hence is our hope it may be our vaine hope that it shall be as well with vs for all our sinnes as it was with Noah Lot David Peter many other the strongest pillars of the Lords Temple for their many downefalls Here I endeavoured as I could to imprint in our hearts the wholesome doctrine contrary to these three misconceits and withall because it was thereby manifest that Gods chosen children doe sin also willingly I tooke occasion to put some difference betweene them so sinning and the sinfull reprobates and for that purpose I thē remembred you of two evident truthes in Christian Religion 1 The Saints of God may fall grievously dangerously 2 They cannot fall finally in the end not vtterly at any time Touching the third circumstance wherein were obserued the name the nature and the obiect of this sinne we haue heard that this sinne is commonly called the sinne against the holy Ghost not because it is against the Godhead of the holy Ghost for the same God is also Father and Sonne the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is all one their glory is equall their Maiestie is coeternall nor because it is against the person of the Holy Ghost for that is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne the whole three persons are coeternall together and coequall but because it is against the goodnesse of the holy Ghost against the goodnes that is against those good graces of the holy Spirit bestowed vpon vs for the setting forth of the praises of the Lord. For whosoever shall despise those good graces and turne them to the contempt of Gods Maiestie and tread them vnder foot and account them prophane and purposely and wilfully and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse he crucifieth againe vnto himselfe the Sonne of God he despites the spirit of grace he sinnes against the holy Ghost Whereby it is plaine that the nature of this sinne is such as we find it to be described Heb. 6.1 2. where the Apostle mentioning repentance from dead workes faith towards God the doctrine of baptisme of laying on of hands of resurrection from the dead and of eternall iudgement and in the same place calling all these the doctrine of the beginning of Christ speaketh vers ◠of an apostacie of a falling away from all these points even from the very foundation and first beginning of Christian faith giving vs thereby to vnderstand that they who are holden in this transgression and haue sinned this sinne haue forsaken all the principles of Christian religion haue lost their former light haue departed from their first vnderstanding From the name and nature of this sinne thus considered wee came to seeke the obiect of it and found the malice of this sin to be directed against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and against his Christ directly to respect the first table of the morall law to be not a particular slipping aside but a generall apostacie a generall falling away from God and that totally Here I came to the first reason vsed by our Apostle to disswade vs from committing so vile a sinne contained in these words there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Out of which words because Novatus hath made a collection void of comfort namely that if a man sinne after he is once baptised to him there remaineth no hope of pardon for his sins first I applied my selfe to establish comfort in our hearts by setting downe the contrary doctrine and secondly I came to the consideration of the truth of that which these words doe naturally afford did proue vnto you that the sinne against the holy Ghost is not at any time nor can ever be forgiven There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne Hauing thus repeated vnto you the summe of that which heretofore I haue delivered I come now to the second reason in my second generall part to speake of this fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries The doctrine grounded vpon the first reason of our Apostle in this place might haue sufficed to make all that loue God to looke to their steps that they fall not away by committing so grievous a sinne But there is a generation of men monstrously mishapen in the powers of the soule who like the Kings and Princes of the earth i Psalm 2.2 banding themselues and taking counsaile together against the Lord and against his annointed are ready to breake the cords of religion asunder and to cast her yoke from them and to say with those in Tully lib. 1. de natura Deorum Totam de dijs immortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reip causâ vt quos ratio non posset eos ad officium religio duceret iudging the service of God to be a meere devise of man for the better governement of the common wealth wherein inferiours since they will not be ruled by reason must bee ordered by religion Tell such of Scriptures you may as wel vrge them with Lucians narrations of repentance they cast it behinde them of faith they regard it not of baptisme they hold it of no greater price then the washing of their hands of the resurrection this feeds them with many a merry conceit they thinke pleasantly with themselues what maner of bodies they shall haue at that day of what proportion their bodies shall bee whether their nayles and haire shall rise againe I only note them as I passe by the way whom were they vsed for their deserts the preacher should k Levit 13.44 pronounce and the Prince proclaime the foulest leapers that ever yet sore ranne vpon well worthy to bee excluded the host and to haue their l Levit. 