to offer to the Idoll they afterward in detestation of their former act would bee avenged of their hands which offered by the burning of their whole bodies I proceed to the application of this storie unto Pauls time VERS 5. Vers 5 Even so at this present time there is a remnant through the election of grace THis Application containes foure points 1. The time of this preservation this time 2. The number a remnant 3. The meanes efficient and ground of preservation the election 4. The impulsive cause of election grace and not workes I begin with the time whence the observation is Doct. That God doth at all times preserve a Church that embraceth the true worship of God In Isa 6. ult There shall be desolation in the midst of the land but yet in it shall be a tenth and shall returne c. The Assyrians may make the people of Ierusalem so few that a childe may tell them Isa 10.19 yet the remnant shall returne even the remnant of Iacob vers 21. Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation in Ioel 3.20 whereby is signified that there shall be some of Gods Church preserved to the end of the world and if ever God had wanted a Church it would surely have beene in the time of those ten bloudy persecutions begun under Nero Onpbius Fast lib. 2. in the yeare of Christ 65. when Peter and Paul were beheaded continued under Domitian when Iohn was banisht into Pathmos under Trajane when Ignatius Bishop of Antioch under Antoninus when Polycarpe under Severus when Leonides father of Origen was martyred Quo tempore universus orbis sacro martyrum cruore insectus erat Neque unquam maâ—ri triumpho vic mus quam ciâ—n decimorum annorum strage non potuimus vinci untill the the time of Dioclesian When the world did swim with the bloud of Martyrs Neither over came wee ever with a greater triumph than when we could not be overcome with ten yeares slaughter Or if ever the Church could have beene quite pulled downe it would have beene in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes when he entred the temple at Ierusalem burned the bookes of Moses and the Prophets proclaimed feasting and riot in the house of God and put to death young and old Carion Chron. lib. 2. that would not renounce the Law which Moses had delivered The reason Reason because God is constant and sure in the promise which he hath made touching the continuall keeping of his Church I will marrie thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 yea in faithfulnesse to shew that hee will never part with his Spouse againe vers 21. From whence we may take just occasion to answer the objection of the Papists Vse 1 who tell us that wee are surely not the Church because the Church was ever but we never till the time of M. Luther My reply that the Apostles and the Primitive Church for almost six hundred yeares after Christ taught as we doe and since those times hath Poperie had her growth and ever since some have maintained our religion till this day In matter of supremacie they taught as we doe till after Gregories times which was six hundred yeares after Christ yea Gregorie writing against Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Lib. 6. Epist 30. If any calleth himselfe universall Bishop he is Antichrist In matter of the Sacrament Th. Aquin. in 1 Cor. 11. Lect. 6. for a thousand yeares together the people received the wine as well as the bread Secondly to stay the malice of the Churches enemies for they labour but in vaine Vse 2 God is on her side Rom. 8.31 And when she hath none to take her part the Lord himselfe will doe it Isa 59.16 Thirdly a comfort for all good and religious hearts Vse 3 to thinke that howsoever they may bee punisht for their sinnes and enemies may bring them to the sword yet some of them shall continue and stand to see the enemies fall religion shall not quite goe downe So I come to the number a remnant There is a remnant Those that belong unto God are not many which must not bee simply understood for in themselves they be many even an hundred fortie and foure thousand Apoc. 7.4 among the Tribes of Israel and among the Gentiles a multitude which no man could number of all nations and languages stood before the Lord and before the Lambe with long white robes and palmes in their hands c. vers 9. But in comparison of those that shall be cast away they are but few as Matth. 20.16 the Apostle is peremptorie Though Israel were as the sand yet a remnant shall be saved there is much chaffe but little wheat many stones but few pearles If a man should divide the world into three parts with Ptolomie or into foure with some later writers or into six with our last Geographers as Quade and others Lib. 1. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 and you shall not finde one of seven that professeth Christ aright they are all confined into a narrow corner in the Northwest And in this corner remove Atheists Heretiques Neutrals Worldlings Hypocrites and the remainder will be verie small and there â—e doth Christ call it a little flocke Luk. 12.32 and the gate a strait gate Luk. 13.24 and the way a narrow way Matth. 