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
of the Scriptures chuse thee arguments as stones put them into the scrip of thy memory and with thy tongue as with a sling throwe them at thy Aduersary the Diuell who hath no more power to withstand Scripture then Goliah to stand being smitten in the forehead by Dauid Vse 2. So sauage is the cruelty that is vsed toward true Christians by wicked men that he is accounted to haue done a great exploit who can inuent new or adde any thing to old torments The story of the Heathen Emperors of the Turks of the Pope where he and his whelpes set foore shew this to be true The fires in England in Queene Maries dayes The massacre at Paris in the dayes of Charles the ninth proue that the death of a Professor of the Gospell is of no more account with them then the death of a sheepe nay of a dogge But O Papists Psalm 116.15 Right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints You can suffer Iewes Turks enemies to Christ to liue among you yea you pitty Theeues Traytors abet them but the Protestant Christs true seruant is hated to the death Vse 3. Martyrdom Persecution is when not for our own sake but for Christs sake vve suffer patiently There are two principall things required in a Martyr 1. That his doctrine be true 2. That his life be holy The truth of our doctrine must be confirmed by the Scriptures when we suffer for our owne opinions and fancies for Toyes and Quiddities it is not to be called Persecution but rather the Iudgement of God The old saying is good which Cyprian and Augustine haue Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr And therefore Augustine obserues that Dauid saith not Iudge my punishment but Iudge my cause O Lord. And againe Blessed are they who suffer persecution not for wicked diuision but for righteousnes sake Psal 41. Non dixit Discerne poenam sed causam meam Aug Epist 50. Non propter iniquitatē et Christianae vnitatis impiam diuisionem sed propter iustitiam August ibid. Many are censured in the Church of England for their singularitie separation and diuision and then they say they are persecuted Shall Agar say she is persecuted because Sara deales with her according to her deserts No let her carrie her selfe more humbly to her Dame Remember then that it must be the weighty Truth for the which thou suffrest and that thou liue holily both these ioyned together make a Martyr Vse 4. Three things comfort in persecution 1. Our Afflictions are but for a day that is a short time All short troubles though great are tolerable 2. We haue the Saints of all times our companions wee are not alone Therefore Christ from hence comforteth Mat. 5.12 For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you 3. We suffer for Christ who will reward vs a hundred fold in this life and in the world to come euerlasting life who also hath suffered for vs. It is no maruaile if we seruants suffer for so good a Master but this is maruailous that so good a Master hath suffred for such naughty seruants We suffer nothing but our sinnes deserue more and yet our good Master imputeth not our punishments as suffered for our sinnes but for his owne sake Vse 5. All that beare the face of the first Adam are subiect to suffrings but when we beare theface of the second Adam then are we much more subiect If thou be a Christian account of suffrings and that thou hast not suffred inough till thou suffer death The Wheat endureth more then the chaffe but the Wheat is for the Lords boord and the chaffe is for mucke or to be burnt with vnquenchable fire If God will haue his owne which feare and worship him to suffer grieuous things what remaineth for drunkards and profane beasts So Ieremie argues against Edom Ier. 44.12 Behold they whose Iudgement it was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt escape free Thou shalt not escape So Peter 1. Pet 4.17 If iudgements beginne at Gods house how shall the wicked escape VERSE 37. Nay in all these things wee are more then Conquerors through him that loued vs. HEre is the other Argument to proue that nothing can separate vs which belieue and are regenerate from the loue of Christ It is thus formed Those which in all Tribulation ouercome those no Tribulation can separate from the loue of Christ But belieuers in all tribulations ouercome Therfore All the doubts are in the Minor which is the words of this verse In which are two things First the Victory Secondly the Cause of it The victorie In all these things we are more then Conquerors These things that is Tribulation c. as before We are more then Conquerours How can that be Can a man get more then the victorie The meaning is We are famous and renowned Conquerours both in regard of the facility to conquer and the greatnesse of the Conquest we easily conquer onely preparing the minde to be constant We haue a great Conquest because wee conquer by those things which are vsed to conquer vs wee beare our enemies with their owne swords as Iulian sometime said Egregie vincimus being confuted by heathen learning Therfore Martyr and Piscator expound We doe more then ouercome that is we obtaine a noble a famous victory The meaning is Satan in all the suffrings of Gods children driues at this to bring them from Christ to make them murmure blaspheme despaire and so to make a breach betweene God and them Ab ipso ducunt opes animumque ferro Hor. But Satan is defeated and God inspires his children with such a generous and noble spirit that troubles abate not their fortitude and patience but rather increase it As one Glouer Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1555. beeing to suffer at the stake vvas wonderfully afraid and the remembrance of the fire was so terrible that hee was exceedingly perplexed but when hee came within the view of the stake at the very sight of it a heauenly courage was put into him with much boldnes holy assurance and ioy in which he most constantly suffered doctrine In all afflictions Gods children obtaine a noble victory 1. Cor. 10.13 Iames 1.12 and 5.11 2. Tim. 2.11 1. Ioh. 5.4 Vse 1. Gods children suffer great things die in their sufferings Doe they then ouercome who beare away the blowes are killed by their enemies Indeed this is a Paradox to flesh and blood to conceiue but the truth is they famously conquer that fiue waies 1. In regard of their torments For neither the bigge and sterne lookes of their Tormentors doe affright them nor the sharpnes of their paines make them lament complaine but in the midst of their bitter sufferings they reioyce and glorifie God as appeares in the examples of the Apostles in the
