witnesse of the Conscience Many there be that think of their consciences witnessing holily and truly of the good things said or done by them when indeed and in truth there is no such matter when their Consciences telleth them that they pray and hear Sermons as the consciences of all erring spirits Papists and Anabaptists Familists and others their consciences cannot witnesse truly with them and holily they fail in their Judgment and their consciences must needs be erroneous and so cannot possibly afford them any true comfort surely they think they do exceeding great service to God but they are deceived and their Judgment is erroneous But to draw near unto our selves Thus standeth the case with all unregenerate persons and such as be in their natural estate the consciences of unregenerate persons do many times witnesse much good in respect of the good things said or done by them Their conscience telleth them oh they have much good and great comfort in hearing the Word especially if they live a civil honest life and be free from grosse sins and deal justly and truly with men their consciences telleth them that they are in a marvellous good case and you cannot drive them from it for why their Conscience telleth them so that they are no Drunkards no Theeves no Swearers and God is well pleased with them and they have much good and comfort by the testimony of their consciences But their Conscience doth witnesse falsly so as the Prophet saith a deceitful heart hath cousened them Esay 44. and their Conscience cannot possibly truly witnesse any comfort to them For the good things they have done be they the best works or words or deeds done that possibly can be spoken or done their conscience cannot truly witnesse so long as they be unregenerate and therefore to conclude this point If thou wouldst have thy conscience to witnesse holily and truly and to thy comfort never rest untill thou find that thy conscience is sprinkled with the blessed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 9.14 which is able to purge thy conscience and that thy heart is purified by faith and sanctified by grace and then thy Conscience will witnesse with thee in the Holy Ghost otherwise it is but a deceitful conscience that maketh men soothe up themselves and esteem themselves in a holy and good estate without cause VERSE 2. That I have great heavinesse and continual sorrow in my heart NOw from hence in that the Apostle doth set down his grief and sorrow for the rejection of the Jewes I might stand to shew that Gods Children are not stocks nor stones free from natural affections Gods Children have humane affections of joy and sorrow and love which is common to the nature of man but those are rectified and by grace guided to right objects and that by due measure and moderation according to the nature of the object to which they are moved The Apostle maketh this a note of such that are given over to unnatural sences Rom. 1.30 that they want natural affections and doubtlesse the more true and sincere grace is in the heart of Gods children certainly the more tender are the affections of that heart and soul and the more effectual apprehension of any true cause of matter of sorrow or grief but to passe by that And to come to the main point In that the Apostle doth manifest that he had great heavinesse and sorrow and that for the rejection of the Jews that was the object of his sorrow because the Jewes were left in the blindnesse of mind and hardnesse of heart and did not imbrace the Gospel this was matter of great heavinesse to the heart of the blessed Apostle in the first place the observation is this That we are to be grieved for the known miseries of others Doctr. and especially for the known miseries of the soules of others we are to grieve and to mourn for others that we know do lye under any heavy trouble or affliction or distresse in respect of any outward calamity but beloved our hearts must bleed and be broken for the evils that we know do lye upon the soules of others we are exceedingly to be grieved for the blindnesse of the mind and hardnesse of their heart that they go on in sin without repentance with an high hand that they are led by the lusts of their own hearts and according to the lust of their vile hearts in security and brutish lusts this is that which must stick close and wound us especially Besides this evidence in the example of the Apostle we have testimony in other places of Scripture in Ezek. 9.4 we read of the godly who should be marked and have a mark set on their forehead that they should not be destroyed in the common overthrow of Hierusalem they were such as cryed and mourned for the abominations that were committed by others in that City their hearts bled not so much for the overthrow of the City as for the hardnesse of the hearts of men such as did abominably and in Jer. 13.17 saith the Prophet when the people would not hear him and yeeld obedience to the voyce of God in his Ministery My eyes shall weep in secret and why for the hardnesse of the hearts of the people that they would not take notice of the Word of God and the Judgments of God denounced against them for their sins Oh saith the Prophet I must needs grieve for your obstinacy and Psal 119.136 saith David my eyes gush out with rivers of water thereby expressing the grief of his heart why because they were under any calamity no because men keep not the Law of God even for the sins that lye upon the soules of men and the hardnesse of their hearts And the Apostle witnesseth of that holy man just Lot that his soul was vexed with the filthy lusts and unclean conversation of the filthy Sodomites 1 Pet. 2.7 they vexed just Lot from day to day with their filthy abominations and it is witnessed of Christ himself in Mark 3.5 that he mourned for the hardnesse of the hearts of the Pharisees even the blessed soul and heart of the Lord Jesus mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts that they would not be humbled for their sins and in Luke 19.41.42 The Lord Jesus wept for what because Hierusalem should be ruinated not so simply but also especially for the hardnesse of their hearts and that they would not take notice of those things that did belong to their peace the Lord had sent his Prophets and his own Son and yet they would not hearken so that we see it is a clear truth that we are especially to be grieved for the miseries and the known evils of the soules of others those that continue in their sins and will go on with perseverance in swearing Sabbath-breaking Drunkennesse and the like for these we are especially to mourn and to be grieved The Reason Reason is because the evils that be upon the soul of
Gods presence amongst them and was their glory who had also the Moral Law written in two Tables by the finger of God himself called the tables of the Covenant And the Judicial Law The Metaphrase for the government of their Common Wealth which was an excellent Law having God the Author of it and full of equity And likewise the Ceremonial Law touching the outward worship of God which was also an excellent Law distinguishing them from all other Nations in the worship of God And they had also the Promises of God touching Gods favour and touching good things temporal and spiritual and the promises Legal and the promises Evangelical many sweet gracious and comfortable Promises Now thus understanding the words of this Verse come we to such things as are hence offered for our further instruction And in that the Apostle makes this a further ground of his wish to be separated or accursed from Christ for the conversion of the Jews because they were the Israelites the ancient people of God I might stand to shew that the Jews are to be respected and that we ought to wish them good spiritual good even because they were the ancient people of God but of that we shall speak more fitly when we come to the next Verse We see the Jewes are here set out by the Apostle as a most honourable people endowed with many excellent and worthy priviledges vouchsafed to them and yet all their priviledges did nothing avail them they did them no good at all in regard of Gods favour towards them and of Gods acceptance of them because they did not imbrace the Gospel and believe in Christ they rejected Christ and refused to imbrace the faith of the Gospel and so their excellent priviledges did nothing profit them to commend them in the sight of God and to make them pleasing to God And therefore the Apostle here wisheth himself to be separated or accursed from Christ that they might come to be converted and to believe in Christ notwithstanding their great priviledges hence then we are given to understand thus much Doctrine That no priviledge whatsoever be it never so great or excellent is available to make a people or a person wanting faith and saving grace accepted of and pleasing to God it is not the greatest priviledge or excellency in the world that is of any force or worth to commend either people or persons wanting faith in Gods sight to make them accepted with God Rom. 2.25 we find that the Apostle reproves the great folly of the Jewes who being breakers of the Law yet held themselves acceptable to God because they were circumcised they stood on the outward priviledges of circumcision who saith the Apostle to the Jew if thou be a transgressour of the Law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision thou art no more pleasing to God then the Gentile without question it was a great priviledge to be of Christ his kindred in respect of the flesh it was more then to be of the Blood Royal of the greatest Monarch in the world yet mark what the Lord Jesus himself speaks of it Matth. 12.48 Who is my mother and who are my brethren as if he had said What is it to be of my kindred according to the flesh is that the thing that makes any one more pleasing to God no no saith he behold my mother and my brethren pointing to his Disciples they are my mother and my brethren that do the Will of my Father which is in heaven Alliance in faith is nearer and dearer to me then that which is in the flesh Who ever had greater honour then was vouchsafed to the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of the Lord Jesus yet as One saith well had not Mary her self carried him in her heart by faith her conceiving and carrying him in her womb had nothing availed her nor made her any thing at all pleasing in Gods sight And the Reason is this Reason Because the best good things in the world without faith are but vanishing and transitory things things common to the Reprobates as well as to the Elect and chosen Children of God they are not things coming from the eternal Spirit of grace and sanctification nor agreeable to the nature of God things that are of esteem with God are spirituall and eternal even things agreeable to the nature of God Vse 1 Now then to make use of this truth first it meets with an errour of the Papists who hold and teach that some outward state and condition of life is of force to commend men in Gods sight and to make them pleasing to God as single life and voluntary poverty yea they say that Virginity and single life is a state of perfection far excelling Marriage and of such worth in it self as it commends a person before the Judgment Seat of God and deserves Gods grace and life eternal a position blasphemous and full of contumelie and derogatory from the blood of Christ and it cannot stand with this truth I leave it and for the use of the point to our selves Vse 2 Is it so that no priviledge or excellency whatsoever be it never so great or excellent is available to make a people or person wanting faith acceptable and pleasing to God Oh then learn we not to bear our selves on any excellency any good thing we enjoy whatsoever nor to trust to it as able to commend us in Gods sight and to make us accepted with God we wanting faith no not on the Word and Gospel and holy Ordinances of God nor on our profession of Religion nor on our good gifts and qualifications as wit memory learning and such like It was the conceit of the people of God the Jewes that they were highly in Gods favour because they had Gods Temple and his outward worship amongst them Jer. 7.4 They cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and is it not the conceit of too many in our dayes do not many blesse themselves and think that they are highly in Gods favour only because they have been baptized and they live in the bosome of the Church and enjoy the Ministery of the Word and they have good preaching amongst them and they are made partakers of the holy Ordinances of God they come to the Church and they partake in the holy things of God in the Word and Sacraments Oh deceive not thy self whosoever thou art these things are excellent priviledges which thou enjoyest and haply others want But alas these things do not make thee pleasing to God or nearer to heaven thou wanting faith in Christ and saving grace in thy soul No thou mayst enjoy these priviledges and yet perish and be damned yea they may be to thee seales of deeper condemnation And indeed know it for a certain truth the better means of salvation thou livest under the heavier shall be thy Judgment and the deeper thy condemnation in hell thou not profiting by them to the working of faith
