the divine Oracles let the truth be adjudged on their sides Lib. 5. And Optatus disputing against Parmenian the Donatist presses him thus A Christian cannot be judge betweene us he is one partie a Pagan cannot he knowes not the mysteries of Christianitie a Iew cannot In iis quae apertè positasunt in Scripturis inveniuntur illaomnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi spemscilicet atque charitatem Aug. de doct Christ lib. 2. cap. 9 Eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 7. he is an enemie to baptisme quaerendus è coelo judex we must seeke for a judge from heaven And yet to what end should wee knocke at heaven when wee have one in the Gospell If they will beleeve the authoritie of Austen it is plaine In those things which are openly set downe in Scriptures are found all those doctrines which containe faith and manners of living to wit hope and charitie And the Emperour Constantine made this speech to the Bishops of the Nicene Councell as Theodoret reports it Laying aside all contentions let us out of the divinely inspired Scripture take the resolution of those things we seeke for See Augustine against Maxim Arian Bishop Booke 3. Chap. 14. Nec ego Nicenum nec tu Arimense concilium c. And therefore this serveth to blame our adversaries of Rome for denying this truth Vse 1 The Papists confuâ—ed and making not Scripture but the Church and that Church the Pope to bee supreme Iudge of all controversies The causes of this I conceive to bee two 1. That they make themselves Iudges in their owne cause for who sees not that if the Church be Iudge and rule and themselves the Church which way the verdict will goe especially when they see the Pope with infallible judgement mounted upon the Tribunall and made Interpreter of all evidence that can be brought in When Scriptures Fathers Councels must all bee expounded by his judgement for by the Church we meane her head that is to say Tom. 3. disput 1. quaest 1. punct 1. the Roman Bishop saith Gregorie Valence Yea the whole authoritie of the Church universall abides in him saith Aquinas In briefe â—a â—ae quaest 11. Art 2. this is it that they would have that no triall may passe unlesse you be resolved to stand to the word of themselves that are arraigned 2. Because they know and confesse the most and greatest points of their religion yea welnigh all wherein they dissent from us have no foundation on the Scripture Orthodox Explic lib. 2. but as Andradius speakes would reele and stagger if tradition supported them not Therefore Brislow in his last Motive dealt surely and circumspectly for his Romish faith where teaching his Schollâ—r how to deale with his adversarie he bids him first get the proud heretique out of this castle of onely Scriptures into the plaine field of Traditions Miracles Councels Fathers and then like Cowards they cannot stand And it is most true that put Scripture to silence set up the Pope as Iudge give him authoritie to make and repeale Lawes use Traditions approve Councels expound Fathers and Councels make something of nothing use his will for a reason let us say as they doe and then the Protestants must needs be convicted In that one assertion of Bristow I note 1. That the most of their religion hangs only up on Tradition 2. It is but vaine to alleage Scripture for they grant that it cannot be proved but by Tradition and therfore Saunders was surely in some Irish fit when he cried out so vehemently wee have most plaine places of Scripture for all points of our faith I should here defend the perfection of Scripture without Tradition but I rather draw a word of use for you and so proceed viz. The second Vse is Vse 2 to commend unto you the carefull reading and studying of Scriptures for if we be in doubt which way we must walke this is that lampe to our feet c. Psal 119.105 If we want wisdome that is your wisdome and understanding Deut. 4.6 If you be not resolved of the truth this will resolve you for it is the word of truth Ephes 1.13 If you doubt of life they will restore it for it is the word of life Acts 5.20 If you doubt of your reconciliation this will seale it for it is the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 If thou bee not as yet regenerate this will worke it 1 Pet. 1.23 this is the field where the Merchant may finde treasure Matth. 13.44 O then let this Booke bee alwayes about us as Alexander kept Homers Iliads pro viatico rei militaris for his fellow and companion in all wars Let us not spare to be ambitious of that commendation which Eusebius gives of S. Origen Histor Eccles lib. 6. cap. 2. that hee could repeat all the Scriptures at his fingers end let us follow the advice of Macrina Basil Epist 74. foster-mother to S. Basil who would have Parents to bring up their sonnes after the example of Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 Let us not spend more time in reading the writings of men than in perusing the Tables of God nor spend that time in reading of Playes and unprofitable Pamphlets which wee might spend in reading the Scriptures which would make us wise unto salvation nor plod more upon the Lawes of men than of God but devoure this Booke as the Angell commanded Iohn Apoc. 10.9 feed upon this rowle as the Prophet Ezek. 3.3 Bee carefull to performe in deed as much as God gave Ioshua in charge Iosh 1.8 c. And in regard wee have all these blessings by the Scripture let us ever blesse God for