The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 13
VERSE 13.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, But Eſau have I hated.
OUr Apoſtle in this Verſe maketh known whence it was that there ſhould be ſuch a great difference between theſe two brethren, Jacob and Eſau; he giveth this reaſon of it, namely, that it was from the love of God to the one, and Gods hatred of the other, the Apoſtle citing a Text of Scripture to this purpoſe, Mal. 1.2, 3. ſo that in this verſe our Apoſtle doth explain and expound the place of Geneſis, the elder ſhall ſerve the younger, by this place of Malachy, ſhewing the reaſon of the difference, that it pleaſed God to put between theſe two brethren, proceeding from Gods love, and hatred. In a word, in this thirteenth verſe, there be two things in general to be conſidered; Firſt, the Apoſtles citing of Scripture, As it is written; Secondly, the teſtimony of Scripture, which he alledgeth in the words following, I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau.
Firſt, in that he alledgeth Scripture, As it is written, yet the Apoſtle doth not cite, either Book, Chapter, or Verſe, but putteth it down in the general: whence I might ſtand to ſhew, that we ought be ſo well acquainted with Scripture, that when the text of Scripture is alledged, though the Book, the Chapter, or Verſe be not cited, we ſhould be able to know it was Scripture; and not to think as ſome ignorant perſons do, that when a Poet is cited that it is Scripture; but this was handled in the eighth Chapter, verſ. 36.
But onelyonly one thing further, You ſee the Apoſtle here, whoſe Authority was Divine, Apoſtolical, and infallibly guided by the Holy Spirit of God, who could not erre in what he taught and delivered to the Church and people of God, yet for all this Divine and Apoſtolical, and infallible aſſiſtance, he followeth the rule of the written Word of God, and bringeth teſtimony of Scripture to prove his Doctrine; this was an uſual thing with the bleſſed Apoſtle, in other places of Scripture, read Acts 26.22, 23. the Apoſtle there ſaith, that he witneſſed to ſmall and great, ſaying no other things, then thoſe that Moſes and the Prophets did ſay ſhould come to paſſe, That Chriſt ſhould ſuffer death, and be the firſt that ſhould riſe again from the dead, and ſhew light to the Gentiles. Rom. 1.2. the Apoſtle affirmeth, that the Goſpel which he preached, was grounded upon the written Word of God, and (not to amplifie the point,) the Scripture is of ſacred and divine authority, as it containeth in it a Divine and heavenly Doctrine, yea ſuch a Doctrine that is not ſubject to the Church, or any other thing in heaven or earth, but only unto God whoſe Will and Counſel it is, touching things that concern the good of his Church and choſen.
This (for the uſe of it) ſerveth to diſcover unto us the ſhameleſſe impudence Ʋſe 1 of that ſhameleſſe ſtrumpet, the Antichriſtian Synagogue of Rome, in that that Synagogue taketh upon it an abſolute power to judge in all matters of Faith, and of Religion, and to define of it, and that without, and beſides Scripture, yea it taketh upon it a power to judge of Scripture it ſelf, and of the ſenſe of Scripture, and that without the help of Scripture, to faſten a ſenſe upon the written Word of God, and to ſay, this is the ſenſe, though they have no ground nor warrant for it in all the Book of God beſides, and that forſooth upon a ſuppoſition of the infallible aſſiſtance of the Spirit: Oh (ſay the Papiſts) our Church, and our Teachers, are infallibly aſſiſted by the Spirit of God, and would ground themſelves upon that Text in John 16.13. where Chriſt ſaith unto his Diſciples, when the Spirit of truth ſhould come which he would ſend, it ſhould lead them into all truth: Oh (ſay they) ſee, Chriſt promiſeth his Spirit to lead them into all truth, ſo that they cannot erre in that which they teach: But the Papiſts are miſtaken, if ſo be we conſider the place duly, and look upon it and examine it, we ſhall find it will bear no ſuch concluſion, that the Church, and the Teachers of the Church, are ſo led, that they cannot erre, in whatſoever they teach, and that the Church hath power, and the teachers of the Church power, to judge of the Scripture, and the ſenſe of Scripture, without the help of it, for that place in John, it muſt (of neceſſity) be underſtood with a reſtraint, when he