light of the gospell that they be without counsaile in their affaires and not perceiue the euills which doe hang ouer their heads and bow downe their backes alwaies i. Let them not speede and prosper in their designes and actions but let them shrinke and halt be cast downe and tremble in their mindes and consciences and let them bee brought downe and diminished by slauerie troubles and captiuity and so weaken their strength that they may bee vnprofitable vnto euery worke Q. Did not Dauid Elias Paul and others sinne and offend God in praying and vsing imprecation against Gods enemies A. No for first they did it by especiall and extraordinary instinct of Gods spirit and as Prophets or figures of Christ vnto them the state and reprobation of diuers persons was reuealed of God Secondly when they did wish eternall destruction to the enemies of God they did not to speake properly pray against their persons but against the kingdome of sinne and satan in them which cannot bee altogither destroied but by the confusion of the members and instruments of Satan Thirdly their praiers and imprecations proceeded only from pure zeale of Gods glory and iustice and not from any priuate distemper or mixture of humane passion for they considered them not as their owne enemies but as the enemies and blasphemours of God Q. May we after the example of holy men in scripture pray against any particuler person A. No except we could by a Propheticall or Apostolicall instinct discerne of their spirits and of their reprobation which guift is denied vs or except wee knew that they had committed the sinne against the holy Ghost which is a malicious and finall blasphemy and persecution of the knowne truth and principles of Gods word which is very hard to iudge of for any one particuler person especially in our times wherein such a guift of discerning spirits is not graunted Q. May we not at al pray against the enemies of Christs gospell An. Yes for first wee haue the practise and warrant of holy men in scripture for it Psal. 69.22 2. King 1.10 Act. 4. ver 29. and 30. 2. Tim. 4. Secondly when we pray that the kingdome of God may come we by consequence pray that sinne Satan and all his members may be destroied Thirdly wee are to pray that Gods iustice may bee acknowledged and magnified in the plagues punishments and ruine of the wicked Fourthly we must loue God aboue al men whatsoeuer and if we sincerely loue God we cannot choose but hate his enemies Q. With what cautions and conditions or in what maner may we lawfully pray against Gods enemies A. First we must pray against Gods enemies in generall for there are and will alwaies be many such whom God will neuer saue Secondly against their wicked counsailes plots and purposes and thus Dauid praied that God would turne the counsaile of Ahitophell into foolishnesse and thus the Apostles praied against the counsailes of the Scribes and Pharasies that charged them with threatnings that they should not preach in the name of Iesus but we must not pray against these persons Thirdly we must pray conditionally against them that if they be reprobates and so incurable they may be iudged and iustly condemned but if they be elect and by consequent curable they may bee fatherly corrected and so conuerted and saued Let their table be made a snare a net a stumbling blocke In that here the word table is specially and principally taken for the holy scripture we note and obserue that the sacred scripture is like a table fraught and replenished with most heauenly and exquisite dishes and dainties here is food abundantly sufficient both to satisfie and also to solace euery hungry and thirsting soule Some of them and the principallest are remission of sinnes peace and ioy of conscience and eternall life Pro. 9 22. Math. 22. v. 4. Cant. 5. ver 5. 1. Vse It must teach the ministers of the Gospell alwaies to set forth this table of the word of God which is truely the hole-some and sauing food of the soule and as for all speculations fancies decrees traditions and haie and stuble of worldly vanities let them wholy leaue them off and renounce them 2 Vse Let all sorts of men that wil be saued come vnto this heauenly banquet continually bringing with them an appetite to the word and by praier and meditation of their owne wants and the soueraigne vses of Gods word put an edge to and sharpen their appetites then shall they bee replenished with good things and drinke of the well of the water of life freely otherwise for want of appetite the soule will soone languish and pine away Their table be a snare a net It is proper and peculiar to reprobates and profane persons to stumble at Gods blessings and to abuse and peruert them to their owne destruction Titu 1. ver 15. et 16. Rom. 2 ver 4. et 5. 