euery day Besides all those spirituall blessings Ephes 1.3 wherewith hee hath blessed vs in heauenly things in Christ Iesus All which as the Prophet calleth them Hos 11.4 are so many bonds of loue whereby the Lord laboureth to drawe and allure vs vnto him As parents labour to winne their young children by promising and bestowing gifts vpon them so dealeth the Lord with vs knowing our weaknesse hee doth as it were woe vs by many benefits Hos 2.8 Ezech. 16.8.9 And therefore Moses telleth the people of Israel that the end why God bestowed so many and so great benefits vpon them was this Deut. 10.12 that they should loue the Lord with all their heart and with all their soule And Nathan being sent to Dauid after his adulterie vpbraideth him with the great kindnesse which the Lord had shewed him Namely that God had annointed him King ouer Israel 2. Sam. 12.7.8 and had deliuered him out of the hand of Saul And had giuen him his Lords house and his Lords wiues in to his bosome c. And would if that had beene too little haue giuen him much more and therefore his vnthankfulnesse was the greater to trespasse so hainously against so good and mercifull a God 1. King 14.7.8 So doth Ahijah the Prophet vpbraide Ieroboam that whereas God had exalted him from among the people and made him Prince ouer his people Israel c. Hee notwithstanding rebelled against him Thirdly the corrections and chastisements which God layeth vpon vs. As the Lord himsele tolde Dauid saying Psa 89.30.31.32 If thy children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgments c Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes And Iob saith that the Lord openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections whâ—ch he hath sealed Job 33.16 Whensoeuer God layeth any rod vpon our backes either in our one persons in our bodies in our goods or in our names or in our wiues and children or any other that are deare vnto vs it is for this end that feeling the smart we may humble our selues vnder his hand And whensoeuer our stubbornesse driueth the Lord to take this course with vs it is not without his great griefe As the Prophet bringeth him in reasoning and debating the matter with the people of Israel How saith he shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim Hos 11.8 how shall I deliuer thee o Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are rouled together We see how the Lord is perplexed in himselfe when the sinnes of his people stirred vp his displeasure He cannot tell what course to take On the one side the hainousnesse of their sinnes prouoked him to punish them yea to destroy them as once hee did Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them but on the otherside his Fathers loue and tender compassion moued him to holde his hand and to stay his iudgements His mercy did striue against their wickednesse And when indeed he had brought euill vpon them and deliuered them vp vnto the power of their enemies Iudg. 10.16 it is said that his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel as a tender hearted Father many times correcteth his sonne when the teares stand in his owne eyes And therefore these also may bee called bondes of loue For they doe not proceed from the wrath of God neither are they any tokens of his displeasure No he hath promised that though hee whippe and scourge his children peraduenture sometimes till the bloud followe their stubbernesse so requiring it yet his mercy he will neuer take away from them Psal 89.33 And the Apostle saith that whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth Heb. 12.6.11 and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth And howsoeuer for the present it be not ioyous but grieuous yet if wee haue grace to submitte our selues vnto it it bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Yea therefore doth the Lord nurture and Discipline vs here with one rod or other that wee may not bee damned with the wicked world 1. Cor. 11.32 Fourthly priuate and gentle admonitions either by a mans friends or any other that haue authoritie ouer him as the Magistrate in the common-wealth the Minister in the Church the father or Master in the family And this our Sauiour Christ sheweth when he saith that if a man vse a kinde admonition to his brother in priuare Mat. 18.15 if it bee done with godly discretion and holy grauitie it may bee a meanes to winne him Iam. 5.20 And Saint Iames saith that if a man by good counsell shall conuert a sinner from going astray he shal be an instrument to saue his soule Dauid knew the benefite of this full well and therefore hee so much desireth it Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me saith he for that is a benefit let him reproue me and it shal be a precious oyle c. Fiftly the reuilings and backbitings of a mans enemies which howsoeuer they proceede of malice in them and a desire to reuenge Amor caecutit in eo quod amat yet there may bee a good vse made of them For our friends either for the loue they beare vs doe not see our faults or if they doe in a kind of nicenesse they dissemble them and will not reproue them Sicut amici adulantes peruertunt sic inimici plerumque litigantes corrigunit Aug. confes lib. 9 Iob. 31.36 But our enemies will not halt with vs in this case but will aggrauate all our faults against vs as much as they can And though peraduenture wee bee not guilty of that particular crime which they charge vs withall but that with Iob wee may take it vpon our sholders and weare it as a crowne yet it may bee we are faultie in other things which God would chastise in vs by this meanes 2. Sam. 16.7.11 And this vse did Dauid make of Shemei his rayling against him For howsoeuer that hee most vniustly accused him to haue beene a bloudy man against the house of Saul yet Dauid bad let him alone For the Lord had bidden him doe that he did Sixtly the publike iudgements which God exerciseth in the world Though peraduenture we feele them not our selues yet if we either see them or heare of them they are so many warning peales to call vs to repentance as the Prophet saith Isa 26.9 Seeing thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse Last of all the inward motions which the holy Ghost raiseth vp in vs and the good desire which God putteth into our hearts 2. Sam. 24.10 As we see when Dauid had sinned God caused his owne heart to smite him And therefore he saith that the Lord did giue him counsell Psal 16.7 and caused his reines to teach him in
arme and it will bee heauie In like manner so long as sinne is familiar to a man that his heart is as it were the proper seat of it hee neuer feeleth any waight of it though it bee ready to presse and sinke him downe to hell yet he goeth away with it as if it were as light as a feather But if euer it please God to open his eyes that hee may see the haniousnesse of his sinnes then he will crie out with Dauid that they are a waighty burden too heauy for him to beare Ps 38.4 Saint Bernard hath a very good speech to this purpose How many are there saith hee to whome that same thing which at the first was so bitter that they abhorred it by vse is become sweet At the first a thing will seeme so heauy to thee as thou canst not beare it in processe of time if thou vse to carry it thou wilt not thinke it so heauy Quisquis in primo obstitit repulitque amorem tutus ac victor extitit Sen. in Hippol. Prima coitio est asperrima si eam sustinueris post illa iam vt lubet ludas licet Terent. in Phorm within a while thou shalt feele it light within a while thou shalt not feele it at all and in the end it will delight thee And thus by little and little a man comes to hardnesse of heart And therefore to conclude this point if wee desire to bee preserued from this height of sinne let vs be carefull to resist sinne betimes Let vs watch especially in the beginning of the temptation For then as one saith is the enemie easily ouercome if wee doe not suffer him to enter into the doore of our heart but assoone as euer hee knocketh goe ouer the threshold to meete him without And indeede sinne is most furious in the first assaults if it bee stoutly resisted then it will neuer get such hold in our hearts as otherwise it would Doct. All wicked men agree to persecute the godly So after a while c. This is the third degree of the Apostle Peters sinne and the occasion thereof The first and second assault was made against him by one alone and that a damosell but now all that were present come together against him VVhere in a word wee may obserue that all wicked men agree together to persecute Gods children Because they perceiued that Peter was one of Châ—ists Disciples out of that malice they had against Christ they all set vpon him tag and rag and baite him like a Beare at the stake Thus hath it beene in all ages from time to time Dauid complaineth of it in diuerse places Why saith he doe the heathen rage Psal 2.1.2 and the people murmure in vaine The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Where wee see that Nations and peoples Gentiles Iewes Kings and Rulers men of all sorts both within and without the Church publike and priuate persons great and small doe conspire against Christ and his poore Church And againe They haue consulted together and haue made a league against thee The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites Psal 83.5.6.7.8 Moab and the Agarims Gebal and Ammon and Amalech the Philistims with the inhabitants of Tyrus Ashur also is ioyned with them c. And this was Dauids owne case Hee had enemies both in Court and Countrie Doeg the Ziphims Nabal and diuerse other were maliciously bent against him Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe found no better entertainment But assoone as euer hee was borne and so all his life long there were cruell enemies that sought his destruction as the Apostles confesse in their prayer that Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts 4.27 and the people of Israel gathered themselues together against him And so it is at this day Let any wicked man pretend a quarell though neuer so vniust against one that feareth God and all the birds of that viperous brood will violently flocke together and take part with him Acts 2.3.12.13 When the high Priests opposed themselues against Paul how many were there that were readie to ioyne with them Yea there were fortie of a conspiracy that bound themselues by a solemne vowe to kill him before they did either eate or drinke And when Demetrius the siluer smith was incensed against him 19.24.29 c. the whole Citty tooke his part and raged most furiously against him and his fellowes yea a great number of them not knowing what the matter was Yea though they haue beene at enmitie and at oddes before yet in this case they are soone reconciled Luke 23.12 As wee see that Pilate and Herod were made friends in persecuting of Christ though they had beene enemies one to another long before The stories of that bloudy raigne of Queene Marie doe affoord vs plenty of examples for the confirmation of this point And therefore for the vse of this Doctrine Vse we are here admonished to consider what manner of Religion it is that we take vpon vs to professe euen such as hath both the Sun Moone and Stars against it We must take notice of this before we giue vp our names to Christ that so wee may arme and fortifie our selues against it We must not looke for manie to assist vs and to take our parts but rather to haue almost all the world against vs. When the Apostle Paul came into trouble for the profession of the truth he complaineth That no man assisted him 2. Tim. 4.16 but all forsooke him Wee must not looke that it should be better with vs. Then began hee to curse himselfe c. These enemies of the Apostle Peter were not yet satisfied hee had dissembled before and forsworne himselfe yet that would not serue their turnes but still they presse him further and that with greater violence then before and therefore hee seeing their importunitie is determined to feede their humours though it should cost him his soule Doct. When men begin once to fall from God they haue no stay of themselues c. And therefore now he curseth himselfe if euer hee knew Christ Iesus The deuill could haue caried him no further except it had been to desperation Here then we are taught that they that once begin to fall from God haue no stay of themselues but without Gods restraining grace run headlong into the depth of iniquitie It is a true saying He must needes runne whom the diuell driueth And God knoweth we are all wauering and ready to fall as oft as the deuill shall thrust vs forward Neither shall wee euer make any stay vnlesse God stretch out his hand nam quis Peccandi finem posuit subsâ—quando recepit â—ectum semel attrita de fioâ—te ruâ—orem Quis nam ham num est quem tu contentum videris vno Flagitio and hold vs backe As a round stone tumbled downe from the top
the captiue and recouering of sight to the blind c. Luke 4.18 Hee must bee like that good Samaritaine seeing men wounded in their consciences hee must bind vp their wounds Luke 10.33.34 and powre in wine and oile to supple them and refresh them He is a Physician for mens soules and therefore he must apply vnto them the blame of Gilead Iere. 8.22 euen the sweete comforts of the Gospell that the health of Gods disttessed people may bee recouered If it be the duety of all Christians to comfort the feeble minded 1. Thes 5.14 as the Apostle exhorteth much more doth it appertaine to the Ministers of the word that are chiefly set apart thereunto Yea it is ooe principall part of Prophesie 1. Cor. 14.3 that is the Ministerie of the word Hee that prophesieth saith the Apostle speaketh vnto men Rom. 15.4 to edifying and to exhortation and to comfort As it is one propertie of the word to minister comfort as the Apostle saith VVhatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope Psal 19.8 and Dauid saith The statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart So the Minister must apply it in such sort as it may haue this comfortable effect in the heartes of those that stand in neede of it 1. Sam. 1.9 For this cause Eli the Priest sate vpon a stoole at the doore of the Tabernacle that he might be ready at all times to performe this duety Acts 9.17 16.28 c. Thus did Ananias comforte the Apostle Paul being exceedingly cast downe with the vision which he had seene And thus did Paul and Silas comforte the Iayler that was ready in the horrour of his conscience to make away himselfe Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first for the reproofe of all such Ministers as will not performe this duety but rather take pleasure in cutting and launcing in wounding and afflicting the poore consciences of men It is true wee cannot bee too seuere against obstinate and impenitent sinners but yet when it appeareth that they are humbled for their sinnes then they are to bee comforted and raysed vp If a Chyrurgion doe onely cut and launce mens sores and neuer bind them vp if he onely apply corrasiues and no lenitiues he is rather a Butcher then a Chyrurgion In like manner if a Minister doe onely beate men downe with the terrours of the law and neuer labour to rayse them vp with the comforts of the Gospell he is an hangman and an executioner rather then a Minister And therefore wee must labour to take a right course in administring the word We must not preach the lawe alone nor the Gospell alone but both together and yet both in their right order The law must goe before to beat downe the pride of mens hearts and the Gospell must follow after to minister comfort vnto them VVhen Nathan had throughly humbled King Dauid 2. Sam. 12.13 with denouncing Gods iudgements against him for his sinnes then hee spake peace vnto him againe saying The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Act. 2.37.28 c. When the Apostle Peter saw the effect of his Sermon that it had pricked and wounded the people in their hearts hee was most ready to comfort them againe with the promises of mercy Vse 2 Secondly this doctrine also serueth to teproue all those that haue no abilitie to performe this duety A number God knowes are ignorant persons of no gifts for this worke of the Lord and besides are so giuen ouer to the world as they haue no desire to come to knowledge So long as they may eate the fat Ezech. 34.3 and cloth themselues with the wooll they care not what becommeth of the poore sheepe They haue more regard of the gaine of riches a Apud eos non animarum salus sed lucrum quaeritur diuitiarum Bern. in Psal 91. Serm. 5. as one saith then of the saluation of mens soules But alas this intollerable defect neuer sheweth it selfe more shamefully or with greater hurt then when men stand most in neede of spirituall comfort namely at the houre of death or in the time of some great affliction For as shepheards that want skill to helpe a poore sheepe out of the ditch cut his throat in time to make it mans meate that it may not bee said it died in a ditch so these miserable comforters are driuen to take some indirect course whereby for want of knowledge they slay many a poore soule And thus in many places are the miserable and desperate calamities of the people prouided for when their necessitie doth most of all require better comfort Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish all of vs that bee Ministers of the word to labour diligently in this behalfe that we may releeue the distresses of Gods people Euery Minister of God should bee an Interpreter Iob. 33.23 2. Cor. 5.19 as Iob saith able to deliuer aright the reconciliation made betwixt God and man the word whereof is committed vnto him able to open the couenant of grace and rightly to lay downe the meanes how this reconciliation is wrought and to apply the same accordingly and so to declare to man his righteousnesse that is to say as that reuerend and worthy man of blessed memory Master Perkins doth expound it when a poore sinner by his sinnes is brought downe to the gates of hell and by the preaching of the law to a true sight of his misery then it is the duty of a Minister to declare to him his righteousnesse namely that howsoeuer in himselfe he be as he is as foule as sinne can make him and the law can discouer him to bee yet in Christ hee is righteous and by Christ so iustified as hee is no more a sinner in Gods account and also to maintaine the same for the quiet of his conscience against all the power of darknesse whatsoeuer Now this cannot be done without a speciall gift from God And therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto him that the knowledge of Christ Iesus and of heauenly things may not onely swimme in our braines but may also bee engrauen in our heartes and imprinted in our soules by the finger of God 2. Cor. 1.4 that so wee may bee able to comfort them that are in affliction out of the feeling of our owne heartes euen by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God See thou to it The cheife Priests are so farre from comforting Iudas in his distresse that they doe rather despise him and in a manner laugh him to scorne They hired him and set him on worke Doct. Traitours are hated euen of those that haue benefit by thē and yet now that they haue effected what they would they doe not respect him Where we may obserue the iust reward and punishment of traytours they are odious euen to them
in their sins nor cast them off when they fall but mercifully putteth vnder his hand Psal 37.24 as Dauid saith Last of all wee haue here a liuely patterne of true and sound repentance for our direction in the like case All which are most necessarie to be knowne and therefore the Holy Ghost would haue the Story related by all the Euangelists As then it hath pleased the Lord to vse such diligence in setting it down so let vs vse the like diligence in attending to it for our benefit and edification And that we may proceed orderly in the handling thereof let vs consider Two generall partes 1. His falwhere 1. The occasion of it 1. The place the high Priestes Hall 2. The Persons 1. A maide ver 69. 2. Another maide v. 71. 3. The standers by v. 73 2. The sinne it selfe 1. Propounded he denied 2. Amplified 1. By the maner openly Before them all v. 70. 2. By the degrees of it 1. A bare deniall or a dissembling ve 70. 2. An Oath ver 72. 3. An imprecatioÌ„ he cursed himself if euer he knew Christ v. 74. 2. His Repentance whereof afterward Peter sate without c. It was a dutie of pietie in the Apostle Peter to follow his Master to this place and a great argument of his loue towardes him aboue all his fellowes For it is said before in this Chapter verse 58. that howsoeuer Peter followed a farre off yet hee came after to the high Priests hall and went in and sate with the seruants to see the end It was an honest affection in him that he did not hide himselfe as the other Disciples did verse 56. Who all forsooke their Master and fled but did earnestly desire to see what the issue would bee and what would become of Christ All this I say was commendable in the Apostle But because our Sauiour had forewarned him of the weaknesse of his nature and had plainely told him that before the cocke crowe he should denie him thrice he should rather haue kept himselfe close in some secret place then thus to offer and expose himselfe to temptation and to the occasions of sinne He could not but know that euery body would obserue and take notice of him aboue all the rest because he had bin such a tickler in his Masters quarrell and had cut off one of their eares with his sword that came to apprehend him And besides he had alwayes accompanied his Master whether soeuer he went and therefore there was no hope that he should escape vnknowne Doct. 1. We must carefully auoide all occasions of sinne From hence then wee learne for our first instruction that he that would preserue himselfe from sin must carefully auoid all the occasions thereof It is a true saying He that would no euill doe must doe nothing that belongs thereto The occasion in euery thing is a great matter The occasion of good preuaileth much to draw men to good and the occasion of euill to drawe them to euill euen when before the occasion bee offered there is no great desire to either of them But especially occasions to euill are most forcible The reason is first because of our selues we are so prone to euill Our nature is like drie wood which is apt to kindle assoone as euer fire is put to it So giue a man the least occasion and presently he yeeldeth to sinne There is no speedier coniunction of fire and gunpowder or of fire and towe or tinder or any other such combustible thing then ther is between our corrupt nature and sinne vpon the least occasion vnlesse the grace of God doe preuent it There needeth no Deuill to tempt vs Nemo laeditur nisi à se Nihil mihi contrarium est nisi ego ipse Mecum est quiquied mihi nocere potest Bern. Med. c. 11. let but any occasion be offered and we straight way become tempters to our selues It is a true saying No man is hurt but by himselfe The Diuell and all the Diuels in hell could not preuaile against vs if our owne hartes by yeelding to euery occasion of sin did not betray vs. And this is that which the Apostle Iames saith Euery man is tempted Jam. 1.14 when hee is drawne away and entised by his owne concupiscence Wee harbour a secret enemie in our owne bosomes without which wee could not so easily be ouercome As wee see in our Sauiour Christ who saith of himselfe Iohn 14.30 Diabolus plus confidit in adiutorio carnis quoniam magis nocet domesticus hostis Illa verò ad subuersionem meam â—um illo faedus inijt Bern. Med. cap. 15. Iam. 5.11 that the Prince of this world came to him but he found nothing in him The Diuell tempted and assaulted him with might and maine but because there was no corruption in his nature to worke vpon he could not preuaile Yea holy Iob against whom Heauen and earth might seeme to conspire so long as he hurt not himselfe by impatiency hee was not hurt by all his afflictions but rather became more famous thereby being set forth as a patterne of patience to all posterity So would it be with vs were it not that we are as ready to lay hold vpon euery occasion of sin as the Diuel or the world is to offer the same vnto vs. The truth of this point appeareth in many examples in the Scriptures Gene. 3.6 Euah the Mother of vs all had no sooner an occasion of sin offered her by the beholding the fairenesse of the forbidden fruit but presently shee consented to the suggestions of the Serpent Neither did this corruption rest in her Gene. 6.2 but it hath likewise ouerspread all her posteritie When the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire they tooke themselues wiues of all that they liked Gene. 39.6.7 Iosephs Mistris no sooner casther eyes vpon Ioseph and sawe that he was a faire person and welfauoured but straight shee intised him to commit folly with her Gene. 34.1.2 VVhen Dinah the daughter of Iacob in a curious humour beganne to walke out to see the daughters of that countrie though it is like shee went not with any such purpose yet occasion being offered she lost her virginitie Iosh 7.21 VVhen Achan sawe in the spoile a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels waight presently he coueted them and tooke them Yea Dauid a man otherwise after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13.14 assoone as euer he saw Bathsheba washing her selfe 2. Sam. 11.2.3.4 by and by lusted after her Diabolus dum decipere quenquam quaerit prius naturam vniuscuiusque intendit inde se applicat vnde hominem aptum ad peccatum inspexerit Bern. de ordine vitae sent for her and lay with her So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending euery occasion that may drawe him to sinne Againe