13.46 Num. 5.2 2. Kin. 15.5 habitation alone and more then so to be exiled the land to be expelled from nature it selfe which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught For though the Lord God of hosts by his Ministers and servants doe call them vnto weeping and mourning to baldnesse and girding with sackcloath as he called the Iewes Esai 22.12 Yet behold with them is ioy gladnes slaying Oxen and killing Sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine for say they to morrow we shall die Now if our Apostle to disswade such men from sinning willingly should vse this as a reason because there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne what would it advantage them being fully perswaded that the dead are not raised vp that in death there is no difference betweene them the vilest worme that ever they could tread vpon Therefore to meete with these mē also our Apostle bringeth a second reason able at some time or other to affright the hardest heart that ever yet Atheisme had infected telling them that for them which sinne willingly though there remaineth no more sacrifice which they regard not yet there remaineth something which shall touch them neere even a fearefull looking
say what is the matter and the truth requiring our assent to Elihues words Iob. 33.14 God speaketh once and twise and man seeth it not and a greater then either Sirachs sonne or Elihu even Iesus our Saviour in the parable Mat. 13.4 teacheth vs that much seed sowen miscaryeth some by the high waies side some among thornes some vpon stony ground haue made me bold to recal to your remeÌ„brances what before by me was delivered And if herein I shall seeme tedious to any I can say no more for excusing my selfe then what S. Austine said when he was enforced to some iteratioÌ„ lib. 2. de baptismo contra Donatist c. 2. IgnoscaÌ„t scientes ne offendantur nescientes satius est enim offerre habenti quaÌ„ differre non habentem Let those that know it already pardon me lest I offend those that are ignorant for it is better to giue to him that hath then to turne him away that hath not May it please you therfore to remember how in the words containing an effectuall perswasion for our constant continuing and persevering in the faith which the Hebrewes had and we haue in Christ Iesus or which is the same containing a disswasion a dehortation from our back-slidings and fallings away from the same faith I proposed to your godly considerations two things 1 What it is from which in this place we are disswaded it is from sinning willingly after that we haue receaved the knowledge of the truth 2 What reasons are vsed by our Apostle to disswade froÌ„ so sinning and they are two 1 Because if thus we sinne we shal never be able by any sacrifice to make an atonement betweene vs and God revenging in these words There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne 2 Because if thus we sinne we can looke for no better then for eternal destructioÌ„ specified verse 27. by two things by Iudgement and by Fire For if we sinne willingly after c. In the first generall part my endeavour was to vnfold three circumstances 1 Who they needes must be that doe fall into this sinne 2 With what minde this sinne vseth to be committed 3 What the sinne it selfe is In the First of these was manifested the subiect of this sin Second the efficient cause Third the name the nature and the obiect of it Touching the subiect of this sinne I meane the persons in whom it is possible for this sinne to haue dominion we haue heard that they are neither Turkes nor Infidels nor Atheists nor Epicures not such as Pharaoh was though a vessel of Gods wrath nor such as Sodom and Gomorah were though ful of filthinesse nor such as blasphemous Rabshakeh was though by him the Idols of the nations were accounted equall with the God of Heauen but such as haue received the knowledge of the truth so my text hath such as haue beene once lightened and haue tasted of the heavenly gift and haue beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come so this Apostle saith Heb. 6.4 5. such as haue escaped from the filthinesse of this world through their knowledge in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ so S. Peter telleth vs 2. Pet. 2.20 such as haue swept garnished their houses after the departure of the vncleane spirit witnesse our Saviour Christ Mat. 12.43 44. Who also Mat. 13.20 saith they are such as heare the word and incontinently with ioy receiue it This at the first sight may seeme to be that vesture of needle worke wrought with diverse colours wherewith the Queene was cloathed it may seeme to be the robe of Adam that his robe of innocencie of holynesse and of the grace of God wherwith before his fall he was invested To haue receaved the knowledge of the truth to haue beene once lightned to haue tasted of the heavenly gift to haue beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost to haue escaped from the filthynesse of this world to heare the worde incontinently with ioy receiue it are â—hey not sweet blessings descending froÌ„ the LORD of lights What could the Lord haue a Esai 5.4 done more vnto his vineyard then that he hath done to it Yet see the perversity of the nature it hath in steede of grapes it may bring forth wilde grapes briars and thornes the Queene may be stript of her iewels Adam spoiled of his robes why may not the soule of man be robbed of her ornaments and rich attire Surely she hath no great priviledge to the contrary For all these before recited graces may be lost the possessours of them may so fall away as that it shall be impossible for them to be renued by repentance The consideration of this point might haue moved our hearts to wisedome it might haue perswaded vs to beware of presumption for b 1. Cor. 10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that only thinkes he standeth may fall away though he that standeth indeed can never so fall it might I say haue perswaded vs to beware of presumptioÌ„ seriously c Philip. 