Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A01980
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A recovery from apostacy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepny Church neere London at the receiving of a penitent renegado into the Church, Octob. 21. 1638. By William Gouge D.D. and min. in Black-Friers London Herein is the history of the surprizall and admirable escape of the said penitent.
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Gouge, William, 1578-1653.
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1639
(1639)
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STC 12124; ESTC S103306
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53,252
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98
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their countenance dejected yea and with much sorrow and wailing to cast themselves downe at the Bishops feete who also weeping with them and for them prostrateth himselfe and the whole assembly weepeth too The Bishop risen up having prayed for them and given them what counsell and charge he thought meet bids them stand up and dismisseth them for that time Being so dismissed they gave themselves to mourning watching fasting praying and other things meet for Repentance and waited till the Bishop should call for them Sometimes they were long put off before they were admitted into the Church and participation of all Gods ordinances But now the Church dealeth much more gently and gratiously with such as she conceiveth to be true Penitents Yet so as she may search and clense the wound and worke the more perfect cure Yee yee whosoever you be that have renounced your Religion and denied your Lord and Saviour and yet without any publicke confession or satisfaction intrude into the Church and thrust your selves in among the guests which are invited to the Lords Table Ye draw a skin over a festring wound Ye eat and drinke your owne damnation Yee make the Lord to expostulate the case with you and to say unto you How came ye hither not having a wedding garment This is the doome denounced against such Math. 22.13 Binde them hand and foot and take them away and cast them into outer darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Well note this and tremble I wot well that it were farre better for you to stand as humble Penitents in a Christian Congregation on earth humbly confessing your sinnes and graciously receiving absolution of them then to be in the number of them of whom the Sonne of man shall be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mark 8.38 And assuredly he will be ashamed of such as having denied him are ashâ—med to make open confession of that their deniall But this Penitent here before us by his humble submission to the Churches order and penitent confession of his heighnous sinne in the midst of this great Congregation apparently sheweth that as formerly he was not ashamed to deny Christ so now he is not ashamed to confesse Christ He is indeed ashamed But of what Even of his former shamelesnesse Of this shame he hath no cause to bee ashamed Unlesse it be that he can be no more ashamed that he was before so gracelesly ashamed of his Saviour In this ground he being as yee heard before received into the Church againe I will againe apply my Text to him and say of him He was lost and is found Hetherto of the generall consideration of my Text by handling the two opposite termes joyntly in their distinct times I proceed now to the particular points severally each by it selfe The two branches which in speciall sprout out of the body of my Text are these 1. The dammage of Apostacy intimated in this word LOST which giveth us to understand that Apostacy implungeth into perdition 2. The advantage of Penitency intended under this word FOVND which giveth us further to understand that Penitency restoreth to salvation Of these in order It hath beene shewed before that the HEE here ment was an Apostate Hee forsooke the Church and in that respect hee is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LOST That is in the state and case of him to whom eternall destruction and damnation belongeth His Apostacy therefore implunged him into perdition where into all Apostates are implunged So much is intended under this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.39 a withdrawing or drawing backe unto perdition The with-drawing whereof he speaketh is from the profession of the true Faith an Apostasy from it This is evident by that which in way of opposition hee addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of Faith We are not saith he of them that draw backe but of them that cleave close to the true Faith and fast hold it Now by adding this inference unto perdition to that sinne of drawing backe he plainely sheweth that Apostacy implungeth into perdition In this respect that notorious Apostate Iudas is by him that well knew what was his due stiled the sonne of perdition Iohn 17.12 Christ foreseeing that he would fall away and proove an Apostate in relation thereunto termes him a sonne of perdition that is a man that would implunge him selfe into eternall destruction S. Peter in setting downe this point notes out the true ground and reason therof in these words Denying the Lord that bought them they bring upon themsâ—lves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 By the Lord that bought them hee meanes the Lord Jesus Christ Now to deny him is an high pitch of Apostacy And thereby â—hey bring upon themselves destruction in that there is no salvation in any other For there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby wee must be saved Act. 4.12 They who deny him by whom alone salvation is to be had must needs bring destruction upon themselves This is the most principall reason of all There is another like to this noted by the Apostle Hebr. 10.25 they forsake and desert the assembling of Saints together that is the Church of God the Communion of Saints Now as Christ is the onely Author and giver of salvation So he causeth the sweet streame of salvation to flow foorth upon his body onely which is the true catholicke Church Where the Apostle saith Eph. 5.23 He is the Saviour of the body he meanes it exclusively of none but of those who appertaine to the body and are members therof In this respect the Church is fitly resembled to Noahs Arke For as none were saved from perishing in the generall deluge but they who abode in the Arke So can none be saved from eternall perdition but such as remaine in the true Church Apostates therefore by deserting the Church implunge themselves into Perdition and remaine as children of Perdition even as persons lost while they continue Apostates Hereby take notice of the wretched disposition and woefull condition of Renegadoes who cast themselves out of the true Church renounce their Christian Faith and denie the Lord who so dearely bought them What what is then in this wide world that can countervaile such a losse Or what can stand him in any steed that is lost Can wealth Can honour Can liberty Can life it selfe 1. The wealth of this world which is all the wealth that can be gotten by Apostacy may prove like Ionahs gourd and vanish away ere thou be aware even while the thought of some seeming content is in thine head But the wealth lost by Apostacy is as the Apostle sets it downe Heb. 10.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a solid substance and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much better then this world can affoord For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven it is there treasured up for us
