vs being the Murderer of the Soule but as a most hainous sin against God Hope therefore But thou wilt say Alas my Euilnesse bids me despaire Yea but if thou beleeuest and repentest God bids thee Hope Be of good Comfort therefore and hauing Gods Commandement to Hope and his promise not to be confounded though thou seest nothing in thy selfe to make thee hope yet hope aboue hope Vse 3. The Papists say wee cannot be certaine of Saluation because we hope for it but God saith because we hope we are certaine For we are saued by Hope Vse 4. The complete and perfect state of Gods Children here is not in re but in spe As Christs Kingdome is not of this world Ioh. 18.36 so is not our Hope The worldlings motto is A Bird in the hand Giue mee to day say they and take to morrow whoso will But the word of Beleeuers is Spero meliora My hopes are better then my present possessions Therefore we despise the present things of the world in the hope of things to come vsing the world as though wee vsed it not as a Merchant hoping to fraught himselfe with Gold neglecteth baser commodities Worldly men laugh at Beleeuers for contemning earthly things and Beleeuers which hope laugh at worldly men for contemning heauenly things We are not without ioy in this world but it is such as the world knowes not The Ioyes of the world are nothing to that wee haue as that we haue is nothing to that we shall haue What ioy and happinesse is in enioying when the very hope is so happy and glorious If God be so sweet to them which hope for him what is he to them which haue him The Children of God are accounted fooles for letting slip a good bargaine for going to a Sermon when others goe to profit and pleasure but herein they are most wise as he is which contemneth drosse for Gold shels for Kernels Vse 5. Hope breeds Patience Vnderstand it thus Betweene Hope and Hauing there is a want of the thing desired This delay is troublesome for the hope that is deferred Pro. 13.12 is the fainting of the heart but when it comes it is as a Tree of Life and the greater is the fainting as the thing hoped for is greater Now for this want delay and fainting Patience is necessary that we should not thinke the time long nor faint vnder the troubles which in the meane time doe occurre Dauid was promised a Kingdome and in the end had it but in the meane time he waited deuouring many troubles through patience So we haue a Kingdome promised but we must enter into it through many tribulations and wait the Lords leisure Therefore Patience is needfull that after wee haue done and suffred the will of God Heb. 10.35 Eph. 6.17 we may inherite the Promise Needfull indeed as a Helmet for so is hope called because by Patience it beares off many a knocke with the which otherwise wee should bee soone striken downe into despaire Pray for hope that thou maist with patience beare the many troubles must be endured The Patience of the Martyrs to endure the fire was bred by hope as their hope was bred by Faith True is the Prouerbe If it were not for hope heart would burst and therefore to be out of hope is to bee most miserable As the Philosopher said Take away the heauens and I shall be no body Tolle Coelum nullus ero Empedo so take away the hope of heauen and wee are the most miserable which beleeue As is the Corke to the Net so is hope to vs the Lead at the bottome would sinke the Net if it were not vpholden by the Corke so would troubles vs if hope by patience did not sustaine vs. Perer. comment in Genesin to 1. lib. 1. num 159. One compares hope to the Moone which God hath appointed by her light which is patience to gouerne the Night of our afflictions Paul excellently compares it to an Anchor for as the Anchor holds the Ship in a tempest so doth hope through Patience keepe vs in troubles from the shipwracke of our soules As the Husbandman waites patiently for the precious fruit so must we for those which sow in hope shall reape in saluatihn Vse 6. Many say they haue this hope when they haue it not Thou shalt know by three things whether thou hast it or no 1. By the mother of it which is Faith 2. By the Daughter of it which is Patience 3. By the Companion of it which is Loue. 1. He which hopeth beleeueth and so much Faith so much Hope for Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the strength of hope is confidence Heb. 12. Robur fidei confidentia Ambr. Therefore the Ignorant as they haue no Faith for want of Knowledge so no Hope for want of Faith 2. Hope hath Patience The Merchant in hope of gaine endures the water The Martyrs in hope of the Recompence endure the fire Doest thou in trouble seeke to Wizards Diuels Then no Patience and so no hope 3. Loue is hopes Companion inseparable Gal. 5.5 and therefore hope is called the hope of righteousnesse and hee that hath this hope 1. Ioh. 3.3 purgeth himselfe If thy life be holy then hast thou hope because the promise is made to such as lead a holy life God threatneth damnation to them which liue vnholily in blasphemy breaking of the Sabbath disobedience to Parents Malice Pride Drunkennesse Vncleannesse c. If Thou liuest in these sinnes how darest thou say thou hopest to bee