6.15 that is with a firme resolution that come Fire Sword what will come we will hold our way Thus was Dauid prepared Psalme 13. Though I walke in the valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill and Psal 119.106 I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy Law So Paul elsewhere manifests his resolution and readines Acts 20.24 21.13 to die for Christ 7 Trauellers carry with them some Cordiall and comfortable waters to cheere their Spirits when through wearinesse they begin to faint So in the way to Heauen through weaknesse thou maist faint and fall the water of Repentance is precious a draught of it will recouer and repaire thy spirits fill thee full of godly care and confirme thy assurance Thus much of the manner of the Metaphor now followeth the nature of the Argument which is as was sayd a description of such which are in Christ by the effect Such walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is liue holily doctrine Our Vnion with Christ the cause of our good life Ioh. 15.5 1. Ioh. 1.6,7 Vse 1. Hee saith not there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ because they walke but which walke for hereby wee are not iustified nor called but they which are iustified and called so carry themselues This walking is necessary not as a cause of saluation but as a condition without which there is certaine condemnation Vse 2. Heere wee haue a touch-stone to try whether wee bee in Christ or no and so whether wee shall bee damned or saued When thou seest the Impe which thou hast grafted to budde and leaue and bring forth fruit thou saist it takes well so if thou bring forth Holinesse the fruit of the Spirit thou takest well and art surely grafted into Christ This then answeres a Question of which many desire to be resolued viz. Whether they shall be saued or no Examine thy walking If in the way of Enuie Blasphemy Pride Drunkennesse Vncleanenes this is the way of the flesh vnto assured condemnation the spirit leades not this way thou art yet out of Christ and therfore far from saluation He that would be saued must walke after the Spirit in righteousnesse and holines As the palpable prophane wretch is heereby excluded so also he that is a meere ciuill man and no more for though he seeme to be in a good way as of iust dealing temperance liberality courtesie c. yet hee walkes in these waies after a wrong guide which is the flesh doing these things for the praise of men and with the opinion of Iustification thereby besides hee neuer descends into his owne heart mourning for and mortifying inbred corruption vnto which the Spirit principally leades but onely glorieth in outward moralities If then thou wouldst bee saued approue thy selfe to bee in Christ by walking after the Spirit But remember thou must walke now and then will not serue the turne as he that sets now one step then another is not sayd to walke so thy walking implies a continuall motion in godlines and yet not such a motion as of a Horse in a Mill but as proceeding and getting forward As in walking there seemes to be an Emulation between the feete to be one before another so in our liuing wee must striue to be euery day more forward in goodnes and to be better to morrow then we are to day Vse 3. There is nothing more irksome to the children of GOD then the rebellion of the flesh though wicked men bee not sensible of it And many times weake Consciences are so distressed by the sense of their corruptions that they doubt much of their estates Let such wisely marke these words Hee saith not There is no condemnation to them in whom there is no flesh but which walke not after it nor saith he there is no condemnation to them which are not tempted or which sin not but which walke not after sinne for the children of God must be tempted and wee neuer receiue such Grace in this life as not at all to fall or sin but not to walke after it but to striue and resist it and if downe through weakenes not to lye and wallow our selues as swine in the mire but by the power of the Spirit to start vp to wash away our spots in the Bath of Repentance and euer after to bee the more vehement and strong against our corruption It is not a willing seruice which they performe vnto the flesh when they are ouertaken as a man willingly walkes in his Garden but a most vnwilling for the which true Conuerts are often heard to sigh mourne and lament and are often seene with teares in their eyes Concupiscence will be to thee so long as thou liuest here but walke not after it and then all shall bee well When thou walkest abroad thou canst not hinder the Birds from flying ouer thy head but thou maist hinder them from lighting vpon thy head and making nests so thou canst not be wholly void of corruption but if thou bee in Christ thou hast receiued grace not to obey it Thou art it may bee much inclined to Anger Doest thou let it remaine with thee till being sowred it turneth to malice and rancour and bringeth forth reuenge Gen. 15.11 Then hast thou suffered it to nestle in thy heart and if thou lookest not to it it will bee thy destruction so of Lust Pride Couetousnesse but if thou scarre away these Harpies as Abraham the birds from his Sacrifice and suffer not an euill thought to lodge with thee all night surely thou art in Christ and neuer shalt be damned VERSE 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sinne and Death IN this Verse is an Argument prouing the Proposition before deliuered That there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ The Argument is taken from an effect of our Being in Christ Thus They which are freed from the Law of Sinne and Death shall not be condemned But those which are in Christ are so freed Therefore they shall not be condemned The Minor is thus proued They which are quickned by the same Spirit which is in Christ are so freed But all in Christ are so quickned Therefore they are so freed This Verse then intreates of the freedome and deliuerance of the Regenerate which are in Christ Concerning which freedome or Manumission foure things may be obserued 1. From what namely from Sinne and Death 2. The extent of this Deliuerance not from sinne and death simply in this world but from the Law of Sinne and Death that is from the power and authoritie of Sinne which power is called a Law by the Apostle for two reasons 1. Because carnall men obey sinne as they should obey a Law 2. Because sinne holds vs bound by the Law vnto eternall death 3. The subiect of this Deliuerance Mee saith Paul meaning himself