another reason hereof is this because the Deuill is so ready to watch euery occasion and whensoeuer hee seeth vs any whit inclining there he taketh aduantage and bendeth all his force against vs. This Doctrine serueth first for admonition 1. that wee be carefull in performing this dutie As the Marriner is Vse 1 carefull to auoide all the rockes and sandes which might be occasion of shipwracke so should wee with like care and diligence auoide all the occasions of sinne To this end we must examine our selues to what sinnes we are most addicted and what haue beene the occasions whereby we haue beene prouoked to the committing thereof and when we haue found them out wee must shunne them as wee would doe a Serpent To giue instance in some particulars If any man be giuen to whoredome he must follow the practise of Iob Iob. 31.1 VVho made a couenant with his eyes that he would not looke vpon a maide To which purpose the sonne of Sirach giueth good counsell Vse not saith hee the companie of a woman that is a dancer Eccle. 9.4.5 least thou bee taken by her craftinesse Gaze not vpon a maide that thou fall not by that that is precious in her 8. And a little further Turne away thine eyes from a beautifull woman and looke not vpon others beautie 11. for many haue perished by the beautie of women And againe Sit not at all with an other mans wife namely without warrant either from thy generall or particular calling neither banket with her least thine heart encline vnto her and so through thy desire fall into destruction The feare of this danger made Ioseph so carefull as hee was Gene. 39.10 who knowing the lewde minde of his Mistris would not onely not consent to lye with her but not so much as to be in her companie But because many times it is hard to rule the eye but it will be full of adulterie as the Apostle Peter saith and will cause a man to looke vpon a woman to lust afer her therefore 2. Pet 2.14 Matth. 5.28 besides all a mans owne endeauour he must earnestly pray vnto God as Dauid did Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie Psal 119.37 If a man bee enclined to drunkennesse hee must follow the aduice of Salomon Looke not vpon the wine when it is red Prou. 23.31 and when it sheweth his colour in the cup hee that knoweth the weaknesse of his braine and how easily he is ouertaken hee should vtterly abstaine from strong drinke Better were it for him to drinke water all his life then to fall into so filthy a sinne The Prophet Isaiah pronounceth a heauie woe vpon all such Isa 5.11 as rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and continue till night that the wine doe inflame them that is such as are not carefull to auoide the occasions of this sinne So likewise if a man bee inclined to swearing or to any other abuse of the tongue because as Salomon saith in many wordes there cannot want iniquitie Prou. 10.19 he must doe as Dauid did in the like case euen take heed to his wayes and keepe his mouth bridled Psal 39.1 that he may not sinne with his tongue But because the tongue Iam. 3.5.8 though it bee but a little member yet it is an vnruly euill and can hardly bee tamed by the industry of man therefore hee must pray with Dauid Set a watch O Lord Psal 141.3 before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips The like may be said of anger and all other sinnes whatsoeuer 2. That wee watch continually ouer our harts in regard Vse 2 they are so prone and so easily drawne to sinne Keepe thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon Prou. 4.23 wee should watch and ward ouer our heartes more then any treasure in the world And it is the exhortation of the Apostle Take heed brethren Heb. 3.12 least there be at any time in any of you an euill and an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God Wee must at all times haue especiall regard to the heart or els wee cannot stand So also the Apostle Peter Be sober saith he and Watch. 1. Pet. 5.8 4.7 And though a man bee otherwise neuer so sober yet if hee doe not watch against the occasions of sinne hee is easily ouercome And it was the charge which our Sauiour gaue his Disciples Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation As the Iaylour watcheth ouer the prisoner for whose escape hee is to answere so must wee watch ouer the corruptions of our owne heartes We must take notice of our pronenesse to sinne in euery part of the body and faculty of the soule and giue diligent heed that it breake not out to the dishonour of God and offence of our brethren For want of this care many of Gods children haue beene ouertaken with grieuous sinnes As we haue a fearefull example in Iudah Gene. 38.15.16 who going forth about a lawfull and honest businesse namely to see his sheepshearers and intending no euill yet meeting with an occasion because his heart was not guarded hee defiled himselfe in a very vile and filthy manner Yea manie times euen in those things which wee knowe to bee euill and whereof we are conuicted in our owne consciences wee are so blinded for want of this care that we rush into them As the Marriner knoweth all the dangerous shelues and straites in the Sea yet many times for want of present beed he rusheth vpon them and suffereth shipwracke Vse 3 Secondly this Doctrine serueth for the reproofe of all those that are so farre from auoiding the occasions of sinne as that they rather secke them and follow after them Neuer rauenous beast did more eagerly pursue the pray nor hungry fish more greedily follow the bait 1. Pet. 4.4 Ephes 4.19 then they doe hunt after occasions of sinne running into all excesse of ryot and working all vncleanesse euen with greedinesse as the Apostle saith What madnesse is this for a man thus to expose himselfe vnto danger as if the flesh were not prone enough of it selfe vnto that which is euill There is no man wil bring a great deale of drie straw into an house where fire is and leaue it there vnlesse hee meane to fire the house So no man will wilfully rush vpon the occasions of sinne but hee that is carelesse of his soule Blessed is the man saith Salomon that feareth alway but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill And it is a good speech of Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiast 3.27 Hee that loueth danger shall perish in it It is in vaine for men in this case to boast of their owne strength For as wee see by experience that a weake man that is alwayes out of gunshot Pro. 28.14 is likely to liue longer then a strong man that is euer in the middest of the pikes
there were no other proofe of it It was not the qualitie of Iudas his sinne that made it worse then Peters but his gracelesnesse that could not repent of it as Peter did Nay if all circumstances be considered it may be Peters sinne will bee found so hainous if not more hainous then the sinne of Iudas For Iudas was diuerse times crossed by our Sauiour Christ Iohn 12.6.7 as namely in the case of the ointment yea he was openly shamed and disgraced before all his fellowes when as in the hearing of them all our Sauiour discouereth him to bee a Traitor pulling him as it were out by the poll Mat. 26.23.24.25 Iahn 13.26 when hee gaue him a soppe c. Hence he conceiued dislike of his Master and no doubt began to stomacke him and then briberie working on his couetousnesse for the Priests offered him money he was easily drawne to doe that hee did Mat. 26.15 But Peter was euer well beloued and respected of his Master as hath beene said and was neuer out of grace and fauour with him and yet notwithstanding he denieth him 1. Sam. 13.14 Fearefull also and wofull was the fall of Dauid as the Scripture hath recorded it It may seeme strange that Dauid a man after Gods owne heart as the Lord himselfe testifieth could possibly fall so farre as he did 2. Sam. 11. the whole Chapter For if wee consider the circumstances and degrees of his sinne it will appeare that finall impenitencie excepted a reprobate could scarce commit a greater For first he committeth adulterie with Vriah his wife after that hee vseth very vile and sinfull shifts to saue his credit and to couer his sinne As hee sendeth for Vriah from the Campe where he was fighting the battels of God against his enemies and would haue had him to haue gone and layen with his wife that so hee might father the child When he could not perswade him to goe home hee causeth him to eat at his owne table and there maketh him drunke thinking that then hee would haue done it But when this would not preuaile neither he that before in the time of his affliction was so tender hearted that his conscience checked him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment 1. Sam. 24.6 doth now make no bones to cause Vriah an innocent and harmlesse man to be slaine and made away In like maner Gene. 7.1 2. Pet. 2.7.8 Noah and Lot both of thē righteous persons as is testified of them and both of them hauing had so good experience of Gods mercifull goodnesse in preseruing them Gene. 6.8 Gene. 19.16 9.21 19.33 c. the one from the destruction of the old world the other frō the ouerthrow of Sodom Gomorrah yet were both drunk in a shameful maner and Lot to his drunkennes added incest euen with his owne daughters Num. 12.7 Exod. 33.11 In a word that Moses was so faithful in the house of God he that found such grace in the sight of God that the Lord spake to him face to face as a man speaketh to his friend he that had so great experience of the mighty power of God in so many glorious miracles yea himselfe had beene Gods instrument in effecting them he that had with such a great patience and meekenesse ouercome so many prouocations of that froward and peruerse people yet at the last was so angred and his spirit so vexed Psal 106.32.33 Num. 20.10.12 Deut. 34.4 that he spake vnaduisedly with his lippes which sinne of his was so hainous as that the Lord would not therefore suffer him to enter into the land of promise Many examples might be produced for the further confirmation of this point but by these it may sufficiently appeare that though a man be neuer so deare to God and haue receiued neuer so great a measure of grace and sanctification yet if hee be left to himselfe by violence of temptation he may fall into great and fearefull sinnes Obiect 2. Thes 3.3 But some may say God is able to stablish his children as the Apostle saith and to keepe them from euill Why then doth he not alwaies preuent them with his grace but suffer them to fall thus fearefully to the dishonour of his name and the wounding of their owne soules Answere I answere as before that God is not bound to followe any man with his grace after he hath once regenerated and sanctified him And herein God dealeth with his children as a father doth with his prodigall sonne Though he be able to furnish him continually with money and to supply all his idle and wastfull expences yet when hee seeth that nothing will serue his turne but that still hee lasheth it out without any measure he giueth him ouer and leaueth him to himselfe to be beaten with his owne rod as that prodigall youth was in the Gospell that at the last comming home by weeping crosse Luke 15.14 15.16 bee may learne to bee a better husband And yet no man condemneth this father of cruelty or hard dealing to such a sonne but rather commendeth his wisdome So in like manner when the Lord perceiueth his children to waxe carelesse Enchir. ad Lau rent cap. 10. Rom. 8.28 Mala eis prosunt quae alijs facientibus obsunt Mag. Sentent lib. 1. disti 49. G. in husbanding the graces which he hath giuen them when they beginne to be negligent in vsing the meanes to preserue and increase them hee iustly witholdeth his grace from them and leaueth them to fall into grosse and grieuous sinnes And yet such is the mercifull goodnesse of our God that euen this maketh for our great and vnspeakable good That God that in the beginning by his diuine power brought light out of darkenesse is able also out of the greatest euill to bring the greatest good To which purpose Saint Augustine hath a good saying Almighty God being infinitely good would by no meanes suffer any euill to bee in his workes vnlesse by his power and goodnesse hee were able to dispose it to good And the Apostle also saith that all things worke together for the best to them that loue God yea euen sinne that is hurfull to others by Gods mercifull dispensation is profitable to them For first when the children of God are ouercome of the temptation which they striue against and so fall into some great sinne it maketh them displeased with themselues because they haue so dishonoured God and so they beginne to take a better vewe of their owne frailty and weakenesse and are exceedingly humbled thereby a Audeo dicere superbis vtile esse caderein aliquod apertū manifestumque peccatum vnde sibi displiceant qui iam sibi placendo ceciderant Salubrius enim Petrus sibi displicuit quendo sleuit quam sibi placuit quando praesumpsit iuxta illud Psa 83.16 De ciuit Dei lib 14. cap. 13. Sanctis vsque adeo Deus omnia cooperatur in
Other mens ruines should bee your examples Now to the end that wee may not abuse these examples of Gods children to the incouraging of our selues in sinne let vs consider first that this was no ordinarie thing with them to fall in this manner It is testified of Dauid euen by the Lord himselfe that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of his life saue onely in the matter of Vriah 1. King 15.5 Dauid then made no occupation of sinning So wee doe not reade that euer Peter denied Christ Iesus any more no hee was most constant in confessing of his name euen vnto death Neither doe wee reade that Noah or Lot were euer ouertaken with drunkennesse againe And therefore the examples of their falles can bee no incouragement to them that continually adde sinne to sinne making whoredome and drunkennesse and such like horrible sinnes their ordinarie trade and common practise These men sinned indeede but it was of infirmitie through the violence of temptation and they did not lie along in their sinne but renued their repentance with griefe of heart and therefore God receiued them to mercy and forgaue them their sinnes But this is nothing to thee whosoeuer thou art that sinnest presumptuously with an high band and liuest and lyest in thy sinne impenitently God hath no mercy for thee so long as thou continuest in this estate Againe for our selues let vs consider what hurt wee receiue whensoeuer wee fall into any sinne For first of all that spirituall comfort and ioy in the holy Ghost which once wee felt 1. Pet. 1.8 and which before was in vs vnspeakeable and glorious vanisheth away and our soules are filled with horrour by reason of Gods displeasure and the conscience is made euen the picture of hell And therefore Dauid after his grieuous fall Psal 51.11.8 desireth the Lord to restore to him the ioy of his saluation And a little before in the same Psalme hee saith Make me to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Insinuating that the the horrour of conscience that followeth vpon the committing of sinnes is like the breaking of a mans bones which is the greatest paine that can be Yea hee saith in an other Psalme Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord as though for the time hee had beene in the bottome of hell Secondly wee are made vnfit to any thing that is good so that till we be restored againe by repentance wee are made vnprofitable burdens of the earth There is no cheerefulnesse in Prayer no life in hearing the word no delight in receiuing the Lords supper Our soules are dull and lumpish within vs as if they were buried in the bottome of a dunghill that we cannot lift them vp with any feruencie in the performance of any holy duetie Thirdly on the other side we are made most apt and ready to runne into any sinne Whiles we lie impenitent in any transgression the deuill cannot offer a tentation to vs but wee are ready to yeeld as may appeare in this example of Peter as wee shall see afterward Fourthly we are sure to smart for it for God will correct vs with one rod or other till we bee throughly humbled as the Lord said to Dauid If thy children forsake my Law Psal 89.30.31.32 and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements Then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with scourges What a griefe thinke we Gen. 9.22.25 was it to Noah by reason of his sinne to become a laughing stocke to his owne sonne What a heart breaking was it to Dauid to bee thrust out of his Kingdome by Absalom his owne darling 2. Sam. 15.30 It is said that when he fled from him hee had his head couered and went barefooted and wept as he went Better were it therefore for a man to want all the pleasure that his sinnes can affoord then to endure the smart and shame that followeth after as the Apostle saith What fruite had yee then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 Last of all when a man by his sinnes hath lost the feeling of Gods fauour it is hard to recouer it againe Peter wept bitterly Dauid crieth earnestly yea he caused his bed euery night to swim and watered his couch with his teares So will it be with thee whosoeuer thou art that hast by thy sinne lost the fauour of God it will cost thee many a broken sleepe many an aking heart and many a salt and bitter teare before thou canst bee reconciled againe And therefore to conclude in all these respects wee should bee carefull by all holy meanes to preserue our selues from sinne and not presume because God hath beene mercifull in forgiuing many great and grieuous sinners Before them all This is the maner of his deniall that hee doth it openly and publikely hee did not whisper it in the maides eare but spake it openly in the hearing of them all And this doth greatly aggrauate his sinne that hee is not afraid of a multitude of witnesses Hee is come to this passe that he careth not who heareth him denie his Master Doctr. These sinnes are most hainous that are openly committed Psal 139.12 Here then we may learne that as all sinnes are hainous so especially that which is openly and publikely committed The very sight and presence of men should somewhat keepe vs and restraine vs from sinne It is true that euen our most secret sinnes are odious in the sight of God because seeth them as well as if they were open For as Dauid saith The darkenesse hideth not from God Ier. 23.24 Psal 19.12 but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light to him are both alike he seeth as well at mid-night as at noone-day Neither can there be any place so secret wherein a man can hide his sinnes from the Lord. And therefore Hos 4.2 Jsa 3.9 Vultu morbum incessuque fatentur Iuuenal satyr 2. vnius cuiusque casus tantò maior ris est crim iniis quantò priusq is caderet maioris erit virtutis Bern. de conc aedif cap. 5 s 1 as Dauid prayeth for the pardon euen of his secret sinnes ackowledging that God could know and see sinnes in him when they could not see them himselfe But when mens sinnes breake out as the Prophet Hosea saith into the open vewe of the world and when once the triall of their countenance doth testifie against them when they are come to that height of impudency in sinning that they declare their sinnes as Sodome and hide them not then are their sins most odious The reason is because God thereby is most dishonored especially if they be professors of religion that doe offend For all that professe religion liue as it were vpon a stage where all men doe
