was propounded to them for their condition was more desperate considered with this meanes then before it being unable to bring them to faith and so to life and yet bringing condemnation on them for their unbeliefe 2 Thes 1.8 Againe God upbraids one people with another Mat. 11.20.21.22 then began hee to upbraid those Cityes wherein most of his mighty workes were done because they repented not Wee untothee Corazin and woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty workes which were done in you had beene done in Tire and Sidon they would have repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for Tire and Sidon at the day of Judgement then for you c Now God would not upbraid one people with another if there were some speciall meanes afforded to the one and not to the other which made all the difference for without that meanes then Tire and Sidon could not repent and with it Corazin and Bethsaida could not but repent but the words doe plainely manifest that the same meanes that was afforded to Corazin and Bethsaida who repented not would have caused Tire and Sidon to repent and thereupon Christ upbraids those Cities Againe Romans 2.4 5. The Apostle hath these words despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance c. Whereby wee see that God labours by the riches of his goodnesse forbearance and long suffering to lead those men to repentance which notwithstanding treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath Now it is a vaine thing and farre from God to exercise forbearance and long suffering in expectation of impossibilities to waite when the Creature will doe that which is impossible for him to performe and then the forbearance of God could not in any sense beè said to lead wicked men to repentance but to distruction and ruine for if God forbeare never so long they cannot repent and the wrath of God comes on them for despising his patience and forbearance and so the for bearance of God instead of being rich in goodnesse is rendred by this doctrine rich in wrath in fire and brimstone and such goodnes might well be despised If a Prince should make great and rich promises to a subject if he would run a hundred miles in one houre and withall threaten to inflict some heavy punishment on him if he doe it not when he knew it impossible for him ever to run twenty and then to waite many dayes on him for his performance hee in his punishment being to pay for every houres forbearance if in the end he did it not might not such pretended goodnes well be despised and he also that should pretend it to be goodnesse But I say it is evident by the forenamed place that whil'st God did exercise his goodnesse long-suffering and forbearance towards them they might have repented and therefore the wrath and indignation of God comes on them for not obeying the truth but obeying unrighteousnes verse the 8. Againe if the gospel were not sufficient to enable men to believe then it were as weake in point of Salvation as the Law for the Law was holy iust and good Rom. 7.12 and if it could have given life righteousnes should have been by it Gal. 3.21 but none could be iustified by the deeds of the Law Gal. 3.11 12. because it was weake through the flesh Rom. 8.3 Now that which was impossible to the Law being weake not in it selfe but through the weaknesse of the flesh GOD sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh to die for sinne thereby condemning sinne in the flesh and supplyed that weakenesse of men in the flesh and so made the way by faith to salvation feasable to the Sons of men verse 3,4 and Gal. 3.22.24 The ministery of the Law is termed the ministery of the Letter of death of condemnation the ministery of the Gospell is termed the ministery of the Spirit of life of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9. Now these different termes doe evidently demonstrate that righteousnesse life and salvation which was impossible for men in respect of their weakenesse to attaine by the Law is made possible by the gospel notwithstanding their weaknesse and if men in the state of nature were unable to believe the gospel when they heare it preached by the Ministers of Christ then it would be the Ministery of life and righteousnesse no more then the Law was for the Law was not the Ministery of death in respect of it self for Moses describes the righteousnesse of the law that the man which doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 but in respect of the weaknesse of men to performe it and Paul putting the gospel in opposition to the law saith that the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ downe from above or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which wee preach that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved verse 6 7 8 9. but if men could not believe it when it was preached to them it could not be said to be nigh them but as unpossible and as farre out of their power as it would bee for them to ascend up to Heaven to bring Christ from above or descend into the deepe to bring up Christ again from the dead And whereas it is said to be nigh it might be more properly said to be farre off so then the gospel is the Ministery of life not in it selfe only but in respect of mens power to believe it when it is preached or declared to them otherwise it would bee all one to bee under the Law and under grace neither would the Gospel bring salvation any more then the law Tit. 2.11 but would unavoydably cause wrath to come upon the sons of men as the Law did Rom. 4.15 and would leave them under the dominion of sin as the Law did Rom. 6 14. for as the Law threatned death so doth the gospel Marke 16.16 and the same power which God puts forth as is conceived to enable men to believe would have enabled them to keepe the Law For it is conceived that besides the preaching of the gospel and Gods bearing witnesse to it by signes and wonders there was a speciall and almighty power exercised by God in all them that did believe which power I say would have enabled them to keep the Law so that there would bee no difference betweene the Law and the gospel and so Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe God in the Ministry of the Gospell called all men