7.14 And if you should but looke upon the lives and actions of most men and see how everie man wastes his life in sinne and vanitie you would joyne with mee and say there are not many that can be saved if you doe but see how all care for earth and few for heaven you will say that surely verie few can bee saved how everie man lives and rots in one sinne or other dandles and hugs one Dalilah or other you will say that few can be saved how everie man spends his dayes in libertie and loosenesse both of life and conscience how they gather and build upon earth and strive how they may continue their names here never dreaming of a building in heaven of writing their names in heaven you will say surely few can be saved What use may wee make of this but to see Vse that the ordinarie pace and course which men take can never bring a man to heaven If then we will ever bee saved and bee of that remnant 1. Wee must learne the way to heaven perfectly 2. When we know it we must walke in it 3. We must cast off all luggage and superfluitie that hinder us in it And so I proceed to that which is the foundation and ground of this preservation viz. the election of grace S. Origen in his wandring speculation Origen in Rom. 11. would here make a difference betweene those which are called by grace viz. those that beleeve in Christ and those which are called by election of grace which beside faith in Christ have good workes as if true saith could ever be without them and Chrysostome that they were elected of
not onely whilest they live by their sinnes treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and prepare a fire in which they shall everlastingly be burned but also by propagating their sinnes unto posteritie and leaving behinde them the example of their vices whereby others daily are successively corrupted doe adde fuell to that hellish fire and increase their never ending torments So Gods servants even after they are dead have still a stocke going when as they leave behinde them their Christian vertues for examples and their holy writings teaching and perswading others to follow them whereby a daily addition is made to their glorie and happinesse Such legacies after his departure hath this reverend and faithfull servant of Christ left for the use and benefit of the Church and such children to perpetuate his name and memorie unto all posteritie I meane the summe and substance of many his learned Sermons which he preached in his place charge at S. Marie Overies in Southwarke to the great benefit comfort and contenment of those that heard him The which though he had not polished and perfected for the Presse as he might have done if it had pleased God to have prolonged his life yet I thought it not fit that they should alwaies be hidden from the world because they had not on them their best apparrell They were I assure thee his owne legitimate children conceived and bred in his owne braine which were thus farre fitted for their birth and prepared for the Presse though himselfe wanted life and strength to bring them forth Esteeme them not the lesse because they are Orphans but entertaine them rather with the more love and if thou findest in them any defects and wants pitie them the more because they have lost their father who would had he lived have supplyed them and esteeme them both in their own worth and also for their fathers sake And if I finde that thou givest this kinde entertainment to these his fruitfull labours as it were his first borne there are divers other children of the same father which shall ere long bee brought to light I meane his Lectures on the twelfth Chapter to the Romans and on a great part of the â—19 Psalme with some others In the meane while I commend them to God and the word of his grace which is able to build thee up and to give thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Thine in the Lord Iesus J. D. The Contents GOds Ministers must not conceale comforts from the wicked pag. 5 Wicked men presume upon outward privileges pag. 9 No outward privileges exempt from Gods anger p. 12 The faithfull cannot finally fall away p. 14 All that carrie the name of Christians are not in the Covenant p. 17 Those of all Nations that beleeve and repent shall be saved p. 19 A man may be assured of his salvation in this life p. 22 Parentage can neither hinder nor further salvation p. 40 Grace is above greatnesse p. 42 Sinne will ruine a people notwithstanding outward privileges p. 46 God predestinated us in Christ p. 52 We are predestinate to the meanes as well as the end p. 53 Faith nor workes forseene no cause of election p. 60 No meanes to glorie but by Christ p. 71 All that doe good workes are elect and shall be saved p. 74 The elect cannot finally