expos Epist ad Rom. inchoat Origen c. Fathers besides those which haue already beene produced but I haste to that point which I haue euer affected and in the beginning promised and propounded namely the reconciling of diuersity in opinion It is a distinction of the u Gerson pars 2. compend Theo. log de septem vitijs capital Negatiuè Priuatiuè Contrariè Schoolemen a sinne may be called irremissible three manner of wayes negatiuely priuatiuely contrarily Negatiuely which can no way be pardoned as the sinnes of the reprobate Angels Priuatiuely when the sinne by congruence of merit deserues to be punished though by congruity of Gods mercy it may be pardoned of which nature is euery ordinary mortall sinne Contrarily when the sinne hath a disposition contrary to pardon and remission and such is the sinne against the holy Ghost For it doth directly resist and reiect the grace of God as Bellarmine confesseth x Directè resistet repudiet gratiam Dei Bell. de poenit lib 2. cap. 17. It hardneth the heart so that those which commit this sinne are vsually giuen ouer to a reprobate sense and forsaken of God as Iudas was so that they cannot repent as Anselme y Ita quod non possint poenitere Anselm in Mat. 12. affirmeth Yea it hardneth a mans heart like a stone so that he cannot be helped by the prayers of the Church as P. Lumbord z P. Lumb lib. 2. dist 43. b. reporteth Bonauenture a Bonauent in 2 sent dist 43. quaest 1. Potestatem dispositionem poenitentiae priuat Ibid. quaest 2 cals it a sinne to death because it taketh away the disposition of receiuing life which consisteth in the imbracing of repentance Yea if it be strictly taken and considered saith hee it depriueth men both of the power and disposition of repentance so that there is left neither inclination nor habilitie to repent And therefore as Catharinus b Cathar in Heb. 6. ◠Epist Ioh. doth acknowledge this sinne to be vnpardonable so doth Sixtus Quintus c Sixt. Quint. vbi supra and yeeldes the same reason that others doe saying By reason of mens impenitency this sinne becomes absolutely and simply vnpardonable And Gerson d Vbi supra saith that in this respect it can by no meanes be remitted Yea that finall impenitency doth certainely cleaue to this blasphemous Apostasie Dionysius plainely affirmeth e Dionys Hug. Card. in Mat. 12. and yeelds two reasons for it Yea Hugo Cardinalis giues eight reasons of this impossibilitie of pardon Stella f Nunquam de facto remittitur quanquam possit remitti Stella in Luk. 12. and Iansenius g Non negat remissionis possibilitatem sed euentum Iansen Concord Cap. 49. indeede being willing to say as much as they can for the power and possibilitie of pardon for this sinne are constrained to confesse that actually and indeede it is neuer remitted although there be some possibilitie that it may be remitted Alas that is a poore possibility that is neuer reduced into act Such possibilities are but idle Chimeraes euen ridiculous conceits There is a similitude vsed by diuers yea by some who seeme to contradict the vnpardonablenesse of this sinne which similitude doth indeede expresse it with the reason and manner of it and it is this As the man which is sicke h Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Bonauent in 2. sent distin 43. quaest 2. Gerson vbi supr Greg. de Valent. disp lib. 1. qu. 4. punct 3. Bellarm. de poen lib. 2. cap. 17. if he be in that case that he can neither take foode nor Physicke may rightly be said to be vncurable so he that is infected with the sicknesse of this sinne being through his impenitencie vncapable of Gods mercy and Christs merits may truely be said to be vnpardonable The medicine and meanes of recouery is neither weake nor wanting to him that hath grace to apply it but he that wants this grace is wanting to himselfe God doth not worke alwaies to the vttermost extent of his mighty power i Phil. 3.21 whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe but distributeth or denyeth to euery man so as seemes best to his diuine wisdome and workes as it is in the Philosophicall Axiome according to the capacitie of the patient making men desirous of saluation where hee doth grant it and capable of grace where he doth impart it In which sense it is said our Sauiour could not doe many workes amongst his Countrimen because of their vnbeliefe Marke 6.5 T is true as Chrysostome saith k Chrys in Gen. Hom. 19. there is no sinne so great that it can ouercome Gods mercy if we repent and aske pardon in due time but if a man haue no power to repent then God hath no will to pardon The Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot helpe but mans heart is hardened that he cannot repent and this makes the sinne vnpardonable so that the question is not of Gods power and mans will but of mans power and Gods will There is no man that hath more iudiciously decided this controuersie then l Beda in Mar. 3 Beda and m Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Ludolphus with whose words being consonant to the truth and concluding what I haue at large deliuered I will conclude The spirit of blasphemie shall not be forgiuen a man Sicut nunquam ad remissionem ita nunquam ad poenitentiam peruenturus est not because remission is denied him if he repent but because that such a blasphemer through his iust desert as he can neuer obtaine remission so can he neuer come to repentance And so much for the searching of the wound The third part The binding vp the WOVND IT remaineth now in the third and last place that I binde vp the wound with Application not with hope to cure it which if I should promise I might be like those Lawyers who for their fees doe vndertake mens causes though they know them to bee vnconscionable and those Phisitians and Surgeons who take in hand the cure of those patients whose sores and sicknesse they know be incurable I may say of this sinne as Ieremie saith of Babylon n Ier. 51.9 We would haue cured Babylon but she could not be cured forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his owne Countrey This sinne cannot possibly be cured therefore let euery one in the feare of God haue care that he may auoide it The Apostle speaking of this sinne to the Hebrewes saith o Heb. 6.9 Confidemus de vobis meliora delectissimi and so doe I say to you beloued I hope better things of you all and such as belong to saluation For were your hearts possest with this sinne you could haue small delight in this sacred assembly and holy exercise Now although there be no place of application for cure yet is there
