raine no thundring and lightning no stormes and tempests will turne you back as soone may your ship be set in the sea as you returne backe againe you are confident of passing through though it be with much labour and paines with great difficulty and perill But they who goe to sea for pleasure to be sea-sick or to see strange countries if they see a black skie and discerne stormes arising they cry out O back againe back againe Wee 'l no furthâ—r Surâ—ly a setled resolution in case of religion will be of more force for holding out againsâ— all persecution then in case of a Mariners vocation â—gainst the surges of the sea For a Christian hath more assurance of Gods divine assistance in all his sufferings to be enabled to endure and over-come all then any Mariner can have of safe-passing over the sea In this resolution of a Christian this caveat must be observed that it be through faith in Gods promises and confidence in the Spirits assistance and not in conceit of his owne strength This is no better then presumption Peter failed herein Mat. 26.33 c. This his resolution and profession though all men should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended and againe though I should die with thee I will never denie thee this profession and the resolution of his mind answerable thereto was good and commendable all Christians ought to be so minded and to professe as much but not on such a ground as he did For he presâ—med too much on his owne strength This Christ well discerned Wherefore that he also might finde out and discerne the deceitfullnesse of his heart and presumption of his spirit he was left to himselfe and so he fell from his profession and denied his Lord. Selfe-conceit is a forerunner of Apostacy Instance Pendleton in Queene Maries daies By this caveat added to the direction it appeares how a Christian jealousie may stand with an undanted resolution Iealousie in regard of our owne weaknesse Resolution in regard of Gods assistance 3. Set your heart on Christ and on his Gospell Be affected therewith as David was with God and his Law which were his Love his Ioy his Delight sweeter to him then hony and the hony-combe better then silver and gold Love is of an uniting nature it makes the soule of him that loveth to cleave close to the object loved as the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David 1 Sam. 18.1 so as he never renounced him nor failed him in any strait But if while men outwardly professe the truth they doe not inwardly and heartily love it it may seeme just to the Lord to send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie as is threatned 2 Thess 2.11 and so renounce the true faith 4. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called This direction is given by the Apostle Ephes 4.1 in these very words and oft inculcated under these and such like phrases worthy of God who hath called you 1 Thess 2.12 worthy of the Lord c. Col. 1.10 In these phrases the Word importeth not any merit or condignity but a meere meetnesse and congruity as is evident by this phrase fruits worthy of repentance Luke 3.8 that is as the very same phrase is translated Mat. 3.8 meet for repentance For if worthy should there implie any matter of desert evill fruits would there be intended For evill fruits they are which deserve repentance Fitly is this word thus translated Phil. 1.27 as it becommeth Let your conversation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ This worthy walking imports a blamelesse conversation A man of a loose life whose conscience checks him for living in sinne dares not venture his life no not in Gods cause He can have but small hope of Gods accepting him Vprightnesse worketh boldnesse This made Saint Paul so bold and couragious in all his trialls as he was that he had lived in all good conscience Acts 23.1 He therefore exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 to hold faith and a good conscience And to presse this point the further he giveth instance of some that had put away a good conscience and concerning faith had made shipwracke By this inference hee sheweth that a good conscience is as a ship and faith as rich lading therein If the ship be full of leakes ship and lading are like to be lost A bad conscience cannot hold faith in time of persecution Holy men have ever beene the stoutest Martyrs 5. To all other meanes add faithfull fervent constant prayer When the houre of Christs suffering came he went into a garden to pray There he praies not once but againe and againe and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 To this the Apostle alludes Heb. 5.7 where he saith of Christ that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard This meanes he also used for Peters stability when Satan desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat I have prayed for thee saith Christ Luke 22.32 that thy faith faile not So as prayer is an especiall meanes to keepe faith from failing These things are written for our learning that wee might be incited to use the same helpe Use it therefore before the triall use it in the tryall Call upon him that is able to establish thee and thou shalt assuredly be heard To that which hath beene said to such as are in danger to be lost let mee add a word of exhortation to you that live at home safe and secure under the protection of the Defender of the true ancient Catholick and Apostolick faith have pittie have pitty on those that are in bondage under adversaries and persecutors of the said faith on such in particular as are as this Penitent not long since was taken captive by Turkes Among other evidences of your pitty affoord some helpe to redeeme them This is one of the seven capitall workes of charity and mercy The seven are these 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drinke to the thirsty 3. To cloathe the naked 4. To entertaine strangers 5. To visit the sick 6. To redeeme captives 7. To burie the dead To redeeme Captives is in sundry respects the best of them For it extends to the good of their bodies and of their soules Of their bodies in freeing them from slavery Of their soules in keeping them from Apostacy It were a worthy worke well beseeming the famous Citties of this Land for every of them to have a sacred treasure for this end to redeeme Captiues But I feare least such a worke be more to be wished then hoped for Yet I conceive that it may well be wished and hoped for too that all who have good intelligence by certificate from the Trinity-house or otherwise would contribute something towards the redeeming of every one that time after time they
