in unbeleefe so wast thou strangers from God so wast thou Therefore seeing thou art nâ—w in favour despaire not of them they may 〈◊〉 favour as thou hast and be received to mercie as thou hast beene There be two things that the Apostle would have us learne The first That the consideration of what the Gentiles once were should restraine them from being proud of the happinesse wherein now they are as vers 17. The second Doct. If a man would consider himselfe he would not judge hardly nor despaire utterly of his brethren It is the rule of the Apostle If a man be fallen by occasion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such an one with the Spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe Gal. 6.1 Our Saviour in Matth. 7.5 bids us consider the beames that are in our owne eyes and then wee cannot doubt but the moats may be taken out of our brothers eye for as we helpe up those that be fallen we releeve the distressed we pitie the afflicted we burie the dead because wee consider our selves in them and their case may bee ours So are wee to judge meekly of those that have fallen because we may fall and be overtaken as well as they Who will doubt of quenching the fire in his neighbours house who hath seene as great a flame quencht in the thatch of his owne house or despaire of the returne of his brother who considers that hee himselfe was once a prodigall who had run away from his father and spent his portion in riotous living The same gate of mercie is open to thy brother that was opened to thee The same God stands waiting to receive him who formerly received thee If a brother bee not called to holinesse yet hee that considers that it was once his owne case will be loth to judge him If he be in a dangerous estate and course yet he that remembers that himselfe was once an heire and childe of wrath will bee loth to dispaire of him From whence we may see the ground and reason why some fall to such a rash censuring of their brethren because they consider not themselves they remember not what once they were themselves they are like those Lamiae or Witches who set their eyes into their heads when they goe abroad and put them into a box when they returne home They censure Davids adulterie because they consider not that they were once like Clodius themselves they despaire of Absalom for his conspiracie because they have forgotten that they were once as bad as Cateline themselves Let us cast eye upon our selves we have been in the snare and now we are delivered hope well of others we have beene sonnes of wrath but wee are sanctified hope the best of others overtaken with many sins but now we have shaken them off despaire not of others no man is worse now than thou wast once a childe of wrath Ephes 2.3 dead in trespasses Ephes 2.5 without Christ aliants from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from Covenant of promise had no hope without God in the world Ephes 2.12 Consider this in thy selfe and despaire not of others And so I come to the first point of the comparison wherein wee must consider 1. The condition wherein the Gentile once was He beleeved not 2. The estate wherein now he is he hath obtained mercie 3. The occasion of mercie to the Gentile the unbeleefe of the Iew through their unbeleefe For the first When the Apostle would shew the miserable condition wherein the Gentiles were he saith no more but this they beleeved not The most miserable estate in the world is the estate of infidelitie and unbeleefe Doct. In the twentieth verse of this Chapter it is said That unbeleefe cut off this Nation from God Through unbeleefe they were broken off It is most true of all sinne Isa 59.2 Your sinne hath made a separation betweene you and your God but most true of this and therefore the Apostle Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren that there bee not in any of you an heart of unbeleefe as vers 20. I come to the condition wherein now they are Now yee have obtained mercie There is no people so farre gone in sinne but if they come home and returne the Lord will receive them as vers 23. Thirdly the occasion of mercie to the Gentile the infidelitie of the Iew. 1. God works good out of the greatest evils that are 2. He watcheth all occasions and opportunities of shewing mercie as hath beene shewed above And so I come to the other part of the comparison to wit the application of these conditions in the Gentiles to the people of the Iewes wherein are compared three with three 1. The contumacie of the Iewes with the former contumacie of the Gentiles you were they are 2. Mercie given to the Gentiles with the mercie to be shewed the Iewes 3. The cause of the cause or the occasion of the occasion You have obtained mercie by their unbeleefe Vers 31 They by the mercie shewed to you that is they shall by the mercie shewed to you bee provoked to an holy emulation of your good life and so obtaine mercie In them observe 1. The present condition of the Iew Even so