Augustine complaineth and hath filled all our wayes with trappes to catch our soules and who shall escape them he hath set snares in riches and snares in pouertie Hee hath laid snares in our meat in our drinke in our pleasure in sleepe and in our waking Hee hath laide snares in our wordes and in our workes and in all our wayes Yea hee hath not onely laid snares but birdlime c Nec solum laqueum posuit sed viscum Bern. Medit. cap. 14. as Bernard saith whereby hee ensnareth vs in many sinnes Though men neuer sow tares nor cockle yet we see as all ill weedes doe they growe of themselues But the Deuill both soweth and harroweth most busily that hee may haue a plentifull haruest of sinne But his malice doth most of all appeare in this that hee layeth snares for vs euen in our best workes and in the duties of godlinesse which wee performe Let a man betake himselfe to prayer the deuill will be at his elbowe to hinder him as wee see in the example of Iehoshua the high priest who when he began to pray Zech. 3.1 Sathan stood at his right hand to resist him Let a man come to the hearing of the worde the crowes of hell will be busie about him to picke vp and steale the blessed seed of the word out of his heart least he should beleeue and be saued as our Sauiour saith Luk. 8.12 And if it come to passe that by Gods assistance wee doe repell the Deuill so as hee cannot preuaile against vs but in despite of him and all his malice wee performe these and other holy duties in some acceptable manner then he laboureth to make vs ouerweene of our selues and to bee proud of those good things which are none of our owne And of all other temptations this is most dangerous as the children of God find by too much experience For as one saith well a Euidentibus vitijs prouocat in quibê° si palam superetur illicò superbiam periculosissimè iaculatur vitiorum author in eo quod vincere non potest vitijs suis vincit virtutibus alienis Armis quibus eliditur sâ—rgit virtute qua deijcitur deijcil Laudat qua se perspâ—â—it superari vâ—rtutem vt victus possit captiuare vinâ—â—tem Iâ—ijâ—it cordi iactantiam vt grauiori lapsu de alto possit deijcere si quos in humilibus videt gradu firmiore pugnare Fulgent Epist 3. ad Probam he prouoketh vs by apparant sinnes wherin if he be openly ouercome by and by most dangerously he casteth pride into our hearts and being the authour of vices where hee cannot ouercome vs by his owne vices hee ouercommeth vs by our vertues Hee riseth with the weapons wherewith hee is cast downe and foyleth vs with the vertue whereby hee is foyled Hee commendeth the force whereby he perceiueth himselfe to be ouercome that being conquered hee may captiuate the conquerour Hee filleth the heart with boasting that he may cast them downe from high with a greater fall whom he seeth in humilitie to fight more stoutly So that wee see the Deuill hideth his subtile snares not onely in the workes of the flesh which are easily discerned not onely in vices but euen in spirituall exercises also and in the very best workes which we performe As Dauid said of his bodily enemies In the way wherein I walked haue they priuily laid a snare for me Psal 142.3 so dealeth the Deuill with vs. He doth not onely labour to leade vs out of the way by manifest errour but where hee seeth vs walking in good workes there hee seeketh to ensnare vs. Secondly as the Deuill is thus malicious and desirous to hurt so is hee exceeding strong and if God giue him leaue able to doe much hurt For this cause he is called a ramping and a roaring Lion 1. Pet. 5.8 And the Apostle setting out our spirituall conflict hee saith wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud Ephes 6.12 that is against weake and fraile men like our selues for then there were some hope to make our partie good for there is no man so strong but another may bee as strong to match him but against principalities and powers and against worldly gouernours c. Our Sauiour Christ who buckled with him and ouercame him hee acknowledgeth that hee is strong for hee calleth him a strong man armed And in these last dayes Luk. 11.21 Apoc. 12.12 his rage being increased because bee knoweth hee hath but a short time his strength is also increased for anger we see is the whetstone of strength But most of all our carelessenesse giueth him great aduantage and our negligence armeth his diligence a Omnia facit diabolus non taÌ„ potentia sua quaÌ„ negligetia nostra For as one saith the Deuill preuaileth not so much by his owne power as by our negligence And it is helde for a rule in militarie pollicie b Nil tutò in hoste despicitur quem spreueris valeÌ„tiorem negligentia facis Q. Curtius Lib. 6. 1. Chron. 21.1 that it is not safe to despise any thing in an earthly enemie for if wee contemne him wee make him stronger by our rechlessenesse Againe as hee is strong so hee is valiant and stout daring to encounter with any aduersarie Dauid was a puissant warriour victorious in many battels and besides for his godlinesse a man after Gods owne heart yet the Deuill was not afraid to grapple with him but brought him to a fearefull fall Iob was a man of rare and excellent vertues commended by the Lord himselfe to be a iust man Iob. 1 8.11 c. Act. 5.3 one that feared God and eschewed euill yet the Deuill assailed him very feircely and though he could not bring him to finall Apostacy yet he caused him to vtter in his passion many wordes of impatiency In the Primitiue Church there was great godlinesse yet the Deuill was not afraid to put in his foote there but filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lie against the holy Ghost Act. 9.15 2. Cor. 12.12 The Apostle Paul was a chosen vessell vnto God to carry his name before the Gentiles and yet the Deuill buffetted him grieuously as himselfe complaineth The Disciples liued alwayes vnder the winge of their Master and had him to protect them yet the Deuill was not afraide to winnowe them as a man winnoweth wheate Luk. 22.31 and how hee preuailed wee see in this lamentable example of the Apostle Peter and in the fearefull fall of Iudas Wherevpon Saint Bernard saith c Si lupus non timuit intrare in gregem domini vnam de duodecem tam pauculo numero mactare perdere quid facturus est de grege commisso pastori Bern. de Cena dom ser 1. Ephes 4.24 If the Wolfe were not afraide to enter into the Lords flocke and to kill and destroy one sheepe of twelue so small a number what will he doe with that
Doct. He that falleth into a small sinne is easily brought to a greater With an oath See heere the progresse of sinne First the Apostle maketh a lye secondly hee binds it and confirmeth it with an oath and last of all hee addeth cursing Whence we may obserue that he that falleth into one sinne though neuer so small is easily carried into a greater and he that beginneth but with a trifle as he accounts it many times rusheth headlong into foule and haynous wickednesses euen such as before he loathed and abhorred If the Deuill had at the first dash bidden Peter forsweare and curse himselfe in this manner no doubt hee would haue detested it extreamely And therefore he is more subtile then so he beginneth with him in a smaller offence and so at the last bringeth him to that without any stay which at the first he would neuer haue yeelded to It is true that a Nemo repente fuit turpissimus Iuuenal â—at 2. Non ad suminuÌ„ peccati gradam simul ab exordio prosiliunt homines Aug. de trin lib. 12. cap. 10. no man commeth to the height of sinne at the first b Sicut nemo repente sit sum mus sed gradatim quisque ascendit sic nemorepente fit pessimus sed paulatim descendit Bern. de gradib humilitatis As no man on the sodaine becommeth most excellent in Vertue but euery man ascendeth by degrees so no man on the sodaine is made desperate in euill but descendeth by little and little Sinne is like a fretting canker that ouerspreadeth the whole body secretly before it be discerned It is like a serpent if it get in but the head onely it will winde in the whole body There is such a combination of sinne that as in the linkes of a chaine if a man draw one all the rest follow so if a man grant a little sinne a greater will come after And in this respect the diseases of the soule are farre worse then those of the body For they that are troubled with the stone Eras de lingua are commonly free from other maladies But there is no disease of the soule but it bringeth with it a troope of vices If a man cast a stone into the water there ariseth presently a circle in the place and presently after that another and so another till at last all the water be full of circles from bank to banke In like manner if a man commit one sinne another will follow vpon it and after that another vnlesse the grace of God preuent him till he bee out of measure sinfull Sinne cannot indure to be alone but it must haue company c PeccatuÌ„ quod per paenitentiam non diluitur mox suo poÌ„dere aliud trahit Bern. yea the least sinne if it bee not done away by repentance will with the weight of it draw on another Wheresoeuer it findeth entertainment it enlargeth and spreadeth it selfe If wee giue it an inch it will take an ell d Quo magis homines peccat eò maior crescit peccandi voluptas yea the longer we continue in it the more it waxeth sweeter and sweeter to our corrupt nature e Quo plus isunt potae plus fituntur aquae Ouid. so that the more we tast it the more we desire it As in the matter of theft men begin first with a pin as we say and then with a point till at last they make no bones of any thing So in all other sinnes a man first beginneth with a little one after that hee commeth to a greater till at last nothing be too hot or too heauy for him The scriptures are plentifull in examples for the proofe of this point both in the wicked and in the Godly Cain was first an hypocrite offering sacrifice indeed to God but onely for fashion sake after that Gen. 4.3.4 5.8 when hee perceiued that God respected his brother better then he did him hee began to be angry and wroth and hee suffered that anger to boyle within him till it became a deadly hatred though most vnnaturall against his brother and in the end he murthered him Absalom was first a wanton 2. Chron cap. 13.15.16 c. after that most cruelly he butchered his owne brother and at the last rebelled against his owne Father and droue him out of his kingdome Mat. 14.3.4.7.9.10 Herod first liued in incest with his brothers wife to the breach of the seuenth commandement after that hee made a prophane and rash oath against the third commandement and in the ende caused innocent Iohn Baptist to be beheaded Iohn 12.6 Mat. 26.15.16 contrary to the sixt commandement Iudas was first a damnable hypocrite after that he was extreamely couetous in such sort as carrying the bagge of prouision for Christ and his disciples hee many times played the theefe and peruerted it to his owne priuate vse and last of all hee was a traytor and betraied his maister And as this is true in the wicked so likewise euen the children of God when they giue way to one sinne vnlesse the Lord in mercy by his grace restraine them they fall further to the wounding of their consciences and the endangering of their soules as appeareth in the examples of Noah Lot Dauid and diuers others whereof we haue spoken before And this is a very fearefull thing when God so forsaketh a man as that he letteth him fall without restraint from one degree of sin to another Psal 69.27 So the Lord alwaies dealeth with the reprobate as Dauid saith Lay iniquity vpon their iniquity or as it is in our vulgar translation Let them fall from one wickednes to another And howsoeuer the Lord suffereth not his children to continue in this estate but mercifully reduceth them by his grace and spirit yet as I said it is fearefull to enter into it Vse And therefore this doctrine serueth to admonish vs of two necessary duties First that we be carefull to take heed euen of the least sinne that can be For as S. Augustine saith a Peccatii nullii adeo paruum est quod non crescat neglectum Aug. de vert sals pâ—eâ—it cap. 8. there is no sinne so little but if it bee neglected it will increase b Et qâ—i minima asperâ—â—t caâ—itan maâ—ora Glâ—ssa ordâ—â— And he that despiseth small sinnes doth easily fall into greater We may not then contemne any sinne because it is little but rather feare least it increase to be many It may be the sinne we are addicted to is not like a Lion to deuoure our soules at one morsell yet we see that c Parua nâ—cat morsu spaâ—iosum vipera tâ—â—rum Ouid de remâ—d many times little beasts if they bee many may kill a man d Aug de decem chordis The graines of sand are very small yet too much waight of it will sinke the shippe e Flumina magna vides paruis de fontibus orta Ouid
of a steepe hill is caried with violence till it come to the bottome So when a man hath once giuen way to any sinne there is no hoe with him till he come to the bottome of hell vnlesse God pull him backe After that once the vigour and liuelyhood of the spirit was extinguished in the Apostle Peter if God had still left him to himselfe if a thousand seuerall persons had questioned with him about his Master he would haue denied him a thousand times Vse 1 This Doctrine serueth to admonish vs first to take diligent heede to our selues that we fall not into sinne least we bee caried headlong without stay Whose heart doth not quake and tremble to consider how farre the Apostle Peter hath fallen And who are we then that wee should presume of our owne strength There are some men that in a conceite of themselues will stint themselues how farre they will goe in the committing of sinne As they will go to the Alehouse and sit among good fellowes and drinke what they thinke good but they shall not all make them drunke But alas we see that many times for all these vaine bragges they are foulely and shamefully ouertaken ere they be aware Secondly we must pray earnestly to God to restraine the Vse 2 malice and rage of Satan and not to forsake vs ouer long Psal 119.8 51.12 as Dauid saith but to establish vs with a free spirit that we may not fall in this fearefull maner Otherwise if we by our carelesnesse and neglect of the good meanes which God hath sanctified do grieue and quench the holy spirit of God it shal be iust for the Lord euen to leaue vs ouer to the dominion of Satan to be held captiues of him and to bee caried headlong into all vngodlinesse Hetherto we haue heard the fearefull and lamentable fall of the Apostle Peter Now followeth his repentance and rising againe which with like diligence is also recorded by all the Euangelists for our comfort Wherein we are to consider 1. The occasions or the meanes of it 1. From without himselfe 1. Outward viz. The crowing of the Cocke 2. Inward viz. Christes looking back vpon him expressed Luke 22.61 2. From within himselfe but occasioned by the former viz. That hee remembred the words of Iesus c. 2. His Repentance it selfe 1. His preparation to it He went out of that wicked place 2. The maner of it Hee wept and that bitterly ANd immediately the Cocke crew This is the first meanes which God vseth for the repentance of the Apostle Peter For seeing in what a desperate state he stood he maketh hast to deliuer him He knew that if hee should haue continued in this case his heart would haue beene hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 as the Apostle saith As it falleth out with the wicked who hauing once tasted the sweetnesse of sinne 1. Pet. 4.4 Ephes 4.19 doe violently runne to all excesse of riot and worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse And therefore the Lord being most carefull of his children delayeth no time but presently vseth all meanes to recouer them Doct. God will not suffer his children to perish in there sinnes Ezek. 18 31.32 33.11 From hence then we learne that God will not suffer his children to perish in their sinnes but endeauoureth to reclaime them This the Lord confirmeth by the Prophet Ezekiel saying Wby will ye dye O ye house of Israel For I desire not the death of him that dieth And hee bindeth it with an oath As I liue saith he I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19 10. the Sonne of man came to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luke 1.79 And this we see first before their conuersion whiles they fitte as it were in darknesse and in the shadow of death the Lord in mercy visiteth them and giueth light vnto them and guideth their feete into the way of peace and causeth them to turne from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26.18 Abraham a long while liued in grosse Idolatry in his Fathers house Gen. 12.1.4 euen till he were seuenty and fiue yeeres old But at the last the Lord in mercy called him out of his Contry and from his kindred brought him to the true knowledge of God Acts 9.1 The Apostle Paul before his conuersion was a grieuous enemy to the Church of God hee breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. But in the middest of his rage the Lord tooke pitty vppon him 2. and as he was furnished with authority from the high Priest 3.4 to bind all both men and women that were of that way so dainely Christ Iesus called vnto him from heauen and reclaimed him and made him of a bloudy and cruell persecutor a most excellent Apostle and a most painefull preacher of that faith which before he destroyed Gal. 1.22 Againe after their conuersion if through frailty they fall into sinne as God knoweth there is no man that sinneth not as Salomon confesseth in his prayer 1. Kings 8.46 at the dedication of the temple the Lord will not suffer them to lye along therin and as it were to sleepe in death but in his tender compassion and in the riches of his mercy he raiseth them vp againe As Dauid saith of the godly man Psalm 37.24 145.14 Though hee fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand And againe The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall And this our Sauiour Christ doth teach vs plainely in the parable of the lost sheepe which the good shepheard will not suffer to perish Luke 15.4.5 nor to wander out of the way to destruction but hee leaueth the rest and as though all his care were onely for that which was lost hee goeth after it and seeketh it and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders and bringeth it home with ioy For which cause Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord saying Psal 119.176 I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant And the Apostle Peter confesseth Gods goodnes to himselfe and others in this case We were saith he as sheepe going astray 1. Pet. 2.25 but are now returned to the shepheard and Bishop of our soules And thus the Lord dealeth with all his children Though he suffer them for a time to follow their owne fantasies and to walke after the desires of their owne hearts yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in his good time he stretcheth out his hand to helpe and succour them Hee suffered Peter to fall fearefully as we haue heard but with all speede hee raiseth him vp againe So he suffered Dauid to commit very hainous and horrible sinnes 2. Sam. 12.1 and to continue and lye
the night When he was in his bed in the night and could not sleepe then the Lord filled his heart with holy meditations This Doctrine serueth first to commend vnto vs the great Vse 1 goodnesse of GOD who dooth not by and by cast off all care of his children when they fall into sinne Psal 103.10 Neither dealeth with them according to their deserts but so louingly recalleth them by one meanes or other Yea it is as impossible for the Lord to forsake his children as it is for the most tender harted mother in the world to forget her own child and not to haue compassion on the sonne of her owne wombe Isa 49.15 Secondly it serueth to admonish vs that whensoeuer Vse 2 the Lord shall call vs by what meanes soeuer wee willingly obey and labour to reape profit by all his gratious administrations towards vs. Which way soeuer the Lord in mercy vseth to reclaime vs from our sinnes 1. Sam. 3.10 let vs be ready to answer with young Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth There should be an Eccho as it were between the heart of euery Christian man and the Lord to answer him at euery call Psal 40.7 Lo I come Lord as Dauid saith Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth for the iust reproofe of al those that rebell and resist the Lord when hee calleth As there are too many that giue the Lord cause to complaine as once he did of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not They frustrate al the meanes that God can vse towards them for their good If hee call vpon them by the ministery of his word either like the deafe adder they stoppe their eares Psalm 58.4.5 and refuse to heare the voice of the charmer though he be most expert in charming or else for fashion sake they harken to it and attaine to some knowledge 50.17 yet they scornefully cast it behind their backs and hate to be reformed by it If hee allure them by his gratious benefits 2. Chron. 32.25 they doe most wretchedly abuse them not rendring vnto the Lord according to the reward bestowed vpon them as it was said of Hezekiah but turning the grace of God into wantonnesse Iude X 4. Râ—m 2.4 and despising the riches of his bountifulnesse not suffering it to lead them to repentance Yea when God hath redde them to the full Deut. 32.15 that they are waxen fatte they spurne with the heele and regard not the strong God of their saluation Psal 35 12. 109.4 Thus as Dauid saith of his enemies they render vnto the Lord euill for good and hatred for his great good will If he be angry with them for their sinnes and correct and chastice them they are neuer the better But with Ahaz wicked Ahaz 2. Chron. 28.22 in the time of their tribulation they trespasse yet more against the Lord. As the Prophet Ieremy said of the stubborne Iewes Ier. 2.30 They haue beene smitten in vain they haue receiued no correction Ier. 5.3 The Lord hath stricken them but they haue not sorrowed they haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne If hee bring publike iudgements vpon the land they doe not regard them If a Lion doe but roare in the forrest all the beasts are afraid Amos 3.8 as the prophet Amos saith But the Lord hath roared from Heauen in his fearefull iudgements and yet no man trembleth Neuer age had more experience heereof then this wherein we liue How long hath the noysome pestilence ranged in all countries of the land what fearefull inundations of water What horrible fires in many places And yet as though all were nothing the most of vs passe our time in carnall security and sinfull pleasures Jsa 5.12 neuer regarding the worke of the Lord nor considering the operation of his hands In a word though God did raise vp in vs neuer so many good motions and holy desires yet by our carelesse negligence we strangle and extinguish them not suffering them to haue that blessed effect of grace in our harts which otherwise they might So that now the Lord may iustly take vp that complaint against vs which once he did against the Iewes Jsa 65.2 I haue spread out my hands all the day long vnto a rebellious people c. And therefore we may feare that as hee hath called vpon vs and we haue refused as hee hath stretched out his hand and we would not regard so the time shall come that we shall cry and call vpon him Pro. 1.24.26.28 euen till our harts ake and hee will not heare vs. Yea he will be so farre from pittying vs that he will laugh at our destruction as Salomon saith And therefore whensoeuer or howsoeuer it shal please the Lord to offer vs grace let vs pray vnto him to enlarge our hearts that wee may willingly and readily embrace it Then the Lord turned backe and looked on Peter This is omitted by our Euangelist but is recorded by Saint Luke Luke 22.61 And it is the second meanes of Peters repentance After the crowing of the cocke our Sauiour looked backe vpon Peter and by his beholding him prouoked him to bitter teares The cocke had crowne already and yet Peter neuer awaked nor remembred what Christ had said vnto him till hee looked backe Now wee are not to thinke that Christs bare looking backe did effect this Ioh. 13.26.27 For then Iudas might haue beene conuerted too For no doubt our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him Iohn 13.26.27 both when hee gaue him the soppe and made it knowne that hee was the man that should betray him and also when hee vttered that sweete and milde speech vnto him when hee came with souldiers to apprehend him Friend saith he Matth. 26.50 wherefore art thou come and after when hee offered to kisse him Luke 22.48 Iudas saith hee betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse a Horrore sceleris sui coâ—â—impij ferire voluit Bern feria 6. in Parasc words that might haue broken his heart if hee had not beene more then obdurate So the Lord looked vpon Cain when hee did so louingly admonish him both before and after his bloudy fact but without any profit But here as the outward and bodily eye of Christ beheld Peter so the influence of his grace and spirit fell vpon his heart By looking vppon him he deriued into him the secret efficacy of his spirit and peirced his heart with the beames of his grace and that preuailed with him to bring him to repentance b Non enim si eri poterat vt in negationis tenebris permaneret quem lux perspexerat mundi Glossa ordinaria For it could not bee that hee should remaine in the darkenesse of his denyall whom
