 3.20 That we are made neere unto God Ephes 2.13 That we are the habitation of God by the spirit vers 22. That wee are the temples of God 1 Cor. 6.19 Sometimes that we are his friends Ioh. 15.14 Sometimes his brethren sometimes that Christ and we are all one For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one therefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 And there is such a league and familiaritie that the Godly have a kinde of command over God as one friend of another Sometimes it appeares in staying his judgements as Genes 19.22 Hâ—ste thee away c. So God to Moses Let me alone that my wrath may wex hot Exod. 32.10 So when God purposed to destroy Israel Moses stood in the gap Psal 106.23 Sometimes to procure blessings Euseb Hist Eccleâ— lib. 5. cap. 5. Eusebius reports that when the Romans warred with the Germans and Sarmatians being undone for want of water the Emperour was informed that there were some in the Armie which were a Christian Legion that could command any thing they needed who being moved to give their assistance for the releefe of the Armie fell downe upon their knees and prayed upon which presently followed a terrible thâ—nder that destroyed the enemie and plentifull raine whereby the Armie was releeved in memorie whereof they were honoured with the name of Fulmâ—nea Legio i. The thundring Legion And not onely Christians but even old Heathens have had a familiaritie with their Gods as Plut rch reports in the life of Numa that Numa was alwayes with the Goddesse Aegeria though amongst the Phrygians Atte amongst the Bithynians Herodoâ—us amongst the Areadians Endiâ—ion haue familiarly parlied with their Gods So was Hyacinthus and Admetus with Apollo Sophoâ—les with Aesculapius Hesiodus Pindarus and Hippâ—litus who as often as he passed the sea the Oracle would utter this Heroicke Dulceiterum caput Hippoliti c. If you desire to know how wee may come to this familiaritie See Micah 6.8 where there are set downe three wayes to attaine it 1. Deaing justly 2. Loving mercie 3. Humilitie And Isidore Hee that will alwayes bee with God ought to pray often to read often Qui vâ—â—t sâ—mper esse cuâ— Diâ— debeâ— srequenter â—â—are frequenter leâ—â—re Isict de Sun mo Bâ—no lib. 3. cap 8. Vse of comfort The which may teach us to admire the happie estate of Gods children even then when in the hardest exigents in the height and rage of Fortunes malice they seeme to sit as widdowes without comfort mourning as orphans without hope lamenting as the rejectany off-scoure and impurest metall they seeme to bee washt and swept away without regard for even then they hold a sweet parley and pleasant conference with God their hearts are fixed upon their Maker their love is upon Christ their head and Christ he is in heaven and therefore they can feare no drowning O happy you that are godly when men oppresse you you may make your complaint unto God when they wrong you you may open your mindes unto God whatsoever you endure you may ease your hearts by telling your griefe unto God whatsoever you aske you may have it of God and here I might honour the godly above the wicked The worldling hath familiaritie with Mammon the other with God the wanton with his Dalilah the other with his God the Drunkard with Bacchus and his Priests and Knights the other with his God thou art more familiar with men he with God thou hast more countenance from men hee from God So I proceed to a second conclusion Elias stands up against Ahab and Iezabel in behalfe of Israel from whence the proposition is Prophets and good men must stand in the gap to defend the people of God from persecution So did Moses for Israel God had destroyed had not Moses stood in the gap Psal 106.23 And not only against persecutions of men but even against God himselfe As Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man that might stand in the gap So did Phinchas Numb 25.11 Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar hath turned mine anger away from the children of Israel So did Abigail stand in the gap to turne away destruction from the house of Nabal 1 Sam. 25.34 As the Lord liveth except thou hadst hasted and met me there had not beene left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall And they that hinder God himselfe from hurting can easily hinder man from destroying now God cannot destroy when his servants stand against him as Gen. 19.22 and Exod. 32.10 Let mee alone nay hee will not Genes 18. and most plainly Ierem. 5.1 Plutarch reports that at the sacking of Cities those houses which were built neere to any Temple of the Gods were never toucht when all the rest were ruinated and burned Such are the Prophets and good men even temples of God 1 Cor. 6. which procure immunitie and freedome from all dangers in the day of trouble which may bring us in love with good men and make us labour to get them amongst us that wee may say with Micah Iudg. 17.13 Now know I that the Lord will doe mee good c. But I will not dwell on this but come to
number of seven because seven was the day of rest to signifie that they who came to Christ by faith had rest in him And Gorrhan descants upon it and shewes that the number of seven signifies the universalitie because all things were made in seven dayes and of a thousand to shew their perfection because that is a perfect and absolute number The point is God alwayes hath a Church Doct. though invisible to the eye of man The Vse is Vse to teach us not to rest in the outward profession for that they may have who are none of Gods Church but to labour for true and inward holines whereby we may be sure that we are of it whence it may be collected That there are not many of the invisible Church that many are not of the invisible Church because most men affect no more than a Pharisaicall puritie which appeares by these foure signes 1. Because the keeping of a good conscience is put out of countenance the verie seeking after it is made a mock and a word of reproach who is so much branded with the odious name of Puritane as they that most labour for the testimonie of a good conscience most men thinke that precisenesse of life is the onely staine of a Church and can more easily beare with an Atheisticall and time-serving Papist than a Protestant if there bee in him one sparke of zeale more than ordinarie 2. Because most men spend most of their time in a slender disputation and so they can say something but doe not much care for practising any thing such as are taxt by Paul 1 Tim. 6.4 puft up and dote about questions and words Doe you dispute I will beleeve I will practise 3. By the generall ignorance partly affected as Iob 21.14 They say unto God depart from us c. partly of meere negation where they want meanes of knowledge where the childrens bread is cast to dogs where Church livings maintaines hawkes and dogs and the Levites portion is made a childes portion for the Gentlemans youngest son Adde to these such men as can spare no time from wordly cares to heare the Word Lucrantur denarium amittunt regnum Aâ—per hoc nil â—â—ud est sâ—â—entia â—â—stra quâ—m culpa They gaine a penny and lose a kingdome 4. Because men do not live as they professe And by this our knowledge is nothing els but a fault saith Salvianus Christ cries Let your light shine before men c. Matth. 5.16 Wee so live that men seeing our wicked lives have cause to blaspheme God will Seythians Moores and Pagans doe it they read the Gospell and live immodestly they heare the Apostles and are given to drunkennesse they follow Christ and steale in us Christ suffereth a reproach in us the Law suffereth a curse the name of God is blasphemed and religion ill spoken of for our sakes Rom. 2.24 And I feare that this want of practice will enforce the Lord to take away the Gospell and give it to a people that will bring forth fruit Remember what befell the fig-tree Matth. 21.19 Remember what is written Heb. 6.7 8. The earth which drinketh up the raine that commeth oft upon it and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to bee burned So I come to shew from what they were preserved They have not bowed their knees to Baal In 1 King 19.18 there is in the Hebrew somewhat more as everie mouth that hath not kissed Baal The bowing of the knee is a token of subjection therefore they that bowed acknowledged thereby their subjection to Baal as Isa 45.23 Everie knee shall bow unto me and Phil. 2.10 At the name of Iesus c. Secondly they kissed the Idol so they kissed the golden calves They say one to another while they sacrifice a man let them kisse the calves Hos 13.2 Now the kisse is a signe of love and by it they signified that they loved Baal right as the Papists at this day doe bow at the Crosse the picture of Marie and the Apostles creepe to them and kisse them Now if you will know what this Baal was The word in the Hebrew signifies an Husband or Lord and here is meant a strange Lord or Husband for though Baal signifie an Husband or Lord and God bee the Lord and Husband of the Church yet he will not be called by this name as Hos 2.16 Thou shalt call mee Ishi but not Baali and it is worth the observing that it is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the image they are preserved from bowing to the image but in 2 King 17.16 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. to an Idoll So that the Scriptures make no such difference betweene an idoll and an image nor betweene the worshipping of an idoll and an image as the Papist doth It was an idoll the idoll of the Sydonians and had his beginning thus Ninus the third Monarch of the Persians was the sonne of Iupiter Belus and this Ninus when his father Belus was dead erected a Statua over him and there promised in writing that if a man were guiltie of never so great offence yet if he should repaire to that image the King would pardon him and when offenders found so great benefit by this Statua they began to give to it divine honour and when afterward they erected other idols they called them by that name as Bell and Baal and in the plurall number Baalim as Zancheus sheweth in Precept 2. cap 15. So that Strabo Diodorus Siculus and Herodotus in Euterpe went amisse when they said that idols were first invented by the Aegyptians for you see they came first from the Babylonians and as for the Romans they worshipt their Gods for an hundred and seventie yeares as both Plutarch in Numa and Augustine de Civitat Dei lib. 14. chap. 31. testifie Thus the sense and meaning being plaine I descend to the note viz. To bow bend Doct. and kneele before an idoll is flat idolatrie So when the Israelites danced before the Calfe Exod. 32.19 That which is by some alleaged touching Elisha 2 Kings 5.18 that hee approved the act of Naaman the Syrian is not found for first that Goe in peace was but the ordinarie speech of men when they tooke leave one of another so Zancheus or rather thus Naaman doth not desire indulgence for that hee meant to doe afterward but for that hee had done already and so the Hebrew imports and besides at the seventeenth verse hee protests against all idolatrous service In the third of Daniel they were commanded to bow to the image But the three children refused saying that they would not serve those Gods nor worship them vers 18. and therefore God forbids it in the second Commandement Sozomenus reports Eccles hist lib. 5. cap. 16. that when some Christian Souldiers were circumvented by Iulian and by his perswasion moved
