age wherein the Iewes shal be conuerted there shal be much faith and zeale vpon the earth but in the next following wherein many false Christs shall seduce many then there shal be almost none What shall their receiuing bee but life from death Q. Shall not the generall calling the conuertion of the Iewes bee in occasion of the diminishing and reiection of the Gentiles A. No but a reuiuing of their faith and a quickning of the word For the ouerflowing and streaming fountaine of Gods mercie and goodnesse is neuer drawne drie and the more that men vse it the more it runneth out and sloweth Secondly if that which is euill in it selfe viz. the fall of the Iewes was sauing to the Gentiles albeit accidentally and by occasion much more that which is good off and by it selfe shall produce and bring forth good effects V. If the first fruites bee holy then the whole Lumpe and if the roote then the branches Q. Are they that are borne of holy parents holy or can parents deriue and transfuse grace and holinesse into their children A. No for they are borne and conceiued in sinne and are by nature the children of wrath but they are holy by couenant and promise onelie whether they bee Iewes or Gentiles according to the tennor of the couenant I wil be thy God and the God of thy seed for euer Gen. 17.7 and Gall. 3.9 and they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham Secondly holy and beleeuing parents beget not children as they are holy and beleeuing for this proceedeth onely from grace and Gods free promise but as they are men and naturall parents and therefore that which is borne of the flesh is flesh as all are by nature and that which is borne viz. againe of the spirit is spirit Iohn 3.6 Q. In that the patriarckes and Ancesters of the Iewes are called the first fruites the roote the naturall oliues are not the preferments prerogatiues and excellences of the Iewes farre greater then of the Gentiles Ans. Yes much euery manner of way but not in repect of righteousnesse and merite for herein they are equall and all one Eph. 2.23 but in outward priuiledges and ornaments onely Question What then were then the speciall and singular ornaments and prerogatiues of the Iewes Ans. Nine specially as they are numbred by Saint Paul First the glorious title of Israelites which name Iacob first obtained by reason of wrestling and preuailing with the Angell Secondly the Adoption to bee Gods people in generall Thirdly the Glorie i. the honour and dignity in that the Lord of glory did as it were dwell amongst them signes of whose speciall presence were the Arke and the Temple Fourthly the couenants that is not onely the testament but also many compactes and the agreements that passed betweene GOD and the people Fiftly the giuing of the law Moral Iudicial Ceremonial vnder which is comprehended the Kingly dignity and Magistracie Sixtly the seruice of God that is the whole Leuiticall Ministerie and the Administration of Gods worship Seuenthly the promises that is of earthly and spirituall blessings and of the Gospell promised to the Fathers Rom. 1. v. 2. Eightly the honorable descent from the holy Fathers and Ancestors for whose sake God doth often times blesse the posteritie Ninthly and lastly the hauing of Christ for their kinsman for of them concerning the flesh came Christ who is God blessed for euer-more Vers. 15. If the casting away of them c what the reconciling c. Obs. The conuersion of the nation of the Iewes shall be the worlds restauration and shall wonderfully confirme the faith of the Gentiles Rom. 11.12 Ioh. 10.16 The reason hereof is for that they both shall haue perfect ioy when both Iewes and Gentiles shall alike enioy the common â—elicitie and all scruples doubts and all causes of any pretended separation shall bee taken away and remooued Secondly an increase augmentation and an honor and ornament shall be hereby added to the Church Vse Let vs therefore desire and seeke after their conuersion and heartely pray for it and by writing disputes doctrine and holy example further and promote it for this shall redound to Gods glory and the amplification and improouement of our owne both temporall and eternall happinesse Ver. 15. Be but life from death In that by the Ministerie of the Gospell the Iewes which were dead in sinne are restored to life and the Gentiles faith reuiued wee learne hence the sauing vertue and effectuall power of it The first reason hereof is because it is the power of God to saluation in all the Elect for herein God reuealeth his true and absolute righteousnesse with which life and saluation is alwaies ioyned and by the meanes and ministerie hereof it is conueied and communicated to them that receiue and obey it Secondly it is the immortall seed of regeneration and eternall life for hereby God doth call men to bee his children and doth conuert them hee raizeth and createth faith in them and doth adopte and regenerate them Vse 1. The first vse hereof is to learne vs not onely to magnifie and haue the Gospell in high account and esteeme that bringeth