Here see the proper â—nd of all reprofes and corrections namely the reformation and amendement of mens faults misdemeanors whatsoeuer that so they may bee more carefull of their wayes and more zealous in good duties then euer they were Whensoeuer therefore wee are reprooued by the word of God or when the Lord shall visite vs in body minde or goods by any kind of crosse wee must remember to take occasion thereby to repent and amend knowing that by all these as by so many Sermons the Lorde calles vs to amendement Nowe come to the remedie of their Luke-warmnesse Be zealous That wee may vnderstand this Commandement we are to handle some points touching Zeale First what is zeale Zeale is a burning affection in regard of Christian Religion and the true worship of God This Zeale is compounded of two affections of loue and anger or indignation so that in this Commandement are two duties enioyned vnto this Church First that they should loue Christ and his Religion aboue all things Secondly that they should be greiued especially for this that Christ was dishonoured his worship prophaned and his doctrine not embraced but insteed thereof false worship and false doctrine entertayned when both these concurre then zeale is in the heart A most notable Example hereof wee haue in Christ Psalm 69.9 where the Prophet Dauid in his person saith The zeale of Gods house had eaten him vp Whereby thus much is signified that the heat of his loue for the maintaining of his Fathers glorie had euen consumed him and that his indignation was so great because his Fathers Name was dishonoured and his worship prophaned that it did euen care him vp This wee shall see to bee true in Christ if wee read the Hystorie of his life Iohn 2.17 Yea hee professeth of himselfe that it was meate and drinke vnto him to doe his Fathers will Ioh. 4.34 That thing he preferred before his owne life or safetie nay for the accomplishment thereof hee was content to suffer the pangs of hell The like zeale was in Elias when all Israel was fallen to Idolatrie his heart was zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1. King 19.14 II. point The kinds of zeale Zeale is either good or bad In good zeale are these things required I. True faith as the roote thereof 1. Tim. 1. vers 5. The end of the commandement is loue 〈◊〉 of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained Now one apart of zeale is loue and therefore 〈…〉 proceedâ— from true faith so must true zeale 〈◊〉 and that which is not grounded on faith is rather rashnesse and fiercenesse of nature than true zeale II. Repentance 2. Cor. 7.11 There are seuen 〈◊〉 of repentance recyted whereof zeale is one that is good zeale Euen a burning loue of true Religion and a godly indignation when false religion is embraced There may bee zeale in a man that hath no repentance as was in Iehu 2. King 10.16 Come with mee sayth hee and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord. Yet he wanted repentance for Vers. 29.31 It is said Iehu regarded not to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart for hee departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne and therefore he had not in him the true zeale that is heere commanded III. Zeale must come from knowledge for without knowledge it is but rashnesse and bold-hardinesse such as the Iewes had Rom. 10.2 whose Zeale was without knowledge And such as Paul had before his conuersion Phil. 3. vers 6. In Zeale hee persecuted Gods Church Knowledge therefore in Gods word must bee the guide and conductor of our zeale III. point The fruites of zeale must be considered for the better discerning of true zeale First true zeale constraineth a man in euery thing to seeke to please God Whether we be out of 〈◊〉 wits we are it vnto God or whether we bee in our right mind we are it vnto you For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs. So wheresoeuer this true zeale is in any measure it offereth violence to the heart so as a man cannot but endeuour to doe his dutie for the loue he beareth vnto Christ. Elihu sayd The grace of God was in his heart as new wine in a vessell which must needs vent out Iob. 32.18.19 Secondly true zeale makes a man indeuour to serue and please God with all his heart power and strength So good king Iosiah hearing the words of the Law read hee turned not slackely or negligently but with all his heart and all his soule and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses so as like him was no King before neither after him arose there any like him Psal. 51 Dauid humbling himselfe for his sinnes prayes for the pardon of them with such maruellous zeale as no tongue can vtter desiring God to remember him according to the multitude of his mercies often repeating the same thing in diuers tearmes that in some sort hee might expresse the earnest desire of his heart And in giuing God thankes for his benefits he putteth all the strength of his heart thereto crying out My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within mee Psa. 103.1 And thus we see what a thing it is to be zealous whence true zeale ariseth and what it worketh in mans heart Seeing wee as hath beene shewed are tainted with this sinne of Lukewarmnesse and coldnesse in religion let vs here learne how to redresse this vice Wee must become zealous hauing in our heart a feruent loue of true religion and a vehement indignation when the same is disgraced and false worship takes place Let Religion therefore take place in our hearts and let vs bee feruent and shew that same in our liues by zealous obedience Away with all slacknesse and lukewarmnesse it were better to bee Iewes and Turkes and to hold no Religion then to be luke-warme in the