Saint Ambrose Nemo tibi Christum potest auferre nisi te illi auferas no man can separate Christ from thee except first thou doest seperate thy selfe from him This is plainely to bee obserued in Pharaoh had hee being long before peaceably setled in a rich and mighty Kingdome made right vse of the blessings of God had hee at the first or oftentimes after yeelded vnto the word of the Lord he had neuer come to the state of Hardening nor left himselfe such a fearefull spectacle of Gods wrath for euer But Pharaoh feeling wealth and reuenew comming so fast and aboundantly that he builded new Citties Pithom Exo. 1. 〈◊〉 and Raamses to lay vp his treasures his heart was so bent and set vpon Couetousnesse such multitudes of people moyling and labouring in sundry workes for his profit that in no Exod. 〈…〉 Cha. 7 〈…〉 case hee could endure to heare of their departure First he said flatly they should not go Secondly hee sought to shift off the matter affirming the miracle not to be done by Gods hand but by inchantment Thirdly hee yeldeed 8. 25. they should offer sacrifice but onely in his owne land Fourthly hee was content they should go sacrifice out off his land but still hee would condition with God None but the 10. 11. 10. 24. men should go Fiftly the men should go the Women go the Children go but their sheepe and Oxen wherein their wealth stood should not go Thus Pharaoh through a wretched and griple minde neuer left winding and turning dallying and presuming of the Lords mercie and patience till adding one sinne vnto another his heart became Hardened Nay notwithstanding so many miracles and that before hee confessed the Lord to bee God He and his people sinfull and earnestly desired Moses to pray for him yet contrarie to his owne thoughts and against 〈…〉 eure howe 〈…〉 esull a 〈…〉 g it is 〈…〉 ully 〈…〉 nne a 〈…〉 st our 〈…〉 e conce his owne knowledge when hee saw the people of Israel were gone hee flies to strength of war hee cals his Captaines hee musters his people hee gathers his Chariots hee pursues with all might and maine till at last both hee and his ouerwhelmed in the sea receaued 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 hee with his Nobles vtterly ouerthrowne But before this ouerthrow all meanes possible that could bee were vsed to winne Pharao Blessing vpon blessing before receiued punishment vppon 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 cryed 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 Bee it farre from vs for it is directly set downe in the ninth Chapter 34. verse And when Pharao saw the haile and thunder were gone hee sinned againe 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 wee 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 vnspeakable mercie hath so sweetely set all in order that all Nations round about vs stand amazed now that he hath setled amongst vs a most happie and religious Behold our vnthankful 〈…〉 nes to G 〈…〉 enjoying so religious and peaceable a Prince peace now that hee hath giuen honour plentie and rest throughout all the Land stil stil wee dally and trifle with the Lord according to our priuate humors and seuerall sectes we will not professe the Gospell except we first condition as Pharao did both with our God King with humble hearts we do not submit our selues peaceably to serue the Lord For this blessed Catastrophe our soules flame not with thankeful loue neither as they ought breake forth into euerlasting praises Nay whereas the word of God came ten times to Pharao willing him to let the people of Israell go serue the Lord the same word comes an hundred times ten to our hearts crying and beating vpon vs to haue vs let go our contentions our carnal and peruerse affections and yet we neuer relent at the same A mans heart will tell him more then seuen watchmen 〈…〉 37. in a trwer We know we know euery one in his owne bosome the sinnes which we secretly foster and will not let go But as Saint Paul exhorteth the Iewes Hebrewes 3. 12. so I aduise you in the name of God Take heede take heede least in any of you there be found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing God For assuredly it is a fearefull and bitter thing to carry euer a selfe-wilde and peruerse mind to respect meerely the applause of men and fading pleasures of this life so inwardly falling away from God and loosing the blessed comfort of our saluation O Sauiour sweete and secret hope turne vs that we may be turned bow our hearts and the hearts of our seede vnto thee that we may feare thy iudgements acknowledge thy goodnes and stand fast in thy loue for euer How men become Hardened THe third point is to shew how men become Hardened in opening whereof we are to vnderstand that there are three sorts of Hardenings Naturalis Voluntaria Iudicialis The first is by Nature the second by habite and Custome the third by the Iust iudgement of God The first is the forgetfulnes or dulnesse in a natural man when he ouershootes him selfe for want of wise obseruation and remembrance In the sixth of Marke our Sauiour Christ fed Mar. 6. fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and two fishes a miracle sufficient to proue vnto his Disciples that hee was the Sonne of God Yet presently after when he came walking on the Sea and caused the winde to cease they stood amazed and did not acknowledge his Diuinity for Gods children may be blind in mind hardened in heart for a tim◠saith the scripture in the 52. verse They considered not the miracle of the loaues because their hearts were hardened that is through naturall imperfection they had forgot it Secondly there is an Hardening by habit when through a carelesse securitie men doe continue in sinne 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 amongst the Apostles and daily