saued when thou hast no promise No no Thy hope is presumption and the hope of the wicked shall perish and his hope shall be as a Spiders webbe of which if a man lay hold it stayeth him not Iob. 8.13 Iob. 11.20 Thy hope shall be sorrow of minde This is thy hope thou profane wretch Dauid hoped in the Lord and was comforted and the Fathers trusted in God and were not confounded but if Dauid or the Fathers had liued as thou dost which art profane they had missed of their hope If then thou wouldest haue the true and liuely hope of saluation remember to increase in Faith Patience and Loue which is the fulfilling of the Law VERE 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered IN this Verse and the next is another argument vnto patience from the most present help of the Spirit as if he should say Though you be afflicted yet despaire not for euen the Holy Spirit from Heauen helpeth you Here are two things First the help of the Spirit Secondly the meanes whereby he helpeth vs by teaching vs to pray Of the first Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities Likewise referred either to the worke of the Spirit before noted Verse 11. he quickneth and
out thou wert receiued in but this was not the cause of that neither is thy goodnesse the cause of thy standing in the Oliue which wert wont to stand among the bryers in the wildernesse God could haue brought thee in without breaking off the Iewes but he would not but hath done thee good out of their euill and hath brought thee in that thou mightest be the cause of their bringing in againe The proper cause of the breaking off of the Iew his infidelitie of the standing of the Gentile Gods grace Faith is the gift of God whereby we know apprehend and apply the promises relying vpon them Infidelity is a fruit of corruption whereby we know not the promises or knowing beleeue them not or beleeuing them to be true make them not our confidence Standing notes an estate wherein a man hath the fauour of God to iustification and saluation Breaking off the contrary Standing is a manifestation of Election by faith heere by saluation hereafter Breaking off is a manifestation of Gods Iudgement in this world by taking away from a people the Word and Sacraments the tokens of his loue and cognisance of his people so are the Iewes and also those famous Churches of Asia broken off and by giuing particular persons to hardnesse of heart After this world by separating such from Angels and Saints and by throwing them into hell Obiect It seemes then that a man may bee a branch and yet broken off Ans Similitudes are not to be pressed too farre Branches are to be distinguished some that haue onely an outward fellowship with the Oliue these may be broken off some that haue an inward partaking of the sappe and fatnesse of the Oliue these cannot So that there are Infidels out of the Church and Infidels in the Church The first Infidelitie is called Negatiue the second Priuatiue Yet it is to bee vnderstood that faith is not so the cause of standing as infidelity is of breaking off for infidelity is the meritorious cause of breaking off and faith but the instrumēt or staffe whereby we stand doctrine Our standing is by faith our breaking off by infidelitie 2. Cor. 1.24 Heb. 3.12 In this place to the Hebrewes there is the same name giuen to an vnbeleeuing heart which is giuen to that naughtie-packe the Diuell And Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground of things hoped for or as Sanit Augustine Aug. tract 79. sup Ioh. of persons hoping God hath giuen faith to vphold vs not as a reed that may deceiue but as a pillar well translated ground being as the vnmoueable earth which we stand on we haue good footing by faith The Israelites were destroyed for their infidelitie Iude 5. Vse Beleeuers are truely happy vnbeleeuers truly miserable He stands in Gods fauour This is throwne away as a withered branch into vnquenchable fire Cain sinnes beleeues not hence he is tormented in conscience afraid of his owne shadow thinking the Diuell should meet him in euery corner a picture of the misery of an vnbeleeuer He that beleeueth is the sonne of God Iohn 1.12 what a prerogatiue is this What is he then that beleeues not Euen the childe of the Diuell Can there be any thing worse He that beleeues sayes God is true He that beleeues not sayes God is a lyar should not this be plagued Ioh 3. Ioh. 5.10 Christ dwels in the heart of a beleeuer as in his Temple Gal. 3.17 But the heart of an vnbeleeuer is the Diuel shoppe in which he forgeth and his anuile on which he hammereth all villanies his stye his stable and whatsoeuer can bee said that is more base Nay an vnbeleeuer is a Diuell Haue not I saith Christ Ioh. 6.69.70 chosen twelue and one of you is a Diuell see how Christ accounts of Iudas for his infidelity and treason Did I say a Diuell nay worse then a Diuell Iam. 2.19 The Diuels beleeue and tremble but many among vs beleeue not and many that beleeue there is a God and that he is a hater and reuenger of iniquitie yet when they are admonished of their pride drunkennesse breaking of the Sabbath c. moue no more then the stones in the wall What