of quantitie but proportion yea for other mens sinnes And the Trent Councell g Sicut Christus passione sia satesecit pro peccatis ita nos satisfanendo patimur pro peccatis As Christ by his suffering satisfied for our sinnes so we by satissying suffer for our sinnes And yet when the Fathers speake dogmatically they affirme no such thing h Nec Deo benis factis placemur nec pro peccatus satu facimus Cypr. act Clerum plebem Ep. 8. Neither please wee God by our good deeds neither satisfie for our sinnes saith Cyprian And the Schoole-man himselfe faith thus i Baptizato non est injungenda satisfactio hoc enim est injuriam sacere Christi morti passioni c. Sum. 3. quaest 68. art 5. Satisfaction must not be enjoyned him that is boptized for this is to wrong Christs death and possion as if that were not a full and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of the baptized And Chrysostome speaking of Peter k Lego lachrymas satisfactionem non lego Chrysain Luc. 22. I read teares satisfaction I read not I need no more but that of the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne wee have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Or that of the Prophet Hee hath taken upon him the iniquitie of us all Isa 53.6 Or that of Paul He was made sinne for us c. 2 Cor. 5.21 Yea but saith l De Purgat lib. 1. cap. 11. Bellarmine If Christ satisfied for everre fault and punishment how comes it to passe that after sinne remitted in Christ we endure so many miseries and in the end die aut cur infantes baptizati aegroti moriantur or why are infants baptized sicke and die I answer him out of * Tract in Ioh. 124. Augustine 1. For the demonstration of deserved miserie 2. For the exercise of necessary patience 3. For the mending of unstable life so that it is castigatio non damnatio medicina non poena a chastisement not a condemnation a medicine not a punishment 4. For the demonstration of the workes of God But why is the punishment longer than the fault Hee answereth in the same place lest the fault should be thought small therefore when the fault is finished the punishment remaines My Conclusion is that of the Psalmist Psal 49.6 7 8. Though a man have multitudes of goods yet no man can red eme his brother nor pay a ransome to God it costs more c. There bee two other points The one from what Christ delivers that is intimated in this sinne death I will take onely the third By what Christ doth deliver from sinne and death Christ by his death upon the crosse hath delivered us from sinne and the curse Doct. A thing that was presigured in the Sacrifices for sinne in the time of the Law but was fulfilled in Christ when hee was offered upon the crosse so that he is the only Sacrifice for sinne as the Prophet speakes Isa 53.10 Therefore saith the Apostle He tooke the writing that was against us or the bill of debts which we owed unto God and nayled it to his crosse that is cancelled it and spoyled principalities and powers and triumphed over them upon the same crosse Audiat hoc haereticus qui Christum horntuem regat audiat Christianus Christum tam despicatum prose sactum and at peccator quid meritus sit hemo quam miser brmo quid passus Deus homo Let the heretique heare this who denies Christ to bee man let a Christian heare that Christ was made so despicable for his sake let a sinner heare what man deserved how miserable man is what God and man suffered saith Ferus He must dye betweene heaven and earth to note that he was Mediatour betweene heaven and earth Secondly on a tree because he would expiate sinne committed in eating the fruit of a forbidden tree Thirdly with hands reached out to shew that the way to his heart and mercifull love was open Fourthly with his feet nayled to the tree to shew that hee would not depart till wee were fully redeemed much like the Apostles phrase It pleased God by him to reconcile all things to himselfe and to sit at peace through the bloud of his crosse both things in heaven and things in earth Col. 1.20 Sangats Clristi est clavis Parad si litier Epist ad Dardonum I end with that of Hierome The bloud of Christ is the key of Paradise Marke yee here the nature of sinne Vse all the water in the sea cannot wash it the bloud of buls cannot wash it Hebr. 10.4 It is a passionate speech of Micah Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high God shall I come with burnt offerings and calves of a yeere old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression even the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule Micah 5.6 7. No no all the gold of Ophir cannot ransome it all the Fullers sope in the world cannot cleanse it all the water of Iordan cannot wash it all the fig-leaves in the garden cannot cover one sinne there is no salve but one and the ingredientrare The bloud of the Sonne of God Consider yee that make so small a reckoning of sinne it