forth and grow yea there will be the same minde that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 2. The outward worke is to fashion the outward man vnto all conformitie with the Law of GOD in word and deed 1. For words As Christ whipt the buyers sellers out of the Temple Iohn 2. so his spirit driues away all swearing vnclean talke lying slandering c. out of the mouth of a regenerate man No man that hath the spirit of Christ can call Christ execrable 1. Cor. 12,3 Doest thou delight to speake of Christ and his Gospell with reuerence and holy affections A signe it is of the good spirit But disgracefull speeches of the Word and them which professe it lauish in oaths and filthie Lawlesse communication with ieasting which is not comely agreeth not with this spirit 2. And for Deeds As a Hare may be traced in a Snow to her forme so is it easie by your deeds to find out what Spirit is in you What spirit think you is in Idolaters Hypocrites swearers Sabboth-breakers in the malicious vncleane proud drunken couetous wretches In Lyers Slanderers c. The spirit of Christ It were blasphemy so to say Nay that vncleane spirit the Diuell who delighteth in such and effectually worketh in them Vse 3. The state of the Children of God is certaine whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrary If I am Christs I shall be saued But if I haue the Spirit I am Christs Therefore c. True If Q. How shall you know you haue the Spirit A. How shall I know that I haue a Soule but by the effects of it vnderstanding memory c. So by the worke of Grace in my heart by my sincere loue of goodnesse and hatred of euill c. which I cannot be ignorant of being in me I know that I haue the Spirit 2. Cor. 13.5 Know you not faith the Scripture that Christ is in you by his Spirit except you be reprobates And againe Wee haue receiued the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee might know the things which are giuen to vs of God What things All Spirituall grace present with perseuerance and all the good things of glorie to come Lyra. That wee might firmely and without doubt know for looke what a demonstration by causes is in humane things that in Diuine is the Reuelation of the spirit through Faith The end then why God giueth vs his spirit is to make vs know that we are in his fauour and shall be partakers of the glory to come and by consequence that we shall perseuere in grace without which the future glorie cannot be obtained But thou wilt say I feele Infidelity in mee which grieues me It 's well thou feelest it with Griefe this argues not the absence but rather the presence of the spirit For the spirit doth not make vs omnisciens and impeccable doth not beate downe sinne in vs at a blowe doth not kill corruption outright No. Corruption will be an Inmate with the spirit in this life doe what we can Yet such a man for all this hath the spirit and is spirituall If thou goe by a Noble-mans house thou knowest that there are horsekeepers skullions and such like yet if thou be asked who dwels there Thou sayest such a Noble man naming the Lord of the house and not these baser people So Corruption dwelleth where the spirit but gouernes not but is an vnderling and therefore we are in account spirituall VERSE 10. And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake NOw followes the other part of the Amplification which is Consolation which is double The 1. verse 10. that we are certaine of eternall life The 2. verse 11. that wee are certaine of the Resurrection of our bodies He brings in both by an Occupation against two grieuous Tentations the first in the 10. verse Thus You say that the spirit is in vs. Alasse what are we the better We are subiect to pouerty sicknesse death it selfe as well as others Vnto this Paul answeres first by a Concession The bodie is dead because of sinne Secondly by a Correction But the Spirit is life for Righteousnesse sake First of the Concession And if Christ be in you Before hee said the spirit of God and of Christ now Christ because Christ is in vs by the Spirit and Faith Not Corporally but Spiritually which manner of his presence is the best Ioh. 6.63 We need not plucke him down out of heauen by any Inchantment as the Papists into their sacrament of the Altar that we might partake of his vertue as not the Sunne to partake of his light The body Corruption or the vnregenerate part say some a Chrysoft Piscator But not so for when Paul cals corruption a Bodie it is with an Addition of Sinne or Sinnefull or Death Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 Rom. 7.24 Heere it is for the Masse of Flesh and Bloud the Naturall bodie b Aug. lib. 1. Ret. cap. 26. Is dead not is mortified but dead addicted to the Necessity of death which necessity it had not before sinne c Tho. Aqui. et ante eum Aug. loco modo citato But dead is more we dying euen from our birth death hauing made his seisure already because of sinne remaining doctrine Doct. Though Christ be in the Regenerate yet are they subiect to death Heb. 9 27. Rom. 5.12 Where sinne that is originall takes hold there death enters by sicknesse and other mortalities the forerunners and Parts d Mortes partiales Pererius in Gen. lib. 4. de Creat hom num 166. of Death though the Curse and sting bee taken away For as the lines from the Circumference determine in the Center so all paines and sicknesses tend vnto Death As God sent to Hezekiah to put his house in order Esay 38. because hee must die So the Remembrance that the body is dead should perswade vs to thinke of death and prepare for it Thy liuing body is called a very Carkasse Vse If we see an old man stooping and sickly we say he carries his Beere on his backe It 's the case of vs all olde and young Death the King of feare and Terrors Iob 18.14 plants euen from the first houre of our life his Ordnance of Sinne to batter the wals of our bodies Thou seest Death is entred into the Citie of thy Body Take heed it Vanquish not the Castle of thy Soule if it doe then both bodie and soule must to the Diuell It 's lamentable to obserue how many that haue the wals of their house shaken and vndermined ready to drop downe yet prouide not for their soule abate not of their pride Couetousnesse c. practising such things whereby they dye more Obrepit non intellecta senect Iuuenal saty 6. Euen dying before euer they beganne to liue and departing this world with as little vnderstanding and sense
1.6 The Spirit of God that is the Holy Ghost who in the words following is called the Spirit of Christ as proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Dwelleth in you You that is the Regenerate Romanes and so all others Dwelleth not formally or Essentially but in regard of the Gifts it produceth not by the immensitie of his Essence whereby he is in all but by the presence of his Grace whereby he dwelleth in the Regenerate as in his owne Temple noting thereby a fauourable residence doctrine The holy Spirit dwelleth in the Regenerate 1. Cor 3.16 Vse 1. The Apostle iudges the Holy Ghost to be in the Romanes from their holy obedience Take heed that thou pronounce not the Spirit to be wanting where thou seest a spirituall walking nor affirmest a presence of it where thou feest a fleshly Vse 2. As Ierusalem was the Glory of the world because of the Temple of God So are the Regenerate of all men most Glorious because they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost In matters of the world an vnregenerate man may be before vs but in this hee cannot He may haue gold in his purse but wee haue God in our hearts the right owner of them which is the top of our happinesse Tenants make hauock and suffer all things to fall to Ruine but owners are alwaies repayring when the Diuell held our hearts all was out of frame Ignorance ruled in the Mind Rebellion in the Will Disorder in the Affections But the comming of the Holy Spirit Enlightens leades into all truth certifies of the fauour of God fashioneth to euery good worke and enricheth with all spirituall grace all those in whom hee dwelleth Euen as Fire makes Iron fierie so the Spirit makes vs Spirituall This is that Spirit which is the Comforter which cheereth and sustaineth the desolate and despairing Conscience and feedeth it with heauenly Manna Surely the Conscience of a Regenerate man is a very Paradise in which Gods good Spirit dwelleth not for a short time but for euer Vse 3 Despise not neither wrong them which haue the Spirit by odious nicknames accounting it as their disgrace which is their Glory to be Spirituall or full of the Spirit Vse 4. The Spirit dwelleth in thee Looke well to thy heart because thou entertainest such a guest Thou art carefull so to receiue thy friend by whom thou art benefited that hee may delight to stay and abide with thee So vse thy selfe that the Holy Spirit forsake thee not Grieue not saith Paul Ephes 4.30 the Holy Spirit If he depart from thee his Grace also departeth with him And though being once Regenerate thou canst not fall from Election and Regeneration yet thou mayst lose the gracious feeling of thy Assurance and in thine owne sense the Spirit be vtterly departed as Dauid no doubt felt as appeareth by the 51. Psalme Which state is more bitter then death If therefore thou hast this treasure take heed thou lose it not if thou wouldest haue it remaine with thee to comfort thee night and day and in the houre of Death purge thy heart and sweepe all euill out of it As Kings Courts haue Porters so Ward thy heart that the Enemy of the Spirit the Diuell Enter not 'T is a Cleane Spirit it delighteth to dwel in such The Temple of Salomon had a golden inside and there was the Incense and the Lampes c. Thy heart is the Temple of a Greater then Salomon euen of the Holy Ghost Let all be Gold and Light and Sweet Let there bee no drosse nor Darinesse nor stinking sauours but Knowledge Righteousnesse Repentance Peace c. Now if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his Hitherto the Application with the Reason now followes the Amplification which hath two parts 1. A Caution in these words 2. A Consolation Verse 10 11. In this Caution is a Commination from the Contrary shewing the danger that followes the not-dwelling of the Spirit in vs. We are none of Christs If any In generall Haue not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them as before He is none of his Whose Christs He is his Creature but not his Disciple his member For this Spirit vniteth vs to Christ as a member is vnited to the Head by which vnion wee are partakers of the benefits of Christ This vnion is not Corporall by touching or by a reall entrance of his body and soule into our bodies and soules Neither is it onely an vnion of mindes in loue But a Mysticall coalition and growing vp together of the faithfull with Christ into one body by one Spirit which Spirit is in that whole body and in euery part as our soules are in our whole bodies and in euery part doctrine Our vnion with CHRIST is by the Holy Spirit 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Ioh. 3.24 Vse 1. Great is the Glory of the Regenerate As Dauid saith What am I to be the sonne in law of the King so it is no small matter to be the member of Christ Vse 2. They which haue not the spirit are none of Christs Whose are they then The Diuels and that as sure as hee is not Christs Alasse thou wilt say How shall I know whether I haue the spirit or no As a woman knowes her selfe to bee with childe by the stirring of it So by the working of the spirit thou shalt know it for it is alwaies operatiue When Salomon builds the Temple all the Countrey shall know it and euery workman shall be called vnto it So if the Spirit be in thee there is such pulling downe of the olde man and building vp of the new that thou canst not be ignorant of it Math. 2.3 When Christ is borne Herad and all Ierusalem is troubled so when thou art borne againe it is with so much trouble and resistance of the flesh that thou must needes bee priuie to it Marke the works of the spirit both inward and outward When thou buiest a piece of cloth or a vessell thou viewest the inside and outside so examine the worke of the spirit in thy inside which is thy heart and in thy outside which is thy Life 1. The inward worke of the Spirit is to Renew thy mind and Affections according to the Image of God and this is in knowledge holynesse and Righteousnesse Now then heare a parable I passed by the field of the slothfull and by the Vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding and loe it was all ouergrowen with thornes and Nettles couered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken downe Prou. 24.30,31 Thy heart is this field What growes in it Ignorance Hardnes of heart Pride Couetousnes c. Surely an Ill Husband owes it Heere is not the Holy spirit but the vnholy That heart where the spirit of Christ dwels is as a Garden well fenced and inclosed where knowledge faith hope loue patience and the Flowers of all heauenly graces abundantly spring
