Testament because as Theophylact and Aquinas do both note the new Testament was confirmed by the blood of Christ And this is the Testament After those dayes saith the LORD I will put my lawes in their mind Heb. 8.10 10.16 and in their heart will I write them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and I will bee mercifull to their vnrighteousnes and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more This new Testament by which that other is disanulled and waxed old is confirmed by the blood of Christ Now may we be bold to enter into the holy place a new and living way is prepared for vs through the vaile which our Apostle Heb. 10.20 affirmeth to be the flesh of Christ With this blood of the covenant the sinner against the Holy Ghost is in my text said to bee sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with which blood though now he account it common and prophane he was sanctified I may not stand to remember you of the many significations by which in many places of the Holy Scriptures these words Sanctus and Sanctificare are expoūded diverse of them are impertinent and should bee wrested to the place we haue in hand for the vnderstanding of which it may suffice if we cōsider first that God alone is properly holy secōdly that all mans holinesse is from God God must not onely helpe but doe also all in all or else man cannot be sanctified These points are vndoubtedly beleeued of vs and neede no proofe Yet for explications sake wee may briefly note that whatsoever men doe truely call Iust the same in relation to God must be called and is truely holy and therefore that God being alone absolutely Iust must of necessitie alone be absolutly Holy that is God being Iust with that vniversall and most perfect Iustice yea himselfe being his owne Iustice it must needs be that he is as the Seraphins Esai 6.3 and as the foure beasts Revel 4.8 haue made proclamation Holy Holy Holy LORD God Almightie thrise holy that is most Holy I will not here dispute whether in those places the Spirit of God noteth the three persons in the Trinity by thrise repeating the word Holy I knowe that many of the ancient and some of our later writers haue so iudged of those places and vsed thē as testimonies to confirme so maine a point of religion Vnto whose iudgements herein I need not doubt nor will refuse to yeeld reverence Yet may I wish and I shall wish no more thē Calvin doth on Esay 6. that if at any time we are to deale with Arrians and are against them to maintaine proue three persons in one divine essence that we would be carefull to vse testimonies of greater strength For those enimies of the blessed Trinitie when they are assayled with such testimonies which may as naturally bee expounded otherwise are so farre from yeelding to the truth of that doctrine as that they become much more obstinate and overthwart But to our purpose the Seraphins and the foure beasts proclaiming the LORD God Almightie to be Holy holy holy doe testifie that all the waies of God even all his most severe iudgements are iust and vpright and holy howsoever they may seem vnto men This threefold repetition of the word makes the sense to be as if they had said God of all is most Holy and to bee hallowed of all Neither is this kind of speech altogether without example For God willing to let Zedechias vnderstand of the vtter and finall ruine of his kingdome bids the Prophet say from him vnto the prophane and wicked King Ezech. 21.27 I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall bee no more vntill the Messiah come his right it is and I will giue it him as if the Lord had said assuredly and without repentance will I overturne and bring to ruine the kingdome of Zedechias such force doth the repetition giue the speech And as there so here God is Holy Holy Holy without doubt Holy onely Holy most holy Holynesse becommeth the house of God for ever so wee read Psal 93.5 I will not restraine it to any particular house Vnderstand it if you will of the palace and basilicke of the great King or of the Temple of Ierusalem which the childrē of God in former times had respect vnto or of any other Temples on the earth now consecrated to the service of God or of your private selues for your selues also are the Temples of the Lord the saying stands firme without contradiction Holynesse becommeth the house of God for ever And hereby hath God set a barre about his Temples as he did about the mount to keepe out beasts and brutish men For as his Temples vpon the earth none should so that other farre more sacred which is in Heaven none shall ever enter into that is vnholy and vncleane The Apostle Heb. 7.26 describing the sanctity of Christ saith that such an high priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heavens Where the latter attributes doe only expound the former and it is as if the Apostle had said to be holy is nothing else but to be harmelesse vndefiled and separate from sinners for whosoever is harmelesse vndefiled and separate from sinners he is already made higher then the Heavens Thus we see that God alone is naturally properly and absolutely Holy Wherevpon it followeth necessarily that all mans holynesse is from God Which was the second point to lead vs to the vnderstanding of this place where the wicked are said to bee sanctified It is a true rule which may be collected out of Saint Cyrils treasurie lib. 3. cap. 1. Quae in Deo sunt naturaliter ea in creaturis esse posse participatione Such things as are naturally in God may be in Gods creatures by participation as when we doe participate the effects and similitudes only of those attributes which essentially and naturally are in God So may we be said to be partakers of the divine nature when those most great and precious promises are given vs 2. Pet. 1.4 There he teacheth vs that we haue all good things from Gods free promise thereby are we delivered from the corruption of this world frō those sinnefull lusts which we carry about vs and so are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the divine nature in a sort like vnto God For by divine nature in that place is not meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods divine essence but participatio qualitatum certaine qualities which the power of God hath wrought in vs that by them his image in vs now a long time defaced may be restored againe In the Scriptures we are charged to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect to be mercifull as he is mercifull to be Holy as he is Holy Where we must not thinke we are enioyned to haue such perfection mercifulnesse holynesse as is essentially
presumptuously secretly but openly perversely conteÌ„ptuously malitiously neither fearing nor regarding God nor man exscindendo exscinditor anima illa it is the Lords irrevocable senteÌ„ce Num. 15.31 that persoÌ„ shal vtterly be cut of that soule shall die the death Behold saith the Lord to Samuel 1. Samuel 3.11 I will doe a thing in Israel whereof whosoever shall heare his two eares shall tingle I will raise vp against Elie all things which I haue spoken concerning his house when I begin I will also mâ—kâ— aâ—â—nd I haue told him that I will iudge his house for ever for the iniquitie which he knoweth because his sonnes ran into a slander and he staid them not Now therefore I haue sworne vnto the house of Elie that the wickednesse of Elies house shall not bee purgâ—d with sacrifice nor offring for ever I haue sworne saith the LORD vnto the house of Elie c. which words are a sufficient evidence to shew what sinne it was that Elie did meane even that sinne which shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever And therefore wee may bee bold to grant that those words of Elie doe proue an impossibilitie of pardon but it is to such as doe sinne Elatâ manu with an high hand only because they will sinne openly perversly contemptuously malitiously to such I say wee may bee bold to grant that these words doe proue an impossibilitie of pardon but that a maÌ„ sinning ignorantly or of infirmitie should haue no hope of forgiuenesse they proue not and therefore make nothing at all for defence of the Catharists opinion I will not stand to refute other their reasons vsed by them for the further confirmation of their opinion S. Ambrose to whom I referre you hath very coÌ„fortably discoursed against them Lib. 1. de poenitentiâ and the thirteene first chapters of that booke and so hath S. Cyprian in that his tract written to Novatianus the Hereticke My endeavour shall bee to proue a doctrine contrary to theirs I may comprise it in this proposition They which stand by grace may fall and yet be pardoned Which proposition devides it selfe into two parts severally to be confirmed 1. the chosen of God for they only stand by grace maâ— fall 2. notwithstanding their falls they may find pardon The former namely that the chosen of God may fall I shall not need much to proue since the truth thereof is sufficiently witnessed by each mans conscience to his owne heart Yet lest happily some one or more through the abundance of knowledge given from aboue shall thinke better of themselues theÌ„ meete is I will bee bold to remember them of S. Paules estate who 2. Cor. 12.7 speaketh thus of himselfe Least I should bee exalted out of measure through the abundance of revelations there was given vnto me a sharpe pointed stake in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me Because I should not bee exalted out of measure there was given mee saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sharp stake fastned in my flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure meaning hereby that how glorious a vessell soever he seemed to be in the eyes of men yet in him there was a rebellion of the flesh against the spirit If such were blessed Paules estate what may the best liver that now is professe of himself Surely as much that there is in him also a rebellion of the flesh against the spirit that hee hath had many falls yea such falls as his very remembraÌ„ces of them are like so many kniues in his eies so many thornes in his sides so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even sharpe pointed posts driven into his flesh to vexe him as long as he shall liue in this world And if thus it fareth with the best what shall become of the more evill sort Surely * See my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 3â— there is no man iust in the earth that doth good sinneth not saith the preacher Ch. 7.22 And Prov. 20.9 Soâ—omon hath this question who can say I haue purged my heart I am cleane from my sinne O saith Eliphaz vnto Iob. chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Behold saith he God hath found no stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the heavens are not clean in his sight how much more is man abominable and filthie which drinketh iniquitie like water whose desire to sinne is such as a thirstie mans desire is to drink He is altogether sinful Sinfull in his conception sinfull in his birth sinfull in the whole course of his life in every deed in every word in every thought wholy sinfull I will not be too forward in the discovery of the nakednes of Gods chosen children descended from the loynes of AdaÌ„ and therefore will not trouble you with the relation of a Gen. 9.21 Noahs drunkennesse of b 2. Sam 12.9 Davids murther of c Gen 18.15 Sarahs lye of d Gen. 27.3 Rebeccaes perswading her sonne Iacob to beguile his owne father of the theft of e Philem. 11. Onesimus and of the severall falls of many other as stout champions as ever fought the Lords battle Touching them I only say as David said in a different case 2. Sam. 1.19 O noble Israel how are the mightie overthrowne The point I am to proue will be cleere enough if we wil consider in what sort the elect of God may fall First therefore The child of God by his own neglect may diminish and lessen the good graces of God within him The consideration whereof moued S. Paule in the bowels of compassion to exhort the Thessalonians 1. Thess 5.19 not to quench the spirit and the Ephesians Eph. 4.30 not to grieue the holy spirit of God For he well knewe that the holy spirit vseth to be grieved and the fire thereof to be quenched whensoever we 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 saÌ„ctified actions of our handes but entertaining the contrary corrupt thoughts evill speaking wicked actions Thus may the child of God be affected and grieue that good spirit whereby he is sealed vnto the day of redemption and quench it too yet not vtterly but diminish and lessen the good graces thereof and that in such a measure as that he may be like a man in a trance who both by his own sense and also by the iudgement of the Physition is taken for dead Thus haue David Peter other the strongest pillers in the Lords temple beene shaken 2 The childe of God after he hath repented for some sinne may fall againe into the same sinne This is a lamentable estate Yet it may befall a true Christian Ioh. 5.14 when Christ had healed the man that had beene sicke 38. yeares he said vnto him Behold thou art
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
they haue beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost And chap. 10.26 that they haue received the knowledge of the truth And in the 29. verse this present parcell of my text that they are sanctified with the blood of the Testament Here might we staÌ„d amazed to see such beauty in fire braÌ„ds prepared for Hell were it not that the wisedome of God in all these places now alleaged doth plainely shew that such men for all their outward painting and whitenesse are notwithstanding within full of filthinesse For where they are said to haue the vncleane spirit departed from them and after his departure to haue swept garnished their houses Mat. 12. there it followeth verse 45 that that vncleane spirit returneth accompanied with seaven fouler spirits then himselfe and entereth dwelleth in those new swept houses And where they are said to heare the word and incontinently with ioy to receaue it Mat. 13. there it followeth verse 21. that as soone as tribulation or persecution commeâ—h because of the word by by they are offended And where it is said that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through their knowledge in our Lord Saviour Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 2. there is it added in the same chap. ver 20. that they are yet tangled againe in filthinesse and are overcome thereof And where it is registred of them that they haue been lightened haue tasted of the heaveÌ„ly gift of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come haue beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. there is it also noted verse 6. that they fall away crucifie againe vnto themselues the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him And lastly where they may farther seeme to be commended as having receaved the knowledge of the truth and as being sanctified with the blood of the Testament Heb. 10. there are they certainely noted with disgrace verse 26. for sinning willingly and verse 29 for treading vnder foote the Sonne of God c. Conferre we these places one with another and each will expound the other Thus whosoever yet lodgeth the vncleane spirit within his house whosoever when tribulation and persecution commeth because of the word is by and by offended whosoever is yet tangled againe in filthinesse and overcome thereof whosoever falls away crucifies againe vnto himselfe the Sonne of God and makes a mocke of him whosoever sinnes willingly he treads vnder foot the Sonne of God And so on the contrary side whosoeuer treads vnder foot the Sonne of God he sinnes willingly he is fallen away crucifies Christ againe makes a mocke of him he is againe tangled in filthinesse and overcome thereof he when tribulation and persecution commeth because of the word is by and by offended he yet lodgeth the vncleane spirit within his house Thus we may conceaue what the holy Spirit here meaneth by this phrase to tread vnder foote the Sonne of God The word he vseth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting by translation extremitie of contempt as it doth more plainely Mat. 7.6 Giue not that which