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
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
that comes neare to the unpardonable sinne that sinne unto death Thereby thou deniedst the Lord that bought thee thereby thou renouncedst the onely meanes of thy salvation thereby thou rannest out of thy Lords campe into the army of his enemies and so becammest an enemy to thy Lord. How dishonourable was this to thy Lord How disgracefull to his Church O how did those cursed enemies insult thereat What cause hast thou to cry our as Ier. 9.1 Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for my sinne Thou hast cause ynough to draw water as the Israelites did 1 Sam. 7.6 from the bottome of a broaken heart and to powre it out before the Lord as he who said Psal 119.136 Rivers of water runne downe mine eyes Remember what Peter did when he was put in mind of such a sinne as thou hast committed He went out and wept bitterly Math. 26.75 Those bitter teares must needs flow out of the bottome of an heart throwly broken Mee thinkes I now behold many weeping eyes in this assembly bewailing thy woefull fall and I must confesse that I also find mine owne bowels troubled within me All this is in compassion of thy case Oughtest not thou to be much mooved thereat Howsoever the Church be pleased in much-tender-compassion to enjoyne this easie milde penance unto thee doe thou betwixt God and thine owne soule yet further loade thy selfe through a serious and dâ—epe apprehension of and meditation on the heighnousnesse of thy sinne that Christ observing thee to labour and to be heavy loaden under the burden of thy sinne may according to his promise Math. 11.28 give thee rest Repentance is to be ordered according to the kind and measure of sin 3. Let not thy penitency end with the penance of this day Well note the Lords exprobration to Israel Isa 58.5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen A day for a man to afflict his soule Nor is one daies penance sufficient repentance for such a sinne as thou hast committed I have heard a tradition concerning Peter that he wept whensoever he heard a Cock crow It becommeth a penitent Apostate whensoever by any occasion he is put in mind of his sinne to be struck at his heart with godly remorse Thou didst long lie in thy sinne even so long as thou livedst among the Turkes All that while thou didst conforme thy selfe to Mahometisme And thinkest thou one day of penance to be sufficient Continue to renew thy repentance every day though thy life be prolonged in the Christian Church many more yeares then thou wert among the Turkes 4. Bee very circumspect over thy selfe for the remainder of thy life that thou bring foorth fruite meete for repentance This is that worthy walking whereof wee spake before As a wife that hath formerly lived loosely and defiled the marriage bed beeing received into the favour of her husband againe must carry her selfe more soberly more modestly more inoffensively and must bee more watchfull in avoiding all temptations that might allure to that sinne againe ye and all suspicions thereof So an Apostate received by the Church into grace and favour must walke more circumspectly then if he had not fallen For it much lieth on him to repaire his Christian credit or rather to be the more zealous in honouring God and bringing glory to the Gospell of Christ to his Church yea and in giving matter of rejoycing to professors of the true religion This is a point that meerely concernes thee O Penitent Be like that young man who having followed Harlots after some while absence that kind of love being extinguisht in him met with an old love of his but said not one word to her Shee wondering that he spake not to her thought he had not knowne her and thereupon said Sir it is I. Whereunto he replied But I am not I that is I am not the same that I was before In like sence Be not thou thou Be not the same thou wert before 5. Take heed of relapse Christ himselfe saw this to be a needfull caveat and thereupon prest it once and againe on such as he had recovered from sin as on the woman taken in the act of adultery Ioh. 8.11 thus Goe and sinne no more and on him that had beene deseased 38. yeares he enforceth it with a commination Ioh. 5.14 thus Sin no more lest a worse thing come to thee For if after we are freed from the misery of sin we returne