time after time yet still they will continue in them and be reprobate to every good work and go on in their sinful lives the Lord will not lose his glory by those persons no not by the vilest wretch and miscreant that lives upon the face of the earth though they live in open blasphemy against his holy name think upon it then thou that art a drunkard a swearer a proud person a Sabbath-breaker an Usurer one that goest on in thy vile courses and debauched sins the Lord will have glory in thee thou that so goest on yea in thy destruction Consider this you that still go on in your pride and vain glory assure thy self if thou so going on do live and die in thy sins as commonly such persons do thou shalt assuredly be damned as God will be glorified and it is as impossible for thee to escape damnation as for God to lose his glory which is impossible and well were it for thee if so be the Lord would vouchsafe so much grace and mercy unto thee as to make thee now to tremble and to make thy heart to ake within thee and to humble thy soul for thine evil courses Vse 2 Is this so That God will have glory in the utter confusion and overthrow of wicked sinners and that God will not lose his glory this therefore ought to teach us to prize Gods glory as dear unto us before the best good thing we enjoy yea even before our own best good and everlasting salvation and happinesse a very hard lesson this is to learn but this we must labour to come and to attain unto even to prefer the glory of God before our own salvation and to set the glory of God before us as the main chief and principal good to be aymed at in all our thoughts words and actions And when we are about to think speak or do Consider will this be to the good of my body and soul and also bring glory to the name of my God Oh then let me so think speak and do and then we may with comfort so think speak and do And if I find it will not tend to the glory of my God though it tend to the salvation of my soul I dare not do it and hereby we shall have good evidence that we love God and are truly beloved of God for if we honour God God will honour us in the 1 Sam. 2.30 they that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Yea the Lord will not onely honour us here but give us salvation he will give us honour and glory in the hearts of those that hate us and force the wicked that do hate and condemn us with their mouthes when they smite us with their tongues to honour us in their hearts and we shall not onely be honoured of him here but when we cease to be Prov. 10.7 the memorial of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot when the body of the righteous is raked up in the dust then shall his name be sweet and he eternally blessed Oh then the consideration of this should stirre us up to glorifie the name of the Lord and to prefer it before our own good yea the salvation of body and soul for this is our Duty the Lord will have his glory and therefore give it him willingly in this life VERSE 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy And whom he will he hardeneth NOw come we to the 18. Verse Therefore saith the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth This Verse beloved is a conclusion of the whole matter handled by the Apostle in the three verses foregoing In the 15 16 and 17. Verses our Apostle having made it clear that God hath absolute power and free liberty of shewing mercy to some by the speech of God unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And having made it manifest that God hath the like absolute power and free liberty in passing by some others and rejecting them to the glory of his own name and proving that by the example of Pharaoh whom God hardened as a manifest sign of his reprobation the Apostle having thus proved both these parts upon this premises the Apostle in this verse bringeth in this Conclusion that God hath free liberty and absolute power to shew mercy on whom he will and to harden whom he will and this is the relation of this verse to the foregoing matter Now in this verse observe we a double act of God the one is Gods shewing of mercy unto some and the other Gods hardening of some others and then from whence this double act of God proceedeth namely from the mere good will and pleasure of God so that the double act of mercy and hardening proceedeth from one ground Gods good will Now a little to lay open the meaning of the words Touching the phrase and form of speech that God hath mercy we had the same phrase in the 15. verse where I shewed you what we are to understand by mercy namely not the properties of mercy which is essentially in God but the Act the exercise and work of Gods mercy God hath mercy upon some the act the exercise and the works of God is extended and reached out unto some particular persons unto them to whomsoever he will and on whomsoever he pleaseth merely out of his own free will and absolute good pleasure and whom he will he hardeneth that is whomsoever pleaseth him out of the same free and absolute will he hardeneth and the word harden here is put in opposition to Gods shewing of mercy before spoken of for these two are opposed God hath mercy and he hardeneth so then the meaning of it is whereas before is meant the shewing and extending of Gods mercy to some so here by hardening is meant that God doth harden and withhold his mercy from some and in his just Judgment doth leave them to themselves and to their natural hardnesse for hardening must be understood as a Judiciary act and act of Gods Justice whereby God doth inflict Judgment upon men as a manifestation of their reprobation and rejection called a Judiciary act So then briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if he had said Therefore God doth extend and reach out the act the exercise and the work of his mercy and of his grace unto whomsoever it pleaseth him even meerly out of his own free and absolute will and out of his own good pleasure and also out of the same meer free will and absolute good pleasure the same God doth deny his saving mercy and withhold his grace and mercy from some and leave them in his just judgement in their natural hardnesse as a manifest sign of their reprobation so thus God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardenneth Come we now to matter of Observation and Doctrine And
all and have respect onely to his mercy and eternal love And take heed that in regard of thy unworthinesse thou do not conclude God will cast thee off no God doth it not for any thing foreseen or done by thee but onely of his free grace and mercy and he will freely save thee Again upon this ground of truth learn we to acknowledge and to magnifie the wonderful and unspeakable goodnesse of God if we be such as shall find our selves in the number of Gods chosen we must learn to extol and magnifie the mercy of God for why the Lord out of his mere good pleasure without respect had to any thing in us or done by us merely out of his free love hath fore-appointed us to life and salvation for which we cannot sufficiently magnifie the goodnesse of God consider it there was no difference between thee and others as thou diddest lye in the sight of God no difference between thee and such a one as is rejected and refused and if so be God had not severed thee by his eternal election from others thou hadst been in no better estate then Esau or Judas or Saul or Jezebel or the vilest Reprobate that liveth upon the face of the earth Oh then be stirred up to magnifie the Lord who out of his free mercy hath elected thee and rejected others In the 2 Sam. 6.21 we read that David danced and leaped and rejoyced in his spirit exceedingly before the Ark of God what was in Davids mind was he a mad-man as Michael his wife told him no he considered that God had chosen him and rejected the house of Saul so he saith to Michael the Lord hath chosen me and my fathers house and rejected thee and thy fathers house Oh then how should we rejoyce in Spirit and blesse and magnifie his mercy that he hath chosen us not to a Temporal Kingdom but to an eternal Kingdom in heaven this should make us rejoyce from which he hath rejected many thousands as good as thy self how can I be sufficiently thankful unto God if so be men of eminency and place should shew us a common kindnesse and courtesie we little regard it but if so be those eminent persons do admit us unto their special favour and do yeeld unto us such a kindnesse as they will not communicate to any but their dearest favourites and friends then we highly esteem of it Oh then consider the Lord hath done us that favour wherein the greatest part of the world and of mankind have no share no part nor portion how should this teach us to magnifie praise laud and blesse the holy name of God Oh holy holy holy Lord God ever praised and magnified be thy great name who hast set us apart to life and salvation and rejected many others in the world Yea beloved as God hath put a difference between us and others we belonging to his election so let us manifest and make it to appear that there is a difference between us and them in the course of our lives and conversations that we differ from the wicked manners of the world for they that follow the course and manners of the world they believe not that God hath set them apart to life and salvation if they had hearts to believe it they would manifest it and make it appear in their lives and conversations our life must be a visible disallowing and disavowing of their lives we must confront the wicked we must shine as lights in the world and carry our selves as children of the light and not follow the swaggering fashions of the world for as God hath made a separation between us and them and will make a final separation at the day of Judgement so now there should be a separation I mean not a separation from the Church but from the cursed courses of the world even as Lot did in Sodom Oh therefore in the fear of God let us ever magnifie and blesse the Name of God for choosing us to salvation and let us labour to be answerable in some measure by our obedience unto him For the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger THe next thing to be considered is the Apostles amplification of the speech of God unto Rebekah and it is amplified by the end of it It was said unto Rebekah by God himself The elder shall serve the younger to what end to this end that the whole matter might depend upon Gods election touching his free choyce not by works but by him that calleth So then the next words to be handled in order of the Text are these that the purpose of God touching or concerning election might remain or abide that is as I shewed you That the eternal purpose and decree of God touching his free choyce of electing some to life and salvation and his rejecting and refusing others might remain firm and stable immoveable and unshaken here then you see we have a ground of the infallible certainty and immutability of Gods decree before we shewed you the freenesse of it here we have a certain ground of the infallible certainty and immutability and unchangeablenesse of his decree in choosing some and rejecting others hence the observation is this That Gods eternal decree and purpose Doctrine touching his free choyce of some particular men to life and salvation and his fore-appointing of some to life and glory is most sure certain and unchangeable and remaineth firm and immoveable God hath from everlasting fore-appointed some particular men to an heavenly inheritance to the Kingdom of heaven and that certainly and infallibly so as that they cannot misse of coming to life and glory in heaven in Gods good time it is not possible that they should come short of it Indeed if we consider one that belongeth to Gods election apart from Gods decree then such a one may perish But if we consider him with Gods decree as we ought ever to do it is impossible that such a one should perish considering him as a chosen vessel of God in his eternal purpose it is not possible that he should misse of salvation And for the confirmation of it to this purpose is the speech of Christ himself in Matth 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and they shall shew great signs and wonders so that saith Christ if it were possible they should deceive the very elect As if he had said False Christs and false Prophets arising in the Church of God shall come with such powerful working even with the working of Satan and with all power and lying wonders as the Apostle describeth Antichrist himself his followers 2 Thess 2.9 that they shall come with such a powerful working with the lying wonders of Satan that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect but that