found when he was touched in conscience and pricked in heart for his grievous Apostasie He went on in the right way to be found when he made knowne his case to his Minister and made confession of his great offence to him and yet further when he willingly subjected himselfe to the discipline of our Church and manifested his willingnesse to undergoe any pennance that shee should enjoyne humbly and penitently desiring to be received into her bosome againe and to be accounted one of her children For Repentance of sinne is then profitable when it is performed in the Catholick Church Where of old times of penitency were appointed by the Governours of the Church that satisfaction might be given to the Church in which remission of sins is granted Now therefore he is found indeed Now that after the just censure of excommunication for his Apostasie upon his humble confession and hearty repentance as we hope he is here this day received into the bosome of the Church now he is found So as now to his everlasâ—ing comfort if he remaine constant and to the great rejoycing of all true Christians that now behold him or shall heare of that which we behold my Text may in speciall be applied to him He was lost and is found I feare I feare that there are some even now here present that have beene in the case wherein this Penitent was lost but not in the case wherein he is found I feare there are some that have played Renegadoes and as an evidence thereof are circumcised Let such know whether they heare me themselves or shall heare of what I say by others let them know that by their secret thrusting themselves into the Church and concealing their sinne from the Governours thereof and that without just satisfaction which ought to be publikely given for an offence so scandalous as theirs is they can never find such peace in their conscience as this Penitent may Yea let them know that they have great cause to feare the deceitfullnesse of their hearts and to suspect the truth of their repentance if at least they make any profession of repentance True Penitents which by notorious sinnes have dishonoured their profession scandalized the Church and given matter of insultation to the enemies of true Religion will not bee ashamed to make open confession of their sinne and be willing to undergoe any pennance that by the true Church shall be enjoyned to them They of Iaakobs house who had taken with them strange gods brought them to Iaakob and their idolatrous earings too Gen. 35.4 which was a reall confession of their sinne and a demonstration of the truth of their repentance Achan though he knew he should die for it yet made this open confession Iosh 7.20 Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done It is probable that he was the rather enduced to make this confession because Ioshua had told him that thereby he should give glory to the Lord God of Israel in the verse immediately before and that he obtained mercy for the remission of his sin before God and salvation of his soule The Israelites having cast off the Government of the Lord by Judges being convinced of their sinne make this open confession thereof Wee have added unto all other our sins this evill 1 Sam. 12.19 The Iewes after the captivity having married strange wives which was against the Law Deut. 7.3 openly and penitently thus confesse their sinne VVee have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives Ezra 10.2 David though a King having committed scandalous sinnes contents not himselfe with a private confession thereof to the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 But by a Penitentiary Psalme maketh open and publicke confession thereof to the whole Church Psalme 51.1 To like purpose tends the second booke of Salomon stiled Ecclesiastes The Hebrewes say that this booke is an evidence of Salomons repentance for that he trusting in his wisdome and riches offended God by woemen That which S. Paul writes 1 Tim. 1.13 of his being a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious is a publike confession of his sins It is noted Acts. 19.18 19. as a fruit of true faith that many that beleeved came namely openly and publickly and confessed and shewed their deeds Among these were many also of them who used curious arts that is magicall and diabolicall arts brought their bookes together and burnt them before all men that is openly and publickly The Young-man whom S. Iâ—hn committed to the tuition of the Bishop of Ephesus being recalled after his Apostacy with teares on his knees openly craves pardon There is a Lamentation of Origen published among his workes wherein he himselfe doth openly confesse and penitently bewaile hâ—s scandâ—lous yealding to Pagan Idolatry Sundry that were seduced by Marcus the Magician in testimony of the truth of their penitency made open confession Philip who of Roman Emperours was the first Christian desiring to be admitted into the Christian Church stood in the