Sermons Upon Romans 11:2-8, Sermon 12
The twelfe Sermon.
VntoUnto this day.
THese wordes the Apostle addeth of himselfe, and they are not spoken by the Prophet Esay, but to bee ioyned in sence with the latter ende of the former verse, as if it should be read after this maner, The election hath obtained it, & the rest hauehave bin hardned vntounto this day. And so all that goeth before in this eight verse, to be considered as a parenthesis, as spoken by the way, and consisting of it selfe. For the Doctrine then arising hence. Wee Doct. 3 learne, that this difference is alwayes to bee founde betwixt the elect and the Reprobate. The elect, howsoeuer they may be blinde and ignoraunt, obstinate and vntowarde, and carelessely runne headlong euen according vntounto the lustes and affections of their owne hearts, with the prophane multitude of the world, to the wayes & delights of sin and vngodlines, yet is it but for a time. The Lorde of his infinite goodnesse and mercy (before it be too late) most graciously calling and conuerting them from darknes to light; from sin vntounto righteousnes, from the power of Sathan vntounto his Maiesty, that so they may obtaine forgiuenesse of theyr sinnes, and inheritance among them that are sanctifyed by faith in Christ Iesus. Whereas the Wicked and vngodly, as (through the corruption of their owne nature, and instigation of Sathan) their hearts and affections are set with delight on those things that are euill & naught; euen so, doo they continue and goe forward from euil to woorse, without remorse of Conscience, vntill they hauehave heaped vp the full measure thereof, for their iust condemnation. According to that of the Apostle, 2 Tim. 3, 13. Euil men and deceiuers shal wax worse and worse, deceiuing and being deceiued. Thus stood the case with the Iews for the most part. As in the dayes of the Prophets, Elias & Esay, they were giuen ouer to idolatry & other abhominations, to infidelity and hardnesse of heart, contemned Gods worde, despised and persecuted the Prophets, euen so (as the Apostle heere giueth to vnderstand) did they so continue vntounto that very time wherein hee liued. The rest hauehave bin hardned saith he, vntounto this day. To this also most plainly, 2. Cor. 13, 14 15. Their mindes (saith he) are hardned, for vntil this day, remaineth the same couering vntaken away. And a little after, Euen vntounto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is laid ouer their hearts. And after this manner, (through the iust iudgement of God vponupon them) doo the greatest part of them remaine in the like Ignorance, blindnes, infidelity, obstinacy, & hardheartednes, euen vntounto these very daies of ours wherin we our selues do now liue. The Children of God, whensoeuer either their owne consciences doo reproue them for sinne, or others do exhort and admonish them, howsoeuer for a time they may passe it ouer, and regarde it not; yet at length they will bethinke themselues, be touched with remorse, and glorify God in the fruits of repentance and newnesse of life. Dauid sinned greeuously in adultery & murther, but being an elect childe of God, he was no sooner brought to a serious sense and consideration of his sin by the Prophet Nathan, as 2 Sam. 12, 13. but with a penitent heart hee confessed the same. Peter also, greatly offended in denying his Lorde and Maister, but hee was no sooner put in minde of his sinne, by the crowing of the Cocke, but (as we may see, Math. 26, 75.) he wept most bitterly to consider his fall. Paule, before his conuersion, was a greeuous persecutor of the Church of Christ, making hauocke of all such as professed his Name, asmuch as lay in him, but being an elect and chosen Vessell of God, hee was no sooner admonished and exhorted to Repentance, but he presently setled himself to obey the Lords wil, as Acts 9, 6. Lord (sayth he) what wilt thou that I doo? As if hee sayde, I am now ready to performe whatsoeuer it shall please thee to enioyn or commaund. But now, how contrary heereunto, is the affection and inclination of wicked & vngodly reprobates, we hauehave examples in Kain, Pharaoh, Esau, Ahab, Iudas, and in the Scribes and Pharisees, who although they were guiltie in their Consciences of great and greeuous transgressions, and often admonished and exhorted to Repentaunce, yet they still continued in their lewdnesse, & what outward shew of remorse soeuer, they at any time made, it was altogether in Hypocrisie and dissimulation. What our generall estate and condition is by Nature, how we are thereby dead in trespasses and sinnes, hauing no more power nor ability in our selues to recouer the spirituall life lost, then there is power in a dead carkasse, to restore it selfe to a naturall life: the holye Scripture dooeth plentifully declare, Iohn 5, 21. Colos. 