is holy vnto doggs neither cast your pearles before swine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest they tread your pearles vnder foot and turning againe all to rent you And as plainely Mat. 5.13 If the salt haue lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted It is thence forth good for nothing hut to be cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be troden vnder foot of men So well hath Oecumenius expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstanding by treading vnder foot the Sonne of God a contemning and despising of him And such is the exposition of Theophylact of Ambrose of Primasius and others grounded vpon the consideration of such things as wee care not to tread vnder foot And what are they Truely such things as wee despise and make no account of abiect things things without profit In which number if we put the Saviour of the world if wee reckon of him no better then of vnsavorie salt iustly may wee be said like dogges and swine to vse so pretious a pearle and tread it vnder foot The good Bishop of Iustinopolis PRIMASIVS whom but now I named vpon this place maketh this question How wee may be said to tread vnder foot him who being ascended farre aboue all heavens now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father His answere is threefold First when neglecting Christs commandements wee disdaine to obey them that then we tread Christ vnder foot Secondly when discerning the body of Christ we eate and drinke vnworthily that then we tread Christ vnder foot Thirdly when liuing wickedly we remoue from out of the tabernacle of our hearts that holy one who hath promised to dwell among vs and walke here that then we tread Christ vnder foot These answers of this ancient Father albeit I must admit with reverence yet giue mee leaue to adde a fourth most fitting the nature of this place we haue in hand De perseverantiâ Sanctorum p. 176. I take it of Zanchius Miscel lib. 2. There he putteth this doctrine and it may serue for an answere to the question proposed by PRIMASIVS Reccare contra conscientiam seu peccare ex contemptu Dei hoc est conculcare pedibus filium Dei To sinne against our consciences or to sinne in contempt of God this is to tread vnder foot the Sonne of God After him thus I expound it A man sinneth against his conscience when knowing and willing when wittingly and willingly hee sinneth as if a man knowing if hee doth this or that that he shall doe against the law of God is yet notwithstanding willing even against the law of God to doe this or that But this falleth not out alike in the elect in the reprobate Both of them doe sinne against their consciences yet diversly The elect doth it impropriè imperfectè non plenè not properly not perfectly not fully He in the generall and vniversall knowing that to be evill which he is about to doe doth it notwithstanding willingly induced thereto by his corrupt affections Willingly he doth it and he doth it not willingly Willingly in part only forced by the flesh but for his soules desire guided by the Spirit simply not willingly Willingly in as much as he naturally inclineth to that hee doth but in as much as it is sinfull that he doth not willingly Willingly in that the thing presented to his will seemes to be good profitable or delightful but in that it falleth out to be against the Maiestie of God not willingly So of one and the same will in the elect there may bee two considerations one as it is partly renued by the Spirit and so it willeth not sin the other as yet it retaineth some reliques of originall corruption and so it willeth sinne S Paule by his own experience sheweth this to be true in all the faithfull whose condition he declareth Rom. 7.15 to be such as 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
persons in respect of whom as of the true meaning in which it is here said to be a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God For the persons it is out of doubt they are not the faithfull For many excellent things being spoken of them by the Holy Spirit in the word of truth as that t Ephes 2 19. they are citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God the u 2. Cor. 3.9 husbandry of God and his building the x 2. Cor. 6.16 Temple of the living God a y 1. Pet. 2.9 holy nation z Ephes 5.8 children of the light the a 2. Cor. 8 23. glory of the Lord the b Rom. 8.29 image of Christ with all which and other like beautifull titles they being gloriously decked and adorned it cannot bee that they should feare to fall into the hands of God I may rather say they much desire it It was Davids choise his choise was good 2. Sam. 24.14 Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man Vpon the mentioÌ„ of this chice of David a learned and zealous c Dr RAVIS Deane of Christ-Chruch Professour not * This Sermon was preached in St Maries Church Dec. 2. 1602. long since speaking out of this place for maintenance of your religion against Iesuitisme and the heat of the Popish or Spanish faction made his prayer vnto the LORD and I assure my selfe your hearts went with him as he said O LORD let vs fall into thy hands and not into the hand of the cruell Spaniard You that liue by faith and haue your building of God not made with hands but eternall in the heavens doe you feare to fal into the hands of God Why should you feare it You know knowe full well that with him there is mercy and plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 that he hath healed your rebellion turned his anger away from you and now loues you freely Hos 14.4 that he is o Zach. 1.14 iealous over you with a great zeale tenders you as the apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 therefore yee may be well assured that his hand shall never bee sore vpon you to destroy you as it was vpon the men of Ashdod 1. Sam. 5.6 For such indeed as for al his enimies he hath a heavy hand a hand to minister severitie of punishment but for you whose sinnes though like crimson and red as scarlet he hath punished to the full in the death of CHRIST he hath an easie hand a hand sometimes of fatherly Correction but for evermore a hand of mightie Protection This protecting hand of God is spoken of Psalm 37.24 Though a man fall he shall not be cast off for the LORD putteth vnder his hand Though you fall grievously and dangerously you shall not be cast off either finally in the end or vtterly at any time for the LORD whose e Ierem. 31.20 bowels are troubled for you he puts vnder his hand he vpholds you Wee see now for the faithfull that to them it is no fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God It lights therefore of necessitie vpon the faithlesse To the faithlesse and vnbeleeuing man to the vnregenerate man to maÌ„ in the state of depravation corruption it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God Infiniti ad finitum nulla proportio What proportion caÌ„ there be betweene that infinite essence and a house of clay that vnlimited power and a tabernacle of earth that incomprehensible maiestie and dust or ashes Man is no better in comparison of the ever being Almightie incomprehensible God then clay earth dust or ashes and that in the holy and reverend conceits of f Gen. 18.27 Abraham g Iob. 4.9 Iob and h 2 Cor. 5.1 Paul The Prophet David in the like conceit of Gods supereminencie and excellencie aboue all things abaseth discountenanceth mans nature and his whole race as in many other his Psalmes so in his 22. and 6. vers where either in his owne name regarding the miserie and contempt wherein he was held or in the person of Christ whose figure hee was he speakes as if it were robbery for him to take vpon him the name or nature of man I am saith he a worme and not a man Now who will set i Esai 27. â— briars and thornes in battell against the LORD Did ever man harden himselfe against him prosper Is it possible that pitchers of clay should come to encounter the vnspeakeable Maiestie of God and not fall asunder Well if the k Amos. 3.8 Lion once roare all the beasts of the forrest shall tremble And man vnbeleeuing man vnregenerate man corrupt man let his courage be the stowtest and his prowesse the manliest vpon the earth let him haue girded vp his loines with much strength and decked himselfe with greatest glory yet if God at any time shall strike him or but hold forth vnto him the rod of his indignation it shall fare with him as it did with Belshazzar king of Babylon Dan. 5.6 his countenance shall be changed his thoughts shall trouble him the ioynts of his loynes shall be loosed and his knees shall smite one against the other Such shall bee the measure of his feare and at that day wherein it shall be said l Luk. 23 25. Blessed are the barren and the wombes that never bare and the papps which never gaue sucke then shall he in much more feare feare mixed with hatred malice contumely and reproach seeking to hide himselfe from the sight of God say vnto the mountaines fall on me and to the hills cover me his soule and conscience bearing witnesse to the truth of this scripture that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God You haue heard of the feare and horrour set before vs in the first words of this verse I must now speake of the thing to bee feared implied in the next words It was my second note The thing to be feared is this to fall into the hands of God The letter killeth See my 14 â—â—ctâ—re vpon Aâ—os 1. p. 153. but the spirit giueth life saith S. PAVL 2. Cor. 3.6 St Augustine de doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 3. c. 5. vpoÌ„ those words adviseth vs to beware that we take not a figuratiue speech according to the letter For saith he when we take that which is spoken in a figure as if it were spoken properly it is a carnall sense neque vlla mors animae congruentius appellatur neither is there any thing more rightly called the death of the soule If a figuratiue speech be properly taken or if the letter be vrged against the spirituall meaning that which was spoken to giue life to the inward man may subvert the faith indanger the soule A trope vpon good reason to be admitted not admitted is a
THE SINNE AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST DISCOVERED AND OTHER CHRISTIan doctrines delivered IN TWELVE SERMONS VPON PART of the tenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes By SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Divinity and Professour for the Lady Margaret in the Vniversitie of OXFORD 1. COR. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall AC OX AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes Printer to the Vniversitie 1615. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM LORD PAGET BARON OF BEAVDESERT GRACE AND PEACE BE MVLTIPLIED RIGHT HONOVRABLE MANY yeares haue expired since these Sermons began first to haue their life in this Famous Vniversitie They haue hitherto lyen in obscurity Only a few copies of some of them haue beene transcribed for the vse of a few Now they all see the light They were penned with intent to worke honest good mindes in Gods people If they shall so farre prevaile with the Christian Reader they haue their happynesse Their maine Subiect is the greatest of Sinnes the SINNE against the HOLY GHOST I describe it to be not every sinne of presumption or of desperation or against knowledge and Conscience but such a kinde of presumptuous offence wherein the profession of the Christian faith is totally renounced and that of set purpose and resolved malice against the very Majestie of Almighty God himselfe and his Christ our ever blessed Saviour A sinne absolutely vnpardonable There remaineth no sacrifice for it The more neede is there that every man be armed against it For this purpose at this time is this poore mite cast into the Lords treasurie It 's the best I haue in readynesse Such as it is I dedicate it to your HONOVR vnder whose protection it may lodge in safety as vnder the covert of Minerva's shield I may not seeke to any other to Patronize it It is your Honours of due The liberall maintenance which it pleaseth your HONOVR to extend to the Reader of Divinitie for the Ladie MARGARET for his further encouragement and support challengeth MORE from me Meane time accept this my good Lord as a gratefull agnition of your so rare bounty GOD Almighty the great recompenser who rendreth to every one according to their workes keepe you giue you life make you blessed in this world and when the resurrection of the just shall be giue HE vnto you that never-fading Crowne of glory From my Study in CORPVS CHRISTI COLLEGE in OXFORD March 25. 1615. Your HONOVRS in all duty and service SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD THE FIRST SERMON VPON PART OF THE TENTH CHAPter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes HEBR. 10. VER 26.27 26 For if we sinne willingly after that wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne 27 But a fearefull looking for of iudgement violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries IN this Scripture the Apostle endeavouring to perswad the Hebrewes vs in them to continue persevere constantly in the faith which they had and we haue in Christ Iesus and willing to shake of from them and vs all carelesnesse and fleshly securitie presuming so farre of our sluggish dulnesse as that possibly it may not bee healed without sharpe medicines vseth these words nothing pleasing to carnall minds for that they are very forcible sharper indeed then any two edged sword to pricke all such consciences as are well nigh seared vp Herein it may please you to consider two things 1 What it is from which in this place wee are disswaded it is from sinning willingly after that wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth in these words for if wee sinne willingly c. 2 What inducements are brought to disswade vs from so sinning They are two 1 Because if thus we sinne wee shall never bee able by any sacrifice to make an atonement betweene vs and God revenging vs. In the latter words of the 26. verse there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne 2 Because if thus we sinne we can looke for no better then eternall destruction specified vers 27. by a fearefull looking for of iudgement violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries In the first general part we may be moued to the consideration of three circumstances 1 Who they needs must bee that may fall into this sinne from which the Apostle so effectually dehorteth vs they are such as haue receaved the knowledge of the truth 2 With what minde this sinne is committed The minde must be willing 3 What manner of sinne it is I shall at this time content my selfe to speake only of the first generall note and some of the circumstances therein If we sin willingly after wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth My first observation here toucheth the persons who alone doe fall into this sinne Here they are said to haue receaved the knowledge of the truth They are said to haue beene once lightned and to haue tasted of the heavenly gift and to haue bin made partakers of the holy Ghost and to haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5. They are said to haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord of our Savior Iesus Christ Mat. 12.43 Our Saviour speaking of such saith that the vncleane spirit is gone out of them and verse 44. that they are swept and garnished and Mat. 13.20 that they heare the word and incōtinētly with ioy receaue it Other like places for the same purpose might be alleaged but these may suffice to shew that God hath many waies made himselfe knowne vnto them that he hath given them true vnderstanding that he hath quickned their spirits to receaue gladly his Gospell that they had a feeling of the kingdome of Heaven that they had knowne sinne to be ful of misery and vexation of the spirit that they had confessed all true ioy to be only in Christ Such is the state of knowledge to which they are called such are the graces wherewith they are endued Whence it necessarily followeth that nor Turkes nor Infidels nor Atheists nor Epicures haue yet sinned this sinne nor Pharaoh a vessell of Gods wrath nor Sodome and Gomorah with all their filthines nor blasphemous a Esai 36.13 Rabshakeh making the Idols of the nations equall with the God of Heaven haue yet sinned this sinne A curse I graunt hath gone out against them and all like them and truly are they accursed their sins haue beene abominable bondslaues are they of Satan and strangers from the God of Israel but yet must I say that a heavier curse is passed forth against all such as sinne this sinne The time will come and farre of it cannot bee for long since it was at hand when it shall be easier for Turke for Infidel for Atheist for Epicure for Pharaoh for Sodome for Gomorah the like then for such as sinne this sinne Much easier for Turk for Infidell and the rest then for those wicked
