he that rules is loved he 〈◊〉 serves in this sense is hated for this prophecy of Malachi is counted by our Apostle for a threefold illustration and explication of Gen. 25.23 1. More particularly to distinguish who and what those nations and people are of whom God speaks to Rebecca for in Gen. 25. we have it only laid down in general and comprehensively two nations two manner of people here we have it explained to be Israel and Edom these are the two sorts of people 2. To certify the Jews that the servtude of Esau to Jacob was the fruit of a defect of love in God to him Esau have I hated for we have nothing of hatred exprest Gen. 25. only their state is there exprest 3. Malachi gives the reason of this servitude which is not spoken unto Gen. 25. it is as they are the border of wickedness and so the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated these few words require to be plainly and fully spoken unto because they are very much wrested and wronged to the great disparagement if not to the overthrow of Gods free and impartial love to mankinde are not these the inferences drawn from these words That by love here in this text is to be understooâ— election to eternal life and by hatred reprobation to hell-torments and that the time of the commencement of this is from eternity before the persons are born or have done good or evill so that God elects and reprobates loves and hates without any respect to works good or evil therefore do they reade these words in conjunction before they were born or had done goad or evil one was hated and the other beloved or one elected and the other reprobated and that at the meer pleasure and purpose of Gods will and that these two persons by name are as leading examples or types of 〈◊〉 kinde and that when God hath set this love or 〈◊〉 tred it is for ever without any revocation no the one side or the other Now as the Lord shall assist I take it my proper work to labour to discharge this portion oâ— Scripture from that hard service in which it is â—… unwillingly prest to serve contrary to its genuine sence the which I shall do by inquiring into these Eight circumstances following 1. What is the nature of this hatred in God 2. Doth God hate any man without a cause 3. Whether the first transgression of Adam is the cause that God takes up against mankinde to haâ—… them 4. What is the cause that doth provoke God against any people to hate them 5. What are the effects of Gods hatred against any people when conceived 6. Whether we can finde ground from hence or elsewhere to believe that God doth hate parriâ—…lar persons 7. Whether Gods love or hatred to a people be irrevokable and unchangeable 8. How doth such an understanding of our â—postle accommodate his scope and designe in thâ—… contaxt First Hatred in Scripture is taken two ways 1. Positively and absolutely in a strict sence 2. Comparatively in a milde and lower senâ—… 1. Hatred is taken sometimes in a proper 〈◊〉 positive sence to detest and abhor to standing from and seek destruction of thus Cain hateâ— Abel such a hatred is in conjunction with malicâ— and envy thus Ahab hated Micaiah when 〈◊〉 sought his life In this sence the Apostle must be understood Eph. 5. No man ever hated his own flesh but nourished and cherished it 2. Sometimes hatred is taken in a comparative and milde sence for lesse love this is called hatred In this sence Jacob hated Leah Gen. 29. which is there interpreted only for lesse love thus it is understood Deut. 21.15 Matt. 10.39 Luke 14. to hate father and mother and life that is to love them lesse then we love Christ and in this sence if we will take the opinion of the Learned who have left their opinions behinde them it is that there is no more in these words Esau have I hated that is in comparison of Jacob to whom I have given the land of Canaan whilst Esau hath only the barren Countrey of mount Seir. The Second Question to be spoken unto is this Doth God hate any without a cause I answer that as hatred may be either understood in a comparative sence and with respect to external and temporal dispensations it may sometimes be without a cause he may shew lesse love to one then to another in outward things without a cause this I spoke unto before from ver 11. but God doth never hate without a cause if hatred be understood as to a personal final and eternal state 3. Is Adams sin a sufficient cause taken up by God to hate his posterity I answer that hatred in God is not to be understood as a passion of mind but God is said to hate love or be angry as the effects appear now we may see Gods hatred to Adams posterity by the effects of it which is an irrevocable sentence of bodily death to the grave which hatred is plain without exceptions to all Adams posterity But 2ly If we speak of hatred as antecedaneous to Reprobation as to the second death I deaâ— any such hatred to be in God as to Adams posterity so understoed but the quite contrary See Psal 145.9 God is good to all and his tender mercys are over all his works and he swears Ezek. 33.11 that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked and consider in the Fall God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son