ratified it with an asseueration o Isa 22.19 Surely the iniquitie of such a sinner shall neuer be pardoned or purged Yea if a bare speech or asseueration will not serue when Elies sonnes will wilfully persist in their sinnes and will not be reclaimed either for their owne credit their fathers comfort or the Lords glory he takes his oath p 1 Sam. 3.14 that the wickednesse of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering for euer The third bad humour THE third bad humour which feedes this Apostasie is bitter and violent namely Malice a consequent of the former For when men doe once grow wilfull they easily become malicious and waxe euen rebelliously bent against the truth So as was Iulian the Emperour whom Hierome q Hier. Catalog script Eccles therefore most iustly stileth for his malice Canem rabidum euen a madde Dogge So as were the Iewes whom our Sauiour taxing for this sinne r Mat. 12.37 cals a broode of Vipers because they were full of venim and malice Such a sinner the Apostle doth here call an aduersary as being one that directly opposeth himselfe against the rules of pietie and afterwards in more fearefull words he brandeth him thus which doth despight the spirit of grace And in the sixt to the Hebrewes ſ Heb. 6.6 he calleth him a crucifier of Christ and a mocker of him When a man shall become a professed aduersary to him who is able to destroy both soule and body in hell t Mat. 10.28 when he shall despight the spirit of grace which is the spirit of comfort helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with groanes and sighes which cannot be u Rom. 8 26. expressed When hee shall make but a mocke of Christ to whom the blessed Angels doe homage x Heb. 1.6 oh how lamentable is the estate of such a one When the patient loathes his foode quarrels with his Phisitian is angry with his friends chafes with himselfe you will say he is in ill case and such is the condition of a froward and malicious sinner When the vis irascibilis Which should be as a Dogge at the doore of the soule to keepe away the Theefe shall waxe madde and bite the Master or his friends euen snarle at God at his seruants and his sacred truth what safety or comfort can that soule haue When Christians which should be as Lambes and new borne-Babes in receauing y 1. Pet. 2.1.2 Iam. 1.12 with meekenesse the sincere milke of the word and the comfortable food of the blessed Sacrament shall turne dogges and swine tread vnderfoote those precious pearles and be ready euen to rent their z Mat. 7.6 Pastors they must needes kindle Gods wrath and accelerate his iudgements This was the sinne of Alexander the Copper-smith of whom Saint Paul a 2 Tim. 4.15 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he vehemently withstood our Preaching He saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not vs but our words our preaching for that had not beene so hainous the one is but a personall persecution and so had beene a sinne against charitie the other a doctrinall and consequently was a direct offence against pietie And surely it is a fearefull thing when a man sets himselfe against heauen b 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sinne against another saith Elie the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him It goes hard with a malefactor when no man will can or dare be his aduocate but it is Gods iust iudgement vpon a malicious sinner and therefore it was his ordinance c Num. 15.30 that he which sinned presumptuously euen erecting with an high hand the flagge of defiance against God as the metaphor imports blasphemed the Lord the same person should be cut off from among his people that the same cutting off might be a praeludium to his fearefull and finall separation from the societie of the blessed Angels the spirits of iust and holy men and from Iesus Christ the mediator of the new d Heb. 12.22 Testament How fearefull was the obstinacie of Stephens enemies who being not able to resist the spirit by which he spake charged him with blasphemie e Act. 6.10.11 And albeit the Lord did grace his innocent conscience with an Angelicall countenance yet they so persisted in their malice that they gaue him iust cause to taxe them thus You stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares you haue alway resisted the holy Ghost Such obstinate sinnes must needes be punished when as others committed of frailtie may easily be pardoned Should I not spare Nineueh saith the Lord f Ion. 4.11 which doth trespasse of infirmitie But how should I spare Iuda which doth transgresse g Ier. 5.7 rebelliously Here God hath something to say for Nineueh but rebellious Iuda stands arraigned of high treason and God hauing nothing to say for her nor she for her selfe why the sentence of death should not passe against her must needes be condemned except Gods iustice shall be violated which must inuiolably be maintained though all the rebellious Men and Angels in the world be damned It is dangerous to walke in the counsell of the vngodly dreadfull to stand in the way of sinners but h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 1.1 happy and thrise happy is he that doth not sit in the seate of the scornefull Who would thinke that any could be so forsaken of God and bereft of grace that he should malice and scorne the eternall Maiestie yet experience hath found out such vile wretches For such a one was that blasphemous Pope Iulius who being forbidden by his Physition to eate Porke because of his gout said in a great chafe horresco referens I tremble to vtter his words i Les vies de Papes de Rome Iules 3. Giue me my Porkes flesh al dispetto di Dio euen in despight of God What horrible blasphemies did that execrable Emperour Iulian the Apostata as also his lewd companion Libanius the Sophister belch forth against Christ who at their going forth to the Persian warre asked in k Histor Trip. lib. 6. cap. 43. scoffing manner What the Carpenters Sonne meaning Christ was doing To whom it was well answered by a good Christian l Theodoret. hist l. 3 c 18. Loculum fabricatur he is making a coffin for Iulian which propheticall speech was verified by the euent for indeede Iulian was strangely wounded and slaine in that warre Now when a man is growne to this height of impiety that he dares thus with a high hand sinne against the Almightie the Lord stops the suites of those who would pray for him not admitting any petition to be put vp in the Court of mercy according to those words of Saint Iohn There is a sinne vnto death I say not thou shouldest pray for m 1 Ioh. 5.16 it And how oft doth
them And this afterwards he cals an intangling meaning so that one cannot be loosed and an ouercomming so that he cannot be deliuered the issue of which estate he expresseth saying They bring vpon themselues swift damnation And truely when Sathan preuaileth so farre that he vanquisheth them with his suggestions and fettereth them in the chaines of sin striking his temptations like the nayle of Iael into the temples of their k Iudge 4.21 heads so that they lie groueling like Sisera in his Tents being made euen his bondslaues and vassalles there is little hope that euer they shall recouer For it is impossible that they which haue beene so qualified with the grace of Gods spirit if they fall away should be renewed by l Heb. 6.6 repentance The children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe fall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it is Prolapsi m Ansel in Heb. 6. Id est totalit Lapsi Aquin id est prorsus lapsi as Anselm interprets that is vtterly fall away they cannot for the Lord staies them vp with his hand Psal 37.24 As when Peter through the terrours of the waues was ready to sinke Christ tooke him by the hand and saued him So when we are oppressed with the waues of temptations and are ready to sinke in the Gulfe of despaire the Lord reacheth forth the hand of compassion and preserueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many things we stumble all as Saint Iames n Iam 3.2 saith Yea the iust man falleth seauen times that is very oft as Salomon o Prou. 24.16 witnesseth But here is the comfort that hee riseth againe though his foote slip through his frailty or hee be cast downe through the stumbling blocks of temptations yet he findes the