to his owne thoughts and against his owne knowledge when he saw the people of Israell were gone he flies to strength of warre he calles his Captaines he musters his people he gathers his Chariots he pursues with all might and maine till at last both he and his ouer whelmed in the sea receiued the fearefull and finall iudgement of wilfull disobedience Now then let all the earth know the goodnesse of the Lord and wisely obserue his loue vnto mankinde for euer It is true Pharaohs heart was Hardened and he with his Nobles vtterly ouerthrowne But before this ouerthrow all meanes possibly that could be were vsed to winne Pharao Blessing vpon blessing before receiued punishment vpon punishment after inflicted Moses still and againe prayed for him Aaron euer and anon perswaded him the plagues to astonish him were sodaine and exceeding wonderfull the deliuerance to winne him was present and more miraculous the Enchanters confessed the People cried out his Seruants were offended Aegypt was almost quite destroyed the land of Goshen was still vntouched God againe and againe and still againe was entreated and yet Pharao remained obstinate Shall we then say that God Hardened Pharaohs heart Be it farre from vs for it is directly set down in the 9. chap. 34. verse And when Pharao saw the haile and thunder were gone he sinned againe and Hardened his heart and againe the 8. chap. 15. verse When Pharao saw that he had rest he hardened his owne heart Oh I would to God it were onely Pharaohs case and that we also being Christians did not abuse the long forbearance and much louing kindnesse of our God For now feare of the storme is ouer but euen one yeare or two now that our louing God through his vnspeakeable mercie hath so sweetly set all in order Behold our vnthākfulnes to God enioying so religious and peaceable a Prince that all Nations round about vs stand amazed now that he hath setled amongst vs a most happie and religious peace now that he gath giuen honor plentie and rest throughout all the land still still we dally and trifle with the Lord according to our priuate humors and seuerall sectes we will not prosesse the Gospell except we first condition as Pharao did both with our God and King with humble hearts we do not submit our selues peaceably to serue the Lord For this blessed Catastrophe our soules flame not with thankefull loue neyther as they ought breake foorth into euerlasting prayses Nay whereas the word of GOD came tenne times to Pharao willing him to let the people of Israell goe and serue the Lord the same word comes an hundred times tenne to our heartes crying and beating vpon vs to haue vs let goe our contentions our carnall and peruerse affections and yet wee neuer relente at the same A mans heart will tell him more then seuen watchmen in a Tower Wee know Ecceus 37.14 we know euery one in his owne bosome the sinnes which we secretly foster and will not let goe But as Saint Paule exhorteth the Iewes Hebrewes 3.12 so I aduise you in the name of GOD. Take heed take heed least in any of you there bee found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing GOD. For assuredly it is a fearefull and bitter thing to carye euer a selfe-wild and peruerse minde to respect meerely the applause of men and fading pleasures of this life so inwardly falling away from God and losing the blessed comfort of our saluation O Sauiour sweet and secret hope turne vs that we may be turned bow our heartes and the heartes of our seede vnto thee that we may feare thy iudgements acknowledge thy goodnesse and stand fast in thy loue for euer The third poynt is to show how men become Hardened in opening whereof wee are to vnderstand that there are three sortes of Hardening Naturalis Voluntaria Hidicialis The first is by Nature the second by Habite and Custome the third by the Iust iudgement of GOD. The first is the forgetfulnesse or dulnesse in a naturall man when hee ouershootes himselfe for want of wise obseruation and remembrance In this sixth of Marke our Sauiour Christ fed fiue thousand men with fiue loaues Mark 6. and two fishes a miracle sufficient to prooue vnto his Disciples that he was the Sonne of GOD. Yet presently after when he came walking on the Sea and caused the winde to cease they stoode amazed and did not acknowledge his Diuinitie for saith the Scripture in the two and fifteth verse Gods children may be blinded in mind and hardened in heart for a time They considered not the miracle of the loaues because their hearts were Hardened that is through naturall imperfection they had for got it Secondly there is an Hardening by habit when through a carelesse securitie men doe continue in sinne and take such a custome as they can hardly leaue So Simon Magus his heart by custome was so long bent and set vpon couetousnesse that being conuersant amongest the Apostles and daily imployed in most diuine and holy actions Yet euen then his minde and thought still ranne vpon money vpon gaine This is Habitualis obduratio an Hardening which growes by continuance in sinne He that is in this case it standes him vpon to gather vp his