the first but to this he commeth by a long series and order of precedent sinnes but by contempt and reiecting of those meanes of Grace which should keepe men from falling as also by blaspheming the Spirit of Grace he may Wherefore since we haue reiected his final Impenitency wherin notwithstanding to the purpose of the minde though not to the extent of the act he alloweth a praesentany lapse not alowing it to be a species of this sinne and only doe allow the other two branches viz. a malicious and contemptuous abnegation of the truth and reiection of the Sacrifice of Christ the only effectuall meanes to withdraw vs from sinne together with the blaspheming of the Spirit of Grace The conclusion is manifest that speedily swiftly with headlong hast a man may sinne against the holy Ghost and fall into a finall Apostasie But herein I take it was Aquinas short For men of skill and knowledge are most incident to it as who for the most part are more puffed vp according to that of the Apostle c Knowledg puffeth vp which is an affection easily throwing man into this sinne the which may further seeme to be confirmed by Aquinas himselfe who otherwhere asking the question whether the first Angell among the lapsed were the first among all answereth that it well might be so for saith he In euery sin there are two things to be considered viz. The procliuity or pronenesse and the Motiue The first is more effectuall in a baser creature the second in a nobler So then since the motiue doth more effectually worke vpon any whose state is nobler it followeth that rather are the skilfull learned and men of perfection subiect to this praecipitation then meaner men Adde to this that by how much their vnderstanding is the better informed so much more free is their will of a sudden to deliberate what is to be done And if it be safe to instance in particulars this praecipitation is specially performed by abnegation and abiuration of the knowne and professed Truth For though all abnegation of the truth be not this sinne nor doth bring it forth yet when a man doth deny and forsweare the Truth that Truth which heretofore hee hath prosessed then many times the Lord doth in iustice giue such an one ouer to hardnesse of heart and a Reprobate sense So that hauing fallen from the professing of the Truth he doth also loose all loue and liking of it and neuer aspireth to any loue of the same againe and who knoweth not that howsoeuer the Lord had mercy vpon Peter yet hee was in the ready way vpon that his abiuration Now for the other kinde of Apostasie which by steps declineth and from one degree falleth to another giue me leaue to put here a Quare whether it may not bee thus described First he looseth his holinesse and sanctity of life to which he had attayned viz. Externall which Peter calleth the escaping of the filthinesse of the World This is the last steppe to which he commeth and that hee commeth to this the zeale of Iehu the reuerence of Herod the Repentance of Nineueh the reformation of Saule the goodnesse of king Ioash doe plainely shew here he beginneth to fall loosing this the which is done by deceitefulnesse of sin which ouertaketh and beguileth him with profit or pleasure or by some other meanes Then doth God in Iustice giue him ouer to Sathan to be hardned in heart that so the meanes of saluation cannot worke vpon him Sathan hauing this power giuen him worketh effectually prompting and insinuating into his heart as hee did into the heart of Pharaoh diuers Reasons why hee should not heare the word nor feare the threatnings nor regard the iudgements tush saith he what haue not the best had their falls Did not Peter deny his Master Abraham lie Dauid commit adultery And Lot incest The Righteous doth he not fall seauen times a day and yet riseth againe Was not the repentance of the theef effectuall to his saluation Knowest thou not that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne hee shall surely liue Thus doth he lull the man asleepe yea hee sends him like Ionah to the bottome of the shippe to sleepe ouerwhelmeth him with security Secondly Hereupon he becommeth peruerse and froward and backward to goodnesse growing into a dislike an hatred against it Nay taketh occasion like Pharaoh vpon the speech of Moses to afflict the Israelites so he by the Ministers admonition and reproofe to be more perverse and froward And as the fire by the heaping of wood encreaseth the flame So this mind encreaseth in wickednesse by how much the more it heareth the word of truth Thus Iudas covetous by nature being reproued by Christ proceedeth further to betray his Master If he cannot finger the box of ointment to make money of that he will sell his Master and make money of him Thus hee proceedeth in mischiefe Vpon this God taketh away the joy that he had before For before this he ioyed in his knowledge receiued the word with ioy Knowing and beleeuing that happinesse in heauen is the reward of holines on earth This God taketh away from him he being vnworthie of it in respect of his vnholy and wicked life For his conscience telleth him that hee hath neither part nor portion in it Thirdly Then doth he willingly cast away the faith which he had viz. a Temporary one as appeareth Mat. 13. 