the wound of the sheepe is more to the Shepheard then to the sheepe Plus Pastor in gregis sui vulnere vulneratur Cypr serm de lapsis Though we be not afrayd yet if our people be it toucheth vs neerely What if we saue our owne soules yet if our people perish wee cannot but sorrow as a carefull Father for the destruction of a wretched sonne Ease thou thy Teachers heart and ioy him by thy repenting It will be good for thee if thy Teacher can praise God for thy conuersion and on the contrary fearefull and vnprofitable if in his prayers he haue cause to complaine of thy stubbornnesse Heb. 13.17 Vse Let vs mourne for the sinnes of the Times and weepe in secret for the Iniquitie of the people so let vs reioyce when God is glorified by the conuersion of men Christs gaine and Satans losse should cause our ioy Wee can grieue when our children proue vnthrifts and when our friends decay in their worldly estate and on the contrary reioyce but such ioy and griefe are carnall The conuersion of thy friend howsoeuer he goe backward or forward in the world ought to bee matter of thy Ioy and if he be profane how rich so euer matter of thy mourning Luke 15.23 The Father of the Prodigall reioyced when his sonne came home a Conuert though he had spent all and had not a ragge to hang on his backe What Monsters are they which make the sinnes and destruction of men matters of their greatest mirth which ought to wring euen teares of bloud from them When thou hearest a blasphemer seest a drunkard c. canst thou laugh If thou shouldst see a man grieuously wounded fetching deadly grones and drawing his last breath wouldst thou account it sport or pastime How much lesse shouldst thou reioyce when thou seest thy brother wounding and stabbing himselfe euen to the heart by his abominable sinnes Wee lament ouer the bodies of our friends which we beleeue shall bee raised to glory at the last day much more ouer the soules of men which goe downe vnder the power of euerlasting death It is the Diuels delight if those hellish spirits can haue any delight It is their delight to see men sinne and offend their God Luke 15.10 Euen as the holy Angels reioyce at the conuersion of sinners Let vs not be like the Diuell but contrary to him and grieue at that which he takes pleasure in which if wee would doe it might so come to passe that our griefe might worke also a griefe in them that offend as many times the seeing others fall heartily to their meate brings on our stomake When thou seest sinners in words or behauiour to bee out of the way If thou couldst in stead of a smile afford a teare thy teare might make them relent whom thy smile confirmeth in their wretchednesse VERSE 1. I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost PAVL proues his griefe proceeding from his loue for the Reiection of his Nation by diuers Arguments The first is a Testimonio in the forme of an Oath where hee cals Christ himselfe to witnesse of that he deliuers The validitie of a Testimonie is according to the value of the Testis Therefore he appeales to Christ as his witnesse I speake the Truth in Christ Not in the name and authoritie of Christ nor as I am a Christian or as it becomes a Christian or I being in Christ or beeing baptized but By Christ As Beth sometime in the Hebrue so En in the Greeke is the token of an Oath in this place Piscator 2. Cor. 12.2 and so also some expound that of Paul I know a man in Christ that is By Christ yet not by Christ as onely a man but as God I lye not This duplication of contraries is here as elsewhere vsed for the more force and to shew his syncerity For a man may lye and yet speake the truth as when hee addes a lye vnto the truth And therefore it is well prouided by our godly Lawes that men to giue in euidence are sworne to speake the whole truth and nothing but the truth Paul in this Affirmation and Negation frees himselfe from this Againe a man may lye in speaking the Truth For our speech hath Relation either to the minde or to the thing If it agree with the thing and not with the minde it is a lye for that properly makes a lye If it agree with the minde and not with the thing it is false but no lye and therefore because we discerne not mens mindes we must be warie how wee giue any the lye Paul therefore for the more credit of his oath and that all exceptions of ambiguitie mentall reseruation or equiuocation might be taken away hee put his oath Affirmatiuely and Negatiuely My conscience bearing mee witnesse Paul here neither sweares by his Conscience nor by the holy Spirit though this might bee iustified but hee iustifies his oath by the witnesse of his Conscience For Conscience is a thousand witnesses being for this purpose placed in man by God In the holy Ghost That is renued by the Holy Ghost so that Paul could speak in no words with more weight against all exceptions then he vseth here First he auoucheth it the truth which he deliuers I speake the truth and because no Iew should cauill that part may be truth and part a lye He addes I lye not and because his word it may be would beare no pawne He addes an Oath And because the Oath of an vnconscionable man is little worth he brings in his Conscience and because vnlesse the Conscience bee enlightned and directed it may erre therefore hee signifies that his Conscience is renued by the holy Ghost So we haue here two things 1. Pauls Oath I speake the truth in Christ I lye not 2. The auouchment of his Oath My Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost I might here enter into the common place of Truth Lying Oath Conscience but I write a briefe Commentarie not a volume of Common places First in Pauls Oath wee haue three things First the Person that makes Oath Paul Secondly the Person by whom the Oath is made Christ Thirdly the Cause which is a matter of weight and great consequence namely that Paul writes not in malice but in loue and that hee grieues for the Reiection of his Nation doctrine The Doctrine out of the first It is lawfull for Christians in due time cause and manner to sweare We haue Iacobs oath Gen. 31.35 Dauids oath 1. Sam. 20.3 Pauls oath Christs oath Gods oath it is a part of Gods seruice commanded Deut. 6.13 and without it a Common-wealth cannot stand Vse The Anabaptists are here confuted who deny the vse of all oathes Ob. But Christ saith and his Apostle Saint Iames Mat. 5.34 Iam. 5.12 Sweare not at all A. That is vnlawfully Ob. But what is
6.15 that is with a firme resolution that come Fire Sword what will come we will hold our way Thus was Dauid prepared Psalme 13. Though I walke in the valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill and Psal 119.106 I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy Law So Paul elsewhere manifests his resolution and readines Acts 20.24 21.13 to die for Christ 7 Trauellers carry with them some Cordiall and comfortable waters to cheere their Spirits when through wearinesse they begin to faint So in the way to Heauen through weaknesse thou maist faint and fall the water of Repentance is precious a draught of it will recouer and repaire thy spirits fill thee full of godly care and confirme thy assurance Thus much of the manner of the Metaphor now followeth the nature of the Argument which is as was sayd a description of such which are in Christ by the effect Such walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is liue holily doctrine Our Vnion with Christ the cause of our good life Ioh. 15.5 1. Ioh. 1.6,7 Vse 1. Hee saith not there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ because they walke but which walke for hereby wee are not iustified nor called but they which are iustified and called so carry themselues This walking is necessary not as a cause of saluation but as a condition without which there is certaine condemnation Vse 2. Heere wee haue a touch-stone to try whether wee bee in Christ or no and so whether wee shall bee damned or saued When thou seest the Impe which thou hast grafted to budde and leaue and bring forth fruit thou saist it takes well so if thou bring forth Holinesse the fruit of the Spirit thou takest well and art surely grafted into Christ This then answeres a Question of which many desire to be resolued viz. Whether they shall be saued or no Examine thy walking If in the way of Enuie Blasphemy Pride Drunkennesse Vncleanenes this is the way of the flesh vnto assured condemnation the spirit leades not this way thou art yet out of Christ and therfore far from saluation He that would be saued must walke after the Spirit in righteousnesse and holines As the palpable prophane wretch is heereby excluded so also he that is a meere ciuill man and no more for though he seeme to be in a good way as of iust dealing temperance liberality courtesie c. yet hee walkes in these waies after a wrong guide which is the flesh doing these things for the praise of men and with the opinion of Iustification thereby besides hee neuer descends into his owne heart mourning for and mortifying inbred corruption vnto which the Spirit principally leades but onely glorieth in outward moralities If then thou wouldst bee saued approue thy selfe to bee in Christ by walking after the Spirit But remember thou must walke now and then will not serue the turne as he that sets now one step then another is not sayd to walke so thy walking implies a continuall motion in godlines and yet not such a motion as of a Horse in a Mill but as proceeding and getting forward As in walking there seemes to be an Emulation between the feete to be one before another so in our liuing wee must striue to be euery day more forward in goodnes and to be better to morrow then we are to day Vse 3. There is nothing more irksome to the children of GOD then the rebellion of the flesh though wicked men bee not sensible of it And many times weake Consciences are so distressed by the sense of their corruptions that they doubt much of their estates Let such wisely marke these words Hee saith not There is no condemnation to them in whom there is no flesh but which walke not after it nor saith he there is no condemnation to them which are not tempted or which sin not but which walke not after sinne for the children of God must be tempted and wee neuer receiue such Grace in this life as not at all to fall or sin but not to walke after it but to striue and resist it and if downe through weakenes not to lye and wallow our selues as swine in the mire but by the power of the Spirit to start vp to wash away our spots in the Bath of Repentance and euer after to bee the more vehement and strong against our corruption It is not a willing seruice which they performe vnto the flesh when they are ouertaken as a man willingly walkes in his Garden but a most vnwilling for the which true Conuerts are often heard to sigh mourne and lament and are often seene with teares in their eyes Concupiscence will be to thee so long as thou liuest here but walke not after it and then all shall bee well When thou walkest abroad thou canst not hinder the Birds from flying ouer thy head but thou maist hinder them from lighting vpon thy head and making nests so thou canst not be wholly void of corruption but if thou bee in Christ thou hast receiued grace not to obey it Thou art it may bee much inclined to Anger Doest thou let it remaine with thee till being sowred it turneth to malice and rancour and bringeth forth reuenge Gen. 15.11 Then hast thou suffered it to nestle in thy heart and if thou lookest not to it it will bee thy destruction so of Lust Pride Couetousnesse but if thou scarre away these Harpies as Abraham the birds from his Sacrifice and suffer not an euill thought to lodge with thee all night surely thou art in Christ and neuer shalt be damned VERSE 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sinne and Death IN this Verse is an Argument prouing the Proposition before deliuered That there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ The Argument is taken from an effect of our Being in Christ Thus They which are freed from the Law of Sinne and Death shall not be condemned But those which are in Christ are so freed Therefore they shall not be condemned The Minor is thus proued They which are quickned by the same Spirit which is in Christ are so freed But all in Christ are so quickned Therefore they are so freed This Verse then intreates of the freedome and deliuerance of the Regenerate which are in Christ Concerning which freedome or Manumission foure things may be obserued 1. From what namely from Sinne and Death 2. The extent of this Deliuerance not from sinne and death simply in this world but from the Law of Sinne and Death that is from the power and authoritie of Sinne which power is called a Law by the Apostle for two reasons 1. Because carnall men obey sinne as they should obey a Law 2. Because sinne holds vs bound by the Law vnto eternall death 3. The subiect of this Deliuerance Mee saith Paul meaning himself
for instance to be so also meant of euery Regenerate man and therefore the Syrian Translator reads it Thee 4. The Cause The Spirit The Law of Faith say some which may receiue a good Exposition Others better interpret the holy Ghost hereby prouing the Deitie of the third Person Ambrosius Pareus Chrysost Beza vnderstands it of the efficacie of the Spirit in vs which is saith he the Grace of Regeneration I take rather to bee meant here the roote of that Grace rather then the Grace it selfe The roote I call the Grace of Holinesse in the Humane Nature of Christ which vpon our vnion with him is by the Holy Ghost conueyed vnto vs. For Ioh. 3.34 Ioh. 1.16 hee receiued not the Spirit by measure but is full of grace and of his fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace This I take to be the fittest Exposition This Spirit is two wayes set forth First by the Subiect in whom it is It is radically in Christ Secondly by the effect it is the Spirit of life for if this flowe not vnto vs we are but dead men with this being deriued vnto vs both the worthinesse of Christs obedience and also power for the weakning and abolishing of sinne that it reigneth not in vs nor can condemne vs. And for this I gesse that our Sauiour is called a 1. Cor. 15.45 Quickning Spirit For as wee haue to liue a naturall life from Adam so haue wee to liue a spirituall life from Christ being vnited vnto him The meaning then is this The power of the Spirit which is in Christ hath freed all them which are in Christ from sinne and death So that as sinne could haue no power ouer him to condemne him neither can it haue ouer vs wee receiuing of the same Spirit and liuing the same life which was in him For we liue not a diuerse life from that which is in Christ but the very same as the water in the fountaine and riuers and the life in the head and members is the same doctrine Our vnion with Christ frees vs from the power of sinne and death Ephes 2.18,22 Vse 1. The cause of all our happinesse is this vnion From hence is it that wee serue not sinne from hence is it that wee yeeld not to euery tentation of Satan that wee haue comfort that wee are stablished in Grace is from hence Labour therefore to be vnited the ordinary meanes is the Word preached For as in Graffing so here God is the Husbandman Christ the Stock Beleeuers the Imps The Spirit the Sap The Word the Knife or Saw The Sacraments The Ligatures As therefore without a Knife or Saw to open and riue the Stock and to let in the Imps a man cannot Graffe so Contemners of the Word and Sacraments cannot possibly be in Christ Vse 2. Hath freed Mee There is much Diuinitie in Pronounes said Luther In the first Verse Paul spake in the third Person Them Here in the first Me. Not that hee appropriates this freedome to