spirits and strongly to resist sinne to sequester himselfe ost-times vnto deuout and priuate Meditations to ioy in hearing the word with reuerence to receiue the blessed Sacramentes especially to bee feruent in prayer for so Saint Peter willed Simon Magus Acts. 8.22 Repent and pray that if it bee possible the thoughtes of thy heart may bee forgiuen The third and last is Iudicialis obduratis an Hardning which proceedes from the iust iudgemente of God Cumpeccatum fit paenapeccati when sinne becomes a punishment to him that committeth it Rom. 1.2.7 as Saint Paule sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recompence of former errors when the thought is so poysoned the minde and soule so generally infected that the spirit of God is vtterly quenched no light of nature no priuate counsell no publicke exhortation out of the worde no inwarde motions of Gods spirite can preuaile but he goeth on so long and is so farre spent that beeing past all feare to offend careleslye hee maketh no scruple of any sinne whatsoeuer till at length finding in himselfe no hope of recouery eyther God strikes him apparantly with his iudgement as hee did Pharao or else by his death hee passeth silent to the graue without repentance as Diues or in this life as Iudas did doeth plunge himselfe in the gulfe of desperation This is that Hardening which is heere meant of Pharao This Hardening is not all on a suddaine Non ruimus primo impetu vt Deo reluctemur Calw no man is Hardened at the first Nemo fit repente miser Hebr. 3.13 Take heede least anie of you be Hardened through the deceitefulnesse of sinne The deceitfulnesse of sinne The Aquin. it
AN OTHER SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING AT GREENEWICH ON Tuesday before Easter being the 26. of March 1605. BY ANTHONIE MAXEY Bachelar in Diuinity and Chaplaine to his Maiesty The points herein handled are these 1. That there is an Hardening 2. That God Hardeneth not 3. How men become Hardened 4. The meanes to auoid it PRO. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that Hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill IN DO MINO â—ONâ— DO AT LONDON Printed by George Snowdon and Lionell Snowdon for Clement Knight and are to be sould at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Holy Lambe 1605. HARDENING EXOD. 10.20 And the Lord hardened Pharaohs heart and he did not let the children of Israell goe THE heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things Ier. 17.9 who can know it Although the heart of man be so little that it will scarce serue a Kite for a baite yet ther are not more windings nor more turnings in a Maze or in a Laborinth then are in the heart of man The Heathen were so forward in acknowledging a diuine power that rather then they would be without a god they gaue diuine honour to any kinde of creature The Assyrians worshipped Idols the Persians stars the Aegyptians plants and all manner of beasts the Graecians their owne conceipts and the Romanes made their city a shoppe for all kinde of gods So many were the windings and so infinite the turnings of the heathen touching diuine worshippe that Varro obserued in the world thirtie thousand gods The dissolute cunning Atheist he hath a fetch by himselfe alone he lets lose the reines followes the streanie of his sensual affections because hee conceiues in his heart and cleane contrarie to the Heathen saith there is no God at all Psal 14 1. There is a third kinde who though in show they outwardly acknowledge God yet they againe haue an other winding secretly to themselues they plod on swallowing any sinne for why Zeph. 1 12. The Lord will neither doe good nor euill Because there is not present punishment for euerie sinne Tush all is well no harme shall happen vnto vs For God careth not for any thing Psal 10.12 Lastly in these our daies there is yet a fourth sort who haue a more strange turning then all the former For many hauing a generall notion of Gods omnipotencie hearing and reading sometimes of Gods Election and Reprobation whereof they vnderstand no ground nor conceiue aright they will presume to commit any sinne for say they All is in God no man can resist his power if he hath chosen me to life I am sure for one if otherwise as he did with Pharao hee hath appointed me a Vessell of his wrath it is not possibly to be auoided Such are the windings and these are the turninges in the heartes and secret thoughts of men eyther euerie creature a God or else no God eyther a God that regardeth not sinne or else a God that causeth vs to sinne Esay 29.15 These turnings and deuises in the sight of the Lord are esteemed as clay before the potter To conuince the palpable errors of the three former I hold it not conuenient For to thinke there is any one heere present who doth acknowledge no god at all or such a GOD as regardeth not the actions of men I hold it wrong to this holy assembly and I hope better things of this Christian audience But to meete with this latter sort who leauing all good meanes of their saluation doe inwardly fall away from GOD and yet in their willfull