the light of the world had so graciously looked vpon Doct. All outward meanes can do no good without Gods blessing Where we may obserue that all outward meanes which the Lord vseth towardes vs will doe vs no good vnlesse they be accompanied with the powerfull operation of his holy spirit The Ministerie of the worde is of all other meanes most likely to doe most good because it is Gods owne sacred ordinance which himselfe hath sanctified for the working of grace Rom. 1.16 as the Apostle saith I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth 1. Cor. 1.21 And It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue And yet we see by experience that there is no profit by it without Gods blessing Whosoeuer he bee that is the preacher though he bee neuer so rare and excellent for his gifts Iob. 33.23 euen one of a thousand as Iob saith though his learning bee neuer so profound 1. Cor. 13.2 that hee knewe all secrets and all knowledge which the world can affoord Ezra 7 6. though hee bee neuer so prompt and export in the law of God as is said of Ezra that learned Scribe Acts 18.24 though hee bee as a mightie and as well instructed in the Scriptures as euer was Apollos though hee bee a Scribe neuer so well taught vnto the kingdome of Heauen Mat. 13.52 able to bring forth of his treasure at al times things both new and olde 2. Tim. 2.15 Againe though hee bee indued with neuer so good a dexteritie in opening and diuiding the word of God aright Col. 4.3 1. Cor. 13 1. like a workman that need not be ashamed though God haue opened vnto him neuer such a doore of vtterance yea though hee could speake with the tongues of men and Angels And though beside all these excellent gifts his paines were as great as could be imagined 2. Tim. 4.2 Though hee were neuer so instant in his labour preaching the word vpon all occasions Acts 20.20 in season and out of season and that not openly in the congregation but euen from house to house as the Apostle Paul did And whatsoeuer the diligence of the people be in hearing of the word though they all stand vp on their seete Nehem. 8.5 while the worde is in deliuering the better to shake off drowsinesse as the bearers of Ezra did Luke 4.20 and though all their eies be fastned vpon the Preacher as the eies of the Nazarites were vpon our Sauiour Christ Though after they haue heard it they search the scriptures neuer so diligently Acts 17.11 as the noble men of Berea did and vse neuer so many other good meanes of meditation and conference c to helpe their memories Last of all though the doctrin that is taught bee neuer so heauenly and gracious yet there is no good fruit can bee looked for without the blessing of God As euery good giuing and euery perfect gift so also the fruite and profite of the ministry of the word is from aboue Iam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the father of lights Hence it is that the Lord saith I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace Isa 57.19 peace to them that are farre off and to them that are neare The ministery of the worde cannot minister any sound peace or comfort to a distressed conscience nor work any other gracious effect in a mans heart vnlesse the Lord giue a blessing vnto it And therefore the Lord hath promised to giue his holy spirite as an inseparable companion to the worde to make it effectuall Isa 59 2◠My spirit that is vppon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seede from henceforth euen for euer * Nisi Deus interiori gratia mētē regat atque agat nihil prodest homini omnis praedicatio veritatis Aug. de Ciu. Dei lib. 15. cap. 6. Psa 139.13.16 So that vnlesse the Lord by his inward grace doe direct moue the heart the preaching of the truth will doe a man no good at all It is in the ministery of the word as it is in the procreation of children Though the naturall meanes thereof be by ordinary generation yet all mans endeuour is in vaine vnlesse the Lord by his omnipotent and almighty power doe fashion vs and giue vs a forme and couer all our members in our Mothers wombe As we see by common experience that many married persons of sound complexions of strong constitutions and able bodies doe notwistanding goe Gen. 15 2. childlesse to their graues as Abraham complained For this cause Dauid saith plainely that children are the inheritance of the Lord the fruit of the wombe his reward Psal 127.3.8 He giueth them and denieth them to whome hee will And the Prophet setteth a note of attention before it Behold as if he would haue all men to take notice of it And therefore when Rahel being barren and enuying the fruitfulnesse of her sister cryed out to her husband in a foolish and distempered passion Giue me children or else I dye Iacob was exceeding angry with her and said Am I in Gods stead which hath withholden from thee the fruite of the wombe When God hath shut vp thy wombe and made thee barren is it in my power to open it and make thee fruitfull Gen. 30 1.2 In like manner though the ministers of the word by Gods owne ordinance be our spirituall fathers to beget vs in Christ Iesus through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4.15 Yet all the fruite of their ministery is the gift of God The most excellent and worthy minister that liueth cannot beget nor conuert one soule to God without his blessing a Sicut corporis medicamenta que hominibus adhibentur non nisi ijs prosunt quibus Deus operatur salutem qui sine illis medijs potest Cum sine ipso illa non possunt et tamen adhibentur si officiosè fiat inter opera misericordiae deputatur ita et adiumenta doctrinae tunc prosunt animae adhibita per hominem cū Deus operatur vt prosint qui potuit Euangelium dare homini etiam non ab hominibus neque per hominem Aug. de doctr Christiana As medicines for the body which one man applieth and ministreth vnto an other doe onely profit them to whome God worketh health who is able to worke without those meanes whereas they can do nothing without him and yet they are vsed and if it be done in obedience to Gods ordinance it is accounted a worke of mercy so the helps of instruction being vsed by man doe then profit the soule when it pleaseth God to blesse them who could giue the Gospell vnto man
The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds 2. Cor. 10.4 All those strange effects that were wrought by the word in the hearts of men to conuince their consciences and to humble them come not from the great gifts and paines of the Minister but it is God that maketh his word thus powerfull Wee reade of a great wonder that was wrought by the Apostle Peters Sermon Three thousand Soules were conuerted by it Act. 2.41 But it was not Peters zeale or learning or any thing else in him that wrought it but it was Gods worke As the Apostle said of another miracle that was wrought by him vpon the Creeple that lay begging at the beautifull Gate of the Temple Why looke yee so stedfastly on vs Act. 3.12.19 as though by our owne power or godlinesse we had made this man to goe The name of the Lord Iesus hath made this man sound c. So hee might say of this It was not my endeauor that conuerted these men but it was the Lord that gaue a blessing to his owne ordinance And therefore whensoeuer we see any comfortable fruit of our labours let vs take heede wee bee not lift vp to ouerweene of our selues but let vs say with Dauid Not vnto vs Lord Psal 115.1 not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory c. 2. Secondly it serueth to admonish vs that wee doe not contemne our brethren though peraduenture their gifts be farre meaner then ours For wee see by experience that Gods blessing is not tyed to great gifts but many times it pleaseth him to work most effectually by weake and simple meanes and all for this end that the excellency of that power might bee of God and not of vs 2. Cor 4 7. 1. Cor. 1.27.29 as the Apostle saith Yea God many times chooseth the foolish thinges of the world to confound the wise and weake thinges to confound the mightie thinges to the end that no flesh should reioyce in his presence As wee see that many a weake and wearish man begetteth more children then hee that is strong and lustie so many a godly Minister of small gifts making a conscience of dutie doth conuert more soules to God then many a man of great and profound learning which is not spoken to derogate any thing at all from the gifts of learning which are necessarily required to the furnishing of a man with abilitie for his calling but onely to admonish all those with whom the Lord hath dealt liberally that way not to despise them that are inferiour vnto them in gifts but rather in the spirit of meekenesse and loue to embrace them and giue them the right hands of fellowship Gal. 2 9. that so they may all ioyne together in the edification of the body of Christ As St. Paul though he were a man of most excellent gifts Phil. 1.1 1. Thes 1.1 2. Thes 1.1 Cal. 1.7 no way inferiour to the greatest of the Apostles yet hee thinketh not scorne to ioyne with in the preaching of the Gospell Syluanus and Timotheus that were but Nouices as it were in comparison of himselfe Thirdly for the people that heare the word it serueth to Vse 3 admonish them to take heede For the herers of the word that they ascribe not that to the instrument which is onely proper to the efficient cause namely that they attribute not that to the Minister which is due to the Lord. It is a grosse kinde of Idolatrie which many men commit in this case to dote of some one man more then of all the rest and to haue such an high conceit of his gifts aboue others as to place him in a maner in stead of God It was a fault among the Corinthians 1. cor 1.12 which also the Apostle reprooueth in them that one said I am of Paul another said I am of Apollos and a third I am of Cephas c. They were too much addicted some to one Minister and some to another and in that respect did despise all the rest and did reuerence men rather then Christ himselfe So it is at this day Such a man saith one for my money nay hee for mine saith another and so euery man as his owne ptiuate affections lead him doateth of one Minister more then another It is true that God seldome or neuer worketh grace but by his owne ordinance as the Apostle saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Rom. 19.17 Gal. 3.5 And the greater that any mans paines and faithfulnesse is in preaching the word the more likely it is that he should doe good in his place But yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer good effect is wrought by any mans Ministerie you must turne your eyes from the man to the Father of light from whom all good things doe proceed as hath beene said I doe not denie but that if men feele any blessed worke of grace begunne in their hearts by any mans Ministerie or if it haue pleased God to make any Minister an instrument of their conuersion they are bound in conscience to make much of that man Phil. 2.29 1. Thes 5.23 Non famulantibus sed inuitanti pascenti referendae sunt gratioe Optatus con Donat. lib. 5◠and to haue him in singular loue for his workes sake but still they must giue God the glorie and praise of all For as one saith well to this purpose The Ministers are but Gods seruants to attend vpon the guests that sit at his table All thankes and praise is due to the Lord that so kindly inuiteth vs and so bountifully feedeth vs and not to the Ministers whome hee hath appointed to serue vs. Vse 4 Last of all this doctrine serueth to admonish both vs that bee Ministers For Ministers and people together Et si loquamur iustitiam Dei gloriā Dei quaeramus effectum tamen ab eo solo sperare ab eo postulare necesse est vt voci nostrae suae vocem virtutis accommodet Ad hanc autem vocem interiorem aures cordis erigi admonemur vt loquentem Deum intus magis audere quam foris hominem studeamus Bern. de cōuers ad Schol. and you that bee hearers of the word that forasmuch as all the successe of our paines in preaching and of your indeauour in hearing dependeth onely vpon Gods blessing therefore before either wee come to preach or you come to heare we cōmend both our labours to God by prayer a For though wee speake the righteousnesse of God as Bernard saith and seeke nothing but the glory of God yet wee must needes hope for a blessing from him alone and wee must intreate of him alone that the voice of his grace may accompany our voice And to this inward voyce must you lift vp the eares of your soules and desire rather to heare God speaking inwardly then man speaking outwardly The neglect of this dutie is the cause
why the word is so ineffectuall in many places as it is For first many of vs that be Ministers come to preach our selues and not Christ Iesus and to vent our owne gifts and let them take winde and not to seeke the saluation of our hearers and therefore God denyeth to worke by our Ministerie Againe a number of you that bee hearers come for gapeseede to gaze the Minister in the face or to see the variety of mens gifts or to gleane vp some quaint phrases and witty sentencess and not with any desire to further your owne saluation and therefore you goe away as you come without Gods blessing And so the word is made fruitlesse and vnprofitable vnto you Whereas if wee would account the soules of Gods people deare and precious in our sight Phillip 18. and long after the saluation of them all from the very heart rootes as the Apostle saith and therefore before wee come to deliuer his word craue Gods blessing by earnest prayer vpon our labour and if you would come to heare the word with a desire to profit and to growe in grace by it and for that end would pray to God to open your heartes as hee did the heart of Lydia that you may diligently attend to that that shal bee taught it would appeare that you should reape more profit then by one sermon then you doe now by twentie Then Peter remembred c. The Apostle Peter neuer came to himselfe hee neuer began to bethinke himselfe of the hainousnesse of his fact before such time as the Lord by the meanes aforesaid had moued his heart But what did Peter in the meane while did hee any whit further or helpe forward himselfe to repentance Surely he did as much as lay in him to further himselfe to hell For as wee haue heard hee was swearing and cursing himsele in most horrible manner that he neuer knew Christ But after that he was outwardly rowsed by the crowing of the cocke and inwardly awaked by Christs looking backe vpon him then hee began to consider the danger of that estate wherein he stood From hence then wee learne Doct. The whole worke of our conuersion is frō God alone Rom. 9.16 Heb. 12 2. that the whole worke of our conuersion is from God alone There is not the least endeauour in any man to further the worke of grace in himselfe as the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie And for this cause our Sauiour Christ is called both the authour and also the finisher of our faith Yea whatsoeuer good worke is wrought in any of Gods children Phil. 1.6 the Lord by his holy spirit doth both begin and performe the same Yea if there bee but any will or desire to doe good it is from the Lord. Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede of his good pleasure And therefore wee read Act. 2.47 that in the Primitiue Church The Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should bee saued It was not in their power to ioyne themselues with the Church of God and to become true members thereof but it was the gratious worke of the holy spirit of God But most fully and clearely doth the Prophet Ezechiel set out the truth of this point speaking in the person of God A new heart saith he will I giue you Ezech. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I wil giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you 27. and cause you to walke in my statutes c. Where the Prophet wholly disableth man for the worke of his regeneration and ascribeth both the beginning and progresse thereof vnto the Lord. For as there is not any softnesse in a stone nor the least disposition to bee made soft and pliable so in the stony heart of man there is no root from whence this blessed worke of grace might bee produced no inclination to good whereby it might be furthered no faculty wherewith it might be effected As we were not able at the first to effect our naturall generation and make our selues men or women nay as our Sauiour saith Mat. 5.36 wee cannot make our haire white or blacke So it is not in our power to effect our spirituall regeneration to make our selues the sonnes or daughters of God But we must confesse in both respects Psal 100.2 as Dauid saith It is he that hath made vs and not we our selues And for this cause the Apostle saith wee are his workmanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes c. Epbes 2.10 And this made Dauid to pray Create in mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me Psa 51.10 acknowledging that there was nothing at all in him whereby this worke might bee furthered but God by his almightie power must miraculously create it of nothing § Sicut in natiuitate carnali omnem nascentis hominis voluntatem praecedit operis diuini formatio sic ia spirituali natiuitate nemo potest habere bonam voluntatem motu proprio nisi mens ipsa id est interior homo noster reformetur ex Deo Fulg de incarnat grā Christi cap. 19. And indeede if the matter bee well considered the worke of regeneration will be a farre more hard and difficulte worke and of greater labour then was the worke of creation For as Dauid saith By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.6 and hee commaunded and they were created Psal 148.5 As we see in the story of the creation that when God beganne to raise this wonderfull and glorious frame of heauen and earth and to furnish them with varietie of creatures hee did but speake the word saying Let there bee this and that and presently it was so Gen. 1. But for effecting our regeneration there was a great deale more to doe Christ Iesus must leaue the heauens and the glory which hee had with his Father and bee incarnate in the forme of a seruant and suffer a shamefull and an accursed death to the killing and subduing of our sinnes and the efficacy of his resurrection to the reuiuing and quickning of vs to newnesse of life a Praegrauatus animus quasi pōdere suo a beatitudine expellitur nec redire potest effusts perditis viribus nisi gratia conditoris sui ad paenitentiam vocātis peccata cōdonātis Quis enim infelicem animū liberabit a corpore mortis nisi gratia Dei per Iesū Christum Aug. de Trin. lib. 12. cap. 11. And to this purpose S. Augustine hath many excellent sayings The soule of man saith he being as it were oppressed with the owne burden is expelled and banished from blessednesse and hauing
spent and lost his strength cannot returne but by the grace of his maker calling him to repentance and forgiuing his sinnes For who can free a miserable soule from the body of death but the grace of God in Iesus Christ And againe b Ad malum eius prior est voluntas hominis ad bonum verò eius prior est voluntas creatoris eius siue vt eam faceret que nulla erat siue vt reficiat que lapsa perierat Aug. de ciuit dei lib. 13. cap. 15. Si quaÌ„do steti per te stâ—ti sed quaÌ„do cecidi per me cecidi and semper in luco ia cuissem nisi tu me erexisses semper caecus fuissem nisi tu me illuminasses quando cecidi nunquam surrexissem nisi tu mihi manuÌ„ porrexisses Aug. Soliloqu cap. 15. To the euill of man his owne will goes before but to any thing that is good the will of his creator goeth before Whether it be to make that which was not at all or to renue and repair that which was lost by his fall And in another place c Restat vt recte dictum intelligatur Non est volentis c. vt totum Deo detur qui hominis voluntatem bonam praeparat adiuuandam adiuuat praeparatam Nolentem praeuenit vt velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit Enchir. cap. 31. Act. 9.1.2.3 Prou. 30.20 It remaineth saith hee that that speech of the Apostle be well vnderstood It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth c. That the whole worke may be giuen to God who both prepares the good wil of man that it may be fit to be holpen by grace and also aideth it being prepared He preuenteth him that is vnwilling that hee may be willing and followeth him that is willing that he may not will in vaine And heereof we haue very pregnant examples both in the vnregenerate before their conuersion and also in the regenerate when they fall into sinne after grace receiued For the former what disposition was there in the Apostle Paul to further his conuersion till the Lord called vnto him from Heauen was hee not posting to hell as fast as hee could was he not as opposite to God as might be For it is said He was breathing out threatnings slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. And hee had procured a Commission from the high Priest to bind all that were of that way And for the latter beside the example of the Apostle Peter in this place is it not euident in Dauid who lay a long time after his fearefull sins of adultery and murder neuer thought of repentance at the least for the space of three quarters of a yeere for the child that was begotten in adultery was borne before there is any mention made of his repentance but euen as Salomon said of the Adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth as though it had neuer beene shee and saith Prou. 30.20 I haue not committed iniquity so did Dauid set a good face on the matter and beare it out all this while as though he had neuer offended And as it is said of Esau that after he had sold his birthright hee rose vp and went away neuer considering what he had done Gen. 25.34 so for any thing we find to the contrary Dauid neuer felt his hart to smite him for his sinne but slept securely in it till the Lord sent the Prophet Nathan by the ministry of the word to awake his drowsy conscience Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first to refell a maine point of Popery concerning freewill The Papists doe stiffely maintain that there is in mans will a naturall power to that which is truely good whereby of it selfe it cooperateth with Gods grace in the first act of mans conuersion They say that God onely first perswadeth the will as a man may perswade his friend to take a iourney whereto he is vnwilling But in the accomplishing of any worke God is onely an assistant and man by his owne power worketh together with him But this is iniurious to match the doing of man with the power of God Indeed man hath no power ouer the heart but draweth onely by perswasion but the Lord by his diuine power doth not onely perswade but also bendeth and turneth the heart as it pleaseth him And therefore Salomon in that excellent prayer of his desireth the Lord to bow their hearts vnto him that they may walke in his waies c. 1. Kings 8.58 So that it is blasphemous to hold that the wil of man should worke with Gods grace in any thing that is good Indeed as they are works and actions so they proceed from the will of man but as they are good workes they are onely the works of grace as our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples without mee ye can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 And so saith Dauid of the worke of Praier Thou preparest their hearts and bendest thine care to them Psalm 10.17 And the Prophet Isaiah speaketh generally of all good works Thou also hast wrought all our works for vs. Isa 26.12 And to this purpose the Master of sentences hath a good saying a Paratur voluÌ„tas hominis a Deo a domino gressus eius diriguntur Non quia hoc sine nostra voluntate agatur sed quia voluntas nostra nil boni agit nisi diuinitus adiuue tur l. 2 di 26. A. Mans will is prepared of God and his steppes directed of the Lord not because this is done without our will but because our will cannot doe any thing that is good without Gods assistance And Fulgentius is very plentifull in the proofe of this point b Nunquam redire velle potest ouis errans nisi fuerit boni pastoris inquisitione praeuenta humeris reportata Fulg. de incar gra Chr. c. 22 Reuera vt velimus misericordiae praeuenientis illuminamur dono vt curramus misericordiae subsequentis fulcimur auxilio ibid. cap. 18. 19. Gratia Christi gratis indignis ita tribuitur vt ipsa in nobis exordium profectum bonae voluntatis operetur Ibid. cap. 1. Ne deputes viribus tuis quod viam mandatorum Dei currere delectaris Haec enim omnia nullatenus haberes nisi a Deo munere gratuitae donationis haberes Non hoc homini dat natura sed gratia Fulg. epist 6. ad Theodorum Senat. Non quisquam hominum siue ad cogitandum siue ad operandum quodcunque honuÌ„ potest esse idoneus nisi fuerit munere gratuito diuinae opitulationis adiutus Phil. 2.13 2. Cor. 3.5 Ab ipso est initium bonae voluntaâ—is ab ipso facultas boni operis ab ipso perseuerantia bonae conuersationis Fulg. ad Probam epist 4. Hominis conatus ad bonuÌ„ cassi sunt si a gratia non adiuuentur nulli si non excitentar Bern. de gra lib. arbit Spiritus sanctus est
