sanctified throughout in their whole spirit 1. Thess 5.23 and soule and body and that especially in them is eminent Their hearts are renewed to an vnfayned lâ—ue of God in Christ Iesus so that whatsoeuer they do in Gods seruice proceeds froÌ„ this fountaine Loue of God in Christ 2. Cor. 5.14 Followeth their fourth staire The fourth degree Luk 2.10 Rom. 10.15 Haue tasted of the good word of God I like that exposition The good word of God that is the Gospell that tidings of good things and great ioy to Gods people For herewith are the wicked affected euen to reioycing They receiue the word with ioy Mat. 13.20 Now briefly the differences betwixt them and Gods children in reioycing are these 1. Grounds of ioy in the Reprobates are carnall deepe mysteries things nouellons and rare much affect them as Athenians Act. 17.20 Mar. 12.37 2. Misunderstanding the promises rauish them the Conditions are distastefull Restraints vncomfortable As to malefactours in prison the tydings of a generall pardon after a Parliament how welcome is it the preface especially runnes merrily It pleaseth the King of his mercifull inclination to pardon all faults and offences But when the restraints come in the after-clause Except murther Treasons and Burglaries c. how is all that ioy turned into mourning and murmuring at the grace of the Pardoner from which they are excluded 3. This ioy ariseth suddenly like a flash of lightning Mat. 13.20 Incontinently saith our Sauiour they receiue the word with ioy Whereas neuer was child of God suddenly brought froÌ„ Hell to Heauen from the discomfort of a wounded conscience presently to reioyce in the Gospell 4. As suddenly wrought so as suddenly and irrecouerably lost whereas the ioy of the Saints is durable Ioh. 16.22 5. This sweetnes once tasted by a child of God by an heart seasoned with grace so affects them Pro. 23.23 that all things are sooner parted with then the Gospell An Hypocrite likes well of the word ad haras vsque till it touch him in his earthly profits howbeit rather then the sâ—ine should perish Christ himselfe shal be entreated to depart out of their Coastes Mat. 8.34 The last degree Caieton ad locum The highest pitch they can reach vnto remaines Tasted of the powers of the world to come Caieton me thinkes well aymes at the meaning To taste of the powers of the world to come sayth he is when a man for the world to come for the future resurrection and the last iudgement begins to set vp the regiment of the soule ouer the body Thus speaks hee like a Philosopher of flesh and spirit Let me adde something for more distinct explanation Men are sayd to taste of the powers of the world to come when as the meditation of the life to come beginning at the last iudgemeÌ„t works powerfully in their hearts How powerfull this meditatioÌ„ is Luk. 13.24 we may see in many seeking to enter but not being able Take for instaÌ„ce those poore soules in the Church of Rome drunken with the wine of that harlots fornicatioÌ„s What voluÌ„tary macerating of the body distributing their goods abandoning the world see we in them and all to purchase their heauen Neuer were the Priests of Baal more zealous for their Idoll then these for themselues to winne saluation And shall we say they enter If any man so thinke Rom. 9.31 32. I may commend his charity but shall neuer approoue his iudgement Heare the Apostle Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse attayned not to the law of righteousnes Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as by the worke of the law The application is easie And though I will not say but that some man holding iustification by workes in theft may perhaps be saued yet this I think I may be â—old to affirme whosoeuer holds it in hypothesi for his owne particular a Iew or Infidell may be saued as soone as he What is then the odds betwixt Gods child and a reprobate in this behalfe Ans A Reprobate makes himself the onely or principall terme of his intention in all his performances nor otherwise can desire Gods glory then as subordinate to his owne benefit A meere mercenary affection shall you see in all such no one thing done of loue towards God or with sincere desire to glorifie his name Gods child though he vseth meditation of saluation as a spurre to obedience yet beholds something beyond it more to be desired that is That God in all things may be glorified And if euer the question could come betwixt Gods glory and the saluation