center of Gods mercie to rest vpon and takes new footing by vnfayned repentance Non sic impij non sic as for the vngodly it is neyther so nor so with them for their fall is totall it is finall Dauid fell dangerously in the matter of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. but Saul fell away fearefully when hee consulted with a Witch 1 Sam. 28. Aaron fell grieuously when hee suffered the Israelites to make earings and dance about the Calfe Exod. 32. But Balaam fell away wilfully when hee taught Balaac to intrap the children of Israel Numb 31. Peter fell dangerously when he denied Christ Iesus Mat. 26. But Iudas fell away desperately when hee hanged himselfe Mat. 27. Thus the godly although they fall into grosse sinnes yet doe not vtterly fall away According to that in the first of Iohn and the third Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is he sinneth not totally and finally Christs speech to Peter Luk. 22. was very comfortable Luke 22.32 I haue prayed for thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thy faith faile not that it be not wholy Eclipsed And that intercession of Christ is effectuall for all Gods children who albeit they may sometimes labour in obscuritie like the Sunne yet can they neuer be wholly Eclipsed like the Moone Though diuers bones be broken or out of ioynt yet the skilfull Surgeon will set them together againe but if all be asunder how can they be vnited Though the body be subiect to a mightie confusion of bad humours and distemper of blood yet if the vitall spirits be not consumed nor the vigour of nature vtterly exhausted the skilfull Physitian hath hope to recouer his patient But if the spirits be spent and there be no force of nature to assist the medicine but rather to resist the same there is no way but one for what can be expected but death And so is it in the sicknesse of the soule it may be recouered vpon many particular diseases of sinne but if it once be subiect to a totall Apostasie it can neuer be cured there is no way but death with such a sicke sinner and therefore Saint Iohn o 1 Iohn 5.16 doth very fitly call it a sinne vnto death If the soule of man be left like the tree that Nebuchadnezzar saw in a p Dan. 4.26 dreame the stumpe and rootes whereof was left in the earth though many branches of grace be lopped off by Sathan yet behold it may flourish againe but if it be like the tree that Saint Iude q Iude ver 12. speakes of Without fruite twise dead plucked vp by the rootes then the axe of Gods iudgements lies neere to it r Luk. 14.34.35 If the salt haue vtterly lost his sauour it is good for nothing but to be cast out so if a Christian haue lost all the sappe and sauour of grace and become vtterly without relish in the practise and profession of godlinesse hee is good for nothing but must looke to be cast forth into vtter darkenesse and into that violent fire that shall deuoure the aduersasarie Behold now beloued you see what is the sinne against the holy Ghost euen a witting a willing a malicious a totall Apostasie And this monstrous sinne is like the mighty windes which beating on the foure corners of the house wherein Iobs children were did cast it on their heads ſ Iob. 1.19 for when sin once breathes and blowes from these foure Climates it drawes downe the iudgements of God vpon the sinners heads to their euerlasting ruin t Leuit. 11.20 And as the Fowles that went on all foure being vncleane were abhomination to men so hee that goes groueling on these foure feete of Apostasie is abhominable in the sight of God and shall be subiect to the filthie dungeon with the vncleane spirits But to the end that the nature and danger of this sinne may the better appeare let vs consider why it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost Where first we must obserue that it is so called not because it is committed against the person but against the attributes and especiall operation of the holy Ghost The old and vulgar distinction of the Schoolemen doth illustrate this very well The Father is called Power against him therefore men are said to sinne in weakenesse and infirmitie The Sonne is called Wisedome against him they offend of ignorance and simplicitie The holy Ghost is called Grace against him therefore they sinne who transgresse wilfully and maliciously It being then the proper and especiall worke of the holy Spirit to inlighten the vnderstanding to mollifie the heart by repentance and to sanctifie it by grace hee that shall thus oppose himselfe against the worke of the same spirit must needes become gracelesse and impenitent that blessed and gracious spirit being taken away For as the yron which was made soft by being in the fire when it is taken forth becommeth harder then euer it was So the heart of man which with the fire of Gods spirit was in some sort mollified and made to melt when the same spirit is vtterly withdrawne becomes extreamely obdurate and incorrigible v Dan.
9.9 To thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiuenesse saith Daniel True it is but when a man hath made himselfe vncapable of mercy the cogitation thereof is rather a corrosiue then any comfort at all Are not those who charge Christ with an vnclean spirit worthy to be possest with the spirit of slumber If they despight the spirit of grace doe they not deserue to be depriued of the spirit of grace If they treade vnderfoote of a base estimation the Sonne of God and the blood of the Testament is it not a iust recompence that Sathan should trample them vnder his feete in the place of torments If the Lord giue ouer men to a Reprobate sense for abusing only the meere gifts of x Rom. 1.28 nature how much more may they expect to haue their eyes blinded and their hearts y Ioh. 12.40 hardned who maliciously resist the works of grace z Chrys op imperf in Mat. Hom. 37. And then as the tacklings being taken from the ship and the same left to the mercy of the Seas is cast vpon rockes dashed in peeces or drowned in the sands so the soule of man being stripped of the tacklings of grace must needes suffer shipwracke and perish in the gulfe of eternall perdition This miserie is by no meanes to be auoided for as Chrysostome saith a Cum à Deo deserimur Diabolo tradimur Chrys in Ioh. Hom. 67. when men are forsaken of God they are deliuered to the Diuell not for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord as the Corinthian b 1. Cor. 5.5 was But to be vexed in soule here and to be tormented in soule and body hereafter as Saul c 1. Sam. 16. was And then what followes our Sauiour shewes in the persons of the blasphemous Pharisees d Luk. 11.25 When the vncleane spirit hauing beene cast out returneth he brings with him seauen spirits worse then himselfe which doe enter and dwell there and taking vp their habitation doe shut fast the doore of the heart so that albeit the spirit of God doe knocke againe and againe e Reuel 3.20 yet can it finde no entrance and that causeth such a lamentable effect The latter end of that man is worse then the beginning Thus the heart being hardned becomes impenitent and so the impenitent sinner becomes vnpardonable for where there is no grace for Repentance there is no place for pardon According to the Apostles words Rom. 2. f Rom. 2.5 Thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath The stinging of an Aspe is incurable and such is this wound and sting of Sathan for it growes