place where penitents were wont to stand and made open confession of his sinne Natalis a Bishop among Heretiques did the like Many other particulars might here be reckoned up of such as of old in the times of persecution having renounced the Christian Faith upon touch of conscience made publike confession of their Apostacy and were thereupon admitted againe into the Christian Church For in those daies they suffered none that had once renounced the Christian Faith to be received as members of the Church unlesse they gave good evidences of their true repentance and that by their deepe humiliation free confession and willing subjection to such satisfactions as the Church should enjoyne For this end they had Ministers to order the penance of such Penitents and to receive them againe into the Church They had also publicke places for such Penitents to stand in and they had formes of confession and rites for Penitents to observe From those primitive times of the Christian Church even to these our dayes they who after their revolt from the Faith have beene thorowly touched in conscience for their sinne have not unwillingly made recantations and confessions and undergone what the Church thought meet to lay upon them This time after time hath beene done in all reformed Churches And that not onely by such as hâ—ve returned from Paganisme Turcisme and Iudaisme but also from Anabaptisme and Popery Indeed the ancient Discipline of the Church about receiving such as had Apostatised from her into her bosome againe was more austere then now it is The rather because of the Novatians who would not communicate with them who had denied the faith in the persecution of Decius and afterwards repenting turned to the same faith againe In those daies Penitents were wont to put sack-cloth upon their backs and ashes on their heads And to stand as men condemned with
and thereupon it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enduring that never fades away This better enduring substance in Heaven is lost by such as are themselves LOST through Apostacy 2. The honour atchieved by denying the faith may prove like Hamans promotion which lift him fifty cubits high above ground upon a gibbet but the honour lost by Apostacy is a Royall Priesthood a Crowne a Crowne of life an incorruptible Crowne of glory a Kingdome an heavenly Kingdome an everlasting Kingdome This is the honour that belongs to such as persâ—vere in the faith which they who renounce the faith doe forfeit 3. The liberty attained by leaving the true Christian Churâ—h may be some externall temporary freedome from prison from chaines from gallies from bondage and slaverie under cruell men But the liberty lost thereby is that divine and glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God wherewith Christ hath made them free which is a freedome from the wrath of God the curse of Law the dominion of sinne the tyranny of Satan and eternall damnation Is the rage of man more to be feared then the wrath of God chaines of iron more then the bonds of the law Bondage under Turkes more then slavery under Satan whose worke which he enjoynes is villany whose wages which he gives is damnation are blowes and stripes on the body more then gawles and wounds of conscience The anguish of a tormenting conscience is much more intolerable then of scourges whips bastenadoes strapadoes racks or any torturing instruments on the body There needs no other Accuser of an Apostate then his owne conscience no other Witnesse to convince him no other Adversary to aggravate his crime no other Iewry to finde him guilty no other Iudge to condemne him no other hangman to execute his doome upon him There needs no other to work his woe then his owne conscience Instance all these in that great Apostate Iudas Who accused Iudâ—s or brought in the bill of inditement against him Did any of his fellow Disciples No none but his owne conscience Who did beare witnesse against him Did any of the Priests of whom he received money to betray his Lord or any of their officers who saw him accomplish his treason with a kisse No none but his owne conscience Who aggravated his crime Did Nicodemus or any of the Lawyers that beleeved in Christ No none but his owne conscience Who found him guilty Did any of the common people who followed Christ from place to place and râ—ceived sundry kindnesses from him No none but his owne conscience Who gave sentence against him Did Annas or Caiphas or Herod or Pilat No none but his owne conscience Who brought him to the place of execution and there hung him upon a tree Did any of the Governours souldiers No none but his own conscience His conscience was his Accuser Witnesse Adversary Jewry Judge Executioner What the Poet said of envie may be applied to a guilty conscience Siculi non invenere Tyranni Tormentum majus Ne're did the fiercest tyrant Invent a greater torment If it be said that all Apostates have not such torturing consciences I answer that then they have a seared conscience which is much worse A restlesse conscience though for the time it be even an intolerable burden yet may it proove a meanes to bring the tortured soule to deepe humiliation for his sinne to sound repentance to an earnest desire of pardon yea and to faith in Christ Jesus and thereupon be pacified and quieted as his was who came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and saâ—d Sirs what shall I doe to be saved Bâ—t a sencelesse conscience never works any remorse or restraint but is an occasion of mens giving themselves over to worke all wickednesse with greedinesse Thus after thâ—ir hardnesse and impenitent heart they treasure unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 In this respect a conscience past fâ—eling casts a man into a more desperate condition