himselfe by so speaking but to teach euery one to apply it to themselues and in themselues to feele it for which cause the Syrian Translator reads Thee For as the power of sense and motion in the head is deriued to euery the least and farthest member and ioynt Ephes 4.7 so the meanest in the Church as well as the chiefest doe receiue according to their place sutable grace It may be some may think O if I were Abraham Dauid or Paul I should be saued Yea if thou bee in Christ thou art freed as well as they and shalt bee saued as well as they Vse 3. Wee are now freed from sinne and and death not simply so we shall hereafter be deliuered but from the Law of Sinne. Wee be not so deliuered that wee cannot sin or dye but Sin cannot domineere ouer vs nor damne vs nor Death hurt vs. Lay vp this against the Day of tentation It is very grieuous to feele the assaults of Sinne as of Vncleannes Pride c. But all are Beggers we may not choose our Almes wee must remember our measure wee haue such things that we may be humbled not that we should bee ouercome Thou must be content to haue Sinne trouble thee here and to wring from thee sighes and teares but comfort thy Soule with this it shall neuer condemne thee A Snake may be so handled by taking out the sting or teeth that it cannot hurt vs though it touch vs yet wee abhorre it for the nature of it and are afraid to haue it come nere vs and it 's but our feare So sinne is in such sort handled by our Sauiour Christ that though it touch vs and hisse at vs yet it cannot hurt vs It may make vs afraid but blessed be God the feare is more then the hurt For as sinne and death could not hurt Christ so neither can they hurt vs. It is not kild out-right but it is so maymed Iudges 1. that as Adoni-bezek hauing his hands and feet mangled and being in chaines could not endammage Israel so neither can sinne vs. When therefore thou feelest sinne stir in thy heart alas who feeles it not cast not away thy confidence but with a good courage resist it and resort to Christ by Prayer that thou mayst more feele the power of his Spirit Great is the power of sinne but the power of the Spirit is greater The Diuell is strong but CHRIST is stronger Vse 4. Those which haue not obtained this freedome are most miserable They are slaues and that to the basest master in the world which is Sin and shall haue the fearefullest wages which is Death As nothing is more base then sin so nothing is more bitter then death How did sinne Tyrannize ouer Ammon Achab Iudas who could haue no rest 2. Sam. 13.2 1. King 21.4 Iohn 13.30 but are sicke till they haue performed most shamefull seruices to their vtter ruine Thou hast heard of the Gally-slaues of the Turke How sweet is it to bee deliuered from such a bondage But alas What is the Turk to the Diuell What is a Gally to Hell What the labour of Oares to the seruice of sinne and torments of Hell O the happines of them which are in Christ that are deliuered from sinne and death Haue we any enemies to these Yea his happinesse is the more by the assurance of it for once in Christ and euer in Christ let Satan do his worst The lest branch of the Vine which is Christ is too high for Satans reach Such as are in him can neuer want sauing Grace so rich a Root is Christ to maintaine and nourish all such which are grafted into him So long as Christ hath any Spirit thou shalt not want it As possible is it for Christ to want the Spirit as for thee to want it if thou beest in Christ Vse 5. Examine whether thou beest set free If sinne rule in thee it will also damne thee thou
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
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
liuest in drunkennesse whoredome c. and neuer lamentest how art thou like any of the Saints Paul had no such sinnes in regard of the outward act to answer for yet he laments How then canst thou which art notoriously guilty of these and the like sins restrain thy eyes from teares yea thy heart from breaking Thou couldst not if thou hadst the first fruites of the Spirit Canst thou bee thus guiltie and laugh Remember what was the end of Diues his mirth Mourne mourne for Luk. 6.21,25 woe be to them which laugh and blessed are they which weepe Vse 5. Our Griefe for sinne and desire of deliuerance must bee hearty and earnest Wicked men grieue because of that day which shal render into their bosomes the fruit of their waies The Saints grieue for the delay of it neuer receiuing satisfaction till that day arise vpon them When Paul had been rapt into the third Heauen 2. Cor. 12. his note was euer after Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ And therefore the Church in the Reuelation from the sense of Gods loue in the first fruits of it here receiued cryeth Reuel 22.20 Come Lord Iesus come quickely praying not for the delay of the end as some of olde Tertul. Apol. aduers Gent. but for the hasting of the same Euen as hee that hath tasted a little honey longeth for more so the desire of the Saints hauing once tasted the sweetnesse of Christ remains vnsatisfied till they bathe themselues body and soule in those riuers of righteousnesse and pleasure which are at the right hand of God The children of God pray for the accomplishing the number of the Elect the comming of Christ c. Psal 16.11 No maruell For heere they are strangers then shall they goe to their owne Countrey As home is sweet and desired of him that is in a strange and barbarous Countrey so is that day to the Saints No woman with childe doth more exactly count her time No Iew more earnestly lookes for the Iubilee No seruant more desiredly wishes for the end of the yeere then the Saints the comming of the Lord Iesus to Iudgement The wicked desire it not but tremble at the remembrance of it neither doe they desire things spirituall because they neuer tasted of their sweetnesse as a Horse hauing Hay and Prouender desireth no better because hee knowes no better Hast thou tasted of the Spirit Shew it in thy reioycing in it in thy mourning for thy wants and corruption and in thy desiring increase of grace and longing for the Day of the second comming of thy Lord Iesus VERSE 24. For we are saued by Hope but Hope that is seene is not Hope for what a man seeth why doth hee yet hope for 25. But if we hope for that we see not then doe wee with Patience wait for it FRom the occasion of the waiting spoken of in the Verse before he brings another Argument to perswade to Patience taken from the nature of Hope which breeds Patience for if we hope for life hereafter wee must be patient till we possesse it In these Verses are two things first a declaration of our Tenure concerning eternall life 2. An Inference wherein is couched an exhortation to patient waiting The Declaration hath two branches In the first is our state to eternall life Wee are saued by Hope In the second is the state of Eternall life to vs. Hope that is seene is not hope Hope is a Grace of God whereby wee expect good to come patiently abiding till it come I call this Hope whereby we are saued A grace of God because God is the Giuer of it who is therefore called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 Not onely obiectiuely that which we hope for but effectiuely which worketh it in vs. It is no naturall affection in men nor morall vertue but Theologicall not attained by custome and frequent actions but by the gift of God whereby wee expect good to come patiently I say Good for Euill is not hoped for but feared To come because wee haue it not With Patience in regard of the Interim betweene Hope and Possession We are saued by Hope So are we saued by Faith yet these are not all one Among many differences this one is for our present purpose Faith lookes to the Promise Hope to the thing promised Faith considers the thing promised with a Spirituall eye as present Hope lookes for it indeede for to come Augustine likens Hope to an Egge which saith hee is somewhat but not a Bird So Hope is somewhat yea a great matter but not the enioying of the thing it selfe We are as an Heire trauelling to take possession of his inheritance We haue it not in possession but wee shall haue it so soone as we get home Hope that is seene is not hope Hope is not here taken for the Affection or Vertue but for the Obiect for the thing hoped for So is Faith taken in that place of Paul Gal. 3.25 After that Faith is come c. that is Christ the thing beleeued The meaning then is that Spes impertat motum animae in aliquod non habitum tendentem Aquin. in loc The thing hoped for when it is seene that is possessed ceases to be hoped for For how can a man hope for that which hee seeth We hold Saluation by Hope therefore it is not present but to come For hope imparteth a motion of the minde vnto a thing which we haue not From these is the Inference containing an Exhortation Verse 25. If we hope c. then doe we that is we ought with patience to wait for it We Hope for Saluation It is absent It is therefore patiently to be expected and all things to bee borne which in the meane time shall fall out by the appointment of God Here then we haue foure things of Hope 1. The Obiect of it Things not seene 2. The Effect of it Saluation 3. The Assurance of it Wee are saued 4. The Adiunct of it Patience which is the gift of God whereby with a holy contented and pleased minde we beare affliction that wee may not lose the thing hoped for doctrine The Doctrine Containing a description of Christian Hope Hope is a certaine expectation of Eternall life with Patience Expectation because it is of that which is to come Certaine because it maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.5 with patience Psal 37.7 Heb. 6.11,12 Vse 1. The Philosophers excluded hope out of their Catalogue of Vertues numbring it among the Perturbations but that which their blinde conceit made no account of wee are taught by God highly to prize for we are saued by Hope Vse 2. As thou prayest for Saluation so labour for Hope which is a speciall part of the worship Spirituall required in the first Commandement Yea this Scripture hath the nature of a Precept and therefore desperation to be auoided not only as a thing terrible to
likewise helpeth or rather to hope not onely hope helpeth but also the Spirit The Spirit not good Angell a Lyra. nor spirituall man as the Minister b Iam. 5.14 sic Chrysost tract 6. in Iohannem nor spirituall grace c Ambros nor Charitie d August but the Holy Ghost Helpeth As the Nurse helpeth the little child vpholding it by the sleeue or as an old man is vpholden by his Staffe e Pareus or rather helpeth together f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vna subleuet Beza well translated also helpeth beeing a Metaphor taken from one that is to lift a great weight and beeing too weake another claspeth hands with him and helpeth him so the Spirit is ready to relieue vs vnder the great burthen of the Crosse Our Infirmities Not of praying though the Spirit doth help that infirmitie nor of practice to doe good but infirmitie to suffer euill not perturbations onely which arise from infirmity but the infirmitie it selfe to vndergoe those things which are by God layd vpon vs our Infirmities that is vs which are weake The Crosse is a heauy burden wee are weake the Spirit helpes vs to carry it as Simon helped Christ doctrine God helpeth his children in trouble by his Spirit So promised Ioh. 14.16 made good by Pauls experience 2. Cor. 4.8 which was by the Spirit Verse 13. Vse 1. We are too weake of our selues to stand vnder the burden of the Crosse it is so heauy as in pouertie not to murmure complaine or to seeke vnlawfull shifts to helpe our selues There are two speciall Reasons why we are too weake to beare the Crosse 1. The Crosse is a part of the Curse which is intolerable though it be sanctified and lightened to Gods children 2. Our sinfulnesse makes vs weake An ill Conscience enfeebles vs makes very cowards of vs. Iustine Martyr when he was a Heathen iudged by the fortitude and magnanimity of Christians in suffering that they could not bee subiect to vile affections Where a good Conscience is there wants no courage in suffering If the Diuell can make vs wound our Consciences by committing sinne then hee will easily driue vs either to murmure or blaspheme or despaire vnder the Crosse Q. But doe not many wicked men patiently beare paines and death it selfe A. No stoutly they doe but patiently they doe not It is not laudable patience but miserable hardnesse and stupiditie As Nabal dyed 1. Sam. 25.37 his heart being as a stone insensible of good or ill So also dyed the wretch that murdered Henry 4. the French King Vse 2. Let none bee confident in their owne strength wee are weake and Peter is an example He bragged that he would not deny Christ nay though all other forsooke him yet he would sticke to him and dye at his foote And yet a silly Damsell with one word put him by his resolution Mat. 26. This appeared also in the example of Doctor Pendleton as may bee read in the Booke of Martyrs Fox Acts and Monuments 1362. Censure not thy Brother for some weaknesse vnder the Crosse nor say If I had beene in his case I would not haue done so or so Thou also art weake and of thy selfe art nothing without the Spirit Vse 3. Beware of Securitie Fore-thinke of the Crosse and prouide for it Sudden troubles and vnpremeditate are the more grieuous ouerwhelming as the breach of a high wal oppresseth vnawares In the day of peace prepare for battell A faire day makes vs to be taken in a storm many times without our Cloakes Thinke therfore of losses aforehand of burning of houses burying of Children Husband Wife c. Thus did Iob for want of this Iob 3 25. wee heare many in the day of trouble complaining O I neuer lookt to haue seene this day c. Didst thou not It was thy fault If a man goe to Sea should he not looke for tempests Vse 4. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities The Vnregenerate shall bee sure of trouble without comfort The Regenerate of comfort in Trouble God will either mitigate their paines or strengthen them to beare or quite take them away No man will lay so much weight vpon his Horse as shall breake his backe Much more will God be carefull of his children yea as hee will not suffer them to bee tempted aboue their strength so he will giue an issue and deliuerance in due time 1. Cor. 10.10 We shall not haue one blowe or fit more then we are able to beare He that can endure but three fits shall not haue the fourth * Non quarto die pati permittetur qui scitur vltra non posse quam triduo tolerare Ambrosius Vse 5. If thou hast deliuerance out of trouble ascribe it not to thy selfe saying I rub'd out I pluck't vp a good heart got out Acknowledge the praise to God which helped thee Vse 6. Grieue not the Spirit by which thou art helped If thou shalt prouoke him by thy sinnes how canst thou expect his helpe Make him so familiar now by thy carefull obedience that he be not a stranger to thee in the day of thy trouble Verse 26. For wee 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 THe Spirit is a principall helpe in the Crosse and one of the principallest meanes whereby the Spirit helpes vs is by teaching vs to pray which is shewed in these words Where we haue three things First our Ignorance and impotency to pray Secondly from whence wee be made able Thirdly the successe and fruit of such prayers they are acceptable The two first are in these words which we will handle together The third is in the 27. verse It is a great cheering of the heart in the Crosse if we can pray but alas wee know not what to pray we ought to know but we do not either in regard of matter or manner But the Spirit August that is the Holy-Ghost maketh intercession for vs not is our Intercessor but maketh vs to pray So the Spirit cryeth Abba Father Gal. 4.6 not that the Holy Ghost cryeth but teacheth vs to cry Christ and the Spirit are as the Master of Requests but in different manner Christ by the power of his merit the Holy Ghost by the efficacy of operation in vs. As a Schoolemaster with his Schollers so dealeth the Holy Ghost with vs stirring vs vp to pray and prompting vs with sighes grones and words fitting For vs For our profit Aquinas Beza With sighes that cannot be expressed For their greatnesse for as there is a ioy vnspeakeable 1. Pet. 1. So also a sorrow and earnest desire in the Saints not to be vttered Rather for their littlenesse both because we scarce feele them and know not what our hearts meane and this is the fittest because of that which followeth Toletus Hee which searcheth