2.12 to worke out our salvatioÌ„ with feare and trembling since we haue beene once lightned to endeavour our selues to increase this light in vs since we haue tasted of the heaveÌ„ly gift to cease not to tast it stil since we haue been made partakers of the Holy Ghost to rest not but to walk froÌ„ grace to grace since we haue received the knowledge of the truth to forsake it not but to hold it fast till our Lord Iesus come For behold he commeth shortly and his d Rev. 22.12 reward is with him to giue every man according as his workes shall be Blessed are they that keepe his commandemeÌ„ts for to them in that day of his comming shall he giue to eate of the tree of life and of the hidden e Rev. 2.17 Manna to enter in through the gates into the citie to receaue a white stone to be cloathed f Rev. 3.5 in white aray to bee made g Rev. 3.12 pillers in the Temple of God and to sit with God himselfe in his h Rev. 3.21 throne In the second place we heard that the efficient cause of this sinne is a set a wilfull and an obstinate malice deepely rooted in the hearts of some backsliders by reason of a threefold misconceit wherewith even wee also vse too much to please our selues 1 We are very ready to perswade our selues that wee may repent when we will Else would we continue to walke by compasse as we doe in our perverse and crooked waies 2 Finding it written that the righteous falleth seaveÌ„ times a day and riseth againe are we not encouraged to thinke it no great preiudice against our selues to haue a few falles 3 We shame not to hold opinion that our small sinnes hidden sinnes are no sinnes and that our greatest sinnes wherein wee liue and lie most dangerously are but sinnes of infirmitie And
the despisers of Christs Gospell He also must abide death without mercy but it is the death of both body and soule for as it is vers 27. which I haue already explicated hee must fearefully looke for iudgement and violent fire therewith to bee devoured Of the despiser of Moses law I haue already spoken Touching the despiser of Christ and his Gospell thus I say It is not necessarie that hee should bee altogether vnlike to you that loue Christ he may liue with you in the same Church hee may professe with you the same religion hee may seeme to you as good a Christian as your selues For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the blood of the Testament is he sanctified Yet doth my Text discerne such a one from him that loues Christ by three his attributes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he treads and tramples vnderfoote the Sonne of God 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he accounteth the blood of the Testament a vulgar a common an vnholy a prophane thing 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee despiteth the spirit of grace The doctrines which this place affordeth vs are two 1 Because the reprobates not all of them but such as are deepest in Gods displeasure such as doe sinne against the holy Ghost are in this place said to be sanctified with the blood of the Testament we are to consider how farre a man may being so sanctified go in the profession of the Gospell yet be a reprobate 2 Because the adversaries of our doctrine whereby wee defend the perseverance of Gods Saints in their faith doe out of this place make a strong argument as they take it for their purpose wee are to consider whether a Sonne of God sanctified with the blood of the Covenant may fall away To enter a due discourse of these doctrines or particularly to examine the wordes from which these notes doe arise it would cary me beyond the time limited and I had rather bee too short then to hurt your patience Only heare one word of exhortation Is it not a fearefull condition that a man sanctified with the blood of the Testament should tread vnder foot the Son of God that a man liuing as wee liue and prosessing as wee professe should fall away wholy from Christ Christianitie Yes beloued in the Lord very feareful is the condition of such a one and if we haue not browes of brasse necks of iron and hearts of flint our very hearing of it must needes in some sort cast vs downe if we haue any feeling of Gods spirit within vs it will make vs vse all diligence in working our salvation in attaining vnto faith in dying vnto sinne in living vnto newnesse of life We haue beene admonished in the Philippians to runne forward in that race of righteousnesse wherein through Iesus Christ God hath freely placed vs that being conducted by his Spirit to walke in good workes wee may make our vocation sure My beloued saith S. Paule as you haue alwaies obeyed so make an end of your owne salvation with feare and trembling Philip. 2 12. And so beloued in the Lord let vs also make an ende of our salvation with feare and trembling Some of vs do gladly preach the word we willingly declare good tidings and publish salvation saying vnto you your God reigneth Esai 52.7 yet hereby are we not iustified our evill ensample may make the name of God to be blasphemed among the people Rom. 2.24 if wee beate not downe our bodies and bring them into subiection it may be that after we haue preached to others our selues may prooue castavvaies It is Saint Paules iudgement 1. Cor. 9.27 By Christs name we may prophecy we may cast out Devils we may doe many great workes yet hereby are we not iustified it may be Christ at his comming will professe vnto vs I never knew you depart from me yee workers of iniquity Mat. 7.22 We haue hitherto beene fed delicately and brought vp in scarlet Lament 4.5 shall we now perish in the streets shall we now embrace the dunge O let vs not go backeward or stand still but make wee an end of our salvation with feare and trembling We all cause our bellies to eate and fill our bowels with that sweet roule Ezech. 