ignorance would shift off and shoue the cause of their condemnation vpon God For such chiefely haue I vndertaken the exposition of this Scripture in opening whereof I will touch these foure points First that there is 1 An Hardening 2 That God Hardeneth not 3 How men become Hardened 4 The meanes to avoid it Concerning the first point There are in the Scriptures two Greeke verbes which are commonly vsed for this Hardening The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth properly signifie to drie vp and wither vsed often in the 3. to the Hebrewes 8.13.15 verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harden not yoour hearts The other verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to obdurate or to make hard Ephes 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They became strangers from the life of God through the hardnesse of their hearts Hauing thus recourse vnto the Greeke tongue we shall see that in the heart of man first there is a drying vp and a certain withering For in naturall things and also in the soule as there is a watering which is good and comfortable so there is a drying vp and withering which is dangerous and hurtfull In the earth there is a watering for the hils are the teates and the springs the milke to moysten and to water the valleyes Psalm 104. verse 10. Hee sendeth the springes into the riuers which runne amongest the hilles In the earth there is a drynesse Ioel. 1.20 for saith Ioell The people mourne for want of moisture the riuers of waters are dryed vp and the trees of the field are withered In the bodie there is a watering for the Liuer is the spring of bloud that runneth into euerie veine and therefore Salomon calleth the Liuer Ficcles 12.7 The golden well In the bodie there is a withering for Dauid complaineth in the Psalme 22.15 verse My moisture is like the drought in Summer and my bones are dryed vp like a potshard As in the earth and bodie of man so likewise in the soule there is a watering and a withering In the 4. of Saint Iohn and .14 verse there is mention of a well of liuing waters for the soule The preaching of grace in Christ is called the watering of Apollo 1. Cor. 3.6 The prophet Esay saith Esay 12.3 with ioy ye shall draw waters out of the welles of saluation Contrariwise where this grace doth not water Greg. mag there is withering Si spiritus irrigatio defuerit omnis plantatio exarescit Euery planting that hath not the watering of Gods spirit it withereth and dryes away therefore saith the Psalmist the godly they are like the tree panted by the riuers side Psal 1. â— there is watering but the vngodly are as a Garden that hath no water and as the broken leafe that fadeth there is withering Esay 1.30 The other Greeke verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to harden There bee Phisicae aethicae vicissitudines there is a naturall and a spirituall Philosophie In the naturall course of thinges there is a congealing and an hatdening Iob. 38.30.31 as of the yce and frost which Iob verie fitly calleth the bands of Orion because by the cold East and North windes the water becomes as a stone and the clods are bound together Contrarie to this Haraening Psa 147.18 there is a melting
Hee sendeth out his word and melteth them As when the frost doth giue and the showers fall which Iob calles in the same place The sweet insluence of Pleiades Both in nature and in the soule also there is a Resoluing and a Hardening Deut. 32. vers 2. The word is called Dewe and there is a thaw or spirituall melting when the heauenly dewe doth cause the soule to giue and to resolue into teares of Repentance so in the 2. of Kings 22.10 Iosias heart did melt when he heard the law read When King Dauid had committed murder and adultery very grieuous sinnes he neuer be thought himselfe of the matter but begann to congeale and to be Hardened in his sinne but assoone as the prophet Nathan had awaked him and his heart like Gedeons fleece had drunck vp the heauenly dew then presently Dauid began to relent his soule melted with sorrow and as appeareth in the 51. Psal he resolued into teares of Repentance Hezechias when God had giuen vnto him a sodaino and triumphant victory ouer the host of Zenacharib presently after in the pride of his hart he forgat God and began to congeale in sinne but assoone as the word of the Lord came vnto him by the prophet Esay then presently his heart melted the bloud of his soule flowed forth in his repentant teares as appeareth in the 38 of Esay he turned his face vnto the wall Esay 38.3 and wept bitterly Now as there is a Melting so also there is an Hardening in the soule and that is when the custome of sinne hath beaten such an hard tracke and so trampled the soule that the word of God the seede of life cannot enter This is expressed in the 13. of Saint Mathew by the parable of the seede which fell by the high way side where there was such an hard way such a beaten path made by the common entrance of sinne that the seede could take no roote but the diuell comes like an Harpie and deuoureth it before it can enter For example heereof we