ſaith, it ſhall lead you into all truth, it hath a limitation and reſtraint, to that ſubject, of which it is ſpoken of all that truth. For why? I hope the Papiſts will not deny, but eaſily confeſſe and yeeld unto it, that the time of Chriſt his ſecond coming to Judgment, is a certain truth of God, God hath appointed and ſet it down, in Act. 17.31. a day wherein he will judge the whole world in righteouſneſſe by Jeſus Chriſt, yet the time of his coming unto Judgment, is not revealed by the Spirit of God, to the Church or Teachers of it; nay we are not to enquire into the time of his coming, Chriſt forbiddeth it, ſo that ſpeech (of truth) muſt admit of a limitation, not of all truth, for here is a particular truth not revealed, but it is to be underſtood of all truths contained in the will of God, in the Scripture, that the holy Spirit of God ſhall lead them into all that truth; how may it appear? why read the place it ſelf, John 16.13, 14. Howbeit when he is come, which is the Spirit of truth, he will lead you into all truth; (there they ſtay) but mark what followes, He ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf, but whatſoever he ſhall hear, ſhall he speak, and he will ſhew unto you the things to come, and ſhall glorifie me. Now a ſpecial part of the glory of God, and Chriſt, what is it but this; that the Holy Ghoſt revealeth unto the people of God the ſecrets of the Goſpel, the things that eye of man cannot ſee, nor heart conceive, doth the Spirit of God reveal to Gods children, and doth teach what Chriſt is in himſelf, in his nature, in his offices, and in his perſon, onelyonly theſe things he ſhall reveal, no new coyned doctrine, or new devices of mens brrains, not contained in the holy Scripture, but ſuch as Chriſt, and the Prophets, and Apoſtles have taught, theſe things ſhall be brought to the minds of Gods choſen; therefore it is monſtrous and ſhameleſſe impudencie for the Papiſts thus to affirm, that they have power without, and beſides Scripture. But we are not to believe any without they can ſay, Scriptum eſt; it is written, it is the infallible truth of God, grounded on Divine authority; thus muſt all Miniſters do, ground their doctrine on the truth of God.
As it is written, I have loved Jacob, and hated Eſau.
COme we now to the teſtimony (of the Apoſtle) it ſelf, I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau. Theſe words we find in Malachy, Mal. 1.2, 3. And they are here brought to manifeſt and to ſhew the reaſon of the difference that it pleaſed God to put, between the two brethren, Jacob and Eſau; Jacob advanced over Eſau, becauſe God loved Jacob; Eſau brought in ſubjection unto Jacob, becauſe God hated Eſau.
Now that we may come to the handling of this teſtimony; Some there be that ſay, this teſtimony of the Prophet (I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau,) concerned onelyonly things appertaining to this life, things outward and temporal, and not things eternal, the Prophet (ſay they) ſhewing wherein Gods love did conſiſt unto Jacob, and wherein his hatred unto Eſau did conſiſt; he ſaith Gods love did conſiſt in this, in giving unto Jacob a fruitful Land flowing with milk and honey; and his hatred unto Eſau, in making Eſaus Mountain waſte; and in giving unto Eſau's poſterity the Idumeans, a barren and a dry Country, and a Wilderneſſe for Dragons, as the Prophet ſpeaketh; therefore (ſay they) the Prophet thus ſpeaking of things appertaining to this life, outward and temporal, it cannot hence be concluded, that our bleſſed Apoſtle treateth of eternal election, and reprobation; (as you would make it, that this whole Chapter concerneth Predeſtination,) Now to this we anſwer eaſily; 'tis true indeed, the Prophet in the place alledged in the 1. of Malachy, ſpeaketh of things appertaining to this life, it cannot be denyed; but yet he ſpeaketh not of thoſe things onelyonly; he ſpeaketh of thoſe external things, but not onelyonly of thoſe things: For the drift of the Apoſtle in that place was, to reprove the Jews for their unthankfulneſſe to God; In that they did neither honour God, nor fear him; for ſaith God, Mal. 1.6. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? If I be a Maſter, where is my fear? (who had indeed loved them effectually,) and teſtified his love, in giving them a fruitful Land, even the Land of promiſe; and in the ſequel, he goeth on in a further matter, and ſheweth that God was angry with Eſau for ever, but he would be glorified, and magnified in Jacob, and in the borders of Iſrael, as appeareth in the fourth and fifth Verſes. And therefore that teſtimony of the Prophet, is not to be ſo applyed, onelyonly to things outward and temporal; for the Lord ſaith, he would be glorified in Jacob, and he had hated Eſau for ever: but it concerneth the matter of eternal election and reprobation, of which the Apoſtle in this Chapter treateth. Come we now to the particular unfolding of theſe words, I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau. Gods love, it is eſſential in God, it is of the ſame Nature with himſelf; God is love, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 4.16. and ſo Gods love it is free, even as his own bleſſed Majeſtie, and it being extended and reached out unto man, it is the free and eternal motion▪ (ſo I may deſcribe it) the free and eternal motion of Gods good will and pleaſure; the free motion, and the eternal motion of Gods good pleaſure, touching the eternal and everlaſting good of man: God freely purpoſing and determining the everlaſting good of man, out of his good will and pleaſure, as the Apoſtle ſaith expreſly in Epheſ. 1.5. we are predeſtinated, to be adopted through Chriſt, and that through the good pleaſure of his will: ſo then when God ſaith, I have loved Jacob, what is his meaning? I have freely, out of my own good will and pleaſure, nothing moving me thereunto, I have freely and voluntarily from everlaſting, decreed the everlaſting good of Jacob, and his eternal ſalvation: And I have hated Eſau, ſaith the text; Now here ſome ſtumble, and do think, that this was ſpoken, not ſimply, but comparatively; not ſimply, I have hated Eſau, but comparatively: and for this they ſay, God indeed loved Jacob and Eſau both, though he loved not Eſau with the ſame degree of love as he loved Jacob, but with a leſſe love; and therefore it is ſaid, I have hated Eſau: and they inſtance in Deut. 21.15. where the Lord ſaith by Moſes, If a man hath two wives, (as in the Old Teſtament many of the Patriarks had) the one is loved, and the other hated; this God ſpeaketh, not that a man that hath two wives hateth either, but that he loveth the one not ſo well as the other: as, Jacob had Rachel and Leah, he loved Leah with a leſſe love then he did Rachel, ſo that in compariſon of Gods love to Jacob, Gods love to Eſau was a hatred. But beloved, theſe are exceedingly deceived, for the Apoſtle calleth thoſe whom God hateth, in the 22. verſe of this ninth Chapter of the Romans, veſſels of the wrath of God, and his vengeance, and therefore they are hated ſimply, being veſſels of his wrath to deſtruction. And if we look in that text of Malachy alledged, and duly conſider it, we ſhall find upon due examination, that it will eaſily appear, that God hated Eſau ſimply, Mal. 1.2. ſaith the Lord, I have hated Eſau; and he doth exemplifie and make it appear that he hated Eſau, in that he laid his Mountain waſte, and a Wilderneſſe for Dragons; as if he had ſaid, I have ſpoyled Eſau of all his goods, ſtripped him and turned him out naked, and I have given his fair palaces, and goodly houſes, for to be a den for Dragons; if there had been any hope of Eſau's coming to his habitation and palace, and ancient poſſeſſion, then it may haply ſeem, God did not hate Eſau ſimply, but comparatively, but go on with the text, Mal. 1.4. ſaith God, Though Edom ſay, we are impoveriſhed, and caſt out, and undone, but we will return and build the deſolate places, yet, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, they ſhall build, but I will deſtroy, and they ſhall be called, The border of wickedneſſe, and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever, that is, againſt whom he proceedeth in wrath, and Judgment for ever. Oh ſee, is this hatred but in compariſon? (the Lord ſetting himſelf ſo purpoſely and profeſſedly againſt Eſau,) no, it is ſimply.
Now for the ſimple meaning of the words, I have hated Eſau, we muſt know, hatred in Scripture, applyed unto God, it is not a diſordered, inveterate, and diſtempered paſſion, as it is in us: but hatred, (applyed unto God in Scripture) it ſignifieth three things,
Firſt, It ſignifieth a negation, a denial of Gods love, that God loveth not, and chooſeth not ſome to life and ſalvation; that is the firſt ſignification of it.