blasphemers of the holy Spirit who doe not onely fulfill the full measure of those Pagans sinnes but contemne also the Graces given vnto them the knowledge whereto they haue beene called and that good Spirit whereof the Pagans were never made partakers Now looke we backe for a while to those markes wherewith they are noted against whom our Apostle in this place denounceth If they bee duely considered they will moue our hearts to wisdome One is they haue beene once lightned that is they haue been endued with the knowledge of God and that not onely by the heavens though they b Psal 19 ◠declare Gods glory nor only by the firmament though that sheweth his handy worke nor onely by other his creatures though in them also his eternall power godhead appeareth and shineth for of this light all nations are made partakers but they haue beene lightned also with his holy word This hath beene a c Ps 119 105. lanterne to their feet and a light vnto their paths When they found it they did greedily tast of it and it was vnto them the ioy and reioycing of their hearts And can we think that any thus lightned are neere vnto cursing Yea the d Heb. 6.7 Scripture telleth vs that they may so fall away as that it shall be impossible for them to be renued againe by repentance Heb. 6.6 Indeed the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed shal receaue a blessing of God but that earth which beareth thornes and briers is reproued is neere vnto cursing the end thereof is to bee burned Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever 1. Cor. 10.12 thinkes he standeth may fal O! worke we out our salvatiō with feare trembling An other marke of theirs is they haue tasted of the heavenly gift This heavenly gift is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 It is that great salvatiō that is in Christ Iesus so called by Christ himselfe speaking to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.10 This gift they haue not only knowne but haue also tasted of it Would you know what taste this is One expounds it thus Suppose a banquet provided wherein are many sweet pleasant and dainty meates At this banquet the bidden guests must be set downe they see the meats they taste thē they eate them they disgest them they are nourished strengthened by them The vnbidden guests it is not so with them They indeed may see the meates yea more then so happyly they may be permitted to handle them and taste of them to feele how good they are but eate or feed of thē they may not Apply this and in the vnbidden guests tasting of those dainety meates you shall perceiue this taste of the heavenly gift resembled They haue tasted of the heavenly gift that is they haue gladly sometime receaved it and reioyced in it like Herode who did gladly heare Iohn Baptist preaching Mark 6.20 like the second kinde of naughty ground that ioyfully receaved the seed Mat. 13.20 Herod may willingly heare the preaching of the word and yet be accursed the naughty ground receiving the seed with ioy in the end may be burned Many may haue a taste of eternall life of that great salvation which is in Christ Iesus and yet may finally fall away Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Their third marke is they haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost that is many graces of the spirit of God haue beene given vnto them They may repent like Iudas Mat. 27.3 confesse their sinnes like Pharaoh Exod. 10.16 loue God as Saule did 1. Sam. 10.9 They may desire to be like Gods children in happinesse as Balaam desired when he said O let my soule die the death of the righteous let my last end be like his Num. 23.10 They may shew liking to Gods Ministers reverence them and feare to displease them as Simon Magus did who at Philips preaching beleeved wondred at his miracles and kept cōpany with him Act. 8.13 They may be zealous in the profession of the gospell as the Galatians were who receaved Paule as an Angell and if possible would haue plucked out their eies to haue done him good Gal. 4.16 Thus may they be qualified yea much better then thus and yet may finally fall awaie Presume we not thē beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Their last marke for I omit the rest as being all reducible to these fowre their last marke is They haue receaved the knowledge of the truth that is they haue caused their f Ezech. 3.3 bellies to eate and haue filled their bowels with that sweet roule as sweet as any hony in their mouthes they haue receaved the word of God in their hearts in such abundance as that they are become preachers of the word for they haue g Heb. 6.5 tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come they haue tasted it indeed but only haue they tasted it Here let me once more remember you of the resemblance of tasting You know that Cookes which are busied in preparing of banquets haue commonly as much feeling and seeing of the meates as any other and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it then they their stomackes are so cloyed with the smell taste thereof so is it here it may come to passe that the preacher which dresseth and provideth the spirituall food may eate least of it himselfe so labouring to saue others himselfe may proue a reprobate It hath beene thought that some of them which built the Arke were not saved in the Arke but certaine it is not only thought so certaine it is that diverse spirituall builders of Christs Church shall not be saved with the Church They may by vs be takē for Gods sheepe because they are kept in the same pastures and folded in the same fold with vs they may by vs be taken for Gods sheepe though indeed they be very Goates There is a day to come wherein the h 2. Pet. 3.10 heavens shal passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp then may Demas alleage for himselfe his old and once-true religion and Iudas for himselfe his Apostleship and many others for themselues their prophecying in Christs name but al in vaine For that iust Iudge will professe vnto them i Mat. 7.23 Luk. 13.27 I never knew you depart from me yee workers of iniquity Presume wee not then beloved in the Lord. Whosoever thinkes he standeth may fall O! worke we out our salvation with feare and trembling Having thus considered their markes finding that they haue
beene once lightened that they haue tasted of the heavenlie gift that they haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost that they haue received the knowledge of the truth that they heare the word and receiue it and receiue it forthwith and receiue it forthwith with ioy examine we our selues by those notes whether we are sowen in the Lords field haue taken roote haue growen to perfection yea or no. For if our righteousnesse exceede not theirs their lot shall be as good as ours if we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time-seruers as wel as they their backeslidings shal haue as easie a iudgement as ours if we apply our religion and conscience to the present condition of things the change of this present condition must worke in vs new religious new consciences And therefore would I counsell you as Philadelphia is counselled to hold that which you haue that no man take your crownes Revel 3.11 and as Sardi is counselled to strengthē confirme the things that remaine in you that your workes might be fulfilled before the Lord Revel 3.2 You are now in a race and must runne not only to pace the ground or to make vp the number of runners or to weary your bodies or to spend your breathes but you must runne to obtaine also such is the Apostles coūsell So run that yee may obtaine 1. Cor. 9.24 There is no time of standing in this life we must still forwardes Some came into the vineyard at morning some at noone but none received any reward but they which staide vntill night Mat. 20.8 Iacob prevailed not with God at his first wrastling but when he had wrastled with him all night Gen. 32.26 It is not our praying for an howre can do vs good for we must pray cōtinually 1. Thess 5.17 k See my third sermon on Luk 9 pag. 56. Having a long time beene fed l Lam. 4.5 delicately and brought vp in scarlet shall we now perish in the streets shall we now imbrace the doung Having a long time had our heads of gold shall we now to become like Nabuchadnezzars Image put on m Dan. 2.33 feet of clay Having long since begun in the spirit shall we now end in the n Gal 3.3 flesh So shall our last estate be worse then our first so shal we all this while haue runned in vaine For he runnes in vaine whosoever he be that runnes run he never so swiftly that sits him downe or stands still before he comes to the goale There is no time of standing or sitting still in this life we must still forwards He that is righteous let him be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still Since we haue bin once lightned since we haue bin tasters of the heavenly gift since we haue bin partakers of the holy Ghost since we haue beene receivers of the knowledge of the truth such be we still thinke we that every blessing of God bestowed vpō vs is a further calling and provocation of God as were his callings vpon Elias 1. King 19.4 5. When God found Elias a daies o 1. Kin. 19.4 iourney in the wildernes sitting vnder a Iuniper tree sleeping he called vpon him saying p Vers 5. vp and eate and when he had found him a q Vers 7. second time so sitting and sleeping a second time also he called vpon him said vp and eate thou hast a great iourny to goe and whē he had travailed r Vers 8. forty daies and was lodged in a ſ Vers 9. caue he called vpō him againe and said what doest thou here Elias at last he was brought forth to the t Vers 11. mount then also there came a u Vers 12. voice vnto him and said x Vers 13. What doest thou here Elias y Vers 15. Goe returne by the wildernes vnto Damascus and do so and so Here is instruction for vs whether we bee entred into our way or haue proceeded in it whether we be babes in Christ or strong men whether carnall or spirituall we must vp and eate and strengthen our selues first with milke and then with stronger meate we must vp eate we haue still a great iourny to goe we must walke from light to light from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from knowledge to knowledge we must thinke that alwaies we heare a voice calling vs forward vp thou haste a great iourney to go what dost thou here Elias Excellent is that commendation given to the Church of Thyatira Revel 2.19 I know thy workes and thy loue thy service and faith and patience and that thy last workes are more then thy first Here was no backesliding but great encrease Shee was a true branch in that vine which bare fruit Iohn 15.2 Shee was purged that shee might bring forth more fruit shee grew vp dayly in Christ and became better and better fuller of faith fuller of loue fuller of all good workes and as a new borne babe shee coveted the sincere milke of the word that shee might grow thereby her last workes were more then her first And the conclusion of the Epistle written to this Church of al the other Epistles written to the other sixe Churches is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not he that draweth his sword nor he that fighteth the battles of the Lord nor he that spendeth his blood much lesse he that fainteth that flyeth that sleepeth that standeth or sitteth still but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that overcommeth shall z Revel 2.7 eate of the tree of life and of the a Vets 17. hidden Manna shall receaue a white stone shall be clothed in b Rev. 3.5 white aray shall be made a c Vers 12. pillar in Gods Temple and sit with God himselfe in his d Vers 21. throne The summe of all this is e See my third Serm. on Luke 9. p. 57. not every one but he onely that endureth to the end shall be saved Mat. 10.22 Not every one but he only which is faithfull vnto the death shall receaue the Crowne of life Revel 2.10 Not every one but such only as are marked in their forbeads with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the note of perfection and perseverance shall enter the inheritance of the blessed Ezech. 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that overcommeth f Rev. 2.11 shall never be hurt of the second death Let the dogge returne to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire but let vs like Abraham hold on our sacrifices till the evening the last evening of our liues and a full measure shall be measured vnto vs. If we are lightned endeavour we to encrease this light in vs if we haue a tast of the heavenly gift cease we not to tast it still if we are made partakers of the holy Ghost rest we not but walk we from grace to grace if we haue receaued the
with these words of my text you will conferre those other places as Heb. 6.4 5. 2. Pet. 2.20 1. Ioh. 5.16 All which will manifest that there is but one only Sinne against the holy Ghost As for the repining at our brethrens good being but a breach of the second table touching the presuming vpon Gods mercies being but a kind of hypocrisie I see not how they may bee called Sinnes against the holy Ghost The other foure indeed haue some reference to this Sinne. The falling away from the knowne truth and obstinacie are in the nature of this sinne finall impenitencie is a consequent a punishment of it and so is despaire And here because there goes somewhat a generall conceit that despaire indeed is the Sin against the holy Ghost let me shew you some differēce between that Sinne and despaire This Sinne against the holy Ghost is a blasphemie spoken against the knowne truth so is not desperation though sometimes it be a punishment of this sinne This Sinne against the holy Ghost bringeth with it finall impenitencie it shall bee impossible for such a sinner to repent so is it not in desperation A despairing mā may repent This Sinne against the holy Ghost is a deniall of Christ arising from a set a wilfull and an obstinate malice so is not desperation for it may arise either through ignorance of a mans owne estate or through horror of conscience for sinnes committed or through an often relapse into some sinne or through a serious consideration of our owne vnworthines or by abiuratiō of the truth through compulsion and feare The summe of all is the sinne against the holy Ghost is a sinne of the Reprobate but Gods chosen children may fall into despaire For whose comfort let me adde a word or two It is a true saying God in some sense may be said to forsake his children Else why should DAVID say Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever Will he shew no more favour Is his mercie cleane gone for ever Doth his promise faile for evermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Else why should IONAS say chap. 2.4 I am cast out of thy sight O Lord Else why should GEDEON say Iud. 6.13 Now the Lord hath forsaken vs and delivered vs into the hands of the Midianites Else why should the Saviour of vs all say Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It is manifestly true God in some sense may be saide to forsake his children and thus it is God hides his graces for a time and covereth them even within his children he takes them not quite away only he removeth all sense and feeling of them so farre forth he forsaketh them The resemblaunce is vsually made by your trees in the winter season They are beaten with winde and weather they beare neither leafe nor fruit they looke as though they were rotten and dead The reason you know the sap lies hid in the root It is no new thing nor strāge to