for them then the Lord stayed him and stopt his passage by bringing in the sea to drowne him and his host Exod. 14. as hee did with Saul when he would have taken away Davids life the Lord set downe how farre hee should proceed to chase him from place to place but not to death By all which it appeares that wee make not God to bee an idle looker on which suffers every creature to doe what they will But when God gives men over to bee blinded and hardned by Sathan and suffers wicked men for a time to worke mischiefe yet sets bounds and limitts to their rage and fury and in the end wonderfully rescues his servants from trouble This surely is not to doe nothing Fifthly a reducing of the ends to the rule of justice The bringing of some good out of evill for though Sathan and wicked men propose their ends the wicked that hee may serve his pleasures the Devill that hee may destroy yet such is the goodnesse of God Bâ—â—um est mala esse vel â—ieri alioquâ—â— sumâ—â—è bonus non permitteâ—et ca ficri Loâ— hard lib. 1. distinct 46. that hee will never suffer evill to be done if it were not to bring good out of it It is good that evils be or bee done otherwise the most good God would not suffer them to bee done and such is the wisdome of God that out of worst things he can chose the best ends as for example Iosephs brethen sold him for envy but God sent him to prouide for his old father and his brethren to preserve their lives Gen. 45.5 So in the death of Christ Sathan and the Iewes intended onely his death but God turned it to the salvation of all that beleeve As poyson is in it selfe evill but the skilfull Physician by tempering it cures the sicke and workes good out of it So doth God with sinne Shimei by cursing would shew his hatred of David but God would make knowne the patience of David which was good Now these workes as they proceed from the next cause man and the Devth be evill they be evill trees which cannot bring forth good fruits But as they proceed from the supreme cause and as hee brings good out of them they are good God and Satan will both have Ierusalem destroyed But Sathan that hee might bee avenged on them God that hee might punish their rebellion Christ is delivered to death the Iewes they doe it onely in malice But God hath another end the redemption and salvation of man and therefore in Act. 4.28 Pilate and the Iewes Gentiles gathered together to doe whatsoever thy hand and Councell had determined S. Enchirid ad Laurent ca. 101. Augustine shewes how God man may will the same thing and God in willing it doth well and yet man sinnes in willing it The father of an ungratious child is sicke Vt citius perveniat ad haereditaâ—em paâ—ris Vuâ—t Deus jâ—â—sâ—e fil uâ— iâ— pie God will have him to die â—n his just judgement the sonne That hee may sooner come to his fathers inheritance God wills it justly the sonne wickedly Albeit God doe order Res mala non habet â—aulan essi cientem sed desi ie 〈◊〉 De 〈◊〉 taâ—e Dei Lib 12. cap 7. determinate and governe sinnes that be done yet is he not properly the efficient cause of sinne It was a good saying of Augustine An evill thing hath no a cause efficient but defficient as the corruption of iudgement and the perversnesse of will and further I say that though the Papist accuseth us for making God the author of sin yet I will change my religion if I will not shew to any Romanist that will challenge me that wee of this Church teach no otherwise than the Papists themselues have written not onely out of Occam Durand and Bannes but principally out of Thomas Aquinas and Bellarmine himselfe In Râ—m 9. Dea â—ass gratiae lib. 2. Cap. 13. By a figure hee commands it and incites men unto it as a Huntsman sets the dog upon the Hare by letting goe the slip That God doth not onely permit the wicked to doe evill nor onely forsake the godly that the wicked may doe what they will against them But he oversees their wills he rules their wills he governs their wills nay he bowes and bends them by working invisibly in them and not only inclines the will to one evill rather than to another by permitting them to bee carried into one sinne and not into another but also positively hee bends them by inclining them to one evill and turning them from another occasionally and morally as hee speakes out of Thomas Aquinas Let them looke well into these speeches and they shall finde that wee say no more than they and if they would expound ours as candidly as their owne there would bee small or no difference Briefly then we say first in generall That God is not the author of sinne but the devill and mans corrupt will and the contrary we defie as blasphemy Secondly in particular wee beleeve that God wills nothing which is formerly sinne but hee fulfills his good wills by our evill wills as P. Lombard as hee wills that which is good Lib 1. Distinct 48. but hates it rather whence it followes that hee inspires it into no man nor creates any corruption in our wills which was not there before but forbids it absolutely within us by the light of his spirit as Rom. 2.15 without by the commandement Thou shalt heare a word behinde thee saying this is the way turne not out of it Isay 39.21 