that hath not alreadye conceyued an vndoubted hope and assurance of his wil and power This the Prophet meaneth when as hee plainely expresseth the maner of inuocation For why he doeth not simply require them to call vpon the Lord him selfe but vpon the name of the Lord teaching thereby The maner confidence of praying what the true maner of praying is and whence the confidēce of prayer ought to be conceiued for in very deede God hath no name whereby his nature may be comprehended or declared In consideration whereof to Iacob in times past enquiring after his name hee sayde Why askest thou for my name Genes 32. And to Moses demaunding the same question hee answered I am that I am Exod. 3. Wherefore the Scripture speaking of God after the fashion of men calleth all that his name whereby he may be knowne as namely his goodnes mercy truth wisedome omnipotencie iustice and if there be any other titles like vnto these which are partely gathered out of his word and partly out of his workes This thing God himself teacheth whē as to Moses desirous to see him he heapeth vp a sort of words whereby hee described his owne nature saying The Lord the Lord Exod. 34. strong merciful and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth reseruing mercy for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression sinne and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon childrens children c. But for as much as all these thinges are found especially in the sonne of God Heb. 1. Iesus Christ who is therfore called the brightnes of his glory and the expresse image of his substance the same also is the verye true name of GOD in and by which inuocation ought to be made Of this thing God himselfe admonisheth when as he witnesseth of him from heauen Mat. 3.17 That he is his dearely beloued sonne in whom he is well pleased And he himselfe in the Gospell when he had sayd that he was the way by whiche wee come vnto the father immediately addeth Ioan. 14.16 Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it vnto you Heb. 14.4 For which cause Paul affirmeth the same to be our altar by whom we may offer vp the sacrifice of praise yea and he testifieth that by him we haue accesse and entrance to the throne of grace Wherupon also that most ancient vsage of the Church preuailed whereby prayers for the most part are ended in the name of Christ Whilest therefore the prophet willeth vs to cal vpon the name of the Lord he inioyneth no other thing thē fayth in Christ which both commendeth vs vnto God and also maketh our prayers graceful and acceptable vnto him But he expresseth this fayth by the name of inuocation least we should imagine a dumbe and ydle faith These thinges serue for our consolation doe meruellously confirme our confidence in praying For albeit we are vnwoorthie as we must needes confesse that God should heare vs yet cannot he passe ouer our praiers with deafe eare when wee bring before hun his sonne Christ 1. Corin. 1. which of him is made vnto vs righteousnes and satisfaction The fruite of the inuocatiō of fayth This confidence is encreased by the fruit of inuocation which the Prophet addeth in the thirde place For hee sayeth Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lorde shall be saued or deliuered Hee vseth the word of sauing or deliuering to the end he might shew that saluation should happen euen vnto those also that seemed alreadie to be vtterly perished yea and quite fallen frō al hope There are many exāples of this sort to be found For hither belongeth that which is written of the children of Israel trying out at the redde Sea with infinite thinges beside Exod. 14. that happened vnto them whilest they were in the wildernes And in the time of the Iudges wee reads that they were heard and deliuered as ofte as they cryed vnto the Lorde Psal 107. Dauid in like manner as hee confesseth himselfe to be hearde oftentimes so heapeth hee togither very many examples of them whome God deliuered when they called for his ayde But especially this ought to be transferred to the safetie and prefernation of soules the certainetie whereof is here proued and declared for they that faithfully call vpon God through Christ receiue in him remission of their sinnes But where sinnes ceasse or bee abolished there the wrath and punishmentes of God which flowe from sinnes must of necessitie ceasse likewise Whereupon true and perfect safetie followeth which hath no maner of neede of any thing to be added to it These thinges teach vs what we ought to doe at this day The tokens of Gods wrath doe euery where appeare and all sortes of calamities breake in on euery side which Christ and the Apostles foretolde should come to passe in the last time Many there be that acknowledge these things and consult by what meanes the dangers may be auoyded But how vayne their consultations are which chalenge to thēselues the chiefe prayse of wisdome the euent and successe of thinges doeth abundantlye prooue Let vs therefore omitting our owne reasons and deuices goe that waye