such as tread in the pathes of godlines to haue their soules like affected to those your trees The time of comfort will passe away tentation follow then is the winter for your soules then shall yea be as beaten with winde and weather as bearing neither leafe nor fruit and looke as though yea were rotten and dead The reason is plaine Gods graces do lie hidden and covered for a time within the closets of your hearts But as your trees do spring againe and beare both leafe and fruit receiving comfort of a better season so shall you You shall be restored God will turne your mourning into ioy God will loose your sacke God will gird you with gladnesse Here may we learne this lesson Cuncta dei opera sunt in medijs contrarijs it is Gods vse in and by one contrary to worke another A man would thinke that an infinite host of enemies could not be overcommed without an exceeding great multitude But it was the Lords doing Gedeon with his three hundred souldiers put to flight such an host Iud. 7.21 A man would thinke that clay and spittle tempered together should put out ones eies Wonderfull are the Lords doings Christ vsed clay spittle so tempered as a meanes to giue sight vnto the blinde Ioh. 9.6 A mā would thinke water should put out fire Behold the finger of the Lord Elias poures water on his sacrifice and fils a trench with water to make his sacrifice burne 1. King 18.35 The like you may obserue in the worke of Grace to salvation A man living long in security hath at length his eies opened to see his sinnes and heart touched to feele the intolerable burdē of them now he bewailes his wretched estate with anguish with bitternes of heart thinkes that God will presently make him a firebrand of hell see how by this contrary the contrary is wrought The Lord is now about to worke and frame in his heart sanctification and such repentance as never needs to be repented of A man that hath had some good perswasion of Gods favor in Christ comes now at last vpon many occasions to be troubled and to be overwhelmed with distrustfulnesse grievous doubtings of his salvation Now he iudgeth himselfe to haue beene but an hypocrite in former times for the present time he thinkes himselfe a castaway and see here how by this contrarie the contrary is wrought For now indeed the Lord doth nothing else but exercise fashion and increase his weake faith Cuncta Dei opera sunt in medijs contrarijs The graces of God peculiar to the elect are begun increased and made manifest in or by their contraries And therefore if any whose delight hath heretofore seemed to haue beene in the Law of the Lord shall despaire at his end we must for so we learne in this place leaving secret iudgements to God in charity iudge the best of them We must not weigh their speaches for men in such cases speake not as they are but as they feele themselues to be We must rather looke vnto God who at all times especially in temptations such are his mercies accepts the will for the deed a willing mind to obey God for faithfull obedience a willing minde to repent their sinnefull liues for perfect repentance But happyly some will doubt if a man in despaire make a way himselfe if he spill his owne bloud what may then bee thought The case I graunt is very fearefull yet still must we cary the same opiniō For if Gods iudgements are very secret if for any thing we know a man may repent in the very agony if none of vs be able to comprehend the bottomles depth of the graces and mercies which are in Christ we shoulde not dare passing the bounds of charity giue too rash a censure but rather pray in the spirit that God come not vpon vs with the like visitation Thus haue we
shall they die they shall be in fire vnquenchable yet shall see nothing for the darknesse so palpable everlastingly shall they burne yet not cōsume You may read of the wine of giddinesse Psalme 60.3 of a strange kinde of worme Esa 66.24 of the winepresse of Gods wrath Revelat. 14.10 of fire and brimstone Ezech. 38.22 All these if worse may be many more worse then these are for so many torments assuredly allotted them Their cup is a cup of the deadliest wine that ever yet was tasted even the wine of Gods wrath wherwith they shall be filled for evermore their worme is a worme that never leaveth gnawing They shall bee tormented before the holy Angels and the lambe in fire and in brimstone not such as fell vpon Sodome and Gomorah for so might they haue some hope at length to bee dissolved into heaps of ashes or clouds of pitch but in fire and brimstone ascending from a mine without bottome burning in the lake of death giving them no rest either day or night The smoke of this their torment ascends for evermore and is appointed to continue for a time and times no time even when time shal be no more Rev. 10.6 When time shall be no more yet then shall their torment continue that in such a measure as no eye hath ever seene the like no eare hath ever heard the like no tongue hath ever vttered the like no heart hath beene is or shall bee able ever to conceaue the like Having thus pointed at their punishment let vs now consider the degrees by which they haue ascended to that fulnesse of their iniquitie as also how far our selues haue troden in their steps The degrees are these 1 They are deceaved by some sinne 2 By the same sinne their hearts come to be hardned 3 This hardnesse of heart by continuance breedeth in the wickednesse and perversitie 4 There followeth incredulitie and vnbeleefe 5 After their vnbeleefe they fall to a generall apostacie necessarily and that immediatly Necessarily and immediatly they fall away from faith in Christ These are the degrees first deceit by sin then hardnesse of heart arising from deceit the heart being hardned it becommeth wicked and perverse this wickednes and perversitie of heart causeth incredulitie vnbeleefe whereby is wrought that highest step generall apostacie and falling away from God The two first steps haue beene are vsually trodden in by vs namely deceit by some sinne and hardnesse of heart by the same That old Prophet 1. King 13.11 entised a younger Prophet contrary to the commandment of God to * 1. Kin. 13.18 turne home with him and to eate and drinke but at the last he cursed him for his labour and his curse tooke effect for as hee returned hee was slaine by a * Vers 24. lyon in the way Not much vnlike is Satans dealing with vs. He entiseth vs to sinne from which wee are by the Lords commandment to fly as from a serpent wee haue yeelded vnto him and haue sinned but hee hath cursed vs for out labour only as yet we haue not met with any lion in the way Notwithstanding sinned we haue and that not once only for Satan hath deceaued vs still and wee haue yeelded still vnto him still haue we sinned And are not our hearts now hardned with sinning Yes very much hardned I grant it may be our cheekes wil bee red to talke of Christ as theirs were who went to * Luk. 24.13 Emaus and we will blush apace to seeme so holy but the Blackmore wil blush faster then we when fearefully fowly we sinne against the Lord. Be there any sinne that delighteth vs more then other wee will take part with Naaman * 2. King 5.18 let God be mercifull vnto vs if he will we will not leaue it we will wallow in it ioy in it liue in it grow old in it Doe wee not bath this matter of earth and wormes meat wherewith we are clogged in all pleasure and ease as if there were neither corruption to rot it nor Heaven to receaue it nor Hell to burne it Behold the progresse sinne hath made in vs first there was titillatio delectationis in corde then followed consensio then factum then consuetudo First Satan slily crept into our hearts there he moued a tickling delight which so well pleased vs that by and by we gaue consent thereto and to shew that our cōsent was not in vaine we were not long before we brought it into fact not long I say before wee did that wicked deed whereto we were incited and done it we haue and that not once or twise only but many times now it is become a custome And yet doe we securely sleepe See wee not the danger we are in Surely the next step we make after we are accustomed by hardnes of heart to yeeld vnto the deceit of sinne except God giue vs grace to returne can be no other then into a wicked and perverse heart and then will follow incredulitie vnbeleefe wherevpon immediatly and necessarily must ensue the highest degree even generall apostacie falling away from God In which case at this time I say no more vnto you then the Apostle said vnto the Hebrewes chap. 3.12 13. Take heed my brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an evill heart vnfaithfull to depart away from the living God Exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne THE THIRD SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 26. 26 There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes WE are now come to the first reason vsed by our Apostle to disswade vs from cōmitting so vile a sin as is the sin against the holy Ghost There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes Here let vs first consider how true it is which Novatus hath collected out of these words namely that whosoever sinneth after he is baptised his sinne is not possibly pardonable Secondly let vs examine that which these words do naturally afford that is that the Sinne against the holy Ghost is not at any time nor can ever be forgiven Of both these at this time To spend the time in delivering whence and what Novatus and his followers were This 〈◊〉 was preached Ianu. 4. 1598. and at what time they first sprang vp I hold it needlesse for that it would but little advātage the vnderstanding of the younger and the rest already know it better then my selfe The cōsideratiō of this doctrine may be materiall for vs all For if it be true that they which sinne after Baptisme once receaved be it either of ignorance or of infirmity cā haue no hope of pardon for their sinne are not we who hitherto haue learned the contrary of all men most miserable Haue we not iust cause with those men of Israel Act. 2.37 to be pricked in our hearts and to cry out as they did Men and brethren what
shall we doe For defence of their opinion they suppose the Scriptures to be very pregnāt alleaging these words of my text If we sin willingly after that we haue receaved the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes as also those other words Heb. 6.4 It is impossible that they which were once lightened haue tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God of the power of the world to come it is impossible for such if they fall away to be renued by repētāce Out of both which places their cōceit is framed they affirme that a man in baptisme is washed from all his filthinesse and cleansed from all his sinnes but if he shall fall afterwardes that then there remaineth no more sacrifice for his sinne that then he cannot possibly be renewed by repentance so vnpardonable do they iudge a relapse into sinne The fathers of the Westerne Church miscōceiving these two cited places as in the one vnderstanding by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an ordinary falling in the other by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sinning only in generall whether of ignorance infirmity or otherwise misconceiving I say these two places yet vnwilling to subscribe to so foule an heresie haue reiected this Epistle as vnfit to proue any principle in religion haue accoūted it as not Canonicall But we need not vse any such shift to answere the argumēt of the Catharists That spirit of truth which was lōg since promised to come and to lead vs into all truth is already come hath given sufficient witnesse to the vnresistable authoritie of this Scripture withall hath taught vs that these places must be vnderstood of that sinne which is to death of that sin wherein men of desperate malice against Christ vniversally and wholy fall away from religion For the holy Ghost saith not if they fall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they fall away and in the same Heb. 6.6 it is added they crucifie againe vnto themselues the sonne of God make a mocke of him and Heb. 10.29 it is said that they trāple vnder foot the Sonne of God that they count the bloud of the Testament an vnholy thing that they despite the spirit of grace in the 26. verse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated with vs willingly imports some what more as if to sinne willingly were to sinne because a man will sinne and that is to sinne wilfully These places then thus vnderstood proue I graunt an impossibility of pardon but it is to such as commit that sinne which is to death and fall away from their first light to such as crucifie againe vnto themselues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him and trample him vnder foot to such as count the bloud of the Testament an vnholy thing and despite the spirit of grace to such as sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only because they will sinne purposely wilfully and maliciously to such I graunt these places proue an impossibility of pardon but that a man sinning ignorantly or of infirmity should be past hope of forgiuenes these places proue not and therefore make nothing at all for defence of the Catharistes opinion They presse vs yet for the further establishment of their cōceit with old Elies words 1. Sam. 2.25 If one man sinne against another the iudge shal iudge it but if a man sin against the LORD who wil plead for him Who will plead for him that is say they no mā shal plead for him For God is iust wil take vengance vpō him that sinneth against him NO mā shal plead for him S Ambrose l. 1. de poenitentiâ c. 8. much disliketh this their exposition and there sheweth by other like speeches in the Scripture that these words are not necessarily to force that meaning which they would haue Ps 15.1 David saith LORD who shal dwel in thy tabernacle who shall rest in thy holy mountaine Quaeritur quis non excluditur the question is who shall dwell in the Lords tabernacle Every one is not excluded from so dwelling for in the words following it is answered He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnes speaketh the truth in his heart hee shal never be moved he shal dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord he shall rest vpon his holy mountaine Psal 24.3 the same Psalmist hath likewise said who shall ascend into the moūtaine of the LORD and who shall stand in his holy place And here also Quaeritur QVIS non exeluditur the question is who shall ascend into the mountaine of the LORD Every one is not excluded from so ascending For the verses following are a sufficient answer He that hath innocent hands a pure heart that hath not lift vp his minde to vanity nor sworne deceitfully even he shall receaue a blessing from the LORD and righteousnes from the God of his salvation he shal ascend into the mountaine of the LORD and stand in his holy place Luk. 12.42 the LORD hath said who is a faithfull steward and wise whom the master shall make ruler over his houshold to giue them their portion of meate in season and here a-againe Quaeritur QVIS non excluditur The questiō is who shall be a faithful steward Every one is not excluded from so being For that which followeth importeth as much Blessed is that servant saith the LORD whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing Other like places are cited by this Christian Bishop to the same purpose after all which hee giueth his iudgement vpon the words of old Ely alleaged by the Novatians for confirmation of their opinion The words as you heard are these If one man sinne against another the Iudge shal iudge it but if a man sin against the LORD who will plead for him The vulgar translation hath Quis orabit pro eo If a man sin against the Lord who will pray for him Quis orabit pro eo that is saith S. Ambrose Singularis vitae aliquis debet orare pro eo qui peccavit in Dominum Some man of exceeding integritie must pray for him that hath sinned against the LORD His reason is added Quia quo maior est culpa eo maiora sunt quaerenda suffragia because the greater the sinne is so much the more worthy must the person be that by prayer shall obtaine pardon for such sinne I leaue this Fathers exposition and shew you a more naturall that is this If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge it that is if one man doe iniury and wrong vnto another there may be a composition and an agreement made betweene them either in Ecclesiasticall or civill policie but if a man sinne against the LORD who will plead for him that is if a man sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only because he will sinne if he sinne elatâ manu Num. 15.30 with a high hand not only