watering for the Liuer is the spring of bloud that runneth into euery veine and therefore Salomon 〈…〉 12. 7 calleth the Liuer the golden well In the body there is a withering for Dauid complaineth in the Psalme 22. 15. verse My moysture is like the drought in Summer and my boanes are dryed vp like a pot-shard As in the earth and bodie of man so like wise 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 〈…〉 3. 6. grace in Christ is called the watering of Apollo The Prophet Esay saith with ioy yee shall drawe 〈…〉 12. 3 waters out of the welles of Saluation Contrariwise where this grace doth not water there is withering Si spiritus irrigatio defuerit omnis 〈…〉 g. mag plantatio exarescit Euery planting that hath not the watering of Gods spirit it withereth and dries away therefore saith the Psalmist the 〈…〉 1. 3. godly they are like the tree planted by the riuers side there is watering but the vngodly are as a Garden that hath no water and as the Oaken leafe that Esay 〈…〉 fadeth there is withering The other Greeke verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to harden There bee Phisieae and aethicae vicissitudines there is a naturall and a spirituall Philosophie In the naturall course of things there is a congealing and an hardening as of the yce and frost which Iob very fitly calleth the bands of Orion because by the cold Eastern Iob. 3◠31 and Northern windes the water becomes as a stoane and the clods are bound together Contrary to this Hardening there is a melting Hee Psal ◠18 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 sweete influence of Pleiades Both in nature and in the soule also there is a Resoluing and a Hardening Deut. 32. verse 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 Lawe read When King Dauid had committed murther and adulterie very grieuous sinnes hee neuer be-thought himselfe of the matter but he began to congeale and to bee Hardened in his sinne But assoone as the Prophet Nathan had awaked him and his heart like Gedeons fleece had druncke vp the heauenly dewe then presently Dauid began to relent his soule melted with sorrow and as appeareth in the 51. Psalme hee resolued into teares of Repentance Hezechias when God had giuen vnto him a sodaine and triumphant victorie ouer the host of Zenacherib presently after in the pride of his heart hee forgat God and began to congeale in sinne but as soone 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 hee turned his face vnto the wall and wept bitterly 〈…〉 38. 3. Nowe as there is a Meiting 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 Matthew 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 hereof we wil take Cain and King Pharao whom my Text concerneth Cain hauing slaine his brother Abell and committed horrible murther the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Where is thy brother Abell Did Cains heart relent did hee confesse and say I haue sinned or did hee resolue into teares with Dauid No such matter but first he answered with a foule word I cannot tell where hee is then hee despised the Lord to his face as if hee should say you may go looke him am I my brothers keeper marke but this answere of Caine and his cariage therein and you neede no other example of an heart that is Hardened neither affection in kinred could touch him nor shame of the world check him nor the bloud of his slaine brother mooue him nor the glorious presence of the Lord astonish him nor the guilt of his owne thoughts raise him nor at last the quickening word of God which is powerfull to raise the very dead Hara Iob. 15. none of these could any whit reuiue him Triplex circa praecordia ferrum as Iob saith of Leuiathan his heart was harder then the nether milstone Pharaoh when the word of God came vnto Pha 〈…〉 him by Moses and Aaron hee was so farre from yeelding that hee seemed presently as though hee would haue fought with God Who is the Lord I know no Lord neither will I let Israel go 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 all the water in the land were become bloud and did sauour most vnholsomely yet it is sayd Pharao went home 〈…〉 23 and all this could not enter into his heart it could not pierce him When the Prophet cryed to the Altar of Ieroboam O Altar Altar heare the word of the Lord the Altar heard and claue asunder But the word of God which in Ieremie 〈…〉 13. 23. 29. is called an Hammer because it bruseth the stonie hearts of men this Hammer with ten miracles gaue ten mighty stroakes at Pharaohs heart and yet it could neuer bruse it Thus wee may plainely see there is a watering by Grace and a melting 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 Caine and Pharaoh whose hearts the word of God could not pierce but the more they were beaten on the more hard and flintie they became God hardeneth not IT Remayneth on the second poynt to discusse whether this Hardening bee of GOD In opening whereof it is very strange to heare how vntruely how vncharitablie we are charged by our aduersaries not onely Campion and Bellarmine but especially in certaine Articles or Foreible reasons lately published wherein it is directly set downe that the protestants doe make God the author and onely cause of sinne that they deride Gods permission and plainely affirme God is worse Article ◠then the Denill and so are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenesse for their sinnes Oh fearefull blasphemie and wordes vnseemely