These witnesses are two that we might be the more confirmed 2. The Thing witnessed That wee are the Children of God The Spirit it selfe that is the Holy Ghost So witnesseth Not by an outward voice as God of Christ nor by an Angell Mat. 3. Luke 1. as to the Virgin Mary but by an inward and secret inspiration raising in our hearts a Confidence and perswasion that God is our Father and we his Children With our spirit Not to our eares but to our spirit 1. Thes 5.23 nor this onely but with our spirit Our Spirit is a witnesse whose testimonie is then good when confirmed by the Holy Ghost Our Spirit not our Soule but our Regenerate part so called The witnesse of the Holy Ghost is the worke of Faith Reu. 2.17 the witnesse of our spirits the sense of Faith wrought This is better felt by experience then expressed by words known altogether and onely to them which haue it for mee to speake of this to them which haue it not were as if I should speake a strange language That we are the Children of God Not that wee shall bee or may be but are in the present Tense doctrine The Holy Ghost witnesseth with them which are Regenerate that they are the Children of God 2. Cor. 1.21 1. Ioh. 3.21 Ephes 1.13 4.30 Vse 1. The state of Gods Children is full of sweet certainty and assurance He that hauing a cause to be tryed hath two sufficient witnesses doubts not of the day Now Gods Children haue two witnesses omni exceptione maiores 1. Their owne Spirit which is not to be contemned for if Conscience a naturall thing be a thousand witnesses much more the Spirit which is a supernaturall power giuen of God 2. The Holy Ghost which cannot deceiue or be deceiued witnesseth with our spirits It is maruellous then that the Church of Rome denyeth assurance to Gods Children What though some haue bragged of assurance that haue beene deceiued Doth it follow therefore that none are sure There bee some poore and base are there therefore none rich And what though my very name bee not written in the Scripture Thou Thomas Thou Iohn shalt be saued It is not conuenient What a huge Volume should the Bible be if euery Saints name were there written It is not necessary because all particulars are included in their Generals As he that saith All my Children are here meanes euery one in particular though he name them not So God that saith All Beleeuers shall be saued Meanes euery one as though they were named And yet the Scripture doth speake in particular If thou Confessest c. Thou shalt be saued When the Law saith Rom. 10.9 Thou shalt not Kill Steale c. Euery one is to take it spoken to himselfe as if he were named Why should not such particulars in the Gospell be also so taken True say the Papists If you beleeue you shall be saued but where doth the Scripture say that you doe beleeue Ridiculous The Act of Faith is not set downe in the Scriptures but the Obiect The Faith which I beleeue is in the Bible The Faith whereby I beleeue is not in the Bible but in my heart and is not beleeued for that were absurd but knowne by feeling We doe not beleeue that we beleeue but wee feele it as Paul saith 2. Tim. 1. I know in whom I haue beleeued hee knew by feeling and this witnesse of the Holy Ghost in his heart with his Spirit Of all things of which the Holy Ghost witnesseth with our spirits we may be certaine But the holy Ghost witnesseth with our Spirits both of our Present and also of our Future estate Therefore c. The Minor is proued by Paul who auoucheth that the things which are prepared for Gods Children are reuealed to vs by the Spirit and By the Spirit of God we know the things which are giuen to vs of God 1. Cor. 2.9,10 What things Faith and Perseuerance Grace and Glory If Man should witnesse or an Angell there might bee doubt but when there is such a witnesse as is the Spirit wee ought not to doubt The Flesh will doubt The Spirit doubts not but ouercomes doubting and this is the state of Gods Children They doubt from the Flesh but from the Spirit they are assured through Faith If a man of a weake braine were on the top of some high Tower and should looke downe it would make him wonderfully afraid but when hee considers the Battlements or Rayles that keepe him from falling his feare abates So fares it with the Regenerate when we looke on our sinnes and so downe and downe to Hell Alas whose heart quailes not But when we consider the brazen wall of the loue truth and promise of God in Christ wee may be assured without feare Looke vpon thy defects but forget not the truth and power of God Pretend not the Testimonie of the Holy Ghost without thine owne spirit nor contrarily for they go together Faith Repentance c. are the Testimonie of Gods Spirit if from these thy Spirit witnesseth then it is currant But if thou beest a Drunkard a Sabbath-breaker vncleane c. and saist the Spirit witnesseth thy Saluation it is not Gods spirit but a lying spirit for such workes are of the Diuell Gods Spirit indeed witnesseth but the witnesse is that they which doe such things shall be damned VERSE 17. And if Children then Heyres Heyres of God and Ioynt-heyres with Christ If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together THis Verse is a Confectary of that which is deliuered in the 16. Verse The Confectary is inferred from the proper adiunct of Sonnes We are Sonnes Therefore Heyres Here are two things 1. That we are heyres in the first part of the Verse 2. The Condition of the Inheritance in the latter part The first part is amplified by the Person whose heires wee are The Heires of God This is amplified by an Occupation But God hath an Heire euen Christ True and wee are Co-heires If Children then Heires Seruants looke for wages Sons for the Inheritance The Law of Nature giues the Inheritance to the Children Municipall Lawes it may be to the Eldest but by nature euery Sonne is an Heire the eldest to haue a double portion Heires of God An heritage is a succession into the whole right of the dead wee are Heires therefore of all the good things of God Q. But how heires seeing God dies not A. We may say that there is not the same Reason of temporall and spirituall things Temporall things cannot bee wholly enioyed without the death of the possessor Spirituall things may a Tho. Aquin. For here such a one makes thee an heire saith one b Aug. Ser. 13. de verb. Apost not whom thou shouldst succeed beeing dead but with whom thou shouldst liue for euer And Ambrose amplifies it b Ambros in locum by the Parable in the
vs being the Murderer of the Soule but as a most hainous sin against God Hope therefore But thou wilt say Alas my Euilnesse bids me despaire Yea but if thou beleeuest and repentest God bids thee Hope Be of good Comfort therefore and hauing Gods Commandement to Hope and his promise not to be confounded though thou seest nothing in thy selfe to make thee hope yet hope aboue hope Vse 3. The Papists say wee cannot be certaine of Saluation because we hope for it but God saith because we hope we are certaine For we are saued by Hope Vse 4. The complete and perfect state of Gods Children here is not in re but in spe As Christs Kingdome is not of this world Ioh. 18.36 so is not our Hope The worldlings motto is A Bird in the hand Giue mee to day say they and take to morrow whoso will But the word of Beleeuers is Spero meliora My hopes are better then my present possessions Therefore we despise the present things of the world in the hope of things to come vsing the world as though wee vsed it not as a Merchant hoping to fraught himselfe with Gold neglecteth baser commodities Worldly men laugh at Beleeuers for contemning earthly things and Beleeuers which hope laugh at worldly men for contemning heauenly things We are not without ioy in this world but it is such as the world knowes not The Ioyes of the world are nothing to that wee haue as that we haue is nothing to that we shall haue What ioy and happinesse is in enioying when the very hope is so happy and glorious If God be so sweet to them which hope for him what is he to them which haue him The Children of God are accounted fooles for letting slip a good bargaine for going to a Sermon when others goe to profit and pleasure but herein they are most wise as he is which contemneth drosse for Gold shels for Kernels Vse 5. Hope breeds Patience Vnderstand it thus Betweene Hope and Hauing there is a want of the thing desired This delay is troublesome for the hope that is deferred Pro. 13.12 is the fainting of the heart but when it comes it is as a Tree of Life and the greater is the fainting as the thing hoped for is greater Now for this want delay and fainting Patience is necessary that we should not thinke the time long nor faint vnder the troubles which in the meane time doe occurre Dauid was promised a Kingdome and in the end had it but in the meane time he waited deuouring many troubles through patience So we haue a Kingdome promised but we must enter into it through many tribulations and wait the Lords leisure Therefore Patience is needfull that after wee haue done and suffred the will of God Heb. 10.35 Eph. 6.17 we may inherite the Promise Needfull indeed as a Helmet for so is hope called because by Patience it beares off many a knocke with the which otherwise wee should bee soone striken downe into despaire Pray for hope that thou maist with patience beare the many troubles must be endured The Patience of the Martyrs to endure the fire was bred by hope as their hope was bred by Faith True is the Prouerbe If it were not for hope heart would burst and therefore to be out of hope is to bee most miserable As the Philosopher said Take away the heauens and I shall be no body Tolle Coelum nullus ero Empedo so take away the hope of heauen and wee are the most miserable which beleeue As is the Corke to the Net so is hope to vs the Lead at the bottome would sinke the Net if it were not vpholden by the Corke so would troubles vs if hope by patience did not sustaine vs. Perer. comment in Genesin to 1. lib. 1. num 159. One compares hope to the Moone which God hath appointed by her light which is patience to gouerne the Night of our afflictions Paul excellently compares it to an Anchor for as the Anchor holds the Ship in a tempest so doth hope through Patience keepe vs in troubles from the shipwracke of our soules As the Husbandman waites patiently for the precious fruit so must we for those which sow in hope shall reape in saluatihn Vse 6. Many say they haue this hope when they haue it not Thou shalt know by three things whether thou hast it or no 1. By the mother of it which is Faith 2. By the Daughter of it which is Patience 3. By the Companion of it which is Loue. 1. He which hopeth beleeueth and so much Faith so much Hope for Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the strength of hope is confidence Heb. 12. Robur fidei confidentia Ambr. Therefore the Ignorant as they haue no Faith for want of Knowledge so no Hope for want of Faith 2. Hope hath Patience The Merchant in hope of gaine endures the water The Martyrs in hope of the Recompence endure the fire Doest thou in trouble seeke to Wizards Diuels Then no Patience and so no hope 3. Loue is hopes Companion inseparable Gal. 5.5 and therefore hope is called the hope of righteousnesse and hee that hath this hope 1. Ioh. 3.3 purgeth himselfe If thy life be holy then hast thou hope because the promise is made to such as lead a holy life God threatneth damnation to them which liue vnholily in blasphemy breaking of the Sabbath disobedience to Parents Malice Pride Drunkennesse Vncleannesse c. If Thou liuest in these sinnes how darest thou say thou hopest to bee saued when thou hast no promise No no Thy hope is presumption and the hope of the wicked shall perish and his hope shall be as a Spiders webbe of which if a man lay hold it stayeth him not Iob. 8.13 Iob. 11.20 Thy hope shall be sorrow of minde This is thy hope thou profane wretch Dauid hoped in the Lord and was comforted and the Fathers trusted in God and were not confounded but if Dauid or the Fathers had liued as thou dost which art profane they had missed of their hope If then thou wouldest haue the true and liuely hope of saluation remember to increase in Faith Patience and Loue which is the fulfilling of the Law VERE 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered IN this Verse and the next is another argument vnto patience from the most present help of the Spirit as if he should say Though you be afflicted yet despaire not for euen the Holy Spirit from Heauen helpeth you Here are two things First the help of the Spirit Secondly the meanes whereby he helpeth vs by teaching vs to pray Of the first Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities Likewise referred either to the worke of the Spirit before noted Verse 11. he quickneth and