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
against vs because for this our sinne Gehazies leprosie as yet hath not brokeÌ„ out vpon vs because for other our sinnes done in darknes the rod of God hath not yet smitten vs we slatter our selues perswade our selues that all is well we set our mouthes against Heaven and our tongues doe walke even through the earth we imagine with those wicked ones Ps 73.11 Ps 94.7 that God will not behold our iniquities or if he doe that he will not much regard to punish vs for them Wee set vp Idols within our breasts against lum we forsake his Testimonies we follow the voice and perswasion of our owne devises So bold we carrie our selues vpoÌ„ our cunning slie close secret kind of sinning But all in vaine if so it seeme good vnto the Lord. For he hath meanes enough to discover bring to light that which we thinke most secret and hidden He can make the fieldes to haue eies to see our deedes the woods to haue eares to heare our counsels the wals of our bed chambers to haue mouthes to witnesse against vs our friends to fall out with vs and the men of our secrecie to bewray our wickednesse He can vse vs our selueâ— as instruments against our selues even our own mouthes to testify against vs for he can make vs either vnawares to disclose our faults or in our sleepe by dreams to make theÌ„ known or in our sâ—â—â—nesse to raue of them or in some phrensey to vomit them out or in the torment of our consciences to confesse them all And if he should not deale with vs thus or thus yet knowe we that there is a time to come spoken of by St Paule 1. Cor. 4.5 wherein the Lord shal come to lighten things that are hid in darknes to make the counsels of the heart manifest And this he will be sure to doe because in presence he beholdeth whatsover is done in the darkest places and is privy to all the devises of our hearts I will not stay your eares with commemoration of many notable places of Holy Scripture set downe by the holy Spirit to amplifie Gods illimited presence In the 139. Psalme wonderfull are the testimonies brought there by the Prophet for this purpose O LORD thou hast tryed me and knowne me thou knowest my sitting and my rising c. as it followeth in the Psalme See Lect. 10. vpon Amos 1. p. 115. Lect. 14. p. 159. Thus I gather the summe of it there is no corner in Hel no mansioÌ„ in HeaveÌ„ no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of Sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity nor the clowdes of the day nor the darknesse of the night nor a secret friend nor a more secret conscience nor any like evasion that can hide vs that can hide any our actions froÌ„ the presence of the LORD Our sitting our rising our down lying the thoughts of our hearts the wordes of our mouthes the waies of our feete yea our reines our bones our mothers wombes wherein in our first informity we were wonderfully lodged they are all throughly knowne vnto him If therefore secretly taking bribes for fellowes for schollers places and the like if SECRETLY liuing in fornication adultery and vncleanesse if secretly stealing if secretly any way sinning wee purpose to avoid the presence of Almightie God I must theÌ„ needs say with Ieremie ch 10.14 Doubtlesse every man is a beast by his owne knowledge Thus farre haue I beene guided by my first position Every one is bound to subiect himselfe to honest and iust politique lawes and that for conscience sake For he that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy The second remaineth It is a breach of charitie to conceaue ill of any for any private report For he that despiseth Moses law dieth not but at the mouth of two or three witnesses Of this second in the next Now beseech wee Almightie God by whose great mercies we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth that by the same his mercies he would giue vs grace to continue liue and die therein that he would guid vs in all ou waies make vs obedient to higher powers according to his will cleanse our hearts renue our spirits and free vs from all desire of doing wickedly that so at the last day we may be presented spotlesse without blame before him that sitteth vpon the throne Even so be it Lord Iesus THE SIXT SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 28 29. 28 He that despiseth Moses law dyeth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses 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 THe second position grouÌ„ded vpon the 28. verse which was It is a breach of the rule of charity to conceaue ill of any for any private report is nowe to bee handled I will briefly runne it over that so at this time also wee may haue some tast of that which followeth in the 29. verse It is a breach of the rule of charity c. To speake much of charity what it is what obiects what ends it hath before such as abound in knowledge I holde it needlesse If your practise hath beene according to your knowledge it may truely boldly be said vnto you as Christ said vnto the Scribe that had answered discreetly Mark 12.34 You are not farre from the kingdome of God For declaration of the point I am to proue let vs consider somewhat touching the rule of charity which vseth by vs to be broken as oft as we conceiue ill of others whether our superiors or equals or inferiours for any private reportes Christian Charitie hath three branches The first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our loue of God and Christ The rule for this part is laid before vs Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thiy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might In wich words is noted together with the vnitie of the divine essence the trinitie of the persons and therefore the commandement is that as one God is so the three persons are to be loved Diliges Iehovam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt loue the LORD thy God one God and three persons not with part of thine heart nor with part of thy soule nor with part of thy might but with all of all both heart soule and might The reason why God is thus to be loued is put before ver 4. Heare O Israel the LORD our God is LORD only The meaning is there is but one God and therefore thy heart thy soule thy might thy loue may not be distracted they may not bee divided All thy heart all thy soule all thy might must ioyntly bee employed to loue the LORD thy God In this place of Deuteronomy our charge is but general yet necessary to
high hand Num. 15.30 not only presumptuously and in secret but openly but perversly but contemptuously but maliciously they sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the beginning of my text verse 26. purposely wilfully only because they will sinne neither fearing nor regarding God nor man These meÌ„ thus sinning sinning as I haue shewed against their consciences in the highest degree and sinning in contempt of God may iustly be said to tread vnder foote the Sonne of God And this if you remember was the doctrine put by Zanchius resolving the question made by Primasius Primasius asketh How we may be said to tread vnder foote him who being ascended farre aboue al Heavens now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Zanchius thus teacheth Peccare contra coÌ„scientiam seu peccare ex contemptu Dei hoc est conculcare pedibus filium Dei To sin against one's conscience or to sinne in contempt of God this is to treade vnder foote the Son of God Hitherto of this first mark by which men wallowing in that foule sin the sinne against the Holy Ghost may be made knowne to the worlde The seconde followeth in these wordes And accounteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified WEE haue heretofore heard that the blood of the Testament is here put for the blood of Christ because as Theophylact and Aquinas haue both noted the New Testament was confirmed by the blood of Christ and wee haue further heard how farre a reprobate may be said to be sanctified with this blood of the Testament namely not truely nor before God but in the face of the Church and before men as it were sacrameÌ„tally How men thus sanctified doe account of that blood wee may now see by the word which the Holy Ghost here vseth they count the blood of CHRIST the blood of the Testament wherwith they were sanctified to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar reads it pollutum a defiled thing an vncleane thing The expositors following that translation doe giue diverse constructions of this place One is that then wee account the blood of CHRIST polluted and vncleane when we are vnworthy receavers of his blood Another is that then we account the blood of CHRIST polluted and vncleane when being washed in baptisme through the power of his blood we fall to sin againe A third is that then we account the blood of CHRIST polluted and vncleane when we iudge it vnable to cleanse vs from our sinnes and to this purpose they alleage that Eccles 34.4 Ab immundo quis mundabitur Who can be cleansed by the vncleane Of these three the last construction hath the best shew and no marvaile if the rest doe pervert the true meaning of this place since they are grounded vpon a corrupt translation I know that soÌ„etimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that which is impure and vncleane So it doth Mark 7.2 where the Scribes Pharisees coÌ„plaine vpon Christs disciples for eating with vncleane filthy hands In the text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with commoÌ„ hands explicated there by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word noting vncleane foule hands such as vnwashed hands doe vse to bee And so it doth Act. 10.14 where Peter being commanded to kill and eate of those beasts let downe vnto him in a certaine vessel from Heaven made answere Not so LORD for I haue never eaten any thing that is POLLVTED and VNCLEANâ— the text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though generally it signifies common is there restraiâ—ed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note that which is polluted and vncleane But for this place since it is not necessarie that every thing by and by should bee polluted which is common wee may content our selues with the proper signification of the worde and read here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vulgar or common blood as it may bee the blood of any man for so is it expounded in the Syriacke or prophane blood and this is the interpretation of Pagnin Vatablus and others The exposition then that here I doe admit is the same that Beza hath in his greater annotations where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.29 As if he should haue said They doe account the blood of the Testament to bee but a vulgar a common an vnholy a prophane thing whosoever they be that doe esteem the blood of CHRIST shed for sinfull mans ransome of no greater price of no better value of no more efficacie then they doe the blood of other men or sacrifices Hence we may gather the persons here noted who they are even such as were before described and found to tread vnder foot the Sonne of God that is such reprobates as in the highest degree doe sinne against their consciences and in contempt of God Gods elect I am assured haue no part with them it is not possible they should bee so farre seduced as to haue so vile a perswasion of the blood of their Redeemer Yet because many who doe thinke they doe surely stand in the state of Grace may be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and so fall away from the liuing God let the elect here bee admonished to examine themselues whether they doe discerne the blood of Christ whether they esteeme it as they should whether they doe not account it common Is it true which St Iames hath that our faith must be shewn by our works Why theÌ„ surely our seldome celebrating of the memorial of the blessed death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ must be a witnesse against vs that we put not that difference which wee should betweene the blood of Christ and common blood A fault well worthy our amending that so at length discerning the blood of Christ as meet is esteeming it according to the worth thereof we would not dare as now we doe for every trifling not cause but excuse then absent our selues when occasion is giuen vs to offer vp our selues our soules and bodies a holy a liuing and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God Touching the wise ones Politicians of this age who discerne not at all the blood of Christ but doe account it common and prophane I only wish they could lay vnto their hearts the end of one of their chiefe captaines NESTORIVS Bishop of ConstaÌ„tinople if not for their amendments sake yet for their assured horror and astonishment This NESTORIVS filling his heart with delight to blaspheme the Sonne of God among others very detestable held this one opinion that the blood of Christ is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common blood such as the blood of another man may be Dan. in Aug. de haeresib c. 91 I need not belong in telling you how hee was summoned to a counsell held at Ephesus at the appointment of Theodosius the younger was there convicted in disputation by Cyrell was for his error depriued
from Christ but firmly continue in that calling and profession which they haue once vndertaken If there be any which haue not a true feeling and touch of this the Apostles most louing invitation to be constant in the faith of Christ they are altogether dead in their sinnes But they which liue by the power of God with Christ are wonderfully affected when they heare such punishments denounced And no maruaile For here we be taught by plaine expresse words that God will certainely most severely be revenged of those who doe willingly sinne after they haue receaued the knowledge of the truth He that shall willingly sinne after the knowledge of the truth he that shall wilfully cast away the grace which he hath receaved he that shal depart from the death and blood of Christ not by any particular sin but by a totall renoūcing of the faith to him there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgment and violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries These things are plainly deliuered in the 26 and 27 verses 26 If wee sinne willingly after that wee haue receaved the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes 27 But a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall devoure the adversaries The proposition is in it selfe so certaine and perspicuous that the gates of Hell shall neuer prevaile against the truth therof But because we are dull and slow of heart to beleeue all things which the most holy witnesses of Christ haue spoken therfore the Apostle doth here apply himselfe for our good and doth strengthen and proue the foresaid truth with a double argument The first whereof is drawen from a comparison with smaller matters The second from Gods owne words Both the arguments are very fit and apposite one to refute the Iewes the other to excite and stirre vs all vp The first argument is expressed vers 28 29. wherein that spirit of truth which the world cannot receaue doth assure the faithfull that all they shall certainely die which despise MOSES law and so the same spirit doth as it were lead vs by the hand to a serious and earnest meditation of that most bitter punishment wherewith all those questionlesse shall bee tortured which tread vnder foot the Sonne of God What could be spokē more plainely what more forcibly Hee that despiseth Moses law dyeth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses v. 28. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and doth despite the spirit of grace v. 29. We haue the second argument vers 30. and it is grounded vpon two testimonies which are recorded Deut. 32. The first vers 35. Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD The second ver 36. The LORD shall iudge his people The strength of these testimonies is nothing weakned by that which goes before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee knowe him that hath said we knowe God is not as man that he should lie wee knowe he is alwaies like himselfe wee knowe hee doth never repent of those things which he hath said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We knowe him that hath said it vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the Lord and againe the Lord shall iudge his people The proofe of this doctrine the Apostle doth elegantly conclude vers 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God By which men being warned of the fearefull severitie of Gods iudgement may learne so to apply themselues that they never fall from Christ It is a fearefull thing But to whom To the faithful No. Holy David when by Gods commandement the Prophet Gad offered him the choise of three evills I am saith he 2. Sam. 24.14 in a wonderfull streight let vs fall now into the hand of the LORD for his mercies are great So then to them which liue by faith it is not a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God On whom then falleth this feare Truely vpon all the wicked and vnbeleeuers but especially vpon Apostataes those which fall from Christ forsake the true religion and betray the Gospell But yet these liue Liue yea liue to bee olde are lustie and strong Peace is in their habitations neither hath God laid his scourge vpon them they toyle not themselues as others doe Psal 73.5 neither are they plagued like other men They gird thēselues with pride as with a chaine and cloath themselues with crueltie as with a garment Harken now and be learned Psal 73.8 yee that set your face against Heaven Hence yee may learne that our God is a living God that God it is who with his yron rod wil breake the stifnecked Psal 2.9 like a potters vessell that this is the God beside whom there is no other that it is he alone who both can and will destroy the wicked man both soule and body in hell fire It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeke Epigrammatist saith Insuave est quicquid nimium est nam dicitur olim Mel quoque si immodica est copia bilis erit Too much of any thing is vnpleasant distastfull neither is it good to eate too much hony Prov. 25.27 because it turneth into choler Therefore I will endeavour Beloued in our Saviour Iesus Christ to speake so and such things which shal not be distastfull vnto you I will not repeate those things which I haue heretofore spoken of the Proposition and of the first argument by which the proposition is confirmed I wil briefly declare the force of the second argument which is conteined in the 30. verse Wee knowe him that hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD And againe The LORD shall iudge his people In which verse I thinke three things especially worthy our observation The first that God is true in all his promises and sayings Which I gather out of these words VVee knowe him that hath said The second that God will revenge himselfe not only of those iniuries which are done to himselfe but of those also which his people suffer This the words imply that immediatly follow Vengeance belongeth vnto me I wil recompense saith the LORD The third that God will most severely and sharply punish his owne people This is contained in the last words The LORD shall iudge his people From the first of these I wil beginne my intended discourse and therewith conclude It is a common saying in the Schoolmen Deum non tantùm verum esse sed ipsam esse veritatem that God is not only true but truth it selfe Truth in himselfe in his workes and in his words God is truth in himselfe both because he is most truely that which he seeth and knoweth himselfe to
is truth Let him not here stand amazed but if he will consider the vse and profit which the severall creatures yeeld to man hee cannot vnlesse he be vngratefull but be assured of Gods goodnes Let him looke downe from the Heaven to the earth consider the flowers of the field the foules of the aire and the least living creatures that be if he will but consider their forme and agilitie will he nil he hee must needs acknowledge a puissance aboue mans Let him reflect his eies vpō himselfe consider the disposition and vse of his owne members and he hath matter enough of Gods power wisdome goodnesse Moreover let him consider the examples of Gods iudgements wherewith hee doth either defend his faithfull servants or punish his enimies and he shall acknowledge most plaine tokens of Gods mercie and iustice Wee haue thus seene opened and haue read in the booke of nature wherein the eternall King of kings is declared to bee most mightie wise true good bountifull and iust This is that knowledge of the Divine power that knowledge of God which S. Paul Rom. 1. affirmes to haue beene written and engrauen in the minds of all men lest they should hide their impieties and wickednesse vnder the cloake of ignorance Now besides this knowledge of God which we haue learned in the booke of his Creatures there is a more perfect knowledge to be learned in the booke of his Law It is an excellent gift and blessing of God that for the instructing of his Church he hath not only vsed dumb masters but opened his owne most holy mouth to assure vs that hee alone is the chiefe God who is to be feared honoured and worshipped This knoweledge of God which wee haue learned out of his owne mouth and written word spreadeth it selfe over the whole Church The Iebusite dwels with those of Ierusalem the nettle and myrrhe grow together the goats and lambes feed together both good and bad fishes are taken in the same nette in Gods field lilies growe among the thornes and tares among the wheat Such is the condition state and forme of the visible Church wherein are mixed with the Elect faithfull and Godly the Reprobate infidels wicked Both these are called to heare the word of God and are thence taught that there is but one only God to be honoured feared and worshipped There remaines the only and most perfect knowledge of God to be drawen from the booke of Faith by which we are illightned to the hope of eternall life by which alone wee that were dead are revived by which alone we confesse acknowledge God not only as he is the Creator of the world and sole arbiter of all things therin but also as Hee is our Redeemer in the person of a Mediatour These are the sortes of knowledge which men haue of God By the book of Nature we know Deum esse that there is a God by the booke of the Law wee know hee is to be worshipped honoured and feared by the booke of Faith wee beleeue that he is our Saviour This last and most perfect knowledge of God the only true and wholesome knowledge infused into the elect only by the grace of the Gospell and illightning them is that knowledge which the Apostle here vnderstands when he saith We knowe him that hath said In which words there is a great power and force to moue vs as if he should haue said what doe not we thinke doe not we beleeue that those which despise Christ tread his blood vnder foot shall be grievously tormented Wee knowe him that hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto mee We that are giuen to Christ by the Father chosen out of the world deliuered out of the power of Satan doe surely knowe him that hath said Vengance belongeth vnto me Wee certainely knowe what maner of God he is how iealous iust severe and an incorrupt avenger he is He will not suffer himselfe to be despised he hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense Hath he said it and will hee not performe it Yea saith Balaam The mightie God is not as mā that he should lie Num. 23.19 nor as the Sonne of man that it should repent him There is greater vehemency in that which follows Hath he said shal he not doe it hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it If this sonne of Bosor cannot prevaile with vs because hee loued the wages of iniquitie then let vs heare Samuel confessing as much 1. Sam. chap. 15. vers 29. The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for hee is not as man that hee should repent let vs heare the Apostle Romm 9.19 Who saith he can resist the will of God let vs heare God himselfe Malach. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Which although S. Hierome thinke spokē that we should not thinke that God changeth the nature of his divinitie yet St Augustine vnderstands another thing by these words to wit that in God there is no mutation of will and purpose A very fit interpretation agreeable to the rule of the Schoolemen Voluntatem Dei quocūque sese vertant creaturae manere semper invictam atque immutabilem That howsoever the creatures turne be changed yet God is never changed I am the Lord I change not Though your wickednesse change you to the worse my grace to the better yet I am not changed Cum vos mutaverit in deterius culpa vestra in melius gratia mea ego non mutor I say no more By that which I haue said it is manifest that God in all his sayings and promises is true and so acknowledged by the faithfull Wee know him that hath said Hee hath said he will doe it he will performe it He hath said Vengeance is mine I will recompence Of this saying in the next Let thy face shine vpon vs O thou most high Grant we beseech thee that the truth which shines in thy word may giue vs light in the darknesse of this world that studying it dayly more more we may finish our course according to the same truth til we fully enioy that most blessed quietnesse which thy only Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ hath prepared for vs to whom with thee and the holy Ghost hee all honour and glory now and ever AMEN THE TENTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 30. 30 For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD And againe The LORD shall iudge his people THis 30 verse yealdeth three notes The first that God is true in all his promises in all his threatnings in all his sayings is acknowledged to be such by all the fathfull which I gathered out of the preface to the testimonies these words We know him that hath said The second that God will revenge all wronges done vnto himselfe and his people which ariseth out of the first testimonie these words Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith
cannot feele the sweet comfort of it For he maketh his Sunne to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth raine on the iust vniust yea many times the Sunne and raine and all outward temporarie blessings are wanting to the iust and good when the vniust and evill doe flourish are in great prosperitie Thus is Gods gratiousnesse and great bountie extended vnto every man whether he be a blessed Abel or a cursed Cain a loued Iacob or an hated Esau an elected David or a reiected Saul GOD is louing and good vnto every man The Psalmist addeth and his mercies are over all his workes There is not any one of Gods workes but it sheweth vnto others and findeth in it selfe very large testimonies of Gods mercies and goodnesse I except not the damnation of the wicked much lesse the chastisemēts of the godly Gods mercies are over all his workes DAVID knew it well and sang accordingly Psal 145.8 The Lord is gracious and mercifull long suffering of great goodnesse IONAS knewe it well and confessed accordingly chap. 4.2 Thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of evill The CHVRCH knowes it wel and prayes accordingly O God whose nature and property is ever to haue mercy and to forgiue receaue our humble petitions DAVID IONAS and the CHVRCH all haue learned it at Gods owne mouth who hauing descended in a cloud to mount Sinai passed before the face of Moses cryed as is recorded Exod. 34.6 The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne In which place of Scripture although afterward there follow a little of his iustice which he may not forget yet wee see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse and kindnesse compassion Whereby wee may perceaue what it is wherein the Lord delighteth his delight is to be a Saviour a deliuerer a preserver a redeemer and a pardoner As for the execution of his iudgements his vengeance and his furie he comes vnto it with heavy and leaden feet To which purpose learned Zanchius alleageth that of the Prophet Esay chap. 28.21 The LORD shall stand as once hee did in mount Perazim when David overcame the Philistines he will be angry as once hee was in the valley of Gibeon when Ioshuah discomfited the fiue Kings of the Amorites hee shall stand hee shall be angry that hee may doe his worke his strange worke and bring to passe his act his strange act Out of which words of the Prophet hee notes that Gods workes are of two sorts either proper vnto him and naturall as to haue mercy and to forgiue or else strange somewhat diverse from his nature as to be angry and to punish I knowe some doe expound these words otherwise vnderstanding by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that strange worke and strange act of God there mentioned opus aliquod insolens admirabile some such worke as God seldome worketh some great wonder Notwithstanding this naturall exposition of that place the former may well be admitted also for it is not altogether vnnaturall being grounded vpon such places of Scripture as doe make for the preheminence of mercy aboue iustice It s true God hath one skale of iustice but the other proues the heavier mercy doth overway Hee who is ever iust is mercifull more then ever if it may be possible Hee may forget our iniquities but his tender mercies they shall not for ever be shut vp in displeasure he shall never forget to be mercifull This our Lord good mercifull gracious long suffering hath yet said vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense The LORD hath said it is the a 1. Sam. 15.29 strength of ISRAEL as man that he b Num 23.19 should lie or as the sonne of man that he should repent is he not c Heb. 13 8. yesterday and to day and for ever the same that d Rev. 1.4 See Sermon 5. on Iames 4. p. 136 was that is and that is to come I meane not in substance only but in will and in intention is the LORD variable are his words yea and nay are his words as our words No all his promises all his threatnings all his mercies all his iudgements all his words yea all the titles of all his words are yea and amen so firmely ratified that they cannot be broken so standing immutable that they may not bee changed He hath said vengeance is mine and vengeance shall be his he hath said I will recompense and he shall surely recompense Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD Vengeance an effect of anger belongeth vnto God as anger doth Some would haue God to be said to bee angry as hee is said to be iealous and to repent giuing this note that these attributes and all other like these must bee taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being vsed by the holy Ghost onely for our easier vnderstanding It is I grant a common thing for God in his holy word to apply himselfe to our capacities and to attribute to himselfe such things as are vsual in the course of our liues For instance Because men for the exceeding care they haue to keepe their wiues chast doe get to be called iealous therefore God caring in like sort to keep his spouse chast to preserue his Church spotlesse is called also iealous Againe because men vse not to change their former purposes and intents except it repenteth them that they had before so purposed and intended therefore God also is said to repent when he altereth not his WILL for that is vnchangeable nor his DECREE for that cannot be altered but the thing which he promised or threatned So is it here because men vse not to bee revenged on others except they be angry therefore when God revengeth our wickednes he is also said to be angry To the truth of all this I willingly subscribe Yet for further explication of my text I adde that not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anger vengeance the effect of anger are ascribed vnto God The holy Ghost speaking not only to our vnderstanding but also as things indeed are ascribeth anger vnto God in a proper peculiar and true meaning I note therefore three significations of the anger of God often mentioned in holy Scriptures First it signifieth the eternall decree whereby God hath purposed in himselfe to take vengeance vpon all evill doers such especially as shal do wrōg vnto God himselfe or to his Church in which sense Iohn Baptist vseth it in his doctrine deliuered vnto the Iews Ioh. 3.36 HE that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anger and wrath of God abideth on him that is he shall assuredly feele that iust vengeance decreed