will take Cain and King Pharao whom my Text concerneth Cain hauing slaine his brother Abell and committed horrible murder the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Where is thy brother Abell did Cains heart relent did he confesse and say I haue finned or did he resolue into teares with Dauid no such matter but first he answered with a foule word I cannot tell where he is then he dispised the Lord to his face as if he should say you may goe looke him am I my brothers keeper marke but this answer of Cain and his cariage therein and you neede no other example of an heart that is Hardened neyther affection in kinred could touch him nor shame of the world check him nor the bloud of his slaine brother moue him nor the glorious presence of the Lord astonish him nor the guilt of his owne thoughts rase him nor at last the quickning word of God which is powreful to raise the very dead none of these could any whit reuiue him Triplex circa praecordia ferrum as Iob saith of LeuiathaÌ„ â—orat Tob. 41.15 his heart was harder then the nether milstone Pharao wheÌ„ the word of God came vnto him by Moses Aaron Pharao he was so far from yeilding that he seemed presently as though he would haue fought with GOD Who is the Lord I know no Lord neither will I let Israell goe And whereas the word and miracles ioyned with that word were sufficient to conuince any liuing Pharaohs heart was so stonie that though by a strange miracle al the water in the land were become bloud and did sauour most vnholsomely yet it is said Pharao went home Exod. 7 2â—â— and all this could not enter into his heart it could not pierce him When the Prophet cried to the Altar of Ieroboam O Altar Altar heare the word of the Lord the Altar heard and elaue a sunder 1. Kina 3. But the word of God which in Ieremie 23.29 is called an Hammer because it bruiseth the stonie hearts of men this Hammer with tenne miracles gaue tenne mightie strokes at Pharaohs heart and yet it could neuer bruise it Thus we may plainely see there is a watering by grace and a meiting by Gods word as appeareth by Dauid and Hezechiah who resolued into teares againe through want of grace there is a withering and by custome of sinne there is an Hardening as in Cain and Pharao whose hearts the word of God could not pierce but the more they were beaten on the more hard and flintie they became It remaineth in the second point to discusse whether this Hardening be of God In opening whereof it is strange to heare how vntruly how vncharitably we are charged by our aduersaries not onely Campion and Bellarmin but especially in certaine ARTICLES or Forcible Reasons lately published wherein it is directly set downe that the Protestants doe make God the author and onely cause of sinne that deride Gods permission Artic. 5. and plainly affirme God is worse then the diuell and so are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenesse of their sinnes Oh fearefull blasphemie and wordes vnseemely Christian eares Where is Modestie where is truth and Christian pietie Is this our doctrine doe we thus teach no verely both in word and writing we acknowledge the Lord our GOD to be full of compassion and loue the bowels of his merciesweete and amiable he would not the death of any he is gratious and kinde gentle and readie to forgiue and to the death we affirme more then most holy pure and iust are all his workes and waies therefore the Lord be iudge betweene them and vs and lay not this sinne vnto their charge Touching this doctrine how sinne first came to be how it came in where it first tooke beginning and that GOD is not the author of it I haue shewed heeretosore in handling the Golden Chaine the meanes of our saluation namely that the diuell was Primitiuus peccator Iohn 6. the first offender from him sinne first boyleth vp as out of the maine Sea from Sathan when it comes to Adam it ariseth as out of a Spring from this Spring it is reserued in nature as in a Conduit from nature conueyed to concupiscence as by a pipe and from thence doth flow all the mischiefe and wickednesse that is in the life of man Well then if sinne doe proceede from the suggestion of Sathan woorking through our owne coucupiscence and so GOD wholly freed from all imputation of euill why is it so often said in the Scripture Deut. 2.30 And the Lord hardened the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon and made him obstinate Ioshua the 11.20 It came of the Lord to harden their hearts and heere often in the booke of Exodus and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharao To make this plaine it is a poynt well knowne vnto the learned that this speech where it is said God Hardened