now they beleeve not 2. The future condition of them they also may obtaine mercie 3. The occasion why God will in all likely hood shew them mercie the mercie already shewed to the Gentile I begin with the present estate and condition Now they have not beleeved Who Israel the vine the garden of the Lord his chosen people There is no Nation under heaven so deere Doct. 1 but sinne will make God forsake them cast them off give them over to infidelitie and unbeleefe I list not to terrifie you with the totall ends and periods of kingdomes and people which some ascribe to Destinie and Fate as the Stoicke some to Fortune as the Epicure some to Starres as the Astrologians some to an asymmetrie in the body as Aristotle some to number as Plato Pythagoras Polit. lib. 5. Method cap. 6. and Bodin But all these have but groped in the darknesse c. But the maine point that is aimed at in the paralleling and sampling of these two people you beleeved not they beleeved not In the order of salvation and damnation Doct. 2 Iew and Gentile are alike and equall Both children of wrath and both enemies to God So the Apostle Wee were by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 The nature of them both is alike sowre with the leaven of originall pollution By the offence of one the fault came on all to condemnation Rom. 5.18 There was in both a turning from God to the creature They served the creature and forsooke the Creator God blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 If any man make that question which the Apostle proves Rom. 3.1 What is then the preferment of the Iew Or what is the profit of circumcision I answer That naturally and without Christ the
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
cry and hee heareth them Psal 34.17 as for the ungodly it is not so with them God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 God heareth not the enemies of his servants They looked about but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but hee answered them not 2 Sam. 22.42 God will not heare contemners of his Word and Prophets Though they cry unto me I will not answer them Ierem. 11.11 I may conclude with that of Iohn 9.31 If any man bee a worshipper of God and doe his will him heareth hee But if they pray and he answers not then it is either because hee will encrease their faith and make them pray againe as with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. or because they aske amisse Iam. 4.3 Yee aske and receive not c. or because they aske not such things as are most fit for God to give I dignesert Deas ut quis à se exiguum petat Monaslic Coosl tut cap 2. Hoc minus esse qaum quodd ceâ—et Regen dare Seaec de Brue si lib. 2. cap. 17. he would not have his servants to beg small matters It was an excellent speech of S. Basil God takes it ill that any one should aske of him a small trifle I finde in Seneca that when the Cynicke begg'd of Antigonus a penny his answer was This to be lesse than becomeâ— a King to give Lastly God many times is more gracious in denying than in granting He gives that often being angrie Dous saese dat watie quod negat pro itius Aug. Epist 21. Explets full concupis entia sed grav tèr casligata impatien tia which he denies being favourable As the Israelites in Numb 11.33 Their lust was fulfilled but their impatiencie grievously punished So God gives them a King but punisht them for desiring him 1 Sam. 8. If then wee will have God to answer us let us first see that wee aske the best things that may honour God most as in Salomon 1 King Orandum ut non tribuatur quod non petitter De Quadragâ—ss Sern 4. 3.5.9 2. Wee must pray that it bee not given which is not well asked for Or thus with Bernard If a man that prayes bee good and the thing desired good then the Lord will answer if thy prayer bee not either fearefull one depth cals on another therefore feare not because of thy miserie 2. Rash and therefore Salomon bids not to be rash to pray Eccles 5.1 3. Lukewatme quae in ascensu languescit whith fainteth in the asoent like him that prayed in the Poet Labra movet met uens audiri Hee moveth his lips as though hee were fearefull to be heard It must not bee like the cold prayer of Augustine Damil i cesi tatem centinentiam sedncâ— modo timebam caim ne n c cito auuires sanâ—res anrâ— lo concupiscontlie qun malebam explirs quan extig ut Aug. Confess lib. 8 cap. 7. Give me chastitie and continencie but not yet for I did feare lest you should quickly heare me and eure me of the disease of concupiscence which I would rather have fulfilled than extinguished The Vse is 1. To teach the wicked not to wrong the children of God lest they cry and complaine unto God of the wrongs they eâ—dure and the Lord answer their cries and grones If they bee wronged and complaine the Lord is bound to heare Vse 1 Exod. 22.23 And if the Lord take the matter into his owne hand He will speake unto you in his wrath and vex you in his sore displeasure hee will breake you