The Worlds Resurrection, Section 14 – Section 19
The rest were hardned.
Quest. Who is the author and cause of the Iewes hardning, Sathan, or themselues, or God?
Ans. If wee consider it as it is a sinne, and an offence against God, then it proceedeth onelyonly from man, and from Sathan; for mans heart is stony, and as hard as Flint by nature, whereby it is fitte for Sathan to worke vponupon.
Secondly, mans heart beeing so hard, Sathan doth counsaile, …gge, and solicite it to sinne: and man, beeing destitute of grace, willingly forsaketh God, and yeeldeth his assent and consent vntounto euill, and detesteth good, and so becometh more hard and indurate.
Thirdly, the more meanes either of instruction, and mercy, or of threatnings and iudgements, GOD offereth to soften and ouer-come their hardnesse, the more, they, by with-standing and resisting them, are hardened and confirme the habite of their nature, and so growe worse and worse. And thus with Pharao they more harden their owne hearts, so that the sinne and fault resideth in themselues, and is not to bee imputed to God:
Quest. In what respects doth God harden?
Ans. As it is an action, and iudgment, and a worke of iustice, and in respect of the end and euent, so God doth it, and is the author of it: As it is an action or motion it is good, for wee all hauehave our beeing and moouing from God, but the corruption and defect of the action, proceedeth from mans corrupt minde and will; as it is a iudgment God is the author of it, thus hee hardened Pharoes heart, and doth by the ministerie of his word instrumentally harden the wicked. Lastly, in respect of the end and euent, which is his owne glory: and thus God in the hardening, blinding, and obstinacie of the Iewes▪ tooke occasion to call and shew mercy to vsus Gentiles, and thus hee turneth their hearts whether soeuer pleaseth him, and doth mooue them to execute his owne iudgements; and thus God directed Sathans malice, the Scribes and Pharisies enuie, Iudas his couetousnesse, and Pilate his iniustice, in killing the Lord of glorie, to the redemption of mankind, the instruments intending no such matter, Isay. 1… v. 7.
Qu. How doth God harden, and in what forme?
Ans. Not by infusing malice, or instilling sinne into the delinquent, for he is iust, holy, and purity it selfe, and therefore he cannot but hate and punish it; but he doth it first, either by not imparting grace, or by with-drawing his spirit from them, for God is not bound either to conferre grace vponupon them which they want, or to continue that they hauehave receiued. Hee is an absolute Lord, and a most free agent,Rom. 9. hee hardeneth whom hee will, and sheweth merciemercy vponupon whom hee will shew mercy.
Secondly, God hardneth them by an outward action, that is, indirectly and accidentally, by casting and obiecting certaine outward things to their eyes, eares, and outward senses, whereby they might bee enlightned, mollified and saued. Of this kinde are preaching, sacraments, miracles, benefites, warnings, threatnings, punishments, all these through their owne fault and want of faith, become hurtfull and dangerous vntounto them: euen as good and strong wine,A similitude. is most vnholesome and perilous to a sicke man. Thus the gospell is the sauour of death to them, yea and a killing letter.
Thirdly, God reiecteth and putteth into their minds and heartes good thoughts, principles and motions, which they peruert and turne to their owne destruction: thus God put into Caiphas his minde, That it was necessary that one should dye for the people, Ioh. 11. v. 50. & 52and to gather all the sonnes of God into one, and not that all the nation should perish. The principle was good, but Caiphas his construction, conclusion, and apply of it was euill. That saying of Pilate, Luk. 23. v. 1…. & 16.I finde no harme in the man, was good and of God; but I will chastice him, &c. This consequence but a bad conclusion, of himselfe and altogether euill. Now the cause why God offereth these outward obiects vntounto, and doth put these inward motions into men, whom hee knoweth will abuse them; is that his iustice might bee seene and acknowledged by their iniustice.
Fourthly, by giuing successe to their endeuours, and by letting them prosper in sinne. Thus hee bad the Diuell goe and seduce Ahabs 400. false Prophets and prosper, and thus Iudas and Pharao prospered in their wicked designes, but herein Gods end and scope, and their end and scope much differed. Isay. 10. v. 7.
Quest. How can God bee said to blind the reprobate, seeing that many times, and in many places, hee offereth the light and brightnesse of his glorious gospell vntounto them,2. Cor. 4. v. 4. which is a meane and instrument to informe and enlighten them?