which attaines that righteousnesse which iustifieth in his sight Now this must needes be wonderfull harsh to them which had such confidence in their owne righteousnes as appeareth by that Pharisee and the Ruler spoken of in the Gospel Luke 18.11,12 ibid. v. 21. To be both bereaued of the promises and also to be stript of their holinesse to be left naked before the Iudgement seat of Christ must needs be grieuous This Paul knowing and that they would be not a little incensed against him and hauing experience that such preaching caused him great trouble before he comes to the matter he makes a Preface whereby hee endeuours to asswage their minds and to approue his loue to them that he might take away all preiudicate opinions of him So in this Chapter we haue two parts 1. A Preface ver 1. 2. The matter it selfe in the rest The Preface verse 1. is by insinuation or protestation of his loue in which are two things 1. The Thing protested 2. The Amplification of it The thing protested is his Loue. The Amplification is twofold 1. From the persons to whom he protests loue that is to the Israelites 2. From the Arguments of his loue vvhich are three 1. A friendly cōpellation hee calls them Brethren in regard of the same Country and Nation 2. From a desire of their saluation The word translated hearts desire signifieth two things First to haue a good opinion Secondly to wish well vnto Paul thought wel of them and vvished them well whatsoeuer they thought of him This desire is amplified from the subiect of it his heart It was not a fained glozing loue as is the friendship of the world from the teeth outward but euen from his very heart Thirdly from his prayers for their saluation A singular token of loue This is amplified first from the obiect to whom he prayed To God Secondly from the end or summe of his prayer That they might be saued Q. Why doth Paul pray for thē who haue crucified Christ are enemies to the Gospell and hated and reiected of God A. He intends the general calling of the Iewes of which chap. 11. Or with condition of Gods will or onely of the Elect or to shew his willingnesse to wish well euen to his enemies The obseruations from this verse are from the consideration of Paul as an Apostle or as a Christian doctrine Ob. If we consider him as an Apostle we obserue 1. That Ministers are not only to preach against wicked persons to exhort their people to obedience but also to pray for them as Samuel and Ieremy did 1. Sam. 12.23 Ierem. 13.17 2. When Ministers are to speak of a matter that may distaste they must wisely preuent all offence and grudge by preparing the minds of the hearers and shewing that they speake not out of malice but out of loue and a desire of their saluation So Paul mitigates his reproofes with protestations of his loue and gentlenesse which is no dawbing with vntempered morter Paul dawbed not but had Gods Spirit when he spake to Festus and Agrippa and hauing reprooued the Galathians Chap. 3. He affectionatly declares his loue Chap. 4. As Physicians prepare and Nurses sometimes still their little ones with singing So also must Ministers attempt euery way which may profit their people 3. Paul loues the Iewes but tels them plainly of their faults So must Ministers doe Indeed the way to get peace among men is not to reprooue but this is the way to lose the peace of God and to bring the bloud of our hearers vpon our owne soules 4. The condition of Ministers is miserable The labour is great the care to saue the soules of our hearers yea our own that we may giue vp a good account is infinite the discontents not to be expressed as to spend many sleeplesse nights many teares and sighes for their saluation who raile and reuile vs accounting vs vnworthy to liue But indeed our ioy is in the conscionable discharge of our duty 2. Cor. 2.15 and that wee are a secret succour to God both in them which are saued and in them which perish And for such as receiue the Word with reuerence obeying it we acknowledge that we are neuer able sufficiently to praise God for the ioy wherewith we reioice on their behalfe 1. Thes 3.9 who if they continue then do we liue If we consider Paul a Christian we obserue Obs 1. Though the Iewes seeke PAVLS life in their rage and nothing would haue giuen them more content then his bloud yet hee carries himselfe louing toward them his very speeches no way sauouring of Reuenge Loue thine enemies We are Pharises by nature louing our friends and hating our foes but wee are Christians by Grace and therefore must loue our very enemies and pray for them as our Sauiour both taught and practised Amicos diligere omnium est inimicos vero solorum Christianorum Tertul. ad Scap. cap. 1. Chrysost hom 15. operis impersecti Euery man can loue his friend but onely a godly man can loue his enemy and in this doing we doe our selues more good then our Enemies For Christ gaue vs this commandement not for our enemies sake but for our owne not that they are worthy to be beloued but that malice is too vnworthy and base a thing for vs. This is hard but we must beate downe our stomakes that wee may bee the children of our heauenly Father If then in cold bloud and vpon deliberation though not at the instant of thy passion thou canst so rule thine affection as to loue thine enemy and pray for him doing him good in stead of euill it will be a sweet comfort to thy brest for with our heauenly Father hee is not in the communion of sonnes that is not in the Charitie of Brethren Apud summum Patrem qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum non habebitur in numero filiorum Leo. mag serm 11. de Quadrag 2. Pauls loue was hearty so let thine be be it friend or foe Some after a controuersie is taken vp and ended will promise friendship but vvith a Reseruation of reuenge though it bee seuen yeere after Iudas kissed Christ and betrayed him and Ioab saluted Amasa courteously and slue him Remember thou to meane the truth thou makest shew of 3. Let thy loue appeare in kinde words and salutations as Paul calls the Iewes Brethren yea Lot the Sodomites Gen. 19.7 which condemnes the practice of some who if they bee offended shew that they are possessed either with a dumbe diuell they will not speake or with a rayling Diuell if they speake it shall be in bitternesse with taunts and reproches 4. Pray for them thou louest Thou shalt neuer haue any comfort of his friendship for whom thou doest not pray VERSE 2. For I beare them record that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge THis verse hath not a reason of Pauls loue from
by the sent and betweene Gall and Hony by the taste so it 's easie to discerne a spirituall man from a carnall by their sauour Dost thou most mind affect sauour earthly and carnall things This shewes thy dung-hill disposition for Spirituall men seeke and mind things aboue Euery thing liues according to his kind the Horse in the Pasture the Fish in the Water A Fish cannot liue out of the Water so talke of good things to a carnall man he presently fals asleepe or railes for hee 's out of his Element but to a Spirituall man such things are a delight As in dyet that which is one mans meat is another mans bane because of the difference of their temperature and constitution So is it here Examine thy selfe in particular The hearing of the Word Prayer c. are Spirituall Is the Word as sweet to thee as the Hony and the Honie-combe as it was to Dauid And is thy Soule neuer at rest till thou canst find opportunity to powre out thy heart to GOD in Prayer Thou art spirituall these things are most tedious to a carnall man Drunkennesse Idlenesse Vanity c. are things carnall Doest thou account that day as lost wherein thou meetest not with thy Consorts to haue fellowship in such things Flatter not thy selfe thou art surely carnall For a spirituall man hates these things and all his delight is in the Saints and in them which excell in Vertue Vse 3. Hee that would sauour spirituall things must be renued by the Spirit of God As he that is Aguish thinks sweet things bitter but being in health tasts euery thing aright So if thou wouldest sauour good things purge out that same choller and ranknesse of corruption which hath infected thee Many think that the priuiledges of Regenerate men belong to them because now and then they goe to a Sermon though they find no more sauour in it then in a dry Chippe No no Thou mayst heare many Sermons and yet haue a carnall heart of thine owne which if occasion serue will shew it selfe As Water-fowles hatcht vnder a Land-fowle a while remain with their damme but anon runne into the Water according to their kind So if the nature and disposition of the heart be not changed wee cannot sauour and take pleasure in good things As a Hare when she is hotly pursued and hunted plies her to some beaten-path not for any loue she hath to it but that there by the feet of passengers shee may lose her sent so many will be in the Church paths not for any Deuotion but that the filthy sent of their carnality might not be discouered Plutarke laughed at such who would be accounted as wise as Plato and yet in the company of Alexander would bee drunken Desirest thou the reputation of one godly and religious Professor Though thou commest to Church and ioynest in Prayer c. thou shalt neuer attaine it so long as thou wilt sweare lye be drunken or any thing for company It s another manner of thing to bee spirituall Wee cannot bee a Lyon in the Forrest and a little Dogge in a Ladies lap There must be a change of nature seeke this VERSE 6. For to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace AS Adam hauing sinned the Angell kept the way of the Tree of Life so our Apostle keepeth vnrepentant sinners from the Consolation before propounded Such consolations belong not to wicked men The Argument to proue it was Those which are contrary obtaine not like condition But the wicked and godly are contrary This Minor was partly shewed Verse 5. from their contrary dispositions and is more declared in this Verse from their contrary Ends. Death and life are immediately contrary But these are the Ends of the Wicked and Godly Therefore the Ends of Wicked and Godly men are contrary To be Carnally minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Figmentum cordis The word signifies the act of a Carnall minde comprehending thoughts desire discourse Moses calleth it that which the heart fashioneth Gen. 6.5 8.21 Is death By a figure Meton Effecti bringeth causeth or endeth in death For death is the end of sinne though not the end of a Sinner A wicked man sinnes not purposely that hee might be damned but damnation followes his wicked doings As a man many times seeking for one thing findes another so wicked men in their sinning seeke another thing The Adulterer his pleasure the Couetous Riches c. but they find another thing that is Death To be spiritually minded That is the Cogitations deuices desires actions proceeding from the spirituall part Is life and Peace that is bringeth happinesse and peace with God and our owne Consciences doctrine The sense and Doctrine Whatsoeuer the flesh or corruption doth mind sauour desire endeuour seeke act bringeth death and so on the contrarie for the Spirit that is the Regenerate part Gal. 5.21,23 The fruits of the flesh exclude vs out of Heauen the fruits of the Spirit exclude the Curse of the Law The more flesh the neerer Hell the more Spirit the surer and neerer Heauen Gal. 6.7,8 As hee that soweth Wheat reapeth Wheat not Barley so if we sow to the flesh we reape Corruption if to the Spirit life euerlasting Vse 1. True wisedome is that which hath the fauour of God and life following it We say many times of a wild gracelesse yong man He hath a good wit a Naughty wit wee should say because being vnsanctified it bringeth death We say also of a Couetous man O a very wise fellow wee should say a very foole For what wisedome can it be for a man to damne his soule by his courses If a man would iudge of wise men without the Word hee might imagine that our wittie Politicks and Carnall men had all the wit and that Spirituall minded men who neglect the present good things were little better then Fooles Indeede Carnall men thinke Spirituall men to bee Fooles but Spirituall men know Carnall men to be so For true wisedome is to feare God which while Carnal men want they cannot be truly wise The Word sometime calls wicked men wise but with a restriction in their generation to doe-euill according to the flesh c. Luke 16.8 Ier. 4.22 2. Sam. 17.23 Thus was Achitophel a deepe Politician but dyed like a Foole in a pettish humour hanging himselfe Therefore Salomon almost alwayes calls a wicked man The Foole. Some thinke it a point of wisedome to beleeue nothing which they cannot fathom with their owne Reason as the Corinthians doubted of the Resurrection but Paul saith to such a one Thou Foole or O Foole. 1. Cor. 15.36 Some thinke it a glory to differ from other in opinion and to contrary them as the Galathians in the point of Justification Gal. 3.1 but Paul cals them fooles for their labour Pharao seeing the children of Israel to increase Exod. 1.10 said he would deale