raine no thundring and lightning no stormes and tempests will turne you back as soone may your ship be set in the sea as you returne backe againe you are confident of passing through though it be with much labour and paines with great difficulty and perill But they who goe to sea for pleasure to be sea-sick or to see strange countries if they see a black skie and discerne stormes arising they cry out O back againe back againe Wee 'l no furthâ—r Surâ—ly a setled resolution in case of religion will be of more force for holding out againsâ— all persecution then in case of a Mariners vocation â—gainst the surges of the sea For a Christian hath more assurance of Gods divine assistance in all his sufferings to be enabled to endure and over-come all then any Mariner can have of safe-passing over the sea In this resolution of a Christian this caveat must be observed that it be through faith in Gods promises and confidence in the Spirits assistance and not in conceit of his owne strength This is no better then presumption Peter failed herein Mat. 26.33 c. This his resolution and profession though all men should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended and againe though I should die with thee I will never denie thee this profession and the resolution of his mind answerable thereto was good and commendable all Christians ought to be so minded and to professe as much but not on such a ground as he did For he presâ—med too much on his owne strength This Christ well discerned Wherefore that he also might finde out and discerne the deceitfullnesse of his heart and presumption of his spirit he was left to himselfe and so he fell from his profession and denied his Lord. Selfe-conceit is a forerunner of Apostacy Instance Pendleton in Queene Maries daies By this caveat added to the direction it appeares how a Christian jealousie may stand with an undanted resolution Iealousie in regard of our owne weaknesse Resolution in regard of Gods assistance 3. Set your heart on Christ and on his Gospell Be affected therewith as David was with God and his Law which were his Love his Ioy his Delight sweeter to him then hony and the hony-combe better then silver and gold Love is of an uniting nature it makes the soule of him that loveth to cleave close to the object loved as the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David 1 Sam. 18.1 so as he never renounced him nor failed him in any strait But if while men outwardly professe the truth they doe not inwardly and heartily love it it may seeme just to the Lord to send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie as is threatned 2 Thess 2.11 and so renounce the true faith 4. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called This direction is given by the Apostle Ephes 4.1 in these very words and oft inculcated under these and such like phrases worthy of God who hath called you 1 Thess 2.12 worthy of the Lord c. Col. 1.10 In these phrases the Word importeth not any merit or condignity but a meere meetnesse and congruity as is evident by this phrase fruits worthy of repentance Luke 3.8 that is as the very same phrase is translated Mat. 3.8 meet for repentance For if worthy should there implie any matter of desert evill fruits would there be intended For evill fruits they are which deserve repentance Fitly is this word thus translated Phil. 1.27 as it becommeth Let your conversation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ This worthy walking imports a blamelesse conversation A man of a loose life whose conscience checks him for living in sinne dares not venture his life no not in Gods cause He can have but small hope of Gods accepting him Vprightnesse worketh boldnesse This made Saint Paul so bold and couragious in all his trialls as he was that he had lived in all good conscience Acts 23.1 He therefore exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 to hold faith and a good conscience And to presse this point the further he giveth instance of some that had put away a good conscience and concerning faith had made shipwracke By this inference hee sheweth that a good conscience is as a ship and faith as rich lading therein If the ship be full of leakes ship and lading are like to be lost A bad conscience cannot hold faith in time of persecution Holy men have ever beene the stoutest Martyrs 5. To all other meanes add faithfull fervent constant prayer When the houre of Christs suffering came he went into a garden to pray There he praies not once but againe and againe and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 To this the Apostle alludes Heb. 5.7 where he saith of Christ that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard This meanes he also used for Peters stability when Satan desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat I have prayed for thee saith Christ Luke 22.32 that thy faith faile not So as prayer is an especiall meanes to keepe faith from failing These things are written for our learning that wee might be incited to use the same helpe Use it therefore before the triall use it in the tryall Call upon him that is able to establish thee and thou shalt assuredly be heard To that which hath beene said to such as are in danger to be lost let mee add a word of exhortation to you that live at home safe and secure under the protection of the Defender of the true ancient Catholick and Apostolick faith have pittie have pitty on those that are in bondage under adversaries and persecutors of the said faith on such in particular as are as this Penitent not long since was taken captive by Turkes Among other evidences of your pitty affoord some helpe to redeeme them This is one of the seven capitall workes of charity and mercy The seven are these 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drinke to the thirsty 3. To cloathe the naked 4. To entertaine strangers 5. To visit the sick 6. To redeeme captives 7. To burie the dead To redeeme Captives is in sundry respects the best of them For it extends to the good of their bodies and of their soules Of their bodies in freeing them from slavery Of their soules in keeping them from Apostacy It were a worthy worke well beseeming the famous Citties of this Land for every of them to have a sacred treasure for this end to redeeme Captiues But I feare least such a worke be more to be wished then hoped for Yet I conceive that it may well be wished and hoped for too that all who have good intelligence by certificate from the Trinity-house or otherwise would contribute something towards the redeeming of every one that time after time they