shall I say to make thee sensible of thy misery If thou beleeuest not the wrath of God dwelleth vpon thee The diuell worketh effectually in thy heart as he possesseth thee here so thou shalt possesse him hereafter for euer This consideration should moue vs to three things First to seeke faith Secondly to examine whether wee beleeue or no Thirdly to mourne for infidelity 1. Aboue all things labour for faith sell all for this let the fooles of the world drudge and droyle for a penny let vs seek for faith and whatsoeuer wee want let not vs want this by which we stand and without which we fall eternally 2. Many perswade themselues that they haue faith which will be found Infidels at the day of Iudgement Bee thou of good ground that thou beleeuest The fiue foolish Virgins thought they should doe as well as the other fiue but they were deceiued Thou shalt know whether thy perswasion be true sauing faith or no by three things 1. By the meanes whereby it is wrought which is the preaching of the Gospell If it arise from a conceite of thine owne braine it is but a mocke-faith and will not stead thee 2. By the manner how it is wrought first there is in euery true beleeuer a sight of sinne Secondly Humiliation for it Thirdly a change of the heart Fourthly a hungring after righteousnesse then comes faith 3. By the fruits faith workes by loue As the fruit shewes the tree so obedience shewes faith Many shew plainely they haue no faith for when prosperitie comes they feare not God and when aduersitie they runne from God to the Creature to Wizards to the Diuell for helpe as if there were no God in Israel Herein they are like a dogge hold vp a crust he comes fawning hold vp a cudgell and he runnes away so many let them thriue then God is a good God But let God lay his hand vpon them then they are gone to seeke a new master the Diuell yea if it bee but for the sauing a pigge or a cow what are such but Infidels Faith purifyeth the heart it will not suffer a man to be an Hypocrite to bee one thing without and another within one thing before men and another in secret Hee that beleeues Christ died and shed his bloud for him cannot but die to sinne and delight to liue righteously 3 Mourne for infidelitie euen for the least motion to it and the rather because it is the fashion of most to mourne for other things and not for this If a man be robd or his house be burnt he cryes out I am vndone But who is heard to cry woe is me for want of faith I am vndone for my vnbeleefe If wee heare of a theefe we cry hang him and perhaps we will cry
Martyrdome euen in peace For though our heads are not striken off with the Temporall sword yet with the spirituall wee mortifie our Carnall lusts and desires The cause of the Victory is By him which loued vs. Which is a pithy description of Christ As if hee should say It may be you maruell at the patience of the Saints this is not by their owne strength but by Christs who loueth them doctrine Christ is the cause of our constancie and victory in trouble 1. Ioh. 4.4 1. Cor. 15. Vse If we be left to our selues the world will ouercome vs as it did Demas Nay wee are not able to beare an Ague the Tooth-ach much lesse the torment of Fire Many in the presumption of their owne strength haue grieously falne Peter vowed to dye at his Masters feete but hee fouly fayled afterwards Doctor Pembletons Story proues this also of whom we reade in the Booke of Martyrs Feare God depend vpon him pray to bee confirmed then will hee doe aboue all thou canst aske or thinke VERSE 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. IN these Verses the third tentation is remoued which is from the euill supposed to be in God which is mutabilitie of his loue and it is brought in as answering a doubt Some might say Nothing can so presse vs but that wee shal be sure to conquer if God continue to loue vs to stand on our side Paul confidently answeres that not onely no tribulation as before but no creature or thing that is or may bee present or to come no Wit Power or Policy no Men Diuels Angels if they were all mustered in one armie could separate Gods children from his loue vnto them in Christ Iesus If any thing could then these all or some which are reckoned but not these therefore nothing In these words are two parts 1. A Proposition That Nothing can separate vs from Gods loue 2. The Amplification which is double 1. Pauls perswasion vpon great experience 2. The ground of his perswasion which is that Gods loue is not grounded vpon vs but vpon Christ whose merite is infinite and efficacie omnipotent and therefore Gods loue neuer to faile I am perswaded That is I am vnfallibly certified it is my Faith no Morall coniecture some note that vnder this word is implyed that Paul was brought vnto this assurance by the preaching of the Word That neither Death nor Life Death cannot which is of all terrible things the most terrible and life cannot though it be sweet as wee say which the Diuell knew well enough when he said Iob 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he giue for his life Death cannot for it is our Aduantage which a wicked man spied out when he wished Numb 