such comfort and commoditie with it but also to receiue it yea to temper it as men doe mixe and dulcifiâ— their tart wine with suger with faith and to apply it to our owne selues otherwise it will bee altogether vnprofitable vnto vs. Vse 2. Secondly wee must hereby bee induced and perswaded to leade and liue a new life according to the tenor of the Gospell and the intent of the word of God For the grace and Gospell of Christ hath brightly appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue iustly godlyly and soberly in this present world Titus 2.11.12 Vse 3. Thirdly hereby also wee are remembred and put in minde from whence the. Gospell hath his credit authoritie and estimation not from the approbation of mans reason nor from the applause of the worlde nor from the persons of the Ministers but from God and from the admirable and supernaturall effects and fruites of it For it is giuen by inspiration it is the voyce and letter of GOD and is autentike of and in it selfe and no other doctrines haue any credit authoritie or power but so farre forth as they receiue it from the Scripture or accord with it If the first fruites be holy so is the whole lumpe c. Obs. Heere is commended the goodnesse of GOD and the truth of his couenant of grace that doth redound and extend it selfe to posteritie and succeeding generations euen from generation to generation Exod 20. Psal. 3. Ver. 9. Psal. 89. Ver. 33.34 Psal. 103 Ver. 17. The reason hereof is his truth and couenant doth not depend vppon any creature or thing without himselfe but onely vppon him-selfe and therefore can by no outward meanes be nullified or made frustrate Vse
knowledge and vnderstanding of them is for therevnto are we referred in all our doubts controuersies and difficulties for resolution Isai. 8.20 Luke 16.28 31. Ioh. 5.38 Secondly they conteine the meanes deedes euidences charter and the broad seale of our saluation Ioh. 5.34 Ioh. 20.31 Rom. 1.16 1. Tim. 3.15.16 Psal. 19â—7 Thirdly the ignorance and neglect of them is the cause of all Athiesme errour heresie sinne rebellion persecution misery yea and damnation it selfe 2. King 17.26 Psal. 95.10 Isay. 5.13 Math. 22.29 Iohn 12.35 Rom. 10.2 1. Cor. 2.8 1. Thes. 4.13 Lastly God hath both in the old Testament as also in the new laide a speciall charge and command vpon all sorts of people soueraigne and subiect publike and priuate persons mighty and meane to exercise themselues and continually to trauaile in the reading and meditation of holy scripture Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 Iosua 1.8 Psal. 1.2 Coloss. 3.19 Iohn 5.39 1. Tim. 4.13 Vse It condemneth the idlenesse and vanitie of this present age wherein many most bestow none or little time in reading and consulting the sacred Scriptures wherein they might bee made circumspect redresse their waies haue comfort and supportance in all afflictions and be made wise vnto saluation But in the practise of the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse in the excesse of sinne and vanitie and in the reading and reuising toyes and trifles that can minister nothing vnto them but matter of mourning and cause of after repentance they can willingly and wilfully spare spend whole houres daies nights weeks The Lord amend this and renue and reuiue the dying pining zeale of his people and seruants in so many places How he maketh request vnto God speaking against Israell And in the 1. of Kings 19.10 he saith that he hath beene iealous for the Lord of Hosts all tending to one purpose from which place I obserue and gather That the Pastors Preachers of Gods word especially must be enfired and inflamed with an holy zeale of Gods glory with a holy indignation against sin and idolatry then principally when with Elias others they see most grieuous transgressions of the people when they see Baals Priests viz. Iesuites and Seminaries Popish Emisaries to be had in request and high reputation and themselues and the true Prophets and ministers of the Lord reuiled and reiected yea wringed and wronged yea killed and slaughtered when they see Christ to bee vilified and Antichrist to be deified and when they see the Gospell troden vnderfoot impiety superstition aduanced Examples hereof wee haue in Moses who seeing the Golden Calfe that the Israelites had made and the dauncing about it waxed wroth cast the tables out of his hands brake them in peeces before the Mountaine burned the calfe in fire ground it to powlder strawed it vpon the water and made the Children of Israell drinke of it In Phaenehas the sonne of Eleazar who arose vp from the midst of the Congregation tooke a speare in his hand and with it thrust thorow Zimri the sonne of Salâ— and Cozbi the daughter of Zur the Midianitish woman and so the plague ceased from the children of Israell In Zacharias the sonne of Ichoiada the Priest who obseruing the people after Ichoiodah his death to fall away to idolatrie in zeale reproued them for transgressing Gods commandements hee told them that they should not prosper but that as they had forsaken the