passe that God giveth them over to strong delusions to believe lyes it may be they come to some understanding of the truth but they have no love unto it and therefore God sendeth them strong delusions that is such delusions as doth deceive them and hold them fast when they are deluded the Lord will not send unto them only such errours that do prevail but shall hold them and keep them and they think themselves in a very good case and in the right way when they are most perverse and so go on in a stubborn rebellion against the truth and their own salvation Therefore let us receive the truth in love to the truth and to testifie our love unto the truth by hating all contrary errours not only thinking indifferently of them and judging well of them but hating of them thus did David Psal 119.104 hate all wayes of falshood and thus it ought to be with us not onely to receive the truth after a slubbering manner but to hate all errours and assuredly it is a worthy speech of One to this purpose Unlesse we hate Atheisme and Irreligion we do not love the truth of God and his holy Religion nor God himself so unlesse we hate Papisme Anabaptisme and Familisme and Brownisme and other separations we do not love the truth as we ought to do we see the Papists can well endure the Familists and the Familists well indure the Papists they can live together quietly Oh say the Familists what need you make such ado against the Papists we can live amongst them and not be tainted I believe them for they both hate the truth But let us testifie our love unto the Gospel while it is amongst us and be well affected with every Sermon every threatening every comfort every promise published and hate all Papisme all Anabaptisme all Familisme all Brownisme all separations though they say we are too hot against the separation no if we love the truth we hate all errours and separations Neither onely this but when Rebekah also had conceived by one even by our father Isaac IN that the Apostle here bringeth an example and instance of Jacob and of Esau being an instance and an example more strong and free from all exception and cavils sufficient to answer the Cavils of the Jewes and to silence them they having nothing to say against it touching their Objection that all that came of Abraham by natural generation are heirs of salvation Hence we may note thus much That the Scripture hath sufficient ground of truth in it self Doctrine it hath evidence of truth and example sufficient for the clearing and resolving of all doubts all difficulties and questions and cases of Conscience and for the convincing of all manner of errours it is sufficient in it self to answer all false conceits and erroneous opinions in respect of the positions and examples of it even to answer all cavils and opinions whatsoever and convince all manner of errours 2 Tim. 3.16 saith the Aposile the whole Scripture is given by inspiration and it is profitable and useful not onely to teach and to instruct in the truth but also to improve and exhort And indeed in the Scripture is found the good acceptable and perfect will of God is revealed in the Scripture even that will in the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.15 which is able to make us wise unto salvation it containeth the perfect will of God that is able to make us wise to our comfort here and salvation hereafter what can we have more Vse Therefore wickedly and most injuriously deal the Papists in this point in that they charge upon the written Word of God imperfection and insufficiency and they say it is not a sufficient ground and rule of truth it is not able to clear all doubts and questions and cases without some addition without we adde some unwritten verities and therefore they joyn unto the Word of God and equal and match with it the Books Apocryphal and their traditions unwritten even the Popes Decretals and the constitutions and Canons of the Church they tender to the people to be received with the same reverence and the same affection as the true and perfect written Word of God is to be received So the Councel of Trent hath thus blasphemously decreed and set it down That they ought to receive upon pain of damnation as well the Decrees of the Pope and Canons of the Church with like love affection and reverence as they do the written and perfect Word of God thus blasphemously they deal But further come we now to consider the example of Jacob and Esau particularly as it is here laid before us And first of all the Apostle maketh known unto us in this tenth verse they being understood as before That Jacob and Esau were the children of the same parents they were begotten of the same Father and born of the same Mother and at one and the same time they were twins yet the holy Word of God doth further make known unto us that there was a large and a wide difference between these two brethren Jacob and Esau he maketh known they were of different dispositions and qualities and of a different life and conversation in other places of Scriptures as that Jacob was a plain man Gen. 25.27 a simple innocent a harmlesse a downright honest man a good man a holy man a man fearing God But the Holy Ghost saith of Esau and setteth this black mark upon him to be a prophane person a vile man one that sold his birth-right for a portion of meat Heb. 12.16 yea the context saith Gen. 25.34 that Esau contemned his birth-right which was a great honour and dignity he contemned it in respect of a portion of meat to satisfie his hunger for the present thus you see a large wide difference between these two men the one holy the other irreligious so that children of the same parents and born at the same time may differ one from another exceeding much and the observation arising hence is this Doctrine That the coming of the same Parents and blood and being born at the same time even under the same position of the heavens and stars and constellations these are not the things that do make children of the same mind and of the same disposition and quality children are not of the like qualities carriage and behaviour because they come of the same parents and blood and are born at the same time and under the same positions of the heavens and constellations and stars as we see in this example of Jacob and of Esau And to adde some further ground for the proof of this point we find that the Lord did forbid his people continually and from time to time to observe times and to mark the constellations of the heavens as if so be that either the manners or dispositions of men and the affaires of men and the successe of things were over-ruled and overswayed by them Deut. 18.10 Let there be
can take notice of to see or know but onely God and a mans own heart and conscience a groaning under inward and spiritual sins a groaning under unbelief hardnesse of heart deadnesse and dulnesse in performing holy duties pride of life pride of heart self-love which no man can discern a groaning unto God in secret to remove these things Now then if thou findest these things that thou hast a true and thorough change by the work of Gods Spirit thou art able to stand against thy best pleasing and darling sinnes and the more grace thou hast the more careful thou art to use the meanes thou doest not think the time tedious in hearing the Word or repeating of Sermons the more thy love to the means increaseth and the more thou groanest under such evils and sins as no eye of man can take notice of no not the devil and thou accountest it thy greatest misery to bear the burthen of sin thou couldest endure any torture in thy body rather then sin certainly thereupon thou mayest conclude that thou art one belonging to Gods election and hast outstripped and gone beyond a reprobate Oh then hereby try and examine your selves labour to find this change wrought in thee by the power and means of grace and then this will yeeld thee sweet and heavenly comfort indeed VERSE 14. VVhat shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse with God no God forbid COme we now unto the 14 Verse Our Apostle having from the sixth verse of this Chapter hitherto cleared God from inconstancy from being inconstant in his Word and Promises notwithstanding the rejection of the Jewes for the body and greatest part of them though they be the seed of Abraham and Isaac and descended of Jacob who was called Israel yet God was not inconstant having cleared God from that imputation now he cometh to clear God from iniquity and injustice and in this argument he continueth from this 14. verse to the 19. verse of this Chapter Now in this 14 verse our Apostle preventeth a false inference and a wrong conclusion that mans corrupt and carnal reason might infer and bring upon that before delivered in the verses foregoing For the Apostle having made known thus much concerning these two brethren that they being equal in birth and neither of them in better or worse estate in regard of nature but both in equal conditions God hated the one and loved the other this may seem very hard to flesh and bloud and the carnal humane reason of man at this might stumble and hereupon be offended and rise up in a complaint against God and charge him with injustice and partiality that therefore because he loved Jacob and hated Esau the Lord is partial in his doings Now this inference and conclusion our Apostle preventeth and meeteth with and sheweth it to be a mere cavil of the flesh and a false and wrong conclusion drawn from the premise unjustly and that on this manner this is his manner of proceeding First of all the Apostle knowing that that which he had delivered was a truth and is confident and bold in it and doth provoke any one that doth cavil against him to tell what they could say against him or infer upon that position VVhat shall we say therefore Say what you can he doth provoke every man to tell him what they can say against this God loved Jacob and hated Esau Then in the second place having made this challenge what can we say and infer against this holy position he delivereth that conclusion which in all likelihood flesh and blood was ready to make and bring in And that by way of interrogation is there therefore unrighteousnesse with God what canst thou say is there unrighteousnesse with God to this he answereth Negatively no and that not barely but answereth it by way of detestation and abhorring such a conclusion as grosse and absurd saith he God forbid Shall we conclude God is unrighteous no and that he denyeth most emphatically and powerfully and thereunto the Apostle subjoyneth a further and more special denyal of that grosse conclusion by a more special refutation in the 15 16 17 and 18. verses but to keep within the compasse of this 14 verse wherein is contained the Apostles challenge the particular conclusion and the powerful denyal And first of all briefly to open the sense of the words VVhat shall we say then These words are to be understood with reference VVhat shall we say therefore in the 13 verse where the Apostle bringeth in God speaking from the testimony of the Prophet I have loved Jacob and hated Esau and they are thus to be conceived VVhat shall we say therefore see what conclusion we shall infer Is there unrighteousnesse with God Shall we hereupon bring and infer this conclusion that therefore there is unrighteousnesse with God because God did from everlasting purpose and decree out of his mere good will and pleasure Jacobs eternal salvation and also before the world was out of his free good will and pleasure nothing moving him Esau's rejection that therefore God is unjust and unequal because he so dealt with equal persons in his Justice and mercy God forbid Oh far be it from us let us never entertain such a thought in our hearts that God should be so unequal and so unjust and that he dealt not according to the rule of equity and Justice So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle What shall we say what conclusion shall we infer that God did love Jacob and hate Esau shall we thereupon make this conclusion and inference that therefore God is unjust and unequal and that God proceedeth not according to the rule of equity and justice God dealing so unequally with persons that be equal out of his mere good will and pleasure Oh no far be it from us to infer that the Lord keep us from bringing in such a conclusion such an absurd inference the Lord keep us from uttering of such a thought Come we now to such things as may be observed out of the words of this verse and may be for our instruction And first of all note how confident the Apostle is and resolute upon the truth of it that he provoketh any to tell him what he would say against it what shall we infer what inference or what conclusion can any man bring upon this position that God loved Jacob and hated Esau And beloved not to stand upon this Thus confident ought we to be in delivering the holy Word of God and in preaching the truth of God we are so to deliver Gods truth and especially material and fundamentall truths that we may be able to avouch it against all gain-sayers and all that come against us we must be able to challenge and avouch it to any man and say this is the holy and Divine truth of God and to this purpose is that in 2 Tim. 2.15 That every Minister must study to shew himself a workman that needs