be plain and bold in preaching the Word for Application How far short then are those Ministers and Preachers of the Word Vse 1 that do flatter and sooth up men in their sinnes and lull them asleep in their carnal security and will never come near them to tell them of their sinnes unlesse it be in a general manner all along and never come to instance in particular sinnes No they are afraid of offending and of angering their hearers Yea there are many who are justly to be taxed that doe not onely Lull men in their sinnes but doe encourage men in a course of evil and strengthen the hands of the wicked Jer. 23.19 so as that they cannot return As for example Doe not not some Ministers and Preachers of the Word tell men they need not be so strict in observing and keeping the Sabbath as from Morning to Evening and after that repetition what need all this adoe to be so strict and so nice in their ordinary Communication as not to swear by faith and troth what these are nice things they themselves will doe this and say they there is no such danger as these foolish fantastical and puritanical Preachers will make you believe they will tell you you are in danger of hell fire for breaking the Sabbath and swearing by Faith and Troth but there is no such matter These are they whom the Lord complaineth of in Jer. 6.15 They lead the daughters of my people with sweet words and say peace peace all is well when there is no such matter when they are ready to be swallowed up of the devil And as the same Prophet saith in Jer. 14.13 When the true Prophets did come and threaten sword and famine upon the people the false Prophets come and tell them they shall have no such thing such Ministers and Preachers are odious and hatefull in the sight of God Jer. 23.14 These daubing and soothing Preachers the Lord saith he will feed them with Wormwood and they shall drink of the water of gall yea if the Lord doe not give them repentance they shall one day drink of the deep Cup of his vengeance in the pit of Destruction in hell But to passe by that if we that are Ministers of the Word must thus tell our people of their sinnes Then our Hearers must be content to bee plainly dealt withal and to be told of their danger they must have their lives ript up and their sinnes displayed and their Consciences ransacked and rifled and their danger laid open and men must not rage nor flye in the faces of their Minister Drunkards Whoremongers uncivil shag-hair'd and Civil honest persons they must be told of their estate and that so long as they remain therein they are in danger of hell and destruction and unlesse they repent the Lord will one day come against them in vengeance and they shall be as thornes bound up in a bundle and as Drunkards in their drunkennesse and as stubble ready dryed for the fire Nahum 1.10 For while they be folden together as thornes and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry And thou must not be offended if a man should come and tell thee that fire hath took hold of thy house and unlesse thou make speed to quench it it will burn thy house to the ground wilt thou be angry with him And shall the Ministers and Preachers of Gods Word stand and cry Fire fire fire yea the fire of Gods wrath and vengeance which is kindled with the breath of the Lord as a river of brimstone shall he I say thus cry out The fire of hell is ready to burn thy soul and body and wilt thou be angry with him Oh consider with whom art thou offended surely with God for God speaketh it and art thou offended and angry with God whence cometh it it cometh from thy own vile Corruptions helped forward by the Devil Oh then to conclude learn then whatsoever thou art with patience to hear the Word of just reproof and to hear thy faults reprehended for it is the best good that a Preacher can do to thy soul to bring thee out of the snare of the devil unto amendment of life that thy soul may be saved eternally in the day of the Lord Jesus Esayas also cryeth concerning Israel Though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand on the Sea a remnant shall be saved For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth c. THe next thing here to be considered is the persons against whom the Prophet cryeth and the thing he cryeth The persons are the Children of Israel and the thing that though their Number were as great as the sand on the Sea yet but a remnant shall be saved Now what were the Children of Israel they were the seed of Abraham descended of the holy Patriarks a very honourable people yea they were Gods people his peculiar people they had the Law the Temple the Sacrifices the service of God amongst them yet the Prophet telleth these people that though their Number were as the sand on the Sea-shore yet a Remnant shall be saved and this the Prophet doth to shake the hypocrites amongst them who going on in exceeding great impenitency boasted themselves that they were of the seed of Abraham and that God had fulfilled his promise in them in making them a great multitude and therefore the Lord loved them Now the Prophet he sheweth that this was a vain brag and notwithstanding their great number this will not help them nor avail them in the case of salvation this was the general thing intended by the Apostle Now from hence ariseth two Propositions to be observed the first is this That a great Number of people may bear the name of Gods people Doctrine and yet but a few of them have true repentance or put it down positively that Multitudes of people may bear the name of Gods people and have the true Worship of God amongst them ordinarily and commonly and yet but a few of those be true repentant sinners and in the estate of grace and of salvation this Proposition hath ground and footing in other places of Scripture Gen. 6.1 2. When men began to multiply upon the face of the earth then the Text saith they ran on in sinne together with the multiplication of men and women upon the earth there was a multiplication of evil and sinne a great number of sinnes yea the Sonnes of God the godly and righteous seed such as were the Worshippers of the true God they began to degenerate and to run on in sinne And the Apostle Peter saith in his first Epistle second Chapter and fifth verse that there was onely Noah and seven other with him who was the Preacher of righteousnesse were saved and the world of ungodly had the deluge brought upon them and in the first verse of
thy life and conversation throughly reformed thy corruptions mortified thy graces increased thy love and zeal inflamed and thy soul at last eternally saved let me beg thy prayers for my self in requital of my pains and thy best wishes at the throne of grace in behalf of the Stationer for his labour and his honest care and cost bestowed herein and herein forget not to go to God for his blessing upon thy reading this work and all our endeavors herein that all may tend to his glory In hope whereof I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace and the book once more to thy serious reading and practise heartily taking leave I hasten to write my self Albourn this present March 12 h. 1652. Thine in Christ Jesus William Harrison There is lately Printed Gods holy mind touching matters Moral which himself uttered in ten Words or ten Commandments also Christs Holy Minde touching Prayer which himself taught unto his Disciples discovered by the light of his own holy Writ and delivered by Questions and Answers by the late learned and faithful Preacher of Gods word Mr Edward Elton B. D. and Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Bar monsey near London A true Relation of the murders committed in the Parish of Clunne in the County of Salop by Enoch ap Evan upon the bodies of his Mother and Brother with the causes moving him thereunto by Richard More Esquire Printed by order of a Committee of Parliament The great Mystery of Godlinesse opened Or an Exposition upon the ninth Chapter of the Epistle to the ROMANS Romans 9. Verse 1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the the holy Ghost Verse 2. That I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart THis excellent Epistle to the Romans written by that famous Apostle Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles consisteth of these 3 parts in generall 1. A Proemium or Introduction 2. An Institution of Christian Doctrine 3. A Percration or conclusion Again in the Institution of Christian doctrine the Apostle proceedeth in this manner 1. He handleth the doctrine of Justification in the 5 first Chapters of this Epistle 2. He insisteth in the doctrine of Sanctification in the 6. and 7 th Chapters 3. Matter of sweet consolation flowing from the two former in Chapter the 8 th 4. He propoundeth and prosecuteth the doctrine of Predestination in the 9 th 10 th and 11 th Chapters 5. He proceedeth to matter of Christian exhortation to sundry duties generall and speciall Chapters 12.13 c. Now in this ninth Chapter he beginneth the doctrine of Predestination and openeth that great mystery of godlinesse concerning the rejection of the Jewes and calling of the Gentiles and herein we have 3 parts 1. In the first place we have not onely an insinuation of the Apostles dear and deep affection and a solemne and serious protestation of the truth of it but also a singular manifestation of his most admirable love to the nation of the Jewes notwithstanding the doctrine he was now about to deliver and this is amplified by sundry circumstances as 1. By the particular passion or affection wherein he manifested his dear love to them and that is his grief and sorrow for their casting off 2. The grief he here speaketh of is further amplified by two further circumstances or adjuncts viz. 1. The constancy of it 2. The sinceritie of it 3. This love of the Apostle to them is further illustrated by the