remains small hope of receiuing comfort by Christs eternall sacrifice but rather extreame terrour in the expectation of his dreadfull sentence small probability of being cleansed in his precious blood but rather a sore possibility of being deuoured by a violent fire Peccata sunt animae vulnera sins are the soules wounds according to the sacred Scriptures and the ancient Fathers phrase of speech And as the wounds of the body doe differ some being dangerous some more mortall some altogether incurable so fares it with the wounds of the soule some are cured more easily as the Maid was raised from death by Christ Mark 9. Some with lesse facilitie like the Widdowes Sonne Luk. 7. Some yet with greater difficultie like Lazarus Iohn 11. The cure will cost many a groane and many a sigh some are altogether vncurable the sinne cleauing to the sinner like the Leprosie of Gehazi for h 2 Kin. 5.27 euer Loe such a wound and such a sinne we haue in hand at this present euen the sinne against the holy Ghost For the subiect of this Scripture is a deadly wound euen a wound and death a wound going before and death following after it The wound is expressed in these words For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The death and danger in these words There remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and a violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries Behold here is the most hainous sinne of all sinnes and the most grieuous iudgement of all iudgements here is a fearefull transgression and a dolefull affliction in the one behold the tower of Babel in the other the valley of Benhinnom in the one the extreamest degree of iniquitie in the other the vttermost measure of miserie in the one a sinners execrable condition in this life in the other his lamentable confusion in the life to come But now I purpose God willing onely to speak of the wound In the handling whereof I intend to take these courses 1. I will open it 2. I will search it 3. I will binde it vp againe by Application In the opening of the wound I finde it in the generall to be an Apostasie from the Gospell For it is a forsaking the communion we haue among our selues So saith the Apostle ver 25. And in the particular view thereof I note foure bad humours which feede it for mali humores sunt praui mores as Bernard h Bern. super Cant. ser 36. saith Vers 26 The first is an aduised sinfulnesse After we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth The second a resolute wilfulnesse If we sinne willingly Vers 29 The third is obstinate malice For here is an aduersary that despights the spirit of grace The fourth is a generall corruption of Religion For it is a treading vnderfoote the Sonne of God and counting the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing and both these points are expressed in the 29. Verse So that in a word I finde and consequently doe define this sinne to be A Witting Willing Malicious Totall Apostasie First for the matter of this sinne It is an Apostasie either from the publike profession or priuate acknowledgement of the Gospell For the manner of it It must be witting and not of ignorance It must be willing and not of co-action It must be malicious and not of infirmitie It will be totall and not some particular impietie In the handling of which points let mee say to you in i Chris var. loc in Mat. hom 9. Chrysostomes words Excutite pigritiam non est res leuis quam audituri estis rouse vp your spirits and raise vp your attention the matter you are to heare is of no small moment The first part The opening of the WOVND The first bad Humour VVHen almightie God had laid the foundation of the world his first worke was fiat lux let there be light and this light being dispersed and confused he afterwards placed in the Globe of the Sunne which he made vehiculum lucis So in the creation of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a modell of that greater world hee placed the light of vnderstanding in the firmament of his Soule to guide him in the way of holinesse and to bring him to the place of eternall happinesse But Sathan whose kingdome is the kingdome of darkenesse in enuie towards man and malice to God obscured that light with the clowdes of errour that so hee might lead wretched sinners blinde-fold to hell like the Syrians into the midst of k 2. Reg. 6.20 Samaria Yet God in mercy beholding this miserie into which man was cast gathering together as it were the scattered beames of knowledge doth by the spirit of illumination vnite them in the Globe of the vnderstanding and where hee affords this fauour the abuse thereof is very dangerous This is that knowledge of the truth which is here spoken of for it is cognitio accepta non acquisita knowledge receiued from the illuminating spirit of God not acquired or obtained by the light or industry of nature They who offend in this kinde must be such as Saint Paul speakes of you were once darkenes but now you are light in the l Lord. So that Turkes and infidels who neuer yet receiued the knowledge of the truth cannot commit this sinne Neither is this to be taken for some superficiall conceite swimming in the braine onely but such a knowledge as taking some place in the heart hath affected the same with a certaine comfort and delight therein and bringeth with it a glimpse of that glory which is reuealed in that truth and shall be receiued in the kingdome of heauen And therefore the Apostle attributes to those who commit this sinne not onely that they be lightned but that they haue tasted of the heauenly gift and beene made pertakers of the holy-Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to m Heb. 6.4 come Now when a man shall finde the taste of Gods word sweeter then the honie and the n Psal 19.10 honie-combe as it was to Dauid and shall afterward distaste and happily detest it as the Israelites did o Numb 11.6 Manna When he shall reioyce in the meditation of eternall life and yet reiect the consolation thereof like the yong man who ranne to our blessed Sauiour kneeled to him and cryed out good master what shall I doe that I may possesse eternall life yet went away like a p Mark 10.17 flincher When hee shall haue relished and euen beene rauished with the comfortable taste of the powers of the world to come like Balaam who passionately wished O let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like q Num. 23.10 his Yet shall like a gracelesse man abandon the meanes and banish the care and cogitation thereof what probability nay what possibility is there that hee
dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one
the Lord albeit hee be the father of mercies and the God of all consolation n 2 Cor. 1.3 how oft I say doth he send forth his expresse prohibition to Ieremie o Ier. 7. 11. 15. chap. Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie nor prayers for them Yea he is wont in such cases to stirre vp the spirits of his seruants to pray against such notorious sinners and to powre forth dreadfull execrations vpon them And to that end hath he armed the Church with that fearefull censure Anathemamaran-atha If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed till the comming of p 1 Cor. 16.12 Christ Thus doth Dauid q Psal 59.5 desire the Lord not to be mercifull to them that transgresse maliciously Yea how oft doth he pursue the enemies of God most passionate and bitter imprecations Thus did Peter against Simon Magus as histories report r Theodor. hist l. 3. ca. 9. 17. 19. Thus did the primitiue Church pray against Iulian the Apostata and neuer left assaulting him with her weapons which are prayers and teares till hee had receiued his finall and fearefull stroake of destruction and then she sang Hallelujaes for his ſ Hieron super Habac. l. 2. ouerthrow Gods dearest children may commit very hainous sinnes yet they doe it of infirmitie and not maliciously The sinne of Peter was very fearefull yea could any almost be more hainous when as hee a chiefe Apostle at the word of a silly Maide against his constant protestation three seuerall times within the space of a few houres did not onely deny and forsake but euen forsweare his Master and Sauiour yea and that with dreadfull t Mat. 26.74 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execrations vpon himselfe If he knew the man But alas all this proceeded from infirmity the present danger feare of death extorted those oathes and drew those execrations from him And therefore when he went forth and wept bitterly diluit culpam lachrymis when he wept he wipte away his hainous sinnes with bitter teares and the Lords compassions failed him not The fourth bad humour Reuel 8.11 SAint Iohn in the eight Chapter of the Reuelation speakes of a great Starre called Wormewood which falling into the waters and fountains made them bitter so that many died thereof Behold such is the humour of malice For whereas other sinnes doe but muddie the streames this impoisons the very fountaine of our holy profession and brings immortall death without remedy And this is the fourth degree of this dreadfull Apostasie which for the better handling I call a particular humour when it is indeed like the corruptions of all the humors in the body For it is not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not some smaller distemper but a generall euill disposition and habit of Religion not a binding of Sampsons hands but a shauing of his locks not like the setting of the Sun in a clowde but a totall Ecclipse yea such a going downe as neuer admits any rising againe For it is a totall and finall Apostasie which doth vsually accompany the malicious resisting of the knowne truth And therefore Athanasius v Athanas ad Serapion ioynes that malice and Apostasie together in the definition of this blasphemy against the holy Ghost calling it a malicious denying of the faith which a man hath professed as x Sueton. Iul. Caes cap. 1. Sylla said in Suetonius Vno Caesari multos Marios in esse there were many Marijes in one Caesar So I may say there are many iniquities in this one sinne which indeede becomes a congeries of all abhominations For the curse of God seazeth vpon such a malicious sinner as hath beene mentioned to an vtter priuation of grace like Dauids heauie imprecation vpon mount Gilboe y 2 Sam. 1.21 You mountaines of Gilboe vpon you be neyther dew nor raine for euer And like our Sauiours curse vpon the figge tree neuer man eate fruite of thee while the world standeth Againe Sathan casts his violent and inuenomed temptations which the Apostle Ephes 6. calleth fiery darts and those where they strike they sticke fah and worke vpon the Soule like the arrowes on Iobs body z Iob 6.4 The venome whereof dried vp his spirits And then as in the generall deluge when the waters increased to a certaine height all flesh a Gen. 7.21 perished so in this great ouerflowing of sinne all sparkes of grace are vtterly extinguished This is implyed here when the Apostle speakes of an opposition against the causes of our saluation namely The Sonne of God the bloud of the Testament and the spirit of grace And this elsewhere b 1 Tim. 1.19 hee calleth A shipwracke of faith and an Apostasie from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 1 Tim. 4.1.2 1 Tim. 4. And addes the reason Hauing their consciences burnt with an hot Iron For when the conscience is cauterized there followeth an vtter benumming of the sanctified faculties so that there is left no spirituall sense of grace As we say of griefes so it is in sinnes Curae leues