true profession And thus much for zeale The second part of this remedie is to Repent or amend This they are also enioyned because zeale without repentaÌ„ce is nothing but rashnes Iehues zeale was no true zeale because hee wanted repentance euen then when hee was zealous But wherefore was this Church inioyned to repent Namely for Lukewarmnes not for that she had committed any horrible sinne but because she was slacke in good duties Here then we haue a good Lesson for the ignorant sort that challenge Gods mercie vnto themselues because they are no notorious malefactors as murtherers adulterers they hate no man but do good vnto all but heere they are taught to reforme this their blindnesse and ignorance For repentance must be for want of good duties yea for slacknesse therein therefore let no man sooth himselfe in his ignorance with a false perswasion that all is wel if he liue not in grosse sinnes This is the enchantment of the deuill whereby he rocks many asleepe in
giueth entrance to grace accesse to God in prayer made the Elders well reported of and each Christian to stand to the profession of Christ. It is that hand by which wee must apprehend Christ that shield by which wee resist all the fierie darts of the diuell and that meanes by which we do good to others By faith we receiue the spirit are members of Christ we are risen with him he dwelleth in our hearts we feed on him continually resist Sathan are the children of God and the word which we heare becommeth profitable And what shall I say faith is of such a qualitie that it vniteth vs to Christ maketh vs certaine of our saluation bold in our profession ministreth true ioy giueth temporall blessings sanctifieth our gifts and maketh vs refuse the pleasures of this present world In a word no sinne can condemne him who hath this true faith and no vertue can saue him who wanteth it To come to the second which is Christ the obiect of faith The most comely garment that euer we can weare it is to be couered with the robes of Christs righteousnesse Iacob was blessed by Esaus garments and we are blessed by Christs garments What wee see through a greene glasse seemeth all to be greene and what God seeth through Christ it is all amiable We must put on this apparell not as the Church in the Canticles I haue put off my clothes how shall I put them on againe or as a gowne that wee cast off when we come to our home but we must so put him on that we neuer put him off againe Wee must put him on by imputation imitation infusion and profession by imputation of his righteousnesse imitation of his vertues infusion of his spirit and profession of his name Thus we must labour to get Christ for what though a man could command the earth with Alexander the sea with Moses the fire with Eliah and the Sunne with Iosuah What though he were as rich as Salomon as wise as Achitophel as strong as Sampson as swift as Ahimaaz as beautifull as Absolon as fortunate as Metellus and descended as Paul was of the bloud royall of Princes yet hauing not Christ hee hath nothing Yea say a man had the abstinence of Aristydes the innocencie of Phocion the holinesse of Socrates the almes deedes of Cimon the moderation of Camillus the honestie iustice and faithfulnesse of both Catoes all these out of Christ were but splendida peccata and to be esteemed as dung in regard of Christ. For haue him and haue all things want him and want all things he is in at and after death aduantage I come to the last it is profitable to repent for if we turne to the Lord he will turne to vs and that wee may turne consider his mercies in forgiuing his benefits in giuing his patience in forbearing and his iudgements in punishing The word preached sinnes committed and that few shall be saued the shortnesse of life the vncertaintie of life and the certaintie of death the ioyes of heauen the torments of hell the comfort of the elect and that else wee can haue no comfort in death pray wee cannot vnlesse wee repent and perish wee shall vnlesse we repent but blessed shall we be if we do repent But manum de tabula Magister adest this discourse following will teach vs these things and it am I bold to present to your worships Iohn sent his Reuelation to manie Churches and I present his Epistles to manie worthie personages and to whom may I better present them then to you Iohn was a Disciple full of loue and you are brethren full of loue The Preacher of these Lectures was well knowne to manie but to none better than to many of you especially to those who were in my time worthie members of that most worthie Colledge with him And the rather I do it that times to come may reioyce in the Lord that from one honourable roote haue issued so manie profitable branches to the Church You are six brethren as pillars of your house there were three sisters as fruitfull vines of the same one is not but is with the Lord and her I knew a Ladie of admirable vertues the other two are and long may they be so You are all brethren by nature of one venter nation of one country grace of one spirit affection of one heart fortune in great fauor and of one hope by your holy behauiour And concerning brotherly loue I need not to write vnto you for you are taught of God to loue one another Your Scilurus at his death need not to teach you concord by giuing to each of you a sheafe of arrowes which cannot well bee broken whilst they are conioyned for you by your amitie make your selues inuincible If Chilo the Lacedemonian died for ioy to see one sonne crowned at Olympus and Diagoras Rhodius did the like when his three children got the garland at a wrestling and Iacob so reioyced to heare of his sonne Ioseph to bee aduanced greatly in the kingdome of