to woorke whiche the holy Ghoste prescribeth in this place For in as muche as it leaneth vppon the promise of GOD who is the truth it selfe wee can by no meanes erre or goe astraye Let vs acknowledge our sinnes and casting away all confidence of our owne woorkes let vs implore and call for the grace of God alone through Christ Iesus who as he hath reconciled his father vnto vs so also woorketh hee true repentance in those whome hee regenerateth by his spirit c. A confirmation of the promise comprehending the whole order of saluation But he maketh a further confirmation of that which he sayd when he addeth For in mount Sion and in Hierusalem shal be deliuerance as the Lord hath sayd that is to say albeit the church may seeme euen now to be vtterly perished yet in Siō shall saluation be had there agayne shal bee gathered togither the remnantes whiche the Lord hauing chosen from euerlasting shall call by his Gospell as he hath promised And these promises are euery where extant in the prophets God doubtlesse had sayd to Dauid as touching Hierusalem that the same should be his rest Psal 123. Esay 10. concerning the remnantes to be saued Esay expressely speaketh And to these certes the histories agree very well For this war of the Assyrians being ended the church vnder Ezechias florished notably by the space of fifteen yeres together Further albeit the people falling againe vnto wickednes their citie was of the Chaldeans together with their temple vtterly burned and consumed yet after they they were returned from Babilon they builded agayn and reedified their citie and temple Esay 2. Mich.
theyr sinnes and are so farre from bewayling them that rather they glory in them like vnto Doeg the Idumean against whō Dauid for this cause inueigheth Psal 52. But least that any shoulde thinke repentāce to consist in outward weeping hee repeateth that wherein the substance of the whole matter standeth when hee addeth And rent your hearte and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God For they of the East countrie were wont to teare their garments if any thing had happened vnto them which seemed to bee intollerable But the hypocrites abused that gesture as though the whole order of repentance had cōsisted therein Hee auoucheth therefore that there is a farre other matter required namely that they should he broken in their hearts and vnfeignedly detest their sinnes and so vtterly retecting them returne vnto God from whome before they were departed For why God is not delighted with outwarde ceremonies but as wee saide in the beginning hee requireth the heart and the same contrite and humbled hee doth not despise as Dauid admonisheth Psal 51. And of outwarde matters there is no other vse but so farre foorth as both wee are stirred vp by them and the same serue to Gods glory and the edifiyng of others where againe they are reprooued which are wont to place all their repentance in most colde and frozen Ceremonies That our repentance is not vnprofitable But to this doctrine or exhortation hee annexeth reasons deriued from the person of God whereby hee teacheth that our repentance shall not bee vnprofitable or vnfruitefull For as in euery businesse our heartes doe faile vs if in case wee thinke that wee labour in vaine so heere in this especially For heereupon cōmeth eyther sodaine desperation or els an vnbrideled libertie of sinning which at length endeth in desperation Least therefore any such thing shoulde happen also vnto these hee assureth them of Gods grace and goodnes who will receiue them into fauour that turne vnto him And this hee prooueth by the selfe same titles or Epithets wherwith God describeth himselfe in Moses saying Exod. 34. For hee is gracious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great goodnes repenteth him of the euill First hee calleth him gracious or fauourable as hee that by nature is prone and ready to doe good rather then to punish Secondly hee attributeth vnto him mercy or rather if you consider the Hebrwe word the bowels of mercyes wherby are signified the naturall affections of parents towardes their children This Dauid declareth in the Psalmes saying Psal 103. As a father pitieth his children so doth the Lorde Pitie them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we bee made hee remembreth that wee are but dust c. Thirdly hee sayth that hee is slowe to anger that is to say long suffering and one that is not lightly prouoked Fourthly of great goodnesse or bountifulnesse For hee is the bottomelesse fountaine of all goodnesse who is delighted to doe good vnto vs sith for this cause especially hee created men that hee might haue some whom to make partakers of his benefits Fiftly and it repenteth him of the euil that is to say hee reuoketh the sentence of punishment alreadie pronounced when he seeth them to bee amended and conuerted vpon whom hee meant to execute the same Examples heereof are euerye where extant For hitherto belongeth the whole historie of the Israelites if wee consider what was done with