in conscience with the trembling of a spirituall palsie for his offence and yet indeed still remaines before God a member of Christ in respect of his coniunction with him and shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance Obiect 2 Grace cannot stand with sinne against the conscience and with grieuous offences Though it cannot stand so firmely Solution yet it is not wholy taken away for a man in this case when sinne hath preuailed is like vnto a building whose roofe is taken off with an earthquake or thunderbolt and whose foundation is shaken and weakened yet the house standeth still Secondly wee must distinguish of sinne against conscience for it is taken two waies first properly which is done of purpose and with full consent of will and is called peccatum vastans conscientiam the sinne that wasteth the conscience and this is not incident vnto the man regenerate secondly improperlie which is done though of knowledge yet of infirmitie by reason of feare constraint hastinesse precipitation of the minde and such like suddaine passions in the tegenerate or with some wilfulnesse of presumption yet because there is neuer any full and absolute consent it cannot bee called sinne against the conscience properly Wherefore to conclude this whole matter we graunt that the man regenerate and indued with sauing grace may fall into sinne dangerouslie and grieuouslie so as hereby his faith shall be weakened his heart hardened the spirit of God made sadde in him the peace of the conscience troubled the proceedings of Gods grace in the heart interrupted the comfort and ioy of the spirit remooued and the heart filled with amazednesse astonishment perplexitie and feare all the grates of God lessened the best things in man obscured and blemished the course of Gods mercies stopped and the whole man laid open to all the plagues iudgements of God and made vnprofitable to euery good worke yea he may so fall that hee shall haue need of a new reconciliation with God a new remisssion of his late offence a new confirmation of faith a new inkindling of the spirit and a new restoring of the inner man but that hee can wholy lose grace that is not possible that that faith which purifieth the heart and worketh by loue that that loue which proceedeth from a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained that that hope which maketh not ashamed and is the anchor hold of the soule firme and stedfast that that feare which is the headspring of wisdome and causeth a man to decline from euill and is in the heart a well of life to make a man scape the snares of death can bee wholy lost neither scriptures reason nor probalitie shall be euer able to euince Vse The vse of this doctrine is brieflie thus much as on the one side it ministreth great comfort vnto the children of God touching the perpetuitie of their estate that though they shall bee assailed with dangerous and manifold temptations and be oftentimes fearefully foiled and ouertaken yet that they shall neuer be wholy ouercarried in any temptation so on the other side it giueth vs a caueat to take heed we doe not abuse it to securitie and the libertie of the flesh for considering the state of a christian man is so tickle and inconstant in this life that he is subiect euer and anon to fall into sinne yea wholy to fall away if it were not that by the promise of God and the effectuall intercession of Christ he were as by certaine vnderprops supported and sustained requisite and necessarie it is that we listen vnto the exhortation of the Apostle and with feare and trembling to worke our saluation and if any man thinke he standeth let him take heed least he fall FINIS TWO SERMONS PREACHED BY THAT Reuerend and Iudicious Diuine Master THOMAS NEVVHOVSE late Preacher of Gods word in the Citie of Norwich AND NOW SET FOORTH for the vse and benefit of Gods people by ROBERT GALLARD Master of Arts and Minister in the same Citie ECCLESIAST 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and nailes fastned by the Masters of the assemblies which are giuen from one shepheard AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and William Welby 1614. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND trulie religious Gentleman Master THOMAS CORBET Esquire one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace in the Countie of Norffolke And to the Worshipfull Gentlewoman Mistris ANNE CORBET his most louing wise and vertuous wife R G. wisheth true happinesse in this life and a blessed hope of the life to come RIght Worshipfull those exquisite and most curious workes which Aholiab and Bezaleel wrought in the Temple were to bee seene long after their times and remained as testimonies of their skil to them that did suruiue And we see also in common experience that earthly buildings when the workmen be dead oft times stand still as monuments of their art and meanes of much good to them that liue after In like manner it were to be wished that the workes of the skilfull builders vp of Gods house when they themselues bee gone might still continue as memorials of their skill in spirituall Architecture and as instruments of much good to succeeding generations Among diuers workes of worthie workmen who haue of late very artificially and cunningly wrought about the temple of Christ I am sure that some of the Manuscripts of that iudicious Diuine Master Thomas Newhouse may well for their art