is preached all are not conuerted by it Verse 16. Doct. The Gospel was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles Verse 18. Doct. The corruption of our hearts leades vs to the practice of those things which we know to be sinne Verse 19. Doct. 2. God will forsake them which forsake him Doct. Ministers are boldly to preach the Truth Verse 20. Doct. 2. Our Conuersion and Calling is onely from Gods mercy Doct. Disobedience and persecution of Gods messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes Verse 21. CHAP. XI Doct. 1. ALl the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation Verse 1. Doct. 2. The Elect of God are sure of their estate and know it and shall neuer perish Doct. 1. It is profitable to be acquainted with the Histories of the Bible and to make vse of them Verse 2. Doct. 2. We must be zealous for the Lord. Doct. 1. God suffers sometimes the enemies of his Church to preuaile against it Verse 3. Doct. 2. The Enemies of True Religion are sauage and cruell Doct. 1. All doubts in matters of Religion are to bee decided by the Word of God Verse 4. Doct. 2. The Church of God shall neuer be in such an exigent but that there shall be many thousands to worship God in Spirit and in Truth Doct. 3. Those which in dangerous times are preserued in grace it is by the power and goodnes of God Doct. 4. Sincere worshippers of God must not in the least manner worship an Idol Doct. The cause why some are reserued in dangerous times is their Election Verse 5. Doct. Election and Saluation are of Grace not of Merite Verse 6. Doct. No Elect cast away No Reprobate but cast away Verse 7. Doct. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such as are enemies to the Gospell to the Diuell to be blinded that they cannot conuert Verse 8. Doct. Persecutors of Christ and his Gospell are iustly accursed of God Verse 9 10. Doct. 1. The Iewes are reiected that the Gentiles might be called Verse 11. Doct. 2. The Vocation of the Gentiles is the prouocation of the Iewes Doct. The generall Calling of the Iewes shall be the enriching of the world Verse 12. Doct. The way for a Minister to make his office glorious is to bee diligent in preaching Verse 13 14. Doct. The Calling of the Iewes shall be a new life and happinesse to the world Verse 15. Doct. The Iewes are still a people Verse 16. Doct. The Gentiles may not despise the Iewes Verse 17 18. Doct. Our standing is by Faith our breaking off by Infidelitie Verse 19. Doct. 1. Faith shuts out boasting Verse 20. Doct. 2. He that beleeueth feareth God Doct. All without respect which continue not in Grace shall be broken off Verse 21. Doct. 1. It is the duty of all diligently to keepe a note-booke of the mercies of God to themselues and of his Iudgements to others Verse 22. Doct. 2. Perseuerance is a necessary condition of true sauing Faith Doct. Whatsoeuer sinner beleeueth and repenteth it is possible he should be saued Verse 23 24 25 Doct. 2. Before the end of the world the Iewes in regard of their multitude shall be Called Doct. Not onely some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be Called Verse 26 27. Doct. The Iewes are beloued of God Verse 28. Doct. God repenteth not of his gifts and Calling Verse 29. Doct. The Gentiles were Infidels Verse 30. Doct. The Iewes are now in an estate of vnbeliefe but they shall be receiued to mercy Verse 31. Doct. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all Verse 32. Doct. It is neither lawfull for man to search nor possible to finde the hidden wayes of God Verse 33 34 35 Doct. God is of all his Creatures specially of his Church to be praised glorified Verse 36. THE SVMME OF THE Eleuen first Chapters of the EPISTLE to the Romanes SAint Paul in the eleuen first Chapters of this Epistle intreateth of Iustification his order is this In the fiue first hee proueth against all obiections of Iewes and Gentiles that all men are iustified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ apprehended by Faith In the sixe next hee ouerthrowes the engines whereby Satan went about to oppugne this heauenly Doctrine These Engines were 4. First that this Doctrine brings in liberty and licentious liuing 2. That it makes God inconstant and not so good as his word to the Iewes 3. That it abolisheth the righteousnesse of the Law 4. That from thence it followes that GOD hath quite cast away the people of the Iewes The first of these Paul remoues Chapter 6. 7. 