vanity and garishnesse in apparel their drunkennesse their whoredome their covetousnesse their usury or with any other darling sin no though it be so that together with leaving of their sin they might both glorifie God and also enjoy comfort to themselves here and happinesse and glory hereafter in heaven yet they will not for the glory of God and for the glory of Christ and for obtaining of heaven too forsake their pleasing sins We see then if we duly examine our selves how far short many of us are from that affection to the glory of God and the glory of Christ that ought to be in us I might lay forth our coming short in this in many other particulars but take we notice of our failing by that which hath been spoken and now take we notice of our duty how dear the glory of God and the glory of Christ ought to be to us and though as I said we cannot come to such a measure of love and zeal to the glory of God and the glory of Christ that was in Moses and Paul yet we must aym at it and we must endeavour to come to it and let neither profit nor ease nor pleasure nor honour nor credit in the world nor the dearest thing we enjoy or hope hereafter to enjoy be dearer to us then the glory of God and the glory of Christ if God call us to do or to suffer any thing for his name and glory and for the glory of Christ Let us be ready to prefer the doing or the suffering of it before the best good thing we enjoy in this world yea before our dearest blood and before our own lives And to that purpose consider we that Gods glory is most dear to his own most blessed Majestie Esay 48.11 〈◊〉 I will not give my glory unto another And hence it is that the Lord â—â—even jealous of his glory and he cannot abide it should be any way touched or impaired Wicked Nebuchadnezzar was suffered to go on in sin a long time but when he thought by the Majestie of his person and Palace as it were to outface God he became a miserable and silly beast Dan. 4.27 And wicked Herod had a long time vexed the Church and escaped unpunished but when he took to himself the glory of God he was suddenly smitten by the Angel of the Lord and eaten up of worms Act. 12.23 Vse 2 And again consider we if Gods glory be dear to us and we prefer that before the dearest thing we enjoy it is an undoubted evidence that we truly love God as if a good child tender the credit of his father and cannot endure any contempt or disgrace to be cast on him we hold it a sure argument of his love to his father Look we then to it that as Gods glory is most dear to his own children so it must be most dear to us and if it be so and we prefer it before the dearest good thing we enjoy or hope to enjoy we shall thereby evidence to our comfort that we truly love God and are truly beloved of God and as his glory is dear to us so we are dear to him and as we honour him so will he honour us according to his own promise 1 Sam. 2.30 yea he will not onely honour us with the glory of heaven but he will give us honour here in this world so far as he sees meet for us yea he will give us honour in the hearts of those that hate us and deal harshly with us the Lord will force them to honour us in their hearts And these things duly considered ought to stirre us up to be so affected to the glory of God and the glory of Christ as that we prefer that before the best good thing we do enjoy or hope to enjoy and to hold that dearer to us then our own soules Now the Apostle in this verse subjoyns one cause moving him to wish himself separated or accursed from Christ for the conversion of the Jewes namely this because they were his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh hence note we thus much That we are to love our kindred in the flesh and to respect them Doctr. and to wish them good yea spiritual good saving grace here and salvation hereafter in heaven because they are our kindred and because they are knit to us and we to them by the bond of flesh and blood Deut. 23.7 saith God thou shalt not abhor an Edomite for he is thy brother Luke 4.16 we find that Christ beginning to preach he preached first at Nazareth where he had been brought up because it had been the place of his education in recompence of that he preached there first 1. Tim. 5.4 the Apostle saith that children or nephews must learn first to shew godlinesse toward their own house and to recompence their kindred for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God and verse 8. he saith he that provideth not for his own and namely for them of his houshold he denyeth the faith and is worse then an Infidel So doubtlesse he that loves not his kindred and those he is tyed to by the bond of nature and doth not wish them good even spiritual good saving grace here and salvation hereafter in heaven because they are his kindred he failes in his duty and there is good reason for it namely this Nature it self by the very light of it teacheth this duty and binds to the performance of it to love our kindred and to respect them Reason and to wish well to them because they are our kindred and much more Religion teacheth the same and binds to the performance of it for Religion takes not away natural affection but perfects it and piety doth onely order and qualifie natural affection and not extinguish it But haply some may object Object that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.16 Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we had known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore it seems we are not to respect our kindred in the flesh because they are our kindred I answer Answ The Apostle in that place sets himself against false Teachers who stood on outward and corporal prerogatives and legal and carnal ceremonies and the generation of Christ after the flesh these things would the Apostle no longer know that is trust unto before his conversion he stood on such outward things that he was circumcised an Hebrew of the Hebrews by the Law a Pharisee Philip. 3.5 but now he counted all these things losse Philip. 3.8 and will not now know Christ onely according to the flesh that is his meaning And so it makes not against this That we are to love our kindred and to respect them and to wish them good because they are our kindred And to apply this Vse It 's a common thing with wicked and gracelesse persons to love them least to whom they are tyed by the bond of
glorified be his name for ever in all ages and all times Amen VERSE 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel OUr Apostle having in the Verses foregoing in the five Verses precedent expressed the grief and sorrow of his heart for the Jews rejection who were his brethren according to the flesh yet not expressing their rejection but onely intimating of it and leaving it to be concluded and gathered in this sixth Verse he entreth upon the second part of the Chapter and herein he falleth upon a defence of Gods Promise proving it to be firm and stable though the Jewes be rejected and he defendeth the stability of it both against the Objections of the Iewes and against the humane reasonings of flesh and blood that might be brought to the contrary from the sixth verse to the 24. And first of all the Apostle cleareth the Lord from inconstancy from the sixth verse to the 14. Secondly he cleareth God from iniquity and injustice from the 14 verse to the 19. Thirdly he cleareth God from cruelty from the 19 verse to the 24. Now in this sixth Verse first of all the Apostle putteth down a prevention of an Objection that the Jewes might make in the first words of the Verse for this they might object Object and say If so be we that are the sons of Abraham be rejected and cast off as you Paul seem to intimate and imply in your complaining surely then the Word of God unto Abraham and unto his seed should be voyd and of none effect Answ therefore you are deceived we are not rejected Now this our Apostle preventeth and meeteth withal by denying their consequence and shewing that it maketh not the Word of God voyd and of none effect if the Jews coming of Abraham for the greatest part be rejected no saith the Apostle this is no good consequence though the Jewes for the body of them and generality be rejected to say that the promise of God is frustrate then to this denyal of their consequent he subjoyneth a reason of it why it is so that though the Jewes be rejected yet the Word of God is not void because many of the Israelites of the body of the Israelites and of the seed of Abraham they are not such to whom the Promise belongeth why so because they are not true Israelites they are not the Israel of God they are Israelites by the flesh by carnal generation they descended of the Loynes of Abraham but they are not Gods chosen and elected seed of Abraham and therefore the Word of God is stable notwithstanding and this the Apostle propoundeth in the latter end of the sixth verse for they are not all true Israelites that are of Israel and in the beginning of the seventh verse all they are not the children of God because they are the seed of Abraham and this the Apostle amplifieth to the 14. Verse But come we to the opening of the sixth verse Notwithstanding As if he had said Howsoever the Jews do cavil and object that if they be rejected Gods Word taketh no effect it cannot be it is simply and absolutely impossible though they mutter against it that the word of God By the Word of God here we are to understand not the legal Covenant the word of the Law the Apostle speaketh not here of them as they sought salvation by the works of the Law and the righteousnesse thereof legall they were so rejected in all times even before this kind of rejection did befall them they were rejected by the legal Covenant in all ages and the Apostle speaketh of that in the next Chapter But by the Word of God here we are to understand the word of promise Gen. 17.7 where God saith he would be Abrahams God and the God of his seed In which promise God doth promise a perpetual being with Abraham and his seed for ever and not only with temporal blessings but with blessings belonging unto life and salvation namely the spiritual seed of Abraham the children of Abraham after a spiritual sense meaning the chosen of God them he would be with to guide and direct his elect seed those that should believe in God as Abraham their Father did whether Jewes or Gentiles for we may see in the course and tenour of the Scripture that all that came of Abraham were not blessed with this heavenly blessing as Ishmael and Esau but the elect of God to those the Promise was made should take no effect Or should fall to the ground or fail of the end for which it is appointed for then when a promise is made and not performed it falleth to the ground it is unstable and of none effect it attaineth not the appointed end for all they are not Israelites that are of Israel By Israelites in the first place we are to understand the true Israelites Israelites indeed and not in name only Joh. 1.47 such as was Nathaniel behold a true Israelite one in whom there was no guile so that by Israel is meant the elect of God the true Israelites among the Jewes and by Israel in the second place we are to understand Jacob individually who was the Father of the Patriarks and was called Israel because of his prevailing with God those that came of his race and line according to the flesh and according to the course of Nature that is to be of Israel then thus conceive we the Apostles meaning Howsoever the Jews mutter and murmur and object against it and seem to be much discontented that they are rejected and that if they be rejected the Word of God unto Abraham faileth and cometh to no effect yet saith the Apostle it cannot be it is altogether impossible and can never so be that the Word of promise made unto Abraham and unto his seed wherein God did promise to blesse Abraham perpetually temporally spiritually and eternally that this word of promise made to the spiritual seed of Abraham to the elect should be frustrate and not performed it is impossible saith the Apostle For saith he I must tell you that the Promise was not made unto all Israel which came of Israel by natural generation they are not all true Israelites but to the elect of God true believers those that believe in God as Abraham did so that though they be rejected for the body of them yet the promise is effectual Come we now to the Doctrines And first of all in that the Apostle saith notwithstanding it cannot be that the Word of God should be of no effect it is altogether impossible that the Word of God should be void and of none effect Now then from hence the observation is this Doctrine That the Promises of God unto us they are most firm they cannot possibly be frustrate and unstable and of none effect it cannot be that any promise of God either concerning good things of this life or of the life to come should fall