An. First, they are blind by nature, and vncapable of the sauing trueth, and God is not indebted nor bound vntounto them, who, albeit hee putteth blindnesse into no man, yet hee leaueth them therein, and doth not infuse light into them; so that the more meanes are vsed for their instruction and illumination, the more they are hardened and blinded; for euen as the Owle by the brightnesse of the Sunne is blinded,Similitudes. albeit all other birds are enlightned by it, and as the Claye is hardened by the same Sunne by which the waxe is softned and melted: so by the same holy Scripture and glorious Gospell, whereby the Elect are enlightened and conuerted, the reprobate are blinded and hardened, and that onelyonly through their owne default and impotency, and not through the Gospell.
Secondly, God in his iustice (now eueryevery action of iustice hath in it the nature and respect of God) because it is the punishment of sinne, doth by further blindnesse and hardenesse of heart, punish their corruption and stubborne rebellion, which they hauehave and doe most greedily drinke in, and draw vponupon themselues, inso much that they winke with their eyes purposely, and will not see and acknowledge the trueth shining forth vntounto them.
Quest. In Isay the Lord fore-telleth but a particuler iudgement, and why is it here generally applyed?
Ans. First, the rule of iustice and equitie, is one and the same with God in eueryevery age, and therefore hee may according to the proportion and number of their offenses, as well punish many of the Iewes in Pauls time and sithence, as some particulers in Isaiahs time.
Secondly, their sinne and contumacie since Christ his comming hath beene more generall and grieuous, then the sinnes of all their ancestors, therefore it is accordinglie to bee punished.
Thirdly, the punishments of particuler men in Scripture, serue for generall lessonings and warnings vntounto vsus, that except wee repent and beleeue, wee are to expect the like iudgements, and so looke to drinke of the same cup.
Israell hath not obtained that he sought.
It is not enough and sufficient for men to desire to be blessed, and to seeke for righteousnesse and saluation, yea, to take great paines for it, (for so much Heretickes, Idolaters, Hypocrites, Iewes, Turkes, Papists, yea and Pagans hauehave performed) vnlesse it bee by the right lawfull meanes,Doctr. and those wayes that God hath o… dained and sanctified in holy Scripture. It must not bee by the lawe, for that can iustifie and saue no man, for no man can keepe it, nor by mens owne workes and deserts, for if they proceed onelyonly from ciuill and meere naturall men, they are altogether sinne in Gods sight, and as for the good workes of the regenerate, they are but vnperfect, yea and stained with many defects, and therefore they cannot abide the rigour of Gods iustice.
Secondly, they are counteruailed, yea infinitely exceeded with sinnes both of commission and omission: but true righteousnesse and happinesse is onelyonly to be sought and found in Christ Iesus, as hee is reuealed and set forth vntounto vsus in holy writ, Act. 4.12. Act. 13. vers. 38. & 39. Luke. 24. v. 47.
Reas. Otherwise if wee seeke righteousnesse and saluation preposterously and not by right meanes, wee labour in vaine, wee denie the grace of God, and do digge Wells that will hold no water. To this purpose the Prophet Isay sheweth, that the people doth foolishly, who neglecting the sweete and sauing meate and drinke of Gods Gospell, did bestowe great paine and cost in procuring other meate, namely humane traditions and supe…stitions, which had no vertue of nourishing in it, and which held no true contentment to the ouer-seers of them:Isay. 55. v. 2. Why doe yee (saith hee) lay out siluer and not for bread? and your labour without beeing satisfied? Hearken diligently vntounto mee, and eate that which is good, and let your soule delight in fatnesse.
The vses of this doctrine are manifold.
1. Vse. First, hereby are condemned all endeuours and good meanings and intentions that are not of faith, and so are nothing but sinne, Roman. 14. verse. 14.
2. Vse. Hereby is refuted the grosse errour of those that hold that eueryevery man is and shall bee saued by his owne religion and profession, where-as there is but one trueth, and one way of saluation, and that fully and perfectly described in holy Scripture. Iohn. 14. vers. 6. Math. 7. vers. 13.
3. Vse. We must (if we would be blessed and so saued) seeke for righteousnesse and iustification in Christ onelyonly, for there alone it is to be found. Acts 4.12. 1. Ioh. 5.11.
But the Election hath obtained it.