2, 13. Ephes. 2, 1. and in many other places, as wee hauehave had often occasion to consider at large. But nowe, howsoeuer thus by Nature stands the case with all men, yet such among the rest, as doo belong vntounto eternall life, the Lord doth not alwayes leaue in this wretched condition, but in due & conuenient time deliuereth them from the power of darknesse, and bringeth them into the liberty of his adopted children, and sanctifyeth them for the aduancement of Gods glory, and for the sealing of their owne saluation, in the fruits of the spirit, in all goodnesse, righteousnesse, and truth, according to their seuerall places and callinges, and the diuers occasions that are offred. Dost thou then see any man carelesly and securely continuing in his old and former sinnes, that either from his cradle or otherwise heeretofore, hath bin a vaine swearer, or a blasphemer, a whoremaster, a drunkard, a wrangler, a scoffer, giuen to contention, quarrelling, or debate, a lyer, a filthy speaker, an oppressor, or a backbiter, and notwithstanding all wholesome instructions and exhortations that tend to the contrary, continues so stil; is stil a known and a notorious transgessor in these or in any of thē; as som such there are, who by any good means that can be vsed, wil not be reclaimed, but alwaies continue in their vnregenerate estate, hauing so accustomed them-selues to these and such like things, and growne to such an habite in them, that there is nowe no more hope of their chaunging to the better, then of the blacke Moore his changing his skin, and the Leopard his spots, as speaketh the Prophet Ieremy, ch. 13. Wel know such a one, whosoeuer he be, and mark him out from among all others, to bee in a most desperate and miserable condition. And howsoeuer the Lord God in mercy may heerafter cal & bring such to repentance (which is euermore to be desired & praied for, if it may stād with his blessed wil) yet know their estate in the meane time, (I say againe) to be most fearful. And let al others learn by the example of such (as they tender the glory of God, and their owne saluation) to beware and take heed of continuing in sin. It being the property of Gods children when they are called and conuerted, to be so altred and transformed from their former corrupt & vnwarranted conuersation, that howsoeuer they cannot glorifie God in such perfection as they woulde; yet the desires of their hearts, and the endeuours of their liues, are wholly addicted thereunto, and set thereupon. Whereas before, they were full of vnrighteousnesse, fornication, wickednesse, &c. (as the Apostle speaketh of the vnregenerate Gentiles, Rom. 1.) being called and conuerted, they become Ful of goodnesse, filled with al knowledge, & are able to admonish one another, as he speaketh of the conuerted Gentiles, Rom. 15. Whereas before, all the Religion which they had, was onelyonly in wordes and outward shewes, vponupon their conuersion, it presently beginneth to be in al goodnes, righteousnes, and trueth, they hauing a care & a conscience to amend their liues & to practise in the whole course of their conuersation, whatsoeuer they know & professe, according to the wil & word of God. If before they were vain swearers, now they hauehave regarde to vse the Name of god with high reuerence whensoeuer they speake or thinke of it. If before they hauehave bin vnchast & dissolute, nowe they hauehave a care to keepe their bodies & souls chast and pure, as becom the temples of the holy ghost: If before they were giuen to quarrelling, contention, & strife, now they are peace-makers, seeke it, & follow after it: If before they hauehave bin scoffers, raylers, filthy talkers, or slanderers, now their care wil be to speake the wordes of truth & sobernes, that no corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths but that which is good to edification, & may minister grace to those that heare them: yea, and thus stands the case with them, as touching all other perticulers that may be remembred. According as of this difference betwixt the estate & condition of gods children, considered both before & after their calling & conuersion speaketh the Apostle, Eph. 2. Wherefore remember that ye being in time past, Gentiles in the flesh, & cald vncircumcision of thē which are called circumsion in the flesh made with hands, that ye were (I say) at that time without Christ, and were aliants from the Commonwealth of Israel, & were strangers from the Couenants of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world. But now in Christ Iesus, ye which once were far off, are made neere