of his soule whether should be preferred Rom. 9.3 rather had he be Anathema from Christ then that the glory of GOD should be impeached It s an excellent speach of Bernard Bernard de diligendo Deo cap. 3. Non sine praemio d ligitur Deut etsi absque praemit intuitu diâ—gendus sit and againe Vacua â—amque vera charitas esse non potest nec tamen mercenaria est And this is the vndoubted character of our adoption and regeneration to that immortall vndefiled and neuer-fading inheritance reserued for vs in the heauens Now brethren for closing vp of this point Application 2. Cor. 13.5 giue mee leaue to exhort as the Apostle doth Prooue your selues whether you be in the faith or no examine your selues Hee doubles the exhortatioÌ„ because its a matter waighty and of most difficult performance and Peter 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure Beloued in Christ Iesus it s no so ordinary a grace as we commonly imagine to be assured of saluation or adoption For behold how many great things euen Reprobates attaine vnto Knowledge of the mystery of Christ apprehension of his excellency worthy gifts of the holy Ghost reioycing in the Gospell many powerfull effects of the world to come and yet are neyther chosen to saluation nor indeed truely regenerate to a liuely hope in CHRIST IESVS Alas beloued how many are there amongst vs boasting of vndoubtfull assurance of saluation that neuer reached to this scantling of Reprobates I say therefore againe Proue we and examine ourselues sift we these deceitfull hearts of ours to the bottome that we may attaine some measure of wel grounded assurance that we are the sonnes of God Let this also be the touchstone which the Lord seemes to commend vnto vs. Compare we our measure of grace with that wee find Reprobates to haue attained nor let vs euer please our selues in any one till we can say of euery one Herein yet I goe beyond a Reprobate Thus farre could neuer cast-away ascend What if wee haue the knowledge of Christ what if faith so that wee could remoue mountaynes and want obedience Can that knowledge saue vs can that faith assure vs Behold euen Reprobates alleadge for themselues Lord Mat. 7.22 haue not wee prophecied in thy name and in thy name cast out Deuills
purpose no place affoording plainer proofe of their vninterrupted abiding in the state of grace For thus I reason It is impossible for any man enlightned c. and wholly fallen from grace to be renewed by repentance and shall wee say it is impossible for an elect child of God to rise by repentance Then sure it were possible they should neuer be saued Mat. 24.23 but not possible that Gods child should be deceiued so as to faile of saluation It remaines therefore that they neuer fall wholly from grace receiued What needs more proofe 1. Ioh. 3.9 1. Pet. 1.23 1. Cor. 1.8 The spirit is in them semen manens immortals Immortall why so Forsooth according to these mens glozing because dying he reuiues A strange glosse nay rather because he neuer dyeth in them for so we say the soule is immortall because it dyeth not the body mortall though it rise againe Shall I adde more reasons take these from the actions of God First confirmation and establishment in grace eos telous vnto the end without interruption 2. Thess 3.3 2. Cor. 12.9 1. Cor. 10.13 De Nat. et dig Anâ— di Cap. 6. 1. Ioh. 3.9 Secondly liberation froÌ„ euills by preuention in euils by sustentation out of euils by giuing issue Would you haue the iudgement of Ancients I confesse they write most of them doubtfully in this point yet who so desires their sentence let him read what Austine hath De bono perseueranc soundly for this purpose and Bernard if that booke were his de Nat. et dign tate Anidiui alledging to this purpose the place of Iohn Hee that is borne of God sinneth not c. Because sayth he such a man patitur peceatum non facit preuenting that obiection from the fals of Dauid Peter of Dauid thus Charitatis in eo nequaquam facta est abolatio sed quasi quedam seporatio As Christ speakes of the woman in the Gospel She is not dead Theo. in Luc. 12. but sleepeth And Theophilact thus paraphraseth the speech of our Sauiour Quamuis breuitempore concutiendus sis habet tamen recondita fidei semina si solia abiecerit spiritus inuadentis radix tamen â—iueâ— et non deficiet fides tua He lost his leaues not his roote Lyra. ad locum For this Scripture some thus answere impossible that is difficult That good father Latimer much