then a conscience destitute of all comfort And of the two it is better to live and die in despaire then to live and die in an impudent remorselesnesse greedily committing sinne without any trouble of conscience Surely in the day of judgement it will be easier for the conscience which is restlesse here then for the sencelesse conscience Be wise now therefore all yee that may be brought to the triall of cruell mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment and of all manner of tortures be well instructed in the difference betwixt such things as man can inflict upon the body and such as God can inflict on body and soule that yee be not worse then the foolish fish which leape out of the warme water into the flaming fire Such are they who to escape the hands of mortall men fall into the hands of the living God not considering the weight of that which the Apostle saith Heb. 10.31 It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God The feares which usually most affright men and draw them to be Renegadoes are but of such things which the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.13 stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humane or common to man Such as by man are inflicted such as by man may be indured I suppose greater and crueller tortures cannot in these daies be by mans wit invented then were of old inflicted by spitefull persecutors on the Iewes in the daies of Antiochus and on Christians in the time of the ten notorious persecutions under the Romane Emperours So cruell was the sight of those tortures which persecutors inflicted as exceeds all expression Constant Christians had their flesh torne from their backs with rods scourges whips and cords so as their bones lay bare and the raw parts of their body were washt with vineger and salt They were knockt with clubs They were stretched on racks Their legs were broken and they so left miserably to perish They were goared with sharp pricks under the lowest parts of their nailes Their bodies were scraped with shels to death Their backs were fleaed Their skin was pull'd over their heads from the brow to the chin Their noses lips eares hands and feete were cut off and they as sacrifices cut into gobbets Their tongues were cut out by the rootes and puld out of their jawes Their eyes were boared and digged out Their bodies were rent and pulled to peeces by strong boughs forced together by instruments and let loose when the limbs of the bodies of Martyrs were tied fast unto them Their limbs were also pull'd to peeces with wild horses Their braines were knockt out with a fullers instrument Their legs were broken to peeces They were burnt with fire They were a long while together parched on hot burning coales Being hang'd by the
shall heare to be held in captivity under the Turkes or other like enemies of the Christian faith If every one of ability would make conscience of this duty though they gave but a little to one and a little to another many hundreds more might be releeved then now are For many hands make light worke O that in pressing this exhortation my voice were lowder then Bow-bell that it might sound into the eares of every rich man in and about London yea that it were like that voice which soundeth so loud as there is no speech nor language where the sound of it is not heard If with all it might pierce into the hearts of them that heare it and move their bowells with compassion then might my hope be answerable to my wish But let the bowells of you which heare mee be mooved and this my charitable motion will not be altogether in vaine Hitherto of the first generall part of my Text the danger of Apostacy He was lost The second followes which sheweth the Advantage and benefit of Penetency He is found Well note the grounds whereupon this word FOVND is used and yee will clearely discerne that it importeth true Penitency and a great benefit thence arising The grounds are these 1. The Prodigalls mind is renewed for it is said verse 17. that hâ— came to himselfe He was before witlesse and sencelesse as a mad man out of himselfe 2. Hee discerneth the difference betwixt being in the Church and out of it which difference he thus expresseth How many hired servants of my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger 3. His resolution is altered Before the Church was a prison to him he must needs wander into a farre countrey ver 13. But now he thinkes of returning to the Church I will arise saith he ver 18. and goe to my Father 4. Hee meditates on a solemne confession of his sinne thus I will say unto him Father I have sinned 5. Hee aggravateth his sinne in these words Against heaven and before thee that is openly in the sight of Heaven and secretly before God 6. His heighnous sinne more troubles him then his heavie affliction I have sinned saith hee 7. He acknowledgeth his unworthinesse I am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne ver 19. 8. He humbly contents himselfe with the meanest place in Gods Church Make mee as one of thy hired servants 9. He puts his purpose into practise He arose and came to his Father 10. He leaves his former desperate course He arose and entreth upon a new course He came to his Father These were the evidences of his true penitency The benefits thereof were these 1. His Father takes notice of his intention when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him ver 20. 2. His Fathers bowells are mooved at sight of him He had compassion 3. His Father upon sight of his true repentance made speed to receive him He ranne 4. His Father expresseth all signes of a fatherly affection favour and love to him He fell on his neck and kissed him 5. His Father so decks him as he may appeare more amiable then before He puts the best robe on him ver 22. 