loquuntur ingentes stupent the smaller sins at first are irkesome and terrifie but being growne many and great they stupifie So that he which was wont to crie out with Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Rom. 7. can make a couenant with death the graue and hell Esay 28. He who was pressed downe with the ponderous waight of his sinnes which were as a heauy burden too heauie for him to beare Psal 38. can at last goe as roundly away with them as euer Sampson went with the Gates of Azzah The conscience at first will diligently obserue and censure the sinner but the same being neglected hee becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen condemned of d Tit. 3.11 himselfe and yet continueth in sinne with great securitie If a wounded man haue but one Surgeon and one salue to cure him and yet hee alas would slay that Surgeon and cast away that salue what hope can there be of his recouery And such is the condition of a desperate sinner Christ Iesus is the Surgeon and his precious bloud the blessed balme to cure our wounded soules If a man shall then offer violence to his person Crucifying againe to himselfe the sonne of e Heb. 6.6 God And contempt to this plaster In treading vnder-foote the blood of the f Heb. 10.29 Testament Is there any meanes left in heauen or earth to cure him Surely no but that must needes follow which our Sauiour Christ threatned to the Iewes g Iohn 8.24 You shall dye in your sinnes Saint h 1. Tim. 4.1 Paul prophesieth of some that in the latter times shall depart from the faith and Saint Peter saith i 2. Pet. 2.1 verse 20. there shall be some that will denie the Lord that bought
them And this afterwards he cals an intangling meaning so that one cannot be loosed and an ouercomming so that he cannot be deliuered the issue of which estate he expresseth saying They bring vpon themselues swift damnation And truely when Sathan preuaileth so farre that he vanquisheth them with his suggestions and fettereth them in the chaines of sin striking his temptations like the nayle of Iael into the temples of their k Iudge 4.21 heads so that they lie groueling like Sisera in his Tents being made euen his bondslaues and vassalles there is little hope that euer they shall recouer For it is impossible that they which haue beene so qualified with the grace of Gods spirit if they fall away should be renewed by l Heb. 6.6 repentance The children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe fall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it is Prolapsi m Ansel in Heb. 6. Id est totalit Lapsi Aquin id est prorsus lapsi as Anselm interprets that is vtterly fall away they cannot for the Lord staies them vp with his hand Psal 37.24 As when Peter through the terrours of the waues was ready to sinke Christ tooke him by the hand and saued him So when we are oppressed with the waues of temptations and are ready to sinke in the Gulfe of despaire the Lord reacheth forth the hand of compassion and preserueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many things we stumble all as Saint Iames n Iam 3.2 saith Yea the iust man falleth seauen times that is very oft as Salomon o Prou. 24.16 witnesseth But here is the comfort that hee riseth againe though his foote slip through his frailty or hee be cast downe through the stumbling blocks of temptations yet he findes the center of Gods mercie to rest vpon and takes new footing by vnfayned repentance Non sic impij non sic as for the vngodly it is neyther so nor so with them for their fall is totall it is finall Dauid fell dangerously in the matter of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. but Saul fell away fearefully when hee consulted with a Witch 1 Sam. 28. Aaron fell grieuously when hee suffered the Israelites to make earings and dance about the Calfe Exod. 32. But Balaam fell away wilfully when hee taught Balaac to intrap the children of Israel Numb 31. Peter fell dangerously when he denied Christ Iesus Mat. 26. But Iudas fell away desperately when hee hanged himselfe Mat. 27. Thus the godly although they fall into grosse sinnes yet doe not vtterly fall away According to that in the first of Iohn and the third Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is he sinneth not totally and finally Christs speech to Peter Luk. 22. was very comfortable Luke 22.32 I haue prayed for thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thy faith faile not that it be not wholy Eclipsed And that intercession of Christ is effectuall for all Gods children who albeit they may sometimes labour in obscuritie like the Sunne yet can they neuer be wholly Eclipsed like the Moone Though diuers bones be broken or out of ioynt yet the skilfull Surgeon will set them together againe but if all be asunder how can they be vnited Though the body be subiect to a mightie confusion of bad humours and distemper of blood yet if the vitall spirits be not consumed nor the vigour of nature vtterly exhausted the skilfull Physitian hath hope to recouer his patient But if the spirits be spent and there be no force of nature to assist the medicine but rather to resist the same there is no way but one for what can be expected but death And so is it in the sicknesse of the soule it may be recouered vpon many particular diseases of sinne but if it once be subiect to a totall Apostasie it can neuer be cured there is no way but death with such a sicke sinner and therefore Saint Iohn o 1 Iohn 5.16 doth very fitly call it a sinne vnto death If the soule of man be left like the tree that Nebuchadnezzar saw in a p Dan. 4.26 dreame the stumpe and rootes whereof was left in the earth though many branches of grace be lopped off by Sathan yet behold it may flourish againe but if it be like the tree that