THE FIRST SERMON VPON PART OF THE TENTH CHAP­ter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes.

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;

• [Page 2]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 [Page 3] 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 blasphemousEsai 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 theyPsal. 19 [...]. declare Gods glory; nor only by the [Page 4] 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 aPs. 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, theHeb. 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. Whosoever1. 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. & [Page 5] 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 cō ­pany 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 theirEzech. 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 haueHeb. 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 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,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 [Page 7] 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 cō ­tinually, 1. Thess. 5.17.

See my third sermon on Luk 9 pag. 56.Having a long time beene fed 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 onDan. 2.33. feet of clay? Having long since begun in the spirit, shall we now end in the 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 daies1. Kin. 19.4. iourney in the wildernes [Page 8] sitting vnder a Iuniper tree, & sleeping, he called vpon him, say­ing,Vers. 5. vp and eate, and when he had found him aVers 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 travailedVers. 8. forty daies and was lodged in a Vers. 9. caue, he called vpō him againe and said, what doest thou here, Elias? at last he was brought forth to theVers. 11. mount, & then also there came aVers. 12. voice vnto him, and said,Vers. 13. What doest thou here Elias?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, shallRevel. 2.7. eate of the tree of life, and of theVets. 17. hidden Manna, shall receaue a white [Page 9] stone, shall be clothed inRev. 3.5. white aray, shall be made a Vers 12. pillar in Gods Temple, and sit with God himselfe in his Vers. 21. throne.

The summe of all this is: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,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 knowledge of the truth, let vs hold it fast till our Lord Iesus come, & he will deliver vs from that houre of tentation, which shall come vpon all the world, to trie thē that dwell vpon the earth. Thus much of the persons, who a­lone doe fall into this sinne. Now see we, with what mind this sinne is committed. For that is my second circumstance.

If we sinne willingly] How desirously & with what consent of mind this sinne is committed, it appeareth partly in this place, by this word (willingly) and partly by those wordes, Heb. 6.6. they crucifie againe vnto themselues the sonne of God, and make a mocke of him. They crucifie againe the sonne of God, that notes their envy and malice; they crucifie him againe vnto them­selues, that argues their willingnesse. Their consciences, & their hearts filled with envy and malice, doe make thē with all wil­lingnesse commit such abomination. This their willing mind to doe so ill, may arise from three of their conceits.

One is: that a man may repent when he will, and this perswa­sion they haue, because, Ezech. 18.21. they find, that at what time soever a sinner shall returne from all his sinnes, that hee hath [Page 10] committed, and shall doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall surely liue, and shall not die: all his transgressions that he hath cō ­mitted, they shall not be mentioned vnto him; but in his righteous­nesse that he hath done, he shall liue. Here they may conceaue that late repentance is seldome true repentance, and iustly may they feare, lest that repentance which they frame to themselues when they are dying, die with them. The first lesson that Iohn Baptist taught, was Repent, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 3.2. The first lesson, that the Disciples taught, was Repent, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Math. 10.7. And the first lesson which Christ himselfe taught, was, Repent, too, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 4.17. Here is no posting over to the houre of death. Repentance must be first of all learned both by young, and old. It is not for a young man to say, I will repent; for certainely could Iudas haue repented, whē he had listed, he would never haueMat. 27.5. Act. 1.18. hanged himselfe; neither is it safe for an old man to say, I haue repented: he hath lived long enough to knowe that God is I am, and therefore is best plea­sed with I am: he little cares for, I was, or I will be.

A second conceit of theirs, making their mind so willing to doe wickedly, is, that the best man that is hath seaven falls e­very day into grosse sinnes, and here they alleage that place, Prov. 24.16. the righteous man falleth seaven times in a day, and riseth againe. But we may answer, that this place is to bee vn­derstood of fals into afflictions and calamities, rather then of falls into actuall sinnes, and so makes little for their purpose.

Their third conceit is: that their small sinnes, or hidden sinnes are no sinnes, and that their greatest sinnes, wherein they liue & lie wallowing most dangerously, are but sinnes of infirmitie. And here they are perfit in the reckoning vp of Peters fal, Lots incest, Solomons Idolatrie, Noahs drunkennesse, Davids mur­ther, Sarahs lie, Rebeccahs perswading her sonne Iacob to be­guile his owne father, the theft of Onesimus, the many Concu­bines of the Patriarchs, and the like: they finde that the grace of God hath abounded aboue sinne in all these; and why may it not abound aboue their sinnes also? In this resolution they [Page 11] hold on their owne and proper walke. Impij in circuitu ambu­lant, Psal. 12.8. the wicked haue their waies: but they are croo­ked, they are circular endlesse waies, they walke by compasse, not much vnlike their father the Divell, who testifieth of himselfe, that he had compassed the whole earth, Iob. 1.7. they walke by compasse indeed, but never towards the marke, never towards the price, that is set before them. For how can they attaine thereto, as long as they goe thus wheeling about, to no purpose, like the turning of a mill; which, when it hath laboured the whole day long, is foūd at night in the selfe same place, where it first began? So these men in circuitu ambulant, they walke by compasse, and when the night shall come, their last night, the last houre of their liues, they shall bee found, not to haue pro­ceeded one step forwards, except it be in wickednesse.

To this point I say, howsoever grace aboundeth aboue sin, yet accursed are they, yea ever cursed shall they bee, who doe sinne, that grace, and blessing may abound vnto them, Rom. 6.1. we are forbidden to doe Rom. 3.8. evill, where we certainely know that good may come thereof; much lesse may wee make the grace of God a defence for our sinnes. This must bee our shield: there is no Rom. 8.1. condemnation to the righteous, though hee fall many times a day; but if any man shall sinne, presuming of Gods mercies, let such a one knowe that his damnation is iust; and himselfe is like that theefe that stealeth, because hee seeth one among twentie pardoned by the Prince.

Thus you see, with what minde this sinne is committed, the heart is full of envy, full of malice, and the minde in all willing­nesse assenteth. But do not Gods children, having received the knowledge of the truth, sinne also willingly? If they do, how thē is it, that they are freed, from this sinne, for which there remai­neth no more sacrifice? This doubt will be cleare if we doe but consider this one position: The childe of God though he cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time, may notwithstan­ding fall grievously, may fall dangerously. First, by his default the graces of God may be lessened in him: and therefore hath S. Paule exhorted the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit, 1. [Page 12] Thess. 5.19. & the Ephesians, not to grieue the holy spirit of God, Ephes. 4.30. By his default then the graces of God may be les­sened in him; yea, they may be so buried in him for a time, as that he may be like a man in a trance, who both by his owne sense, and by the iudgement of the Physitian is taken for dead. Hither may you referre the estate of Peter, of David, and of o­thers, whom I haue already mentioned vnto you. Secondly, he may fall againe into the same sinne after repentance; and this may wee learne of Paule praying the Corinthians in Christes steed, that they would be2. Cor. 5.20 reconciled to God; who indeed were reconciled to God before. Thirdly, he may sin presumptuously, that is, he may sinne wittingly, willingly & wilfully. Against this David praied vnto the LORD, Psal. 19.13. keepe thy servaunt from presumptuous sinnes; that he was in danger of them appea­reth by the words following, let them not reigne over me. Last­ly, he may sinne desperately; and this is a fearefull sinne: he may despaire of Gods mercies for a time, as the incestuous mā was like to doe, as S. Paule sheweth, when he saith, comfort him, lest he be swallowed vp of overmuch heavines, 2. Cor. 2.7. So, true is one part of our former position, the childe of God may fall grie­vously, may fal dāgerously. For he may quench the spirit with­in him, after repentance he may sinne againe; he may sin pre­sumptuously, he may sinne desperatly. The childe of God may fall grievously, may fall dangerously, yet cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time. The reason hereof is this: after that he is sanctified, he receiveth from God an other speciall grace, you may call it corroboration, the strengthning power of Christ. Hence is it that Paul praieth for the Ephesians, that they may be strengthened in the inner man, Ephes. 3.16. and for the Colossians, that they might be strengthened with the glorious power of Christ, Coloss. 1.11. and of himselfe he saith, that he is able to doe al things through the power of Christ, that streng­theneth him, Philip. 4.13. This corroboration, this strengthe­ning power is that, that raiseth vp the children of God as oft, as they are fallen. DAVID in the anguish of his soule may say; I am cast out of thy sight, O Lord, Psal. 31.22. Marke how this [Page 13] strengthning power lifteth him vp: first, it maketh him confesse that he spake that in hast; and then it putteth into his minde a Veruntamen, a particle of better grace, wherewith he corre­cteth his hasty speech; Veruntamen audisti vocem deprecationū mearum, cum vociferarer ad te. I said in my hast, I am cast out of thy sight, YET thou hardest the voice of my praier, when I cryed vnto thee. And in the same Psalme verse 12. he vseth those harsh words, iarring very vnpleasantly in his owne eares, & striking out of tune; I am forgotten, as a dead man out of minde; I am like a broken vessel. And here see, how this strengthning power helps him with a verò, a note of better sound: Ego verò in te confido, IEHOVA, dicens, Deus meus es. I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde, I am like a broken vessell; BVTPsal. 11.14, I trusted in thee, O LORD; I said, thou art my God. When Ionas had beene cast into the bottome Ion. 2.3. in the middest of the Sea, and the floods had compassed him about, when all the surges, and all the waues had past over him; then (looking on his former disobedience) he said, I am cast away out of thy sight, O Lord, Ion. 2.4. and here also this strengthning power revived Ionas spirits with a Verun­tamen and an Attamen, words of comfort; Veruntamen pergā intueri in templum sanctitatis tuae; Attamen eduxisti à corrupti­one vitam meam, IEHOVA Deus mi. I said, I am cast away out of thy sight, O Lord;Vers. 4. YET will I looke againe toward thy holy temple: TheVers. 5. waters compassed me about vnto the soule, the depth cloased me round about, and the weedes were wrapt about mine head; Vers. 6. I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines: the earth with her barres was about me for ever; Vers. 7. YET hast thou brought vp my life from the pit, O LORD my God.

One hath noted vpon this place, that if it were not (for At­tamen, verò, and veruntamen, but, yet, notwithstanding, and such like comforting particles, our hearts might quake within vs, to see such passions in the Saints of God. But it is the Lords proper­ty, ever to send a gracious raine vpon his inheritāce, to refresh it, when it is weary, Psal. 68.9. and true it is that Hosea saith, though we looke for a day or two, as if we were dead and for­lorne, yetHos 6.2. after those two daies, he will reviue vs, and the thirde [Page 14] day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight. So true is the other part of our former position, the childe of God cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time. For God hath blessed his children with repentant hearts: And ever blessed shall they be, that are so blessed by the Lord.

For he hath made a decree with himselfe, it belongeth to the new Testament, it is ratified by the death of the Testator; it is witnessed by three in heavē, & by three in earth, & never shal it be altered; and this is the DECREE? At what time soever a sin­ner, Ezech. 18.21 whosoever he be shall repent him of his sinnes, whatsoever they be, and shall doe iudgement and iustice, he shall surely liue, he shall not die. If he truely repent of his wickednes he neede not be troubled, either by the vexations of this wretched life, or by the horror of conscience, or by the malice of many foes, be they men or Devils; and if Devils, be they seaven in one, a legiō in an other, all the principalities, all the powers of dark­nesse in the third; for he shall be assured to haue forgiuenes; & therefore I say againe: At what time soever, a sinner, whosoever he be, shall repent him of his sinnes, whatsoever they be, and shall doe iudgement and iustice, he shall not die.

Hitherto haue you seene, how willingly this sinne is cōmit­ted, and how Gods children, though sinning also willingly are freed from it. In the third place must I speake of the sinne it selfe.

THE SECOND SERMON.

NOW are we to speake of the sinne, frō which we are in this Scripture dehor­ted. This sinne, seated in such a sub­iect, as they are, who haue receaved the knowledge of the truth, and proceeding from such a cause, as is a willing, a set, & an obstinate malice against God, and a­gainst his Christ, is the Sin against the holy Ghost. The very naming where­of, before I proceed to the handling of it, causeth me to remē ­ber you, and my selfe, of two blemishes, wherewith the spirit of man (in such a businesse as now we haue in hand) vseth very much to be infected.

• 1 Too much boldnesse.
• 2 Too much feare.

Solomon hath said, there is a generatiō, which are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthines, Prov. 30.12. Experience maketh me presume, that I may as truely say: there is a generation, that are wise and learned in their own conceit, and yet they are not washed from their folly, yet they are not washed from their ignorance. Many men will boast, every one of his owne goodnes, but who can finde a faithfull man? saith the wise man, Prov. 20.6. So many thinke they stand, yet stand not; many thinke they beleeue, yet beleeue not, they knowe not [Page 16] what faith meaneth: many looke to be saved, yet are ignorant who shall saue them: many would be countedIoh. 3.10. masters in Isra­el, teachers of others, yet knowe they no more then Nicode­mus, what it is to be Vers. 9. borne againe.

So 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 iudgemēts, 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 [Page 17] 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 remē ­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 mā 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 [Page 18] the holy Ghost soundeth harshly, Christ hath said the summe of all that hath beene said: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 whō 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 thoseDesperatio, Praesumptio, Impoenitentia, Ob [...]tinatio, Impugnatio [...]eritatis ag­nitae, Invi­dia gratiae fra­ternae Angelus del Pas [...]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 cō ­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, [Page 19] 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 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 [Page 20] 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 [Page 21] 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 [Page 22] 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 seene the difference betweene despaire & the Sinne against the holy Ghost, as also what cōfort, what ioy may from thence shine vnto feeble and weake spirits: Now seeke we farther into this sinne. Let vs first consider, what manner of rebellion it is. Secondly in what regard it is so named. Thirdly, what obiect it hath.

The manner of rebellion, namely, how farre they fall awaie, who haue fallen into this sinne, we shall perceiue, if we looke vnto the beginning of the sixt chapter of the Epistle to the He­brewes. There verse 1.2. the Apostle speaketh of repentance frō dead workes, of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptisme, & laying on of hands, of the resurrection from the dead, and of eter­nall iudgement. All these he calleth the beginning, the foundati­on of Christianity. Then verse the 6. he speaketh of an apostacie, of a falling away from all these points, even from the foundatiō and first beginnings of Christian faith, giving vs thereby to vn­derstand, that they who are holden in this transgressiō & haue sinned this sinne, haue forsaken all the principles of religiō, haue lost their former light, haue departed from their first vnderstā ­ding. As for repentance, they cast it behinde them, and the first faith, they regard it not: they esteeme baptisme no more then the washing of their hands, neither care they to be received in to the Church of God: the resurrection of the dead, that feedes them with many a merry conceit; they thinke pleasantly with thēselues, what manner of bodies they shal haue, of what age these their bodies shall be, whether they shall haue haire and nailes, and the like. But the eternall iudgement, the remembrance indeede [Page 23] thereof sometimes frighteth them, yet are they incouraged a­gaine, when they think, how farre of it is. So preferre they dark­nesse before light, ignorance before knowledge, errour before hope, infidelity before faith, shame before glory, a cursed death before eternall life.

They are fallen away from repentance, and therefore impossi­ble shall it be for them to repent; they are fallen away from faith towards God, and therefore never may they hope to beleeue a­gaine: they are fallen away from the doctrine of baptisme, & lay­ing on of hands, and therfore are they not likly any more by those meanes to be illuminated; they are fallen away from the doctrine of resurrection, and therefore though they rise againe, it shall be to their owne confusion; they are fallen away, from the doctrine of eternal iudgement; and therefore shall eternall iudgement swallow them vp.

It is no more but thus: they haue fallen away wholy from CHRIST, they haue despised the sweet graces of the HOLY SPI­RIT, wherewith they once were lightened, and therefore shal they be fed with wormewood, and be made to drinke the water of gall; and not this only, but let all the rivers and streames of fresh water, which glad the city of God, and comfort the soules of the faithfull, runne also into their soules, they will resist them and driue them backe, they will admit no entrance for any perswa­sion of the graciousnes and kindnes of the Lord, though it be preached a thousand times. They haue sinned against the holie Ghost, and condemnation is their portion. You see in the manner of rebellion, how farre they may fall away; now for the name.

It is not called the Sinne against the holy Ghost, as if it were against the Godhead of the holy Ghost: for the same God is also father and sonne: The godhead of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost is all one, their glory is equal, and their maiesty co­eternall: nor is it so called, as if it were against the person of the holy Ghost, for that is no greater then the person of the father and of the sonne: The whole three persons are coeternall together and coequall. Nunquid alia est offensa filij, alia spiritûs sancti, saith S. Ambrose De spiritu sancto Lib. 1. cap. 3. His answer is; [Page 24] Sicut vna dignitas, sic vna iniuria. Can the holy Ghost bee grie­ved, and the sonne well pleased? No; Sicut vna dignitas, sic vna iniuria. The Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost haue all one glory, & therefore an iniurie done to one, is done to all. Trium persona­rum non sunt divisae offensae, saith the Master of the Sentences, Lib. 2. Dist. 43. art. 4. It is impossible, that a sinne committed against the holy Ghost, should not also bee committed against the Father, and against the Sonne; yet saith he, Peccatorum ge­nera distincta sunt; you may vse a distinction betweene sinnes: where he sheweth that although power, wisdome, & goodnesse, be one and the same in all three persons, yet sometimes in a more peculiar sort, there is ascribed, power to the father, wise­dome to the Sonne, and goodnesse to the goly Ghost; and hence ariseth this distinction of sinnes. If a man sinne through infir­mitie, he may be said to sinne against the Father, for in him is power; he is the father of might. If hee sinne through ignorance, he may be said to sinne against the Sonne, for in him is no want of knowledge; he is the wisdome of the Father. If he sin through wilfull malice, hee may bee said to sinne against the holy Ghost, for in him is all goodnesse; his office is to sanctifie.

You see then why this Sinne is called the sinne against the holy Ghost; not because it is against the Godhead of the ho­ly Ghost, nor yet because it is against the person of the holy Ghost; but because it is against the goodnesse of the holy Ghost: against the goodnesse, that is, against the graces of the holy spirit given vs to the setting out of the praises of the LORD. For whosoever shall despise those good graces, & turne them to the contempt of Gods maiestie and glory, and tread thē vnder foot, and account them prophane, and purposely, and wil­fully, Heb. 6.6. and malitiously carry them away to all wantonnesse, hee crucifieth againe vnto himselfo the sonne of God, hee despites the spirit of grace, he sinnes against the holy Ghost.

I shall not need to speake of the obiect, which I proposed vnto you in the third place; the two former notes haue made it sufficiently manifest, that the malice of this sinne is directed against the whole TRINITIE, against the very maiestie of God [Page 25] himselfe, and against his Christ: it directly respecteth the first table of the morall law, it is not any particular slipping aside, it is a generall defection, a generall apostacie from God, and that totally.

Here should I shew you, what punishment is provided for such sinners: but that discourse is better fitting the later words of my Text. Yet that wee bee not swallowed vp by secure and carelesse living, as long as we heare nothing of any punishmēt due for so great a sinne, let it not be troublesome to vs at once to take a view of it.

Certaine it is, an end shall come vpon them, yet never shall they end; death shall take them away, yet never shall they die; they shall be in fire vnquenchable, yet shall see nothing, for the darknesse so palpable; everlastingly shall they burne, yet not cō ­sume.

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, to1. 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 toLuk. 24.13. Emaus, and we will blush apace to seeme so holy; but the Blackmore wil blush faster then we, [Page 27] 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.

WE are now come to the first reason vsed by our Apostle, to disswade vs from cō ­mitting 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 [Page 29] 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 cō ­ceit 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 trā ­ple [Page 30] 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 cō ­ceit, 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 [Page 31] 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 a­againe, 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 [Page 32] a high hand, not only presumptuously & secretly, but openly, per­versely, contēptuously, malitiously, neither fearing nor regarding God nor man, exscindendo exscinditor anima illa, it is the Lords irrevocable sentēce. Num. 15.31. that persō 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 m [...]k [...] a [...] [...]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 purg [...]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 mā 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 cōfortably 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) ma [...] 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, thē 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 remembrāces 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? SurelySee my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 3 [...] there is no man iust in the earth, that doth good & sinneth not, saith the preacher, Ch. 7.22. And Prov. 20.9. So [...]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 Adā; and therefore will not trouble you with the relation ofGen. 9.21. No­ahs drunkennesse, of2. Sam 12.9. Davids murther, ofGen 18.15. Sarahs lye, ofGen. 27.3. Re­beccaes perswading her sonne Iacob to beguile his owne fa­ther, of the theft ofPhilem. 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 sā ­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 made whole: sin no more, least a worse thing befall thee. And you know by Luk. 11.26. how the vncleane spi­rit [Page 35] returning, tooke vnto him other seaven spirits worse then himselfe. In regard hereof S. Paule, 2. Cor. 5.20. prayeth them in Christs steed, that they would be reconciled to God, when (as it is evident by the former Epistle) they were recōciled to God, before.

3 The childe of God may sinne presumptuously, that is; wit­tingly, willingly, yea and in some sort, wilfully. What else is it, that David prayeth against, Psal. 19.13. Keepe thy servant, O Lord, from presumptuous sinnes? Now that he was in danger of so sinning appeareth by the words following; O Lord, let thē not reigne over me: although I fall through frailty of my flesh, yet let not sinne haue dominion in me.