refore is their case more miserable and their judgement heavier than that of Sodome and Gomorrah Gratiuâ— eos punit Deminus qâ— plura perceperant dona The Lord punisheth those more who have received more gifts saith Ferus To whom God gives much of him hee requires much hee requires either a larger fruit or a larger punishment Hearing without profit is the forerunner of Gods wrath and destruction As the sonnes of Eli obeyed not the voyce of their father because the Lord would slay them 1. Sam. 2.25 I cannot reade without astonishment Ier. 7. from 13. to 17. I rose up earely and spoke unto you but you would not heare therefore I will doe unto you as unto Shilo I will cast you out of my sight and then he speakes to the Prophet 16. Thoushalt not pray for this people nor lift up a cry for them nor intreat for I will not heare thee and from 25. to 28. Since your fathers came out of Egypt to this day I have sent my Prophets rising early but you would not obey Therefore the carkases of this people shall bee meat for the beasts and fowles and none shall fray them away and I will make to cease the voyce of mirth and gladnesse vers 34. I will forbeare the application desiring that if ever you remembred a lesson remember this and apply it to your selves and give mee not occasion whensoever I shall leave you to say as it is said of the sigtree in Luke 13.7 This three yeares have I preached and sought fruit of this figtree and finde none God forbid but that when Peter shall bring the converted Iewes Paul the converted Gentiles Andrew couverted Achia Iohn converted Asia Thomas coÌ„verted India In quatuor Evangelia Homil. 17. as Gregory speaketh when Augustine the men of Hyppo Cyprian the people of Carthage Hierome the people of Stridon and when all the faithfull shepherds shall bring to God at the last day the soules they have wonne and the sheepe they have kept and fed God forbid but I may bring many of you with me and say unto the Lord as Heb. 2.13 Behold Lord here am I and the children whom thou hast given me I descend to one point more If God give good meanes and mans contemne them then though God take not away the meanes yet â—ee denies them grace to profit by them God gives meat and yet denies it the blessing of feeding filling and strengthening as in Hag. 1.6 nay hee makes meats as poyson light deceitfull physicke hurtfull the word the savour of death as above What good newes the cares might have brought to the Iewes by Christs preaching yet because they regarded them not now they cannot profit though they doe heare him Hee often preached the word which might have wrought faith in them they contemne it and therefore now they get no benefit though their cares be open to it They might have profited by seeing his miracles but because they would not before now they cannot God at this day in many places continues to men the gift of hearing and amongst them the blessing of preaching yet it is a just judgement that though they heare yet they understand not and though the word bee preached yet they profit not as when Isay preacht in Isay 6.10 the hearts of the people were heavie and Isay 49.4 I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength in vaine and for nothing and verse 5. I shall be glorious though Israell bee not gathered But I passe it over and adde a word of the last Vntill this day noting that it shall not be perpetuall but when the time appointed of God shall come then this wicked nation shall have this judgement removed God doth never so utterly cast off a people Doct. but when they turne unto him hee will receive them What people in all likely hood farther gone than the men of Ephraim which willingly followed the commandement viz. of Ieroboam Hos 5.11 And when God shewed that they were sicke and would have them come to him to be cured Then Ephraim went unto Ashur and sent unto Iareb the King of Assyria Hoc accedit ad superioâ—a peccata This was added to their former sinnes saith Mercer on Hosea Yet if there bee a come let us returne then after two dayes will hee revive them and the third day they shall live Hos 6.2 Or what citie so farre gone as Ierusalem she justified Sodome and Samaria Ezek. 16.51 She sinned so much Tantum pâ—ccavit ut et Sodomâ— comparata justa videatur Contra Faust Manich. haer lib. 22. cap. 61. that Sodome compared with her might seeme righteous as Augustine Yet if shee would turne the Lord would gather her as a hen c. Matth. 23. Or what man so farre gone as Manasses 2 Chron. 33.6 Hee built altars to strange Gods he sacrificed his sonnes to Moloch hee gave himselfe to witchcrast charming and sorcerie he used them that had familiar spirits and hee did evill in the sight of the Lord to anger him yet when he was in tribulation and prayed and humbled himselfe greatly then the Lord heard him and was entreated and he knew that the Lord was God at vers 12 13. There be yet two points moe 1. When God layes a plague upon a people he determines how long it shall lie upon them and that no man knowes 2. Great and crying sinnes have long and lasting pun shments The sinne of these Iewes was great and their plague hath lasted towards 1600. yeeres and how long it shall yet last God only knowes But I passe these and come to the second testimony cited out of David at the ninth verse VERS 9. And David saith Vers 9 let their table bee made a snare and a trap and a stumbling blocke and a recompence unto them 10. Let their eyes bee darkened that they may not see and bow downe their backs alwayes IT is taken from Psal 69.22 wherein David complaines of the calamities and oppression which he endured and in himselfe as in a type or figure foretels what the Iewes would doe to Christ and his members as vers 20 21. I looked for some to have pitie on me but there was none neither found I any to comfort me They gave me gall to eat c. In the citing of which Text S. Origen observes that the Apostle doth not precisely tie himselfe to the Prophets words But addes somewhat unto them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a trap or net And though the new translation adde those words yet surely there is no word in the Hebrew Text to yeeld it Secondly Paul addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a recompence Whereas it is in the Hebrew Lemochesh for a stumbling blocke and no more But to passe these discordances in the reading I come to the words which are a bed-roll or long catalogue of heavie judgements that God laid upon the nation of the Iewes and they are in number three The first
Greeke and then highly honoured by the Persian Wee had perished if wee had not perished Petiramus nisi pertissemus If Iob be naked the Lord takes that occasion to cloath him if the Shunamites childe be dead the Lord quickly takes that occasion of shewing mercie in quickning it These be the steps wherein our Father walkes Vse and you that will be accounted sonnes must learne to follow him even to watch your times and opportunities when and where and how you may expresse and doe some good to the familie of the Saints and house of God The Magistrate must lie in wait for soules to save them by governing The Minister must lie in ambush for soules to save them by preaching The Iudge like good Othniel must watch his opportunitie to doe good in hearing and judging the causes Ladies and Matrons must watch their opportunitie to doe good in hearing the afflicted The Courtier like Mordecai must watch his time and opportunitie to procure the peace and welfare of Gods people by stopping the way against all malitious complaints and bils commenced against them Let us watch occasion to doe good if none be offered devise occasion and delight in doing them good that you may be sonnes and children of that Father who seekes and watches all opportunities to doe good to you I come to a third conclusion When God gives his word to a people Doct. and offers them meanes of salvation and yet they turne it off and fall away then God takes it from them and gives it unto others That 's the note of P. Martyr and may be backt with that place Act. 13.46 Then Paul and Barnabas said it was necessary that the word should first be preached to you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selves unworthy wee turne to the Gentiles By that parable of the Vineyard in Mark 12.9 He will destroy those husbandmen and give the vineyard to others By that parable of the Supper in Luke 14. from 16. to 25. A man made a supper and invited many and said come for all things are ready but they began to make excuse c. The bread is first provided for the children and they must first be fed and by the children are meant the Iewes but if they refuse it must be cast to the whelps under the table as Christ said to the woman of Syrophenyssa in Mark 7.27 In all this you may see the fulfilling of that saying in Matth. 21.43 Therefore shall the kingdome of God be taken from you and given to a nation which will bring forth the fruits thereof It was the saying of our Saviour Matth. 25. To him that hath that is to him that useth shall be more given but from him that hath not that is useth not shall be taken away even that which he hath De doct Christiana Lib. 1. Cap. 1. vers 29. for so Beza seemes to expound that text and Augustine Which point may be a faire warning for us Vse who have thus long enjoyed the Gospell and the meanes of salvation wee have heard wisdome cry in the streets the Prophets have risen early and wooed us with arguments full of passion but may not the Lord say of us as he said of his vineyard in Isa 5.4 What could I doe for this people that I have not done We were like Aegypt when the plague of mist and darknesse was upon it even darknesse that might be felt Exod. 10.21 and the Lord hath made us like Goshen or like to those people that dwell under the poles who have no night but the Sunne still shining upon them Blundevil de Sphaera lib. 20. Cap. 16. Wee were like the mountaines of Gilboa but now the Lord hath watered us with the dew of heaven wee were overgrowne with weeds our fields brought forth nothing but cockle and darnell sowen by popish husbandmen but since that time the Lord hath gathered out those weeds and hath sowen amongst us the seed of the Gospell and he yet continues to be kinde and good unto us wee have our Churches open the Lord holds out unto us a candle like to that which Alexander held out to the Citie which he besieged let us yeeld and turne before the lampe be out for feare the Gospell be removed from us to another people What griefe did Israel conceive when they sate in Babylon as they make their complaint and moane Psal 137. By the waters of Babylon wee sate downe and wept c. The same may befall us and wee may be inforced to complaine with David Psal 84. that the case of the poorest creatures is better than ours The sparrow hath found her an house and the swallow a nest wherein she may lay her young Nidificant they build their nests and prope altaria neere the altars Ego prohibeor Calvin ia Psal 84. I am forbidden it saith Calvin Learne then that if God gives meanes embrace it if the word of salvation be preached heare it if the way to heaven be chalked out follow it if the Gospell be revealed receive it with cheerefulnesse and make much of it that God may not take his mercy from us nor bring that terrible famine threatned Amos 8.11 I come to one point more which I comprise in this conclusion Wheresoever the Gospell is preached Doct. there is salvation offered by God unto the people how beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good things and publisheth salvation Isa 52.7 And therefore in Heb. 2.3 The Law given by Angels is called the great salvation How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation which at first began to be preached by the Lord and was afterward confirmed by them that heard him This is the great power of God to all that are saved 1 Cor. 1.18 that is t is the instrument divinely efficacious to salvation and is the power of God to salvation First in judgement because wee account it so Secondly in effect because indesalutem consequimur thence we obtaine salvation as Paraeus speakes that when the Gospell is preached to a people it may be said as it was to Zaccheus Luk. 19.9 when Christ lodged with him Behold this day salvation is come into thy house and therefore you should doe as he did run downe hastily and receive him gladly Imitate the rich Merchant Matt. 13.44 See first how gracious the Lord is in offering you salvation so many yeeres together Secondly how they that contemne the Gospell doe exclude themselves from all hope of salvation Thirdly they that esteeme meanly of preaching esteeme meanly of salvation they that will not maintaine it are enemies to their owne salvation They that pay much preaching with small rewards are unnaturall Gadarens and thinke their idols in their chests more pretious than the salvation of their soules But I passe this and come to the second part of the affirmative answer To provoke them to follow them There is saith Tho.