21. which includeth an historicall knowledge with a confused application This hee doth willingly cast away neither doth he hold and professe any fundamentall point of the Gospell because the Scripture hath reuealed it For when he cannot find the truth of it himselfe viz. That the precious promises doe bring such ioy and comfort as he heareth deliuered presently he calleth into question whether there be such or not yea and concludeth with the prophane Pope that the Gospell is but Fabula Christs the tale of Christ. And thereupon counteth the bloud of the new Testament an vnholy thing meerely deriding and mocking those who ascribe so much vnto it and for himselfe is an vtter enemy to the same Hereupon doth God iustly confound his knowledge darkning his cogitation blinding his mind and his vnderstanding that seeing he would not vse that knowledge that he had he shall loose much of it or at least be confounded in it And indeed how can it bee but that euen his knowledge should much decay since neyther God blesseth it nor he vseth meanes to keepe it Fourthly He doth now voluntarily fall away euen from that ciuill honesty which the light of nature doth teach men willingly wallowing in all manner of wickednesse and pollution with greedinesse not without spite and malice seeking hereby if it were possible to be reuenged of God who hath reiected him still by his vitious and abhominable life prouoking him to anger thus despiting the spirit of
grace Whereupon the Lord doth presse his conscience with feare and terror affecting it with the sensible feeling of Gods heauy wrath vpon his soule yea euen setting him forth as a vessell prepared for destruction causing his soule and conscience to witnesse so much against him and at certaine times making him to feele most horrible terrors and convulsions Fiftly Then growes he to impenitency to fretting to murmuring and reluctation against God maliciously opposing himselfe against his Maiesty yea hating him whom he can conceiue none otherwise then a righteous judge to condemne him Hence it commeth saith o Calvin that so boldly yea so malapertly they frett against God They try indeed all meanes to remoue the sense of Gods anger but in vaine For so soone as they haue a little truce a little ease presently he troubleth them againe with torments haling their guiltie consciences before the tribunall seate of his angry iustice Now at the last doth this man perceiue how fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God yet hauing reiected the meanes of grace cast off Christ and contemned the sacrifice of his bloud he hath no power to returne but onely breaketh forth into blasphemous and reuiling speeches against the Almightie Then at the last doth God set the brand of destruction vpon him taking from him all hope of pardon and so leauing him to Sathan to be brought home by finall Impaenitencie and desperation to finall destruction Thus we see from the beginning to the ending there is as it were a certaine Reluctation and striuing of the creature against the Creator seeking still to goe beyond God and from one point to another to despite and malice him and his iust proceedings Here I note That as the praecipitation is performed by the abjuration of the fundamentall points of the Truth So this other may beginne with other smaller matters especially fornication and prophanenesse mentioned by Paul and so by little and little creepe vpon a man till it haue possessed him with a totall repugnancie and resisting And that this description of the declination of an Apostata which yet I willingly submit to the censure of the iudicious learned may not seeme altogether to be rather a figment and a thing deuised as probable and possible than indeed any where to be found or any where exemplified giue mee leaue I pray to examine the fall of King Saul in the which me thinketh I doe cleerely see both those fiue acts of man falling and resisting the worke of grace and also those fiue acts of God punishing man for his fall 1. Saul looseth his holinesse of life In the beginning of his raigne he had reformed abuses But now he beginneth to fall away when by his foolish pitty hee spareth Agag and the best of the Cattell contrary to the flat commandement of God Then God giueth him vp to the euill spirit who worketh vpon him indeed strangely but effectually driving him into many strange and vncotâ—â—â—tts certainly hardning his heart against all goodnesse 2. Now groweth he to be peruerse and froward yea falls into a dislike of all those that were good persecuteth Dauid causelesse even Dauid the man whom hee perceiued God had chosen to be the heire of the kingdome yea the more that Ionathan doth excuse Dauid and plead for his innocencie the more is he enraged God taketh away his ioy for beside the vexation of the euill spirit how is he fretted at the safetie of Dauid he is in continuall feare of him For an euill minde sayth Gregory is ever in trouble either deuising mischiefs against other or fearing mischiefs from others alwayes imagining that his wicked plots against his neighbour are returned vpon his owne pate What joy therefore can Saul haue when as Dauid still preuaileth all Sauls plots will doe no good Michol saueth him the Lord defendeth him Ionathan convayeth him away excuseth him the Priests commend him Thus is he in continuall trouble and trauell how doth he lay traps for him yea in the end neglecting all other businesses of the kingdome he is wholly bent vpon this