by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, &c. Heereof the Apostle Peter also 1 Pet. 2, 10. Which in time past, saith he, were not a people, yet are now the people of God, which in time past were not vnderunder mercy, but now hauehave obtained mercy. And 1. Cor. 6, 9, 10, 11. after the Apostle hath reckoned vp a great number of wicked and vngodly liuers, Fornicaters, idolaters, adulterers, wantons, drunkards, raylers, & such like, plainly denouncing, that no such shal inherit the kingdom of God: hee presently addeth, saying, And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus, & by the spirit of our God. Much might bee spoken, and many other places alledged, but by this already deliuered, wee may plainly see, what a great change and alteration the Lord dooth worke and bring to passe in all those that do belong vntounto him. In all those (I say) that doo belong vntounto him; for the Wicked, howsoeuer they may sometimes hauehave some prick of conscience, and sodaine motions vntounto that which is good, and so as they may seeme to be sorry for their sins, and verie resolute to walke in newnesse of life; yet as such motions are neuer wrought in them by Gods sanctifying spirit, so hauehave they neuer any certainty of continuance, but as a flame or flash of fire in strawe or stubble, as they suddainly arise vponupon carnal respects, so as sodanly do they vanish & passe away againe. Their stony hearts cannot be made flesh; all is quickly forgotten, and they are still the same men they were before. So then we see heere (to conclude withall) that one course is to be taken with the godly, and another with the wicked, aswel in the Ministry & preaching of the Gospell, as otherwise. Such as continue in their lewdnesse, and will not bee reformed (but harden their harts, and make stiffe their neckes against such wholsom aduise and counsel as tendeth thereunto.) Such are to be reprooued and vpbraided, aswell with their former, as with their daily transgressions. A man may boldly say to such a one, thou hast alwayes bin of a lewd and vngodlye disposition, as eyther in this or in that respect, and so thou art stil; we shal do such no wrong at all, though wee lay to their charge, and vrge to their Consciences, one and the same sinne and offence, and that againe and againe, yea, so long as they continue therein without Repentance. But when a man that hath bin of a lewd disposition, is now become an honest man. If he were in time past, either a vaine swearer, or a whore-monger, or a drunkard, a malicious, enuious, or a contentious person, or any other way euill inclined, and hath now left his olde and former sinne, and endeuoureth to walke in a better way. It standeth with no warrant from Gods word, to obiect any former matter at all, to the disgrace of such a one. But God is to be glorifyed for his Conuersion, and the party encouraged by all good meanes to a zealous proceeding in the obedience of the trueth. So that fitly are all such heere met withall, and iustly reprooued, who (to the disgrace of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which they professe) are very ready to vpbraide those that feare god with the sins and transgressions of their vnregenerate estate with such faults & transgressions as they hauehave cōmitted before the time of their calling. As many such there are, who if they heare any thing vttred to the praise and commendation of any man (for godlines & religion) whom they do not affect. If they knowe or can call to minde, or do but heare of any vnwarranted behauiour, committed by thē in the former part of their life, great or smal; how long ago soeuer it wer done, & how penitent soeuer for it, they hauehave bin since, yet will they be sure, eyther to cast it in their teeth (if they presently confer with them,) or to blaze it abroade to the greatest reproach and disgrace of them, they possibly may. Thus did not the Apostle Paule deale with the Romanes. After their calling and Conuersion, hee vpbrayded them not with their former Idolatry and prophanesse, howe great and horrible soeuer it were, But God be thanked (sayeth hee) Rom. 6, 17 That ye hauehave beene the seruants of sin, but ye hauehave obeyed from the heart, &c. And thus (I say) ought we to do, reproaching onelyonly such with their former transgressions, who wilfully and shamelesly continue in them, but neuer obiecting to the disgrace of any reformed Christian, what he hath bin in times past, but giuing thankes vntounto God for that hee is now. And the which, to the end we may do in vprightnesse of hart, and without respect of persons, as occasion may be offered: Let vsus humble our selues before God in prayer, and craue the gracious assistance and direction of his blessed spirit.