3.3 as sweet as any hony in our mouthes wee willingly heare the word and with ioy receiue it into our hearts Yet are we not hereby iustified no more then Balaam was who desired to be like Gods children in happynesse when he said O let my soule die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 Remember the Galatians they receaved St Paule for his ministeries sake as an Anâ—ell of God yea as Christ Iesus and if it had beene possible would haue plucked out their owne eies and haue given them to him to haue done him good So zealous were they in professing the doctrine which Paule preached Yet false Prophets turned them backwardes to begin againe the Iewish ceremonies they turned againe to impotent and beggarly rudiments wherevnto at the first they were in boÌ„dage in steed of going forward toward Christ they turned backward from him Galat. 4 9. Having hitherto had our heades of gold Dan. 2.32.33 shall we now that we may be like Nabuchad-nezzars image put on feete of clay O let vs not go backwarde or stand still but make wee an end of our salvation with feare and trembling We all beleeue Christ and the word preached by his Ministers Yet are we not hereby iustified Many of Christs disciples went backe and walked no more with him Ioh. 6.66 Simon Magus beleeved at Philips preaching and was baptized wondred at his miracles kept company with him yet afterward was it found that his heart was not right before God Act. 8.21 The Devils also they beleeue and tremble saith St Iames chap. 2.19 Now having begun in the Spirit shall we end in the flesh Galat. 3.3 O let vs not go back ward or stand still but make we an end of our salvation with feare and trembling We all doe dayly before the Lord confesse our sinnes yet are we not hereby iustified For so happy had Pharaoh been for he said I haue sinned against the LORD God Exod. 10.16 so blessed had Saule been for he also said I haue sinned 1. Sam. 15.30 so well had it beene with Iudas for neither was he behinde them in saying I haue sinned Mat. 27.3 Well Pharaoh Saule Iudas through vnbeleefe are fallen and you stand by faith yet bee not high minded but feare So St Paule counsailed the Romanes ch 11.20 Be not high minded I say but feare And take heed it come not vnto you according to the proverbe the dogge is returned to his vomit and the sow that was washed 2. Pet. 2.22 to her wallowing in the mire Since you haue gladly preached the word willingly heard it and carefully beleeved it hold you on in so good a course doe your
in God that is not communicable to any creature but then are we perfect mercifull and holy according to that charge when we are fulfilled with the effects with the image and similitude of that perfection mercifulnesse and holynesse which is in God The same may be spoken of wisedome goodnesse iustice other like proprieties of God We are then wise then good then iust when there appeareth in vs the image and similitude of Gods wisedome goodnesse and iustice It being true then that God alone is Holy and man not holy but by participation only as if it shall please God by his power and grace to sow in the hearts of sinnefull men some seedes of his owne sanctity and to effect and to make to shine in their liues conversations the image and similitude of his owne holynesse it remaineth a truth not to be contradicted All mans holynesse is from God Now because the Spirit of God commeth to and worketh in diverse men diversely and in diverse measures we must know that holynesse a gift of that Spirit is not in all mē after one sort We may therefore note a generall sanctity and a speciall sanctity appliable to the differēce of such as liue within the bosome of the militant Church wherein there are not only godly men and holy men but counterfaits and hypocrits not only gold but drosse too not only wheat but chaffe also The speciall sanctity I call that by which the true beleevers in Christ are truely properly indeed sanctified before God by the holy Spirit They in whom this sanctity shineth were elected from everlasting according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will and according to that his purpose are they called and so are iustified and by the Holy Ghost are not only taught the trueth in vnderstanding but also in heart are truely renewed and regenerate It is manifest by that indissoluble chaine of fiue linkes Rom. 8.29 30. For whom God knew before them hath he predestinated them hath he called them hath he iustified them hath he glorified This true holynesse is meant by the Apostle Eph. 1.4 where he saith That God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be Holy And what is this to be Holy It is expounded in the same place even to be without blame before God in loue The same is meant Ephes 5.26 there it is said that Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that he might sanctifie it And what is this to sanctifie the Church It is expounded in the wordes following even to cleanse it by the washing of vvater through the word that he might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blame Other like places might be alleaged out of the Holy Scriptures which I omit By these we see that speciall sanctity making vs spotlesse and without blame before God what it is The generall sanctity I call that by which the Church visible and militant consisting of good and evill of dissemblers and hypocrites as wel as of the Godly is called though not truely and properly yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a figuratiue kind of speech tota sancta the Holy Church and that especially in regard of him the holy of holies that most Holy one who dwelleth in the Church and sanctifieth them that beleeue in him againe in regard of such as in the Church are in deed and truely holy Neither should this seeme strange that hypocrites dissemblers and godlesse men are called holy For whosoever giue their names to Christ and are baptized into his name though all of them be not truely grafted into Christ nor all of them be truely baptized into Christs death and resurrection that is though all of them be not new borne regenerate yet in the Scripture phrase after the custome of the Scriptures they are al called Holy and haue other such titles given them as indeede may beseeme the blessed of the Lord. In this sense St Paule saith that all the Romanes are Saints beloved of God Rom 1.7 and that all the Galatians are sonnes of God Galat. 