The Worlds Resurrection, Section 85 – Section 89
For that God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe.
In that God hath shut vp all .i. Conuinced them by his lawe and word, and declared them thus to be captiuated and inclosed in the prison of their sinnes, that it might appeare and bee there notified to all men, that the pardon of sinne and their saluation proceedeth only from Gods merciemercy, we learne this instruction, viz: Doct.That all men are sinners & vnrighteous, prone vntounto euill, and slow vntounto good, yea, and vnfit and vnable to it, and are hereof attainted and conuinced by the lawe of God, in so much that they are in no better estate before God then guiltie and condemned persons and malefactors, who trembling and astonied looke for nothing but death. Psal. 6. V. 3.7. Psal. 130. V. 3. Psal. 143. V. 2.
Thus must Paul (before that God shew merciemercy vponupon him) be conuinced and proued to be a blasphemor and persecutor, an oppressour, Mary Magdalen to be an impure and filthie liuer, Peter to hauehave denied Christ his Lord and Sauiour three times, and that, with cursing and swearing: that it might appeare that saluation consisteth onelyonly in gods free merciemercy and not in mans worthynesse or workes.
1. Vse. Let vsus not please our selues in nobilitie, stocks, gentry, witte, wealth, priuiledges, for God respecteth not these, but the heart and the worke of the spirit, much lesse lette vsus think not hardly, or dispaire of others (especially of the Iewes) for we deserue no more at Gods hands then they, but are alike conceiued and borne in sinne and by nature the children of wrath as well as they. Eph, 2.3.
2. Vse. Here are condemned those that iustifie them-selues before God, and that will be saued by their owne workes, and so presumptiously and proudly either deminish or denie the grace and free merciemercy of God, then which nothing can bee imagined more iniurious and disglorious to the diuine goodnesse and clemencie.
3. Vse. Wee must learne with sorrow and greefe to confesse and lay open our sinnes before God, yea to be abashed, ashamed and confounded in regard of them,Ezech. 16.5.8. and withall flee to the throne of grace, and supplicate for merciemercy and forgiuenes For the more miserable wee finde our selues to bee, and the more wee depend vppon Gods helpe and goodnesse, the more fauour wee shall obtaine, and the sooner procure mercy at his hands. That he might hauehave merciemercy on all.
That is, of all sorts both amongst Iewes and Gentiles.
Doct.In the matter of our iustification, vocation, saluation, Gods merciemercy is onelyonly seene, and neither Iewe nor Gentile are saued otherwise then by his fauour and merciemercy. Titus, 3. v. 4.5. Eph. 2. v. 3.4.5. Rom. 3. v. 20.8.7.24.12.
The reason hereof is, first, because Iewes and Gentiles are alike guilty before Gods iudgement seate, as it hath beene before proued.
Secondly, God is bound and beholding to none, for who hath giuen him any thing, but it shall be recompenced? And therfore al whom he saueth, he saueth by his meere mercy and grace, and not for any matter or merit yt he could find in them.
1. Vse. Here is condemned the grosse and palpable error of those which thinke that (in the processe of time) all shal be saued, yea the very diuels, as Origine dotingly dreamed. Wheras the fewest are elected, called, iustified, and none shall bee saued but they, and this will the last iudgement make manifest to all the world.
2 Vse. It serueth also to ouerthrow & refute the fond & false opinion of al mans merits, for we receiue all things from Gods meer mercy, and there is no place for mens deserts and merites.
3. Vse. Thirdly, wee must not abuse and peruert GODS mercies, to the lust and libertie of the flesh, for his merciemercy is proper and reserued for them that feare him and are displeased in them-selues for their sins, & not for such lewd and presumptious minded Libertines that hauehave no feare of God before their eyes.
Lastly, though with the Saints of God in Scripture wee sometimes (through Satans suggestion and our owne frailtie and negligence) fall into many great and grieuous sins, yet we must neuer dispaire of Gods mercies, but repent whiles we hauehave time, and by faith apply them to our selues. For they are bottomelesse, most plentious, and neuer faile them that truly repent and beleeue.