pleased himselfe in this euasion And it is true that impossible with Aristotle hath that acceptation but to my knowledge Scripture neuer so vseth it Amb. de pen. lib. 2. Cap. 2. S. Ambrose a little otherwise impossible to maÌ„ not to God that is impossible it seemes to vs to obtaine yet possible through Gods gift Heb 10.26 27 28. but neyther doth Ambr. himselfe sticke to this answere the Apostle in another placed serves the weaknes of it Some thus suppâ—sitioâ—s are no positions And its true that copulatiues somtimes haue force of conditionals 2. Pet. 2. But saint Peter plainely affirmes a possibility of reuoltiâ—e and I thinke we may yield these words are no empty bugbeares to affâ—ight vs with all but such as intimate a possibility of reuolting for some men no questioÌ„ for some enlightned c. for none truly regenerate And we shall aâ—on heare that none of thesâ— graces 〈◊〉 true renouatioÌ„ by the Spirit of God Thus much in the â—oâ—â—rim for clearing of the text Let vs now see the particulars of it They are chiefly these three First necessary of proficiency Secondly progresse of a Reprobate Thirdly peril of Apostacy For the first The first particular in the text Let vs be led forward to perfection For it is impossible if we fall away euer to be renewed to repentance Fulminat me thinks non loquitur His words are not words but thunderbolts to rouze 〈◊〉 beckâ— taking it for granted that there is no medium 〈◊〉 seeming sufficiency certayne Apostacy videt scalaÌ„ Iacob sayth Bernard et in scala Angelos Iacob in a vis on saw a ladder on it Angels Bâ—rnar epist 255. where was none seene sitting or standing still but all eyther ascending or descending to giue vs to vnderstand Its Bernards glosse that in the state of this mortal life there is no meane betwixt profection and defection but as we see our bodies alwaies on her growing or decreasing so must the Spirit alwaies either better it self or be impaired But what though theâ—e be defect o Ì„s Beloued me thâ—nks we should 〈◊〉 eâ—â—ble at the mention of them It s impossible that 〈◊〉 such men should be renewed Behold a most miserable condition It had bene better neuer to haue knowne then knowing to turne backe There is no sinne done in ignâ—rance before calling but is capable of pardon Paul blasphemy 2 Pet. 2.21 Manasses his cruelty Abrahams idolatry Mary Magdalens adultery But for Apostacy that is a sinne irrecouerable no place for pardon or repentance God in his iust iudgement giuing ouer to hardnes of heart impossibility of repentance Let me adde one other reason It s an vndoubted character of all graces where they are in soundnes that they are growing 1. Pet. 2.23 Ezek. 47 If you haue tasted how sweete the Lord is there will be a desire to increase more and more There issues from out the sanctuary waters euen the waters of life see their encrease First to the uncles then to the knees then to the loines afterwards a riuer that no man could passe The trees growing by this riuer that bring foorth new fruits according to their moneths What should let to interprete not onely of the progresse of the Gospell but of the efficacy of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his children And for particulars Rom. 1.17 Clem. serom log â— search and see whether there be any grace sound that growes not From faith to faith saith Clemens The Apostle seemes to speake of a double faith or rather indeed of one but increasing continually euen to perfection Infinite might I be this way wherefore if eyther wee would preuent the danger of Apostacy or prouide for our present comfort by assurance of soundnes how needfull is it to be led forward to perfection Aug. de verb. Apostol Ser. 5. Giue leaue then to exhort with S. August semper adde c. Be alwaies adding alwayes walking alwayes profiting And in any case take heed how we take a stand in this holy way of the Lord or euer admit of one thought of going backwards Lots wife euen for casting an eye backe towards Sodem became a piller of salt an euerlasting monument of Gods wrath vpon Apostates The vices then here noted are First standing at a stay See Heb. 12. And let me apply it to these slowback times Vbi sunt saith Bernard qui descere solent â—et vbi supra sufficit nobis c. Where are they that say we haue enough we will be no better then our fathers O monache non vis