had beene better that you had never beene borne or that your mother had tyed a mill-stone about your neckes and drowned you in the sea than to dye with one sinne unwasht unpardoned How then dare yee be so bold to act that which can so hardly be pardoned or run on still upon score which can so hardly be paid or thinke that sinne to be light and small which cast the Sonne of God into so many fits and agonies which caused him to utter so many passionate prayers Let this cup passe from me which drove him to that holy despaire My God my God c. and at last put him to a shamefull and ignominious death 2. Vse 2 If our sinne were so great and Christ so good as to die for it that we might live then can we doe no lesse than spend in his service our whole life acknowledge our selves his in all dutie and service So the Apostle wisheth us 1 Cor. 6.21 Yee are bought with a price an high Price the Son of God bought with a price an invaluable and inestimable price the life of Iesus Christ with a price not corruptible as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe undefiled 1 Pet. 1.18 and what is the inference therefore glorifie God both in your bodies and in your soules He endured paine in his body whipping spitting scourging buffeting thornes nailes speares paine in his soule My soule is heavie unto death Matth. 26.38 therefore glorifie him in thy soule and thy body let thy hand feed
From whence the point is That all men shall not be saved For though it may seeme a charitable error in Origen to thinke that all shall be saved at last and the Patrons of universall grace build upon that in 1 Tim. 2.4 God will that all men shall bee saved yet this must be meant either of the kindes of all not of all of everie kinde as Anselmus Some Iewes some Gentiles some noble some ignoble some rich some poore some old some young some learned some unlearned or else of his outward will offering them the word to leave them without excuse not of the will of his decree or good pleasure The Scripture is plaine Many shall seeke to enter and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 Many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 There be goats as well as sheepe chaffe as well as wheat and bad fish that must bee throwen away there be some to whom Christ will say Depart from mee Matth. 7.22 some to whom Christ shall say Goe you cursed into hell prepared c. Matth. 25.41 there be many that shall be thrust out of doores when Abraham shall be received there be many dogs Apoc. 22.15 They have beene without God and now they shall bee without glorie and without the Kingdome Vaine therefore is the presumption of many prophane and wretched miscreants who will needs live and die and rot in sinne and yet thinke to be saved by the bloud of Christ and say in their hearts that although they doe all these abominations yet God will bee mercifull unto them But what is the Law against such in Deut. 29.19 20. The Lord will not bee mercifull unto such a man but all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye upon him c. Though now they say hee is mercifull hee is mercifull yet when they begin to sinke into the grave and to slide into hell and feele the worme that dieth not and lye in that fire that never goeth out then they will say he is just also and as the theefe said upon the crosse We are most justly here But to come to the words Israel obtained not life because he sought it in his owne righteousnesse There arise two maine points the one Doct. No man can obtaine eternall life by his owne inherent righteousnesse but the righteousnesse whereby wee are saved is the Lord not essentially but effectually as Osiander as in Ier. 23.6 speaking of Christ This is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnesse and in him have we righteousnesse Isa 45.24 it is the imputed righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith whereby we obtaine life as Rom. 4.24 not our owne which is but like menstruous and polluted clothes Isa 64.6 And therefore Paul praves that he may befound in Christ not having on his righteousnesse but the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 For in this righteousnesse of Christ there is 1. Puritie of humane nature to answer for our corrupt nature 2. Integritie and obedience of life answering for our disobedience and loosenesse of life 3. Merit and passion upon the crosse answering for that curse and torment which we deserved in hell Bellarmine of justification Lib. 1. cap. 7. demandeth how Christs righteousnesse is ours and how the righteousnes of one can save many thousands nay is not ashamed to say that it is never read neither in Scripture nor in Father that the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us for righteousnes though in Epist to Rom. chap. 4. wee finde it twice 1. at vers 22. It was imputed to him for righteousnesse and at vers 