Saint Iude q Iude ver 12. speakes of Without fruite twise dead plucked vp by the rootes then the axe of Gods iudgements lies neere to it r Luk. 14.34.35 If the salt haue vtterly lost his sauour it is good for nothing but to be cast out so if a Christian haue lost all the sappe and sauour of grace and become vtterly without relish in the practise and profession of godlinesse hee is good for nothing but must looke to be cast forth into vtter darkenesse and into that violent fire that shall deuoure the aduersasarie Behold now beloued you see what is the sinne against the holy Ghost euen a witting a willing a malicious a totall Apostasie And this monstrous sinne is like the mighty windes which beating on the foure corners of the house wherein Iobs children were did cast it on their heads ſ Iob. 1.19 for when sin once breathes and blowes from these foure Climates it drawes downe the iudgements of God vpon the sinners heads to their euerlasting ruin t Leuit. 11.20 And as the Fowles that went on all foure being vncleane were abhomination to men so hee that goes groueling on these foure feete of Apostasie is abhominable in the sight of God and shall be subiect to the filthie dungeon with the vncleane spirits But to the end that the nature and danger of this sinne may the better appeare let vs consider why it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost Where first we must obserue that it is so called not because it is committed against the person but against the attributes and especiall operation of the holy Ghost The old and vulgar distinction of the Schoolemen doth illustrate this very well The Father is called Power against him therefore men are said to sinne in weakenesse and infirmitie The Sonne is called Wisedome against him they offend of ignorance and simplicitie The holy Ghost is called Grace against him therefore they sinne who transgresse wilfully and maliciously It being then the proper and especiall worke of the holy Spirit to inlighten the vnderstanding to mollifie the heart by repentance and to sanctifie it by grace hee that shall thus oppose himselfe against the worke of the same spirit must needes become gracelesse and impenitent that blessed and gracious spirit being taken away For as the yron which was made soft by being in the fire when it is taken forth becommeth harder then euer it was So the heart of man which with the fire of Gods spirit was in some sort mollified and made to melt when the same spirit is vtterly withdrawne becomes extreamely obdurate and incorrigible v Dan.
expresly before that they will not d Iere. 7.27 Ezek. 2.4.5 repent and yet he sent to them that so they might be without excuse Secondly as the Euangelists doe plainely teach the impossibility of pardon for this sinne So doth Saint Paul in this Epistle vse many and waighty Arguments to confirme the same which I will briefly contract into one He that cannot possibly be renewed by Repentance Heb. 6.4.6 He that falls quite away Heb. 10.26.29 He that cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice He that dies without mercy He that must certainly look for a fearefull iudgement Cannot be pardoned saued But hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be renewed by Repentance He fals quite away hee cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice he dies without mercy hee must certainely looke for a fearefull iudgment and violent fire therefore hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be pardoned and saued To these places Bellarmine and the Rhemists doe answere that whereas the Apostle saith hee cannot be renewed by Repentance and there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne he is thus to be vnderstood hee cannot haue the benefit of a second Baptisme To whom I answere First Bellarmine and the Rhemists do without all warrant or reason confound Baptisme and Repentance and the sacrifice of Christ And if Baptisme and Repentance bee confounded why should not also the other doctrines mentioned with the same So that Repentance Faith Baptisme the resurrection and the last iudgement shall be all one But let these men who are so violent without any arguments and so confident vpon onely the bare words of two or three of the Fathers expounding this place let them consider what others of the ancient Fathers haue written and what euen these haue affirmed concerning this sinne in other places The ingenuitie of Arias Montanus e Arius Monta. in Heb. 6. a learned Papist is much to be commended who saith most truely that it is an extreame racking of the word Repentance when it is here without cause transferred to another sence Againe if it were granted that the Apostle in the sixt to the Hebrewes denieth a second Baptisme when he speakes of Repentance because they are mentioned together in the same place and haue some affinity and correspondence yet how doth it follow that in this Chapter he should haue relation to Baptisme When as the same is neither directly mentioned nor by any necessary consequent implied or intimated Lastly suppose the Apostles words were so to be taken as that he should therein denie second Baptisme to the sinner doth not the same imply a deniall of pardon For why should he deny them a second Baptisme but to teach them that the meanes and instrumentall causes of Repentance and reconciliation being denied the effect cannot be granted But the truth is as euery single eye may perceiue that the Apostle hath in those places vtterly excluded those that sinne against the holy Ghost both from the meanes and fruit of repentance Thirdly Saint Iohn f 1 Iohn 5.16 speaking of this sinne cals it a sinne vnto death meaning such a sinne as yeelds death without remedy or recouery as the phrase being an Hebraisme doth