to it againe soarer vengeance is like to befall us Experience shewes how dangerous a relapse is after a recovery from a bodily sicknesse Much more dangerous is a spirituall relapse after repentance from an heighnous sin The heart of man by such a relapse will be much more hardned in sin and the Divell in such a case will take with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they will enter in and dwell there Mat. 12.45 Yea and God himselfe may be so incensed thereby as to affoord no more grace to him that hath so ill imployed his former grace as to depart cleane away from it Thus the last state of that man is worse then the first Looke therefore narrowly to thy selfe thou who art now restored and make use of those directions which were before given to such as goe downe to the Sea to make them constant in holding the faith 6. Beleeve that thou art now acquitted of that heighnous sin of renouncing the Christian faith If thine heart bee upright thou hast good cause to beleeve it in that thou hast taken that course which in Gods Word is prescribed for obtaining a discharge Thou hast beene pricked in thine heart for thy sin as the Jewes Acts 2.37 Thou didst goe to thy Pastor and enquire what in thy case thou shouldst doe as they who being defiled came to Moses Numb 9.7 Thou hast subjected thy selfe to the order which the Church prescribed as David did to Gods advice 2 Sam. 24.19 Thou hast made penitent confession of thy sin as they did who came to be baptized of Iohn Mat. 3.6 Thou hast desired this Congregation to pray for thee as the Israelites desired Samuel to pray for them 1 Sam. 12.19 The Church looseth and absolveth thee as the Church of Corinth absolved the incestuous person 2 Cor. 2.10 On these grounds thou maist safely thou oughtest faithfully to beleeve that thy deepe-died scarlet sinne is washed away by the blood of thy Saviour to whom thou art now returned and that thou art fully acquitted and discharged thereof We doe undoubtedly beleeve that by repentance sinnes are abolished so as if we returne not to them againe they shall never be imputed to us In this respect a true penitent is blessed For Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32.2 If therefore thy conscience shall hereafter
be overmuch troubled with doubtings and feares and despaire of pardon of thine Apostacy account it a temptation of Satan and yeald not unto it but resist it and say to thy soule Why art thou cast doâ—ne O my soule why art thou disquieted in me Hope in God He is thy God reconciled unto thee He hath discharged thee who then shall lay this sinne to thy charge By exercising thy faith after this manner thou wilt bring much peace to thy conscience and make the remainder of thy life more comfortable to thee and with much cheerefullnesse carry thy selfe as a child of the Church in the works of thy calling and in all duties of piety justice and charity Only be carefull to observe the former directions with this consolation 7. Doe whaâ— lieth in thee to bring other Renegadoes to returne to the Church to submit themselves to the discipline thereof to be willing to give satisfaction by publick penance And the rather to encourage them thereunto make knowne unto them the inward peace and comfort which thou hast received hereby This is a duty which on a like ground Christ enjoyned to Peter Luke 22.32 in these words When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren and David undertaketh to do as much Psal. 51.12 13. where he maketh this prayer and promise Restore unto mee the joy of thy salvation and uphold mee with thy free Spirit Then will I teach transgressours thy waies and sinners shall be converted unto thee This is a good kinde of recompence which such as fall make to the Church As by their fall many are offended so by their rising many may be established If by private meanes thou canst not so farre prevaile with such as thou knowest to be Renegadoes as to bring them voluntarily to make satisfaction to the Chruch then follow Christs advice Mat. 18.17 Tell it unto the Church As for thy selfe that thou maist remaine henceforth stedfast and unmoveable in the faith thou shalt not want the prayers of them who now with much rejoycing praise God that the Text is accomplished in thee in which respect we may conclude as we began and say HE WAS LOST AND IS FOVND FINIS Recensui concionem hanc cui titulus est A recovery from Apostacy nec in ea quicquam reperio quò minus cum utilitate publicâ Imprimatur SA BAKER Ex edibus Londin Feb. 4. 