was propounded to them for their condition was more desperate considered with this meanes then before it being unable to bring them to faith and so to life and yet bringing condemnation on them for their unbeliefe 2 Thes 1.8 Againe God upbraids one people with another Mat. 11.20.21.22 then began hee to upbraid those Cityes wherein most of his mighty workes were done because they repented not Wee untothee Corazin and woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty workes which were done in you had beene done in Tire and Sidon they would have repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for Tire and Sidon at the day of Judgement then for you c Now God would not upbraid one people with another if there were some speciall meanes afforded to the one and not to the other which made all the difference for without that meanes then Tire and Sidon could not repent and with it Corazin and Bethsaida could not but repent but the words doe plainely manifest that the same meanes that was afforded to Corazin and Bethsaida who repented not would have caused Tire and Sidon to repent and thereupon Christ upbraids those Cities Againe Romans 2.4 5. The Apostle hath these words despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance c. Whereby wee see that God labours by the riches of his goodnesse forbearance and long suffering to lead those men to repentance which notwithstanding treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Now it is a vaine thing and farre from God to exercise forbearance and long suffering in expectation of impossibilities to waite when the Creature will doe that which is impossible for him to performe and then the forbearance of God could not in any sense beè said to lead wicked men to repentance but to distruction and ruine for if God forbeare never so long they cannot repent and the wrath of God comes on them for despising his patience and forbearance and so the for bearance of God instead of being rich in goodnesse is rendred by this doctrine rich in wrath in fire and brimstone and such goodnes might well be despised If a Prince should make great and rich promises to a subject if he would run a hundred miles in one houre and withall threaten to inflict some heavy punishment on him if he doe it not when he knew it impossible for him ever to run twenty and then to waite many dayes on him for his performance hee in his punishment being to pay for every houres forbearance if in the end he did it not might not such pretended goodnes well be despised and he also that should pretend it to be goodnesse But I say it is evident by the forenamed place that whil'st God did exercise his goodnesse long-suffering and forbearance towards them they might have repented and therefore the wrath and indignation of God comes on them for not obeying the truth but obeying unrighteousnes verse the 8. Againe if the gospel were not sufficient to enable men to believe then it were as weake in point of Salvation as the Law for the Law was holy iust and good Rom. 7.12 and if it could have given life righteousnes should have been by it Gal. 3.21 but none could be iustified by the deeds of the Law Gal. 3.11 12. because it was weake through the flesh Rom. 8.3 Now that which was impossible to the Law being weake not in it selfe but through the weaknesse of the flesh GOD sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh to die for sinne thereby condemning sinne in the flesh and supplyed that weakenesse of men in the flesh and so made the way by faith to salvation feasable to the Sons of men verse 3,4 and Gal. 3.22.24 The ministery of the Law is termed the ministery of the Letter of death of condemnation the ministery of the Gospell is termed the ministery of the Spirit of life of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9. Now these different termes doe evidently demonstrate that righteousnesse life and salvation which was impossible for men in respect of their weakenesse to attaine by the Law is made possible by the gospel notwithstanding their weaknesse and if men in the state of nature were unable to believe the gospel when they heare it preached by the Ministers of Christ then it would be the Ministery of life and righteousnesse no more then the Law was for the Law was not the Ministery of death in respect of it self for Moses describes the righteousnesse of the law that the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 but in respect of the weaknesse of men to performe it and Paul putting the gospel in opposition to the law saith that the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ downe from above or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which wee preach that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved verse 6 7 8 9. but if men could not believe it when it was preached to them it could not be said to be nigh them but as unpossible and as farre out of their power as it would bee for them to ascend up to Heaven to bring Christ from above or descend into the deepe to bring up Christ again from the dead And whereas it is said to be nigh it might be more properly said to be farre off so then the gospel is the Ministery of life not in it selfe only but in respect of mens power to believe it when it is preached or declared to them otherwise it would bee all one to bee under the Law and under grace neither would the Gospel bring salvation any more then the law Tit. 2.11 but would unavoydably cause wrath to come upon the sons of men as the Law did Rom. 4.15 and would leave them under the dominion of sin as the Law did Rom. 6 14. for as the Law threatned death so doth the gospel Marke 16.16 and the same power which God puts forth as is conceived to enable men to believe would have enabled them to keepe the Law For it is conceived that besides the preaching of the gospel and Gods bearing witnesse to it by signes and wonders there was a speciall and almighty power exercised by God in all them that did believe which power I say would have enabled them to keep the Law so that there would bee no difference betweene the Law and the gospel and so Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe God in the Ministry of the Gospell called all men