cankerous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the sinne of Hymeneus and g 2 Tim. 2.17 Philetus Yea it becomes that which the Surgeons call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen such an eating vlcerous sore as doth totally mortifie the part affected so that all the plasters that art or nature can deuise will not helpe it This saith Hierome is that kinde of leprosie which cannot be cured And so much for the opening of the wound The second part The searching of the WOVND HEre now beloued I could be contented to take my station and to stay my hand from searching this wound any further But because there is some controuersie concerning the same amongst the spirituall Physitians to whom the cure or care thereof doth belong I hold it expedient either in reconciling or confuting the differences of opinions to relieue those who may be subiect to doubting and to satisfie if it be possible euen those which are possest with the spirit of contradiction by manifesting that as I haue laid the foundation of my positiue doctrine vpon the vnmoueable rocke of the holy Scriptures so I haue the consent of the learned of all sorts who doe build with mee vpon the same foundation so that onely singularity shall haue occasion to dissent There are about this matter but two points controuerted the one is touching the description the other the remission of this sinne Concerning the first some make finall impenitency to be the sinne against the holy Ghost but those that so doe are confuted by themselues for they hold the sinne against the holy Ghost to be pardonable so that consequently if finall impenitency be the sinne against the holy Ghost finall impenitency should be pardonable which absurdity euery sensible man must needes be ashamed of But Bellarmine himselfe h Bellam. de poenitent lib. 2. cap. 16. hath diuers arguments for the confutation of this errour which I will briefely repeate 1. The sinne against the holy Ghost is properly blasphemie but finall impenitency is not blasphemie therefore finall impenitency is not the sinne against the holy Ghost 2. Finall impenitency is not committed till death but the sinne against the holy Ghost is committed before death therefore finall impenitency is not the sinne against the holy Ghost The minor proposition is euident for our Sauiour charged the Pharisees with this sinne who were then liuing and for any thing we know liued long after Further Paul speaking of this sinne in the sixt to the Hebrewes saith it is impossible that they which haue committed the same should be renewed by repentance In which words the Apostle speaketh of those that are aliue else should he affirme that the dead cannot be renewed by repentance which speech were idle and much vnbeseeming so great an Apostle Againe whereas Saint Iohn saith there is a sin vnto death I say not that thou shouldst pray for it 1 Ioh. 5.16 he speaks of liuing men And whereas some thinke he speakes of the dead the Text is directly against them For he saith he that knoweth his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death c. in which words hee admitteth that a man may see and know when the sinne is committed and therefore he speaketh not of finall impenitencie which cannot be knowne till after a mans death and hardly then also Moreouer if hee spake of the sinnes of those that are dead hee should not say He that knowes his brother to sinne but he that knowes his brother to haue sinned Thus Bellarmine hauing confuted that opinion concerning finall impenitency and affirmed truely Circumstantia quaedam quae in omni peccato reperiri potest that the same is but circumstantia quaedam a certaine circumstance which may be found in euery particular sinne he defineth the sinne against the holy Ghost in the same manner as I haue handled it calling it a malicious opposition against the manifest and knowne truth Athanasius Chrysostome Basil Hilarie Ambrose Hierome Anselme Richardus de S. Vict. Theophylact. Beda Pacianus which definition he confirmeth by the common consent of ancient writers k Communi consensu veterum Bellarm ibid. to whose reasons and authorities were they not very pithy and pregnant I might annexe sundry
expresly before that they will not d Iere. 7.27 Ezek. 2.4.5 repent and yet he sent to them that so they might be without excuse Secondly as the Euangelists doe plainely teach the impossibility of pardon for this sinne So doth Saint Paul in this Epistle vse many and waighty Arguments to confirme the same which I will briefly contract into one He that cannot possibly be renewed by Repentance Heb. 6.4.6 He that falls quite away Heb. 10.26.29 He that cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice He that dies without mercy He that must certainly look for a fearefull iudgement Cannot be pardoned saued But hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be renewed by Repentance He fals quite away hee cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice he dies without mercy hee must certainely looke for a fearefull iudgment and violent fire therefore hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be pardoned and saued To these places Bellarmine and the Rhemists doe answere that whereas the Apostle saith hee cannot be renewed by Repentance and there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne he is thus to be vnderstood hee cannot haue the benefit of a second Baptisme To whom I answere First Bellarmine and the Rhemists do without all warrant or reason confound Baptisme and Repentance and the sacrifice of Christ And if Baptisme and Repentance bee confounded why should not also the other doctrines mentioned with the same So that Repentance Faith Baptisme the resurrection and the last iudgement shall be all one But let these men who are so violent without any arguments and so confident vpon onely the bare words of two or three of the Fathers expounding this place let them consider what others of the ancient Fathers haue written and what euen these haue affirmed concerning this sinne in other places The ingenuitie of Arias Montanus e Arius Monta. in Heb. 6. a learned Papist is much to be commended who saith most truely that it is an extreame racking of the word Repentance when it is here without cause transferred to another sence Againe if it were granted that the Apostle in the sixt to the Hebrewes denieth a second Baptisme when he speakes of Repentance because they are mentioned together in the same place and haue some affinity and correspondence yet how doth it follow that in this Chapter he should haue relation to Baptisme When as the same is neither directly mentioned nor by any necessary consequent implied or intimated Lastly suppose the Apostles words were so to be taken as that he should therein denie second Baptisme to the sinner doth not the same imply a deniall of pardon For why should he deny them a second Baptisme but to teach them that the meanes and instrumentall causes of Repentance and reconciliation being denied the effect cannot be granted But the truth is as euery single eye may perceiue that the Apostle hath in those places vtterly excluded those that sinne against the holy Ghost both from the meanes and fruit of repentance Thirdly Saint Iohn f 1 Iohn 5.16 speaking of this sinne cals it a sinne vnto death meaning such a sinne as yeelds death without remedy or recouery as the phrase being an Hebraisme doth necessarily import