to persecute Dauid and to kill him 3. After his fall we can find not any one act of faith in him and therefore may well allow him to haue reiected it We see also his knowledge confounded proofe hereof we haue in his behauiour at those two times that David had him at the advantage what man were he not distracted and quite bereft of common reason would haue proceeded but he is so blinded by the Deuill that he cannot see a kindnesse done to him Thus also according to his grosse ignorance stoth he bid the Witch of Endor bring him vp Samuell not considering the state of the Saints after this life how that Sathan hath no power ouer them at all 4. Manifest proofe is there of his pollution though not in the flesh in which he was not much blame worthy yet in other 〈…〉 tters he is an vsuall swearer and curser nourisheth Idolatry in his house an horrible and filthy murtherer causing 85. Priests to be slaine yea he destroyed the citty and all in it man woman child suckling oxe and asse sheepe and all spared none What could he haue done more to Iericho What to Amalek What to the cursed Philistims Yea further hee would haue killed x Ionathan for excusing Dauid and missing of that all to reviled him were not these arguments of his malice against God himselfe to persecute Dauid the Lords annointed to slay the Lords Priests as who should say if he could not preuent Dauid yet he would put him to his shifts and perhaps make him come short of his hopes and as for these Priests they should smart for it The punishment of this hath euident confirmation For how bitterly sorely did the Lord presse his conscience especially when he saw the host of the Philistims and at such time as the Lord denyed to answere him eyther by Urim or by Prophets as also when Satan in the person of Samuell did reckon vp his faults and prophecie his destruction But especially when he was ready to die cap. 31. 5. His Impaenitency and fretting and murmuring against God is evident vpon Gods denying to answere him when he commandeth to seeke out a Familiar albeit he knew them to be the meanes and instruments of the Deuill for which cause he had banisht them heretofore Lastly the brand of destruction finall Impenitencie and desperation was set vpon him a long time before signified to Samuell but plainely practised by Saul at such time as God denyeth him any to be his executioner and so he that wallowed in the blood of others is now constrained by his owne hand to wallow in his owne bloud that so he may once haue z his fill of bloud and murther Quaest. Yea but how may it appeare that Saul did renounce Christ and his Mediation which was set downe
threefold 1. The professors of the Truth they can rest in no ground their persecutors are swifter then Eagles stronger then Lyons spare no paines no labour to dissipate and roote out were it possible the memoriall of them from off the face of the earth Yet if this were the worst it were well but they also persecute 2. the Truth it selfe as Paul sayth of Alexander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He greatly resisted our words the doctrine that Paul preached Neither doe they stay here but they oppose 3. The Maiestie of God himselfe Indeede their hand is too short but they supply it with aboundance of malice and hatred yea and their tongues shall walke at libertie against the God of heauen And like as the Great redd Dragon when he could no longer remaine in heauen nor devoure the woman then he went and made warre with the remnant of her seede So these men when the person of Christ himselfe is exalted aboue the heavens is so high that they cannot reach him then doe they turne the sea of their Malice against his members and in them they persecute him Particularly there are two sorts of men which being relapsed into this sinne doe bring forth two speciall kinds of persecution Men of authoritie doe draw forth the sword of Iniustice and crueltie Like the Athenian Draco they write lawes with the bloud of Christians and make Statutes that no man may buy or sell saue such who renounce their Religion Thus Saul hunts Dauid like a Partridge in the Mountaines sucketh the bloud of the Priests like a Lyon in the wildernesse Iulian oppresseth and vexeth the Christians Yea though they haue not the sword in their hands yet they will vsurpe witnesse dâ—â—crle of Stephens judges aâ— daâ—â—â—â—ers who albeit by their owne confession to â—â—late they might not put my man to death yet when their â—age is kindled against Stephen by his reproofe they can fide if not a sword or a Crosse yet a stone â—o pâ—sh out his braynes 2. Mâ—n of learning whett their tongues sharpen their pennes against the Truth and Truths sauouriâ—s They â—â—ite with the tongue not onely like Doeg in accusing or like Saules Courtiers in backbiting but like Shimei in accusing rayling slaundering like Ishmael in most poysonous and virulent mocking The tongue is an vnruly euill sayth S. Iames full of deadly poyson marke that it insecteth as poyson it killeth it mortâ—fieth as deadly poyson Neither if we doe compare the severalls is this the least nay questionlesse the tongue leaveth a deeper wound then doth the sword Ismael is said to persecute Isaac Gal. 4. 