Flaccus Illiricus P. Lomb. li. 1. dist 41. the Hebrue Dialect doth signifie a permission and not an action Verbes that signifie to doe they often expresse a suffering and not a doing Destruit cum deserit The. Aquin. â— 1 q. 23. arti 3. God is then said to Harden when he doth forsake Impios cum non retrabit a malo culpae dicitur dimittere As the enduing with grace is the effect of Gods Election so the withholding of his grace is the effect of Reprobation Dei includere est clausis non aperire saith Saint Gregorie vpon the 12. of Iob. and fourteene verse Euerie action hath his quality from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the Author Deus autem quoad peceatum non habet positiue velle sed tantum priuatiue Touching sinne God hath no Positiue will but onely in regard of former sinnes a Priuation of his grace To be short God doth Harden as Saint Augustine saith Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo August not by causing vs to commit sinne but by not granting vnto vs his grace I but how comes it to passe that we aswell as others are not partakers of Gods grace why haue not wee also his good Spirit to direct and guide vs Saint Augustine makes it plaine againe August Non idcò non habet home gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quià home non aceipit men become Hardened and want the spirit of grace why not because GOD doth not offer it vnto them but because they receiue it not when it is offered For example One of vs being sicke and like to dye the Physicion knowing our case hee takes with him some preseruatiue to comfort vs and comes to the doore and knocks if we will not or bee not able to let him in wee perish and dye and the cause is not in the Physicion but in our selues that let him not in Plato de leg 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is a disease whereof wee are all sick for wee haue all sinned Romanes 6.12 verse Christ hee is the Physicion of our soules Augâ—in Mat. 9.12 Venit de coelo magnus medicus quia per totum vbique iacebit aegretus Christ the great Phisition came downe from heauen because all mankind was generally infected He comes to the dore of our hearts and there hee knockes Reuel 3.20 Behold Iohn 6.35 I stand at the dore and knocke Hee bringeth with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of life his eternall word to comfort vs if wee let him in if wee open the doore of our hearts Lue. 10. he will come in and suppe with vs as hee did with Mary and forgiue vs all our sinnes but if wee will not or through long contagion of our sinne bee not able to let Christ in wee dye in our sinnes and the case is euident not because Christ doth not offer grace and comfort vnto vs but because wee receiue it not when it is offered Merito perit aegretus qui non medicum vocat sed vltro venientem respuit worthily doth that sicke patient perish Mâ—sculus who will neither send for the Physicion himselfe nor accept of his helpe when it is offered More plainely thus in the 14. of Saint Mathew Our Sauiour walking on the sea hee badde Saint Peter come vnto him who walking on the water seeing storme and tempest arise his heart failed and hee beganne to sinck vppon his cry vnto our Sauiour hee presently stretched forth his hand tooke him into the shipp and saued him This world wee know by dayly experience it is a sea of trouble and misery our Sauiour as he said to Saint Peeter so most louingly hee willeth euery one of vs to come vnto him as wee walke stormes and tempests doe arise through frailty of our flesh and the weaknes of our faith wee beginn to sinck our Sauiour he stretcheth forth his hand hee giueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his worde his Sacramentes the good motiones of his Spirit to saue vs from sincking and to keepe vs in the shipp of his Church if we refuse these meanes wee perish wee sinck in our sinnes why not because Christ doth not most kindly put forth his hand vnto vs but bicause in want and distresse wee lay not hold vppon him This is condemnation that light is come into the world men refuse it and loue darknes more then light Our blessed Sauiour with great louing kindnesse Iohn 3.18 hee doth inuite all men to his Great Supper if we make excuses or wilfully refuse to come hee may iustly pronounce none of those that were bidden shall euer taste of my supper Lue. 14.24 Therefore lett not men deceiue themselues and complaine as though God did harden their hearts and denye them grace and mercie for as Ionas saith in his 2. Chapter Iohn 2.8 and 8. verse They forsake their owne mercie Deus prior in amore God neuer hateth vntill hee be first hated and so I conclude with Saint Ambrose Nemo tibi Christum potest auferre Ambros nisi te illi auferas no man can separate Christ from thee except first thou doest separate thy selfe from him This is plainely to be obserued in Pharao had he being long before peacably setled in a rich and mighty Kingdome made right vse of the blessings of GOD had hee at the first or often-times after yeilded vnto the word of the Lord he had neuer come to the state of Hardninge nor left himselfe such a fearefull spectacle of Gods wrath for euer But Pharao feeling welth and reuenew coming in so fast and aboundantly that he builded new Citties Pithom and Raamses to lay vp his treasures Exod. 1.11 his heart was so bent and set vpon couetousnesse such multitudes of people moyling and labouringe in sundry workes for his profitte that in no case hee could endure to heare of their departure Exod 5.2 Chap. 7.11 