4 The child of God may sinne desperatly. And this is a ve­ry dangerous sinne; yet he may fall into it. Some thinke David was tainted herewith, when he said in his hast, that he was cast out of the Lords sight, Psal. 31.22. as also when powring forth the deepe anguish of his soule for the Lords long absence, hee saith, this is my death, Psal 77.10. Surely the incestuous man, 2. Cor. 2. was very like to be holden in this transgression, & in regard thereof Paule wisheth the Corinthians to forgiue him, & to comfort him, least he should be swallowed vp of overmuch heavinesse, verse 7.

Who is able to looke vpon these ruines without compassi­on, and to remember them, without feare? Can the weake shrub hope to stand when the strongest Cedars are blowne downe? They which haue had more gifts thē we, deeper roots then we, stronger hearts then we, surer props then we, haue fallen downe: and can we inferiour to them in all these, hope to stand? O all ye that thirst come to the waters of comfort, drinke, & drinke till your soules be more then satisfied: let your weak knees be strengthned, and your feeble hands be lifted vp.

Is it true indeed that Gods chosen children may thus fall? Yet behold, as true it is, that notwithstanding their fals they may rise againe: and this is that other point of my proposition, im­plying a truth, against which Hell gates shall never be able to prevaile; and this is that truth: He which is once in the estate of [Page 36] grace, shall be in the same for ever.

The reason thereof may be this: After a man is sanctified, he receiveth from God another speciall grace, to raise him, even then, when he is most perilously fallen; we may call it corrobo­ration, or the strengthning power of Christ. This is it, S^t. Paule meaneth, when he prayed for the Ephesians, that they might be strengthned in the inner man, Ephe. 3.16. and for the Colossians, that they might be strēgthned with the glorious power of Christ, Coloss. 1.11. and when of himselfe he saith, that he is able to doe all things through the power of Christ, that strēgthneth him, Phil. 4.13. This corroboration, this strengthning power of Christ is that, that raiseth vp Gods chosen, as oft as they are fallen.

We may (I graunt) like David, Psal. 31.12.22. in the very anguish of our soules breake out, and say as he did: we are for­gotten like dead men out of minde; we are as so many broken ves­sels, we are cast out of thy sight, O Lord: yet see the gracious goodnes of our Lord, how he suffereth vs not too farre to bee plunged in heavines, but assisteth vs with his strengthning po­wer, & causeth vs to say further with the same Psalmist: yet, O Lord thou then hearest the voice of our praier, when we cry vnto thee: yet we trust in thee O LORD; yet we say O LORD, thou art our God.

Wonderfull & fearefull may the passions be, wherewith the Saints of God, as long as they wāder in this vale of mourning, may be shaken, only through the remembrance of their sinnes committed. But, it is the Lords property ever to send a gra­cious raine vpon his inheritance, and to refresh it, when it is wea­ry, Psal. 68.9. And true it is, & comfortable it is, which the Pro­phet Hosee hath, chap. 6.2. though we looke for a day or two, as if we were dead and forlorne, yet saith he, After two daies the LORD will reviue vs, in the third day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight.

That golden chaine of the causes of salvation laid before you, Rom. 8.30. can never be broken. Whō God hath predesti­nated, them hath he called, them hath he iustified, them hath he glorified. What shall we then say to these things? Shall any one [Page 37] lay ought to the charge of Gods chosen? Shall tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakednes, perill, or the sword? Shall Angels, principalities or powers? Shall things present, or things to come? Shall death or life, or height or depth, or any creature be able to se­ver vs from the loue which is in Christ Iesus? I am perswaded they shall not: for whom God hath predestinated, them hath he called, them hath he iustified, them hath he glorified. Wee may be barren, and hear not, and forsake the lawes of the Lord, & refuse to walke in his iudgments, and breake his statutes, and cast behind vs his commandements; and the Lord may visite these our transgressions with the rod, & our iniquities with strokes; but as for his loving kindnesse, that hee will never take from vs, Psal 89.33. Hee may hide his face from vs for a moment, for a little season, but with everlasting mercy he will haue compassion on vs, saith the LORD our redeemer, Esay, 54.8.

Our corrupt nature, by reason of our ill husbandry, may be like the field of the slothfull, Prov. 24.30. It may bee all growne over with thornes; nettles may cover the face thereof, & the stone wall thereof may be broken downe, and through that breach may be descryed from within vs, all manner of filthinesse and abo­mination. In this estate we may continue for a while, as if wee were forsaken of the LORD. But his eternall compassiō where­with he will gather vs, that shall not bee forgotten. Hee will build againe our broken wall,Esai 54.12. laying the stones thereof with the carbuncle, and the foundation with Saphires, hee will make our windowes of pearle, & our gates shining stones. And this is vn­to vs, as the waters of Noah, even as sure as the promise which God made vnto Noah: for as he hath sworne, that the waters of NOAH shall no more overflow the earth, so hath hee sworne that he will not be angry with vs for ever. The comparison holds out of the 54. of Esai, vers. 9. and in the tenth verse it fol­loweth, that the mountaines may remoue, and the hills fall down, but Gods mercy shall never depart from vs, nor the covenant of his peace fall away. And all this (I say) is vnto vs, as the waters of NOAH, even as sure as the promise which God made to NOAH: for whom God hath predestinated, them hath hee called, them [Page 38] hath he iustified, them hath he glorified.

I might here alleage many other places, and some exam­ples out of the holy Scriptures, to shew you yet farther, that the child of God, notwithstanding his many falls, may find par­don, and, that he which is once in the state of grace, shall be in the same for ever.

That which I haue already delivered (I hope) hath suffici­ently cleered this point, and overthrowne the doctrine of the Catharists. All which I haue delivered for your comforts, which haue already sinned, not for your encouragements, who meane to sinne hereafter. For howsoever Grace aboundeth aboue sinne, yet cursed shall yee be, and that with an everlasting curse, if yee sinne, that grace and blessing may abound vnto you.

You may read for this purpose the beginning of the sixt chap. to the Romans there shall you finde an impossibilitie for you, that are dead to sinne, yet to liue therein: knowe yee not, that all ye, which haue beene baptised into Iesus Christ, haue been bap­tised into his death? Why then, yee are buried by baptisme into his death, that as he was raised from the dead, so yee also should walke in newnesse of life. You are forbidden to doe evill, where you are assured that good may come thereof; Rom. 3.8. much lesse may you make the mercies of God a defence for your sins. I grant, it is true, that there is no condemnation to the righteous, though he fall seaven times a day: but if a man sinne, presuming vpon Gods mercies, that he shal haue time hereafter for repentance from his former dead workes, I must needs say, his damnation may be warrantable to be very iust. Thou foole, how knowest thou,Luke 12.20. that this night they will not fetch away thy soule frō thee? I come to my second note: to shew you, that, the sinne against the holy Ghost is not at any time, nor can ever be forgiven.

If I should stand to refute the reasons brought against this doctrine, by them, who haue given their names to great Ba­bylon, that mother of whordomes and abominations, I should passe the time limited vnto mee; and therfore since one con­trarie (as in the scholes we learne) may be the better knowne by the other, let it suffice, that at this time, I set downe a posi­tiue [Page 39] doctrine without any refutation of the contrary.

There is a woman cloathed with the Sunne, the moone is vnder her feete, and on her head is a crowne of twelue stars; al shee hath, shee hath from Christ; all her beauty is spirituall and heavenly; all her milke is sweete and comfortable. This comely one de­ciphered vnto you by S^t Iohns vision, Revel. 12.1. hath never fainted, and taught vs also never to faint, in maintaining this doctrine,

The sinne against the Holy Ghost is not at any time, nor can e­ver be forgiven.

Shee beleeveth that this sinne not only easily shall not bee forgiven, but not at all. Her spowse saith, neither in this world, nor in the world to come, Mat. 12.32. S^t Iohn tels her, that there is a sinne vnto death, which shee may not pray for, 1. Ioh. 5.16. Our Apostle assureth her, that such sinners cannot possibly bee renewed by repentance, Heb. 6.6. and my text hath, there remai­neth no more sacrifice for such sin. It is a necessary consequēce: This sinne is not pardonable either in this world or in the world to come; we may not pray for it; we cannot repent for it; there re­maineth no sacrifice for it; therefore we may truely say, as the Church hath truely taught, ‘The sinne against the Holy Ghost, is not at any time, nor can e­ver be forgiven.’

The latter of all these reasons best fitteth the point we haue in hand; No sacrifice can be offered for the sinne against the Holy Ghost, therefore that sinne can never be forgiven. For the de­claratiō of the force of this reason, we may note touching the sacrifices, by which the Church of Christ doth liue (for the Ie­wish sacrifices I omit, in regard that Christ our redeemer, is the very substance of them all) touching the sacrifices (I say) by which Christs Church doth liue, we may note that every such sacrifice is either [...] or [...], either a propitiatorie sacrifice, a sacrifice for sinne, a sinne offering; or else a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, a peace offering.

The former of these two maketh most for our present occa­sion. That therefore, is either cruentum, or incruentum, a bloodie [Page 40] sacrifice, or a sacrifice without blood. The bloody sacrifice is that which Christ our faithfull Saviour did once offer vp for vs vp­on the Altar o [...] the Crosse: of which sacrifice the necessity, the efficacie, the vnity, the perpetuity are at large laid open to our view by our Apostle in this Epistle to the Hebrewes.

That other sacrifice without blood, not simply propitiatory, yet a sinne offering too, and in some sort enabled through the propitiation of Christ to procure pardon for our sinnes, is the sacrifice of repentance from dead workes, proceeding frō a liuely saith in Christ, causing vs to make our most humble suite for pardon, even for Christ Iesus sake. Here are only two kinds of sinne offerings: the one propitiatory, able to clense vs from al our sinnes, even Christ himselfe once offered vp for the sins of the whole world: the other not propitiatory, yet effectuall to vs, through him, that is the propitiation for our sinnes, even our repentance from dead workes, wherein through a liuely faith, we giue vp our selues,Rom. 12 1. our soules, and our bodies, a living, a holy, & an acceptable sacrifice vnto God.

And these two are so linked the one to the other, as that they cannot by any meanes be severed. For if Christ hath died for vs, then assuredly hee will bee at all times ready to offer vp our broken and contrite hearts, our humiliation, our repentance from dead workes, our prayers, praise and thanksgiving, yea and all our sacrifices vpon the golden Altar, which is before the throne. But they for whom Christ hath not died (as he hath not died for all) can by no sacrifice make an atonement betweene God and themselues: and such are all they, that haue sinned a­gainst the Holy Ghost, yea, such are all the reprobate. For all which TOPHET is prepared of old, it is prepared for the noble, as well as for the baser sort, not one of all such shall bee exemp­ted: it is made for them deepe and large, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the LORD like a river of br [...]m­stone doth kindle it: so saith the Prophet, Esai. 30.33.

And touching them who haue sinned against the holy Ghost, departing from their former light, and casting behinde them their first vnderstanding, I adde yet farther: since they are [Page 41] fallen away from repentance, impossible shall it bee for them hereafter to repent; since they are fallen away from faith to­wards God, never may they hope to beleeue againe; since they are fallen away from the doctrine of the baptisme and laying on of hands, they are not likely any more by these meanes to bee illuminated; since they are fallen away from the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, when they shall rise againe they shall rise to their own damnation: and last of all, since they are fallen away from the doctrine of eternal iudgement, needs must it come to passe that eternall iudgement shall devoure them.

It is no more but this: since they are fallen away wholy from Christ, since they haue troden him vnder foot, since they haue despised those sweet graces of the holy spirit, wherewith they were once lightned, they shall be fed with wormewood, and be made to drinke the water of gall: and somewhat happie were they, were this all. But this is not all: for let all the rivers and streames of fresh water, which glad the Citie of God, and comfort the soules of the faithfull, runne also into their soules, they will resist them, and driue them backe: they will admit no entrance for any per­swasion of the graciousnesse and kindnesse of the Lord, though it be preached to them ten thousand times: they haue sinned against the holy Ghost, and condemnation is their portion.

There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne] No more, I say. For Christs blood which was once shed for mans ransome, may be shed no more. The price which was once paid for man, may be paid no more: all the riches of Solomon, all the treasures of E­zechias, al the silver, al the gold within the bowels of the earth could never haue mounted to so high a reckoning. Christ hath once spared his own most pretious blood for mans redempti­on, but will spare it no more. Wee may not now looke for more Christs, for more passions. They that will goe into captivitie a­gaine, let thē go but they shall not returne: they that wil sel thē selues to the will of their enimie, let them sell themselues, but they may never hope for a second ransome: they that will sinne after that they haue received the knowledge of the truth, let them so sinne, but there remaineth no more sacrifice for their sinne.

They which haue eares to heare let them heare. If it bee true that they which sinne willingly, after that they haue receaued the knowledge of the truth, may so fall away, as that no sacrifice may remaine for cleansing of their sinne, what may bee hoped for of vs, in whom willingnesse is no day wanting to our sinnes. It is a true saying, excusatio omnis tollitur, vbi mandatum non ignoratur: If the commandment be knowne, no excuse may serue for the breach thereof. I shall not make it a false saying, though I doe a little invert it: excusatio omnis non admittitur, vbi mandatum ignoratur: though the commandement bee not knowne, yet every excuse may not serue for the breach there­of.

Peter gaue vnto the Iewes a shield of ignorance, wherewith they might partly defend themselues against the weapons of Gods wrath, and that, not in any common cause, but in the vi­lest and bloodiest fact, that ever yet the sunne saw attempted: I knowe (saith he) that through ignorance you did it, as did also your governours, Act. 3.17. speaking of their slaughtering the Lord of life. I knowe (saith he) that through ignorance you did it, as did also your governours. Yet that they should not leane too much vpon this broken reed of ignorance, in the 19. vers. he adviseth them, to repent & returne, that their sinnes might bee done away. Here we see that Ignorance must be beaten, vnlesse it be clean­sed by repentance.

The like cloake had S. Paul gotten to cast over his blasphe­mies, his tyrannies, his mercilesse persecutions of the Church: I was (saith he) receaved to mercy, because I did it ignorantly, through vnbeleefe, 1. Timoth. 1.13. I was (saith hee) receaued to mercy, because I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe. And here also we see, that ignorance must be beatē, vnlesse it haue mercy to cover it.

And surely could ignorance haue pleaded for her owne in­nocency, never would the blood of Christ haue cryed to the Father vpon the Crosse, Father forgiue them, they knowe not what they doe, Luke 23.34. And here againe wee see, that igno­rance must be beaten, vnlesse it bee forgiven by the Father of our [Page 43] Lord Iesus Christ.

What? Is ignorance of the Lordes will sure to bee beaten with rods? and shall not our contempt of his will, our care­lesse, and vnprofitable knowledge of his lawes, bee requited with scourges? Shall Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodome, wherein was never vertue done that might haue reclaimed them, shall they (I say) burne like stubble in Hell fire? Shall the smoake of their torment ascend for evermore? And shall Corazin, and Beth­saida, and Capernaum, whose streetes haue beene sowne with the miracles of Christ, and made fat with his doctrine shall they escape vntouched, and not drinke downe the dregges of end­lesse destruction?

Diverse Cities of the East and West Indies, devoted to the worship of Devils, shall once wring their hands, for that they haue knowne so litle: and I feare me, I may too truely say, that Oxford shall once rend her heart, for that shee hath known so much to no better purpose: for surely, were shee so fruitfull in good works, as shee ought to be, there could be no such re­port of her, as there is; of ignorance in her Citizens, of corrup­tion in her Colleges, of idlenes & loosenes of life in her seniors, of wilfull, impudent, and contemptuous behaviour in her juni­ours.

Dictum sapienti. You will not marvaile to see the wildernesse lie wast and desert; but if a ground well husbanded and manured yeeld no profit, that deserues cursing. Our ground in all likely­hood should bee well husbanded and manured. Here is much preaching, much hearing, but where is any profit? What our Sa­viour said of the Scribes and Pharisees, dicunt & non faciunt, they say & do not, may truely be spoken of vs, we see, we heare, we say, we know, but doe not. O let vs not still be sicke of Adams disease, desiring rather to eate of the tree of knowledge, then of the tree of life. We may and must be carefull of knowledge vnto sobriety, but we must haue a regard also of profiting thereby, that the fruit of a good life, bringing eternity of daies to come, may wait vpon our knowledge. For S. Peter assureth vs, that it is better for vs never to know the way of righteousnes, thē after we [Page 44] know it, to turne from it, 2. Pet. 2.21. The same is al­so taught vs by my text, If we sinne willing­ly after that wee haue receaved the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sa­crifice for sinne.

THE FOVRTH SERMON.

I should not trouble you with any long rehearsall of that, which heretofore I delivered vnto you. Yet the sonne of Sirach, chap. 22.8. perswading me that many exhortations may bee spent, as vpon men that are asleepe, who when the Sermon is done, wil 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 remēbrances 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 iteratiō: lib. 2. de baptismo contra Donatist. c. 2. Ignoscāt scientes, ne of­fendantur nescientes: satius est enim offerre habenti, quā 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 [Page 46] 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 frō 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 destructiō, 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.

• 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 [Page 47] 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 [...]hey not sweet blessings descending frō the LORD of lights? What could the Lord haue 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 (for1. 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 presumptiō, & seriouslyPhilip. 2.12 to worke out our salvatiō with feare and trembling: & since we haue beene once lightned, to endeavour our selues to [Page 48] increase this light in vs; since we haue tasted of the heavēly gift, to cease not to tast it stil; since we haue been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, to rest not, but to walk frō 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 hisRev. 22.12. reward is with him, to giue every man according as his workes shall be. Blessed are they, that keepe his commandemēts: for to them, in that day of his comming, shall he giue to eate of the tree of life, and of the hidden Rev. 2.17. Manna, to enter in through the gates into the citie; to receaue a white stone, to be cloathedRev. 3.5. in white aray, to bee madeRev. 3.12. pillers in the Temple of God; and to sit with God himselfe in hisRev. 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 seavē 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 hence is our hope (it may be our vaine hope) that it shall be as well with vs for all our sinnes, as it was with Noah, Lot, David, Peter, & many other, the strongest pillars of the Lords Temple for their many downefalls. Here I endeavoured, as I could, to imprint in our hearts the wholesome doctrine con­trary to these three misconceits: and withall, because it was thereby manifest, that Gods chosen children doe sin also wil­lingly, I tooke occasion to put some difference betweene them so sinning, and the sinfull reprobates: and for that purpose I thē remembred you of two evident truthes in Christian Religion.

1 The Saints of God may fall grievously & dangerously.

2 They cannot fall finally in the end, not vtterly at any time.

Touching the third circumstance, wherein were obserued, the name, the nature, and the obiect of this sinne; we haue heard that this sinne is commonly called the sinne against the holy Ghost: not because it is against the Godhead of the holy Ghost, for the same God is also Father and Sonne; the Godhead of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost is all one, their glory is equall, their Maiestie is coeternall: nor because it is against the person of the Holy Ghost, for that is no greater then the person of the Father and of the Sonne; the whole three persons are coe­ternall together and coequall: but because it is against the good­nesse of the holy Ghost; against the goodnes, that is, against those good graces of the holy Spirit bestowed vpon vs for the setting forth of the praises of the Lord. For whosoever shall despise those good graces, and turne them to the contempt of Gods Maiestie, and tread them vnder foot, and account them pro­phane, and purposely, and wilfully, and maliciously cary them away to all wantonnesse, he crucifieth againe vnto himselfe the Sonne of God, he despites the spirit of grace, he sinnes against the holy Ghost.

Whereby it is plaine, that the nature of this sinne, is such, as we find it to be described, Heb. 6.1, 2. where the Apostle men­tioning repentance from dead workes, faith towards God, the do­ctrine of baptisme, of laying on of hands, of resurrection from the dead, and of eternall iudgement, and in the same place calling all these the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, speaketh vers. [...]. of an apostacie, of a falling away from all these points, even from the very foundation and first beginning of Christian faith, giving vs thereby to vnderstand; that they who are holden in this transgression, and haue sinned this sinne, haue forsaken all the principles of Christian religion, haue lost their former light, haue departed from their first vnderstanding.

From the name and nature of this sinne thus considered, wee came to seeke the obiect of it: and found the malice of this sin to be directed against the very Maiestie of God himselfe, and a­gainst [Page 50] his Christ; directly to respect the first table of the morall law; to be not a particular slipping aside, but a generall aposta­cie, a generall falling away from God, and that totally.

Here I came to the first reason vsed by our Apostle to dis­swade vs from committing so vile a sinne, contained in these words; there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne. Out of which words because Novatus hath made a collection void of com­fort; namely, that, if a man sinne after he is once baptised, to him there remaineth no hope of pardon for his sins: first I applied my selfe to establish comfort in our hearts, by setting downe the contrary doctrine: and secondly, I came to the consideration of the truth of that, which these words doe naturally afford, & did proue vnto you, that the sinne against the holy Ghost, is not at any time, nor can ever be forgiven. There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne.

Hauing thus repeated vnto you the summe of that which heretofore I haue delivered, I come now to the second reason in my second generall part, to speake of this fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire, which shall devoure the adver­saries.

The doctrine grounded vpon the first reason of our Apostle in this place might haue sufficed, to make all that loue God, to looke to their steps, that they fall not away by committing so grievous a sinne.