question their hauing the Spirit but as taking it granted both that Christ is risen and that they haue the Spirit so our Sauiour Ioh. 14.15 If you loue me keepe my commandements not doubting of their loue but from thence vrging their obedience Two things are supposed 1. That the Spirit of God is in them 2. That Christ is risen by the power of the holy Holy Ghost Verse 9. Of the former of these before The later is a part of the Creed which I purpose not to runne into at this time The Conclusion declareth the Argument Thus If the Spirit of God be in you then the Spirit will quicken your mortall bodies But the Spirit of God is in you as hath been declared Therefore c. The Consequence is proued from the like The Spirit hath raised vp Christ therefore will it you being his members Here two things 1. The Action Quickning 2. The Amplification 1. From the Efficient God described by an Effect The Raising vp of Christ 2. The Subiect Quickened Your mortall bodies 3. The Condition of them whose mortall bodies shall be quickned Theirs in whom the Spirit dwelleth He that raised that is the Father so the Soune so the Holy Ghost raised Christ it was the worke of the whole Trinitie who in workes without are vndiuided Shall quicken Not raise for the wicked shall bee raised but they shall not be quickned as the Godly namely with a Spirituall life And yet Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made aline vsing the same word which heere But the Answere is that All may bee taken distributiuely thus As many as are in Adam dye and as many as are in Christ shall bee made aliue Hee saith All and All to shew that none dye but in Adam and none are made aliue but in Christ Your mortall bodies Aug. Epist 57. Dard. that is soules dead in sinne say some a Piscator but that 's too hard Your mortified bodies say others b Sarcerius but better your mortall that is your base vile bodies subiect to dying They shall be quickened That is their naturall body shall rise a Spirituall c 1. Cor. 15.44 and their mortall shall put on immortalitie d 1. Cor. 15.54 so that they shall haue no death nor mortalitie e Vt non solum non sint mortua sed ne mortalia Anselm Your euen your as it is in the Greeke By that his Spirit which dwelleth in you That is by reason of their vnion with Christ through the Spirit All that are Regenerate shall in the power of Christs Resurrection be raised by his Spirit that dwelleth in them Luke 20.35,36 Ioh. 6.40 1. Cor. 15.20,21,22,23 Here haue we an Argument against the seeming impossibilitie of the Resurrection The Sadduces account it vnreasonable * Mark 12.18 The Philosophers Ridiculous f Act. 17.18 Hymeneus and Phyletus said it was past g 2. Tim. 2.18 and many yet doubt of it To all which I say Consider the Author and cease to Doubt Paul illustrates it by naturall things As Wheat dyes and riseth i 1. Cor. 15.36.37,38 so the day k Dies moritur in noctem c. Trees also wither and re-flourish Why not our bodies we hauing a Promise Doest thou beleeue Christs Resurrection Else wert thou nor a Christian The Iewes beleeue he dyed the Christians that he rose againe Beleeuest thou this Then beleeue thine owne as the body drownes not so long as the head is aboue water so if thou bee a member of Christ thy Head thou shalt not be left behinde but euen thy body shall be receiued into Heauen Whither hee hath carried the pledge l Tert. ib. c. 37. of it in his owne humanitie Bee secure O flesh and bloud you vsurpe Heauen in your Head Christ Adam had a possibilitie to dye if he sinned and a necessity of dying because he sinned Our mortall bodies shall receiue an impossibilitie of dying by the Quickning of that Spirit That as Christ dieth no more m Rom. 6.9.18 so death hath no dominion ouer vs. This comforted Iob in the day of his sore trouble n Iob 10.25 and this was the Comfort of the poore Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes they looked for a o Heb. 11.35 better Resurrection to be as Sugar to rellish the bitternesse of the Crosse Note a secret Your mortall bodies The same which they carried about with them shall be raised vp and a revnion of the bodie and soule at the last day No accidentall thing can vtterly destroy an Essentiall But death is accidentall and the vnion of body and soule essentiall Therefore that vnion cannot in reason perpetually faile Some of the Heathen e Plato acknowledged that the separation of body and soule could not be finall Ruffinus saith that his people in repeating the Creed would say I belieue the resurrection of this Flesh f Carnis huius Ruff. in exposit simbol inter opera Cypr. as though they had clapt their hands on their breasts So Paul saith This Corruptible g 1. Cor. 15.54 But some will say Some men are lame some deformed shall those bodies rise so I answer The same in substance shall rise not in infirmitie Lazarus without his sores Mephibosheth without his lamenesse Such things shall be taken away in the elect for defect and deformitie cannot stand with that glory And for the Reprobate it is thought by some Diuines to be probable that their defects shall not be supplied but suffred for the encrease of their shame and punishment h Tilen syntag disput Theolog. parte altera loc de Resurrect Thes 37. The Iustice of God requires that the same not another body should rise to punishment or blisse That hand those feet those prowd adulterous eyes that blaspheming tongue shall rise againe to receiue condigne punishment And on the contrary those hands that haue beene lifted vp in prayer and stretched out to relieue the Saints those that haue wept for sinne that tongue which hath glorified God That body that hath suffered for Christ shall also rise to be partaker of his glory doctrine Vse 5. Those which haue the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them shall haue a ioyfull Resurrection others not As the sleepe of sound and sicke men differ So the Resurrection of good and bad Sound men are refreshed sick men haue sick sleeps and are the worse when they awake so shall the Resurrection be Then shall bee a generall gaole-Deliuerie but some shall be acquitted some deliuered to the Executioner to bee tormented and these are said to perish not Physically but Theologically being depriued of blisse We must all rise How wouldst thou rise which readest these things wouldst thou rise with feare and terrour or with ioy and confidence If thus then repent and forsake thy sinnes and thou shalt For the hope of such resurrection depends vpon an holy
now feeles it is likely hee would neuer haue committed that villany Mortification is tedious but heauen is sweet Men are content to goe all day after their hounds and hawkes to endure hunger thirst c. for their pleasure and what get they in the end some silly creature that is scarce worth the hauing But Heauen is worth the hauing refuse not a short labour for the obtaining so infinite a reward VERSE 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sonnes of God THe latter part of the verse going before is here prooued namely that such as mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit shall liue The argument is taken from the proper subiect of the life before spoken of that is the sonnes of God Thus The Sonnes of God shall liue But they which mortifie c. are the sonnes of God Therefore they shall liue The Minor is proued thus They which are led by the Spirit are the sons of God But they which mortifie c. are led by the Spirit Therfore As many as are led by the Spirit that is by the holy Ghost Led Those things are said to be led which are mooued by a superiour instinct a Aquin. in locū which is either Common or Proper of the common all men the Reprobate yea beasts are partakers The beasts come to Adam b Gen. 2.19 to Noah c Gen. 7.8,9 the Beare slaies the Children d 2. Reg. 2.24 the Lyon the old Prophet e 1. Reg. 13.24 by this common instinct The proper is that whereby the elect children of God are mooued to beleeue repent c. This is here meant Are led Not furiously but mildely and familiarly not as bruite beasts but as reasonable creatures Not as though we doe nothing but lest we should doe no good thing we are actuated by the good spirit that we may doe Neither are we led violently and against our will but willingly and yet were we not willing before we were led but in the leading made willing to be led so willing that when God hath once breathed his grace vnto vs we cannot resist but earnestly desire to bee led And yet is not the nature of the will ouerthrowne nor naturally so determined to one side that as heauie things mooue downeward by an inward beginning so the will absolutely can only affect this one thing But as Orators by their Eloquence doe rule in the minde of their Auditours so God much more effectually drawes vs to desire Christ and affect the Gospell If a couetous man were offered to take what hee would of a heape of Gold no man doubts but hee would gladly embrace such occasion though simply and absolutely it were in his power to refuse it So our heauenly Father doth so commodiously shew vs the Riches of his Grace so louingly doth he inuite vs to receiue it and so aptly doth hee exhort vs that he doth perswade vs without any impairing of our wills so a Beast with prouender Children with Nuts and euery one is led or drawne by his pleasure We are then led being willing not before but after grace receiued Are the Sonnes of God not making vs such but declaring vs to be such The Sonnes that is Children as verse 16. for sonnes and daughters are in the Couenant doctrine They which follow and obey the counsell prescriptions and precepts of the Spirit are the sonnes of God Ioh. 1.12 Ioh. 6.45 1. Ioh. 3.9 Now it is the Spirit which workes faith teaches and begets vs. Vse 1. Take knowledge of thy Impotency to good things without the spirit As a guide to a blinde man or as a Nurses finger to a little Childe so is the Spirit to vs without the which we can neither discerne or walke in the good way Without the Spirit wee catch many a knocke by stumbling and falling at euery sinne As therefore the little childe when it would first goe reaches for the Nurses hand so craue thou the Spirit to bee led into the knowledge and practice of the Truth The Israelites that would presently goe towards Canaan without Moses were all slaine Num. 14.45 so is it not safe to attempt any thing without the Spirit which is to bee our Counsellour and to vs as the piller of the Cloud was to the Israelites the Rule of their marching and pitching their tents Vse 2. If thou yeeldest thy selfe and thy reason and affections to he led by the Spirit thou art the Child of God so cōtrarily which that thou mayst the better discerne obserue 2. things first the way wherein Secondly the minde wherewith thou walkest First Are drunkennesse whoredome c. thy waies who led thee into these waies The Spirit no the Diuell leades thee for these are his waies Are Faith Repentance Humility c. thy wayes How camest thou into these wayes The diuell would neuer bring thee into them nor thy selfe neuer haue chosen them Surely if these bee thy waies thou art led by the holy Spirit whose waies these are Secondly what is thy minde Doest thou walke in the way of Prayer hearing the Word Repentance c. willingly and cheerefully Thou art then led by the Spirit for though we may be found in these wayes yet if we walke in them as a Beare is drawne to the stake we are not led in them by the Spirit for the Spirit makes vs delight in such things Euery thing liues according to the breeding water-fowles are euer paddling in the water Land-fowles are feeding on the dry ground So if thou hast a spirituall breeding all thy delight will be in spirituall things if a carnall onely then in carnall VERSE 15. For yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but yee haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father IN this verse the Apostle prooues that those which are led by the Spirit are the children of God by an effect of the Spirit in them which is to call God Father Which is amplified by an opposition of their former estate which was an estate of seruile feare As if he should say by an Occupation It may bee you feare in regard of sinne inhabiting But the profiting you haue made is not in the addition of such slauish feare wherwith formerly you were possessed but that which you haue now receiued is a more excellent effect of the same Spirit which is the Grace of Adoption Heere two effects of the Holy Ghost are opposed for in some the Spirit workes feare in other loue and assurance and first feare then assurance that we may stirred vp to seek assurance Feare the signe of the spirit of bondage Confidence and assurance in God as a Father the proper effect of the Spirit of Adoption You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage Paraeus Not the Diuell nor the Law as some haue interpreted but the Holy Ghost To feare Seruilely Againe that is yet still or more