things thy heart with what minde thou prayest hearest more by thee then thou knowest by thy selfe Thou mayst walke in a cloud before men thou canst not before God Beware the hypocrite Vse 5. God is of infinit knowledge and power feare him Thou art asrayd to offend or provoke or iest at a wise man that is skilfull in the law but with a simple man thou art bold And darest thou provoke God whose wisedome is infinit And also his Iustice and power This is Atheisme For didst thou thinke there were a God and that he were wise and iust and able to plague thee thou durst not offend him Will a man keepe a seruant who alwayes angers his Master and laugheth him to scorne So shalt thou be turned into hell if thou darest dispise our infinit God or his word VERSE 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen THis verse is a proofe of the infinite wisedome of God and that being most sufficient to in himselfe he needes not the counsell nor the guifts of any creature but giues all things to all whereby they are and are susteined and ordaynes all things to and for himselfe In these words are two things 1. A proposition All things are of God and through God and to God 2. An amplification To whom be glorie for euer Amen The Ancients from hence proue the Trinitie applying the three propositions to the three persons and it is likely that from hence that Antient depologie had originall which we vse in our liturgy Which Ierom Hier. ep ad Damasum desired to be sayd in all Churches at the end of euery psalme Basil reports Basilius lib. de spi sanct ca. 7.27.29 it as a forme of thanksgiuing to haue bene in vse from the time of the Apostles vnto the which for the more confutation of the Arrians and Macedonians was added by the Counsell of Nice that other versute As it was in the beginning is now and euer shall be world without end Amen Cassianus who liued in Chrysostomes dayes reports Cassianus Monasti Institut lib. 2. qui est de canon Noctur orat et psal mod cap. 8. that it was an auntient custome in the East Churches for that prayer as he cals it to be sayd at the end of the psalme by him that sung the psalme with the silēce of the people but in the West Churches that the people standing vp did vsually with a loud voice repeat the same Which I thought good to shew that it might appeare that this vse in our liturgie is from sound antiquitie and vniuersall prescript of the East and Westerne Church All things are of him as of the Creator and giuer all things of nature and grace all good things not sinne but as it hath entity For sinne is not a thing seperate hauing a being and existence by it selfe as the creature but it is in the creature and a priuation and therefore though the Creature which is euill is from God as from the cause yet the euilnesse and sinne of the creature is not Through him preferring all things in their estate To him to be referred to him that is to his glory as to their chiefe end This proposition is amplified with a comprecation To whom be glory for euer Amen Wherein we haue 1. The thing glory 2. The subiect to whom it is giuen God 3. The duration for euer 4. The affection with which it is giuen testifyed in this word Amen This word Amen is Hebrew growne familiar in all languages it comes of a root that signifies beleife It was vsed of auntient time in the end of prayers Our Sauiour so concludes that diuine forme of prayer which he taught his Apostles Deut. 27.15 seq Nehe. 8.6 1 Cor. 14 16. It was the wont of the people in auntient times to answere Amen at the end of prayers and prayses so loud that it was a noise like thunder which may reproue our fashion arguing great coldnes who some one man excepted qui supplet locum idiotae can scarse be heard to pronounce the same Hieron in prol lib. 2. in Ep. ad Galat. Tertullian Tertul. lib. de spectac prope sinem vseth this as an argument why it should not be lawfull for a Christian to applaud Idolatrous plaies because it is not fit to honour such things with that mouth which hath said Amen in the seruice of God This word may be taken three wayes 1 as a Nowne 2 as a Verbe 3 as an Aduerbe As a Nowne so is it a name of Christ Reuel 3.14 As an Aduerb so is it vsed eyther in the beginning of our speech for confirmation of that which is to be sayd signifiing verily as our Sauiour often vsed it or in the end of our spech as in prayer wherein we aske something of God and then as the speaking of it notes our consent to that which is craued so the substantiall meaning is to shew our faith in beleeuing to receiue that which wee haue prayed for where vppon some haue said that this one word is more excellent then the prayer it selfe as our faith is more excellent then our desire and yet I see not but that faith it selfe is expressely conteined in the prayer otherwise how could we say Our Father Porf in exporat Dom. as a verbe and so it is as much as So be it hauing the nature of a prayer being in this sense principally to be vnderstood at the end of prayses and thankesg uings as in this place noting an affectionate desire that God may be glorified doctrine God is of all his creatures specially of his Church to be praysed and glorified so Psalm 92.1.2 and 95.2 and 96. through the whole Psalme so Psal 148. and 150. So Christ concludeth his prayer For thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory So Paul often Ephes 3.20.21 c. Vse 1. Thy being and preseruation is from God and he hath appointed thee to glorifie him Glorifie him then in thy bodie and soule by a sober and holy carriage and as thou hast receiued thy nature from him so seeke grace also from his hands from whom all good gifts doe descend otherwise the oxe and asse are as neere heauen as thy selfe Vse 2. Glorie not in thy selfe nor in any good thing thou hast for thou hast receiued it from him who though hee hath granted thee the vse yet reserues the glorie for himselfe Art thou rich beautifull these are his gifts Art thou holy it is the Spirit that sanctifieth Art thou wise and eloquent It is God who giueth wisdome to the heart and vtterance to the mouth If thou wert equall to Eliah Paul Apollos thou mightest not be proud but must giue the glory to God As the commendation of the brightnesse of the Sun-beame is not to be ascribed to the wall on which it strikes nor the words of wisdome to the teeth and lips of the speaker nor the fairenesse of the picture to the pencill so nor the praise of any good thing to vs in as much as it is from God as the Author and we but the instruments of the same Vse 3. Glorifie Gods name The first grace which Christ teacheth vs to begge of God is this and it ought to bee the chiefest ayme of our whole life We ought to preferre the glorie of God before our liues yea before the saluation of our soules much more ought wee so to institute and lead our liues that God may be honored by vs. God hath endued thee with life and many good gifts what glory hast thou brought to God or his Gospell If none it had beene better thou hadest not beene borne Be you carefull hereof you professors of the Gospell It is your profession Be ware you commit nothing which may cause God or his Gospell to be blasphemed If you should be couetous proud c. as other men it were as if the Sunne should be darkened and the Moone withdraw her light Euery little aberration in a professor is noted Euen as though a thousand of the lesser starres bee eclypsed none takes knowledge of it but if the Sunne be eclypsed euery man speakes of it So that which is not accounted of in a profane man from whom no goodnesse is expected is intollerable in you whose calling it is to set forth the prayses of God Be you affected with the glorie of your heauenly father as his true and deare children and be you sensible of the dishonor which is offred to his name Put on the affections of Phinees Dauid Eliah and of that holy woman who died for sorrow because of the dishonour which came to God and his Arke 1. Sam. 4.21.22 It was good Hezekiah his sault not to render according to that which he receiued 2. Chro. 32.25 for which God was angry and punished it See that thy praises be proportionable to the causes God giues thee of praysing him It is a signe of emptinesse of grace to be a niggard of our prayses to God who is our Creator Preseruer Redeemer Account no time long enough for this exercise I mitate the Nightingale who spends the night in praysing the Creator as if the day were not sufficient Let thy heart thy tongue thy life prayse God It is hee who hath giuen thee life health food rayment yea his owne Sonne and holy Spirit To him therefore that is to the Father the Son and the holy Ghost one God and three Persons be all glory for euer Amen FINIS
is preached all are not conuerted by it Verse 16. Doct. The Gospel was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles Verse 18. Doct. The corruption of our hearts leades vs to the practice of those things which we know to be sinne Verse 19. Doct. 2. God will forsake them which forsake him Doct. Ministers are boldly to preach the Truth Verse 20. Doct. 2. Our Conuersion and Calling is onely from Gods mercy Doct. Disobedience and persecution of Gods messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes Verse 21. CHAP. XI Doct. 1. ALl the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation Verse 1. Doct. 2. The Elect of God are sure of their estate and know it and shall neuer perish Doct. 1. It is profitable to be acquainted with the Histories of the Bible and to make vse of them Verse 2. Doct. 2. We must be zealous for the Lord. Doct. 1. God suffers sometimes the enemies of his Church to preuaile against it Verse 3. Doct. 2. The Enemies of True Religion are sauage and cruell Doct. 1. All doubts in matters of Religion are to bee decided by the Word of God Verse 4. Doct. 2. The Church of God shall neuer be in such an exigent but that there shall be many thousands to worship God in Spirit and in Truth Doct. 3. Those which in dangerous times are preserued in grace it is by the power and goodnes of God Doct. 4. Sincere worshippers of God must not in the least manner worship an Idol Doct. The cause why some are reserued in dangerous times is their Election Verse 5. Doct. Election and Saluation are of Grace not of Merite Verse 6. Doct. No Elect cast away No Reprobate but cast away Verse 7. Doct. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such as are enemies to the Gospell to the Diuell to be blinded that they cannot conuert Verse 8. Doct. Persecutors of Christ and his Gospell are iustly accursed of God Verse 9 10. Doct. 1. The Iewes are reiected that the Gentiles might be called Verse 11. Doct. 2. The Vocation of the Gentiles is the prouocation of the Iewes Doct. The generall Calling of the Iewes shall be the enriching of the world Verse 12. Doct. The way for a Minister to make his office glorious is to bee diligent in preaching Verse 13 14. Doct. The Calling of the Iewes shall be a new life and happinesse to the world Verse 15. Doct. The Iewes are still a people Verse 16. Doct. The Gentiles may not despise the Iewes Verse 17 18. Doct. Our standing is by Faith our breaking off by Infidelitie Verse 19. Doct. 1. Faith shuts out boasting Verse 20. Doct. 2. He that beleeueth feareth God Doct. All without respect which continue not in Grace shall be broken off Verse 21. Doct. 1. It is the duty of all diligently to keepe a note-booke of the mercies of God to themselues and of his Iudgements to others Verse 22. Doct. 2. Perseuerance is a necessary condition of true sauing Faith Doct. Whatsoeuer sinner beleeueth and repenteth it is possible he should be saued Verse 23 24 25 Doct. 2. Before the end of the world the Iewes in regard of their multitude shall be Called Doct. Not onely some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be Called Verse 26 27. Doct. The Iewes are beloued of God Verse 28. Doct. God repenteth not of his gifts and Calling Verse 29. Doct. The Gentiles were Infidels Verse 30. Doct. The Iewes are now in an estate of vnbeliefe but they shall be receiued to mercy Verse 31. Doct. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercy on all Verse 32. Doct. It is neither lawfull for man to search nor possible to finde the hidden wayes of God Verse 33 34 35 Doct. God is of all his Creatures specially of his Church to be praised glorified Verse 36. THE SVMME OF THE Eleuen first Chapters of the EPISTLE to the Romanes SAint Paul in the eleuen first Chapters of this Epistle intreateth of Iustification his order is this In the fiue first hee proueth against all obiections of Iewes and Gentiles that all men are iustified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ apprehended by Faith In the sixe next hee ouerthrowes the engines whereby Satan went about to oppugne this heauenly Doctrine These Engines were 4. First that this Doctrine brings in liberty and licentious liuing 2. That it makes God inconstant and not so good as his word to the Iewes 3. That it abolisheth the righteousnesse of the Law 4. That from thence it followes that GOD hath quite cast away the people of the Iewes The first of these Paul remoues Chapter 6. 7. 8. the second Chapter 9. the third Chapter 10. the fourth Chapter eleuen Chap. 6. The Doctrine of Grace teacheth men not to liue loosely but to deny all vngodlinesse and to walke in newnesse of life Therefore all beleeuers are to fight against sin which they may doe with so much the more comfort in as much as they are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Chap. 7. Indeed before they were conuerted they were subiect to the curse of the Law and by it became more sinfull but hauing receiued Grace to beleeue they are freed by Iesus Christ notwithstanding the lusting of the flesh against the Spirit which is the condition of euery regenerate man in this life Chap. 8. Therefore though sinne remaine in them and for it they bee chastised of God yet it raignes not in them nor can condemne them neither can any tribulations separate them from the loue of God in Christ AN EXPOSITION vpon the eighth ninth tenth and the eleuenth Chapters of the Epistle to the ROMANES CHAP. VIII THis Chapter hath two parts First a sweet consolation to all that are regenerate to the 31. verse Secondly a conclusion to the end The Consolation is double against two speciall sore tentations whereby it might seeme that a regenerate man were miserable and destitute of inward peace the one arising from the remainder of sinne then which nothing is more heauy the other from the Crosse then which nothing is more bitter Against the first hee dealeth from the beginning of the Chapter to the 17. verse Against the second from thence to the 31. verse The first hath 4. parts First the Consolation it selfe propounded verse 1. Secondly the Confirmation to the 9 verse Thirdly an Application from the 9. to the 11 verse Fourthly an Exhortation from thence to the 17. verse VERSE 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit IN this verse are two things 1. The Consolatory proposition There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ 2. A description of one of the Termes namely Who are in Christ such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit In the Proposition as in all of this kind there are 3. parts 1. The subiect or