But there is a generation of men monstrously mishapen in the powers of the soule, who like the Kings and Princes of the earth,Psalm 2.2. banding themselues and taking counsaile together against the Lord, and against his annointed, are ready to breake the cords of religion asunder, and to cast her yoke from them; and to say with those in Tully. lib. 1. de natura Deorum: Totam de dijs im­mortalibus opinionem fictam esse ab hominibus sapientibus reip. causâ, vt quos ratio non posset, eos ad officium religio duceret: iudging the service of God to be a meere devise of man for the better governement of the common wealth, wherein inferi­ours, since they will not be ruled by reason, must bee ordered by religion.

Tell such of Scriptures, you may as wel vrge them with Lu­cians narrations; of repentance, they cast it behinde them; of faith, they regard it not; of baptisme, they hold it of no greater price then the washing of their hands; of the resurrection, this feeds them with many a merry conceit, they thinke pleasantly with themselues, what maner of bodies they shall haue at that day, of what proportion their bodies shall bee, whether their nayles and haire shall rise againe.

I only note them, as I passe, by the way, whom, were they vsed for their deserts, the preacher shouldLevit 13.44 pronounce, and the Prince proclaime, the foulest leapers, that ever yet sore ranne vpon; well worthy to bee excluded the host, and to haue theirLevit. 13.46. Num. 5.2. 2. Kin. 15.5. habitation alone; and more then so; to be exiled the land, & to be expelled from nature it selfe, which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught. For though the Lord God of hosts by his Ministers and servants, doe call them vnto weeping and mourning, to baldnesse, and girding with sackcloath, as he called the Iewes, Esai 22.12. Yet behold, with them is ioy & gladnes, slaying Oxen, and killing Sheepe, eating flesh and drinking wine; for (say they) to morrow we shall die.

Now if our Apostle, to disswade such men from sinning wil­lingly, should vse this as a reason, because there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne, what would it advantage them, being fully perswaded that the dead are not raised vp, & that in death there is no difference betweene them & the vilest worme, that ever they could tread vpon. Therefore to meete with these mē also, our Apostle bringeth a second reason, able, at some time or other, to affright the hardest heart, that ever yet Atheisme had infected, telling them, that for them which sinne willingly though there remaineth no more sacrifice, which they regard not; yet there remaineth something which shall touch them neere, even a fearefull looking for of iudgement, and violent fire, which shall devour them.

By this fearefull looking for of iudgmēt is meant nothing else, but the vexation of an evill conscience, wherewith the wicked are, and shalbe, in a fearefull sort tormented. Her condition is to be pitied: when no other eie can perceaue her, shee will bee marked by her owne: when nothing else in heaven & earth pur­sueth her, her owne foot shall chase her: when shee is free frō the whole world besides, her owne brest w [...]ll be full of witnesses. If shee lay her downe, her case will be, as Iobs was, chap. 7.4. She wil say, when shall I rise? she measureth the howers of the night, shee is full of tossing to and fro vntill the dawning of the day. And verse the 14. if shee say, my couch shall relieue me, & my bed shalt bring comfort in my meditation, thē is she feared with dreames, and astonished with visions. To such a conscience this looking for of iudgement can it be lesse then fearefull?

Who is able to conceiue the terrour of the Iudge? S^t Iohn saw a great white throne, and one sitting on it, from whose face fled both the earth and the Heaven, and their place was no more found, Revel. 20.11. Wonderfull is the terrour in this place re­sembled. Earth and Heaven creatures without sense, great and mighty creatures, and creatures that haue not sinned, they trē ­ble, fly, and hide themselues from his presence, as not able to endure the terrour of his sight: and shall man, seely and sinnefull man, be able to abide the day of his comming, and to endure, when he appeareth? Could man present himselfe spotlesse and without blame before the Lambe, he should not need at all to feare: but his condition is farre worse then so.

The Preacher, chap. 7.20. doth assure vs, that there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not; & so much doth Solomons question import, Prov. 20.9. 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 stedfastnes in his Saints, yea the heavens are not cleane in his sight; how much more is man vnstedfast, how much more abominable and filthy, greedyly thirsting after ini­quity? [Page 53] When the LORD looked downe from heavē, to see, if there were any childe of man, that would vnderstand and seeke God, Psal. 14.2. could he finde any, framed according to the rule of that perfection, which he requireth? He could not: this only he found; that all were gone out of the way, that all were corrupt, that there was none that did good, no not one. So sinnefull is man in his whole race, sinnefull in his conception, sinnefull in his birth, in every deed, word, and thought wholy sinneful: the actions of his hands, the words of his lips, the motions of his hart, when they seeme to be most pure and sanctified, yet then are they as vn­cleane things and filthy clouts, Esaie 64.6. And shall man thus deformed, approach vnto the throne; and him that sits theron, without feare?

Not so. The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the chiefe captaines, the mighty men, bondmen and free men, as many of al sorts as are not washed cleane in the blood of the slaugh­tered Lambe, shall Rev. 22.1 [...] hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the mountaines, if possible, to be covered from the pre­sēce of their iudge; in the great day of whose wrath they know they cannot stand. And therefore the looking for of iudgement must needs to them be most fearefull.

The next words of my text are, [...], read in the Vul­gar Latin, ignis aemulatio; by Tremellius out of the Syriacke, as it is in the Greeke, ignis zelus; by Castalio, ignis saevitia; by Beza & Vatablus, ignis fervor; in the Rhemish translation, rage of fire; in our common English, violent fire; all describing, the punish­ment, which shall follow that great iudgement.

By the word [...] in this place, some vnderstand exceeding violence, and parching heate. I thinke, that it may well signifie vehementissimam Dei iram, as Tremellius explicates it, the fierce anger of God; for so much in many places of holy Scripture it importeth. Ezech. 38.19. the Lord to signifie his anger concei­ved against the enemies of his people, vseth the like phrase, & saith, In my zeale, and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken. And Ezech. 16.38. taking displeasure against his spowse for her fil­thines, tels her, that he will giue her the blood of wrath & zeale. [Page 54] And Zephan. 1.18. & 3.8. the Lord tels vs, that in the day of his wrath the whole earth shall be devoured with the fire of his zeale.

All which places (to omit many other) doe somewhat illu­strate the words of my text. Wherevpon S^t Chrysostome saith, that, as a wilde and savage beast provoked to ire, never resteth vntill it hath seized vpon some prey or booty; so this fire, as it were enraged with zeale, desireth to bee avenged vpon the ad­versaries of the Lord by devouring them.

And this fire, so zealous for the glory of the Lord of hosts, is the vnquencheable fire provided to burne the chaffe, Mat. 3.12. that Hell fire never going out, Mark. 9.43. That flaming fire ren­dring vengeance vnto them, that loue not God, and are disobediēt to his Gospell, 2. Thess. 1.8. that eternall fire, whose vengeance must be suffered, Iude. 7. that everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, Mat. 25.41.

Of what qualitie this fire is, it is not expresly defined in the written word. S^t Augustine de civitate Dei. lib. 21. cap. 10. and S^t Hierome in his Epistle to Avitus, and Aquinas contra Gen­tiles, lib. 4. cap. 90. are of opinion that Hell fire prepared for the damned, is a corporall fire. This opinion is subscribed vnto by Zanchius part. 1. de operibus Dei lib. 4. cap. 19. & in his explica­tions in cap. 1. ep. 2. ad Thess. and allowed of by the Divines of Magdeburg in their first Century, lib. 1. cap. 4. and favoured as it seemes by Musculus in his comment vpon Mat. cap. 25.

I leaue these and many other of the same opinion; &, for my part, do subscribe to Damascens resolution of this point, who in his 4. booke de orthod. fide cap. 28. writeth Ignem aeternum nō [...] materiâ instar huiusce nostri constare, that the fire of Hell is not materiall, like our fire.

Esai. 66.24. The Lord himselfe speaking of this everlasting punishment of the wicked, saith: Their worme shall not die, nei­ther shall their fire be quenched, & they shall be an abhorring vn­to all flesh. Which words are againe in some sort thrice repea­ted by the same Lord, Mark 9.44.46, 48. In Hell fire their worme dyeth not, & the fire never goeth out. In which places Hel [Page 55] fire, and the worme of conscience being foure times ioined togi­ther by him, that is the wisedome of the Father, (as I take it) doe shew evidently that the kinde of speach in both is alike. Now there is no man so carnally minded, as by this worme of cō ­science to vnderstand a materiall worme. It is a Metaphor, and signifieth that cursed and damnable torment of conscience, which continually shall gnaw vpon the children of vnbeliefe, like vnto a worme, whose property is to eate & weare away a­ny thing wherein it breedeth. This worme then being immate­riall, why should we iudge this fire to be corporall?

I graunt indeed that the body is subiect to burning with bo­dily fire; but that the soule, which is spirituall, should be subiect to such burning, I cannot finde it proved; and therefore do cō ­clude that Hell fire meant in my text, is not any materiall fire, or any bodyly flame, but a grievous torment, fitly thereby resem­bled; even a seazing of the fearefull and terrible wrath of God on body and soule for ever. For our Lord God, the Lord of Heaven and earth, giving certaine names, to such punishments as shall be inflicted vpon the damned, to make vs carefull by shunning sinne to be freed from Hell, dealeth no otherwise, then he doth, in giving names also to such blessings, as are prepared for the godly, to make vs willing by doing wel, to seeke for Hea­ven. In both he dealeth [...], applying himselfe to our weake capacities, who are not able by our deepest medita­tions to conceiue in any meane, what either the ioyes of Hea­ven, or torments of Hell may be. For vs therefore and for our good, for our easier vnderstanding, it hath pleased the Holy Ghost, to shew vnto vs, the ioyes of Heaven vnder the types of temporall blessings, and eternall torments vnder the figures of earthly punishments.

Touching the ioyes of Heaven; we may see almost in all the Prophets, when they come to speak of Christs kingdome, how they set it forth with abundance of all good things: teaching that his kingdome shall bePsal. 2.8. very farre enlarged; that hisEsai. 9.7. in­crease of governement and peace shall be without end, that there, no nation shall Esai. 2.4. lift vp a sword against another, but that their [Page 56] swords shall be turned into mattockes, and their speares into sythes; that norEsa. 60.18. violence nor desolation, nor destruction shall be within her borders, that the Esa. 11.6. wolfe shall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard with the kid; that every child there shal fill his Esai 65 20 daies; that from our faces Esai 25.8. all teares shall then bee cleane wiped away; that we shall goe in through the gates into the citte, and thereRev. 2.7. eate of the tree of life, and of the hidden Vers. 17. manna, and be cloa­thedRev. 3.5. in white aray, and receaue Rev 2.17. white stones, and bee madeRev. 3.12. pillers in Gods Temple, and the like. All which speeches of sensible and temporall blessings, are so many figures, leading vs, as it were by the hands, to some reasonable knowledge of those ioyes spirituall and eternall.

In like sort, and by the like types of temporall and earthly pu­nishments, we are brought to haue some vnderstanding of hel torments. Luk. 19.27. Christ saith, those mine enimies, which would not that I should raigne over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. Could he in more familiar tearmes signifie that eternall death prepared for the vnbeleeuers & blasphemers? On­ly he alludeth to the custome of the princes of this world, in whose presence rebels many times are put to death.

Luke 16.23. there is much vttered in common and sensible speeches to signifie the gluttons torments endured in Hell: as, his seeing Abraham a farre off, and Lazarus in his bosome, the burning of his tongue, and the cooling thereof, the dipping of Lazarus finger into the water, the great gulfe betweene them both, and the like; all which though it be spoken as of things corporall, yet hath it a spirituall meaning.

And that which is spoken, Matt. 22.13. of the state of Hell, that there is weeping and gnashing of teeth; must needes haue some other sense then the letter will afford, because the dam­ned soules which now suffer torments in Hell, haue neither teeth to make any gnashing, nor eyes to shed teares.

What shall I further trouble you with the relation of di­vers other attributs, vsed in the word▪ diversly to expresse the horror of Hell? As the names, of outward darknesse, of the deepe, of the lake burning with fire and brimstone, of the never dying [Page 57] worme, and such like?

Our iudgement of all these may be the same, as it was of the former; even that the Holy Ghost doth vse them all, as a table to represent vnto vs, the state and condition of the damned. Which estate of theirs, because it is represented vnto vs, onely vnder types and shadowes, & that according to the wisdome of the spirit, we must not curiously prye farther into it, but rather lay our hands vpon our mouthes, and stop the course of our lips, lest, medling with such secrets, we falter in our speeches before the LORD.

It followeth in my text, that this fire shall devoure the aduer­saries. SIC vorabit vt perdat, non consumat, saith Calvin; this zeale of fire shall greedily consume them. Consumet, saith A­QVINAS, non totaliter consumendo, sed in perpetuum cruciando; this zeale of fire shall feed vpon them, not to bring them to naught, or consume them vtterly, but to torment them eter­nally.

What heart is able to sound the depth of this punishment; that a man, should bee devoured, yet not cease to be; that hee should be eaten vp, yet not consumed; that he should bee taken away by death eternally, and yet liue eternally? Never haue any descended to that firy lake, and returned thence, to tell vs the torments thereof. Yet as by one drope of Sea water wee may giue some iudgement of the saltnesse of the rest, and as wee may guesse at the stature and pitch of a mightie gyant by the length of his foot; so by a tast of bitternesse, wherewith this present life is seasoned, wee may haue some conceit of the sor­row and vexation, to bee endured by the wicked in the life to come.

The griefe of mans heart in this world may bee exceeding great, as great, as ever mortalitie may be able to endure. Cā we read of the mournings of Ioseph, of Hanna, of David, of Iob, of Ieremie, of Ierusalem, and not be moved? Could wee? Our hearts certainely should be harder then the hardest yron. Can we thinke of the hideous torments invented, and inflicted by Tyrāts, as the teeth of wild beasts, hot glowing fornaces, caldrons [Page 58] of boyling oyle, fiery brasē bulls, powning to death in morters, rou­ling in barrels of nayles, roasting vpon spits, boring with augers, parting the nayles from the fingers ends with needles, nipping the flesh with pincers, renting asunder the ioynts with wild horses, can we, I say, thinke of these, and the like most mercilesse and pi­tilesse torments, and not be moved? Could we? Our hearts certainely should be harder, then the hardest yron.

Yet behold my text leadeth you to the sight of farre more grievous torments; in regard of which, all those foresaid ago­nies, and as many besides, as ever haue wrested, or may wring, the spirit of man, are only shadowes and counterfeits. It sheweth you, though there be never so many already in the bowels of Hell, to empty her storehouses, and to part her punishments a­mong them, yet, hath shee in store an vnmeasurable portion to bestow vpon her children that now liue, or are yet vnborne: such a portion as may not be refused; a patrimonie of howling, weeping, and gnashing; a patrimonie of darknesse, blacknesse, and obscuritie; a patrimonie of fire, brimstone, and the wrath of God. There shall they be tormented before the Holy Angels, and be­fore the lambe; and shall bee a gazing stocke vnto the blessed Saints, who shall not pitie them, but reioyce to see their cōfusi­on. And the Rev. 14.11. smoake of this their torment ascends for evermore, giving them rest neither day nor night; and it continueth for a time and times, and no time, even when time shall bee no more, Rev. 10, 6. When time shall bee no more, yet, then continueth their torment, and 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, ever able to conceaue the like. And this I hope may suffice for the explication of my text.

Now that we doe not, like sleepy Adders, passe our times in a dreame, let vs awake our selues. Why should wee bee that ground by theMat. 13.4. highway side, or thatVers 5. stony, or thatVers 7. bushie ground? The good Vers. 8. ground it is, that receaues the seed, & beares, & brings forth fruit. Since we haue brought our eares to heare the word, let vs keepe our hearts here also. It is not meete our [Page 59] hearts should be like many of your waiting men, who thinke their dutie fully done, if they wait vpon their Masters to and from the Church, though they heare not one word of the ser­mon themselues. But so they shal never learne Christ. Nor we; if when we present our bodies in this and the like places, wee send our hearts vpon other businesses, to attend our private af­faires. Let vs therfore lay these things, whereof we haue heard, to our hearts, and be assured, they will be for our profit. The consideration of the terror of the Iudge, of Hell fire, and of the torments there to bee endured, may moue vs, to thinke with our selues how neere that day of iudgement is, and therevpon to provide our selues against the comming of the Iudge.

Touching this point; if the day of iudgement were at hand sixteene ages since, as the Crier in the wildernesse proclaimed, Mat. 3.2. as the Disciples taught, according to their charge, Mat. 10.7. and as Christ himselfe preached, Mat. 4.17. if in those daies the end of the world were come, as S. Paule saith. 1. Cor. 10.11. if then was the last time, as S. Iohn tels vs, 1. Iohn. 2.18. if at that time the end of all things drew neere, as S. Peter af­firmeth, 1. Pet. 4.7. Can we religiously thinke, that yet this day of the LORD is farre of?

In the time of the Apostles there were two heresies concer­ning this second comming of Christ; the one refuted by S. Peter, the other by S. Paule. S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.3. wisheth vs to vnder­stand, that in the last daies (which then were come) there shall be mockers, walking after their own lusts; and saying, where is the promise of his comming? For, since the fathers dyed, all things con­tinue alike from the beginning of the creation. Miserable men, to bee perswaded that the day of the LORD shall never come, be­cause it is deferred. But such iesting, scoffing, and mocking at that fearefull day vsed heretofore, and hitherto practised, by the whole progenie of vnbeleevers, may be vnto vs a good argu­ment, that this iudgement shall speedely be hastned. For so saith the Holy Ghost by the Apostle, 1. Thess. 5.3. when they shall say PEACE and SAFETIE, then shall come vpon them suddaine destru­ction.

S^t Peter in his answere to such deceavers, saith first, that the LORD differeth not, very long to come to iudgement. For (saith he verse 8.) one day with him is as a thousand yeares, and a thou­sand yeares as one day, alluding to the words in Moses prayer, Psal. 90 4. A thousand yeares in thy sight are as yesterday, when it is past, and as a watch of the night: as if he should haue said; were it possible for a man to liue a thousand yeares, yet those thousand yeares are assoone passed over in respect of God, as one day only is in respect of a so-long-living man. Yea those thousand yeares are but as a watch of the night, that is, they are of very short continuance. For the old Iewes divided the night into foure watches, and appointed to every watch three houres, as may appeare by the conference of these places, Mat. 14.25. Luk. 12.38. Exod. 14.24 The words then suffering this expo­s [...]tion, that a thousand yeares in respect of the Lord, are but as a watch of the night, but of three houres, doe plainely shew that Peter meant not to speake any thing distinctly of a thousand yeares, but of a long time, so his meaning is, that innumerable yeares are but as a short time with God. He might as well and truely haue said, two thousand, eight, or ten thousand years with God, are but as one day. And this is his first answere to such as aske, where is the promise of his comming?

His second answere is verse 9. when he saith: The LORD is not slacke concerning his promise (as some men count slacknes) but is patient towardes vs, and would haue no man to perish, but that all should come to repentance. Where it being manifest, that the LORD differreth his comming only for our good, to giue vs time to turne vnto him, is it meete we should mocke at the slacknesse of his comming? You see the first Heresie refuted.

The second is quite opposite to this, set abroach by certain false teachers, who taught the Thessalonians, that the daie of the LORD was so nigh, as that it should happen within their age. Where by the way, note the exceeding subtilty of Sathan, sly­ly leading vs into one of the extreams, to make vs belieue; ei­ther, that the day of the Lord shall never come, or else that it shall come within such a time. In this ranke of false teachers may be [Page 61] placed they, who haue held opinion, that the day of iudgement shalbe about sixe thousand yeares after the beginning of the world; as also they, who abusing the places in Daniel and in the Re­velation, doe say, that the end of the world shall be three yeares & a halfe after the revealing of Antichrist.

But S^t Paule answering these false teachers of Thessalonica, answereth all of the like opinion; and therefore, 2. Thess. 2.2. to [...]nstruct them, against the assaults of such teachers, he bids thē beleeue it for a certainety; that the day of the Lord is not at hād; and he giues a reason of his perswasion, verse 3. For (saith he) that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, & that man of sinne, even the sonne of perdition, be disclosed.

But how is it, that S^t Paule saith, the day of the LORD is not at hand, When it is evident by Heb. 9.26. that Christ appeared in the end of the world to put away sinne by sacrificing himselfe? And by Iam. 5.8. that the comming of the Lord is at hand, and by the authorities before alleaged, of Iohn Baptist, of the Disciples, of the Apostles, yea of Christ himselfe, that the kingdome of God is at hand, that the ends of the world are come, that the last time is come, that the end of all things is at hand. This being so, how is it that S^t Paule saith, the day of the Lord is not at hand?

Calvin saith, that the answere here is easie; namely that in respect of God, the day of iudgement is at hand, but, as for vs, wee must continually looke for it. Beza, & Rollocke giue an other ex­position, which I take to be more naturall. In those many pla­ces, wherein it is avouched, that the day of the Lord is at hand, they obserue the word vsed in the originall to be [...], Appro­pinquat; signifying, that the day of the Lord may be this day, as well as to morrow; and to morrow as well as the next day; & ma­ny a day hereafter, as well as now; and this in generall only. But in this place of S^t Paule, where he saith, the day of the Lord is not at hand, they note the word in the originall to be [...], in­stat, and to signifie, not only generally, a time drawing nere, but also precisely, a limited and certaine time; as, such an houre, such a day, such a weeke, such a month, such an yeare, such an age. And [Page 62] in this sense S^t Pauls saying is very true; [...], non instat, the day of the Lord is not at hand; not so at hand, as that we may be able to say, it shal be this houre, this day, this week, this month, this yeare, this age. And this is no other doctrine then Christes owne, Mark. 13.32. for there he saith: Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Sonne himselfe.