The sixt part of the Chapter.
V. 33. O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies passe finding out!
V. 34. For who hath knowne the mind of the Lord? Or who was his Counsailer?
V. 35. Or, who hath giuen vntounto him first, & he shal be recōpensed.
V. 36. For of him, and through him, and for him, are all things: to him be glory for euer Amen.
Sense. O the deepnes of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God .i. the riches of his deepnes, or O the deepe plentifull and Ocean Sea that can neuer be drawn dry of these attributes of Gods knowledge and wisdome, whereby God knoweth his, and when he will call them, and most wisely and iustly determineth of them, and disposeth and gouerneth all men and all actions (albeit our poore and shallow vnderstanding cannot apprehend it, and many times iudgeth amisse.) How vnsearchable are his iudgements? i. his meanes & manner both in chusing and refusing, in shutting vp all vnderunder sinne, in sauing and condemning men, cannot possibly be sounded and found out by mans reason, and his waies past finding out .i. no man can find out his secret purposes and disseignes, for they are not reuealed in the Scriptures.
V. 34. For who hath knowne the mind of the Lord?
Sense. Viz. Who hath knowne his purpose and counsailes & secret iudgements that are not disclosed and declared in the word?Eph. 3. v. 16.11. Or who was his Counsailer? In the creation and preseruation of the world, in the redemption, gouernment and saluation of his Church, he needed not mans aduise and counsaile, but performed all by counsaile of his owne will.
V. 35. Or who hath giuen to him first? i. Who hath bestowed any benefit or blessing vppon God and so hath made him a debpter vntounto him, and he shal be recompensed .i. he will repay and requite him. For of him and from him are al things, they hauehave their being and beginning from god, and through him al things are adiministred and gouerned by him, and for him .i. they are created and ordained, to set forth his glorie, To him be glory for euer Amen .i. Let al humaine and worldly glorie cease & vanish away, and let al ye glory of goodnes, mercy wisdome, and iustice bee ascribed onelyonly vntounto God, of vsus and of al creatures for euer Amen.
I beleeue it shall bee so, and I pray that it may bee so.
Ques. How vnsearchable are Gods iudgements?
Ans. If Gods waies and iudgements be vnsearchable, why are wee commanded to search the Scriptures, or the Israelites taxed and reproued for being ignorant of Gods waies? Ioh. 5. v. 38. Psal. 95. v. 10. Math. 22. v 29.
Gods waies and iudgements in this place are taken for his secret will, which hee reserueth to him-selfe, and which no man is to inquire into, for it is bottomelesse gulfe, and will drowne them, and a flame that may not be come vntounto but wil burne them, it is the Arke that may not be looked into. But for his reuealed will which he hath manifested in Scripture, all sorts of people are commanded to search, learne and know: prouided that they keepe them within the boundes of sobrietie, and do not measure misticall and supernaturall things by the scantling and shallownesse and humaine reason.
Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord?
Ob. In the knowledge of God consisteth mans saluation, therefore God hath reuealed it vntounto men, and to Prophets and Apostles especially.
A. First indeed in the knowledge of Gods reuealed will consisteth mans saluation, and this eueryevery man is commanded and bound to know;Deuter. 29. ver. 29. for here we hauehave whatsoeuer serueth for our instruction, but for hidden thinges and these which God hath not reuealed, whereof the Apostle speaketh, we cannot know (but by the euent) neither must we desire it, but conteyne our selues within the limites and lists of Gods word.
Secondly, if it were granted (as it must not) that the Apostle spake here of misteries & secrecies conteyned in the Scripture, we answer that no mortall man can by his owne sence & reason vnderstand them,Math. 19. v. 17. Ioh. 3.5. v. 4.9.10. for it iudgeth falsly and preposterously of them. 1. Cor. 2.14. therefore wee must reuerently and soberly follow the direction & guidance of Gods good spirit.
Thirdly the godly by the illumination & teaching of gods spirit vnderstand al things, yt are simply, necessary for their saluation. Lastly albeit the regenerate know the minde of the Lord and his reuealed will in holy scriptures; yet but by degrees and in part, & some more, some lesse, according to their … mortification &c.