promise this is also confirmed by a testimony of Scripture in the ninth verse thus we see then the Analysis of the verse Come we now to the meaning of the words neither are they all children That is neither are they all children of God children of Abraham to whom God made the promise of life and of salvation because they are the seed of Abraham Or because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh by carnal generation therefore they are not children of Abraham and so consequently of God But in Isaac shall thy seed be called This is a place of Scripture cited out of Gen. 21.12 where God speaketh unto Abraham to his comfort against his heavinesse because he was grieved exceedingly that he should cast forth his son Ishmael and Hagar his mother and these words carry this sense Be not grieved Abraham to cast out Ishmael and his mother but do as Sarah thy wife would have thee for I tell thee that Ishmael thy son shall not be thy son and heir but Isaac is the child in whom I will make good my promise concerning righteousnesse life and salvation and therefore be not grieved to cast out Ishmael for Isaac is thine heir So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle Neither are they all the children of God or of Abraham to whom God hath promised salvation that come of Abraham according to the flesh for I tell thee saith the Apostle in the name of God Ishmael thy son shall not be thine heir but Isaac is the son of the Promise and in him will I fulfill saith the Lord the promise of grace life and salvation Come we now to the Observations And first of all in that the Apostle saith all they are not Gods children or the children of the promise to whom salvation belongeth that are of the race and linage according to the flesh hence the observation is this Doctrine That men are not therefore Gods children and have not therefore right and title unto the Promises of mercy and of grace life and salvation because they are the children of godly parents and of true believers The very coming and discending from holy parents by the course of nature is not sufficient to intitle a man or a woman into the promises of God touching life and salvation because a man is the child of a holy parent or holy parents therefore to have right and title to the promises of God no no such matter Hence it was that the Lord Jesus did so often check the Jewes for standing so much upon their birth and parentage that they were the children of Abraham as if that were sufficient to estate them in the promise appertaining to Abraham and was appropriated to Abraham and his seed saith Christ Matth. 3.9 think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father do not think that this is sufficient to intitle you into grace and salvation you are his children but by nature so in Joh. 8. The Jewes boasting that they were Abrahams seed in the 33. verse of the Chapter and that Abraham was their Father in the 39 verse and that therefore God was their Father in the 41 verse yet Christ saith that notwithstanding their coming from the loynes of Abraham that they are of their father the devil in the 44 verse and the lusts of their father they would do And hence it is we find both in the Book or God and by experience in our own times that many gracelesse children have discended from God and godly holy and religious parents Ishmael came of Abraham Esau of Isaac Manasses of Hezekiah that made Jerusalem to swim with blood and therefore this demonstrateth that men are not Gods children and have not therefore promise to life and salvation because they come of good and godly parents and are of true believers for gracelesse children have come of godly parents Reason Because good and godly parents do beget their children not as they are godly holy and religious men but merely by the power and strength of nature as they are men And godly parents do convey and derive natural affections into their children from their loynes yea and with their nature the putrifaction and infection of nature and that which is common to the stock and nature of mankind though the parents be good and godly not that children have in themselves by imitation a pronenesse to evil and a pronenesse to good no it cometh from their parents they recive it from their stock race and line and hence it is that we are said in Ephes 2.3 to be the children of wrath by nature by nature and birth we are so bornâ— so that this is certainly a truth that the coming and discending from holy parents is not sufficient to intitle us to heaven Object But the Lord hath promised in Exod. 20.6 that he will shew mercy unto thousands to them that love him and keep his Commandements yea to their children after them to a thousand generations Answ It is true that the Lord will be good and gracious to those that truly fear him and to those that tread in their steps if they be good and gratious to a thousand generations but the Lord saith Ezech. 18.10 if a good man beget a gracelesse child saith the Lord that wicked child shall dye in his sins and his blood shall be upon him the righteousnesse of his father shall never be imputed unto him Object The Apostle here saith in 1 Cor. 7.14 that the children of believing parents though one of them be a believer whether father or mother then the children are holy therefore it seemeth that the coming and discending from those that are true believers is sufficient to intitle them that are children unto the promise of God concerning righteousnesse life and salvation and therefore they are holy Answ The meaning of the Apostle in that place is this That the children of believing parents those children are holy not in regard of any internal or inherent holinesse in the children themselves for then the Apostle would have said they are pure in opposition to the former sentence then they are unclean And again if the children coming from true believers have inherent holinesse in themselves then they belonged to Gods election which they do not by reason of their birth how are they then holy they are holy by vertue of the covenant by a holinesse that cometh from the Covenant vertually they are to be esteemed federally holy and such as belong unto Gods election coming unto them from the covenant For the covenant is of such a great reach and so far doth extend as that they that have right unto it and true interest in the Covenant by true faith they are thereby not onely sanctified in themselves and in their own persons but in their good actions their eating sleeping talking and walking yea the very creatures of God they enjoy their meat and drink gold silver and oxen and sheep they are
nature and by carnal generation we are not to take it in a Metaphorical sense but in the very literal sense of it For to confirm the Exposition it is most evident and clear that the thing which made the Jews to stand upon and to think themselves that they were within the Covenant and had right and title to it which is made to Abraham the very cause they so thought what was it the seeking of righteousnesse by the Law no such matter that he beateth against in the next Chapter But because they were the Israelites because they were of Abraham in regard of carnal generation and were Abrahams seed according to the flesh this they vaunted and stood upon what may we think to be meant by Abrahams seed which the Apostle speaketh of in the verse foregoing and here doth explain that term but such as came of the seed of Abraham and that by nature not such as sought righteousnesse by the Law no his meaning is no such matter because the matter they stood upon as a priviledge and prerogative belonging unto them are not the children of God That is they are not such children as God bound himself unto by a special promise to do good unto in a special manner as he said unto Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed such as he had bound himself unto in a Covenant but the children of the promise For the understanding of this phrase and form of speech we must know that Isaac Abrahams son was a child of the promise what is that why surely such a child as the promise gave birth unto Abraham begot Isaac of his wife Sarah indeed according to the course of Nature but not by the force strength and vertue of nature he was born merely by a special promise made unto Abraham and by vertue and strength of that special promise cited by the Apostle made in Gen. 18.9 Sarah thy wife shall have a son and so though he was begotten by Abraham according to the course of Nature but not by the force of Nature For when this promise was made unto Abraham Sarah thy wife shall have a son Abraham and Sarah were old and both strucken in years and not of ability by nature to have a child so that in regard of the force of nature it was as impossible for Abraham to beget or Sarah to bear a Child as for a stone to flye upward so that he was begotten by vertue of the Promise for she was past childbearing and Abraham very old so that the force and strength of Nature in Abraham and Sarah was not the cause of Isaac's birth but by vertue of the promise so that we are to understand by children of the promise such as after the manner of Isaac are children of the promise Gal. 4.28 Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of the Promise That is all such as by vertue of the promise of grace of life and salvation are adopted and made the children of the Promise by the vertue and force of the promise the Gospel being a quickening Gospel it being published and they believing in it they come to be the children of the promise and born anew not by nature but by the Promise The meaning of the Apostle is this That is or my meaning is that not they that are descended from Abraham onely by the course of Nature and according to the flesh and by carnal generation they are not such children as God hath bound himself unto by promise in a special manner that is to do good unto by a special promise according to the speech unto Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed But all such that belong unto Gods election in time to be called to be the sons and daughters of God the promise being published unto them and are wrought upon by vertue of the Spirit and the Promise They onely and none but they are accounted and reputed for the true seed and children of Abraham to whom the promise of mercy grace righteousnesse and salvation belongeth Come we now to the Doctrines And here observe That the Apostle doth expound himself touching that which is put down in the verse foregoing and delivereth his mind more plainly then in the seventh verse the conclusion is this That the holy Prophets and the holy Apostles of God Doctrine the Pen-men of Scripture they do explain the things that are needful for the Church and people of God and make them more easie that are hard to be understood expressing them more plainly in one place then in another an usual thing in the Book of God for the Pen-men of Scripture to explain such things as is necessary for the people of God to expresse things that seem to be doubtful obscure and ambiguous more in one place then in another and not to leave it obscure and ambiguous For the further manifestation of it I might insist on divers places of Scripture but take these few in Gen. 17.10 we read that circumcision is called the Covenant and in the 11. verse he explaineth it and saith it is the sign of the Covenant so in Exod. 12.11 The Paschal Lamb is called the Lords Passeover that should be eaten in destroying the Egyptians then in the 27 verse it is said to be the sacrifice of the Lords passeover more plainly expounding it so in 1 Cor. 10.4 Christ is called a rock and by and by he subjoyneth unto it a spiritual rock so that phrase used by Christ which the Papists so much abuse as the ground of their transubstantiation and would prove it that the Body and Blood of Christ are really and corporally in the Sacrament under the form of Bread and Wine it is expounded by the Holy Ghost and by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.26 For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death untill he come doth not this set out the meaning of that speech abused by the Papists Take eat this is my body For these are memorials and visible signs and representations of the Body and Blood of Christ I might further instance in divers passages of the Scripture to shew that this is usual in the Scripture to explain in one place what is difficult in another the Reason is Reason Because it is Gods purpose the very purpose of the Lord in his revealed Will to make his will known unto man by Scripture so much as he would have man to know necessary to salvation And in the Scripture to give man a perfect rule of holinesse of righteousnesse of faith and of good life of all things to be known or believed and to be practised and therefore he maketh known in one place what is difficult in another to make man wise unto salvation as in 2 Tim. 3.15 thou hast known the Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise unto salvation to make thee to come to the understanding of it at least