Thus we see, it is certaine, that the day of the Lord, that the day of iudgement, is at hand; but in what precise age or time it will happen, we see it is vncertaine. The Lord himselfe tels vs, Act. 1.7. It is not for vs to know the times and seasons. And why should we be desirous to haue eares to heare, where God hath no tongue to speake? It may suffice vs, to be so well warned, as to know that this day is at hand. For if we duely cōsider this point, it will make vs take heed to our speeches, and by no meanes to say with the evill servant, Matth. 24.48. Our master deferres his comming, let vs eate and drinke and beate our fellowes; but rather to betake our selues to the performance of the good servants duety, verse 42. even to watch. For the day of the Lord commeth 1. Thes. 5.2.3 as a thiefe in the night, and as travaile commeth vpon a womā with childe; even so commeth the day of the Lord. Watch wee therefore. For we know not what houre our master will come.

But when he commeth, if he shall finde vs doing good, and dealing faithfully; happy shall we be; we shall partake the bles­sings of theDeut. 27.12 sixe vpon the mount Gerizzim: we shall not need to feare the cursing of the otherVers. 13. sixe vpon mount Ebal. Wee shall not be afraid of theExod. 20.18 thundring and lightning of Sinai, nor of fire to the middest of Heaven, nor of mists nor of clouds, nor ofRev. 9.2. smoake ascending like the smoake of a fornace, nor of the lowdest sound of aExod 20.18 Heb. 12.18 trumpet; for all our pleasures shall bee in Sion.

But when he commeth, if he shal finde vs doing wickedly, cur­sed shall we be; we shall be sure to possesseEsai 61 3. mourning for ioye, ashes for beauty, the spirit of heavinesse, for the oile of gladnes, & a rent in steed of a girdle; whatsoever shall become of our gar­ments, assured we are, our heartes shall be torne a sunder. Watch [Page 63] we therefore, for we know not what houre our master com­meth. And let me conclude with Saint Peters exhor­tation. Be we2 Pet. 3.14. diligent, that when he com­meth, we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blame­lesse.

THE FIFTH SERMON.

N the former verses I haue heretofore shewed, how that the author of this Epi­stle vseth an effectuall perswasion for our constant continuing and perseve­ring in the faith, which the Hebrewes had, and wee haue, in Christ Iesus; or a disswasion, a dehortation from our backslidings & fallings away from the same faith. In the wordes themselues ious meditations two things.

r, what it is, from which we are disswa-willingly, after that we haue receaved the [...].

[...] our hearts the reasons brought by our vs from so sinning, which in these words

• [Page 65]1 Because if thus we sinne, wee shall never be able by any sacrifice to make an atonement betweene vs, and God re­venging vs: There remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne.
• 2 Because if thus we sinne, we must looke for no other, thē eternall destruction, specified, vers. 27. by two things, Iudge­ment, and Fire: For if we sinne willingly, after wee haue recea­ved &c.

Of these points, and many other circumstances by occasion of those words observed, I haue already spoken.

The principall argument of the whole place is: Whosoever sinneth willingly, after that hee hath receaued the knowledge of truth, to him there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne; hee must fearefully looke for iudgement, and violent fire, wherewith he shall be devoured. Therefore if we, having receaued the knowledge of the truth, doe sinne willingly, to vs also there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne, we also must fearefully looke for iudgement, and violent fire, therewith to be devoured.

This principall argument is confirmed by two other rea­sons, in these words, which I haue now read vnto you.

The first drawne à comparatis minoribus, by a thing done lesse probable, to proue vnto vs a thing of greater probability, vers. 28, 29. He that despiseth Moses law, dyeth without mercy, vnder two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, sup­pose yee▪ shall he be worthy, which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament, wherewith hee was sanctified, as an vnholy thing, and doth despite the Spirit of grace?

The second is taken from the authoritie of the Scriptures, vers. 30. where two testimonies are cited: one out of Deut. 32.35. where the LORD saith, Vengeance and recompense are mine. The other out of verse 36. of the same chapter, where we read, that the LORD shall iudge his people.

The truth of both those testimonies, is in this my text con­firmed by the witnesses of the consciences of Gods elect, who doe assuredly know Gods nature and custome to be such, as it is witnessed to be in these Scriptures before cited: for we know [Page 66] (saith the Apostle in the behalfe of all the faithfull) wee knowe him that hath said, vengeance (belongeth) vnto me: I will recom­pense, saith the LORD: And againe, the LORD shall iudge his people.

Then followeth an acclamation, an epiphoneme, a conclu­sion to this whole argument, whereby all backsliders from the truth, whose whole delight is, to tread vnder foot the Sonne of God, to account the blood of the Testament wherewith they were sanctified, as an vnholy thing, to despite the Spirit of grace, may be admonished of their future fall. Though they liue in peace without feare, and the rod of God is not vpon them; thoughPsal. 73.7. their eyes stand out for fatnesse, though they haue more then heart can wish; yet should they remember that God is a living God; a God with heavy hands against all stifnecked and rebel­lious; a God able to cast both body and soule into Hell fire. O! it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, vers. 31. It is a fearefull &c.

Now returne we to the first reason here set downe, for the confirmation of the principall argument of this place, vers. 28, 29. He that despiseth Moses Law &c. Here my purpose is, first to speake somewhat of the words themselues, of their meaning; and then to gather out some points of doctrine, the one consi­deration whereof may be for our bettering. Both these at this time.

He that despiseth Moses law, [...]. E­rasmus reads it, he that abrogateth Moses law; the Syriacke hath, he that transgresseth Moses law; but neither is so right, as the originall requireth. For this place is not to bee vnder­stood of breaking, violating, transgressing, or sinning against any one commandement, but of an apostacie, of a defection, of a falling away wholy from religion. This exposition is afforded vs out of Deut. 17.2. there the Lord giues Moses charge; if a­ny man, or woman, hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the LORD, in transgressing his covenant, that then hee bee brought forth to the gates of the citie, and there bee stoned with stones till he die. But what is this, for man or woman to worke wickednesse [Page 67] before the Lord in transgressing his covenant? Is it not to trans­gresse some one or other commandement of the LORD? No: the LORD himselfe tels Moses, what his meaning is, vers. 3. who soever hath gone and serued other Gods, and worshipped them, as the Sunne, the Moone, or any of the host of Heaven, which God hath not commanded, such a one, whether man, or woman, hath wrought wickednesse before the Lord in transgressing his covenāt; such a one without mercy must die the death. Such is the mea­ning of the words of my text: [...], hee that doth reiect, cast behind him, make frustrate, and despise the law of Moses, he dyeth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses.

[...], Moses law] whereof God was the sole author, & Moses only the Minister: God put the word into Moses mouth, and Moses conveied it vnto the people. In regard of such his ministring, and conveying the law of God vnto the people, the law of God is in this place tearmed, the law of Moses, a sonne of man, the more to set out and to amplifie, the worthi­nesse of the Gospell, discovered and delivered to posteritie by Iesus Christ the Sonne of God.

The like comparison to this we haue, Heb. 2.2. As here Mo­ses is, so there the Angels are compared with Christ. Thus saith the Apostle; if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, and every transgression, and disobedience receiued a iust recompense of reward; how shall wee escape, if wee neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be preached by the Lord, and after­wards was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him, God bea­ring witnesse thereto, both with signes and wonders, and with di­verse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost? So is it here, if hee that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy; how shall wee es­cape, if we tread vnder foot the Sonne of God.

He that despiseth Moses law [...], dyeth without mercy] This [...], this putting away and contem­ning the law of Moses, deserues for punishment death without mercy. [...], he that reiects the law, he that sins against it, Elatâ manu, Num. 15.30. not only secretly and presumptuous­ly [Page 68] but openly, perversly, contemptuously, and maliciously, neither fearing nor regarding God nor man, Exscindendo exscinditor anima illa; it is a sentence not to be recalled, for it is passed from the Lords owne mouth, Num. 15.31. That person shall vtterly be cut off, that soule shall die the death. A false witnesse rising vp against his brother to accuse him of trespasse (Deut. 19.16.) a stub­borne, and disobedient sonne, a rioter, a drunkard, one that wil not hearken to the voice of his parents (Deut. 21.20.) a man & wo­man taken in adultery (Deut. 22.22.) all these, because they re­iect and despise Moses law, must die the death, yourDeut. 19.21. eies shall haue no cōpassion, you shallDeut 22 22. take away those evils frō among you, thatDeut. 21.21. all the rest of Israel may heare it, and feare.

[...], vnder two or three witnesses.] These words haue a reference to a part of the civill and politicke go­vernement vnder Moses law. Two or three witnesses: for one is not sufficient to convince any one of a crime committed. For thus saith the Lord: One witnesse shall not testifie against any per­son to cause him to die, Num. 35.30. One witnesse shall not rise vp against a man for any trespasse, or for any sin, or for any fault that he offendeth in, but at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established, Deut. 19.15. At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death die, but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not dy, Deut. 17.6. Vn­der two or three witnesses.] This is spoken disiunctiuely, not as if the testimony of two were alwaies true, but because it is so to be accounted, if it be the testimony of two.

For we know that the testimony of two may be forged. Two wicked men did falsly witnes against Naboth, that he blasphe­med God and the King, 1. Kings 21.13. Two wicked men did falsly witnesse against Steven, that he spake blasphemous words against Moses and God, Act. 6.11. Two wicked men did false­ly witnesse against Christ, that hee should say, I can destroy the Temple of God, and build it in three daies, Mat. 26.60. One witnesse shall not testifie against a man to cause him to die; two may, and their testimony may be false. Two, three, or more may, for at their mouthes shall every matter be established. He that [Page 69] despiseth Moses law shall die the death, &c.

Out of these words thus vnderstood, we may for our instru­ction take two lessons.

1 Necessity is laid vpon vs, and woe is vnto vs if we des­pise mans law: For he that despiseth Moses law, dyeth without mercy.

2 A caveat is given vs, that we be not too credulous, that we open not our eares to private reports tending to the discre­dite of any; for, He that despiseth Moses law, dyeth (not, but) at the mouth of two or three witnesses.

Our first lesson we comprehend within this proposition; ‘Every one is bound, to subiect himselfe to honest and iust po­litique lawes, and this, even for conscience sake.’

Our second within this, ‘It is a breach of the rule of charity, to conceiue ill of any one for any private report.’

Touching the first, namely: That every one is bound, to subiect himselfe to honest and iust politique lawes, and this, even for con­science sake; we may note, that all such lawes, politique, civill, mans lawes, are either iust or vniust; if iust, then without doubt they bind our consciences to due obedience. And this they doe, not because they are set forth and published by man; but partly because they haue their original from the law of Nature, wher­vnto our consciences stand bound; and partly because God in expresse commaundement hath made vs subiect to such lawes. If vniust, then are wee not in conscience bound to obserue them.

Such vniust humane lawes haue their difference: for first they are said to be vniust, either because he that makes them hath no authority so to do; or having authority, because he makes them rather for his own private, then for any common good; or making them for the common good, because he bids and commaundes that, which is aboue a mans power to performe. And in this first sense, vniust humane lawes, though they tie vs not in cōscience to obserue them, yet (because they put nothing that may de­tract either from the law of nature, or from the law of reason, or [Page 70] from the law of nations, or from the law of God, and his glorie) they leaue vnto vs a liberty, either to keepe them as well, as we shall bee able, or not to keepe them at all, vnlesse charity, which chargeth vs in any wise to beware of giving offence to our neighbours, commaundeth vs to obserue them. Ra­ther then we breake this bond of charity, rather then we giue iust offence to our neighbours, it is our Saviours coūsaile, Mat. 5.39, 40, 41. Whosoever shall smite vs on the right cheeke, that wee turne to him the other also; whosoever, suing vs at the law, shall take away our coate, that we let him haue our cloake also; whosoever shall compell vs to go one mile, that wee sticke not to goe twaine with him.

The care then we are to haue, not to offend the weake consci­ences of our neighbours, may binde vs to the observing of those humane lawes before spoken of, which, albeit in regard of their maker and his private respects, they are called vniust, are notwithstanding otherwise left to our free choice to bee kept or broken, because without any repugnancie they may stand together with those eternall lawes; the law of nature, the law Celestial, the law of reason, the law of God, the iust law of mā, & the law of nations. So in a first sense, the lawes of mā are called vniust; if he that makes them hath no authority so to doe; or ha­ving authority, if he makes them rather for his owne private, then for any common good; or making them for the cōmon good, if he bids and commaundes that, which is aboue mans power to performe.

In a second sense, humane lawes are said to be vniust, if they bid that which is contrary to Gods lawes, to Gods revealed will, to Gods glory: and these lawes are so farre from binding vs to their observance, as that the loue of God, dwelling in our soules, deepely chargeth vs with all our might to resist them. The answer which Peter and Iohn made to those of Ierusalem, Act. 4.19. well fitteth this place; whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather then God, iudge yee. And as fit is the protestation made by Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Act. 5.29. We ought rather to obey God, then men.

Thus we see, that the lawes of men, if they are vniust, doe not simply binde vs in conscience to any obedience; and if they bee so vniust, as to detract from Gods lawes and his glory, we see a­gaine, that we are in conscience bound to disobey them. Obedi­ence is first due vnto God; and next vnto men for Gods sake. And therefore if men shall require any thing of vs, which by anie meanes may redound to Gods dishonour, leaue we men to thē ­selues, and reserue we all due obedience for our God. We ought rather to obey God, then men.

Yet are there humane lawes, iust lawes, lawes of equity and vprightnes, binding the consciences of all that are placed in pub­like societies, whether civill or spirituall. In such societies though the lawes of nature and of reason, be of necessary force, yet those lawes suffice not: over and besides them, somewhat is necessary, namely, humane & positiue law, together with that law, which is of commerce, of merchādise, of exchange between the greatest societies, the law of nations, and of nations Chri­stian.

Humane laws are measures in respect of men, to direct their actions. Measures they are, yet to be measured by higher rules. Those rules are two; the law of God, and the law of nature. Hu­mane lawes then, must be made according to the general lawes of nature, & without contradictiō to any positiue law in Scrip­ture. If they are otherwise made, they are ill made. Vnto lawes thus iustly made, and received by a whole Church, a vvhole cō ­mon wealth, a vvhole corporation, a vvhole College, they which liue within the bosome of that Church, that Common vvealth, that Corporation, that College, must not thinke it a matter indifferent either to yeeld, or not to yeeld, obedience.

The lavv of God hath said, let every soule be subiect to the higher povvers, Rom. 13.1. The publike povver of all societies, is aboue every soule conteined in the same societies: and the chiefe vse of power, is to giue lawes vnto all that are vnder it; which lawes in such case we must obey, vnlesse there be reason shewed, necessarily to enforce, that the law of reason, or of God, doth enioyne the cōtrary. For vnles our own private resoluti­ons [Page 72] be overruled by the law of publicke determinations, wee shall leaue no possibilitie of sociable life in this world.

This made our Saviour to admonish those hypocrits which came to tempt him, to giue vnto Caesar the things of Caesar, Mat. 22.21. This made Paule to exhort servants to bee obedi­ent vnto their Masters, with feare and trembling in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ, Ephes. 6.5. This made Peter to call vpon vs, to submit our selues in all maner ordinance of man for the Lords sake. 1. Pet. 2.13. who, vers. 15. telleth vs, that it is the Lords will, we should doe so. The Lords will: and therefore we must be subiect, not because of wrath only, but also for conscience sake: and this is Paules conclusion, Rom. 13.5. Wee are all bound to subiect our selues vnto honest and iust politicke laws, and that for conscience sake.

But doe we al herein, as we are bound to doe? Those which liue within the bosome of the Church, the common wealth, or great corporations, I leaue to their owne examinations. Their hearts will witnesse with them, that nor laws of Church, nor laws of commō wealth, nor lawes of Vniversitie, nor laws of great townes, are in any meane kept, as they ought to bee. Now not only great ones, but little flyes also are strong enough to breake through: so rent and torne are the cobwebs.

Great and little, old and young, every one that is willing to learne, come, and receaue instruction of SOLOMON: My sonne (saith he, Prov. 6.20.) My sonne keepe thy fathers commande­ment, and forget not thy mothers instruction, bind them both al­waies about thine heart. It doth not stand with the duty which we owe to our heavenly father, that wee should shewe our selues disobedient to the ordinances, to the good and iust or­dinances appointed by authoritie for the directing of our steps in the course of this life. Let vs not say, we keepe the comman­dements of the one, when wee breake the law of the other: for vnlesse we obserue both, we obey neither. God hath expresly cō ­manded vs to obey mans lawes, which if we obey not, Gods lawe by vs is disobeyed.

Now let the Sunne, the Moone, any one of the heavens or [Page 73] elements once cease, fayle, or swerue; the sequele is manifest, ruine to it selfe, and whatsoever dependeth vpon it. And is it pos­sible, that man the noblest creature in the world, yea a very world in himselfe, transgressing the law of God in despising mans law, should drawe no harme after him? Mans noblenesse aboue other creatures in this case helps him nothing. Tribu­lation and anguish vnto every soule that doth evill. This wee are assured by S. Paules testimonie, Rom. 2.9.

As for vs, who liue within these goodly buildings provided for vs, when we were not, what shall I say? That we liue accor­ding to our lawes; O happy houre, wherein such a speech might truely be vttered! But this latter and last age, full of the ripest & last sins, which no posteritie shall be ever able to adde vnto, forbids me so to say. I must say the contrary: We liue not ac­cording to our laws. Wee will murmure and repine, (& it may be, not without cause) if wee be abridged of our founders and vsuall allowance; and yet are wee vnwilling to obserue those easie, honest, & iust lawes prescribed vs by our founders. Surely we haue forgotten, that we ought to be subiect, not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake.

Where my desire is, that every one, both Head and members, of all our particular societies, would enter a due examination of their own hearts, and consider whether they haue beene o­bedient to their locall lawes, with feare and trembling in single­nesse of heart, as vnto Christ: and my prayer is, that it would please the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, to turne the hearts both of Heads & mēbers; of Heads, that they would not grieue their companies, by stopping, or withdrawing their ordinarie and statutable maintenance; and of members, that they thinke not much to bee restrained by their Heads according to the lawes of their Colleges: that so ioyntly and ioyfully both Heads and members may labour together for the due performing of their Founders will.

As in a plague time, we marvaile not so much at those that dye, as at those which escape; so in this generall infection of sin, wherein these latter and last times are drunken and drowned, [Page 74] we marvaile not so much at the vilenesse of the most, as that a­ny almost is innocent. If I thē in this case should plead for your innocencie, if I should speake you faire, if I should sow pil­lowes vnder your arme-holes & make vayles vpō your heads, happily you would like it well, but assured I am I should en­dammage mine owne soule. So much Solomon teacheth mee, Prov. 29.24. where he saith, He that is partner with a theefe, ha­teth his own soule.

Therefore to deliver my soule, though you should not turne from your wickednesse and wicked waies, I must warne you of a matter, and howsoever it may neerely touch some amongst you, yet I beseech you heare me patiently. It hath beene often spoken out of this place (and I doubt not but with good fruit) of an intolerable abuse nusled and fostred vp for a long time in some of our Colleges; I meane the deare and vsuall selling of Places, which at the first were destined and appointed by our Founders lawes to schollers of best desert. It hath beene here­hence told vs,This Sermon was preached 1599. that in diverse of our iudgements, 20. 30. pownds or more, are but easie prices for so good prefermēts. I grieue, & shame (even for the loue wee all ought to haue of this place wherein we liue) to repeat all that hath beene publikely prea­ched vnto vs concerning this point. I hope and beleeue, wee are not of the number of those, that hold religion to be a pretie policie to keepe the meaner sort in awe: I doubt not, but beleeue, that we haue a greater measure of Gods Spirit.

Guided therewith consider we (I beseech you) that it is no smal matter to despise the iust laws of our Founders, and remem­ber we, that he that despiseth Moses law dyeth without mercy. Our founders laws doe direct vs, to make our elections free frō corruption: Moses law chargeth the same. Can wee therefore hate the one, and leane to the other? or despising one, despise we not both? Our founders doe charge vs in regard of our ele­ctions to take no bribes, no rewards, to make no bargaine; and we, as well liking of it, haue beene ready by solemne oathes to bind our selues [...]o doe accordingly: Moses also forbiddeth [...]s to take any gift, Exod. 23.8. and Deut. 16.19. and in the same [Page 75] places giues a reason, why he forbids vs. It is; because rewards doe blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the iust.

But such hath our practise been, as that therby we are made carelesse of that, whereof indeed we shoulde be most careful: carelesse of our oathes, and carelesse of Moses reason. Carelesse of our oathes, whereby we haue bound our selues to obey our founders lawes; & yet we know, that the messenger of the co­venant, (comming neere to vs in iudgement, like purging fire, and fullers sope) wil be a swift witnesse against all false swearers, Mal. 3.5. Carelesse of Moses reason, vsed by him to enforce our o­bedience to the law; (thou shalt take no gifts) and yet we know by my text, that he, that despiseth Moses law, dyeth without mercy.