be cast off p. 76 The Scriptures able to make wise to salvation p. 79 There is a familiaritie between God and his children p. 85 Prophets and good men stand in the gap p. 87 Prayers the Churches best weapons p. 89 The wicked persecute the best most p. 93 When the Prophets are gone the people fall from God p. 95 Wicked men overthrow the meanes of Gods service p. 98 Wicked men dispute against the truth with the sword p. 99 Christs Church scarsly visible sometimes p. 100 Wicked men requite Gods Prophets evill for good p. 102 When Gods servants crie to him hee answereth them p. 104 A great grace in corrupt times to bee preserved from sinne p. 109 God owneth not Idolaters for his p. 110 God hath alway a Church though invisible to man p. 113 To bow before an Idoll is idolatrie p. 117 God at all times preserves his Church p. 118 Those that belong to God are not many p. 120 God saveth man of his free grace p. 126 God in electing man respects not good workes p. 129 All men shall not be saved p. 134 No man can attaine life by his owne righteousnesse p. 135 Those that stand upon their owne holinesse are hardned p. 137 We must seeke God in a right manner p. 138 A man elect shall certainly be saved p. 139 Hardnesse of heart a signe of reprobation p. 141 The written Word should bee Iudge of controversies p. 144 Causes of hardnesse of heart p. 145 God punisheth one sinne with another p. 162 An heavie judgement to neglect the meanes to know God p. 163 Meanes of salvation abused turne to destruction p. 168 A miserie to heare and not profit p. 169 Meanes contemned are not profitable p. 173 God receiveth all that turne to him p. 164 The best things of wicked men turne to their destruction p. 177 They that seeke life in the Law finde destruction p. 181 God repayes men in the same kinde p. 182 God punisheth unbeleevers with spirituall blindnesse p. 187 God hates and severely punisheth infidelitie p. 193 When wicked men abuse their power God deprives them of it p. 194 Prudence in Ministers in denouncing of judgements p. 200 Men stumble at those things that should support them p. 203 The best may stumble reprobates fall finally p. 206 God workes good out of evill p. 208 God workes good to his by unlikely meanes p. 213 God takes al oportunities to do his children good p. 214 When the Gospell is abused God takes it away p. 216 Where the Gospell is preached salvation is offered p. 218 God requires an holy emulation p. 221 The good that is in others should provoke us to follow them p. 223 Gods kindnesse should make us ashamed of unthankfulnesse p. 225 The grace and knowledge of God and Christ is true riches p. 231 The Iewes at their conversion shall be inriched with graces p. 239 Faithfull Preachers turne all they say to their peoples use p. 241 Good people feare the losse of their faithfull Preachers p. 243 Ministers should intend the good of their people p. 247 Ministers by preaching and liuing should grace their calling p. 250 Good Ministers aime at the salvation of soules p. 252 A good Minister Gods instrument to save soules p. 256 Preachers must neglect no meanes to convert soules p. 258 We ought most to tender the salvation of those that are neere us p. 259 Living in sinne is an estate of death p. 261 Wee should not despaire of the calling of the Iewes p. 264 The Gospell the meanes of raising men from the dead p. 266 What is due to God of his owne blessings
bee made a snare the other of Isaiah Chap. 6.9 They shall see and not perceive heare but not understand from the seventh verse to the eleventh 3. The happy product and event that will follow this rejection of the Iewes and this calling of the Gentiles And this is double the one Salus Gentium i. The salvation of the Gentiles vers 11. The other in the same place Vt Iudaei conversione Gentium ad zelum provocati resipisoant i. That the Iewes being provoked to jealousie by the conversion of the Gentiles shall repent The which is enlarged by circumstances to the seventeenth 4. An exhortation to the Gentiles that they wex not proud nor insult over the Iewes First because they may bee cast off againe if they stand not constant in the faith Secondly because the Iewes shall againe be called home before the end of the world as Luke 21.24 this is from the seventeenth verse to the three and thirtieth 5. A conclusion of his disputation containing an admiration and astonishment of Paul to see the deepnesse or rather because hee cannot see the deepnesse of Gods wisdome in the ordering and effecting of mans salvation and happinesse to the end of the Chapter I begin with the consolation Consolation It consists of a question and an answer The question I say then hath God cast away his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the answer in the next God forbid Which answer is proved and made good by three arguments First his owne example I also am an Israelite vers 1. Secondly A Dei praecognitione From