there is plenty When Satan shall trouble thee looke vnto Christ in whom thou art by Faith and Inuincibly relye herevpon There is no Condemnation to men in Christ See thou hast good euidence of thy being in Christ and then resolue that it is as possible for Christ himselfe to bee damned as for thee For thou art a part and a member of him which to perish is impossible Examine thy Faith and Repentance and labour to feele in thy heart thy vnion with thy Sauiour It is not enough to be neere him thou must be in him If thou finde so Reioyce be thankefull and walke worthily Now followes the Description of them which are in Christ viz. All those which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and thus he describes them from their proper effect I say proper for it is as proper for Gods Children to walke in holinesse as it is proper for the Sunne to shine and the Fire to giue heate These words containe a double Answere to each part of the proposition viz. Affirmatiue Negatiue If you aske who are not in Christ The Affirmatiue answere is They which walke after the Spirit If you aske who are not in Christ The Negatiue answere is They which walke after the flesh If you aske who are Iustified The Affirmatiue answere They which walke after the Spirit If you aske who are Condemned The Negatiue answere They which walke after the Flesh Here we haue three things which bee of great reckoning in the Scriptures 1. Vocation They which are in Christ 2. Iustification Shall not be condemned 3. Sanctification Which walke not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Generall meaning is Those which liue holily mortifying the Flesh and obeying the Spirit are in Christ The holy life of a Christian is compared to walking and Trauelling which is not done without a Guide Two things may be noted in those words 1. The manner of the Metaphor 2. The nature of the Argument In the Metaphor are two things 1. The Act. Walking 2. The Direction or Guide which is set downe two wayes 1. Negatiuely Not after the Flesh 2. Affirmatiuely But after the Spirit The false Guide the Flesh The true Guide the Spirit Quest But why speakes the Apostle of the false Guide Answ Because most men are enclined to this Guide being wedded to their owne opinions and taking their owne directions from the wisedome of the flesh to be best Therefore he giues them an Item of a false Guide The Scripture vsually compares liuing to walking as here So Gen. 5.24 and 17.1 c. the Reason because of the suting of one to the other for in diuers things here is great Correspondence 1. Trauellers ignorant of the way enquire after the right and neerest way So wouldst thou trauell to heauen If thou enquirest for the way of Merit it is Christ If for the way of our Obedience it is the Law There are many by-pathes Search the Scriptures the Rule of our Faith and Obedience Ioh. 5.39 2. Trauellers in dangerous and vnknowne wayes seeke for a good Guide so must he which would safely trauell to heauen Act. 8 31. For as the Eunuch vnderstood not without an Interpreter so cannot wee walke that way without a Guide Two Guides will offer themselues A false treacherous deceiuing guide which is the Flesh which will boast of her cunning and ablenesse and a true Guide which is the Spirit Both these are set downe in the Text. Take heede of the Flesh Take the Spirit 3. Trauellers enquire for good Company loth to goe alone and yet loth to goe with euill Company as with a Thiefe or a Robber So beware thou of ill Company as of Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers c. These will drawe thee out of the right way for they trauell not to Heauen-ward Let thy delight be in the Saints and in them that excell in vertue that thou maist the more cheerefully walke Psal 16. being holpen by their Prayers and vertuous examples As in a Teame a good sure Horse being among a sort of Iades is many times made shuttle and vntoward so looke for no furtherance in thy iourney to heauen by the society of wicked men 4. Trauellers especially in a long iourney clogge not themselues with things superfluous but onely take necessaries so ouerload not thy selfe with vnnecessary cares delights of the world As a heauy burthen or a long garment to a Traueller so is the world to vs in our iourney towards heauen a hinderance of our speed 5. Trauellers going a dangerous way prouide themselues of some weapon as a Sword or a good Staffe for they may meet with Robbers which would lighten them of their money So get thee a good weapon The way is dangerous Thou shalt be sure at one corner or Crosse-way or other to meet with the Diuell that old Thiefe who would bee glad to rob thee of Grace and is as greedy of it as a Thiefe of a purse The best weapon is Faith which serues for a Weapon to fight withall and also for a Staffe to rest vpon For a weapon Therefore Saint Iohn saith that Faith is the victory that ouercommeth 1. Ioh. 5.4 It is a weapon both Offensiue and Defensiue For an offensiue Weapon it is as good against the Diuell as a Pistoll against a Thiefe 1. Pet. 15.9 Iam 4.7 So saith the Scripture Resist the Diuell stedfast in the Faith and he will flee from you If a Thiefe see a case of Dags at a mans side hee will not deale with him hastily so if the Diuell perceiue vs furnished with Faith he will haue small list to meddle with vs. For a defensiue Weapon also there is none to this It is a Target of proofe or a Shield So Saint Paul cals it and exhorts Ephes 6.16 Aboue all take the shield of Faith whereby ye shall bee able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Faith also serues for a staffe to rest vs vpon Wee stand and are stablished by Faith Rom. 11.20 Children learne to go by the finger or by a stoole 2. Cor. 1.24 such a thing is Faith to vs. An old man will not goe out of the dores without his staffe so if thou neglectest Faith thou canst neuer bee able to hold on thy iourney of which wee haue an example in Peter who so long as hee kept in his hand in his heart this staffe Mat. 14.30 walked on the Sea but when hee let it fall himselfe began to sinke 6 Trauellers on foote prepare for their feete that they bee well shodde lest beeing wounded by the sharpe stones and thornes on which they must tread they bee layd vp by the way If thou trauellest toward Heauen thou must tread vpon thornes the points of Needles burning Coles thou canst not want shooes These are the preparation of the Gospell And your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace saith Paul Ephes
vs. Art thou afraid of Damnation because of thy sinnes Bee of good Comfort Thou hast Christ for thy Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2.2 If we be to sue downe a Commission we desire to haue the wisest and ablest men to sit vpon it If we haue a suit at Law wee couet to get the best and learnedest Councell and in most fauour with the Iudge Now wee haue a suit for Saluation wee haue strong Aduersaries The Flesh the World the Diuell the Law Who shall be our Man of Law to plead for vs Shall an Angell No we haue Christ himselfe the Lord of Angels The wisest for hee is the Wisedome of his Father and most in fauour with the Iudge for in him is God well pleased And indeed Christ hath taken our Matter vpon him God hath retained him for vs. How then shouldest thou not haue the Sentence passe on thy side Committit se homo viro disertae linguae non perit committis te Verbo periturus es Aug. Thou committest thy other causes sometimes to a man and speedest if thou committest thy selfe to that Word canst thou perish He knowes the moment of thy cause and the reasons whereby he should perswade It stands him vpon that thou preuaile because thou art of his bone and his flesh Be sure to bring him his Fee that is Faith Repentance and Obedience and thou canst not lose the day If thou canst beleeue hee can saue thee nay he must it is his Office God hath inioyned him and hee is faithfull as Moses nay more faithfull Moses as a Seruant he as a Sonne Let him that hath an Office Heb. 3.2,5,6 Rom. 12.7 wait on his Office saith he to vs and can hee neglect his Office Reade Ioh. 6.37,38,39,40 It is the will of his Father which hee alwayes delighted to obey that hee should cast away no poore Sinner which beleeues and repents Goe therefore thou Penitent Soule to Christ desire him to doe his Office to take away thy sinnes and comfort thee Hast thou no feete Hast thou stumps Creepe to him It is as possible for him to reiect thee as it is possible for him to be vnfaithfull Vse 2. Seeke not to the Virgin Mary to Angels or Saints for Saluation it is not their Office but Christs Hee offers it thee in his Word see thou refuse not to receiue it This refusall brought wo vpon Corazin and Bethsaida Mat. 11.21 Yea the dust of the feet of our Preachers is to be shaken off as a witnesse against such as contemne the grace offered in the Gospell and it shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorrah then for such Mat. 10.14,15 Let vs not then harden our hearts any longer but while hee speaketh let vs heare his voice while hee calleth let vs make obedient answere while he stretcheth out his hands let vs runne into the Bosome of his mercy that we may be saued Amen Condemned in the flesh The former effect was a Commission from the Father to his owne Sonne In these words is the second effect containing the Returne of the Commission All Commissions speed not This sped according to the intent of the granting for sinne was condemned and taken away In this effect are 4. things First the Efficient God Secondly the Action Condemned Thirdly the Obiect Sinne. Fourthly the Subiect in the Flesh God the Father as before Condemned To Condemne is an Action of a Iudge giuing sentence against a guilty Person So is it not heere for sinne is not guilty but makes guilty Condemnation is also many times taken for the punishment which the delinquent condemned suffers neither is it so here but after a similitude as condemned Persons executed cease to bee and are taken away so Sinne is taken away Tollūtur èmedio * Beza Some expound it Hee abolished it Caluinus Some Hee abrogateth the power and reigne of it as a man hanged loseth his Offices Aquinas He weakened Ambrose Hee tooke away the authority of sinne So Martyr Hee put out of authority and Office as if the King should take away his Commission from a Subiect and disgrace him So God by Christ put sin out of Office with all the reproach that might be As Souldiers and Captaines are sometimes cashierd and sent away disarmed so Christ hath cashierd this Captaine Sinne. 3 Sinne That is All sin whatsoeuer had any consideration of sin Originall with the fruit which is Actuall sin and both these with the effect which is Condemnation Hee condemned and abolished it in regard of dominion and damnation and so it answeres vnto the freedome spoken of in the second verse 4 In the Flesh Flesh heere for the nature of Man which Christ assumed The Article would heere be expressed in That flesh The Syrian Translator In His flesh The sense Wee are freed by the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ for He abolished sinne in his Flesh so that wee being Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone must needs also be deliuered doctrine God by the death of his Sonne which Hee did suffer on the Grosse in our Nature hath so taken away and abolished sinne that it cannot rule in vs heere nor condemne vs heereafier Esay 53. Iohn 1.29 Heb. 2.10 to which adde Heb. 5.9 Vse 1. Sinne was condemned in the humane Nature of Christ not in the Diuine for that is impassible but the Person must bee Diuine For neither Men nor Angels could haue borne the punishment of sin but themselues must haue beene for euer condemned withall To sin is Mans worke But to condemne sin is Gods worke Q. Why did not GOD pardon sinne at once and spare his own Sonne A. The threatning Gen. 2.17 required that Man must dye for his transgression which if hee had done in this owne person he could not haue been saued Neither indeed is it to be imagined that God can forgiue sin without satisfaction to his Iustice not for any defect of power but for the perfection of his Nature which cannot but hate and punish sin Nothing is impossible to God 2. Thes 1.6 but that which hee willeth not and hee cannot will that his Iustice should be vnsatisfied Q. How can the Temporall punishment in the Flesh of Christ satisfie for the Eternall to be suffred by vs A. Though he suffred not long yet he suffred much And though the Action or rather Passion was of short continuance yet the vertue is euerlasting and infinite sutable to his Person which suffred who is Infinite Vse 2. Sinne is fully destroied because it is Gods worke and iustly because condemned And Beleeuers cannot iustly be now condemned because Christ hath payd the Debt Sinne is condemned our greatest enemy What should let vs greatly to reioyce If a man in authority being our vtter enemy should bee imprisoned put from his place and made Iacke out of Office as wee vse to say it would make vs exceeding glad or as if thou hadst a