2 Pet. 3.16 Amos 6. ve 4.5.6 Thus many abuse the doctrine of the law making it a cause of iustification before God thus they peruert the gospell to giue leaue and allowance to licentiousnesse and liberty thus they abuse Gods goodnesse and patience to patronize them in their sinnes and impenitency thus they vse their riches to the oppressing of others their meate and drinke to gluttony drunkenesse and excesse their apparell to ostentation and pride the Scriptures to maintaine their errours and heresies the holy Sabbothes to iornyings idlenesse sportes vanities gaming their wisdome and counsaile to intrappe and deceiue their might fauour and authority to discountenance and tread downe all Godlinesse and goodnesse and to aduance and countenance all impietie atheisme profanes and euill practisesse The reason hereof is they want faith and purity of heart and affections and therefore can vse and apply nothing well their ill hearts and defiled consciences is like to an euill stomacke that turneth sweete meates into sower and holesome vnto noisome Secondly God is their enemy and therefore all things that be otherwise naturally and of themselues good are by Gods curse so many causes of their ruine Vse If wee would not drawe and pull Gods curse vpon vs through the mis-apply or abuse of his guiftes and blessings temporall and spirituall let vs see and search whether we bee true members of Christ iustified by faith and haue our hearts sanctified by GODS spirit for vntill we be called and regenerate all things are impure and vnholy vnto vs and wee can in no action please GOD. Rom. 14.23 2 Vse If we could with comfort good conscience vse and partake of any of Gods creatures wee must by the direction of his word be perswaded of the lawfull vse of them and that they bee ours by Gods meanes wee must also by praier sanctifie them vnto vs crauing a blessing of God and desiring him to direct vs in the right vse of them Let their eyes be darkned that they see not Out of
age wherein the Iewes shal be conuerted there shal be much faith and zeale vpon the earth but in the next following wherein many false Christs shall seduce many then there shal be almost none What shall their receiuing bee but life from death Q. Shall not the generall calling the conuertion of the Iewes bee in occasion of the diminishing and reiection of the Gentiles A. No but a reuiuing of their faith and a quickning of the word For the ouerflowing and streaming fountaine of Gods mercie and goodnesse is neuer drawne drie and the more that men vse it the more it runneth out and sloweth Secondly if that which is euill in it selfe viz. the fall of the Iewes was sauing to the Gentiles albeit accidentally and by occasion much more that which is good off and by it selfe shall produce and bring forth good effects V. If the first fruites bee holy then the whole Lumpe and if the roote then the branches Q. Are they that are borne of holy parents holy or can parents deriue and transfuse grace and holinesse into their children A. No for they are borne and conceiued in sinne and are by nature the children of wrath but they are holy by couenant and promise onelie whether they bee Iewes or Gentiles according to the tennor of the couenant I wil be thy God and the God of thy seed for euer Gen. 17.7 and Gall. 3.9 and they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham Secondly holy and beleeuing parents beget not children as they are holy and beleeuing for this proceedeth onely from grace and Gods free promise but as they are men and naturall parents and therefore that which is borne of the flesh is flesh as all are by nature and that which is borne viz. againe of the spirit is spirit Iohn 3.6 Q. In that the patriarckes and Ancesters of the Iewes are called the first fruites the roote the naturall oliues are not the preferments prerogatiues and excellences of the Iewes farre greater then of the Gentiles Ans. Yes much euery manner of way but not in repect of righteousnesse and merite for herein they are equall and all one Eph. 2.23 but in outward priuiledges and ornaments onely Question What then were then the speciall and singular ornaments and prerogatiues of the Iewes Ans. Nine specially as they are numbred by Saint Paul First the glorious title of Israelites which name Iacob first obtained by reason of wrestling and preuailing with the Angell Secondly the Adoption to bee Gods people in generall Thirdly the Glorie i. the honour and dignity in that the Lord of glory did as it were dwell amongst them signes of whose speciall presence were the Arke and the Temple Fourthly the couenants that is not onely the testament but also many compactes and the agreements that passed betweene GOD and the people Fiftly the giuing of the law Moral Iudicial Ceremonial vnder which is comprehended the Kingly dignity and Magistracie Sixtly the seruice of God that is the whole Leuiticall Ministerie and the Administration of Gods worship Seuenthly the promises that is of earthly and spirituall blessings and of the Gospell promised to the Fathers Rom. 1. v. 2. Eightly the honorable descent from the holy Fathers and Ancestors for whose sake God doth often times blesse the posteritie Ninthly and lastly the hauing of Christ for their kinsman for of them concerning the flesh came Christ who is God blessed for euer-more