the prescience of God Non potest repellere quos praecognovit God hath not cast away his people whom hee fore-knew vers 2. Thirdly from the state of the Church in the time of Elias vers 4. I begin with the question Hath God cast away Quest c. which seemes to carrie this sence and meaning If it be true that God hath cast away the Iewes then God hath cast away his owne people then is God vnfaithfull in his promise made to Abraham their father Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed for ever will God make such faire promises and then let his mercies faile forget to be gracious Psal 77.9 and shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure Then it is to no purpose to bee in league with God neither any privilege of Gods people above others Before I come to the question it selfe you may observe that though in ten Chapters he had proved against them yet now he begins to speake on their sides and to question in their behalfe whence I gather this conclusion Be a people never so wicked and sinfull Doct. yet if the Word afford any comfort the Minister may not conceale it from them Simon Magus offering to buy the gifts of the Holy Ghost with money and purposing by them to get money committed such a sinne as made Peter denounce a heavie judgement Acts 8.22 Thy money perish with thee yet affords him that comfort which might raise him againe yet goe and pray it may bee the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven Act. 8.22 The people of Israel after they came out of Aegypt grieved the Lord and Moses sometimes murmuring for flesh Exod. 16. Exod. 16. sometimes for water Chap. 17. sometimes by idolatrie Chap. 17. for they made a molten calfe Exod. 32.5 6. and said These be thy Gods O Israel Exod. 32.5 6. Sometimes by wantonnesse they sate downe to eat c. Exod. 32. Yet Moses must not deny them that comfort which God hath in store for them but bids them plucke up their hearts and be strong dread not nor bee affraid for the Lord God himselfe will goe before them Deut. 31.6 Deut. 31.6 Isaiah prophesieth thus unto Ezekiah Behold all that is in thine house thy sons thy children shall bee carried captives to Babylon Isa 39.6 Isay 39.6 Yet wil there be a day when he will bid his Prophets speake comfort to his people againe Comfort ye Chap. 40. 1. comfort ye c. chap. 40. 1. It is required of a dispencer that he be found faithfull 1 Cor. 4.2 1 Cor. 4.2 that if judgement belong to a man he denounce it if after judgement comfort he administer it and therein must endeuour to have alwayes a cleare conscience in keeping backe nothing that God would have spoken Acts 20.20 Acts 20.20 I adde no more but that of God unto Elijah touching Ahab Seest thou how Ahab is humbled God meaning him but so much comfort as to deferre his punishment till his sonnes dayes yet God will make the Prophet and the Prophet make Ahab acquainted with it 1 King 21.28 1 King 21.28 29. 29. The Minister must breake but hee must binde againe wound but he must heale againe cast downe but he must raise againe they must not be onely like Bonarges sonnes of thunder but like Barnabas sonnes of consolation to preach not onely captivitie but deliverance not onely judgement but mercie not onely desolation and miserie but joy and comfort Misericordia juduium sunt duo pedes Domini In Cant. Serm. 6. Mercie and judgement are the two fect of the Lord saith Bernard Therefore wee must not conceale them but tell them the people when God comes in judgement and when in mercie Therfore their course cannot be justifiable Vse 1 who doe nothing but teare the hearts of the people with judgements and will not reueale those mercies which the word affords whereas some might be won with mercie that are too much wounded with judgements sometimes a little suppling oyle may doe asmuch good as a great deale of wine Psal 101.1 Nemo sibi ad impunitatem blandietur quia est judicium nemo ad melius commutatus exhorreat judicium quia est misericordia Aug. in Psal 101.1 and milde lenitives may be as profitable as biting corrasives It is good to follow Dauids rule Psal 101. I will sing of mercie and judgement Augustine saith No man will flatteringly promise unto himselfe impunitie because there is judgement no man changed to better will tremble at judgement because there is mercie The long suffering of God leadeth to repentance Rom. 2.4 The long suffering of God is salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 God is as much to bee feared for his mercies as for his judgements Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.15 For there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 143.4 Psal 143.4 We will not bruise a broken reed nor quench the smoking flax but like Christ himselfe Isa 42.3 Isay 42.3 Stengthen the weake knees and comfort the feeble minded and as we destroy so we will plant as we throw down by judgement so we will by mercie build you up againe to be lively temples for Christ to dwell in So I come to the question it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Question c. Hath God