necessarily import and Chrysostome doth truely expound g Chrys in psal 49 Vt in lege quaedam fuêre immedicabilia c. it Yea Alphonsus Salmeron h Alph. Salmer in 1. Ep. Ioh. dispu 32. one of the Fathers and founders of the Iesuites cals it a sinne to death quia suapte natura tendit ad mortem animae because it doth naturally tend to the death of the soule Againe the Apostle forbids vs to pray for such a sinner Now if prayer which should be the meanes to worke Repentance in men and to procure remission for them at the hands of God may not be afforded them is there any hope that such should be pardoned To this Bellarmine answers that the Apostle doth not directly forbid vs to pray for such but onely doth not incourage or perswade vs because the suite is very hard to be obtained And to him I reply that first the desperatenesse of the disease being to death may imply a reason of denying the medicine of prayer to obtaine life 1 Iohn 5. Secondly the coherence of the words with the words precedent doe euict them to be a direct prohibition For whereas before hee had taught Vers 14. that if we aske any thing according to Gods will we shall be heard he presently addeth these words as a Caueat that wee pray not for him that sinneth vnto death because that such a prayer is not according to Gods will Thirdly if Saint Iohn had noted onely a difficultie not an impossibilitie of obtaining our desires should he not haue perswaded vs to be the more earnest and importunate in prayer rather then to haue discouraged vs When our Sauiour saith i Mat. 7.14 that the way is narrow and the gate is strait that leadeth vnto life would you not make him absurd in saying I say not that you shall enter that way or indiscreet in discouraging men by denying them hope of entrance Doth he not better in perswading vs striue therefore earnestly to enter into that straight k Luk. 13.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gate and so if the matter had beene subiect to difficultie and not to impossibilitie doubtlesse Saint Iohn would haue exhorted vs euen to striue mightily l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.20 by prayers to God for the remission of that sinne as Saint Paul speakes Rom. 15.30 Lastly that it is a direct prohibition diuers both ancient Fathers and Papists also doe directly auouch As m Tertul de pudic cap. 19. Tertullian n Aug. ser Domini in Monte. lib 1. Augustine o Hier. cited by P. Lumberd Hierome p Sixtus Quintus orat habit in consistor de morte Henr 3 Sixtus Quintus q Fâ—rus in 1. Ioh. 5. Ferus r Didac de la vega in Psal 6. poenitent Con. 5. and diuers others Didacus de la Vega and diuers others Yea Catharinus Å¿ Catharin in 1. Epist Ioh. cap. 5. in my iudgement hath written very iudiciously concerning both this place and the point in hand Some saith he haue made this place obscure supposing that to be absurd which indeede hath no absurditie in it meaning that prayer should be denyed to some kinde of sinners But this comes to passe by reason of a certaine old and vulgar opinion namely that no such outragious or diuilish sinne could be found which of it selfe was inexpiable Thus hauing proued by the authoritie of sacred Scriptures that this sinne is irremissible and answered such obiections as haue bin made against my proofe I might also confirme the same by many testimonies of the ancient t Tertul de pudicitia cap. 2. Cyprian lib. 3. Iustin ad Quirin cap. 28. Chry. in psa 49. Hieron Ep. 22. ad Marcel Aug.
a sinner giues way to his owne corruptions and Sathans temptations hee becomes like the Image in Daniel i Dan. 2.45 whose head was gold his brest of siluer his belly of brasse his legs of iron his feete of clay thus doth he waxe worse and worse till at last as a stone cut out of a mountaine without hands smote the image and brake it in peeces So the iudgements of God not created in the beginning by the hand of God but cut out of the mountaine of mans transgressions doth beate him in peeces like a potters vessell For if our sinnes doe increase and come one in the necke of another like the messengers of Iob our punishments must needes follow like the plagues of Aegypt Therefore Woe be to them saith the Prophet that k Esa 5.18 draw iniquity in the cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Cordes are twisted of many small threds which seuerally haue very small force but vnited are very strong and so it commeth to passe that the threds of smaller sinnes being twisted by oft committing and drawne out by long continuance doe at last make this great gable of the sinne against the holy-Ghost wherewith the sinners hands and feete being bound He is cast into vtter darkenesse where is nothing l Mat. 22.13 but wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth Be carefull to auoide the least sinne lest the same be an introduction to greater For as the Philistims came vpon Sampson and ouercame him by diuers insinuations first bound his hands then platted his hayre and at last shaued off his locks So doe sinne and Sathan winde themselues in by diuers inferiour temptations still proceeding and augmenting the same till the locks of grace be quite shaued off As it is said of Ninus Victores m Iustin 1. lib. 1 Quaeque sequentis victoriae causa fuit euery victory was the means of another conquest So euery smaller suggestion of Sathan becomes an instrument of a greater temptation Had king Dauid at the first beene perswaded to murder Vriah hee would haue said what murder Vriah my loyall subiect my faithfull seruant God forbid not for the one halfe of my kingdome Yet after that hee had sinned with Bathsheba adultry made way to cruelty Sinnes are like the sores of the body which at first are but vitious humours then tumours after that impostumate and at last