1638. Martiall of old thus complained of a divulger of his booke Quem recitas meuâ— est O Fidentine libellus Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuas Lib. 1. Epigram 38. Dr. Playser of Cambr. having a like cause of complaint expresseth his complaint in the Poets words thus turned into English O Fidentine a booke of mine thou print'st against my will It is not mine but now it 's thine because thou print'st it ill Quo magis accommodus eo magis commodâ—s The History of a penitent Renegado * Anno 1636. * 1638. A resolution of the Parable Summe and parts of the Text. Difference betwâ—xâ— turning to the worse and to the better Ezek. 18.24 Ezek. 18.21 Lam. 1.1 1 Tim. 1.13 Ephes 2.11 12 13. When the Renegado was lost No sin per force The anâ—ient vse of circumcision When and why circumcision abolisheâ— The evill oâ— circumcision under the Gospeâ—â— Niceph. Ecl. Hâ—st lib. 5. cap. 32 〈…〉 Quae sitor quum se tormentis victum ab illo intelligeret al diabolicum prorsus consillum animum aâ—jecit c. When a Penitent iâ— found Poenitentia peccati tunc prodest si eam in Ecclesia Catholica gerat Aug. de Eccles dogm c. 80. Rectè constituuntur ab â—is qui Ecâ—lesiae praesunt tempora paenitentiae ut fiat etiam saâ—iâ— Eccâ—esiae in qua remittuÌ„tur ipsa peccata Aug. 〈◊〉 c. 65. Apostates creeping into the Church withâ—ut publike pennanâ—â— are still lost Vide Andr. Masij comment in Ios 7 19. b Iste Psalmâ— voâ—eâ—â— continet pâ—nitentiâ— oftenâ—â—ns ut qui ceciâ—â—riâ— in crimin◠〈…〉 redeat aâ— aâ—utem Hier. in lo c Aiunt Hâ—brâ—i hunc librum Salomonis esse paenitentiam ageÌ„tis quòd in sapientia divitiisque confisus per mulieres offenderit Deum Idem d Niceph. Ecl. Hist l. 2. c 32. e Lamentum quod circumfertur nomine Origeniâ— f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. 〈◊〉 Har. l. c. 9. g Euseb Ecl. Hist l. 6. c. 34. * Haeresis hujus vocabatur Episcopâ—â— Euseâ— Ecl. Hist l. 5. c. 28. h Euseb Ecl. Hist l. 6. c. 34. i In Ecclesiae qualibeâ— praebyterunt paenitentâ—arium constituerunt k Certus est paenitentium locus Niceph. Eccl. Hist l. 12. c. 28. l Lege ibid de fâ—rma paenitentiae m Rituâ—â—ste propter Novati anos institutuâ— esse dicitur quuÌ„ communicare illi cum eis nollent qui sub Decij persecutione fidem abnâ—garant postea resipiscentes ad eam redierant Niceph Ecl. Hist l. 12. c. 28. n Sacco sumpto cinere conspersuâ— Niceph. l 4. c. 21. o Stant illi periude atque judicio damnati essent c. l 12. c. 28. * Simplex verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat perdere coÌ„positum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non caret empâ—â—si 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opponuntur apud Isocrat in Archid. Substractio ad perditionem Nulli nostrum dubium est per arcam Noae â—cclesiam suisse figuratam Aug de Vnit. Ecl. c. 5. Firmissimè tene omnes qui extra ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ praesentem finâ—unt vitam in igneÌ„ aeternum ituros Nam in diebuâ— diluvij neminem legimus extra arcam potuisse salvari Aug. de Fid. ad P. Diac. c 37 38. The miserable plight oâ— apostatâ— 1. Wealth got by Apostacy is vanishing 2. Honour of Apostates ends in shame b 1 Pet. 2 9. c Rev. 3.11 d Jam. 1.12 e 1 Pet. 5.4 f Iam. 2.5 g 2 Tim. 4.18 h â— Pet. 1.11 3. Apâ—sâ—ates 〈…〉 miserâ—ble 〈◊〉 i Rom. 8.21 k Gal 5.1 Terrors of conscience most terrible Horat Epist l. 1. Ep. 2. A sencelesse conâ—cience worse then rest-lesse Acts 16.29 30 Cum tenentur in tam grandâ— crimine perâ—ussâ— suâ—t animi caecitate ut nec intelligant delicta nec plangant Inâ—ignantis Dâ—i major haec plaga est Cypr. Serm. 5. de lapsis God to be feared more then man Heb. 11.35 36. What tortures Martyrs enâ—ured Maccab. 6.9 10 7.1 2 c. b Erat spectaculum eorum quae fiebant ita crudele ut omnem narrationem superet Euseb Eccles Hist l. 8. c. 6. c Virgis flagris loris funiculis lacerati ossa nudata patebant aceto sale mixto purulentis corporis partibus perfunduntur d Fustibus percussi e Instrumentis membratim extensi f Fractis cruribus puniti g In utraque manu digiti acutis calamis sub extremis unguibus perforati h Testis toto corpore ad mortem usque discerpti i Terga excoriata Capitibus pellis detracta a fronte ad mentum