Aegypt how might that happie father of yours reioyce to see at one time one son sitting as high Sheriffe of the shire another preaching before the Iudges of Assize and the third pleading as Councellor at the barre and all the rest of great expectation in the kingdome Thus wise sons are a ioy to their parents and all may behold how good and comely a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie Aristotle could say that parents were not blessed vnlesse they were after their death blessed in their children And surely it is no small part of a fathers blessednesse to see his children like to flourish when he is gone Nay of all monuments that parents can leaue behind them there is none as one saith like to a vertuous son But all parents are not to be blessed Adams two sonnes could not agree in one field Abrahams in one house Isaaks in one wombe Dauids in one pallace nor two brethren in the diuision of an inheritance And though concord amongst brethren especially such as deuide the inheritance be very rare yet do you euen in this most comfortably agree You are not as Simeon Leui Romulus and Remus Eteocles and Polynices Atreus Thyestes Aeta and Perseus but as Castor and Pollux Dauid and Ionathan Ioseph and Beniamin and as a true friend is described to be one soule in two bodies It seemeth that as Agrippa the brother of Augustus was beholding to Salust for that one sentence Small things increase by concord but perish through discord so you haue all learned the same lesson as being
of the Preface of this booke containing the title and inscription thereof Now from this ninth verse to the end of the third chapter is contained one of those seuen visions which were shewed vnto Iohn and are set downe in this booke In this first vision two things are to bee noted first the circumstances secondly the parts thereof The circumstances in the ninth and tenth verses the parts from thence to the end of the third chapter The circumstances of this vision are foure first the person to whom this vision was shewed namely Iohn The second the place where at Paâ—mos The third the manner how it is propounded It was deliuered to him being 〈…〉 the spirit The fourth the time when on the Lords day For the first Iohn is the person to whom this vision befell who doth therfore name himselfe to shew that it was giuen him of the Lord for as the Lord hath his visions and reâ—elations as hath beene sayd so the diuell hath his but they may bee distinguished by the persons to whom they be giuen God giueth his visions not to all men but vnto those which are most â—it for them such as bee most holy men for life endued with exceeding gifts of God aâ—knowledge wisdome constancie zeale pietie and religion So in the old testament hee deliuered not them to all 〈…〉 his seruants the Prophets men of singular gifts and graces and of exceeding holinesse pietie Indeed the Lord reuealed some particular things by wicked men as by Balaam and Cayphaâ— but they neuer knew what those things meant which were shewed vnto them It is a propertie belonging to the seruants of God to receiue a vision and to know the same to their comfort And for both these was Iohn throughly qualified he was a man of exceeding holinesse of life for Christ loued him and of singular and rare gifts full of zeale loue and pietie and also had the knowledge of this vision made knowne vnto him But the diuel maketh no such choise his visions befall men which are Heretickes wicked notorious sinners who haue no such rare and speciall gifts as the other haue so that wee must esteeme of this as a singular gift of God to his owne Apostle S. Iohn Now Iohn hauing named himselfe to bee the receiuer of this vision for the greater credit hereof he describes himselfe by two modest tearmes First A brother secondly A companion First hee cals himselfe their brother that is of them who by faith were all members of the mysticall bodie of Christ. For the Church of God is a familie whereof God the father is head and house-holder Iesus Christ is the â—lder brother and all beleeuers are fellow brethren in and by Christ being by faith the adopted sonnes of God members of that familie and brethren 〈◊〉 to other By this title your brother first hee setteth out his humility and great modesty For hee was a man at that time aboue all men which liueâ— in regâ—rd of his gifts and holinesse of life hee was the last Apostle and had Apostolicall authoritie bâ—ing a most zeâ—lous and constant professour yet hee calleth himselfe a brother to 〈…〉 himselfe but equall with them though they were farre inferior to him And so should we esteeme better of our brethren than of our selues and make our selues inferiour to them Secondly by this title we see he had his heart full of brotherly loue to all the members of the church of Christ he loued them as brethren So we are bound to loue all men euen our enemies as they be of the same flesh with vs but those that bee of the same faith and religion with vs to these especially should wee shew our loue and affection So Paule sayth to the christian Romans He affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 And great reason for beleeuers are linked each to other with the neerest bond they haue the same father which is God the same redeemer the same faith hope baptisme and the same benefit by Iesus Christ his death and obedience But this dutie is not practised there be that call themselues brethren who as Isay saith hate them that tremble at the word and mocke them euen for the profession of the same religion whereby they thinke to be saued If any seeme to make more conscience of their wayes than others they are reuiled and hated for the name of Christ which ought not to