Secondly, hatred in Scripture applyed unto God, it ſignifieth a juſt decreeing of puniſhment for ſin, and an inflicting of puniſhment for ſin, yea he hateth the wicked themſelves, Pſal. 5.5. thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity.
Thirdly, it ſignifieth Gods utter abhorring and diſliking of that which is directly againſt Gods holy and righteous Law, and ſo God is ſaid to hate iniquity and ſin, as the breach and tranſgreſſion of his moſt holy law; ſo then the meaning of God in theſe words is this; I have loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, as if the Lord had ſaid, I have, and that out of my good will and pleaſure decreed, and from everlaſting purpoſed, the eternal good of Jacob, and his ſalvation; and I have not, out of that good will and pleaſure of mine from everlaſting, ſo purpoſed and decreed Eſau's eternal good; nay, I have before the world was, in my ſecret counſel, rejected him, and have caſt him off, and refuſed him.
Come we now to ſuch things as are obſerveable from hence: and firſt of all obſerve, the Apoſtle here maketh the ground of the advancement of Jacob over his brother Eſau, to be Gods love to Jacob, in that he was preferred before Eſau: hence we may gather this concluſion,
Doct. That Gods free and eternal love, is the cauſe of all the good that cometh unto Gods choſen, both here in this world, and hereafter in heaven, all the good things in this life, and the life to come, even from a bit of bread, to the glory of heaven, they come from the good will and pleaſure of God, Jer. 31.3. the Lord ſaith unto his people, Iſrael, I have loved thee with … everlaſting love, then preſently he ſubjoyneth, therefore with mercy have I drawn thee. And hence it is that the Lord maketh known, that the good things he hath beſtowed upon his choſen from time to time, they have iſſued and ſprung from that ever ſpringing fountain of the free love of God, Exod. 19.4. he carried his people upon Eagles wings, he did favour and do them good from time to time, and ſo in Deut. 30.10. he choſe Jacob, and the ſeed of Jacob, and brought his ſeed out of Egypt by a mighty power: and Deut. 4.37. he turned the curſe of Balaam to a bleſſing. Numb. 23.5. when Balaam thought to curſe the people of God, God turned it to a bleſſing: ſo I might inſtance in many particulars, how the Lord manifeſted his love unto his people, one for all, Joh. 3.16. where Chriſt ſaith, God ſo loved the world, or his choſen in the world, that whoſoever believed in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life: the free love of God was it that moved God to ſend his Son to be a Saviour unto them. Indeed I grant, that Gods choſen, now believing in Chriſt, they have the pardon of their ſins, and they have all good things vouchſafed unto them, for Chriſt his ſake; even for Chriſt his ſake God is pleaſed to vouchſafe unto them pardon of ſin, and all other dependents thereon; for we muſt know, that though God out of his free love decreed to make Chriſt a means, and a Saviour, by whom, and through whom, men ſhould have pardon of their ſins conveyed unto them, that he ſhould be the conduit and perſon, that they ſhould receive it by; yet the fountain, and chief ground is Gods eternal love; ſo that the firſt cauſe, the firſt ground of all good things that come unto Gods choſen here, and hereafter in heaven, it is Gods free love, and his free good will and pleaſure, though Chriſt be the means of conveyance.
Becauſe God being moſt free, (as he is liberrimum agens,) he will not have Reaſon 1 any good thing come from any thing out of himſelf.
Becauſe no good can be given above the good will and pleaſure of God, Reaſon 2 Chriſt himſelf ſaith ſo, that we have nothing but the free and eternal pleaſure of God; ſo that this plainly ſheweth Gods free love is the ground of all good things.
Firſt of all, this Doctrine doth put down a main difference, plain and Ʋſe 1: manifeſt, between Gods love unto us, and our love unto others; we love others in reſpect of ſome good, ſome worth we ſee, ſome good quality, ſome excellent and worthy thing in them, which doth attract, and draw our love unto them, we ſee ſome beauty, ſome wit, ſome learning, ſome ſtrength, or the like, that draweth our love unto them, and knitteth our hearts unto them; and indeed we are bound ſo to do, to love others, in reſpect of their beauty, wit, learning, and the Image of God in them in any manner. Now with God there is no ſuch matter, our love is bounded and grounded and ſet upon ſome excellency or worth in the creature, even our very enemies, but with God there is no ſuch matter, his love is not ſtirred up, nor cauſed by any good worth or excellency in us, or any goodneſſe in us, no not by any thing out of himſelf. Indeed I grant, God loveth his own Image, being renued in us, and the more we are renued of God, the more holy, the more religious, the more pleaſing to God, and the more dear and pretious to him: God loveth his own Image in us actually, but the cauſe of that is his eternal free love; ſo that though the Lord love us, we being renued, and holy and righteous, yet the cauſe is his eternal free love, which proceedeth not from any thing out of himſelf, but onelyonly his free good will and pleaſure.