young man in whom the heate of his affections is more violent Wherewith saith he shall a young man redresse his way in taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 Wee read in the booke of Nehemiah that when the people of Israel had sinned in taking them wiues of the Idolatrous Nations and had lien in that sinne a long time without repentance Ezra that learned Scribe put them in minde of the hainousnesse of their sinne Nehem. 8.18 9.1.2 c. by rehearsing to them the law of God in that behalfe which wrought so vpon their consciences as presently they repented of the fact in sackecloath and ashes Yea though peraduenture while the word is in preaching it doth little affect a man yet if afterward by some occasion he can call it to his remembrance it will stirre him vp to repentance For the word as also the Sacraments doth not onely profit a man for the present while hee heareth it but it is many times effectuall afterwards And therefore it is called long-lasting foode the strength whereof abideth with a man euen all his life Yea as Physicke with a man taketh which no great desire nay many times euen against the stomacke doth yet worke profitably vpon the body So the word of God which a man at the instant heareth with no great deuotion may afterwardes be called to minde with great benefit Adam at the first did not regard the word of God as hee should when he tolde him Gene. 2.17 3 11. c. that in what day he tasted of the forbidden fruit hee should die the death but afterward when the Lord put him in minde of it againe hee remembred both what God had said and what himselfe had done and so came to repentance 2. Chro. 33.2 â— 2. King 21.16 Manasses thought it no sinne to commit Idolatrie and to cause the streets to swimne with innocent bloud euen from corner to corner But after God had humbled him by captiuitie the remembrance of the word brought him to a sight of his sinne and made him seeke reconciliation with God Yea which is more The remembrance of the word is a notable meanes to preuent the falling into sinne and not onely to recouer a man that is fallen As Dauid saith hee hid the word of God in his heart Psa 119.11.105 that he might not sinne against him And to this purpose hee calleth the word a lanthorne to his feete and a light vnto his path As a man that hath a candle and a lanthorne carried before him may keepe himselfe from falling in a dark night so if a man alwayes carry the word of God before him it will preserue him from falling into sinne Psal 19.11 And he affirmeth by his owne experience that the word had made him circumspect and warie in all his wayes that hee might not offend And Saint Iames saith James 1.25 that the hearing of the word with remembrance of it doth make a man a doer of the worke The word is a wonderful meanes being well remembred to keepe a man in a holy awe and order that he shal not breake out into sinne Yea it is possible by remembring the precepts of the word to be armed against all sinne whatsoeuer As Salomon testifieth at large Prou. 2.10.11 When wisedome saith he entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule Then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee And deliuer thee from the euill way c. 12. And a little further And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman c. And againe 16. he exhorteth to binde the precepts of the word vpon our heart and to tie them about our neckâ— That is alwayes to haue them in remembrance and before our eyes and hee giueth this reason 6.21 It shall lead thee when thou walkest it shall watch for thee when thou sleepest 22. and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee 23. For the commandement is a lanthorne and instruction a light 24. c. to keepe from the wicked woman c. Where hee ascribeth a singular efficacy to the word of God diligently remembred to preserue a man not onely from sinne in generall but euen from that particular sinne of whoredome the inticements whereof are so pleasing to the flesh So that it is apparent that it will euen breake the necke of all our sinnes Whereas on the contrary side the forgetfulnesse of the word is the cause of all euill VVhen men are forgetfull hearers as Saint Iames faith and cast the word of God behind their backes Iam. 1.24.25 Psal 50.17 no maruell if they fall into any sinne And indeed what knowledge soeuer they haue of the word otherwise yet when they fall into sinne they forget all As Dauid no doubt knew well enough what a filthy sinne adulterie was 2. Sam. 11.4 yet for the present his eies were blinded that hee had not the vse of his knowledge and so occasion being offred he was ouercome If a Zech. 53. Ecclc. 23.11 swearers b Iere. 17.27 Nehem. 13.18 if prophaners of the Sabaoth c Gal. 5.21 1. Cor. 6 9.10 Ephe. 5.5.6 if couetous persons whoremasters and drunkardes could but remember the fearefull threatnings denounced in the word against those sinnes doubtlesse they would neuer be so cruel to their owne soules as to rush so desperately into these sinnes 2. Cor 4.4 or to continue so impenitently in them as they doe But the God of this world hath blinded their mindes and for the time raced out of their heartes the remembrance of the word and so holdeth them captiue in sinne This doctrine to make vse of it in a word Vse doth serue to admonish vs not onely to be carefull that the word may often sound in our eares but also to doe our indeauour to remember and lay vp the instructions thereof for the amendment and reformation of our liues And to the end wee may the better performe this dutie wee must often and diligently meditate of the word which we haue heard As the Lord commaunded Ioshua saying Iosh 1.8 Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein c. A man can neuer performe the duties that God requireth nor auoide the sinnes that God forbiddeth vnlesse hee occupy himselfe in meditating of the word And therefore Dauid maketh it a propertie of a godly man Psal 1.2 to meditate in the law of the Lord day and night And hee saith it was his owne practise O how I loue thy law 119.97.101 it is my meditation continually And this made him refraine his feet from euery euill way This is a notable meanes to confirme and strengthen the memory that it may retaine the word Yea when the word is almost forgotten meditation of one
them to coole againe they will not so easily receiue impression as at the first Eccles 5.3 Deut. 23.21 And therfore that which Salomon exhorteth in the case of vowes is generally to be practised in all holy purposes and good desires we must not deferre nor be slacke to performe them And heereof wee haue plentifull examples in the children of God Dauid saith of himselfe Psal 119.59.60 I haue considered my waies and turned my feete into thy testimonies I made hast and delayed not to keepe thy commandements And in another place I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the presence of all his people 116.14 He would not take any daies with God but what soeuer good duety hee had purposed he would presently performe it So the prodigall sonne after he had beene beaten with his owne rodde and thereupon once resolued to goe and humble himselfe to his father Luk. 15.18.19.20 did not debate any longer about the matter but forthwith rose vp and went his way And Zaccheus hauing a great desire to see Christ 19.6 and beeing bidden by him to come downe from the tree it is said he came downe hastily and receiued him ioyfully The good Eunuch beeing once instructed in the knowledge of Christ by Philips preaching and finding opportunity that he might be Baptised would not let it slip Acts 8.36 but said to Philip see heere is water what doth let mee to be baptized And Cornelius that deuout captaine after that the Angel had commanded him to send for Peter that he might resolue him in the thing wherein he doubted did not deferre the time 10.33 but sent for him immediately Now as this is generally to be done in the performance of al holy duties so especially in the worke of repentance Whensoeuer God worketh in vs any good resolution to forsake our sinnes Heb. 12.1 we must admit of no delay least the allurements of sinne and the subtilty of Satan doe cause vs altogether to neglect it When we once beginne to thinke of parting with our sinnes they will entice vs strongly not to leaue them they will hang fast vpon vs and embrace vs as the Iuy doth the Oake that wee shall haue much adoe to shake them off Iudg. 19.5.6.7.8.9 c. As the father in law of the Leuite that came to seeke his Concubine when he saw him preparing himselfe to depart by earnest intreaty caused him almost to stay two daies longer then he would haue done So when our sinnes shall perceiue that wee are making preparation to depart from them they will set vpon vs to perswade vs if it bee possible to stay yet a while longer till at length if we take not heede the good motions of Gods spirit will be quite extinguished in vs. Wee must therefore be resolute in this case and stoppe our eares against all allurements though neuer so pleasing As Abrahams seruant that was sent to prouide a wife for his sonne Isaak when he had had good successe and had well effected the businesse which he came for hasted home again to his master And when Rebeccaes friends requested him to stay ten daies because they were loath to part with her on the sodain he wold not yeeld at any hand No Hinder me not saith he Gene. 24.54.55.56 seeing the Lord hath prospered my iourney but send me away that I may go to my master So should we suffer nothing at all to hinder vs from returning to the Lord by repentance but euen make hast to forsake our sinnes vpon the first motion thereunto Yea as the Apostle exhorteth we should euen betake vs to our wings 1. Tim. 6.11 if it were possible and fly away from them As Lot was warned to hast out of Sodome and to escape for his life Gene. 19.15.16.17 that he might not be destroied in that fearefull punishment of the City so should we make al possible speed to come out of our sinnes least otherwise persisting in them they be the destruction of our soules Make no tarrying saith Ecclesiasticus to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day Eccle. 5.7 for sodainely shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed c. The vse of this doctrine is first generall Vs 1. general to reprooue all those that are carelesse and negligent this way who haue many good purposes put in their hearts by the Lord but for want of timely prosecuting of them they neuer profitte them As namely to giue instance in some particulars There are many that while they are hearing the word of God are very well affected they are conuinced in their consciences of the truth of it and the sinnes which they heare reproued for the present they purpose to forsake and the duries they heare commended they haue some desire to performe so that as Agrippa said to Paul Acts 26.28 thou hast almost persuaded me to be a Christian so they are almost persuaded to a better course But because they follow not these good motions but as our Sauiour saith in the parable of the seed they depart away about other businesse Luke 8.14 when they haue heard the word therefore they become altogether fruitlesse and ineffectuall Others there are who when the hand of God is vpon them by sicknesse or some other visitation so long as they feele the smart of the rod vpon their backes they purpose and promise great reformation but assoone as euer the Lord hath remoued his rod they neuer remember it more 2. Pet. 2.22 but returne to their former courses as the dog to his vomit And herein they deale with the Lord as the people of Israel did who when God brought any calamitie vpon them for their sinnes they presently returned and sought God early c. But they flattered him with their mouth Psal 78.33.34.35.36.37.56.57.58 and dissembled with him with their tongue For their heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenant For within a while they turned backe and dealt falsely starting aside like a broken bowe c. And for this cause the Lord compareth their repentance to the morning cloud Hos 6.4 which though it couer the face of the heauen for a time yet is in a moment dispelled and scattered with the wind and to the morning dewe which is soone dried vp with the heat of the sunne as if it had neuer beene Yea they are like vnto Mariners that are in danger of shipwracke by reason of some tempest Who because life is sweete and a man will giue skinne for skinne Iob. 2.4 Ionah 1.5 Acts 27.18.19 euen the dearest thing that he hath for the safegard of his life as the Deuill said of Iob doe cast ouer boord euen their richest wares to lighten the ship yea sometimes the very tackling of the ship which is most necessary for them but
not punish thee dost render him euill for good and hatred for his good will Surely if hee bee such a one as thou imaginest thou dealest so much the more lewdly if thou doest not loue him And if hee suffer any thing to bee done against himselfe rather then hee will doe any thing against thee what malice is it in thee not to spare him who spareth not himselfe in sparing thee But farre be it from his perfection that as he is mercifull so hee should not be iust as though he could not be both iust and mercifull together especially considering that mercy is better when it is iust then when it is remisse yea mercy is no vertue without iustice b Quantò duitius Deus expectat vt emendetis tantò grauius iudicabit si neglexeritis Aug. de vanitate saeculi Yea the longer that God in mercy expecteth thine amendment so much the more grieuously will hee punish thee if thou neglect it c Deus quantum patris pietate indulgens bonus est tantum iud cis maiestate metuendus est Cyprian Serm. 5. de lapsis For looke how indulgent and gentle the Lord is in the kindnesse of a Father so much is hee terrible in the maiesty of a Iudge d Parauit calum sed parauit tartarum Parauit refrigeria sed parauit etiam aeterna supplicia Parauit inaccessibilem lucem sed parauit etiam perpetuae noctis vastam aeternamque caliginem idem lib. 2. Epist 7. And as he hath prepared heauen so hee hath prepared hell As hee hath prepared a place of comfort so he hath prepared also eternall torments As he hath prepared the light which none can attaine vnto so hee hath prepared also the vast and eternall mist of perpetuall darkenesse To this purpose agreeth that saying of Saint Augustine e Multum delectat omnes peccatores quia misericors miserator dominus c. Sed si amas tam multa initia tunc ibi vltimum quod ait verax Si enim nihil aliud diceret nisi misericors miserator dominus c. quasi iam conuerteres te ad securitatem impunitatem licentiam peccatorum faceres quod velles c. Et si quis te bene admonendo obiurgaret obsistere impudenti fronte Quid me terres de Deo nostro ille misericors est c. Ne talia homines dicerent vnum verbum addidit in fine quod ait verax excussit laetitiam malè prasumentium induxie timore piè doletium Augu. de decem chordis Heb. 10.32 12.29 Gal. 5.22.23 Iob. 39.16.17.18 It is very pleasing sayth he to all sinners that the Lord is mercifull and gratious slow to anger c. as it is Exod. 34.6.7 But if thou loue so many beginnings feare that which he saith at the last that he is true also For if he should haue said nothing else but mercifull and gratious c. thou wouldest straight fall to securitie and promise to thy selfe impunitie and take libertie to sinne and to doe what thou wilt c. And if any man should admonish and reproue thee thou wouldest resist with an impudent forehead say why do you terrifie me with our God he is mercifull c. Least men should speake in this manner he hath added one word in the end where he saith that he is true Whereby hee hath shaken off the ioy of euill presumption and hath brought the feare of godly sorrow c. Yea as the Scripture hath highly extolled the mercy of God to repentant sinners so it hath fearefully set out his rigour and seueritie against the impenitent It is a fearefull thing saith the Apostle to fall into the handes of the liuing God and our God is euen a consuming fire There is nothing so cold as lead and nothing so scalding if it bee heated there is nothing so blunt as iron and nothing so sharpe if it be sharpned there is nothing so calme as the Sea and yet in a boisterous weather there is nothing so tempestuous So likewise there is nothing so mercifull as God and yet if he bee prouoked nothing so terrible Whosoeuer will liue in sin and yet dreame of mercy hee deceiueth himselfe For as there is no law written against them that haue the fruits of the spirit so there is no Gospell written for them that bring forth the fruits of the flesh A presumptuous person may be fitly compared to the Ostrich which layeth her egges in the earth and maketh them hot in the dust as Iob saith and when she goeth from them shee taketh her markes by the seauen starres Afterward when she would returne shee looketh to the starre and vnder it seeketh them but it being remoued in the meane while shee cannot finde them and so her egges are trodden vnder foot and broken by wilde beastes so that shee seldome bringeth forth any young So a sinner that presumeth too much of Gods mercy sometimes by the instinct of the spirit hath some good purposes to doe well but hee quickely departeth and leaueth them presuming that by the mercy of God hee may returne to them againe when hee list but while hee deferreth to prosecute those good purposes and to bring them to effect Christ withdraweth his mercy from him and so they are troden vnder foot by the Deuill And therefore it is good to keepe the golden meane betweene the mercy and iustice of God a Proinde diligentes misericordiam Dei metuentes iustitiam nec de remissione peccatorum desperemus nec remaneamus in peccatis scientes quod illa omnium debitae sit exactura aequitas iustissimi iudicis quae non dimiscrit misericordia clementissimi redemptoris August de fide ad Petrum Diacon that louing the one and standing in awe of the other wee may neither despaire of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes nor securely continue in them knowing that the equitie of a most iust Iudge will exact all those sinnes of all men which the mercy of a most kind redeemer hath not pardoned Indeede the Lord is longe before hee punish but yet forbearance is no quittance b Raro antecedentem scelestū deseruit pede paena claudo Horat. li. 3. ode 2 Psal 140.11 50.21.22 Ezech. 18.21.22 and it is seldome seene that punishment is so lame that it cannot ouertake a sinner Euill saith Dauid that is the punishment of sinne shall hunt and pursue like a bloudhound the wicked person and bring him to destruction And howsoeuer the Lord many times seeth and sayth nothing yet in the end he will reproue sinners and set in order before them the things that they haue done But they haue Scripture to alledge for their warrant in this case For the Deuill hath made them wise to their own destruction Hath not God say they promised that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his hart he will put all his
wickednes out of his remēbrance Yea there are many that haue neuer a word of Scripture besides which yet haue this sentence at their fingers ends for they make it the very Necke-verse of their soules It cannot be denied but the saying is true for it is the holy word of God c Omni homini in hac vita potest vtilis esse paenitentia quam quocunque tempore homo egerit quam libet ini quus quam libet annosus si toto corde renunciauerit peccatis praeteritis pro ijs in conspectu Dei non solum corporis sed etiam cordis lachrymas fuderit malorum operum maculas bonis operibus diluere curauerit omnium peccatorum indulgentiam mox habebit Nunquam peccanti indicta esset pro peccatis deprecatio si deprecanti non esset remissio concedenda Aug. de fide ad P. Deacon And without all doubt repentance may bee very profitable for euery man in this life which at what time soeuer a man shall performe though he bee neuer so wicked and haue neuer so long continued in his sinne if with his whole heart he renounce his sinnes past and in the sight of God shed for them the teares not of body only but of his soule and shall endeauour to wash away the staines of his ill deedes by good works he shall straightway obtain the pardon of all his sinnes For God would neuer haue enioyned a man to craue the remission of his sins if he had no purpose to grant it c But as God is true in his promises to such as doe repent so is he also true in his threatnings to impenitent sinners And d Qui verus est in promittendo verus est etiam in minando Aug. de vera faals paenit cap 7 though he haue promised pardon to him that repenteth f Firmissimè tene nullatenus dubites neminem hic posse hominem paenitentiam agere nisi quem Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua miseratione conuerterit Aug de fide ad Pet. Diaconum cap. 28. 2. Tim. 2.24.25 Jere. 31.18 Lament 5.21 Psal 80.3.7.19 Rom. 9.18 yet he neuer promised repentance to him that continueth in his sinnes Neither is it in any mans power to repent when hee will No as all other good gifts came downe from aboue from the Father of lights so repentance also is his gift e Qui promisit paenitenti veniam non promisit peccauti penitentiam And we are to beleeue it as an article of our faith that no man can heere repent vnlesse God enlighten him and conuert him by his free mercy And therefore the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to suffer euill men patiently prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance c. And for this cause the Church of God doth so often vse this prayer Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Turn us againe vnto thee O Lord and we shall be turned Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts c. And as repentance is Gods gift so is he a most free giuer he is not tyed to any man But hee giueth it as it pleaseth him selfe For he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth And as Esau could not obtaine the blessing which once hee contemned though hee sought it with teares Heb. 12.17 So if a man contemne the meanes of repentance in his helth it may bee hee shall not obtaine it when he lieth a dying But there is say they one example in the Scripture of the theefe on the crosse who had spent all the course of his life in sinne Luke 22.43 and yet repented at the last gaspe and was receiued to mercy But alasse one swallow maketh not summer And of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded The Lord in greate wisedome that men at the last gaspe might not altogether despaire hath left one example of extraordinary mercy in this case and he hath left but one that no man should take occasion to presume And yet such is the peruersenesse of our nature that this one though but one in all the Bible and that an extraordinary one and that for this one many a thousand haue perished serueth to encourage vs to loosenesse of life What folly is this against all sense and reason to set our selues in a way wherein so many haue miscarried Would not all men condemne him of madnesse that should go about to spurre his Asse till he speake because Balaams Asse did once speake Num. 22.28 Iosh 10.13 2. King 20.11 or him that should thinke to haue the Sunne in the firmament either to stand still or to go backe againe because it did so to Ioshuah and Hezekiah So it is as great madnesse in any man to harten himselfe in his sinne by this one example And if we mark it well we shall find in this one for that little time that hee liued more excellent good works then many of vs performe in all our liues For he confesseth his sinnes and earnestly prayeth for pardon of them Hee sheweth a meruailous strength of faith in Christ that he did acknowledge him to be his Sauiour and a King when hee was in the lowest degree of his humiliation euen when hee hanged vpon the Crosse He reprooueth his fellow-theefe for blaspheming of Christ and patiently submitteth himselfe to his deserued punishment These and many other notable fruits of faith appeared in this Conuert euen in this short time wherby it is likely that if he had liued he would not haue beene inferior to any of the Saints But because God hath neuer made any such promise that a man may repent at his owne pleasure a Multos solet serotina paenitentia decipere Aug. de vera falsa paenitentia cap. 17. Vit vt fiat fructuosa non sit sera Aug. in Psal 52. Psal 32.6 2. Cor. 6.2 and because late repentance is seldome true repentance therefore it is good for euery man to lay holde of repentance whensoeuer God offereth any meanes thereof The scripture giueth vs no day at all in this case but alwaies vrgeth the present time There is indeed an acceptable time as Dauid saith and a day of grace But the Apostle telleth vs it is presently to be imbraced Now saith he is the accepted time now is the day of saluation and it may bee either now or neuer And therefore the Prophet exhorteth saying Seeke the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is neer Isa 55.6 Is there a time then when the Lord will not be found and is there a time when he will be far off from men yes doubtlesse there is a time when God will absent himselfe as the Prophet Hosea saith Hos 5.6 c. Prou. 1.28 They shall goe with their sheepe and with their bullocks to seeke the Lord but they shall not find him for he hath withdrawne himselfe from them And therefore to conclude this point