Thus pollute we the LORD and his holy name, not like those false prophetesses, Ezech. 13.19. for handfuls of barly, and for pieces of bread, but for gold and silver. For gold and silver, wee slay the soules of them, that should not die, and we giue life to the soules of them, that should not liue, that is, we admit into our so­cieties Asinos auro onustos, those which are very vnfit, for lear­ning and manners, excluding farre their better.

So, and so haue we sinned, and more wickedly: yet haue we not girded our selues with sackcloath, we haue not wallowed our selues in ashes; we haue made no lamentation; we haue not mourned; yea, we are so farre from being grieved at these our misdoings, as that we ioy and reioice in them, and exercise our wits to cover and defend them.

Our defences for this corruption so heartely entertained a­mongst vs, are vsually those, which every one of vs, cunningly alleageth for our private & dayly trespasses; & therfore the cō ­sideration of them, may worthyly belong to every soule amōg vs. Therfore let every one, that hath an care to heare, heare.

Our first defence, is our misconceit about the time of our re­pentance; we are perswaded we may repent when we will.See the first Sermon. p. [...]. Tou­ching this point, I now say nothing; only we may be advised, that late repentance is seldome true repentance; and iustly we may feare, least that repentance, which we frame to our selues, [Page 76] when we are dying, die also with vs.

Our se [...]ond defence, is grounded vpō such places of Scrip­ture, wherein is signified; how that the stowtest pillars of the Lords house are sundry times & grievously shaken. One place may serue for all, Prov. 24.16. The iust man is said to fall sea­ven times a day, and rise againe; & hereby we iudge it no great preiudice against our selues to haue a few fals. But we misvn­derstand this place, being spoken of fals into afflictions and ca­lamities, and not of fals into actuall sinnes. And if it be spoken of falls into actuall sins, what then? Is this a necessary consequence, Seavē fals a day are pardoned to the iust; therfore for a few fals we shall haue pardon?

I must needs confesse, the patience of God is very abundant; He is mercifull and gracious, long suffering, and of great goodnes. He cryeth vnto the fooles: Exod. 34.6. See my sixt Le­cture vpon A­mos 1.3. p. 69. (and are not we such fooles?) O yee foolish how long will yee loue foolishnes? Prov 1.22. He cryeth vn­to the faithlesse (and is our faith living?) O generation faithlesse and crooked, how long now shall I suffer you? Matth. 17.17. Hee cryeth vnto the Iewes (and are not we as bad as the Iewes?) O Ierusalem, Ierusalem how often? Matth. 23.37. He dresseth his vineyard with the best and kindlyest husbandry, that his heart could invent, Esai. 5.2. afterward he looked for fruit, he requi­red it not the first houre, but tarying the ful time, he looked that it should bring forth grapes, in the autumne & time of vintage. He waiteth for the fruit of his figtree three yeares, Luk. 13.6. & is content to be entreated that digging, and dunging, and ex­pectation a fourth yeare, may be bestowed vpon it. Whatsoe­ver iudgements are pronounced against Damascus, Azzah, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Iudah, and Israel. Amos chapt. 1. & 2. are for three transgressions, and for foure; so long he endu­red their iniquities. Gods dealing with vs sinneful wretches, is like Davids dealing with Saule; he tooke away his1. Sam 26.12 speare, & his waterpot, and a2. Sam. 24.5. piece of his cloake: so God takes away from vs a little rest, and a little & little more, & giues vs, as it were, remembrāces, to let vs vnderstand, that we are in his hands, &, if we take not warning, that he will further punish vs.

Thus we see (and it may not be denied) that the patience of [Page 77] God is very abundant, that the Lord is mercifull and gracious, long suffering and of great goodnesse. Of such his patience, mercie and goodnesse we may not presume. Our safest way shall be to rise at the first call; if we differre our obedience till the second call, we may be prevēted. Then may God haue iust cause to say to vs, as he said vnto the Iewes, Esai. 65.12. I called, and yee did not answere; I spake, and yee heard not. And albeit some fall sea­ven times a day and rise againe; albeit to some sinners, it plea­seth the Lord to iterate his sufferance: yet may not we take en­couragement hereby to iterate our misdoings.

We haue learned, that God punished his Angels in Heavē for one breach; Adam for one morsell; Miriam for one sclander; Moses for one angry word; Achan for one sacrilege; Ezechias for once shewing his treasures to the ambassadours of Babel; Io­sias for once going to warre without asking counsaile at the Lord; and Ananias & Sapphira for once lying to the Holy Ghost. Is the Lords hand now shortened, that he cannot be as speedy & quicke in avenging himselfe vpon vs for our offences? Farre be it from vs so to think: God is not slacke in comming, 2. Pet. 3 9. as some count slacknes; he maketh the cloudes his chariots, hee rideth vpon the Cherubins, he flyeth with the wings of the winde: and so he commeth, and commeth quickely, and his reward is with him, to giue to every one, according as his workes shall be.

Our third and last defense is builded vpon slattery, cherish­ed in our owne bosomes. Because we haue beene waryly cor­rupted; because we haue taken bribes so secretly, as that possi­bly two witnesses may not be produced to testifie against vs; be­cause for this our sinne, Gehazies leprosie as yet hath not brokē 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 [Page 78] voice and perswasion of our owne devises. So bold we carrie our selues vpō 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 selue [...] 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 thē known; or in our s [...]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 S^t 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 mansiō in Heavē, 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, frō 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 [Page 79] 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 thē 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.

THe second position groūded 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 loue one God, and the three persons of the Trinitie. For the second we haue a more speciall charge, 1. Cor. 16.22. There S. Paule saith, If any man loue not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha; let him bee had in execration, let him be excommunicate vnto death. Which is also signified by Christ himselfe telling vs, Mat. 10.37. that wee cannot bee worthy of him, if we loue father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters, yea our owne liues, aboue, before, or more then him.

The second branch of Christian charitie, is [...], bro­therly loue, peculiar, & belonging only to the sonnes of God. The rule for this part is laid before vs, Ioh. 13.34. Christ there hath given vs a new commandemēt, that we loue one another; as he hath loued vs, that even so we loue one another. Wee must loue one another; that is, wee must loue the whole Church and every member thereof, all that are our brethren in the Lord & the sonnes of God: even the whole number of Gods holy ones and the blessed Angels which are in Heaven. Al these must wee loue, evē as Christ hath loved vs. But how hath Christ loved vs? [Page 82] Consider we these fiue things, and it will be manifest.

See my second sermō on Iames 4. p. 80.1 Looke we vnto the cause, which moued Christ to loue vs; he loved vs because we were elected; because wee were cho­sen in him, by God the Father, to bee his members, and to bee saued by him. For this cause hath hee loued vs with a peculiar loue aboue other men; with such a loue wherewith hee loued S. Paule, Gal. 2.20. for that we might liue vnto God, we are cru­cified with Christ, and so we liue; yet not we now, but Christ li­veth in vs, and in that, that wee now liue in the flesh, wee liue by faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loved vs, and giuen himselfe for vs. So peculiarly hath Christ loued vs. Therefore must wee also peculiarly loue our brethren in the Lord, for that very cause, because for ought wee can discerne; (and how can wee discerne spiritually, being but flesh?) they are the elect and cho­sen of God the Father in Christ, from before the foundations of this world, to be saved by Christ.

2 Thinke we of the time when Christ loued vs. Wee shall find that he loued vs first, 1. Ioh. 4.19. he staied not for our loue: we loue him, because he loued vs first. He loued vs first: therfore must we also prevent one another in loue; wee must not looke that our brethren first loue vs. For if wee bee friendly to them only, who are friendly to vs, what singular thing doe we? Doe not even the heathen likewise?Mat. 5.46, 47. If we loue them onely, which loue vs, what reward shall we haue? Doe not Infidels even the same? We Christians must loue our brethren first.

3 Let vs respect the qualitie of the persons, whom Christ hath loued: He hath loued vs, Ioh. 15.9. Vs, that is, all: all the elect, Gentiles as well as Iewes; Barbarians as well as Grecians; bond as well as free; women as well as men; the base & the poore, as well as the noble and the rich. For all the elect, for all these, for all vs he died, when as yet we were his enimies, when as yet we were sinners, Rom. 5.8. Therefore must we also loue al men, be they sinners, or seem they righteous; seem they our friends, or be they our foes; be they of what estate or cōdition soever, so it bee not evident, that they are adiudged to bee partakers with the Divell and his Angels in the ever burning lake.

[Page 83]4 Regard we the end, why Christ loued vs: hee loued vs for no profit of his own, but for our soules health. Therefore must we also loue others, not for our own gaine, but for their good. So did Moses, who prayed to haue his name rased out of Gods booke, rather then that the sinnes of the people vnder his govern­ment should not be forgiuen, Exod. 32.32. So did David, who made his supplications to God, for to lay the pestilence vpon him and his fathers house, and to spare the people committed to his charge, 2. Sam. 24.17. So did S. Paul, who wished his own damnation, to redeeme the reiection of the Iewes, Rom. 9.3. Christ loued vs for our soules health, not for any profit of his own; therefore must we also loue one another, for the good of o­thers, not for any our owne gaine.

5 Consider we the measure of the loue, wherewith Christ hath loved vs. It is a true loue; for Christ is truth it selfe, Iohn, 14.6. It is a burning loue; for Christ laid downe his life, Christ shed his blood for his sheep, Ioh. 10.15. It is an everlasting loue; for Christ loues his owne vnto the ende, Iohn. 13.1. Therefore must our loue also to all the faithfull, be true; it must be earnest; it must be constant. Ioh. 13.34. Christs commandement is that we loue one another, as he hath loved vs, even so, that we loue one another.

The third branch of Christian charitie is [...], the loue of our neighbours. The rule for this part is laid before vs, Levit. 19. ver. 11, 13, 15.16. acknowledged by the scribe, Mark. 12.33. and proclaimed by Christ himselfe, to bee like that great commandement, Mat. 19.19. &c. This is the rule: Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, as thy selfe. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, that is, every man; for so Christ expounds it vnto the lawyer, shewing him by the example of the Samaritane, who is his neighbour, Luk. 10.30. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, not onely such as fancie thee, or are thy friendes, but thy enimies too. Thou shalt blesse them, that curse thee; doe good to them, that hate thee; pray for them, that hurt thee.

Thou shalt loue thine enimies] Thy enimies I say, not Gods enimies; for Gods enimies, thou must hate with a perfect hatred. David is thy warrant, Psal. 139.22. Thou must not receaue th [...]m [Page 84] into house, or bid them, God speed: such was S. Iohns counsaile to the elect Ladies childrē, 2. Ioh. vers. 10. who also in his first and generall Epistle, chap. 5. vers. 16. speaking of a sinne vnto death, reigning in the enimies of God, forbids vs to pray for it. Whom God hateth we may not loue. In him and for him wee must loue every man. If we can knowe any to be of the number of the reprobate, to whom God wil not pardon their transgres­sions, we may not in our prayers desire forgiuenesse for their sinnes, we may not pray for their salvation.

Rom. 11.34.But who knoweth the minde of the Lord? Or who hath beene his counsellor? He alone separateth the Goates from his Sheepe, he alone knoweth who are his. And this rule simply bindeth vs (who cannot discerne betweene the reprobate and the elect) to loue every man, vnderstood here, by the name, of neighbour; Thou shalt loue thy neighbour.

But how? It followeth in the rule; as thy selfe. That is, not with a feigned loue, not with a cold loue, not with a temporarie loue, not in word only. Therefore must thy loue towardes thy neighbour be vnfeigned, it must be fervēt, it must be enduring, it must be effectuall. A fift condition is required that our loue be holy and pure; for we must loue our selues, and so our neigh­bours, in God, for God, and to Gods glory.

Such are the branches of Christian Charity; & such the rules to measure them. Christ reduceth thē to two heads; to a great commaundement, and another like vnto it: on which, he saith, the whole law & the Prophets do depēd, Mat. 22.40. & Mat. 7.12. he putteth downe but one head, and calleth that one the Law & the Prophets: Whatsoever yee would that men should do vn­to you, even so doe yee to them; for this is the law & the Prophets. In like manner S^t Paule hath said; He, that loveth another hath fulfilled the law, Rom. 13.8. & verse 10. Loue is the fulfilling of the law. And, Gal. 5.14. All the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. In those places, where our Saviour and the Apostle, doe ascribe to our loue of others, the fulfilling of the law, they meane nothing else, but the fulfilling of the second table of the law in this one branch, cō ­teining [Page 85] two members of my division [...] and [...]: Brotherly loue, and loue of our neighbours. And so Christ in the place before cited, Matth. 22.40. making of the whole law but two parts, loue of God, and, loue of our neighbours, exclu­deth not my third part [...], that brotherly loue, whereof you heard, but includeth it in his latter.

Let this then stand for trueth: Christian charity hath three branches; loue of God; loue of our brethren in the Lord; and loue of our neighbours. The rule for the first is; you shall loue the Lord your God with all your hearts, with all your soules, with all your might: For the second, you shall loue one another, as Christ hath loved you: For the third; you shall loue your neighbours as your selues. And thinke not that you liue according to the first rule, if you faile in keeping either the second or the third. Lincked they are together, and that so, that vnlesse you obserue all, you keepe neither; you cannot loue God and hate your neighbour; neither can you loue your neighbour, but you must loue God too. Every stepping aside, every transgressiō of the law is a blemish to your loue. And therefore for my position, your charity shall be much obscured, if for private reports, you conceaue ill of anie. The reason is, because so doing you commit sinne, and are rebu­ked of the law, as transgressours. You commit sinne (I say) & so you breake the rule of Charity, if you conceaue ill of any, for any private reports.

There cannot be a greater poyson;See my second Sermon on Iames p. 83. there cannot be a dead­lier bane of friendship and amity betwixt man and man, then to loue to heare, what bitter & sharpe tongues shal seeke to speake. Soone creepes it into your eares, that will never out againe, whilest the breath is in your bodies. You may know it by this. If any one be misreported to you to be spotted with adultery, bribery, theft, or any like grievous offence, though happily you can be content not to credit all, because all is not sufficiently proved vnto you; yet something remaines to the blot of your brother, yet stickes the scarre of suspition still. Something you will beleeue for the reporters sake, whom you will take to be a very honest man.

Well; though Ziba be long since dead and rotten, who did wrongfully sclaunder Mephiboscheth, his Lord, vnto the King, 2. Sam, 16.3. yet may we be assured, that a great measure of Zibaes spirit now at this time dwelleth in the hearts of the sonnes of men, and so shall dwell, even vntill the day of the Lords appearing.

Solon.A wise lawmaker, being asked why he appointed no punish­ment for such a one as should kill his parēts, made this answer, that he thought no mā so barbarous, as to doe such a deed. With­out doubt if a law bee made against any actions, vvordes, or thoughts, it was first in the lawgivers conceit, that there would be hearts to harbour such thoughts, lips to vtter such words, & hands to worke such actions.

There is one lawgiver, which is able to saue and to destroy; from him out of the Highest Heavens a law is given vnto vs, to be of force as long as we shall walke vpon this earth: it is con­veyed vnto vs, by the hand of Moses, Levit. 19.16. where thus it is written; Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy brethren. The very making of this law, is an evident argument, that the Lord knew that there would be no want of such in the world; of such (I say) as should walke about with tales among their brethrē. Such there were in the time when Ezechiel pro­phecied: for chap. 22.9. Ierusalem is reproved, because in her were tale-cariers, men that caried tales vp and downe to shed blood. And the strife that hitherto hath beene, now is, and here, after is like to be in all places, in Church, in Common wealth, in societies, in families, proveth that no age is voide of such whis­perers. You need not to doubt of the proofe. It is Solomons, Prov. 26.20. Without wood fire is quenched, and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth. If there be not a new supply made of wood, the fire will goe out; so if there be not some, that wil cary tales betweene man and man, strife will die quickly. For as wood is the matter of fire, so a tale-carier fostereth strife. The like hath Solomon spoken of scorners, Prov. 22.10. and sure it may well be: for commonly a scorner is a tale-carier also.

To such as by their private reports in your eares, that are a­ny [Page 87] way in governement, shall depresse and disgrace their bre­thren, in hope to lift vp & advāce themselues; I haue not much to say. Only, I will pray them to ioine togither the first and third verses of the 15. Psalme; I hope it will not be their lost la­bour. If I may doe it for them, thus I doe it: He that sclaunde­reth with his tongue, shall not dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord, he shall not rest in Gods holy mountaine.

As for you (dearely beloved in the Lord) whose heads it hath pleased God to advance aboue your brethren, either in Church or common wealth, or lesser societies, or private families, let me bee bold to put you in minde of a daunger, very neere you in respect of such busie-bodies, which will not let your eares take rest. You haue already heard, there is no want of them. The daunger I speake of, is descryed, by the wisest amōg the sonnes of men. He, Prov. 18.8. tels you, that, the words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings, and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly. One expounds it thus;

The words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings.] That is, such words and speaches as he vseth against others, are as sweete & pleasant to you that heare them, as if you were flattered: and, they go downe into the bowels of the belly,] That is, they creepe smoothly, sweetly, and pleasantly, into your most secret place; you readily receaue them, earnestly lay them vp, and deepely remember them.

If this exposition like you not, thus he expounds it other­wise: The words of a tale-bearer are as flatterings] That is, the speeches which he vttereth to you against others, seeme plea­sant and sweete, yea, they seeme softer then butter, & gentler then oile. And they go downe into the bowels of the belly] That is, but for all that, for all they seeme so pleasant, so sweet, so soft, so gentle, yet notwithstanding, they go downe into the bovvels within you, they wound your very entrailes; and if they be once perished, what hope is there of your liues? Yea they woūd you grievously, they wound you deadly. Admit of which interpre­tation you will, you shall see your selues in great daunger by listning to such evill speakers. This golden saying putting you [Page 88] in minde of your so neere perill, Solomon desireth to be writtē in your memories, and therefore vsing the very same wordes repeates it againe, Prov. 26.22. where also he saith: The wordes of a tale-bearer, are as flatterings, and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly.

To keepe you spotlesse and without blame, that this dan­ger, which you haue heard of, overtake you not, a commande­ment is giuen you, Exod. 23.1. not to receaue a false tale: the breach of which David, hath sealed vp, with no lesse then the losse of Heaven, Psal. 15.1.3. where he tels you, that you shall never dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord, nor rest in his holy moū ­taine, if you receaue a false report against your neighbour.

Publike Magistrates, and all such as haue authoritie to pu­nish faults, may bee well advised, by that charge which the Lord giueth, Deut. 13.12. If you shall heare say, that wicked men are gone out from among you, and haue drawne away the inhabi­tants of your citie, to goe and serue other Gods, which yee haue not knowne: then you shall seeke and make search, and enquire dili­gently; and if it bee true, and the thing certaine, that abomination is wrought among you; then shall you slay the inhabitants, vtterly destroy the citie, &c. What charge is there given, concerning the punishment due vnto the authors of apostacie, to such as iutise men vnto Idolatry, and to Idolaters themselues, is giuen to you all, to be followed in your civil punishings. If you shal heare say, concerning any that liue with you, that they despise your laws, your Churches laws, common wealths laws, or Col­legiat laws, then shall you seeke, make search, and enquire dili­gently; and if it be true, and the thing certaine, that such despi­sers of your laws liue among you, then shal you proceed to pu­nish them accordingly. You shall seeke, make search, enquire, & that diligently; and why, I pray you, is all this repetition of words? if not to giue vs to vnderstand, what a fault it is to con­demne before we knowe, and by and by to beleeue whatsoever we heare? You shall seeke, make search, enquire, and that dili­gently; and if it be true, which was privatly told you against o­thers; if by diligent enquirie out of the mouth of two or three [Page 89] witnesses you find it to bee certaine, then may you safely con­ceaue of them as they are; you may doe it without breach of the rule of charitie.

But one private reporter, though he speake nothing but the truth, is not sufficient to convince any one of a crime, neither should be able to make you conceaue hardly of any. One witnes shall not testifie against a murtherer to cause him to dye, for hee must die through witnesses, Num. 35.30. One witnesse shall not cause an idolater to die; for he must die at the mouth of two or three witnesses, Deut. 17.6. One witnesse shall not make the de­spiser of Moses law to die; for my text requireth two or three. One witnesse shall not rise vp against a man for any trespasse, or for any sin, or for any fault that he offendeth in: but at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the mat­ter bee stablished, Deut. 19.15. And why is this often repetition of witnesses, of two & of three witnesses? but to teach vs, not to be light of beleefe, when we are whispered in the eare against any? Why should wee by and by kill our brother in our hearts, by conceauing ill of him for one reporters speech?

To rob my neighbour of that his credit in my heart, which he hath had there heretofore (though he truely deserue it) yet vnlesse it be certaine to me by sufficient witnesse, that hee de­serue it) can in me, be no lesse, then a branch of murther.

Solomon tels you, it is folly and shame, to answer a matter be­fore you heare it, Prov. 18.13. and let me tell you, it can bee no lesse, to beleeue a matter against any man, before you know it. I say with the Prophet Malachie chap. 2.10 [& my prayer to God is that we may ever consider it] Haue we not all one Father? hath not one God made vs? Why then should we transgresse every man against his brother? and breake the covenant of our Father?