Is this ſo, that all good things in this life, and the life to come, do proceed Ʋſe 2 from the good will and pleaſure of God? Upon this ground we muſt learn then to indeavour in every good thing we enjoy, yea in the good things of this life, that we have and poſſeſſe, to ſee Gods love unto us in them, to ſee in the bread we eat, the apparel we clothe our ſelves withal, and the good things we enjoy, to ſee Gods love unto us: It is not ſufficient for us to know that the outward good things of this life are good things in themſelves, bleſſings of God, a man may go ſo far by the very light of nature, to know, that meat and drink, and maintenance is a bleſſing of God, and there is no comfort in this knowledge; no, we muſt be able to know that theſe good things come out of Gods free and eternal love, and to be bleſſings unto us in particular, and that they flow out from Gods free and eternal favour, wherewith he had loved us before the world was, and that they coming thus, we may uſe the Apoſtles form of thankſgiving, Epheſ. 1.3. bleſſed be God our heavenly Father, who hath bleſſed us with all heavenly, and with all temporal good things, with this health, with this wealth, this apparel: but ſome may ſay, how is that to be done? I anſwer, Labour thou in the firſt place, to get thy part in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, labour thou to apprehend and apply the merits of Chriſt his death and obedience to thine own ſoul, by a true ſaving faith, and never reſt untill thou haſt a true and a ſaving faith to apply and to apprehend the merits of Chriſt to thy ſoul; for in Chriſt alone is the ſpiritual right and title of all good things applyed to Gods choſen. Secondly, having gotten this, labour thou to find, that the outward good things of this life, they do ſtirre thee up and provoke thee forward to love God, to fear God, to walk humbly before the Lord, and to be thankful unto his holy Majeſty; the outward good things of this life, thou haſt a true right and title unto them, and are means to help thee forward in the wayes of God, and to walk humbly before the Lord, thy meat, thy drink, thy apparel, are means to help thee forward to thy ſalvation, and to further thee in the way of ſalvation. And it is not with thee after the manner of the men of the world, to abuſe the good things of this life, to vanity and pride, to ſet out their hearts, in pride of apparel, gariſhneſſe of attire, riot, and exceſſe, (as ſome do) that a man may ſay, and eaſily diſcern, there is a proud perſon; (however you will ſay, under a ruſſet coat may be a proud heart,) yet a man may ſay, where there is ſmoke, there is fire: It breaketh out in their foreheads, and foretops, and in their long ſhag'd ruffian-like hair, and in their exteriour parts, a man may ſay they are clothed with cruelty, and pride hangeth as a chain about their necks,Pſal. 73.6. and their houſes and lands are priviledged places, for all manner of abomination, impiety, and ungodlineſſe, and no man may ſpeak againſt them, eſpecially being men of place and authority, great men, their greatneſſe doth priviledge their places and houſes, for all manner of impious and abominable courſes; Oh take heed thou uſe not thy wealth as they do, but the more bountiful the Lord is, in pouring his bleſſings upon thee, the more humble thou art, the more holy thou art, the more thy heart is inlarged with righteouſneſſe, and in walking before God, and in all thankfulneſſe, yea thereby thou art made ready and fit for every good work, thy heart is not lock't up to choak the ſeed of the Word in thy heart, but they open thy heart and thy hand, and make thee ready to every good work, to reflect upon the poor members of Chriſt, the more thou haſt, the more abundant thou art in good works, then certainly thou mayeſt conclude, that God hath bleſſed thee with thy wealth, and they are teſtimonies of Gods love to thee, and God hath manifeſted his love unto thee, which he bare before the world was, and thou mayeſt certainly conclude God loveth thee indeed.
As it is written, I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau.
