darke but cleare and euident that all haue euer had or might haue had if they had would Christ aswell as the Law giuen vnto them Ereu. Now indeed these thinges seeme to be very true but I must intreat you to make plaine vnto me that which Paul hath writteÌ„ to the Romans concerning Election that there remain no scruple nor doubt in my minde that disputation of Paul troubleth many by reason it is handled so darkly surely I am of opinion that that place is one of those whereof Peter wrote that there were certaine darke thinges in Pauls Epistles â— Pet. 3. which the vnlearned weake doe wrest to their owne destruction as they doe also other places of Scriptures Odeg. Surely you haue good reason so to thinke now therefore let th'Apostle Peter shewe who those are that wrest the Scriptures of them or vs We say with Peter that the long suffring of God is saluation in that God would haue no man perish but would haue all come to repentance and this is that saith Peter vers 15. c. which our beloued brother Paul in all his Epistles speaketh of among the which some thinges are hard to be vnderstood which some peruert to their destruction They say God hath reprobated some and the greatest number and that before they were borne had done euill for whome there was neuer meanes of saluation because God would haue them perish for yâ— was his good pleasure Now these wordes of Peter as they iudge our aduersaries to be peruerters of the Scriptures so may they satisfie euery Godly minded man that Pauls meaning was not contrary to Peters they writing both by one Spirit nay then Pauls owne meaning was else where in the same Epistle * R that the long suffering of God was saluation euen to those that hardened their own hearts and heaped vp wrath against the day of wrath This therefore may be an entrance but let vs come to the words of Paul Rom. 9. In this 9th Chapter and so in most of this Epistle the maine subiect that the Apostle Paul handleth is That not the Law A short exposâ—on RoÌ„ â— but the Gospell is the Power of GOD to saluation not to him that is a Iew outward or that hath Circumcision of the Flesh or is an obseruer of the Law which was all the Iewes had to boast of and which they did boast of * Ioh. 8.33.39 9.28.29 Cap. 4.1.2 Cap. 2.28 c. Cap. 4.12.13.14.16 for Abraham himselfe found nothing concerning the Flesh neither was he iustified by workes but saluation appertaineth to him that is a Iew within that hath Circumcision of the heart that is of the Faith of Abraham whether he be Iew or Gentile in the Flesh this I say is the whole drift of the Apostle as in the whole so in this 9. Chap. In the 1.2.3.4.5 Vers th'Apostle sheweth his vpright vnfained desire of the saluation of the Isralites according to the flesh who were his fleshly brethreÌ„ who had all those Oracles of GOD coÌ„mitted to them of whom were the Fathers and of whom concerning the Flesh CHRIST came GOD ouer all blessed for euer Amen Yet notwithstanding his desire and all these their priuiledges Vers 6.7 the worde of God cannot be made voyde which saith All are not Israell that are of Israell neither are they all Children because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seede be called which Paul expoundeth Vers 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh are not the children of GOD or not those that shall be saued but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed So that thus farre there is no difficulty but that the Apostle plainely meaneth in all these Verses Iohn 8.33.39 Ioh. 9.28.29 that not all the children of Abrahams flesh who so much boasted of their being Abrahams seed and of being Moses Disciples in the obseruation of the Law were therefore in the estate of saluation and this he desireth to acquaint the Iewes with that they might cast off their reioycing in their Fleshly discent and seeke true reioycing in another way Th' Apostle hauing propounded this as an infallible truth hee goeth about to proue it by the Scriptures First alledging the promise made that Sara shall haue a Sonne * Gen. 18.10 which Abraham belieued not considering his own and Sara's body which were dead neither did he doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthned in the Faith * RoÌ„ 4.18 c. and it was imputed to him for righteousnes so that this promised Sonne of Sara was borne not after Flesh but after the Faith which is most largely declared in Gal. 4.22 where is declared that Abraham had two Sonnes one by the seruant Hagar namely Ishmaell who was borne after the Flesh one by the free-woman Sara namely Isaac who was borne by Promise and so by Faith by the which saith th'Apostle another thing is meant these two Mothers are the two Testaments in type the two Children are the types of the children of the two Testaments the Childe of the Flesh Ishmaell sonne of Hagar typed out the fleshly Isralites which were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the Law the Childe of the Promise Isaac sonne of Sara typed out the Children of the Faith of Abraham and as the childe of the Flesh persecuted the childe of the Faith by his mockings for which cause he must be put out and must not be heyre with Isaac so