be valued with the best in their kinde and cannot doubtlesse but bee very precious in your eyes who loued their author so well and very profitable to many others by whō they be so much desired For this cause hauing some of them by me lest I should seeme iniurious either to their author in suppressing that which might make so much to his praise or to the publique good in keeping backe those things are much desired as vsefull to Gods people I thought it a meete thing to publish these few to the making vp of this little volume Among the manifold true harted and entirely affecting friends this godly man had I doubt not but that I might single out diuers of whose kindnes I might presume for defence of his workes and may iustly feare for passing them by to be challenged as a man vnmindfull of their loue but the time is comming wherein I hope to meete with good opportunitie of giuing them satisfaction in this kinde In the meane while I thinke it my dutie to remember your Worships with these which if I had neglected to doe I see not but that I should in some measure haue been blemished with the tincture of vnthankfulnes I therefore doe offer these Sermons to your view and also to your protectiō hoping that you shal finde them worthie of both If you respect their author they bee his something if me the publisher alas they be my nothing yet sure such is your ingenuitie as that I doubt not but that you will
communion and fellowship with him and consequently the meane whereby this fellowship is begun and preserued which are meditation in the word inuocation repentance and other exercises of religion which because they are generally neglected plainlie argue our want of the loue of God And in stead of louing our brethren in societies there is to bee found hatred malice rancour pride and lifting vp of our selues against our brethrē contempt disdaine and such like al which make manifest the hypocrisie of our hearts Lastly to omit the abuse of the name of God by blasphemous oaths and the prophanation of the Lords Sabbaths the pride and excesse aswel in apparell as in diet doth plainly euince this point specially in these times wherein the Lord hath called vs to moderation and frugalitie all which with many moe sinnes that raigne among vs doe argue the want and the absence of the grace of regeneration But to leaue this poynt and to come to the reason because in it is is contained speciall matter of instruction for his seede remaineth c. By seede in this place to omit all other expositions wee are to vnderstand the word of God the immortall seede of regeneration as Peter calleth it which as it is in it selfe immortall and incorruptible so it is immortall incorruptible in the hearts of the Receiuers The doctrine that naturally ariseth hence is this that the childe of God begotten againe by the word and spirit of God and indued with sauing and effectuall grace so continueth and abideth for euer which point because it is difficult and controuersall I will stand the longer vpon it The question then is this whether sauing grace may be wholy lost or not For the better resolution whereof we must hold and remember this distinction that the word grace in Scripture as also in the writings of Diuines is vsed two waies First it is put for the loue fauour and mercy of God which is the fountaine and originall of all grace called by the Apostle 2. Timoth. 1.9 the grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was and this is eternall and immutable as the Lord himselfe from which it is not possible that a man should euer totallie or finallie fall according to that of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 13.1 and that of the Prophet Esay 54.9.10 Neuerthelesse a man may loose the signes and tokens of this grace wholy for a time as it is manifest Esay 54.7.8 Psalm 89.30.31.32.33 And herein the Lord dealeth with his children as the naturall Father with his child who when he offendeth and transgresseth his commandement he is angrie with him hee lookes vpon him with a sterne and seuere countenance he threatnes him to disinherit him and turnes all the tokens of his loue and fauour into the signes of anger and displeasure yet he retaines this purpose firme and constant to make him his heyre euen so doth the Father of spirits deale with his children when they are rebellious and disobedient vnto him hee scourgeth them he afflicteth them and lets them feele his displeasure yea he puts them often in seare of depriuing them of the heauenly inheritance yet his purpose of putting them in full possession and giuing them the fruition hereof neuer altereth Psalm 89.33.34 Secondly it is put for the effects of this grace which are of two sorts some are of absolute necessitie vnto saluation without the which saluation and life eternall cannot be atchieued as Election effectuall vocation iustification regeneration and the graces thereof hope loue the feare of God and these can neuer be wholy lost as afterward wee shall prooue some againe are necessarie but not of absolute necessitie which may be lost as the inward cleannesse of the heart the alacritie of spirit arising of a good conscience great boldnesse in protessing and confessing the name of Christ inuincible courage in bearing and sustaining most grieuous crosses free and chearefull calling vpon the name of God and an excellent sense and taste of the goodnes and mercy of God all which or the