LEt us now proceed unto farther matter offered unto us from this teſtimony of the Prophet, I have loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, here cited by the Apoſtle: and here we ſee, that God did not onelyonly love Jacob for the time preſent, but alſo loved him from everlaſting: hence I obſerve thus much briefly,
Doctrine. That Gods choſen they were alwaies beloved of God, there can be no time given, wherein Gods choſen were not beloved of God; God loved his choſen before they had a being in the world, yea before the world was, and we cannot poſſibly preſcribe a time when God loved not his choſen, or when he began to love his choſen; no, his love was from everlaſting.
Reaſon. For as all other things were ever preſent unto God, things paſt, things preſent, things to come, they were all preſent unto him from everlaſting; he did look upon them (uno intuitu, with one full ſight,) ſo were his choſen,) as many as belonged to his election) he loved them before the foundations of the world was: ſo that no time can be given, wherein God began to love his choſen.
Object. I, but ſome may ſay, doth not the Scriptures point out, that though Gods children be now beloved of God, yet there was a time when they were enemies of God, as in Rom. 5.10. yea, doth not the Apoſtle ſay in the Epheſ. 2.3. that they were children of wrath; how can it be then, that no time can be pointed out, when they were hated of God?
It is true indeed, the Scripture doth note out this unto us, Anſw. that they are by nature children of wrath as well as others, and we are to believe it to be a truth, That Gods choſen before their effectual calling and converſion, are enemies to God, and God is an enemy unto them, before their effectual calling and converſion, in reſpect of ſin, and becauſe of ſin, which is oppoſite and contrary to good, and to God himſelf which is good, yet even then Gods choſen are beloved of God, in regard of election, and even then God loveth his elect before their effectual calling, as his elect uncalled, and with that degree of his love, which he beareth to his elect uncalled; yea, God maketh it appear manifeſtly, that he loveth them as his elect uncalled, in that he giveth unto them in time, true repentance; for if he did not love them, he would not give them repentance, and therefore they were then beloved of God, as his elect, in time to be called, and he doth work upon them in time, ſaving grace, true converſion, true faith and ſanctification, which are things tending to life and ſalvation; and doth he give theſe to reprobates? as teſtimonies of his love to them he loveth not? no certainly he doth not: and therefore certainly we may reſolve upon this, That God loveth his elect from everlaſting, and no time can be given when he loved them not.
Upon this ground it followeth, that the Anabaptiſts, and other ſuch Ʋſe 1 erring ſpirits are deceived, in that they hold this, as their tenent, that God doth purpoſe and decree the ſalvation of ſome before the world was, but God doth onelyonly then actually chooſe them, when he ſeeth faith and repentance in them: For if this were true, ſurely then God loveth not any ſinner to life and ſalvation, till he ſeeth repentance in them, which is clean contrary to the truth of God now delivered, That no time can be given, wherein God loved not his choſen.
This being ſo, that no time can be given wherein God loved not his choſen, Ʋſe 2 ſurely then upon this ground we may conclude to our comfort, we being ſuch that belong to Gods election, that Gods love ſhall be continued unto us for ever: as Gods love unto us, unto life and ſalvation, hath no beginning, but is eternal, ſo alſo it ſhall be without end; as we cannot point out the time of beginning, no more can we of the continuance; but as God hath loved us from everlaſting, ſo doubtleſſe he goeth on not only within his own bleſſed Majeſtie, but in his love to us he goeth on continually, without alteration, or ſhadow of changing, Joh. 13.1. whom he loveth, he loveth unto the end: ſo that this may be a ground of ſweet and excellent comfort to as many as find themſelves wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and find Gods love ſhed abroad in their hearts; that Gods love is everlaſting for the beginning and continuance of it.