saith th'Apostle do all that seeke acceptance with God through the Flesh persecute them that seeke it by the Promise through Faith and therefore all the children of the Flesh of Abraham that haue no other priuiledge to iustification must be put out and shall not be heyre with the children of the Promise This is so plaine in Gal. 4. that he that readeth the Scripture with an indifferent heart voyde of malice cannot be able to contradict being also confirmed in the 3. Cap. vers 16. where the Apostle treating of the promise of Saluation saith Now to Abraham and his seede were the Promises made hee saith not and to the seeds as speaking of many but and to thy seed as of one which is CHRIST which being well obserued that Abraham had two Sonnes or seeds by two Women as before Gal. 4. and that the Promise of saluation is made but vnto the one seed * Gal. 3.16 Vers 29. Vers â— 9 euen they that are CHRISTS that are of the Faith of Abraham and so after the manner of Isaac * Gal. 4.28 the sonne of Sara and that this Promise is not made vnto both the seeds namely vnto the Children after the Flesh of Abraham for they are not the children of God Rom. 9.8 but they must be put out and must not be heyre with th' other * Gal. 4.30 This is this sure word of Promise Sara shall haue a Son thus applyed by the Apostle
seales of the CouenaÌ„t of life and saluation that which is now the seale of life and saluation was euer the same which is the holy Spirit of promise * 2 Cor. 1 2â— Ephes 1.13 4 3â— which was yesterday to day and the same for euermore 2. Although the Scriptures speake of diuers Couenants yet there is but two Couenants that concerneth vs in our present controuersie the couenant of Workes the couenant of Grace the Law and the Gospell the Olde and the New The difference of them is largely set downe by the Apostle in Gal 4. where hee declareth that Abraham had two Sonnes one by a seruant borne after the Flesh one by a free woman borne by Promise by the which another thing is meant saith th'Apostle For thâ—se mothers are the two Couenants the one signifying Ierusalem materiall which is in bondage with her Children th' other Ierusalem spirituall which is free and is the mother of vs all so that these two Couenants belonged to these 2. seeds or Children The olde couenant the Law was made with the children of Abraham after the Flesh had circumcision in their flesh for a signe thereof The new couenant the Gospell is not made with both these seeds but with the one seed so saith the Apostle * Gal. 3.16 euen they that are of the Faith of Abraham Vers 29. The children of the Flesh are not they to whom this couenant is made * Rom. 9.8 the children of the flesh must be put out must not be heyres with the faithfull * Gal. 4.30 So that the couenant that God made with Abraham and his children after the Flesh was not the couenant of Life and saluation it was the couenant of workes of the Law the olde couenant which is done away because of the weakenes and vnprofitablenes * Heb. 7.18 19. for it made nothing perfect the Couenant the Seed the Signe were all but shadowes of good thinges to come they were types of Heauenly thinges not the heauenly thinges themselues * Heb. 9 1â— 23. Ereu. They say the Couenant made Gen. 17. whereof Circumcision was a signe was the same Couenant which wee haue now in the Gospell Odeg. If all were true that they say theÌ„ their sayings ought to bee regarded but as their are sayings in other things so are they in this The Lord saith it is not the same * Ier. 31.31 Heb. 8.6 It is a new Couenant that we haue vnder the Gospell a better Couenant established vpon better Promises not like the olde which olde is abrogated by reason of the weakenes and vnprofitablenes If a new a better not like the old then not the same and the Lord sheweth wherein it was not like the olde the old Couenant as it taught that Christ was not come in the flesh so also it taught that he was not yet come into their hearts at their Circumcision but therby as also by the whole Law they were to learne Christ as to come in the Flesh so to come into their hearts by Faith and therfore saith the Apostle * Gal. 3.8 c. They were kept vnder the Law and shut vp vnto the Faith that should after be reuealed But the new Couenant is not like this it is made onely with all that are the sonnes of God by Faith Heb. 8.10.11 which haue his Lawes put in their minds and written in their hearts all of them knowing God from the least to the greatest Againe I say though Abraham himselfe had the Couenant of Grace promised him by which promise hee had saluation in the Messiah to come yet had he not the Ordinances of the new Couenant which we haue and therefore none of his seed in the Flesh could be partakers of that which he had not himselfe in which regard it is said of Iohn Baptist who was greater then all the Prophets that the least in the Kingdome of God as greater then hee * Mat. 11.11 all the faithfull that obtained good report receiued not the Promise * Heb. 11.39 c. that CHRIST brought in this time of reformation therefore they onely shall be partakers of the ordinances of this new Couenant whome he that confirmed it with his