for them Joh. 3. Rom. 5.8 God commended his love to us that whilst 〈◊〉 were enemies Christ died for us Thus love or hatred in our Text cannot be understood of such a love or hatred whereby either person or party are saved or damned Esau in his lineal posterity was not so hated as I have shewn already for many of them it will be granted were saved as Job and others of that race Fourthly What is the cause that doth provoke God to hate a people I answer Sin and therefore when God hates he renders a reason Psa 5.5 thou hatest the workers of iniquity Psal 11. he that loves violence his soul hates This is an undeniable truth that if God hate so as to reprobate to the second death it is for sin namely actual sin but God may hate in temporals without sin for he afflicts whom he loves Heb. 11. Esa 49. Gods carriages to Zion was as if he hated her whilst his love was to her Gods inward love and outward hate may stand together Fifthly What are the effects of Gods hatred I answer a privation of good and an infliction of evil is reckoned hatred in these Scriptures following Deut. 1.27 Esa 60.15 Jer. 12. Amos. â— 8 Ezek. 35. Hos 9.15 Sixthly Can it be proved that God hates particular persons that God hates things and people is plain Zech. 8.17 I answer that
wheresoever it may be elsewhere proved it cannot be proved from this text cited by our Apostle out of Malachi you cannot from that text understand a personal hatred for it is plain that what is said here is upon a national and plural account I cannot finde in all the whole Scripture where God is said to hate any one single person although I can finde where God hath declared himself to love a particular person as of Solomon and the young man Mark 10. God and Christ loved them 〈◊〉 text in Malachy will not prove that God ever hated a single person for there it relates to a prople upon a national account and to and of a people deserving hatred and indignation for ever 7ly Is Gods love and hatred unalterable and unchangeble and irrevocable when it is set some there are who would endeavour to prove the immutability of Gods love from Iohn 13.1 whom he loves he loves to the end to which I answer that if this text could be taken in the sence those persons would have it yet still we want a text that would say something like unto it that whom he hates he hates to the end also but for that text Iohn 13. it is plain enough that the end there spoken of is the end of Christs life he loved them as long as his life lasted and therefore would shew it in supping with them and washing their feet and advising them whilst he had any time so to do But that Gods love and hatred is not immutable I shall shew 1. Consider that God is said to love Iacob and Israel yet at some times he is said to hate Israel his Church Ier. 12. nay further he is said to hate the excellency of Iacob Amos. 6.8 and his hatred is taken off again Esa 60.15 whereas they weâ—… hated God loved them again so that God may love those at one time that he hates at another and therefore there is not that stresse to be laid upon what is here spoken as some would have Christ loved the young man but it will a be difficult thing to prove that Christ loved him to eternity seeing he went away from him Gods hatred of man is for the most part by way of retaliation as he threatens Deut. 7.10 he will repay hatred there are haters of God Rom. 1.30 Psal 139. hate them that hate thee saith David 8thly How doth this accommodate the Apostles designe in a further and fuller answer to their objection in reciting Malachi's words I answer the scope hereof tends to convince the Iews that all that descended from Abrahams loins were not intended for heirs of Canaan for here are some of Isaacs race are not only denied Canaan but therein lesse beloved then some of the same line your prophet Malachi saith Paul tels us Esau who was Iacobs brother was hated from whence I may conclude that you the unbelieving Iews may be hated also But I shall sum up the whole of what hath been spoken to this context under these three heads 1. That this whole passage respecting Iacob and Esau is not neither can it be understood as to them in their particular distinct persons but as to their posterity and therefore from hence cannot fairly be drawn personal election and reprobation neither did what was spoken by God take place upon their persons in their life time as appears plainly from this quotation from Malachi the hatred and love there spoken of is national therefore in this Oracle Iacob and Esau are only spoken as heads or tipes of two families that should afterwards arise 2. We have heard and learned that this Dominion and servitude love and hatred is not to be understood of election and reprobation to heaven or hell there is not one sillable that should incline us to such a belief neither from Gen. 25. Malachi 1. nor the Apostle here and it is strange that any from these premises should draw such a consequence as that Esau either in his person or posterity should be damned eternally or Iacob saved from these places but only that God hath left himself at liberty to dispence temporal favours to good and evil promiscuously on whom he pleases either