3.26 and that all the Corinthians are washed and sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6.11 And so saith St Peter of all the Iewes which dwelt here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia that they were a chosen generation a royall priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 The Scriptures are very plentiful in gracing the sonnes of darknes such as fall away from the truth with beautiful and glorious titles to take from them against that great day all excuse In Heb. 10.26 they are said to haue receaved the knowledge of the truth in my text they are noted to be sāctified with the blood of the Covenant In Heb. 6.4 5. they are reported to haue been once lightned to haue tasted of the heavēly gift to haue been made partakers of the Holy Ghost and to haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come In 2. Pet. 2.20 we read that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of this world through their knowledge in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ In Mat. 12.43 44. wee finde that they haue swept and garnished their houses after the departure of the vncleane spirit And in Mat. 13.20 Christ telleth vs that they heare the word and incontinently with ioy receaue it This at the first sight may seeme to be that vesture of needle-worke wrought with diverse colours Psal 45.14 wherewith the Queene was cloathed it may seeme to be that roabe of Adam that his roabe of innocencie of holynesse and of the grace of God wherewith before his fall he was invested To haue receaued the knowledge of the truth to bee sanctified with the blood of the Covenant to haue beene once lightned to haue tasted of the heavenly gift of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come to haue beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost to haue escaped from the filthynesse of this world to haue the vncleane spirit departed from vs to heare the word incontinentlie with ioy to receiue it are they not sweet blessings descending frō the LORD of lights What could God haue done more vnto his vineyard then he hath done vnto it Yet see the crookednesse of the nature it hath in steed of good grapes it brings forth wilde grapes briars and thornes The Queene may be stript of her Iewels Adam spoyled of his roabes and the soule of man may be robbed of her ornaments rich attire For all those before recited graces may be lost the possessours of them may so fall away as that it shall be impossible for them to be renewed againe by repentance And then for their sinne there remaineth no more sacrifice but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent
saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes ch 6.8 where see how one plague followeth vpon the necke of another first reproving then cursing then burning and all for the ground that beares bryers and thornes The Apostle in the verse following modestly kindly qualifieth his speech But saith he beloved we haue perswaded our selues better things of you though we thus speake Should we thus speake of these vnprofitable dayes we are perswaded better things Doubtlesse wee should seeme to you to walke before you in the spirit of falshood and flatterie For you know that wee cannot but knowe that ignorance in the most and Atheisme in many growes to a head and doth advance it selfe I shall not need for ignorance to want witnesses I will content my selfe only with the servants of your families Some of them I doubt not are better learned in the schoole of Christ then their fellowes but I feare me it may too truely bee verified of the greatest part of them which Christ spake of the Samaritans that they worship that which they knowe not and it is credible that in their hearts there is an altar erected ignoto Christo to the vnknowne Christ For the advancement of Atheisme I need no witnesses Too many now haue put on the cloake of policie they finde so good patrons They are content to confesse Christ yea and doe willingly also receiue him into their vnderstanding that they may be able to talke of him they would forsooth be like Christians if for nothing else yet only for preferment sake Wo vnto such professours of Christ they are that bad ground which beares briars and thornes and therefore may looke for the plagues attending them they are reproved are neere vnto cursing and must be burnt As for vs beloved in the Lord let vs be thâ—t good ground spoken of by the same Apostle Heb. 6.7 The raine that most sweet raine distilling from no clowdy region but from Gods most gracious fâ—vour This Sermon was preached Ian 1599. hath now these forty yeares and better watred this our ground why then shoulde it not bring forth hearbs meete for the husbandman that dressed it Let vs doe our best to plucke vp by the roots â—ll briars and thornes and weedes that the hearbs may be seene For it is warranted by the Holy Ghost that the earth which drinketh in the raine that coÌ„meth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hâ—arbs meet for them by whoÌ„ it is dressed shall receiue blessing of God Since then by Gods gracious favour we haue receaved Christ into our mouthes to confesse him and into our vnderstandings to knowe him let our hearts be opened and enlarged to embrace him So shall we be sanctified in mouth in minde in heart and be most willing to runne forward in that race of righteousnes wherin through Iesus Christ God hath freely placed vs by whose spirit beeing guided to walke in good workes we leaving farre behinde vs all reprobates shall make our calling and election sure Now God graunt vs so to do for his welbeloved Sonne Iesus Christ his sake Amen THE EIGHTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 29. 