them all for they would haue scoffed at him but he betaketh himselfe into such a place where hee might doe it most freely I doe not denie but that Gods children many times doe weepe in the presence of others but it is because the abundance of their sorrow is such as they cannot otherwise choose As the woman that washed our Sauiour Christs feete came into the Pharisees house and wept before all that were at table And in publique humiliation when the Church meeteth together to preuent or turne away some iudgement of God there is qublique and open weeping But especially when a man is alone his teares haue full scope Then hee pulleth vp the sluces and flood-gates of his eyes and guiueth them free passage As wee see in Dauid who wept not so much in the day time when he was among others but when night came that hee was alone in his bed then he wept so abundantly that hee watered his couch with his teares Psal 6.6 And that good King Hezekiah lying sicke on his bed though hee could not goe from those that stood about him Isa 38.2.3 yet it is said hee turned his face to the wall that hee might weepe as priuately as hee could Indeede it is a true saying though it were spoken with a prophane mouth a Ille dolet verè qui sine teste dolet Mart. lib. 1 Epigr. 34. hee sorroweth ttuely that hath no witnesse of his sorrow no witnesse I say but God and his owne conscience Againe we must not thinke that a little sorrow or a few teares will serue the turne But wee must haue great measure of griefe and with Peter in this place wee must weepe bitterly b Quam magna deliquimus tam granditer defleamus Alto vulneri diligens longa medicina non defit paenitentia crimine minor non sit Cypri Serm. 5. de lapsls Looke how grieuously wee haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so greatly should we bewaile our sinnes A deepe wound must haue a large plaister and our repentance must not bee lesse then our fault It is true it is no matter of merit for a man to weep more or lesse We may say in this case as the Apostle saith of meates It is not our sorrow that maketh vs acceptable to God 1. Cor. 8.8 But yet much sorrow is a token of great repentance and on the other side where there is but a little sorrow there is but a little repentance And therefore S. Augustine hath described repentance c Est paenitentia quaedam dolentis vindicta puniens in se quod dolet commisisse De vera sal paenit cap. 8. 2. Cor. 7.11 Magis corde fundendae sunt quam corpore Fulg. ad Probam Epist 4. Joel 2.13 to be a certaine kind of reuenge whereby a sorrowfull man doth punish that in himselfe which it grieueth him to haue committted And Saint Paul saith that reuenge is one of those blessed fruits that doe accompanie true repentance euen a cruciating of all the body and a sobbing to make the heart to ake that the teares that a man sheddeth in this case may seeme to come from the heart rather then from the body And hence is it that the Lord calling the people to sorrow for their sinnes doth not require some light sorrow or some small measure of griefe but such a sorrow as should euen rent their very bearss And Dauid saith that a mans heart must bee contrite and broken Psal 51.19 euen beaten to powder as it were with godly sorrow or else his repentance will neuer bee acceptable to God This is not onely required but hath also beene practised by Gods children for other mens sinnes 2. Pet. 2.7.8 Righteous Lot had his soule vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Sodomites And the Prophet cryeth out in like manner My leannesse Isa 24.16 my leannesse woe is me the transgressours haue offended yea the transgressours haue grieuously offended he did so grieue at the transgressions of the people that hee beecame exceeding leane withall as the doubling of the word importeth The Phrophet Ieremie likewise is full of passion in this behalfe Iere. 4.19 Sometimes he cryeth out as if hee were in great perplexitie My belly my belly I am pained euen at the very heart my heart is troubled within me I cannot be still c. 9.1 Sometimes hee wisheth that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that hee might weepe day and night c. 13.17 And he telleth them his soule shall weepe in secret for their pride and his eye shall weepe and drop downe teares Psal 119.139 And Dauid saith that his eyes did gush out with riuers of water Luke 19.41.42 because men kept not the law Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe wept for Ierusalem bewailing the stubbornnesse of the people that would not be reclaimed yea which is more the Lord had absolutely forbidden the Priestes in the law Leuit. 21.10.11 that they should not mourne vpon any occasion no not for the death of their Father and Mother but they must euen ouercome their owne naturall affection in that case And when God had fearefully slaine Nadad and Abihu 10.2.6 the sonnes of Aron with fire from heauen for offering strange fire vpon the Altar Aron is commaunded that for his life hee shall not mourne nor shew any token of sorrow for them And yet marke they that might not weepe for any worldly matter Ioel. 2.17 are commaunded not onely to weepe but euen to howle and cry for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people If this be required of vs for other mens sinnes much more must wee striue to a great measure of sorrow for our owne sinnes Our sinnes should be our greatest sorrow Nothing in the world should come so neare our hearts as they And therefore the Lord saith that when men are once brought to a true sight of their sinnes they shall mourn for them euen as one that mourneth for his onely sonne Zech. 12.10 and bee sorry at one is sorry for his first borne As nothing more woundeth the heart of a tender father then to loose his onely sonne the Image of his name and the hope of his house so nothing should peirce the heart of a man so deepely as the consideration of his sinnes And hence is it that all the penitentiaries in the Scripture are not brought in with a sigh or a teare or two but with exceeding great sorrow to giue vs to know that slender sorrow in repentance is but hypocrisie The people of Israel that lamented after the Lord for their sinnes are said to haue powred out buckets of teares 1. Sam. 7.2 7. as it were vnto the Lord. Psal 6.6 And Dauid saith that hee wept in such abundance as hee caused his bed to swimme and watered his couch with his teares In both which places
let vs retaine that holinesse in our mindes which our outward habite cloaketh and couereth c Estote discipuli Christi non in salsitate sed in veritate non in veste sed in corde Bern. ibid. Serm. 1. Let vs bee the Disciples of Christ not in falshood but in truth not in the garments but in the heart d Non confidamus in latitudine soliorum in expansione ramorum in viriditate frondium ibid. Serm. 10. 1. Pet. 3.4 Psal 45.13 Wee must not stand so much on the largenesse of our leaues nor on the spreading of our branches nor on the greennesse of our boughes considering that euery branch though neuer so flourishing if it beare not fruit it must bee cast into the fire to be burnt as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 15.6 And herein wee may all goe to the schoole to a couetous worldly man There is no man but he had rather be rich then bee accounted rich hee had rather bee wealthy then seeme to bee wealthy So should wee rather desire to bee godly and religious indeede then to seeme to be so It is true that outward holinesse and the fruites thereof are necessary to commend vs vnto men but our chiefest care and indeauour should be that the hid man of the heart whither onely the eye of God can peirce may be adorned and beautified It is said of Salomons spouse which was a type of the Church that howsoeuer her cloathing which did set her out to the world was of brodered gold yet her chiefest beauty and greatest glory was within So should it bee with vs wee should labour for a good inside whatsoeuer the outside is That which the Apostle saith of Circumcision is true also of Religion That is not religion which is outward in the flesh Rom. 2.28.29 but that is true Religion before God as Saint Iames calleth it which is within the heart whose praise is not of men but of God Al actions without this though neuer so feruēt are but froth like the hot enterprises of Iehu who made great boast of the zeale which hee had for the glory of God Come with me 2. King 10.16.31 saith he to Ionadab and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord but for all this his heart was not vpright in the sight of God Acts 24.16 But the Apostle Paul was otherwise affected who endeuoured himselfe to haue alway a cleare conscience toward God and toward men First and principally hee studied to approue himselfe to God and then afterwards to men also And this is that which God especially respecteth as he said to Samuel 1. Sam. 16.7 God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart And when Dauid lying on his death-bed exhorted Salomon his sonne to serue God with a perfit heart 1. Chron. 28.9 he vseth this as a reason to perswade him For the Lord saith he searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts To conclude this is a mans greatest comfort both in this life 2. Cor. 1.12 as the Apostle Paul saith This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse we haue had our conuersation in the world c. And also at the houre of death And therefore when Hezekiah that good King had receiued the sentence of death and for any thing that he knew was to leaue the world in a comfortable assurance of his owne conscience he betaketh himselfe to God Jsa 38.3 I beseech thee Lord saith hee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfit heart c. Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish vs further to take heede that we be not deceiued As all is not gold that glistereth so all are not good Christians that seeme to be It is a true saying Neuer age was more fruitfull of religions and yet neuer lesse religion in any age And therefore it standeth vs vpon to take good heede least whiles we approue that which is counterfait for current we be seduced and drawne either into errour in religion or into corruption in manners And therefore we must pray with Dauid in the like case Psal 141.4 Incline not mine heart vnto euill that I should commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquitie And because hypocrites are so common we must desire the Lord to discouer vnto vs who are indeede true members of the Church that we may ioyne our selues to them and who are dissemblers that we may auoide them Psal 15.1 as Dauid doth Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. Which betraied him This is the sinne of Iudas wherein we may consider first the occasion and secondly the quality of it The occasion of his sinne was couetousnesse as may appeare in the former chapter where hee went to the high Priests and asked them Mat. 26.15 What they would giue him to deliuer Christ vnto them From hence then wee may learne Doctrine A couetous man will commit any sinne though neuer so hainous 1. Tim. 6.10 Metropotis omnium vitiorum Subtile malum secretum virus pestis occulta doli artifex mater hypocrisis liuoris parens vitiorum origo criminum fomes virtutum aerugo tinea sanctitatis c. Bern. n ps 91. serm 5. Ephes 5.5 Col. 3.5 that a couetous man may be easily drawne to commit any sinne bee it neuer so hainous There is nothing too hot nor too heauy for him And therefore the Apostle saith and not without cause that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Yea the Heathen man called it The head of all vices It is as Bernard saith A subtile euill a secret poyson an hidden plague a deuiser of craft the mother of hypocrisie the breeder of enuie the fountaine of vices the nurse of sinne the rust of vertue the moth of holinesse c. In a word there is not any one of all the ten Commandements but a couetous man will easily yeeld to breake it First the Scripture hath put it out of question that euery couetous man maketh his riches his Gods And the reason is euident for a couetous person loueth his riches more then God he had rather forsake all religion then part with any of his commodities And wee haue experience of many that only in hope of gaine renounce the religion which they seemed to professe and become Papists Againe hee feareth the losse of his riches farre more then the losse of Gods fauour he is lesse afraide to breake any of Gods Commandements though it bee to the prouoking of his wrath then hee is to diminish or impaire his out ward estate And he trusteth more in his wealth then he doth in God As we see in that rich man in the Gospell who secured his soule Luke 12.19 because he had much goods laid vp for many yeares And therefore the Apostle willeth Timothie to charge rich men 1 Tim. 6.17 that
that hee was condemned to death at the last he acknowledgeth the grieuousnes of his sinne and is touched with remorse As the Deuill dealt with Iudas so hee dealeth with all sinners hee leadeth them long hoodwinckt through many sinnes and at the last when their eies are opened that they see the odiousnesse of their sinnes but cannot see the mercy of God he casteth them headlong into horrour and anguish of heart Adam and Eue saw no harme by themselues Gen. 3.7 till they had indeed eaten the forbidden fruit but then their eies were opened and they saw their nakednesse and in it their miserie Peter saw nothing in the denying of his Master till the cocke crew Mat. 26.74.75 and Christ looked back vpon him but afterwards his heart melted within him and he wept bitterly Dauid saw nothing in his adulterie and murder but slept full securely and neuer thought worse of himselfe for it till Nathan the Prophet awaked him 2. Sam. 12.13 then he cried out in the bitternes of his soule I haue sinned against the Lord. The reason why the Deuill doth thus blind mens minds is this He knoweth they would neuer be caught nor brought to commit sinne if they should see the danger of it And therefore he is most carefull to hide that If Dauid and Peter had seen as much before as they did after they would neuer haue fallen in so fearful a manner And herein the Deuill resembleth the fowler a Frustra iactatur rete ante oculos pennatorum Bern. in Psal 91. serm 13 that will not spread the bare net before the birds but straweth corne or vseth stales or some thing or other to allure them and draw them to it And the fisher that couereth his hooke with a baite the better to beguile the fishes If he should cast a naked hooke into the water he should catch but a little fish Gen. 3.5 So the Deuill when hee fished for Adam hee baited his hooke with hope of preferment 2 Sam. 11.2 I sh 7.21 2. Kings 5.20 1. Sam. 15.21 perswading him that hee should better his estate and become like God himselfe knowing good and euill To catch Dauid he baited his hooke with pleasure and delight He caught Achan Gehezi and Iudas in this place with gaine and profit And he ensnared Saul with pretence of religion Thus he dealeth still with euery man knowing his disposition and how hee is inclined hee fitteth his baits accordingly He neuer comes bluntly and rudely to a man and biddeth him simply transgresse Gods Commandement but alwaies vseth some deuise or other to make his sinne please him He entiseth the drunkard with voluptuousnesse hee allureth the theefe with hope to better his estate hee draweth on the whoore-master with delight of the flesh Yea and all this while he doth what he can to extenuate the sinne and make it seeme light making but litle mole-hils of great mountaines As he perswadeth men that drunkennes is but good fellowship that adultery is but a litle dalliance and a tricke of youth that pride is but a desire to be handsome and cleanely and that couetousnesse is but an honest care to liue in this world But afterwards when hee hath wrapped them in indeed then he aggrauateth euery sinne and lodeneth and ouerwhelmeth the soule and conscience with vnspeakable horror Iul. Solynus Polyhist cap. 27. And herein he is like the Panther which hath the body all ouer painted with little spots very pleasant to the eie and delightsome to the smell whereby many beasts come very hastily to gaze vpon her But withall shee hath a very vgly and grimme face which maketh them afraide to come neare And therefore because shee is slow of pace and cannot by running get her prey shee hideth her face and sheweth only her painted skinne to allure the beasts within her reach and then sodainly shee deuoureth them In like manner the Deuill seldome appeareth in his owne vgly shape and likenesse for then euery one would be afraide of him but alwaies appeareth vnder some colourable pretence or other that he may more easily deceiue poore sinners Vse This doctrine serueth for our admonition that wee take heede we be not beguiled with false perswasions and so fall into grieuous sinnes least when the filthinesse and hainousnesse of them shall bee once brought to our knowledge we be not able to beare the horrour that will follow vpon them Sinne may well bee compared to the strumpet that Salomon speaketh of Prouer. 7.13 At the first it will flatter a man and vse many perswasions to allure him but if he yeeld and consent he shall be as an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter-house and as a Foole to the stocks for correction Till a dart strike through his liuer c. Vers 22.23 That which is spoken of the bread of deceit Prouerb 20.17 is true of all sinne whatsoeuer That at the first putting into the mouth it is sweet as Manchet it hath a pleasant rellish but afterward the belly is filled with grauell The pleasure that accompanieth the committing of sinne is not so certaine as the heart-burning and horrour of conscience that followeth afterward a Aug. in Psal 58. Saint Augustine compareth sinne to a kind of bramble called Christs thorne which at the first sprouting is like an herbe soft and tender but after there followeth sharpe prickles So sinne at the first is pleasing to the flesh but afterward it leaueth a pricke in the conscience which whosoeuer would not feele hee must now strike himselfe with the pricke of repentance As the flower breedeth a worme which afterward eateth and consumeth it So sinne that a man liueth in with delight breedeth a worme that gnaweth the conscience and vexeth it with endlesse woe b Voluptas transijt peccatum remansit Bern. de vijs vitae which remaineth and abideth when the pleasure is vanished and gone c Transit totus ille pruritus delectationis imiquae voluptatis illecebra tota breui finita est sed amara quaedam impressit signa memoriae vestigia faeda reliquit Bern. de conuer ad Schol Citò praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod crueciat Aug. de honest mulierum And indeed all the itching delight and all the inticeing pleasure of sinne is soone at an end but it imprinteth bitter tokens in the memory and leaueth foule footsteps in the soule d Qui in principijs norunt praedicant qui in fine expèrti sunt non iniuria execrantur Iul. Solinus cap. 24. And therefore wâ—e may say of sinne as was said of the riuer Hypanis which is sweet and wholesome at the spring head but after falling into an other riuer the nature of it is changed and it is exceeding bitter that all that tast of it at the first doe like and commend it but they that haue experience of the end of it haue cause to curse it We vse to say we will not buy
gold to deare Why then should we buy the momentanie pleasure of sinne at so high a rate when the fish hath swallowed the hooke had shee not better haue beene without the baite when the bird is caught in the net had she not better haue wanted the corne that allured her Let vs therefore learne to knowe the enterprises and sleights of Sathan as the Apostle calleth them 2. Cor. 2.11 and the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 least wee bee circumuented therewith e Mentitur vt fallat blanditur vt noceat bona promittit vt malum tribuat vitam pollicetur vt perimat Cypr. Lib. 1. Epist 8. The Deuill as one saith lyeth that he may deceiue vs flattereth that hee may deceiue vs flattereth that he may hurt vs hee promiseth vs good things that hee may doe vs a mischeife hee promiseth vs life to the end he may kill vs. Hee promiseth pleasure but God knowes f Nocet empta dolore voluptas it is deare bought there is neuer a dramme of it but it bringeth a pound of sorrow And therefore Saint Augustine complaineth greatly in this case g O peccata quam faciles aditus habetis dum suadetis quam difficiles exitus habebitis dum suadetis inungitis sed postquam suaseritis vsque ad mortem animae pungitis Delictae mea an eratis tum tam noxia sutura cum animam meam vestra dulcedine pulsabatis cum cor meum vestra dulcedine vngebatis cur hoc ante celabatis cur me tradebatis de contrit cordis Math. 16.26 O my sinnes how easie passage had you into my heart when you began to perswade me and how hard will your issue be when you began to perswade me you flattered me but after I was once perswaded you wounded mee euen to the death of the soule And a little after O my sinnes saith he were you like to proue thus hurtfull when you allured my soule with your sweete pleasures Oh why did you conceale this before Oh why did you betraye me c. Againe the Deuill promiseth profit but alasse what will it profit a man to winne the whole world and loose his owne soule Had not Iudas beene better without his thirtie peices of siluer Had not Achan beene better without his goodly Babylonish garment and his siluer and wedge of gold And had not Gehezi beene better without his talents of siluer and change of garments Let vs therefore euermore suspect the Deuill and pray to God to open our eyes in all temptations that before wee commit sinne wee may see it in the true likenesse of it how odious and ougly a thing it is how dishonourable to God and how hurtfull to our owne soules then would we neuer fall into such grosse sinnes as otherwise we doe Repented himselfe Hetherto wee haue spoken of the circumstances of Iudas his repentance now follow the partes of it which are three his contrition his confession and his satisfaction This is in a manner all that the Papists require in repentance that there be contrition in the heart confession of the mouth and satisfaction of the worke And therefore by their doctrine Iudas repented truely But let vs examine them seuerally and wee shall see that hee was farre short of true repentance And first for his contrition It cannot be denied but that he had a great measure of sorrow in his heart but his sorrow was not right nor such as it should bee He saw indeede what punishment hee had deserued his conscience was vexed with the guiltinesse of his sinne and with feare of hell fire which he saw burning before him yea felt already kindled within him and this made him grieue Otherwise he neuer sorrowed for that by his sinne hee had so highly offended and displeased God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this doth the word signifie that is vsed in this place which properly is as much as to be sad and pensiue after any deede done Beza Paenitere and it answereth to the Latine word which signifieth to be Penitent and may bee vsed as well in euill part as in good For it doth not properly containe any change of the minde and life vnto better but simply expresseth a kind of heauinesse and discontentment causing a man to wish that vndone which he hath done bee it good or euill Some call it contrition which is nothing else but an high way to any grieuous sinne and so at last to desperation So that here it signifieth nothing else but the sorrow wherewith Iudas was swallowed vp after he considered the foulnesse of his sinne But there is an other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times vsed in the new Testament which properly signifieth to be wise after any fact and so to bee sorrowfull for the fault committed as to reforme it Resipiscere answerable to the Latine word that signifieth to repent and therefore properly it is neuer taken but in the good part From hence then we may gather this instruction Doct. Onely godly sorrow causeth true Repentance 2. Cor. 7.10 that euery sorrow for sinne though it be neuer so great causeth not true repentance but onely godly sorrow This the Apostle Paul affirmeth in plaine wordes when he saith that godly sorrow causeth repentance neuer to be repented of namely when a man is grieued for his sinnes committed not for feare of punishment but because hee hath offended God that hath beene so good so gracious and so mercifull a Father to him Euen as a good Sonne when he seeth his Father angry hee is sorrowfull not so much for feare of the rod as because his Father hath beene so louing and so kind vnto him So it is with all Gods children as appeareth by many examples in the Scripture When Dauid had committed those great sinnes of adultery and murder and was reproued for them by the Prophet Nathan he confessed with great remorse and anguish of heart 2. Sam. 12.13 I haue sinned against the Lord Psal 51.4 and in another place Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned c. All the iudgments that Nathan threatned against him which were graat and fearefull did not so much affect him as the dishonour which by his sinnes he had done against God And againe when hee had numbred his men 2. Sam. 24.10 his heart smote him and he cryed out I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done The pestilence which raged so horribly in the land did not so much moue him as his pride against God in presuming more of the strength of his souldiers then of Gods protection whereof hee had so good experience So the Church of God considering the great indignitie she had offered to her spouse Christ Iesus that shee would not open to him though hee intreated her so faire Cant. 5.2.3.4 but suffered him to stand without till his head was full of dew and his locks wet with the drops of the night shee was so