24. This was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also to us to whom it shall be imputed if it be lawfull for such a Novice to say it he is out in his reading for Augustine in Psal 7. hath it three or foure times I am just in thy righteousnes not in mine and by the righteousnes given me of thee I shall bee righteous and though Bellarmine dislike the word of imputation in us yet hee allowes it in himselfe chap. 9. out of Psal 32. and hee allowes it in Iustine Martyr in his dialogue with Trypho Iudeus in Origen in Epist to Rom. 4. in Hierom in Commentary on Psal 32. in Augustine on the same Psalme in Gregory on the second penitentiall Psalme Lib. 2. cap. 9. as you may see in Bellarmine of justification yea in the Trent Councell Ses 6. chap. 9. but dislikes it in Calvin that which is good and equall in Quintius is evill unequall in Naevius 2. Christs righteousnesse is not the righteousnes of a meere man for then it could not save above one at most though never so perfect but of him that is both God and man and therefore is of infinite merit sufficiencie to save all that beleeve The 2. point to bee noted is that they are here called Israel who in the end of the verse are called the rest and here they that are said not to have obtained are in the end said to bee hardeed from whence the point is Doct. It is just with God to give such men over to hardnesse of heart as stand upon their owne holinesse but I rejourne it unto his due place and would come to the second part of the aggregate proposition but I meet a doubt that must bee solved How can it bee that Israel should seeke God and not finde him whereas the promise is in 7. Math. 7. 8. Aske and it shall be given seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened for he that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and yet Israel seekes him and cannot finde him I answer that promise is made to those that seeke after a right manner and for a right end for in seeking as we ought are required two things 1. The manner 2. The end 1. The manner that we seeke in faith for though he be never so farre gone yet faith will fetch him and in prayer for if hee bee never so closely hid yet prayer will finde him as Gregory on the 6 penitentiall Psalme and in humility for if he be never so high yet humility will reach him this is a wonder saith Augustine 2. The end Aug. de civitate de lib. 14 cap. 13. that Gods glory may appeare and not to establish our owne righteousnesse now Israel failed in both 1. In the manner for they sought righteousnesse but not by faith Rom. 9.32 2. In the end for it was not to glorifie God but to establish their owne righteousnesse as Rom. 10.3 and therefore found him not from whence ariseth this conclusion If ever wee will finde God and life wee must seeke them after a right manner and for a right end Non aliud tanqiam illum non aliud praeteralâ—llum non aliud post illum Adsratres in Eremo seâ—m 2. 1. Him onely Not any other thing as it were him not
them reconciliation with God through Christ and freedome from their punishments And this is the judgement denounced against the unbeleeving Iewes The time of the continuance of it is expressed in this word alway whereby is signified the durablenesse of these heavy punishments which were to continue so long as though they should never have end The which wee see verified in the event seeing since their destruction and desolation almost 1600. yeares are passed and yet in outward appearance they are as farre from deliverance out of their great calamitles as they were the first day The points to bee observed from hence are these Doct. 1. How much God hateth and how severely he punisheth the sinne of infidelitie whereby Christ the Saviour of the world is rejected Seeing for this sinne principally the nation of the Iewes who were so highly in Gods favour and partakers of all the prerogatives of his Church and people have beene rejected and fearefully punished and that for the space of so many hundred yeares Neither indeed can it be otherwise for how can his sores but fester that refuseth to apply that only plaster whereby they may be cured How can they but continue lost and in the state of perdition who reject their only Saviour How can they be reconciled unto God that refuse to have any part in him in whom alone hee is well pleased Finally how should they but remaine under the guilt and condemnation of all their wickednesse that having slaine the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world doe not repent of this their horrible impietie And therefore let this teach us carefully to shun this fearefull sinne of infidelitie Vse which above all others is most damnable as depriving us of the alone meanes whereby we are freed from condemnation And seeing wee are deadly sicke in sinne let us not by rejecting our alone Physician deprive our selves of