Christian eares Where is modestie where is trueth and Chtistian piety Is this our doctrine doe we thus teach no verily both in worde and writing we acknowledge the Lord our God to bee full of compassion and loue the bowels of his mercie sweet and amiable hee would not the death of any hee is gracious and kinde gentle and readie to forgiue and to the death wee affirme more then most holy pure and iust are all his workes and wayes 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 bee how it came in where it first tooke beginning and that God is not the author of it I haue shewed heretofore in handling the Golden Châ—ine the meanes of our saluation namely that the Diuell was Primitiuus peccator the 〈…〉 6. first offender for hee sinned from the beginning So that 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 conueied to concupisence 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 working through our owne concupiscence and so God wholy 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 here often in the booke of Exodus and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharao To make this plaine it is a point well knowne vnto the learned that this speech where it is said God hardened The Hebrew Dialect doth Flaccuâ— Illiricâ— P. Lonâ— li. 1. diâ— Tho Aâ— quin. â— 23. arti 〈…〉 signifie a permission and not an action Verbes that signifie to doe they often expresse a suffering and not a doing Destruit cum deserit God is then said to Harden when hee doth forsake Impios cùm non retrahit a malo culpae dicitur dimittere As the enduing with grace is the effect of Gods Election so the with-holding of his grace is the effect of Reprobation Dei includere est clausis non aperire saith Saint Gregorie vpon the 12. of Iob. and foureteenth verse Euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the Author Deus autem quoad peccatum non habet positiuè velle sed tantùm priuatiuè Touching sinne God hath no Positiue will but onely in regard of former sinnes a Priuation of his grace To bee short God doth Harden as Saint Augustine Agust â— saith Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by causing vs to commit sinne but by not graunting vnto vs his grace I but how comes it to passe that wee as well 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 Non ideo 〈…〉 non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit 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 die the Phisician knowing our case hee takes with him some preseruation to comfort vs and comes to the doore and knocks if wee will not or bee not able to let him in wee perish and die and the cause is not in the Phisician but in our selues that let him not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is 〈…〉 de 10. a disease whereof we are all sicke for we haue all sinned Romanes 6. 12. verse Christ he is the Phisician of our soules Venit de coelo magnus medicus 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 9. 12. quia per totum vbique iacebit aegrotus Christ the great Phisicion came downe from heauen because all mankind was generally infected Hee comes to the doore of our hearts and there hee knocks Reuel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore 〈…〉 6. 35. and knocke Hee bringeth with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of life his eternall word to comfort vs if we let him in if we open the doore of our hearts he will come in and suppe with vs as hee did with Mary and forgiue vs all our sinnes 〈…〉 10. but if wee will not or through long contagion of our sinne bee not able to let Christ in we die 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 Meritò perit aegrotus qui non medicum vocat sed vltrò venientem respuit worthily doth 〈…〉 that sicke patient perish who will neither send for the Phisicion himselfe nor accept of his help when it is offered More plainely thus in the foureteenth of Saint Mathew Our Sauiour walking on the Sea hee bad Saint Peter come vnto him who walking on the water seeing storme and tempestarise his heart fayled and hee began to sincke vpon his cry vnto our Sauiour hee presently stretched forth his hand tooke him into the shippe and saued him This world wee know by dayly experience it is a sea of trouble and miserie our Sauiour as hee sayd to Saint Peter so most louingly hee willeth euery one of vs to come vnto him as wee walke stormes and tempests doe arise through frailtie of our flesh and the weaknesse of our Faith wee begin to sincke our Sauiour hee stretcheth forth his hand hee giueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Word his Sacraments the good motions of his spirit to saue vs from sincking and to keepe vs in the shippe of his Church if wee refuse these meanes we perish we sincke in our sinnes why not because Christ doth not most kindly put forth his hand vnto vs but because in want and distresse wee lay not hold vpon him This is condemnation that light is come into the world men refuse it loue darknesse more then light Our blessed Sauiour with great louing kindnesse 〈…〉 3. 19. hee doth inuite all men to his Great Supper if wee make excuses or wilfully refuse to come he may iustly pronounce none of those that were bidden shall euer tast of my supper 〈…〉 14. 24 Therefore let not men deceiue themselues and complaine as though God did harden their hearts and deny them grace and mercy for as Ionas saith in his second Chapter and 8. verse 〈…〉 2. 8. They forsake their owne mercie Deus prior in amore God neuer hateth vntill he be first hated and so â—brose â—no euÌ„â—tit n◠〈…〉 i di 〈…〉 it Aug â—essi I conclude with