none found amongst you that regard times after the manner of the heathen who did think that the times had an over-ruling and an overswaying in them of the manners and lives of men and the successe of their businesse Oh saith God take heed let there be none such and in Jer. 10.2 the Lord saith expresly you shall not learn the manner of the Heathen and be not afraid of the signes of heaven as the heathen are as if mens dispositions depended upon them and in Gal. 4.10 the Apostle blameth the Galathians for regarding of dayes and times I am afraid of you saith the Apostle you have made a grievous revolt from the truth you observe dayes and times Observation of times is either natural or civil yet there is a lawful observation of dayes and times as when men do observe them by the course of nature as the night to follow the day the day to succeed the night and to observe Summer Winter Harvest and Spring or else the dayes and times Civil namely the observing of dayes and times for our callings and dispatch of our businesse in matters of the world as of setting planting grafting and reaping now neither of these did the Apostle reprove in the Galathians but he reproveth them for doing of it as the Jewes did putting of holinesse in times or the observing of them after a heathenish manner ascribing bad or good successe unto them Now the Lord forbidding this marking of the constellations of the heavens as if the successe of men depended upon the position of the stars and planets it is a plain evidence and confirmeth unto us that the coming of the same blood and of the same parents and being born at the same time under the same constellation of the heavens and stars is not a thing that maketh children of the same mind and like carriage and behaviour Because indeed the Lord hath put no such power nor vertue nor force Reason into the times nor into the constellations of the heavens that they by their influences should over-rule the manners of men and that the doings of men should depend upon the Planets Stars Sun or Moon we find it not in all the book of God that he ordained the Sun Moon or stars to these uses There is a good observation of the stars for differing of times but not for the ordering of men and their affaires No the inclination of the will of man and the motion of mans mind and the successe of things are onely the works of God and do wholly and onely depend upon the good hand and providence of God they depend not upon the influence of the heavens and stars but things come to passe as it pleaseth God to dispose Prov. 16.9 saith Solomon the heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord guideth and directeth his steps man purposeth to guide his feet one way but the Lord directeth his steps as he pleaseth Jer. 10.23 the way of man is not in himself neither is it in man that walketh to order and direct his steps so that the successe of things depend not upon the position of the stars and therefore doubtlesse children coming of the same parents and born under the same position of the heavens are not of the same mind carriage and behaviour This serveth to discover unto us the folly of Nativity-casters Figure-casters Vse 1 Star-gazers Moon-Prophets and Fortune-tellers and such idle persons it sheweth their folly and madnesse that will take upon them to tell what shall be the manners and dispositions of such a child man or woman from their birth or from their Nativity born at such a time upon such a day under such a planet they shall be rich or poor many wives or thus and thus disposed or such and such things shall befall them this Moon prophets and Fortune tellers take upon them to do by the dspositions of the heavens yea herein they do impiously derogate from God and from his providence And notwithstanding this many ignorant persons in the world be of this sort and of this opinion to give too much to these Figure casters Moon prophets Fortune tellers Wise men and wise women as they call them yea they do more believe their words then the holy Word of God Let a Fortune teller or a Figure caster say they were born at an evil time under a direful dismal planet and unfortunate star and constellation they believe it and are wonderfully troubled But let the Preacher of the Word tell them that both they and their children were born under the wrath of God under the curse of God and fire-brands of hell so long as they continue in that estate and are heires of damnation they are little or nothing moved with it herein they discover their blindnesse yea it is a fearful sign that God hath given such persons over into a reprobate sence and then fearful is their condition that so believe these fortune tellers We see here two brethren born at the same time and of the same parents and yet of a different nature and quality so that fortune-tellers in taking upon them to foretell the manners and dispositions of men from their Nativity and birth do cozen and deceive men therefore give not heed unto them they are but dreams and dotages of idle persons and conjectures of fools Esay 44.25 and such as give heed unto them they shew themselves to be fools and wicked gracelesse persons and they make themselves odious in the sight of God Oh mark it you that do give heed to figure-casters and fortune-tellers you make your selves abominable in the sight of God Deut. 18.12 All that regard times and observe times in this manner after the manner of the heathen and those that consult with them are abomination to the Lord and it is a foul shame for any to bear the name of a Christian and to be like unto a heathen darest thou take the name of a Christian and yet like the heathen run to figure casters and fortune tellers and the like wise men and wise women as they call them Vse 2 Is this so that the coming of the same blood and parents and being born at the same time these are not the things that do make men of the same mind or children of the same quality and disposition Surely then parents may learn to stay themselves in consideration of this they may be kept from wondering at it when they see some of their children begotten and born of their bodies not to prove so well as others they have many children and some prove not so well as others though they take the like pains and do endeavour the best they can to train them up in the fear of God and bring them up religiously alike and yet they find not an Answerable successe in all of them but some prove not so well as others they are not too much to be amazed the case is no otherwise with them then it was with these two
Patriarks Abraham and Isaac we see Isaac had two sons Jacob and Esau the one good and the other gracelesse and though parents desire to do good to all their children that they have begotten and are of their flesh and blood and indeavour alike to do them good yet if they find not the same answerable successe and answerable fruit of their pains they must do as Christ saith Consider the wind bloweth where it listeth as in Joh. 3.8 the Lord worketh by his Spirit where it pleaseth him all the pains we can take notwithstanding the wind bloweth where it listeth and so they may rest in Gods counsel which may be hidden and secret but assuredly never unjust God is just in all his providences and administrations all men may take notice of it and though it be harsh and hard yet it is never unjust and so rest contented in the good will and pleasure of God VERSE 11 12. For the children being not yet born and when they had neither done good nor evil that the purpose of God might remain according to election not by works but by him that calleth It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger IN these two Verses our Apostle bringeth proof to that point and position put down in the verses foregoing and the thing delivered was that it appeared plainly in the two children of Isaac and Rebekah That the Promise of God touching mercy grace righteousness life and salvation did not belong to all that came of Abraham and Isaac by the course of Nature this was the Conclusion which the Apostle proveth in these two verses and he proveth it from the voyce of God himself In that God saith to Rebekah that the Elder of her children should serve the Younger Gen. 25.23 she coming to consult with the Oracle It was told her that two Nations strove in her womb and the elder should serve the younger And this the Apostle amplifieth by the circumstance of the time before the children were born when they had neither done good nor evil And this is further enlarged by the end of it to what end namely that the purpose of God might remain and abide firm and stable and unmoveable according to election and that not by works but by him that called Now this being the general drift of these two Verses Come we to the sense and meaning of them which are full of difficulty For before the children were born It is most plain by the context that the Apostle meaneth Jacob and Esau for they are specified in the context were born that is while these two children were in the womb of Rebekah their Mother and not yet brought forth and had done neither good nor evil That is actually sinned for here Original corruption is not specified for originally they were guilty before the Lord and in their typical consideration Original corruption is excluded they being considered as types of the Elect and of the Reprobate and in that consideration they are laid before us as having done neither good nor evil That the purpose of God might remain according to election Or rather thus That the purpose of God according to election might remain So that by the purpose of God in this place we are to understand Gods eternal decree that which he purposed from everlasting within his own blessed Majestie out of the good pleasure of his Will or according to the counsel of his Will Ephes 1.11 that which God in himself from everlasting purposed freely according to election Or concerning election that is touching his free choice of some to grace and glory and his rejecting of others for under election is included the contrary namely reprobation that purpose which was touching free grace and glory according to election according to the act of election and reprobation that it might remain Or rather might be firm and stable and might abide unshaken not by works but by him that calleth That is say the Arminians and the Anabaptists if you will believe them not by the works of the Law but by faith obeying him that calleth not by seeking righteousnesse and salvation by the works of the Law but by faith obeying him that calleth And upon this they would ground their grosse errour and false conclusion that Esau was a type of those that are rejected of God because they seek righteousnesse and salvation by the works of the Law and Jacob was a type of such that are then chosen of God when God doth see faith in them with perseverance and are then chosen of God actually God purposeth to choose them upon foreseen faith and doth actually choose them upon the faith that he seeth in them with perseverance But this is a misconstruction for consider how could Esau be a type of such as are rejected of God Esau considered without works either good or evil as he was being in the womb how could he be a type of such that seek righteousness by the works of the Law Again how could Jacob being considered without faith as he was when he was chosen before he was born how could he be a type of those that are then chosen of God when God seeth faith in them with perseverance Can these things possibly agree and jump together that are contraries unlesse they will have that there is no analogy no resemblance or proportion between types and the things typified how could Jacob be a type of those that are chosen upon their faith with perseverance he then having no faith or how could Esau be a type of those that seek salvation by the works of the Law he having no works neither done good nor evil this cannot be there must be an analogy between types and the thing typified But the meaning of the word is not by works that is not any thing depending upon the works of these two brethren but upon him that calleth That is upon the free grace of God calling his elect in time effectually It was said unto her That is it was said unto her by God himself Gen. 25.23 The elder shall serve the younger That is the Elder shall be under the Younger shall be in subjection to the younger and the younger shall rule over the elder Now this being the meaning of the words we must consider that this is to be understood of Esau and Jacob first personally that this oracle of God should be fulfilled in Jacob and Esau's persons that Esau should be subject to the person of Jacob. And also it is to be understood Historically in their posterity the Edomites and Israelites which were indeed the children and off-spring of Jacob and Esau so that it is to be understood both personally and historically Object Now if any say unto me in the speech of God to Rebekah Gen. 25.23 two Nations are in thy womb and two manner of people shall be divided out of thy bowels the one shall be mightier then the other and the elder shall serve the younger therefore these words are