become vncurable So the sores of sinne waxe greater and greater Mortem parit immortalem Chrys in Psal 6. Bern. de aduent Ser. 6. Et in Cant. Serm. 15. till they breede and bring eternall death And therefore Bernard doth very fitly call sinne morbum animae and mortem animae The soules sicknesse and the soules death Thus as robbers put some little villaine into the house which sets open the dores to all the theeues And as warriors by a smaller breach doe get into the besieged City and then doe rob and kill and burne and vtterly spoile it So doth the diuell get entrance and aduantage of men by some smaller sinne and preuaileth more and more till hee hath battered the foundation of their faith dispoyled them of the rich ornaments of grace and become euen Lord of the Soule If at any time you be cast downe by the temptations of the diuell as alas who can alwaies stand let him not keepe you downe That is good counsell of our Sauiour o Reu. 2.4 Remember whence thou art fallen repent and amend The prodigall childe is set forth a patterne to this purpose who p Luke 15 Ver. 18.21 said and did what he said that hee would rise and goe to his father confesse his sinnes and craue pardon for the same Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta vnde corruit per vana delectamenta q Aug. de temp Ser. 182. saith Saint Austin Let a man returne by daily lamentations to that from whence hee is fallen by vaine delectations Repentance is the onely stay that holds vs from falling into hell Repent therefore and proportion your Repentance according to your sinnes like Manasses who hauing caused the streetes of Ierusalem to flow with blood made the prison in Babylon to runne with teares r Cyprian de Laps Ser. 5. Alto vulnere diligens medicina non desit saith Cyprian a deepe wound must haue a diligent cure Thus let euery sinner rayse vp himselfe by true and vnfayned Repentance lest his slippes of infirmity become the fall of Apostasie Take heede of backsliding reciduation in sinne is no lesse dangerous then a relapse in sicknesse The bone oft broken will hardly be set The tree that 's oft transplanted will scarcely prosper Hath Christ washed Å¿ Reuel 1.6 thee in his blood Cured thee with his stripes Esa 53.5 and healed thee with his wounds hath he paid thy debts cancelled the bond vpon the crosse and set thee vp being a t Col. 2.13 bankrupt in grace Returne not with the swine to wallow in thy filthy sinnes let not the diuell wound thee againe by fresh bleeding iniquities runne not into debt hy new transgressions Yea sinne no more lest a worse thing happen v Ioh. 5.14 to thee Thus all sinnes are carefully to be auoided yet some are more especially to be shunned as hauing a spice of this dangerous disease the sinne against the holy Ghost and some duties likewise are more especially to be practised as meanes and mithridates against that wofull euill Amongst many I will obserue some in both kindes It is dangerous to sinne against knowledge and more dangerous yet to sinne against the checks of conscience but most dangerous to sinne against the motions of Gods blessed spirit It is dangerous madnesse for the pilot to shut his eyes against the starres that should guide him And such is the case of all those who wilfully put out the light of knowledge and regard not the checks of conscience The Lord tels Israel in the second of Hosea I will stop thy way with thornes and so doth hee set the stings of conscience to stay the sinner if it be possible from his wicked courses and fearefull is the neglect thereof For he that regards not the cry of his sinnes to his conscience shall surely haue them crying to heauen against him for vengeance Take heede of scorning or vilifying the blessed word of God especially the Gospell of Peace When men shall be angry with the word 1 Reg. 22.8 as Ahab was with Michaiah because it reproues their corruptions it is with them as our Sauiour saith y Ioh. 3.19.20 They hate the light because their workes are euill and it argues their deformities that they cannot abide to looke into the glasse z Iam. 1.23 which discouers them When men doe thus disesteeme and shunne the Gospell of Christ it is a shrewd signe that the same is no pardon of theirs but rather their inditement There are some who haue scarce three sentences of Scripture yet of those they
euery man sicke So hypocrisie lets in this sinne readily but sinceritie keepes it out as carefully The Apostle therefore admonisheth fitly in the third to the Hebrewes Heb. 12.13 Take heede that there be not in you an euill and vnfaithfull heart to depart from the liuing God And in the twelfth to the Hebrewes Heb. 3.12 he exhorts Make straight steps to your feet least that which is halting be turned out of the way shewing that a false heart voide of sincerity drawes away from God and halting hypocrisie leads vs out of the way of life Therefore whatsoeuer we professe let it be in sinceritie for commonly where religion begins in hypocrisie it ends in apostasie Cherish the feare of God An awfull and humble spirit is a singular blessing Saint Cyprian saith well Timor innocentiae custos Cyprian Epist 2. Feare is a good keeper of innocencie And Salomon saith Prou. 14.27 The feare of the Lord is a well-spring of life to auoide the snares of death This deadly sinne cannot haue accesse to that heart where the feare of God resideth For as the vaines that haue narrow passages doe hardly receiue poison So where the passages of your soules are straightned with a reuerend awe of the maiestie of God you can neuer be infected with the poison of this blasphemy which is euer accompanied with haughty pride Therefore I may say with Salomon Prou. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill Be carefull to entertaine the motions of Gods blessed spirit For how can you with hope and comfort knocke at the doore of mercy if you will not heare the spirit of God knocking at the doore of your hearts What true ioy can your hearts haue when you grieue the spirit of God by sending him away and what know you if you send him away whether he will euer returne to you againe When you haue entertained the good motions of Gods spirit be carefull to cherish them Behold how our Sauiour rowseth vp the Church of Sardis in the third of the Reuelation Reuel 3.2 Be awake and strengthen the things which remaine that are ready to dye The Lord cannot abide any losse in these rich Iewels And therefore Saint Paul exhorts 1 Thes 5.19 quench not the spirit as the holy fire which came from heauen was carefully preserued in the Temple So must you see that in your soules the temples of the holy Ghost his heauenly graces be carefully cherished Yea the Lord lookes for an improuement of his graces according to the Apostles exhortation Grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Lastly Ephes 6. get the spirit of prayer and supplication which is the speciall part of the Apostles compleat armour Magnum oratio propugnaculum Chrys Idem de orando Deum lib. 2. This is a mighty fortresse against the assaults of Sathan yea it is saith Chrysostome the life and sinewes of our soules Prayer is an especiall meanes to inlighten the vnderstanding with knowledge and to water the heart with grace Eusebius Euseb hist Eccles 5.5 shewes that the Christians by Prayer obtained fulmen aduersus hostis imbrem ad refocillandum exercitum lightning against the enemie and raine to refresh the armie So be carefull daily and duely to power forth your prayers to God and you shall be fortified against this and other sinnes you shall be furnished with grace and established with the Lords free spirit for euer 3. Here is matter of consolation for euery penitent heart because Repentance is a most certaine supersedeas and euidence of freedome from this fearefull sinne which if you haue obtained though you haue wounded spirits as Salomon e Prou. 18.14 speakes though your soules were subiect to a thousand Vlcers as Chrysostome f Paulus eos curauit qui sexcenta vlcera habebant Chrys in Philip. Hom. 4. saith yet may I say of your sinnes as our Sauiour said of Lazarus sicknesse g Iohn 11. they are not vnto death For if they were your hearts would be like the Anuile in beating backe the hammer of repentance Onely this sinne doth distinguish betweene the sinnes of the elect and the reprobate There is no other into which the childe of God may not fall but into this hee cannot As the Lord said to Abimelech h Gen. 20.6 I kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne So may I say truely The Lord keepes all his seruants that they cannot fall into this sinne Their spirituall building may by diuers temptations be sore shaken and battered but the same can neuer be vtterly demolished because they haue laid their foundation vpon the vnmoueable rocke Are there any here that would gladly be assured in their soules that they are free from this sinne as I know by ample experience that tender hearts are apt to entertaine troublesome feares hearken then vnto me and I will giue you in a few words a most infallible direction for your assurance Examine your selues and search your hearts if you haue faith to beleeue Gods promises Repentance to bewaile your sinnes assure your selues you are free you are farre from the committing of this sinne against the holy Ghost The force of faith our Sauiour shewes in the fift of Iohn with a double asseueration for confirmation thereof i Iohn 5.25 Verily verily I say vnto you He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation k August in Psal 205. Oppugnat diabolus non expugnat He that gets the fort of faith shall be safe as Saint Augustine saith Sathan may assault him he can neuer subdue him The woman with the bloudy issue may be a comfortable instance in this respect l Mark 5.33 She came trembling and said If I may but touch the hem of his garment I shall be safe It is good when the heart speaks rather then the tongue But what said she If I may but touch a weake action the hemme of his garment the remotest part with a trembling hand a feeble apprehension yet saies shee If I may doe this I shall be whole So be you assured that if you can lay hold vpon Christ Iesus with the hand of a true faith though it be feeble vertue shall come forth of his wounds to cure the wounds of your soules and the bloudy issue of your sinnes When the man in the Gospell m Marke 9. brought vnto Christ his sonne possessed with a dumbe spirit whom the Disciples could not cast out he besought him thus If thou canst doe any thing Vers 22. helpe vs and haue compassion vpon vs. To whom our Sauiour answered If thou canst beleeue Vers 23. all things are possible to him that beleeueth If thou canst saith the poore man nay if thou canst saith our blessed Sauiour If the man haue beliefe in