Now proceed we further, I have loved Jacob, and hated Eſau; here we ſee that as Gods love to Jacob, was the cauſe of Jacobs advancement, and preheminence; ſo Gods hatred to Eſau, was the cauſe of Eſau's ſervitude and ſubordination: hence I might ſtand to ſhew, that Gods hatred is the ſoveraign and chief cauſe of all evils, of puniſhments that befall the wicked in this life, and hereafter; though ſin be the next and ſubordinate cauſe, yet the ſoveraign, the main, the chief, the grand and Mother cauſe, is Gods hatred: but this I will not ſtand upon, but rather note out the particular application of Gods hatred againſt Eſau; and obſerve we to that purpoſe, it is here ſaid, God hated Eſau, that particular perſon Eſau, which being underſtood as before expounded, affordeth unto us this concluſion,
That God hath from everlaſting certainly decreed the rejection of ſome particular perſons, among men, even of Eſau, and of ſuch as Eſau was: Doct: as God from everlaſting decreed the election of ſome to life and ſalvation, ſo hath he alſo decreed certainly the rejection and refuſing of others, for even as he loved the one, ſo he hateth the other: And this ground of truth hath evidence and proof of it in other places of Scripture, in the 1 Theſſ. 5.9. ſaith the Apoſtle, he hath not appointed us to wrath, but that we ſhould obtain ſalvation by the means of Jeſus Chriſt, thereby implying, that ſome are appointed of God to wrath, and in his eternal counſel, God hath appointed that ſome ſhall never come to life and ſalvation; and in 1 Pet. 2.8. the Apoſtle affirmeth that ſome there are that ſtumble at the Word of God; (which is indeed a common ſtumbling block, Gods children walk evenly with an even foot, in the waies of God according to the will of God,) but ſome there be that ſtumble, being diſobedient, unto which, before the world was, they were appointed and ordained: ſo in Jude 4. verſe, The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of ſome, that were of old before the world was ordained to condemnation, denying the Lord Jeſus, the Lord of life and glory. Indeed the Scripture is not ſo plentiful, in this matter of reprobation, as it is in the matter of election; and why ſo? ſurely becauſe the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt in the Scripture is principally to make known unto Gods choſen, Gods eternal good will, and his eternal love, to manifeſt and to ſignifie Gods good will and good pleaſure to his choſen, and the main and chief drift of the Holy Ghoſt, in the written Word of God, is to bring Gods choſen to certain hope of life and ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.3. that they may be begotten to a lively hope, yet though this be ſparingly ſet down in the matter of rejection and reprobation, yet it is ſet down plainly and ſufficiently, that God hath certainly refuſed ſome, and caſt them off for ever. And beloved, this being a high myſtery, that we may not miſconceive, or miſunderſtand it, we muſt know that there is a difference to be put, and a diſtinction to be made, between Gods decree of rejecting of ſome, and the execution of his decree; God hath decreed abſolutely from everlaſting, and before the world was, without reſpect to any thing in them, or any thing he did foreſee would be in them, their rejection: Now the execution of his Decree, is with the reſpect of ſin, the decree is abſolute, but the execution is with reſpect had to ſinne; and for ſin doth God execute his wrath in time, upon thoſe that were rejected before time, for their infidelity, and their ſin foregoing, which is the proper cauſe of damnation, and no man is damned but for ſin.
Object. I but, ſome will ſay, if God hath thus decreed the rejection and caſting off of ſome for ever, ſurely ſuch perſons cannot poſſibly be ſaved, they can never come to heaven, and ſo conſequently they muſt needs ſin, that they may be damned, and therefore they ſin of neceſſity.
Anſw. To this I anſwer; Such as are rejected of God, they do indeed ſin neceſſarily, but how? by neceſſity of conſequent, not of antecedent; by neceſſity of certainty, and infallibility, not by neceſſity of conſtraint, or compulſion; they being rejected of God, God leaveth them to themſelves, and to the curſed corruption of their hearts, and ſo they ſin willingly and freely by the neceſſity of infallibility; yet Gods decree doth not compell them to ſin, but it cometh from their own curſed corruption, as the proper cauſe of it. And ſo we are ſtill to clear God, that we do not make him the author of ſin, as the Anabaptiſts ſay we do: now this being cleared, come we to the uſe of it.
Ʋſe 1 This being ſo, that God hath from everlaſting decreed the rejection of ſome, and caſting off for ever; In the firſt place learn we to know this, as a holy, divine, and eternal truth of God: and we muſt be ſtirred up upon this ground, to a holy reverence, and holy admiration, of the wonderful and unſpeakable power of God over his creatures; and take heed we cavil and reaſon not againſt it, and labour not to bring this high myſtery and point of divinity within our ſhallow brains, and conſider that we are but creatures, and we may not preſume to preſcribe a law of Juſtice to the Creator; we are creatures, ſilly worms, we muſt not take upon us to ſay, Oh it is unjuſt, cruel, and hard for God ſo to do; for he is Juſtice it ſelf, and whatſoever we imagine or think to the contrary; yet Gods will maketh the thing willed, to be good, juſt, and holy, becauſe it is willed of him, who cannot will amiſſe, though it be hard and harſh to our corrupt reaſon, God hath willed the rejection of ſome: and this thing willed by God is good, for God cannot will amiſſe.