it unto us their children and vers 23. God according to his promise hath raised up to Israel the Saviour Iesus It was the advice of Socrates in Lacrtius that young men should have alwayes a looking-glasse to looke themselves in it if they were deformed outwardly they might labour to recompence it with inward comelinesse The glasses wherein the Lord would have us to looke be the gracious orna nents and qualities of his servants We should looke on Abraham and learne to beleeve that it shall be done if God say it though wee see not how and part with that wee love best to please hâ—â— Vpon Iob and learne patience in all such crosses as are most neere unto us Vpon Lot and learne to be chaste in the midst of Sodome even when wee have most occasions that 's praise-worthy as Tully said of Muraena non quod Asiam viderat not that he had seene Asia Vpon Elias and be zealous Abigail and releeve those that sight the Lords battels Vpon the Centurion and be good to the Church Vpon Nehemiah and stand for reformation of the Sabbath Vpon every good man and see what is excellent in him that doe affect and imitate As Tully reports of Xeuxis that when he was to make the picture of Helena in the temple of the Crotonians he sent for five of the most beautifull virgins that out of all their excellencies he might compose a perfect beautie and as a man makes a garland or poesie of all the best of flowers in the garden so shouldst thou picke out all the best qualities of men wheresoever thou seest them Whence learne Vse that it is no small benefit that the wicked might reape by the company of good men They may see a patterne of godlinesse and learne to follow it they may reade holinesse in their lives conscience in their doings wisdome in their carriage and learne to affect the same commendable and gracious qualities in themselves There is no grace which they may not observe nor vertue which they may not see lively delineated in them and studie to come to that degree of holinesse which they have that they may live as they doe and have it in that glory which they hope to have I come to a third I observe the great wisdome and loving kindnesse of God toward his children Observat who by his favour shewed unto others and substituting others in their places maketh them ashamed of their unthankfulnesse and laboureth to stirre up in them a desire of reconcilement For confirmation see Deut. 32. Because they have moved mee to iealousie with that which is not God I will prouoke them with those which are no people And herein God deales with them as a tender father with his unkinde and disobedient child that will not come unto him he takes another sonne in his armes sets another on his knees embraceth him commends him makes much of him hereby correcting the stubbornnesse of his other sonne and provoking him to seeke for the like favour and acceptance From whence learne First to condemne those who by their idolatrie Vse 1 as Papists or by their arrogancie contempt and pride doe alienate and detaine the Iewes from Christianitie when they see how the Papist is given over to idolatrie the Protestant to libertie no marvell though the Iewes follow neither the one nor the other when he sees that the Papist beleeves not well that the Protestant lives not well it s a rocke of offence to him that he can approve neither the one nor the other Secondly Vse 2 let us endevour by our pure and sin cere service of God by our zeale our godly life our just dealing to give light unto the Iewes and at length to provoke them to emulation and by our good conversation to win them to Christ that there may be one fold and one shepherd as our Saviour speakes Ioh. 10.16 Example is very powerfull There is nothing more availeable to the winning of one that beleeveth not than the good conversation and life of him that doth beleeve I know not if S. Peter doe not make a good conversation more powerfull to convert an unbeleever than the word it selfe in 1 Pet. 3.1 Let the wives be subiect to their husbands that they which obey not the word may without the word be won by the good conversation of the wives while they behold your pure conversation coupled with feare To this purpose Bernard speaketh well Effâ—aâ—ior est voâ— bonioperis quam elegantis sermonu illius dectoris libenter audio veceâ—â— qui non fibi plansum sed mâ—â—ip anctum movet c Ber. in Cant. ser 59. Segnius irritaâ—t c. siviâ— me fleâ—e dolâ—nduÌ„ prius ipse libi Confess l. 9. c. 9. The voice of a good worke is more effectuall than of an eloquent sermon I willingly heare the voice of that Teacher who doth not move applause to himselfe but weeping to mee and if thou wilt perswade thou maist doe it more by weeping than by declaming And Horace himselfe in his booke of the Art of Poetrie If thou wilt have mee weepe thou must first thy selfe grieve S. Augustine reports that his mother Monica gained her husband Patricia from being an impure Manichee not by strength of argument but by pietie wisdome chastitie So there is nothing can more hinder the Iewes from professing as wee doe than our prophane life and bad conversation to perswade them by good words and yet let them see our bad lives is but to weave Penelope's web to untwist as fast as we weave and to pull downe as fast as we build and to destroy faster with one hand than wee build with the other Wee must therefore learne to let the light of our good life and conversation so shine Matth. 5.16 that men may see our good lives and good workes and holy conversation and so glorisie our Father which is in Heaven Let us so behave our selves toward the Iewes as S. Peter taught once the Iewes to behave themselves towards us 1 Pet. 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that they by your good workes which they shall see may glorifie God in the day of their visitation for feare wee cause them to blaspheme the name of God which they polluted among the Heathen Ezek. 36.23 See Rom. 2.24 So I come to the illustration of his answer in the 12. and 13. verses VERS 12. Vers 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulnesse WHerein there is first an answer to an objection for it may seeme that the one end doth quite overthrow the other for if the Iewes fel that the Gentiles might have place and the Iewes bee to bee converted againe then it seemes that the Gentiles must be cast off againe and so the conversion of the Iewes shall rather hinder the salvation of the Gentiles which is contarie to the first part
that went this way mist of life and happinesse Thirdly it is the word of reconciliation and the Embassadours are ministers of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5 19. which assures of atonement and peace with God of the glory that is to be revealed and is the key of the kingdome of heaven which openeth and no man shuts and if that shut out of heaven nothing can open it Thirdly Vse 3 learne that if wee make never so goodly and great purchases in the world be never so well stored furnished with worldly wealth and yet want this spirituall treasue we are for all that beggerly bankrupt naked base in the sight of God as he saith of the Church of Laodicea Apoc. 3.17 Thou sayest thou art rich and increased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked When thou buyest a village bonam emis thou buyest a good one when thou marriest a wife bonam eligis thou chusest a good one when thou desirest children bonos optas thou desirest good ones and when thou hast all these riches thou art but poore inter tot dona amongst so many gifts malus inter tot bona and evill amongst so many good things Aug. seâ—m 16. in Matth. saith A gustine Many may welter upon their gold like Heliogabalus as Lampridius and Herodian report of him and yet for spirituall wisdome have hearts like stones and heads like beetles and be beggers destitute of all heavenly riches My conclusion is an exhortation to bestow more of our time spend more of our life in reading the booke of God than in any thing besides all our other studies c. I come to the second part of the proposition If their diminishing be the riches of the Gentiles the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. diminishing the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their casting off and being in sense the same with the precedent clause I note from the iteration That the fall of the Iewes is diligently to bee observed and noted by us Gentiles for that is a doctrine of weight full of profit and hath in it many lessons of speciall use 1. That no nation be they people never so deare so graced with blessings so beloved of God but sinne will set God and them at variance and hazard the ruine both of their state and government That Common wealths and Kingdomes have their periods Let Sparta and Babylon and Nineveh witnesse 2. We learne that when the Word and Gospell is become a stumbling blocke the fall of that people is not far off as in vers 12.3 Infidelitie and contempt of the Gospell makes God in justice take it quite away from them as vers 12. There bee many other points but I meet them hereafter and come to the inference that is made upon these two premises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How much more shall their fulnesse be By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the multitude of the Iewes that shall bee called the plentifull restoring of the Iewes as Paraeus And thence it followes that the conversion of the Iewes shall not bee of some small but of a great and plentifull number 2. The excellencie of spirituall graces wherewith they shall be adorned and beautified after their conversion and therefore some have expounded the 60. of Isay to be meant of Ierusalem after the conversion of the Iewes That then God would beautifie the house of his glorie vers 7. Glorifie the place of his feet vers 13. That he would againe call it the Citie of the Lord Zion of the holy one of Israel vers 14. That in stead of brasse they should have gold in stead of iron they should have silver in stead of wood they should have brasse in stead of stones iron vers 17. That the Lord will bee their light and God their glorie vers 19. Meaning that after their conversion they shall have all restored more glorious than they had before Thus the meaning of the words being cleare the conclusions follow 1. Doct. 1 The Iewes shall be converted in great numbers toward the end of the world And therefore saith my Apostle at vers 26. All Israel shall bee saved whereby understand not the spirituall Israel that is the people of God consisting of Iew and Gentile though Melancthon and Calvin doe so expound it For 1. In this sense Paul had not delivered any mysterie as it is called vers 25. 2. The Apostle meaneth to minister some consolation to the Iewes in hope of their future conversion which unlesse it were more generall than in the conversion of a Iew it would have ministred small comfort to the whole Nation as Martyr and Paraeus make the reason 3. The Apostle gives this as a reason why hee brings in this mysterie that the Gentiles should not insult over the Iewes and therefore had beene little to his purpose if hee had not opened some secret concerning some speciall calling of the Iewes and S. Chrysostome expounding that place Apoc. 7.4 There were sealed of the tribes of Israel 1440. saith that it is to bee understood of the generall conversion of the Iewes But this point I deferre to vers 26. 2. Doct. 2 The Iewes after their conversion shall bee endued with excellent gifts of wisdome and knowledge I will not bee so adventurous as some have beene to understand that Ierusalem that new Citic which came downe from God Apoc. 21.2 which is said to have no need of the Sunne nor of the Moone for the glorie of God doth light it and the Lambeâ—â— the light of it to bee Ierusalem or the Church of God after the conversion of the Iewes for that may seeme to be meant of Ierusalem which is above yet doe I thinke that saying of the Prophet either to be meant of them or may be fitly applyed unto them Isa 24.23 when after many dayes they shall be visited and come out of prison the Moone shall be ashamed and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and glorie shall bee before his ancient men that is when God shall restore his Church the glory thereof shall so shine and his Ministers which are called ancient mien that the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened in comparison of them The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold more But these be points that must be handled hereafter I therefore proceed to the farther explication of this argument in the thirteenth and foureteenth verses VERS 13. Vers 13 For I speake to you Gentiles in asmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office THe second end that God had in rejecting of the Iewes was the salvation of the Gentiles and in the end the conversion of the Iewes againe so that hee aimed at the well-fare of