with or without respect to works whether good or evil 3. The whole designe and scope of our Apostle in this whole passage â—f Iacob and Esau is to possess the mindes of the legal self-righteous Jews that God who had an undoubted and undeniable right to propound his own terms upon which justification should be had here utterly rejected the way of justification namely by works and elected or chosen the way of believing in Jesus Christ to be his way and that this purpose and designe of God was pointed out in rejecting Ishmael and Esau who were the elder children both of Abraham and Isaac also yet both exposed in their posterity to a state of less love and favour and are in effect shut out of the proper inheritance of Abraham that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth which is the substance of what Malachi hath written Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated the spirit and meaning of which was I will reject works in point of justification and embrace faith in Christ Thus much for the Apostles answer to the Jews first Objection from verse the 6th to the end of the 13th CHAP. VII Shewing Gods unquestionable and absolute right to state and propound his own terms upon which his grace of justification and salvation shall be had and here determines it not upon the works of the Law but believing in his son Ver. 14. What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid 15. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy 17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throught all the earth 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be hardeneth BEfore I proceed to these verses I judge it may not be amiss or needless to revive your memories with a few words of introduction you may remember that upon the first entrance upon this subject I desired you diligently to observe the main scope and designe of the Apostle in this Epistle chapter and context as that which would be of a most worthy tendency to the right understanding of the matter in controversy between S. Paul and his countrey-men the Jews consider what is the Apostles ultimate designe and scope to effect in this his labour which designe we may perceive was to convince the Jews in these five circumstances following 1. To convince them of sin in not believing in Jesus
had another nature then that of the flesh 2. It is positively exprest that Christ was born of them it was a great priviledge to mankinde that the son of God would take our nature and a singular priviledge to that family in particular of whom he came he was born of a sister of Israel of mankinde therefore Simon might well say and sing Luke 2 32. that Christ was the glory of his people Israel and well might Mary the mother of Christ say from thenceforth all generations should call her blessed Is it not an honour to a family to have an earthly prince descend of it much more must it be a priviledge to have the son of God to descend of Israel Thus I have briefly toucht these distinct priviledges which these people had been inveâ—…ed with who are now so unhappy and for whom the Apostle is so deeply sorrowful but why doth the Apostle make such a particular enumeration of their birth-priviledges First that he might remove from their mindes the least suspicion of prejudice in his minde against them whilst he is not willing to obscure the least spark of their glory according to the flesh It is true where want of love is it is usual with men to slight others as to their priviledges but it was not so with the Apostle 〈◊〉 is free to own what he might Rom. 3.1.2 he saith their priviledges were much every way St. Paul was far from slighting the Jews as to their outward priviledges which commonly is a fruit of want of love 2. This enumeration of their priviledges might be to aggravate their sin the more who did not believe notwithstanding they stood upon the upper ground of all these advantages they were Christs own before as it were John 1. he came to his own and his own receiv'd him not I shall note a few things briefly from what hath been said and so passe along First Doctrine That the body of the Circumcised Jews indefinitely and universally considered were transcendently exalted dignified and distinguished with very great priviledges above all the world besides they were beloved for their fathers sakes Second Doctrine It is possible for persons invested with the highest priviledg under heaven to be enemies to Jesus Christ Third Doctrine That a person or people enjoying the highest priviledges under heaven yet short of believing in and closing with and obeying Christ are in a state and condition to be lamented Or thus that believing in accepting of and obeying Jesus Christ is the sum and substance of all priviledges It was not so great a priviledge to be Christs Mother as to be Christs disciple Fourth Doctrine It is a right Gospel-Spirit and savours of love and respect to our enemies to acknowledge what is worthy in them as they have received it from God see Act. 26.27 King Agrippa believest thou the prophets I know thou believest Rom. 10.2 the Apostle acknowledgeth their zeal though he saith it was not according to knowledge Fifth