that God by one meanes or other doth discover himself to every man to be good and gracious Now whereas it is urged that men cannot beleeve they that so affirme say in effect that men have no ground to beleeve for did they apprehend a ground for faith they would never perswade themselves nor others that they could not beleeve but if they would have men to beleeve that the truth of which they cannot evidence or demonstrate to them then it is a very proper and ready way for them to anticipate their understandings and prevent them from inquiry by telling them that they cannot beleeve and that faith is beyond reason and that God must perswade their hearts and so cause them to cease to exercise their understandings that they may worke their affections to receive and embrace it upon trust and when they have so done to tell them that God hath perswaded their hearts Men say that faith is supernaturall but how can it bee above nature to beleeve that which we see sufficient ground to beleeve and to beleeve any thing of which we have no plaine ground and reason is so far from being above nature that it is below it and proper to fooles and not to reasonable men It is true that faith is the evidence or assurance of things not seene but the certainty of the things not seene must be evidenced or manifested to us by things that doe appeare or wee cannot beleeve them the meanes of grace which we now have is not so great nor so cleare as the meanes which was afforded in the time of Christ and his Apostles and some others enjoy not so great meanes as we but God requires of every man according to what he hath and not according to what he hath not When the Authour to the Hebrewes doth declare to the Jews the danger of neglecting the Gospel he urgeth it from this Reason that it was evidently declared confirmed to them being first spoken by the Lord himself and then confirmed to them by those which heard him God also bearing them witnesse that they spake truth with signes and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the holy Spirit according to his owne will Now how can we thinke that those men could not beleeve that had the Gospel so evidenced and confirmed before their eyes or how could the signes and miracles be an aggravation of their sinne in not beleeving if they had not been a sufficient meanes to procure their beleeving and if they were a sufficient meanes it must be so in reference to their naturall faculties as Act. 8.16 the Samaritans gave heed with one accord to the things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the miracles which hee did And againe Acts 9.33.34.35 When Peter had healed Aeneas who had been sicke of the Palsie eight yeares all that dwelt at Lidda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord. Againe when Peter raised Dorcas from the dead it was knowne throughout all Ioppa and many beleeved in the Lord vers 42. and therefore the Disciples which Christ sent out to preach were commanded to tarry in Jerusalem untill they were endued with power from on high Luk. 24.49 which power was the gifts of the holy Spirit enabling them by signes and miracles to evidence and demonstrate to every mans understanding and conscience where they came the truth of the things they declared as Acts 1.4.5.8 compared with chap. 2. vers 3.4 so that with great power did the Lord give witnesse to the things spoken by Christ and his messengers which miracles had been needlesse if faith had been a supernaturall gift immediately infused by God We have the Scriptures we see the wonderfull works of God and partake of his goodnesse every moment and yet can we not beleeve and from thence be perswaded to love serve and obey the Lord to love serve and obey him I say for to beleeve that Christ was sent of God to dye for our sinnes or to beleeve God to be good and gracious if I am not thereby perswaded to love serve and obey him my faith is nothing it is dead being alone Now let us further consider what is written Rom. 10.14 how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent plainly intimating that there is a possibility for men to beleeve in Christ when they heare him preached by the Messengers of God and therefore in the 17. verse he concludes that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God so the gospell is termed the Word of faith Rom. 10.8 the preaching of the gospel the preaching of faith Gal. 1.23 hearing of the gospel the hearing of faith preached Gal. 3.2.5 and when the gospel was preached to the gentiles God is said to have opend the door of faith unto them Acts 14.27 and where God affoords the gospel he affoords faith as Paul speakes in the like case Act. 17.31 whereof he hath afforded faith to all men c. Againe the gospel is termed the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 the power of God and the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1.18.24 and God is said to save those which beleeve by the foolishnesse of preaching vers 21. Now if the Word of God the gospel be declared unto men and yet they thereby not enabled to beleeve then how is it the power of God to their salvation they being to perish if they beleeve not Mark 16.16 for that meanes which is the power of God to an end must needs be sufficient for that end Oh. You see it was not sufficient for all did not beleeve Ans It was powerfull enough to enable all that heard to beleeve and yeeld obedience to it and so powerfull in none that it was impossible they should reject it and so the same meanes which proves inefectuall to one may cause another to believe as appeares Mat. 11.21 Object It is the power of God onely to those that are called 1 Cor. 1.24 Answ Paul speaks in this place what acceptation the gospel had amongst the sons of men how different their thoughts were of it in the 18. verse he saith it is to them that perish foolishnesse to us which are saved the power of God In the 23.24 verses he saith the unbelieving Iews did stumble at it and the unbelieving Greekes accompted it foolishnesse but the believing both of Iewes and Greekes did esteeme it the wildome of God and the power of God the unbelievers did not esteeme rightly of it the believers did but if the gospel were the power of God onely to believers and to unbelievers a dead Letter then unbelievers were as right in their thoughts to whom it was foolishnesse as Believers to whom it was the wisdome and power of God yea it had bin foolishnesse in unbelievers to have esteemed it any other then foolishnes in point of their salvation as a meanes unto which end it