one that is sent generally and properly the highest office and dignitie of the Apostles in the new Testament and sometimes it signifies those that were ordained of Christ to be of equall authoritie with the 12. Apostles such as were Paul and Barnabas The grace and excellencie of an Apostleship consists especially in these points 1. They were immediately called by Christ to preach his Gospell thorow the world Goe teach all Nations Matth. 28. And it is no small credit to bee Gods Herauld at armes to be Tuba Evangelica Gods Trumpet both to give warning of a fight and to sound the retreat to proclaime peace and rest when the combat is done to deliver Gods will to stand in his roome to plead his cause and speak for his honour can bee no meane or small prerogative 2. The Apostles were such men as had knowen Christ in the flesh were eye-witnesses of his miracles and heard his Sermons as in 1 Ioh. 1.3 That which we have heard and seene declare we unto you His glorie that they saw Matt. 17. Secondly his resurrection for he appeared to the twelve as 1 Cor. 15.5 His ascension into heaven while they beheld hee was taken up Acts 1.9 And though S. Paul had not knowen Christ in the dayes of his flesh yet he saw him being immortall and in glorie by revelation as Augustine and Lyranus affirme on 2 Cor. 12. Thirdly they could discerne canonicall bookes of Scripture from others they had the keyes of the Kingdome after a more speciall manner that whatsoever they bound in earth should be bound in heaven c. as Peter bound up the sinne of Simon Magus and pronounced sentence against Ananias and Saphyra Fourthly they had power to worke miracles heale diseases cast out Devils yea Peters verie shadow Acts 5.15 and Pauls napkin Act. 9.12 Fifthly they gave the Holy Ghost by laying on of their hands Acts 8. They were free from error in doctrine for the Spirit promised to lead them into all truth Ioh. 16.13 Lastly they had the gifts of tongues whereto Pererius addes further that they had another speciall grace that speaking in their owne tongue yet men of divers languages did so understand them as if they had spoken divers languages and of the same opinion is Erasmus Annot. in Act. 2.8 But I incline to the judgement of Beza who shewes against Pererius and Erasmus Miracâ—lum suisset non in Aposlelis sed in auditoribus that if that had been true It had been a miracle not in the Apostles but in the hearers But to leave this and fall upon the point these words are the reason that Paul gives of his speaking to the Gentiles In asmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles therefore I speake to you Gentiles for it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quamdiù as long as I live I speake to you Gentiles as Origen thought and is the translation of the vulgar Latine but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quantùm or quatenùs nothing the cause because I am your Apostle therefore I speake to you I might note 1. That no man was ever so farre gone in sinne but God could call him home againe Paul once a persecutor now an Apostle 2. God is so farre after conversion from thinking a man the worse that hee will place him neere to himselfe Paul now an Apostle 3. Gods providing of meanes for them whom he will save The Apostle of the Gentiles But these are not so proper to this Text but that which I chiefly note is the Apostles drift That his chiefest care was to speake for the good of the Gentiles to whom God appointed him to preach from whence note When God sets a man over a people Doct. Civitas est vigila ad custodiam ager est studeto cultui spaâ—nsa est studeto crnatui grex est studeto pastui Bernard super Cantic Serm. 76. he ought chiefly to intend their good and well-fare Is it a Citie watch to keepe it is it a field studie to till it is it a spouse studie to adorne her is it a flock studie to feed it saith Bernard If a Citie then he must labor to build defend it à vi tyrannorum à fraudibus haereticorum à tentationibus Daemonum from the violence of Tyrants from the deceits of Heretiques from the tentations of the Devill If a Spouse hee must labour to trim her that shee bee all glorious within viz. 1. An acknowledgement of the will of God 2. True and solid comfort in distresses 3. Hearing of prayers 4. Famous deliverances 5. Divers vertues kindled in them by the Spirit as Mollerus on Psal 45.13 If it bee a field or vineyard hee must labour both to gather out of it the briars and tares and to sow it with good feed and then to watch for feare the envious man sow tares in it If it be a flocke he must drive them to the greene pastures of Gods word and lead them out by the waters of comfort Psalm 23. When Christ in Ioh. 21. asked Peter thrice Simon lovest thou mee 1. Plusquà m tua 2. Plusquà m tuos 3. Plusquà m te More than thine more than thy selfe as Bernard expounds it and Peter still answered Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Christ gives him this marke to know it by Pasce oves pasce agnos it may bee knowen by thy care in feeding my lambes and tending my sheepe I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night shall not cease and yee that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence Isay 62.6 Sonne of man I have made thee a watchman Ezek. 3.17 By which metaphor it may appeare that as in times of warre the watchmen are tending all the day in their watch-towers but especially in the night time and if there be any danger give the people warning So in the Church Bishops and Ministers they must be alwayes in their watch-towers but especially when the night of errours ariseth they must remember that in Act. 20.28 Take heed to your selves and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church which he purchased with his owne bloud When I remember that saying of Iacob Gen. 31.40 I was in the day consumed with heat I was parched with frost in the night and reade of the shepherds watching their flocks in the night then doe I consider their early rising and late going to bed how their eyes have not time to sleepe nor their eye-lids to slumber nor their heads to take any rest from tending the soules and studying the welfare of their people and therefore the Apostle 1 Corinth 4. calls Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to row as if they were captives condemned to the oares whose armes must row the ship of Christ to shore yea the winds being conspired against them Excellently * Sace dotum nonuna accepunus non ad quieâ—em sed
ad laborem ut inveniamur in osere quod signa mur in nâ—mine Greg. l. 4. epist 8. Gregorie Wee have received the names of Friests not to rest but to labour that wee may be found in worke that which wee are sealed in name that wee may give a good account that day when God shall say Restore my sheepe or your soules all his worke must be either to pray for his people or to teach his people God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12.23 Sometimes he must be providing meat for them sometimes discovering the wolves that lurke amongst them sometimes devising remedies which may heale their diseases But I meet the point in the next verse and will rejourne the application till I come unto it and come from Gods gracing of Paul with an Apostleship to see how Paul labours to grace and magnifie it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I magnifie mine office with gravitie of manners with maturitie of counsels with honestie of actions as Bernard Ipist 28. Non in his quae adâ—onâ—reâ— secâ—aren spectant Not in these things which belong to secular honour saith Tho. Aquinas but in adorning himselfe with good manners enlarging his care of the salvation of all I magnifie by diligence and faith by life and doctrine saith Origen a Non â—pâ—bus non vestibas haeâ— sunt oruamenta sophistâ—a sedut multi convertantur ad Deiâ— 2 Vt minister 〈◊〉 sit efficax in cordib audiet Not with wealth and garments these are sophisticall ornaments but that many may be converted to God Secondly that my ministerie may be effectuall in the hearts of the hearers saith Martyr b Non ver borum lenocinis nam sermonisi animae med tur abiectus est Cent. 6 c 4. Not in the pleasant allurements of words for a sermon unlesse it eures the soule is reiected say the Magdeburgenses out of Ennodius but pret osum pastoris diadema c. The pretious diadem of a Pastor consists in this c Vt docirina institunt bonis no ribas one nâ—t sad cos custoâ—â— vigilet à malo decliâ—are faâ—at that with doctriâ— he instructs with good in inners he a lorâ—es with a godly custodie he watcheth over them that he makes them decline from evill as Gregorie on 1 King 1. Then Paul is said to magnifie his ministerie if he can win both Iewes and Gentiles unto God as 1 Cor. 9.19 I have made my selfe servant to all men that I may win the moe to the Iewes I became a Iew I am made all things to all men c. From all this conclusion followes in generall It is the dutie of every Minister of the Gospell so to preach Doct. and live as that he may honour and grace his calling and ministerie he must for life be unreproveable Accipimus his injurias quibus impis optimè â— eritis nunquam non gravarunt Bâ— er in 1 Tim. 3.6 1 Tim. 3.2 Wee here receive iniuries with which the ungodly never have not burdened the best deserving saith Bucer For knowledge hee must be able to teach 1 Tim. 3.6 Bonaventure requires three things to the honouring of the ministerie Tract de Christi paupertate In Apo cap. 2. 1. Authoritie 2. Truth 3. Profit Aquinas saith there must be in him that will grace the ministerie 1. Charitie to love 2. Magnan mitie to sustaine Clausa domo tenere was the complaint of Hypermâ—estra 3. Severitie to extâ—rpate evill 4. Humilitie to shun pride 5. Stabilitie to persevere 6. Valiantnesse to doe vehemently he must have cleerenesse in knowledge servencie in life shining and burning like Iohn Baptist Ardens in seipso vebimentia â—steritate ardens erga Christum amore erga peccantes increâ—atione Ioh. 5.35 he was lucens exemplo verbo shining in example in word he was burning in himselfe with vehement austeritie burning with love towards Christ with chiding towards sinners saith Bernard Here I should first lay downe the duties of good Ministers how they ought to live and preach that so they may magnifie their offices Secondly the lamentable face of our Church in respect that so many of her children who should be like Barnabas prove like Benoni a heaviness and woe unto her how too many Ministers disgrace the ministerie and many that sometimes doe preach the Gospell discredit the Gospell many that are scrued as it were into this office are the great blemishes of it sometimes in doing something else sometime in doing nothing sometime in doing evilly But this is a point that is knowne well enough I wish it were to be excused I spare the handling of it in this audience T is a thing rather to be lamented than preached and published it is too well knowne in Gath and published in the streets of Askelon I pray God we might live to see the day that they who have authoritie would either resorme or root them out of the Church that they who banish dead idols out of Church windowes would not set living idols in our pulpits That they would not set them to speake against drunkennesse who be tospots themselves against Laodicean luke-warmnesse who be hollow themselves them to pull downe sinne in others who hugge and dandle it themselves These times need no such aids and patrons God hath no need of such Nec talianxlio nec defensoribus estu tempus egit Virg. Aeneid and these ill times require better Preachers There is small comfort or hope of health lib. 2. when a sicke man must be cured by such a Physitian as hath the plague and sore running upon himselfe But what I leave in this unspoken I shall finde in the next verse which is the other end of Pauls preaching and ministerie VERS 14. If by any meanes I might provoke them of my flesh to follow them and might save some of them HEre be two ends of Pauls preaching and ministerie the former that he might provoke the other that he might save and in these there be two other considerable points the one the great paines that he takes if by any meanes secondly the specification of the parties whom he so much tenders them of my flesh I begin with the first That he might provoke viz. to emulation from whence observe That Gods children should be at an holy emulation and strise who should be neerest unto God and secondly the good that wee see in others should be strong provocations for us to follow them Be followers of mee saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.16 I come to the second end of his ministerie Doct. save some of them The end whereat every good Minister must aime is the salvation of soules Praelatus debâ—t prodisse non praesse necâ— proprium ambire commod my sed animaâ— is salutem Bern. de lrib ordin clesiae It is the rule of Bernard A Prelate ought to profit not to rule neither to desire his owne profit but the
to her might seeme righteous saith Augustine Yet will the Lord gather her as a hen gathereth her chickens under his wings Matth. 23. What man so farre gone as Manasses who built altars to strange gods sacrificed his sonnes to Moloch gave himselfe to witchcraft charming and sorcerie used them that had familiar spirits and did evill in the sight of the Lord to anger him Yet being in tribulation when he prayed and humbled himselfe greatly then the Lord heard him and was intreated and he knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. â—3 6 12 13. So true is that of the Prophet Ezek. 33.12 〈…〉 non attendi cum enim Deus veâ—◠〈◊〉 qu aboâ—us â—â—ssa quia omâ—â—potâ—s ipse contra fratrem â—d vinae 〈…〉 nam claâ—dit qui Deum credit aut noâ— velle aut 〈…〉 The wickednesse of the wicked shall not hart him in the day that he turneth to the Lord. Be the sinne never so great I may say as S. Augustine doth O man who attendest to that multitude of thy sinnes why doest thou not attend to the omnipotencie of the heavenly Physitian 〈◊〉 for seeing God will shew mercie because he is good and can because he is omnipotent he shuts the gate of divine pietie against his brother who beleeveth that God either will not or cannot have mercie And why wilt thou shut him out of heaven whom Christ hath not shut out of it David is farre gone in a â—â—lterie and murder Peter in back-â—â—dâ—ns and apostasie Paul in tyrannie and 〈…〉 and Gods Church Aug. de teâ—pore Serm. 58. Maliâ— ut pes fraupatur aut manus cum labore ad 〈◊〉 offierum revocatâ—â— â—â—â—â—â—ium 〈…〉 non 〈…〉 ego non 〈◊〉 yet the word of a 〈…〉 Divid the crowing of a 〈…〉 a light shining and a voice sounding 〈…〉 brings Paul to Christ againe Yet 〈…〉 this to incourage thee on in sinn◠〈…〉 what Augustine saith in the cited 〈…〉 foot or hand be broken it is with 〈…〉 its first office if againe â—â—t more hard 〈…〉 third time not without much paine if daily I iudge not of it But though I may not despaire of thy salvation yet it may be God will not bestow salvation though I may not judge thee yet it may be the Lord will though I may not censure thee yet it may be that the Lord will condemne thee I will hope God will shew thee mercy but thou without repentance must feele his justice Be thou never so farre gone yet returne to the Lord as thou art commanded and God wil bestow upon thee that mercy which he hath promised But I leave this and proceed to touch the instrument wherewith the Iewes are fet from death to life The Gospell In Iohn 5.25 In Iohan. tract 22. The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live which Augustine expounds of the raising of men dead and buried in infidelitie and sinne at the hearing of the word Transeunt a morte infidelitatis ad vitam side They passe from the death of infidelitie to the life of faith I am not ashamed of the Gospell for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeueth Rom. 1.16 that is an effectuall instrument of power as Paraeus and Beza expound it In this God reveales his true and absolute righteousnesse with which life and salvation is alwayes joyned and by the ministerie of the word is salvation conveyed and communicated to all that obey it and is therefore called the arme of the Lord Isa 53.1 whereby he can open the graves of sinne wherein men are buried and restore them to their lives againe Man without faith is dead and faith is that which makes the soule alive Augustine upon the words of Christ to Lazarus Ioh. 11.43 Lazarus come forth saith that surgere to arise is credere to beleeve to come forth is to confesse and that which Christ said at the 44. verse Loose him and let him goe Sâ—lvi 〈◊〉 〈…〉 is true of the Minister of the Gospell who by the word looseth the bands of sinne and iniquitie wherein they were tied I might tell you of Iames Andrew and Matthew and the rest but I will only remember you of S. Augustine Aug. Cons 〈◊〉 8 〈…〉 as hee writes of himselfe that when he sate weeping and speaking these words Quarenonâ—odâ— qâ—â—renâ—◠〈…〉 relle â—ege Why not to day why not to day he heard a voice saying Take up and read take up and read which he expounds thus that he should open the booke of God and read the first place he light upon he tooke the booke and opened it and he hit upon Rom. 13.13 14. Not in gluttonie and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying but pâ—t on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh Thus saith he was I converted and thus raised from death to life When our parents have begotten us to die the Word begets us to life The parent may say I knew I begat a mortall childe but he that begets by the Word may say I knew I begat an immortail one Hereupon it is a manifest marke that we are aliue if we beare a loue to the Word whereby wee are begotten no better signe to know that thou art a sonne than thy loue to that which begot thee and it is the Word that begets us 1 Iam. 18. 1 Pet. 1.23 Hence Vse first learne to apply this Gospell unto our owne hearts and this medicine that quick neth the dead to our owne soules The Gospell is like to a medicine excellent onely in the application Thinke that everie promise thou hearest belongeth unto thee everie precept thou hearest pertaineth to thee every word of reproofe takes hold of thee If I be convinced of any sinne I will endevour to reforme it if I heare of any judgement I will endevour to prevent it if I heare of mercie I will surely embrace it if I heare of a garland I will run for it of a crowne of glorie I will sight for it if I have formerly presumed to sinne because God is mercifull I will now tremble at his judgements if formerly despaired because of mine owne sinne and Gods justice I will now cheere up my drooping heart for mercie rejoyceth against judgement if thou bee never so sicke apply this Gospell to thy soule this will heale thee as it did the Leper Matth. 8.3 If never so blinde apply this Gospell this will cure thee as it did Bartimaeus Mark 10.52 If never so long dead apply this Gospell it will make thee alive againe as it did Lazarus Ioh. 11.43 But apply it to thy selfe not to others Bee not like gracelesse Spend-thrifts that say O there were good lessons against this greedinesse not like the Vsurer there were good lessons against prodigalitie and unthriftinesse not like the strict Pharisie O there were good lessons against libertie and licentiousnesse not like