Lord so he had forsaken them and herevpon they at King Ioash his tyrrannicall command stoned him to death In Iohn the Baptists for his bold reprehension of the Pharasies and Saduces and for reprouing of Herod for his incest and many other sinnes In Peter against Ananias and Saphira his wife Act. 5.3 In Steuen in telling the Iewes they were stif-necked and that they like their fathers alwaies resisted the holy Ghost that they had not kept the law but that they were the betraiers and murderers of the iust In Paul whose spirit was stirred vp in him wheÌ„ he saw the citty of Athens subiect to idolatrie And in himselfe and Barnabas who when the people with their Priest would haue done sacrifice to them in zeale rent their owne clothes and rebuked the people In Dauid as the tipe and most eminently in Christ the truth and perfection all of whom were consumed with the zeale of Gods house Psal. 69.19 Math. 21.12 Ioh. 2 15. Reason The reason hereof is because they are Gods watchmen and forewarne the people they are Gods trumpetters to tell the people of their sinnes and the spirituall leaders guides and directers of the multitude 1 Vse This doctrine serueth for reproofe of some Ministers of our time who either are remisse and negligent and seeking their owne ease neuer oppose themselues by doctrine and example against the errors and sinnes of their flockes but rather applaude them or at least in conniuence take notice of nothing and if the shew any zeale it is rather for their own Diana and advantage then for Gods true religion and glory 2 Vse It is a great comfort for all true and sound hearted Ministers who in an aduized and discreete zeale within the compasse of their callings both by preaching example and authority shew their dislike and opposition against superstitions and enormous sinnes and abuses beeing assured that what contumelies and indignities they vndergoe for Gods honour God will accordingly consider of them and censure their aduersaries he will honour them that honor him and despise them that despise him They haue killed thy Prophets and digged downe thine Alters From these two members ioyntly considered ariseth this instruction That it is the plot and practise of Apostataes and Idolaters in their hatred rage against God to labour to blot all remembrance of God and not to suffer the Ambassadors and Messengers of God to remaine aliue Psal. 79.1 2. Psal. 8.13 Apoc. 12.2 13.16 17. Apoc. 18.24 Reas. The reason in regard of the holy monuments of Gods seruice is because they are profaine and wicked and regard them not and as for the good ministers of God they like the King of Aram against Ahab though indeed a most wicked King fight against none in comparison but against them for they seeme stumbling blockes and hubbes in their way who by their ministerie and zealous example vexe them Apoc. 11. ver 10. 1. Vse Let vs be thankefull vnto God for the long continued vse and ministery of his blessed Gospell and that neither Prelates nor Pastors nor Preachers are not giuen into the hands of our blood-thristy woluish aduersaries 2. Vse Secondly let the ministers prepare and resolue them-selues not onely to suffer rebuke and losse for Gods cause but also to die for it if they be therevnto called for God will highly reward them and they shall not bee loosers but gainers by it and not damnified but euerlastingly glorified 3. Vse Seeing the good pastors and ministers of Gods word are so much maligned
God in holy scripture Ezek. 11.37 Rom. 9. Rom. 15.4 Ioh. 20.31 Apoc. 9. and 17.18 The reason hereof is because they are very necessary for the confirmation of our faith direction of our liues and therfore God would not haue vs in any wise ignorant of them much lesse to doubt of the truth of them Secondly God would hereby shew and declare the sufficiency of the scriptures and so consequently warne and lesson vs that we giue no credit to bee ruled by any fained reuelation or humaine traditions in matter of saluation but only consult and search the scriptures which containe a plaine perfect and all sufficient doctrine both for faith manners and for sauing of our soules Vse 1. The first vse is to condemne partly the supine and merueilous negligence and extreame slouthfulnesse of them that know not such necessary and fundamentall points and principall conclusions so euidently and so oftentimes spoken of and vrged in the sacred scriptures or the vnexcusable vnbeleife and Atheisme of those that will not beleeue such plaine places and proofes of Gods word but say or at least thinke that the scriptures are vntrue the fables or the politicke inuentions of men to keepe and râ—taine men in some feare and awe These are the Marchiuillians matchlesse in euil of our times Vse 2. We must neuer stagger 〈◊〉 or doubt of them neither at any time cal the certainty and accomplishment thereof in question but rest in them and repaire strengthen and quicken our faith by them for to this end were they giuen As it is written Ministers and preachers must leâ—rne hence not to broach and vtter their owne