great measure or extent of it viz. that he could wish himself accursed and separated from Christ in order to procure their salvation 4. Lastly by the affectionate and honourable mention that he maketh of the Jewish nation describing both fully and affectionately all their priviledges and prerogatives shewing what great cause he had to be so deeply affected with their rejection and thus he doth in the 5 first verses of this Chapter The second part of the Chapter is touching a vindication of the stabilility and constancy of the Lords promises though the Jewes were rejected and the defending of that promise of God for the stability of it against all cavils and all erring spirits and all humane reasonings that may be brought to the contrary and that from the 6. verse to the 24. The third part is a declaration of that wonderfull and deep mystery held from the beginning of the world concerning the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews which was a thing foretold though men did not understand it before Paul revealed it unto them which was foretold by the Prophets so laid down from the 24. verse to the end of the Chapter so you have the chief materials generall in the Chapter of these in order and first of the first The Apostle being about to propound that which he knew would be taken very harsh and hard and marvellous displeasing and offensive to the Jews to hear of he useth a very patheticall insinuation of his love unto the Jews that he speaks of love expressing that love by his inward and hearty sorrow for their present estate and the care that he had for their good thereby to gain their good will and not exasperate them against him And the Apostle being to lay down their rejection useth a Preface unto it that the thing he spake was the truth and for the more force and efficacy of it he putteth down the contrary and I lie not and he confirmeth it further by an oath he calleth Christ to witnesse I speak the truth in Christ I lie not And secondly he proveth it by the witnesses and testimony of his own conscience his own conscience bearing witnesse with him and this conscience renewed by the holy Ghost mine own conscience bearing witnesse with me in the holy Ghost And then in the second verse he delivereth and putteth down his sorrow and his grief and his heavinesse of heart and thus he setteth out by the continuance and greatnesse of it it was a great sorrow and a continuall sorrow and that in his heart and soul and not a dissembled fained or outside sorrow but in his very heart and soul there he putteth down the desire of their good in the third verse And he doth expresse that by a wonderfull strange speech even by a wish to be separated from Christ for their good their calling and conversion Thereby implying their rejection and not propounding it for otherwise there was no cause of such a wish to be wished to be separated from Christ for their sake if they were not rejected and therefore he desireth to be anathemated and accursed from Christ for their good and then he setteth down reasons why he so wished himself to be separated from Christ First of all because they were his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh Secondly a more waightier reason then this because they were the Israelites of God and Gods people and that he maketh further manifest and plain unto
man are far greater then the evils on the body though it be Famine and Pestilence because the evils that be upon the souls of men they are simply evil things and such as in themselues do make men subject to the wrath of God and power of the Devil which no other outward misery can do of it self indeed a mans behaviour therein may make him lye open to the wrath of God and power of the devil but the evils on the soul of man do make him lye wide open unto it And I may safely say that the hardnesse of Pharaohs heart was a heavier and a greater Plague unto him then all the plagues of Egypt besides for these are the most fearful evils and make a man lyable to the wrath of God and power of the devil and therefore doubtlesse this we may resolve upon that the evils that be upon the hearts and souls of men are especially to be grieved for Vse This concerneth every one of us to take notice of and we are to labour to put this duty in practice and I must tell you withal it is a duty wherein many of us are defective and wanting and come far short of and the most may justly be reproved and taxed in this particular that we have not grieved for the evils that be upon the souls of men and women we can grieve for the miseries that be upon the bodies of men and outward estates and we can bemoan and bewail them and shew forth a greater measure of sorrow and grief for those and sometimes weeping especially if they be our friends and near and dear unto us as we are bound unto by speciall bonds as our Father Mother wife brother or sister or friends or such like we can shew forth a great deal of sorrow for them but the miseries that lye upon the souls of others though they be never so near or dear unto us few there be that are touched and moved with this evil to draw yet a little nearer thou canst grieve if so be thou hearest thy son thy brother or thy friend near unto thee prove a bankrupt or an unthrift and decay in worldly things or if thy child or servant or any other be suddenly overtaken by some accident and some hand of God as strucken blind lame or the like thy heart is full of sorrow for this and indeed so thou oughtest to be But let thy brother thy friend thy own child thy husband or wife that lyeth in thy bosome be one that is given to sin to live in ignorance drunkennesse swearing and the like thou art touched nothing at all with this thou art grieved for their bodies but let thy husband be an ignorant person or an hard-hearted person thou art not touched with it at all we grieve not for the miseries that lye upon their souls and this sheweth the cursednesse of thy heart that thou art an hard-hearted person and according to the cursednesse of thine own heart thou respectest not the hardnesse of the hearts of others and it is a plain evidence and demonstration of thy heart that it is not right in thee it is an argument that thou art but a carnal person and enlightened onely by the light of nature and that thou hast not in thee the life of true grace that ought to be in a Child of God therefore in the fear of God take notice of this duty and learn we to find this in our selves that we be grieved for the miseries that be upon the soul especially those that we are bound unto by special bond as for the ignorance of thy father or mother thy wife thy child or servant that they will not be reformed and for the evils that lye upon their hearts and soules we must showr down tears for them that have the means of salvation and yet will not turn unto God yea thy heart and soul must be pierced through with grief for thy neighbours even such as live in thy own Land and Kingdom with thee as the miseries that lye upon the souls of poor men and women that have not one that is able to teach them the Word of God we should cry to heaven and send up sighes and tears for them and intreat the Lord to send forth Labourers into his harvest they want it they live in darknesse and blindnesse and never touched in Conscience for the same but go on with an high hand in sin and this should grieve our soules We should mourn in secret and seek unto the Lord by prayer with sighes and groans that the Lord would be pleased to send forth such as would labour amongst them and bring them out of the darknesse they are in thus we are to mourn for the known evils that lye upon the souls of others Haply the Lord may threaten us with Judgment and Dearth and Famine which we may justly look for yea the Famine of the Word of God For men that live in their sins without touch of Conscience this should grieve us exceedingly Now then to stirre us up to the practise of this Duty first of all consider Motive 1 If so be we be grieved for the evils that lye upon the souls of others it is a plain evidence that we have our soules enlightened and our eyes opened and are not ignorant and blind persons but have a true sight and discerning of evils and of the nature of evil things we are able to see and discern what is the cause of evil namely sin Secondly it will be an evidence unto us that we are truly sorrowfull Motive 2 and that we are truly humbled for our own sins if we can mourn for the sins of others And hence it is that you shall find that such as have been the most notorious sinners if once they come to be wrought upon and to be converted they come to be the most pitiful and compassionate persons in the world to others they see the uglinesse of sin and have felt the weight and burthen of it and they have the greatest grief in their hearts for the sins of others Motive 3 And thirdly it will be an evidence that we have true grace and true faith in our hearts and souls not a counterfeit but a true faith and that we are truly zealous for the glory of God and especially grieved for the sins of others that cannot grieve themselves even for those that live in the farthermost part of the world that have not the preaching of the Word that live in ignorance and blindnesse And to shut up all in one word of Exhortation If then we would have a good evidence that we are not such that have our eyes shut up like Balaam but that we have a true sight and discerning of the nature of evils and if we would have good evidence that we are truly touched and humbled for our own sins and have true faith and grace in our soules and are truly zealous of the glory of God this will yeeld us true