giving us such a glorious light and desire of God never to take away this mercie from us And so I come to the request that Elias makes unto God against Israel He makes request unto God against Israel Exposition There is saith P. Martyr a double expostulation of men with God In Rom. 1. When they lament in Gods hearing the sinne and impietie of the people and signifies how highly they are grieved when the people start away from God 2. When men carried with too much zeale doe as it were charge God of negligence in his owne cause and seeme to be offended that God suffers the wicked so far to prevaile against his Church The one was surely in the Prophet and it is well if not the other and againe hee makes request not out of hatred as desiring of God their everlasting ruine for surely hee was acquainted with Samuels rule 1 Sam. 12.23 But out of the nature of the Prophets saith Soto In Rom. 11. who many times by the phrase of praying against doe prophesie what shall come against a people as Ierem. 18.21 22 23. Deliver up their children and let them drop away by the sword forgive not their iniquitie put not out their sinne but deale with them in anger And yet is it not unlawfull to pray
to feare againe Rom. 8.15 nor of the consistencie of servile and filiall feare in the same subject That which comes most fitly in my way is the clearing of that great and maine point to wit Whether man to whom God hath given saving grace and is justified by faith can fall away from God finally and totally and in the end die and perish eternally Adillam commentitiam fidem quae est divinae benevolentiae numquam amittendae certa persuasie quam hodie drâ—tissimè compleni sunt haretici manifesic invicte valet Stapl. Antid pag. 723. This one Text saith Stapleton To that counterfeit faith which is a sure perswasion of Gods good will never to bee lost which at this day the heretiques have embraced most strictly doth mvuifeslly and invincibly prevaile * Multis datur gratia quibus perseverare non datur Thom. Aquin. Sam. 1 a. 2 ae Quest 109. Art 10. To many grace is given to whom persiverance is not given saith Thomas Aqalnas To this head tend the writings of Bellarmine of the losing of grace of Tompson in his Diatriba whose whole booke is but froth and swelling sophistrle without any soundnesse or cleere and evident light Observe first some premises and grounds which shall bee like the Delphicke sword to take away all scruples and doubts 1. Is that of Augustine a Est quaedam votatio quaÌ„ vocatisunt qui noluerunt adnuptias est quaedam qâ—d vocati veniunt sednon benè parati Aug. de praedest Sanctorum cap. 16. There is a kinde of caling by which they are called who would not come to the marriage and there is a kinde whereby they that are called doe come but not well prepared as that guest that had not on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 This is onely externall where of it is said Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen whereas it may bee objected How hee doth call those whom hee knowes will not come To which Augustine thus answers b Dispusere vie mecum miraromccum clama O altitudo ambe consentiamus in timma Aug. de verbis Dom. Serm. 11. wilt thou dispute with mee wonder with mee and crie O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 and so let us both agree infeare There is a certaine calling according to purpose mentioned Rom. 8.28 which is the execution of Gods purpose in setting those apart in time whom he in decree had set apart for himselfe from eternitie of whom saith Augustine c Nec quae illuminavit obcoecat nec quae adisicavit destruit nec quae plantavit euellit Aug. de pradest Sanct. lib. cap. 16. Neither doth hee blinde those which hee hath enlightned nor throw downe those which he hath built up nor plucke up those which he hath planted And Origen d Impossibile est quod semel vivificavit Deus ab eodem vel alio occidi Orig. It is impossible that that which God hath quickened should be destroyed either by the same or by another And they that have this cannot possibly misse of glorie because of that of the Apostle Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called c. 2. That there is a two-fold election 1. To execute some charge or office as Saul to a Kingdome Iudas to the Apostleship to a worke which hee served saith Augustine * Iudas electus ab eo qui novit etiam malis benè uti ut per cos opus damnabile Christiopus venerabile compleratur Aug. de corrept grat cap. 7. Iudas was chosen of him who knew also how well to use those that were evill that by them might bee fulfilled a damnable worke the honourable worke of Christ And therefore when wee heare that speech of Christ Ioh. 6.70 I have chosen you twelve We must understand that the rest were elected by mercie hee by judgement the rest to obtaine a Kingdome hee to shed his bloud But thou wilt say Iudas heard that speech of Christ Matth. 19.28 Yee shall sit upon twelve seats c. It is true but marke how Christ saith not you twelve but you that have followed mee in the regeneration c. Iudas followed onely in body not in heart Adde saith Christ twelve seats per mysteriune by a mysterie Aug. in Psal 90. saith Augustine non ad defâ—â—iendam numerum not to define the number not to note that whole number and no moe for this excludes Paul who laboured more than they all he would not have no seat sed ad significandam universitatem but to signifie the universalitie of them and Christ Ioh. 13.18 I speake not of you all I know whom I have chosen There is another to a kingdome and life eternall of these it is said Your names are written in heaven Luc. 10.20 Of this the Apostle Hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 3. Faith in Scripture is sometimes taken for the doctrine of faith as 1 Tim. 4.1 In the latter times many shall depart from the faith that is from the true doctrine So it is taken in Galat. 