them in the desert and afterwarde vnder their Iudges and Kinges To these are added the priuate examples of Dauid Peter and others whome wee reade to haue beene conuerted from many folde and most grèeuous sinnes and to haue returned into fauour with God againe Let these things serue to comfort vs least wee rashly despayre of Gods goodnesse For sith hee suffereth with much lenitie the vessels of wrath as Paule sayeth hee will muche more pardon their infirmities Rom. 9. that acknowledge him and long to bee reconciled vnto him In the meane season these verye thinges ought to stirre vs vp to repentance least wee abuse his goodnesse For theyr faulte is inexcuseable which refuse to come vnto God so willingly offering himselfe vnto them The faithfull speak modestly as touching the remission of Gods punishments Further wee haue diligently to obserue heere with what woordes the Prophet inferreth the conclusion wherein he putteth them in hope of pardon who knoweth sayth hee whether he will turne and repent and leaue behinde him a blessing euen a meate offering and drinke offering to the Lorde your God Which wordes are not so to bee taken as though they proceeded from one doubting of Gods grace and the remission of sinnes which we with constant faith must beleeue but first they resemble the nature and disposition of faith which although it sticketh with vndoubted trust to the promises of God yet is it modest and not malapert or importunate neither doth it rashly presume vpon God Secondly they ought to bee expounded rather of the punishment then of the remission of sinne For albeit wee bee sure and certaine of this neither in deede is it lawefull to doubt yet is there an other consideration to bee had of the punishments which God sendeth in the way of chastisemente neyther doth hee take them away before that hee seeth vs to bee amended and the pride of our fleshe to bee crushed and broken But heere is the obedience of faith needefull which both patiently submitteth it selfe to Gods will and euen then also hopeth well of his mercy when the tokens of his wrath seeme still to appeare And that hytherto also these thinges ought to bee referred it appeareth by the wordes following wherein he saith And leaue behinde him a blessing that is to say giue a plentifull increase of the earth so as wee may againe celebrate his Sacrifices which for want and necessitie haue for a time ceased Where againe appeareth the nature of faith which that it is chiefly carefull of Gods worship we haue often sayde alreadie For they craue the fruites of the earth not to guzzle and glutte themselues or to pamper theyr bodies with the pleasures of the fleshe but to the ende they might serue God and yeelde vnto him his due worship They are therfore a great way off from the nature and propertie of faith who so they may abound in delight is and ydlenes doe seldome or neuer bethinke themselues eyther of the conseruation or instauration of Gods worship and glory It shall bee our parts to acknowledge the goodnesse of God and forsaking our sinnes and errours to turne vnto him by fayth in Christ who both giueth vs repentance and also pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes To him bee giuen blessing honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 7. 15 BLowe the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast The text call a solemne assemblie 16 Gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble she children and those that sucke the brestes
wee saide euen nowe there appeare great store of them in these dayes It shall bee our partes to be mooued with these thinges and to flie vnto Christe Iesus who will giue saluation to all that call vpon his name as shall bee saide in the Sermon folowing To him bee giuen blessing honour glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen Sermon 11. 32 BVt whosoeuer shall call on the name of Lorde shall bee saued The text for in mount zion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call The argumeÌ„t vse of this present place OVr Lord Iesus Christis the vniuersal redeemer not only of those that after his incarnatioÌ„ beleeued in him but also of all those that imbracing the auncient promises haue reposed the hope and confidence of their saluation in him alone This hee himselfe witnesseth when as hee saith that Abraham saw his day Ioan. 8. Apoc. 13. and reioyed in it And Iohn calleth him the Lambe of God which was staine from the beginning of the worlde that is whose merit reacheth vnto all those that haue euen from the first beginning of the worlde beleeued in him Therefore all the Prophetes are wont to prophesie of Christe and in him they fixe the foundation of all other promises This thing doth Ioel also For after hee had promised that God woulde deliuer his people from the handes of the Assyrians foorthwith by way of confirmation hee addeth an euident prophesie of Christe who hauing accomplished the worke of our redemption shoulde sende foorth his spirite spreade abrod his kingdome by the Gospell vnto all nations But because also hee foresaw the wickednesse of the Iewes and other people wherof the greater part despiseth and retecteth Christ hee denounced vnto these likewise gods wrath horrible punishmentes Heereunto nowe he annexeth the third part of this prophesie wherein hee instructeth those that are desirous to escape the sayde dangers and withall in fewe words comprehendeth the whole order of our saluation Where appeareth a wonderfull token of Gods goodnes who in the middest of our afflictions doth so mercifully shewe vnto vs a way of escaping For the selfesame thing doth Moses in the Law Leuit. 