most of them were lost in Dauid after his grieuous fall as some haue obserued out of the 51. Psalme To speake more plainely and distinctly spirituall ioy the sense and comfort of grace arising of the apprehension of the loue and fauour of God the degree and measure of grace may bee wholy lost for a time Apoc. 2.4 the Church of Ephesus is reproued because she had left her first loue which yerst shee had professed and practised but no one grace of absolute necessitie vnto saluation can euer be wholy lost This may appeare both by expresse testimonies of scripture as also by the euidence of reason deduced thence Among many scriptures I will make choyce of those that are most pregnant for the purpose Matthew 16.18 The gates of hell though they may assaile the Church and ioyne their forces against it yet shall they neuer preuaile because it is built vpon the sure foundation and rocke of our Sauiour Christ himselfe confessed by Peter Iohn 3.36 He that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath presently eternall life If it bee said hee hath it in hope onely not in deed the answere is that the hope of Gods children makes not ashamed Rom. 5. it doth not disappoint a man of the thing hoped for for why it is not a blinde hope a vaine hope a popish coniecturall hope but a certaine and an infallible expectation of immortalitie and of the glory of God whereupon Dauid Psalm 31.1 saith that he had cast his hope vpon God and therefore should not bee confounded Iohn 10.28.29 No man shall take my sheepe out of my hands Exception So long indeede as they continue the sheepe of Christ none can take them from him Answere They alwaies so continue as may appeare by the words following they are the gift of the father vnto the sonne and all which come vnto Christ are not cast forth Ioh. 6.37 and in the words following the Father is greater then all if then Satan sin the flesh should but for a time snatch them out of his hands they should at least for a time be stronger then he Rom. 8.35.36.37.38.39 1. Iohn 2.19 By all which places it is more then manifest that those that are once in the state of grace cannot wholy fall away But to descend to a more particular proofe and confirmation of this poynt First Election cannot be lost for that is firme and vnchangeable Rom. 9.11 Paul takes it for graunted that the purpose of God according to Election might remaine firme and sure 2. Tim. 2.19 the foundation that is the Election of God which is the foundation of the saluation of the Elect abideth firme and sure Secondly the effectuall calling of God is neuer made frustrate but abideth alwaies for it is without repentance Rom. 11.19 Excep God for his part repenteth not of any gift giuen vnto man but man after hee hath receiued grace from God doth vnthankfully and contemptuously
regenerate whereby a man being resolued particularly and effectually of Gods presence standeth in awe to displease him and endeuoureth to please him in all things First it is a gift Esay 11.2 Secondly it is a peculiar gift to distinguish it from the common gifts of the Spirit as Prophecie which is a gift to interprete and expound Scripture illumination a gift to practise a particular calling a gift to bridle and moderate the affections and temporarie faith all which with many others bee in reprobates and such as are destitute of the feare of God Thirdly in the regenerate and that is added for two causes first because vnregenerate and wicked men that liue in their sinnes doe want this holy feare Rom. 3.18 Psalm 36.1 Secondly to distinguish it from that feare which is in them Now the difference consisteth in these 3. things First the feare of the godly proceedeth from faith and loue of God for he beleeueth euery word of God The commanding word and therfore feareth to transgresse euen because of the authoritie of the commandemēt The promising word and therefore feareth lest through vnthankfulnesse and disobedience hee should depriue himselfe of the vse and fruite of the promise and the threatning word and therefore feareth lest hee should incurre the danger of Gods wrath curse denounced against the breakers of his law Againe because hee loueth God therefore hee feareth to offend him and by sinne to diuide and separate himselfe from him Contrariwise the feare of the wicked proceedeth from distrust for he only setting before him the consideration of the curse the iudgements of God due vnto him hell death and damnation vtterly despaireth of mercie and his conscience by the assistance of the holy Ghost applying the curse is ouerwhelmed with excessiue feare and plunged into the gulfe of desperation and destruction Againe it proceedeth of corrupt selfeloue whereby he loueth his owne welfare his present and future good estate his own pleasures and lusts and abhorreth euery thing that may crosse him in them Lastly of the hatred of God for this is his damnable disposition that hee wisheth there were no God the law were no law sinne were not sinne that he might still liue in the practise of his lusts without checke or controlement They differe in the obiect The feare of the godly is conuersant about malum culpae and the offence of Gods Maiestie principally holding that to be the greatest euill and lesse principally and in the second place about the malum paena and Gods wrath for this is the ingenuus disposition of the childe of God that though there were no hell or punishment