bee for among all true Christians should bee brotherly loue The second title Companion or copartner in three things in tribulations in the kingdome and in the patience of Christ. He cals himselfe Copartner with 〈◊〉 in tribulations for two causus First because at that time when hee wrote this vision the whole church was in persecution and tribulation vnder that cruell tyrant Domâ—â—ian about fourescore or an hundred years after Christâ— who banished him into 〈◊〉 where he was not vnmindful of the afflictions of the church whereof he was a member and therefore cals himselfe a partner with them in affliction By which he shews what is that state of Gods church in this world namely to be vnder the crosse and the members thereof must not bee companions of peace and ease but copartners in affliction and tribulation And therefore Christ teacheth those which will bee his Disciples these lessons First to deny themselues to take vp his crosse daily and to follow him And because of this estate the church in this world is called The Militant Church being in continuall fight against the diuell and his instruments The consideration whereof is of speciall vse For we in this land haue had peace and quietnes for many yeares without persecution which wee must acknowledge for a speciall blessing vouchsafed to vs for this end that now in the time of peace wee might prepare our selues against the day of triall For seeing the estate of the church is to bee vnder afflictions wee are all in duty bound to waite continually when God will call vs out to suffer for his sake No man can define the time or the manner of our triall but yet that it will come we must resolue because of the vsuall estate of the church God hath for a long time sent foorth labourers into his haruest whereby no doubt many sheaues are gathered into the Lords barne Now after this long gathering there will come a day of â—â—â—â—ing The Lord will take into his hand the 〈◊〉 of affliction and put it into his corne and thereby try the chaffe from the wheat It stands vs therfore in hand to prepare our selues in this time of peacâ— that wee may bee found good corne in the Lords sieue and not chaffe which must be cast into vnquenchable fire Secondly he cals himselfe their copartner in afflictions because his pitifull heart was moued with the bowels of compassion towards all his fellow members when he remembred their persecution and affliction vnder the cruell tyrant Domitian And the same affection should
ver 22.23 IV. Euery priuat man must professe and defend the true religion of Christ against all the enemies thereof 1. Pet. 3.15 Be readie alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And this confession must be not onely in word but in deed For by a blamelesse and holy conuersation euerie christian holdeth foorth the word of life Phil. 2 15 16. Seeing the maintenance of true religion is so excellent a worke wee must be admonished euery one in our place to take paines in all the duties that belong vnto vs that by vs Christâ— religion may be furthered For Gods church is not called the piller of truth onely because the minister thereof maintaineth Gods truth but also because euery member of the church is as a piller in his place to maintaine and professe the true doctrine of Christ for his glory Besides this is a duty of the first table and therefore we must haue more speciall care for the performance thereof And thus wee see the two meanes whereby the church of Ephesus opposed her selfe against false teachers And hast not fainted Here Christ setteth downe in what manner this church laboured to maintaine his true religion and thereby his honor and glory namely by constancie and perseuerance in labour This is an excellent vertue and a notable example for vs to follow for we through Gods goodnesse haue the true religion of Christ among vs and for many yeares sundrie among vs haue maintained the same against all enemies though not without some trouble and danger Now this which hath beene done is nothing vnlesse we hold on our good course constantly and labour vnto death in the maintenance thereof This exhortation is the more necessary because we know not how long we shal enioy the gospel with peace for vsually after long peace God trieth his by persecution neither know we by what meanes of triall God will exercise vs. Therefore as we now professe the Gospell so let vs continue constant therein and not turne with time or state for then wee loose our coÌ„mendation at Christs hands And thus much of the commendation of this church for her vertues Verse 4. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue These words containe the second part of the proposition of this Epistle to wit a sharpe and seuere reproofe of this church for decay in grace as will appeare in the opening of the words Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee Here Christ speaketh as a Iudge vnto this church and to the minister thereof and layeth this action vnto their charge that they had left their first loue that is that loue which they bare to God and his religion and to their brethren at that time wheÌ„ they were first called vnto the profession of the gospell This loue they are sayd to haue left not as though they had quite lost it but onely because they suffered it to decay and to waxe cold in good workes But some will say they are before commended for their zeale and labour for Gods glory and for their seueritie against false teachers how then had they left their first loue Answ. At this time when Christ doth thus reproue them their loue was commendable but yet it was nothing in regard of that which they had at their first conuersion If Christ haue something against