26. Deut. 30.32 where after most grecuous threatninges hee addeth a comfortable doctrine as touching the true conuersion vnto God Luk. 21. 1. Tim â— c The like order doe the Prophets obserue and also Christ and the Apostles when as they entreate of the most trouble some state of the latter times It shall be our parts therefore to acknowledge this fatherly care of God for vs and to obey his precepts c. The waye whereby men may prouide for theÌ„selues in aduersitie But as touching the wordes of the Prophet first he teacheth the maner and waye wherebye men may prouide for themselues among so greate dangers saying But whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued And so hee knitteth this senâ—â—â—â—e with that which went before in so much that it is to bee taken not without a singuler force and emphasis For it is all one as if he had sayd Howsoeuer the whole world is troubled and the signes of Gods wrath do euery where appeare yet these things oght by no means to abash the godly For whosoeuer in the meane time shal cal vpon the name of the Lord shal find him to be their deliuerer redeemer Paule citeth this place in a cause of great weight Rom. 10 where hee auoucheth the calling of the Gentiles against the Iewes wherefore euery part thereof is deligently to be discussed of vs. First let vs see to whom this way and maner of saluation is prescribed The way of saluation is promised vniversally to all that embrace it But sayth he whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord. c. This promise therefore reacheth vnto al so far forth that neither the difference of nation nor sexe nor state or degree shal exclude or debarre any So Paule expoundeth this place when as by it he proueth the calling of the Gentiles and teacheth that the preaching of the Gospel belongeth also vnto them For hee sayth There is no difference either of Iewe or Grecian For there is one Lord of al riche vnto all that call vpon him For whosoeuer shall cal on the name of the Lord shal be saued And in another place Glory honour and peace to euery one that doeth good to the Iewe first Rom. 2. also to the Grecian For there is no respect of persons with God Whether also belongeth that saying of Peter speaking to like effect I perceiue in very deede that there is no respect of persons with God Act. 10. but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted of him Yea and the Scripture also maketh the promises of saluation vniuersal to the end that euery man may apply the same vnto himselfe and conceiue by them a sure and certaine hope of saluation These thinges do commend and set foorth the goodnes and bounty of God and bring with them a most effectuall comfort in temptations and withall doe admonish vs of our duetie that wee also without any enuious respect of persons should embrace those with Christian loue and charitie whome the fellowship of one fayth hath ioyned knit together with vs The way of saluation is assigned to inuocation and vpon whom God poureth forth his fauour with so great liberalitie Secondarily hee sheweth what those should doe that desire to be saued when hee sayth They that call vpon the name of the Lord. Hereunto agreeth the whole Scripture which assigneth vnto vs euery where the port of saluation in the calling vpon and inuocation of the Lord. Certes the Lord himselfe in the Psalmes sayth Psal 50. 145 and 34. Call vpon mee in the daye of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee Also He is neere vnto all that call vpon him And agayne The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their prayers Saluation therefore is to be sought for from without vs and nothing to be attributed vnto mans strength For if it were either in our selues or might bee attained by our owne strength wee shoulde then haue no neede of inuocation For seeing inuocation belongeth onely vnto God it remayneth that all sauing health is to be sought and hoped for in him alone SaluatioÌ„ is attributed vnto inuocation by reasoÌ„ of faith Howbeit wee must marke that saluation is promised to inuocation not for the very woorke of prayer but rather for the faythe 's sake out of which true inuocation springeth Paule giueth an inkling of this when to the same effect he inferreth Howe shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued For as none craueth ayde of a man vnlesse hee be perswaded that hee both can and will help him so no man calleth vpon God