First he said flatly they should not goe Secondly hee sought to shift off the matter affirming the miracles not to bee done by Gods hand but by enchantment Thirdly 8.25 hee yeilded they should offer sacrifice but onely in his owne land Fourthly hee was content they should goe sacrifice out of his land but still he would condition with God None but the men should goe 10.11 Fiftly the men should goe the women goe 10 2â— the children goe but their sheepe and Oxen wherein their wealth stoode should not goe Thus Pharao through a wretched and griple minde neuer left winding and turning dallying and presuming of the Lordes mercy and patience till adding one sinne vnto another his heart became Hardened Nay Obserue heere how fearefull a thing it is wilfully to sinne against our owne conscience notwithstanding so many miracles and that before he confessed the Lord to be God hee and his people sinfull and earnestly desired Moses to pray for him yet contrarie
peccati the first steppe of repentance is the first finding out and acknowledgement of sinne In the second of the Actes when they sawe and knew their sinne they cryed out Men and brethren what shall wee doe to be saued this horror this troubled minde it made them seeke for comfort and so brought them to repentance Secondly when sinne is a burden vnto our soules so that we would faine be eased of it there is yet good hope we may see it by Dauid in the 38. Psalm 4. vers Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and are as a burden too heauie for me to beare the weight of this burden made Dauid in the 18. verse following to confesse his wickednesse and to be sory for his sinne it made him flie vnto God for ease O cast your burden vpon the Lord for he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer Thirdly when men make light of sinne surely danger is not farre off for a threefold cord is not easily broken and the third letting of bloud in the same veine is exceeding dangerous but yet still there is some hope for though in the hot chase of our blinde and youthfull desires though then for a time we account it a light matter to commit this or that sinne yet God may touch our heartes Christ may looke backe vpon vs as he did on S. Peter who denyed him thrice his word may so strike vs that we may come to know our selues to see in what case we are to bewaile our infirmitie and so turne vnto God by prayer and repentance Iob. 33 2â— All these things as Iob saith will God worke twice or thrice with a man But if we come to insensibile to the fourth stayre so that we grow past feeling we sinne daily and haue no sense of it if there be no remorse no griefe nor dislike of sinne wo be vnto vs 2. Amos. 6. For three transgressions and for foure I will not turne to Israell saith the Lord without the infinite and extraordinary mercie of God we are the sonnes of wrath for then followeth this deadly wound of Hardening It is a principle in Phisicke grauissime is aegrotat qui se non sentit aegrotare if a man be sicke and know it not out of question he is very dangerously and deadly sicke he that findes in himselfe no want of any thing as the Church of Laâ—dicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I stand not in neede of any thing This deadnesse Reuel 3.17 this vn-feeling numnesse it is a plaine foreteller of death for example if a man haue taken a grieuous wound in his bodie if it ake if it pricke and shoote if it paine him eyther it is healing or else there is hope to heale it but as Saint Augustine saith Quod non dolet August non prosano sed promortuo computandum if the wound be such that it neuer causeth griefe if it neuer ake nor smart vndoubtedly it is dead flesh of necessitie it must be cut off To commit actuall and presumptuous sinnes when a man 's owne knowledge and Gods Spirit cryeth in him to the contrarie these are woundes and grieuous woundes vnto the soule and whosoeuer hath gone on so farre that he doth delight in these sinnes so often so long that his minde is neuer troubled his thoughtes neuer checked his soule neuer grieued surely such a one being vtterly past feeling is very neere to this fearefull estate of Hardening Indeede the Scripture saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart 〈◊〉 18.21 God will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance Whereupon many take their pleasure in sinne and go dissolutely on thinking at last to make all good by repentance It is true if they can repent But they must obserue what Saint Augustine saith Qui promittit poenitenti veniam non promittit peccanti paâ—nitentiam God who promiseth to euerie one that repenteth forgiuenesse doth not promise to euery one that sinneth repentance Repentance is the gift of God and such as are Hardened because in times past they haue despised the riches of his bountie grace his long suffering and mercie which did call them to repentance when they would they cannot repent After Hardnesse the heart it can not repent Rom. 2.5 The holy and blessed Sacramentes now presently to bee administred they are Pledges of Gods loue and Seales of our saluation Rom. 