There hath never beene any such generall hardnesse and revolt from God but God hath preserved a Church among them to himselfe In the sixth of Esay and the last verse There shall be desolation in the midst of the land but yet in it shall be a tenth and shall returne as an Oake or Elme which have a substance in them when they cast their leaves The Aslyrian may make the people of Ierusalem like the trees of a forrest cut downe so few that a childe may tell them Isay 10.9 Yet some of that few belongs to the mighty God vers 21. If ever God had wanted a Church surely it should have beene in the time of those ten bloudy persecutions begun under Nero An. Dom. 65. when Peter and Paul were beheaded Omphrius Fast lib 2. continued under Domitian when Iohn was banisht into Pathmos under Trajane when Ignatius Bishop of Antiochia under Antoninus when Polycarpe under Severus when Leonides the father of Origen were put to death untill the end of the bloudy reigne of Dioclesian Que tempere universus orbis sacro martyrum cruore insectus Neque unquam majori triumpho vicimus quam cum 10. annorum strage non potuimus vinci At what time the whole world was drowned and drunken with the holy bloud of the Martyrs Nor at any time overcame we with greater triumph than when we could not with ten yeares slaughter be overcome Or if ever Gods Church could have beene quite pulled downe in likelihood it would have beene in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes when he entred the Temple Ierusalem burned the bookes of Moses and the Prophets proclaimed feasting and riot in the house of God and put to death both young and old that would not renounce the Law which Moses had delivered Carion Chron. lib. 2. The reason is Gods true and constant promise touching the continuall keeping and preservation of his Church I will marrie thee unto me for ever Reason Hos 2.19 And to shew that hee will never part with his Spouse againe he saith hee will doe it in faithfulnesse vers 21. From whence I may take just occasion to answer that Popish slander That undoubtedly wee are not the Church because the Church was ever wee never heard of till Luthers time My reply is That the Apostles and the Primitive Church for almost six hundred yeeres after Christ taught as wee doe and ever since there have beene some that have contended for the maintenance of that faith which we professe In matter of Supremacie they taught as we doe till after Gregories time which was six hundred yeeres after Christ Yea Gregorie himselfe writing against Iohn of Constantinople a Si quis se appellaverit Episiopum universalem is est Antichristus considentè dico Greg Epist lib. 6. Epist 30. If any shall call himselfe universall Bishop I say it considently that hee is Antichrist In matter of the Sacrament for 1000. yeeres together b Cypr. Epist 71. the people received the wine as well as the bread c In 1 Cor. 11. liect 6. Aquinas cannot deny In the point of Images at first the Church admitted no Images at all as d In Catechism Erasmus and * Epist lib. 7. Epist 109. Gregorie sheweth Yea e De Invent. lib. 6. cap. 13. Polydore Virgil confesseth That the Fathers condemned Images for feare of idolatrie And this continued till the second Nicene Councell as f Instit lib. 1. cap. 11. Calvin proveth But now of late the g Sess 25. Trent Councell and h De imagia Sanct. lib. 2. cap. 14. Bellarmine have given unto them divine honour Not to trouble you long i Jn praesat nâ—tive 45. Bristow confesseth The truth is that some have beene in all ages of the Protestants opinion And k Catal. Test veri atie Illyricus remembers one Reynerius who discoursing of the Waldenses a people for substance of the Protestants religion saith they are in all the Cities of Lombardy and Provence No Sect hath continned so long some say it hath beene since Pope Sylvesters time some since the Apostles They beleeve all articles concerning God but they hate the Church of Rome so that wee have had a Church and our religion before Luther I come to a second point In part There is no question but this was the greater part onely a small remnant that God reserved as vers 5. Even so at this sime there is a remnant Though the people of the world be many yet they that belong to God are not many as vers 5. And so I come to the second branch of the mysterie Vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Exposition The Apostle taught them before that the hardnesse of the Iewes should come to an end here he sets downe the time when it shall be untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in By this fulnesse is meant Gods Church gathered out of all Nations by the preaching of the Gospell not that all Nations shall bee converted for then the Church should have no enemies nor should there be any truth