â—h P. 7. the meanes of the end must go together The ende which euery one of vs doth desire and ayme at it is eternall glory we must be sure then to lay hold vpon Calling and Iustifiyng as the meanes ordained to come vnto this end For this is a certaine and sure ground in diuinity and Religion Whom-soeuer God hath appointed to eternall life he hath also appointed that man to vse the meanes whereby he may come vnto the same To make this more plaine let it please you to vouch safe the hearing of an accident which fell out very fitly to this purpose One Ludouicus a learned man of Italy yet wanting the direction of Gods good spirit and so neuer considering aduisedly of the meanes of our Saluation he grew at last to this resolution Si saluabor saluabor It bootes not what I doe nor how I liue For if I bee saued I am saued Thus Ludouicus bewitched with this desperate opinion continued a long time till at length hee grew very dangerously sicke wherevpon he sent for a cunning and learned Phisition and earnestly requested his helpe The Phisition before-hand made acquainted with his former lewd assertion how in his health hee would vsually say If I bee saued I am saued he likewise directed his speech to the same purpose and said Sure it shall bee needlesse to vse any meanes for your recouery neither doe I purpose to minister vnto you for if the time of your death bee not come you haue no cause to feare you shall liue and do well inough without Phisicke and if the time of your death bee nowe come it is vnpossible to auoide it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the matter and considering aduisedly of the phisitions speech finding by reason that as meanes were to be vsed for the health of the body so God also had 〈…〉 ordained meanes for the saluation of the Soule vpon further conference with shame griefe he recanted his former opinion tooke phisicke and so was happily cured both of soule and body at one time By this doctrine of Gods loue so manifestly Calling vs we directly learne that if a man doe thirst after his saluation if a man would bee throughly 〈…〉 assured in his heart and conscience that God hath chosen him to eternall life hee must not rush presently into Predestination into Gods secret Counsell but he must enter into himselfe to trie and examine whether hee bee rightly Called for as the surest way to come vnto the sea is first to finde out 〈…〉 a riuer so concerning our saluation the plainest surest way to finde out the depth of Gods counsell is first to come vnto Calling vnto Iustifying which are as sweet and liuely springs flowing from the same We know and see dayly by experience wee are not able to discerne wee cannot pierce with the eye to see what matter the Sunne is of but we can plainely see and manifestly perceiue both beames and heat and light proceeding from the same So heere concerning the first point of Predestination alone wee cannot conceiue it wee are not able to pierce it for it is the way which the Eagles eye hath not seene but Calling and Iustifying which are as heate and light proceeding from the same those we may as comfortably perceiue as wee doe sensibly feele the heate and operation of the Sun Here then is the duty of a true Christian heere is the part of a religious and good man indeede not to venter his saluation vpon a bare speech presumption of Predestination but to vse all meanes possible which God hath ordained That he may truely be Called to heare the word of God and to ioy in hearing of it with loue and with a desire to profit that hee may bee Iustifyed when he hath heard to be feruent in prayer zealous of well doing and abundant in all good works of Charity that he may be Glorified in the life to come to consecrate both soule and body and all the whole course of his life vnto God that so growing vp from faith to faith from vertue to vertue from hearing to beleeuing from Calling to Iustifiing at length Gods spirit may satisfie our spirits that we are his our bodies his our soules his wee setled and sealed vp in a Christian ioy for euer Wherefore I beseech you all by the mercies of God and I intreate you as you hope to stand with comfort before God and his Angels at the last day euery man lay hold vppon his soule betimes do not esteeme the loue of any thing in this World more then the loue of God purchased in his sonne Christ Iesus Take heede and beware of this profane speech If I be saued I am saued vtter it not in word thinke it not in heart away with it 〈…〉 For God is not the cause of our condemnation it is our selues Woe vnto vs wretches we our selues are the workers of our owne destruction Wisedome 1. 13. O seeke not Death in the error of the soule 〈…〉 13. and destroy not your selues with the workes of your owne hands Bis interimitur qui suis armis interimitur Euery man catch hold vpon this Chaine worke and make sure his saluation and striue to walke before 〈…〉 the Lord in trueth with a perfect heart On the one side let no man passe on in a secure and carelesse course of life nor on the other side curiously prie into the hidden counsell of the Lord but euery good Christan with an humble spirit with an honest minde with a cheerefull and good heart 〈…〉 seeke to apprehend those meanes which God hath appointed for his saluation Iustification The third Lincke of this Chaine is Iustification Whom he hath Called those he hath Iustified IT is a principle in reason Actio perfect a non recipitur nisi imperfectè primò An habit is not gotten at the first the work of our regeneration is not wrought on a sodaine But as the Psalmist saith The Codly grow from strength to strength and the wise Psal 8â— man sheweth how The light of the righteous shineth more and more to the perfect day So here the Apostle Pr. 56. â— foote by foote leadeth vs from one degree vnto another till at length we may come to make our election sure This Iustification it goeth a step farther then Calling For Calling is an enlightning the mind with spiritual knowledge Iustifying an establishing the heart with a grounded perswasioÌ„ Calling is the beginning of conuersion but Iustifying is a full clearing of the heart Calling is the first change of one that is regenerate but Iustifying is the full perswasion of the Soule when the spirit of grace resteth in vs and we setled and truely sanctified in an holy christian course of life So then when we haue not onely sorrowed for sinnes past which is the first step of our Calling but further when wee are renewed in spirit and so changed in our life