all hope of recoverie Seeing wee are so desperately wounded unto death with so many and hainous sins let us take heed that wee doe not by infidelitie refuse to receive and apply that balsome of Christs bloud which God offereth unto us for our spirituall cure Secondly observe Doct. That when wicked men abuse their power and authoritie by opposing Christ in his Kingdome and persecuting him either in himselfe or in his members God will breake their backes and deprive them of all their strength that they may not for ever rage against his Anoynted and offer violence unto his Holy Ones According to that Psal 2.9 Thou shalt breake them with a rod of iron and dush them in peeces like a potters vessell The which serveth first Vse 1 for the terrour of the wicked in their chiefe ruffe and strength when as they seeme so armed with authoritie and power that they have Gods Saints and Servants under their tyrannous command to satiate their bloud-thirstie soules with their slaughter seeing the Lord Christ whom they oppose hath all power in heaven and earth committed unto him and therefore can at his pleasure bow their backs and dispoyle them of all their strength and with these Iewes cause them to become so weake that their enemies prevailing against them shall keep them in perpetuall slaverie and subjection And secondly Vse 2 Gods distressed Saints and Children may hereby comfort themselves in the midst of all the pressures and grievances which they indure at the hands of their mightie enemies seeing they serve a Lord that is mightier than they who is able to make them buckle and stoope under his heavie judgements yea will assuredly doe it if they prevent them not by their speedy repentance and so will turne their restraint to libertie their sorrowes into gladnesse and by a gracious deliverance will give them joy of heart after all their griefe and mourning In the first part of this Chapter from the first to the end of the tenth verse the Apostle hath shewed and proved that the fall of the Iewes was not totall And now in the latter part from the eleventh verse to the end hee proveth it should not bee finall Vnto which hee maketh way by a Prolepsis or preoccupation answering an objection which might be made by the Iewes against his former Doctrine to this purpose If it be so as you say Paul that God hath exposed the Iewes to those judgements foretold by the Prophet Isay and David that is brought them into such snares laid stumbling blockes before them blinded their eyes and bowed and broken their backs whereby they are utterly disabled to all good actions civill morall and spirituall then belike you conclude that their case is desperate as being cast off by God without hope of recoverie Vnto which the Apostle replyeth that though this were the state of the Iewes for a time yet it should not be so for ever but there should be a time namely when the fulnesse of the Gentiles was come in that they also should be called and added to the Church that so both Iewes and Gentiles might make but one flocke in one sheepfold and under one Shepherd From whence hee taketh occasion to exhort and admonish the Gentiles that they should not insult over the Iewes because they were chosen and these rejected and to comfort the Iewes seeing their rejection should not be finall but they also in Gods good time should be converted gathered into the Church and so saved And this is the Coherence maine scope of the Apostle in this last part of the Chapter I come to the words themselves VERS 11. I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie IN which words the Apostle setteth downe the first ground of his exhortation and admonition Exposition which is taken from the ends for which God rejected the Iewes Which were not that they should perish and be damned but that way hereby might be made for the calling of the Gentiles and thereby also the Iewes might at last be stirred up to jealousie and emulation and so also provoked to come in by following their example For seeing the Iewes would not receive Christ themselves nor as much as in them lay suffer the Gentiles to receive him as their Saviour therefore it was just with God that by their rejection way might bee made for the bringing in of the Gentiles into the Church that receiving and embracing Christ by faith all of them which belonged to Gods election might be saved Whereby he acquitteth God from being such an one as delighted in the destruction of his owne people and sheweth that the maine end at which hee aimed in their rejection was not that they might bee destroyed and condemned but partly to glorifie his justice in punishing them justly for their infidelitie and partly and chiefly to magnifie his mercie in the effectuall calling and salvation of the elect Gentiles and at last that he might also extend it