persons of base and condemned wretched to beare their Shame No suing for this Dauid wisht that he had dyed for Absalon But Christ our Dauid dyed for vs indeed Vse 4. Heere is singular comfort for this is our due from this place The Law must haue its right before a sinner can be saued We cannot of our selues fulfill the right of it Art thou in Christ by Faith Be of good comfort Christ hath fulfilled it in thee and thou hast fulfilled it in Christ Thou mayst bee threatned by the Law in regard of thy dayly failings But here is a non obstante by the goodnes of thy surety As a man hauing broken a penall Statute if hee once haue vndergone the Law he feares not any more either Iudge Officer or Law for that fault So because Christ hath vndergone the Law for vs wee need not feare And as the Debter by the payment of the surety is deliuered so wee by the suffrings of Christ But thou wilt say that thou still sinnest and canst not fulfill the Obedience of the Law I answere that this right also of the Law is fulfilled in thee by Christ if thou beleeuest For hee that hath Christ though hee hath not kept the Law hath the whole righteousnesse of the Law Christs righteousnesse is a large Garment couering himselfe and vs too Iustitia Christi non pallium breue Bernh This Garment is not of our buying or working but it is better because wrought by Christ and wee shall also haue a righteousnesse of our own in the kingdome of Heauen Vse 5. Christ hath stood in thy stead and endured the sharpest of Gods Iudgements which hee deserued not that thou mightest taste the sweetest of Gods Mercies which thou deseruedst not How should this bind thee vnto Him in all obedienced The Borrower is a seruant to the Lender as Salomon saith Prou. 22.7 and the Receiuer to the Giuer Christ hath done and suffred so much for thee shalt thou deny him any thing Euen thy life if He require it Now what would Christ haue thee to do He hath borne the punishment of thy sinnes He would then haue thee cease from sinne Hee endured basenesse and pouerty for thee Repent then of thy Pride His blessed Mouth was buffeted and spit vpon for thee Hee would now haue thee to leaue thy Swearing Lying filthy and vngodly talke and to vse a holy and gracious speech His heart was pearced for thy sinnes thrust not the speare of thy sinnes into his side againe but regent and please thy Sauiour in the amendment of thy life VERSE 5. For they that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit 6. For to * Or the minding of the flesh be carnally minded is death but to ° or the minding of the spirit bee spiritually minded is life and peace 7. Because * or the minding of the flesh the carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of GOD neither indeed can bee IN the premises Saint Paul hath deliuered that there is no Condemnation to them which be in Christ because they are deliuered from the condemning power of sinne God hauing condemned their sinne in the flesh of his Sonne And lest any should heere take liberty to sinne hee hath there admonished that such comfort and priuiledge belongs vnto them onely which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit This last point is farther inforced in these three verses by an Argument taken from an Opposition of Contraries The dispositions of Carnall and Spirituall men are contrary Therefore their end must be contrary Of the contrariety of their dispositions speakes the fist verse of their contrary ends the sixt verse one part whereof is prooued in the 7. verse the other part is easily vnderstood First of the fift verse They which are after the Flesh that is which are in a meere vnregenerate estate To be in or after the flesh and the flesh to bee in vs differ This is incident to the Regenerate that proper to the vnregenerate But vnderstand to be after the Spirit not to bee meerely spirituall but to bee Regenerate The things of the Flesh Earthly things which are either good as Moralities Indifferent as Riches or euill as Whoredome The things of the Flesh heere principally meant set downe Gal. 5.19,20,21 The things of the Spirit also set downe Gal. 5.22,23 To mind must be taken largely comprehending Thoughts Meditation Desire Delight Study To Sauour The sense Caruall men sauour Carnall things Spirituall men contrary doctrine Carnall men and Spirituall are contrary Gal. 5.17 2. Cor. 6.14 Iames 3.15,17 And Salomons foole and wiseman so often opposed shew the same Vse 1. Why cannot Carnall and Spirituall Godly and Godlesse men agree together Prou. 29.27 Why is a wicked man an abomination to the Iust and contrary Here 's the reason They are contrary of contrary nature and disposition Fire and Water are not more contrary Clay and Iron wil not weld together so friendship is where there is likenes Birds of a feather will flye together Gods Children wonder that wicked men can bee so ill and wicked men wonder that the children of God will not run with them into all excesse and Ryot From this contrariety is it that Adulterers Drunkards vaine persons find fauour there where a good man is hunched at That an Idle person who will let his worke to runne to the Ale-house and to vanity shall bee borne with but if a poore man let an houre to go to a Sermon hee 's an Hypocrite 't is pitty to do any thing for him A Philosopher being asked why men sought more to rich men then to wise men answered because it was possible they might be rich but not wise So if any aske me why wicked men are of some more fauored then good men the Answere is ready Because they which fauour wicked men either are or meane to bee Whoore-masters Harlots Theeues Drunkards c. but to bee godly they purpose not Doest thou hate good men and rayle on them Well go too shew thy selfe what thou art No body hates an Israelite but an Aegyptian or a Canaanite no body mocks Isaack but Ismael betraies CHRIST but Iudas is an enemy to a godly man but he which is contrary Put Fire to Fire or Water to Water and there is no commotion but put Fire to Water or contrary and then what a noyse and Thundring So if a wicked man meet with a wicked man there 's shaking of hands and much gladnesse but if a good man come in their way hee 's sure not to passe without a mocke or taunt If thou fearest God let not this discourage thee It 's a signe there is some goodnesse in thee otherwise the Diuell would not in his Instruments so rage against thee Vse 2. As it 's easie to discerne betweene Muske and a Muck-hill
wisely but indeede he played the foole as appeared in his fearefull end Gehezi thought himselfe wifer then his Master 2. King 5.27 when he would saue something by the Leprous Assyrian but this wisedome got him the Leprosie of Naaman Mat. 16.22.23 Peter would be counted a wise fellow and takes vpon him to aduise our Sauiour to auoide his Passion but this was carnall wisedome as our Sauiour told him calling him Satan There is wisedome in a Carnall man as life in one that hath the Falling Sicknesse or sense in a mad man but no more to be compared to the wisedome of the Spirituall then such life and sense is to be compared to the life and sense of sound men Vse 2. Great is the misery of a man vnregenerate for hee cannot thinke a thought or speake a word but it is his death nay the very wisedome of the flesh is so how much more the foolishnesse we pitie naturall fooles and it 's a misery to bee so but it 's more to be a foole in spirituall things So on the contrary the happinesse of them which are spiritually wise is great For whatsoeuer they deuise desire speake or doe according to the teaching of the Spirit is for their great good Euery Sob Teare euery good deede hitcheth them neerer to Heauen Euery Prayer they make euery Sermon they heare increaseth their peace and their assurance of life Surely they are blessed Labour thou to be such a One. Vse 3. In nothing follow the Counsell of the Flesh For it 's a Traitor and seekes thy destruction will a King counsell with a Traitor This were to ruinate himselfe and his Kingdome Many when any thing is to be done Counsell not with the Spirit but with their owne fleshly heart as Rhehoboam with the yong men and so they miserably perish Will any man chuse him for a guide which will lead into a ditch But such a blind Guide is the Flesh will any man commit his body or Goods to that bottome which is steered by such a Pylot which drownes euery vessell he gouernes There was neuer any man followed the wisedome of the Flesh without deadly danger Seeke therefore another Directer which is the Spirit There is no Condemnation to them which walke after this Guide Gal. 1.16 When Paul should take vpon him the Calling of an Apostle hee counselled not with Flesh and bloud For his Flesh would haue said Why Paul this Calling wil bring Persecution pitie thy selfe thou art in place a learned Pharise c. So is there a falling out betweene thy neighbour and thee The Flesh will say Sue him throw him into Prison bee reuenged c. but the Spirit will counsell to meeknesse and forgiuenesse which is pleasing to God Take heed in these and the like thou follow not the wisedome of the Flesh for that is the way to destruction And indeede who shall at any time pray heare the Word doe any good or especially suffer for the Gospell if he counsell with the Flesh As Abraham therefore when he went to offer vp Isaak told not Sarah lest she might disswade him So in all things to bee done or auoyded bee iealous of thy corrupt heart take no counsell of it but of the Spirit by the Word for the wisedome of the Spirit is life and Peace VERSE 7. Because the Carnall minde is Enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God nor indeed can be IN this Verse is proued that to bee Carnally minded is death or deadly The Argument is from the Efficient Cause Thus That which is Enmity bringeth Death But the Carnall mindednesse is Enmity Therefore c. The Proposition is manifest for as Friendship with God and Reconciliation is the cause of life Deut. 4.4 so on the contrary The Minor is the first part of the Verse and it is proued from the property or Effect of such Enmity Thus That which neither is nor can bee subiect to the Law of God is Enmity But the Carnall man neither is nor can be c. Therefore So that in this Verse are two things 1. A Proposition in the former distinction of it 2. a Reason in the latter First of the Proposition The Carnall minde is Enmitie against God The Carnall Minde That which wee reade Minde or Wisedome some expound Sensualitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the word wil not beare it which notes the best part of Corrupt man euen his wisedome not simply but in respect of Corruption Euen Lady-Reason and therefore Paul hath in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 2.18 The Minde of the Flesh Is Enmitie Not as the Vulgar is an Enemy in the Adiectiue or Concrete for that will agree neither with the Gender of the Substantiue nor with the Accenting of it but in the Abstract noting an excesse as if we see a proud man we say There goes Pride so here Is Enmity nothing can be said more For an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity cannot a vicious man may become vertuous but vice cannot Enmity is a mutuall maleuolence betweene men with a mutuall desire to hurt each other So God hates the Flesh and it hates God and yet man by this hatred hurts not God but himselfe for hee is Gods Enemy not by hurting his will but by resisting it Non nocendo sed resistendo Anselm doctrine All vnregenerate men are Enemies to God and God to them Iam. 4.4 Rom. 5.10 Gal. 1.27 Vse 1. From whence is it that we are Enemies to God and God to vs Not from God but from our Sinne. The Cause is in vs Adam was created in Gods Image The friend of God and God the friend of Adam Hee transgressed Gods Commandement and hence came this Enmitie which wee haue cause to bewayle with teares of bloud But few thinke of it as is meete Vse 2. Here is the Reason why wicked men hate the godly Maruell not saith Iohn though the world hate you One would thinke it should be maruellous But if they hate God 1. Ioh. 3.13 Ioh. 15.18.20 surely they will hate vs as our Sauiour shewes Hee that loues mee loues my Children and friends for my sake And a malicious man will mischiefe euen the Cattell of him whom hee hates Doest thou hate any godly man Ah wretch Thy ill will is not originally and properly to them but to God himselfe Vse 3. A wicked man is Gods Enemy What warrant hast thou to keepe their company to entertaine familiarly their Acquaintance to countenance them Remember that there must be alwaies Enmitie betweene the Seede of the Woman and the Seede of the Serpent Psal 139.21 2. Chron. 19.2 Remember Dauids protestation remember how Iehoshaphat was rebuked Wouldst thou helpe the wicked and loue them which hate the Lord The Iudgement of the Heathen is That friendship is then dissolued when one of the friends becomes notoriously wicked Vse 4. Carnall men are enemies to God
Obedience of Christ God accepts of a willing minde for the deede There is great difference betweene debts owing to men and owing to God The more wee pay of our debts to men the lesse we haue but the more we pay to God the more we haue and are the better able to pay The more thou prayest the better able thou shalt be to pray c. VERSE 13. For if yee liue after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall liue IN the 12. Verse the Apostle had an Argument ab aequo honesto which were enough to perswade but in this Verse he more strongly vrgeth it Adhibet calcaria sortiora Martyr The Argument is drawne from the contrary Ends of obedience and disobedience and so containeth two Arguments the one a Cōmination in the first part of the Verse the other a Promise in the latter both Conditionall as all Promises and Threatnings are If yee liue after the Flesh Following the lusts of your corrupt heart Yee shall dye Not onely the death of the body in the separation of the soule from it but of the soule in the separation of it from God Q. But why saith he Ye shall dye and not Ye shall bee damned in as much as that is chiefly meant A. Because the Spirit of God would driue men from Sinne by that which is most fearefull which is Death The remembrance of Death doth more forcibly moue the minde then the remembrance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grieuous then Death For our Affection is moued according to our knowledge of the thing That which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by Faith but wee know death to bee fearefull by Faith by Reason and by Sense By Faith because the Scripture declares it By Reason because it is a separation of things so neerely and naturally ioyned and consenting By sense because we feele it growing vpon vs euery day But if yee mortifie that is beate downe cut off cast away cause to dye a Metaphor taken from Surgeons who before they cut off a Limbe mortifie the place The deeds of the body That is Actions and Affections but actions are named because by actions affections are manifested The body is either taken for Corruption or rather euill deeds are called the deeds of the body because the body is the instrument of working them By the Spirit Sarcenus That is the helpe of the Holy Ghost or by the Regenerate part Ye shall liue Eternally in happinesse Of the which Sanctitie is the way This life scarce a shadow In the latter part there is the Promise Ye shall liue The Condition If ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit Where 1. The action mortifie 2. The Obiect The deeds of the body 3. The meanes By the Spirit doctrine Saluation is promised on the Condition that we liue not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 6.22 Gal. 6.8 Vse 1. A hard thing it is to forsake sinne it is mortification It is hard for old friends to part wee lay together in the same wombe and it hath beene our vnhappy play-fellow and companion euer since wee were borne Yea sinne stickes as fast in our nature as a tooth in our heads or our soule to our body as we cannot part from these without paine so neither from Sinne. It is the nature of Sinne not to bee driuen away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharpe words will not doe it You may rate away your dogge but sinne will not stirre for words as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their sinnes and themselues with Beast Wretch c. and yet anon to the practice of them When thou hast to deale with Sinne haue no compassion but fight against it with a bloudy and cruell mind So much as thou sparest it so much thou hurtest thy selfe 1. Sa. 15.20,23 1. Kin. 20.42 Saul spared Agag and Ahab spared Benhadad but it was their ruine so if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee euen the Kingdome of Heauen Kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death Be carefull Old wounds must haue strong medicines O what adoe haue wee with Pride Hypocrisie Couetousnesse Lust Hee that fauoureth these let him want fauour Vse 2. The deeds of the body are mortified by the Spirit Wee doe the worke but by the power of the Spirit The strength vnto mortification is put into vs from Heauen We are as able with our little finger to shake the foundation of the earth as to shake out sinne by our owne strength He that goes among Lyons must needs be torne in pieces Sinnes are Lyons Hee that stands vpon the shore when the tide comes thinking to beate backe the water with his hand is soone eaten in and drowned Sinnes come vpon vs as waues we must drowne if God help vs not By Gods helpe the walles of Jericho fell downe Samson kild a Lyon and Daniel is safe in their very den and Moses diuides the Sea So mortification of Sinne is possible by the helpe of the Spirit otherwise impossible When therefore thou feelest Pride Couetousnesse Lust growing vpon thee begge the help of the Spirit or else thou art vndone Pray with the words of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 O Lord God there is no strength in me to stand against these sins neither do I know what to do but mine eyes are toward thee Vse 3. If you mortifie he speakes to them which had mortified sinne before they must continue so doing In this life thou shalt neuer want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent Neuer giue ouer so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes We weede our Gardens and are euer weeding Sinnes are ill weedes and grow apace our hearts are a Step-mother to Goodnesse and a naturall mother to Vice therefore be alwayes dealing with it The Captaine that batters the Enemies Fort a day or two and then giues ouer giues the more courage to the enemie and loseth his labour So is it if wee continue not our course of mortification Elisha was angry with Ioash for smiting the ground but thrice with the arrows 2 King 13.19 O saith be thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times and then thou shouldest haue smitten the Aramites till thou hadst consumed them So leaue not thy sinnes till thou hast consumed them lest they consume thee Vse 4. There is a necessity of mortification the want wherof brings a Necessity of damnation Those things which God hath ioyned no man can part Hee hath ioyned vnmortified sinnes and death together they cannot be parted When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price bee great thou forbearest and shalt thou fly vpon sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowen as much before he betrayed his Master as hee