loue who is able to wrong them whom he hath chosen how can they be reiected whom hee doth Call how shall they be shut out whom hee doth Iustifie who dare accuse them Whom God will Glorifie how can they bee forsaken Seeing my soule is lincked to that Chaine which can neuer be vnloosed my soule grounded vpon that foundation which can neuer be shaken what shall make vs to dispaire nay what is it shal make vs to wauer or doubt of the singular loue of God which he beareth towards vs in his Sonne Christ Iesus What shall separate vs from the hope of immortalitie in the life to come shall the wearisomnesse of this troublesome life shall the discontentments of this transitorie World shall a litle sicknesse shaking this brittle house of clay No all the afflictions of this life which are but for a moment they are not to be accounted worthy that exceeding siâ— passing eternall weight of glorie For God hath chosen vs before the world he hath Called vs out of the World he hath Iustified vs in the World and hee will Glorifie vs in the World to come God hath Chosen vs not being hee hath Called vs being enemies hee hath Iustified vs being sinners and hee will Glorifie vs being mortall wretches Therefore we may cherefully sing with Dauid Misericordia Domini abaeterno in aeternum The mercie of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting FroÌ„ euerlasting Predestination to euerlasting Glory the one hauing no ending the other hauing no beginning This blessed fruition of glorie and immortalitie that wee may feele the comfort of it in our hearts and consciences now in this life and hereafter enioy in the life to come the Lord grant euen for his blessed son Christ Iesus sake to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be ascribed all power glory praise and thankes-giuing for euer and euer Amen FINIS THE SECOND SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING BY ANT HONIE MAXEY Batchelar in Diuinitie and Chaplaine to his Maiestie in ordinarie The Points handled heerein are these That there is an Hardening That God Hardeneth not How men become Hardened Most wofull to be Hardened The meanes to auoid it LONDON Printed by G. Eld. for Clement Knight dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the holy Lambe 1606. HARDENING Exod. 10. 20. And the Lord Hardened Pharaohs heart and hee did not let the children of Israel go THE heart of Man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all Iere. 17. thnigs who can knowe it Although the Heart of man bee so little that it will scarce serue a Kite for a baite yet there 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 than they would bee without a God they gaue diuine honour to any kinde of creature The Assyrians worshipped Idols the Persians Starres the Aegiptians Plants and all manner of beasts the Graecians their owne conceits and the Romanes made their Cittie 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 three thousand Gods The dissolute and cunning Atheist hee hath a fetch by himselfe alone hee lets loose the reines and followes the streame of his sensuall affections because hee conceiues in his heart and cleane contrary to the Heathen saith there is no God at all There is a third kinde who though in 〈…〉 14. 1. showe they outwardly acknowledge God yet they againe haue an other winding secretly to themselues they plod on swallowing any sinne for why The Lord will neither do good nor euill â—h 1. 12. Because there is not present punishment for euery sinne Tush all is well no harme shall 〈◊〉 10. 12. happen vnto vs For God careth not for any thing Lastly in these our dayes there is a fourth sort who haue a more strange turning than all the former For many hauing a generall notioh 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 hee hath chosen mee to life I am sure for one if otherwise as hee did with Pharaoh hee hath appointed mee a Vessell of his Wrath it is not possibly to be auoyded Such are the windings and these are the turnings in the hearts and secret thoughts of men either euery creature a God or else no God either a God that regarded not sinne or else a God that causeth vs to sinne These turnings Esa 2â— and deuises in the sight of the Lord are esteemed as clay before the Potter To conuince the Palpable errours of the three former I holde 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 assemblie and I hope better things of this Christian audience But to meete with this latter sort who leauing all good meanes of their saluation do inwardly fall a way 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 fiue points First that there is 1 An hardening 2 That God Hardeneth not 3 How men become Hardened 4 Most wofull to bee Hardened 5 The meanes to auoidit There is an Hardening COncerning this 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 wither vsed often in the 3. to the Hebrewes 8. 13-15 verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harden not your hearts The other verbe in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to obdurate or to make hard Eph. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They became strangers from the life of God through the hardnesse of their hearts Hauing thus recourse vnto the Greeke tongue wee shall see that in the heart of man first there is a drying vp and a certaine 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 hills are the teates and the springs the milke to moysten and to water the valleyes Psalme 104. verse 10. Hee sendeth the springs into the riuers which runne amongest the hilles In the earth 〈…〉 20. there is a drinesse for saith Ioel The people mourne for want of moisture the riuers of waters are dried vp and the trees of the field are withered In the body there is a