the children of the Flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed verse 6.7 and 8. for saith Paul this is a word of promise at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son ver 9. so that Isaac was a child of promise and so must you or your being children of the flesh will profit you little and this is largely and plainly expounded in the 4. Chapter of the Galatians verse 21. to the end of the Chapter Tell me saith Paul yee that desire to be under the Law doe yee not heare the Law for it is written that Abraham had two Sonnes the one by a Bond-woman the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was after the Flesh but he that was of the free-woman was by promise which things are an allegory for these are the two Covenants or Testaments the one from Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children but Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all that is of us beleevers for it is written Rejoice thou barren that bearest not breake forth and cry thou that travailest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband Now wee brethren saith Paul to the Galatians as Isaac was are the children of the promise but as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so it is now Neverthelesse what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her Sonne for the Sonne of the bond woman the children of Abraham according to the flesh shall not be heire with the Sonne of the free-woman such as beleeve such as walke in the steps of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 so that whereas you Jewes rest in the Law and thinke therein to have eternall life you thinke the Law will justifie you but the Law condemnes you that is the words and writing of Moses which are here termed the Law for though Ishmael were the childe of Abraham as well as Isaac yet you see God would not suffer him to inherite but he must be cast out therefore your being children of the flesh is not sufficient to make you heires of that promise which was made to your father Then Paul proceeds to another instance of the like nature in the 10.11 and 12. verses and not onely this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even by our Father Isaac for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as if he should have said that which I affirme doth not onely appeare by what is written of Ismael and Isaac but by that also which is written of Esau and Jacob the children of Rehecca which she conceived by one even by our father Isaac for though Esau were Jacobs brother the elder the greater and heire according to the flesh yet God said that he that is his posterity for Esau never served Iacob in person but rather on the contrary Iacob served Esau and called him Lord Gen. 33.14 should serve the posterity of Iacob the younger Now these words were a prophesie of what God would doe unto the Edomites for their wickednesse and he declares it to Rebecca before the children were borne before they had done good or evill that from the beginning he might manifest and make appeare that his purpose was not to justifie any one of you by workes but by grace not to justifie the whole lump of you but to elect and chuse out from among you such as should beleeve and be obedient they and they onely being the seed and true heires according to the intent of the promise made to your father Abraham and therefore neither your naturall birth nor any legall or outward performance will make you accepted of God or give you inheritance in the promises of life for this of Iacob and Esau like the former of Isaac and Ismael is an Allegory of the two Covenants Esau being Lord by birth but Iacob by the fore-appointment of God so you Jewes and you onely are children and heires according to the flesh but believers as believers and they onely both of Jews and Gentiles according to the purpose and election of God then in the 13. verse hee proceeds with these words as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated the following words in Malachi and laid his mountaines and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wildernesse whereas Edom saith we are impoverished but will returne and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hostes They shall build but I will throw downe and they shall call them the borders of wickednesse and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever as if Paul should have said What God intended in his speech to Rebecca is more clearly manifested by what is written in the prophesie of Malachi where you finde that though Esau were Ianobs brother that is the Edomites were brethren to the Israelites yet God hated Esau that is the Edomites and laid their mountaines and heritage waste for the dragons of the wildernesse and his indignation was set against them for ever so that it is a vaine thing for you Jewes to plead for your justification that you are the children of Abraham unlesse you walke in his steps for the Edomites could do as much as that and yet were destroyed for their wickednesse and that this punishment came upon them for their wickednesse though this place in Malachi doth manifest it yet I shall produce some other Scriptures more fully to evidence the same Ezech. 25.12 13 14. Thus saith the Lord because Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himselfe upon them Therefore thus saith the Lord I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it and I will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword and I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall doe to Edom according to my anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord. Ioel 3.19 Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed innocent bloud in their land Ames 1.11 Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and his anger did teare perpetually and kept his wrath for ever And in Obadiah the whole chapter speakes of