will of God is the soveraign cause of all righteousnesse and the primary cause of all things holy just and good because God willeth it though it seem harsh and hard to flesh and blood The things amongst men willed by men must first be good and just and then willed of them but what God willeth it is just and holy and righteous because he willeth it it is far otherwise with God then with men for the decree of God is absolute free and eternal decree is holy just and righteous willed by God because it is the decree and will of God who cannot decree unjustly or will amisse And by this we must learn to acknowledge Vse that God is righteous in all his decrees touching man and we are to reverence Oh take heed of quarrelling we are to reverence and adore the holy and eternal decree of God both of election and reprobation as holy just and righteous whatsoever our corrupted reason doth or can suggest against it we must adore and reverence his free and absolute and eternal decree even that decree by which he decreed the rejection of some without respect to any thing in man or foreseen in man freely he did it whatsoever our carnal affections gain-say it Some Divines there be as Arminius and those that are his followers do say and hold that God did from everlasting decree to save such men as should in time by faith lay hold of his mercy when faith is offered unto them in Christ And that God did decree to cast off others which did cast off Christ and reject his mercy which opinions of the Arminians and Anabaptists also is not onely grosse and erroneous but it doth crosse the drift and purpose of the Apostle in this very Chapter and it maketh the Apostle here to call a needlesse doubt and to take upon him to prevent such an objection which no man of wisdom reason judgment or understanding would make and so make an absurdity in the Apostles speech for what shew of injustice is there in God in mans reason to God no farther if so be this were true that God did decree in time to save such as should truly believe in Christ and reject those that should reject grace and not believe in Christ what shew or semblance of injustice were here if this were true I appeal to your selves any reasonable man let him tell me how is this unjust how is this unequal and partial dealing in God even to the reason of man if this were true it is just with God to save a soul that believeth and reject an unbeliever this is Justice here is no shadow or shew of injustice and then the Apostle needeth not to break out in this pathetical manner VVhat shall we say Is there unrighteousnesse with God and then the matter of election and reprobation would not seem so harsh and hard to flesh and blood And so we should make the Apostle by this kind of reasoning to fight with a shadow and to combate with the ayr and to go about to prevent an objection that no man of reason would make No beloved we need not to make these conclusions or to frame such a lye for the Lord Job 13.7 so to go about to make excuses to clear Gods Justice that God did decree to save such as should believe and to damn such as should not believe But we may safely and boldly affirm it for certain truth that Gods eternal free and absolute decree both of election and reprobation it is just holy and righteous yea though God hath from everlasting and before the world was not from the fall of Adam as some imagine freely out of his mere good will and pleasure purposed and decreed the salvation of some and the rejection of others and their casting off for ever yet we need not seek to find out starting holes to defend Gods Justice for he is the soveraign Lord and may do with his own what he will and no man can call him to account and say Why doest thou so therefore let us still lay aside our carnal reasonings and humble our soules to the truth of God Observ Again Observe we further the Apostle having here said Is God therefore unrighteous because he loved Jacob and hated Esau freely nothing moving him thereunto I say having delivered this the Apostle presently subjoyneth a flat denyal and he saith no God is not herein unjust and he doth not deny it barely but his denyal is with a detestation with an abhorring of it absit God forbid he doth not say Is there unrighteousnesse with God no but he joyneth God forbid Oh far be it from us to infer such a conclusion to bring in such an absurd inference hence then observe we thus much from the Apostles manner of denyal viz. Doct. That we must not onely disclaim errours and erroneous opinions and grosse conclusions that some do force from the holy Word of God especially fundamental errours that are against some fundamental truth we must not onely disclaim them but abhor them yea we must disclaim them with a detestation and abhor them with an hatred and loathing Not onely say I renounce Popery or this or that errour but hate it with an utter detestation And to clear this a little further it is the exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 12.9 abhor that which is evil not only abstain from it but abhor evil that is evil in opinion and also any moral evil whatsoever yea the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very significant and weighty it is as much as if the Apostle had said Let errour evil in opinion or any manner of evil whatsoever be hateful and odious to thee as hell it self so ponderous is the word and in Psal 119.113 saith David I hate vain inventions they are odious and hateful unto me and in verse 128. therefore I esteem all thy precepts to be right and I hate every false way and in Psal 139.21 saith David Do not I hate them that hate thee O Lord yea in the 22. verse he saith he hateth them with a perfect and unfeigned hatred so also in 2 Thess 2.10 Receive the truth with love unto it and by the rule of contraries Detest errours with hatred to them especially those that are against some fundamental truth of God hate them unfeignedly Reason For why errour and sin is hateful and odious to God himself it being contrary unto the truth of God and against the nature of God which is good in it self And we professing our selves to be the children of God we must endeavour to be like our heavenly Father who doth not onely dislike and disapprove sin but he hateth it but he hates and abhors it Prov. 6.16 these six things doth the Lord hate yea seven doth his soul abhor yea it is worth our marking in the 17. and 18. verses God doth not onely hate sin saith Solomon but he hateth the very members of the body which are the instruments of sin
cleave to the holy Word of God but how shall I know that the Scripture is the Book of God Indeed it is a scruple that doth sometimes arise in the minds of men and especially if they be under some great temptation to doubt whether the Word of God be the Word of God or no How shall I know that this is that I must stick unto for all matters of Faith and Religion of Life and Manners Answ If the Papists were to answer this they will tell you by the testimonie and tradition of the Church because the Church speaketh it Indeed this is the mark we know a Church by because it is inferiour to the Scripture and subjecteth to it but it is no mark to know Scripture by the Church but we may know Scripture to be Scripture by these infallible notes such as never will deceive or lead us aside 1. Namely these by the evidence of the holy Spirit of God appearing and shining forth in every sentence and in every word of the holy word of God 2. By the puritie and perfection of the Word 3. By the Majestie of it in the plainness of speech by the power it hath over the Conscience of Man it is able to convert the soul of Man it is clean contrarie to the nature of Man it converteth the soul of Man and doth draw the will of Man to yield obedience unto it It is a Divine word and his power is Divine over the affections and hearts of Men though it be contrarie to mans will yet it captivateth it to its power 4. By the rage of the Devil against it the Devil he cannot indure the publishing and the preaching of it 5. By the constant suffering of the holy Martyrs many millions that have shed their bloud for the Name of Christ and for the Word of his Gospel 6. And lastly and above all by feeling that spirit which appeareth in the written Word of God to be effectual and powerful in our souls if thou find the power of the Word working upon thy soul not onely to thy illumination and inlightning but to the working of holiness and grace in thee Surely though all the men in the world denie Scripture to be Scripture yet thy heart will assent and consent unto it and thy heart seasoned by grace will make thy mouth to confess it though all the world will denie it yet thou confessest it John 7.17 saith Christ If any man will trie whether my Doctrine be of God or Men he may doe it thus If any man doe the will of my Father and be wrought upon by this Doctrine certainly that man knoweth that my Doctrine is of God and not of my self Oh then labour we to find this perswasion in us that Scripture is Scripture upon those grounds but especially by the efficacie of the Word and by the effectual work of it in our hearts and soules and not to cavil against it or to yield to the falshood of deceivers No no say with thy self my heart hath sealed to the eternal Truth of God And thus doing we shall find it to be sufficient to guide us in all matters of godliness and in all matters of good life and manners and also we shall find it able to bring us to salvation For the Scripture said unto Pharaoh even for this very end have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout the earth IN that the Apostle saith for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh we see here a strong confirmation of that which we noted out of the 15. verse That the written Word of God is a speaking Word And God speaketh to his Church and people by his written Word and therefore the Scripture is not a dead letter or dumb Judge and senceless Juke as the Papists say but passe by that Onely note the Apostle saith the Scripture speaketh concerning Pharaoh it speaketh touching the reprobation of Pharaoh and touching the hardning of his heart which was a manifest signe of his reprobation so that we see the Scripture revealeth unto us the point and matter of Reprobation And we may hence take notice of it The Doctrine of Reprobation a Doctrine revealed in the written Word that the Doctrine of Reprobation is a Doctrine made known unto us in the Scripture and in the written Word of God yea the Doctrine of the Reprobation of some particular persons amongst men it may and it ought to be published in the Church of God It is a part of the holy Word of God and a portion of Scipture written and revealed in the Word And we ought to take notice of it as Moses saith in Deut. 29.29 Things revealed belong to us and to our children secret things belong to God so that the Doctrine of Reprobation and casting off of some particular persons amongst men ought to be taught to the Church and Children of God Some there be that are of opinion that the Doctrine of Reprobation ought to be concealed and not to be published and made known to the Church and people of God And why because of the danger of it say they for as they conceive and imagine it driveth some men from God and it maketh some men to run into desperation therefore say they it is to be concealed and not made known to the Church of God But these that thus think they are deceived For the Alienation and the estranging of mens mind from God and desperation are not the fruits properly following the Doctrine of Reprobation they do not proceed and come from and by that Doctrine properly but they are accidental effects commonly following it and are cursed fruits comming from the hearts of men and so the fault is in themselves and not in the Doctrine of Reprobation the Doctrine it self is holy good and profitable if men doe rightly understand it and savour it aright it is of excellent use and very necessarie For the best Doctrine that is the most comfortable Doctrine that is may be perverted and abused sometimes and become savor of some to their utter destruction as the Doctrine of saving faith in Christ Jesus and his merits is savoured of some to their utter destruction and therefore ought it not to be published It is a weak insufficient argument to prove that the Doctrine of Reprobation ought not to be made known because of these accidental effects because some through their own corruption are caused to run into Alienation from God and Desperation whereas the Doctrine of Reprobation is of necessary use it serveth much to commend and set forth the mercies of God and the riches of his mercy to his chosen children And it stirreth up the Children of God to a great measure of thankfulness for the mercies of God bestowed upon them when they consider that God hath chosen them and refused and rejected others this stirreth them up to magnifie the mercie of God and then doth the soul of a child