c. The first entrance of sinne into the world and the continuance of it in the world was the voluntary action of mans will God infusing no evill into him for God is not the cause why man is worse but that which God doth about and concerning sinne is contained in three actions First as the universall cause of all things hee sustaines mankinde and upholds his being yea the being motion of all his actions good and bad So that no man could either move to any action or have being himselfe if God sustained him not as Act. 17.28 whence it followes that the very positive act which the schoolemen call the subject of sinne and the materiall part of sin whereto sinne cleaveth is of God in the same sort that all other actions of the creature are this proposition doth Zanchius well illustrate A man rides upon a lame horse in this action are two things Motion and Halting the motion is of man man makes him move but his halting is of himselfe so in sinne the action or motion is of God but the deformity of man himselfe Secondly he withholds his grace as Iohn 12.39 Therefore they could not beleeve because Isay saith he hath blinded c. as being bound to no man but leaves the wicked to themselves whereupon it followes that their hearts grow hard and they cannot chose
gratian dicuntur vosa non meritorum sed misericardiae Lib. 5. de natura gratia cap 1. They are freed by grace and are called not vessels of merits but of mercie Vnto these I adde a fourth reason if you read the ninth to the Romans where the Apostle sifts and searches out the impulsive cause of predestination hee brings all to one of these foure heads 1. To the purpose or good pleasure of God that the purpose might remaine vers 11. 2. To the will of God Hee hath mercie on whom hee will and whom hee will hee hardeneth vers 18. 3. To his power Hath not the potter power c. vers 21. 4. To his mercie It is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercie vers 16. But wheresoever he doth mention election he never makes mention of workes unlesse to exclude them as P. Martyr speakes as here he doth if of grace then not of workes Lastly if workes be the causes of election then in necessitie they are of justification also for that rule in Logicke is constant Whatsoever is the cause of the cause Quicq id est causa causae est causae causati is the cause of the thing caused But good workes are not the causes of justification for first that which justifies is that which can answer the extremitie of Gods justice But mans obedience cannot doe it being onely a begun conformitie as Chemnitius speakes Exam. Trident. Concil Sess 6. To them that will doe good evill is present Secondly if justified by workes then all boasting is not excluded but all boasting is excluded For wee are justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3.24 So that that which justifies a man is the satisfaction and obedience the justice of Christ our Mediator proposed in the Word apprehended by faith and by God imputed to all that beleeve So that we dare stand before God if that Christ stand betweene God and our sinnes that is our buckler wherewith we are protected from judgement by which we are emboldened to goe and appeare at the Tribunall of God and are there pronounced just So that though in respect of Christ it be satisfaction merit and righteousnesse yet in respect of us it is grace and mercie I could muster great Iuries of Scriptures and ancient Fathers to passe verdict on our side but I need not onely remember what Possidonius reports of Ambrose a Etsi non sic vixt ut pudeat inter vos vivere tomen non tâ—neo mors sed quia Don inum habeo bonum In vita August cap. 27. Though I have not so lived that I may be ashamed to live amongst you b Pateor non sum dignus ego nec propriu pessum meritis reguum abtinere culorum caeterum duplicâ— jure illud bâ—inens Dominuâ— hae reditate patris merito pessionu attero pse contentus alterâ—â—â— ihi dorat exenjus doâ—o jure illud vendans non cons nâ—or cap 12. yet I feare not to die not because I have lived well but because I have a good Lord. And I finde in the life of Bernard that seeming to be before Gods Tribunall and Satan opposing him and when Satan had done the good man seemed thus to reply I confesse I am not worthy neither can I by mine owne deserts obtaine the kingdome of Heaven but my Lord obtaining it by a do able right by his Fathers inheritance and the merit of his passion being content with one himselfe giveth mee the other of whose gift challenging it by right I am not confounded And therefore Bellarmine out of Bernard Because of the uncertaintie of our righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie Propter incertitudinem propriae jâ—â—tiae pericâ—lum in â—â—is glâ—ria tutissius â—â— est fidâ—i am totam insole Dei misericordia benâ—gnitate reponere De justif lib. 5. Cap 4. lib. 5. cap 7. propos 3. it is safest to put our whole trust in the sole mercie and goodnesse of God The Vse is to teach us first that we must not set up an Idoll in our owne hearts and thanke our selves Secondly an infinite comfort that our happinesse depends not upon our selves for then we should even be driven to despaire in