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
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
bee most probable if the restoring be onely to some singulars of all kinds And whereas it may bee obiected why these of the kinds rather then other I would aske them also why at the Deluge these of the kinds rather then other were preserued in the Arke But it is not safe walking in the darke without a light Wee know not how it shall be but this I am sure of that all things shall be most wisely and excellently brought to passe Vse 3. Seeing all these things shall bee dissolued what manner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse 2. Pet. 3.11 If our seruants shall be changed why are we yet intangled in old things Let vs become new Creatures that we may be worthy Inhabitants of the new Heauens and new Earth which shall be Vse 4. Glorious liberty is proper to the Children of God what shall become of the wicked Alasse they shall be holden in the bondage of euerlasting torments They shall bee worse then many bruit Creatures for many of them shal cease to be and therefore to be miserable They shall neuer cease to be that they may neuer cease to be miserable As they now follow the liberty of the flesh so then they shall bee in the bondage of euerlasting punishment VERSE 23. And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit Euen wee our selues groane within our selues waiting for the Adoption to wit the * Luc. 21.28 Redemption of our body IN this Verse is the Application of the former Example The words haue no difficulty if wee vnderstand to whom the Application is referred Wee Some expound Caietanus We Apostles which Apostles had the first fruits that is the Riches of the Spirit As the first fruits are most precious so they receiued Grace both before others and in greater measure and then the Argument is from the greater to the lesse Aretius If we Apostles which are sydera as starres if we sigh and grone then much more inferiour Christians But it is rather to be taken of Christians in generall the Apostle neither in the precedent or subsequent verses speaking of himselfe as of an Apostle but as of a Christian as in the next verse we are saued by Hope which is not the prerogatiue of Apostles but of all Christians We then that is we Christians both of that and all times So here is an Argument from the lesse to the greater thus If the Creature which hath not such sense of the glory to come as we haue do abide the Lords leisure expecting a day of deliuerance then much more ought we to waite c. In this verse are two things First a practice of Christians Secondly a reason of the practice The practice is set downe in two words 1. Grone 2. Wayte 1. We grone Among our selues say some Beza but better in our selues And so it is an Amplification from the manner or measure of Groning That is our Grones come from our very heart roote as we say There is a reioycing which is but in the face and appearance so there is a groning but in appearance therefore he saith in our selues 2. Cor. 5.12 to note the Greatnesse and the Truth of it that it is not fained but without hypocrisie or to shew that there is matter within the best of vs to make vs mourne Pareus Ansel The second practice We wayte amplified by the thing we waite for The Adoption which is expounded The Redemption of our bodies these words being added by apposition But we are the sonnes of God why then should we wayt for that which we haue already The answere is wee haue the Right but not the Complement Wee haue the right of the Inheritance Habemus Ius haereditatis non possessionē Iuris but wee shall not haue the full possession of our Right till the Resurrection of our bodies But why of the bodie because all miseries are conueyed to the whole man by the bodie or rather because the body is subiect to death corrupting and rotting in the graue when the soule is in Heauen it is the last is redeemed and all wayt euen for that Luk. 21.28 The reason is because we haue the first fruites of the Spirit which breeds sighes and grones in them which haue it The first fruites that is the Prelibation A say or taste which we receiue here in righteousnesse peace and ioy being but a sip in comparison of the full draught we shall haue hereafter Saint Paul here alludes to the law of the first fruits which were a pawne to the offerer of Inning his whole crop Leuit. 23. so the first fruits of the Spirit which we receiue here in remission of sinnes is as a pawne to vs of receiuing the whole masse of Glory promised doctrine The Children of God because they haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit doe grone for the present corruption expecting the Redemption euen of their bodies from the same Ephes 4.30 2. Cor. 5.2,3,4,5 Phil. 3.20,21 Vse 1. The power of Sinne brings death of body goes with it to the Graue remaines with it turnes it into dust and neuer leaueth it till the day of the Generall resurrection Vse 2. Gods children now mourne yet they are called to Ioy and Ioy they shall haue going from the vale of teares to the Mountaine of Ioy. Heauinesse may endure for a night the time of this life but ioy commeth in the morning Psal 30.5 Illo Mane Psal 49.14 in That morning which shall haue no night to succeed it And this with as vndoubted assurance as the first fruites assured of the whole crop and as the earnest assureth of the bargaine Now the first fruites of the Spirit are the earnest of future glory Ephes 1.13 Vse 3. We haue no perfection in this life for we haue but the first fruites and hence the diuell would deceiue vs perswading vs that we haue no faith no sanctification not the Spirit at al because we haue not al faith perfect sanctification and the fulnes of the Spirit Well Remember that God requires according to that he giues he knows thou canst haue no grace but from him and therefore he expects obedience no farther then he giues Hast thou much grace He expects from thee much obedience And a man is accepted according to that he hath not according to that he hath not Be humbled for thy wants but despaire not Vse 4. He that hath the first fruits of the Spirit grones to be deliuered from the power of sinne not onely to condemne him but also to rule and raigne in him Where are thy sighes and Teares for thy sinnes and manifold faylings The godly are euery where brought in in their mourning apparell Dauid waters his couch with his teares Psal 6.6 Iobs mourning came before his meat Iob. 3.24 and Paul cries out lamenting Rom. 7.24 If then thou
the heart knoweth GOD knoweth euery little striuing and groning Euery sigh in Repentance though neuer so weake is obserued by the Searcher of hearts doctrine The Doctrine Ability to pray is not of our selues but the Holy Spirit Iames 1.17 Psal 20.17 Zach. 12.10 As the Eunuch vnderstood not what he read without an Interpreter Acts 8. Luke 11.1 So neither we how to pray without a Teacher Therefore the Disciples desire Christ to teach them how to pray Mat. 20.22 And Christ tels the Mother of Zebedeus children they knew not what they asked Vse 1. If there be any power in man vnto any goodnesse then to Prayer but not to Prayer Therefore of himselfe to none Vse 2. Prayer is a great refuge in affliction Is any afflicted Let him pray a Iam. 5.13 So haue the Saints done and haue been deliuered Moses at the Red Sea b Exod. 14. and fighting with Amalek preuailed by Prayer c Exod. 17. So Asa d 2. Chron. 14.11 so Iehosaphat e 2. Chro. 20.12 so Hezekias f 2. Chro. 22.20 so our blessed Sauiour g Heb. 8.7 Therefore did the Heathen Mariners in a great stresse of weather reprooue the drowsines of Ionas and rayse him vp to call vpon his God k Ionab 1. As in stormes the Birds and Beasts flocke to the rowes and the Mariner to the Hauen so the Saints in trouble vnto God by Prayer Not to pray is a signe of a wretch l Psalm 14. so is it by play and merry company to seeke ease in trouble as Saul by musike and not from God by prayer Let vs pray we haue a Commandment a gracious promise to be heard The Martyrs in their godly letters to their frends write Pray pray pray The want of comfort is from the want of Prayer Vse 3. Prayer is a great trauaile of the heart our Nature will not away with it but vpon euery little occasion neglect it seeke to the Spirit for helpe and force nature Vse 4. Sighes are prayers and the voyce not absolutely necessary being but an accident the substance of prayer is the desire of the heart This the soule of prayer words but the body which without the soule is but a dead carkasse If thy heart grone not words are but babbling the hypocrites drawing neere Many haue feruently prayed that haue spoken neuer a word Moses at the Red Sea a Exod. 14. Hezekiah when he chattered b Esay 38,14 Anna Samuels mother c 1. Sam. 1.13 her lips went but no word was heard she prayed seeretly in regard of words openly in regard of her faith d Prece occulta sed manifesta fide If a man had the voyce of a Lyon the eloquence of Apollo the learning of Moses it were nothing without the desire of the heart Neither is prayer to be measured by either the multitude or sinenesse of words but by the earnest grones of the heart as in money we esteeme the value of the piece not the quantity A little piece of gold is in value to a great piece of siluer So that prayer is to be preferred which in few words hath a great deale of spirit When thou goest to pray enter into thy chamber that is of the heart saith Ambrose no matter though the dore of thy mouth be shut so the closet of thy heart be open So this busines is dispatched more by sighs then speeches more by teares then words Neither doth the noise of the lips please God better then the ringing of the bells without the inward meditation of the hearâ— A Father hath compassion vpon his sick child when he complaines but when it cannot speak but only weeps grones and looks vpon the father this doubleth the fathers bowels So the Lord heares vs when we speake but when we cannot speake but onely are able to grone his compassions are doubled toward vs. Vse 5. Tyrants may cut out our tongues but cannot hinder and bar vs from prayer For the sighes and grones of the heart are prayer VERSE 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit r Or that because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God HEre is declared the successe of the prayers and grones of the Saints they are known and accepted This is shewed by two reasons The first from the property of God He searcheth the heart The second from the matter of their prayers in the end of the Verse they pray and aske things according to his will He that searcheth the hearts God searcheth hee need not search to know but because he knoweth hee is said to search after the manner of men who search when they would exactly know Knoweth There is a double knowledge attributed to God of knowledge onely and of allowance both are here meant From this Reason doctrine God knoweth and approoueth the prayers of the Saints Psa 38.9 and 51.17 Vse 1. God is onely to be prayed to because he onely knowes the heart It is vaine to pray to Saints and Angels who when we cannot speake know not the meaning of our grones Vse 2. Beware of hypocrisie we may deceiue men but God is not mocked The Hypocrite may make as faire a shew as the true Professour as counterfet gold may glister as bright as the true Nay the hypocrite may make a fairer as a painted face may shew more beautifull then a naturall but God searcheth the heart Vse 3. Sinne not in hope of secresie for Gods eye seeth all things euen the secrets of the heart Thou mayest hide God from thy selfe thou canst not thy selfe from God The eye of man restraineth thee from euill much more let the eye of God Vse 4. Iudge no man for thou knowest not the heart Be iustly cautelous not vniustly suspicious Vse 5. Thou art condemned for an Hypocrite God knowes thy heart If thou canst say with Peter Iohn 21.17 Lord thou knowest c. all is well Thou art in grieuous distresse and canst not pray Canst thou sigh This is prayer And though nor thou nor standers by can make any thing of it yet God can and doth make much of it The least euill in the heart cannot escape his knowledge so not the least good thought or desire God knowes more euill by vs then we know by our selues so also more good for God is greater then our heart 1. Ioh. 3. When wee goe about to pray we thinke to aske this and that but many times something is forgotten Shall this preiudice vs No. Though we haue forgotten it God who searcheth the heart will finde it well enough and reward it Because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God In these words is the 2. reason of the Application of the Grones of the Saints because they grone for things according to the will of God Hee that
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