conceits or the inuentions of men but to speake and preach the holy and wholsome word of God only Luk 4.11.20 Isa. 8.20 Act. 26.22 Reasons hereof are first God so requireth and commandeth Ioh. 4. Isa. 8.20 Ier. 2. Secondly the word of God is for all and in all points that concernes faith and good life of and in it selfe perfectly sufficient 2. Tim. 3.16 and 17. so that it neither admitteth addition nor detraction Thirdly we haue for our light and direction the continuall practise of all the Prophets and men of God in the olde Testament and of Christ the Apostles and Euangelists in the new Fourthly the often and vnsauorie and vnfruitfull blending and addition of humaine vanities doth but darken and diminish the power puritie and efficacie of Gods word Vse 1. Hereby are condemned first the Papists that will not admitte and allow the Scripture to bee the sole and all sufficient rule and touch-stone of Doctrine and faith but adde and equall to it their decretalls traditions c. Secondly the hearers must take heed how and what they heare they must try the spirits and doctrines by the touch-stone of Gods word spirit and then retaine the good and if ought be dissonant from the sacred scripture they must refuse and reiect it The Deliuerer shall come out of Sion Christ the Redeemer Seeing that the Iewes and so all we Gentiles haue need off and haue giuen vnto vs of God not onely for our temporall but especially for our eternall deliuerance and saluation a Deliuerer and a Redeemer we see what wretched and miserable sinners we are by nature children of wrath lost sheepe Math. 15.24 Vassals captiues and slaues vnder sinne and Sathan Luke 4. V. 18. Lying and liuing in the shadow and point of death Ephes. 2.2 and for feare of the second or eternall death al our life subiect to bondage Hebr. 2.15 The reason hereof is for that all men without this Deliuerer and Redeemer to omit their temporall miseries and malladies are in farre worser estate then any brute beast or vgly toad or any other vilde creature for when it dieth his life and woe endeth together with it but the death of man without a Redeemer and without faith in him is but the beginning of vncessant and euerlasting terror and torment Vse Let vs labour to feele and finde our selues to bee thus wretched and miserable and acknowledge that without Christ his suffering and obedience we euerlastingly perish we must from a touched heart acknowledge that shame and confusion belongeth vnto vs that of sinners we are the greatest and therefore wee must intreate the Lord to be merciful vnto vs to receiue vs into his grace and fauour And therefore it standeth vs in hand carefully to labour and endeauour that Sathan doe not fore-stall bewitch and possesse our hearts with his deceites and illusions and so take all sense of our miseries from vs wherein they must needes pine and perish that seeke any other by-waies or shifting euasions Vse 2. Wee must in time seeke vnto Christ onely for helpe for pardon of sinnes and for saluation he hath eternall life in himselfe and is author of eternall saluation to all that obey him and for our better direction herein we must craue and desire the instructions aduise and assistance not only of our pastors and ministers but also of our Christian and beloued friends and acquaintance And shall turne away desections and vngodlinesse from Iacob It is the proper office of Christ Iesus to reconcile the reuolting Iewes and by consequence all the elect in the world to God his Father 1 Ioh. 2.1 and 2. Râ—m 5.8.9.10 Ioh. 1.29 Act. 4.12 The forme and manner is by his death and passion to make payment and satisfaction to Gods iustice for their sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.7 1. Pet. 1.18 Secondly by not imputing sinne vnto his elect and by imputing his owne righteousnesse vnto them 2. Cor. 5. ver 21. Thirdly by abating and weakning the multitude and might of sin in them by the power of his word and efficacy of his spirit Rom. 6. ver 3 4.5.6 Lastly by quite abolishing and remouing them at the houre of death and at the day of iudgment Apoc. 14.13 Hebr. 9. ver 28. Act. 3.19 The reason hereof as he is the blessed seed in whom all nations are blessed he is the roote and foundation on which all Gods promises depend and in whom they are yea and Amen Finally God hath sanctified sent and sealed him alone to be Sauiour Mediator of the world Vse 1. Therefore we must seeke for saluation in none els but in Christ in his only merits righteousnes sufferings for he alone trod downe the wine-presse of Gods wrath and by his death and obedience made satisfaction to his diuine iustice And this is my couenant to them Gods couenant with his people is certaine sure perpetual and alwaies kept on Gods part Act. 3.15 It is the foundation of saluation The reason hereof is because it is ratified and confirmed by Christ his death as no humaine couenant can be for they only last whiles the parties liue Secondly it is in time sealed in the hearts of Gods children by faith Ephe. 1.13 as also renewed and confirmed by