the occasion of this Cavil is from the verse foregoing where the Apostle saith God hardeneth whom he will hereupon flesh and blood beginneth to cavil against God and to rise up and swell against him and to charge him with no lesse then cruelty and extream hard dealing in that the Lord should harden men and then complain of the hardening of man And this Cavil which might haply be charged upon God by humane Reason he first propounds and then Answers unto it he propounds it in this 19. verse and answereth unto it in the 20 21 22 and 23. Verses Now in propounding this Cavil the Apostle maketh way unto it in the first place by putting down of the person of a Caviller and by bringing the Caviller speaking thus Thou wilt say then unto me and secondly he setteth down the matter of the Cavil or Objection and that by way of interrogation very emphatically Why doth he yet complain And thus the Objection may be framed Reprobates and wicked men are hardened because it is the Will of God that they should be hardened as you have taught us in the verse before and therefore God cannot justly blame or punish them for their hardnesse for it is according to his will For if God do blame and punish them for their hardnesse surely it seemeth to the Reason of flesh and blood to be extream cruelty and rigour God seemeth to be extremely rigorous and a cruel God in punishing men for their hardnesse And this Cavil is further backed by a proof for who hath resisted his will as if the Caviller had said Why none can resist Gods will his will is irresistible and it cannot be withstood and therefore if God first of all harden and then complain it is extreme rigour and cruelty so that if wicked men and Reprobates be hardened it is according to the will of God and so they are hardened unavoidably and of necessity God hath decreed their hardening and he will have it so and none can gainsay his will And therefore it is no lesse then Tyranny in God to blame and punish men for it And thus much we are to conceive of the generality of this 19. verse first the Cavilling person Thou wilt then say unto me secondly the Cavil why doth he yet complain and thirdly the proof of the Cavil for who hath resisted his will Come we now to the sense and meaning of the words Thou wilt say then unto me Thou who is this the Apostle meaneth that is thou whosoever thou art that art a carnal Reasoner and reasoneth according to carnal Reason thou wilt say unto me why doth he yet complain that is why doth God complain of such as be hardened why doth God find fault with them and threaten such as are hardened what cause hath the Lord to complain threaten or punish such as are hardened they being hardened according to his will thus the carnal Caviller reasoneth for saith the Caviller who hath resisted his will that is none was ever able to stand against to frustrate or make void the will of God the purpose of God was never resisted none was ever able to stand against his will and to hinder it from taking place and being effected Gods decree and purpose is irresistible that none can withstand it therefore saith the Carnal Reasoner God hath no just cause to complain so that the sense in brief is thus much Thou that art a Carnal Caviller art ready to except against my speech in that I say God hardeneth whom he will thou wilt say if this be so Paul why doth God threaten Judgement hell and damnation against those that are hardened what cause is there that God should complain find fault threaten and punish them with hell and damnation for who ever resisted the will of the Lord was there ever any man that was able to stand against the will of the Lord no no man and so they are hardened of necessity unavoidably according to your own Doctrine Paul so that this is the meaning of the Apostles speech Now come we to matter of Observation and Doctrine And first of all observe here the Apostle bringeth in a Caviller and a Carnal Reasoner as it were objecting and inferring upon his former speech that God hardeneth whom he will this Conclusion the cause being so God hardeneth whom he will then God hath no just cause to complain of mans hardening so that hence ariseth this Conclusion That mans carnal reason Doctrine doth commonly gather and infer wrong Conclusions from true grounds of Religion and true points of Divinity And therefore from Divine and holy truths of God and especially such truths as are of a high Nature as Gods election and reprobation are doth mans corrupt and carnal reason commonly infer inforce and bring erroneous and false Conclusions it is a common thing with mans reason see this is manifest by farther places of Scripture in Rom. 3. from the fifth verse to the ninth verse The Apostle having delivered this truth of God that Gods goodnesse and Gods truth are commended and set out by mans sin accidentally God bringeth good out of evil hereupon some Carnal Reasoners are ready to except against this Doctrine Oh say they how can God justly punish sin this the Apostle speaketh in the person of the Caviller if our unrighteousnesse set forth Gods righteousnesse then God cannot justly punish sin So in the seventh verse of the same Chapter If Godt glory hath abounded through my lye why then am I punished saith the carnal man God cannot then justly punish me for my lying so in Joh. 3.3 The Lord Jesus having put this down as a certain truth that except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Nicodemus hearing this after a carnal manner and resting in his own carnal reason see what an absurd conclusion he bringeth in upon this then it seemeth that a man must enter into his mothers womb and be born again So in John 6.53 54. Christ shewing that except a man eat his flesh and drink his blood he hath no life in him Now some that heard this they heard it with great indignation and stumbled at it and they said This is a hard saying who can bear it must we eate this mans flesh and drink his blood and they so conceiving carnally concluded as the Papists doe now in their Doctrine of of Transubstantiation that we must eat the body of Christ and drink his bloud corporally and after a carnal manner yea they so stumbled at it that they forsook him insomuch that he said to his Disciples What will you be gone from me also doe you conceive of my words as the Capernaits did saith Christ My words are spirit and life and you conceive of them with carnal reason and gather from my points false conclusions Because carnal reason Reason is blinde in Divine matters in things that be heavenly and spiritual it cannot discern and look into the depth of them it
Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour IN the next place consider we God is here compared to a Potter in respect of the Potters power over his clay that as the potter hath lawful power over his clay and may lawfully make of his clay what he will even several vessels to several uses even such power and such authority or rather greater power and greater authority hath God over mankind to make and appoint men to several ends even some to honour and some to dishonour You see then this being the ground of the comparison that man hath lawful power over the clay to make of the same lump different vessels to divers uses so Gods power is far greater to make out of mankind some to honour and some to dishonour the Observation from this implication is thus much That God hath lawful power and authority over man to ordain and Doct. 2 to appoint them unto several ends at his own good pleasure as the potter may put upon his clay what form or fashion soever he will and may make and frame of it vessels to divers purposes and uses by the same right and with greater reason it stands that God may ordain and appoint men to several ends as it pleaseth him And to this purpose in the very same comparison speaketh the Lord to the house of Israel by the Prophet Jeremiah in Jer. 18.6 O house of Israel cannot I do with you as the Potter doth with his clay as the clay is in the hand of the Potter so are you in my hand O house of Israel As the Potter may do with his clay what he will so may I with you and in Luke 12.6 The Lord Jesus forewarning of us whom we ought to fear as namely God onely he describeth that God to have power to cast into hell fire fear not him that can kill the body but fear him that can kill both body and soul and the same word is used there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth lawful power as is here thereby shewing that God hath lawful power not onely to take away the life of the body but to cast it into hell And it must needs be so that God hath greater power and authority then the Potter to appoint and ordain men to several ends then he hath to make vessels of the same lump of clay to several uses why The Reason is because the Pottter he is but a creature himself Reason and the clay is as much and the potter hath the clay made to his hands but God he made all men of nothing as Psal 100.3 The Lord hath made us and not we our selves and in this respect the Lord hath Sovereign power and authority over all men yea his right over all men is absolute yea such and so absolute is the right of God over all men as that the Lord might have made man and he might not have made man and the Lord now having made man of nothing so he may at his pleasure bring him to nothing suddenly the Creator out of the liberty of his will and absolutenesse of his power may do with his creature what he will which power the potter hath not because he is but a creature and the clay is a creature also it is made to his hand This serveth as one special ground to clear God of injustice and wrong doing that he hath appointed some men to life and glory in heaven Vse and others to everlasting shame and confusion this ground of truth cleareth God in this cause though carnal Reasoners do go about nothing else but to quarrel with God as the Arminians and Anabaptists say they herein you do go about to prove God a tyrant and that he doth deal tyrannically with men in destroying of them But they are deceived for why we know tyrants they do their own will either with men or against them onely because their pleasure is so they respect neither law nor equity nor Conscience so he may do his will and have his pleasure this is the manner of a Tyrant Now God he ordaineth men to several ends not onely according to his own good pleasure but according to the lawfulnesse of his good pleasure as he may lawfully do and as he hath lawful power and authority whereas the Tyrant careth not whether it be right or wrong he will break through all the bounds of truth and law there is no such matter with the Lord but the Lord he doth it according to his lawfull power and lawful authority to dispose of men to do with them as he will the tyrant hath not so And again there is a large and wide difference between God and a Tyrant both in respect of their wills and also in regard of their ends As first of all the will of Tyrants what is it according to their own lusts and their own pleasure and they being wicked and sinful make their wills as wicked and sinful but the Will of God God being most holy it is according to his nature and his nature being holy and pure his Will is most holy and pure Again Tyrants respect wicked ends in dealing hardly with their subjects in taking away their lives and their liberties and that is to satisfie their own cruel and bloody minds But now the purpose of God in dealing with men respecteth the praise of his glory and of his mercy which two ends are ever holy and good the ends of Tyrants are according to their Tyranny but the end of the Lord in ordaining some to shame and some to honour is the glory of his Justice and mercy and therefore it doth not follow from hence that we make God cruel and Tyrannical because we affirm that God hath out of his mere good will and pleasure appointed some to shame and some to honour because the Lord hath power so to do And this should teach us to be so far from charging God with Tyranny and indeed to drive this further we are not suffer once such a thought to arise in our hearts that God dealeth hardly with us in any thing whatsoever no not when thy estate seemeth unto flesh and blood to be most desperate nay we are to be far from this to think that God dealeth hardly with us nay when we are under the hand of God in some great and grievous distresse let us then remember thus much and think with our selves the Lord hath lawful authority to appoint men to everlasting destruction now if the Lord hath not thus dealt with us but given us a better and everlasting estate to life and glory Oh how can we think that God dealeth hardly with us in any thing he having evidenced his love unto us in Christ Jesus no though our distresses be but at the height and we in the deepest mire of misery We are to be thankful unto God in our deepest distresses and to give him the glory of