By this which hath beene spoken, wee haue seene what the rule of charitie is, and that every stepping aside, every trans­gression, every sinne is a breach of it; wee haue also seene our selues excluded from Heaven, if we receaue false tales; and wee haue seene, that wee may not punish such a one, as is reported to be an Apostata, and to haue fallen away from God, vnlesse [Page 90] first by search made, and diligent enquirie, we finde it to bee true and certaine, which is reported of him: and we haue seene, that no fault, no trespasse, no sinne, nor murder, nor Idolatrie, nor the despising of Moses law may bee punished, but at the mouth of two or three witnesses: Therefore, needes must, it bee true, which I vndertooke to proue: It is a breach of the rule of charitie, to conceaue ill of any for any private report. And so much for the proofe of my position.

THe Apostle here magnifieth, the Gospell of Christ, aboue the law of Moses, by the punishment appointed for con­tempt of both. He that despiseth Moses law dieth without mer­cy, hee meaneth onely the death of the body; such a death as man may lay vpon him; for hee must die at the mouth of two or three witnesses. A farre greater punishment is allotted to the despi­sers of Christs Gospell. He also must abide death without mercy, but it is the death of both body and soule; for as it is vers. 27. (which I haue already explicated) hee must fearefully looke for iudgement and violent fire therewith to bee devoured. Of the de­spiser of Moses law, I haue already spoken.

Touching the despiser of Christ and his Gospell thus I say: It is not necessarie that hee should bee altogether vnlike to you, that loue Christ; he may liue with you in the same Church, hee may professe with you the same religion; hee may seeme to you as good a Christian, as your selues. For, [...], with the blood of the Testament is he sanctified. Yet doth my Text discerne such a one from him that loues Christ by three his attributes.

[...]; he treads and tramples vnderfoote the Sonne of God.

2 [...]; he accounteth the blood of [Page 91] the Testament, a vulgar, a common, an vnholy, a prophane thing.

3 [...]; hee despiteth the spirit of grace.

The doctrines which this place affordeth vs, are two.

1 Because the reprobates (not all of them, but such as are deepest in Gods displeasure, such as doe sinne against the holy Ghost) are in this place said to be sanctified with the blood of the Testament, we are to consider; how farre a man may (being so sanctified) go in the profession of the Gospell, & yet be a reprobate.

2 Because the adversaries of our doctrine, whereby wee defend the perseverance of Gods Saints in their faith, doe out of this place make a strong argument (as they take it) for their purpose; wee are to consider, whether a Sonne of God, sanctified with the blood of the Covenant, may fall away.

To enter a due discourse of these doctrines, or particularly to examine the wordes, from which these notes doe arise, it would cary me beyond the time limited; and I had rather bee too short, then to hurt your patience. Only heare one word of exhortation.

Is it not a fearefull condition that a man sanctified with the blood of the Testament, should tread vnder foot the Son of God? that a man liuing as wee liue, and prosessing as wee professe, should fall away wholy from Christ, & Christianitie? Yes (be­loued in the Lord) very feareful is the condition of such a one; and if we haue not browes of brasse, necks of iron, and hearts of flint, our very hearing of it, must needes in some sort cast vs downe; if we haue any feeling of Gods spirit within vs, it will make vs vse all diligence in working our salvation, in attaining vnto faith, in dying vnto sinne, in living vnto newnesse of life. We haue beene admonished in the Philippians, to runne forward in that race of righteousnesse, wherein through Iesus Christ God hath freely placed vs; that being conducted by his Spirit to walke in good workes, wee may make our vocation sure. My beloued (saith S. Paule) as you haue alwaies obeyed, so make an end of your owne salvation with feare and trembling, Philip. 2 12. And so (beloued in the Lord) let vs also make an ende of [Page 92] our salvation with feare and trembling.

Some of vs do gladly preach the word, we willingly declare good tidings and publish salvation, saying vnto you, your God reigneth; Esai. 52.7. yet hereby are we not iustified: our evill ensample may make the name of God to be blasphemed among the people; Rom. 2.24. & if wee beate not downe our bodies and bring them into subiection, it may be that after we haue preached to others, our selues may prooue castavvaies. It is Saint Paules iudgement, 1. Cor. 9.27.

By Christs name we may prophecy, we may cast out Devils, we may doe many great workes; yet hereby are we not iustifi­ed; it may be, Christ at his comming will professe vnto vs; I ne­ver knew you, depart from me yee workers of iniquity, Mat. 7.22. We haue hitherto beene fed delicately, and brought vp in scar­let, Lament. 4.5. shall we now perish in the streets? shall we now embrace the dunge? O let vs not go backeward, or stand still; but make wee an end of our salvation with feare and trembling.

We all cause our bellies to eate, and fill our bowels with that sweet roule, Ezech. 3.3. as sweet as any hony in our mouthes; wee willingly heare the word, and with ioy receiue it into our hearts. Yet are we not hereby iustified; no more then Balaam was, who desi­red to be like Gods children in happynesse, when he said, O let my soule die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, Num. 23.10.

Remember the Galatians; they receaved S^t Paule for his ministeries sake, as an An [...]ell of God, yea as Christ Iesus; and if it had beene possible, would haue plucked out their owne eies, and haue given them to him, to haue done him good. So zea­lous were they in professing the doctrine which Paule prea­ched. Yet false Prophets turned them backwardes to begin a­gaine the Iewish ceremonies; they turned againe to impotent and beggarly rudiments, wherevnto at the first they were in bō ­dage; in steed of going forward toward Christ, they turned back­ward from him, Galat. 4 9. Having hitherto had our heades of gold, Dan. 2.32.33. shall we now, that we may be like Nabuchad-nezzars image put on feete of clay? O let vs not go backwarde, or stand [Page 93] still, but make wee an end of our salvation with feare and trem­bling.

We all beleeue Christ, and the word preached by his Mini­sters. Yet are we not hereby iustified. Many of Christs disciples went backe, and walked no more with him, Ioh. 6.66. Simon Ma­gus beleeved at Philips preaching, and was baptized, & won­dred at his miracles, & kept company with him: yet afterward was it found, that his heart was not right before God, Act. 8.21. The Devils also they beleeue and tremble, saith S^t Iames, chap. 2.19. Now having begun in the Spirit, shall we end in the flesh? Galat. 3.3. O, let vs not go back ward, or stand still, but make we an end of our salvation with feare and trembling.

We all doe dayly before the Lord confesse our sinnes; yet are we not hereby iustified. For so happy had Pharaoh been; for he said, I haue sinned against the LORD God, Exod. 10.16. so blessed had Saule been, for he also said, I haue sinned, 1. Sam. 15.30. so, well had it beene with Iudas, for neither was he behinde them in saying, I haue sinned, Mat. 27.3. Well: Pharaoh, Saule, & Iu­das through vnbeleefe are fallen, and you stand by faith; yet, bee not high minded, but feare. So S^t Paule counsailed the Romanes, ch. 11.20. Be not high minded (I say) but feare. And take heed, it come not vnto you according to the proverbe; the dogge is returned to his vomit; and the sow that was washed, 2. Pet. 2.22. to her wallow­ing in the mire.

Since you haue gladly preached the word, willingly heard it, and carefully beleeved it, hold you on in so good a course: & doe your best endeavours, that your preaching be not turned into dumbnes, your hearing into deafnesse, your beliefe into in­fidelity.

Since you haue confessed your sinnes, be ye not vnwilling to forsake them also. For to confesse your sins with your lips, and say with Pharaoh, Saule, & Iudas, We haue sinned; will nothing profit you, vnlesse your hearts also be ready to say with Sha­drach, Meshach, and Abednego, Dan. 3.18. We will not sinne. For it is most true, which Solomō hath, Prov. 28.13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper; it followeth, but he that confesseth & [Page 94] forsaketh them shall haue mercy. Not he that confesseth only, but he that confesseth, and forsaketh his sinnes, shall haue mercy.

And last of all, since you haue beene sanctified with the blood of the Testament, beware, O beware, that you account not that blood, an vnholy thing; for so doing you tread vnder foote the Sonne of God, and despite the Spirit of grace. It is without controversie better for vs,2. Pet. 2 21. never to knowe the way of righ­teousnesse, then after we know it, to turne from it.

THE SEAVENTH SERMON.

IN my former Sermon the despiser of Christ and his Gospell was out of this 29 verse discovered by certaine markes. First to bee somewhat like vs, that loue Christ. Secondly to be much vnlike vs. He is somwhat like to vs that loue Christ: for hee is sanctified with the blood of the Testament. Againe he is much vnlike to vs that loue Christ: for 1. He treadeth & trampleth vnder foote the Sonne of God. 2. Hee accounteth the blood of the Testament, a vulgar, a cōmon, an vnholy, a prophane thing. 3. He despites the spirit of grace.

The consideration of such his markes, may occasion vs to touch two questions.

1 Because the reprobate, (not all of them, but such only as are deepest in Gods displeasure, such as doe sinne against the holy Ghost) are in this place said to bee sanctified with the blood of the Testament; it may be asked; How farre forth a man may be so sanctified; how farre a man may goe in the profession of the Gos­pell, and yet be a reprobate.

2 Because they that haue giuen their names to the strum­pet [Page 96] of Babylon do vpon this place build their doctrine, for the finall relapse of the Saints of God; I shall not erre from the mea­ning of my text, if I answere this second demande; whether a Sonne of God sanctified with the blood of the covenant may fall a­way. Of these at this time.

The first marke, wherewith men, swallowed vp of so mon­strous a sinne, are here noted, is common to them, together with the elect and chosen of God. They may bee sanctified with the blood of the covenant, [...]. Some read it per sanguinem foederis, in the Vulgar and Erasmus it is, per sangui­nem Testamenti. Wee may not disallow of either of these rea­d [...]ngs. For though the word [...] doe properly signifie a te­stament, and is often so vsed, Heb. 9. yet also it fitly answereth to the Hebrew wo [...]d [...] and signifieth pactionem viventiū, conventionem inter [...]i [...]entes, an agreement or covenant be­tweene the living. In which sense it is vsed by the expositors of the Old Testament in many places. I cite only one. 1. Sam. 11.1 When Nahash the Ammonite had besieged Iabesh Gilead, the men of the citie said vnto him, (as the Seaventie doe ex­pound it) [...], make a covenant with vs, and wee will be thy servants.

These two significations of this word, doe very fitly agree with the respects of that covenant, which God hath made with his people. For it respecteth God, & it respecteth man. God was displeased, because man had sinned. Hence was it necessary that an agreement should be made; God was to be appeased, & man was to make satisfaction. God required (and that worthily) the paine of death for satisfaction: of which durst man haue ad­ventured to make payment, needs must he haue been swallow­ed vp thereof.

Nothing then remained for the making of this agreemēt be­tweene God & vs, but that the Sonne of God, very God & very man, should interpose himselfe. Which already is performed. For he being in the forme of God, Phil 2 6. and thinking it no robbery to be be equall with God, hath made himselfe of no reputation, hath ta­ken on himselfe the forme of a servant, & was made of the seed [Page 97] of David according to the flesh: and being thus humbled, hee hath vndertaken to satisfie his angry Father for vs, and in ful­nesse of time became obedient to the death, to that death of the Crosse; and so hath wrought our reconcilement. And now hee sitting at the right hand of his Father in the highest heauens, holdeth for vs in possession an eternall inheritance; and because the right of this inheritance is purchased by him for no lesse price, then the shedding of his most pretious blood, hence it com­meth to passe, that the agreement, reconciliation, and atone­ment, the covenant made betweene God and vs (that he will be our God, and we shall be his people) may beare the shew, & haue the name, of a Testament. For, he that made it was dead; though now he liueth, and liueth for evermore.

It was not the blood of buls, nor of calues, nor of goats, nor the ashes of a heyfer, that could make vs acceptable to the Lord: but the blood of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God; that is it, that purgeth our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God. And for this cause, is Christ the mediator of the new Testament, ( [...] Heb. 9.15. in which chapter this word [...] is of­ten vsed in the same signification) for this cause. I say, is Christ the mediator of the new Testament, that through death, which was for the redemption of the transgressions in the former Te­stament, they which were called, might receaue the promise of eternall inheritance. In regard of Christ thē, whose death hath made the covenant betweene God and vs to bee of force, this covenant may very fitly be called a Testament: and this respect of him, that dyed for vs, warranteth both those expositions; that for the word [...], we may read either Covenant or Te­stament.

[...]] The blood of Christ [which in the conceite of the Nestorians differeth nothing from the blood of any o­ther creature, and is in the iudgement of such, as sin willingly, after that they haue received the knowledge of the truth, but com­mon blood, as it were the blood of any other man] this blood of Christ, is here called the blood of the Covenāt, or the blood of the [Page 98] 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 [Page 99] 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; [Page 100] 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 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, [Page 102] 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, S^t 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 [Page 103] sanctified, and iustified, 1. Cor. 6.11. And so saith S^t 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 needle­worke, 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 [Page 104] 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 fire, wherewith they must bee devoured.

Which being so, it followeth, that the places now alleaged must be vnderstood of that generall sanctity, by which mē may be said to be sanctified, iustified, cleansed, washed, and the like; though not truely, nor before God, yet in the face of the Church, & before men; as it were sacramentally; & so must we expound this clause of my text: where we see, that hee that treadeth vn­der foot the Sonne of God, may bee said to bee sanctified with the blood of the covenant. And so he may be sanctified; but how? The meaning is; he may be sanctified, not truely, nor before God, but in the face of the Church and before men.

Hitherto haue I endeavoured to make plaine the first mark, by which back-sliders frō the truth are in my text noted; name­ly that they are sanctified with the blood of the covenant. The question arising hence, may out of that which already is deli­vered, easily be answe [...]ed. The question is, ‘How farre forth a man may be sanctified with the blood of the Covenant, and yet be a reprobate?’

I answer thus in generall; To be sanctified only in the face of the Church, and before men, doth not exempt a man from be­ing a reprobate. Or thus may the question be proposed.

I answere thus in generall; So cary thy selfe outwardly in the profession of the Gospell, that no exception may bee taken a­gainst thee; let thy life be such, as that the Sons of God, which liue with thee in the bosome of the same Church, can iudge no otherwise of thee, then of a rightfull heire to eternall happinesse; be it, that they thinke of thee much better, then of themselues, yet will not all this exempt thee from being a reprobate. What [Page 105] thou art inwardly and in the sight of God, God alone knoweth; he alone is [...], and sees, and knowes thy heart. Since thou hast giuen thy name to Christ, and hast had the washing of the new birth, the Church in charitie must iudge of thee, as of one truely grafted into Christ, and truely regenerate; but (I say) what thou art inwardly and in the sight of God, God knoweth: examine thou thy selfe.

More particularly I answer thus: As I said before; [...] and [...], in a figure, and according to the custome of the Scriptures, all that are in the Church, though they all be not of the Church and truely holy, are notwithstanding called holy, and are said to be sanctified with the blood of Christ. Now of such as are said to be sanctified, when indeed they are not sā ­ctified, there are two sorts.

Some there are, that haue Christ much in their mouthes, but nothing at all in their hearts or vnderstanding. They knowe him not; yet as they see others doe, so doe they; with others they worship and confesse him. Much like them, of whom our Savi­our said to the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.22. Yee worship that, which yee know not. And because this confession of Christ, in such as are borne anew of water and of the Spirit, is an outward testi­monie of an inward new birth, hence it commeth to passe, that such mere talkers of Christ (if their liues be not exceeding wic­ked) may be said to be regenerate, iustified, & sanctified. These goe not beyond one step in the profession of the Gospell.

Others there are, which possesse Christ not only in their mouthes, but also in their vnderstanding. These of all reprobates goe farthest in the profession of the Gospell. So farre they goe, as that it is impossible for man to discerne betweene them and Christs sheepe, though they bee but goats; betweene them and true Christians, though they bee but hypocrites. For they are kept in the same pastures, and solded in the same fold with vs; and doe so behaue themselues in obedience to the word and discipline of the Church, as that by vs, they must needs be taken for true members of Christ. And because this their knowledge of Christ, is in the elect the beginning of regeneratiō, hence it cō ­meth [Page 106] to passe, that these men, though indeed they are not borne a newe, may yet be said to be regenerate, iustified, & sanctified. Thus we see how farre a reprobate may goe in Christianitie.

The elect out-goes him by one degree; for he receaues Christ not onely into his mouth or vnderstanding, but into his heart also: he receaues the word, not only into his mouth, to talke of it, or into his vnderstanding to knowe it, but into his open and enlarged heart to embrace it. And so is he sanctified in mouth, in mind, in heart; and being so sanctified, he chearefully runnes forward in that race of righteousnesse, wherein through Iesus Christ GOD hath freely placed him, that being conducted by his Spirit to walke in good workes, hee may make his calling and election sure.

Now to consider, that a man sanctified with the blood of the Testament, may account that blood vnholy and prophane, may trample vnder foot the sonne of God, and may despite the Spi­rit of Grace; will not this moue our hearts to wisdome? To cō ­sider, that men, living as we liue, and professing as wee professe, may vtterly and finally fall away from Christ and Christianity; will not this in some measure cast vs downe? Happily browes of brasse, necks of yron, and hearts of flint, will here proclaime their stubbornesse. But (dearely beloued in the Lord) if we 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; the consideration of these things, whereof wee haue heard, will remember vs, that it is now time wee should arise from sleepe; yea, it will cause vs to vse all diligence, in working our salvation, in attaining vnto faith, in dying vnto sinne, in li­ving vnto newnesse of life.

Wee see how farre reprobats may goe in the profession of the Gospell. If we goe no farther, but sit downe and rest with them; yea, if we be wearie, before we haue gone so farre as they; if we come short of them in the duties of religion, can wee in reason looke to be rewarded better then they? Shall Herod feare, & re­verence Iohn Baptist, and heare him gladly, and yet be damned? & shall we nor feare, nor reverence Gods Ministers, not heare thē [Page 107] willingly, and yet be saued? Shall Pharaoh, Saule, and Iudas, con­fesse their sinnes, and yet be damned? and shall we hide our sinnes, and yet be saued? Shall the wicked confesse Christ with their mouthes, and knowe him in their vnderstanding, and yet be dā ­ned? and shal we vse our mouthes only to sweare, to blaspheme, to lye, to speake evill of others, & keepe our vnderstanding, (like a faire and cleane table booke) without all godly knowledge, and yet be saued?

Surely, the ground that beares bryers and thornes, is reproued, is neere vnto cursing, and in the end must be burned: so 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 [Page 108] 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 th [...]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 f [...]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 [...]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 cō ­meth oft vpon it, and bringeth forth h [...]arbs meet for them, by whō 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.

OF the first marke by which the sinner a­gainst the Holy Ghost cannot be discer­ned from one truely elected; and of the first question groūded 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. [...] [...] 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. 2 [...].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 thē, which it hath in Gods chosen.

The chosen of God, whē 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 conversatiō 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 S^t 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 S^t 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 generatiō, 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. S^t 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. [Page 111] 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 stād amazed, to see such beauty in fire brāds 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 comme [...]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 heavēly 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 [Page 113] 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 [Page 114] 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 they doe not what they would; but what they hate, and would not doe, that, even that they doe; though they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man; that yet there is a law in their mem­bers, that leads them captiue vnto sinne. Notwithstanding the truth of all this; although the faithfull can finde no meanes to performe that which is good the law of sinne working death in them, and causing them dayly in a sort to sinne against their consciences, yet because in minde they serue the law of God, and sinne not in contempt of God, they may not be said to tread vn­der foot the Sonne of God.

As for the reprobate, when they sinne against their conscien­ces, they doe it in the highest degree; they doe it most properly, most perfectly, most fully. I speake not this of all the reprobate: I am perswaded, that, as there haue beene many which never heard, so there are many which heare not, and there shall bee many which shall never heare, the preaching of the Gospell; no not so much as the name of Christ.

S^t Paule told the Lycaonians, Act. 14.16. how that God in former times suffered all the Gentils to walke in their own waies. As much in effect, he told the Ephesians, chap. 2.12. that before their calling, they were aliens from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the Covenants of promise, without hope, without Christ, without God in the world. MOSES and the Prophets are plentifull in shewing this, that in former times the Covenant was peculiar to the Iewes. Among the rest DAVID saith, Psalm. 76.1, 2. that, in Iewry God is knowne, his name is great in Israel, that his tabernacle is at Salem, and his dwelling in Sion. The like [Page 115] he hath, Psal. 147.19. God sheweth his word vnto Iacob, his sta­tutes and ordinances vnto Israel. But in this latter place he ad­deth moreover; God hath not dealt so with any nation, neither haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes. Hence I say, I am per­swaded, that, as there haue beene many which never heard, so there are many which heare not; and there shal be many which shall never heare, the preaching of the Gospel; no, not so much as the name of Christ.

But such reprobats here I meane not: I name them only that liue within the bosome of the Church. Them I name, to whom God hath abundantly granted the outward meanes of salvati­on, as the word, prayer, sacraments, and discipline: them I name, to whom God giueth many worthy properties of faith; as, to acknowledge the divine truth in the Law and Gospell, to as­sent vnto it; with ioy of heart to heare & speake it, & outward­ly for a time to professe it: them I name on whom God bestow­eth no small measure of repentance; as to see their sinnes, to be sory sor them, to confesse them, to resolue for a time to sinne no more. These are the reprobats, I name to be such as doe sinne in the highest degree against their consciences.