bloud hath appointed to receiue them as before Ereu. Iohn Rob. pag. 77. They say that the Couenant which this new is not like is that Law giuen vpon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. not that Gen. 17. Odeg. They speake vntruly Marke the words * Ier. 31. Heb. 3. Nâ—t like the Couenant that I made with their Fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egipt which is mentioned Exod. 3. not Exo. 19. Then did God appeare to Moses and coÌ„maunded him to take them by the hand lead them out of the land of Egipt where the Couenant is mentioned in Vers 6. c. I am the God of thy Fathers Abraham c. I am come to deliuer them out of the Land of the Egiptians to bring them into a good Land into the place of the Cananites c. which promise was made vnto their Father Abraham in Gen. 17. That God would be their God and giue them all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession And for the word euerlasting it signifieth in Scripture diuers thinges As the time of 50. years * Exod. 21. â— the time till CHRISTS comming * Exod. 12.14.17 the Prisoner was ordayned so was the throne of Dauid for euer * 1. Chr. 17 12. Namely till Christs coÌ„ming the Land of Canaan is promised for euer and so Circumcision euerlasting all which by Christ are taken away So that although the couenant of Circumcision be said to be euerlasting it doth no more proue it to be that couenant which we haue vnder the Gospell or now any more direction for vs then the Law of the Passouer which was also a Law for euer Againe it is granted by the aduersary * Io. Rob pag 71. and it is a truth that the Couenant in Ier. 31. and other places in the Hebrew signifieth a compact or agreement vpon a difference between two or more which in the new Testament is turned into a word signifying a will or Testament So that this is agreed vpon on all sides two parties must bee in this Couenant agreeing and promising by mutuall accord for the thinges to be done Hence it followeth that if the Couenant Gen. 17. I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee and thou also shalt keepe my Couenant thou and thy seede after thee c. Let euery Man childe be circumcised c. be one and the same with this in Ieremy then is it made onely with Abraham and such his seed as could make this Couenant namely agree with God to Circumcise their males on the 8. day and know God and not with the males of 8. daies old who could make no agreement
to proue the thing he hath in hand that all the fleshly Israelites were not therefore in the estate of iustification to Saluation in that God did in this type declare the contrary For further probation hee bringeth another Scripture to proue Gen. â—5 21 Vers 10.11 that vnto Rebecca this same thing was declared before the Children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remain according to Election not by workes but by him that calleth It was said vnto her The Elder shal serue the Younger In which words th'Apostle plainely proueth that neither birth nor workes did preferre with God for this is the purpose of God to preferre and make superiour euen the youngest by birth or those that challenge nothing by birth or by workes but seek it by Gods free Election through faith in CHRIST IESVS also to reiect and make inferior all that seeke saluation by flesh birth or by workes euen as he did in these two types the Elder was the heyre by the Flesh and the younger was not of that Land of Promise a type of the estate of saluation and God foreseing what would come to passe that these two twinnes should be the Fathers of two great Nations and that the Younger would get the priuiledge from the Elder and so the Elder should serue the younger or be inferiour to the younger euen in this Couenant or Promise a type of that which was to come which type being so fit as it was for the Apostles purpose hee bringeth to prooue â—hat Fleshly birth or discent euen from Abraham was interrupted of olde in those typicall Promises to Abrah First not Ishmaell the Eldest but Isaac the Youngest I will make my Couenant with 2. To Isaac not Esau the eldest but Iacob the youngest shall be Lord or superior and haue that Couenant according to which types the truth is saith the Apostle that the Iewes the Elder brother * Luk. 15.25 Who seeke saluation by the Flesh or workes shall not haue it for that is against the word and promise of God but the Gentiles the younger * Vers 12. in the offer of the Gospell that seekes saluation onely by the free vndeserued Promise of God through faith in IESVS CHRIST these onely shall haue it for this is according to the purpose of Gods Election Now for the Scripture which followeth from Mal. 1.2.3 mentioned in the 13. Verse As it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau the peruerters of these words of Paul will needes haue to be afore Esau and Iacob were borne and this we must beleeue because they say so but the Apostle hath no such meaning as shall both appeare by the Scripture it selfe and also from many other Scriptures Paul still followeth the confirmation of his Doctrine which is that thâ— Children of the Flesh or Law haue not therfore their onely priuiledge with