Doct.Here hence in a word (for the point hath beene handled before) wee may note, that the cause of obtaining iustification and saluation, is without vsus in Gods predestination and free mercy, and not in the merites of our workes, Rom. 9.18 Titus 3. v. 5. for here is an vtter opposition betweene Election and workes.
Vse. Wherefore wee must bee thankefull vntounto the diuine Maiestie, for so great and free saluation, and ascribe all the glorye and praise of it vntounto his merciemercy onelyonly.
And the rest hauehave beene hardened.
Doctr.The beginning of the ruine and damnation of the reprobate, ariseth from the desertion and reprobation of God. Reprobation is the very tree, roote, and fountaine of blindnesse; for the wicked forsaken of God, can doe nothing in all their deeds, words and counsailes, but pull, hale, and heape vponupon them Gods curse.
1. Vse. Let not the Elect and the true seruants of God be offended, in the madnesse and senselesnesse of Reprobates, seeing that it hath his originall and foundation from Gods decree of reprobation.
2. Vse. Hereby is condemned the errour and ignorance of such, who are of opinion, that God did not freely of himselfe (before Adams fall) determine of all things, persons, accidents, circumstances, &c. where as GOD doth effect and execute nothing in time, but that which hee most wisely and holily determined before all times.
The spirit of pricking or com…unction.
Taking the word in this sense and signification, we are taught this lesson and conclusion.Doctr. That God doth most seuerely and grieuously punish those that distast, contemne and reiect his grace offered and tendered to them in Christ, namely they are so giuen ouer of God and so possessed by Satan, that they pure and powerful ministery of the gospell, and testimonies of Gods word applied against them doth nothing, but vex, gall, enrage and torment them. Act. 7.54. Apoc. 11. v. 10.
Nay they are so offended at, and so enuie the successe and prosperity of the gospell and the true professors of it, that they cannot rest, and do (to the consuming of themselues and hastining of their owne speedy and iust damnation) nothing but breath out gall and bitternesse, against good m…n, and designe Gods Church and children to death and destruction. Act. 4.16.17.18. Ioh. 9.22. Math. 2. v. 3. Apoc. 20. v. 9.
Rea. The reason is, that they might (to their greater damnation) hauehave some checks and inward torments of conscience whiles they trouble and persecute the Godly; which is to them but a beginning and a fore-runner of euerlasting damnation.
Vse. Let vsus beware that we do not foster and norrish any roote of gall and bitternesse in our selues against Gods truth and seruants, least otherwise wee in time become indurate, senselesse and desperate, but let vsus feare God and his iudgments,Prouer. 28 14. for hee that alwaies feareth in blessed, but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill.
The spirit of slumber.
Thus it is in the originall and perhaps (as it is well gessed at by some) the word foreign,Piscato… ▪ in hunc locum. is deriued of foreign, which signifieth might, to signifie some deepe sleepe, wherewith men are vsually possessed in the dead of the night, & this senselesse slumber may well be an effect, and the issue of a pricking and enraged conscience.
The Doctrine which I raise hence is this,Doctr. that God in his iust iudgements doth many times (to punish mens vnthankefulnesse and contempt of the truth,) depriue them of all sense both of their sinnes and of Gods anger and displeasure against sinne, in so-much that neither by plagues nor promises they will suffer themselues to bee awakened out of this deepe sleepe and dead securit…e. Isay 28.15.
The reasons hereof (in respect of the wicked themselues,) are, first because they reuolt and depart from the word of God, and hence become so blockish that they hauehave no sense at all, neither acknowledge Gods hand and counsaile in their paines and punishments.
Secondly enioying long peace and prosperity, and hauing no open and professed enemies,Iudg. 18.7. Apoc. 18. …. 7 they like the secure citty of Laish and the proud & carelesse whore of Babylon thinke they are farre from al danger and shall see no euill.
Thirdly, they vainely imagine that they hauehave sufficient defense and prouision against imminent euils, and if they fall out they hauehave waies and meanes enough to elude and escape them.
Let vsus be aduised from the consideration of Gods hand vponupon the Iewes, and beware and take heed that we neuer despise nor reiect the gospell and blessings of Christ propounded and offered vntounto vsus; least with them wee bee left and forsaken in our naturall blindnesse and by continuing stubbernely and stifly in our sinnes wee become worse and worse, and so die in our sinnes and bee damned.