23.10 that hee might dye the death of the Righteous that his latter end might be like theirs Life cannot for Gods children are ready to offer vp their liues as a sacrifice to God In trouble many haue borne much who haue beene ouercome of pleasure but no Aduersitie which is meant by death the chiefe of things feared nor any pleasure which is meant by life the chiefe of the things desired can set GOD off from his children Nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers Some write here of the distinction conceiued to be among ministring Angels I meddle not with that neither thinke I that Paul aimed at it here Some meane good Angels some euill for these titles are giuen to both To good Ephes 1.21 To euill Col. 2.15 I subscribe to them who thinke both meant The euill cannot though they enterprise it what they can The good will not who rather reioyce at the Conuersion and constancie of the Saints Q. But why should Paul speake of good Angels A. For our greater Consolation And it is to bee vnderstood conditionally that if they should attempt it which they neuer will doe yet neither their cunning nor strength is able to doe it so sure is our saluation founded vpon the blood and merit of Iesus Christ The like confident speech Paul vseth in another place Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from Heauen preach any other Gospell let him bee accursed It is impossible that the Angels should but if they should So here in this place Nor things present nor things to come Things which we now endure or to be endured hereafter Things present worke either griefe or delight things to come either feare or desire whatsoeuer they worke they cannot worke our separation from God Nor height nor depth 2. Cor. 10.5 Some vnderstand prosperitie and aduersitie some honour and basenesse some the sublimitie of mans reason called a high thing some-where and humilitie of minde some the height of authoritie and depth of wisedome as we call a wise man a profound man some the elements aboue and below vs some heauen and earth some heauen and hell and so Chrysostom whose exposition I take to be least constrained Quocunque modo profundum sublimitas intelligatur non poterit nos ab amore Christi separare Ansel But howsoeuer it bee taken whether all or one of these wayes or any other way it cannot separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Nor any other creature Not extant as if hee should dare all creatures that are or may be which is set to the rest as an c. in the end of a sentence doctrine Gods loue can neuer faile to his Church and children Iam. 1.17 Esay 54.9,10 Mat. 16 18. Ioh. 10.28 13. Vse 1. Nothing can separate vs from the sense of Gods loue but haue sense we cannot without Faith Therefore Faith cannot faile Vse 2. The ground of Gods loue to vs is Christ in our selues we are odious in him beloued doctrine Vse 3. All other estates and things in this life are vncertaine only the state of Gods children is certaine The fauour of a King is a great matter but the Kings Fauorite may either by enuy or iust desert as Haman bee cast off Yea Kings themselues haue no certaintie as appeares in Nebuchadnezzar But neither enuie nor our own deseruings if once the children of God can separate vs from him Wee may sinne but we cannot finally and totally fall away God will correct vs because we sinne but neuer forsake vs because we are his For our estate stands vpon foure brazen pillers which are all founded vpon and vpholden by Christ 1. The Vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue 2. The Immutabilitie of Predestination 3. the Infallibility of his Promises 4. The continual Intercession of Christ All these are in Christ In Christ he loues vs In Christ we are predestinated All the promises are yea and Amen in Christ and it is Christ that makes
is more offended with the ill behauiour of a seruant aduanced by him Remember at the day of Iudgement thou shalt bee stript of all thy priuiledges of Birth Honour c. and shalt stand naked before God Vse 5. As it helped not the Iewes because they were Idolaters to haue Abraham to their Father so neither the Bishops of Rome because they are vile Idolaters to haue Peter for their Predecessor VERSE 6. Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect c. NOw Paul enters the lists with the Iew who obiected against Iustification by Faith on this manner If Iustification be by Faith then the Iewes not belceuing in Christ cannot be iustified But the Iewes must be iustified though not beleeuing Therefore The Minor is denied which they proue thus If they be not Iustified but Reprobated then the Word of God takes no effect but failes Therefore In this part of the sixt verse which we haue in hand Paul denies the Maior affirming the plaine contrary that though they bee reprobated yet the Word of God is not of no effect This conclusion Paul proues in the verses next following taking away the ground on the which the Iewes built their Consequence as we shall see by and by The summe of that which in these words is propounded is That though the multitude of the Iewish Nation be reiected yet the word of promise failes not doctrine