6. His Father conferres on him things of dignity as well as of necessity He put a ring on his hand and shooes on his feet Ibid. 7. His Father gives evidences of the great joy he had at his sonnes conversion He kil'd the fatted calfe and did eate and was merry ver 23. 8. Others also rejoyced at this Apostates conversion There was musick and dancing ver 25. 9. His Father testâ—fied better respect to him then to the elder sonne who never fell into such exorbitant courses This is evident by the eldest sonnes expostulation ver 29 30. 10. His Father accounts him as a new sonne raised from the dead and thereupon will not suffer his entire affection to be alienated from him by the brothers displeasure against him ver 32. The fore-mentioned evidences doe clearely demonstrate that the Apostate of whom my Text speaketh was received into the state of grace and salvation Joyne therefore with the truth of the Prodigalls penitency the favours that followed thereupon all comprised under this word FOVND and it will appeare that Penitency restores to salvation Such as had implunged themselves by Apostacy into the state of perdition it brings into the state of salvation In this doctrine ye are distinctly to observe first the sure Ground-worke or Foundation Penitency and then the faire structure of building reared thereupon A restoring to Salvation The former is taken pro concesso as a point in no case to be questioned but to be granted as an undeniable principle For to proclaime pardon to an impenitent or to put an Apostate into the state of salvation without true sound evident repentance is to play the part of a foolish builder that without a foundation builds an house on the earth against which the streame did beate vehemently and immediately it fell and the raine of that house was great Luk. 6.49 If the streame of temptation doe in any kind vehemently beate against the conscience of such a deceitfull convert his vaine hope of salvation is like to turne into a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement By experience we find that a deepe wound hastely skinn'd over before it be throughly searched and clensed is like to fester and to proove incurable So Apostacy or any other like scandalous and notorious sinne being soothed and smoothed over with undue hope of mercy and pardon before thorow humiliation of the soule great contrition of the heart free confession of the mouth and due satisfaction to the Church which are all branches of true penitency may proove unpardonable All the Prophets before Christ his immediate Fore-runner Christ himselfe his Apostles and other faithfull Ministers after them have laid the Foundation of Repentance from dead works to erect assurance of mercy thereupon Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy Pro. 28.13 Wash you make you cleane put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe evill learne to doe well and come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be made white as snow though they be made red like crimson they shall be as woole Isaiah 1.16 17 18. Returne ye Backsliding children and I will heale your backslidings saith the Lord Ier. 3.22 Turne yee turne ye from your evill waies for why will yee die Ezek. 33.11 I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face saith the Lord. Hos 5.15 By these particulars we are given to understand what was the constant doctrine of the Prophets To like purpose Iohn the Baptist Math. 3.2 Repent ye for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand The very same did Christ preach Math. 4 1â— and his Apostles Mark 6.12 To
Ministers for admitting penitents after their Apostacy into the Church which gives an evident demonstration of her willingnesse and readinesse to entertaine such The like might be noted of the Orthodox reformed Churches which ever siâ—ce the beginning of the Reformation have time after time received such as have turned from their Heresie Idolatry Superstition Apostacy or any other notorious and scandalous offence For it is an especiall branch of Christian discipline to stop the course of repenting and returning to the faith from none 1. Take notice hereby of the just cause that the true Christian Catholike Church and the Orthodox Fathers of that Church had to detest and abhominate as they did the unchristian uncharâ—table and unmercifull opinion and practise of the Novations in denying repentance to such as had once denied the Christian faiâ—h and in refusing to admit them into the Christian Church againe though with all the testimonies of penitentiall humiliation and contrition that they could expresse they desired it and made free offer of all the satisfaction that the Church should require Most proudly and odiously they stiled themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puritans as if they had beene forsooth the purest in the world yea and they onely the pure ones whereas they are of all the most impure denying repentance whereby sinnes are purged away Their extreme severity or rather cruelty being directly contrary to the minde of God our gracious and mercifull Father manifested in his Word by his owne free and rich grace offered to penitents by the directions given to his people to receive such and by their constant course in entertaining such the Catholike Church adjudged Novatus to be accounted an Heretique and put Novatians into the Catalogue of Heretiques For bowells of mercy ought no where so to be enlarged as in the Catholick Church that as a true mother shee neither proudly insults over her children that fall nor hardly pardons them being amended 2. This makes much to the justification of this daies solemnity in receiving this Penitent by a prescript order of our Church into her communion Herein our Church sheweth