this church for leauing her first loue then no doubt he hath something against the church of England and against vs at this day howsoeuer wee may persuade our selues that we be high in his fauour yet we are in the like or a worse estate than this church now was for a great part of the body of our church hath left off their first loue and the greatest part hath no loue at all That many haue left their first loue is too too euident For such as in Queene Maries time were content to suffer much for the Gospell as the histories of our church do shew after they inioyed a little quietnesse became meere worldlings as their liues haue testified afterward And in such congregations where the word hath long bin preached this is too apparant that men who for the space of twentie of ten or seuen yeares haue shewed feruent loue to Christ and his Gospell and to their brethren do now fall away and shew none at all He that hath but halfe an eye may see many for a yeare or two very forward and zealous in religion who soone after suffer pleasures profits or preferments to drawe them quite away some I confesse through the mercie of God are free from this decay But there is yet a more grieuous fault among vs for the greatest part of our people haue no loue at all These are the dayes whereof Christ sayd loue should waxe cold And whereof Paul sayd Men should be louers of themselues for take the most congregations where the Gospell hath bene long preached yet you shall find that the hearers are neither bettered for knowledge nor for obedience but remaine still as ignorant and profane as euer they were This argueth that they haue no loue of God in their hearts though they haue a formall profession of his name in their mouth For where the loue of God is there most needs bee increase in knowledge in grace and in obedience Againe see how men generally walke in their callings and therin behold a meere defect of loue All the paines they take is for their priuat gaine and pleasure no regard is had of Gods glory of the maintenance of true religioÌ„ and of the good of their brethren herein their owne consciences shall be the witnesses So that generally this may be said We haue no loue at all What an action then shall we thinke hath Christ against vs It must needs bee grieuous and so our case fearefull and dangerous If an earthly prince and potentat had an action against vs and his case were good it would make vs looke about vs yea to tremble and quake and to be at our wits end Behold not a worldly prince but the king of heauen and earth hath a matter against vs iust and grieuoâ—â—â— oh how should this moue vs to search our selues to trie our estate and to humble our selues vpon the knees of our heart before his maiestie We may not imagine that this charge of Christ doth not concerne vs the conclusion of this Epistle shewes it belongs to all that haue eares to heare And therefore we should labour to preuent Gods iudgement by iudging our selues for our decay and want of loue Againe this rebuke of Christ for decay of loue should teach vs to labour for increase in loue to God and to our brethren adding grace to grace in our harts as we adde day vnto day in our liues that so our loue may obound read 1. Thes. 4.1.9 10 where Paule vrgeth this dutie at large he confesseth they did loue one
of God sinneth not that is with full consent and with all his hart Sinne doth not raigne in him for the regenerate man consisteth of two parts flesh and spirit he sinneth not as hee is spirit that is regenerate but as hee is flesh and sinfull His will sinneth not as it is spirituall but as it is carnall The papists say Indeed he sinneth not so long as he continueth to be borne of God But this shift is cut off by the wordes of the text Neither can be sinne because the seede of grace euen the word of God abideth in him This place plainely proueth euen in the iudgement of the Papists that the child of God cannot wholly or finally fall from grace They say it is a hard place and indeed they cannot answere to it VIII Reason If a man may finally fall from grace then may hee bee wholly cut off from Christ for grace is neuer wholly lost till a man bee quite cut off from Christ. But it cannot bee that a member of Christ can be quite cut off for then it should follow that one and the same man must bee often ioyned to Christ namely so often as hee falleth by sinne if he would be saued Whereupon this would also follow that one and the same man must be often baptized for Baptisme is the Sacrament of incision the meanes of admission into the church and the seale of our vnion with Christ. But Rebaptization may not bee admitted The church of God denieth it vpon this ground because a man is onely once borne of God IX Reason Christ teacheth vs to pray thus Leade vs not into temptation that is suffer not Sathan and sinne wholly to preuaile against vs and finally to vanquish vs. This petition being taught by Christ must needes be lawfull and according to Gods will and therefore hereunto as to euery lawfull petition belong these two things First Gods commaund to make it Secondly his promise to assure vs it shall bee graunted Whereby this is euident That there is in Gods word a promise assuring euery child of God that hee shall neuer wholly be conquered of the deuill and therefore he can neuer wholly or finally fall from grace for if hee might then were he wholly ouercome in temptation The contrarie arguments be of three sorts places of scripture Examples and Reasons for the first Exod. 32 32. When the Israelits had sinned that great sinne of Idolatrie Moses prayeth God to forgiue them If not sayth he blot mee out of thy booke Hence they gather that a child of God may bee