affected that her very bowels were moued within her And the Apostle Peter as wee haue heard before seeing how grieuously hee had sinned in denying his Master went out Mat. 26.75 and wept bitterly If there had beene neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet this very vnthankfulnesse to so kind a Master would haue caused him to sorrow as much as hee did when this affection is once in a man then hee beginneth truly to repent and neuer before Then hee is displeased with himselfe then hee loatheth and detesteth his sinnes whereby he hath offended God and then he beginneth seriously to bethinke himselfe what course he may take to please God So did Dauid being greiued because he had so hainously offended God he prayeth Psal 51.4.10 that God would create in him a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within him that so he might walke more acceptably before the Lord for the time to come So also the godly Israelites in Ezra his time Ezra 9. the whole Chapter 10.3 when they had with great griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes against God they resolue to make a couenant with God and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues whereby they had so much dishonoured him And so is it withall the faithfull euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his Father is carefull afterwardes to please him by all meanes possible There is another sorrow which the Apostle calleth a worldly sorrow which is alwayes ineffectual 2. Cor. 7.10 Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore Oderunt peccare mali formidine paenae Sunt quos peccasse paenitet propter presentia supplicia displicet enim latroni peccatum quando agitur de paena desit vindicta reuertitur ad crimina Huic concordant qui consitentur inuiti non amore boni sed vt sagiant damnum incommodum saeculi vtilis ergo erit paenitentia si sit spontanea De vera fulsa paenit cap. 9. Gen. 4.11.12.13 Exod. 9.27.34 10 16.17.20 1. Sam. 15.24 25 for it ariseth only of feare of punishment and when that is once taken away they returne to their former sinnes as greedily as the dog to his vomit Whereupon Saint Augustine saith well There are some that repent that they haue sinned by reason of present punishments For the robber is displeased with his sinnes when hee is brought to punishment for them but take away the punishment and hee returneth againe to his former faultes Like vnto him are they that confesse their sinnes against their willes not for any loue of good but to auoide the losse and punishment of the world So that repentance will bee profitable if it bee voluntarie And on the contrary side that which is extorted and wrung from a man for feare of punishment is alwayes vnprofitable Kain mourned exceedingly and cryed out saying My sinne is greater then can bee forgiuen me but it was not for his hypocrisie in Gods seruice no for his cruell murdering of his brother but because of the punishment that God inflicted vpon him Pharaoh howled and tooke on and confessed him selfe a sinner but it was not in any detestation of his sinne but for the great plagues that God had brought vpon him and his land and therefore when they were remoued hee was as wretched and as disobedient as euer he was before Saul was sorrowfull and acknowledged his sinne but it was onely in regard of Samuels threatning that God had reiected him and would take his Kingdome from him and therefore hee was so far from amendment of life that he became euery day worse and worse as appeareth in the whole course of the story Achab also humbled himselfe and put on sackcloath as though he had beene very penitent 1. King 21.27 but it was for feare of the vengeance that Eliah had denounced gainst him and therefore there was no reformation in him as may appeare in that hee persecuted the Prophet for telling him the truth 22.8.26.27 Vse This end may serue to stirre vs vp to labour for godly sorrow that wee may mourne for sinne because it is sinne and because it displeaseth God And this will be exceeding forcible to expell our sinnes for when this affectation once commeth into the heart sinne goeth out it will not lodge nor settle there vnlesse it bee cockered and made much of Zech. 12.10 When a man once bewaileth his sinnes and lamenteth for them as he would doe for the losse of his onely Sonne then hee cannot choose but detest them then euen his dearest sinnes wherein he hath taken most delight will bee bitter as gall and most odious vnto him Now the meanes whereby this sorrow may be attained are these First to consider the manifold blessings of God towards vs and our vnthankfulnesse to him Lament 3.23 When a man shal consider how gracious God hath beene vnto him renewing his mercies towards him euery morning and withall how vnthankfull hee hath beene rendering euill for good and hatred for his good will it cannot choose but much affect him 2. Sam. 12.7.8 When Dauid called to mind what great things God had done for him that hee had aduanced him to be King ouer Israel and had deliuered him out of the hands of Saul and as Nathan told him if that had beene too litle he would haue giuen him much more that wrought remorse and sorrow in his heart Ezra 9.8.9 Nehem. 9.7.8.9.10 c. Iere. 5.25 The like wee see in the people of the Iewes in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah Secondly to call to minde and throughly to waigh the ill effects that follow vpon sinne Namely that they hinder good things from vs Zech. 12.10 and pull downe many curses vpon our heads but especially that by them we peirced and crucified Christ Iesus When a man shal be perswaded of this it will make him mourne more then any thing Iames 4.9 It will cause him to afflict himselfe to sorrow and to weepe to turne his laughter into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse Thirdly to attend diligently vnto the Ministery of the word that so our sinnes may be laid open and our heartes smitten with greife for them Acts 2.36.37 Thus was it with the hearers of Saint Peter when they heard their particular sinnes and the haniousnesse of them discouered by his preaching it is said they were pricked in their hearts But it is not the bare hearing of the word that will effect this it must bee laid vp in the heart that so the continuall remembrance of it may wound the soule when neede requireth As the Lord saith by the Prophet he will write his lawes in their heartes by his spirit Jere. 33.31 Ezech. 36.27.31 and then shall they remember their owne wicked wayes and shall iudge themselues worthy to haue beene destroyed Last of all to take heede of presumptuous sinnes otherwise our heartes will cease to smite
vs or if they doe we shall not feele it as we see in the example of Dauid 1. Sam 24.6 whose heart did alwayes smite him in his infirmities 2. Sam. 24.10 as after the cutting of the lap of Sauls garment and after the numbring of his men but after those great sins of adultery and murder he had either no checke nor touch of conscience at all or if hee had any it was so that he had no sense nor feeling of it til 2. Sam. 12.1 c Nathan the Prophet came to him and awaked him out of his securitie I haue sinned This is the second part of Iudas his repentance namely his confession which though it bee set downe after his restitution yet no doubt it was in order before it And therefore we will handle it first And first wee will speake of it in generall and then more particularly examine the matter of it In this confession of his wee see hee goeth very farre First he confesseth his sin openly and publiquely without any regard of his credit he careth not who heareth him Secondly he doth not onely confesse in generall tearmes I haue sinned but hee layeth out his particular sin I haue sinned sairh he in betraying innocent bloud Herein he went a great deale farther then many will doe at this day and yet hee went not farre enough For many things were wanting in him which are required in true confession which that it may the better appeare let vs consider the doctrine of true confession Wherein we are to obserue first Doct. The nature of true confessiō the person to whom we must confesse our sinnes and secondly the manner how we must confesse them For the person wee are to know that first and ptincipally we must confesse our sinnes to God as Dauid did I acknowledged saith he my sinne vnto thee for I thought I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord. Psal 32.5 And the reason is First because all sinne is committed against God as Dauid saith Psal 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It is true we may and doe wrong and hurt men by our sinnes as Dauid highly iniured Vriah by his sinne but as it is a sinne the cheifest dishonour is against God And so was Ioseph perswaded when hee would not yeeld to the allurements of his Mistris How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Gen. 39.9 And yet withall he confesseth in the same place that it would haue beene a great offence against his Master considering what trust he had reposed in him a Solus Deus misereri potest veniam peccatis quae in ipsum commissa sunt solus potest ille largiri qui peccata nostra portauit Cppr. Ser. 5. de Lapsis Marke 2.7 Job 34.31 Isa 43.25 1. Iohn 1.9 Seondly because God onely can forgiue sinne The Scribes and Pharises though they were corrupt in many things yet in this they held the truth when they said Who can forgiue siinnes but God onely And Elihu in the book of Iob affirmeth it very confidently Surely saith hee it appertaineth vnto God to say I haue pardoned I will not destroy And the Lord himselfe testifieth as much saying I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake c. So that it is euident that our sins must be cōessed vnto God Now here Iudas failed For no doubt if hee had vnfainedly confessed his sinnes to the Lord hee had obtained the pardon of them according to that saying of Saint Iohn If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins Secondly we must confesse our sinnes also to men and that both publikely and priuatly as the qualitie of the sinne requireth For publike confession if a mans sinne haue been publike to the offence and scandall of the Church and hee hath beene excommunicate for it he ought publikely to acknowledge the same and earnestly desire to be receiued into the felloship of the Church againe 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. Thus was that incestuous person that was deliuered to Sathan for his sinne vpon his humiliation restored And indeede there is a very necessary vse of this open confession first in respect of God who is thereby much glorified as before he had been dishonored And therefore when Ioshua laboured to bring Achan to a free and heartie confession of his sinne he saith My sonne Iosh 7.10 I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him shew me now what thou hast done c. Secondly in respect of the Church both that the congregation that hath beene offended may be satisfied when it seeth the sinner conuerted and also that others may be terrified from committing the like sinnes as the Apostle saith Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare 1. Tim. 5.20 And last of all in respect of the sinner himself that he may thereby be the more humbled as the incestuous person was 2. Cor. 2.7 before spoken of Whereas otherwise if it be made a money matter few or none will regard it Dauid performed this of his owne accord When he had dishonoured God and scandalized the Church by his grieuous sins and had caused the enemies of God to blaspheme he penned the 51. psalm 2. Sam. 12.14 to testifie his repentance to God and the world and to remaine in the Church to all posterity Mat. 3.6 And Iohn Baptist admitted none to his baptisme but such as first made humble confession of their sinnes And the coniurers being brought to true repentance came into the Church and confessed Act. 19.18 and shewed their workes And thus was it alwaies in the ancient Church where all notorious offenders were excōmunicate and debarred from publike praiers and the vse of the Sacraments They remained apart in the Church and heard Sermons that thereby they might the better be brought to the sight of their sins And after a certaine time they were admitted to praiers but yet in a seate by themselues called the seate of the penitents as they say it is the vse at this day in Scotland But when the Sacraments began to be administred they departed At the last being throughly humbled with bitter teares they craued pardon of the congregation which they had offended and so were restored and receiued againe a Tripart hist lib. 9. cap. 30. And this discipline did St. Ambrose exercise against Theodosius the Emperor who hauing made a great slaughter of the Thessalonians was kept out of the Church for the space of eight Moneths and after being admitted he did not stand nor bow his knees only but fell flat on his face vpon the floore and tearing off his haire with his hands and bedewing the pauement with his teares hee desired that his sin might be forgiuen b Amplector prompta plena dilectione cū poenitetia reuertentes peccatum
not extenuate them as the manner is for men to make very light of their sinnes and if they neuer doe worse they hope they shall doe well enough But wee must labour to make our sinnes appeare most vile and hainous For soothing of our selues in sinne will take off the edge of our sorrow that we shall neither see them nor grieue for them as we ought And therefore Ezra 9.6 Ezra confessing his owne sinnes and the sinnes of his people he saith Our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growen vp to heauen And Daniel confessed that to him and the people of Israel Dan. 9.5.6.7 Psal 51.4 there belonged nothing but open shame And Dauid acknowledgeth his sinne to bee so hainous against God as hee might iustly condemne him and doe him no wrong And the Apostle Paul speaking of his persecuting the Church Gal. 1.13 doth set it out to the full he saith He persecuted the Church of God extremely and wasted it or made hauocke of it And 1. Tim. 1.13 he saith he was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressor Yea ver 15. the chiefe of all sinners b Neque hoc dicebat menticudi praecipitatione sed existimandi affectione Qui enim perfectè examinando scipsum intelligit suo peccato nullius peccatum par esse existimat quod non sicut suum intelligit Bern. de vita solitaria which as Bernard wel obserueth was not spoken by way of lying but as he thought in his heart For he that by due examination doth throughly vnderstand himselfe thinketh no mans sinne like his sinne because he vnderstandeth not another mans sinne as he doth his owne Yea Iudas here doth not only confesse in particular that he had betrayed his Master but that he had betraied his innocent Master which maketh much to the aggrauating of the fact Much more must we doe the like And indeede if this were duly performed it would make vs loath and detest our sinnes whereas so long as wee make light of them wee shall neuer bee out of loue with them Thirdly we must confesse our sinnes with a sense and feeling of them we must feele our sinnes lie heauy vpon vs euen presse vs downe like a masse of leade Mat. 11.28 And this our Sauiour Christ insinuateth when hee calleth only such vnto him as are weary And laden euen ready to faint vnder the burden of their sinnes And this doth Dauid confesse Psal 38.4.6 my sinnes saith hee are as a waighty burden too heauy for mee And againe I am crooked and bowed very sore as though his sinnes had lyen so heauie vpon him that they made him goe groueling And no doubt Luke 8.13 the poore Publicane was thus affected when for shame hee durst not lift vp his eyes to Heauen but smote his breast saying O God bee mercifull to mee a sinner When men runne away with their sinnes as though they were as light as a feather it is an euident token they neuer felt the waight of them Fourthly we must confesse our sinnes willingly and freely A man may be compelled and forced to confesse his sinnes by the racke of Gods iudgement as Iudas was in this place but that is nothing worth We must be as forward and as ready to confesse our sins to the glory of God as we were to commit them to his dishonour Whereupon Bernard saith well b Confessio vt perfecta sit tria debet habere scil vt sit voluntaria nuda munda Voluntaria scil propria deliberatione proposito Nuda vt nudè prout gessit consiteatur peccatū suum Munda ne peccatum suum praedicet sicut So doma sed pura simplici intentione se accuset Bern. in speculo Monach. Perfit confession must haue three properties namely it must be voluntary it must be naked and it must be pure It must be voluntary that is of a mans owne deliberation and accord It must be naked that a man may confesse his sinne nakedly as it was done and it must bee pure that a man doe not declare his sinne as Sodome but purely and simply accuse himselfe And thus did Dauid ingenuously confesse his sinne Psal 32.5 Then saith he I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse c. Fiftly we must confesse our sinnes in faith in the promises of God As with the one eie we must behold our sins and the hainousnesse of them so with the other eie we must looke vpon the mercy of God wherein he is rich in Christ Iesus to forgiue vs our sinnes as the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 1.18 55.7 He that wanteth this saileth as it were in a bottomlesse ship and cannot possibly shunne the shipwracke of his soule c Salubris conuersio duplici ratione consistit si nec poenitentia sperantem nec spes deserat poenitentë Et panlò post Iudas qui Christum tradidit peccati sui poenitentiam gessit sed salutem perdidit quia indulgentiam non sperauit Dignè quidem paenitentiam gessit quia peccauit tradens sanguinem iustū sed ideo sibi fructum poetitentiae denegauit quia peccatum traditionis suae ipso quem tradidit diluendum sanguine non sperauit Fulg. Epist 7. ad Venant de poenit retribut For as one saith Sauing conuersion consisteth in two things that neither repentance bee without hope nor hope be without repentance And a little after Iudas that betrayed Christ repented of his sinne but he lost saluation because he hoped not for mercy And worthily indeede did he repent because he sinned in betraying innocent bloud but therefore he denyed himselfe the fruit of his repentance because hee could not beleeue that his treason might be washed away with that bloud which hee betrayed d Sola sides inter Judam Petrum discreuit vt hic poenitendo credendo saluatus sit ille poenitendo non credendo perierit Muscut in locum Poenitentia quae ex fide non procedit vtilis non est Aug. de vera falsa poenit cap. 2. And here was the maine difference between the repentance of Iudas and Peter They both repented But Peter repenting and beleeuing is saued Iudas repenting and not beleeuing is damned And so is it with all the wicked Kain and Pharaoh and Saul and diuers confessed their sinne but because they wanted faith to beleeue the pardon of them their confession brought them to desperation Sixtly as wee must confesse our sinnes so wee must earnestly pray for the pardon of them Thus did Dauid I haue sinned saith he exceedingly in that I haue done 2. Sam. 24.10 therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant And howe earnestly doth hee begge the pardon of his other sinnes in the 51. Psalme Thus also did the prodigall Sonne and the Publicane Luke 15.21 18.13 It is true wee