every where to repent Act. 17.30 To believe and yeeld obedience to the Gospel upon pain of eternall death Mark 16.16 Ioh. 12.48 1 Thes 1.8.2 10 11 12. Heb. 2.3 10 28 29. 1 Ioh. 5.10 Ioh. 3.18.36 Rom. 2.45 Now I cannot see how it can stand with that goodnes and sweetnes which dwells in God and that fulnesse and riches of mercies which the Scriptures manifest to be in him to require impossibilities of his creatures and then in flaming fire to render vengeance to them for not performance Obâ—ect God may do whatever hee will and who shall question him Answ It 's true God may doe whatever he will but he will do all things like himself suiteable to his nature For though God be infinite in power yet is his power so full of goodnes that it can effect nothing which is not agreeable to his goodnes and those that advance the power of God without his goodnes doe denie both his power and goodnes Now hee proclaimes himself in his Word to be love to the Sons of men love in the abstract to those which doe neither love him nor know him 1 Ioh. 4.8 gracious long suffering aboundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercie for thousands c. Exod. 34.6 7. Jonah 4.2 Numb 14.18 Slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 ready to pardon and of great kindnes Nehemiah 9.17 31. full of compassion Psal 86.15 he delights to exercise loving kindnes Jer. 9.24 with him is mercy Nehem. 13.22 Psal 57.10.117.2 2 Sam. 24.14 1 Chron. 21.13 Psal 119.156 Dan 9.18 great goodnes Nehemiah 9.25.35 multitude of mercies Psal 5.7.106.7.45 manifold mercies Nehem 9.10.27 Lam. 3.32 a multitude of tender mercies Psal 51.1.69.1 he is rich in mercie Eph. 2.4 aboundant in mercie 1 Pet. 1.3 he delights in mercie Mich. 7.18 his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 the earth is full of his mercie Psal 119.64 he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Ezek. 18.32 on the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 but that they should turn and live ver 11. he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 hee would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Here is a cloud of witnesses of the riches of the grace and love of God to lost men to miserable men and all the proceedings of God with his creatures are agreeable to it but how unsuteable hereunto it would be for him to require impossibilities of them upon pain of eternall death in Hell fire I leave the Reader to judge Object God is good and mercifull to lost men in that he sends them Raine and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with joy and gladnes Act. 14. â—7 in that he bestowes many outward mercies on them and useth much outward means with them though he afford them not means sufficient to enable them to believe and live acceptably in the use of all Answ God requires these men to imploy all the mercies they receive in his service To feed the hungry cloath the naked visite the sick Marth 25.42.43 he requires an improvement of every Talent that he delivers to them Mat. 25 27.30 and as God accepts according to what men have 2 Cor. 8.12 so will he judge men according to what they have received from him where he gives much he will require much Luk. 12.48 and God requires inward and cordiall obedience where he affords such mercies and means as men call outward mercies which they not performing the curse of God is pronounced against them and so the more mercies and the more means they have had here the greater miseries and the greater torments hereafter the sweeter the blessings the more bitter the cursings for ever every short and fading mercy proves a lasting and eternall misery yea Christ himselfe the guift of God the mercy of mercies is to such men according to this Objection the greatest of all miseries and that of invincible and unavoydable necessity now that is strange mercy and goodnes which doth unavoidably bring misery on them that receive it that man is most happy that partakes least of it there being no fruit to be had therein seeing the end thereof is death Object God required men to keepe the Law which they could not doe and yet hee was as full of love and grace then as now Answ The Covenant of God in Christ was confirmed foure hundred and thirty yeares before the Law was given Gal. 3.17 Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15.6 Rom 4.3 Neither did the comming in of the Law make void the promise Gal. 3.17 but still men were justified by faith during the time of the Law now the Law was holy just and good Rom. 7.12 and God made man just and good Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.31 but hee falling in Adam from that primitive purity and perfection became prone to all kind of evill and subject to death Now the Law did not bring death upon us but did discover what we were lyable to if it had never bin given it did manifest what the Law of our creation did require It was not ordained to drowne men in Hell but to drive them to Christ Gal. 3.24 It was added because of transgression Gal. 3.19 to keep from sin to discover sinâ— to shew us our weaknes and inability to stand before God in our owne righteousnes Rom. 3.19 20 23. least we should trust in our selves and bee deceived that so we might trust in the mercie and grace of God alone so that Gods end in giving the Law was full of love and goodnes The Law was never alone in the World that a man must needs have stood or fell to that Master We might have appealed from the Law to the gospel but there is no appeal from the gospel the Law did onely pronounce that death upon us which we were lyable to before it was given but the gospel pronounceth eternall death in Hell fire on those that obey is not which punishment wee were not lyable to either in relation to Adams sin or the Law for the sentence on Adam was In dying thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return and so death passed over all men Rom. 5.12 Chap. 3.19 And the Law went no further as the Scriptures doe evidently manifest where the penalties of the Law are expressed Not that I doe conceive that wicked men which dyed under the law shall escape the judgement of Hell but the Law will not pronounce it on them but the gospel Rom. 2.16 For to love God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selves was the substance of the Law Now though men could not performe this so as to be justified in relation to the Law yet they might so perform it as to be righteous in relation to the gospel and grace of God in Christ even in the time of the Law