Q. How can we, or why are we commanded to giuegive and ascribe glory to God, seeing that we can by our praises adde nothing to his renowne and perfection?
An. Albeit, we cannot adde any thing to Gods nature and perfection and glory, yet we are bound by his commandment and it is our duty to acknowledge him to be, as he is, and as he hath reuealed himself in holy scripture viz. most holy, perfect, and glorious. Secondly, we must shew forth, testifie and declare his name, nature, attributes and workes vntounto men, that they hereby may be enformed better of him, and stirred vp to glorifie him, and thus we hallow and sanctifie Gods name.
O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God!
It is proper to the Godly and their office and … to thinke,Doctr. speake and consider of, yea to admire the w…rkes & counsailes of God, and to brast forth into holy exclamations and to stir and exite others so to do.Psa. 118. v. 2, 3, 4, 5. Psal. 8. v. Psal. 92. ver. 5. Psal. 119. ver. 18. Psal. 46. v. 7. Cant. 5. a verse 10. ad. 17. The reason hereof is, they alone being taught of God, know (aboue al other persons) the incomparable excellency and order of them, and therefore for skill, know best how, and how farre to iudge of them. Secondly, they must be instruments and trumpets, to sound and proclaime the praises and wonders of the Lord, for the satisfaction of their owne consciences, and to affect and gaine others so to do.
Vse 1. Let ministers (especially) and also others labour and striue to affect & possesse others with the rarenesse, excelency, & admirablenes of Gods workes and proceedings, for so did Dauid in many places. Psa. 48. v. 2.3.4.5.6. & Psa. 8. v. 1.
Vse 2. As oft as our reason is offended with the doctrine & depth of predestination (albeit so euidently and expresly set forth in scripture) let vsus renounce reason, and giuegive glory vntounto God, and with most humble reuerence admire that deepe wisdome which with the eye of our vnderstanding, we cannot pierce into. Thus did Christ. Math. 11.25.26.
3. Vse. It serueth to condemne and argue all that repine at, murmure at, reprehend gods proceedings, and especially in the decree and matter of reprobation, whereas Gods is most wise, iust and of absolute power and authoritie, and therefore alwaies doth and cannot but order, rule and dispose of all things rightly, albeit our weake apprehension cannot attaine vntounto the reason of it.
The wisdome and knowledge of God.
The doctrine, that we learne hence is that God being most wise, and knowing all things doth not onelyonly see and contemplate them, as they are, or may be, but doth contriue them with singular reason and counsell, and dispose them in most goodly forme, waight, number and measure, so that nothing in his workes may seeme to be wanting or disordered, nothing superfluous or ouer much, but all in an excellent temper and symetry. And hence God is sayd, to be wise in heart. Iob. 9.4. nay only wise. Rom. 16.27. 1. Tim. 1.17. For he alone by himselfe is infinitely wise, needing no mans instruction or information. Isa. 40. ver. 12, 13, 14. Pro. 8.12. Iob. 28. cap. …3. &c. Now this wisdome of God shineth forth chiefely in the principall workes of God, namely in the creation, preseruation and gouernment of the world, in the gouerning & ordering of man-kinde. Ier. 51.15. Isa. 40.28. But most euidently in the predestination of men and in the wonderfull manner of euerlasting saluation purchased by Christ. Eph. 3. v. 10. in so much that the very Angells desire throughly to behold it. 1. Pet. 1.12.
Vse 1. Here are iustly condemned those men that mutter and murmur against Gods proceedings, & find fault with and condeme any worke or iudgment of God, as though it were not wisely ordained, but wee must reuerence, adore and admire his excellent wisdome appearing in them and especially in the mistery of eternall saluation, euen then when our blind and vnperfect reason espieth and perceiueth no reason of it. Touching the misteries conteined in Gods reuealed will, let vsus by humble and earnest praier beseech and entreate the Lord that he would more cleerely day by day, open them vntounto vsus, Psal. 73. ver. 17. Psal. 119. ver. 18. Ephe▪ 1.17. by the ministery of his word and spirit.