8. the second Chapter 9. the third Chapter 10. the fourth Chapter eleuen Chap. 6. The Doctrine of Grace teacheth men not to liue loosely but to deny all vngodlinesse and to walke in newnesse of life Therefore all beleeuers are to fight against sin which they may doe with so much the more comfort in as much as they are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Chap. 7. Indeed before they were conuerted they were subiect to the curse of the Law and by it became more sinfull but hauing receiued Grace to beleeue they are freed by Iesus Christ notwithstanding the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit which is the condition of euery regenerate man in this life Chap. 8. Therefore though sinne remaine in them and for it they bee chastised of God yet it raignes not in them nor can condemne them neither can any tribulations separate them from the loue of God in Christ AN EXPOSITION vpon the eighth ninth tenth and the eleuenth Chapters of the Epistle to the ROMANES CHAP. VIII THis Chapter hath two parts First a sweet consolation to all that are regenerate to the 31. verse Secondly a conclusion to the end The Consolation is double against two speciall sore tentations whereby it might seeme that a regenerate man were miserable and destitute of inward peace the one arising from the remainder of sinne then which nothing is more heauy the other from the Crosse then which nothing is more bitter Against the first hee dealeth from the beginning of the Chapter to the 17. verse Against the second from thence to the 31. verse The first hath 4. parts First the Consolation it selfe propounded verse 1. Secondly the Confirmation to the 9 verse Thirdly an Application from the 9. to the 11 verse Fourthly an Exhortation from thence to the 17. verse VERSE 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit IN this verse are two things 1. The Consolatory proposition There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ 2. A description of one of the Termes namely Who are in Christ such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit In the Proposition as in all of this kind there are 3. parts 1. The subiect or
Antecedent To them which are in Christ 2. the Predicat or Consequent Condemnation 3. the Bond negatiuely set downe There is no. The whole Proposition in the naturall order is thus To them which are in Christ there is no condemnation This order is inuerted for more Elegancy and force The Arguments disposed in this proposition are the cause and the contrary effect The contrary effect negatiuely deliuered of the cause The cause beeing in Christ The contrary effect Condemnation The proper effect Iustification set down negatiuely for our greater comfort because wee are more sensible of the euill things we are freed from which wee haue deserued then of the good things we haue by Grace There is therefore now Anselmus Some make this particle Now an Aduerbe of Time in a double relation First to the time past thus before when you were out of Christ your estate was damnable but now it is otherwise Secondly to the time to come viz. Of the glorification of the body thus Now there is no condemnation then there shall be no concupiscence But it 's better taken for a note of inference from somewhat going before thus Those which are iustified are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Now then it followes that there is no condemnation to such There is no condemnation Condemnation is a sentence or Doome giuen by a competent Iudge concerning the punishment of an offender the contrary whereof is Absolution Acquitting Iustification The Iudge is GOD. The delinquent to be arraigned sinfull Man the Court double Inferior of Conscience Superior of Christ To them which bee in Christ In Christ and by Christ differ by the first effectuall Vocation by the second Iustification is vsually set forth To bee in Christ is to bee vnited vnto him which vnion is spirituall not corporall Hee in vs by his Spirit wee in him by our Faith The meaning ariseth from the coniunction of the Subiect and Predicat by a Negatiue Bond for though they are ioyned in the Proposition yet they are really separated To them which are in Christ That is which beleeue and so are effectually called there is no condemnation not before men for such are most subiect to reproachfull censures but before God either at the Barre of their owne Conscience or at the Barre of Christ at the last day The terror of damnation is vnspeakeable specially before the Iudgement seat of CHRIST for if the iudgement of a guilty Conscience be so fearefull as wee cannot be ignorant much more is the iudgement of God who is greater then our Conscience Ioh. 3.20 doctrine Those which are in CHRIST by Faith shall not bee condemned Iohn 3.5.16,36 Marke 16.16 Ephes 5.23 Vse 1. Hee saith not There is no sinne or nothing worthy to be damned but there is no condemnation for he that saith he hath no sinne deceiues himselfe 1. Ioh. 1.8 And the Apostle in the 7. Chapter confessed the remainder of sinne which manifests it selfe too often in our words deeds and desires contrary to the Law by which if the most righteous man be examined he must appeare worthy to be damned and hath need enough to vse Dauids Prayer Psalme 143.2 Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Vse 2. There is no Condemnation to Them Here appeareth the Prudence of the Apostle who when hee in the 7. Chapter spake of the force of inhabiting Sinne expressed it in his own person that we might know there is no man so holy in this life who is exempted But when hee speakes of Comfort to such hee speakes in the person of others lest wee should imagine that onely some principall and choise Christians did enioy this benefit It is the fashion of Christians distressed in Conscience to exempt themselues from the communion of this comfort as if it belonged to others not to themselues Vpon this Paul professedly changeth the manner of his speech Doest thou beleeue in Christ with a true though weake faith Thou shalt be saued Hold fast this faith For euen as a halfe-penny is currant lawfull money as well as a shilling so is the least true Faith of his weight and allowance before God Therefore Paul elsewhere saith There is laid vp for Mee a crowne of