for a matter of faith though such a preacher such a great scholler Eliah hold this or that our plea must be but what sayth the scripture For men may erre but the answere of God is according to truth Remember this for matters of practise also If it be questioned whether thou shalt breake the Sabboth commit whoredome drunkennesse deceiue thy neighbour c. Thy companions it may be and thine owne heart will intise thee to doe such things but what sayth the scripture It teacheth thee another lesson namely that they which doe such things shall be damned Follow the aduise of the scripture or else it will torment thee on thy death bed VERSE 4. I haue reserued to my selfe 7000 men who haue not bowed the knee to the Image of Baal IN these words is the substance of Gods answere Gods whole answere is not set downe but onely so much as might confute Eliah his paralogisme which serues Paules purpose Eliah did thus argue The Church which is not quite extinguished hath markes whereby it might be discerned But I sayth Eliah discerne no such in Israell therefore Thou doest not Eliah what art thou But I doe sayth the Lord know the heart and who are Iewes within I haue reserued 7000 as good as thy selfe who haue not bowed their knees to Baal 7000. Some curiously speake of this number but a number certaine is put for an vncertaine By 7000 sayth one the perfect summe of these who dealt worthily in not consenting to idolatry is expressed Seuen thousand men that is men and woemen noted by the more worthy sex I haue reserued to my selfe That is though I haue suffered many to fall away yet I haue reserued to my owne vse seuen thousand I haue reserued he saith not here are left me some by chance or at a venture or by Ahabs Iesabels and the diuels courtesie Nor some haue reserued themselues but I haue reserued as ver 5. A reseruation is made not a few but seuen thousand not some which were then Idolaters and after to be conuerted or Infants that had no reason but men that haue not bowed to Baal but sincerely worshipped me Who haue not bowed the knee that is by a figure worshipped in the least signe as making a leg It is added in the booke of Kigns nor blessed him by which it appeares that the Israelites when they came to their Images did both bow and kisse their Images as the Papists when they come by a Crosse or Crucifix put off their hats make a legge and also kisse some part of their Idols besides the Popes toe Thus in Hosee the Idolaters say Hos 13.2 Let them kisse the Calues so Iob saith Iob. 31.26.27 When I beheld the Sun or Moone if my mouth did kisse my hand c. as the Heathen which worshipped the Sunne because they could not kisse it kissed their hand which was abominable Idolatry Kisse the Sonne saith Dauid Psal 2.12 that is worship him So Emperours haue their knees Kings their hands kissed in token of subiection To Baal that is To the Image of Baal So was the god of the Sydonians called The word is good in the signification for it is as much as Lord or Husband so they that worshipped it declared thereby that that they were vassals and bound to subiection to it as the wife to the husband and therefore is Idolatry called fornication Baal is of the Masculine gender and the Article preposed is of the Feminine implying the Image as it is heere well supplied And heere we may find the Papists tardie making many Baals masculine and feminine and bowing to their Images which hence appeares to be flat Idolatry Now in these words two things are to bee considered the Summe of them and the Circumstances who are two First the Author of this Reseruation Secondly a description of the Reserued doctrine Doct. out of the summe The Church of God shall neuer be brought to such an exigent in the most difficult times but that there shall be many thousands which shall worshippe God in Spirit and truth It can neuer faile Matth. 16.18 and 28. vers last I am with you to the end of the world If to the end there should not be true worshippers this could not be true Vse 1. The best on earth may erre as Elias much more the Pope who is the worst of Cardinals who are the worst of Priests who are the worst of Papists who are the worst of Christians Eliah came into this errour by a passion of anger and feare Order your passions by the law of grace for if they be vngouerned they blinde the minde and as vnruly horses draw the chariot of our iudgement into the by-pathes of error Vse 2. Eliah erred in his censure concerning true worshippers Be not then rash in censuring thou mayest erre I would our Brownists would consider this who are quick-sighted abroad and blinde at home It is rashnesse to censure particular men much more whole Churches to be Idolatrous Antichristian no Church without God c. God accepteth of vs and of our deuotions and blessed be his name crowneth our publique worship of his name with vnspeakeable comfort why then dost thou condemne vs holding vs abominable in that wherin God accounts of vs. Art thou more iust and pure then the Lord How darest thou refuse communion with them who haue communion with Christ Repent of thy separation Vse 3. Nor multitude nor visibility are certaine notes of the true Church for then there had beene no Church in Eliah his time in Israel for the multitude was with Ahab and Iesabel and Eliah could not discerne one beside himself yet there were seuen thousand The Papists say the Church was alwaies actually visible to mans eye Nay they say that the Catholike Church is alwaies visible but the Creed confuteth them for we beleeue the holy Catholike Church It is beleeued therefore not seene discerned by faith not by sense But they answere that the Holinesse is inuisible not the Catholikenesse Indeede the holinesse of their Church cannot be seene neither can the Catholikenesse qua talis no more then the substances of things can be discerned with the eye If they had said that particular Churches are alwayes visible they had said somewhat and yet heere some cautions are to be remembred It is alwayes visible potentiâ but not actu It is simply in it selfe visible though in some respect it may be inuisible which respect is threefold First of place As the Sunne is alwaies visible but to vs then only when it ariseth in our Hemisphere So at Ierusalem the Church is not to be seene when it remoued to Pella Secondly of the Time as of persecution as in Eliah his time and in Queene Maries dayes when the Church was faine to flye into the wildernesse As the Sunne behinde a cloud in some respect is inuisible so may it be said of a Church Thirdly of persons which should discerne