4.11 By Baptisme he breaketh the heades of the Dragons in the waters Et per BaptismuÌ„ coeli â—anua aperitur By Baptism eueÌ„ the doore of heauen is set open The SacrameÌ„t of the Lords supper it is canalis gratiae lauacrum animae the conduit of Grace and the bath of the Soule What can be more ioyfull then by receiuing the signe of the crosse to fight vnder the banner of Christes loue and to bee knit into the misticall body of his Saints What can bee more ioyfull then to receiue that pure and Princely bloud the least drop whereof being able to redeeme a thousand worlds I may rest assured it is a full and perfect satisfaction for all my sinnes so that if my bodie hath sinned his bodie hath made a mendes if my soule hath sinned his soule hath made a recompence and therefore both soule and bodie are his and so we firmely and fully seated in a Christian ioy for euer These holy and heauenly Sacraments are not effectuall in the obstinate Iudas notwithstanding he was a Disciple of our Sauiour and that blessed hand which after was nailed to the Crosse did reach vnto him the bread of life yet he was so Hardened with secret sinne Ioh. 13 2â— and a traiterous disposition that assone as he receiued the sop the diuel entereth into him tooke full possession of him and so brought him to a most fearefull end Oh happie is he that sinneth least next he that returneth soonest but most dreadfull is the estate of him who like Pharao is giuen ouer vnto Hardening For he that is once come to this passe that as Ieroboam he hath sold himselfe to commit sinne his mind reprobate his conscience seared and his soule frozen in the dregs of sinne then Rom. 1 2â— 1. Tim. 4.2 Zech. 1.12 though he weepe and lament with Esau though he would restore that which he hath wrongfully gotten with Iudas though he do gird himselfe in sackcloth and walk softly as Ahab though he do pull the men of God to comfort him pray for him as Saule did though he do mourne like a Doue chatter like a crane with the Pellican though he do send forth shrill and fearefull cryes into the ayre Ier. 13.23 yet all this will not helpe wo alas there is no recouery Ier. 13.23 Can the blacke-Moore change his skinn or the Leopard his spotts then may they doe good who haue accustomed them selues to do euil Arist eth 7. cap. 7. Thomas Aquin Wisd 12.10
and dam it vp that we shall neuer get out againe Consuetudinem vincere dura pugna saith Augustine Augâ—in psa 36 It is a difficult fight to ouercome custome for in all humane things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome is the most intollerable tyrant Horatius the Romane being to fight with three enemies at once did single them out and then slue them one by one so the force of sinne is to be cut off in euery seuerall action least by gathering strength it ouerthrow vs. He that trusteth his own heart is not wise Pro. 28.26 In this case it is good for a man to suspect his owne heart to call his owne waies to remembrance to take sometimes a suruey and a viewe of the manner of his life and daily actions and if he finde in himselfe that God hath suffered him so sarre to be tempted that he is fallen into any soule offence which he knoweth is directly both against God and his owne conscience then presently to bestirre himselfe neuer to suffer his eyes to sleepe nor his eyelids to slumber til he haue poured out his hart vnto God made bitter lamentation craued pardon with repentance and vowed by Gods assistance neuer to offend in any such sort againe Otherwise if lightly he passe it ouer and so go on as Mithridates accustomed his bodie so much to the receipt of poyson that at length no poyson would worke on him so he that hath once taken in with the custome of sinne shall at length come that to passe that the greatest sin that is he shall neuer feele it Aug. inser ◠〈◊〉 adv Dom. Owne peccatum vilescit consuetudine fit homini quasi nullum the greatest sinne by custome comes to be accounted nothing When the bodie is sore hurt and wounded there is no driuing off of time but presently it must be looked to so when the soule is wounded we must not deferre to turne vnto the Lord but flie vnto him with importunate prayer with a broken and mourning heart for feare the wound doe fester inwardly and so there be no recouery I make it plaine by example thus If a man take in the Spring three or foure plantes and set them all togither at one time if hee come by and by or within a while after hee may easily pull vp one of them if he stay a fortnight or a moneth he may pull vp an other but it wil be somwhat harder if he stay a yeare or two till it settle and take roote then he may pull and straine his very heart stringes but his labour is lost he shall neuer be able to pull it vp One sinne one offence if we labour to pull it vpp in time it may be forgiuen it may be taken away if wee lett it go on to two or three with vnfeigned repentance with bleedinge teares with vncessant outcryes vnto a gratious God they may be rased out and wiped away but with greater difficulty at length if a man giue ouer himselfe vnto sinne so that it take deepe roote