comfort both in life and in death Let us then never rest untill we be grieved for the miseries that lye on the bodies of others but especially for the evils on the souls of others and such as do appertain unto us that we be not like stocks nor stones but that we mourn for the sinnes on the soules of others Now from these words the Apostle where he saith he grieveth for the rejection of the Jewes some move this question Whether the Apostle might lawfully be grieved for the rejection of the Jews it being according to the appointment of the Lord. But the question Quest arising from hence concerning our selves is this seeing we are to be grieved for the known miseries of others the question may be Whether we may be grieved for such persons as suffer just punishments for their evil deeds brought to the place of execution when the hand of God is in punishing of them for their evil doings or no Now to this I answer Answ That we are to put on tender bowels of pity commiseration and compassion towards all that be in any distresse and under the punishing hand of God in any thing whatsoever they be though never so vile and sinful though they be monsters in regard of the outrage of sin yet as they be the creatures of God as they bear the Image of God and be reasonable creatures and are partakers of the same nature with us so we are to put on tender bowels of pity and commiseration towards them though they be never so vile or wicked Thus we find Samuel mourned for Saul Samuel as a Prophet foreseeing the evil that was like to fall upon Saul both in the losse of his Kingdom and the losse of his life in so desperate a manner he grieved for him as we may read in the 1 Sam. 16.1 The Lord biddeth him no longer to mourn for him yet he did in regard of the miseries that he saw lye upon him thus we are to mourn for all be they never so vile as they bear the image of God and are men and women like unto us but as wicked persons undergo just and deserved punishment for their offences either against God the good estate of the Church or the good estate of Religion we may in that respect be so far from grieving mourning and pitying of them that we may rejoyce and joy in it yet not pleasing our selves in the smart or pains of others be they never so vile but for the manifestation of Gods Justice because we love God and the glory of God is dear unto us therefore we may and ought to magnifie and justifie the Name of God in cuting off of such men as be Jesuites and Seminary Priests we may be so far from sorrowing for them as that we may rejoyce in it and glorifie God in cutting off of such wicked Imps as in Psal 58.10 11. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the revenging hand of God upon such and men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth on the earth God himself desireth not the death of any so he saith I delight not in the death of a sinner yet God was pleased with the punishment of the wicked according to the rule and course of his Justice so we must not delight in the punishment of any as he is a creature of God and beareth the Image of God like unto us but we are to look upon the glory of Gods Justice and to magnifie and to glorifie him in such persons being destroyed that seek the hurt of Gods glory Gods Church or Gods Religion For then we are to rejoyce but not in their punishment as they are men of the like nature with us In the next place we are to mark that the Apostle saith not nakedly and barely that he was grieved and sorrowed for the rejection of the Jewes but doth affirm and say that he had great heavinesse and continual sorrow for the rejection of the Jews his heavinesse and sorrow was not small nor vanishing but it was great and heavy such as is a womans travelling with child for so the word sorrow signifieth a vehement great and heavy sorrow for their rejection Now what was the cause the Apostle grieved for the rejection of the Jews because he loved them for this was a manifestation of his love his sorrow and love held sympathy and proportion hence the observation is thus That true love unto any person Doctr. or thing causeth heavinesse sorrow and grief in the heart upon any known just occasion of grief given from that person or thing so loved and according to the measure of love to any person or thing so is the measure of grief or sorrow upon any known just occasion of grief from that person or thing so loved our grief is answerable and proportionable to our love the more we grieve for any person or thing the more we love them this we see is clear from the example of the Apostle that was grieved for the rejection of the Jews out of his love to them and this is manifest by other places as in Gen. 37.34 we read when good Jacob that holy and just man had just occasion given unto him for sorrow and heavinesse as he thought for his son Joseph he thinking verily his son was devoured by wild beasts as they did give him intelligence though false it is said that he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and sorrowed for him exceedingly yea the Text saith that when his children came about him to comfort him he would not be comforted in regard of the evil he thought had befallen his son Joseph he grieved a long season and would not be comforted so also in 1 Sam. 20.34 Jonathan was very sorrowful and exceeding heavy for David because his Father Saul had reviled him such was his love to David so also we find that the good man Nehemiah had a heart full of sorrow and grief and humbled himself in weeping and fasting when he heard of the evil that was upon the Church and the people of God it made him break out into weeping and humbling his soul Nehem. 1.6 yea his sorrow and heavinesse was so great that he could not dissemble it he could not keep it in his bosome it appeared in his very countenance yea and that so apparantly that the King said What is the matter Nehemiah why is thy countenance sad seeing thou art not sick Sure I perceive that this is nothing else but sorrow of heart Nehem. 2.2 In John 11.36 the Jews said when they saw Jesus weeping for Lazarus Behold how he loved him they could thereby conjecture his love to him so 2 Cor. 2.4 The Apostle saith in great anguish of spirit he wrote to them and in many tears that they might perceive his love unto them his true and hearty love and anguish of his soul went together so that the point is clear That true love unto
patience and such like And thereby also they do give to us to understand that we are especially to wish and desire the good of the soules of those whom we love and are bound to love that they may have saving grace in their soules and an increase of it here in this life and that they may be eternally saved hereafter in heaven And there is good reason for it Reason Because indeed saving grace here in this life and salvation hereafter in heaven is the most excellent thing that can be desired or enjoyed saving grace in the soul is proper to those whom God loves in special manner and gives it to none but to such as belong to Gods election And it sweetens all other good things of this life and makes them truly comfortable without which they are but accursed vanities and vexations of spirit Eccles 2.11 as the Preacher speaks yea saving grace in the soul yeelds comfort and rejoycing of heart when all other things in this life can yeeld none at all as in the midst of trouble sorrow and perplexity and in the hour of death And therefore doubtlesse saving grace here in this life and salvation hereafter in heaven are the things that we are especially to wish and desire in the behalf of those whom we love and are bound to love But may some say It may be that those whom we love Quest and are bound to love belong not to Gods election Are we bound to wish saving grace and salvation to them I answer Answ That they belong not to Gods election is a secret and unknown to us and we are not to meddle with that we are to follow the Will of God revealed which enjoyns us to desire the good of those whom we love and are bound to love especially the good of their soules even to wish them saving grace here in this life and salvation hereafter in heaven We see then a Duty that concerns us laid before us Vse and we are to take notice of it and to put it in practise it is a duty little thought on or little regarded by many we can many of us wish well to such as we love and are bound to love to our children and friends in respect of their bodies and outward estate we can wish them health and wealth and outward prosperity that they may live in health and may thrive and come forward in the world and may prosper in their outward affaires these things we can wish them out of the strength of natural affection which indeed we are bound to wish unto them that they may so live and so do by the use of all good means But alas here is our failing and fault few there be that make it the earnest desire of their hearts and the chief wish of their soules That their children servants brethren friends and such as they love and are bound to love may have saving grace wrought in their soules that they may come to have saving knowledge of God saving faith and saving repentance and may come truly to fear the Lord. Indeed sometimes men for form and fashion break out and say God give grace to my child to my servants and such like and God blesse them with his grace and God make them his faithful servant which are good speeches but this is but a flash and a vanishing wish it ends with a breath and in speaking of it it is not seconded with a careful use of all the good means as it ought to be Now then know it whosoever thou art thou must especially wish and desire the good of the soules of those whom thou lovest and art bound to love that they may come to saving knowledge saving faith and saving repentance and may come truly to fear God and thy desire must be true sound settled and constant seconded with the careful use of all good means within the compasse of thy place and calling that serve to work saving grace in them as teaching and instructing them counselling them comforting them and praying for them and sending up thy wishes to heaven for them And to help us forward in this duty consider we these two things First If we make it the earnest desire of our hearts and the chief wish of our soules that those whom we love and are bound to love may have saving grace wrought in their soules we are therein like to God himself and we follow his example for thus doth the Lord himself wish to his people Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them or who will give them such an heart as to fear me and to keep all my Commandements alway as if he should have said It is the chief desire of my soul that they had such an heart Secondly If we earnestly and heartily wish saving grace to the soules of those whom we love and are bound to love it is a good evidence that we have true saving grace in our own soules and that we feel the sweetnesse and comfort of it in our own soules For certainly they that find the sweetnesse of saving grace in their own soules Act. 11.23 24. cannot but wish it to others and delight to see it in others they that truly fear God themselves cannot but wish that others did as Paul said to Agrippa Act. 26.29 would to God that not onely thou but also all that hear me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am If then we would be like to God himself and a better example we cannot follow and if we would have good evidence that we have true saving grace in our own souls we must be mindfull of this duty not onely to wish good to the bodies of those whom we love and are bound to love but especially that they may have saving grace in their soules here in this life and salvation hereafter in heaven and carefully use all good means serving to that purpose Let us now go on to further matter offered to us from this Verse For I could wish my self to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsmen according to the flesh We are further to consider that the Apostle as I have shewed in this wish of his to be separated or accursed from Christ had respect not only to the conversion and salvation of the Jews out of his love to them but he had also therein respect to the glory of God and to the glory of Christ He could have wished himself if it had been possible separated and cut off from salvation purchased by Christ and from all hope of it and to have been damned for ever in hell not onely for the good of the Jews that they might have been converted and saved but also for the greater glory of God and of Christ That God and Christ might thereby have had the greater honour and glory whence we are given to understand thus much and the point further offered to us from this wish of the Apostle is this Doctrine