Vers. 15. If the casting away of them c what the reconciling c. Obs. The conuersion of the nation of the Iewes shall be the worlds restauration and shall wonderfully confirme the faith of the Gentiles Rom. 11.12 Ioh. 10.16 The reason hereof is for that they both shall haue perfect ioy when both Iewes and Gentiles shall alike enioy the common â—elicitie and all scruples doubts and all causes of any pretended separation shall bee taken away and remooued Secondly an increase augmentation and an honor and ornament shall be hereby added to the Church Vse Let vs therefore desire and seeke after their conuersion and heartely pray for it and by writing disputes doctrine and holy example further and promote it for this shall redound to Gods glory and the amplification and improouement of our owne both temporall and eternall happinesse Ver. 15. Be but life from death In that by the Ministerie of the Gospell the Iewes which were dead in sinne are restored to life and the Gentiles faith reuiued wee learne hence the sauing vertue and effectuall power of it The first reason hereof is because it is the power of God to saluation in all the Elect for herein God reuealeth his true and absolute righteousnesse with which life and saluation is alwaies ioyned and by the meanes and ministerie hereof it is conueied and communicated to them that receiue and obey it Secondly it is the immortall seed of regeneration and eternall life for hereby God doth call men to bee his children and doth conuert them hee raizeth and createth faith in them and doth adopte and regenerate them Vse 1. The first vse hereof is to learne vs not onely to magnifie and haue the Gospell in high account and esteeme that bringeth such comfort and commoditie with it but also to receiue it yea to temper it as men doe mixe and dulcifiâ— their tart wine with suger with faith and to apply it to our owne selues otherwise it will bee altogether vnprofitable vnto vs. Vse 2. Secondly wee must hereby bee induced and perswaded to leade and liue a new life according to the tenor of the Gospell and the intent of the word of God For the grace and Gospell of Christ hath brightly appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue iustly godlyly and soberly in this present world Titus 2.11.12 Vse 3. Thirdly hereby also wee are remembred and put in minde from whence the. Gospell hath his credit authoritie and estimation not from the approbation of mans reason nor from the applause of the worlde nor from the persons of the Ministers but from God and from the admirable and supernaturall effects and fruites of it For it is giuen by inspiration it is the voyce and letter of GOD and is autentike of and in it selfe and no other doctrines haue any credit authoritie or power but so farre forth as they receiue it from the Scripture or accord with it If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe c. Obs. Heere is commended the goodnesse of GOD and the truth of his couenant of grace that doth redound and extend it selfe to posteritie and succeeding generations euen from generation to generation Exod 20. Psal. 3. Ver. 9. Psal. 89. Ver. 33.34 Psal. 103 Ver. 17. The reason hereof is his truth and couenant doth not depend vppon any creature or thing without himselfe but onely vppon him-selfe and therefore can by no outward meanes be nullified or made frustrate Vse
Seeing that GOD is vnchangeable true and cannot deceiue in word or deede we are put in minde of our duty namely to trust in GOD who neuer faileth nor forsaketh them that relye vppon him and not in men who are lyars hollow hearted and lighter then vanitie it selfe Psalme 62 9. Psalme 146.3.4.5 Vse 2 Lette vs then by our pietie godlynesse and goodnesse labour to bring a blessing vppon our posteritie For the children and posteritie many times fare the better and are respected for their beleeuing and holy fathers sake woe then to ignorant Popish Atheisticall lewd licentious blaspheming and filthy minded and liuing parents who by their ill example not onely peruert and poyson their children but also bring vppon and deriue the cursse of GOD vnto them who doth visit the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the Children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him Vse 3. Wee must bee admonished and aduised hereby that wee doe not from mens vnworthynesse and present condition take occasion rashly to condemne them and imperiously to insult ouer them But rather ascend higher and consider the roote and foundation of the couenant and proceed to their holy Ancestors that wee may know that the blessing of the couenant remaineth in them For no mens sinnes and vnworthynesse can make GODS faith and couenant frustrate yea many times where sinne abounded grace by GODS mercifull disposition abounded much more not to incourage any man in sinne but that it might appeare that in the matter of iustification and saluation Gods mercy is all in all Vers. 17. And though some of the branches bee broken of and thou being a wilde Oliue tree was graft into or for them and made partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the Oliue tree Vers. 18. Boast not thy selfe against the branches and if thou boast thy selfe thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee Though some of the branches that are hypocrites and voyde of good workes bee broken of id est reiected and cease to bee a Church by reason of their vnbeliefe and thou being a wilde Oliue i. a branche and bough of it and therefore naturally barren vnfruitfull and bearing nothing but bitter leaues was graft in for them and partaker of the roote i. of the iuice that commeth from the roote Abraham and floweth vnto all the branches and of the fatnesse i. of the graces promises and all the benefits and good things spirituall and outward made vnto vs in Abraham of the Oliue tree the Church of the Israelites which sprang from him Boast not thy selfe against the branches i. according to the meaning of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not shake thy necke against them by insulting triumphing and crowing ouer them for if thou boastest thy selfe thou bearest not the roote i. if you proudly glory and vaunt that some branches being broken of thou art ingrafted into the tree of the Church know thou that the Church of the Iewes receiueth nothing from thee but the roote thee i. thou hast thy foundation and sustentation and whatsoeuer thou hast from this that thou without any merite of thine art ingrafted into the Church of God neither doth the Church need thee but thou needest the Church that thou maiest be a member of it therfore thou must not for the vnbeliefe of some Iewes scornefully and proudly contemne and rage against the whole body of the people Q. Some of the branches bee broken off Can the true members of the Church become Infidels and so bee broken off from the fellowship of the Church Ans. No if they be liuing members and be truely by faith ingrasted into Christ for Christ will loose none of those that the Father hath giuen him to bee saued Iohn 17. but these that fall away and are broken off are onely branches and members in regarde of the couenant and in their owne conceit and the charitable opinion of the Church but not truely and really and before God seeing they are none of Gods elect and are destitute of faith and the spirit of Christ. Quest Who and how many sortes of people are or may bee cut off and fall away from the Church Ans. Two sorts First those that be ingrafted into the Church by the tenor and authoritie of the Generall couenant onely whereby God promiseth that hee will be their God and the God of their seede but yet are not elected for euery one that is Abrahams sonne according to the flesh is not a sonne of promise Secondly they that indeed receiue the seede of the word as many reprobates doe but they mixe it not with faith and it hath no roote in them neither are they renued and inwardly changed by it The word in these may be and soone is either vtterly lost or else choaked and peruerted and so they may be cut off and fall away finally and wholy And to conclude all in a word they are only alone cut and broken off that are Abrahams sonnes according to the flesh onely as the body of the Iewes generally were in Saint Pauls time and sithence but the sonnes of promise or Abrahams sonnes by faith neuer are nor euer can bee broken off bee their number neuer so small nor their temptations neuer so great and permanent 3. Quest. How are men ingrafted into the Church Ans. First by an outward calling and by an outward profession and approbation of the word and sacraments Secondly by Baptisme as a seale of our adoption and entrance or matriculation into the Church Thirdly by the testimony and in the opinion of the Church and so may a reprobate or hypocrite be ingrafted Fourthly in Gods secret counsell and by the spirrit of faith and seale of Gods holy and spirit hereby men with a prepared and sanctified hart receiue Gods word and keepe it these alone Christ draweth vnto him and inwardly changeth and transnatureth them vntill hee perfect them and bring them to the end of their hope that is the saluation of their soules and thus are the Elect onely ingrafted and therefore can neuer perish Some branches are broken of Seeing that Christ cannot abide barren and fruitlesse vines that are deuoid of faith and repentance and hath by reason hereof cut off and reiected not onely the nation of the Iewes generally for the time but also many countries and kingdomes amongst vs Gentiles wee must make vse hereof and learne hereby both to abound and increase in faith and good workes Iohn 15.2 The reason hereof is for that the anger and indignation of God goeth with it and temporall plagues and punishments which are but forerunners of euerlasting iudgement otherwise surprize and ceaze vppon vs. Math. 3. V. 8. Math. 7.21 Math. 21 41.43 Secondly all our faith and profession without works and fruites is not sincere and sound before God but copper and counterfeyt For true faith and regeneration can no more in their proper time opportunity be without