19. How Glâ—dione an mâ—â—â— sayth Calvin with sword or hand No with the poysonous mocks of his tongue which hurts not the bodie but directly wounds the soule Sarah saw Ishmaell mocking What followeth Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne For this his mocke hee and his mother are ablegated and banished What could Sarah haue done more had Ishmaell strooke him spurned him or beaten him Whence comes this heate Certainly this mocking was more bitter more grievous then any blowes It was a froward a peevish mocking carrying with it besides the contempt of his brother a contempt and scorne of Gods promise of grace which at that time made the house ioyfull Abraham is merry Sarah reioyceth the whole familie semblably affected onely he in his brothers person mocketh God slighteth his promise derideth Father Abrahams faith Thus hee that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and heavyer was his tongue then could haue beene his hand The same may be said of the sufferings of Christ questionlesse neither the blowes nor whippings nor thornes nor nailes did so much afflict his bodie as their poysonous envenomed tongues did pierce his soule Oh that strucke deepe wounded sore when they in their spitefull mockes opprobriously taunted him saying He trusted in God let him saue him c. Neither is this peculiar to men of learning though in them most perspicuous others also can raile and revile the Truth The Iewes full of enuie spake against those things that were spoken of Paul contrarying them and rayling on them contradicting and blaspheming Blaspheming that is another word in the definition and a certaine especiall manner of this verball Persecution Blasphemy doth import a certaine derogation and diminishing of an excellent goodnes especially Divine The Notation giueth it to bee An hurting of the fame In Scripture it is appropriated to signifie not any kinde of Malediction or slaunderous speeches but that which is peculiarly bent against God and his truth And by a Metaphor sometimes applyed to backbiting and raylings vttered against men The act of it is either to attribute that to God which belongeth not to him as Ignorance Sinne Tyranny Iniustice c. or to robbe him of his honour taking that from him which is his due And it is committed two wayes First Either onely in the vnderstanding which may bee founde in those who haue not sinned our Sinne as Paul calleth himselfe a Blasphemer but it was thorow Ignorance Secondly Or else in the Affection ioyned to the vnderstanding and this is it that commeth neerer to vs. for our Blasphemy proceedeth from the detestation of Affection which is set against God This is another part of the Terminus ad quem viz. A mouth that speaketh blasphemies hither do they come Musculus maketh it the plenitude and fulnesse of this sinne Hence commeth the reviling of Gods Iustice making God an accepter of persons taxing the righte ous Iudge with Iniustice Hence commeth the truth to bee accounted Impious wicked and Diabolicall Hence it is that they count the bloode of the newe Testament an vnholy thing hence is it that they attribute that to the Deuill which is proper to God as did those Blasphemous Pharisees In a worde hence commeth the whole troope the whole heape of those blasphemous speeches which they cast forth against the God of heauen euen from that mouth speaking blasphemies Wee haue perused the effect in our Whether now turne your eyes and see the cause The cause is Malice Yea this Malice is the Essentiall forme of it which giueth life to it and distinguisheth it from other persecution For all Persecution of the truth is not so seuerely to be censured Many are carryed with a blinde zeale to defend Superstition which they conceit to bee the truth Heeretofore in those bloody times of Antichrists domineering raigne ouer vs though many especially of the learned sort cannot bee excused from violating yea and resisting the checke of their owne consciences in persecuting the Gospell yet the common people and many other were ledd with a blind zeale to defend Popish received Errours and thereupon to oppose whatsoeuer was contrary to it The same is to be said of diverse among Stephens auditors they did not
is this our sinne in man because it is an Apostasie from the Gospell Secondly as against the Gospell so against the Spirit which worketh grace by the Gospell The Schoolemen said not nothing inascribing Power to the Father Knowledge to the Sonne and Grace to the holy Ghost Against the Father men sinne of infirmitie against the Sonne of Ignorance and these two are remissible But against the holy Ghost men sinne of malice and this is irremissible But I would rather haue said thus That in regard these men sinne against the spirit id est the proper effect and worke of the spirit in them their sinne must needs be irremissible because there is not another person in the Trinitie whereby they might receiue grace and arise to Repentance For God the Father bestowed Innocencie and righteousnesse vpon the creature at the first by which he might liue This being lost God the sonne came to repaire it and to restore vs to our former estate and he indeed paid the price of our redemption But man being in the state of nature could haue no benefit by it Then came the holy Ghost and regenerated and quickened man and taught him what Christ had done for him what is the vertue of his death and passion yea the spirit also applieth the bloud of Christ and by it washeth and purifieth the heart of man and so