c. The proposition is omitted and in stead thereof the proofe is set downe verse 4.5.6 The assumption taken for granted the conclusion expressed verse 1. Before particulars be pressed suffer a little to cleare the text from glosses of Nouatians and others What their heresie was is not hard to collect from Saint Cyprian Augustine Epiph. lib. 2. cap. 59. Epiphanius others Epiphanius most briefly thus expresseth it Men falling after baptisme can neuer find mercy or pardon with God The mitigations that some haue sought out of Ambrose others I meane not to siâ—â— all being in the issue equiualent What they speake of deâ—ying penance and pardon by the Church was a meere shift and euasion whereto they were driuen by force of argument besides that the Lord ordinarily binds and looseth by Ministeriall power of the Church Now I hold it a good rule for iudgement of expositions that is ordinarily giuen by Diuines where we find a sence crossing any truth taught in plaine texts of Scripture of it wee may say it was neuer the sence intended by the holy Ghost Being we now this glosse and inference to this touch Cyp. Epist lib. â— Cap. 2. Epist ad Nouati Aug. tâ—m 4. dâ— vt â—q mixt Psa 89.32.33 Saint Cyprian and Augustine thus reâ—soned against Nouatians from plaine texts of Scripture my purpose is not to recite their wordâ— lest I waste time Their reasons are these First from the promise of God made to Dauid perhaps with referenâ—e to Salomons fall If any sinne I will visit with the rod but not remooue mercy Secondly from the nature of GOD in comparison to earthly parents was there euer father found so void of fatherhood whoÌ„ the teares of a penitent prodigall hath not made to melt and that hath not embraced the humblâ— submission of the most gracelesse sonne Mal. 3.17 Psa 103.15 Isa 49.25 I will spare you as a father spareth his owne son as a father hath compassion on his children so the Lord on them that feare him If any father be so obdurate can a mother forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they should forget yet will not the LORD forget his Thirdly from examples of GODS dealing with his children repenting Dauid Peter Israelits 4. From the fact of God inuiting to repentance such as were fallen The Church of Ephesus fallen from her first loue Apo. 2.4 5 20 21. of Thyatyra that had committed fornication and eaten meats sacrificed to Idols suffered Iezabel to teach and to deceiue yet are inuited to repentance shall we say and not promised pardon Miseranda fraternitatis irrisio saith Cyprian Cyp. Epist lib. 4. cap. 2. Oh miserable mockage of the brethren thus to inuite to practise and deny the fruit of repentance As if a man should say to a husbandman Go to vse thy best skill and paines in tilling and manuring thy ground sow thy seede but haruest looke for none He blunts the edge of industry through despaire of recompence Veniam negando incentiuum auferuÌ„t penitentie Ambr. de Penit lib. 5. Cap. 1. And by denying pardon these take away the greatest incitemeÌ„t to repentance For this Scripture know wee there is Lapsus falling and Prolapsio falling away the place not vnderstood of particular slips but of vniuersall relapsing to a course of impiety See we now the second inference and in the same order examine the glosse Reprobates they say may be iustified sanctified what not except saued Behold a monster in Diuinity that euer reprobate should be iustified in Gods sight Cata doran cata diathesin cata meros or truely sanctified by his Spirit It is true something they may haue like it so like that themselues and others may thinke them sanctified Secondly a disposition preparation that way they may attaine Thirdly some parts of it they may partake Rom. 8.30 1. Pet. 2.2 2. Thes 3.13 Ioh. 17.9.19.10 c. 11.27.28 Poculum immorcalitatis quod confectum est de infâ—rmitate nostra et virtute diuina habet quidem in se vt omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non proficit Aug. ad artic salso impos Art 1. but to be iustified in Gods sight or truely sanctified and yet be reprobates these are asâ—â—â—ata me thinks in Diuinity for 1. iustification renouation depend vpon election and they are termes conuertible elect and sanctified sanctified elect Secondly what mad man would once dreame that they can euer be iustified by Christs bloud for whom he neuer intentionally shed it We haue a distinction of sufficiency and efficacy ancient I confesse and true The saying of Augustine is most true The cup of immortality that had its confection of humane infirmity and diuine power