and Chrysostome doth truely expound g Chrys in psal 49 Vt in lege quaedam fuêre immedicabilia c. it Yea Alphonsus Salmeron h Alph. Salmer in 1. Ep. Ioh. dispu 32. one of the Fathers and founders of the Iesuites cals it a sinne to death quia suapte natura tendit ad mortem animae because it doth naturally tend to the death of the soule Againe the Apostle forbids vs to pray for such a sinner Now if prayer which should be the meanes to worke Repentance in men and to procure remission for them at the hands of God may not be afforded them is there any hope that such should be pardoned To this Bellarmine answers that the Apostle doth not directly forbid vs to pray for such but onely doth not incourage or perswade vs because the suite is very hard to be obtained And to him I reply that first the desperatenesse of the disease being to death may imply a reason of denying the medicine of prayer to obtaine life 1 Iohn 5. Secondly the coherence of the words with the words precedent doe euict them to be a direct prohibition For whereas before hee had taught Vers 14. that if we aske any thing according to Gods will we shall be heard he presently addeth these words as a Caueat that wee pray not for him that sinneth vnto death because that such a prayer is not according to Gods will Thirdly if Saint Iohn had noted onely a difficultie not an impossibilitie of obtaining our desires should he not haue perswaded vs to be the more earnest and importunate in prayer rather then to haue discouraged vs When our Sauiour saith i Mat. 7.14 that the way is narrow and the gate is strait that leadeth vnto life would you not make him absurd in saying I say not that you shall enter that way or indiscreet in discouraging men by denying them hope of entrance Doth he not better in perswading vs striue therefore earnestly to enter into that straight k Luk. 13.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gate and so if the matter had beene subiect to difficultie and not to impossibilitie doubtlesse Saint Iohn would haue exhorted vs euen to striue mightily l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.20 by prayers to God for the remission of that sinne as Saint Paul speakes Rom. 15.30 Lastly that it is a direct prohibition diuers both ancient Fathers and Papists also doe directly auouch As m Tertul de pudic cap. 19. Tertullian n Aug. ser Domini in Monte. lib 1. Augustine o Hier. cited by P. Lumberd Hierome p Sixtus Quintus orat habit in consistor de morte Henr 3 Sixtus Quintus q Fâ—rus in 1. Ioh. 5. Ferus r Didac de la vega in Psal 6. poenitent Con. 5. and diuers others Didacus de la Vega and diuers others Yea Catharinus Å¿ Catharin in 1. Epist Ioh. cap. 5. in my iudgement hath written very iudiciously concerning both this place and the point in hand Some saith he haue made this place obscure supposing that to be absurd which indeede hath no absurditie in it meaning that prayer should be denyed to some kinde of sinners But this comes to passe by reason of a certaine old and vulgar opinion namely that no such outragious or diuilish sinne could be found which of it selfe was inexpiable Thus hauing proued by the authoritie of sacred Scriptures that this sinne is irremissible and answered such obiections as haue bin made against my proofe I might also confirme the same by many testimonies of the ancient t Tertul de pudicitia cap. 2. Cyprian lib. 3. Iustin ad Quirin cap. 28. Chry. in psa 49. Hieron Ep. 22. ad Marcel Aug.
for matter of confutation of admonition of consolation Of confutation against errour of admonition against security of coÌ„solatioÌ„ against despaire For first those mercilesse men the Nouatians p So called of Nouatus their ringleader Euseb hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 42. Ambros de poenit lib. 1. cap. 9. Hieron ad Marcel de blasph in 55. are hereby confuted who held euery grosse sinne committed by a Christian to be the sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore how seriously penitent soeuer any one was after such a sinne though of infirmitie yet they accounted his repentance to be fruitlesse and vncapable of the mercy of God q Socrates lib. 1. cap. 7. So that whereas diuers in the primitiue Church fell into Idolatrie through feare of most horrible tortures prepared for Christians Albeit they did afterward exceedingly bewaile their miserable condition yet would they not yeelde them the priuiledges of the Church nor ioyne with them in the participation of the blessed Sacraments r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 42. Epiphan Tomâ—â—haeres 59. These were the men which through swelling pride did take to themselues the name of Puritanes But the very matter of their doctrine as Epiphaneus truely saith doth proue them to be impure Against these men as diuers of the auncient Fathers haue written very substantially So euen the torrent of the sacred Å¿ 1 Ioh. 7.8 Iam. 3.2 Ezek. 18.22 Mat. 11.28 Scriptures which conuince all men of sinne and offer pardon to euery true penitent doth vtterly condemne them Amongst other things that iust and ingenious reproofe of that renowmed Emperour Constantine to Acesius a Nouatian Bishop is worthy of remembrance When the good Emperour did aske this proud Bishop why he did seperate himselfe from the Communion of the faithfull his answere being because they had fallen in the persecution of Decius Constantine replyed t Socrat. l. 1. c. 7. Erige tibi scalam Acesi ad coelum solus ascende Set thee vp a Ladder O Acesius whereby thou mayest clime to heauen alone Iustly taxing thereby his pride and truely shewing that if his opinion were true no man could come to heauen because no man is free from sinne Saint Augustine saith u Aug. Hom. 27. some obiected against him That he opened a gappe to sinne when he offered a heauen of safety to euery repentant sinner but most iniuriously For if almighty God be so gracious that to a man vnfainedly forsaking his sinnes and seruing God with an vpright heart Non solum veniam promittit sed coronam graunts not onely the remission of sinne but the reward of a Crowne as Cypryan x Cyprian de laps Serm. 5. speaketh Why should men be so austere and strict as to shut vp the bowels of compassion to the serious penitent And here by the way beloued let me giue you a caueat Forasmuch as this sinne doth depend vpon such difficult circumstances the extraordinarie gift of discerning the spirits being y 1 Cor. 12.10 abolished it is very hard without some rare z Sine rarissimis inspirationibus Bez. de pass dom Hom. 28. inspiration to discerne this sinne in others and very dangerous to charge any with the same Therefore although you see some sinne very desperately yet take heede you step not hastily into Gods throne but rather erect a tribunall in your owne hearts and iudge your selues as the Apostle exhorts a 1 Cor. 11.31 doe not vnaduisedly shoote forth the darts of your censures against others nor vncharitably deny them the comfort of your prayers Caietans charitable speech doth much affect b Caietan in Epist 1 Iohn me Whereas Saint Iohn saith If thou seest thy brother sinne a sinne to death I say not that thou shouldest pray for him Memini Bernardum c. I remember saith he that Bernard addes si non ores gemas tamen euen when thou mayest not pray for him yet maist thou sigh for him Fortassis gemitus tuus penetret quò oratio non praesumit tendere Happily thy sighes may haue accesse where thou