Doctrine That is good to let persons know what God hath done for them as to outward benefits and priviledges see Nathan to David so Paul to the Galathians chap. 4.15 Heb. 10.32 Revel 2.6 We now proceed to the third and last head which is the Apostles glorious Ellogam of Jesus Christ when the Apostle hath occasion to mention Jesus Christ he doth it with great honour and respect in this Ellogam we have two circumstances considerable 1. A Description of Jesus Christ as to his deity and dignity in it self 2. An acknowledgment of the glory due to him from us 1. In this discription of the Deity and dignity of Christ we have the Apostles voluntary acknowledgment of Christ to be God over all and this the Apostle doth for two ends First still to exalt the Jews priviledges 2ly To aggravate their sin in rejecting such a Saviour who is God over all That Jesus Christ is God over all things and persons in heaven and earth the Scriptures are plain in and also that the title of God appropriated to Jesus Christ is plain see Acts. 20.28 1 Timothy 3.16 God manifested in the flesh Titus 2.13 the great God therefore eternal and everlasting blessing and praise due and proper to him See Heb. 13. Rev. 1. One Point by the way Doct. That the love and respect a true believer hath and ows to Jesus Christ doth so rule in him that he cannot mention him without honour and praise who is to be blessed for ever saith our Text this is the work of Saints here and hereafter to all Eternity Rev. 5. and chap. 11. But why is this Article Amen here added It is a Greek word the English of it is commonly verily and it hath a twofold signification according as it is placed when it is placed in the beginning of a sentence either in the Old or New Testament it carries in it an attestation and asseveration See Psal 37. verily thou shalt be fed Psal 39. verily every man is vanity and it is commonly so used by Christ sometimes singly and sometimes doubly We have it by him about 50. times used singly in John only about 24. times verily verily amen amen is a word of attestation but when it is used in the end of a sentence it signifies the souls desire of the performance of the promises as see Deut. 27. twelve times all the people shall say amen or let it be so with all my soul thus it is understood 1 Cor. 14.16 how shall he that occupieth the place of the unlearned say amen at the giving of thanks so it must be understood Rev. 1. so chap. 22. let it be so I wish with my soul and it supposeth more then a bare wish but it carries in it an eccho of faith it shall be so as in this Text is read who is to be or shall be blessed for ever One Note and so I shall conclude the Preface Doct. It is not only the soul-desire but the undoubted faith of Saints that Christ shall be glorified the Saints can say amen to this truth Thus we have done with the Preface to this Chapter CHAP. III. Plainly Demonstrating That the wise and holy God in choosing to salvation Eternal and Reprobating to damnation Eternal hath a special eye to Qualifications Ver. 6. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel HAving now finished the Apostles Preface contained in the five first verses we now proceed to the body of matter contained in this Chapter which matter calls for our most serious consideration to the end we might attain to the true intent and meaning of the spirit therein It appeareth upon the first cast of our eye upon this Scripture that the Apostle had in good earnest to do with a stout and strong adversary with whom he is joyning issue and that with all his might and this enemy was the zealous circumcised Jew boasting of his carnal priviledges and expecting justification
turned to Idolatry when these words were spoken God did neither for works foredone nor foreseen of that kinde respect or disrespect for in this both Jew and Gentile are laid levell the Jew is no better nor the Gentile no worse upon this account neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth this allegation of the Apostle in this place as to the time of this Oracle doth designe the humbling and silencing the Jew who entertained two false Opinions of their state 1. That God designed the whole posterity of Abbraham for the seed 2. That they above all other people and natioâ—… of the world did deserve this signal favour 〈◊〉 their works of legal righteousnesse Now the â—…ter of these their conceits doth the Apostle strike at in these words for in effect saith he God did not choose Jacob nor Abraham into this favour to be the head of the faithful upon the account of their works of this kinde therefore Abraham is pronounced justified before he is circumcised Rom. 4.13 the promise to Abraham that he should be heir of the world was not made through the law 〈◊〉 through the righteousnesse of faith The Second Rule I offer is this that what is iâ— this Oracle to Rebecca must not be understood to determine the final and eternal state of them 〈◊〉 men as I have shewn you before It is true God hath sometimes as to some taken liberty of disposing of mens temporal estates and conditions without any respect to their righteousnesse or unrighteousnesse to dispose to a person lesse godly riches and rule