That the glory of God and the glory of Christ ought to be most dear to us yea dearer to us then our own salvation we ought to prefer the glory of God and the glory of Christ before the best good thing we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before heaven it self and we are to be willing rather to lose our part of happinesse and glory in heaven if it were possible we being the Children of God then that God or Christ should lose any part of their glory And thus it was with the blessed Apostle in this place and thus also it was with Moses the servant of God Exod. 32.32 we there find that Moses desired the Lord if he would not pardon the sin of his people Israel but proceed in wrath against them and destroy them as they had deserved by their sins that then he would blot him out of his book of life that he had written Moses knew that with the preservation of the people of Israel who were then the visible Church of God was Gods glory joyned both in respect of the promises made to the Fathers which it was not for Gods honour to frustrate and in regard of the blasphemies which the Egyptians and other spiteful enemies to God would have been ready on the ruine and destruction of the Lords people to cast out against him Moses therefore did not onely look to the preservation of the people but to the glory of God also and in respect of that he was even carelesse of his own salvation and he preferred Gods glory before his own eternal happinesse and salvation indeed we find not any other example in the Scripture to this purpose saving onely these two of Moses and Paul but these do sufficiently shew that though we cannot attain to that measure of zeal to Gods glory that was in them yet we must aym at it and we are to labour and strive to the uttermost of our power to come to it and these examples do evidence to us that thus it ought to be with us that we ought to esteem the glory of God and the glory of Christ most dear to us and to prefer that before the best good thing we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before our own happinesse and glory in heaven it ought to be dearer to us then our own soules and the Reasons and grounds of it be these First the glory of God is the end of all the creatures of God and for Reason 1 his glory were all things made we live and move and have our being from God to this end principally to yeeld him glory and all our thoughts words and actions are to tend to this that God may have glory by them it is that we are taught to pray for in the first place Hallowed be thy Name 1 Cor. 10.31 And secondly the glory of God is the chiefest good it 's better worth Reason 2 then all things in heaven or earth And hence it is that the Angels and Saints in heaven make it their whole joy and felicity to sing praise and glory to God yea they are so ravished with the love of Gods glory that they never faint nor grow weary in sounding forth the praise and glory of God they cease not day nor night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and which is to come Revel 4.8 and therefore on these grounds it followes directly and necessarily that the glory of God and the glory of Christ ought to be most dear to us and we are to preserve that before the best good things we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before our own happinesse and glory in heaven and it ought to be dearer to us then our own soules A duty to apply it and to lay it a little nearer to our consciences a duty I say wherein most of us come far short for consider it Vse are we so affected to the glory of God and to the glory of Christ as we hold that dearer to us then our own lives yea then our eternal good and comfort and the everlasting salvation of our own soules alas if we examine the matter we shall find that many of us prefer a little worldly pelf a little ease or pleasure or a little vain credit in the world before the glory of God and the glory of Christ Do not some who have abundance of wealth wherewith they might do much good and honour God and Christ exceedingly as Solomon exhorts Prov. 3.9 honour God with thy riches they might imploy their wealth to many good uses to the promotion of Gods glory and to the furthering of the Gospel of Christ And do they not prefer the keeping of their wealth after a base and sordid and miserable manner before the doing good with it to the advancement of the glory of God and the glory of Christ and do not some love their ease and the contentment of the flesh so well as they prefer that before the enduring of a little hardship or a little pains or a little suffering for the name and glory of Christ Jesus They will rather as they say sleep in a whole skin though it be with a breach a wound and an hole in their Conscience then they will undergo any trouble or hard measure from the hands of men for doing such things as ought and might bring glory to God and might advance the name of the Lord and whereby Christ might be magnified as Philip. 1.20 And so for the matter of vain credit and good liking of men in the world Be there not many so poysoned with the love of that as they prefer it before the glory of God and the glory of Christ Are not many ashamed to professe the name of Christ and to be sound and sincere in the profession of the Gospel because they shall be disgraced in the world and be counted Puritanes they will not adorn the doctrine of the Gospel they professe Tit. 2.10 they will not endeavour to be blamelesse and pure and the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation and to shine as lights in the world as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 2.15 Though God and Christ might be thereby much glorified because then they shall be out of favour and credit with men yea haply with their best friends as they account them with those on whom their preferment depends yea are there not many in the world and amongst us so far from accounting the glory of God and the glory of Christ so dear to them as they could be content for that to part with the best good thing they do enjoy or hope to enjoy even to part with heaven for it if it might be as that indeed they will not part with any one beloved sin for the glory of God and for the glory of Christ They will not for the glory of God and for the honour of the Lord Jesus part with their pride their
sanctified unto their use and they may lawfully use them after a holy manner much more then are their children sanctified by a holinesse that cometh by vertue of the covenant so speaketh the Holy Ghost they are to be accounted holy and such as belong unto Gods election howsoever many of them belong not unto Gods election yet they are so to be esteemed in the judgment of charity This being a truth that to come of good and godly parents is not sufficient Vse 1 to intitle them to salvation Let all then that are well discended that are the children of good godly and religious parents take heed of pride and of a swelling conceit that cometh to them from their parents Because their parents are such as truly fear God It is a thing usual and incident unto us to be proud of nothing more then of Nobility and gentry that we are come of such parentage and hereupon to be lifted up with a swelling conceit and especially if we come from religious parents Indeed I confesse it is a matter of honour and dignity to be the children of religious parents yet do not thou think that because thou art a child of one that feareth God that therefore thou hast promise to life and salvation no thou must find better evidence to thy heart and soul if thou be able to look into thy self with a right eye and be able to see and discern of thy own estate thou shalt find thy self to be in the common condition of all men that thou art lying and wallowing in thy filthinesse and blood though thou be of the most religious parentage upon the face of the earth thou shalt see thou art defiled and polluted and imagine not that thou art of a better nature then others because thou art come of better parents this is a conceit that runneth in the minds of many they are come of good stock and of good parents and therefore they are of a better nature no thy stock is rotten of it self and conveyeth nothing but pollution and corruption to the sprigs It may be thou art not so vile and wicked as others be not such a debauched wretch as others are but yet know this that it is not the goodnesse of thy nature that thou art so but from restraining grace thou being brought up in a religious family the reason why thou breakest not out into sin it is from restraining grace not from the goodnesse of thy nature for the root of it is rotten nature is as corrupted in thee as in the vilest Monsters upon the earth and that thou art not so bad or so vile as Judas Cain Saul the Sodomites or Pharaoh it cometh from restraining grace not from any goodnesse of thy nature do not therefore build upon the goodnesse of thy nature labour to change thy self from what thou art and rest not in a civil formality and think that is sufficient never rest untill thou find thy heart is renued by grace that thou art framed anew in some measure according to the Image of Jesus Christ labour for renovation and then thou hast ground of true comfort and right and title unto life and salvation otherwise if thou rest in thy good education and in thy good nature it will deceive thee but labour for the powerful working of the Spirit in thee Vse 2 Is this so That the very coming and discending from the loynes of good and godly parents is not sufficient to intitle children unto life and salvation It concerneth then such as are good and godly parents that they do labour to work better things in their soules then those that their children receive from them by generation and birth For why by generation and birth what do they receive nothing but a common disease and corruption Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh And it may be with thy common corruption thou hast derived a particular infection not alwayes so but it may be thou hast therefore it concerneth all good and godly parents to convey better things then those they have received by generation and birth to labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature Prov. 22. labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature the bundel of folly and vanity by teaching by instructing comforting reproving commending and exhorting moderately to work the fear of God in their soules labour to intitle them to the promise of life and salvation and be an Instrument of the promise of life and salvation and be an instrument of their eternal good Neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called THe particular instance of the true seed of Abraham cometh now to be stood upon in that he saith in Isaac shall thy seed be called which words are the words of God to Ahraham in Gen. 21.12 and that place of Genesis considered with this of the Apostle giveth us to understand the meaning of the words to be this Ishmael was Abrahams child as well as Isaac Ishmael came of Abraham by course of nature and that as well as Isaac yet God saith thy son Ishmael should not be thy son and heir but told him plainly and directly that his son Isaac was the child in whom he would accomplish and make good his Promise concerning mercy grace righteousnesse and salvation in him shall thy seed come to participate in the promise in thy son Isaac Now then the Lord in these words maketh known that Isaac was the chosen seed of Abraham that did belong unto Gods election that he had rejected Ishmael from all eternity though he was the son of Abraham and appointed Isaac to life and salvation And so this example of Isaac and of Ishmael doth very well fit the purpose of the Apostle namely this to shew that though the Jews come of Abraham according to the course of Nature and are his seed by carnal generation yet are not all such as belong unto Gods eternal election and though they be rejected there is no breach of the promise of the Lord of which the Apostle treateth in this Chapter Now we are to observe in the first place touching these words they being considered as you heard the words of God to Abraham thus much That God in these words maketh known unto Abraham a great difference that was between his two sons Ishmael and Isaac such a difference as Abraham did not think upon nor could not take notice of untill God did make it known Abraham without question did judge both of his sons to be in the same estate Ishmael and Isaac to be in the same condition and that both had right and title to that Covenant in Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Thus Abraham thought and therefore Abraham circumcised both his children yea Ishmael in the first place and instructed both and brought them up both alike yet you see God putteth a wide and a large difference between