1.22 He now preacheth the faith which before he destroyed So in Acts 6.7 A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith So in Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may bee sound in the faith In all these places is meant the mysterie of faith which a man may have and yet with it have an uncleane heart and impure conscience as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Tim. 1.18 19. Fight a good fight having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith have made shipwracke Sometimes it is taken as Calvin well notes Inslit lib. 3. c. 2. for a temporarie sense of divine grace in reprobates grounded upon that Luk. 8.13 When they have heard they receive the word with joy but they have no root which for a while beleeve which proposition must beare these limitations 1. Solidè percipere vim spiritualis gratiae Reprobates doe not solidly receive the vertue of spirituall grace but that God may leave them without excuse a Insinuat se in corum mentes quatenies sine spiritu adoptionis gustari potest ejus bonitas He insinuates himselfe into their mindes how farre his goodnesse may bee tasted without the spirit of adoption 2. They never receive but the confused sense of grace because they never apprehend the particular remission of their sinnes nor can they apply Christ to their owne hearts b Semetem primordia quaedam fiati justifi cantis habent reprobi ad germen ad herbam fortasse ad spicam procedunt sed ad veram frumenti conditionem naturam nunquà m pertingunt Reprobates proceed to the seed sowen and some first beginnings of justifying faith to the branch to the herb perchance to the eare but they never reach to
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
Isai 2.3 Many people shall goe and say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob for the Law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word forth of Ierusalem according to that of Christ Ioh. 4.38 Other men laboured and you are entred into their labour The Fathers and the Prophets sowed the seed of the Church of the new Testament which covenant is derived from them to us and wee are changed into their common-wealth not they into ours ingrafted into their stocke not they into ours Secondly Reason 2 wee have from them the oracles of God for they were committed to them Rom. 3.2 which the Apostle calls their preferment above others vers 1. and hence it is that we approve as canonicall all the bookes of Scripture that they had and no moe Hence let us see what an honour it is to have Gods oracles Secondly let us learne to use this treasure better than the Iewes did for feare it be taken from us as it was from them Thirdly our Saviour Christ Reason 3 God blessed for evermore had his beginning from them So the Apostle Rom. 9.3 Of whom are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for evermore and therefore salvation is of the Iewes saith Christ Ioh. 4.22 Fourthly Reason 4 they were the chosen and peculiar people of God and a royall priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 They were beloved when we Gentiles were without God in the world Ephes 2.12 Lastly all the particular promises Reason 5 as the land of Canaan the Temple the preservation of that stocke out of which the Messias was to come was proper only unto them and from hence let us be farre from rendring evill unto them but pray for their recovery and doe our utmost diligence to win them unto Christ and of all things there is nothing more availeable to the winning of an unbeleeving Iew than the unspotted and unblameable life of a beleeving Gentile yea it may seeme more effectuall than the word it selfe as vers 11. And so I come to a fourth argument in the three next verses VERS 19. Thou wilt say then the branches are broken off that I might bee grafted in THis third reason stands on two parts The one an argument urged to shew that the Gentiles may boast over the Iewes the other the Apostles answer The argument is vers 19. the Iewes are cast off for our cause compelled to yeeld unto us the more unworthy to the more worthy therefore seeing we Gentiles are the more worthy wee may lawfully boast The answer to this is three-fold 1. They are not broken for thee but for their infidelitie vers 20. 2. Thou art not grafted in for thy worth but standest by faith that is art engrafted out of grace and mercie vers 20. 