in peeces like a potters ves sell and bruize you to powder with a rod of iron The complaint of the servants of God that endure wrong is like Abels bloud that cals to heaven for vengeance Genes 4. And therefore if you would not have the heavens to frowne upon you God to be angrie with you the hammer of his wrath to beat you to ashes take heed you make not his poore servants to complaine of you take one place for all Amos 5.11 12. Forasmuch as you tread upon my poore and take from him the burdens of wheat you shall build houses and not dwell in them plant vineyards but not drinke the wine of them for I know your manifold transgressions and your mightie sinnes you afflict the just you take rewards you oppresse the poore in the gate therefore saith the Lord God of hosts mourning shall bee in all your streets and they shall say in the high wayes alas alas and they call all that can mourne to mourning vers 16. The second Vse is Vse 2 For the infinite comfort of all that be his that when they cry they have a God to heare them when they call they have a God to answer them if they need they have a God to helpe when they mourne they have a God to pitie them when persecuted they have a God to defend them so that we may say with the Psalmist Blessed are the people that be in such a case yea happy are all they that have the Lord for their God Psal 144.15 So I come to the answer it selfe I have reserved to myselfe seven thousand c. Wherein I observe 1. By whom Gods children are kept from falling l. 2. To whom they are knowen and manifest to myselfe 3. From what they were preserved they have not bowed their knees to Baal From the first I may collect this conclusion as Olerian doth Doct. That it is the singular grace of God in corrupt times to keepe a people or some private persons from idolatrie A grace that he affords to none but the elect as Apoc. 13.8 All that dwell upon the earth shall worship the Beast whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and when the Prophet in Isa 1. declaimes against the apostasie and back-sliding of Israel that they were a sinfull nation a seed of evill doers children that were corrupters of others that had forsaken the the Lord and gone backward therefore he would lay her waste Zion should be like a cottage in a vineyard as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers and as a besieged citie yet a remnant whom he by his grace had kept from apostasie must bee kept from the that desolation For except God had reserved a remnant we had beene as Sodome or like to Gomorrha Isa 1.9 So Moses Deut. 32.10 12. He kept them as the apple of his eye that they should not follow strange Gods signifying both how ready man was to follow strange Gods if hee were not hindred by Gods especiall grace and also that they who are kept are most deare to him and are therfore resembled to the apple of his eye And that which makes this grace more manifest is the greatnesse of the danger wherein men live in corrupt times for the greater danger we are in the greater is the grace to bee preserved now there is nothing more
more fully and generally to his ancient people in their conversion to the faith of Christ that they also by him might be saved The prolepsis is propoūded by way of interrogatiō for the greater emphasis I say then have they stumbled that they should fall that is have they so stumbled according to the prediction of the Prophet as that they shall fall finally never recover and rise againe In which the Apostles meaning is not as though hee would demand whether it was the intention of the Iewes to stumble that they might fall or fall finally that way hereby might bee made for the calling of the Gentiles for none are so foolish as purposely to stumble that they may fall or to fall finally that others may rise But his question is concerning Gods intention whether it were his purpose and end that they should bee blinded and so stumble that they might fall finally into everlasting destruction and this hee denieth as being a thing contrary to Gods nature seeing hee delighteth not in the death and destruction of his creatures but rather in exercising his mercy and goodnesse in their conversion and salvation neither will hee who in his Law forbiddeth us to put a stumbling blocke before the blinde to cause them to fall Levit. 