29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God and couÌ„teth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and doth despite the Spirit of grace OF the first marke by which the sinner against the Holy Ghost cannot be discerned from one truely elected and of the first question grouÌ„ded thervpon I spake vnto you in my last exercise out of this place as God enabled me At this time of the other three markes by which he may be knowne to be a vessel of wrath and not of mercy by Gods gracious assistance The first marke by which men swallowed vp of so monstrous a sinne may hence be knowne to be such as they are is proper to themselues Gods elect haue no part with them Everie one of them treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— notable patterne of the disposition of those plants which must be rooted out Mat. 15.13 because they are not planted by God the Father They are among the number of those many that are called Mat. 2â— 14 but God never vouchsafed them his Holie Spirit in so great measure as to seale them vnto the day of redemption And therefore this calling hath not that effect in theÌ„ which it hath in Gods chosen The chosen of God wheÌ„ they are called do speedily answere and haue ready hearts to come vnto the Lord. The Lord can no sooner say of his little remnant which he bringeth through the fire and fineth as silver and tryeth as gold it is my people but they shall say againe the LORD is my God Zach. 13.9 And he shall no sooner say vnto them Seeke yee my face but their hearts shall answere him againe like Davids heart Psal 27.8 O LORD I will seeke thy face Farre otherwise it fareth with them whom the Father hath not given vnto Christ For when they are called either they readily make answere like one of those Lords who Ierem. 2.31 told God to his face we are Lords wee will no more come at thee or else in outward shew only they yeeld obedience to the calling of God I say in outward shew only for their hearts are not vpright with God He that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sees and knowes their hearts knowes they are but hypocrites Hypocrits they are howsoever their conversatioÌ„ for a time yea even vnto the howre of their death may be such as that by vs they must be taken for true members of Christ This impossibility to discerne betweene such Goates and Christs Sheepe made St Paul to say of al the Romanes that they were Saints beloved of God Rom. 1.7 and of all the Galatians that they were the Sonnes of God Gal. 3.26 and of all the Corinthians that they were washed and sanctified and iustified 1. Cor. 6.11 It made St Peter also to say of those Iewes in Pontus Galatiae Asia Cappadocia and Bithynia of all of them with out exception that they were a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2.9 In this very regard the Holy Scriptures in many other places haue graced such sonnes of darknesse with glorious titles In Mat. 12.43 44. they are said to haue swept and garnished their houses after the departure of the vncleane spirit In Mat. 13.30 Christ saith of them that they heare the word incontinently with ioy receiue it St Peter Ep. 2. chap 2. ver 20. recordeth of them that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of this world through their knowledge in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ The writer of this Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 6 vers 4 5. noteth of them that they haue been once lightened that they haue tasted of the heavenly gift of the good word of God of the powers of the world to come that
of his Bishopricke lurked after that foure yeares in a monastery neere vnto Antiochia was thence by the Emperours commandment sent an exile to the vttermost borders of Egypt and Africa I need not I say bee long in telling you of all this the thing I note is his ende In this his banishment when he was full of yeares that some memorable example as in Corah Dathan Abiram of his so great and so impious blaspheming against Christ might remaine vnto posteritie it pleased God in iustice that first wormes should eate and consume his tongue and then that the earth should open her mouth swallow him vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even so let all thine enimies perish O LORD Now followeth the third marke by which men holden in that vnpardonable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost may be made knowne to the world in these words And doth despite the Spirit of Grace The Holy Ghost is here called the Spirit of Grace ab effectu by reason of that it worketh in vs. By it we receaue grace offered in Christ Iesus It enlightneth our minds by faith it sealeth to our hearts the adoption of God it regenerateth vs into newnesse of life it engrafteth vs into the body of Christ in a word by it Christ with all his blessings benefits is made ours Now if a man that is made partaker of this holy Ghost shall greedily wilfully and purposely make the good graces of God within him to be fruitlesse who shall plead for him Surely no man For he it is that is here noted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniuriously coÌ„tumeliously to vse impudently to abuse and to despite the Spirit of Grace Here may the faithfull well be put in mind of their owne estates to consider whether they be not in perill of falling away from God since it is a truth not to bee gainesaid that the very faithfull doe oftentimes diminish and lessen the good graces of God within them I doubt not should you be called to witnesse but that every one of you taught by your owne experience would beare record to this truth If not that exhortation of St Paule made vnto the Ephesians and that his other vnto the Thessalonians doe strongly confirme it In the bowels of compassion he couÌ„selleth the a Ephes 4.30 EPHESIANS not to grieue the Spirit and the THESSALONIANS not to b 1 Thess 5.19 quench the spirit Well knewe the blessed Apostle that the Holy Spirit vseth to be grieued and the fire thereof to be quenched whensoever wee put away from within vs the care of Gods word not regarding the sanctified motions of our hearts the sanctified words of our lips the sanctified actions of our hands but entertaining the contraâ—y corrupt thoughts evill words wicked actions Now if there be no man that can truely say Ever hitherto my thoughts haue beene pure my wordes vndefiled my deeds iust let this truth stand without contradiction The faithfull doe oftentimes diminâ—sh lessen the good graces of God within them And therefore as I said they may here well bee put in minde of their owne estates to consider whether they bee not in perill of falling away from God A consideration beloued in the Lord if wee are chosen out of the world if in CHRIST wee are annointed and sealed if our building be of God not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens a consideration I say that must needes make vs doe our best in working out our salvation in attaining vnto faith in dying vnto sinne in liuing vnto newnesse of life For when wee see that men sanctified with the blood of CHRIST may not only tread vnder foot the Sonne of God despise him nor onely account the blood of Christ to bee common blood and prophane as it were the blood of any other man but also despite the Spirit of Grace and vse it with all iniurie and contumely will not our hearts burne within vs What are we but men sanctified with the blood of CHRIST Let vs then in all humblenesse of mind walk as it becommeth men so sanctified and never giue eare to such deceauers as would therefore perswade vs to liue without all care in this world because if wee are of the faithfull it is impossible we should fall away Touching the elect I grant it to bee very true that though they may fall grievously and dangerously yet they cannot fall finally in the end nor vtterly at any time though they may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.30 grieue the Spirit yea though they may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Thess 5.19 quench the Spirit for a time yet can they not like the sinners whose markes I haue now in some measure opened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cannot doe contumely vnto nor can despite the Spirit For by it are they sealed vnto the day of redemption What of all this what if they that are once written in the booke of life can never be razed out thereof What if they that are once in the state of grace shall be in the same for ever Shall we that are written in the booke of life and doe stand by grace therefore not care how we commit sinne God forbid This truth namely that not one of the faithfull shall perish may bee a comfort to vs that haue already sinned but surely no encouragement to them that will sinne hereafter But grace aboundeth aboue sinne Very true Yet if we therefore sinne that grace may abound accursed are we And how shal we that are dead to sinne yet liue therein St Paul holds this for an impossibilitie Rom. 6. Knowe yee not saith he that all wee that haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death Why then are wee buried by baptisme into his death that as he was raised from the dead so we also should walk in newnesse of life Are wee not forbidden to doe evill even then when we are assured good may come thereof How then dare wee make the mercies of God a defence for our sinnes But there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 though they fall seaven times a day Neither is there Rom 8.4 For they being in CHRIST doe walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit But may not wee repent hereafter though now we liue in sinne Thou foole how knowest thou that this night Luk. 12.20 they will not fetch away thy soule from thee What now remaineth but that we all take al possible heed lest at any time there be in any of vs an evill heart vnfaithfull to depart away from the living God And since wee are sanctified with the blood of the Testament beseech wee Almightie God that he would perfect his good worke begun in vs and never suffer vs through the deceaueablenesse of sinne to be so farre seduced as to tread vnder foot his eternall Sonne to account his blood common or to despite the spirit of Grace SERMO