as if he should say the Holy Ghost doth not still lead you as seruants to feare by the preaching of the Law for not obeying it For the preaching of the Law is the true cause of seruile not filiall feare And here the Apostle alludes I take it to the time of the Law and the giuing of the same But you haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption He should haue said of Liberty but hee saith more of Adoption for Children are free Children are either Naturall or Adopted Naturall so the holy Child Iesus is the onely Sonne of God Adopted so are we the sonnes of God Adoption is a lawfull Act imitating nature found out for the comfort of them which haue no children Adoption and Arrogation which are Termes of the Ciuill Law differ Adoption is of those which are vnder the rule of others Arrogation is of them which are sui iuris The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Adoption because it works both it and the sense of it in vs. In whom That is by whom whereby We cry not say for so may a Reprobate but Crying notes affection Abba Father Abba is an Hebrew or Syrian word which signifies Father Father is added in Greeke either to note the Sanctification of all Languages a Chrysost or of all people Iewes and Gentiles b Anselm or a double paternity of all by Creation of the Elect by Grace c Lyra. or earnestnesse in calling vpon God d Martyr or an Exposition as Abba that is to say Father e Beza The sense The Regenerate might obiect Wee feele the Spirit working feare in vs But saith the Apostle you haue also the Assurance of Adoption They which haue onely the Spirit of bondage are driuen by feare you by the Spirit of Adoption are led by loue doctrine The Regenerate haue the Spirit of Adoption whereby their feare is moderated and they enabled to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Vse 1. In all the Elect which are of yeeres of discretion the spirit doth worke the Slauish Feare before the filiall assurance as appeares in that example of the Iewes in the Acts Act 2.37 who first are terrified and after comforted in assurance of forgiuenesse All are brought to this exigent more or lesse that they may acknowledge they stand in neede of Christ and be stirred vp to seeke him Such as were neuer afrayd were neuer assured Didst thou neuer feele the sting of an accusing Conscience terrifying thee though thou hast beene a lewd wretch Surely Iudas was neerer Heauen then thou and to this thou must come before thou canst haue the Comfort of a Sonne For as the needle makes way for the thread so feare for comfort the spirit of bondage for the Spirit of Adoption Vse 2. The preaching of the Law without the Spirit hath no power to strike feare into vs when thou art terrified it is the Spirit that so applies the Law either to bring thee to Christ or to despayre and euerlasting Confusion Vse 3. As none haue the Spirit of Adoption which haue not had the spirit of bondage So many haue the spirit of bondage which haue not the Spirit of Adoption Note this Many doe diligently resort to the hearing of the Word and are afraide to doe otherwaies they deale Iustly liue temperately c. and dare not deale falsely or riotously c. and yet are not Regenerate Why What is it makes them doe thus Only Feare They haue the spirit of bondage they are afraid of Hell and hence comes this obedience which is onely slauish But if they doe not these things for the loue of Iustice also they cannot be saued neither their obedience accepted The Children of GOD feare hell but their obedience comes more from Loue then from Feare Yea though there were no Diuell Hell Iudge to be feared yet would they obey the commandements of their God and their feare is also moderated by Faith whereby they beleeue the pardon of their sinnes and obtaine this priuiledge to be the Sonnes of God The estate of a Sonne is discerned by Confidence in Prayer Such a one is able notwithstanding feare to cry Abba Father He that can I say not speake the words with a lowd voice for so may a Parrat or Hypocrite Mat. 7.21 but cry with intention of heart as well as contention of voice and can come into the presence of God as a child into the presence of the Father hath the Spirit of Adoption This is wonderfull hard to doe As for Instance Thou feelest Corruption rebelling thou remembrest how thou hast actually transgressed aboue number thou hearest the threatnings of the Law thou knowest that God is of pure eyes and most iust hence thou fearest and art almost confounded Canst thou in this Conflict turne thy selfe to God as to thy gracious Father and that with confidence of his mercie Thou hast a certaine signe of thy Adoption For in such estate our Nature is to flye from God as Adam but to embrace God euen then when wee are so terrified is the worke of the Spirit by Faith Canst thou with a childes affection cry Abba Father I dare vndertake that God cannot but shew himselfe as a Father in hauing compassion What earthly Father could despise the voice of his Child falne into danger Much more will our Heauenly Father regard the cry of his children In a fearfull estate then are they which neuer pray or as Hypocrites onely with the mouth and not with the heart Thou callest vpon God with Abba Father Remember that wicked children are a dishonour to their Parents Degenerate not thou from the Nobility of thy Father whose honour it is to haue godly children If thou callest God Father 1. Pet. 1.17 then passe thy time with feare and care to obey him Vse 5. This ouerthrowes the Popish manner of Praying as Blessed Virgin Holy Mother of God help vs. Saint Peter helpe vs c. From what Spirit should wee thinke these prayers come Luke 15.18 Not from Gods for that teacheth to cry Abba Father The Prodigall Sonne saith I 'le goe to my Father and say to my Father and his Father meetes him Hee had an Elder brother and knew many seruants but he seeks onely to his Father VERSE 16. The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God THe Sonnes of God cry Abba Father here is the Ground of such praying which is the witnesse of the Spirit with our spirits that we are the Children of God This is the very roote from whence springeth confidence in Prayer to God and the more or lesse wee heare and feele this witnesse the more or lesse assurance haue we and boldnesse in Prayer Here are two things 1. The witnesses which are two 1. Gods Spirit which performes two Offices 1. It seales vp our hearts in assurance that we are Children then it opens our mouthes to pray 2. Our Spirit which is our Regenerate part
and in asmuch as few obtaine it we should the more labour to be of that number Honours and Iewels are highly esteemed because giuen to a few The Grace of Saluation as it is much more precious so should it much the more draw our affections Vse 3. The sottish and blasphemous opinion of many among vs is hence reproued If I be predestinated say they to bee saued then I may liue as I list 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for howsoeuer I liue I must be saued If I be predestinated to be damned all my care cannot alter the counsell of God and therfore the best way is to take our pleasure while we may But whence hast thou this Collection Not from God and his Word but from the Diuell and thine owne Ignorance For put the case thou wert on the top of an high Tower God hath predestinated that thou shalt come safely downe or breake thy necke in comming downe Wilt thou now leape downe vpon this reason neglecting the ordinary way I trow thou wilt not trust thy body vpon these termes then art thou mad so to trust thy soule God hath predestinated that thou shalt liue to the end of this present day or that thou shalt dye before night Wilt thou vpon this drinke poyson c. saying Why If GOD haue predestinated that I shall liue I shall liue though I eate poyson If I doe dye then I shall dye though I be neuer so carefull If thou beest in thy right minde thou wilt not doe thus Hezekiah had assurance of the prolonging of his life for fifteene yeeres Esa 38.5 yet neglected not the meanes of preseruing his life So the predestination of God ought not to make vs carelesse of vsing the meanes of saluation Origen maketh mention of one who being sick and desiring to send to the Physicion was perswaded by his friend not to send for saith he if it be appointed you shall dye the Physicion cannot helpe you if to liue you shall not need him The sicke man of a sounder braine then his friend excellently answered Nay saith hee if it bee appointed I shall liue I wil send for the Physicion that such appointment may take effect God hath predestinated mee to be saued so hath hee predestinated mee to be called and Iustified before I be saued Though Glorification necessarily follow Predestination yet not immediately but here are meanes from one to another which God hath predestinated to be vsed As thou art predestinated to glory so also by the same Act to holinesse without which he hath predestinated to saue none This opinion then is most absurd in reason and also most blasphemous for wicked wretches thinke they haue God on the vantage and that they may be saued whether he will or no. I am sure of this that whosoeuer thinketh reasoneth and liueth thus in that time hee can haue no assurance that he shall bee saued And if hee continue thus to the end there can bee no greater signe of a mans Reprobation and Damnation Vse 4. Vocation and Iustification are antecedents to Glorification Consequents to predestination Here is a Chaine of foure linkes the two extreme Predestination and Glorification are in the hands of God the two middle are let downe to vs by which we may equally be drawne to both the ends as a man may by a Riuer either goe downe to the Sea or vp to the Spring head Art thou called and Iustified Then thou maist be sure of thy Predestination past and Glorification to come Examine therefore the Calling 1. Thes 1.4 which of all arguments manifests Election Art thou called I say not outwardly onely but inwardly Is thy heart opened Are thy eares board When God hath called thee in the preaching of the Word hath thy heart answered as Samuel 1. Sam. 3.9 Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth When Christ asketh thee if thou doest beleeue Doest thou say with that man Mar. 9.24 Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe Doth thy heart as an Eccho answere the louing call of God And doest thou liue accordingly Where is thy loue of the Word Thy Obedience Thy Faith c. Alas alas The absence of these declare thou art not called How often hath the Lord called thee from Drunkennesse Swearing c and yet thou drinkest and swearest c. Art thou predestinated to life Nay if thou so continuest thou art a Reprobate God hath called vpon thee to leaue the company of vngodly men and thou notwithstanding drawest with them the yoke of Impietie How art thou of the number of the Elect which familiarly conuersest with Reprobates and damned wretches Reioyce you reioyce which feele that your hearts are moued to beleeue and obey the calling of God you haue a most sweet testimonie of the loue of God and that you shal be conformable to Christ in glory Your saluation is built vpon a stronger and nobler foundation then the very Heauens euen vpon the Counsell of God But the signes are in your selues be carefull to preserue them cleere and as you are to be separated from the damnation of wicked men so separate your selues from their conuersation VERSE 31. What shall we then say to these things If God be for vs Who can be against vs 32. He that spared not c. to the end of the Chapter MAny are the troubles of the righteous Therefore wee haue had many arguments of Consolation all which the Apostle here magnificently concludeth as with a song of triumph celebrating the plerophory and confidence of the faithfull founded vpon the immutable loue and counsell of God shewing that no tentation is to be feared This conclusion Paul vtters after the manner of braue souldiers who when they see their enemies approch shake their speares and waue their swords aboue their heads as daring their foes For hauing mustered an armie of comforts and encouragements both against inbred corruption and outward affliction hee takes the field daring hell it selfe to the encounter with words of great defiance As What shall wee say Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and such like Here then Paul renounceth all tentations and assaults which might disquiet the children of God and this hee doth two wayes 1. Generally Verse 31.2 Particularly in the rest In this 31. Verse are two things 1. A question 2. An answere The Question What shall we say to these things To what things some say that we are predestinated called c. or that all things worke to the best for the children of God as others say but I think they say best which referre this question to all that is said before viz. That there is no Condemnation to vs that are in Christ That we haue the Spirit are the Children of God are predestinated c. For that which hee hath said before of sinne and affliction hee doth in this conclusion briefely recapitulate What shall we say Aquinas giues three expositions 1. how thankefull should we be seeing God