for euill doers yet would he shun and auoide sinne for it selfe because God abhorreth it The feare of the wicked is occupied about malū paenae alone therefore it is indeede a seruile and slauish feare and if there were no punishment for sinne he would neuer feare and the more he is punished the more he rebelleth In the effect the former causeth a man to goe vnto God and to secke comfort from him alone yea though he shew himselfe an enemie and as it were a persecutor in all reason as to Iob the latter causeth a man to flie from God and to runne away from him and to fret and fume against him and in one word the one hath hope of comfort with it the other hath none The difference further may bee illustrated by this comparison The feare of the godly is like the feare of the chast Matrone who feareth her husband being present lest hee should depart from her lest hee should diminish his affectionate loue toward her and by any offence on her part haue his minde alienated from her Contrariwise the feare of the wicked is like to that of the strūpet and adulterous wife who feareth her husband absent lest he should returne and present lest hee should know and be made priuie to her wicked and vnchast practises Whereby a man being resolued particularly c. This resolution is the ground of the feare of God now it necessarily presupposeth an apprehension or conceiuing of God in the minde which how it may be seeing God is infinit and incomprehensible and therefore cannot bee compassed within the narrow staight bounds of humane reason and capacitie it may be demanded Answ God is not conceiued of vs as he is in his owne nature neither yet by negation or analogie but as be hath reuealed himselfe in his word and creatures God hath reuealed himselfe in his word to be holy wise good iust mercifull infinite omnipotent therfore the minde of man conceiueth him to be holy c. God hath reuealed himselfe in his creatures to be great mightie terrible a God full of power glorie and Maiestie therefore the minde of man conceiueth him to be so This apprehension breedeth a resolution of Gods presence in the minde but vnlesse it be further setled in the heart and conscience it is vnprofitable and therefore I adde it must bee particular not onely that whereby a man is perswaded generally that God seeth and knoweth all things and is present at all mens actions but also effectually such as striketh the heart with an holy reuerence in regard of Gods Maiestie Whereof there be two effects first an awe which is two-fold First in respect of sinne whereunto Dauid exhorteth Sauls Courtiers Psal 4.4 An example whereof wee haue in Ioseph who being sollicited vnto folly by Potiphars wife was hereby restrained Genes 19.9 Secondly in regard of punishment or chastisement either present whereunto Peter exhorteth 1. Pet. 5.6 Examples whereof wee haue in Ely 1. Sam. 3.18 and in Dauid 2. Sam. 16.10 Psal 39.9 and in Iob Iob 1.21 Or future when a man feareth to sin because of Gods threatnings which euen the childe of God ought to dread for the naturall child feareth not only the offence of the father but euen the rod also and whip But is not this a seruile feare Nothing lesse this feare is good and a part of that filiall feare whereby wee worship God in this life as appeareth by these reasons First it is the gift of God Esay 11.2 Ierem. 32.40 Secondly it is commended vnto vs in Scripture both by precept Leuit. 19.14 which is a morall precept and Matth. 10.28 and by practise in the example of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.3 of Iosias 2. King 21.13 in the Prophet Habakkuk Hab. 3.16 in Dauid Psal 119.120 in Iob Iob. 31.23 and in Christ who though hee naturally feared death yet had a further feare by reason of the horrible wrath of God to bee sustained for the sinne of man and therefore the Apostle saith Hebr. 5.7 that hee was heard in that which hee feared Thirdly it is a meanes to escape the wrath of God as ye may see Hab. 3.16 Fourthly it becommeth not vs to be secure when God shewes himselfe to bee terrible and fearefull in his workes or iudgements And if God be to be feared why not his wrath and if hee would
haue vs to feare the sword of the Magistrate why not his owne considering that the sword of the Magistrate is his owne sword And why doth God threaten so many plagues euen to his children but to this end that they might feare them And if it displease God that we are senselesse and not grieued and moued when hee doth afflict vs Ierem. 5.3 doth it not also displease him that wee doe not feare when he threatneth Yea what father or person in authoritie aboue other is there among men that doth not loue to haue his threats feared of his children and inferiours Fifthly this feare is very many waies profitable and necessarie for first it expelleth the contempt of God and the securitie of the flesh euen in the regenerate and makes them tractable and pliable and prompt to doe the will of God and hence it is that the Lord doth often exercise his children with legall terrors and feares that they might bee the more humbled and so made the more willing to obey An example of this we haue in Paul who by reason of those feares in his first conuersioÌ„ wherwith he was strangely smitten and astonied was greatly cast downe and became farre more prompt to obey God And this is confirmed by the contrarie for what is the cause why Atheists Epicures and prophane wretches