in the heart and be setled in the soule hee shall neuer be able to pull it vp nor to arise from the death of sinne To draw then to an end forasmuch then as God desireth not the death of any sinner but most louingly offereth his grace and means of saluation vnto all seeing sinne doth proceed from our owne vile concupiscence and we neuer striuing to stay the course of it in our thoughts do so secretly fall away seeing by degrees against their owne knowledge men doe wound their soules with many actual sinnes therevpon God doth with-hold his grace and so forsake them and this forsaking is such a forlorne estate that as Iob saith 12.14 God shutteth a man vp and he can neuer be loosed O how feruent ought wee to bee in prayer thereby to kindle in vs the heat of Gods spitit how deuout in sweet and heauenly meditations to stirre vp in vs the good graces of God how diligeÌ„t to shew the fruites of our faith euer stirring in the works labours of our calling giuing no aduantage to our aduersary how careful wheÌ„ we heare the word of God to do it with an humble spirit with great reuerence thereby to keepe a tender heart a mind and cogitation that may easily be touched with remorse how desirous and secretly ioyfull at this holy time to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the blessed Sacraments to haue our hearts stripped of worldly vanities to call home our affections to appease our thoughts so peaceably to bath our soules a fresh in the pretious bloud of our euerlasting redeemer That so feeling our selues as it were newly created againe soule and bodie heart hand and tongue may neuer cease to sound prayses vnto him who doth neuer cease to renewe his mereies vnto vs. The holy and kingly prophet Dauid he is a worthy example for this royall presence set him before your eyes and obserue the whole course of his life How sweete and milde was his spirit in forbearing to take reuenge for him selfe how couragious and inuincible his faith wheÌ„ it stood in the quarrel of Gods honour how dearely affected to his people when he saide to the destroying Angell not these sheepe but it is I that haue offended what melting kinde affection did he show towards Ionathan and those whome he loued what a mournefull and repentant heart wheÌ„ he knew that he had offended how full of diuine meditatioÌ„s to better his thoughts how frequent in praier flowing from him as a continual stream how ioyful in Gods seruice dancing before the Arke how reuerend in Gods house kneeling and bowing in the temple before all the people what a thankfull heart in offering to build a glorious temple to the Lord what an humble minde saying what am I and what was my fathers house that thou hast brought vs hitherto what a chary tender care of Gods glory whersoeuer he became how abundant in prayses and thanksgiuing calling euery member of himselfe and all the creatures both of heauen and earth to make one quier in setting forth singing and sounding the euerlasting prayses of his God but why did Dauid thus to what end was al this that he might be sure still to hould fast by God to be entirely knitt vnto him by all meanes possible to retaine his loue for feare least God hauing raysed him to the height of renowne deliuered him miracolously out of many eminent and bloudy daungers and so set a crowne of blessings vpon his heade if Deuid should haue showen any vnthankfullnes any contempt or the least neglect of his loue a mighty and ielous God he also vpon iust cause might haue withdrawne his loue and laide all his honour in the dust againe Now therefore with all humblenesse and duety I entreate you by the tender mercyes of Christ Iesus and in the name of the liuing God I challenge euery Christian which hopes for any ioy in the life to come take heede of actuall and presumptuous sinnes in no case let them haue dominion cuer you doe not wound your soules as Pharao did with willfull offences against your owne knowledge try and examine all your thoughts how and wherein they stand affected and aboue all greiue not the blessed motions of that comfortable spirit which keepes the very Life and Beeing of the soule To conclude let all slaunderous mouthes be stopped and all the factious scismatiques in the land ashamed in beholding your Christian and princely example continew still to be louingly and kindly affected one towards another celebrate this holy time in a true religious manner Sanctifie the ioyfull beginninge of this new yeares raigne with new deuotion vnto God lay all your Honours downe at the foote of the altar Receiue the holy Sacraments ioyntly together and so be faithfully knitt in loue and in one head Christ Iesus go cheerefully on delight still in doing good and the Lord God of our fathers encrease in you good desires giue you zeale to performe them confirme vnto you and to your seede all his good promises and vnto euery one of vs heere grant pardon for offences past giue vs comfort and strength in temptations to come euen for his blessed Sonne Christ Iesus sake who with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessed and praysed for euer Amen