19.14 himselfe put such a stumbling blocke before those that he hath first spiritually blinded that thereby he may cause them to fall into the pit of everlasting destruction But he aimeth at farre other ends that is the calling of the Gentiles and the recalling of the Iewes yea but will God doe evill that good may come of it I answer no. But there is no action in it selfe absolutely evill which hath not some respect and relation of good in it And so this for howsoever this rejection was evill to them yet not simply and absolutely evill in it selfe seeing as it came from God it was an act of his justice whereby hee punished the Iewes for their infidelity and rebellion against Christ whom by wicked hands they had crucified Now as he justly punished the Iewes by blinding hardning and rejecting them who had stumbled at Christ the corner stone and so fallen into that fearefull sinne of crucifying with wicked hands the Lord of life Act. 2.23 as Peter speaketh so the Apostle here comforteth them by shewing that this punishment should not for over extend to all their posterity and to the whole nation but that there would come a time when as they should be ingraffed into Christ the true vine and olive tree as well as the Gentiles And this he doth first negatively according to his custome and phrase when as a thing is propounded which he abominateth and abhorreth as monstrous and blasphemous God forbid and then affirmatively where hee setteth downe that God had farre other ends of their rejection as before hath beene shewed We see the meaning let us come to the observation And first whereas he saith Observat I say then I might observe with Chrysostome the Apostles wisdome In hunc locum in that when hee denounceth Gods fearefull judgements against the people of the Iewes hee doth it in the words of the Prophet but when he doth raise comforts against these terrors he delivererth them in his owne words because being a Preacher of the Gospell it better suited with his calling and profession to comfort than to terrifie and also because by this course he might better winde himselfe into their love affections as being a messenger of glad tidings Rom. 10.15 that so affecting his person they might more readily receive his doctrine Vse Which may teach us of the ministery the like Christian prudence not to delight to be alwayes denouncing judgements and affrighting mens consciences with the terrors of the Law seeing God is not so much to be found and heard in these blustring windes and terrible earthquakes as in the still voyce or if we discerne that these legall terrours are sometime necessary to worke humilitation in our hearts and to make them more fit to flee out of themselves unto Christ and to embrace the joyfull message of the Gospell yet wee must not alwayes dwell upon them as delighting to dilate on this theame more than the state of the people necessarily requireth and be sure that wee doe denounce judgements no further than wee have warrant for what we say out of the word and as neere as wee can in the very phrase of the Scriptures But I passe over this and come to a second observation When carnall men heare the doctrine of Gods predestinatiou Observat they are ready to cast upon it this calumnie and slander 〈◊〉 though wee should teach that when God reprobate 〈◊〉 any he doth in this decree principally aime at their destruction and condemnation and so tyrannically delight in the perdition and torment of his creature And this is the cause why the Apostle here propoundeth and answereth this objection namely that the Lord aimeth at farre other ends that is besides the glory of his owne justice the calling also of the Gentiles and the provoking of the Iewes to jealousie and emulation by their example It is true and wee must not denie it that God by his long-suffering fitteth the vessels of wrath to destruction Rom 9.22 that these like naturall bruit beasts are made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 yea that these men of old were ordained to this condemnation as Iude speaketh vers 4. But this is not Gods maine end at which he aimeth in their reprobation but the manifestation of the glory of his justice and to shew his wrath and power in the punishing of sinne as the Apostle Paul speaketh in the same place Neither doth he absolutely ordaine men to destruction without any other thing comming betweene his decree and their condemnation but only he decreeth to passe by them to with-hold his grace which he is not bound to give and to leave them to their owne sinfull corruptions and so being left to themselves and falling into all sin and wickednesse they are justly by God in respect of their sinnes in a second place ordained to condemnation as Iude affirmeth And so the Apostle Peter joyneth both these together namely that they were made to be destroyed and also that they shall utterly perish in their corruption So that the perdition of the wicked is not the end at which God only or chiefly aimeth in their reprobation yea indeed if wee speake properly and distinctly it is no end of it at all simply absolutely and immediately without respect and relation unto sinne that commeth betweene the decree and the execution of it but only an event which followeth upon the decree though in some sort necessarily in respect of Gods purpose and not any coaction of their will who goe voluntarily on in the way of perdition seeing none can be saved whom he passeth by and doth not chuse unto salvation In which sense the Evangelist
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
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