regard of many sinnes and waverings which would breed not onely doubt but certaintie that wee should never be saved but seeing it depends upon God who is unchangeable Vse upon God whose promises are Yea and Amen upon God who is the same for ever wee may be sure that wee shall not misse of glorie which he hath laid up and prepared for all that love him And so I descend from the consolation of the rejected Iewes which was the first to the confirmation of their rejection which is the second maine point in the whole Chapter VERS 7. Vers 7 What then Israel hath not obtained that hee sought but the election hath obtained and the rest have been hardened IN the confirmation I note 1. The proposition to be confirmed 2. The testimonies and witnesses confirming it The proposition is aggregate and hath three branches 1. Israel hath not obtained what he sought 2. The elect have obtained what they sought for there is a taking of the abstract for the concrete 3. All the reprobates in Israel are given over to hardnesse of heart The witnesses to confirme all these are David and Isay that by the mouth of two or three witnesses everie word may be confirmed The testimony of David is in Psal 69.22 Let their table bee made a snare and a net and a stumbling blocke let their eyes be darkened that they see not which seemes to bee spoken by way of imprecation but is to be understood by way of prophecie The testimony of Isay is in Isa 6.9 God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare till this day I begin with the first branch viz. Israel hath not obtained Where note 1. Who is meant by Israel not the whole number of the twelve Tribes for then had Paul beene one of them for he was of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Benjamine nor must wee understand by Israel those that be called Israel Rom. 9.6 viz. the elect for then the second part of the proposition were false viz. the elect have obtained But by Israel we must understand the out-casts of Israel 2. Note what this Israel sought it appeares Rom. 10.3 They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God went about to establish their owne righteousnesse and then the meaning is that they sought life by their owne righteousnesse and therefore obtained not what they sought but for the elect who sought life by faith in Iesus Christ they found life where I would have you first note in generall the division of Israel into two parts Some elect some not some hardened some not some obtaine salvation and some doe not Doct.
to feare againe Rom. 8.15 nor of the consistencie of servile and filiall feare in the same subject That which comes most fitly in my way is the clearing of that great and maine point to wit Whether man to whom God hath given saving grace and is justified by faith can fall away from God finally and totally and in the end die and perish eternally Adillam commentitiam fidem quae est divinae benevolentiae numquam amittendae certa persuasie quam hodie drâ—tissimè compleni sunt haretici manifesic invicte valet Stapl. Antid pag. 723. This one Text saith Stapleton To that counterfeit faith which is a sure perswasion of Gods good will never to bee lost which at this day the heretiques have embraced most strictly doth mvuifeslly and invincibly prevaile * Multis datur gratia quibus perseverare non datur Thom. Aquin. Sam. 1 a. 2 ae Quest 109. Art 10. To many grace is given to whom persiverance is not given saith Thomas Aqalnas To this head tend the writings of Bellarmine of the losing of grace of Tompson in his Diatriba whose whole booke is but froth and swelling sophistrle without any soundnesse or cleere and evident light Observe first some premises and grounds which shall bee like the Delphicke sword to take away all scruples and doubts 1. Is that of Augustine a Est quaedam votatio quaÌ„ vocatisunt qui noluerunt adnuptias est quaedam qâ—d vocati veniunt sednon benè parati Aug. de praedest Sanctorum cap. 16. There is a kinde of caling by which they are called who would not come to the marriage and there is a kinde whereby they that are called doe come but not well prepared as that guest that had not on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 This is onely externall where of it is said Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen whereas it may bee objected How hee doth call those whom hee knowes will not come To which Augustine thus answers b Dispusere vie mecum miraromccum clama O altitudo ambe consentiamus in timma Aug. de verbis Dom. Serm. 11. wilt thou dispute with mee wonder with mee and crie O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.33 and so let us both agree infeare There is a certaine calling according to purpose mentioned Rom. 8.28 which is the execution of Gods purpose in setting those apart in time whom he in decree had set apart for himselfe from eternitie of whom saith Augustine c Nec quae illuminavit obcoecat nec quae adisicavit destruit nec quae plantavit euellit Aug. de pradest Sanct. lib. cap. 16. Neither doth hee blinde those which hee hath enlightned nor throw downe those which he hath built up nor plucke up those which he hath planted And Origen d Impossibile est quod