3. Because God who in justice cut off the naturall branches for unbeleefe for the same cause may cut off thee vers 21. And upon these hee builds his exhortation Noli altumsapere Bee not high minded but feare I begin with the first Thou wilt say then Note that Paul had pressed many strong arguments to disswade the Gentiles from pride and insultation over the Iewes and yet here they have some thing to say for it There is no sinne Doct. bee it never so predigious and foule but his master hath some plea for it and some reason to uphold it Some have Scripture as covetousnesse hath 1 Tim. 5.8 Vsurie hath Deut. 23.20 Vnto a stranger thou mayst lend thy money upon usurie though not to thy brother Some have example as drunkennesse in Noah adulterie in David apostasie in Peter some have authoritie as being practised and allowed by starres and planets that reside in the superiour orbes Some plead that their sinnes be but small Is it not a little one said Lot to the Angell when hee was commanded to fly into the mountaine he would goe to Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule shall live Some that the sinne they harbour is but some one as Naaman the Syrian God be mercifull to me in this one 2 King 5. Hee will neither sweare nor steale but kneele in the Idols temple Forsitan huic uni possum succumbere culpae Sampson was not unjust but must have a Dalilah Porsitan huic uni c. Salomon wise but must have strange wives Forsitan huic uni c. Some when they have sinned lay it upon others as Adam some defend it to be no sinne at all as here the Gentiles doe Some excuse themselves Alii excusant 1. Non seci 2. 〈◊〉 3. Si male at noâ—mâ—ltum male fecâ— aut si multum male fecâ— non nulâ intentione Bern. Apolog ad Guilielm Abbatem 1. I did it not 2. I did well 3. If I did ill yet not verie ill or if I did verie ill yet not with an evill intention as Bernard speaketh Note first the boldnesse of sinne It dares appeare before the Revenger of sinne the Punisher of sinne and plead not guiltie to whatsoever is produced against it much like to Iudas who when Christ said that one should betray him boldly demandeth Is it I Is it I And when they told Peter that hee was one that was a followes of Christ he sware he knew no such man but that which wee may chiefly learne is this That sinne if it be borne with but a while will not know it selfe to bee sinne at all but plead it selfe to be goodnesse and honestie Bern. de vita solitaria Custome saith Bernard will become a second nature and so must be called good Consuetudo pro lege est Terâ—â—ll de Coronâ—milit cap. â— Custome is for a Law saith Tertullian and so will bee counted good If a man bee but used to it a while hee will never take notice of it nor know when hee doth evill Custome of sinning will take away all sense of sinne Mans heart is like to a way at first everie coach makes a mark or print afterward when it is worne to the gravell it becomes like a pavement and therefore Salvianus holds it a wonder that a man should long continue in sinne Et non cum ipsis iniquitatibus mâ—riatur in ipsit sepeliatur Cuiùs finienda vita quam vitia Aug. ad Cornel Epist 125. and not die with his iniquities and be buried in them Augustine saith that after sinne becomes customarie Life may sooner be ended than vices Ieremie impyeth that there is an impossibilitie that it should everbe left Can the blacke moore change his skin c. Ierem. 23.13 Iob that sinne will be buried with those that have used to keepe it His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth c. Iob 20.11 Learne then to stop the current of sinne in the beginning Vse lest when it should hold up the hand at the bar it become Sergeant to plead it at the barre and so I come to the
called 3. From the drift and project of the Apostle in this Chapter But this point meets mee in the next verse onely let us make this use as vers 11. 2. Vpon this ground mee thinkes it is not well done to banish them our Coasts Balaeus Appendix ca 6. cent 4. as from England by a London Councell Anno 1291. in the time of Edward the fourth nor to murther as Anno 1278. the Iewes were murthered in England Many other hard presages Balaeus cent 4. cap. 6. see Magdeburgens cent 13. chap. 15. It is unfit to use them so hardly whose conversion wee must pray for and hope for and helpe forward I come to the complement of the felicity of the Gentiles their fulnesse is come in Exposition By fulnesse saith Beza he meanes not every particular Gentile but the Nations in generall nor is it to be understood of an universall enlightning of the whole world at the time of the Iewes conversion for in the Apostles time the word was generally preached unto all the unknowne and inhabited Nations of the world as Col. 1.6 The word of truth which is the Gospell as come unto you even as it is to all the world and it is preached to every creature vers 23. Now that the Gospell should the second time bee publisht and divulged over the world we have neither Scripture nor commission for it For first Apostolicall gifts and callings most necessary for so great a work are ceased many hundred yeares since Secondly at Christs comming there shall be almost no faith that is sound doctrine and zeale as Luk. 28.8 When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth and yet his comming will be shortly after the calling of the Iewes Thirdly it may be that the Gospell shall be revived in many kingdomes where it was planted before in and neere those places where the Iewes shall bee after their generall calling but shall not be generall They therefore that looke for an universall preaching may sooner see Christ comming the clouds of heaven So that I say by fulnesse is meant a great concourse as Calvin or the nations in general as Beza The first point is the effect of the Gospell Doct. Be it never so much opposed it shall convert in all Nations the full number that belongs unto God Therefore is it the power of God to every one that shall be saved Rom. 1.16 and It shall prosper