the atheisticall and loose companion O there were good lessons against precisenesse This is to bee like those Lamiae or Gorgones mentioned by Caelius Rhodoginus who can finde meanes to cure others but none to helpe themselves Secondly Vse 2 let us who enjoy the Gospell shew some signes and fruits of a spirituall life that it may appeare that the Gospell hath raised us from the dead this is it that Paul said to Titus chap. 2.11 12. The grace of God that is the Gospell that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared and teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world soberly towards himselfe righteously towards his neighbour godly towards God as Aquinas speakes Let us lead such lives as beseemes the Gospell of Christ having our conversation honest walking in the Spirit giving good example doing of good workes as living but ready to dye having our bodies on earth but our minde and conversation in heaven not spending our dayes in eating and drinking but thirsting after righteousnesse not putting on robes and costly ornaments but putting on the Lord Iesus Christ not seeking sinfull pastimes but making melody to the Lord in our hearts not rejoycing in jests and merriments but in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs not laying up treasure in earth but in heaven not waiting for honours and preferments but waiting for the comming of the Sonne of God and for that glorie which shall be revealed And so I come from the proposall of this second argument to the proofe and confirmation of it VERS 16. For if the first fruits bee holy so is the whole lumpe and if the root be holy so are the branches IT is the confirmation of the second argument from the hope that the Iewes shall bee restored because an holy people shall not bee cast off for ever but the Iewes are hereditarily an holy people therefore shall not bee cast off for ever Of this argument the assumption or minor onely is expressed and is amplified by two metaphors the one from the holy first fruits the other from the holy root the one taken from the Law of Moses the other from the course of Nature The Law of Moses was this as Numb 15.20 You shall offer a cake of the first of your corne that was the first fruit which being consecrate and holy the remnant was also holy that is was made good and wholesome The order of Nature is this the juyce and the sap or moysture comes first into the root and then into the branches So that if the sap be good in the root it is good also in the branches now to apply the first fruits were holy The root whence the Iewes came was good therefore they are good also Who are these first fruits and who this root is I cannot beleeve with Origen that it was Christ I acknowledge no other holy root but our Lord. Ego aliam radicem sanctam non agnosâ—o nisi Dominum nostrum But I beleeve with Chrysostome the whole streame of moderne writers that by the first fruits and the holy root wee must understand Abraham Isaac and Iacob with the rest of the Patriarches which are not these fruits or root in respect of their persons but in respect of the promise made to them and to their seed as Calvin hath well expounded it So that the meaning is God hath hath promised to be the God of them who are the fruits and of their children which are the lumpe of them who are the root and of their children who are the branches therefore in regard of Gods promise we must not doubt but God who hath mercie on the first fruits will have mercie on the rest hee that loved the root will also set his love upon the branches from whence note in generall 1. From the Law of paying the first fruits 1. That of all the fruits of the earth Doct. 1 and of all the blessings that God gives unto man some part is due backe unto God againe For though authoritie have dasht and cancelled that Law of Moses concerning the paying of tithes yet Gods part and right in all the creatures can no man take away God was to have the first borne both of man and beast Exod. 13.2 He was to have the first fruits of the Land Exod. 23.19 But who was to receive for God See Deut. 26.12 13. It was given to the Levite to the stranger to the fatherlesse and to the widdow The Lord is Land-Lord of the whole earth and of all that is in it man is but Gods Tenant at will and is bound to pay unto God a vearely rent that is some part of all the blessings of God and this God receives by his Deputies Some is to bee paid to the Levite some to the stranger some to the widdow some to the poore and fatherlesse So that such men as hold much from God and will not pay backe unto God againe that which is his owne are such as God will at last turne out of doores 2. Doct. 2 The promises of God made to godly Fathers belong to their children also And that one promise made to Abraham must bee the judge of all others I will bee thy God and of thy seed Genes 17.7 So Peter speaketh to those that were pricked in their hearts The promise is made to you and to your children and to those are a farre off Act. 2.39 But I come to sift the words more particularly If the first fruits bee holy the first maine point is from the letter of the Metaphor 3. Doct. 3 The paying of God that which is his gives us a right and interest in all the rest as the paying of the best and first fruits the paying of thankes and prayer The Ancients were not wont to drinke of the grape unlesse they had first offered it to some God Pluturch Symposiac 4. Doct. 4 Gods promises made to the Fathers shall bee fulfilled to some of their children though not to them all and in Gods appointed time though not so soone as the promise is made When he promised to send his Son this promise was made to the fathers and God fulfilled it to their children Acts 13.32 33. The promise of giving the land of Canaan made to the Fathers was long a fulfilling but at last fulfilled to their children If God have made Abraham a promise that his seed shall be blessed hee will fulfill it in Isaac though Ishmael be rejected Genes 21.12 If hee make the same promise to Isaac hee will fulfill it in Iacob though Esau bee reprobate Gen. 27. If the same promise bee made to Iacob and Iacob die many hundred of yeeres before yet some of his children shall inherit it yet am not I come to the pith of my Text and therefore there must bee a fifth conclusion 5. Children of good parents are holy Doct. 5 for the promise made unto the fathers though children of
holy Spirit He hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts by which we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 But to make it more evident it may bee demonstrated by these reasons First those that be married to Christ for ever cannot fall away from faith and grace but all the Elect and children of God are such I will marrie thee unto myselfe for ever in righteousnesse in judgement and in compassion I will marrie thee in faithfulnesse Hos 2.19 20. Of which union and neerenesse by marriage when the Apostle speaks he saith that the Church consisting of his Elect are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5.30 Secondly they are branches of Gods owne planting therefore not to bee plucked up Ioh. 15. They build their houses upon the rocke Christ therefore they cannot bee overthrowne Matth. 7. Thirdly they are of his Church therefore the gates of hell cannot prevaile against them Matt. 16.18 Fourthly though they fall yet they cannot bee cast off for the Lord putteth under husband Psal 37.24 His left hand is under my head the right hand of the Lord embraceth me saith the Spouse Cantic 2.6 The devill comes to strike my head but the hand of the Lord is under my head to steale away my soule but the right hand of God embraceth me Aug. in Psal 121. saith Augustine Fifthly Christ did pray for his Church that their faith might not faile Luk. 22.32 And hee was heard in that which he prayed I know thou hearest me alwayes Ioh. 11.42 But that was onely for Peter No Bellarmine himselfe saith That Christ prayed mediately for the other Apostles Mediatè pro alus Atostolis nec si lùm pro perseveramià Apostolerum sed omnium electorum Bellaâ—m DeRoman Pentâ—sdtb 4. cap. 3. Rogavi nè deficiat fides tua intelligamus ei dictum qui adificatur super Petram Aug. De Corrept grat lib. cap. 12. nor onely for the perseverance of the Apostles but of all the Elect. I pray not for these alone but for all that shall beleeve in me thorow the world Ioh. 17.20 Yea and aske Augustine I asked that thy faith faile not we may understand it spoken to him that is built on the Rocke he prayed therefore he was heard nay he sits now making continuall intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Sixthly they that abide in Christ and Christ in them cannot utterly fall and perish but such be all they that are justified by faith for they eat his flesh and drinke his bloud and therefore Christ is in them and they in him as our Saviour speakes Ioh. 6.56 Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Lastly There is one reason unanswerable from 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not nor can he sinne But all reprobates doe sinne and can sinne therefore reprobates were never borne of God which is not meant of every sinne for there is sinne in the most holy If any man say he hath no sinne he deceiveth himselfe 1 Ioh. 1.8 but it is to be understood of such sinne whereby any man doth wholly fall backe into the power of the devill wholly into falshood and iniquity But they fall from grace make shipwracke of faith and must needs fall from God wholly into Satans power But unto this Bellarmine answers where he disproveth the exposition of Ambrose Bernard and Augustine He cannot mortally sinne so long as he is borne of God Non pâ—tell lâ—thalitèe peicare quamdiu natus est ex Deo Aug. De Iustist lib. 3. cap. 15. Hierome Contra Pelagion lib. 1. pag. 268. So Hierome in his Dralogue taking leave to change the causall particle because into a conditionall how long But Saint Iohn shewes that Bellarmines quamdiu so long as is as much as nothing for his purpose is to teach that a maâ— once borne of God can never bee given over wholly to serve sinne and Satan the reason because he is borne of God Excellently the same Apostle chap. 5.18 we know that if a man be borne of God the wicked toucheth him not The devill may throw his darts and shoot his arrowes which may wound and hurt him sore but cannot touch him that is not lay so fast hold on him as to take him with him to death to hell So that a childe of God sinding himselfe in the state of grace may with comfort meditate upon these Scriptures Iob. 4.14 whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be more a thirst but it shall be in him a well springing and growing to eternal life Matth. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets to deceive if it were possible the very elect Ioh. 10.28 Mysheepe heare my noice and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish nor shall any plucke them out of my hands Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded not grounded upon extraordinary revelation but upon the death of Christ vers 32. On Gods free justification vers 33. On Christ intercession vers 34. Phil. 1.6 I am perswaded of this thing that he that hath begunne this good worke in you will also peforme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will perfect it untill the day of the Lord lesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 The elect are kept by God through faith unto salvation If you list to heare the judgment of ancients in this point marke the disputation of Augustine a Si quispiam clecterum sereat tum fallitur Deus at nemo electorum poit quia non fallitur Deus Aug de Gratta Cerrept cap. 7. If any of the elect perish then God â— deceived but none of the elect perish because God is not deceived b Si quispiam dicterum pereat tum vitio humano vincitur Deus c. If any of the Elect perish then God is over come of hâ—m inevice but none of the Elâ—â—l perish because God is over come of nothing So Gregorie c Aurum quod pravis Diabcli persuasion but sternt potest ut â—â—tum aurum ante ecules Dei nâ—â—q am c. 〈◊〉 Meral lib. 31. as 13. That gold which by the wicked perswasions of the devill may be stricken downe like dirt never was gold in Gods account had sanctitie as it were before men they lose but in Gods accourt they never had it Lombard likewise speaketh to the same purpose d Noâ— potest 〈◊〉 que 〈…〉 praedeâ—â—tur non 〈◊〉 tur Loâ—â—b lib. 1 distinct 40. Both cannot bee true that one should bee predest inate and not saved So Aquinas e Serepti in libro viti deâ—â— non 〈◊〉 Aqeâ—n 1. 〈◊〉 21. Art 3. 〈…〉 24. Those that are written in the book of life câ—â—not be blotted out Espencaeus on 2 Tim. allowes that of Augustine of catechizing the simple chap. 11. f Ex Je usal m â—stâ non erat qui serâ—it Objections against perseverance grounded on Scriptures answered Out of that Ierusalem