darest not send thy prayers As for the Nouatians onely the mistaking of diuers places of Scripture misled them which being freed from their erroneous exposition doe nothing serue for the supporting of their mercilesse heresie Secondly here is matter of admonition For seeing this sinne is so dreadfull wee should be very carefull and fearefull lest we fall into the same Though it were a wound like Alexanders of which the historian saith curatio vulneris grauior ipso vulnere The curing of the wound was more grieuous then the wound it selfe yet if there were any hope of cure it were somewhat tolerable but when all the balme in Gilead cannot cure it it is most lamentable It is a point of wisdome to preuent corporall diseases that are mortall and it is much more necessary to preuent the spirituall And as for the better preuention of sicknesse and preseruation of health diuers hurtfull meates are to be shunned and certaine wholesome meanes to be vsed so for the preuenting of this mortall disease and preseruing the soule in spirituall health diuers euill courses are to be carefully auoided and diuers Christian duties to be diligently practised When you are tempted by Sathan or his instruments consent not if he thrust any euill temptations into your heads by conceit as he did into the head of Christ Iesus Mat. 4. let him neuer put it into your hearts by consent Ioh. 13.2 Chrys in Mat. hom 67. as he did into the heart of Iudas What madnesse is it saith Chrysostome to entertaine the temptations of the Diuell who seekes to torment thee rather then the motions of Christs spirit who desires to saue thee To receaue a sword at the hands of a Theefe to kill thee and to refuse a Diadem at the hands of a King to crowne thee Remember that comfortable precept and promise Resist the Diuell Iam. 4.7 and he will flie from thee Take heede of the degrees of sinne for they are dangerous One sinne drawes on another as one waue driues forward another and as great waters arise of small heads which doe breake downe bankes and carry them away such are the inundations of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inundauerunt Sept. vulgar Hos 4.2 when they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud It behooueth euery Christian therefore to take heede of the beginning of sinne and to stop the course and current of the same lest that it becomming violent cast downe the banks of Gods threatnings and carry him headlong to the sinne of all sinnes Men doe not fall into deadly diseases but by degrees neither doe they slip into this deadly sinne but by diuers degrees doe fall into it as Theodoret doth manifest in Iulian the Emperour Theodoret. hist lib. 3. cap. 3. who first banished the feare of God and at last Pietate omnino spoliebatur was vtterly bereft of Piety When
a sinner giues way to his owne corruptions and Sathans temptations hee becomes like the Image in Daniel i Dan. 2.45 whose head was gold his brest of siluer his belly of brasse his legs of iron his feete of clay thus doth he waxe worse and worse till at last as a stone cut out of a mountaine without hands smote the image and brake it in peeces So the iudgements of God not created in the beginning by the hand of God but cut out of the mountaine of mans transgressions doth beate him in peeces like a potters vessell For if our sinnes doe increase and come one in the necke of another like the messengers of Iob our punishments must needes follow like the plagues of Aegypt Therefore Woe be to them saith the Prophet that k Esa 5.18 draw iniquity in the cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Cordes are twisted of many small threds which seuerally haue very small force but vnited are very strong and so it commeth to passe that the threds of smaller sinnes being twisted by oft committing and drawne out by long continuance doe at last make this great gable of the sinne against the holy-holy-Ghost wherewith the sinners hands and feete being bound He is cast into vtter darkenesse where is nothing l Mat. 22.13 but wayling and weeping and gnashing of teeth Be carefull to auoide the least sinne lest the same be an introduction to greater For as the Philistims came vpon Sampson and ouercame him by diuers insinuations first bound his hands then platted his hayre and at last shaued off his locks So doe sinne and Sathan winde themselues in by diuers inferiour temptations still proceeding and augmenting the same till the locks of grace be quite shaued off As it is said of Ninus Victores m Iustin 1. lib. 1 Quaeque sequentis victoriae causa fuit euery victory was the means of another conquest So euery smaller suggestion of Sathan becomes an instrument of a greater temptation Had king Dauid at the first beene perswaded to murder Vriah hee would haue said what murder Vriah my loyall subiect my faithfull seruant God forbid not for the one halfe of my kingdome Yet after that hee had sinned with Bathsheba adultry made way to cruelty Sinnes are like the sores of the body which at first are but vitious humours then tumours after that impostumate and at last become vncurable So the sores of sinne waxe greater and greater Mortem parit immortalem Chrys in Psal 6. Bern. de aduent Ser. 6. Et in Cant. Serm. 15. till they breede and bring eternall death And therefore Bernard doth very fitly call sinne morbum animae and mortem animae The soules sicknesse and the soules death Thus as robbers put some little villaine into the house which sets open the dores to all the theeues And as warriors by a smaller breach doe get into the besieged City and then doe rob and kill and burne and vtterly spoile it So doth the diuell get entrance and aduantage of men by some smaller sinne and preuaileth more and more till hee hath battered the foundation of their faith dispoyled them of the rich ornaments of grace and become euen Lord of the Soule If at any time you be cast downe by the temptations of the diuell as alas who can alwaies stand let him not keepe you downe That is good counsell of our Sauiour o Reu. 2.4 Remember whence thou art fallen repent and amend The prodigall childe is set forth a patterne to this purpose who p Luke 15 Ver. 18.21 said and did what he said that hee would rise and goe to his father confesse his sinnes and craue pardon for the same Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta vnde corruit per vana delectamenta q Aug. de temp Ser. 182. saith Saint Austin Let a man returne by daily lamentations to that from whence hee is fallen by vaine delectations Repentance is the onely stay that holds vs from falling into hell Repent therefore and proportion your Repentance according to your sinnes like Manasses who hauing caused the streetes of Ierusalem to flow with blood made the prison in Babylon to runne with teares r Cyprian de Laps Ser. 5. Alto vulnere diligens medicina non desit saith Cyprian a deepe wound must haue a diligent cure Thus let euery sinner rayse vp himselfe by true and vnfayned Repentance lest his slippes of infirmity become the fall of Apostasie Take heede of backsliding reciduation in sinne is no lesse dangerous then a relapse in sicknesse The bone oft broken will hardly be set The tree that 's oft transplanted will scarcely prosper Hath Christ washed Å¿ Reuel 1.6 thee in his blood Cured thee with his stripes Esa 53.5 and healed thee with his wounds hath he paid thy debts cancelled the bond vpon the crosse and set thee