it if it doe evill in his sight he may repent him of the good vvherewith he said he would benefit them So that if the House of Israel seek not after his righteousnesse but labour to establish their owne then he may destroy them notwithstanding all the promises he hath made unto them For he is not so bound by any promise that he hath made but he is at liberty to punish those that rebell and doe vvickedly as on the contrary his threatning to inflict judgements on a people hinders him not from shewing mercie to the penitent as yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be destroyed where though no condition be exprest yet this condition vvas implyed it they doe not repent and vvhosoever pleads against this upon vvhat pretence soever pleads against the vvill and counsell of God for vvhat if God vvilling saith the Apostle to shew his vvrath and make his power known indured with much long suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted or made up to destruction and that he might make knowne the riches of his glory on the Vessells of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles vers 22 23 24. That is if God will manifest his power and wrath on such as do not believe be they Jevves or Gentiles vvho are fitted for destruction by their vvickednes in abusing all the goodnes and patience of God towards them and the riches of his mercy on such as believe who art thou that thou shouldest resist the vvill of God But whereas it is conceived by some that God doth make some men of purpose to damne and to destroy them and so hardens them that they may bee fitted for him to shew his wrath towards them and all meerly of his will without consideration of any evill in them as this is very contrary to God and the gospel as is elsewhere manifested so it cannot be the meaning of this place for when the question is made to Paul why doth he yet complaine for who hath resisted his will if he mean such a will as this that God doth make or raise up some men whom meerely of his will hee hardens and others whom meerly of his wil he softens then Paul doth not answer to the question he himselfe propounds for his answer proves nothing but what is granted in the Objection yea it is the ground of the Objection for the Objection is why doth God complaine the ground of it is seeing he doth whatever he will hee hardens and softens whom he pleaseth Paul answers that God may doe with men what he will as the potter with the clay but though he may doth do what he will yet the objection remains still why doth he then complaine of what is done for as the pot doth not say to the potter why hast thou made mee thus so the potter doth not complaine of the pot which hee hath made according to his will saying why art thou thus made for then the pottter must be angry with and complain of himself that made it so but the reason why God was angry with them was because they sought righteousnesse as it were by the workes of the Law and not by faith and that is given also as the reason why they did not attain to the Law of righteousnesse as is evident in the 31 and 32. verses of this Chapter but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not obtained to the Law of righteousnes wherefore not because they were not elected but because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the workes of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone c. Novv let us take the advice of the Apostle Peter in his 2. Epistle 3. Chapter and 15 Verse and account the long-suffering of God salvation even as our beloved brother Paul also in all his Epistles saith hee hath Written unto you according to the Wisdome given unto him and though some things in Pauls Epistles as in particularin this Chapt. be difficult and hard to be understood yet let us be carefull that we do not make the patience or forbearance of God destruction to any man for bee is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance as it is in the 9 verse of the forementioned Chapter Ioh. 12.39.40 therefore could they not believe because Esaias said againe hee hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heale them hence it is inferred that as God affords some men meanes sufficient to beget faith in them so he blinds the eyes and hardens the hearts of others that they cannot believe I Answer first where it is said they could not believe and that God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not believe neither of these expressions implies any naturall inability or want of power in them to believe onely it declares that what God fore saw and by his Prophet foretold could not but bee fulfilled For could would and should are signes of one and the same moode and where it is read that they should not c. it may be as truly and more properly be read that they would not And therefore wee may observe that these very persons are exhorted to believe in the 36 verse and in the 37 verse Christ complains that though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not on him but if God had hardned their hearts that they could not believe Christ vvould not have admired at their unbeliefe and there were no emphasis in Christs doing so many miracles before them for if their condition were such that though many miracles were done before them they could not believe then one miracle had bin as proportionable a meanes to worke faith in them as many and where Christ did one miracle before them if hee had done a thousand and withall so blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they could not believe their unbeliefe had bin no more strange nor no more to bee complained of then if hee had done nothing And for the meaning of the place I conceive it to be none other then this that God fore-seeing and by his Prophet foretelling the unbeliefe and blindnesse of the Jews notwithstanding all the meanes which God had afforded them it could not be but the Scripture and word of God must bee fulfilled as was formerly exprest and in that sence they could not believe as Judas could not but betray his master and as the souldiers could not but part the garments of Christ cast lots for his Vesture and pierce his hands and his feet and the like Obj. But it is said they could not believe because God had blinded their eyes c. Answ God doth not possitively blind the eyes nor harden the hearts of any God doth not