righteousnesse Yea for Thee an holy and famous Apostle Nay saith Paul 2. Tim. 4.8 not for mee onely but for them also who loue the appearing of Christ Vse 3. Miserable are the vnbeleeuers and impenitent There is no Condemnation If Paul had stayed here many would haue applauded him O how would the Drunkard and Blasphemer c. haue reioyced and all the rout of wicked ones If Thou beest such how doest thou wish in thy heart that it were true But heare and tremble thou Profane There is no Condemnation to them which are in Christ This is the Childrens bread it is not for Dogs that is for Impenitent sinners What then shall become of them which repent not Woe vnto them For they shall perish they shall be damned for them is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer euen vtter Darknesse where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Who can tell the Misery the Flames the Anger the Vengeance which shall fall downe vpon the heads of the wicked as a tempest of Thunder When thou art glossing and quaffing thinke of this Damnation When thou art puffed vp with Pride thinke of the shame and Confusion following When thou art Coueting think of the wrath thou treasurest vp against the day of Wrath. Of these things we dayly speake and write and yet thou wicked wretch turnest not as if it were a triflle to be damned to be separated from the Saints from Christ from God a trifle as if it were a light thing to haue eternall fellowship with the Diuell and his Angels Yet yet conuert that if it be possible thou mayst escape Damnation Yet leaue thy Whoredomes c. While the doore of grace is open He which now stoppeth his eare O how shall he in That day call to the Mountaines and Rockes to couer him Preuent this damnation by repentance and though other fall into hell labour thou to bee in the number of them to whom there is no Condemnation Vse 4. Great is the Blessednesse and Securitie of the Godly I say Securitie not Carnal whereby the feare of God is shaken off but spiritual wherby the feare of damnation is ouercom There is no Condemnation to them they haue peace with God with themselues Vnderstand you blessed of the Father your happinesse and reioyce My life for yours you shall not perish That tormenting flame shall not touch one hayre of your heads As the garments of the three men smelt not of the fire so you shall bee most free Remember this golden this most diuine Sentence and in all distresses of Conscience conquer yee But thou wilt say Alas I am led captiue vnto sinne what hope therefore Indeede in thy selfe there is none but in Christ
vs. Art thou afraid of Damnation because of thy sinnes Bee of good Comfort Thou hast Christ for thy Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.2 If we be to sue downe a Commission we desire to haue the wisest and ablest men to sit vpon it If we haue a suit at Law wee couet to get the best and learnedest Councell and in most fauour with the Iudge Now wee haue a suit for Saluation wee haue strong Aduersaries The Flesh the World the Diuell the Law Who shall be our Man of Law to plead for vs Shall an Angell No we haue Christ himselfe the Lord of Angels The wisest for hee is the Wisedome of his Father and most in fauour with the Iudge for in him is God well pleased And indeed Christ hath taken our Matter vpon him God hath retained him for vs. How then shouldest thou not haue the Sentence passe on thy side Committit se homo viro disertae linguae non perit committis te Verbo periturus es Aug. Thou committest thy other causes sometimes to a man and speedest if thou committest thy selfe to that Word canst thou perish He knowes the moment of thy cause and the reasons whereby he should perswade It stands him vpon that thou preuaile because thou art of his bone and his flesh Be sure to bring him his Fee that is Faith Repentance and Obedience and thou canst not lose the day If thou canst beleeue hee can saue thee nay he must it is his Office God hath inioyned him and hee is faithfull as Moses nay more faithfull Moses as a Seruant he as a Sonne Let him that hath an Office Heb. 3.2,5,6 Rom. 12.7 wait on his Office saith he to vs and can hee neglect his Office Reade Ioh. 6.37,38,39,40 It is the will of his Father which hee alwayes delighted to obey that hee should cast away no poore Sinner which beleeues and repents Goe therefore thou Penitent Soule to Christ desire him to doe his Office to take away thy sinnes and comfort thee Hast thou no feete Hast thou stumps Creepe to him It is as possible for him to reiect thee as it is possible for him to be vnfaithfull Vse 2. Seeke not to the Virgin Mary to Angels or Saints for Saluation it is not their Office but Christs Hee offers it thee in his Word see thou refuse not to receiue it This refusall brought wo vpon Corazin and Bethsaida Mat. 11.21 Yea the dust of the feet of our Preachers is to be shaken off as a witnesse against such as contemne the grace offered in the Gospell and it shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorrah then for such Mat. 10.14,15 Let vs not then harden our hearts any longer but while hee speaketh let vs heare his voice while hee calleth let vs make obedient answere while he stretcheth out his hands let vs runne into the Bosome of his mercy that we may be saued Amen Condemned in the flesh The former effect was a Commission from the Father to his owne Sonne In these words is the second effect containing the Returne of the Commission All Commissions speed not This sped according to the intent of the granting for sinne was condemned and taken away In this effect are 4. things First the Efficient God Secondly the Action Condemned Thirdly the Obiect Sinne. Fourthly the Subiect in the Flesh God the Father as before Condemned To