whilest a person more godly is subjected to servitude and poverty sometimes persons equal in godlinesse have very unequal poâ—tions in the world for as Solomon saith Ecclesâ—… there is neither love nor hatred seen in these things that is no distinguishing or eternal love seen in them God I say doth sometimes take this liberty to dispence of outward things without respect to good or bad works but God doth not promise or give life and glory so promiscuously without any respect to terms of obedience before your children aaâ— born or have done good 〈◊〉 evil it may be said one shall be rich the other poor or may be a servant to the other as many times it is and there is some appearance of love in these things whilst God gives Jacobs posterity the land of Canaan a land flowing with milk and honey and giveth to the posterity of Esau the barren scraggy mountains places of mount Seir but this is not an infallible character of their goodnesse or badnesse as to works yet it must needs be granted that there was more manifestation of love and hatred in these things under the law then under the gospel and sometimes the posterity of Jacob were hated as well as Esau Ier. 12.8 Esa 60.15 so that by love and hatred we are not bound to understand it here of their final and eternal state but thus that God without any respect to works of legal obedience gave Iacob in his posterity rulâ— and without any respect to Esau's idolatry servitude and what is this to their eternal state after death but God when he dispenceth life and death eternal renders a reason and we finde conditions propounded as to life and death Now we proceed to the Fourth Circumstance to be handled which is the ground and reason rendred by the Apostle why God chooseth such a time to speak to Rebecca before the children or nations were born or before they had done good or evil which we have in these words that the purpose of God according to election might stand or abide not by works but by the caller I have already spoke to these terms by way of explication as the word purpose election and works so that the Apostle doth understand that the ground of this saying to Rebecca and at such a time was to declare to the world that he would exclude works in point of justification not of works and bring in faith The Apostle to the end he might assert this great trâ—… to the greatest advantage lays it down both negatively and affirmatively not of works but of the caller I designe much brevity in the following part of this paragraph therefore I shall sum 〈◊〉 what remains to be spoken to this verse into six Doctrinal Conclusions First Doctrine That many of Gods sayings of old besides their literal sence and proper signification had a further respect even to things to come What God said to Abraham about his excluding Ishmael from his Family and heirship besides the reality of it to him had a further signification it was allegorical as the Apostle saith Gal. 4.24 these two sons of Abraham type out the two Covenants Law and Gospel the rejection of Esau held forth the same the truth of this Doctrine I may prove from a hundred places of Scripture if need were when God appointed Noah to make an ark for the saving himself and his house there was more in it 1 Peter 3. when God appointed his people that they should not mussle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corn besides the literall sence he had an eye to Gospel ministers maintenance See for that 1 Cor. 9.9.10 it was saith he spoken for our sakes all these passages of Gods providences to Israel are also teaching to us Gods depriving of Esauâ— posterity of the land of Câ—naan was significant of Gods depriving his elder people of the antitype thereof because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law learn from hence thus much 1. Admire the depth and riches of the Scriptures of the old testament 2. Be cautioned however of turning Scriptures into allegories contrary to the scope and current of them Second Doctrine is this That the repetition and second relation of the same things by God though under different instances and figures doth greatly demonstrate the certainty of those things We have two instances in this context to the same end as I have largely proved before and both brought to demonsttate the same thing in the antitype to shew the stability of Gods purpose of election whom or what kinde of persons he would purpose to choose the two differing dreams of Pharoah of the cattel and corn did teach the certainty of the seven years of famine and scarcity Gen. 41.32 Third Doctrine That the salvation of mankinde was the subjects of Gods heart thoughts and purposes from the beginning Gods thoughts and purposes was to provide a way to make men happy from the beginning even before the foundation of the world therefore the Apostle speaks of Gods eternal purpose Eph. 3.11 2 Timothy 1.9 which purpose of his was his designe contrivance and determination for the saving of lost man God had strong thoughts of heart this way as appears by his early promise and timely sending Jesus Christ to that end that men might be redeemed This consideration may work admiration in uâ— and in the hearts of the