The promises of God are sure Rom. 4.16 2. Cor. 1.20 Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.17 Vse 1. God is full of compassion and hath made many mercifull promises this is comfortable yet this were nothing if God were changeable as we are to day a friend to morrow a foe making a promise to day and repealing and reuersing it to morrow Laban changeth often with Iacob but God neuer changeth with vs but keepeth his promise for euer and his truth endureth from generation to generation We promise and many times faile either by the mutability of our will or the Imbecilitie of our power or the scantnesse of our knowledge not being able to foresee impediments But God is not mutable nor weake nor ignorant When he promiseth he foresees what can be against it he is the same he neuer repents and he is able to bring it to passe Therefore if we be sure of the promise we are as sure of the performance This stabilitie and truth of God vpholds vs in trouble Which if it could faile Satan had a thousand times ere this ouerthrowne vs. God promised Dauid he should be a King But Saul was aliue and his enemy and went about by open force and secret practices to kill Dauid so that in the eye of flesh and bloud it is a thousand to one but Dauid shall dye before Saul For all this Dauid lookes to be King Why Because God had promised which promise comforted him in all his troubles Psal 119.41,42,49,50 If thou wouldst not be swallowed vp in the surges of tentation Cast anchor on the truth and promises of God Vse 2. As are the promises so are the threatnings It cannot bee proued from Adam to this day that God did euer in any tittle fayle of his promise to the godly Neither can it or euer shall be found that God euer hath or will faile of one iot of his threatnings but that he will make them good vpon the hayry scalpe of such as goe on in their wickednesse without repentance Art thou a blasphemer or a drunkard c. and repentest not If thou beleeuest God to be true and his Word thou mayst reade thine owne sentence and doome Remember that God can as soone deny himselfe as not performe his word to penitent and impenitent For hee is true and constant and requireth such Worshippers For they are not all Israel which are of Israel VERSE 7. Neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they all children Gen. 21.12 but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 8. That is they which are the Children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seede 9. Gen. 18.10 For this is the word of Promise At this time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne THe Iewes did thus argue as we haue seen that if they be Reprobated then the word of Promise takes no effect The contrary whereof Paul auouched in the first part of the sixt verse Here Paul proues that which hee auouched In which proofe hee takes away the ground on which the Iewes did insist Their ground was this that the Promise was made to Abraham and his seede and to Isaac and his seede which seede they affirmed themselues to bee and from hence argued thus To Abrahams seede is the Promise made But we are Abrahams seed therefore the promise of Remission of sin and Eternall life must be performed to vs and if it be not then doth God faile of his promise Paul answers to this Argumēt by a distinction of the subiect to whom the promise was made which subiect is the seed of Abraham The seed of Abraham is of two sorts Carnall to which the promise is not made and Spirituall to which it was made The error of the Iewes was that they made the Promise too generall counting all that descended of Abraham Isaac and Iacob by a carnall generation to be that seed to which the promises should belong But Paul shewes that the promise was neuer meant to all that come of Abraham by the flesh but to the spirituall seed which were the children of the promise So that there are two parts of Pauls answer In the first part he sheweth that the promise is not meant to all them vvhich are Israelites according to the flesh In these verses and so to the 24. The second that it is meant to the elect of all Nations from the 24. verse to the end of the chapter In this first part of Pauls answere he shewes that though many of the Iewes be cast away yet the promise is not made void because the promise was neuer meant to all the Iewes thus If all were the Israelites to whom the promise is made then if all that descend of Israel were not saued the promise failed But all that descend of Israel are not that Israel to whom the promises were made verse 6. therefore The Minor is proued by a double instance the first of Abrahams children the second of Isaac and Rebeccaes children The first instance is in the 7.8.9 verses The second in the 10.11.12.13 verses In the first instance are two things the Proposition vers 7. the summe whereof is that though the tenor of the promise be to Abraham and his seed yet that seed is determined in Isaac so that all that are the carnall seed of Abraham are not children that is of God or of the promises For Ismael and his posterity were excluded 2. The exposition v. 8. confirmed by a testimony ver 9. They which