Then is the estate of condemnation certaine when foule sinnes are not onely commited but are delightfull also The sixt staire is Desiderabile when through 6 Desiderabile delight men grow to such a custome that they inwardly desire to sin so that as S. Gregory said Si nunquam moreretur nunquaÌ„ vellepeccare desineret such a maÌ„ if he should neuer die he would neuer cease to sin for though he did not commit it in action yet still he would desire it in thought The seauenth staire is defensibile When hee hath 7 Defensibile gotten a forehead of brasse â—say 48. 4. as the Psalmise saith wheÌ„ the tyrant doth boast that he can Psal 1. 1. do mischiefe when hee sits in the seate of the scorner when hee doth not onely by habit desire to sin and delight in it but nowe he will take vpon him to defend it Peccatum porta mortis defensio Origen est lumen inferni Sin is the high way to death but the defence of sin is the very next step into hell At this point were the Iewes who being reproued for idolatry the Scripture saith they said desperately we haue loued strange Gods and them will we follow againe they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder stopped their eares and Zach. 7. â—â— made their hearts as an Adamant stone Impius cùm â— 2. 25. â—0 18. 3. venerit in profundum contemnit a dissolute liuer once growne to the height of sin becomes desperate Thus Sin first it is importable secondly heauie thirdly it becomes light fourthly past feeling fiftly delightfull sixtly desired and lastly to be defended Here is descensus Auerni these be the stayres that lead to the chambers of death the stepswherby the reprobate do descend vnto final destruction Indeed at the first when sin is importable that we are wonderfully grieued for coÌ„mitting of it there is great hope of recouery he that so feeling the wound of sinne doth there stay the course of it it is an excellent signe of saluatioÌ„ Initium salutis notitia peccati the first step of repentance is the first finding out acknowledgement of sin In the second of the Acts wheÌ„ they saw and knew their sin they cried out Men brethern what shal we do to be saued This horror this troubled mind it made them seeke for comfort and so brought them to repentance Secondly when sin 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. Psalme 4. verse Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and are as a burden too heauy for mee to beare The weight of this burden made Dauid in the 18. ver following to confesse his wickednes and to be sory for his sin 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 sin surely danger is not far 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 youthful desires though then for a time we account it a light matter to commit this or that sinne yet God may touch our hearts Christ may looke backe vpon vs as he did on S. Peter who denied 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 infirmity so turne vnto god by praier repeÌ„taÌ„ce All these things as Iob saith will God worke twice Iob. 33. â— O bewâ— and sin more or thrice with a man But if we come to Insensibile the fourth stayre so that we grow past feeling we sin daily and haue no sense of it if there be no remorse no griefe nor dislike of sin wo be vnto vs 2. Amos. 6. For three transgressions and for foure I will not turne to Israel saith the Lord. Without the infinite and extraordinary mercie of God we are the sons of wrath for theÌ„ followeth this deadlie wound of Hardening It is a principle in Phisicke grauissimè is aegrotat qui se non sentit aegrotare if a man bee sicke and know it not out of question hee is very dangerously and deadly sicke hee that findes in himselfe no want of any thing as the Church of Laodicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I stand not in need of any thing This deadnesse â—uel 3. 17 this vnfeeling numnesse it is a plaine foreteller of death for example if a man haue taken a grieuous wound in his body 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 non pro August sano sed pro mortuo 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 contrary these are wounds and grieuous woundes vnto the soule and whosoeuer hath gone on so far that he doth delight in these sinnes so often so long that his minde is neuer troubled his thoughts neuer checked his soule neuer grieued surely such a one being vtterly past feeling is very neere to this fearefull estate of hardening Thus haue I shewed how and after what sort men become Hardened not of my selfe but as S. Augustine saith Ligatus teneor non ferro alieno sed meaferrea voluntate velle meum tenebat inimicus et inde mihi funes fecerat et consuetudini dum non resistitur fact a est necessitas A man becomes hardened he is fettered not by any other chaine but by the cordes of his owne sinne the deuill by deceit gets power ouer the will and so doth snare vs and because in the beginning wee did not resist custome at length it groweth to necessity This is the very same in effect setdown by Saint Paule in the 4. to the Ephesians 18. where this manner of Hardening is also expressed first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde is darkened they cannot rightly discerne what to do then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they become ignorant thirdly comes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soule for want of heauenly dewe beginnes to wither and harden fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past feeling and lastly giuen ouer to commit all sinne with greedinesse Most wofull to be hardened NOw what a grieuous and lamentable estate is it to be hardened let it please you with patience to obserue a while you shall briefely vnderstand The comfort of mans life in this world it consisteth in the enioying either of temporall or spirituall blessings But the strong