For albeit many notable things are spoken of them, in the sanctified writings of the blessed Prophets and Apostles; albe­it they are clad in a faire robe, in shew like to that of Adam; A­dams robe of integritie, of holinesse, and of the grace of God, wherewith before his fall hee was invested; albeit the vesture they haue put on, be as seemely to the eye, as was that vesture of needle worke wrought with diverse colours, wherewith the Queene was clothed, yet, because they are not (as the Queenes daughter was) all glorious within, those notable things spoken of them; that faire robe covering them; that goodly vesture put on them, can availe, or advantage them nothing at all.

If their hearts, which are open and naked vnto God, could be seene with the eyes of slesh, then would they appeare even to vs, as they are, very like the hearts of those Iewes, Act. 13.45. who, because they saw the graces of God magnified by Pauls preaching at Antioche, were full of envy, and railed at, and [Page 116] gainsaid all that Paul had spokē ▪ then would they appeare evē to vs, as they are, very like the hearts of those Pharisees, Marke 3.30. who, of set purpose, disdainefully, spitefully, and maliti­ously, turned the light into darknesse, when they saw, that Christ by the power of God, made the blind and dumb, that was possessed with a divell, both to speake and see; for they said, hee hath an vncleane spirit: then would they appeare even to vs, as they are, very like the heart of the sorcerer Elymas, Act. 13.10. who, a child of the divell, an enimie of all righteousnesse, full of subtiltie, full of mischiefe, withstood the preaching of the word, and sought to turne away Sergius Paulus from the faith.

Such men as these, harbouring within them, hearts of such quality, hearts made fat, haue also eares and eies suteable to their hearts; eares made heavy, and eies shut vp: they see not, they heare not, they vnderstand not. If you talke with them of the Holy Scriptures, happyly they will graunt them to be a well devised story, and that's all. Tell them of their Baptisme; they count it no better then the washing of their hands; of the Lords Supper; they preferre their owne farre before it: of the Resurrection; you make them then conceited; as to think what maner of bodies they shall haue at that day; of what proportiō and stature their bodies shall be, and the like; and for your la­bour and good advisement, they will hold you to be, as the E­picures and Stoicks did Paule, Act. 17.18. [...], that is, as our English text reades it, bablers, or if you would rather the marginall reading, triflers, or rascals.

These men (were they vsed for their deserts) the preacher should pronounce, and the Magistrate proclaime, for the fou­lest leapers, that possible may be: well worthy (shall I say to be excluded the hoast, and to haue their habitation alone? or which is more: to haue no accesse either to court or country, to bee exi­led altogether their natiue soile, which ever yet gaue thē nou­rishment? No: all this were too little, but) well worthy, I say, to be expelled from nature it selfe, which so vnnaturally they striue to bring to naught.

See here. The Lord sends a flaming fire, if possible, to awake [Page 117] them from their sleepe in sinne: he sends his Ministers, to call them vnto weeping and mourning, to baldnesse and girding with sackcloath; as once he did vnto the Iewes, Esai. 22.12. But hath this fire, though mightily flaming, stirred them from their sleep? Or haue they yeelded obedience to the calling of God? Be­hold (it followeth in that text) with them is ioy and gladnesse, slaying oxen and killing sheepe, eating flesh and drinking wine; ea­ting and drinking, for to morrow (say they) we shall die: they say, to morrow we shall die.

In the meane time, that is, to day, while it is called to day, they sinne like Elyes sonnes, 1. Sam. 3.14. such a sinne, which (God hath sworne) shall not bee purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever: they sinne with a 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 mē 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 cō ­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,

WEE haue heretofore heard, that the blood of the Testa­ment is here put for the blood of Christ, because as The­ophylact [Page 118] 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 sacramē ­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 sōetimes [...] signifies that, which is impure and vncleane. So it doth, Mark. 7.2. where the Scribes & Pha­risees cōplaine vpon Christs disciples for eating with vncleane & filthy hands. In the text it is [...], with commō 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 VNCLEAN [...]: the text hath [...], which, though generally it signifies common, is there restrai­ [...]ed by [...], to note that which is polluted and vncleane.

But for this place; since it is not necessarie, that every thing [Page 119] 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 S^t Iames hath, that our faith must be shewn by our works? Why thē 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 [Page 120] 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 Constā ­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 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,

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 [Page 121] 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, & cō ­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 S^t Paule made vnto the Ephesians, and that his other vnto the Thessalonians, doe strongly confirme it. In the bowels of compassion, he coū ­selleth theEphes. 4.30. EPHESIANS, not to grieue the Spirit, and the THES­SALONIANS, not to 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 contra [...]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 dimin [...]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 [Page 122] 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? S^t 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 [Page 123] 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 NONVS.

DAbitis mihi veniam (Viri Patres & Fra­tres, in Christo charissimi) si ab exordio longo, & altè petito fortasse etiam alieno, quo recreant se nonnulli, prorsus abstinu­ero. Diutiùs vos non tenebo. Aggredior ad statum & principalem huius loci pro­positionem. Sic habet: Hebraeis, adeó (que) fidelibus omnibus, ideóque & nobis, non est à Christo deficiendum, sed in coeptâ semel professione persistendum. Hâc amicissimâ Apostoli ad perseverantiam in fide Christi invitatione, si qui non tangan­tur, sunt illi in peccatis planè mortui. Qui autem ex potentia Dei cum Christo vivunt, hâc auditâ poenarum comminatione mirificè percelluntur. Nec mirum. Hic enim apertis verbis ostenditur, cer­tam & severissimam futuram Dei ultionem in eos omnes, qui post acceptam veritatis cognitionem ultrò peccaverint. Qui vltrò post agnitam veritatem peccaverit; qui sciens ac volens gratiam, quam adeptus erat abiecerit; qui à Christi morte, non particulari aliquo delicto, sed abiectâ in totum fide discesserit; ei hostia pro peccatis non est residua; horrenda judicii expectatio eum exe­det; ignis fervor eum devorabit. Haec habemus expressa versibus 26, 27.

Voluntatiè peccantibus post acceptam veritatis notitiam, non ampliùs relinquitur pro peccatis hostia;

Sed terribilis expectatio judicij, & zelus ignis, qui devora­bit adversarios.

Propositio in se dilucida & certissima; utpote in cuius veritatem Inferorum portae nunquam sunt praevaliturae. Attamen cum a­mentes simus, & tardi corde, ad credendum omnibus, quae san­ctissimi Christi testes sunt locuti, id, quod in rem nostram sit, fa­cit Apostolus; propositam veritatem duplici stabilit argumento: quorum prius ductum est à minoribus comparatis; posterius à di­vinis pronuntiatis: utrum (que) aptissimum, illud ad Iudaeos, hoc ad quoscun (que) commovendos. Prius exponitur vers. 28.29. in quibus Spiritus ille veritatis, quem mundus non potest recipere, fideli­bus satis indicat, poenam minimè dubiam, mortem certissimam eis omnibus esse constitutam, qui MOSIS legém spreverint: itáque deducit nos ad seriam meditationem acerbissimi illius supplicij, quo sine omni controversiâ excruciabuntur, qui Dei filium pro nihilo habuerint. Quid enim planiùs dici potuit? quid vehemen­tiùs?

Qui irritam fecerit Mosis legem, absque misericordiâ ex du­orum aut trium testimonio moritur.

Quantò (putatis) acerbiore supplicio dignus censebitur, qui filium Dei conculcârit, & sanguinem foederis, per quem fuerat sanctificatus, profanum duxerit, & spiritum gratiae contume­liâ affecerit?

Posterius argumentum habetur vers. 30. Duobus nititur testi­moniis. Virum (que) legimus, Deut. 32. Primum vers. 35. Mea est ul­tio & retributio. Alterum vers. 36. Iudicabit IEHOVAH populū suum De testimoniorum istorum sirmitudine nihil omninò detra­hit, quod praemittitur; [...]: scimus, Deum non esse, ut hominem, qui mentiatur; scimus, eum sui semper similē; scimus, eorum, quae dixit, ipsum poenitere non posse.

[...], &c. Novimus eum qui dixit, Mihi ultio, ego retribuam, dicit DOMINVS: & rursum; DOMINVS judicabit populum suum.

Accuratam hanc superioris doctrinae confirmationem illustri [Page 126] tandem exornat Epiphonemate, vt illo, de horrendâ divini iudi­cij seueritate bene moniti, in eo toti simus, vt ne simus apostatae. Vers. 31.

Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viuentis. Horrendum est: sed quibus? Num fidelibus? Nihil minus. Fidelis David, cum ei à Gade Propheta Dei iussu trium malorū daretur optio, incidā obsecro, inquit, in manum IEHOVAE, quia magnae sunt mise­rationes ejus. Sic horrendum nō est eis, qui fide viuunt, vt in Dei manus incidant. At quibus igitur hic horror incutitur? Incutitur sanè omnibus infidelibus & impijs; sed apostatis praecipuè, à fide Christi defectoribus, à purâ religione transfugis, Evangelicaeque doctrinae proditoribus. At hi viuunt tamē. Ʋiuunt? Immo senes­cunt; etiam valent viribus: domibus eorum pax à pauore est, nec est virga Dei super eos: in labore mortalium non sunt, & cum reliquis hominibus non afficiuntur plagis. Superbiâ, tanquam tor (que), cinguntur, & violentiâ, velut ornamēto, vestiuntur. At­tendite, ô qui caelis os vestrum opponitis, & crudimini: vel hinc discatis, Deum nostrum, Deum esse vivum; Deum esse, qui virgâ suâ ferreâ vt vas figuli, vel eos qui collo sunt durissimo, dissipabit; Deum esse, praeter quem nullus est; Deum solum esse, qui & possit, & velit, cuiusuis contumacis & corpus & animā perdere in Ge­henna. Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei vivi,

Dabo igitur operam, (Florentissimi Academici) vt, quae dictu­rus sum, minimo dicam cum fastidio. In iteratione eorum, quae de propositione huius loci, eiusdemque confirmationis argumento pri­mo, ante hâc exposui, nullus ero. Accedo libentiùs ad alterius ar­gumenti brevem quandam expositionem. Proponitur, Vers. 30.

Novimus eum qui dixit; Mihi vltio, ego rependam, dicit Dominus; & iterum, judicabit Dominus populum suum.

Quo in versu tria mihi videntur praecipuè esse obseruanda.

Primum, Deum in omnibus promissionibus suis, in omni­bus dictis suis veracem esse. Id colligo ex eo quod praemittitur; Nouimus eum qui dixit.

Secundum, Deum illatas non solùm sibi, sed & populo suo, injurias vlturum. Id verba volunt, quae statim subiunguntur; Mi­hi vltio, ego retribuam, dicit Dominus.

Tertium, Deum etiam in populum suum severissimè anim­adversurum. Id, quod vltimo loco asseritur: DOMINVS judica­bit populum suum.

Ab horum primo oratio mea reliqua initium capiet, & in eo terminabitur.

Tritum est illud Scholasticorum: Deum non tantùm verum esse, sed & ipsam esse veritatem; veritatem in seipso, in operi­bus suis, in verbis suis.

Deus veritas est in seipso; tum quia id est verissimè, quod se videt ac novit esse; aeterna scilicet, ac perfectissima essentia; tum quia forma est & species rerum omnium, quae extra ipsum sunt, ad quam, quaecun (que) sunt, sunt conformata.

Deus veritas est in operibus suis; tam ordinariis; cuiusmodi sunt opera creationis, & gubernationis mundi; quàm extraordi­nariis; qualia appello, opera miraculorum, & conservationis Ec­clesiae.

Deus deni (que) veritas est in verbis suis: veritas in verbo incar­nato, vero Dei filio, Deo & homine, vtro (que) vero; Propheta, Pon­tifice, Rege, veris singulis. Veritas etiā & in verbo scripto, ex quo non praeteribit apex vnus, donec omnia facta fuerint. Coelum & terra priùs praeteribunt. Tot modis Deus verus dicitur, etiam ipsa veritas, sua ipsius veritas. Cetera nil moror. Ʋnica certè doc­trinae coelestis cognitio nobis est ad salutem necessaria; quae cum non sit aliunde, quàm è fonte divino, è verbo Dei scripto, hauri­enda, nobis quaerenda non est in lutulentis Philosophorum lacu­nis. Purissimum habemus Dei verbum, semen illud immortale, ab antiquissimis iam olim temporibus, ad haec nostra deductum secu­la. Quid nō eo delectemur? Quid non in eo consenescimus? O quan­ta faex est in orbe Christiano, ut nihil ferè tam sit [...], quod non alicui videatur venustissimum? Nihil dico, hunc in fructuosâ vtriusque juris scientiâ studium ponere; illum medicorum libris pervolutandis invigilare; alium artibus ingenuis perdiscendis ae­tatem agere. Scio jurisconsultorum domos ipsa esse Civitatum o­racula, [Page 128] eós (que), dum pro tribunali ius dicunt, à potentissimo rerum omnium conditore Deos esse appellatos. Scio, medicos honore esse afficiendos;Eccles. 38.1. creavit eos Dominus. Quin & artes liberaliores suam habent laudem: ritè & loco adhibitae ita Dominam Theologiam non dedecorant, vt ei potiùs ancillentur, et inserviant.

Hoc tamen liceat dicere, pleros (que) hisce studiis sic inflammari, ut tempus eis non sit reliquum, quod verbi divini, aut auditioni, aut lectioni, aut meditationi velint impertire.

Si istis hoc est dandum vitio; quid de illis dicendum, qui quantum in ipsorum animis roboris est, & nervorum, id totum si­ne fructu sinunt praeterire; dum edenda curant & pervulgāda, quae ipsi fecerint poemata, nugatoria, scurrilia, lasciva? quorum in­gratâ senioribus dulcedine corruptelá (que), mirum nî sint iuniorum mores depravati. De libellis ipsis sic facilè censuerim, aptissimos esse, qui tunica sint scombris, & involucra thuri, odoribus, piperi, ceteris (que), quaecun (que) chartis amiciuntur ineptissimis: dignissimos proculdubio, qui id patiantur, quod magici illi libri, quorum facta est mentio, Act. 19.19. ut nimirùm igni propalàm dentur absu­mendi.

De libellorum istiusmodi confectoribus asperiùs nil dicam. Ha­bebunt unde erudiantur, siCap. 12 12. Ecclesiasten consuluerint. Ille, quâ fuit coelesti sapientiâ perstrinxit eos omnes, qui in posterum ludi­cra scriberent & inutilia. Quàm modestè id fecerit verba indi­cabunt faciendi multos libros nullus est finis. Non hìc substitit prudentissimus Davidis filius: addidit; & lectio multorū fatigatio carnis. Quo dicto▪ etiam cultiori literaturae inussit notam dedeco­ris & infamiae, nisi ad laudem gloriosae Dei gratiae referatur; tan­tum abfuit ut eos approbaret, qui lectitandis scriptionibus profa­nis & impiis semet oblectarent.

At corum tamen, aetas nostra peperit quamplurimos. Ita ple­ri (que) sumus (qui sumus Academici) ad quamlibet perversitatem ingenio proclivi, ut ad ineptias quascun (que) malimus abire, quàm ut reconditum sapientiae coelestis thesaurum, nobis ipsis vel mi­nimo cum sudore vel [...]mus comparare. Duo mala facimus, scatu­riginem aquarum viventium derelinquimus;Ierem. 2.13 & effodimus nobis cisternas, cisternas fractas, aquae capiendae nunquam suffecturas, [Page 129] Quae certè minimè faceremus, si nôssemus unicum illum verum Deum, acerrimum sui ipsius defensorem, acerbissimum hostium suorum vindicem, iustissimum populi sui assertorem.

Eum si nôssemus, non, perinde ac vivimus, viveremus; piâ mente eum coleremus; mandata eius servaremus. Nimiùm, heu nimiùm, mentes nostras intra pollutionis humanae fines continemus: extra terram non respicimus; acuti ad ea, quae iuxta nos sunt, dijudican­da, cum cogitationes nostras in coelum erigimus, hebescimus, & obtundimur. Ita sumus homines naturâ comparati, nihil ut scia­mus eorum, quae Dei sunt.

Abscede à me Satana; offendiculo mihi es;Matth. 16.23.non sapis quae Dei sunt, sed quae hominum: dignus erat Petrus, qui haec audi­ret à Domino. Iustissima est illa quorela Dei, Ierem. 4.22. quâ populum suum insimulat stultitiae, quòd ipsum non noverint. De Ephraimo & Israele pronunciat Hoseas, c. 5. 4. ipsos IEHOVAM non agnoscere. Admonetur Titus, illâ ad ipsum epistolâ, c. 1.16. esse, qui profitentur Deum se scire, cum factis negent. Abomi­nandi sunt & rebelles, & ad omne opus bonū rejectanei: pol­lutá sunt & mente & conscientià: Deum profitentur se scire, quē minimè sciunt, factis negant. Apertissimè Iohannes ep. 1. c. 2.4. Qui dicit se nôsse Deum, & mandata ejus non servat, men­dax est; non est in eo veritas. Si haec vera sint, tam certis sacrarū literarum testata monumentis; certúm (que) sit quod de gentibus af­firmat Apostolus, ipsas, et si Deo nec gloriam darent, Rom. 1.12. nec gratias agerent, Deum tamen cognovisse: nec ullius possit levitatis ar­gui, quod hoc in loco omnium fidelium nomine profertur; Novi­mus eum qui dixit: non abs re facturus mihi videor, si quàm varia sit hominum de Deo notitia, paucis tetigero.

Extra controversiam ponimus, quendam inesse humanae menti eum (que) instinctu naturali, divinitatis sensum. Hoc ipsum vel Eth­nicis ipsis sic innotuit, ut ipsorum non nemo affirmârit pro certis­simo, nullam esse tam barbaram nationem; nullam gentem tam efferatam, cui non insideat haec persuasio, Deum esse. Latè cer­tè patet, nec obscura est ist haec in humanâ mente divini numinis impressio.

Si quis enim paulisper à terrenis curis & studijs vacuus, totā [Page 130] hanc mundi machinam consideret, quae ut decore ornata est miri­fico, ita legibus gubernatur certissimis; certè fieri non potest, quin cogitet, esse aliquem, qui haec omnia condiderit, condita sui [...] le­gibus circumscripserit, circumscripta legibus intra illarū fines continuerit, & contineat. Haec si cogitârit, incipit mox videre, qualis sit DEVS. Quia enim ipsum esse rerum omnium creatorē, ideo (que) rebus omnibus creatis priorem sentit, luculentum habet intra se de ejus aeternitate testimonium. Si singularum mundi partium mirabiles motus & effecta contempletur; haec illum de immensà Creatoris sui potentiâ admonebunt: si earundem deco­ram, & per omnia sibi ipsi convenientem, dispositionem expendat; illius sapientiam necessariò admirabitur: si firmum, sibi (que) semper constantem, huius machinae ordinem videat, Dei veritas in oculos eius incurret. Pergat porrò; spectét (que) usum singulorum, & utilita­tem ex iis ad homines redeuntem, certus erit (nisi fuerit ingra­tus) de Dei bonitate. A coelis oculos convertat ad terram, ad flo­res agri, ad volucres, ad minutissima quae (que) animalcula; eorum si­ve formam, sive agilitatem ponderet, velit nolit, etiam in illis co­getur virtutem agnoscere, humanâ longè majorem. In semetip­sum respiciat, consideret (que) membrorum corporis sui dispositionem & vsum, multa perspiciet divinae potentiae, sapientiae, bonitatis argumenta. His deni (que) adiiciat exempla iudiciorum Dei, quibus aut cultores suos tuetur, aut hostes punit, perspicua scilicet man­suetudinis & justitiae ipsius specimina contuebitur.

Habemus iam apertum, & nobis ob oculos positum, librum il­lum physicum, quo aeternus ille Rex Regum, potentissimus, sapi­entissimus, verissimus, optimus, benignissimus, & iustissimus de­claratur. Haec est illa divini numinis intelligentia; haec illa Dei notitia, quam Paulus ad Rom. 1^o. firmiter asseverat hominum mentibus insculptam esse, & vniversis inditam, ut ne quis impi­etatem suam, & iniustitiam, excusatione ignorantiae posset defen­dere.

Praeter istam ex libro creaturarum perceptam Dei cognitio­nem, alia est longè perfectior ex libro legis capienda. Singulare Dei donum est, quod ad Ecclesiam suam erudiendam, non mutis tantùm utatur magistris, sed & os suum sacrosanctum aperiat, [Page 131] quo certissimos nos faciat, ipsum se solum esse & summum Deū, qui unicè fit observandus, timendus, colendus. Haec Dei noti­tia, quâ ab ipsius ore, ex verbo ejus scripto instruimur; latissimè diffunditur in Ecclesiam universam. Cum Hierosolymitanis ha­bitat Iebusaeus: unâ crescunt urtica & myrrha; hoedi cum agnis ad eundem accedunt pastum; pisces tam mali quàm boni capiun­tur; in agro Domini, ut florent inter spinas lilia, sic inter spicas Zizania. Haec visibilis Ecclesiae sors est, haec facies, hic color. In ea sunt Electi, fideles, pii; sunt & Reprobi, infideles, impii. Tam hi, quâm illi, ad verbum audiendum vocati, & admissi, ex eodem edocentur, non solùm esse Deum; sed & observandum esse, timē ­dum esse, colendum esse.