Session and Intercession to be ended by way of Amplification for the cause alledged The words are parts of the Catechisme The sense is thus to be conceiued Alas sayth the weake Christian mine owne conscience the Law the Diuell accuseth me Yea but God iustifies thee saith Paul What a sinner How can that be sauing his Iustice for sinners are to bee condemned by the Law True saith Paul but Christ is dead for vs and so hath made satisfaction for as it is well obserued by Caietane that these words For vs are to be referred to euery part of the Answere he dyed for vs rose for vs c. The Death of Christ is farther declared by the consequences of it which are 3. 1. Resurrection 2. Session at Gods right hand 3. Intercession for vs which Gradation is added to take away all scruple Hee is dead Nay hee is risen which sealeth the merit of his death Nay hee sitteth at the right hand of God hauing receiued all power for the safety of Beleeuers and confusion of vnbeleeuers and that nothing be wanting to our comfort he continually makes intercession for vs Heb. 9.24 Heb. 10.10 by appearing in heauen for vs and by willing that his merits should be effectuall vnto vs. doctrine Those whome Christ dyed for cannot be condemned Rom. 4.25 and 5.9 Heb. 2.14,15 Vse 1. The Death Resurrection Power Intercession of Christ are the wells of saluation from whence all comforts are to be drawne Art thou cast downe for feare of thy sinnes and the punishment due to them Christ hath suffered thy punishment he was condemned in thy roome and stead and therefore in the Iustice of God thou must not be condemned Belieue and repent and then it is as possible for thee to be damned as for God to be vniust Thou mayest securely rest in his death because he not onely dyed but rose againe which though it did adde nothing to the price which was payd in his death yet it is a demonstration of the sufficiency of it and thereby a confirmation of thy comfort for if he had not rose againe his death had done vs no good If death had ouercome him how should wee sinners haue escaped Hee as our Samson carried away the gates of death The foundation of our comfort is layd in Christs death we receiue it in his resurrection His death is compared to the sowing of Corne which comforts most when it commeth vp Ioh. 12.24 So our peace and ioy is sowne in his death we reape it and begin to possesse it in his Resurrection 1. Cor. 15.17,18,19 He is not onely dead and risen but hath receiued all power hauing it in his hand to saue and destroy by this power he sent the Holy Ghost Act. 2. He hath alwaies gouerned and preserued his Church and confounded his foes We haue many foes indeed but we need not feare for if he so bridled them being on earth in our weaknesse that he ouerthrew them backeward with a word Ioh. 18.6 how can and will he hamper them being in Heauen in the power and glory of his Father He was courteous on earth and he forgets vs not now he is in Heauen hee is not like Pharaohs Butler who forgat Ioseph Gen. 40.23 He is not in Heauen onely to liue happily himselfe but to procure our happinesse also He prayeth yet for thee and his Father heareth him alwayes Iohn 11. Heb. 7.25 Therefore thou mayest bee confident that thou art perfectly saued A man retaining an eloquent learned gracious Counsellour is of good hope much more mayest thou which hast the Kings Sonne yea the power and wisedome of God to be thy Aduocate Hee is innocent against him lyes no exception he hath satisfied for thee of his owne not by the force of reason but really by the price of his bloud He knowes the weightinesse of thy cause is in especiall fauour with the Iudge knowes best the reason whereby he may perswade and it concernes him that the day should be on our side because we are his flesh therefore we may be comforted Vse 2. From this sitting and Intercession Ambrose notes the distinction of the persons in the Trinity and that the Father is the fountaine of all good Vse 3. Saints are not our Intercessours but Christ therefore goe to Christ alone Can they more loue and care for vs then Christ They not heare nor vnderstand vs neither haue wee in the Scripture precept or example to require their intercession and if any helpe or comfort were to bee had this way Paul doubtles in a place so fit would first or last haue mentioned it If any man sinne saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.2 we haue Christ an Aduocate He doth not say You haue me or the Virgin Marie an Aduocate but Christ Maluit se ponere in numero peccatorū vt haberet Aduocatū Christum quam ponere se pro Christo Aduocato inueniri inter damnandos superbos August The Apostle had rather put himselfe among sinners that he might haue Christ his Aduocate then put himselfe for an Aduocate and so be found among them who are to be damned for their prid Vse 4. These comforts require great obedience for Christ hath not purchased for vs a carnall security whereby the feare of God should be abandoned but a spirituall whereby the feare of condemnation should be ouercome If thou wouldst partake of Christs death dye thou to sinne If of his Resurrection rise thou to newnesse of life If of his glorious Session obey his power and authority If of his Intercession then auoyde thou all sinne For nothing can bee more contrary then Christ to pray for thee that thou mayest be pardoned and thou not cease from thy blasphemy drunkennesse c. Christ prayeth not for such beasts Wee haue an Aduocate saith Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.7 Iesus the iust A iust Aduocate will not plead vniust causes Thy cause is vniust because thou beleeuest not nor carest how thou liuest For it is most iust euen supposing Euangelicall grace and mercy that such should be damned and should want the benefit of that pardon which they by their vnrepenting heart renounce Repent therefore that thou mayest haue thy part in these comforts VERSE 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword IN this verse and the two next the Apostle remooueth the second Tentation arising from the presence of euill namely of the euill without vs from the Creatures The coherence Pareus maketh to be thus A weake Christian thus obiects Though God loue vs and Christ pray for vs yet wee are subiect to famine nakednes pouertie a thousand troubles Paul answers What then This is the condition of the Church we are neuerthelesse beloued for this yea we are more then Conquerors The vvords wherein Paul deliuers this are admirable and so indeed is this whole
but the truth that the Iewes because they beleeue not in Christ are not Iustified The fortifications raised for defence are easily razed The first in this 9. Chapter the second in the tenth and the last in the eleuenth VERSE 1. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost 2. That I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart IN this nynth Chapter Paul shewes that though the Iewes be reiected yet the promise failes not which was originally neuer meant to any vnbelieuing either Iewe or Gentile And therfore he expounds the promise made to the Iews vpon that occasion falling into the doctrine of Predestination of the reiection of the Iewes calling of the Gentiles which before he enters into he premiseth a Preface to prepare the minds of the Iews to the patient reading of the same So that in this Chapter are two parts 1. A Preface in the fiue first verses 2. The Treatise it selfe concerning the stability of the promise of God notwithstanding the casting off of the Iewes Because it was odious to the Iewes to heare of their reiection and that the Gentiles should bee admitted to fauour Therefore Paul in the Preface protesteth solemnely both of his loue to his Nation and exceeding hearts griefe for their Reprobation that it might appeare these things to be spoken not of malice and spleene as they were ready to interpret but of conscience towards God and his Truth which was his office to deliuer In the Generall from this Preface a note may be obserued for Ministers Vse 1. Ministers are to speake the Truth though it displease yet with sobriety of wisedome after the example of Paul so as we may if it be possible with gentle and louing means winne the affections of the Auditors both to vs and our doctrine In this two sorts of Ministers much faile First those which are so tender studious to please that they are loth to speake any but sweet words though men rot in their sinnes Secondly those which are as farre on the other extreme accounting all prefacing and louing speaking to bee dawbing and no sentence to be zealously deliuered vnlesse Damnation and Damned be at the end of it vvhereby many times they driue them farther from Christ whom they would haue conuerted vnto him Let such imitate Pauls discretion here who might haue been rough with these stubborne and obstinate Iewes and haue spoken hardly to them being haters and Persecutors of Christ and his members but hee chuseth rather to speake mildly as beeing likely to doe more good So he aduised Timothy 2. Tim. 2.24.25 The seruant of Christ saith he must be gentle towards all men euen euill men instructing them with meeknes So he practised himselfe with his kind words so insinuating into King Agrippa his affections that he had almost perswaded him to be a Christian Acts 26.28 when rough words might haue much exasperated his mind Vse 2. Hearers would be also admonished not to prescribe their Teachers what they shall preach For some ignorantly either desire neuer to heare of their sinnes because of their great profanenes Or out of a pride and presumption of their own righteousnesse aboue others All preaching which is not declamatory and inuectiue against sinne is cold preaching vvith them Pray for thy Teacher and be content to heare thy sinne reproued and aboue all desire to heare of Christ Iesus and the mercy of God in him the next and immediate cause of conuerting a sinner The summe of the Preface in the fiue first verses is a protestation of his loue manifested by his exceeding griefe for their Reiection Or a protestation of his griefe issuing from his loue In it there are two parts 1. A Complaint 2. A Iustification of it The Complaint is in the second verse first to be handled The Iustification ver 1. 3. 4. 5. VERSE 2. That I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart IN this Complaint principally is to be cōsidered that which hee complaines of which is his great griefe which must needes argue great loue Conceruing which griefe are tvvo things 1. The greatnes of it 2. The Cause The greatnes is set forth three wayes 1. By a Comparison expressed in a vvord signifying the paines and sorrow of a vvoman in trauell a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. By the Continuance of it It was without intermission 3. From the feat of this sorrow It was not outward or in the face in a few Crocodiles teares but in the heart and therefore a sharpe and dangerous sorrow The Cause is not expressed for the horror of the thing his minde trembled to name it and it would haue beene full of Enuy. But it is easily gathered out of the matter following namely for the Reiection and Reprobation of the Iewes doctrine The children of God grieue for the hardnes of heart and condemnation of the wicked So they are described Ezec. 9.4 So did Ieremy Ieremy 9.1 So did Dauid Psalme 119.53 So did Christ Ioh. 11.33 Q. Is it lawfull so to mourne their destruction being the execution of Gods iust Decree which wee are cheerefully to reproue and reioyce in A. In the punishment of sinners when wee looke vpon the glory of Gods Iustice we ioyfully approue it When on the destruction of the Creature we lament it As the Cameleon is coloured according to that which is next it so the mind putteth on affections after the nature of the thing it doth contemplate As a Iudge when malefactors are arraigned before him is moued with indignation as they are malefactors and with compassion as they are miserable men so is it in this case Vse 1. Because Paul loues the Iewes hee grieues for their downefall for griefe ariseth from the hurt of the thing wee loue If we loue not we are not moued and according to the degree of our loue is the measure of our griefe Dauid exceedingly grieued for Absolon for he loued him exceedingly Examine thine affection in spirituall things thy loue by thy ioy and griefe Doest thou loue the Word of God then thou wilt reioyce to heare it and that it should haue free passage and wilt grieue if it be hindered or ill reported of If thou doest not thus thou louest it not Thou sayest thou louest Gods glory then is it meat musike to thee to see men to feare God to keepe his Sabbaths c. and as a dagger at thy heart to heare men blaspheme and to see men follow after vngodlinesse otherwise thou louest not God not his glorie Vse 2. The Iewes resist Pauls doctrine through the hardnesse of their hearts This caused both his griefe and also their Reiection If the Husbandman plow euery yeere and sowe but his seed rots vnder the clots and neuer comes vp he cannot but grieue so Paul when his doctrine hath no successe The thriuing of the flock is the glorie of the Shepheard and