in that for which I send it and not returne void Isay 55.11 By it wee must be saved if wee belong unto him 1 Cor. 15.2 and as it was in the Apostles time the word was opposed and still it prospered trodden downe and still it grew though the sower were martyred yet the Gospell still tooke root and spread it selfe to the end of the world So now be it never so much envied opposed and hindered it shall gather the elect from the foure winds and be preached til all the Lords flocke be gathered and turned unto the Lord. From hence learne Vse 1 how fearfull a case it is to be deprived of the Gospell it is to be feared that in such places the Gospell hath had his full working and that where it remaines not God hath already gathered his wheat and the remainder are but tares and chaffe Secondly that where it is preached plentifully there the Lord hath as yet a great harvest and many of his elect as yet to be gathered Vse 2 Which should stirre you up to pray to God for a blessing upon our labours that wee may gather them that are to be gathered and wee may quickly see the consummation or our evill dayes the comming of Christ in the clouds the resurrection of the just and heare that voice of Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome c. In a word to shew the mysterie I doe conceive that the mysterie in the fulnesse of the Gentiles is in this point Whether the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall be such that after the calling of the Iewes no moe Gentiles shall be converted because he said that their fulnesse is come in already I doe well remember the rule of Augustine Faithfull ignorance is better than rash knowledge Melior est fidelis ignorantia quà m temeraria scrert tia Aug. mverb Apost serm 20. And though it may seeme that before the conversion of the Iewes the Gentiles fulnesse shall be so great and after their conversion the time so short that therefore there shall be no more converting of any moe Gentiles yet is it not unlikely that even after the calling of the Iew some Gentiles may be converted First some shall be converted at the eleventh houre as it is in the parable in Matth. 20. not only at the end of life but at the end of the world there will be some wise virgins with oile in their lamps some corners of good ground that will receive the good seed that 's cast into it Secondly after the turning of the Iewes there shall be better meanes to convert the Gentiles than ever before First more cleare understanding of the Scriptures secondly such zeale and practice of holinesse in the Iewes as cannot chuse but provoke many Gentiles to follow them Melto efficacior est voâ— boni opevis quà m clegentis sermonis Bern. suâ—er Cant. serm 59. The voice of a good worke is farre more effectuall than the voice of an eloquent sermon saith Bernura For as it is most true which I finde in Hierome on Ezek. 16. Nothing corrupteth more than a wicked life Nil magis corrumpit quà m vita prava So it is most true that nothing converts more effectually than a good life So the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.1 Thirdly even after the conversion of the Iew yea at the end of the world God shall finde some of his owne among the Gentiles alive as the Apostle shewes 1 Thess 4.15 in likely hood converted after the comming of the Iewes But in this secret mysterie I am not acquainted I deliver nothing for certaine I doe not desire to be of Gods Counsell it is enough to bee of his Court I confesse mine owne ignorance and thinke no shame to bee ignorant in that which God in his Word hath not revealed I come to the third branch VERS 26. Vers 26 And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the deliverer and shall turne away iniquitie from Iacob THis is the third branch of the mysterie wherein the Apostle points at two circumstances in the conversion of the Iewes The one the time at the end of the comming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles Secondly the number All Israel for the former the Scripture hath determined that it shall be but of the day and yeare it hath said nothing all that I dare say of it is by way of probabilitie and it may be comprized in these propositions 1. The conversion of the Iewes is not as yet
Ioh. 15.5 My purpose is to dispute against all these in that point wherein they all agree concerning universalitie of grace the condition being kept For order I shall first lay downe my proposition Secondly the confirmation from Scripture Thirdly shew the absurd consequents of the adverse opinion My proposition is this Whereas all men were by nature children of wrath and in themselves lost God according to his good pleasure out of the whole masse elected some to whom he appointed Iesus Christ to be their Mediatour and Redeemer to prove this the Scriptures are frequent The 10. of Ioh. 15. Christ layeth downe his life for his sheepe But all are not Christs sheep for some be goats Matth. 