set before us Heb. 6.18 but if we affirm that notwithstanding all the promises and proffers of God to doe good unto men in his revealed will and word he may in his secret will intend the contrary what do we lesse then affirme that God may lye Againe the Author to the Hebrewes useth this Argument to perswade the Saints to persevere in well doing That God was not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love that they shewed towards his name chap. 6.10 And againe he perswades them to bee content with such things as they had because God had said hee would not leave them nor forsake them chap. 13.5 but if they had thought that God might have a secret will which might not agree with what he reveales it would not have been sufficient satisfaction for Paul to tell them that God had said it unlesse he could make it also to appeare that he meant and intended what he spake we are also to be like our heavenly Father and especially in this that we love the evill the unjust our enemies those that hate curse persecute and despightfully use us Matth. 5.44 45 48. Luk. 6.35 36. but if Gods love in bestowing means and mercies on the wicked be to harden them to make them vessells of wrath on which he may shew his wrath and make his power known who amongst our selves would not be ashamed to shew mercie according to such a patterne to do men good that wee may have occasion to inflict evill it s like the mercy of those which when by torments they have almost deprived a man of life will give him some Cordiall to revive him that they may further torment him but God is righteous just gracious mercifull sincere faithfull and all his promises and his proffers are in truth And what Paul spake of the Gentiles Rom. 2.14 I may say of God who though he be without law he being Lord of all yet he is a Law to himself he wills and doth all things suteable to his nature to his Attributes and he may aswell cease to be as to will or doe other But against this Doctrine some do Object what is written Exod. 11.12 and 3.22 where God bids Moses to speake unto the Israelites to borrow every man of his Neighbour and every woman of her Neighbour Jewells of Silver and Jewells of Gold now say they it had been wickednesse in them to borrow with an intent never to repay if God had not commanded them but seeing he commanded them they did well for the will word or command of God is sufficient to prove any thing good and just though it appeare unjust to us and therefore wee must not dispute it further Ans First I grant that seeing God doth neither will nor command any thing but what is just his will word or command is sufficient to prove any thing to be just But secondly seeing God wils and commands nothing but what is just and hath given us reason and understanding to judg what is just and vvhat is unjust it concernes us to be very carefull as wee tender the honour and glory of God that wee believe no word to be spoken nor action done by God which vve our selves see to bee unjust for if wee professe to believe God to be love just mercifull sincere faithfull and yet believe that God made some men to destroy them without pre-consideration of any evill or wickednesse which they would commit that he commands men to performe this or that thing and then possitively hardens them that they may not doe it and yet punisheth them for not performing of it that God in his revealed will professeth to love men and to desire their good and salvation and yet in his secret will intends their destruction that he should teach his people to borrow promising to repay but intending to deceive and spoile it is all one as if wee should professe to believe that such a man were very honest just and good and yet withall to say that he would lye steale murther beare false Witnesse and the like which things are inconsistent in man as the former are in God and hee that doth indeed beleeve the one of God cannot possible believe the other Novv the word which we have translated borrow doth properly signifie Aske they shall aske every Woman of her Neighbour c. and so there is no difficultie in the Words for the Jewes were a long time oppressed by the Egyptians who had made them slaves and served themselves of them now vvhen the Egyptians vvere urgent and did hast to send them avvay as a recompence to them God bids them to ask Jewells of Silver Jewells of Gold and Rayment and so they should cloth their children with the spoile of their enemies and oppressors which was but equall and just But now I shall shew what I conceive to be the meaning of the 9. of the Romanes and for the better understanding of it I shall desire you to take notice with me of the drift and scope of Paul therein In the 1 2 3. verses Paul doth solemnely and seriously professe his heavinesse and sorrow of heart for his Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh who saith Paul are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory the Covenants the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen verse the 4 and 5. then in the beginning of verse 6. Paul prevents an objection which might be made to this effect If we who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory the Covenants the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises come short of righteousnes justification life and salvation then the Word of GOD the faith of GOD the promise of God takes not effect like unto that which is Written Chap. 3. 