in time it may be forgiuen it may be taken away if we let it go on to two or three with vnfained repentance with bleeding 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 bee setled in the soule he shall neuer be able to pull it vp nor to arise from the death of sinne Application TO draw then to an end forasmuch as God desireth not the death of any sinner but most louingly offereth his grace meanes of saluation vnto all seeing sinne doth proced from our owne vile concupiscence and we neuer striuing to stay the course of it in our thoughts do secretly fall away seeing by degrees against their own knowledge men do wound their soules with many actuall sinnes and thervpon God doth withhold 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 we to be in prayer thereby to kindle in vs the heat of Gods spirit how deuout in sweete heauenly meditations to stir vp in vs the good graces of God how diligent to shewe the fruits of our faith euer stirring in the workes labours of our calling giuing no aduantage to our aduersary how carefull when wee heare the word of God to do it with a humble spirit with great reuerence therby to keepe a tender heart a minde and cogitation that may easily bee touched with remorse how desirous secretly ioyfull at this holy time to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the blessed sacraments to haue our hearts stripped off worldly vanities to cal home our affections to appease our thoughts and so peaceably to bath our soules afresh in the precious blood of our euerlasting redeemer That so feeling our selues as it were newely created againe soule body heart hand tongue may neuer cease to sound praises vnto him who doth neuer cease to renew his mercies vnto vs. The holy kingly Prophet Dauid he is a worthy example for this roial presēce set him before your eies obserue the whole course of his life How sweet and mild was his spirit in forbearing to take reuenge for himselfe how couragious inuincible his faith whē it stood in the quarrel of gods honour how dearly affected to his people when he said to the destroying Angel not these sheep but it is I that haue offended what melting kinde affection did he shew towards Ionathan those whō he loued what a mournful repentāt heart whē he knew that he had offēded how full of diuine meditations to better his thoughts how frequent in praier falling frō him as a continual streame how ioyfull in Gods seruice dancing before the Ark how reuerend in Gods house kneeling bowing in the tēple before al the people what a thankfull heart in offering to build a glorious temple to the Lord what an hūble minde saying what am I 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 praises thanksgiuing calling euery member of himselfe all the creatures both of heauē earth to make one quire in setting forth singing sounding the euerlasting praises of his God But why did Dauid thus to what end was al this that he might be sure stil to hold fast by God to be intirely knit vnto him by al means possible to retaine his loue for feare least God hauing raised him to the height of renowne deliuered him miraculously out off many eminent and bloudy dangers so set a crowne of blessings vpon his head if Dauid should haue showne any vnthankfulnes any cōtempt or the least neglect of his loue a mighty ielous god he also vpon iust cause might haue withdrawne his loue laid al his honour in the dust againe Now therfore with al humblenesse duety I intreat you by the tender mercies of Christ Iesus in the name of the liuing God I chalenge euery christiā which hopes for any ioy in the life to come take heed of actuall and presumptuous sinnes in no case let them haue dominiō ouer you Psal 19. 1 do not woūd your soules as Pharao did with wilfull offences against your own knowledge try examine all your thoughts how wherin they stand affected aboue al grieue not the blessed motions of that cōfortable spirit which keepes the very Life and Being of the soule To conclude let al slaunderous mouthes be stopped all the factious scismatiques in the land ashamed in beholding your christian and Princely example continue still to be louingly and kindly affected one towards another celebrate this holy time in a true religious maner Sanctifie the ioyful beginning of this new yeares raine with new deuotion vnto God lay all your Honors downe at the foote of the altar receiue the holy Sacraments ioyntly together and so bee faithfully knit in loue and in one head Christ Iesus go cheerefully on delight still in doing good the Lord God of our Fathers increase in you good desires giue you zeale to performe them confirme vnto you to your seede all his good promises and vnto euery one of vs here graunt pardon for offences past giue vs comfort and strength in temptations to come change all our liues more and more to a better course euen for his blessed Sonne Christ Iesus sake who with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessed and praysed for euer Amen FINIS