blotted out of Gods booke of life and so finally perish Answ. That place must be vnderstood with this condition If is be possible as in the like prayer it is expressed by Christ Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me This condition must needs be added for els wee must say that Moses prayed for that which he knew was impossible namely that one priuate man should suffer eternall punishments for the sinnes of others though in temporall punishments such a thing may be yet in eternall it is impossible Againe Moses in this prayer doth principally shew his exceeding affection and zeale for Gods glorie and for the safetie of his brethren both which hee preferred before his owne life as if hee should say Lord pardon them and rather than thy name should loose glorie blot me out of thy booke The like affection was in Paule when hee sayd He could wish himselfe to be separate from Christ for the loue of his brethren the Iewes They further vrge the Lords answere to Moyses vers 33. Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee I will put him out of my booke But as the Lord therein answereth to Moses prayer so must it bee vnderstood with the like exception II. Obiect Ezek. 18.24 If the righteous man turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth shall hee liue All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned but hee shall die in his sinne Here say they it is plaine that a man may fall from grace Answ. Righteousnesse is twofold of the outward action and of the person So Paule distinguisheth when he desireth to be sound not in his owne righteousnesse which is of the law that is such as was in him while hee was a Pharisee but in the righteousnesse of Christ. The righteousnesse of the action is when a man for outward actions keeps the law of God The righteousnesse of the person is that whereby a man is accepted righteous before God And answerable hereunto there be two kinds of righteous men one that is outwardly righteous before men thogh not indeed The other that is truly righteous before God Now of the former of these two must that place be vnderstood for the Lord there pleadeth with such as did esteeme and auow themselues to be righteous saying Their fathers had eaten soure grapes that is had sinned and they were punished for their fathers offences though they were righteous And the Holy ghost speaking according to their own conceit and opinion of themselues calleth them righteous and of such it is true they may turn from their righteousnesse III. Obiect Luk. 8.13 Some beleeue for a time and in time of temptation goe away Answ. There be three kinds of faith Historicall Temporarie and sauing faith In Histoâ—icall faith is knowledge of the word of God with assent vnto it In temporary faith are three things knowledge of the Word Assent and Approbation also with some ioy In sauing faith there are foure things Knowledge Assent Approbation and Apprehension that is an applying of the promises of God vnto a mans selfe whence proceedeth some ioy And answerably there are three kinds of beleeuers I. such as know the word of God but yet haue no loue thereof II. such as know it assent vnto it and reioyce in it also for a time The third are such as apprehend the promises and apply them to themselues Now the two first kinds of faith may bee left and the two first kinds of beleeuers may fall away whereof Saint Luke speaketh But hence it followeth not that sauing faith may be lost for he that is endued therewith can neuer fall away But faith say they is onely one Ephes. 4.5 There is but one faith one God one hope and one Baptisme Answ. By one faith is there meant one religion and doctrine of saluation as elsewhere is vsuall by the name of faith 1. Tim. 1.19 Their second kind of arguments are Examples which are chiefely two one of Adam the other of Dauid For Adam they say he was created righteous and yet hee fell wholly from grace and therefore any beleeuer now may much more fall away who haue farre lesse grace than he had Answ. This Argument is not good for though Adam had a greater measure of grace than we now haue yet our grace hath a greater priuiledge than his
had his grace came by creation ours is by redemption and regeneration Adam had the first grace to bee able to obey but he wanted the second to be sure to perseuere because God would permit his fall to make a way both to manifest his iustice and mercie in our redemption by Christ. But the child of God after his conuersion wherein hee hath the first grace to repent and beleeue hath also an infallible promise That he shall receiue the second grace to abide in that faith And therefore Paule sayth I am persuaded that hee which hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. And againe The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from euill Secondly Dauid say they by his two grieuous sinnes fell wholly from grace Answ He fell indeed grieuously but not wholly for after his fall hee contemned not Gods word he hated not God nor despaired of mercie which hee must haue done if he had fallen wholly And therefore he had remorse for his sinne so soone as the Prophet Nathan come vnto him But say they hee prayeth God to create a new heart in him therefore hee had then no grace For creation is a making of that which hath no being Answ. Dauid then speeketh not as he was before God but as hee was in his owne sence and feeling for by his sinnes Gods graces were sore decayed But say they hee repented not for the space of one whole yeare Now where there is no repentance there is no faith and consequently no grace nor pardon Answ. In repentance there be two things the gift of repentance and the act and practise thereof The