in these Prophecies of the Apostasie of Antichrist and the small number of Beleevers in the last times But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the turning of great multitudes of all Nations to the faith of Christ such as hath not beene of old no not in the time at the preaching of the Apostles I omit that doubt and question whether the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall be so come in that after the conversion of the Iew no more Gentiles shall bee called for I beleeve that to the end the Word shall worke upon the Gentile as well as on the Iew I shall say somewhat of it in his proper place In this branch of the mysterie observe first the period of the miseries of the Iewes secondly the complement of the happinesse of the Gentiles the one noted at the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the other in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnes In the former which I call the period of the miseries of the Iewes I note first that there is no people so farre gone in sinne but when they returne God will receive them as vers 23. Secondly though obstinacie lye upon them verie long yet before the end of the world they shall be called againe The reasons 1. The first fruits of the Iewes converted as Iohn the Baptist old Simeon and the Apostles and here and there some in later times Egisippus the writer of Ecclesiasticall Historie a Iew. Bucolcerus about the yeere 162. in the time of Antoninus the Emperour and the Magdeburgenses report of one in Spaine Cent. 13. Anno 123. 2. From the testimonies of Scripture which shew that the first fruit were holy the root whence they came holy Therefore the branches and the whole lumpe is holy not by internall sanctitie but Deo foederati children of the Covenant and therefore shall certainly bee
number of seven because seven was the day of rest to signifie that they who came to Christ by faith had rest in him And Gorrhan descants upon it and shewes that the number of seven signifies the universalitie because all things were made in seven dayes and of a thousand to shew their perfection because that is a perfect and absolute number The point is God alwayes hath a Church Doct. though invisible to the eye of man The Vse is Vse to teach us not to rest in the outward profession for that they may have who are none of Gods Church but to labour for true and inward holines whereby we may be sure that we are of it whence it may be collected That there are not many of the invisible Church that many are not of the invisible Church because most men affect no more than a Pharisaicall puritie which appeares by these foure signes 1. Because the keeping of a good conscience is put out of countenance the verie seeking after it is made a mock and a word of reproach who is so much branded with the odious name of Puritane as they that most labour for the testimonie of a good conscience most men thinke that precisenesse of life is the onely staine of a Church and can more easily beare with an Atheisticall and time-serving Papist than a Protestant if there bee in him one sparke of zeale more than ordinarie 2. Because most men spend most of their time in a slender disputation and so they can say something but doe not much care for practising any thing such as are taxt by Paul 1 Tim. 6.4 puft up and dote about questions and words Doe you dispute I will beleeve I will practise 3. By the generall ignorance partly affected as Iob 21.14 They say unto God depart from us c. partly of meere negation where they want meanes of knowledge where the childrens bread is cast to dogs where Church livings maintaines hawkes and dogs and the Levites portion is made a childes portion for the Gentlemans youngest son Adde to these such men as can spare no time from wordly cares to heare the Word Lucrantur denarium amittunt regnum Aâ—per hoc nil â—â—ud est sâ—â—entia â—â—stra quâ—m culpa They gaine a penny and lose a kingdome 4. Because men do not live as they professe And by this our knowledge is nothing els but a fault saith Salvianus Christ cries Let your light shine before men c. Matth. 5.16 Wee so live that men seeing our wicked lives have cause to blaspheme God will Seythians Moores and Pagans doe it they read the Gospell and live immodestly they heare the Apostles and are given to drunkennesse they follow Christ and steale in us Christ suffereth a reproach in us the Law suffereth a curse the name of God is blasphemed and religion ill spoken of for our sakes Rom. 2.24 And I feare that this want of practice will enforce the Lord to take away the Gospell and give it to a people that will bring forth fruit Remember what befell the fig-tree Matth. 