kept promise with thee keepe therefore the commandements which I give thee this day Deut. 7.11 Remember all his mercies and let this make thee breake out in Davids passionate phrase Psal 103. Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name I come to the third viz. The condition upon which the Gentile hath this bountie Si permanserint The third condition to worke modestie in the Gentiles they enjoy this bountie but upon condition and must therefore bee carefull to fulfill the condition that is that they continue in his bountifulnesse viz. in faith saith Paraeus In a good and religious conversation saith Anselmus whethersoever it bee it ministers first of all this conclusion It is not sufficient to have once attained the grace and Gospell of God Doct. to have made a faire profession of it to have gotten esteeme and credit by it except we hold out and continue in it unto the end It was a false position of Seneca None endures to the end Nulla ad exitum durat nisilenta foeli itas Senec. Consolat ad Marciam c. 12. but slow felicitie * Hieroglyph lib. 16. Pierius out of Gregorie Nazianzene and S. Basil hath verie well compared the Christian Professor to a Salamander that lives in the fire as in 1 Cor. 9.24 And so I come to the fourth commination of excision Or else thou shalt be cut off In this commination the Apostle cals not the salvation of the elect into question as if they stood in danger of rejection for hee will teach against that in vers 29. And Christ saith it is impossible Matth. 24.24 But hee useth it as a bridle to containe them in their dutie to keepe them from securitie Now upon this premise if thou continue not thou shalt be cut off neither of these conclusions will follow Therefore some of the elect doe not abide but are cut off nor this if they cannot be cut off therefore the commination is in vaine For first these comminations are against the whole body of the Gentiles But not against everie particular of them for many times the whole body of a Church may bee cast off for infidelitie and yet everie particular not cast off The seven Churches of Asia cast off yet none of the elect amongst them are perished The Church of the Iewes cast off yet Paul perished not Secondly in the whole body of everie Church there bee evill amongst the good hypocrites amongst beleevers In both then there is use both of exhortation and threatning In the evill ut sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be without apologie In the good that there may be stirred up in them a study to please God and eschew evill Amongst many other points I make choyce of three The first is that of Olevian Quomodò excindit Deus How doth God cut them off and makes the answer thus Quando propter infidelitatem Evangelium aufert Sacramenta When for unbeleefe he takes away his Gospell and Sacraments There is no sinne wherewith God is more angrie Doct. than want of faith to beleeve the Gospell when it is preached as vers 11. Secondly Infidelitie cuts man from God and makes a separation betweene them as vers 20. Thirdly it is expedient and necessarie for Ministers in a time of generall securitie and corruption of manners when they see their people to rest in titles and outward appearances to use arguments of terror lay open the heaviest judgments of God that hang over them So doth the Apostle against those that often heare but profit nothing that receive the dew and the former and latter raine he threatens burning Heb. 6.8 So doth the Prophet for those three privative sinnes want of mercie truth and knowledge and those five positive That the whole land shall mourne that everie one that is in it shall be destroyed and cut off the beasts of the field the fowles of the Heaven and the fishes of the sea shall bee taken away Hos 4. This is meant in the Epistle of S. Iude when it is said that some must be saved with seare and violently pluckt out of the fire vers 23. Our lenitie is lenitas saeviens raging lenitie as Auguistine speaketh say not it was better to in in Christs time then Christ spake mildly as to Iâ—mas doest thou well to be angrie Now a man cannot offend in a garment meat drinke or the use of his money but the pulpit must ring of it I wish wee might see those dayes that wee needed not It is no pleasure to us to sharpen our to goes like rasors to speake by the pound and talent fearfull words if softer might suffice But if wee be briars in our flesh it is because wee dwell with briars if perverse it is because we dwell in the midd of a perverse generation The reasons are many 1. Reason 1 Because without this rough and round handling the conceited Hypocrite the glosing Gospeller the drowsie Professour cannot be thorowly convinced much lesse awakened and converted when the Preachers be like Barnabas sonnes of consolation and come with a soft and still voyce they will mend no more than Eli's sonnes they are so deadly asleep like Epimenides in his cave or like Ionah in the ship that a low voyce luls them faster asleepe than they were before they must bee Bonarges sonnes of thunder and they must come in a whirle wind that may awaken them And therefore me thinkes they that mislike such teachers are like to those Sybarites in Athenaeus who made a law that all the cockes should bee banished Those that speake low and softly they like well enough but those that rouze and start them they faine would banish 2. Reason 2 There is often in the best Christians a kind of benummednesse and a kinde of drowsinesse a kinde of spirituall pride and conceitednesse therfore for the finding out and redresse of these infirmities and faults they have need of daily and sound admonition and the more that faith is corrupted and manners infected the more need we have to be plyed with admonitions 3. Reason 3 That the Minister may bee free himselfe for if hee see a plague comming and the sword comming and give not warning his bloud that perisheth will God require at the watch-mans hands as Ezek. 33.6 And therefore when wee deale roundly you must beare with us for thus we must both save our selves and you that heare us 1 Tim. 4.16 And so I come to the last argument that the Apostle urgeth in vers 23 and 24. VERS 23. And they also Vers 23 if they continue not still in unbeleefe shall be grafted in for God is able to graft them in agine THe argument goes thus Their fall is not eternall and irrecoverable therefore insult not over them They containe a conclusion and a reason The conclusion They if they abide not The reason God is able to graft them in againe The particulars I omit till I come to
him in his members thy tongue blesse him for his mercies let it rouze up thy drooping soule like Davids tongue Psal 103. Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Let us ever be singing that Magnificat of Marie My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for hee that is mightie hath done great things for us and blessed bee his name And so I come to the action or office He shall turne away iniquitie from Iacob But yet there is a point in the verie word which is here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui eripiet that shall snatch them as it were out of some danger Aquinas proposeth that place in Amos 3.12 As the Shepherd takes out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece so shall the children of Israel be To give a double note 1. That but a small part of the world shall bee delivered from hell and death as vers 5. The Vse is Vse The more earnestly must wee labour and the more paines must we take to be of that number and if wee will not faile learne foure lessons perfitly 1. That the ordinary pace which men goe will never bring us thither 2. Learne the way to Heaven perfitly 3. When thou knowest the way then mend thy pace 4. Cast off the luggage and burdens that hinder thee as 1 Cor. 9.24 I come to the second Conclusion This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that shall deliver by pulling snatching affords this point Doct. That heaven must be got with violence much hardnes Therefore is the whole way to heaven a continuall battell marching aray or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strife Luk. 13.24 And when Paul was almost there then hee hath fought the good fight 2 Tim. 4.8 And the Apostle Heb. 12.4 There must be resisting unto bloud many a troublesome day must a man see in many an hot skirmish must he fight many sore and sowre strokes a man shall feele many a strait way a man must passe before he see God in glorie The difficultie ariseth partly from the nature of the way to heaven and hard to be found amongst so many by-paths and amongst so many false lights and deceitfull Pilots every one crying this is the way that many a poore soule not knowing which way to take goes on in none My best direction is that of Ieremie chap. 6.16 Aske for the old way which is the good way walke in that and yee shall sinde rest unto your soules 2. From the travellers in this way who are the greatest hinderances unto themselves some by lingring and deferring the time before they set forward who are like the sluggard Prov. 19.24 forgetting both the shortnesse of their life and the difficultie of comming to God when they are old some by stooping to gather treasures or reaching for honours lose heaven Ovid. Metam lib. 10. like Atalanta who lost the race by stooping for the golden apples But because I will not fall upon the former point I come from the place Sion from the person deliverer to his office He shall turne away iniquitie from Iacob The words are easie Doct. and the point plaine It is the proper office of Christ Iesus alone to reconcile sinners to God 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 There is no salvation in any other nor other name under heaven whereby we can be saved Acts 4.12 His forme and manner of reconciling sinners unto God is first by intercession as Rom. 8.34 he is not onely Mediator of redemption as the Papist makes him who make Angels Mediators of intercession 1. The distinction is without warrant 2. The high Priest in the Law was Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically both of remission by sacrifice and of intercession by prayer Of intercession as Aaron Numb 16.48 The other ordinarie and if now they bee divided the truth doth not answer the figure which must not be said 3. By him we have boldnesse Ephes 3.12 Let them shew where we have so by Angels 4. Hee lives ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 let them shew the like of Angels Let them heare S. Augustine Whom should I finde that might reconcile me to thee Quâ—m invenirem quine reconciliarit riâ—i num eundum ad Angelos quâ prece quibus lachrymis Aug. Confess lib. 10. cap. 42. must I goe to the Angels with what prayer with what teares Secondly by not imputing sinne but by imputation of his righteousnesse unto them He was made sinne for us which knew no sin that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God through him 2 Cor. 5.21 Thirdly by his death and passion that so hee may make payment and give satisfaction to Gods justice for his peoples sinnes The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.7 We are redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Fourthly by abating the number and weakening the power of sinne in them by the Scepter of his Word and the efficacie of his Spirit Wee know that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 Fifthly by quite abolishing and removing of all their sins at the houre of death and day of judgement So Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord c. and therefore was Christ once offered to take away their sins Heb. 9.28 Hence was that excellent point and clause in Peters Sermon Acts 3.19 Amend your lives therefore that your sinnes may bee put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The reason of all is this Because he is the blessed seed in whom all Nations are blessed as God said of him to Abraham Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed He is the root and foundation on which all Gods promises doe depend and in whom they are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Learne to seeke for salvation in none other Vse Acts 4.12 Expect to bee saved onely by his merits righteousnesse and sufferings for hee alone hath trodden the wine-presse Isa 63.3 Apoc. 19.14 What remaines but that everie man disclaime his righteousnesse as a menstruous rag renounce his owne merits as deserving nothing but death give all the praise to God and cry with the Psalmist Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name give the praise And so I come to the second place alleaged VERS 27. Vers 27 And this is my covenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes THis Text is alleaged out of Ierem. 31. at the beginning of vers 33. This is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel and at the end of vers 34. I will forgive their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more The words conta ne branches of comfort for his his owne Israel The first the promise of forgivenesse of all their sinnes The second the certaintie of the promise this is my covenant I will invert the proposed order and take them as the Apostle sets them downe and begin with the first the assurance and securitie which God hath given to his Church This is my covenant to them As if hee should say why should any man doubt of the conversion of the lewes for have not I made promise of it or doubt of their salvation for have not I made a covenant with them concerning it From whence the point ariseth thus Whatsoever God hath promised Doct. or bound himselfe by covenant to performe though it may seeme hard or long before it be fulfilled yet it shall come to passe at last Therefore he beares the name of Iehovah which Exod. 6.3 gives us above all his other names to understand the assured fulfilling of whatsoever he promiseth The comming of the Messias promised almost foure thousand yeares The seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head Gen. 3.15 foretold by the Acrosticke of Sybilla Erythraea as Lactantius and Augustine affirme Lactant. Instit lib. 4. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 18. c. 2â— And by the Prophet Isay 720. yeeres before his incarnation yet it came at last The deliverance of Israel out of Aegypt promised 400. yeeres before it was fulfilled Gen. 15.13 The meanes of bringing them out unlikely and weak but two old men Moses and Aaron the one eightie the other eightie three yeeres old Exod. 7.7 Which in Moses his time was a great age for hee saith Psal 96.10 The dayes of man are threescore yeeres and ten And the weapons but these Aaron must speake and Moses must carrie his Shepherds staffe weake men weake meanes to assault a mightie King to overthrow a mightie Kingdome Had a carnall man seene these two going to overcome Pharaoh and bring Israel out of Aegypt hee would rather have laughed than beleeved it And yet if God have said it it shall come to passe God will make the holding up of this staffe to bring such plagues upon Pharaoh and all Aegypt that all the Kings in the earth by uniting of forces and combination of Armies could not have vext him more and God after a long time by weake meanes made good his promise and brought them out of Aegypt by their Armies Exod. 12. ult Hath the Lord spoken and shall hee not doe it saith the Prophet Are not all his promises yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.30 Those two promises the one concerning the calling home of his people of the Iewes the other concerning his comming in the clouds to glorifie his Saints are longest deferred in likelihood they shall come neere together and that which shall be last shall not be long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 22.20 Surely I come quickly Wait but a verie little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarrie Heb. 10.