vp being a t Col. 2.13 bankrupt in grace Returne not with the swine to wallow in thy filthy sinnes let not the diuell wound thee againe by fresh bleeding iniquities runne not into debt hy new transgressions Yea sinne no more lest a worse thing happen v Ioh. 5.14 to thee Thus all sinnes are carefully to be auoided yet some are more especially to be shunned as hauing a spice of this dangerous disease the sinne against the holy Ghost and some duties likewise are more especially to be practised as meanes and mithridates against that wofull euill Amongst many I will obserue some in both kindes It is dangerous to sinne against knowledge and more dangerous yet to sinne against the checks of conscience but most dangerous to sinne against the motions of Gods blessed spirit It is dangerous madnesse for the pilot to shut his eyes against the starres that should guide him And such is the case of all those who wilfully put out the light of knowledge and regard not the checks of conscience The Lord tels Israel in the second of Hosea I will stop thy way with thornes and so doth hee set the stings of conscience to stay the sinner if it be possible from his wicked courses and fearefull is the neglect thereof For he that regards not the cry of his sinnes to his conscience shall surely haue them crying to heauen against him for vengeance Take heede of scorning or vilifying the blessed word of God especially the Gospell of Peace When men shall be angry with the word 1 Reg. 22.8 as Ahab was with Michaiah because it reproues their corruptions it is with them as our Sauiour saith y Ioh. 3.19.20 They hate the light because their workes are euill and it argues their deformities that they cannot abide to looke into the glasse z Iam. 1.23 which discouers them When men doe thus disesteeme and shunne the Gospell of Christ it is a shrewd signe that the same is no pardon of theirs but rather their inditement There are some who haue scarce three sentences of Scripture yet of those they
Christ then Christ hath reliefe for the man and so may I say to you beloued If you haue grace to beleeue then haue you not so sinned against grace and mercie but that the Lord hath plentifull redemption for you in store Christ Iesus himselfe cals you the Church exhorts you the spirit of God inuites you to take the pardon for your sinnes and the pawne of your inheritance The spirit and the spouse saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life n Reuel 22.17 freely Behold here is that Aqua coelestis that whosoeuer tasteth of hee shall neuer thirst any more here is that Aqua o Iohn 4.14 vitae which whosoeuer takes and drinke he shall neuer see death Yea though he were dead yet shall it restore him to p Iohn 11.25 life Therfore I may say to euery Christian beleeuer as our Sauior said to the woman os Canaan q Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest But for as much as diuers delude themselues with a vaine conceit of that Faith they haue not and others are dismaide because they doubt of their Faith which sometimes they feele not therfore I must further exhort euery one of you to trie your hearts and examine your liues concerning your repentance For that gracious promise shall euer be found yea and Amen That hee which is soundly and seriously penitent so that he turne away from his euill waies hee shall not die but liue r Ezek. 18.22 Yea for the assurance of this you haue the Lords oath ſ Ezek. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner t Psal 51.15 The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a sacrifice but sacrifices because it is instar omnium in stead of all as Tremelius truely saith Which whensoeuer we offer vp the Lord smels a sauour of mercie and compassion as he smelled a sauour of rest in the sacrifice of n Gen. 8.21 Noah O bring then this sacrifice to the Lords sacred Altar and behold you shall alwaies finde the doore of his mercie open to receiue you and the armes of his compassion stretched out to imbrace you as the prodigall childe found at his returne of whom Saint Ambrose saith filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feared some sharpe reproofe but the father prepared a dainty banquet When Nathan reproued Dauid for his o 2 Sam. 24.10 sinnes it is said that Dauids heart did scourge him A fit Metaphor to expresse the nature of Repentance which is flagellum peccati euen the scourge of sinne which is flagellum animae the scourge of the Soule Doe your hearts smart and smite you and are your Soules troubled for your sinnes bee not dismaide For as the Angell troubled the Poole of Bethesda for the curing of the diseased So Gods blessed spirit of compunction hath beene with you and troubled your soules for your cure and consolation To conclude therefore if all that I haue now spoken hath wrought in you an indignation and dislike of your selues and a detestation and loathing of your sinnes with an earnest and a resolute purpose to banish and abandon them Then dare I be bold to pronounce that you are free from this sinne against the holy Ghost yea the God of heauen hath thereby sealed you a pardon for all your sinnes Though they were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red as skarlet they shall be as white as Wooll Which mercie that we may obtaine let vs humble our selues in Prayer Let vs pray O Lord our God who art able to preserue vs blamelesse and to present vs faultlesse before thy glory with ioy euen for thy tender mercies sake defend vs from this dreadfull sinne of Apostasie Keepe vs by thy power that we fall not restore vs by thy mercy when we are fallen preserue vs by thy grace that we neuer finally fall away O let not the gates of thy mercy be shut vpon vs neyther suffer the gates of hell to preuaile against vs But grant good Lord that albeit our fraile nature cannot obtaine an absolute freedome from sinnes of infirmity yet we may neuer set our selues against heauen or sinne with a high hand Renew a right spirit within vs that we may bewaile our sinnes Take not thy holy spirit from vs that we may reforme our liues Establish vs with thy free spirit that we may be confirmed in thy truth That being effectually sanctified in the kingdome of grace we may be eternally blessed in the kingdome of glory through the merites and mediation of Iesus Christ our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God let all prayse power and dominion be ascribed by all thy seruants both men and Angels this day and for euer Amen AMEN FINIS THE CHRISTIAN PETITIONER Shewing how we must sue in the Courts of HEAVEN both for Reward and Remission A Sermon Preached at OXFORD the seauenth day of Iuly being the Act Sunday By IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplayne LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. A SERMON PREACHED AT OXFORD the 7. of Iuly being the Act Sunday NEHEMIAH 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this and pardon me according to thy great mercy DIuers writers both diuine and humane Right reuerend Right Worshipfull welbeloued in Christ Iesus doe very fitly compare both euill men and manners in Ciuill and Christian gouernment to badde humours in the body and the Magistrate to the Physition to whom the cure thereof doth belong Now as the soundest bodies haue their bad humours which must be purged so the best gouerned Common-wealths and States doe in time grow subiect to corruptions which must be redressed The truth of this is most apparant in this present Scripture For Nehemiah comming by Artaxerxes warrant to the gouernement of Ierusalem found the house of God prophaned by Eliashib who of sacred structures had built a Chamber for Tobiah his kinseman This abuse as it grieued Nehemiah sore so did he like a worthy Magistrate redresse it and then came not to king Artaxerxes but to the King of Kings to whom especially he had done that seruice saying as it is in the fourteenth verse Remember me O my God concerning this and blot not out the kindnesse I haue shewed to the house of my God Againe as he found Gods sanctuary polluted so did hee finde his Sabbath prophaned for whereas almighty God had consecrated that day to a spirituall Mart there were some who had employed it in carnall Merchandise where Nehemiah hauing