hath in it sufficiency to benefit all but if it be not drunken it profits nothing But what is this to the question The question is touching the intention of Christ in laying downe his life for a price of redemption and of God the father in sending his Son into the world whether euer he had such a meaning as to saue a reprobate and me thinks it is vnconceiuable that the Lord should from eternall decree not to haue mercy yet send Christ into the world with purpose to saue a cast-away Besides I hold it a true position that for whom Christ merited remission of sinnes and the fauour of God for him also he merited the donation of the Spirit and the grace of perseuerance these being all equally parts of his purchase Thirdly who can imagine an influence of grace from Christ the head where is not reall and true vnion with him and who will vndertake to proue that euer reprobate is vnited vnto Christ fith hee lacks first bond of vnion the Spirit secondly instrument of vnion liuely faith thirdly fruit of vnion Ioh. 14.17 Act. 13.48 Ephe. 5.23 Ioh. 17.21.22 euerlasting life It is true that Christ is head ouer reprobates in respect of eminence not so in regard of influence And the gifts they partake from Christ they haue from him as a rich Lord adorning his Church not as members of his body by deriuation from the head As touching this text some gifts are here mentioned illumination c. but not such as necessarily imply renouation by the Spirit The maine is wanting viz. renewing of the heart to vnfaigned loue of God in CHRIST which I could neuer beleeue to be in a reprobate As to the third inference that Gods elect children called according to his purpose may lose righteousnesse sanctification c. that is more improbably deduced out of this text then eyther of the former I will not trouble you with those vsuall distinctions of reality and sence habit exercise substance and measure Their meaning is that euen such may wholly lose Gods fauour righteousnesse sanctification for the time Now surely if this were so yet this text of all others is most impertinently alleadged to that
children of GOD. But to Iobs knowledge neuer came Reprobate I know that my Redeemer liueth Iob. 19.25 Gal. 2 20 Ps 66.16 Phil. 3.10 to Pauls neuer Christ loued me and gaue himselfe for me neuer to Dauids I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Thirdly there is a Knowledge consisting in Theorie there is another which is ioyned with sence and experience when we know and feele the power of Christs death Phil. 3.10 and the vertue of his resurrection In the Theoricall excell the wicked not so in the Experimentall Lastly there is an Idle and vnfruitfull Knowledge there is againe a Knowledge that is mother of holy obedience 2. Pet. 1.8 1. Ioh. 3.3 And this distinct particular experimentall practicall Knowledge is that that vndoubtedly accompanieth saluation Let me apply it thus to these times full of science voyd of conscience wherein how many blesse themselues in this that they know and yet know not in what poynt of knowledge they out-strip a Reprobate Try theÌ„ the light which is in thee whether it be more then may be in the children of darknesse For which purpose to the former distinctions adde also these two characters Looke first If Humility be ioyned with Knowledge Knowledge vn-sanctified puffeth vp the heart 1. Cor. 8.2 and makes it swell with contempt of our Brethren Now would God there were not too euident footsteps of this vncharitable despising our brethren How are our papers stuffed with contemptuous speaches of them English diuines Nouices Abecedaries in diuinitie are now the best speaches we can affoord our fellow-labourers perhaps lesse trauelled in the Ancients than our selues yet as fruitfull in their ministery as they that to them selues seeme greater Clearks Alas beloued who hath seperated thee or what hast thou which thou hast not receiued eyther what piety teacheth to vpbtaid with Ignorance those who haue not reached to thy measure of scorning Knowledge Ignorance if any would be pitied not insulted ouer especially in Brethren Pro. 10.21 Consider secondly whether there be in thee a desire of Communicating The lips of the Righteous feed many saith Salomon and againe Pro. 15.7 The lips of the wise spread abroad Knowledge knowledge where euer it is in souÌ„dnesse is as new wine in vessels desirous of vent What then may be thought of those Seraphicall Doctours as they would seeme the