Condemne is an Action of a Iudge giuing sentence against a guilty Person So is it not heere for sinne is not guilty but makes guilty Condemnation is also many times taken for the punishment which the delinquent condemned suffers neither is it so here but after a similitude as condemned Persons executed cease to bee and are taken away so Sinne is taken away Tollūtur èmedio * Beza Some expound it Hee abolished it Caluinus Some Hee abrogateth the power and reigne of it as a man hanged loseth his Offices Aquinas He weakened Ambrose Hee tooke away the authority of sinne So Martyr Hee put out of authority and Office as if the King should take away his Commission from a Subiect and disgrace him So God by Christ put sin out of Office with all the reproach that might be As Souldiers and Captaines are sometimes cashierd and sent away disarmed so Christ hath cashierd this Captaine Sinne. 3 Sinne That is All sin whatsoeuer had any consideration of sin Originall with the fruit which is Actuall sin and both these with the effect which is Condemnation Hee condemned and abolished it in regard of dominion and damnation and so it answeres vnto the freedome spoken of in the second verse 4 In the Flesh Flesh heere for the nature of Man which Christ assumed The Article would heere be expressed in That flesh The Syrian Translator In His flesh The sense Wee are freed by the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ for He abolished sinne in his Flesh so that wee being Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone must needs also be deliuered doctrine God by the death of his Sonne which Hee did suffer on the Grosse in our Nature hath so taken away and abolished sinne that it cannot rule in vs heere nor condemne vs heereafier Esay 53. Iohn 1.29 Heb. 2.10 to which adde Heb. 5.9 Vse 1. Sinne was condemned in the humane Nature of Christ not in the Diuine for that is impassible but the Person must bee Diuine For neither Men nor Angels could haue borne the punishment of sin but themselues must haue beene for euer condemned withall To sin is Mans worke But to condemne sin is Gods worke Q. Why did not GOD pardon sinne at once and spare his own Sonne A. The threatning Gen. 2.17 required that Man must dye for his transgression which if hee had done in this owne person he could not haue been saued Neither indeed is it to be imagined that God can forgiue sin without satisfaction to his Iustice not for any defect of power but for the perfection of his Nature which cannot but hate and punish sin Nothing is impossible to God 2. Thes 1.6 but that which hee willeth not and hee cannot will that his Iustice should be vnsatisfied Q. How can the Temporall punishment in the Flesh of Christ satisfie for the Eternall to be suffred by vs A. Though he suffred not long yet he suffred much And though the Action or rather Passion was of short continuance yet the vertue is euerlasting and infinite sutable to his Person which suffred who is Infinite Vse 2. Sinne is fully destroied because it is Gods worke and iustly because condemned And Beleeuers cannot iustly be now condemned because Christ hath payd the Debt Sinne is condemned our greatest enemy What should let vs greatly to reioyce If a man in authority being our vtter enemy should bee imprisoned put from his place and made Iacke out of Office as wee vse to say it would make vs exceeding glad or as if thou hadst a
Eliah there were seuen thousand reserued so also now The like times of the Church are wisely to be compared But the present estate of the Iewes is the same with that of the Israelites therefore as then so now a reseruation is made and by consequence their reiection not totall Heere we haue two things 1. A Proposition 2. An Amplification The Proposition that in the time of Paul though the Iewes were generally cast off yet there was and is a reseruation Obseruation When thou hearest of persecution and of killing vp the Prophets and professors be of good-comfort God will saue seuen thousand He will reserue one Eliah as in the dayes of Ahab one Athanasius as in the time of the Arrian Heresie one Wicliffe one Husse one Luther in the most darksome and hideous times of Antichrist The Amplification is from the cause of this Reseruation which is Election set foorth also by the eause of it which is Grace Through the Election of Grace not actiuely to be vnderstood on mans part as Chrysostome but actiuely on Gods part and passiuely on ours nor is Election to be heere expounded faith the seale of it as some but the decree called election of Grace that is gratious or free election doctrine The cause why some are reserued in dangerous times is their Election For as saith so perseuerance is proper to the Elect Act. 13.48 and 20.21 Vse 1. As to be preserued from Idolatry when true Religion is abolished and persecuted so in these dayes to be kept from sin and to stand when a thousand fall on one hand and ten thousand on another is a comfortable note of Election Iniquitie abounds Neglect not so faire an occasion of making thy Election sure If God bestow his grace on thee stoppe thee in the way of sinne make thy heart bleed for the transgressions of the time and preserue thee in his feare thou art elected for if thou wert a reprobate he would not haue such care of thee but giue thee quite ouer to follow the swinge of thine owne lusts vnto perdition Therefore by thy life thou mayest know for God hath not elected vs to serue the Diuell but himselfe Vse 2. If persecution come seare not many suffered constantly in the dayes of Iesabel and seuen thousand could not be found being hidden as a treasure by God So in Queene Maries daies many were taken and burned and many were sought after and could not be found for God couered