against him from all eternitie To like purpose is it vsed by St Paul Rom. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anger and wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against al vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men The meaning is plaine By Gods iudgements wrought vpon vs the sonnes of men its evident that his everlasting decree is against all iniquitie Againe the anger or wrath of God betokeneth his menacings or threatnings Examples hereof are frequent David praieth Psal 6.1 O LORD rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastize me in thy wrath as if he had praied O LORD let not thy vengeance overtake my sinnes according as thou hast threatned Ionas asketh chap. 3.9 Who can tell whether God will turne and repent turne away from the fierenesse of his wrath that we perish not as if he had asked who knoweth whether God may bee intreated not to doe accordingly as hee hath threatned The LORD himselfe promiseth Hos 11.9 I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath against Ephraim as if he had promised I being a God and not man the holy one in the middest of thee hauing my heart turned within mee and my repentings rouled together I even I will not doe accordingly as I haue threatned I will not hold you with more examples in so plaine a matter Last of all the anger of God is put for the effects of his anger for punishment and revenge To such as despise the riches of Gods bouÌ„tifulnesse patience and long sufferance Paule saith Rom. 2.5 After thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath that is thou layest vp as treasure for thy selfe punishment against the day of the declaration of Gods iust iudgmeÌ„t To the Pharisees Sadducees which came to the baptisme of Iohn Iohn said Matth. 3.7 O generation of Vipers who hath forwarned you to flee from the anger to come froÌ„ the anger that is from the punishments hanging over your heads because of Gods anger One example more in soe great variety and no more To the childreÌ„ of disobedience it is warranted by Paule Ephes 5.6 that the anger of God shall come vpoÌ„ them The anger of God that is his vengeance the effectes of his anger shall assuredly light vpon the children of disobedience such as excuse themselues and set light by the menacies and iudgments of their God We see now that Gods eternall decree is to be avenged on the wicked that he threatneth as much in his holy word and dayly practiseth the same by punishing of sinners what remaineth but that we acknowledge confesse with feare humblenesse that vengeance truly properly belongeth vnto God and that he shall surely recompense The consideration hereof may moue our hearts to wisdome It may moue vs to beware of those crying sinnes vsually coÌ„mitted against the first table that we provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by Idolatrie in worshipping the creature aboue the Creator blessed for ever by tempting God in making tryall whâ—ther his word be true or not by murmuring against him in laying iniustice to his charge quod bonis male sit malis benè for afflicting the godly when the wicked liue at ease by rebellion contumacie in taking counsell together against the LORD and against his Christ by blasphemie in doing despite to the spirite of Grace It may moue vs also to beware of those other sinnes crying sinnes too vsually committed against the second table that we provoke not Gods vengeance against vs by dishonoring our parents and such as God hath put in place of government aboue vs by greiuing our children and such as are by vs to be governed by oppressing the fatherlesse and the poore by giuing our selues over vnto filthy lusts For the Holy one that is in the middest of vs the LORD of Heauen and earth whose sayings must come to passe he hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense I might here take iust occasion in many words to dehorte you from private revenge the sinne that eates and consumes vs in Colleges But dictum sapienti You are wise and touching this sore which much molesteth vs you will coÌ„mune with your owne hearts in your chambers Only I beseech you attend vnto the words of the Apostle Rom. 12.18 19. Giue me leaue to vse them as mine owne Dearely beloued if it be possible as much as in you lieth haue peace with al men Avenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance belongeth vnto mee I will recompenâ—â— saith the LORD Gracious Father let thy word abide plentifully among vs in all wisdome make vs walke worthy the same as it becommeth the sonnes of so high a God Giue vs thy grace good Lord that thy word in vs may multiply as seed sowne in good ground and we may ever vse it to the edifying of our consciences to the comfort of our soules and to the kindling of good motions within vs through Iesus Christ our Lord. THE ELEVENTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 30. 30 For we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth vnto me I will recompense saith the LORD And againe The LORD shall iudge his people NOw are we to coÌ„sider of the last branch of this verse these wordes The LORD shall iudge his people Wherin wee may note 1 Who shall iudge 2 Who shall be iudged 3 The kind of iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IEHOVAH shall iudge his people So sings Moses in Deut 32. calling him that shall iudge by the name IEHOVAH the a See my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 25. honorablest name beloÌ„ging to the great God of HeaueÌ„ Much might be spoken of it would I apply my selfe to the curiositie of Cabalists Rabbins I might say of it that it is nomeÌ„ b Zanch. de Nat Dei Lib. 1. c 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so reputed by superstitious Iewes a name not to bee pronounced not to be taken within polluted lipps In which regard when reading the Scriptures they meet with this name either they passe it over with silence making obeisance with their bodies in token of reverence or else for it they read Elohim or Adonai directed by the points it hath and when writing any place of Scripture they are to expresse this name they meddle not with the proper letters and characters of the word but they expresse it sometimes by points 3. or 4. disposed in some order agreeable to their fancies sometimes by 3. Iods and one Camets vnder them all included within a circle I might say of it that it is nomen Tetragrammaton a name in Hebrew but of 4. letters of 4. letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they say for that the name of God in all tongues and languages generally consisteth of 4. letters and those foure letters in Hebrew are al letters of rest whereout they gather a mysterie that the rest repose and tranquillitie of all
in these words as they are vsed by MOSES Deut. 32.36 The LORD shall iudge his people that is the Lord shall keepe protect and defend his people For so doth Moses expound it in that place The LORD shall iudge his people and repent or change his minde toward his servants when he seeth that their power is gone His other iudgement of Correction is meant in these words as they are vsed by the Apostle in my Text The LORD shall iudge his people that is the Lord shall chastise correct and punish his people For he assumes this to infer the overthrow of all backsliders and his reason hath force from the place à minore If God shall iudge and punish his owne people much more shal he deale so with the Reprobate such as fall away from the truth The like argument Paul vseth Rom. 11.21 If God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest he also spare not thee The like is vsed by Peter also 2. Pet. 2.4 If God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into Hell and delivered theÌ„ into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation he shal surely reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished This latter exposition of these words containes the very matter of my third note which I commended vnto you in the beginning of this exercise namely that God will severely punish his owne people also I need not be much in proving it if you remember these few places which but now I cited Iudgement beginneth at the house of God When wee are iudged wee are chastned of the Lord because wee should not bee condemned with the world All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution The application of it is this Wee are the Lords people his people in respect of the new Covenant This Sermon was preached in Corpus Christi College before a Comuâ—ioÌ„ there March 1601. the memoriall whereof we are this day met together to celebrate O let vs celebrate it together as often as occasion shall bee giuen why will you turne your backes vnto it as if you were vnwilling to shew your selues to be the Lords people Did Christ ever doe you any harme We are his people also I hope well of all in respect of Gods predestination We are his people and therefore shall we be iudged of him chastised corrected and punished Wee must be knowne by the badge of afflictions of tribulations of persecutions yet ought wee not to be dismaied bee the burden wee beare never so vnwildie bee it never so heauie There is ONE in Heaven and he can come apace for he flyeth vpon the wings of the wind who is able to master it and to lighten it and therefore though we walke in the very shadow of death a much lower estate then is the deprivation of our ease commodities and preferments yet must not we take discoÌ„fort at it The LORD sitteth aboue the water flouds he commandeth the Heaven the Earth the Sea and all that in them is never will he forsake his children neither in health nor sicknesse light nor darknesse in the land of the liuing nor in the land of forgetfulnesse Only let vs be patient and stay his leasure and he will deliver vs not only from the death of our bodies when wormes and rottennesse shall haue made their last prey vpon vs but from the death of our minds too I meane from that death whereby the spirit is buried vnder sorrowes and findeth no creature in Heaven or Earth to giue it comfort And this shall be the end of vs our mortalitie shall put on immortalitie from this vale of miserie we shall be caried to the Citie of happinesse IERVSALEM that is aboue our momentarie life must bee laid downe and we shall be fully possessed of life eternall THE TWELFTH SERMON HEBR. 10. VER 31. 31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God I Am now to speake of this Epiphoneme or Acclamation wherin at the first entrance we meete with feare and horror 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a fearefull thing The thing to be feared is in the next words manifested it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even this to fall into the hands of God Can a 2 Kin. 23.13 Astaroth the God of Sidon or Melchom of Ammon or Chemosch of Moab or b 2 King 1.6 Beelzebub of Ekron or c 1 Sam. 5.7 Dagon of Ashdod or any other Idol-god of any nation lay hands vpon you to your hurt Feare theÌ„ not As are their eares eyes and feete so are their hands They heare not they see not they walke not they handle not I note therfore in the third place that the God into whose hands wee may well feare to fall is a living God It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Of these in their order It is a fearefull thing I will not particularly examine the many kinds of feare much mentioÌ„ed by the writers of Schoole-divinitie Yet generally to speake somewhat of them giue me leaue to touch three kindes There is a feare that keepeth coÌ„pany with the nature of man Arist Rhet. 2. cap. 5. the Philospher defines it to bee a shaking or disquieting of the minde with the expectatioÌ„ of some greate evil at hand The things which man naturally feareth are either such as may be his vtter ruine and overthrow or such as may much grieue and discontent him His overthrow may be wrought by lightnings by inundations by the teeth of savage beasts and by the invasion of enimies His griefe may bee caused many waies by losse of parents kinred and friends by losse of goods by slaunderous and lying lips by imprisonement by banishment All these such like are to man as man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feareful things disquietnesse and vexation vnto his soule This feare being such a passioÌ„ as is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascene calls it that is a naturall and a blamelesse passion hath not failed to assault our Saviour Christ howsoever the Aphthartodocites Gaianites Iulianists haue taught otherwise namely that Christ froÌ„ the very time he was conceiued by the Holy Ghost in the Virgins womb was by reason of the coÌ„junction of the word and flesh exempted and freed from al maner of passion For he perceauing the time of his suffering to draw neere began to be afraid so speaketh the Evangelist S. Mark chap. 14.33 Hee began to bee afraid TIMOR erat in animâ humanâ verbo quiescente saith Irenaeus Christ according to his humane nature was afraid and his Diuine nature did not hinder it You see this first kinde of feare this naturall feare how it seizeth vpon man as man so leaues not vnassaulted the very Sonne of God There is beside it a fond and a foolish feare I giue it no better a name for that the obiect of it is in a manner nothing As for a