21.19 Remember what is written Heb. 6.7 8. The earth which drinketh up the raine that commeth oft upon it and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to bee burned So I come to shew from what they were preserved They have not bowed their knees to Baal In 1 King 19.18 there is in the Hebrew somewhat more as everie mouth that hath not kissed Baal The bowing of the knee is a token of subjection therefore they that bowed acknowledged thereby their subjection to Baal as Isa 45.23 Everie knee shall bow unto me and Phil. 2.10 At the name of Iesus c. Secondly they kissed the Idol so they kissed the golden calves They say one to another while they sacrifice a man let them kisse the calves Hos 13.2 Now the kisse is a signe of love and by it they signified that they loved Baal right as the Papists at this day doe bow at the Crosse the picture of Marie and the Apostles creepe to them and kisse them Now if you will know what this Baal was The word in the Hebrew signifies an Husband or Lord and here is meant a strange Lord or Husband for though Baal signifie an Husband or Lord and God bee the Lord and Husband of the Church yet he will not be called by this name as Hos 2.16 Thou shalt call mee Ishi but not Baali and it is worth the observing that it is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the image they are preserved from bowing to the image but in 2 King 17.16 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. to an Idoll So that the Scriptures make no such difference betweene an idoll and an image nor betweene the worshipping of an idoll and an image as the Papist doth It was an idoll the idoll of the Sydonians and had his beginning thus Ninus the third Monarch of the Persians was the sonne of Iupiter Belus and this Ninus when his father Belus was dead erected a Statua over him and there promised in writing that if a man were guiltie of never so great offence yet if he should repaire to that image the King would pardon him and when offenders found so great benefit by this Statua they began to give to it divine honour and when afterward they erected other idols they called them by that name as Bell and Baal and in the plurall number Baalim as Zancheus sheweth in Precept 2. cap 15. So that Strabo Diodorus Siculus and Herodotus in Euterpe went amisse when they said that idols were first invented by the Aegyptians for you see they came first from the Babylonians and as for the Romans they worshipt their Gods for an hundred and seventie yeares as both Plutarch in Numa and Augustine de Civitat Dei lib. 14. chap. 31. testifie Thus the sense and meaning being plaine I descend to the note viz. To bow bend Doct. and kneele before an idoll is flat idolatrie So when the Israelites danced before the Calfe Exod. 32.19 That which is by some alleaged touching Elisha 2 Kings 5.18 that hee approved the act of Naaman the Syrian is not found for first that Goe in peace was but the ordinarie speech of men when they tooke leave one of another so Zancheus or rather thus Naaman doth not desire indulgence for that hee meant to doe afterward but for that hee had done already and so the Hebrew imports and besides at the seventeenth verse hee protests against all idolatrous service In the third of Daniel they were commanded to bow to the image But the three children refused saying that they would not serve those Gods nor worship them vers 18. and therefore God forbids it in the second Commandement Sozomenus reports Eccles hist lib. 5. cap. 16. that when some Christian Souldiers were circumvented by Iulian and by his perswasion moved
grace Chrysost ibid. whom God foresaw would beleeve and the Pelagians of grace that is they who have chosen grace both of them ascribing too much to mans will The meaning is that this remnant is reserued according to the election of grace not whereby men chose grace but whereby God of his meere grace hath chosen men saith Iunius Iun. in Rom. 11. and there is in them an Hebraisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the election of grace for according to free election saith Beza and Aquinas Beza Aquin. In them I note 1. The foundation and ground of salvation and that is Gods election 2. The impulsive cause of Gods election grace not in us but in God as Pareus and Soto Pareus Soto In the handling whereof and here note 1. what it is Election is that part of Gods eternall predestination Election described whereby hee decreed before all eternity that they whom he loved in Christ should be called to the adoption of sonnes iustified by faith should doe good workes bee glorified and made conformable to the image of his Son which conformity is begun when we are justified increased daily by good workes finished in eternall glory and all this that God may shew upon them the riches of his mercy that it is of those whom hee loved in Christ it is manifest for whatsoever good we have of God it is by and through Christ 2. That they should be called So the Apostle hee hath chosen us to be adopted through Iesus Christ unto himselfe Epes 1.5 3. That they should bee justified See Rom. 8.30 whom hee called them he justified 4. To be glorified Ibid. 