such a tender compassion to this her sonne that was once lost but by Gods good providence is now found as the Father did to the Prodigall affording unto him the best welcome that she can What cause hast thou O Penitent to blesse God that thou wert borne and brought up in such a Church wherein thou hadst at first the benefit of Baptisme to preserve thee as Noah was preserved in the Arke from the deluge of destruction and now again a recovery by penance enjoyned to thee and performed by thee which being heartily done is as another plancke after ship-wracke reached out unto thee to keep thee from drowning 3. All ye that are children of the same mother and bretheren and sisters to this Penitent imitate this gracious indulgency of your Mother towards him Be not like the Prodigals elder brother who envied his brother and was offended with his Father for the grace favour and honour which was shewed to his penitent brother Doe ye rather shew your selves to be of the mind of the Angels of God in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that converteth Luk 15.10 Henceforth upbraide not to him his Apostacy Upbraide not his circumcision upbraide not his subjecting himselfe to Mahometisme shunne not his society avoid not communion with him no not in the most sacred and divine ordinances trafique with him eate and drinke with him pray with him and pray for him Receive him as a brother beloved Forgive him comfort him I beseech you that you would confirme your love toward him 4. My heart stirres me up againe to returne to such as have renounced the Christian faith and beene circumcised in the name of the Lord Jesus to beseech them yea and to require them for Gods sake for the Gospells sake for the Churches sake for such friends sake as are privie to it and for their owne soules sake as they tender the peace of their conscience yea and the salvation of their soule to make their case knowne to submit themselves to the discipline of the Church and to be willing to give such satisfaction as the Church shall thinke fit Yee had many that could beare witnesse of your denying the faith and those such as tooke occasion thereupon to insult over you over your Faith over the Church by which you were instructed in the Faith and over your Lord and Saviour on whom you placed your Faith Is it not then meet that you should have many witnesses of your returning to the Faith againe and of your humiliation and contrition for that dishonour you have done to God and to his Church and those such witnesses as hâ—ve power to loose you and to receive you againe into the Church ye and such as will rejoyce at your conversion and praise God for the same O be not more ashamed of confessing your sinne then you were of committing it Shall hee who was not ashamed of his wound bee ashamed of binding up and healing his wound 5. Let me in the last place leave a few directions with thee O Penitent upon whose occasion we are here met 1. That which now thou dost openly with thy tongue and body before us children of men doe it ex animo do it heartily as to the Lord the Searcher of hearts Thus will thy repentance be sound indeed Thus will much inward peace be brought to thy conscience Thus wilt thou be loosed in Heaven as well as on earth All the grace and favour which now the Church sheweth is upon this pious and charitable presumption that in prostrating thy body thy soule is humbled and that the confession of thy mouth proceedeth from the contrition of thy heart If it bee otherwise thou dissemblest with the Church thou deceivest thine owne soule and mockest God who will in no wise brâ—oke such mockings Unlesse thou do what tâ—ou dost sincerely and heartily thou art in no better case if not in a worse then they who have suffered themselves to be circumcised by profest enemies of Christ and therewithall renounced the faith of Christ and yet seek not to bee loosed by the Church of Christ They cannot in Faith expect to be loosed in Heaven because they are not first loosed on earth Nor canst thou expect to partake in Heaven of the benefit of the Churches loosing thee on earth because it is utterly made void by the deceitfullnesse of thy heart But we are perswaded better things of thee and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speake 2. Be inwardly more dejected in soule more pierced in spirit and broaken in heart then with the teares of thine eyes beatings of thy brest casting downe of thy body and confession of thy mouth thou canst expresse For thy sinne for which this penance is enjoyned is an heinous sinne a crying sinne a sinne
be overmuch troubled with doubtings and feares and despaire of pardon of thine Apostacy account it a temptation of Satan and yeald not unto it but resist it and say to thy soule Why art thou cast doâ—ne O my soule why art thou disquieted in me Hope in God He is thy God reconciled unto thee He hath discharged thee who then shall lay this sinne to thy charge By exercising thy faith after this manner thou wilt bring much peace to thy conscience and make the remainder of thy life more comfortable to thee and with much cheerefullnesse carry thy selfe as a child of the Church in the works of thy calling and in all duties of piety justice and charity Only be carefull to observe the former directions with this consolation 7. Doe whaâ— lieth in thee to bring other Renegadoes to returne to the Church to submit themselves to the discipline thereof to be willing to give satisfaction by publick penance And the rather to encourage them thereunto make knowne unto them the inward peace and comfort which thou hast received hereby This is a duty which on a like ground Christ enjoyned to Peter Luke 22.32 in these words When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren and David undertaketh