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tantillum tantillum Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 20. cap. 7. Augustine reports that the Millenaries out of somes bookes of Elias as Vives notes have determined the time of the worlds duration to be six thousand yeeres whereof two thousand were expired from the crearion to Abraham and two thousand from Abraham to Christ and since Christ 1619. so that the remainder is but 381. yeere but whether the Lord will come at that time or sooner or tarrie longer he onely knowes himselfe onely wee know thus much that hee will come certainly The day of the Lord is comming Apoc. 6. ult Hee will come quickly The comming of the Lord draweth neere Iam. 5.8 Lift up your heads for your redemption draweth neere Luk. 21.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Little children these be the last times and the ends of the world are come upon us 1 Ioh. 2.18 First Vse 1 then bee glad and rejoyce all yee whose names are written in the booke of life and unto whom God hath made a covenant and promise of life God hath married you c. as Hos 2.19 therefore you are not to be cast off You are branches planted by Gods hand Ioh. 15. therefore not to be broken off You are houses built upon the rockes therefore not to be overthrowen He hath given you the keyes of his Kingdome therefore not to bee excluded Though you fall yet you shall rise againe therefore you are not to be cast away Psal 37.24 The left hand of the Lord is under your heads and his right hand embraceth you Cant. 2.6 therefore not to be stollen away Comfort your spirit with an holy meditation of these Scriptures Ioh. 4.14 Matth. 24.24 Ioh. 10.28 Rom. 8.39 1 Pet. 1.5 And let mee adde those grave axioms of the Fathers a Si quâ—sp aâ— electorum pereat tum sallitur Deus Aug. de coâ— epâ— grat cap 7. If any of the elect perish then God is deceived saith Augustine b Anrum quod ut lutum sâ—â— nitur aurum electum non sait Greg. Moral lib 34. cap. 13. That which was strawed like dirt was not choyce gold saith Gregorie c Inâ—p ssibâ—le est ut praeâ—essinetur non salvâ—â—ur Lombard lib. 1. distinct 40. It is impossible that any should be predestinate and not saved saith Lombard d Scripti in libro Deinon possunt deleri Aquin. Sum. 1. quaest 23. aâ—tic 3. They that are written in the booke of life cannot bee blotted out saith Aquinas e Qui habitat in Ierusalem coelesâ—â— non perit Espenc in 2 Tim. Hee that dwells in the heavenly Ierusalem perisheth not saith Espeucaeus on 2 Tim. out of Augustine in his book of catechizing the simple Chap. 11. Secondly if thou bee holy thou hast hence a good ground and reason o expect whatsoever reward God hath promised unto holinesse If poore in spirit expect the Kingdome for he hath promised it Matth. 5.3 If thou mourne for sin expect comfort hee hath promised it vers 4. If meeke expect then an inheritance for hee hath promised it vers 5. If thou hunger and thirst after righteousnesse expect to bee filled with happinesse for hee hath promised it Vse 2 vers 7. If pure in heart expect to see God in glorie he hath promised it vers 9. If reviled for Christs sake expect a great reward for hee hath promised it vers 12. Thirdly Vse 3 let the impenitent sinner expect to feele whatsoever sorrow God hath threatned If thou be a murtherer of thy brethren he will execute what hee hath threatned and plague thee with a continuall shaking and feare of thy selfe as he did Cain Gen. 4. If thou burne in lust hee will make good what he hath threatned and consume thee as Sodome Gen. 19. If a prophaner of his
Sabbaths hee will bring to passe what hee hath threatned and set a fire in thy gates as in Ierusalem Ierem. 17.27 If you will not help the Armies of God yee shall bee cursed like Meroz Iudg. 5.23 Your sinne will finde you out though you be never so covertly hid as Moses told Reuben and Gad Numb 32.23 and when once you are found out and started evill shall hunt you and chase you till you bee destroyed Psal 140.11 What shall we doe miserable men in that day when the Lord shall come in a flame of fire Quid sacien us in ilid dâ—e miseri quando dominus igneus vencrit cadentibus slelliâ— Sâ—l in teneâ—â— as Lunain sanguinem mutabitur montes lit ceral quesâ—â—nt mare siccabitur quando peccatores dâ—cent montibus Cadite super nos tegite 〈◊〉 quaâ— dovocabunt homines moâ—tem non veniet vocata Hiâ—â— Epist de Scâ—â—â— Legis Tom. 4. the Starres falling the Sunne shall be changed into darknesse and the Moone into bloud the mountaines shall melt as wax the sea shall be dried up when sinners shall say to the mountaines fall upon us cover us when men shall call to death and death being called shall not come saith Hierome And so I come from the assurance and securitie this is my covenant to the grace covenanted or promised I will take away their sinnes These words have in them first a person secondly an action take away thirdly the matter removed I will this time goe but to the person I. It is proper to God alone to forgive and pardon sin It is the Lord the Lord that forgives iniquitie transgression and sinne Doct. For so God describes himselfe to Moses Exod. 34.7 It is hee that is a just God and Saviour from sinne and besides him there is none other Isa 45.21 It is our heavenly Father that forgives trespasses Matth. 6.14 Who can forgive sinne but God onely Mark 2.7 I say no more but as Nathan said to David when hee confessed his sinne and said I have sinned against the Lord The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die 2 Sam. 12.13 The Reason Reason 1 First because sinne is committed onely against the Law and Majestie of God and as for the offence against the creature it is no more but an iujurie wrong or trespasse for in sinne there bee two things 1. The evill or obliquitie of the action 2. An hurt or detriment arising unto man by the action The evill of the action or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crossing the Law of God is the sinne properly and the remission of it is in God only But the hurt or detriment by that trespasse falling upon man in goods body name a man pardons without impeachment of Gods honour Thus then doth man forgive when he remits the harme that ariseth together with all anger and revenge But Gods forgiving is an absolving from the sinne it selfe as he himselfe speakes I even I am bee that puts away thine iniquities for mine owne sake Isa 43.25 It is I that put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Isa 44.22 God sometimes forgives the sinne when man forgives not the wrong and man sometimes forgives the wrong when God forgives not the sinne as Stephen Secondly Reason 2 the breach of humane precepts or doing of any thing against a man is no sinne unlesse it doe withall imply and include the transgressions of the Commandement of God Thirdly Reason 3 God takes away not onely the punishment as men in outward punishments partly can doe but also removes the guilt and corruption of nature which none else can doe Fourthly Reason 4 Gods power and authoritie is most absolute independant and cannot by any other be prevented or hindered from giving and granting of pardon to his sonnes and children And from hence let us learne First Vse 1 that seeing God hath made promise of forgivenesse of sinnes to the Iewes a promise to reconcile them by the covenant of grace let us not despaire of their salvation but set our selves to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as fellow-workers with God to helpe and set forward and to hasten their conversion that there may be one shepherd and one sheepefold as our Saviour speakes in Ioh. 10.16 And of all meanes to doe them good there is nothing more available than their observation of our good life who professe Christ that will worke when the word doth not 1 Pet. 3.1 2. Essicacior von bonioperu quà m elegantis serâ—onu Illius Doctoris libenter audio vocem Bâ—â—n sâ—p Cant serm 59. Horat. de art poetic Aug. confess lib 9 cap. 9. The voice of a good worke is more effectuall than that of an elegant speech I willingly heare the voice of that Teacher c. saith Bernard Si vis me flere dolendum priùs ipse tibi Thou must first grieve thy selfe if thou wilt have mee to weepe S. Augustine reports that his mother Monicha won her Patricius from being an impure Manichee by her prudence manners and chastitie Let us follow the rule of Christ Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men c. Let us behave our selves among them as S. Peter wisht them once to behave themselves among us Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that they by your good works which they shall see may glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2.12 Capat artis est docere quod sacis Hier de re monach ex Cicerone The principall of an art is to teach what thou doest saith Hierome Secondly Vse 2 I might hence confute all superstitious persons proud pharisaicall Papists who seeke for righteousnesse of a sinner and the pardon of sins not only from Gods mercy in Christ but from humane satisfactions indulgences purgatory fire prayer for the dead and humane merits But I will not spend my time in taking out the stinke of these popish channels my conclusion is Vse 3 That seeing God only can forgive it let us become suiters unto him only to pardon it let us confesse it for confession must goe before remission It is excellent Psal 32.3 While I held my tongue my bones consumed while I cried all the day long Tacui and yet clamavi I held my tongue and yet I cried Tacuit unde proficeret clamavit unde desiceret tacui confessionem clamavi praesumptionem saith Augustine He was silent in that whereby he might profit himselfe he cried out whereby he failed I kept silent my confession I uttered my presumption all this while my bones consumed At last he bethinkes another course I confessed Agnâ—scit peâ—â—ator ignoscit Deus and thou forgavest The sinner acknowledgeth God pardoneth Before confession no comfort after confession no punishment Let us leave them let us hate them and pray for the pardon of them spare not to speake lest wee spare to speed but cry with the Publican God be mercifull to mee a sinner let us
all men are naturally guiltie like to condemned persons and can of themselves looke for nothing but death I cannot answer one of a thousand Iob 9.3 If thou be extreme to marke what is amisse who can abide it Psal 130.3 Enter not into judgement with thy servants for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 The Law convinceth Paul to bee a blasphemer the Law convinceth Marie Magdalene to be an impure and uncleane liver Peter to be an Apostata David to be an adulterer the holiest man alive is condemned by the Law the anchor whereto hee must trust is onely mercie There is not one so high commended by Scripture but he is also convicted and condemned by Scripture David a man after Gods owne heart yet condemned in the matter of Vrias 2 Sam. 11. Peter commended for his resolution Though all men should deny thee yet would not I is convicted and condemned for his Apostasie Matth. 26. Iehoash commended for doing that which was good in the sight of the Lord yet condemned for not taking away the high places 2 King 12.3 Adam may hide himselfe in the bushes Sarah behinde the doore Thamar may muffle her face the whore may wipe her mouth and say shee hath done nothing but not one of them all but they are convicted by the Law written in their consciences Rom. 2.15 Young old rich poore noble base Iew Gentile all have sinned and by Law are condemned and from hence wee may learne First not to please our selves in nobilitie Vse 1 parentage wit wealth for God respects not these he preferres meeknesse and humilitie before them all to them hee gives grace Iam. 4.6 and with them he dwells Isa 57.15 It is better to bee a doore-keeper in the house of God Psal 84. Better to endure affliction with the children of God Heb. 11. Secondly here are they condemned Vse 2 who justifie themselves before God who will be saved by their workes who proudly and presumptuously deny or diminish the free grace and mercie of God I come to the end and event of this generall conviction That hee might shew mercie Thus good is even the most happie product that God brings out of the greatest evill as before hath beene shewed There is a second Conclusion to note How this comming out of sinne and infidelitie to the life of grace and holinesse depends meerely upon Gods favour but I have handled it heretofore I proceed to the generall number that shall finde this mercie All. That hee might have mercie upon all In the former part of this sentence the word All may be taken distributively for everie particular man is convicted to be in the state of infidelity In the last part it is taken collectively Th. Aquinas in Rem pro generibus siagulorum for all kindes of people There is neither Iew nor Gentile saved Intelligitur de Iudaeis Gentibus qâ—os Deus praedestinavit Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21. c. 24. Quid est omntis 〈…〉 but by mercie It is understood of Iewes and Gentiles whom God hath elected saith Augustine What is all he will condemne not none of all men but none of those whom he hath elected called and justified First then all that were elected and are effectually called and justified by saith shall finde mercie at the last and bee saved In which point note 1. A twofold calling 2. A two-fold election 3. A manifold acception of faith 4. A great similitude betweene the elect and hypocrites 5. The faith of the elect may bee covered and diminished as above But the maine Conclusion is this There is onely a certaine number of men elect before time Doct. who shall at the last day finde mercie with the Lord and be saved and all the rest shall be condemned and cast away I say not that the number is knowen to any but to the Lord who can distinguish betweene the wheat and the chaffe nor doe I say that it is any such small number as one of a Citie or two of a Tribe for Apocal. 7.4 there were sealed 144000. And of the Nations and Countreyes an infinite number which no man could reckon which stood before the Lamb clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands vers 9. But my meaning is that of that great multitude of men which live God hath onely a part and certaine portion they are not all his but some of them shall be cast away at the last The Lord knoweth who are his saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.19 When a curious demander proposed unto Christ this question Are there few that shall bee saved Our Saviour made him this answer Strive thou to be one for at that day many shall strive to enter but shall not be able Luk. 13.24 The Apostle is peremptorie Though Israel were as the sand of the sea yet onely a remnant of them shall be saved Rom. 9.27 If you should divide the world into three parts with I tolomee into foure with some others Geograph 〈◊〉 rat lib. 1. c with Quade into seven there is not one of seven that professeth Christ aright and though in everie one of these seven parts God may have some that pertaine to himselfe yet there is not the least of them wherin there are not many brands prepared and preordained to an everlasting burning Many that have nothing to plead for themselves but bare outward privileges as preaching prophesying doing of miracles to these Christ will say at last Depart from mee I know you not Matth. 7.23 Many that lay up their talents and hide them in a napkin employ not these parts and gifts which God hath bestowed upon them to these Christ will say Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darknesse where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth 25.30 Many that refuse to feed Christ when he is hungrie to cloath him when he is naked to visit him when hee is in prison to whom he shall say Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire Matth. 25.41 Many are ashamed of Christ many ashamed of his truth many thinke it a shame to bee accounted such as they ought to be and to these he saith He shall be ashamed of such when he comes in the glorie of his Father with his holy Angels Mark 8.38 Many that have kept house and dwelt together shall then have an everlasting parting if two in a bed the one shall be received the other left if two grinding at the mill the one shall bee received the other left First then if this All comprehend not everie man but onely the elect and the elect in comparison of those that are reprobated bee but few as our Saviour speakes Matth. 20.16 The called are many the chosen few they that finde mercie but few Then the harder must wee labour Vse 1 the more paines must we take that so wee may bee of that little flock and number which shall finde mercie To this purpose let us learne that the