25. some be wolves some follow the voyce of strangers Secondly Christ died onely for his friends Ioh. 15.13 But the elect onely and such as shall bee saved are his friend Thirdly the Apostle tels us Ephes 5.26 That Christ gave himselfe for his Church that hee might sanctifie it and that he is the Saviour of his bodie vers 23. But the elect onely univocally and they onely are members of his body unto these places adde these reasons founded upon the Scriptures First Reason 1 Christ died only for those that should beleeve in him Ioh. 3.16 But it is not given unto all to beleeve for you beleeve not because you are not of my sheepe Ioh. 10.26 To beleeve is a gift proper to the Elect alone As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13.48 Secondly Reason 2 Christ redeemed only them whose Advocate he is but he is the Advocate of the Elect onely not of the reprobates I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given mee out of the world Ioh. 17.6 Now it cannot bee that the world should be given him out of the world and therefore although wee in charity pray for the conversion of Turks Iewes Infidels out of the world yet it followes not that Christ did pray for the whole world for he knew who they were that should bee saved and so doe not wee and therefore hope the best of them that are without and yet of the world Est mandus damnandorum de qâ—o scriptuâ—◠〈◊〉 cum mundo pereat proâ—sto non orat est mâ—â—â—â—s saâ—vandora de quo Apostolus Deuâ— erat in Christo mundam sibi reconcilâ—uâ—s pro â—sto orat Aug. in Ioh. Tract 110. There is a world of those that shall be damned of which it is written lest yee perish with the world for that he prayeth not there is a world of those that shall be saved of whom the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe for that he prayeth saith Augustine Thirdly Christ died onely for those that are appointed to salvation for the death of Christ is the subordinate meanes which God useth to save those whom hee would have saved But all men in the world are nor appointed to salvation It will bee answered That it is Gods will that all should bee saved upon this condition if they beleeve So then if it can bee evicted that Gods election unto life is not conditional but absolute in setting apart a certaine number to whom only he will give power and grace to beleeve and to none other then will the Conclusion be good That for the number onely Christ hath died The first place shall be Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen Therefore though the outward meanes bee offered unto many yet onely some are elected and chosen unto life To this some have answered That there is a twofold election Generall of all who are called to the outward profession of obedience Speciall of those who obey their calling and persevere in faith to the end So they make the meaning this That few are elected not in respect of any election and separation in the decree of God But because among many some onely persevere unto the end To this I answer 1. There can bee no such generall election for what election where all are received 2. To say many are chosen where Christ saith but few are chosen what is this 3. To the point If that speciall election depend upon mans perseverance and not mans perseverance upon election If men bee elect because they persevere and not rather persevere because they are elect then are men causes of their owne election and chuse God first contrarie to that rule of Christ You have not chosen me but I have chosen you Ioh. 15.16 Contrarie to the Apostle We loved not God but God loved us first 1 Ioh. 4.10 Contrarie to that of S. Paul Who hath separated thee but God who separates and distinguishes one from another 1 Cor. 4.7 Secondly Matth. 20.23 The Kingdome of God shall be given unto them for whom it is prepared of my Father Therefore it is not prepared for all and to strengthen this Conclusion the Apostle saith that some bee vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Rom. 9.22 To this they answer That these places prove not any particular exception of some from glorie but that the kingdome is indifferently prepared for all that shall beleeve and they that beleeve not are by their incredulitie prepared to destruction whereunto this is my reply Wee grant that none but beleevers are ordained to glorie but wee make faith and beleeving an effect and consequent of election and preparation unto glorie So that the number of beleevers is as certaine as the number of the elect For I aske whence is it that we have faith It is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.9 If faith bee Gods gift how is it that all have not faith There is no reason but because God gives it not to all And why doth not God give it unto all But only because God hath chosen some whom bee purposeth to save in Christ and to these only is faith given If it be said that God gives it to all but all receive it not then is Gods will resisted and mans will frustrates the purpose of God contrarie to that rule of the Apostle Rom 9.19 Who hath resisted his will I come to the absurdities that follow upon this First Absurdities that would follow universall grace to affirme that Christ died universally for all that should beleeve and not for any speciall number takes away Gods predestination makes it a confused and conditionall purpose whereas the Scripture reacheth that Gods election is certaine and definite that hee hath decreed and knoweth the number of the elect 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his Ioh. 10.3 Christ calleth his sheepe by name Secondly it would follow that election should be from the fore-sight of faith contrarie to the Apostle Ephes 1.5 who saith That he hath predestinate them through Iesus Christ unto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Non quia sancti cramus futuri aut quia fuâ—â—us sed ut essimus Aug. depraedest lib. 1. cap. 18. Not