the accursing of them who should conuert it to their owne vse and so by a translated sense it signifieth a perpetuall separation from Christ As therefore such things were separated from men for honour sake so applyed to men it signifies to be separate from Christ for horror sake This is Chrysostomes exposition approued of the best Interpreters And as the Greeke word is thus vsed so Sacer properly signifying Holy is vsed amongst the Latines by good Authors g Auri sacra fames Virg. Sacer intestabilis esto Hor. in a contrary sense For my brethren not spirituall but kinsmen according to the flesh that is the Iewes as if he had said I would bee damned in their stead that they might be wonne to Christ and saued in mine As Dauid wished he might haue dyed for Absolon and Christ dyed for vs. The Argument to iustifie Pauls griefe is from an effect of his loue which is a contestation that for their sakes he would with all his heart be accursed from Christ Therefore he must needs be grieued for their separation This loue of Paul is here amplified by three circumstances 1. The Person wishing Paul 2. The matter of his wish to be accursed from Christ 3. For whose sake for the Iewes Who Paul who was so zealous for Christ To be accursed from Christ his onely Ioy and Desire and for the Iewes his enemies who layd continuall wayt for him about a fortie of them vowing neither to eate nor drinke till they had his bloud Euen thus it was Euen Paul wisheth to be accursed from Christ for these Chrysostome calls it a flame a sea of loue No sea so deepe no flame so bright as Pauls loue Q. But is it lawfull for Paul thus to wish For it is to bee holden as a truth in Diuinitie that euery man is first to haue a care of his owne soule yea the Papists affirme that though the soule of the Virgin Marie whom they too much adore were in perill yet for her saluation wee ought not to hazard our owne A. There are many farre-fetcht answeres For Interpreters haue exceedingly laboured herein Wee hardly vnderstand how this should be because we are farre from the measure of Pauls loue Among all the Answers there are 3. principall The first is that Paul vseth an Hyperbolicall speech or that hee spake hastily not well considering the matter but hee spake vpon his oath as we haue heard and therefore no Hyperbole or ouersight to be admitted The second that he did not indeed so wish but was ready so to doe if it were lawfull but the words and his oath take away this also he did actually so wish and without supposition The third is Chrysostomes which also Aquinas hath who make a double separation from Christ 1. To be separated from his loue which Paul by no meanes wisheth neither is it lawfull to desire either not to loue Christ or not to bee beloued of him 2. To be separated from him onely by punishment in regard of the fruition of heauenly ioyes and so Paul wishes here not so much hauing an eye to the destruction of the Iewes as to the glory of Christ The vnbeleeuing Iewes did daily by vile speeches blaspheme Christ the hearing hereof was so grieuous to Paul that out of a great zeale he wished verily to haue beene accursed from Christ rather then that he should be so reuiled yet so accursed as that he would still loue Christ and be beloued of him He will for no cause be depriued of Christs loue but he is content to lose his part in Heauen for Christs glory doctrine We ought to redeeme the saluation of our very enemies with the losse of heauenly Ioyes to our selues rather then Christ should lose his glorie So Moses wisheth Exod. 32.12.32 For Gods glory ought to be more deare to vs then any ioy or good of our owne Vse 1. If we consider Paul as a kinseman wee are taught what great loue we owe to our kinred We are to loue our Nature in all but where there are most bands there should our loue be most Nature teacheth this and Grace perfiteth Nature Christ beginning to preach first preached at Nazareth to recompence the place of his education Luk. 4.16 And Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.8 That hee that prouideth not for his owne is worse then an Infidell Husbands ought specially to take care for the saluation of wife and children brethren for brethren c. Vse 2. Consider Paul as an Apostle 2. Pet. 5.2 and then it teacheth Ministers specially to feed their owne flockes to pray for them to be affected with their stubbornenesse So Samnel Ieremie c. Must Ministers take paines grieue and burne out the Candles of their liues to doe their people good Then is it not fit that their people should despise and despite their Teachers vexing them with their vngodly stomackes and profane carriage This is to encrease their sorrow which is so great that it is compared to the sorrow of a woman in trauaile Gal. 4 19. Vse 3. Consider Paul as a Christian He feeketh the saluation of his enemies so doe thou Remember it was Cains speech Am I my Brothers keeper Thou must haue care of thy brothers yea of thine enemies It will not serue the turne to say Euery Fat shall stand on his owne bottome This is harsh to nature but Grace must ouereome corruption Vse 4. Reioyce not at the fall of thine enemy whether it bee by the immediate hand of GOD or by the hand of the Magistrate say not It is no matter If thou feelest thy heart to hammer such thoughts striue and pray against it Consider Pauls example here and Dauids in the Psalmes Psal 35.13 To reioyce at other mens harmes is the way to haue such things cast vpon our selues Prou. 24.17 Vse 5. The cause of Pauls wish is the glory of Christ which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our owne saluation Though we cannot attaine to the measure of Pauls zeale yet we must aime at it and endeuour our vttermost Though Parents are loth to part with their Children yet for their good they are content to put them to schoole and to binde them to Trades farre off So we can be contented to enioy life liberty c. yet if the parting from these be to Gods glory we must be ready so to doe How few then be there which loue Christ as they ought how few which would be content to part with Heauen for his honour for many will not for the glory of God and the obtaining of Heauen leaue their pride whoredome drunkennesse c. VERSE 4. Who are Israelites to whome pertaineth the Adoption and the Glorie and the b Or Testaments Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises 5. Whose are the Fathers and of whome as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen
vetustatemque non sentit Ioh Bapt. Neap. vil l. 6. c 9. This notes soundnesse The nature also of the oyle is not to be mixed with other things if you mixe it with wine or water it will be vppermost you may as soone mixe light and darknesse as grace and sinne An Hypocrite is no branch of this tree Farther the nature of oyle is to keepe mettalls from rusting so the vertue of this grace preserues the conscience from sinne which otherwise would eate in and perish the soule If thou hast a cankard heart rusted with the loue of sinne and of the vanities of the world thou hast none of this fatnesse and by consequence art not graffed in 2. Thy words will be sutable to thy engraffing Flores Oliuae suauiter redolent Frater Iohannes a S Gemimano lib. 3. qui est de vegetabilibus et plantis c. 37. The blossome of the oliue is wonderfull sweet so if thou beest of this tree thy speech will be sauoury and gatious to the hearers If thou be a blasphemer a lyar c. Thou art not graffed into this oliue The sweete oliue yeelds another manner of sent A dead mans graue doth not more annoy men then thy filthy and rotten communication Iam. 1. It s a vaine thing for a man to seeme religious if he refraine not his tongue 3. If thu beest ingraffed thou wilt bring forth much fruit for the oliue is exceeding fruitfull The fruite of the oliue is both for God and man 1. For God Oyle was consecrate to the Lord was vsed in sacrifice and for the holy lamps for it is a nourisher of light so thou wilt be religious a keeper of the sabboth a worshipper of God a fauourer of the Gospell 2. For man It is both for medicine and meate Kings Preists and Prophets were annoynted with it Our liues must be fruitfull and profitable to the Church we must not be for nothing or onely to spend stouer as they say Let ours saith Paul learne to shew forth good workes for necessary vses that they bee not vnfruitfull Tit. 3.14 If we liue without doing good we are no oliue branches Our obedience must be to God and man to the first and second table of the law The properties of our obedience are foure according to such properties of the oliue That is 1. Speedie 2. Peaceable 3. continuall 4 chearefull Cito comprehendit et fructificat Ioh. Bap. Por. Nea. vil l. 6. c. 5. 1. The oliue is a quick bearer so we must bring forth fruit quickly like the Almond rod of Aaron that presently budded and brought forth ripe Almonds The theife vpon the crosse presently shewed the fatnesse he had rceiued by confession prayer c. 2. Our fruit must be peaceable An oliue branch was a token of peace as a palme of victory Iames sayth that the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in peace Iam. 3.17 pride disdaine quarreling and contending with our neighbours is a note of a bramble not of an Oliue branch If you powre out water it maketh a noise dasheth and besprinkleth you But the powring out of oyle is without noise falling downe softly and with great silence So the seruants of God must be peaceable 3. Our obedience must be continuall once and alwayes to beare fruit The Oliue alwaies flourisheth is alwaies greene and neuer castes the leaues noting the constant tenour wee should keepe in our obedience Dauid saith Psal 92.14 That they which bee planted in Gods house still bring foorth fruit and flourish in their age If thy obedience bee not continuall it is not sound 4 Our obedience must be cheerful thy loue to thy neighbor must be free Anointing with oyle makes vs lithe and nimble so if we haue receiued hereof we wil not come to the Church as though we were stiffe in the ioynts like a beare to the stake but with Dauid we will runne in the wayes of the Commandements The Oliue requires no great cost to make it fruitful nor a man truely sanctified great intreatie to perswade him to doe good As the Sunne naturally giues light so a true Christian ingraffed into the naturall Oliue willingly and cheerefully is exercised in Gods seruice VERSE 19. Thou wilt say then the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in 20 Well because of vnbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith Bee not high minded but feare THe Admonition is heere repeated in other words vpon the occasion of an insolent obiection of a Christian Gentile which obiection is set downe vers 19. and is the first part of these words The second part is Pauls answere vers 20. The Gentile taking in some scorne that Paul in the 17. v. had auouched the Iew to be the naturall Oliue and the Gentile a wilde Oliue obiecteth as if he had said Tell not mee Paul of these things let the Iew bee what he will I am as I am yet by your leaue he is broken off that I might be graffed in which shewes that God saw more worthinesse in mee then in the Iew The merchant parteth not with his present fraught but for better lading neither will any man suffer an incision or scarifying in his armes or feet but for preseruation of a more noble member as the eye or head His Argumēt may be framed in an Enthymeme thus They are broken off that I might be grafted in Therefore I may boast To this Paul answeres vers 20. which his answere is either to the Antecedent Well because of vnbeleefe they are broken off thou standest by faith or to the consequence Be not high minded but feare His answere to the Antecedent hath two parts 1. A Cōcession Well 2. A correction in the rest of the words Well Some take this word ironically and by way of increpation as we much vse it in our English tongue saying Ansel well well when we meane that it is not well But heere it is taken for a Concession Paul grants the thing viz. That the Iewes are broken off that the Gentiles might come in But he addes a prouiso alwaies remembred that the proper cause of the breaking off of the Iew was his infidelitie not the comming in of the Gentile For this came to passe by a second accidētal consideration and the proper cause of the comming in and standing of the Gentiles is faith that is the grace of God The Gentile then vnderstood not himselfe being like a foolish seruant that runnes away without his errand for if he had taken all with him he would haue discerned cause of humiliation not of boasting herein The Gentiles Argument is a meere paralogisme alledging that which is not the cause for that which is The vnbeleefe of the Iew being the cause of their breaking off not the letting in of the Gentiles So that Paul answeres as if he should say Learne thou Gentile to distinguish betweene the cause and the euent It fell out that the Iew being cast