man hauing once got possession when a man is fallen away from grace and his heart Hardened how fearefull how mournfull a case it is it may manifestly appeare in this for that such men they can haue no true ioy of temporall things in this world nor any true comfort of the sweete graces in the life to come First concerning spirituall blessings There is nothing more cheerefull vnto man then the knowledge of his minde nothing more excellent in him then the light of his vnderstanding This knowledge this light of nature this vnderstanding and iudgement is vtterly extinguished Suffocatur naturae lumen cùm ad huius abissi ingressum Calâ— accedimus the light of nature is choked wheÌ„ they once enter into this gulf of Hardning In man there is a threefold light The light of the body which is the Eye the light of the mind which is Reason and Faith the light of the soule Eph. 1 1â— 1 Cor. 4. â— by which we discerne things that are not seene In the obstinate their bodilie eye is full of adultery and cannot cease to sinne 2. Pet. 2. 14. 2. Pe. 2. â— The light of Reason which is the law of nature is extinguished Rom. 1. 28. Lastly Faith which is Rom. 1. 2 the light of the soule is wholy blinded for such cannot see to take hold of the mercies of God nor to apprehend his comfortable promises Ebre 4. 2. Now if the Eye which is the light Ebr. 4. 2. of the body if Reason which is the light of the minde if Faith which is the light of the soule be dimmed If all that light which should bee in vs bee darknesse Iustissima poena vt qui sciens Aug. de li 〈…〉 be arbit lib. 3. rectum non facit amittat scire quod rectum saith Saint Augustine it is a punishment that hee who knowing doth not well at length should loose the knowledge of wel dooing so is it with the Hardned as Iob. saith The light of the vngodly Iob. 18. â— shall bee darkened and the wicked shall become blind Zeph. 1. 1 because they haue sinned against the Lord. The iudgement of the minde beeing thus peruerted and Faith which in all stormes and temptations should guide the sterne being ouerthrowne there fellowes a generall shipwrack of conscience The word of God is said to bee sharper then a â—br 4. 12. two edged sword it pierceth the very sinewes marrow it diuideth the soule and spirit asunder how wonderfull it is in operation how mightie to conuince our thoughts howe powerfull to quicken the soule how comfortable to strengthen our faith I doubt not but most here to their endlesse comfort do effectually know This word this mighty word which for the piercing operation is resembled to fire able to soften yron this word it cannot mollifie the hardened But as the bright beames of Sunne doe harden clay and soften wax and as the sweete drops of raine do mollifie earth and harden sand so the heauenly and eternall word returneth not in vaine but by reason of different disposition in the subiect it illuminateth it melteth the rightous it obdurates and Hardens the wicked their Esay 6. 9. heartes being fat their eyes heauie and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceiue Where the word of God cannot preuaile there can be no repentance It is true The scripture saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent Eze. 1â— him of his sin froÌ„ the bottom of his hart God wil put all his wickednes out off his remembrance Therevpon many take their pleasure glut themselues in sin at last they thinke to make all good by repentance Indeed it is true if they can repent but they must obserue what S. August saith Qui promittit paenitenti veniam non promittit peccanti paeniteÌ„tiam God who promiseth vnto euery one Aug. that repeÌ„teth forgiuenes doth not promise vnto euery one that sinneth repentance RepeÌ„tance is the gift of god such as are hardened because in times past they despised the riches of his bounty grace his long suffering mercy that did cal them to repeÌ„tance when they wold they caÌ„not repent Ro. 2. 5. after hardnes the heart it caÌ„not repeÌ„t If there can be no repentance then lamentation teares are bootlesse Teares they are the bloud of the soule and the Wine of Angels most Bern. pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God Yet the hardened though they should wash theÌ„selues in their owne teares it will not preuaile Nihil prosuÌ„t lamenta si replicantur peccata tears are not accepted where sinnes are still and againe double Ebr. 12. 17. Esau found no place to repentance Ebr. 12. 1â— though he sought the blessing with teares The holy blessed Sacraments now presently to be administred are Pledges of Gods loue and Seals of our saluation By Baptisme he breaks the Rom. 4. 1â— heads of the Dragons in the Waters et per Baptismum coeli ianua aperitur And by baptisme euen the dore of heaueÌ„ is set open The sacrament of the Lords supper it is canalis gratiae et lauacruÌ„ animae 〈…〉 l. 74. 14 the coduit of grace the bath of the soule What can be more ioyful then by receiuing the signe of the crosse to fight vnder the banner of Chirsts loue to be knit into the misticall body of his saints what can be more ioyful then to receiue that pure princely blood the least drop wherof being able to redeeme a thousaÌ„d worlds I may rest assured it is a full perfect satisfactioÌ„ for all my sinnes so that if my body hath sinned his body hath made ameÌ„ds if my soule haue sinned his soule hath made recompence therefore both soule and body are his and so we firmly and fully setled 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 for his sake was nayled on the Crosse did reach him the bread of life yet he was so hardened with secret sin a trayterous disposition that as soone as he receiued the sop the deuilentred into him tooke ful possessioÌ„ 〈…〉 h. 13. 27. of him so brought him to a most feareful end Prayer what maruailous things it hath brought to passe and indeede what greater comfort can there be to a distressed minde then to open our griefe to poure out our complaints and ease our wounded hearts by making our mone vnto God by faithful and humble prayer yet in those that are Hardenedned prayers of themselues are frutelesse Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not the prayer of sinners that is of such as reteine a will to sinne Dauid saith He that enclineth his heart vnto wickednesse Psa 6â— God will not heare his prayers To hope in the prayer of