raised up Christ sent him to blesse the Iows in turning every one of them from their Iniquities though few were turned Act. 3.26 and God leaves the very Heathen without excuse in respect of meanes Rom. 1.20 Act. 14.17 therefore it must bee understood in this place according to the latter acceptation none can come to mee except the meanes used by the Father prevaile with them and this appeares more plainely if you consider the 45 verse Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me plainly shewing that no man is drawn according to the intent of the spirit of God in this place but such a one as hath heard and learned of the Father and that every one so drawn doth come For God the Father declares that there is peace reconciliation remission of sinnes and eternall life in his Son for all men and thereupon invites and perswades them to come to the son to believe to heare to obey to follow the Sonne in whom this fullnesse is that so they may be partakers of it and if they do not believe in him they shall die in their sinnes Now if men believe GOD that there is such safety and security such fullnesse of blessednesse in his Sonne then doe they immediately cloze with him follow and observe him in all things and this I conceive to bee the meaning of this place none can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him as if Christ had said murmure not concerning my Father and mother for except the word testimony and witnesse of God prevaile with you you will not you cannot come unto me Againe Ioh. 6.68 and he said therefore say I unto you no man can come unto me except it be given him of the Father This verse hath reference to what Christ spake in the 44 vers no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and is but a repeating of the same thing in other words so that the former interpretation serves for this place also no man can come to me except it were given him that is unlesse the means used by the Father to that end prevaile with him unlesse it take effect in him and the reason why Christ spake these words was to shew that he was not ignorant of the hypocrifie of those who professing themselves his Disciples did not he doth not say could not believe neither was he ignorant who would betray him neither how they would neglect frustrate the means which God afforded them now a thing may be said to bee given in respect of the giver and yet not in respect of the receiver to wit the thing given not received by him to whom it is given and so not given in respect of the end for the end of giving it to possesse another of something which he hath not which end not being obtained the thing is said not to be done not to be given as when we are demanded whether wee have given such a man such a thing we answer when the thing is refused no he will not receive it and so it is not given in the effect though wee did as much in respect of the act done by us as if it had been received and there are other Scriptures like this which must receive the same Answer Deut. 29.4 yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see unto this day that is they had not a heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to heare notwithstanding all the meanes which God used with them to that end for Moses in the 2 3.4 5. 6. verses reasons thus with them yee have seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and unto all his Land the great temptations which thine eyes have seene and signes and those great miracles having lead you forty yeeres in the Wildernes your clothes waxed not old upon you neither did your shooes waxe old upon your feet he preserved you in strength and health without the ordinary meaâ—es of bread or wine or strong drinke and all this was done to the end that yee might know that he was the Lord your God as is expressed in the latter end of the 6 verse Now the speech of Moses to the unbelieving Jewes is to this effect God hath not bin wanting to you to give or worke in you a heart whereby to know him to be the Lord your God and so to love and feare him accordingly yet all this great rich and abundant meanes which God hath afforded you hath not effected that end for which it was intended and therefore are you worthy of blame seeing a heart is not given you to perceive unto this day ver 4. butwheras it is said the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive c. if the defect in them should be considered in relation to God the giver then first the Jewes were not to bee blamed for not having an heart seeing it was not given them unlesse they themselves could have procured it some other way for God requires no more of men then hee hath given Object God gave them an heart in Adam therefore he might blame them for not having a heart Answer Then the blame would lie upon them in relation to or by reason of what God had given but here they are blamed from this reason that God had not given it yet God hath not given you an heart c. Now no blame can be fastened on them for not having a heart from such a reason that God had not given it to them there being no other way to obtaine it though it had been given them in Adam Againe if this 4. vers should bee taken as a declaration of what God had not done for them in respect of himself as the former verses are of what hee had done then it takes away all the life and vertue of the Argument of Moses in the place for hee endeavours to set forth the goodnesse of God toward the Jewes in the great meanes which he had afforded them to cause them to know him to bee the Lord their God but the 4. verse according to this latter acceptation he makes all nothing yea worse then nothing for then Moses speakes after this manner God hath done much for you but hee hath not given you that without which all that hee hath done can doe you no good without which all his mercies and meanes will but aggravate and inercase your woe and misery and this would be no apt argument to perswade the people to enter into further Covenant with the Lord to which purpose hee calls upon them vers 12. seeing that whilst they were in Covenant with him the great things which hee did before them and the great mercies which hee bestowed on them were but shadows without the substance emptie shells outward meanes without spirit and life to make it fruitfull in