the eye in the Head and the heart in the Body the noblest and worthiest of all the children of God And this their worth shall bee published to the world It shall be published by the sonnes of Peace by the sons of perdition by the Son of God himselfe Thus as the Laurell was to the Roman Emperors both Munimentum Ornamentum a Defence against danger and an Ornament of honour So shall this Oliua Pacis be to the children of God Quanta est huius pacis retributio saith S. Austin August de â—emp Ser. 169. haereditatem possidere cum Christo substantiam patris habere cum filio caelesti regno participare cum Domino And what can your hearts desire more then this To be the children of God and the best affected of his children heyres of Grace and Glory co-heyres annexed with Iesus Christ partakers of that vnspeakeable happinesse which shall be honourably published on earth enioyed eternally in the heauens Therefore to conclude let mee say to you with Chrysostom Chrys in Psal 34. Quaerite Pacem vt inueniatis premiuÌ„ Seek Peace follow after it that you may haue the reward of Peace-makers Psal 34. Chrys ibid. Pulsate ianuam Pacis knock at the gate of Peace till it be opened to you So shall the same be to you a doore and passage into Heauen which mercy the God of Peace and Mercy grant vs for his Sonne our Sauiour Christs sake to whom with the holy-holy-Ghost three persons and one immortall God be ascribed all Honour and Glory Might Maiesty and Dominion now and for euer more Amen FINIS THE SINNE AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST PLAINELY described By The Authoritie of Scriptures The Testimonie of Fathers The consent of Schoolemen In a Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse by IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chapleynes LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN KING Lord Bishop of LONDON Right Reuerend and Honourable THESE two Sermons being thought a second time worthie of the Presse I make bold to present to your Lordship They were both Preached in your charges the one in that eminent place where your Lordship hath Episcopall iurisdiction At Pauls crosse the other in that famous Vniuersitie At Oxford where then you were a worthy Gouernour The one hath passed hitherto vnder your patronage and the other being an Orphan desires it It obtained good acceptance with that Noble Lord The Lord Elsmere Lord Chancellor of England who loued your Lordship dearely and to whom my selfe was exceedingly bound In regard whereof I hope it shall finde the more fauourable entertainment at your Lordships hands The God of heauen who hath honoured you with many gracious endowments and made you an excellent ornament of our Church continue his fauours and enlarge his blessings to you for the Churches good and your owne eternall comfort Your Lordships humbly deuoted IOHN DENISON To the Reader IT fareth with me Christian Reader as with those Physitians who hauing employed their study for the health of their Patients doe afterwards divulge their experiments for the good of others For hauing at the request of certaine friends prepared these ingrediences and found them comfortable to their tender soules I haue beene moued to publish the same both for the further comfort of them and benefit of others And the rather haue I beene hereunto induced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc Aphor. because to vse the Physitians words here is a dangerous experiment and difficult iudgement the disease being the most dangerous and deadly of all diseases incident to any mortall creature and the physicke for cure description or preuention very rare to be had in our vulgar tongue None to my knowledge hauing of purpose handled it though I haue knowne some distressed soules haue greatly needed it and many very Christianly affected haue much desired it And so commending these my Meditations to thy courteous acceptance and my selfe to thy Christian prayers I commend thee to the grace of God in Christ Iesus Thine in the Lord I. D. A SERMON VVherein the Sinne against the Holy-GHOST is plainely described HEB. 10.26.27 For if we sinne willingly after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries IT is the part of euery Christian at his enterance into the profession of Christianitie Right Honorable right Worshipfull and welbeloued in Christ Iesus to consider our Sauiours Caueat to the Disciples He that indureth to the end shall be a Mat. 10.22 saued To what purpose is it that the Sea-faring man sailes prosperously ariues safely and obtaines a rich prize if he sinke or suffer shipwracke in his returne This life is a sea-faring life to what purpose is it that a Christian be farely imbarked for heauen if afterward he suffer shipwracke of his holy Faith What auaileth it the Warriour to march hotly with Iehu fight manfully with Ionathan if hee turne his backe with Ephraim before the end of the battaile This life is a warfare what can it auaile vs to incounter Sathan if we suffer him to foile and conquer vs For he onely that fights the good fight finisheth his course and keepes the faith can expect the crowne of b 2 Tim. 4.7 righteousnesse This is the thing whereof Saint Paul doth in this place admonish the Hebrewes namely that they forsake not the fellowship they haue among c Vers 25. themselues Wherein that he may the better preuaile he inferreth these words of my Text as a pithy reason and powerfull ingredience to make the medicine of his admonition to worke the more effectually If the Souldier shall flie forth of the field reuolt from his Captaine forsake his colours runne from his company and turne to the enemie he disgraceth his militarie profession disableth himselfe for the trophies of honour and meriteth condigne punishment Behold we are the Lords Souldiers the Church is our field Christ Iesus our Captaine the word and Sacraments our colours the communion of Saints our company he that shall flie forth of this field reuolt from this Captaine forsake these colours runne from this company and be found fighting vnder Sathans conduct dishonoureth his Christian profession depriueth himselfe of the crowne of glory and incurreth the danger of Gods heauy iudgement For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth That is if we haue giuen our names to Christ serued in his campe taken pay in his warres and yet play the carnall Apostataes with d 2 Tim. 4 9. Demas the hereticall with e 2 Tim. 2.17 Hymeneus and Philetus the scornefull with f Socrat. Theodoret Iulian the Emperour the spightfull with g 2 Tim. 4.14 Alexander the Copper-smith there