tumbleth down into them Hence it is that the Lord Jesus in Acts 9.15 speaking of Saul afterwards called Paul saith unto Ananias that his purpose was to send him unto the Gentiles and he calleth him a chosen vessel a vessel fit to receive grace and to bear the Name of Christ to all Nations And of the reprobate Heathen the Apostle saith in Romans 1.29 God gave them up to a reprobate sence to receive the fulnesse of all uncleannesse when the Lord did poure out the tokens of his wrath they were full of all uncleannesse And also the Apostle speaketh of the reprobate Jewes in 1 Thess 2.15 16. That they killed the Lord Jesus and their owne Prophets persecuted us and they are contrarie to all men and they forbid us to preach to the Gentiles and they fill up the measure of their sins because the wrath of God is come upon them unto the uttermost Vse Vessels of mercie how known This being so that Gods Elect are Vessels fit to receive mercy and the reprobate vessels to reeeive all manner of filthinesse and uncleannesse then learn we to trie our selves whether we be the vessels of mercie or no I conceive well of you and every one conceiveth well of himself then trie whether we be in the number of Gods vessels of mercie or no looke to thy own heart and soul If thou finde the Heavenly liquour the Heavenly moysture of Faith Repentance Love to God love to his Children a care to please God a desire to feare God Humilitie Patience and all other adorning Graces here then is comfort but if thou find thou art an ignorant person ignorant of the wayes of God hard hearted thou art full of Pride Hypocrisie self love a desire of earthly things thou art a vessel of wrath and fitted to destruction and if thou goe on and remain unreclaimed though I will not determine of thy final estate if thou so live and die thou art appointed unto everlasting destruction trie then thy selfe which of these thou art deal truely with thy selfe and by that which floweth from thee thou maiest know it as a bottle of sweet water sendeth forth a sweet savour so if thou have this heavenly moisture of grace and of sanctification in thee it sendeth forth holy and gracious words thou canst speak comfort to those that are sick it sendeth forth sweet Actions of love to God mercie and justice to men thou art readie to every good work Now then to conclude If we have these sweet graces in our hearts it shall spring up to everlasting life as in John 4.14 It will ever be ejaculating and casting up and springing unto life and as a stream of water will rise as high as the fountains so will grace now the head of this fountain where is it in Heaven thither will thy grace climbe and thou shalt certainly bee saved but if otherwise woe bee unto thee thou art in a miserable estate What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction COme we now to the proposition What if God willing to suffer the wicked for a long time to escape his punishing hand and thus forbearing towards men what if the Lord be thus patient when he might strike them suddenly down and send them unto Hell Now then this propoposition laid down thus before us by way of interrogation What if the Lord would thus spare them doth note unto us this position or conclusion viz. That God is very patient toward sinners yea even towards the Reprobates Doct. 2 God is not onely patient in forbearing as we have it in 1 Pet. 3.9 But he also beareth with wicked and ungodly persons though they goe on adding sinne unto sinne provoking him to wrath and to their destruction daily when he might suddenly send them to the pit of Hell And for proofe of this we have not onely evidence here but in Psalme 50. The Psalmist bringeth in God speaking to the wicked and ungodly and expressing their wicked and lewd behaviour from the 16. verse to the 21. verse in this manner that they hate to be reformed cast the Word of God behind them run with the adulterer and the theefe sit with the slanderer and joyn hands with all manner of wicked persons and no sinne came amisse unto them And then he subjoyneth these things hast thou done and I held my peace forbearing to punish thee and was patient towards thee while thou rannest on in all manner of sinnes thus patient and thus forbearing was the Lord toward Cain that wicked reprobate who as the Text saith in 1 John 3.1 Was of that evil one the Devil that slew his brother yet he having done this vile act and villanie in shedding of innocent bloud the Lord was patient with him and suffered him still to live the Lord suffered him to grow rich and wealthie to beget children and to be the father of a great Nation thus patient was the Lord with him and thus patient was the Lord with Saul to Judas to Herod though they were branded and marked for Reprobates the Lord suffered them to live a long time and as we have it in Acts 14.16 saith the Lord he suffered the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes and that for many thousand yeares together and yet the Lord was patient with them in their grosse idolatrie and did suffer them many thousand yeares to continue in their sinnes and in Acts 13.18 Paul saith that the Lord suffered the evil manners of the people of Israel fourtie yeares in the Wildernesse together And beloved the Lord doth not onely forbear to punish wicked and ungodly persons and reprobates whilest they are sinning against him and provoking him but so abundant in mercie and goodnesse is the Lord that he suffereth them to enjoy many outward good things as we see in Esau the Lord permitted him to enjoy many outward good things yea he was the father of many sonnes of many Dukes many great and mightie men in the world yea wicked Ahab who sold himselfe to work wickednesse in the fight of the Lord 1 Kings 21. Of whom the Text saith in 1 Kings 16.30 He did worse then all that were before him and in the 33. verse it is said he provoked the Lord God of Israel more to anger then all the Kings of the people that had been before him he sold himself to work wickednesse yet the Lord suffered him to enjoy a flourishing Kingdome for a long time in the 29. verse He was the King of Israel two and twentie yeares together yea come but to our own experience and we may see it many wicked vile abominable sinners are advanced to high dignitie and worldly promotion and the Lord powred upon them an overflowing cup of worldly glorie and they have good successe in everie thing they put their hands unto and they enjoy an overflowing cup though they be gracelesse and wicked persons
as Conscience doth enlighten them that will bring to Life and Salvation no Familist or Anabaptist can have any assurance that they shall have Salvation But if we would have assured Evidence that cannot deceive us we must seek for the proofe of it in our hearts and soules in our effectual Calling see here what evidence of grace we have then we need not in this case to climbe up unto Heaven to search the Court-Rols of Heaven but we may take a shorter cut looke into thy owne Charter drawne out with the bloud of Christ in thy heart and therein looke to Gods effectual Calling to the Evidence of grace in thine own soul and that wil Evidence thee of thy Election and that thou art in the number of those that are Gods Chosen and herein I desire that everie one wil deale truely with his owne heart and soul Haste thou answered the voyce of God God calleth upon thee in his Word to come out of thy Ignorance and thy unbeliefe and other known sinnes tel me and deale faithfully Art thou wrought upon by the Word of God Doest thou come out of thy ignorance and thy blindenesse of minde by a through change from evil to good is the course of thy sinnes broken off thy pride thy drunkennesse thy usurie Hast thou thus answered the Call of God and hath the Word had a kindely workeing upon thy soule Romans 6.17 Doest thou finde sweetnesse in the Consolations of the Word of God and doest thou yield obedience to it in all things in one thing as well as in another Not onely in some things but in all things that God requireth yea in those things that doe most of all crosse thy owne humour Doest thou finde that the lusts of thy owne heart are curbed and ordered and doest thot finde that thou art now brought to love God to love his Children to love his Messengers to love the instrument of thy Calling If thou hast these things in thee thou art effectually called and being effectually called thou art a man or a woman that shall certainly be saved my soule for thine thou shalt come to Heaven all the Devils in Hell cannot deprive thee of it Oh then let every one trie above all things their effectual Calling which will assure them of salvation and be an infallible Evidence for their Election Even us whom he hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles Vse 2 IS it so that effectual Vocation doth prove unto men infallibly their Election and salvation in Heaven doubtless then effectual calling must needs be a ground of sweet and excellent and heavenly comfort unto the soules of all those that are indeed effectually Called Hast thou then good Evidence of thy effectual Calling Art thou sure that God hath wrought upon thee by the power of his Spirit That he hath brought thee by the preaching of the Word out of thy natural estate of ignorance and unbelief to true knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ Oh then comfort thy self thou hast cause to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Peter 1.8 For this sealeth up unto thee this comfort that thou art one whom God loved from everlasting from all Eternitie before this world was that thou art one redeemed by Jesus Christ that thou art justified in the sight of God and acquitted and freed from the guilt and punishment of all thy sins and that they shal never be laid to thy charge for effectual calling and justification joyn hands together it giveth thee assurance thou art acquitted from all thy sinnes both past present and to come and shalt as certainly goe to Heaven as if thou wert already in Heaven and all the power of hell shal never be able to prevail against thee therefore thou art in a most happie condition Object But here happily some may say here is a sweet ground of excellent comfort we must needs confess if so be a man be effectually called and truely believe in Christ but alas say the Papists a man cannot know whether he hath the Spirit of God working in him or no he may have a false spirit neither can a man tell whether he doth truely believe in Christ or no. Now therefore to remove this stumbling stock of the Papists Answ we must consider that the Spirit of God is compared to fire Matthew 3.11 He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire and it is compared to the blowing of the wind Joh 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth c. So are all that be born of the Spirit thereby giving us to understand that as sensibly as a living man may perceive the burning of the fire and feel the blowing of the winde so sensibly may a Child of God perceiue in himself the working of the holy Spirit of God And indeed it is the very office of the Spirit of God to teach Gods Children to know the things of God so saith the Apostle expresly 1 Cor. 2.12 We saith the Apostle have not received the spirit of the world but we have received the Spirit of God whereby we know the good things that are given us of God He teacheth us to know our Hope our Faith and a good life it is the office of the Spirit and he will certainly perform his Office And beloved did not the Apostle know on whom he had believed 1. Tim. 2.12 I know on whom I have believed and cannot a Childe of God know assuredly that he truely believeth in Christ by the works and fruits of his faith purifying his heart working in him a love to God and his Children Gal. 5.6 because they bear his Image may not he certainly conclude true faith worketh by love Object Oh but say the Papists for all this a man cannot know whether he truly love God or no Do you say they prove your faith by your love Answ This is more foolish then the other for if one man love another he knoweth it and in what measure he loveth him and cannot a Child of God that layeth aside all earthly pleasures and denieth himself and standeth for Christ and his Gospel to the shedding of his bloud and yet not know whether he loveth God or no surely then Christ did ask of Peter a very idle and frivolous question which were blasphemie to think in John 21.15 Peter lovest thou me Peter might have said Lord thou knowest no man can tel whether he love thee or no but Peter saith Lord thou knowest that I love thee so that a man may truely know whether he loveth God or no and so be assured of his effectual calling I but say the Papists grant this Object that a Childe of God may know the good things given him of God and may know Gods love for the present and know himself in the state of grace yet here is a point you littlc think of sc he cannot be sure of his salvation unless he hold out unto the end And herein they contradict the plain