it is well for vs though we know not the nature of euery diuine constellation If God doe so remember vs that he doe vs good let him expresse it in what phrase he will let him effect it by what meanes he will wee must acknowledge his wisdome and reioyce in his fauour Men when they remember their friends will doe them good God when he doth his friends good is said to remember them For as in the worke of creation there went with Gods dixit his benedixit and with his ordinauit his ornauit so in the administration of all things with his remembrance there goeth a Recompense and with his regard a Reward But what is obliuion incident to that all-seeing and all-searching spirit who is able euen vno actu in one instant to take exact and perfect notice of euery obiect action and cogitation in the world Hath God forgotten to be gracious must he be put in minde of his seruants that Nehemiah here saith Remember me Nothing lesse for though a woman should forget the childe of her wombe which is so vnnaturall that it is almost impossible yet will not God forget his children Esay 49.15 If all kindenesse and compassion were lost in Women Men and Angels yet might it be found in our gracious God Plini hist nat lib. 7. cap. 24. Cyrus in Plinie is famous for his strength of memory being able to call all his Souldiers by their names but what is that to the exact and infinite memory of almighty God Psal 147.4 Who telleth the number of the Starres and calleth them all by their names This faculty euen in Angels compared with God is but as a Star in Man as a Candle to the glorious Sunne Yea what proposition is there betweene things finite and infinite When King Assuerus could not sleepe he caused the Chronicles to be turned ouer where hee found the good seruice of Mardochai recorded Hest 6.1 and hee rewarded it Psol 121. Behold hee that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor fleepe He keepeth a Register Malach. 3.16 and a booke of Remembrance is written before him for them that feare the Lord. And in this Chronicle all our good seruice euen euery action of obedience is recorded that it may be rewarded When men are carefull to remember any thing they vse to put some ring or some such other thing vpon their finger or by some such other meanes to reuiue and relieue the memory so the Lord doth graue his children vpon the palmes of his hands Esa 49.16 that hee may not forget them And in this sence doth Cassiodorus expound that place in the eight of the Canticles Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale vpon thy heart a signet vpon thine arme Behold such actions and attributes are ascribed to almighty God not that he needes any thing to assist his infinite memory but all this is to inlighten our shallow conceipt and to help our great infirmitie Phil. 4.6 and therefore whereas S. Paul biddeth vs in all things make knowne our case to God S. Augustine Aug. Epist 121. by way of explicatiō saith Non Deo sed nobis Not so much to informe God concerning our wants as to confirme our selues in expectation of a supply Thus the remembrance of Gods carefull remembrance must yeeld vs comfort and the meditation of his gracious fauour should be a check to our diffidence a prop to our confidence and a motiue to obedience Doth God graue vs vpon his hands set vs as a seale vpon his heart and a signet vpon his arme and yet we doubt whether hee doth remember vs Doth God take notice of the Israelites grieuances in Aegypt Exod. 3.9 Doth he looke vpon them through the pillar of fire Exod. 14.24 and whilst they are marching is marshalling their affaires making the sea a Gallery and the clowdie pillar a Canopie vnto them and yet wee doubt whether he doth regard vs How iustly doe we incur that waighty reproofe of the Disciples Mat. 6.30.8.26 O yee of little faith How worthily doe wee deserue to be stiled with the Israelites A faithlesse generation Psal 78.9 But let vs looke vp to the eye of Gods prouidence and the hand of his protection let the Remembrance of his care be the Center of our Confidence and let vs euermore cast forth the holy Anchor of our constant hope in this faire hauen If we be like the wounded man by the high way side whom neither Priest nor Leuite regarded Luke 10. like poore Lazarus at the rich mans gate Luke 16. whom no man remembred or like the lame man at the poole of Bethesda whom no man relieued Yet let vs remember Iohn 5. that Christ Iesus is our gracious remembrancer in heauen Luk. 23.42 43 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome saith the penitent Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise saith our blessed Sauiour Behold he that had not one word of defence for himselfe or rebuke for his enemies hath a comfortable answere for a distressed Soule When Lazarus was sicke as we reade in the eleuenth of Iohn Ioh. 11.3 his sisters sent to our Sauiour this message Behold he whom thou louest is sicke Aug. in Ioan. Tract 49. Non dixerunt veni saith S. Augustine amanti tantummodo nunciandum fuit They needed not to desire his presence or craue reliefe it was sufficient to relate their wants because Christ loued Lazarus Iude verse 21. Let vs keepe our selues in the loue of God as Saint Iude exhorteth then let our prayers be our messengers to heauen and we shall finde that wee are not forgotten If we be not presently relieued let vs not feare that we are vtterly neglected distulit sanare vt posset resuscitare as Saint Augustine saith Christ deferred to restore Lazarus to health because hee ment to raise him vp from death Gods suspending of his present fauour is commonly the preparing of a greater blessing O tarry the Lords leasure then waite patiently with Noah so shall your prayers sent forth of a sanctified heart return from heauen with a comfortable eccho vnto your souls like Noahs Doue with an oliue branch into the Arke Iob. 1. Doth Iob serue God for naught saith Sathan why no nor shall any else Let vs bring in our bills into his Court and wee shall receiue present pay Christ hath it ready in his hand Behold saith he I come shortly Reuel 22.12 and my reward is with me to giue euery one according to his workes Bellarmine in his fift booke De iustificatione and eight Chapter picketh a needelesse quarrell against Caluin Negare videtur operandum esse intuitu mercedis Caluin saith hee seemeth to deny that the view of reward should stirre vs vp to good workes but this is a most iniurious imputation For Caluin onely denieth that the view of the reward should be our principall motiue to good workes which