to do as much Psal. 51.12 13. where he maketh this prayer and promise Restore unto mee the joy of thy salvation and uphold mee with thy free Spirit Then will I teach transgressours thy waies and sinners shall be converted unto thee This is a good kinde of recompence which such as fall make to the Church As by their fall many are offended so by their rising many may be established If by private meanes thou canst not so farre prevaile with such as thou knowest to be Renegadoes as to bring them voluntarily to make satisfaction to the Chruch then follow Christs advice Mat. 18.17 Tell it unto the Church As for thy selfe that thou maist remaine henceforth stedfast and unmoveable in the faith thou shalt not want the prayers of them who now with much rejoycing praise God that the Text is accomplished in thee in which respect we may conclude as we began and say HE WAS LOST AND IS FOVND FINIS Recensui concionem hanc cui titulus est A recovery from Apostacy nec in ea quicquam reperio quò minus cum utilitate publicâ Imprimatur SA BAKER Ex edibus Londin Feb. 4. 1638. Martiall of old thus complained of a divulger of his booke Quem recitas meuâ— est O Fidentine libellus Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuas Lib. 1. Epigram 38. Dr. Playser of Cambr. having a like cause of complaint expresseth his complaint in the Poets words thus turned into English O Fidentine a booke of mine thou print'st against my will It is not mine but now it 's thine because thou print'st it ill Quo magis accommodus eo magis commodâ—s The History of a penitent Renegado * Anno 1636. * 1638. A resolution of the Parable Summe and parts of the Text. Difference betwâ—xâ— turning to the worse and to the better Ezek. 18.24 Ezek. 18.21 Lam. 1.1 1 Tim. 1.13 Ephes 2.11 12 13. When the Renegado was lost No sin per force The anâ—ient vse of circumcision When and why circumcision abolisheâ— The evill oâ— circumcision under the Gospeâ—â— Niceph. Ecl. Hâ—st lib. 5. cap. 32 〈…〉 Quae sitor quum se tormentis victum ab illo intelligeret al diabolicum prorsus consillum animum aâ—jecit c. When a Penitent iâ— found Poenitentia peccati tunc prodest si eam in Ecclesia Catholica gerat Aug. de Eccles dogm c. 80. Rectè constituuntur ab â—is qui Ecâ—lesiae praesunt tempora paenitentiae ut fiat etiam saâ—iâ— Eccâ—esiae in qua remittuÌ„tur ipsa peccata Aug. 〈◊〉 c. 65. Apostates creeping into the Church withâ—ut publike pennanâ—â— are still lost Vide Andr. Masij comment in Ios 7 19. b Iste Psalmâ— voâ—eâ—â— continet pâ—nitentiâ— oftenâ—â—ns ut qui ceciâ—â—riâ— in crimin◠〈…〉 redeat aâ— aâ—utem Hier. in lo c Aiunt Hâ—brâ—i hunc librum Salomonis esse paenitentiam ageÌ„tis quòd in sapientia divitiisque confisus per mulieres offenderit Deum Idem d Niceph. Ecl. Hist l. 2. c 32. e Lamentum quod circumfertur nomine Origeniâ— f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. 〈◊〉 Har. l. c. 9. g Euseb Ecl. Hist l. 6. c. 34. * Haeresis hujus vocabatur Episcopâ—â— Euseâ— Ecl. Hist l. 5. c. 28. h Euseb Ecl. Hist l. 6. c. 34. i In Ecclesiae qualibeâ— praebyterunt paenitentâ—arium constituerunt k Certus est paenitentium locus Niceph. Eccl. Hist l. 12. c. 28. l Lege ibid de fâ—rma paenitentiae m Rituâ—â—ste propter Novati anos institutuâ— esse dicitur quuÌ„ communicare illi cum eis nollent qui sub Decij persecutione fidem abnâ—garant postea resipiscentes ad eam redierant Niceph Ecl. Hist l. 12. c. 28. n Sacco sumpto cinere conspersuâ— Niceph. l 4. c. 21. o Stant illi periude atque judicio damnati essent c. l 12. c. 28. * Simplex verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat perdere coÌ„positum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non caret empâ—â—si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opponuntur apud Isocrat in Archid. Substractio ad perditionem Nulli nostrum dubium est per arcam Noae â—cclesiam suisse figuratam Aug de Vnit. Ecl. c. 5. Firmissimè tene omnes qui extra ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ praesentem finâ—unt vitam in igneÌ„ aeternum ituros Nam in diebuâ— diluvij neminem legimus extra arcam potuisse salvari Aug. de Fid. ad P. Diac. c 37 38. The miserable plight oâ— apostatâ— 1. Wealth got by Apostacy is vanishing 2. Honour of Apostates ends in shame b 1 Pet. 2 9. c Rev. 3.11 d Jam. 1.12 e 1 Pet. 5.4 f Iam. 2.5 g 2 Tim. 4.18 h â— Pet. 1.11 3. Apâ—sâ—ates 〈…〉 miserâ—ble 〈◊〉 i Rom. 8.21 k Gal 5.1 Terrors of conscience most terrible Horat Epist l. 1. Ep. 2. A sencelesse conâ—cience worse then rest-lesse Acts 16.29 30 Cum tenentur in tam grandâ— crimine perâ—ussâ— suâ—t animi caecitate ut nec intelligant delicta nec plangant Inâ—ignantis Dâ—i major haec plaga est Cypr. Serm. 5. de lapsis God to be feared more then man Heb. 11.35 36. What tortures Martyrs enâ—ured Maccab. 6.9 10 7.1 2 c. b Erat spectaculum eorum quae fiebant ita crudele ut omnem narrationem superet Euseb Eccles Hist l. 8. c. 6. c Virgis flagris loris funiculis lacerati ossa nudata patebant aceto sale mixto purulentis corporis partibus perfunduntur d Fustibus percussi e Instrumentis membratim extensi f Fractis cruribus puniti g In utraque manu digiti acutis calamis sub extremis unguibus perforati h Testis toto corpore ad mortem usque discerpti i Terga excoriata Capitibus pellis detracta a fronte ad mentum