wrath as they come from Adam yet holy as they descend from faithfull Abraham And this holinesse which is derived from the fathers to the children is nothing but an inward and inherent benediction of the covenant made betweene God and the fathers God hath bound himselfe to the fathers to be the God of them and their children and therefore children are holy and blessed because of that covenant For the further explication of this hard and difficult point it will not be amisse to answer a few objections 1. If the Iewes be holy branches Quest. 1 because descended of an holy root and therefore wee must not doubt of their restitution how is it that the Prophet Isay 65.2 saith in the name of God All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to a stubborne people and that the Lord covered them with a spirit of slumber Isay 29.10 Whereto I answer Answ that the Iewes are a rebellious people 1. Not universally but a part of them for I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham saith Paul vers 1. 2. Not perpetually for it is but till the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in vers 25. So that there is no contradiction betwixt these two propositions Israel is for a time and in part rebellious and Israel is in part and in the fulnesse of time to be called againe 2. Quest. 2 How can the children of holy parents bee holy whereas both Scripture and experience teach that the holinesse of parents is not traduced to their sons See Ezek. 18. If a man be just vers 5. hath walked in all the judgements of God vers 9. yet if he beget a son that is a theefe or shedder of bloud that sonne shall die the death vers 13. The holinesse of his father can doe him no good Besides this Christ himselfe cals the Iewes sometimes a generation of vipers sometimes the sonnes of the Devill Ioh. 8.44 Sometimes bad parents have good and sometimes good parents have bad children wicked Ahaz hath good Ezekias good Ezekias hath wicked Manasses wicked Manasses hath good Iosias and good Iosias hath wicked Sallum and Iehojakim Whereto the answer must be Answ that here is not meant a personall and habituall holinesse but an hereditarie holinesse of the whole Nation the former is not traduced from parents to the children the other is personall holinesse is a qualitie infused by regeneration confirmed encreased by the exercise of holy actions whereby a man is made conformable to the Law of God and begins to please God as the holinesse of Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is not found in everie Israelite but onely in the regenerate nor propagated from Abraham to all his posteritie for Ishmael and Esau had it not nor doth the Apostle meane it in this place here ditarie holines common to the whole Nation is an outward dignitie or the grace of the Covenant whereby all the children are within the Covenant which is made to their fathers The right to this Covenant is that which the Apostle cals holinesse and from this the Apostles argument is good If the root be holy that is covenanted to God then the branches are holy that is within the same Covenant 3. Quest. 3 Whereas wee Gentiles are not of the holy root from Abraham whether doth this belong to us and to our children Whereto I answer That branches Answ some are native some ingrafted the sap and the moysture and the fatnesse of the root is conveyed to both We Gentiles though we be not the naturall branches yet are the naturall cut off and we engrafted in their stead as the Apostle shewes at vers 17. Thou being a wilde olive tree was graft in for them and art made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree So that we are succeeded in their right and therefore me thinkes the reason is good If their sonnes were by the right of the Covenant borne Iewes why are not the children of Christians by the same right borne Christians and as this Covenant of grace was not conferred upon them by Circumcision but onely confirmed so in Baptisme the same right is not conferred but sealed Whereupon Tertullian cals Baptisme the signing of faith Chrysostome the seale of faith Basil the seale of faith and Augustine the Sacrament of faith By all which it appeares that there is no grace before Baptisme Therefore Hierome sayes well Nos non nasci Christianos hoc est conditione naturae sed renasci Christianâ—s hoc est conditione gratiae Wee are not borne Christians that is in the condition of nature but wee are regenerated Christians that is by the condition of grace Wherefore ignorant are those men and foule are those mouthes who affirme that infants dying without Baptisme are damned Christ saith Mark 16.16 He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved Qui non est baptizatus sed qui non crediderit condemnabitur but he that will not beleeve shall bee damned He saith not He that is not baptized but he that beleeveth not shall be damned S. Augustine who was harsh and unfound enough in this point