them with his hand and smote the eyes of them which sought their liues as he smote the Sodomites sometimes when they sought the dore of Lots house Resolue thus If such fiery times should come and God should call thee out and suffer thee to bee found he will also so strengthen thee that thou shalt glorifie him in thy sufferings If God giue thee not such strength he will so hide thee from thy persecutors that though Iesabel her selfe search all the corners of the Land for thee as narrowly as Laban searched Iacobs stuffe yet shee shall not finde thee VERSE 6. And if by Grace then is it no more of workes otherwise Grace were no more Grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke THese words as was before said are an amplificatiō of the summe of the 5. vers namely that the Reseruation is according to election of Grace from whence this Consectary takes place If by election of grace then not by workes Though this doe not much pertaine to Pauls Argument in hand yet by the direction of the Spirit he takes that little occasion offered to speake something in commendation of Grace because he had to deale with the Iewes which stood greatly vpon their owne Righteousnesse which indeed was one of their maine diseases and therefore he neglects not by the way to touch this sort and to giue them a iog for remembrance that we are saued by grace not by workes Pauls example must teach Ministers a point of wisedome which is to take notice of the speciall sinnes of their Auditors and in the course of their teaching if any occasion offer though it lie not so plaine in their way to giue them a memento Paul breakes out here into a new question that he might meete with the Iewes in euery corner When Ministers speake against the sinnes of their Auditors O say they he findes not that in his text but we know by the direction of Gods Spirit and by the warrant of Pauls example if we find such in you how to find it in our text to reproue you for it and yet not to be guiltie of rouing or digressing But to the Consectary If election and preseruation be of grace it is not of workes This is proued by the nature of grace and workes which are contrary and destroy one another And it is set downe with inuersion of the termes That which is of grace is not of workes else grace were not grace that is free That which is of workes is not of grace else works were not workes that is did not make indebted The mysterie in this verse plainly appeares if we vnderstand what is meant by grace and what by workes The Schoolemen and Iesuites distinguish grace into grace making gracious and grace freely giuen Aqin Sum. p. 2. q. 111. art 1. The first they say is charitie a grace whereby we are conioyned to God the second is faith and the rest of Christian vertues But first both these are coincident for charitie also is a grace freely giuen Secondly they make this grace to be in man they know no other and therefore Bellarmine and the rest when they write of this subiect they write de gratia hominis of the grace of man but the Scripture onely speaketh of the grace of God and of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Grace is taken three wayes First for the free fauour of God the alone cause of our election which is subiectiuely in God one of the imminent vertues of the Deitie being his essence This is meant here Secondly for the energie operation and working of this grace which Austen calleth the mouing of mercie Motum miseric Aust lib. 3. Hyp. the lesuites call it an helpe or grace preuenting or following of grace preuenting is that place Eph. 2.8 of following 1. Cor. 15.10 of both together 2. Cor. 12.9 Thirdly for the gifts of grace which haue a different appellation ordinarily in Pauls Epistles as faith hope loue patience and this is distributed into habituall grace and actuall This in no wise is here to be vnderstood nor either of the parts before spoken of from the Schoole For charitie and faith are workes but we must haue a grace opposite to workes Workes are either good or bad bad workes not here vnderstood but good Ob. But grace and good workes are agreeing as the cause and the effect Ans To speake properly the anger of God is contrary to his grace
of Faith The greatest Philosophers as the Epicures and Stoiks most resisted Paul Acts 17.18 as our greatest Politicians most scoffe at Religion and at preaching of the Word Vse 2. All are bound to heare and nothing so worthy to be heard as the Gospel Let vs say of hearing as Paul speaks of knowing it 1. Cor. 2.2 viz. that he esteemed to know nothing besides The Nurses song doth not so quiet the babe as the preaching of the Gospell the Conscience It s the hand of GOD offering vs forgiuenes of sinnes Hee therefore who hath eares to heare let him heare He hath wel imployed his eares who hath reuernntly heard the Gospell which the diuell keepes many from hearing lest by hearing they should be conuerted and liue If thou wilt not Now beare that which may profit thee thou shalt heare one day that which will make thy heart to ake euen this Goe you cursed c. For if any receiue you not nor heare your words shake the dust off your feet truely it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for them Mat. 10.14,15 Vse 3. Ministers must be affected and grieue when they see the company of reuerent hearers so thinne and their labours so fruitlesse The Prophet here complaines of this so Christ grones for the hardnes of the peoples hearts and weepes ouer the stubbornnesse of Ierusalem The shrewdest turne to be done to a Minister is to depriue him of the ioy of his labours and the way to reioyce them is to embrace the Gospel they preach It will be vnprofitable and heauy for the hearers to haue their Minister to complain of them