gift of repentance was in the heart of Dauid when he yet lay in his sinnes but the act thereof lay hid and he wanted the renewing thereof all that time Againe Dauid had the pardon of his sinnes past though hee had not the pardon of those two sinnes till hee repented of them Neither was his repentance lost but decayed onely hee wanted not the power of it simply but the practise of it onely in that act Their third kind of arguments are drawne from equitie and reason I. Hee that is a member of an harlot and of the deuill ceaseth wholly to bee a member of Christ but a child of God truly beleeuing may become the member of an harlot and of Sathan as Dauid did Answ. There be three kinds of members dead decaied and liuing members a dead member is that which is onely in shew a member as a legge of wood or of brasse in a mans bodie A decayed member is a true member though weak as is a legge or arme that is taken with a palsie or sore wounded But a liuely member is that which doth moue and do all it functions perfectly So in the church there be some members dead and onely in shew others feeble and weake that by reason of some grieuous sinnes are not able to doe their duties And there bee liuely members which serue God with an vpright and perfect heart Now though a member of an harlot cannot be a liuely member of Christ because by his sinnes hee weakeneth and woundeth the graces of God for euery adulterer and fornicator doth as much as in him lieth cut himselfe off from Christ yet hee may bee a decayed member of Christ. And this may the rather stand because a man is made the member of Christ one way namely spiritually and the member of an harlot another way namely bodily II. Reason If a man cannot fall from grace then preaching prayer the sacraments and all means of perseuerance are needlesse Answ. Nothing lesse for they haue all their good and necessarie vse vnto them which haue grace euen to make them constant in grace For where the Scripture teacheth the certaintie of saluation it implieth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance Paul in his iourney to Rome was certaine they should come all safe to land by the promise of God yet when the marines would haue gone out of the ship Hee telleth the Captaine vnlesse these stay in we cannot be saued because they were the meanes to bring them to land So when Isay had told Ezekias from the Lord that he should liue fifteene yeares longer he was thereby assured of recouerie and yet hee vsed a bunch of figges as a meanes thereof as also food and rayment to preserue his life afterward III. Reason This doctrine of certaine perseuerance maintaineth men in securitie Answ. Securitie is twofold carnall and spirituall carnall when a man regardeth not at all the means of his saluation but giueth himselfe wholly to the profits and pleasures of this world Spirituall when a man relieth on God for his saluation by beleeuing his promises and this securitie it maintaineth but not the carnall securitie For it teacheth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance as prayer hearing and reading of the word and receiuing the Sacraments And thus I conclude this question That the true child of God who truly beleeueth when he sinneth doth neither wholly nor finally fall away neither can doe Lastly if this were true of this famous Church of Ephesus which was founded and preserued by the Apostles that shee suffered her first loue to decay then how can it bee otherwise with vs but that wee should suffer our first loue as well towards God as man to lessen and diminish and that this is so our consciences will tell vs if wee looke to that loue and zeale we had at our first calling and though wee haue not felt this decay yet we must know wee bee in danger of it continually And therefore we must take heed that we suffer not our good affections in religion to diminish Water that hath beene once hot will afterward be most cold and freese the hardest euen so when our hearts haue beene once heated with the fire of the Lords altar as true loue and other graces of the spirit if we suffer them to decay we shall become more frozen in iniquitie than any others The hawke while shee is quicke to take her prey is set vpon the hand of kings and nobles but if shee wax weake and die she is cast off to the dunghill Euen so while we are hote and cheerefull in loue towards God and his church wee are carried as it were on Gods owne hand but if wee faint and decay in loue we shall be cast lower than if wee had neuer beene so exalted This loue of God in vs is like a little flame of fire for the maintaining whereof wee must doe three things First take heed of all manner of sinne which quencheth loue and other graces of the spirit as water quencheth fire In the old Testament the priests kept fire burning vpon the altar day and night to be alwayes readie to sacrifice vnto the Lord and so must we keep the flame of loue other graces continually burning in our hearts