This being a truth, Oh then it concerneth us to look unto it, and to Ʋſe 2 take heed that we ſee to our ſelves, whether we ſtand in the mercy of God or no, and have hope of Gods mercy vouchſafed to us: Oh labour we to find our ſelves, not in the number of thoſe whom God hath rejected, and caſt off for ever; (for ſome ſuch there are) but labour to find, that we be in the number of thoſe whom God hath received to mercy. And conſider, howſoever Gods mercy is infinite, and endleſſe, yet Gods mercy admitteth of a limitation, and a reſtraint in reſpect of man, for it ſhall not be reached out and extended to all men in the world, without exception, no, nor to many that make full account of it, in their own imagination, and flatter themſelves, that Gods mercy belongeth unto them. And therefore in the fear of God, take heed we do not (in this caſe) deceive our ſelves; labour we to find our ſelves to outſtrip and go beyond a reprobate, and to find in our ſelves that that cannot poſſibly be found in a reprobate; this is that we ſhould chiefly aym at, and intend to reach to: and never reſt untill you come to find ſuch things in your ſelves, that cannot poſſibly be in one whom God hath caſt off.
But you will ſay, Quest. What are thoſe things that cannot poſſibly be found in a Reprobate? (a needful queſtion.)
Beloved, they are many; Anſw. yet I will onelyonly commend unto you two ſpecial things that cannot poſſibly be found in a Reprobate. What are thoſe? The firſt is, a thorow and true change, both of the heart and life,Two things which are never found in any Reprobate. from evil to good: (as you heard not long ſince) Gods eternal election bringeth forth an alteration; ſo the firſt thing muſt be this, a ſound, thorough, and true change wrought in the whole man, not in the memory, the underſtanding, or the tongue onelyonly, but in the reſt, and throughout; not as many that have onelyonly left ſome ſins, as the beaſtly adulterer, for want of ability to follow it, but they are changed throughout, and have the power of grace wrought in them by the means of grace, the Word, Prayer, and the Sacraments, they have true grace wrought in every part of their body, and power of the ſoul, by the uſe of the means; for howſoever God is not tyed to means, (he can work without means,) yet God doth ordinarily work, where he vouchſafeth means: And they that live under the meanes, and have not grace, they are in a fearful caſe.
The ſecond thing that cannot be found in a Reprobate,Pſal. 38.3. Rom. 7.24. is a groaning under ſin, and that becauſe it is ſin; not for fear, or ſhame, or by-reſpects, and eſpecially under ſuch ſins, as no eye of man can take notice of, to ſee or know, but onelyonly God, and a mans own heart and conſcience; a groaning under inward and ſpiritual ſins, a groaning under unbelief, hardneſſe of heart, deadneſſe and dulneſſe in performing holy duties, pride of life, pride of heart, ſelf-love, (which no man can diſcern,) a groaning unto God in ſecret, to remove theſe things. Now then if thou findeſt theſe things, that thou haſt a true and thorough change, by the work of Gods Spirit, thou art able to ſtand againſt thy beſt pleaſing and darling ſinnes; and the more grace thou haſt, the more careful thou art to uſe the meanes: thou doeſt not think the time tedious, in hearing the Word, or repeating of Sermons; the more thy love to the means increaſeth, and the more thou groaneſt under ſuch evils and ſins, as no eye of man can take notice of, no not the devil, and thou accounteſt it thy greateſt miſery to bear the burthen of ſin, thou couldeſt endure any torture in thy body, rather then ſin, certainly thereupon thou mayeſt conclude that thou art one belonging to Gods election, and haſt outſtripped and gone beyond a reprobate; Oh then hereby try and examine your ſelves, labour to find this change wrought in thee by the power and means of grace, and then this will yeeld thee ſweet and heavenly comfort indeed.