God which he hath proued by the Promise of Sara's Son also by the Promise of Rebecca's youngesâ— sonne which were preferred before their Elder brethren vnto that typicall couenant and as in Vers 12. th'Apostle declared what thâ— Lord said should come to passe concerning Esau and Iacob and their Posterities beforâ— they were borne so proueth th'Apostle from Mal. 1.1 c. that the same did come to passe concerning them and their posterities many yeares after Esau and Iacob were dead and gone in the 12. Vers declaring what should come to passe in the 13. ver declaring what hath come to passe both prouing his Doctrine not when nor for what cause God loued Iacob and his Nation and hated Esau and his Nation but prouing that God did it which was sufficient for his purpose in hâ—nd to shew the error of the Iewes whose saluation hee so much sought who were perswaded that their acceptance with God stood in their being Abrahams seed obseruing the Law of Moses as before hath beene proued the times of shall and haue doe much differ Further God hated not Esau before hee was borne seeing there is not any Scripture to proue that God hateth any man before he hath first hated God as before in our conference of Predestination hath beene proued Esau hated God in contemning his Birth-right * GeÌ„ 25 3â— Heb. 12.16 long before Gods hatred of him and his posteritie spoken of Mal. 1. God loueth and saueth freely without desert but hateth and destroyeth not without desert Ereu. I blesse God you haue to my great consolation and satisfaction made manifest the Verses of this Scriptures thus farre that there remaineth no scruple in me Now therfore I pray you proceed What is Pauls meaning in Vers 14. what shall wee say then Is there Iniustice with God God forbid Odeg. This is th'Apostles meaning that as God rejected Esau for contemning his birth-right Verâ— 14. which God had giuen to him so the fleshly Isralites were of God rejected because they contemned their saluation offered them by faith in CHRIST IESVS and in this GOD is not vniust this is the Apostles meaning and not as the aduersary affirmeth that God is not vniust though he hate without cause hee neither hated Esau nor any man without cause For Esau and his posteritie hee hated for his wickednes as these Scriptures teach Amos 1.11 Obediah 10. c Further Paul himselfe besides many other places of Scripture in this very Epistle to the Romans Rom. 2.4.5 hath a very excellent discription of the Iustice of God speaking thus Or dispisest thou the riches of his Bountifulnes Patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to Repentance But thou after thine hardnes heart that refuseth to repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust Iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his deedes What doth Paul call heere the iust Iudgement of GOD Ereu. To pay euery man the desert of his workes Odeg. But if he hated Esau before he was borne hee payed him not the reward of his woâ—ks forasmuch as Esau had done nothing before that hatred so it commeth to passe that this hatred of Esau agreeth not with Pauls rule of the iust iudgement of God But th'Apostle following still the thing he had in hand to proue that the Iewes could not haue saluation therefore because they were the children of the Flesh answers all objections that could bee made from his former Doctrine that God rejected all the Children of Abrahams flesh except such as sought it by Faith and such onely were the Children of the Promise in which there is no vnrighteousnes with God For further proofe wherof he bringeth Moses for example Vers 15. who wheÌ„ the seed of Abraham had prouoked him by their wickednes to cast them away Moses found Grace for himselfe and his people and prouoked God to shew mercy on them for he hath mercy on whom he will namely
breaketh God promise with him but still abideth faithfull For the second being from Rom. 11. let vs see what th'Apostle speaketh of vpon the which he concludeth with these wordes â—e sheweth that the Iewes were broken off from the prom ses of the Gospell which was fiâ—st offered vnto them because they would not seeke it by Faith in CHRIST but sought it by the work s of the Law and the Gentiles were ingrafted into the same promises in that they sought it onely by Faith yet teacheth the Gentiles that although they stood by Faith they should not be high minded but feare and continue in Gods bountie for if for vnbelief the natuâ—aâ— branches the Iewes were broken off they shoul also be cut off if they fell to vnbeliefe also for the bringing in of the Iâ—wes he writeth that they alâ—o if they abide not still in vnbeliefe shall be grafted in againe this is the somâ—e and of this the guifts and callings of God â—re without repentance For God hath iustly shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all onely by that one way which he hatâ— appointed for there is but one entrance vnto the Father by one Spirit for both Iewes and Gentiles Ephe. 2.18 So that God will not rep nt neit er can he of sauing all pers ns at all times in all places that seeke saluatioâ— by Faith in CHRIST and conâ—iâ—ue therein otherwise God is said to repent in