new-borne estate Thus he is here set out unto us not in that condition which the Prophet describeth in these words When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned In his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shall he die But he is set out in a more blessed condition which the same Prophet thus describeth If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hâ— shall surely live he shall not die If the termes of my Text had beene thus changed He was found and is lost it had beene more miserable then fuimus Troes wee were a flourishing people or then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeca the title and first word of Ieremiahs Lamentations HOVV How doth the Citie sit solitary that was full of people In such a case miserum est fuisse it is a miserable thing to have beene to have beene in our Fathers house and to be lost as to have beene living and to be dead But as the parts of the Proposition stand in my Text He was lost and is found meminisse juvabit it will be a comfort to consider that such and such a woefull estate is altered that He was lost and is found It is like to that comfort which he found in his soule who said I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I have obtained mercy Hereupon with much content and comfort he saith 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am To shew that such a passage from the worse to the better is remarkable and not to be forgotten the Apostle adviseth the converted Gentiles to remember it Remember that yee being in time passed Gentiles in the flesh That at that time yee were without Christ But now in Christ Iesus yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ This was the case of the penitent Prodigall He was lost and is found And this is the case of the Penitent Renegado here before us He was lost and is found He was lost not when he first set to sea nor when the Turkish Pirats set upon the ship wherein he was nor when they took him captive nor when they sold him for a slave nor when he was under the harsh and hard handling of the cruell Negro The basest slave that can be under man beleeving in Christ and fast-holding his Christian faith is to use the Apostles phrase 1 Cor. 7.22 the Lords freeman Therfore not lost He that endureth whatsoever the cruellest persecutor can inflict upon him for Christs sake is blessed Mat. 5.11 Therefore not lost But he was lost when he became a Renegado When he renounced his Christian faith when he acknowledged Mahomet to be the great Prophet when he yeelded to be circumcised and have all his haire shaved off and to put on Turkish attire and when he professed himselfe a Mahometan then He was lost Had he not yeelded to those evidences of a Renegado but that per force they had been put upon him he had not beene lost If per force he had beene circumcised if per force he had beene shaven if per force the Turkish turbant or tuffe had been put upon his head and other Turkish attire upon his body he had not thereupon beene lost In this case circumcision it selfe as it availeth nothing so it doth no hurt Circumcision was of old before Christ was exhibited an honourable Cognizance wherby Gods people were distinguished from such as were extranei out of the covenant and in contempt called uncircumcised 1 Sam. 14.6 and 17.26 36. Ephes 2.11 But by Christ who pulled downe the partition wall beetwixt Iew and Gentile was that as other rites of that use which were also Types of the Messiah to come utterly abolished On which ground saith the Apostle Gal. 5.2 If yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing that is If any revive that rite which beside that it was a signe of difference betwixt Jew and Gentile and a bond to tie men to the whole Law was a Type of the Messiah to come he denies Christ to be exhibited and to have wrought mans redemption and in that respect Christ shall profit him nothing Now because Christians on these and other weighty grounds utterly reject Circumcision Iewes Turkes and other adversaries of the Christian faith are not onely circumcised themselves but doe what lieth in them to draw such Christians as they can get into their clutches to be circumcised For any Christian to yeeld to them herein whether it be by faire or foule meanes is to denie the Christian faith and to renounce Christ himselfe which whosoever doth is lost It is all one as of old it was to offer incense to the Heathenish Idols which because Origen did he was excommunicated by the Church Not feare of torture and torments moved Origen to doe what he did for those he had oft endured in great measure with much patience so as his adversaries saw that there was no working on him that way but it was pretence of avoiding another sinne For the Commissioner when he discerned that by inflicting torments he nought prevailed but was vanquished he turned himselfe to a more divelish plot for understanding how much Origen was addicted to preserve the chastity of his body hee brought him to the Idols altar where a filthy Black-more was placed and threatned that if he would not offer incense on that altar the Black-more should defile his body which filthinesse to prevent he offered the incense This pretence did not excuse his fact nor avert the Churches censure What the Black-more had done per force to him would have beene accounted no sinne of his But his offeâ—ing of the incense was accounted a deniall of the Christian faith Renegadoes that yeeld to be circumcised goe as farre yea and further too in denying Christ as Origen did yet have they not such a pretence as he Not unjustly therefore may they be accounted lost as was this Penitent here before us Yet his standing here before us as yee see him gives evidence that he is found He was not found when he with his fellowes slue some of the Turks in the ship nor when they brought ship and the other Turks to Saint Lucas and there sold them nor when he arrived in England his native Countrey againe Though these were sure evidences of his freedome from Turkish slavery yet not so of his freedome from a farre worse slavery under sinne and Satan whereunto he subjected himselfe when he renounced his Christian faith His three companions whom he left in Spaine may yet still for ought we know remaine lost He began to be