3. what if some did not believe shall their unbeliefe make the faith of God without effect Make the word and promise of God false God forbid saith Paul vers 4. yea let God be true but every man a lyar c. Now in this place Paul endeavours to Answer this Objection more at large from the latter part of the 6. Verse to the end of the Chapter so that the thing which Paul in this Chapter undertakes to prove is that though many yea the most of the Jewes should perish in their wickednesse and unbeliefe yet God would be just righteous and true in all his words and workes and that every jot and tittle of his word would take effect And first Paul tells them that they were mistaken in that they did conceive themselves the children of God because they were Children of the flesh of Abraham for saith he all are not Israel that are of Israel neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed bee called that is they which are
the children of the Flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are counted for the seed verse 6.7 and 8. for saith Paul this is a word of promise at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son ver 9. so that Isaac was a child of promise and so must you or your being children of the flesh will profit you little and this is largely and plainly expounded in the 4. Chapter of the Galatians verse 21. to the end of the Chapter Tell me saith Paul yee that desire to be under the Law doe yee not heare the Law for it is written that Abraham had two Sonnes the one by a Bond-woman the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was after the Flesh but he that was of the free-woman was by promise which things are an allegory for these are the two Covenants or Testaments the one from Mount Sinai which gendreth to bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children but Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all that is of us beleevers for it is written Rejoice thou barren that bearest not breake forth and cry thou that travailest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee which hath an husband Now wee brethren saith Paul to the Galatians as Isaac was are the children of the promise but as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so it is now Neverthelesse what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her Sonne for the Sonne of the bond woman the children of Abraham according to the flesh shall not be heire with the Sonne of the free-woman such as beleeve such as walke in the steps of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 so that whereas you Jewes rest in the Law and thinke therein to have eternall life you thinke the Law will justifie you but the Law condemnes you that is the words and writing of Moses which are here termed the Law for though Ishmael were the childe of Abraham as well as Isaac yet you see God would not suffer him to inherite but he must be cast out therefore your being children of the flesh is not sufficient to make you heires of that promise which was made to your father Then Paul proceeds to another instance of the like nature in the 10.11 and 12. verses and not onely this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even by our Father Isaac for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as if he should have said that which I affirme doth not onely appeare by what is written of Ismael and Isaac but by that also which is written of Esau and Jacob the children of Rehecca which she conceived by one even by our father Isaac for though Esau were Jacobs brother the elder the greater and heire according to the flesh yet God said that he that is his posterity for Esau never served Iacob in person but rather on the contrary Iacob served Esau and called him Lord Gen. 33.14 should serve the posterity of Iacob the younger Now these words were a prophesie of what God would doe unto the Edomites for their wickednesse and he declares it to Rebecca before the children were borne before they had done good or evill that from the beginning he might manifest and make appeare that his purpose was not to justifie any one of you by workes but by grace not to justifie the whole lump of you but to elect and chuse out from among you such as should beleeve and be obedient they and they onely being the seed and true heires according to the intent of the promise made to your father Abraham and therefore neither your naturall birth nor any legall or outward performance will make you accepted of God or give you inheritance in the promises of life for this of Iacob and Esau like the former of Isaac and Ismael is an Allegory of the two Covenants Esau being Lord by birth but Iacob by the fore-appointment of God so you Jewes and you onely are children and heires according to the flesh but believers as believers and they onely both of Jews and Gentiles according to the purpose and election of God then in the 13. verse hee proceeds with these words as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated the following words in Malachi and laid his mountaines and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wildernesse whereas Edom saith we are impoverished but will returne and build the desolate places thus saith the Lord of hostes They shall build but I will throw downe and they shall call them the borders of wickednesse and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever as if Paul should have said What God intended in his speech to Rebecca is more clearly manifested by what is written in the prophesie of Malachi where you finde that though Esau were Ianobs brother that is the Edomites were brethren to the Israelites yet God hated Esau that is the Edomites and laid their mountaines and heritage waste for the dragons of the wildernesse and his indignation was set against them for ever so that it is a vaine thing for you Jewes to plead for your justification that you are the children of Abraham unlesse you walke in his steps for the Edomites could do as much as that and yet were destroyed for their wickednesse and that this punishment came upon them for their wickednesse though this place in Malachi doth manifest it yet I shall produce some other Scriptures more fully to evidence the same Ezech. 25.12 13 14. Thus saith the Lord because Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himselfe upon them Therefore thus saith the Lord I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it and I will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword and I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall doe to Edom according to my anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord. Ioel 3.19 Edom shall be a desolate wildernesse for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed innocent bloud in their land Ames 1.11 Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Edom and for foure I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity and his anger did teare perpetually and kept his wrath for ever And in Obadiah the whole chapter speakes of