sanctifieth both body and soule Hitherto you see how still as man profiteth not by the former grace there is yet another person in the Trinitie who by a second worke can make the first effectuall But now when it is come to this that the worke of the spirit is resistell and impugned so that these three persons haue giuen him over there is none other meanes for him to recover For to whom should hee goe when these forsake him Where may he finde a Physitian if these conclude his wound is incurable Where are you all you grand Imposters of the world You strict defenders of the Intercession of Saints and Angels Now come forth and helpe Here here is place for the Indulgences of your Popes the merits of your Saints the intercession of your Angels Here is a man forsaken of God out of all hope of heauen can you now cure him If there be any Deity in your Saints any Divinitie in your Angels any hope any helpe any merit any mercy any vertue any power now let them shew it Let them recouer this forlorne man out of the gulfe of hell restore him to his former estate of grace reforme his will cure his affections renew his minde create a right spirit within him in a word vendicate him from everlasting perdition and destruction Oh! miserable comforters are you all here where there is need of helpe you doe forsake there where there is no need you promise it largely No no this mans estate is wretched though not lamentable miserable though not pittifull He hath forsaken God refused heaven to hell he must there to be tormented so long as God shall liue for ever for ever Thus much for the Reasons drawne from the Obiect The nature also of this sinne is such that it refuseth repugneth all pardon as which doth indeede 1. wittingly 2. wilfully 3. malitlously 4. totally fall from the profession of godlinesse God hauing created man ordained in his soule two principall faculties to be the guides of his life the conducters of his actions viz. the Vnderstanding and the Will The vnderstanding he furnisht with knowledge of the will of his creator in heauenly things This knowledge being lost in Adam was repaired againe by Christ who is the light that lighteth euery one that commeth into the world by the light of nature and the Sonne of Righteousnesse shining in our hearts by the light of grace by whose spirit we are ledde into all truth and thereby are inlightened in the vnderstanding to discerne both good and evill This is the grace which of God we haue receiued and receiued to this end questionlesse that the abundance of knowledge should worke effectually in vs in turning vs from all iniquity and should teach vs to deny all vngodlinesse worldly lusts Wherefore if wee doe wittingly put out this light extinguish this knowledge quench the spirit and hauing the key of knowledge doe yet shut vp heauen gate against our selues if we know our Masters will and doe it not if we know the lâ—ght and therefore hate it see the plague and runne into it What remedie can there be What hope of pardon or of remission Had we not seene we had had no sinne but now that wee see our sinne remaineth It had bin better not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after knowledge to turne from the holy Commandement Better saith Peter id est lesse punishable by farre Affected ignorance is very lyable to the curse of God but witting reiection of knowledge once receiued is abhominable If we sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the knowledge and acknowledging of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne As they are destitute of pardon because wittingly they sinne so also because wilfully The will of man the other principall facultie in mans soule was endued with freedome that so it might freely worke and following the direction and guidance of the vnderstanding might apply it selfe to embrace and choose the good and to eschew and refuse the evill The strength of this indeed was overthrowne by Adams fall but it being much renewed by Christ serveth to the same end still Wherefore when men doe wilfully and of set purpose turne aside and sinne not of infirmitie but of peevishnesse who can helpe them If the Patient bee willing to be cured the Phisitian may by his skill doe much But if he be froward perverse wilfull obstinate and will not be healed there may be balme in Gilead and Physitians there but yet the wound will not bee recouered Who can cure him that refuseth to be cured Certainely the Physitians that enterprise this must returne the complaint of the Prophet We would haue cured Babell and shee would not be cured forsake her c. for her iudgement is come vp to heaven and is lifted vp to the clouds It is worth the noting that in the Law there was no Sanctuary for wilfull murtherers Neither in the Gosspell is there any pardon for wilfull Apostataes It is the word of the Lord and it will be found true If yee walke stubbornely against me I will walke stubbornely against you And that of the Psalmist With the froward thou wilâ— deale frowardly You haue seene a stubborne sonne and a severe father as it were striving for the victory The father scourgeth him for his fault the sonne he striveth strugleth roareth sobbeth snubbeth and ready he is to burst for anger The father then groweth angry and to him againe and layeth on sorer fiercer yet will not the varlet yeeld stubborne still stomackfull