many Scâ—iâ— neuer concerning the condition of Faith and continuance vnto the which he hath alwaies respect but concerning the pe son which casteth away the same cond tion Therefore Gods loue is stable without any shadow of turning to righteousnes by Faith in whom soeuer it is but if any p son in whom righteousnes is forsake righteousnes then Gods promise is changed to that person and he repenteth of the good th t he promised him as these Scriptures reach 1 Sam. 2 30. and 1. Sam. 15.11 Ier. 18.8.10 and many others Ereu. 1. Ioh. 2.18 What say you to that of Iohn They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs c. Hence they conclude that what person goeth from the Church and trueth were neuer truly of it Odeg. The mistery of this well discouered would make an end of all the controuersies that depend of Predestination for as they affirme that God hath predestinated some persons to saluation and some persons to damnation without any condition so also they affirme that these persons the Elect making neuer so great shew of wickednesse and walking in the wayes of Beliall are still Elect and can by no meanes fall out of their Election and the other persons hauing neuer so many testimonies of Godlines and walking in the Church of Christ yet can neuer but be reprobates and if euer they fall away from the Church or truth they conclude they were neuer truly of it for which cause they peruert this Scripture and others therefore I will something shew their deceiuings All mens estates are one by creation they are one by transgression all haue sinned and are dead in sinnes and as all are shut vp in vnbeliefe so God hath mercy on all there is no respect of persons with God so often repeated in the Scriptures God sent his Sonne to saue all and the Sonne soweth the seede of saluation vpon all some receiue the good seede and they are called children of the kingdome Math. 13. others receiue it not because it crosseth their fleshly hearts in pleasure and the like but in stead thereof receiue the tares the false doctrines of the enemie and therefore are called the children of the wicked now it is most plaiâ—e the persons of them who receiue the good seede were no better then the other neither were the persons of them who receiue the tares any worse then the other the former persons receiue the good seede because the goodnesse of the sower first sowed it and therefore hath cause to praise him onely for what he hath the latter persons refuse the good seede offered them as freely as the other and receiue the tares and therefore hath onely cause to blame themselues The former are children of the kingdome by reason of the quality wrought in them by the goodnesse of the sower Iesus Christ The latter are children of the wicked by reason of that qualitie wrought in them by the enemie the deuill and themselues so that their difference is not in respect of their persons but of their qualities for God loueth all persons they being his generation Act. 17.27 c. but hateth wicked qualities in the persons where they are and also because of the wicked quality hee hateth the persons as weapons or instruments of those wicked qualities so that the most holy God hateth nothing but wickednesse I desire this description of person and quality may be well obserued for it is the most blessed trueth of God and w ll teach vs truly in the expâ—sition of all Scriptures to attribute righteousnesse to God in all his iudgements and wickednesse to wicked men and to the deuill their Father Now for the wordes the Apostle sheweth vers 19. that as they had heard that Antichrist should come euen then there were many Antichrists and vers 21. he saith I haue not written vnto you because you know not the trueth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the trueth who is a lyar but hee that denieth â—hâ—t Iesus is Christ the same is the Antichrist c. and chap. 4.1 he exhorteth them to try the Spirits and teacheth that euery Spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ is come c. is the Spirit of Antichrist c. Now these lying Spirits these Antichrists in these persons who once had the Spirit of trueth in them these saith hee went out from vs as elsewhere Paul saith Act. 22.30 from among your selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things c. for there must bee heresies euen among you c. But saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.19 They were neuer of vs for vers 21. no lye is of the truth for if these lying Spirits had beene of the tâ—ueth they would haue continued with it but they are not of it As for example the Spâ—rit oâ— Hymeneus together with his person was in Spirituall fellowship with Paul and other Saints so long as he retained faith and a good conscience * 1 Tim. 8.19.20 but hauing put away the Spirit of trueth and receiued a lying Spirit * 2 Tim. 1.17.18 he went out from them in that his Spirit for or because it was neuer of them euen as Iohn saith these Antichrists or lying Spirit did so that his person was of the truth so long as the Spirit of trueth remained in him but when he receiued the lying Spirit which was neuer of the trueth it caried his person from the trueth