man to be afraid of every d Arist de Repub lib. 7. small fly that passeth by of every litle noyse that a e Idem lib. 7. Moral mouse may make of his f Cicero De consulatu petendo Plato in Phaedone Plutarch Symposiac dec 7. owne shadow according to the old proverbes or of meeting his own soule as g Zenodotus Pisander was or of some thing I know not what to fall vpon him froÌ„ aboue if he come forth of his doores as h Plutarchus ex historiâ Pontici Heraclide Pet. Crinitus De honesta Disciplina lib. 15 cap 11. ArtemoÌ„ was or of the rustling of the leaues of trees as i Io. Xiphilinê° Nero was To feare so or so what can it argue else saue degeneres animos faint hearts Yet were not the Disciples of our Saviour Christ altogether exempted froÌ„ feareing so Twise were they touched with such feare once as they failed toward k Marke 6.45 Bethsaida against the winde a second time as they were together at Ierusalem in a certaine house with the doores shut vpon them Sailing vpon the water they l Matt. 14.26 cried out for feare being together at Ierusalem within doores they were m Luke 24.37 abashed and afraid But why so The thing obiected to them should haue bin rather a ioy reioycing to their hearts then any cause of feare It was no other then their LORD and Saviour CHRIST IESVS once walking on the Sea againe standing in the middest of them But they supposed he had beene a spirit and thence grew their feare It 's very true such was their supposall as its evident Matt. 14.26 and Luke 24.37 Yet hereby are they not excused Christ himselfe rebukes their feare by telling them of their want of faith And how can we imagine that Christs Disciples could be ignorant of the impossibilitie which a spirituall substance hath to be sensibly perceived Neither had they for any thing I find in Gods word at any time seene a spirit to moue them to that conceite Certainely illic trepidaverunt timore vbi non erat timor the wordes are in the Vulgar Latin Psal 13.9 and do somewhat varie from the fountaine yet is the phrase retained in our English Psal 14.9 you will giue me leaue to vse it it may serue to note all such as haue been holden in such fond feares There were they brought in great feare even where no feare was But I leaue them and this second kind of feare There is a third feare of as large an extent as any The well knowne peece of verse out of Statius speakes of it Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor as if in the mind of man there could not be any opinion of the being of a God vnlesse there were feare From this ground Gods haue beene multiplied I say not as the sands of the Sea but exceedingly It partly appeareth 2. King 17.30 where we find that the men of Babel had for their God Sucoth-Benoth the men of Cuth for theirs Nergal and the men of Chamath for theirs Aschima It 's added vers 31. that the Avims had their gods Nibchaz and Tartak and the Sepharvims theirs Adrammelec and Anammelec to whom for sacrifice they burnt their children in the fire I haue alreadie made mention of Astaroth for Sidon of Melchom for Ammon of Chemosch for Moab of Beelzebub for Ekron of Dagon for Ashdod I might further remember you of n Esai 46.1 Bel and Nebo for Babylon of o Num. 25.3 Baalpeor for backsliding Israel and of p 1 Sam. 7.4 Baalim a multitude of gods such as they were for the residue of nations I may well say a multitude for that with the cost of but a little frankinsense they haue provided for the ofscowring of men for drunkards harlots and theeues gods to protect them I will not disquiet your Christian eares with naming of theÌ„ For though there bee that are named gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be many Gods and many Lords as St Paul himselfe confesseth 1 Cor. 8.5 yet knowing it to bee true which he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that an Idole is nothing in the world wee must with him make our further confession that vnto vs there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Christ Iesus by whom are all things and we by him This one God is the true obiect of the feare which now I speake of For he is fearefully regarded by the eies of al men in some by the eies of faith in the rest by the eies of nature By the eies of faith q 1 Pet 1.5 in such as are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvation by the eies of nature in such as God hath giuen vp r Rom. 1.28 to a reprobate minde to doe things inconvenient The faithfull feare God and the faithlesse feare God but not alike Aristotle in the 2. booke of his Oeconomickes and 2. chap. to shew what feare a good wife should owe vnto her husband speaketh of two kindes of feare the one accompanied with shamefastnesse and reverence the other attended with enmitie and hatred The first is such a feare as wherewith a good sonne honoureth his father or a good subiect his ruler the other such as wherewith a lewd servant is affected towards his Master or a rebellious subiect towards his governour A distinction well knowne to every novice in the studie of divinitie it being so commonly much vsed by such as doe either write or speak to this argument Wherefore to passe it over in few words I note briefly touching the faithfull that the feare of God in them is such a feare as the good child honoureth his father with a feare waited vpon with loue reverence puritie ingenuitie freedome of spirit ever beholding God in the gratious light of his countenance howsoever sometimes the cloudes of displeasure may seem to hide that grace away As for the faithlesse the feare of God in them is such a feare as is the feare of malefactors towards severe righteous Magistrates a slauish feare a feare full of hatred malice contumely and reproche a feare flying and abhorring the sight of the LORD in regard he is a God of vengeance as hee is called Psal 94.1 He is such a God as hauing put on the garment of vengeance for cloathing and being clad with zeale as with a cloake will come shortly and f Rev. 22 1â— bring his reward with him to giue every man according as his worke shall be to the faithfull who by continuance in well doing haue sought glory and honour and immortalitie eternall life but to the faithlesse who haue disobeyed the truth and given credit to vnrighteousnesse to every such soule indignation and wrath and tribulation and anguish a iust and full measure in the ever burning lake Now it is no hard matter to determine as well of the