if so then there is a rationall ground for their faith in the Word of GOD or there is not if there bee then it is as well every mans ground as any mans and as possible for every man to believe as any man if there be not then they doe not believe for God himself cannot make a man believe without ground the things whereon they ground their peace and comfort and wherein they glory and rejoice as that God perswaded and overpowred their hearts to believe such a promise made this or that Scripture theirs spake to them in it gave them aboundance of comfort from it at such a time in such a place in such a manner after they had been so long in a despairing distracted condition in bondage under the Law are vaine For now though that Scripture or promise be made theirs as they conceive and they doe believe it as they say and comfort themselves in it that God loves them and that they shall certainly live yet can they give no ground or reason from their principles why that Scripture or Promise belongs to them much lesse that it should more belong to them then to others onely they say that God perswaded their hearts but if he perswaded them he perswaded their understandings and judgements by some evident and rationall demonstration or conclusion from the Scripture or promise so believed and if not then the things they speak of are but pleasing fancies and golden dreams Againe from this Doctrine of limiting the love of God to a few the love of the most religious men of our times is also limited to a few to love those that love them to do good to those that do good to them to salute their Brethren onely wheras Christ tells them plainly that there is nothing singular in it they doe no more then others then sinners then Publicans whereas if God indeed were the Patterne of their love their love would be universall like the love of God love is a debt due to all men and wee shall never be freed from that debt in this World Rom. 13.8 It appeares by the words of Christ Luk. 10.30 That every man we see in misery or in need of our helpe and relief is our Neighbour and wee must love our Neighbour as our selves in deed and in truth without dissimulation so that we ought to love all men the evill and unthankfull our enemies those that hate curse and persecute us and nothing can beget such a Spirit in us but the Spirit of this Doctrine of the free and universall love of God to us when we were enemies sinfull lost creatures evill and unthankfull As God by the discovery of his love and goodnesse to us did turn us from evill to good so should we endeavour to overcome the evill of men by good to prevaile with them by love for love is very powerfull whereas mens disposing and rejecting such as are not so good as they would have them or such as suit not with them in judgement and opinion makes them to be despised and hated yea many men despise Religion it self Seeing these things doe appeare in those which professe themselves to be most religious though indeed Religigion teacheth no such thing but the contrary as the Scriptures plainly manifest the substance of Religion is almost lost and there is little else then the shew or name of it remaining unlesse Religion bee a rigid A practice not suitable to the Gospel of grace and love but to policy and sensuality not comming from above but from beneath whether it tends and is therefore to be shund and abhord of all men blind and preposterous zeal in seeking dominion over the faith of our brethren and fellow-servants and by humane and positive lawes inhumanely Rev. 13.15 16 17. to compell their judgements and consciences to conformity to our dictates and determinations in matters of the worship of God We have much hearing much praying much talking amongst men but little love whereas all the means that God useth with us is to manifest his love to us that so we may love him and one another To do good and to shew mercy are services well pleasing to God better then all burnt Offrings and Sacrifices 1 Sam. 15.22 hearing praying and discoursing is no further beneficiall then it tends to edification in love yea it is abomination if love be wanting Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the father is this To visite the fatherlesse and the Widdowes in their affliction and to keepe our selves unspotted in the world and who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him all his Religion is vaine and to no purpose If any Object that this doctrine of Gods rich and abundant grace to all tends to loosenesse I Answer as formerly that the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men appearing teacheth us to deny all ungodlines and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godlily in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. But if any abuse this grace of God and turne that into wantonnesse which naturally leads to holinesse the Judgment of God is just against those that so doe now I desire you to consider what is here written in love and that the love of God may be shed abroad in our hearts that we may dwell in love walke in love and doe whatever wee doe in love shall bee the prayer and indeavour of him who while hee lives never ceaseth to remaine The Servant of all men in Love L. S. FJNJS