holy exclamations to stirre and incite others unto it Thus doth the Prophet Psal 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world Hee sets downe his glorie in ordaining strength out of the mouthes of babes vers 2. In creating the Heavens deckt with Sunne Moone and Stars vers 3. In the making of man little inferiour to Angells giving him dominion over all other workes of his hands yet after all this he is faine to admire O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world In another Psalme O Lord how glorious are thy workes and thy thoughts are verie deepe Psal 92.5 When David hath considered how the Lord redeemed his people from the hand of the oppressour gathered them out of the lands when they wandred in the wildernesse and had no Citie to dwell in hungrie and thirstie that their soule fainted in them hee breakes into this passion O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. Psal 107.8 Againe considering how often God hath satified the thirstie and filled the hungrie soule with gladnesse how he humbled their hearts with heavinesse and yet when they cried delivered them out of their distresse brought them out of darknesse and brake their bands in sunder He breaks out againe into that holy exclamation O that men would therfore praise the Lord vers 15. Againe considering how hee had broken for them the gates of brasse and smitten the barres of iron in sunder how hee sent his word and healed them and delivered them from the grave when their soule abhorred all manner of meat and they were hard at deaths doore Hee breakes out into that holy exclamation vers 21. Againe considering how they that goe to sea c. how they are mounted up to heaven and downe to the deepe againe how they reele and stagger and their skill failes yet the Lord turnes their storme into a calme and brings them to the haven Hee breakes out into that holy exclamation vers 31. Wee cannot remember how God hath called us Gentiles without God in the world Ephes 2.12 but it will cause an holy exclamation O the riches of the mercie and goodnesse of God how he hath cast off the Iew whom hee so much honoured but it should cause an holy exclamation O the unsearchable depth of the judgements of God! wee cannot looke upon the heaven beautified with starres upon the earth cloathed with flowers but it should cause an holy exclamation O the depth of his love and bountie unto us in Christ Iesus From whence wee may learne a three-fold dutie First Vse 1 to strive how we may affect and possesse mens hearts with the rarenesse and excellencie yea with an holy admiration of Gods workes and proceedings so doth David Psal 48.4 Sing unto God sing praises unto his name exalt him that rides upon the heavens in his name Iah According to thy name so thy praise shall be to the worlds end Psalm 48.10 And if wee doe remember his workes we must needs admire his workes Who can remember his worke of election and not wonder that hee should love Iacob and hate Esau His creation and not wonder how he could frame so many goodly creatures in heaven and in earth of nothing by nothing but a word His workes of redemption and not wonder at his goodnesse in sending his Sonne into the world to die for sinners His worke of vocation and not wonder how by the voice of his Gospell preached by weake men hee could subdue and convert Nations and Kingdomes Who can remember his framing in the wombe and not wonder I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 Who can remember how God hath kept him from the wombe fed him with the lives of his creatures preserved him from dangers From the arrow that hath flowen abroad by night from the sicknesse that hath destroyed at noone day yea When thousands have fallen beside him and ten thousands at his right hand and not admire the loving kindnesse of the Lord Let our tongues sticke to the roofe of our mouths our right hands forget to play Let fathers forget their sonnes nurses their sucking babes mothers the fruit of the wombe But let us never cease to magnifie and admire the wayes and proceedings of God whose workes are unsearchable and wayes past finding out The second Vse is Vse 2 That when humane reason is offended with the deepnesse of the doctrine of predestination that wee renounce reason and give glorie unto God and with reverence admire what we cannot understand Let us beleeve that it is so Dâ—spatare vis mecum mirare mecum clama O altituao aâ—bo consenâ—iamus in pavore ne in crrore pereâ—mus Aug de â—â—rbis Apost Serm. 11. because the word hath revealed it but when by reason we cannot apprehend the manner the cause let us fall downe worship the Lord whose wisdome is deeper than the Ocean whose wayes are unsearchable and judgements past finding out It was the modestie of S. Augustine Wilt thou dispute with me wonder with me and crie O deepnesse let us both hoth agree in feare lest we perish in errour Let us learne the lesson of our Saviour I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them unto babes Is it so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Matth. 11.26 Thirdly Vse 3 it serves to condemne such men as murmure at Gods order and course in matter of reprobation and thinke much that God should leave one in the masse of corruption rather than another that hee should reprobate them before they had done any evill and appoint them to be vessels of wrath and brands of an everlasting burning in a blacke and bottomlesse Tophet before ever their mothers conceived them whereas God is most wise and just and of absolute power and authoritie and therefore alwayes doth and cannot chuse but order rule and dispose of all things most rightly and most wisely albeit our weake and sinite apprehensions cannot see the reason of it The Conclusion Let us beleeve what we see not admire what we understand not reverence and adore that God whose councels are so deepe and wisdome so infinite that men and Angels cannot finde them out And so I come to a second point in generall Wee must in the hidden mysteries and secrecies of Almightie God Doct. not be curious to know impossibilities much lesse object and except against the manner of Gods proceedings but containe our selves within the precincts and limits of his word adore and admire his counsels without all vaine and rash attempting to search and finde them out It is Davids speech Psal 36.6 His mercie reacheth unto the heavens his faithfulnesse unto the clouds his righteousnesse is like the mightie mountaines his judgements like the great deepe And therefore can wee neither finde the reason of them nor except against them First it
At Ephesus see the storie Act. 19. In the house of Nero see their salutation Phil. 4.22 The more it is opposed the more God makes it to thrive and prosper Post Martyres floresâ—â—t Ecclesia Chrysost de patient Iob Homil 4. Cruciate damnate torquete at â—â—â—ite nos exquisitior quaeque crudelitas vestra est sectae illecebra quoties a vobis metimur totics plures essicimur nam sanguis Christiano um semâ—n Ecclesiae est Tertull. Apologet ad Calcem Hence is that of Chrysostome After the Martyrs the Church flourisheth And Tertullian Afflict condemne torment but waste us everie one of your more exquisite crueltie is an allurement of our Sect as oft as we are mowed of you so oft are wee made the more for the bloud of Christians is the seed of the Church Onely Gods hand and power is seene in the planting of it when it is planted onely his hand is seene in the preserving and delivering of it It is the Prophets speech Isa 59.16 The Lord saw that there was none to helpe therefore his arme did save it and his hand brought salvation unto it In the dayes of Elias when they brake downe the Altars killed the Prophets and Elias onely was left then did the Lord alone preserve it In the time of the Arrian heresie when there was but Athanasius against the whole world so Constantius the Emperour and Liberius the Pope Theod. Eccles hist lib. 2 ca. 16. Hee kept Ioseph in Aegypt Ionah in the belly of the whale Israel in the deepe sea and when there was none to save then the arme of the Lord brought salvation unto them Which may serve First Vse 1 to comfort us in all our distresses because our Lord and Master is sufficiently able of himselfe to defend and save us who will see his sonnes and children in the fire but would pull them out if hee were able Secondly if God be all-sufficient of himselfe then will he finde out meanes sufficient to helpe and to doe his children good though man perceive it not Thirdly if all-sufficient then God can save the lives of his people when all meanes are against it He can make the den of Lions to bee a castle and a lodge for Daniel I come to the third For him are all things Doct. God in all his workes of election reprobation creation preservation had a respect to himselfe and proposed his glorie as the end of them all God made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of wrath Thus the foure and twentie Elders Apoc. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glorie and honour for thou hast created all things for thy wills sake When God chuseth a people hee respects his owne glorie The Lord set them up to be a pretious people unto himselfe and made them higher than all the Nations whom he made in praise in name and in glorie Deut. 26.18 19. In the discomfiting of enemies hee proposeth his owne glorie For this cause have I appointed thee that I might shew my power in thee and declare my name thorowout all the world Exod. 9.16 If he raise Lazarus the end is his glorie Said not I unto thee that if thou didst beleeve thou shouldest see the glorie of God Ioh. 11.40 He did intend his glorie in everie thing that hee did and hath glorie from everie thing that he made even by that which is evill for he turnes evill to good and brings good out of it as out of the evill of sinne a five-fold good out of the evill of punishment a manifold good So that both in good and evill he intends and from both good and evill he gets honour and glorie to himselfe I shall make the use when I come to the dutie of returning thankes and to the person to whom glorie is due To him be glorie for evermore Amen This is the Doxologie describing to whom the glorie of creation preservation election doth belong It containes first the Quid what is to be returned Secondly the Cui to whom it must be returned to him Thirdly the Quamdiù for evermore Fourthly the seale set to this acknowledgement and recognition Amen I begin with the Quid what is to be returned glorie my purpose is not to speake of an acknowledgement of the glorious nature and attributes in God but of mans study to get glorie unto God here among men onely this Conclusion I cannot passe That God lookes to receive glorie from everie thing that he hath made Doct. Thus the Prophet Isa 43.7 Everie one of them shall bee called by name for I created them for my glorie And hee hath chosen his elect to the praise of his glorie Ephes 1.12 The heavens must declare his glorie Psal 19.1 The creation of the world must set out his glorie Rom. 1.20 All the creatures must set forth his glorie because he made them Gen. 1. Preserves their being Act. 17.28 Feeds them Psal 147.9 But man especially is bound to this dutie of glorifying God because he not onely made him preserves seeds him but being dead quickened him being lost sought him being Satans prisoner ransomed him not with bloud of buls and and goats but of Christ And what use makes the Apostle Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your soules 1 Cor. 6.20 I come to a second viz. Man should never doe any thing Doct. whereby hee may not gaine some glorie unto God Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 Amongst many hee is principally to aime at Gods glorie in these three 1. His actions 2. His speeches 3. His calling His actions are of three kindes naturall civill religious The naturall are such as are common to men with beast as eating drinking sleeping recreation yet in man all these must be moderated by reason that wee erre not in excesse or defect or manner of using them The Apostle hath mentioned two whereof we should be most carefull that wee dishonour not God to wit eating and drinking Here I must quarrell with two sorts of people who dishonour God so much in these two First they dishonour him in eating so did the people of Israel when they required meat for their lust Psal 78.19 And therefore while the flesh was yet betweene their teeth before it was chewed Gods wrath was kindled against them as Numb 11.33 Secondly they dishonour him in drinking as those Isa 5.11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drinke that continue untill night till the wine inflame them I come to the third which is our calling We must make choyce of such callings whereby we may gaine glorie unto God Doct. For a calling is a particular kinde of life imposed upon man by God for the common good and in everie calling two things must be considered the Author and the end The Author of everie honest and lawfull calling is God So the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.17 As God hath called everie man so let him walke The end of every