5. That they may bee conformable to the image of his Sonne See Paul 8.29 Out of all these arise three conclusions 1. God did elect and chose because hee looked mercifully vpon vs in Christ 2. Whomsoever hee did chose unto glory he did predestinate to be holy Homines non producit Deus ad gloriam per scelera flagitiae Peter Martyr God brings not men to glory by villanies and wickednesse saith Martyr as aboue 3. All our hope of glory depends meerely vpon our election in Christ that we are or shall be called and iustified and in the end glorified Rom. 8.29 30. This election is the first and most ancient charter that Gods children can shew for their right to their Fathers inheritance for though by vocation we be manifested to be the sonnes of God by iustification ingrafted in Iesus Christ and made partaker of all that is his and by glorification we be entred into our Fathers inheritance yet is our election the foundation of all these as 2. Tim. 2.19 Our hope that we are of his Church for onely the elect are the Church and the univocall members of Christ the head though it bee denied by Bellarmine in opposition to Wickliffe Hus and Calvin Bellarm. de Eccles mil tant lib. 3. cap. 7. Our hope that our calling is true and effectuall for they only are effectually called who are eternally elected as may appeare in the golden chaine whom hee did predestinate them hee called Rom. 8.30 Our hope that we shall never be cast off that we are preserved by Christ and shall bee raised up at the last day Iohn 6.39 That we are kept by the power of God the father through faith unto salvation prepared but showed in the last times 1. Pet. 1.5 If all depend on this let us learne whether wee belong unto it or no that we may know whether we shall ever bee glorified or no. There is no way to know it but by the fruits as 2. Pet. 1.10 The fruits are many I will note for your comfort some 1. good workes 2. a conscionable care of the meanes of salvation 3. The spirit of prayer 4. Abalienation from the world 5. Hungring and thirsting after righteousnes 6. Conflict betweene the flesh spirit 7. New obedience 8. Love to Gods ministers 9. A longing for the fulnesse and complement of Christs comming as above and so I come to the impulsive cause of election Grace Amongst men they are said to have grace Cui favet populus Who have the good will and love of the people And so with God they are said to have grace who have found grace with God But here is a manifest difference men favour none but in whom they finde something whereby they may bee allured to love them but God loved not because he saw vs to be lovely for hee loved us first and by loving us gave us that which pleaseth him So that the name of grace in Scripture is used two wayes 1. For the free love and favour of God wherewith hee imbraceth the elect Ephes 1.6 We are predestinate to the praise of the glory of his grace 2. Grace signifies the gifts freely bestowed upon us by God as Rom. 11.29 The gifts that is the graces of God are without repentance as Aquinas hath well distinguisht Quaest 110. Artic. 1. By understanding of which distinction it will appeare with what difference the Protestant and the Papist agree in this tenent that man is justified by grace as the same schooleman 2a 2ae quaest 113. Artic. 2. But the Papist by grace understands the gifts of grace conferred upon them that bee justified as the infused habit of faith good workes c. We by grace in the act of justification understand not the workes of grace which by our faults and sinnes bee made imperfect and not able to satisfie Gods justice but the good will the love which God shewes unto us out of his meere mercie Lib. 2. distinct 26. Peter Lombard hath distinguisht grace into working and co-working and fathers it upon S. Augustine Degratin lib. Arbit Cap. 7. But these bee the same grace distinguisht onely in the effects for grace doth first cure the will and so it is working 2. It caused the will being cured to doe rightly and so it is co-working In the first mans will concurs with grace passively and grace only workes but in the other when mans will is regenerate it concurres both actively and passively and so grace and mans will be co-operant I will not trouble you with those distinctions into prevenient and subsequent which are but one and by the same grace hee prevents us that wee may will hee followes us by making us to doe he prevents us by moving us to good workes hee followes us by giving perseverance nor with that of grace into grace freely given and making acceptable Grace freely given is whereby one man workes with another to salvation and is called grace freely given because it is granted to man above the facultie of nature Grace making acceptable by which man is joyned to God as Th. Aquinas Th. Aquin. quaest 12. Art 1. That which is here meant by grace is his free mercie and love from whence the point is That which moveth God to