liberty of the person is For Adams liberty is taken away but the liberty of the will is not neither can be but that whatsoeuer it chuseth or refuseth it chuseth or refuseth freely The liberty of contrarietie is rather a liberty of the state of a person then of the will and so a necessity of sinning free-will may stand together A necessity I say not of coaction but of immutabilitie both by an inward beginning and also by the decree and a freedome I say of contradiction but not of contrarietie Arminius thinketh that if the will bee determined to one part it loseth the freedome which is manifestly false For God is the most free Agent yet is his wil by a most absolute necessity tied vnto that which is good he being both most freely and most necessarily good The Diuell is now by a double necessitie euill and yet freely euill so our wills are free though determined because they are not compelled And whereas the Arminius auouch Vide Aug. tractat 26. in Ioh. that God cannot determine the will to one part without destroying it it is neere vnto blasphemy If Orators can perswade by their eloquence cannot God by the sweet power of his Spirit so perswade the heart and determine it that it cannot actually resist whatsoeuer the possibility be in regard of nature vncorrected If they say that such possibilitie still remaines in the wil to come into act I would faine know what good they wil say the Spirit hath done in vs whē the nature of our wills is as euill disposed as before grace receiued If God cannot determine our wills infallibly to one part then it shall be possible for the holy Angels and glorified Saints to fall from their happinesse which is horrible to affirme For they hold that the will of man lost nothing of its inward vertue by Adams sinne not receiues any vertue or strength from grace in the way to conuersion But to returne wee thus conclude that the vnregenerate sinne freely and yet necessarily yea by how much the more necessarily by so much the more freely because their wil hath brought vpon them this necessitie Our will is alwaies free though it be not alwaies good Ob. If there be no other freedome vvhy are wee exhorted to chuse the good and to refuse the euill An. The reason is set downe by Leo Ideo datur praeceptū praecipientis quaeratur auxiliū Leo ser 11. de Quadra Therefore saith hee is the precept giuen that perceiuing our weaknes wee might seek for helpe from him that gaue it And indeed hence wee should be admonished to seek the setting free of our wills frō euill vnto good which is onely by the power of God that as in the state of corruption wee haue a free necessity vnto euill so in the state of regeneration perfect wee may haue a free necessity vnto that which is good Voluntas quae libera est in malis quia delectatur malis ideo non est libera in bonis quia non est liberata Aug. contra 2. Epist Pelag. l. 1. c. 2. To the second Question the answere is negatiue though a man that is borne lame is to be excused before men for his halting because he was so borne yet wicked men and reprobates are not excusable before God for their sinning either by the necessitie of nature or of the Decree Not by necessity of nature For its the nature of the diuell to doe euill yet none excuse him It s the nature of an Adder to sting deadly yet we spare them not so we are born in sin yet the Saints excuse not thēselues by it but rather condemne themselues for it as Dauid and Paul Psalm 51. Rom. 7. Besides not God but our selues hath layd this necessity vpon vs. Adam willinglie obeyed the voice of his wife and brought vpon vs this condition which I call necessity Indeed if God had created vs vnder such a necessity or now did compell vs we desiring to doe good there might be some excuse but it is not so nor so Neither doth the necessitie of the Decree excuse For God doth not by his decree force vs to euill but finding vs euill prone onely vnto it of our selues hee decrees wee shall be so and knowes that so we would be though hee should neuer decree And thus he leaues vs to our selues who haue no more power to leaue sinning then a stone hath not to goe downeward if it haue no impediment God forceth not the drunkard or swearer but they voluntarily and with desire commit these sinnes as their owne consciences testifie Iudas did nothing but by the Decree of God yet he was not forced but did that which he did of his own accord most freely his heart being set vpon couetousnesse God gouernes the wils of the wicked but hee takes not away either the will from man or freedome from the will but he moues their wils according to their owne Natures as hee moues the heauens with a circular motion fit for the nature of it And when God moues then the will freely deliberates and willingly of it selfe consents So that wee may conclude this with that of Bernard Bernard ser 8. super cant The will bringeth a Necessitie vpon it selfe so that neither the Necessitie can excuse the Will nor the Will exclude the Necessitie When Adam finned he blamed his Wife and she blamed God himselfe and we haue suckt the same milke But remember thou that God is not the cause of thy sinne but thy selfe If thou smartest for thy faults thanke thy abominable and wicked life of which thou art the Cause GOD the Auenger VERSE 20. Nay but O man who art thou that * Or answerest againe or disputest with God replyest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it b Esay 45.9 Why hast thou made me thus 21. Hath not the Potter c Ier. 8.6 Wisd 15.7 power ouer the Clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour and another vnto dishonour NOw followes the Answere to the Cauill which is either personall to the Cauiller in these two Verses or reall to the Cauill in the two next Verses following In these two verses the sawcinesse of Cauillers is reproued which appeared in that they submit not themselues as they ought to haue done but out of their pride petulantly word it with their Creator going about to bring the Decree of Gods Predestination vnder the Rule of their blind and Carnall Reason which is as possible as to gather vp all the Sea into a Nut-shell Here are two things First a Reprehension Secondly an Amplification The Reprehension is in these words But O man what art thou that replyest against God Where wee haue 1. The fault 2. The person reprehended The fault is disputing with or replying against God The person noted in these words Thou O Man Where is also couched a reason of the Reprehension from the
none but conscionable dealing at his hands But deale with a wicked man vncalled and he will some way or other by euill words or deeds discouer the carrion-like corruption of his heart Now followes the second part of these two verses which is the consideration of that which is spoken of the Reprobates which is that hee suffereth them with long patience c. Where we haue the Act He suffers them Hee doth not make an end of them at once but suffers them Secondly the end Which is to be conceiued in a double respect First of the Reprobates to shew his power and wrath vpon them Secondly of the Elect that so the riches of his mercy and glory toward the Elect might more famously appeare VERSE 22. Indured with long-suffering the vessels of Wrath. IN these words is contained the Act we spake of which is induring amplified two wayes First by the manner with long-suffering Secondly by the obiect The vessels of Wrath. Long-suffering is a dilation of reuenge though wee bee prouoked Though the Greeke word be here translated long-suffering yet properly God cannot suffer for all things are actiue in God and whatsoeuer suffers or is patient fayles either in the essence facultie or Energie The word here vsed is hard to be translated into our Tongue wee borrow from the Latines to expresse it in one word by Longanimitie Betweene which Longanimitie and patience Chrysostome obserues this difference Chrysost hom 2. in Epist ad Colos Longanimity is towards them of whom wee can Patience toward them of whom wee cannot be reuenged So also Augustine Aug. l. de Pati Patience is said of God not that hee suffers any euill but because hee expects sinners to conuersion doctrine God is patient towards sinners euen Reprobates Ioel 2.13 Romans 2.4 2. Pet. 3.9 He endured Cain a long time suffered him to liue to build Cities to beget Children So hee suffered Saul Iudas c. Vse 1. Be thou patient after the example of thy heauenly Father whose child how art thou if thou sufferest not but repayest iniuries Socrates a Heathen Philosopher would willingly neither suffer nor doe no wrong but if he must chuse one he would rather chuse to suffer then to doe But what speake we of Heathen when we haue God himselfe patient toward Reprobates Say nor I will recompence euill God himselfe yet beares with a number of hell-hounds Reprobates Christ is not yet reuenged nor the bloud of the Saints Wilt thou bee moued at a crosse-word and thirst after Reuenge It may be sweet to the flesh but it is hatefull to God If thou hast put vp wrong once or twice thou thinkest thy selfe worthy to bee chronicled as a rare example of Patience How many thousand times hast thou prouoked God and yet hee forbeares thee Doe thou likewise toward thy neighbour Remember the Parable of the mercilesse Debter Mat. 18. Giue the Pardon thou askest Forgiue that thou mayest bee forgiuen When thou canst so bridle thy affections that being prouoked and in thy power to reuenge and yet for conscience towards God thou forbearest thinke thou hast profited That argues true Noblenesse Posse nolle Nobile Vse 2. For God to beare with his children which prouoke him is much but to suffer his enemies who seeke not his fauour and are the worse because they are forborne to suffer a drunkard whoremonger c. to liue and long and to haue great meanes and to hold his hands must argue an Infinite perfection Alas what had become of the best of vs if there were not such Longanimitie in GOD We had not liued to reade these things God might haue taken vs away in our sinnes if hee had called vs out of the world some ten or twenty yeeres agoe before we had repented how should wee haue done If hee had vsed Martiall law to Manasses Paul Mary Magdalen they had not shined now to the comfort of sinners Hee suffered the ill manners the word is significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13.18 of the Israelites fortie yeeres in the wildernesse Consider thou which readest how long hee hath suffered thee let it moue thee to repentance and to praise his patience Vse 3. Here is comfort for poore sinners God is patient toward Reprobates much more will he be toward the Elect. Hee which long forbeares Tyrants drunkards Enemies will he be hastie inexorable toward his children If he spare them which neuer grieue for their sinnes neuer regard his Word will hee not much more spare them which repent that they haue offended him which tremble at his Word and seeke his fauour If the Reprobate fare so well much more wil he abound to vs in all riches of Grace and Consolation VERSE 22. To shew his wrath and to make his power known THe end of Gods longanimitie in regard of the Reprobates is according to these words to declare his powerfull wrath in their condemnation In these words wee will first consider certaine things here attributed to God and then the matter it selfe in them contained There are two things attributed to God here 1. Anger or Wrath and 2. Power For the first Anger or Wrath is defined by Philosophers to be a desire of reuenge with griefe and perturbation through the boyling of the bloud about the heart It is called of the Hebrues Aph because it discouers it selfe in the dilating and contracting of the nose thrills Thus is it in vs. Such a thing is in God but not with perturbation for God is not subiect to passion As God doth not repent as man doth yet repentance is attributed vnto him so also may it be said of Anger As repentance is in GOD without griefe or error so vvrath without passion or perturbation God is said to repent when hee changeth that which is done and to be angry when hee punisheth that which is ill done not beeing indeed angry but seeming so to them which suffer For as a man in his angry mood woundeth and killeth so when God punisheth he is said to be angry Anger noting in God not an affection but an effect of some diuine perfection namely his vindicatiue iustice Anger is attributed to God after the manner of men * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it must be conceiued after the maner of God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For God doth that in his holy and quiet iudgement which we doe in furie and rage As there is difference between an Enemies cutting off a limbe and a Surgeons so God as a Surgeon without any passion cuts off that is punisheth euil men As when we speake to children we lisp as children b Quotiens barbaros alloquimur illâ—ruÌ„ lingua vtimur et cum pueris aliquid dicere volumus eoruÌ„ more balbutimus c. Euthy in Psal 6. so the Spirit speakes to vs of God in termes sutable to our capacity calling his iustice wrath to make vs afraid to sinne doctrine The
Iewes seeking to gather them into the bosome of his loue Vnto a disobedient and gainesaying people The word signifies such a one as will not be perswaded but is incorrigible Not euery disobedience is here meant but when neither faire meanes nor foule will bring vs to a better course Gainesaying This is a farther Rise of sinne signifying not onely such a one as refuseth to obey but beeing reproued thwarteth mocketh and persecuteth their reprouers Of this Steuen accused the Iewes Act. 7.51 Esay hath but one word for both these but such is the force of it that both these will scarcely expresse it Socer It is attributed to the stubborne sonne that vvas to be stoned to death Deut. 21.18 Me thinkes Dauid makes a Commentary of it in the 78. Psalme The Iewes are there called a rebellious generation in Esays word Dor. Socer What a one is that A generation as it followes that set not their heart aright whose spirit was not faithfull to God that kept not the Couenant of God that he refused to walke in his Law that forgate his workes that tempted God that spake against God c. Such were the Israelites as Esay saith that prouoked him to his face doctrine Disobedience ioyned with contradiction and persecution of Gods Messengers was the cause of the reiection of the Iewes 2. Chro. 36.16 Mat. 23.37 Mat. 21. Vse 1. If we be damned the cause is in our selues refusing the saluation which God offers to vs. To whom hath not God offered mercy What drunkard or wicked person is there among vs to whom God hath not sent his Ministers or some godly man or other to tell him that if he repent not he shall be damned Vse 2. Gods Patience is infinite As a Nurse beares with her crying froward Child so did God beare with the Iewes euen many hundred yeeres and did not cast them off though they many thousand times deserued it Had not the Lord beene God hee could not haue holden his hands off them they were so rebellious This patience God vseth toward vs by this we are saued for if God hath not long waited for vs we had beene ere this swept away by his fearefull iudgements as the doung of the earth Therefore let vs bee thankefull Vse 3. Is God so patient toward Rebels O how mercifull and louing will hee bee to them which with contrite hearts seeke vnto him Vse 4. The Ministery of the Word is the stretching forth of Gods armes when thou resortest vnto it thou runnest into the armes into the very bosome of God Vse 5. Rebels and gainesayers are in continuall danger to bee reiected of God they are euen at the pits brinke Search your bosomes whether you be such or no. If thou mockest and contemnest admonitions stubbornly walking on in wickednesse thou art such a one Many when they heare of Predestination of the necessity of preaching of puritie of life c. they cauill mocke and blaspheme Is it not equall that such profane mouthes should be stopped Such a profane heart punished Such contempt reuenged Let vs obey in all holy submission lest the hand that is stretched forth to receiue vs bee lifted vp to strike vs and to throw vs to hell CHAP. XI VERS 1. I say then Hath God cast away his people God forbid For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin IN this chapter the Apostle remoues the third maine obiection which followes vpon these things deliuered before For if Iustification be by faith in Christ on whom the Iewes beleeue not and their righteousnes auayleth nothing but for all that they are accounted rebells and traitors and the Gentiles brought in because of their faith then God hath cast away his people But he will neuer cast away his people Therefore c. To this obiection Paul answers in this Chapter shewing that the reiection of the Iewes is neither totall nor finall and therefore God still is most constant though he cast away and punish such vnbeleeuing and disobedient rebels The drift of this passage is to comfort the beleeuing Iewes and to admonish the Gentiles who though Christians yet insulted ouer the Iewes and hated them so that among vs euen