confesseth Ad Scleucian Epist 108. that Baptisme of fire or bloud is called Baptisme as well as that of water And S. Ambrose in his funerall Oration at the death of Valentinian who was slaine when hee was but Catechumenus Regnare cum Christo in coelis â—tsi tincius non erat affirmes that hee did reigne with Christ in the heavens although he was not baptized For though God have tied us to use it yet he hath not tied himselfe to it for hee doth not save all that are baptized and yet will save some that were not baptized as amongst the Iewes they were not all condemned that died without Circumcision so neither are all they now that die without Baptisme In 2 Sam. 12.18 Davids childe died the seventh day which was before the day of Circumcision and yet saith David I shall goe to him vers 23. God cals them his sonnes Ezek. 16.20 21. so I come to the third argument VERS 17. Vers 17 And though some of the branches bee broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast graft in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree boast not THis is the third reason taken from the twofold condition of the Gentiles the one shewing what they were in former time the other what now they are They were branches of a wilde olive now engrafted into the right olive tree More particularly thus the argument consists of an antecedent in the 17. verse and a consequent in the 18. In the antecedent I note first the estate of the Iewes which was like to a tree whose branches be broken off in the beginning Secondly the double estate of the Gentiles the first they were like to a wilde olive tree without the compasse and hedge which was about the Lords garden as also void of all
drunkennesse he uncovered those thighes which he for six hundred yeares by sobrietie had covered saith the same Hierome Take heed of adulterie lest that open a gate for murther as it proved in David 2 Sam. 11. Take heed of disobedience lest God punish it by giving us over to our owne lusts Psal 81.12 Take heed of an unbeleeving heart lest God give us over to beleeve lies 2 Thess 2. Take heed of doing one sinne lest God punish thee by letting thee fall into another The particular sinne punished is contempt of the Gospell there is nothing that God punisheth sorer than contempt of the Gospell as vers 11. I come to the parties Israel that is by a metonymie the people of Israel that had the prerogatives and gifts above others Conclus Doct. The importunate clamour of sin will bring Gods hand to punish where his mercies have beene most abundant I may say of him as Seneca said of Augustus Paenas dat dum paenam exigit Sen. de Clement lib. 1. cap. 10. It is a grievous punishment to him to punish others and yet so clamorous is mans sinne that it inforceth him sometimes to whet his glistering sword and his hand to take hold of judgement and make his arrowes drunke with their bloud Deut. 32.41 It is a grievous paine for him to punish and therefore when hee goes to strike it comes with Ah and Alas Isay 1.24 and yet so clamorous is mans sinne that it will let God have no rest till hee become to Ephraim as a lion and a lions whelpe to the house of Iudah as he speakes Hos 5.14 It is most true which God proclaimes of himselfe He is mercifull slow to anger abundant in goodnesse Exod. 34.6 It is most true which the Prophet speakes of him The Lord shall stand as upon mount Perazim be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may doe his worke his strange worke Isay 28.21 He is like unto Octaviue Would I knew not my letters Vtinam nescirem literas Suetonius in vito Octavii yet such is the importunitie of mans sinne that it may seeme to say unto God as Iacob said to the Angell I will not leave untill thou have punished this people God would not punish but they provoke him to destroy them saith Salvianus Deus noluit punire ipse extorquent ut pereant De providen li. 1. It deales with God as Dalilah did with Sampson Iudg. 16.16 importunes againe and againe untill that tender father whose bowels are rolled and turned within him turne angry Iudge to take revenge where he was wont to cherish And to give that Israel unto hardnesse of heart whom he was wont to embrace in the armes of his mercie and love Therefore is sinne sometimes said to smoake up to heaven sometimes to cry unto heaven as Sodomes sinne Gen. 18.21 I come to the use Come hither Ierusalem and learne Vse Though thou be the vine which Gods owne hand hath planted thy spirituall whoredomes importune the Almightie to fill thee with bitternesse and make thee drunken with wormwood Lam. 3.15 Come hither Sodome and learne Though thou be like the garden of the Lord and fruitfull like the vallies of Aegypt Gen. 13.10 yet thy uncleannesse importunes the Almightie to burne thee to ashes and turne thee into an Asphaltite lake to destroy thy inhabitants and all things that grow upon the earth Gen. 