more though God summon men to repent by his dayly iudgements yet few or none by true humilitie prepare to meete God and to preuent his iudgements Securitie spreads it selfe ouer the whole bodie of our people And this being our case and state it must needes bee that God hath beene long since in comming to vs by his iudgements and a◠this day he is still comming because we still decay in loue and other graces and more and more goe on in sinne So that if we thus continue the truth is hee will come shortly vnto vs and that by most fearefull iudgements For this was written to the church of Ephesus to be a direction not onely vnto them but to all churches to the end of the world that be in the like or worser case What shall wee then doe Our dutie is taught vs in these words If not that is if thou repent not Wee must preuent the Lords comming in iudgement by vnfained repentance euery man and euery familie apart must repent priuately and the whole Church openly and publickely no way else wee haue to stay the Lords comming against vs by his fearefull iudgements The second part of this reason is a more particular threatening than the former And will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place Where hee sheweth with what particular iudgement hee will punish this church namely by remoouing away the candlesticke The meaning whereof may bee gathered out of the former chapter where particular churches were called candlestickes therefore here hee threateneth to remooue his church from the citie of Ephesus to take away the Ministerie of his Gospell and the profession thereof and in his iust iudgement to send among them Ignorance Apostacie and Heresie in steed of the knowledge of his truth This particular iudgement must be referred to the first words If not that is if thou repent not this will I doe I will make thee to be no Church and take my Gospell from thee In this particular threatening three points are to bee obserued one concerning the Minister the second concerning the whole body of the church the third concerning euery priuat man Touching the Minister note this If he shall decay in loue to God to his word or to his brethren or if hee lye in any one sinne knowne to himselfe it is a meanes to depriue him either of his calling or of Gods gifts bestowed on him for this threatening is here directed especially vnto the Angell of this Church of Ephesus When Ieremie had beene wanting in deliuering the Lord◠will vnto the people partly for feare partly through impatience then the Lord becomes a Prophet vnto him saying If thou returne I will bring thee againe and thou shalt stand before me Whereby hee would giue him to vnderstand That if hee returned not he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him The same thing is true of all Gods Ministers if they decay in loue faile in their dutie or lye in any sinne they must speedily renew themselues by repentance or els God will depriue them either of their calling or of the gifts thereof True repentance and the renewing thereof is needfull vnto all Christians but especially to Gods Ministers if they would continue in his fauour and stand before him becomming his mouth vnto the people The second point concerneth the whole bodie of a Church to wit if a Church or people decay in loue to God to religion and to their brethren or doe lye in any common sinne they procure hereby the remoouing of the gospell from them and the abolishing of true religion The Prophet is a 〈◊〉 sayth the Lord and the man of the spirit i◠mad This was a great and fearefull iudgement but mark◠the cause All is 〈◊〉 thine iniquitie that is for the sinne of the whole church doth God send foolish Ministers If this bee so then wee haue iust cause in our Church to feare the remoouing of the gospell from vs for there is a generall decay of loue in many and in the most no loue at all Many scorne and contemn true religion and hate the professours thereof In regard whereof wee may wonder at the great patience of God that yet continueth his gospell among vs For God giueth men vp to strong delusion to beleeue lyes because they loue not his truth Wherefore being in this danger our dutie is to vse all good meanes to preuent this iudgement of God which can no other way bee done than by true and vnfained repentance by the whole Church in generall and by euery man apart and euery familie apart For when God shall speake suddenly against a nation or kingdome to root it vp and to destroy it if that people repent of their wickednesse the Lord will repent of the plague and iudgement which hee thought to bring vpon them Ierem. 18. vers 7 8. The third point concerneth euery priuate man and it is this If any man decay in loue or want loue to God and to his brethren or lye in any sin knowne to himselfe This is a meanes to remooue the candlesticke from him to depriue him of his knowledge and other graces of God The affection of loue in the heart is like the watch of the clocke if the watch stand the wheeles stand as the watch goeth fast or softly so goe the wheeles answerably And so it is in man if his loue to God and to his gospell doe encrease then doth his knowledge and other graces of God encrease in his heart but if his loue decay then other graces decay and if loue be gone then farewell all pietie and true religion If we would know the cause of such palpable ignorance as is in many that haue long heard the gospell preached it is nothing but want of loue Heb. 3.12 13. The Holy ghost sheweth by what degrees men come to fall away from God First sinne deceiues them by drawing them to commit it then their hearts are hardened by custome of sinning Thence followes vnbeleefe in maine points of Religion and so they make Apostacie from God and set themselues against his truth Take heed therefore of lying in any sinne for that is the high way to finall Apostacie rather striue to encrease in loue vnto God and vnto his word and so shall all his good graces encrease in thine heart Out of this particular threatening some gather That a man may bee cut off frō Christ fall away finally from true faith and repentance For say they if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ and become no Church then may any one member of the Church be cut off and become no member But a whole church may bee cut off as here we see and therefore may any one man Answ. This reason is not good there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers like