The Worlds Resurrection, Section 1 – Section 3
I also am an Israelite.
From Pauls example and conclusion, wee learne: That eueryevery godly and beleeuing man, may be fully perswaded and assured by faith,2. Tim. 4.8. that hee is a member of the true church, and that hee shall vndoubtedly bee saued, and therefore it is his dutie firmely to beleeue so much.2. Pet. ….10. Rom. 8. v. 23. & 38.39.
Reason. The reason is, the promise and assurance hereof is made to the beleeuer & sanctified person. Psal. 15.5. Psal. 24. v. 3.4.5.
Secondly doubting and despaire of Gods louelove and fauour, and of our saluation, is a great sinne and against the attributes of Gods truth, mercy, and goodnesse: and if wee doe great wrong and iniurie vntounto good and faithfull men, when wee call their louelove and loyaltie into question, much more when we doubt of the goodnesse and truth of the infinite and vnchangeable good maiestie of God: And particular doubting distrust and dispaire, is often and much condemned in the Scriptures, Math. 14. v. 31. Luke 12. v. 29. Heb. 12. v. 12. & 13.
Vse. 1. Hereby is condemned that false and comfortlesse opinion of the Romanists, that depriueth and dispoileth faith of his forme and of his firme apprehension and application, and maketh it nothing else but a generall beliefe of the promised blessednesse of God, and a giuing of an assent to other mysteries reueiled of God touching the same, which the very diuels, and reprobates hauehave or may hauehave.
2. Vse. Wee must labour and striue by the continuall and carefull vse of the word preached, the Sacraments, prayer, and conference, and obseruation of Gods fauours towards vsus, both in blessings spirituall and temporall, to attaine vntounto the foreign and full assurance of it and hauing once obtained it, to norrish and cherish it by the same meanes.
Q. Hath God forsaken his people whom he knew before?
A. Here Gods fore-knowledge, beeing taken for his speciall fauour, for his Predestination and adoption of them (which is alwaies firme and vnalterable) wee are taught these two conclusions. First that the Predestination and the Election of Gods Saints is firme, certaine and vnmoueable, and can neuer be lost, and that not onelyonly in Gods decree, but also in their owne sence and feeling Rom. 8.33. Tit. 1.1. Rom. 9.11. Rom. 11.7.2. Pet. 1.10. For it is a foundation that cannot bee shaken.Math. 16. ver. 18 Secondly it is grounded vponupon the rocke and therefore the gates and power of hell cannot preuaile against it.
Vse. It checketh the Papists who make predestination mutable and vncertaine, and so would despoile and disarme vsus of the maine ground of all comfort.
Whom he hath fore-knowne.
In that here the cause why God doth neuer finally reiect or forsake his people, is onelyonly ascribed to his fore-knowledge. 1. to the pleasure of his good will,Doctr. Rom. 9, v…. 11 inward fauour and eternall predestination; it excludeth and remoueth all mans merites, and all outward dignities, prerogatiues and excellencies what-soeuer, from beeing any cause of it.
Tim▪ 3.4 &: 5And no maruaile, for if man (though regenerate) cannot, in respect of his finite and sinfull nature merite ought at Gods hands, hauing a being both by nature and grace, much lesse could he merite ought before hee had any being or existence at all.
Vse. Ergo, seeing there is no cause of glorying in vsus, or any outward ornament, and seeing nothing mooued God to elect vsus, but onelyonly his meere mercy and fauour, let vsus ascribe and returne with thankfull hearts all the glory and praise, thereof to him, to whom alone it appertaineth.
Know yee not what the scripture saith of Elias?
In that it is here presupposed, (if not granted) that the Iewes to whom Paul especially addresseth his speach, (for by an Apostrophe hee afterwards speaketh to the Gentiles, from the 13. verse to the 25.) were most ready and expert in the scriptures; we are aduertised how profitable, nay,Doctr. how necessary the knowledge and vnderstanding of them is; for therevnto are we referred in all our doubts, controuersies, and difficulties, for resolution, Isai. 8.20. Luke 16.28. & 31. Ioh. 5.38. Secondly, they conteine the meanes, deedes, euidences, charter, and the broad seale of our saluation. Ioh. 5.34. Ioh. 20.31. Rom. 1.16. 1. Tim. 3.15.16. Psal. 19…7. Thirdly, the ignorance and neglect of them, is the cause of all Athiesme, errour, heresie, sinne, rebellion, persecution, misery, yea and damnation it selfe, 2. King. 17.26. Psal. 95.10. Isay. 5.13. Math. 22.29. Iohn. 12.35. Rom. 10.2. 1. Cor. 2.8. 1. Thes. 4.13.
Lastly, God hath both in the old Testament, as also in the new, laide a speciall charge and command vponupon all sorts of people, soueraigne and subiect, publike and priuate persons, mighty and meane, to exercise themselues, and continually to trauaile in the reading and meditation of holy scripture: Deut. 6.6.7.8.9. Iosua. 1.8. Psal. 1.2. Coloss. 3.19. Iohn. 5.39. 1. Tim. 4.13.
Vse. It condemneth the idlenesse and vanitie of this present age, wherein many, & most, bestow none or little time in reading and consulting the sacred Scriptures, wherein they might bee made circumspect, redresse their waies▪ hauehave comfort and supportance in all afflictions, and be made wise vntounto saluation ▪ But in the practise of the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse, in the excesse of sinne and vanitie, and in the reading and reuising toyes and trifles that can minister nothing vntounto them but matter of mourning and cause of after repentance, they can willingly and wilfully spare & spend whole houres, daies, nights, weeks. The Lord amend this, and renue and reuiue the dying & pining zeale of his people and seruants in so many places.