semel vivificavit Deus ab eodem vel alio occidi Orig. It is impossible that that which God hath quickened should be destroyed either by the same or by another And they that have this cannot possibly misse of glorie because of that of the Apostle Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he called c. 2. That there is a two-fold election 1. To execute some charge or office as Saul to a Kingdome Iudas to the Apostleship to a worke which hee served saith Augustine * Iudas electus ab eo qui novit etiam malis benè uti ut per cos opus damnabile Christiopus venerabile compleratur Aug. de corrept grat cap. 7. Iudas was chosen of him who knew also how well to use those that were evill that by them might bee fulfilled a damnable worke the honourable worke of Christ And therefore when wee heare that speech of Christ Ioh. 6.70 I have chosen you twelve We must understand that the rest were elected by mercie hee by judgement the rest to obtaine a Kingdome hee to shed his bloud But thou wilt say Iudas heard that speech of Christ Matth. 19.28 Yee shall sit upon twelve seats c. It is true but marke how Christ saith not you twelve but you that have followed mee in the regeneration c. Iudas followed onely in body not in heart Adde saith Christ twelve seats per mysteriune by a mysterie Aug. in Psal 90. saith Augustine non ad defâ—â—iendam numerum not to define the number not to note that whole number and no moe for this excludes Paul who laboured more than they all he would not have no seat sed ad significandam universitatem but to signifie the universalitie of them and Christ Ioh. 13.18 I speake not of you all I know whom I have chosen There is another to a kingdome and life eternall of these it is said Your names are written in heaven Luc. 10.20 Of this the Apostle Hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 3. Faith in Scripture is sometimes taken for the doctrine of faith as 1 Tim. 4.1 In the latter times many shall depart from the faith that is from the true doctrine So it is taken in Galat. 1.22 He now preacheth the faith which before he destroyed So in Acts 6.7 A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith So in Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may bee sound in the faith In all these places is meant the mysterie of faith which a man may have and yet with it have an uncleane heart and impure conscience as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Tim. 1.18 19. Fight a good fight having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith have made shipwracke Sometimes it is taken as Calvin well notes Inslit lib. 3. c. 2. for a temporarie sense of divine grace in reprobates grounded upon that Luk. 8.13 When they have heard they receive the word with joy but they have no root which for a while beleeve which proposition must beare these limitations 1. Solidè percipere vim spiritualis gratiae Reprobates doe not solidly receive the vertue of spirituall grace but that God may leave them without excuse a Insinuat se in corum mentes quatenies sine spiritu adoptionis gustari potest ejus bonitas He insinuates himselfe into their mindes how farre his goodnesse may bee tasted without the spirit of adoption 2. They never receive but the confused sense of grace because they never apprehend the particular remission of their sinnes nor can they apply Christ to their owne hearts b Semetem primordia quaedam fiati justifi cantis habent reprobi ad germen ad herbam fortasse ad spicam procedunt sed ad veram frumenti conditionem naturam nunquà m pertingunt Reprobates proceed to the seed sowen and some first beginnings of justifying faith to the branch to the herb perchance to the eare but they never reach to
but beloved after their conversion Concerning the Gospell Some give this sense If a man should judge of them by their persecution of the Gospell he could hardly hope for their conversion yet in regard of election and promise wee must doe it But it will appeare more plaine if you consider the next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your sakes that is The Gentiles are by accident the cause why the Iewes hate the Gospell Quia â—nim Iudaei visebant Gentes Evangel um ans plecti idâ—o mâ—litiosâ— Evangeliis abjiciebant For because the Iewes saw the Gentiles did embrace the Gospell therefore did they maliciously cast away the Gospell Now if you will know why they are enemies the text gives two reasons First from the occasion not given but taken to wit the Gospell which they refused Secondly the end that the Gentiles by their unbeleefe might enter in If you would know why there is hope of their receiving there be also two reasons First their election unto life Secondly Gods promise and covenant made with their fathers both immutable Lastly how are they beloved for the fathers sake 1. Not for their fathers merits as Lyranus thinks Non propter merâ—â—a patrum on Rom. 11. 