at this day the name of a Iew is growne into a prouerbe to note one that is hated Now that the Gentiles might not be proud of their standing nor the Iewes vtterly despaire and that they might entertaine a more charitable opinion each of other Paul shewes that the reiection of the Iewes is not of euery mothers sonne nor for euer but as some of them in all ages of the Church haue bene conuerted so before the end of the world the thousands of Israel shall be gathered The wrath of God lieth not vpon all neither shall it alwayes on the multitude of them but euem the multitude before the end shall come thicke and threefold vnto Christ whom they now blaspheme and persecute And in the midst of these things he digresseth into a speciall admonition to the Gentiles to be humble In this Chapter are two parts First the principall matter to ver 33. Secondly the conclusion ver 33. and so to the end of the Chapter The principall matter is twofold First that the reiection of the Iewes is not totall to verse 11. Secondly nor finall in the rest of the verses The first part is handled by way of disputation Paul enters into the schooles propounds his position His aduersarie appeares and opposeth Paul takes his argument answers it and plainly makes good his answer by Scripture The position is that Moses and Esay haue fore-prophecied the reiection of the Iewes as in the tenth Chap. ver 19.20.21 The Repliers argument suppose a Iew is this If they be so to be vnderstood then God hath cast away his people But the last is false therefore the first This argument is in these words I demaund then Hath God cast away his people propounded by way of question Pauls answer to the question is in all the rest of the words to verse 11. First by a strong negation Secondly by a special instance Thirdly by an accurate distinction Fourthly by an elegant similitude Fiftly by a graue determination fortified by euident Scriptures which he alwayes hath in a readinesse as a sacred anchor to stay vs from being caried about with euery wind or waue of doctrine The two first parts of this answer are in the first verse The first is in the negation in these words God forbid Paul denies with indignation and defiance as if he should say Farre be it from me to teach that God should cast away his people wholly or that all the Iewes or that a Iew because a Iew should be reiected of God doctrine All the Iewes are not cast away from the hope of saluation though their Temple be ruintaed their sacrifices ceased their land in the hands of Infidels and their multitude dispersed For
be so doctrine Persecutors of Christ and his Gospell are iustly accursed of God Deut. 18.19 Ier. 26.4 Mat. 21. vlt. Heb. 2.1.2 Obiect We are forbidden to curse by our Sauiour Christ how doth Dauids practise agree with Christs precept Answ They are not prayers but prophesies not that they might be so but that they shall be so We must neuer curse our enemies but there may be a time when we may curse Gods enemies not such as are curable for them we must pray as Steuen whose prayer was effectuall for conuersion of Paul but such as are incurable If we know any such though wee must condole with them as men yet we must curse them as the enemies of God In the generall euery man may and must say 1. Cor. 16.22 Let him that loues not the Lord Iesus be accursed We must reioyce in the iudgement of God and subscribe vnto it 1. Cor. 6.2 For the Saints shall iudge the world But heere must be two cautions 1. That we mingle not priuat spleen turbulent affections with such imprecations 2. That we neuer follow Dauid or any other holy men herein vnlesse we be sure we haue the same spirit 1. Pet. 3.9 This therefore can be no cloke for wicked men who vse to curse and banne their cattle neighbours seruants wife children and whatsoeuer comes in their way a most hideous sinne for wee bee heires of blessing we may not curse Vse 1. The Iewes are cast off to this day for the crucifying of Christ though they be no Idolaters as they were in Egypt and Babylon neither haue any Prophet as they had then yet they are so blinded that they will not acknowledge it yea many of them complaine on their death-beds that our Iesus torments them and yet they cannot see the cause of their misery O Lord open their eyes Gualter hom 62. in epist ad Rom. Vse 2. As an ill stomack turnes good meat into bad humors so euen good things proue hurtfull to wicked men specially contemners of the Gospell Eccle. 5.12 I haue seene riches reserued to the hurt of the owner saith Salomon Make a wicked man rich he will be proud couetous profane Make Saul a King he wil runne from God to the Diuell make Iudas an Apostle it will be a snare a rope vnto him In prosperitie a wicked man will forget God in aduersitie he will blaspheme him Neither enuy the prosperity of the wicked nor be greedy of the riches of the world vnlesse they are blessed they are dangerous snares and it were better to be as poore as Lazarus then to possesse wealth without wisdome and grace to vse it Wisdome is good with an inheritance but an inheritance without wisdome is a snare Vse 3. Esay saith Eccle. 7. Let them haue eyes to see and not see They had eyes and would not see What then Then put out their eyes saith Dauid Let their eyes be darkened O remember this thou that liuest in the Church and hearest the doctrine of saluation and yet will neither beleeue nor obey it Wilt thou not see well then thou shalt not Hast thou a talent Occupie to thy Masters aduantage and thou shalt haue another if thou vsest it not it is pity thou hadest it take it from him He that hath the vnderstanding of a man and yet is as ignorant as a beast make a beast of him as Nabuchadnezzar Prou. 17.16 Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to buy wisdome and he hath none heart If hauing vnderstanding thou wilt not beleeue God will so smite thee that from henceforth thou shalt not be able to beleeue Vse 4. The Iewes are recompenced with curses for crucifying Christ so shalt thou be which contemnest his Gospell and dishonorest him by thy wicked life this is euen to crucifie Christ againe Nay in some respect this sinne is greater then the sinne of the Iewes for they crucified him when he walked vpon the earth appearing in weaknesse but thou dispisest him being now in heauen at the right hand of glory Leaue thy scoffing and be a reuerent hearer and obey to scoffe at the word is to giue gall an vineger to Christ which hee will reuenge at his second comming with flaming fire and in the meane time with vineger and gall too that is horror and anguish of minde through despaire When thou lyest vpon thy death bed and cryest in the bitternesse of thy soule then as thou hast laughed at the Gospell so wil God mock and laugh at thy destruction VERSE 11. I say then Haue they stumbled that they should fall God forbid but rather through their fall saluation is come to the Gentiles to prouke them to Idolatry IN the former part of this Chapter hitherto Paul hath shewed that the Reiection of the Iewes is not totall now hee proues to verse 33. that such their Reiection is not finall but that the multitude I say not euery Indiuiduall shall be generally called before the end of the world that Iewes and Gentiles may make one sheepe-fold and one flocke vnder one Shepheard Iesus Christ To proue this poynt diuers arguments are brought by Paul who alone plainely handles this secret in which he insisteth the longer which is our aduantage also in the vnderstanding of it for the comfort of the poore Iewes and for the admonition of the Gentiles as was touched in the beginning of the Chapter So haue we in this passage two things first arguments to proue the generall calling of the Iewes before the end of the world and an admonition to the Gentiles not to insult interserted at ver 17. to vers 23. I confesse that a very learned man makes all the verses to the 17. to be arguments of admonition to the Gentiles and that the Apostle comes not professedly to the poynt of the calling of the Iewes till the 23 verse In effect it is all one For if the Gentiles out of that reason ought not to insult then it must be taken for graunted that the Iewes shall be called But this in my opinion is more naturall and plaine The first argument is in this 11 verse From the end of Gods casting off the Iewes which is set downe two wayes first negatiuely secondly affirmatiuely The negatiue end is in these words I say then haue they stumbled that they should fall God forbid And it is set downe by a Question an Answere to it the more familiarly to take away all scruple out of the minde of the Iewes who might haue runne mad at the hearing of those direfull curses out of Esay and Dauid For from thence they might say if wee be thus accursed by those holy Prophets then there is no hope left for vs to recouer the fauour of God and be saued O sayth Paul despare not God hath not cast you off to that end he hath not made you stumble that you should fall and neuer rise againe for to fall is to
not to the height of this obstinacie at the first but it is some time a working by certaine meanes The meanes cooperating with the Diuell in our hardning are two First Custome in sinning euen as a path is hardned by the continuall trampling of the passengers so by custome in euil is the conscience by little and little crushed and made insensible At the first there is shame and trembling but being habited in euill men scorne reproofes as the Leuiathan laugheth at the shaking of the speare Stories record of one who through custome made poyson so familiar to him that hee dranke it without danger Mithridates so wicked men by custome make blasphemies whoredomes drunkennesse and all prophanenesse so familiar that their stomackes are neuer offended with them The second meanes is neglect of the meanes of grace offered This shut vp the Iewes in obstinacy and ordinarily for this is this iudgment of God inflicted vpon men 3. The effects of this hardnesse are two 1 Tim. 4.1.2.3 1. A departing from the faith broaching the doctrines of diuels denying manifest truth and holding and seeming any thing to obtaine our owne ends Eph. 4.18 As when men will be Papists Protestants neuters any thing nothing as they see it best serue their politick plots 2. Committing vncleannesse and other abominable sins with greedinesse delighting in nothing but in besotting voluptuousnesse 4. This hardnesse is two wayes discerned 1. When no Iudgment 2. When no mercy can moue to remorse When the word which is a hammer a sword and water can neither by the thundring of iudgment bruise or make any dint into our hearts nor by the pleasing sound of mercy mollify vs and make vs relent there is hardnesse vnspeakeable The diuill trembles at iudgment the hard heart trembleth not He that can read the bitter passion of our blessed Sauiour for vs wretches and can consider how by his pretious bleeding heart hee intreateth vs to be reconciled offring vs mercy and relents not must needs haue a heart as hard as the nether milstone VERSE 26. As it is written Esay 59 20. then shall come out of Syon the deliuerer and shall turne away vngodlines from Iacob 27 For this is my couenant vnto them when I shall take away their sinnes PAul had this doctrine of the calling of the Iewes by reuelation which is sufficient for our fayth but yet he farther prooues it both by scripture in these words and by vndeniable reasons in the other verses to 33. As it is written Obs Who so obtrudes any opinion to the Church without warrant from the Scripture is a deceiuer This scripture is taken out of Esay who prophesies of deliuerance to the Iewes which Paul interprets of this deliuerance we speake of In this testimonie are fiue things 1. The person deliuering 2. The person deliuered 3. The deliuerance 4. The confirmation 5. The meanes 1. The deliuerer shall come out of Syon The person deliuering is Christ described here by his office and by his originall His office the deliuerer the word which Paul vseth signifies deliuering by strong hand to rescue by force as Dauid deliuered the Lamb out of the Lyons paw This word is vsed in the Lords prayer but deliuer vs from euill And in other places Esayes word signifies a kinsman Ruth 4. and hath respect to the law mentioned Leuit. 25.25 Of which is an example about the marriage of Booz and Ruth So Christ is our Ioel or next kinsman to whom belongs the right of our redemption and therefore Iob calls Christ by that name Iob. 19.25 I know my redeemer liueth In Christ there is lawfull redemption He hath right as Esayes word and power as Pauls word imports and both these are needfull for the prisoner that wrongfully escapes is in more danger The diuell is the strong man Christ the stronger wee the spoyles recouered and redeemed His originall shall come out of Syon De Veniet humâ—…natus Aqu. Syon the church of the Iewes the meaning shall come in the flesh of the Iewes the Septuagint for Syons sake Esay to Syon But Paul out of Syon writing by the same spirit to shew the greater probability of the Iewes deliuerance for if we haue comfort because he tooke the nature of man the Iewes must haue more because hee tooke the seed of Abraham 2. The person deliuered Iacob that is Iacobs posterity The Iewes 3. The deliuerance shall come and turne away iniquities so is their conuersion described for when God forgiues sinne he giues the grace of true conuersion 4. 5. The confirmation is ver 27. That this is Gods couenant which is then fullfilled when God calls them of which Esay speakes Or this latter part is taken out of Ieremy and then it is the substance of the couenant Howsoeuer the argument strongly conuinceth the calling of the Iewes thus Those who shall be pardoned their sins shall be effectually called But the Iewes shall be pardoned therefore The minor is proued because that God hath couenanted to pardon them This is my Couenant vnto them This couenant concerning the pardon of their sinnes and deliuerance by Christ is not yet fulfilled therefore for the truth of God certainly to be expected Ob. Christ shall come sayth the Prophet and he came in his incarnation Answ Christs comming is to be according to his couenant which implieth a comming in regard of his merrit and effecacy In regard of his merrit he came when he tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary but in regard of his effecacy effecting that by his spirit in their hearts which he hath effected by his merit on the crosse hee is not yet come For then are we sayd to reape the benefit of the couenant when we feele the effecacy of it sealing to our consciences the pardon of sinne and turning our hearts to serue God according to his gospell Both these are comprehended by Peter when he sayd Act. 3.25 that the Iewes are the children of the couenant for whose blessing and turning away from their sinnes God sent and raised vp Iesus Christ which is not yet performed but must be for the couenant Ob. Some of the Iewes are conuerted An. But the couenant wins to the people nation house of Iacob if two or three english men get much wealth wee say not the whole nation is inriched this implies the multitude body of that nation doctrine Not only some now and then but the people of the Iewes shall be called Christ shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer Luk. 1.33 which yet he doth not for they yet acknowledge him not but defie him But this must come to passe because the scripture cannot be loosed Vse 1. Wil Christ yet come and forgiue the Iews What the Iews who fill vp the measure of their fathers iniquitie by blaspheming him dayly Will he come a Sauiour to these O infinite proportion of mercie who shall now despaire Whatsoeuer thy sins are if thou canst repent