the force and strength and vertue of it concerning mercy grace righteousnesse life and salvation to all that believe in Christ and repent of their sins In a word the efficacy and force of the Word of the Gospel which indeed is a word of promise it propoundeth to all true believers that are repentant for their sins mercy grace righteousnesse life and salvation the observation is this That the Word of Gods saving promise the Word of the Gospel is a most powerful and a most effectual Word it is of a begetting nature it is able as an Instrument to beget children unto God and it doth in Gods appointed time effectually work upon Gods chosen and make them actually the Children of God so that they may be truly called the children of the promise as that special promise in Gen. 18. Sarah thy wife shall have a son as that gave birth and being to Isaac when there was no likelihood or possibility of his being and birth from his parents Abraham and Sarah so the Word of Gods saving promise the words of the Gospel giveth a spiritual being and birth to Gods chosen and make them actually the children of God in his appointed time when there is no likelihood nor possibility in nature Yea when their Nature is in flat opposition and contrariety unto it then doth the Word of the Gospel make them actually the children of God And to this purpose speaketh that holy and Evangelical Prophet the Prophet Esay Esay 11.6 7 8.9 the holy Prophet sheweth that in the dayes of Christ such should be the force and powerful working of the Gospel that it should make men of Wolves to become lambs and of Leopards as meek as kids and men that were as Lions of a Lionish nature to be as meek as a fat beast and as gentle that children should lead them such as were of a wolvish and lionish Nature for so we are by nature fierce and cruel and savage to become meek and gentle and so he goeth on in setting forth the powerful working of the Gospel so in Joh. 5.25 saith the Lord Jesus Verily verily I say unto you the hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear the Word of God and they that hear it shall live where by dead ' we shall understand those that are spiritually dead and not corporally dead for of those he speaketh in the 28 verse he saith that the voyce of the Spirit of God shall come to those that are in the graves and they shall arise but hereby those that are dead in sins and trespasses Ephes 2.1 and such as are spiritually dead to put the life of grace and of faith and of holinesse into their hearts and soules in the 1. of James 18. saith the Apostle speaking of God of his own will begat he us with the Word of truth by an emphasis or excellency a begetting word the word of the Gospel and not to adde more places this doth sufficiently prove that the Gospel of God is an effectual Word and doth work upon Gods chosen in time and make them to become Gods children actually whereas before they were potentially and may be called the children of the Promise The Reasons and grounds are these First of all the Gospel it is the arm of the Lord so saith the Prophet Reason 1 Esay 53.1 to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed that is the word of the Gospel yea it is the power of God so the Apostle saith Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 it is the arm of the Lord and the power of God it is a power far passing the power of man or of hell it self and of all the devils it is strong powerful and prevailing there is no opposition whatsoever is able to gainsay it or withstand it but it is able to bear it down to the ground The word of the Gospel it administreth to Gods chosen Gods Spirit Reason 2 whence it is that the Apostle in Gal. 3.2 demandeth of the Galathians What saith he Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or rather by the preaching of the doctrine of Faith the doctrine of the Gospel that is the means of conveying unto you the Spirit namely the Gospel of God which conveyeth it Now the Spirit of God stirreth up the unbelieving that are Gods chosen and inableth them to believe yea it doth beget faith in their hearts and doth certainly and infallibly and that without resistance actually incline their hearts to believe in Christ and so to become actually Gods children thus doth the holy Spirit of God given to Gods chosen bend and bowe their hearts inabling them to believe and make them certainly and infallibly Gods Children such is the power of the Gospel This Doctrine in the first place doth point out unto us one main difference Vse 1 that is between the Law and the Gospel the law doth onely discover sin unto man and what the least sin of man deserveth and is able to go no further it cannot deliver unto a man any means of comfort but seaveth a man liable to the curse of the Law it sheweth them not the means to escape the curse onely as a Schoolmaster it sendeth men to Christ not by teaching and instructing but by whipping and scourging by terrifying upon the sight of sin it sheweth them no pity nor no compassion it driveth them from it self to seek unto a better Schoolmaster and better Physitian to go unto Christ Gal. 3.14 the Law is our Schoolmaster to drive us to Christ But now the Gospel is of force to work upon Gods chosen effectually it is able to confer and to administer unto Gods chosen the Spirit of God which Spirit doth beget faith in their hearts and so they become actually the Children of God this is the efficacy and power of the Gospel Is this so that the Word of Gods promise the Gospel is so powerful Vse 2 and so effectual and able as an Instrument to beget children to God Oh then I beseech you in the fear of God look unto it learn we upon this ground that the Word of the Gospel we living under the preaching of it be thus powerful in our hearts and soules in particular let us never rest untill we find that the preaching of the Gospel hath so wrought upon our hearts and soules that it be so effectual in us to bear down the strength of nature and whatsoever standeth in opposition against it and to cast down the strongest hold of sin and Satan in our hearts and that it hath conferred and conveyed the holy Spirit of God and thereby wrought faith in our hearts Oh let us never rest untill we find this working And consider the Gospel it is the arm of God it hath made some men of wolves to become as lambs of Lions fat beast it hath beaten down the pride of their hearts it hath hammered their hard hearts it hath quelled and overmastered their over-ruling and predominant corruptions take onely the
reason upon this ground If so be I be appointed of God to life and salvation I shall surely be saved howsoever I live though I live most wickedly and be a a Drunkard a filthy person and a Usurer be I what I will be my sins cannot damn me Gods decree is certain and unchangeable Oh this kind of reasoning is all one in effect as if a man should speak thus why God hath given unto us his holy Word as the rule of holiness and yet hath therein opened unto us a gap for all manner of wickednesse and prophanenesse and lewdnesse which indeed is horrible blasphemy against the infinite wisdom of God we must know as God hath appointed some to life and glory in heaven so hath he appointed the means by which he will bring them to the possession of it what is that the way of Faith the way of holinesse without which no man shall see God to his comfort Heb. 12.14 what a foolish thing is it for men then thus to reason If I be appointed to life and salvation I shall be saved howsoever I live men will not so reason in the matters of the body will a man having received a grievous and sore wound in some part of his body say why if God hath appointed this wound shall be cured and healed it shall be healed though I never apply means salve or medicine to it And if God hath appointed me to live to such a time I shall live so long though I never eat nor drink nor use any thing for the preservation of this life were not this a madnesse and a folly So what madnesse and folly is it for men to reason thus in respect of their soules I am sure a child of God dare not so reason the seed of grace that is in the heart of a child of God will not suffer him and if thou so reason surely it is a fearful sign that God never appointed thee to life and salvation nay it is more then a probable sign though I will not determine of thy final estate that thou art a reprobate and in the estate of reprobation this is the devils logick and his manner of reasoning and used indeed by none but such as are irreligious and prophane Is it so that God hath from everlasting fore-appointed and fore-ordained Vse 2 some amongst men to the inheritance of heaven certainly and infallibly so as that they shall certainly come to the possession of it here is a ground of sweet and excellent comfort to as many as find themselves to be in that number they may assure themselves of it that they shall be eternally saved for God himself is sure with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing Jam. 1.17 and this ought to stirre us up to labour to find our selves to be in that number in the number of Gods chosen and to give all diligence to make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 not sure in it self for so it is already but sure unto us in our assured knowledg of it that we know it certainly and infallibly that we appertain to God to give all diligence to this this is a matter of weight if we come near to that assurance that we are in the number of Gods chosen happy are we then though tryals and troubles and persecutions come as we may justly expect for great troubles and persecutions are ready to break in upon us they are at the door in evil and dangerous times we live and we may justly look that the fiery tryal should come upon us in regard of our sins to be bound at the