2. Nor because that after their conversion the Lord shall put them in minde of their fathers as Ambrose thinks Non quia sequuntur patrum sidem 3. Not because they follow the faith of their fathers as Origen thinkes for that is true of beleeving Gentiles also But they are beloved for the fathers sake that is for the promises made to their fathers as Tolet and the ordinary glosse Propter promissiones Patribus factas because they are descended of those parents to whom God made that covenant Gen. 17.7 I will be the God of thee and of thy seed Hence arise two questions 1. Quest. 1 Can one and the same man be both enemie and friend beloved and hated of God Yea Answ Paul before his conversion was loved in regard of election for Gods love was the impulsive cause of his election yet an enemie to God in persecuting his Church which whosoever doth persecute doth persecute Christ Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee c. Act. 9.4 Thus Christ is said to give his life for his friends Ioh. 15.13 and Rom. 5.10 to reconcile us when we were enemies So the elect are by nature children of wrath and enemies and yet friends and beloved before grace and sanctification because by the mercy of God they are from eternitie chosen and beloved in Christ 2. Quest. 2 If any one be beloved for the fathers sake then a man may be converted and called by reason of and for his fathers merits and so every man lives not by his owne faith The argument is not good Answ For first regeneration comes not by succession but proceeds from grace Secondly children of faithfull parents are not accepted to eternal life for their parents faith but must beleeve themselves and be saved by their owne faith as Habac. 2.4 Lastly in that the Iewes are beloved for their fathers sake as Salomon was never wholly deprived of Gods Spirit and favour for Davids sake 2 Sam. 7.14 15. It proceeds not from their workes or persons but from Gods gracious and everlasting Covenant which is the root and fountaine of it For the summe of his Covenant is this I will bee their God and the God of their seed And some there must bee to whom this Covenant is made and that some is beloved for the Covenants sake The parts are two The parts The present condition of that Nation miserable enemies as concerning the Gospell The future condition what they shall be that is hopefull Beloved for the fathers sake In the former observe 1. Their miserable condition enemies 2. Whereby this appeares by their contempt of the Gospell 3. The offence and scandall the Gentiles for your sakes I begin with the condition enemies This is the condition of man before grace and without the favour of God Man before grace is enemie to God Doct. Therefore the Apostle speaking of the converted Ephesians saith that naturally and before grace they were children of wrath as well as others Whatsoever is their state now their hope now their privilege now that they are engrasted into Christ yet before that time they were children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 In Rom. 5.10 Before we were reconciled by the death of his Sonne wee were enemies In Col. 1.21 While our mindes are set on evill workes wee are enemies while our mindes are on the earth and our affections to the things of the world we are enemies for the love of the world makes us enemies to God Iam. 4.4 If the world should love us Si mundus nos deligeret diligendus non esset Aug. â—e mundi venitate cap. 1. wee should not love it saith Augustine Hence is it that wee are reconciled to God Who are reconciled but enemies That we are set at peace with God by the crosse and bloud of his Sonne to note That before the peace was concluded we were enemies The reason Reason Till the time that God give grace man doth nothing but sinne his best actions are sinne and this sets God and him at oddes Let Paul be witnesse Rom. 14. ult Whatsoever is not of faith is sin Be witnesse Salomon His prayer is abhomination Prov. 15.8 First Vse 1 to teach unregenerate men to see their owne miserable condition and danger wherein they live Gods enemies The Lord will make warre with them and if they obtaine not a peace destroy them for ever Hee will send the host of Angels to destroy the great Host wherewith he shakes Kings and Kingdomes Ioel 2.25 Secondly Vse 2 it shewes the happinesse of all that are sanctified they are no more enemies but friends not servants but sonnes not strangers but heires they are no more children of wrath but of the promise they fight not against God but for him they are christened by his name Christians fight his battels Christs Souldiers receiving the Sacraments dwell in his house the Temple of his Spirit have already the earnest penny of their inheritance and after the conflict shall have a crowne of glorie O then study to be at peace with God labour to bee friends with God let your tongues praise him your lives please him your soules rejoyce in him your hands fight for him so shall you be blessed of him and invested into that Kingdome where shall be life that never dieth love that never cooleth beautie that never fadeth a crowne that never withereth God grant us all to weare it I come to the argument whereby it appeares that they are enemies Contempt of the Gospell Concerning the Gospell All men Doct. during the time that they receive not the word but resist and withstand the course and preaching of it are Gods enemies and hated of him Those that submit not to his Scepter that is