with griefe vnto God Vse 4. Esay and Paul gaue not ouer though they had cause to cōplaine As the Physician omits no point of his Art though the recouery of his Patient be desperate So though vvee preach to many desperate and scoffing hearers we must not giue ouer but rather vse the more diligence For whether they profit by vs or no we shall haue our fee. Not as the husbandman loseth by an ill crop shall I lose If I preach and thou repent not it shall neuer repent me of my paines I will preach still for though my preaching be not a sweet sauour to thee yet euen in thee I am a sweet sauour to God Thou also shalt smart for it for if we be offended when our words are despised much more will God bee at the contempt of his Gospell Vse 5. Although faith cannot be without preaching going before it yet preaching may be without faith following it as that which is to be knowne may be without the knowledge of it The word that sounds without is not sufficient faith if God speake not within in the heart There are two things required to faith the determination of that which is to be beleeued and the inclination and perswasion of the heart to beleeue Aquinas Preaching determines but its God who perswades by preaching God can doe it without preaching but preaching cannot doe it without God Our voyce can say Repent but its God only that giues Repentance Paul preacheth to Lidiaes eare but God hath the key of her heart Pray that God would open our mouthes to speake pray also that he will vnlocke thy heart to beleeue for as Rebecca cookt the Venison but Isaac gaue the blessing so wee may plant and water but its God that giues the increase 1. Cor. 3.7 VERSE 18. But I say Haue they not heard Yes verily c Psal 19.4 their sound went into all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world THis is spoken of the Gentiles not of the Iewes as appeares by the manner of the next verse In this Paul preuents another obiection occasioned by the words before concerning the sending of the Gospell to the Gentiles as if some Iew should haue sayd If you be sent to the Gentiles why do you preach to them all but only to some choyce Cities and Nations Paul answeres that they doe and shall preach to them all which he vtters by an interrogation and proues by a testimony out of the Psalmes as if he should say Dauid tells you that all haue or might heare for Their sound is gone out into all the earth Question is whether Paul alleadge this testimony or allude vnto it In the Psalme he speaks of works here of the Word Some say that Paul argues from the lesse If God teach all by the great volume of the heauens much more will he teach all by the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell I thinke that vnder the historicall narration of the heauens and of their sound is hid a prophecy of the preaching of the Gospell because the latter part of the Psalme speakes much in the commendation of it and Paul here so applies it And indeed there is a most sweet Analogie betweene the heauens sound and the Gospell There are diuers particulars obserued I thinke these are good The heauens are the worke of Gods hand so is the Gospell reuealed by God The heauens shew the worke of God so the Gospell that wee are Iustified by the worke of God which is faith not by the works of man The doctrine of the Gospell is pure and lightsome as are the heauens The influence of the heauens comforteth cherisheth inferior things so doth the Gospell the Conscience The diuersity of Nations and Languages is manifold which vnderstand not one another yet all vnderstand the excellency of the heauens and the wonderfull worke of God in them So God enabled the Apostles to teach all Nations in their owne tongues the wonderfull works of God Into all the earth and vnto the ends of the world The summe is that the Gospell was preached to all the world Ob. But many Nations were long after the Apostles dayes conuerted as England in the time of Gregory the great the Iaponians and Americans but the other day heard of Christ A. All the earth is either taken for the most part the ends for Countries very farre off or it is spoken of that which should be or it is meant of the 4. quarters of the world or of the Romane Empire And for that of England it is false Indeed in Gregories dayes England by Austen the Monke was first brought in subiection to Rome they before agreeing with the Greeke Church for at the comming of that Austen there were many holy Monks in this Land and some haue written of the conuersion of it in the daies of Eleutherius yea Dorotheus seemeth to affirme that Simon Zelotes was in Brittany if the place be not misprinted And for the New discouered places may be answered that either they were not then inhabited or the Gospell there preached but not receiued or that the fame of the Gospell at the least came thither as the fame of the Israelites came into Canaan doctrine The Gospell was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles
Mar. 16.20 Act. 1.8 Col. 1.6 Q. But what may be thought of them which neuer heard of the Gospell are they not to be excused before God A. Yes Of the sinne of vnbeliefe in the promises but they cannot obtaine thereby an acquitall from their other sinnes but shall be condemned for them Vse 1. That is the true Religion which agrees with that which was preached in all the world by the Apostles Vse 2. It was a miracle that the Gospell a doctrine teaching the deniall of our selues and bearing of the Crosse carried by poore and meane persons oppressed by mighty Emperors and Kings should in despite of men and Diuels within the space of forty yeeres bee so published in all the world Let all enemies cease to oppose it by the remembrance hereof Vse 3. Obey the Gospell lest He which sent it take it away and remoue our Candle-sticke for our vnbeliefe and contempt of it For this cause Turcisme and Papisme possesse many places which haue beene heretofore famous for the Gospell Hath the grace of God shined to thee in despight of the Diuell Make much of this light and walke in it Hast thou heard the sound of it Why doest thou liue in lewd practices as if thou hadst neuer heard any inkling of it If thou beest a blasphemer drunken vncleane proud couetous c. what could a Iew or a Turke doe more then thou doest Thou hast not receiued it Where sinne beares rule there is not the Gospell receiued In those Marian times the Gospell made men forsake goods and life and can it not now make thee leaue thy vile and bad courses He that caused the Gospell to be brought with the bloud of his seruants will require the bloud of all the contemners of it Be you carefull that as in all the world so the Gospell may haue a free passage among you and bee glorified which shall be when you suffer it to subdue your vile and rebellious affections VERSE 19. But I say did not Israel know First Moses saith * Deut. 32.31 I will prouoke you to iealousie by them that are no people and by a foolish Nation I will anger you THe Apostle hath in the verses before soundly proued that the Gospell is by the will and counsell of God to be preached to the Gentiles The Iew is mute and hath nothing farther to obiect against that point but falls to excuse his opposition agaist the preaching of the Gospell to them by pleading ignorance that hee did not know it vvas the will of God so to haue it To this Paul answereth What saith he did not Israel know Did ye not know This Why Moses and Esay affirme it in whom you are conuersant And so falls into a plaine declaration of the Abiection of the Iewes and receiuing of the Gentiles as before he had done in the 9. Chapter Here then are two things First a taking away of the excuse viz. ignorance which the Iewes made to couer their malice against the preaching of the Gospell to the Gentiles by a reprehensarie declaration that they were not ignorant Secondly this he proues by the Testimonie of the Prophets Did not Israel know The Geneua Translation supplieth God without any sense which is exceedingly well obserued in His Maiesties Translation and there left out For that vvhich they pretended not to know was not God but the will of God in the matter before spoken of As if hee should say You may be ashamed to say you are ignorant you know it well enough or might or ought to know it doctrine The corruption of our hearts leades vs to the practice of those things which we know to be sinne Rom. 1.31 Iude 10. Vse 1. Abstaine from all sinne specially from sinne of knowledge A regenerate man may through infirmitie or in the violence of tentation sinne against knowledge as Dauid and Peter but beware of cold bloud and continuing in knowne sinne Antecedent Ignorance will not saue a man much more will consequent Ignorance condemne him Ignorantia mollit non tollit rationem peccati Scientia non mollit peccatum sed tollit excusationē peccati Ignorance taketh not away sinne but knowledge taketh away all excuse of sinne Now I haue spoken to them saith Christ they haue no c Ioh. 15.22 colour for their sinne To with-hold the knowne truth in vnrighteousnesse prouoketh the d Rom. 1.18 wrath of God Doest thou not know that drunkennesse whoredome c. are abominable sins And yet thou practisest them Alas what hope canst thou haue A willing practice of knowne sinne and Repentance can nouer stand together nay it is the high way to a reprobate minde and to that vnpardonable offence Though thou canst not but sinne in these daies of thy frailety yet beware of two things First of beeing willingly ignorant of that which God giues thee the meanes to know for this is the marke of a wretch 2. Pet. 3.5 Secondly of doing contrarie to knowledge For hee that knowes to doe well and doth it not and by proportion to auoid ill and shunnes it not to him it is sinne that is his knowledge aggrauates his faults Iac. 4. vlt. Vse 2. The Iewes sinned against their knowledge What was the cause Euen their Enuy that the Gentiles should be admitted to the prerogatiue of Grace This made them deliuer Christ to be crucified This caused the stoning of Stephen this the persecution of Paul Beware of Enuy which is a diuelish sinne the rotting of the bones which makes a man twice miserable For the enuious man is cruciated both with his owne euils and with the good things of his Neighbour The way to auoid enuy for worldly matters is to despise the world and the folly of it and to loue heauenly things and the way to auoid enuy for the grace of God shewed on another is to loue the glory of God which is set forth by my neighbour as well as by my selfe The proofe is from the testimony of two famous Prophets Moses in the rest of this 19. verse and Esay verse 20.21 First Moses Moses is called the first not because of a second Moses but first in time or dignity or first in this allegation The Testimonie is out of Deuteronomie containing a threatning of Reiection to the Iewes for their vile dealing against God wherin are two things to be considered 1. The phrase wherein this Reiection is set downe 2. The Amplification of it I will prouoke you to ielousie and I will anger you This is the phrase The Amplification is two-fold 1. Frō the Author which is God who doth not cause enuy but cause it to come to light being in the heart before nor is the Author of ielousie as a sinne but as its a punishment doing that for punishment which would stirre vp their corrupt hearts to ielousie 2. From the Instruments which God vseth to anger and prouoke them withall Namely No people A foolish Nation That