stake now if we be out of the gun-shot in the state of grace and in the number of those that appertain to life and salvation what need we fear it no though our implacable enemies the blood-sucking Papists though they should prevail so far which the Lord avert and turn away from us yet if they should prevail to take away our lives by fire and faggot and most cruel torments we need not fear if we be in the number of Gods chosen then our everlasting good the good of our soules and bodies cometh to us they cannot hurt us our everlasting good of soul and body standeth upon a sure ground Gods foundation not mans foundation which is tottering and wavering and rotten so saith the Apostle the foundation of the Lord remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 and all the devils and powers in hell cannot shake that foundation Quest I but some will say How shall I know and be assured of it that I am built upon this foundation hoc opus hic labor and that my estate is settled hereon and that I am in the number of Gods chosen Answ I answer there be many infallible notes of it onely take this one special note of it Gods eternal election of some to life and glory in heaven doth imprint the very image and stamp of it self in the souls of those that be elected the print and impression of it remaineth there and what is that why surely it worketh in them another Election God hath chosen them for his and it maketh them to choose God in Christ for their God and to choose the Saints of God the houshold of God above all others in the world to be their Companions and to delight in their Communion and society and fellowship Psal 16.2 above all other men in the world these be their darlings try then if thou find this effect in thy heart and soul that thou doest choose God to be thy God the Lord is thy lot and portion and the delight of thy soul Psal 16.5 and thou doest resolve to cleave fast unto God and to keep fast unto the truth and profession of it though all the world divert from it and follow Popery and Antichristianisme Josh 24.17 and to resolve even with good Joshua I and my house will serve the Lord Let all the world run after Baal after the Pope and after whom they will thou art resolved rather to shed thy dearest blood then to shrink from the sound profession of the Gospel yea God assisting thee in the very flames of fire thou wilt imbrace the profession of God and God for thy portion happy art thou then thou mayst certainly conclude thou art in the number of Gods chosen and though they rend and tear thy body in a thousand pieces they cannot pull thee from thy inheritance that is firm and stable therefore comfort thy self upon this evidence Not by works but by him that calleth THese words shew unto us that the purpose of God touching Election and Reprobation might not nor did not depend upon the works of Jacob and Esau but upon the free grace of God calling his elect in time effectually Here then we see the Apostle maketh an opposition and a contrariety and a flat Antithesis between these two things grace and works hence the observation is this That not the works of man
be in the matter of justification and sanctification but to answer more fully I hope the Papists will not deny but that Abraham and David had as well Moral works as Ceremonial works if they do they deny the plain truth of God and yet the Apostle saith Rom. 4.4 5 6. These two holy men they were not justified or saved by any thing done by themselves but even by the faith of Jesus Christ being imputed unto them for righteousnesse Object 2 Again say the Papists we grant they were justified by faith why then Faith is a work and therefore works have some stroke in the Justification of a sinner I answer Answ It is true faith is a work it is a work of God Christ calleth it so Joh. 6.29 when the Scribes and Pharisees say what shall we do that we may do the works of God Christ saith believe in God that is a work of all works the best work but we must know that faith doth not justifie as it is a work no not by the worth and goodnesse of faith the very act of believing justifieth not for the vertue and goodnesse of it but it justifieth relativè as an instrument or hand applying and taking hold of the Lord Jesus Christ and so doth faith justifie apprehending Christ as the matter of Justification Yet further they object say the Papists in the places alledged where Object 3 there is an opposition between grace and works the Holy Ghost meaneth works of nature such as are done by the strength of nature and not of the works of grace no these two may well stand together works that come from the grace and Spirit of God and grace these two may well stand together in the matter of salvation To this I answer Answ I beseech you consider with me that place in Ephes 2.8 9. where the Apostle saith by grace you are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God then he subjoyneth not of works lest any man should boast of what works doth the Apostle speak of works of nature no such matter but works done by the power of grace how may that appear in the tenth verse he saith we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus to good works plainly teaching us that the works he speaketh of are works done by us framed anew in Christ Jesus by the power of his Spirit and grace we being in Christ made new creatures so to leave the Papists Is it so That Gods eternal election of his chosen before all time and Vse 2 effectual calling in time is merely and onely of Gods free grace and favour and not of the works of men upon this ground we must learn our Lesson and duty howsoever we are bound to the doing of good works of all sorts and kinds within the compasse of our place and callings both duties of piety to God duties of love equity mercy and justice to men and are bound to be rich and plentiful in all good works for necessary uses that they may be fruits of faith evidences of Gods love and favour unto us in Christ testimonies of our thankfulnesse unto God for his mercy and necessary antecedents to God before the reward of life and glory in heaven so that good works are necessary yet mark the Lesson howsoever we are thus bound to good works yet we must renounce the merit of them take heed that we rest not upon the merit of good works we must renounce all trust and confidence in them and stick onely and wholly to the free grace of God for our justification our comfort here and happinesse hereafter all from the beginning to the consummation from predestination to glorification is all of the free grace and favour of God Many silly ignorant people there be that say they hope to be saved but ask them the question how you shall have a blind answer by their good dealing by their good serving of God and by their good prayers they are just and true and by this means they hope to be saved they have no other ground but that which is merely natural Popish and carnal and doth shoulder and thrust out the free grace and favour of God alas if there were no other way to come to heaven but by our good dealing and good serving of God woe be unto us for then no flesh shall ever be saved no mere man shall ever come to heaven if all our happinesse depend upon our own goodnesse all our comfort were at an end For the best of our works are stained like menstruous clouts your hearing the Word our preaching and prayer they are but as menstruous and filthy clouts and have many imperfections cleaving unto them and herein learn a trick and subtilty of Satan if Satan cannot prevail with a man to be abominable and vile in his life to be a debauched creature but that he will live civilly and orderly and will be doing good things then he will temper with him and stirre him up to be conceited of his goodnesse and to rest upon it as the ground of comfort when a man doth avoid the bloody-faced sins of the world then the devil maketh him to think he is a right honest man and make that the ground of salvation but this is as pleasing to the devil as a lewd and a wicked course of life for assuredly the trust and ground of comfort in any thing done by us shall assoon bring a man to hell as the most vile and debauched course of life Oh then trust perfectly to the grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.13 the word is very significant and signifieth soundly holily and solidly trust to the free grace of God for if thou trust upon any thing else it will plunge thy soul into the bottomlesse pit of hell yea if we rest upon the grace of God though the Lord do afflict and bring us under in grievous afflictions yet happy are we we are built upon the free grace of God and he will never take his grace and mercy from us as he saith to David 2 Sam. 7.14 15. if thy son sin against me I will correct him with the rods of men but my mercy will I never take from thee thou art in a blessed estate that resteth upon the mercy of God VERSE 12. It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger IN this Verse our Apostle putteth down the speech of God unto Rebekah which we read of in Gen. 25.23 the Holy Ghost in that Chapter telleth us that Rebekah having conceived twins two children in her womb and feeling the children to strive in her womb she went to ask counsel of the Oracle of God touching that matter and the text saith God gave her this Answer two Nations are in thy womb Rebekah two manner of people shall be divided out of thy bowels and the one people shall be mightier then the other the elder shall serve the younger these were the very words of
him that willeth or desireth good so it is not in him that worketh any good thing as David saith Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at large then when thou hast set my heart free that is pend up by reason of corruption I will do all that is required in thy Lawes and Commandements so by running we are to understand a working of good But in him that sheweth mercy That is in Gods mere mercy and will in vouchsafing and reaching out his gracious hand So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apostle as if the Apostle had said So then or So therefore that which we have hitherto spoken of and treated on touching Gods election of Jacob or any particular person to life and salvation in heaven It is not either in Jacob or in any other man that willeth or desireth good or endeavoureth after good by the power and strength of all the powers and faculties of his soul of his mind will and affections and all the rest of his powers neither is it in Jacob or any other man working or doing good things no not in any one's running the right way of Gods Commandements and holinesse neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but it is in Gods mere mercy and free will onely out of Gods reaching out his hand of mercy to any one thus understand we the words Come we now to matter of observation And first of all observe we the Apostle here bringeth in this sixteenth verse as a conclusion upon the fifteenth verse and the Apostle doth here apply that which he had set down in the verse foregoing by way of consequence by way of conclusion and application So therefore having cited that testimony of Scripture of God unto Moses I will have mercy on whom I will thereupon in this verse our Apostle draweth out and bringeth in