must humble our selues euen belowe the ground in the acknowledgement of our sinnes comming to the Lord as it were with ropes about our neckes as Benhadad did to the King of Israel 1. King 20.32 But yet withall wee must craue the pardon of them And to this doth the Prophet exhort vs saying Hos 14.3 Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And boldly may wee doe this because the Lord hath proclaimed himselfe to be so mercifull Exod. 34.7 that hee forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne that is sinnes of all sorts though neuer so hainous in their nature Now this could not Iudas performe Hee confessed and aggrauated his sinne against himselfe but hee had not the heart to giue one rappe at the dore of Gods mercy for the pardon of them And therefore the Lord might iustly say to him as once hee said to an other Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O thou euill seruant Luke 19.22 Last of all we must confesse our sinnes with a purpose to forsake them As the Prophet exhorteth Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord c. There must bee a desire to part with any sinne whatsoeuer else there is no true repentance But of this point enough hath beene spoken before in the repentance of Peter Vse 1. This doctrine serueth first for our instruction that if wee hope to speede better then Iudas did wee must confesse our sinnes better then hee did And that wee may doe it wee must first labour to see and acknowledge our sinnes a Quomodo culpam suam coÌ„fitebuntur quam nec essè putant Bern de grad humilit For how can a man confesse his sinnes when he thinketh them not to bee sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I know mine iniquities and my sinne is alway before mee Psalme 51.3 wee are apt to flatter our selues through selfe-loue and hardly are wee brought to take notice of our sinnes As wee can not see the spots that are in our owne faces so wee cannot discerne the sinnes of our owne soules In other mens sinnes wee are very quicke-sighted but in our owne wee are as blinde as Beetles And therefore in this case wee stand in neede of a glasse As proude persons vse their glasses to see their beautie so must wee vse the glasse of Gods law but to another end to shewe vs our deformitie VVee must therefore duely examine our selues by euery one of the Commandements that so wee may come to the sight of our sinnes And when once wee knowe our sinnes then without all dissembling wee must confesse them vnto God b Apparet toties opus miseraÌ„tis quoties fit coÌ„fessio poenitentis Aug. de vera falsa poenitent cap. 5. cap. 10. Quanto pluribus quis confitebitur in spe veniae turpitudinem criminis tanto facilius coÌ„sequitur misericordiam remissionis Homo per veritatem stimulatus peccata sua confitetur Deus autem per misericordiam slexus confitenti miseretur Omnis enim spes veniae misericordiae in confessione est Nec potest quis iustificari à peccato nisi prius fuerit confessus peccatum Bern. de conscien edif cap. 1. And so much the rather because otherwise there is no hope of pardon For this is the condition annexed vnto the promise of the pardon of our sinnes If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 And Salomon saith Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prouerb 28.13 And the Apostle telleth vs that if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 1. Cor. 11.31 It is not with the Lord as it is in earthly Courts Confesse and be hanged No the Lord will not take vs at the aduantage and condemne vs by our owne confession but if wee confesse hee will forgiue if wee iudge and condemne our selues hee will acquite and discharge vs. To which purpose Bernard hath a sweete saying a Video Dauidem dicentem peccaui audientem Dominus transtulit peccatum tuum Considero Mariam si non verbis tamen operibus sua publicè crimina consitentem dominum pro ea raspondentem dimissa sunt ei multa peccata Respicio principem Apostolorum negantem timidè stentem amarissimè Dominum respicientem Iâ—â—um felicem Latronem intueor se accusantem Christum Dominum promittentem Hodie mecum eriâ— in Paradise O quam sublimis ista confessio per quam de patibulo ad regnum de terra ad caelum de cruce ad paradisum latro daÌ„natus crucifixus ascendit Ber. de vijs vitae Est apud Deum pium iudicem ipsa agnitio culpe impetratio veniae Bern. Meditat. cap. 11. Ante Dei conspectum cuncta peccata sunt scripta sed quod tibi scribit transgressio hic delet confessio Bern. de consc aedif cap. 38. I see Dauid saith hee saying I haue sinned and receiuing answere from the Prophet The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die I consider Mary Magdalen if not in word yet in deede confessing her sinne and the Lord answering in her behalfe Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much I behold the chiefe of the Apostles denying fearefully weeping bitterly and Christ looking backe vpon him with the eye of his mercie I see that blessed theefe accusing himselfe and Christ the Lord promising him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Oh how notable was this confession wherby the theefe that was condemned and crucified ascended from the gallowes to a Kingdome from earth to heauen from the Crosse to Paradise This then is an high commendation of Gods mercie that when a man layeth open his sinne God couereth it when a man acknowledgeth his sinne God pardoneth it Besides if wee doe often confesse our sinnes vnto God it will not suffer us to goe farre nor to lye long in any sinne but will hunt it out before it be warme and setled in vs yea it will chaine vp the the vnrulinesse of our nature that it shall not breake out to the dishonour of God as otherwise it would Let vs therefore pursue our sinnes by this meanes and if wee desire to come to perfect health of our soules b Quicquid conscientiae stomachum grauat totum vomitu purae confessionis euomere ne differas Bern. ibid. cap. 56. whatsoeuer sinne doth surcharge the stomacke of the soule let vs not deferre to cast it vp by the vomit of a pure confession * Vse 2. Secondly this serueth for the iust reproofe of all those that will not confesse their sinnes Many will not confesse before God It is a corruption that wee all haue by kinde to dissemble our sinnes and to excuse our selues for them As Adam when he was examined posted the matter from himself to his
to bee innocent As Pilates wise aduised her husband saying Mat. 27.19 Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man And Pilate himselfe washing his hands said 24. I am innocent of the bloud of this iust man and many times testified to the Iewes Luke 23.13.14 15. that hee could finde no fault in him 47. And the Centurion that saw what fell out at his death pronounced Of a surety this man was iust And thus hath it beene in other ages Plinius Secundus though hee were an enemy to the Christians and a persecuter of them vnder the Emperour Traian yet seeing their conuersation a Soliti sunt stato dicante lucem conuenire carmenque Christo quasi Deo dicere secum inuicem seque Sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere sed ne furta ne latrocinia ne adulteria committerent ne sidem fallerent c l 10. epist 61 he could not but certifie his Master that they were harmelesse persons They were wont hee saith to come together at set times and to sing Psalmes to Christ as vnto a God and to bind themselues by a solemne oath not to doe any wickednesse but that they would not commit theft robbery nor whoredome and that they would not falsifie their faith c. b Gualt in Zephan homil 11. 2. Cor. 4.2 And Cornelius Tacitus maintaineth also the credit of the Christians against the slaunders of Nero who would haue laid the blame of setting the Cittie on fire vpon them And thus it is at this day Many that beare a deadly hatred against Gods children and wish an vtter riddance of them yet cannot but commend them yea many times though they reuile them with their tongues yet they thinke well of them in their consciences And therefore the Apostle Paul saith We approue our selues to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Though peraduenture not to their lippes yet to their soules in the presence of God This may serue to admonish vs first that when wee see Vse 1 men pursued and molested wee doe not by and by condemne them as wicked men for it may bee God at the last will cause their innocency to shine and will maintaine their credit And howsoeuer this doe not alwayes befall Gods children in this life but by the malice of their enemies they goe downe to the graue in disgrace as Naboth did yet when they a Pascitur in viuis liuor post sata quiescit Ouid. amor lib. Eccles 49.1 are dead there is an honourable mention of them in all mens mouthes Who was worse spoken of and more reproached then the Prophets and Apostles while they liued and yet now the remembrance of them is sweet as honny in all mouthes Prou. 10.7 and as musicke at a banket of wine So true is that saying of Salomon The memoriall of the iust is blessed Vse 2 Secondly that wee labour for innocency which will bee a defence against all false accusations whatsoeuer b Vt ignis in aquam coniectus continuo restinguitur refrigeratur sic salsum crimen in purissimam castissimam vitam collatum statim concidit extinguitur Cicero pro Qu. Roscio Comaedo Doct. Christ died not for his owne but for our sinnes Jsa 53.9 2. Cor. 5.21 Heb. 9.14 For as fire cast into the water is straightway quenched and put out so a false report raised against an innocent and blamelesse life quickly dyeth and is extinguished Or if it doe fall out that the flaunders of our enemies preuaile against vs Yet the spirit of glory shall rest vpon vs as the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.14 which shall sufficiently counteruaile all the railings and reuilings of men Innocent bloud In this that Iudas confesseth Christ to bee innocent this doctrine may bee gathered that Christ suffered not for his owne but for our sinnes For as the Prophet Isaiah saith hee had done no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth And the Apostle testifieth that hee knew no sinne and in another place that hee offered him selfe without spot to God It is true he felt all the infirmities of our nature as hunger and thirst wearinesse c. And was in all things tempted in like sort as wee are but still without sinne 4.15 he was wholly harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners 7.16 1. Pet. 1.19 In a word hee was a Lambe most immaculate and without spot The Deuill indeede tried and sifted him to the bottome but he lost his labour hee could finde no corruption in him c Diabolus in Christo nihil inuenit praprium sed per ipsum ius quod habebat ta alijs amisit antiquum Bern. de caen Dom. Scr. 10 as our Sauiour himselfe faith The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me Ioh. 14.30 It was our sinnes therefore for which he suffered as the Prophet saith Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities And he bare our sinnes in his body on the tree 1. Pet. 24. And hee was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.2 Whereunto agreeth that saying of Augustine a Delicta nostra sua delicta fecit vt iustitiam suam nostram iustitiam faceret Aug. in psal 22. He made our sinnes his that hee might make his righteousnesse ours And another saith b Christus quomam peccata nō habuit propria portare dignatus est aliena Fulg. de passione Dom. 2. Sam. 24.17 Christ because hee had no sinnes of his owne was content to beare other mens sinnes And therefore as Dauid when hee saw his people lamentably smitten with the pestilence for his sinnes cryed out with great passion Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done So may wee iustly say when we thinke vpon the sufferings of our Sauiour It is wee Lord that haue sinned it is we that haue transgressed against thee as for this innocent Lambe thy son Christ Iesus alas what hath he done And indeede if he had had any sinnes of his owne hee had neuer beene able to haue borne the infinite waight of Gods wrath due vnto them he must first haue satisfied for his owne sinnes before hee could haue beene an acceptable sacrifice for our sinnes But it will be obiected if Christ had no sinne what needed hee then to haue beene baptised I answere that howsoeuer Christ was baptised yet still he was without sinne As one saith well c Christi curo de Spiritu Sacto concepto inter alios non petuit in remissionem peccatorum tingi quae nullum vidèbatur admisissè peccatü Optat. in Donat. lib. 1. Mat. 3.14 his flesh being conceiued by the holy Ghost could not bee baptised with others for remission of sinnes because it neuer committed any sinne And this did Iohn Baptist himselfe acknowledge when hee put him backe saying I haue neede to bee
thinke scorne to be reproued of so base a man as they account the Minister As Amaziah King of Iuda when the Prophet reproued him from the Lord for his Idolatrie What saith hee 2. Chron. 25.15.16 Haue they made thee the Kings Counsellers cease why should they smite thee This doctrine may admonish vs Vse to take heede of this sinne There is in euery one of vs so much selfe loue as maketh vs very prone to it But wee must labour to subdue it and yeeld our selues meekely to the reprehension of the word that so wee may come to the acknowledgement of our sinnes without which as hath beene said there can be no true repentance If these cheife Priests as they could not but be conuinced in their conscience so they had freely and sincerely acknowledged their sinnes they might haue found sauour with the Lord but they rather as wee see maintaine their sinnes and therefore they perish in them a Qui ad mortem peccant tantam habent ignorantiam caecitatem vt nec turbentur in sceleribus nec paenitentiae dolâ—re crucientur Glossa ordinar in locum Heb. 13.22 As indeede it is a token that a man sinneth vnto death when hee is so ignorant and blinde that hauing his sinnes discouered to his conscience yet is not moued at all with them Let vs therefore suffer the wordes of exhortation as the Apostle saith and though we be sharply reproued let vs submit our selues Thus haue the children of God done from time to time 2. Sam. 12.13 When Nathan had ripped vp Dauids sinne to the quicke hee humbled himselfe with all meekenesse and said I haue sinned against the Lord. So when the Prophet Haggai had rebuked the people of his time Hag. 1.12 for neglecting to repaire the Temple of the Lord it is said they were so farre from stomacking the matter Acts 2.37 that they feared before the Lord. And the Iewes that heard the Apostle Peters Sermon wherein their very particular sinne was laid open they were pricked in their hearts and cryed out Men and brethren what shall we doe So the Corinthians being reproued by the Apostle Paul for suffering the incestuous person vnpunished were so farre from taking offence at it as that they humbled themselues by godly sorrow vnto repentance 2. Cor. 7.10.11 Yea we should indeede desire such a Minister as may awake vs to the sight of our sinnes and not suffer vs to sleepe securely in them As Dauid doth Psal 141.5 Let the righteous saith he smite me for this is a benefit and let him reproue me and it shall be a precious oile that shall not breake my head for within a while I shall euen pray in their miseries he would be so farre from being stirred thereby as that in token of his thankfulnesse he would pray earnestly to God for them What is that to vs As these chiefe Priests are not moued to any remorse for their sinne by Iudas his confession so they doe not comfort him whome they saw wounded in his conscience but leaue him to himselfe to sinke or swimme Which was another sinne of theirs Of which Saint Augustine speaketh in this manner a Iudas paenitens iuit ad Pharisaeos reliquit Apostolos Nihil invenit auxilij sed argumentum desperationis Dixerunt enim quid ad nos tu videris Si peccasti tibi sit non tibi succurrimus non peccata tua charitatiuè suscipimus non comportanda promittimus non qualiter deponas onus docemus Quid enim nobis misericordiae quinec opera sequimur iustitiae Isset ad fratres ad condiscipulos Juit ad diuisos diuisus perijt Aug. de vera fal paen cap 12. Iudas when he repented went to the Pharisees for comfort and left the Apostles but hee found no ease at their hands but rather matter of desperation For they said What is that to vs See thou to it If thou hast sinned at thine owne perill bee it wee will not relieue thee wee will not in charitie vndertake to beare thy sinnes wee will not teach thee how to cast off the burden of them For what haue wee to doe with mercy that follow not the workes of iustice Hee should haue gone saith hee to his brethren and fellow Disciples he went to the diuided ones and perished diuided alluding both to the manner of Iudas his end that burst asunder in the middest c. and also to the name of the Pharisees which as some b Caelius Rhodig lectionum antiquarum li. 5 c. 9. thinke were so called because by a strict kinde of life which they led they had sequestred and separated themselues from others And herein they verified that speech of our Sauiour which hee spake in another sense Mat. 23.4 They laid an heauie and a grieuous burden vpon him and would not helpe to ease him with one of their fingers From whence ariseth this doctrine Doct. They that are distressed in conscience should bee comforted Iere. 23.1.2 Ezech. 34.2.4 that it is a grieuous sinne not to comfort those that are distressed and afflicted in conscience The Prophets euery where reproue the neglect of it Woe bee to the Pastours that destroy and scatter the sheepe of my pasture saith the Lord ye haue scatered my flocke and haue not visited them And the Lord commaundeth the Prophet Ezechiel to prophecie against the shepheards of Israel because they had not strengthned the weake nor healed the sicke nor bound vp the broken c. And the Prophet Zechariah crieth out against Idole-shepheards that looke not for that which is lost Zech. 1.16.17 nor secke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt c. Whosoeuer he is that taketh vpon him to bee a Minister should haue both skill and will for the performance of this duety For his skill 2. Tim. 2.15 he must study to shew himselfe a workman that neede not be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright Hee is the steward of the Lords house Luke 12.42 he must giue euery one his portion of meate in due season Hee must know the estate of all men and frame his instructions accordingly As all meate is not fit for all stomackes but they that are weake and sicke must haue food of more easie digestion and better nourishment then they that are strong and in health so all instructions will not serue for all men They that are sicke in their soules with a sight and feeling of their sinnes must haue the promises of the Gospell applyed vnto them for their comfort And therefore hee must pray to God to giue him a tongue of the learned Isa 50.4 that he may knowe to minister a word in season to him that is weary And for his will hee must knowe that this is one maine end of his calling whereunto withall diligence hee must apply himselfe euen to preach the Gospell to the poore to heale the broken hearted to preach deliuerance to
hee that distrusteth and compareth his wickednesse to Gods goodnesse putteth an end to the power of God limiting that which is infinite and taking away from God the perfection of his deitie Fourthly for his iustice for as much as it is fully satisfied in Christ Iesus who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our sinnes and vpon whom the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all hee should be very vniust if hee should not forgiue them vnto vs. If a man be indebted and not able to pay the debt if his suretie discharge it for him and cancell the bond there is no reason the creditour should exact it againe In like manner Christ our suretie hauing paid that debt which wee ought to the wrath of God and hauing cancelled the handwriting that was against vs it cannot now stand with Gods iustice to demaund the debt any more of vs. And therefore the Apostle saith that if we confesse our sinnes as God is faithfull in regard of his promise so hee is iust also to forgiue vs our sinnes he will stand to that satisfaction which Christ hath made vnto his iustice Last of all for his mercy it is vnspeakable Dauid saith 1. Chro. 21.13 Nehem. 9.17 his mercies are exceeding great And Nehemiah in his praier calleth him a God of mercies gracious and full of compassion of long suffering and of great mercy And Dauid saith Psal 17.7 25.6 36.5 103.11 145.9 Ephes 2.4 Psal 51.1 Isa 55.7 his mercies are maruelous they are tender mercies Yea so large as they reach vp to the heauens and as high as the heauens are aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him Yea his mercies are ouer all his workes He is rich in mercy Yea he hath a multitude of mercies And therefore the Prophet exhorting the wicked to forsake his waies and to returne to the Lord he vseth this as a reason to perswade them because hee will haue mercy vpon him for such is his gracious disposition that he is very readie to forgiue A liuely type whereof wee haue in the Father of the prodigall Sonne who though his sonne had greatly offended him by his former riotous courses yet assoone as hee was comming to acknowledge his fault and to seeke to be reconciled vnto him his father was so compassionate and so tender hearted towards him that he could not tarry till he came at him but ranne to meet him and when he saw him he did not loath him for his rags and tatters but fell vpon his necke and kissed him Luke 15.20 So likewise though we haue neuer so much displeased the Lord by our sinnes yet if we humble our selues before him by vnfained repentance he will not abhorre vs though we be neuer so wretched but wil receiue vs graciously into fauour againe And therefore as one saith well to this purpose a Quis non videat quaÌ„ sit impium quamque sacrilegum si homini per poenitetiam praeteritorii malorum ad bona conuerso credatur cuiusque peccati dari non posse remissioneÌ„ Si peritus est medicus noster omnes potest infirmitates nostras sanare si misericors Deus noster vniuersa potest peccata dimittere Non est perfecta bonitas à qua non omnis malitia vincitur nec est perfecta medicina cui morbus aliquis meurâ—ibilis inuenitur Fulgent ad Venant Epist 7. who seeth not how wicked sacrilegious a thing it is to thinke that if a man turne to God by repentance for his sinnes past he cannot be forgiuen If our Phisitian be skilfull hee is able to heale all our infirmities if our God bee mercifull hee is able to forgiue all our sinnes It is not perfect goodnesse which cannot subdue all wickednesse nor it is not perfect phisicke to which any disease is found incurable alluding to that saying of Dauid Psal 103.3 And a little after he saith b Qualecunque sit peccatum à Deo quidem potest remitti conuerso sed ille sibi remitti non sinit qui desperando contra se indulgentiae ostium clauscrit Ibid. Whatsoeuer the sinne bee God is able to forgiue it to him that repenteth But hee will not suffer his sinne to bee pardoned who by despairing shutteth vp the dore of mercy against himselfe For it is the promise of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 7.7 Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened And a little after c Iustus est Deus misericors Sicut ergo potest per iustitiam danare auersum sic potest per misericordia semper saluare conuersum Nulla prolixitas temporis vel acquitati diuinae vel pietati praeiudicat Si diuturnitas peccatorum Dei vinceret misericordiam non in aetate mundi nouissima Christus veniret vt peccatum mundi pereuntis auferret Ibid. Mat. 6.12 Luke 17.4 Mat. 18.22 Exod. 34.6.7 Iam. 1.17 Psal 103.13 God is iust and mercifull and therefore as by his iustice he can condemne a sinner so by his mercy hee can alwaies saue him that conuerteth There is no length of time that can bee preiudiciall to the iustice or mercy of God If long continuance of sinne could ouercome the mercy of God Christ would not haue come in the last age of the world to take away the sinnes of the world that was ready to perish Our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs in the Lords praier euery day to craue the pardon of our daily sinnes whatsoeuer they bee and how oft soeuer they haue beene committed And no doubt hee that hath commanded vs to forgiue one another seuen times a day yea seuentie times seuen times will much more forgiue vs as often as by sound and heartie repentance we turne vnto him And this the Lord himselfe declareth when he proclaimeth his name before Moses For there he calleth himselfe the Lord Iehouah constant in his loue to vs ward alwaies abiding the same in whom is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning Strong and therefore euery way able to worke our saluation in despight of all the enemies thereof Mercifull bearing euen the affection of a tender mother towards her child As there needeth no eloquence to perswade a mother to pittie her owne child so there needeth no perswasions to moue the Lord to take compassion on vs as Dauid saith As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him Rom. 4.5 Gracious though we in our selues be most vnworthy he stayeth not till we deserue his loue but as the Apostle saith he preuenteth vs Iustifying vs freely by his grace when we are vngodly he can finde matter in his owne nature and in the merits of Christ to loue vs Micah 7.18 though he find none in our selues Slow to anger though we prouoke him daily by our sinnes yet hee