19.25 Come hither Babylon and learne Though thou be for greatnesse more like to a region than a citie for beantie the Lady of Kingdomes for prosperitie canst say of thy selfe I am and no other Isay 47.8 yet thy pride importunes the Almightie to turne thy pleasant palaces into places for dragons and ostriches a wildernesse for Satyres to dance in and for Zim and Ochim to lodge in Isay 13.21 Come hither Laodicea and learne Thy lukewarmnesse importunes the Almightie to spue thee out of his mouth Apoc. 3.16 And let us of this Land and Kingdome learne what though wee have Kings like David and Princes like to Iosiah Iudges like Othniel Lawyers like Elias Prophets like Elisha Governouts like the Centurion women like Abigail houses of learning beyond Najoh in Raniah yet all these cannot cover our heads in the day of wrath The pride of our hearts importunes the Almightie to deale with us as he did with Babylon the wantonnesse and loosenesse of our land importunes the Almightie to deale with us as he did with Sodome the idolatrie that hath got her selfe so many lovers and favourites importunes the Almightie to doe with us as with Ierusalem We have those that sweare and forsweare which makes God lay siege to the walls of our Cities till it devoure the stones and timber of it Zach. 5. We have those that rise early to follow drunkennesse which cals for a woe upon us Isai 28. We have those that prophane the Sabbath this importunes the Almighty to set a fire in our gates Ier. 17.27 Wee have those that are of the minde of Iulian that would root out the learned Carion Chron. lib. 3. Those that rob the house of God like Bremis in Propertius and say God is rich enough Those that muzzle the mouths of the oxen that tread out the corne and say with William the second having in his hand at the time of death the Bishoprickes of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Winchester and Salisbury and twelve Abbeyes the bread of the Lord is sweet Those that rob God in tithes and offerings and therefore bring a curse upon the land Mal. 3. vers 8 9. It would grieve a heart of iron to thinke what multitudes and nests of vipers are bred amongst us who are like the wombe that beares them and make to totter reele the very pillars and foundations of that land kingdome that breeds them What then should our care be but to reforme these sinnes that are able to sinke whole townes and kingdomes The custome of swearing for because of oaths a land mourneth Ier. 23.10 Ignorance want of mercy want of truth for because of these the land shall mourne Hos 4.3 To labour for the suppression of all iniquity for that makes the earth to reele to and fro like a drunken man Isay 24.20 and let every man that loves our nation that loves our Church or Kingdome helpe with their hands if not with their prayers and the Lord be with us and grant good successe and so I come to the universality and reach of this punishment in respect of the subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in part that is this obstinacie is not totall but partiall lies not upon every one but some only as Anselmus Ambrose referres it not to the number blinded but to the time that this blindnesse should last But that 's noted in the next clause of the mystery I take it to bee meant of the number as if he should say that even in the time of this generall obstinacy God did preserve some unto himselfe I conclude Doct.
him in his members thy tongue blesse him for his mercies let it rouze up thy drooping soule like Davids tongue Psal 103. Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Let us ever be singing that Magnificat of Marie My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour for hee that is mightie hath done great things for us and blessed bee his name And so I come to the action or office He shall turne away iniquitie from Iacob But yet there is a point in the verie word which is here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui eripiet that shall snatch them as it were out of some danger Aquinas proposeth that place in Amos 3.12 As the Shepherd takes out of the mouth of the Lion two legs or a peece so shall the children of Israel be To give a double note 1. That but a small part of the world shall bee delivered from hell and death as vers 5. The Vse is Vse The more earnestly must wee labour and the more paines must we take to be of that number and if wee will not faile learne foure lessons perfitly 1. That the ordinary pace which men goe will never bring us thither 2. Learne the way to Heaven perfitly 3. When thou knowest the way then mend thy pace 4. Cast off the luggage and burdens that hinder thee as 1 Cor. 9.24 I come to the second Conclusion This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that shall deliver by pulling snatching affords this point Doct. That heaven must be got with violence much hardnes Therefore is the whole way to heaven a continuall battell marching aray or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strife Luk. 13.24 And when Paul was almost there then hee hath fought the good fight 2 Tim. 4.8 And the Apostle Heb. 12.4 There must be resisting unto bloud many a troublesome day must a man see in many an hot skirmish must he fight many sore and sowre strokes a man shall feele many a strait way a man must passe before he see God in glorie The difficultie ariseth partly from the nature of the way to heaven and hard to be found amongst so many by-paths and amongst so many false lights and deceitfull Pilots every one crying this is the way that many a poore soule not knowing which way to take goes on in none My best direction is that of Ieremie chap. 6.16 Aske for the old way which is the good way walke in that and yee shall sinde rest unto your soules 2. From the travellers in this way who are the greatest hinderances unto themselves some by lingring and deferring the time before they set forward who are like the sluggard Prov. 19.24 forgetting both the shortnesse of their life and the difficultie of comming to God when they are old some by stooping to gather treasures or reaching for honours lose heaven Ovid. Metam lib. 10. like Atalanta who lost the race by stooping for the golden apples But because I will not fall upon the former point I come from the place Sion from the person deliverer to his office He shall turne away iniquitie from Iacob The words are easie Doct. and the point plaine It is the proper office of Christ Iesus alone to reconcile sinners to God 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 There is no salvation in any other nor other name under heaven whereby we can be saved Acts 4.12 His forme and manner of reconciling sinners unto God is first by intercession as Rom. 8.34 he is not onely Mediator of redemption as the Papist makes him who make Angels Mediators of intercession 1. The distinction is without warrant 2. The high Priest in the Law was Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically both of remission by sacrifice and of intercession by prayer Of intercession as Aaron Numb 16.48 The other ordinarie and if now they bee divided the truth doth not answer the figure which must not be said 3. By him we have boldnesse Ephes 3.12 Let them shew where we have so by Angels 4. Hee lives ever to make intercession Heb. 7.25 let them shew the like of Angels Let them heare S. Augustine Whom should I finde that might reconcile me to thee Quâ—m invenirem quine reconciliarit riâ—i num eundum ad Angelos quâ prece quibus lachrymis Aug. Confess lib. 10. cap. 42. must I goe to the Angels with what prayer with what teares Secondly by not imputing sinne but by imputation of his righteousnesse unto them He was made sinne for us which knew no sin that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God through him 2 Cor. 5.21 Thirdly by his death and passion that so hee may make payment and give satisfaction to Gods justice for his peoples sinnes The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.7 We are redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Fourthly by abating the number and weakening the power of sinne in them by the Scepter of his Word and the efficacie of his Spirit Wee know that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might bee destroyed that henceforth wee should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 Fifthly by quite abolishing and removing of all their sins at the houre of death and day of judgement So Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord c. and therefore was Christ once offered to take away their sins Heb. 9.28 Hence was that excellent point and clause in Peters Sermon Acts 3.19 Amend your lives therefore that your sinnes may bee put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The reason of all is this Because he is the blessed seed in whom all Nations are blessed as God said of him to Abraham Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed He is the root and foundation on which all Gods promises doe depend and in whom they are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Learne to seeke for salvation in none other Vse Acts 4.12 Expect to bee saved onely by his merits righteousnesse and sufferings for hee alone hath trodden the wine-presse Isa 63.3 Apoc. 19.14 What remaines but that everie man disclaime his righteousnesse as a menstruous rag renounce his owne merits as deserving nothing but death give all the praise to God and cry with the Psalmist Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name give the praise And so I come to the second place alleaged VERS 27. Vers 27 And this is my covenant to them when I shall take away their sinnes THis Text is alleaged out of Ierem. 31. at the beginning of vers 33. This is the covenant that