onely Gnasticks of these times for whose profound learning no one soule can say he is the better But I hasten to the next step The second degree Haue tasted of the heauenly gift To omit the coniectures of others This heauenly gift I take to be Iesus Christ with those treasures of wisdome and righteousnesse which the Lord hath stored vp in him and tenders to euery of vs to be receiued by the hand of faith If thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that saith vnto thee c. Ioh. 4.10 These latter words some take exegeticos intimating that this gift noted with that exoke is Christ Iesus himselfe made to vs of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Compare herewith Rom. 8.32 This then is the thing which the Apostle affirmes that euen Reprobates attaine vnto viz. An ouerly apprehension of the excellency of Christ Iesus and the blessed estate of those that are made partakers of him by faith they may see what is the comfort of remission of sinnes of a conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ of free accesse with confidence to the throne of grace As Agrippa hauing heard Paul deliuer the summe of the Gospell the humiliation and glorie of Christ the benefits thence accruing vnto vs as one rauished with the excellency of these things cries out Act. 26.28 Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian And Balaam that wretch beholding the blessed estate of Gods people desirous to partake with them in happines passionately thus prayes Oh that my soule might dye the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 and my latter end be like his What is then the difference betwixt the sweetnesse which Gods children find in Christ and that which the Heires of perdition apprehend Ans A child of God seeing the excellency of Christ Iesus values him at so high a rate Scobala Phil. 3.8 as that for winning of him he accounts all things dung and drâ—sse what euer profit it lose him what euer trouble it gaine him he striues as for life and death to be partaker of him Epâ—st 1. ad Isehodor That pious cruelty Saint Hierome speakes of you shall see in him If father mother wife children any thing lye in his way to hinder him from Christ he treads all vnder foot for Christs sake and loues not life vnto death hauing once tasted of the sweetnesse of his bloud desires to drinke deeper of it yea though much bitternes of the Crosse be therewithall mingled With Hypocrites it is farre otherwise if wishing would winne him they would not want him or if together with him they might enioy the pleasures of their sinnes nothing should be more welcome But to sell all for Christ and his Crosse to exchange the treasures of Aegypt for his rebuke this is an hard saying no Reprobate can endure it The third degree The 3. step in their progresse followeth Partakers of the holy Ghost Some hereby vnderstand Renewing I would beleeue Ioh. 14.16 Ioh. 4.14 but that Christ tells me He the Renewing spirit abides for euer is immortall seed a Well of liuing waters springing vp to life eternall What then is the holy Ghost here mentioned and how farre are they partakers of him Ans What if we vnderstand it of those extraordinary gifts of the spirit whereof in the history of the Acts is frequent mention Learned Interpreters seeme not to dissent But let me adde something more Other gifts of the Spirit there are which Reprobates partake of kinne perhaps to sanctification but yet not sanctification 2. Tim. 1.7 Rom. 8.15 Heb. 12.17 1. That spirit of Compunction and Feare how many Cast-awaies are possessed withall howling euen with the voice of Dragons for their sinnes as causes of that horrour wherewith their Consciences are surprised 2. Out of this Feare flowes an excellent measure Externall reformation and restraint so powerfull as were it not the Issue discouers Hypocrisie thou wouldst sweare they were true Nathaniels right Israelites indeed 3. Yea more then this A wonderfull seruency of zeale for the Lord of Hostes Come with me and see the zea e that I haue for the Lord sayth halting Iehu 2. Reg. 10. 16. 4. And to conclude with how many holy motions are such men inspired how often heare they that voice behind them Is 30.21 This is the way walke in it yea purposes also conceiued to follow the spirits guidance In this point therefore wherein do Gods childreÌ„ go beyond them Ans That alwayes is accomplished in the Saints which S. Paul prayeth for the Thessalonians that they are