out thou wert receiued in but this was not the cause of that neither is thy goodnesse the cause of thy standing in the Oliue which wert wont to stand among the bryers in the wildernesse God could haue brought thee in without breaking off the Iewes but he would not but hath done thee good out of their euill and hath brought thee in that thou mightest be the cause of their bringing in againe The proper cause of the breaking off of the Iew his infidelitie of the standing of the Gentile Gods grace Faith is the gift of God whereby we know apprehend and apply the promises relying vpon them Infidelity is a fruit of corruption whereby we know not the promises or knowing beleeue them not or beleeuing them to be true make them not our confidence Standing notes an estate wherein a man hath the fauour of God to iustification and saluation Breaking off the contrary Standing is a manifestation of Election by faith heere by saluation hereafter Breaking off is a manifestation of Gods Iudgement in this world by taking away from a people the Word and Sacraments the tokens of his loue and cognisance of his people so are the Iewes and also those famous Churches of Asia broken off and by giuing particular persons to hardnesse of heart After this world by separating such from Angels and Saints and by throwing them into hell Obiect It seemes then that a man may bee a branch and yet broken off Ans Similitudes are not to be pressed too farre Branches are to be distinguished some that haue onely an outward fellowship with the Oliue these may be broken off some that haue an inward partaking of the sappe and fatnesse of the Oliue these cannot So that there are Infidels out of the Church and Infidels in the Church The first Infidelitie is called Negatiue the second Priuatiue Yet it is to bee vnderstood that faith is not so the cause of standing as infidelity is of breaking off for infidelity is the meritorious cause of breaking off and faith but the instrumēt or staffe whereby we stand doctrine Our standing is by faith our breaking off by infidelitie 2. Cor. 1.24 Heb. 3.12 In this place to the Hebrewes there is the same name giuen to an vnbeleeuing heart which is giuen to that naughtie-packe the Diuell And Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground of things hoped for or as Sanit Augustine Aug. tract 79. sup Ioh. of persons hoping God hath giuen faith to vphold vs not as a reed that may deceiue but as a pillar well translated ground being as the vnmoueable earth which we stand on we haue good footing by faith The Israelites were destroyed for their infidelitie Iude 5. Vse Beleeuers are truely happy vnbeleeuers truly miserable He stands in Gods fauour This is throwne away as a withered branch into vnquenchable fire Cain sinnes beleeues not hence he is tormented in conscience afraid of his owne shadow thinking the Diuell should meet him in euery corner a picture of the misery of an vnbeleeuer He that beleeueth is the sonne of God Iohn 1.12 what a prerogatiue is this What is he then that beleeues not Euen the childe of the Diuell Can there be any thing worse He that beleeues sayes God is true He that beleeues not sayes God is a lyar should not this be plagued Ioh 3. Ioh. 5.10 Christ dwels in the heart of a beleeuer as in his Temple Gal. 3.17 But the heart of an vnbeleeuer is the Diuel shoppe in which he forgeth and his anuile on which he hammereth all villanies his stye his stable and whatsoeuer can bee said that is more base Nay an vnbeleeuer is a Diuell Haue not I saith Christ Ioh. 6.69.70 chosen twelue and one of you is a Diuell see how Christ accounts of Iudas for his infidelity and treason Did I say a Diuell nay worse then a Diuell Iam. 2.19 The Diuels beleeue and tremble but many among vs beleeue not and many that beleeue there is a God and that he is a hater and reuenger of iniquitie yet when they are admonished of their pride drunkennesse breaking of the Sabbath c. moue no more then the stones in the wall What shall I say to make thee sensible of thy misery If thou beleeuest not the wrath of God dwelleth vpon thee The diuell worketh effectually in thy heart as he possesseth thee here so thou shalt possesse him hereafter for euer This consideration should moue vs to three things First to seeke faith Secondly to examine whether wee beleeue or no Thirdly to mourne for infidelity 1. Aboue all things labour for faith sell all for this let the fooles of the world drudge and droyle for a penny let vs seek for faith and whatsoeuer wee want let not vs want this by which we stand and without which we fall eternally 2. Many perswade themselues that they haue faith which will be found Infidels at the day of Iudgement Bee thou of good ground that thou beleeuest The fiue foolish Virgins thought they should doe as well as the other fiue but they were deceiued Thou shalt know whether thy perswasion be true sauing faith or no by three things 1. By the meanes whereby it is wrought which is the preaching of the Gospell If it arise from a conceite of thine owne braine it is but a mocke-faith and will not stead thee 2. By the manner how it is wrought first there is in euery true beleeuer a sight of sinne Secondly Humiliation for it Thirdly a change of the heart Fourthly a hungring after righteousnesse then comes faith 3. By the fruits faith workes by loue As the fruit shewes the tree so obedience shewes faith Many shew plainely they haue no faith for when prosperitie comes they feare not God and when aduersitie they runne from God to the Creature to Wizards to the Diuell for helpe as if there were no God in Israel Herein they are like a dogge hold vp a crust he comes fawning hold vp a cudgell and he runnes away so many let them thriue then God is a good God But let God lay his hand vpon them then they are gone to seeke a new master the Diuell yea if it bee but for the sauing a pigge or a cow what are such but Infidels Faith purifyeth the heart it will not suffer a man to be an Hypocrite to bee one thing without and another within one thing before men and another in secret Hee that beleeues Christ died and shed his bloud for him cannot but die to sinne and delight to liue righteously 3 Mourne for infidelitie euen for the least motion to it and the rather because it is the fashion of most to mourne for other things and not for this If a man be robd or his house be burnt he cryes out I am vndone But who is heard to cry woe is me for want of faith I am vndone for my vnbeleefe If wee heare of a theefe we cry hang him and perhaps we will cry
renue our freshnesse This is our comfort against our great guiltinesse and manifold infirmities he repents not of his loue to vs but keepes vs with watch and ward as vnder locke and key to saluation Hee finisheth the good worke hee beginnes If hee keepe not the Citie the watchman watcheth in vaine if hee keepe the Citie the enemie watcheth in vaine Vse 5. There are three sorts of men goe to hell 1. Such as continue in sinne a man need no great skill to reade their doome 2. The second are such who haue onely a shew of Religion these are hypocrites 3. Such who haue true grace but it is temporarie and continues not A man may haue true grace without saluation but not true sauing grace True grace is then sauing when it continues This distinction of grace is gathered out of the Hebrewes where Paul saith Heb. 6. That a man may be inlightned partake of the holy Ghost and taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the life to come and yet be a cast-away Now such graces were true but temporarie so the stony and thornie ground had true grace but not continuing which is the note of good ground Examine then the grace thou hast Thou hast true ioy and sorrow as at a Sermon thou art truly affected with that which thou hearest being mooued to ioy at the hearing of the promises and it may bee to mourning at the hearing of the threatnings against thy sinnes Doe these things continue or art thou Sermon-sicke as a man is sea-sicke sicke at sea and well at shore a penitent within the Church and prophane without If these continue not they are no sauing graces Thou hast true feare as in the time of thunder or other danger but it may be thy feare is ouerblowne with the cloud thou wert truely afraid but it must continue if a sauing grace In prosperitie many beleeue in God and in aduersitie flye to the Diuell This may be true faith but is not sauing Sauing faith is like a true friend who failes not in aduersitie which makes a man say Though he kill me I will trust in him Thou hast true loue as to the world and to godlinesse in godly folke but it may be thou louest these as Saul loued Dauid Dauid must be sent for and who but Dauid How long till the euill spirit come vpon Saul so many loue these things till the ill spirit come vpon them and then they shew that they haue not sauing grace Many haue true resolution as in time of sicknesse to amend their liues they will speake so well then as a man would think they spake as they meant and so they do as they meane then but their meaning changes and when they are recouered their minde is altered therefore such resolutions though true yet are not sauing We loue stuffe in our garments that will last and mettall in a horse that will last some horse will at first setting out stand vpon no ground and yet be starke tired before noone we like not such a horse nor doth God like such professors whose graces doe not continue VERSE 30. For as yee in times past haue not beleeued Or obeyed God yet haue now obtained mercy through their vnbeleefe 31. Euen so haue these also now not beleeued Or obeyed that through your mercie they also may obtaine mercie HEere is the last Argument to proue the Conuersion and generall calling of the Iewes which is furrher confirmed vers 32. The Argument is taken from the like dealing of God with the Gentiles God after a long time of infidelitie receiued the Gentiles to mercie therefore will hee also at last receiue the Iewes for according to the rule of things like there is the same iudgement The impiety of the Gentiles was no impediment to their mercie neither shall the infidelity of the Iewes to theirs One accounts this Argument probable not necessary Piscator but the Confirmation vers 32. makes it very necessary In these verses as in all similitudes are two parts First A proposition verse 30. Secondly A reddition or application verse 31. In the Proposition are three things 1. The state the Gentiles were in in times past They haue not beleeued God There is a double infidelitie Naturall Iudiciall the Gentiles were vnder both Infidelitie may also be considered as opposed to Christianitie so we Christians are not vnbeleeuers or as opposed to faith and so we are borne vnbeleeuers 2. Their present estate Terminus ad quem They haue now obtained mercie that is Faith which hee should haue spoken but he rather chose to say mercie both because faith is of mercie as of the cause and also because the proper act of Faith is to receiue mercie 3. The meanes whereby we come out of an vnbeleeuing estate to a beleeuing namely the vnbeleife of the Iewes Which was medium occasionale the occasion not giuen but taken by the goodnesse of God doctrine The Gentiles were Infidells Eph. 2.12 but by the vnbeleife of the Iewes they are receiued to mercy conuerted as appeares in our experience Vse 1. Forget not what thou wert in times past an vnbeleeuer a profane wretch for we haue all run the race of the Prodigall sonne It is Gods grace if it be otherwise with thee now Be thankfull It may be within these few yeares thou wert a drunkard a blasphemer an vncleane person How if God had taken thee away in thy sinnes who hath suffered others not so greeuious sinners as thy selfe to perish in their iniquities Let this binde thee to thy good behauiour for euer and spurr thee on to more godlinesse If now thou shouldst liue as those which haue receiued no mercy it must be a foul shame to thee Saint Paul sayth 1 Tim. 1.15 this a faithfull saying and worthy of all men to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners O it s a sweet saying indeed for else we had bene all damned This is picked out to be read at the receiuing of the Lords supper for the comfort of penitent sinners a sentence worthy to be written in letters of gold write it vp in thy heart And remember that Paul sayth also Tit. 3.8 this is a faithfull saying and worthy of all affirmation that they which beleeue in God should be carefull to shew foorth good workes As that is a faithfull saying so is this a faithfull As thou desirest the sweetnesse of the former so see thou performest the dutie of the latter for as the former comforts the conscience so this latter directs the life Vse 2. Faith is a sweete mercy so is the word of God the meanes of that faith alas for the poor Indians who know not God in Christ who are without the word who worship the diuell how wretchedly do they liue how desperately doe they die we account them miserable as they are indeed But doe you thinke that we may not find some