doe sinne without all shame and regard of common honestie but that they haue cast out of their hearts all feare of God and al consideration of his iudgements that they might more freely without all checke wallow in the mire of their carnall pleasures and bathe and refresh themselues in their vile and beastly sinnes The second effect is an endeucur to please him To this the Lord exhorteth Abraham Genes 17.1 and examples hereof we haue in Enoch Genes 3. and Noah Genes 6. who both of them receiued this testimonie that they walked with God that is as in his presence For when a man considereth that God seeth his heart and knoweth all his thoughts then hee laboureth to auoide dissembling and to be vpright The vse of this serueth to condemne the practise of most men for who almost is perswaded of Gods presence God seeth vs but we doe not espie him who standeth in awe of him but vpon euery occasion yeeldeth vnto sinne who is patient who studieth to please glorifie God howsoeuer many professe the same outwardly Now that we may not deceiue our selues in this matter there be certaine markes whereby this true feare of God may bee discerned which bee these First when a man setteth himselfe in Gods presence wheresoeuer hee become or whatsoeuer hee is about after the example of Danid Psal 16.8 whereof follow many notable effects First if a man bee in companie hee will obserue and vse the opportunities of doing and receiuing good if he speake he will speake wisely and guide his words with discretion or else be silent yea he will obserue the occasions and seasons of speaking and keeping silence and his outward carriage will be graue moderate decent sober not only inoffensiue but profitable to edification If hee be to doe any part of Gods worship either priuate or publike hee will doe it with reuerence with care to glorifie God to profit others and himselfe if he be about any worke of his calling hee wil doe it faithfully sincerely and diligently if about any morall duty of loue vnto men hee will performe it willingly and cheerefully and in an holy manner To make conscience of all sinne Prou. 14.16 and of moral obedience Now to make conscience of sinne is when a man in consideration of Gods presence and commandement abstaineth from sinne euen then when he is strongly tempted thereunto as Ioseph did for otherwise not euery abstaining from sin is by and by a signe of the true feare of God But to this three things be required first a godly iealousie and suspition ouer a mans selfe lest by sinne he should fall from God and good reason because of that domesticall and inbred enemie of deceit which is deepely fixed in euery mans heart by nature Iere. 17.9 Secondly a continuall care and watchfulnes ouer the heart and life and ouer all the members of the bodie and the senses that they be no instruments either to occasion or begin or to execute sinne commended vnto vs Prou. 4.23 Thirdly a 〈…〉 only to foresee the occasions 〈◊〉 and deceits of the spiâ—â—â—â—all enemie and carefully to preuent them but to furnish a man with spirituall armour out of the word of God against all assayes Againe a man must make conscience not onely of outward publick sinnes whereof the world crieth shame but of secret sins which he might commit without the knowledge of any yea of the inward and secret conceits of the heart as Ioseph who might haue done the euill to which he was sollicited secretly so that no man should haue knowne it but euen then the feare of God withheld him So also Prou. 8.13 Iob 31.23 Againe there is this conscience of morall obedience for these two be alwaies coupled together Eccles 12.13 Pro. 14.2 Psal 112.1 Acts 10.35 To feare at the hearing of Gods iudgements threatned in his word or executed in the world Esay 66.5 Heare the word of God yee that tremble at his word And the Prophet Habakkuk 3.16 said that when he heard Gods threatnings hee feared and his belly trembled and rottennesse entered into his bones and hee was wonderfully dismaied and terrified And to bee silent and wonder at the remembrance of the iudgements of God as did Aaron who held his peace when his two sons were destroyed by fire from the Lord Leu. 10.3 and to be prouoked by them to repentance which is the right vse of al his iudgments they being reall sermons which vse our Sauiour teacheth vs Luk. 13.3 To feare God more then men that is to be more afraid of the displeasure of God then of men and therefore to preferre obedieÌ„ce vnto his commandements before mans as did the Ebrew Midwiues Exod. 1.17 and the Apostles Acts 5.29 and to dread more the shame which God caÌ„ bring vpon vs then the shame of men for the shame of men is but losse of credit and good name whereas the other is euerlasting confusion Let no man therfore be afraid in the cause of God and of religion to vndergoe ignominie for such a one the Lord honoureth Contrariwise if he be ashamed to professe Christ heere then let him know hee is destitute of the feare of God and Christ will bee ashamed of him Humilitie for these two are ioyned together and haue one reward assigned vnto them Prou. 22.4 the reward of humilitie and of the feare of God is riches glory and life Desire of knowledge these two 6. are also combined Esay 11.2 and euen as the naturall child is desirous to know his fathers will that he migh obey it and please him lest happily hee might through ignoraÌ„ce transgresse euen so the true feare of God