of this attribute of God The profitable labours of the excellently learned Zanchius are not wanting to this point Wherefore to touch it but in a glance let it please you to be remembred you whose liues are but a c Iob. 8 9. shadow doe hold your liues only at the good pleasure of your maker that hee your maker the maker of Heaven and earth God eternal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellencie and most properly said to liue Both the Testaments giue witnesse to this truth In both hee is often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the liuing God Our forefathers did ofteÌ„ swear As the LORD liueth It was a protestation much vsed by God himselfe As I liue You may hence conclude that God is life it selfe liueth of himselfe and is the sole fountaine of all life in all things living besides himselfe Giue mee leaue to hold you yet with two or three wordes You see it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God and you see to whom it is fearefull to all the wicked but especially to such as fall away from the knowne truth How much then is the condition of many in this our daye to be deplored I meane the conditioÌ„ of such against whom there hath beene much complaint made out of this place and the like for their going out from among vs if not bodily yet in heart and affection to adore that Romish Idol For the sinne of Apostacie there is no sacrifice that can make satisfaction iudgement and fire must be it's portion Wherefore leauing all backsliders revolters or fallers away from the holy religion which you professe to the secret iudgements of Almightie God suffer your selues to be put in mind of your owne estate You knowe there was a time when a cloud of blood did overshadow this land but God in his good time dispersed it Then our most gracious * QVEENâ— ELIZABETH This Sermon was preached Dec. 1602. Soveraigne succeeded in the throne finding this our country to bee but bricke shee turned it into Marble finding it in the sands she set it vpon a rocke and the rocke was CHRIST finding it a land of images ignorances corruptions vanities lies shee hath hitherto preserued it a land possest of the truth and seasoned with the Gospell of Christ That so it be preserued still good Lord if it be thy will let the happy line of her life continue even as long as Sunne and Moone O thinke vpon the comfortable blessings wherewith you are blessed vnder her I remember you not of your peace yet that is such as your fathers never presumed to hope for The freedome of the Gospell is the thing I remember you of Your consciences haue hitherto beene at libertie will you now suffer them to bee enthralled to mens traditions Your zeale hath hitherto beene rectified by knowledge can you now be content to haue the eye of your knowledge put out the preaching of the Gospell hindred and blind zeale fostered in your bosomes Your religion hath hitherto beene reformed by Gods ordinances shall it now bee deformed by those impotent and beggarly rudiments wherevnto your grandfathers were in bondage Why should your last estate be worse then your first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the conclusion to each of those Epistles writteÌ„ to the seaven Churches in the Revelation He that overcoÌ„meth not he that draweth his sword nor he that fighteth the battels of the Lord nor he that spendeth his blooâ— much lesse he that fainteth that flyeth that sleepeth that standeth or sitteth still but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that overcommeth shall never be hurt of the second death Be yee therefore of good courage and faint not your cause is Gods cause your quarell Gods quarell your enimies Gods enimies Doe yee as you haue your gracious Queene for an example Shee is the formost in this fight and hath given the first blow the first blow a great blow powerfull I hope to the â—ooting out from among vs every Popish Priest and Iesuite It shall haue the better successe if you in your places will second it and multiply strength vpon it the Magistrate by his temporall sword and the Minister by the sword of his mouth which is the word of God Gird vp your selues with strength and rush into the battel Set together vpon the common enimy Why should there bee strife or contentions betweene your selues Are yee not brethren You shall finde enough to doe with the common enimy eveÌ„ to the speÌ„ding of your best strength They are growne to such boldnesse that they will not easily be quelled Parsons * Colletonâ—s Defence p. 241. statizing or marchandizing of the Crowne diademe of England is so notoriously known that even Pasquine in Rome speakes of it Their Arch-Priest BLACKWELL if the secular Priests doe guesse aright was he bashful when he put it in print that Cardinall Allen and Father Parsons as Moses and Iosua iam diu proculdubio occupassent promissionis terram had long since out of doubt possessed this Realme of England had not the disobedience of some secular Priests their most displeasing murmuring hindred it Wanted the Iesuits boldnes when they thus * Preface to the Iesuites Catechisme threatned the secular Priâ—sts in England The INFANTA of Spaine shal be your Queene and that sooner then you looke for You see their boldnes how they blush not to divulge and publish their impious plots practises and designementes against the Lords annointed It is the more neede then that our forces should be vnited Let vs ioine heart and hand togither in Gods holy cause against that wicked race borne to the ruine and desolation of states and kingdomes Let vs practise the word and be instant in season and out of season if possibly to restore to Christ the seduced by Antichrist to gather vp the spirituall stones of Gods house already fallen and to giue streÌ„gth to such as are falling that so having fought this good fight finished our courses and kept our faith we may at the time of our departing receiue the crowne of righteousnesse which is laid vp for vs and not for vs only but for all theÌ„ also that loue the appearing of the Lord. Est Deo gratia The Table containing the particulers of this booke AMbrose 30 Ammi 158 The Anger of God threeâ—fold 149 Anthropomorphitae 173 Aphthartodocites 166 Atheists 50 Audiani 173 B. BAlaam 5 Of sinning after Baptisme 28 50 The beleeuer shall not come into iudgement 159. 161. he hâ—th alredy eternall liâ—e 161 The blasphemie against the holy Ghost 19 Boldnesse 15 Wee must loue our Brethren 81 Bribes take not 74 Bribes taken in secret 77 The Blood of the covenant 96 C. CAtharists 29. 30 The rule of Charity 80. 89 Christian Charitie hath three branches 81. 85. The bond of Charity 70 The Child of God may diminish the graces of God in him 34. He may fall into his old sins 34 He
may sin presumptuously 35. He may sinne desperatly 35 The Chosen of God may fall 32. may rise againe 32 Christ his sanctitie 100. Christ hath reconciled vs to God 96 97 Spirituall builders of the Church 6. An evill Conscience 52. CoÌ„tinue to the end 7. 11. Corroboration 12. 36 Corruption in elections 75. 76 Old Covenant 158 The new Covenant 159 D. DAvid 10 The Day of the Lord at hand 59 61 62 The Day of iudgement neere 59 Demas 6 Our Defences for sinne 75 76 77 Despaire not the sin against the holy Ghost 19 E. ELection 17 A warning to the Elect 117 Election not to be doubted of 17 The Elect how they may fall 11. 12. they fal not finally nor vtterly 11. 49. 119. 122 Elias 8 Elie his words 1. Sam. 2.25 expounded 30 Continue to the end 7 Loue thine enimies 83. Examine our selues 6 F. Faithfull they may diminish the Graces of God 121 Fals of the righteous 10 of Gods children 11. 49. of the Faithful 121. Gods elect may Fall 11 12. 32. 49. Feare 15. 17 Feare two kinds 168 Feare three kinds 165 Naturall Feare 166 Feare in Christ 166 Fond feare 166 A Figuratiue speech not to bee taken after the letter 172 God forsaketh his children how 19. 20 Fire vnquenchable 54 Hell Fire whether corporall 54 G. GAianites 166 The Galatians 5 92 Partakers of the Holy Ghost 5 God how hee is said to forsake his childreÌ„ 19 20 God his patience 76 his presence 78. his power 155. his workes 155. 156. is merciful 147 is true 126. 127. 131. 136 148. is angry 149. is ielous 149 God is truth 127. 136 There is a God proued by the booke of Creatures c. 130. 131 God repenteth how 149 Gods many 165. 168 Gomer 157 Good men in misery 160 Grace aboundeth 10. 11 never vtterly lost 35 H. HAnd of God 170. 176. his protecting Hand 171 To fall into the Hands of God feareful 126. 135 The ioyes of Heaven 55 Hell fire 54. Hell torments 55. 56 Holinesse in God 99 Man is Holy by participation 100 I. IDolaters 175 Iehovah 153 Iezreel 157 Ignorance excuseth not 42 Iudas 5. 6. 93 Iudge his terror 52 Iudgement of condemnation 162. of absolution 162. of protection 163 of correction 163. The last Iudgement 159 Iulianists 166 K. KNowledge of the truth 5 L. LAwes politicke to bee obeyed 69 Lawes humane vniust 69 70 Lawes humane to bee obeyed how farre 71 Light of Gods word 3 Lo-ammi 157 Lord. 155 Lo-ruchamah 157 Lot his incest 10 We must Loue God 81 We must Loue Christ 81 The Loue of our brethreÌ„ 81 How wee are to Loue our brethren 81. 82 The Loue of our Neighbours 83 Wee must Loue our enimies 83 Christ hath Loued vs how 82 M MAn wholy sinfull 33 We should bee mercifull 101 Moses law 66 67 Mourning 57 N NAaman 27 Mans corrupt Nature 37 wholy sinfull 33. 52 We must loue our Neighbours and how 83 Nestorius 120 Noah his druÌ„keÌ„nes 10 34 Novatus 28 O. OBedience to God 71 to humane lawes 71 Offences not to bee giuen 70 Onesimus 10. 34 He that OvercoÌ„meth 11 P. PAules estate 33 Paule fought with beastes at Ephesus in what sense 172 The Patriarcks 10 God is patient 76 Gods People 157 We should be Perfect 101 Persevere 7 PerseveraÌ„ce of the Saints of God 91 An exhortation to Perseverance 92 Peter his fal 10 Pharaoh 5. 93 Wanton Poems 128. Predestination 17 Private reports 69 R. REbecca 10 Repent 10 Repentance 9 Late Repentance 10 Reprobates 103. 115. 116 The Reprobate may bee sanctified with the blood of the TestameÌ„t 91. 95. 103 How far a Reprobate may professe the Gospell 91 95. 104. The Reprobate haue glorious titles 103. 110. 115. Mockers at the Resurrection 22. 116 Private Revenge 151 Runne 9 S. SAcraments 173 Sacrifices 2 kinds 39 the bloody Sacrifice 40 without blood 40 Saints 102 Sanctitie speciall 101 Generall 101. 102 Sarah 10. 34 Saule 5. 39 A Scorner 86 Simon Magus 593 Sinnes hidden Small of infirmitie 10 To sin willingly 2 Presumptuously 12. 35 The Sin against the Holy Ghost 3. 15 the persons who fall into it 2. 3 46. 98. 117. with what mind it is coÌ„mitted 11 48 why it is mentioned 16. in whom it is 18 19 six kâ—ndes of it the Schoolemen make 18 one only sin is so called 19. it is not desperation 19 what maner of rebellion it is 22 49 the name of it 23. 24. 49 the obiect of it 24 49 the punishmeÌ„t of it 25 the degrees by which men ascend to it 26 it caÌ„ never be forgiueÌ„ 38 To Sinne against conscience 113. 114 Wee may fall againe into the same Sinne after Repentance 12. 34 Our excuses for sinning 48. 75. Forsake your Sinnes 93 Man Sinfull 33 We are entred to Sin 26 We delight in S nne 27 What progresse Sin hath made in vs. 27 God punisheth for one Sinne. 77 Secret Sinnes shal be maniâ—ested 78 Beware of Sinnes 151 Maâ—ks of such as Sinne against the Holy Ghost 109. 118. 120 Solomon his idolatry 10 The Spirit of Grace 120 The Strengthning power of Christ 12. 36. T. TAle heâ—rers 85 Tale cariers 86 Tasting 4. 6 Tasting of the heavenly gift 4 Tertullian 173 Thyatyra 8 Topher 40 Torments 57 Torments of Hell 58 Tropes to bee admitted 172 V. VAdiani 137 Vengeance belongeth vnto God 149 The Vnbeleeuer is condemned alâ—eady 162 The Vnfaithfull 126 W. VVAtches of the night 60 Wicked men flourish in this world 160. they hâ—ue their waies 11 Witnesses two or three 68 The Woâ—d of God 4 God Worketh by contraries 20 The Works of God 155 The course of this World 160 The Worme of conscience 54. 55 Z. ZIba 8â— FINIS
farre hath this boldnesse thrust it selfe as that now bee there any talke of Divinitie it is thought but a small matter for such whose neckes are as sinewes of Iron and browes like brasse I meane for carelesse hearts and venterous tongues to be vp with predestination or the Sinne against the holy Ghost To such what shall I say Even as one said in the like case it were better for them they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breasts then that they should delight in their so vnreverent and vngodly vsage For hereby what doe they else but blaspheme the eternall wisdome of God It is a faithfull lesson for servants to be obedient to them that are their masters according to the flesh in feare trembling you may find it Eph. 6.5 And shall we servants to that great LORD our master according to the spirit when we enter talke of his word not feare shall we not tremble shall we at his greatest mysteries be carelesse mockers The knowledge of Gods predestination should cast downe our proud reason even to the ground it should make vs confesse before him that all his doings are secret all his iudgements vnsearchable all his waies past finding out yet we like fooles vnwilling though wee should bee brayed in a morter to let our foolishnesse depart from vs doubt not at all to examine the high iudgements of God as if they were pliable to our foolish reason And so likewise the Sin against the holy Ghost is mentioned to make vs feare to work in vs the feare of the LORD which is as a well-spring of life to free vs from all the snares of death to make vs loue the LORD learne al his iudgemeÌ„ts to assure vs so farre of his favour as that we cannot possibly sinne against his spirit yet we as discontent herewith put all feare apart make no end of questioning whether the Sin against the holy Ghost be this sinne or that sinne when God knoweth at al sinnes we make but a iest Iustly may we feare lest God say to vs as once he said to the wicked Psal 50.16 Quid tuâ vt enarres decreta mea Gods ordinances being holy pure should not come into mouthes given to filthinesse With what face then dare men of vncircumcised mindes and mouthes medle with such holy mysteries either publikely or privatly Quid tuâ vt enarres decreta mea What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances Doth it belong to thee to take my covenant in thy mouth saith the Lord. You see how farre too much boldnesse carieth vs headlong The other fault I spake of was too much feare Some there are and they none of the worst of vs who by the singular mercies of God haue so beene humbled as that they cover their faces and hang downe their heads at the remeÌ„brance of their sinnes To such every sound of the Sin against the holy Ghost is a piercing of their hearts they stop their ears at the name of it they would not haue it spoken of at all for feare lest themselues should bee holden in the transgression In which their opinion they seeme to accord with those who hold of predestination and election that they are matters not to be thought of too high for mans learning Which conceite was first founded in the forge of a Popish braine thence hath beene derived to vs. Hence sprang that their comfortlesse lesson hope well and haue well and that their assertion leading vnto wilfull blindnesse it is not the dutie of a man to knowe his election In the 2. to the Corinth 135. it is thus written Proue your selues whether yee are in the faith examine your selues knowe yee not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates Consider the words Shall God here by his Apostle bid proue and dares man say doubt Shall God bid examine dares maÌ„ advise vs only to hope Shall the spirit of truth command vs to knowe our salvation and dares a lying spirit in the mouthes of false prophets account it presumption to knowe our salvation To this purpose is it that S. Iohn exhorteth you 1. Iohn 4.1 Trie the spirits whether they are of God or not As for those in whose eares the naming of this Sin against the holy Ghost soundeth harshly Christ hath said the summe of all that hath beene said c Luk. 12.32 Feare not my little flocke for it hath pleased your father to giue to you a kingdome not momentary but eternall purchased not with gold and silver but with the most precious bloud of his only sonne and therefore may yee well be assured that he will also giue you victory over sinne death This great and heinous Sinne bee it what it will let it never discourage you it cannot hurt you it is none of yours This sinne is the sinne of those that haue despised knowledge but like as the Hart desireth the water brooks so doe your soules thirst after more knowledge of the Lord. This sinne is the sinne of such as haue contemned the Crosse of Christ but the delight of your liues is therein This sinne is the sinne of such as haue made the world their God but your God with whoÌ„ yee walke in whose feare you liue hath had such mercy on you as that yee account all the world but dung to the end yee may winne Christ And therefore I say againe this great and heinous sin be it what it will let it never discourage you it cannot hurt you it is none of yours Wheresoever they dwell that haue thus sinned and are in this condemnation be of good comfort God himselfe beareth you witnesse that their tents and their tabernacles are not neere you Thus haue wee beene warned touching Gods holy mysteries that we be neither too bold nor too fearefull let vs now walking in the midst betweene both betweene feare boldnesse drawe neere with reverence and with glad and faithfull eares abide we the hearing of this sinne let vs not bee so foolish either to feare the smoake since the fire cannot hurt vs or to wade too farre since the depth may devoure vs. Now then not to trouble you long with those d Desperatio Praesumptio Impoenitentia Obâ—tinatio Impugnatio â—eritatis agnitae Invidia gratiae fraternae Angelus del Pas â—nchirid Scholast Theolog. Sect. 2. lib. 2. c. 1. p. 56. six kindes of sinnes against the holy Ghost much spoken of by the Schoolemen as namely presumption of Gods mercies and Despaire coÌ„trary to presumption and the Oppugning of the known truth the Envying of all the good gifts and graces in our brethren and Obstinacie Impenitencie let it bee sufficient for vs to vnderstand that in the word of God there is mention of one onely sinne so called In Mat. 12.31 as also in Mark 3.29 and Luke 12.10 it is called the blasphemie against the holy Ghost You shall finde it at large described if