a consequence to that purpose So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but God that sheweth mercy thus you see the Apostles Application so then the Observation is this Doctrine That in preaching of the Word general truths found out in the Word must not onely be made known and delivered but such deductions such consequences such conclusions and applications must be drawn from thence as Gods holy truth will bear the Preachers of the Word must not onely deliver general truths from the holy Word of God but they must also apply them particularly reducing such truths as it will bear and drawing from it matter of exhortation and reproof as that truth will adhere unto and such applications as do flow from such truths necessarily In the 2 Tim. 4.2 the Apostle chargeth Timothy to preach the Word and to open the secrets of the Gospel and not there to rest but to be earnest in reproving and rebuking and exhorting with all long suffering and doctrine not onely preach but so preach the Word as that in preaching he be instant in rebuking reproving and exhorting as occasion is offered And in Titus 2.15 the Apostle having taught Titus how he ought to behave himself in his Ministry and how to carry himself to all people saith Speak these things and not onely so but exhort and rebuke with all long patience and authority And we find this hath been the practice of the sound and faithful Preachers of God in all ages and times yea we have the example of God himself as we may instance in Amos 4.12 you shall find in the verses foregoing the Lord maketh known this for a truth that he would bring his hand upon them and a heavy Judgment to attach them He teacheth them that Doctrine that they shall have a mighty plague he doth not rest there but he laboureth to make Use and Application of that general truth and to bring it home to their hearts and to stirre them to repentance Because saith the Lord I will do this therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel Reason 1 Because God hath appointed the preaching of his Word not onely for the inlightening of their minds to teach them the points of Catechisme for the information of their judgements but also the reformation of their hearts and lives that their hearts may be wrought upon and their affections moved that they may be stirred up to the love of God and the study of good things and that they may be exercised in holy duties Reason 2 The Minister and Preacher of the Word is Gods disposer of his secrets so he is called 2 Cor. 4.1 a steward of the house of God 1 Cor. 4.2 And it is required of these stewards that they be faithful 2 Tim. 2.15 he must divide the Word of truth aright And he must carry himself as a steward and divide to every one his portion he hat power to point out the Word into several shives and not deliver it in a whole lump but distribute unto every one what is meet As Instructions to the ignorant Comfort to the afflicted Conscience sharp rebukes and reprehensions to the dead and senslesse hearted in their sins and Denunciations of Judgments to such as are secure and slightly passe by the Word of God so that it is a certain truth that the Preachers of the Word must not onely deliver general doctrines of the holy Word of God but they must apply it to the hearers particularly by drawing from them matter of Application not forcing it in by head and shoulders but such as naturally and aptly it will bear How far those Preachers are from this duty that onely rest in delivering the general truth and hover aloft in the clouds and never come down to Application to apply it to their hearers A man may discern with half an eye And I might bend my force to reprove them but I passe them by having none of them to speak unto And first of all take we notice of this by way of Application to this Vse 1 end That the Minister and Preacher of the Word ought and may apply the indefinite and general Promises of the Gospel to any one particular believer for their comfort yea he may assure particular persons that they believing shall certainly be saved It is a Cavil of the Papists to the contrary who are enemies to Gods grace and all saving comfort it is their doctrine and Satanical delusion For say they the Ministers and Preachers of the Word know not whether that particular person he speaketh to be in the number of Gods election or no. But beloved this skilleth not it is not material whether the Minister of God doth know it or no he doth not assure any man that he shall be saved because he knoweth he is in the number of Gods chosen but upon condition of believing upon the condition required in the Gospel And a Minister of Christ according to his office is to apply the general Promises of the Word to particular persons and draw from thence
as Conscience doth enlighten them that will bring to Life and Salvation no Familist or Anabaptist can have any assurance that they shall have Salvation But if we would have assured Evidence that cannot deceive us we must seek for the proofe of it in our hearts and soules in our effectual Calling see here what evidence of grace we have then we need not in this case to climbe up unto Heaven to search the Court-Rols of Heaven but we may take a shorter cut looke into thy owne Charter drawne out with the bloud of Christ in thy heart and therein looke to Gods effectual Calling to the Evidence of grace in thine own soul and that wil Evidence thee of thy Election and that thou art in the number of those that are Gods Chosen and herein I desire that everie one wil deale truely with his owne heart and soul Haste thou answered the voyce of God God calleth upon thee in his Word to come out of thy Ignorance and thy unbeliefe and other known sinnes tel me and deale faithfully Art thou wrought upon by the Word of God Doest thou come out of thy ignorance and thy blindenesse of minde by a through change from evil to good is the course of thy sinnes broken off thy pride thy drunkennesse thy usurie Hast thou thus answered the Call of God and hath the Word had a kindely workeing upon thy soule Romans 6.17 Doest thou finde sweetnesse in the Consolations of the Word of God and doest thou yield obedience to it in all things in one thing as well as in another Not onely in some things but in all things that God requireth yea in those things that doe most of all crosse thy owne humour Doest thou finde that the lusts of thy owne heart are curbed and ordered and doest thot finde that thou art now brought to love God to love his Children to love his Messengers to love the instrument of thy Calling If thou hast these things in thee thou art effectually called and being effectually called thou art a man or a woman that shall certainly be saved my soule for thine thou shalt come to Heaven all the Devils in Hell cannot deprive thee of it Oh then let every one trie above all things their effectual Calling which will assure them of salvation and be an infallible Evidence for their Election Even us whom he hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles Vse 2 IS it so that effectual Vocation doth prove unto men infallibly their Election and salvation in Heaven doubtless then effectual calling must needs be a ground of sweet and excellent and heavenly comfort unto the soules of all those that are indeed effectually Called Hast thou then good Evidence of thy effectual Calling Art thou sure that God hath wrought upon thee by the power of his Spirit That he hath brought thee by the preaching of the Word out of thy natural estate of ignorance and unbelief to true knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ Oh then comfort thy self thou hast cause to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Peter 1.8 For this sealeth up unto thee this comfort that thou art one whom God loved from everlasting from all Eternitie before this world was that thou art one redeemed by Jesus Christ that thou art justified in the sight of God and acquitted and freed from the guilt and punishment of all thy sins and that they shal never be laid to thy charge for effectual calling and justification joyn hands together it giveth thee assurance thou art acquitted from all thy sinnes both past present and to come and shalt as certainly goe to Heaven as if thou wert already in Heaven and all the power of hell shal never be able to prevail against thee therefore thou art in a most happie condition Object But here happily some may say here is a sweet ground of excellent comfort we must needs confess if so be a man be effectually called and truely believe in Christ but alas say the Papists a man cannot know whether he hath the Spirit of God working in him or no he may have a false spirit neither can a man tell whether he doth truely believe in Christ or no. Now therefore to remove this stumbling stock of the Papists Answ we must consider that the Spirit of God is compared to fire Matthew 3.11 He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire and it is compared to the blowing of the wind Joh 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth c. So are all that be born of the Spirit thereby giving us to understand that as sensibly as a living man may perceive the burning of the fire and feel the blowing of the winde so sensibly may a Child of God perceiue in himself the working of the holy Spirit of God And indeed it is the very office of the Spirit of God to teach Gods Children to know the things of God so saith the Apostle expresly 1 Cor. 2.12 We saith the Apostle have not received the spirit of the world but we have received the Spirit of God whereby we know the good things that are given us of God He teacheth us to know our Hope our Faith and a good life it is the office of the Spirit and he will certainly perform his Office And beloved did not the Apostle know on whom he had believed 1. Tim. 2.12 I know on whom I have believed and cannot a Childe of God know assuredly that he truely believeth in Christ by the works and fruits of his faith purifying his heart working in him a love to God and his Children Gal. 5.6 because they bear his Image may not he certainly conclude true faith worketh by love Object Oh but say the Papists for all this a man cannot know whether he truly love God or no Do you say they prove your faith by your love Answ This is more foolish then the other for if one man love another he knoweth it and in what measure he loveth him and cannot a Child of God that layeth aside all earthly pleasures and denieth himself and standeth for Christ and his Gospel to the shedding of his bloud and yet not know whether he loveth God or no surely then Christ did ask of Peter a very idle and frivolous question which were blasphemie to think in John 21.15 Peter lovest thou me Peter might have said Lord thou knowest no man can tel whether he love thee or no but Peter saith Lord thou knowest that I love thee so that a man may truely know whether he loveth God or no and so be assured of his effectual calling I but say the Papists grant this Object that a Childe of God may know the good things given him of God and may know Gods love for the present and know himself in the state of grace yet here is a point you littlc think of sc he cannot be sure of his salvation unless he hold out unto the end And herein they contradict the plain