many wise not many mighty not many noble are called now if God had chosen the rich mighty and wise things of the World then many rich mighty and noble men would have imbraced the truth such things being suitable to them but on the contrary God hath chosen the foolish things of the World not the foolish men of the World that comes by accident to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the World and things that are despised hath God chosen and things that are not to bring to nought things that are and this is the reason that so few wise men after the flesh so few mighty so few noble doe yeeld obedience to the Gospel And this I conceive to bee the meaning of the place Againe 1 Cor. 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned A naturall man that is one that hath received the spirit of this world vers 11 12. and judgeth all things according thereunto one that is altogether carnall and walks according to men according to the men of this world chap. 3.3 imbracing things present that are seene felt and tasted such a one receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him that is there is an enmity between the spirit of this world which dwells in him and the spirit which is of God they are contrary one to the other what one esteemes wisdome the other accounts folly the spirit which is of God perswades us that the things wee see are vaine and therefore that wee should not looke on them not behold them not labour for them not desire to be richly possest of them not to trust in them but despise them to forsake them and to seeke those things which are above the things not seene vers 9. which are freely given to us of God vers 12. and to part with all here to be possest of those things hereafter The Spirit which is of God tells us that to strive for riches honour and esteeme in this world to set our affections on things here below to blesse our selves or to measure our happinesse according to our greatnesse in the things of this life is vaine and foolish the spirit of the world perswades us to cleave to the world to seek after the things thereof perswading us that it is a vaine thing to neglect and forsake things present which we see to seeke and embrace things which doe not appeare so that the naturall man cannot know that is cannot approve of the things of the Spirit of God for they are to be judged and discerned onely by faith by that spirit which he hath not received which dwells not in him which is contrary to him not but that a naturall man may reject and cast off the spirit of this World and so receive the things of the Spirit of God for we are all naturall untill we receive the things of the Spirit of God but he doth not receive them he cannot know them that is whilst he is naturall whilest he retaines hearkens unto and followes the dictates and suggestions of the spirit of this world The intent of the Apostle in this place is only to shew how contrary how incompatible the Spirit of God and the spirit of the World are how they cannot lodge under one roofe they are like God and Mammon hee that loves the one must hate the other he that cleaves to the one must despise the other and this I conceive is all that is intended in this place Thus have I briefly declared what I conceive to be the meaning of these hard places of Scripture To All Men IT was Pauls petition for the Ephesians that they might comprehend the large dimensions of the Love of GOD and so it should be our earnest petition and endevour to know and to make knowne the same When John describes the Divine Nature to bee Love he declares this as the most eminent manifestation thereof the giving his Sonne to death that we might live through him therefore it is of excellent use and concernment that the sonnes of men be rooted and grounded in the fulnesse of the glory of this truth of the full free universall and individuall Love of God towards them in Christ for that will fill their hearts with love to God The apprehension of his love begets love in us we love him because he loved us first and the reason why so few men love God is because so few men know him to be Love and those that have some affection and love to God if they saw more of his love would love him more and bee more establisht in his love they would not be so tossed too and fro with every wind of temptation for they might quench all the fiery darts of Sathan the grand enemy of their peace and comfort with this consideration God is Love Love affords us an excellent argument to prevail with our hearts to trust God in every strait and to cloze with him in every promise what can hee deny us that spared not his Sonne but gave him to death for us The apprehension of this love will fill us with joy and contentment in all conditions it will make us to doe and suffer with delight Love makes us one with God it quickneth and enlargeth us adding fulnesse and perfection to all our services making us fervent in Spirit serving the Lord but where there is little love there is little life in what is done for love is the soule love is the substance of Religion Knowledge puffes up Love builds up knowledge makes a man seem to bee but love makes a man to be indeed for he that is full of Love is full of God for God is Love hee is the fountaine and Father of Love love will teach us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live righteously and holily in this present world for love will doe nothing unpleasing to the thing it loves Therefore seeing this truth is so excellent how should we labour to preserve it in its fullnesse beauty and glory it is the ground and foundation of all our hopes it is our life all our springs are in it and all our expectation from it it is the truth of God and the God of truth for God is love Now considering what excellent effects this truth would produce were it knowne and embraced among the sons of Men and withall considering what strange dark and dismall doctrines are preached and published by those which professe themselves Ministers of the gospel and grace of God in Christ yea by the most zealous of them as that God did from eternity decree the ruine and damnation of the most part of men without respect to any evil which he knew they would commit or as the more moderate that