Sola superest notitia Dei perfectissima, ex libro fidei haurien­da: quà solâ illuminamur in spem aeternae vitae; quâ solâ, qui mor­tui eramus, vivificamur; quâ solâ Deum ipsum, non tantùm ut mundi conditorem, omnium (que) quae fiunt, unicum autorē & ar­bitrum, sed etiam, ut nostrum in Mediatoris personà redempto­rem, confitemur & agnoscimus.

Tam varia est hominum de Deo notitia. Ex libro creaturarum scimus esse Deum; ex libro legis intelligimus ipsum esse obser­vandum, timendum & colendum; ex [...]ibro fidei credimus eun­dē nobis esse Servatorem. Haec ultima & perfectissima Dei no­titia, unicè vera & salutaris, in solis electis ex Evangelij gratiâ residens & elucens, ea est, quam hoc in loco vult Apostolus, dum ait: Novimus eum qui dixit.

Quibus verbis vis inest at (que) acrimonia quaedam ad movendū. Ac si diceret: quid non putamus fore; quid non credimus fore, ut Christi derisores, eius (que) sanguinis contemptores, gravi supplicio coerceantur? Novimus cum qui dixit, Mea est ultio. Nos qui à patre Christo damur, qui ex mundo seligimur, qui à potestate Sa­tanae eximimur, verè novimus eum, qui dixit, Mea est ultio. Ve­rè scimus qualis sit Deus, quàm zelotes, quàm severus & incor­ruptus iniquitatum ultor. Contemptum sui nunquam feret im­punitum.

Dixit, Mea est ultio, ego rependam] Dixit? & non perficiet? Immò, inquit BALAAMVS: Deus fortis non est homo, Num. 23.10. qui menti­atur, [Page 132] aut filius hominis, quem poeniteat. Ardentiùs dictum quod statim adiungit, an ipse dixerit & non faciet? an loquutus fue­rit, & non praestabit illud? Si iste▪ Bosoris filius, minùs apud nos autoritate suâ possit, quòd mercedem iniquitatis amaverit: at au­dimus1 Sam. 15 29 Samuelem id ipsum confitentem; Fortitudo Israelis non mentietur & poenitudine non flectetur, neque enim homo est, ut poeniteat eum: audimusRom 9.19 Malac. 3.6. Apostolum interrogantem, Volun­tati Dei quis resistit? audimus ipsum Deum de se dicentem, Ego Deus, & non mutor. Quod etiamsi dictum vult Hieronymus, ne putemus, Deum divinitatis mutare naturam; AVGVSTINVS tamē aliud mavult illis verbis significari, nempe in Deo non esse mu­tationem secundum voluntatem, & propositum. Aptissima sa­nè interpretatio, & illi Scholasticorum regulae convenientissima: voluntatem Dei, quocunque sese vertant creaturae, manere sē ­per invictam, atque immutabilem. Ego Deus, & non mutor. Cū vos mutaverit & in deterius culpa vestra, & in melius gratia mea, Ego non mutor. Plura non urgeo.

Ex istis liquidò constat, DEVM in omnibus promissionibus su­is, in omnibus dictis suis veracem esse, talem (que) agnosci à fidelibus Novimus eum qui dixit] Dixit, & facturus est, Dixit, & praesta­bit illud: Dixit, Mea est ultio, ego rependam. De quo eius dicto, si ipse voluerit, proximè. Nunc finis sit.

Illustra faciem tuam erga nos, ô Excelse. Concede quaesumus, ut in tenebris hujus mundi semper nobis praeluceat, quae elu­cet in verbo tuo, tua veritas; ut in eam indies magis magísque intenti, convenienter eidem cursum nostrum peragamus, do­nec tandem perveniamus ad fruitionem beatissimae illius qui­etis, quam nobis peperit vnigenitus Filius tuus, Dominus noster, Iesus Christus: cui tecum, & cum Spiri­tû Sancto, honor sit & glo­ria, in secula, AMEN.

THE NINTH SERMON, TRAN­slated into English by a learned student in Divinitie.

I Nothing doubt, Beloued in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ, but yee will pardon me, if I altogether absteine frō a long, impertinent, and farre fetcht en­terance, wherewith some vse to please themselues. I will not long hold you; but come to the state, & principal pro­positiō & summe of these words: which is, that the Hebrews, as also all the faith­full, of which number we are, must not fall away 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 [Page 134] 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.

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 [Page 136] 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.

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, Ʋengeance 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 be, to wit, the eternal [Page 137] and most perfect essence, and being; as also because hee is the forme and beautie of all things, which are without him, accor­ding to which all things that be, must bee conformed and pro­portioned.

God is truth in his workes, both ordinarie, such as are the workes of Creation, and governement of the world; and also extraordinarie, by which I meane miraculous workes, and such whereby he preserues his faithfull Church.

Lastly, God is truth in his words; truth both in VERBO IN­CARNATO, that incarnate word, the true sonne of God, God & man, vtro (que) vero, both a true God, and true man; a true Prophet, Priest, and King: and he is truth also verbo scripto, in his writtē word, of which one IOTA shall not passe, till all things be fulfil­led. Nay, Heaven and Earth shall sooner passe.

So many waies God is said to be true, and truth it selfe, nay Sua ipsius veritas, his owne truth, and truth of himselfe. I passe over many things. Truely, seeing the knowledge of heavenly doctrine, which is necessarie for vs to salvation, is to be drawn only out of the divine fountaine, the written word of God, wee must not seeke for it in the muddie chanels of heathen Philo­sophers. Wee haue the most pure word of God, that immortall seed, delivered over to vs from the ancient Patriarchs, & Pro­phets. Why should we not take delight, and spend our daies therein? The Christian world is so corrupted, that there is no­thing so improper, which to one or other seemes not most ele­gant. I say not, that one spends his time in the study of the Laws another in Physicke, a third in the liberall sciences. I know that Lawiers houses are counted oracula civitatum, and that, when they sit as iudges, they are called Gods by God himselfe. I know theEccles. 38.1. Physitian is to bee honoured, because God hath created him. I knowe, that liberall Arts and Sciences are praiseworthy, and of so great vse, that they may adorne and set forth Divini­tie. Yet this I will say, that many are so incensed with these studies, that they afford no time for the hearing, reading, or meditating, of the word of God.

If these deserue reproofe, what shall wee say of those, who [Page 138] spend the flowre, and strength of their wits in divulging wan­ton and scurrilous Poems? Which though they be distastfull to men of graue and setled iudgements, yet marvaile it is, if they taint not and infect young mens maners. The bookes them­selues deserue no better, in my iudgement, then to bee made cases to wrap in pepper, and other spices, yea to bee burned as were those magicke & curious books, mentioned, Act. 19.19.

Against such libellers I will not vse bitternesse; they may learne, if they will, of the Preacher, who, being endued with heauenly wisdome, doth checke all those which shall write vaine things.Eccles. 12.12. Heare how modestly he doth it, There is none end in making many bookes; the most wise sonne of David staies not here, but adds, Much reading is a wearines to the flesh. In which words he hath stamped a note of infamie vpō better learning, if it be not referred to the glory of God. So farre is this wise Prea­cher from approuing those, which delight themselues in rea­ding prophane and wicked bookes.

Our age is full of such. Most of vs, students in the Vniversitie, haue so prevented our wits, that we had rather runne after va­nities, then, with any the least sweat of our browes, acquire to our selues the hidden treasure of heavenly wisdome. We cō ­mit two evills; Ierem. 2.13. we haue forsaken the fountaine of living waters, to digge our selues pits, pits that can hold no water. Which wee would never do, if wee knew, that the only true God, were a most earnest defender of himselfe, a most severe revenger of his enimies, & a iust iudge of his people. If we knewe him, we would not liue as we doe, but worship him with a true heart, & keepe his commandements. The more is the pitie, that wee still hold our minds ensnared in the bonds of mans corrupt nature. We looke not aboue the earth: quicke sighted we are in earthly af­faires, but blind and dull in the contemplation of heavenly things.

Our nature is so corrupt, that wee knowe nothing of the things of God.Matth. 16.23 Depart from me SATAN, thou art an offence vnto me, because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men. God doth most iustly complaine [Page 139] Ierem. 4.22. that his people is foolish, and haue not knowne him. The Prophet Hosea, chap. 5.4. complaines of Ephraim and Is­rael, that they haue not knowne the Lord. The Apostle doth warne Titus, chap. 1. ver. 16. that there are mē, who professe they knowe God, but by workes deny him, and are abominable, and diso­bedient, and vnto every good worke reprobate. Their mindes and consciences are defiled. They professe they knowe him, whō they doe not knowe, because by workes they deny him. S^t Iohn, speakes most plainely, 1. Ep. chap. 2. vers. 4. Hee that saith I knowe God, and keepes not his commandements, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

If these things be true, so surely sealed to vs in holy writ; if that be most certaine, which the Apostle saith of the Gentiles, Rom 1.21. that they knewe God, although they never gaue him glory, nor thanks; if there bee no falshood in this, which is spoken in the name of all the faithfull, We knowe him that hath said; it will not be from the purpose if I briefly shall shew, how diversly men haue thought of God.

There is no controversie, but that in the mind of man there is naturally a sense and feeling of God, and his divine nature. This was so manifest to the Heathē, that one of them affirmed for certaine, that there was no nation so barbarous, no people so rude, but were fully perswaded there was a God. Which shewes, that in the mind of man there is a deepe impression of the di­vine nature. For if any man would sequester and abstract his thoughts from the studie of earthly things, and consider the whole fabrique of this world, which is both most beautiful, and governed with excellent lawes, truely hee cannot chuse but think, that there is some one, who hath created all these things, & to them created hath appointed those bounds & limits which they cannot passe. Hee that will thus bethinke himselfe, will soone begin to knowe, what God is. For when hee shal knowe him to bee the Creator of all things, and therefore to bee before all things created, he then hath in himselfe an evident testimo­nie of Gods eternitie.

The wonderfull motions and effects of the severall parts of [Page 140] this vniuerse, will giue a man notice of the infinite power of it's Creator. The excellent disposition, beautie, and conveniencie betweene the severall parts, will forceibly lead a man to the admiration of the Creators wisdome. The constant course and order of the worlds frame will tell a man, that God 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, [Page 141] 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? [Page 142] 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 S^t 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, Ʋoluntatem 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.

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 the LORD.

The third, that God will severely punish his owne people also: which is plaine by the second testimonie, these wordes: The LORD shall iudge his people.

Of the first of these three notes, I spake in my last exercise.

I proceed.

THese words in so many syllables are cited by S^t Paule, Rom. 12.19. in a sense somewhat different from that, they beare in this place. There the Apostle following the naturall [Page 144] meaning of the words, as they are vsed in the song of Moses, by way of exhortation vnto patience adviseth vs to giue place vnto God in all matters of revenge, it being a thing onely and properly belonging vnto him. If it be possible (saith hee) as much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men. Avenge not your selues, but giue place vnto wrath; for it is written: vengeance belongeth vnto me, I will recompense, saith the LORD.

It is writtē Deut. 32. where Moses, after that he had gathe­red together the elders and officers of Israel, to speake in their audience; & had foretold them, that after his death they would vtterly be corrupt, and turne from the way of the LORD, and that therfore evill should come vpon them: at the length, he sets downe that his most excellent and spirituall songe; wher­in his doctrine drops as the raine, and his speech stills like the sweetest shewers vpō the hearbs. In which his song he first makes rehersal of the inestimable benefits powred downe in great a­bundāce vpon that people; then he speaks of their ingratitude. Laden with fatnes they spurned with their heeles, and regarded not the stronge God of their salvation. After which he brings in God himselfe moued to ielousie, and angrie with their provoca­tiō, breathing forth threatning vpon threatning of plague vp­on plague to light vpon so froward a generation. The fire was kindled in his wrath: he threatned that hee would make his ar­rowes drunke with the blood, and his sword to eate the flesh of re­bellious ISRAEL. Were it not for the furie of his enimies, who seeing the desolatiō & destructiō of his people, would say: our high hand, & not the LORD hath done all this. Wherevpon the LORD protesteth, that he reserueth revengement vnto himselfe, and that assuredly in due time, he wil break in peeces every ves­sell of dishonour, & will be a tower of defence, vnto al that trust in him. This his protestation we read vers. 35, 36. of that song: Vengeance and recompence are mine: their feete shall slide in due time: for the day of their destruction is at hand, & the things that shall come vpon them make hast. For the LORD shall iudge his peo­ple, and repent towards his servantes.

Wordes of a double vse: they yeeld matter of comfort to all [Page 145] the faithfull, God will revenge all wrongs done vnto them, for the LORD shall iudge his people, & repent towards his servants. They yeeld also matter of fearefulnesse and horrour to al the wicked, who must know, that God is a revengefull iudge: the day of their destruction is at hand; the thing, that shall come vpon them, make hast; their feet shall slide in due time. For the LORD hath said, and his sayings are immutable; Vengeance and recompense are mine.

Now wee see the naturall meaning of these wordes, as they are vsed, Deut 32. and alleaged, Rom. 12. They confirme that constant and eternall rule of right and wrong, well knowne to the wiser of the Heathen by the light of nature. Homer in the fourth of his Iliads, Theocritus in his tenth Idyllium, Pinda­rus in his Pythia, and generally the residue of prophane wri­ters, all doe giue their assent to this, that God finds out the wic­ked man wheresoever, to be avenged on him.

I will not hold you with any recitall of their sayings; for it is not the deliverie of a Latine or Greeke sentence out of such authors, that will much edifie. The word of God I knowe, is liuely, and mightie in operation; in it, is this eternall rule of right and wrong stablished: mention whereof is made by Iunius Paral. 24. lib. 2. to this sence: There is no cause, why men should be carefull to procure revenge against, or to take re­venge vpon such as haue wronged them; it's their part rather, to rest in God, and to commit all their iniuries vnto him, that hee, to whom alone vengeance belongeth, may at length shew himselfe.

It is an axiome among Schoole-divines. Nihil obstat quo minùs speciales sententias transferamus ad doctrinam vniversa­lem. A particular and speciall sentence may bee a good ground to an vniversall doctrine. Albeit therefore it was MOSES his purpose in vsing these words, and Pauls in citing them, to dis­swade, the godly from all private revenge, by assuring thē that God will be the avenger of all their iniuries and wrongs; yet may they, well suting the analogie of faith afforde this do­ctrine more vniversall, that it is proper vnto God to take venge­ance vpon all the wicked. Wherevpon wil follow that which the Apostle driues at in this place: namely, that the impietie of [Page 146] such, as doe despite, and make a mocke of God, shall not for ever escape vnpunished.

Whosoever, hauing receaued the knowledge of the truth, shall sinne willingly; only because he will sinne, wilfully, spitefully, & malitiously; and so shall crucifie againe the sonne of God, shall count his blood prophane, shall tread him vnder foot, shall make a mocke of him, and shall despite the spirit of grace; that is, whoso­ever, hauing receaued the knowledge of God and his Christ, shall fall away from God and godlinesse, from Christ & Chri­stianitie, his root shall be rottennesse, and his bud shall rise vp like the dust, for the mightie one of Israel, having put on the garment of vengeance for clothing, and being clad with zeale, as with a cloake, will come neere to them in iudgement, and will bee a swift witnesse against them. For as the Prophet Ieremie, chap. 51.56. speaketh to the confusion of idolatrous Babel; The LORD God that recompenseth, shall surely recompense; so speak­eth our Apostle to the astonishment of all back-sliders, VVee knowe him that hath said, vengeance belongeth vnto mee, I will recompense, saith the LORD.

Ʋengeance belongeth vnto me] In speaking of the vengeance of God our first care must bee, not to derogate any thing from his proclivitie and propensnesse vnto mercy. Wee must breake out into the mention of his great goodnesse, and sing aloud of his mercies; saith DAVID, Psal. 145.7. For the LORD is loving & good to all, and his mercies are over all his workes. The LORD strong and mightie, blessed aboue all, yea being blessednesse it selfe, and therefore hauing no need of any man, is loving and good vnto every man. Our sinnes haue provoked his vengeance against vs; yet he, slow to anger, and of great goodnesse, reserueth mercy for thousands, for all the elect, and forgiueth all their ini­quities, transgressions, and sinnes. His goodnesse here resteth not, it reacheth also vnto the reprobate, though they 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 [Page 147] 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 [Page 148] 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. Its 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 the1. Sam. 15.29 strength of ISRAEL, as man that he Num 23.19. should lie? or as the sonne of man that he should repent? is he notHeb. 13 8. yester­day, and to day, and for ever the same? that 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. Ʋengeance 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 [Page 150] against him from all eternitie. To like purpose is it vsed by S^t 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 boūtifulnesse, 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 iudgmēt. 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? frō 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 childrē of disobedience it is war­ranted by Paule, Ephes. 5.6. that the anger of God shall come vpō them. The anger of God, that is, his vengeance, the effectes of [Page 151] 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 cō ­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, wh [...]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 cōmune 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 [Page 152] 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 recompen [...], 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.

NOw are we to cōsider 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; theSee my third Lecture vpon Amos 1. p. 25. honorablest name belōging to the great God of Heauē. 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 nomē 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 [Page 154] 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 the creatures in the world is in God alone.

I might say of it, that many haue conceaued it to be a pow­erfull name for the working of miracles, and that thereby Christ and Moses haue done great wonders. But my tongue shall ne­ver enlarge that which my soule abhorreth; their braine-sicke, superstitious, and blasphemous inventions.

Yet sure there is some secret in this name. It is plaine, Exod. 6.3. where the Lord speaking vnto Moses saith: I appeared vn­to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Iacob, by the name of a strong, om­nipotent, & all sufficient God, but by my name IEHOVAH was I not knowne vnto them. I vnfold this secret. First it importeth the eternitie of Gods essence in himselfe, that he isHeb. 13.8. yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever, Apoc. 1.8. which was, which is, & which is to come. Againe it noteth the existence and perfection of all things in God, as from whom all creatures in the world haue theirAct. 17.28. life, motion, & being. God is the being of all his creatures, not that they are the same that he is, but becauseRom. 11.36. of him, & in him, and by him are all things. And last of all it is the memoriall of God vnto all ages, as himselfe calls it, Exod. 3.15. the memo­riall of his faithfulnesse, his truth, and his constancie, in the per­formance of his promises. And therefore whensoever in any of the Prophets God promiseth or threatneth any great mat­ter, to assure vs of the most certaine event of such his promise or threatning, he addeth vnto it his name IEHOVAH.

In steed of this name IEHOVAH, the most proper name of God, the 70. haue ever put [...], as doth our Apostle also in my text: [...], a name of power, well suiting with the liuing, true, and only God. For he hath plenum [Page 155] [...]. The power and authoritie, he hath over all things is so­veraigne, and without controlement. Hee that made the hea­vens and spread them out like a Psal. 104.2. curtaine, to cloath himselfe with light as with a rayment, he can againeEsai. 50.3. cloth the heavens with darknesse, & make a sacke their covering. He that made the Sea to lay thePsal. 104 3. beames of his chamber therein, and placed the Ierem. 5.22. sands for bounds vnto it, by a perpetuall decree not to be pas­sed over, howsoever the waues thereof shall rage and roare, he can with a wordIob. 26.12. smite the pride thereof. At his rebuke the flouds shall be turned into aEsai. 50.2. wildernesse, the Sea shall be dry­ed vp, the fish shall rot for want of water, and dye for thirst. Hee that made the dry land, and soPsal. 104.5. set it vpon foundations, that it should never moue, hee can cover her againe with the deepe, as with a garment, and so rocke her, thatPsal. 107.27 shee shall reele to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man. So powerfull a God may well be named from power, [...] the absolute LORD, ruler, and com­mander of all things.

This name of power, [...], vulgarly translated LORD, is in the writings of the Apostles simply and absolutely ascribed vnto Christ. (if theZanch. de At­trib. l. 1. c. 17. learned haue made a iust calculation) 1000. times; & may serue for sufficient proofe of the Deitie of CHRIST. For it imports thus much; that CHRIST theHeb. 1.3. engra­ved forme of his father, sitting at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places, is together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the author and governor of all things, and in a very spe­ciall maner, he is the heire of the house of God, the mighty pro­tector of the CHVRCH.

CHRIST the only begotten Son of God, he is the LORD; yet so, that neither the Father, nor the Holy Ghost, are excluded frō dominion. The Father is LORD, and the Holy Ghost is LORD too. For in all the workes of GOD ad extra (as some call them) each person of the TRINITIE hath his operation: yet so, that a common distinction be obserued. For these workes of God (so called) ad extra, doe admit a double consideration. For either they are begunne extra divinas personas, and ended in aliquâ personarum; or else they are both begun, and ended, extra divi­nas [Page 156] personas.

The workes of God begun externally, and perfected in some one of the persons, what are they? They are such as was the voice of the Father concerning Christ; Mat. 3.17. This is my beloued Sonne. A voice formed by all three persons, yet vttered only by the Fa­ther. They are such as was thatMat. 3.16. doue descending vpon Christ at his baptisme; A doue fram'd by all three persons, yet appro­priate only vnto the Holy Ghost. They are such as was the body and soule of CHRIST; A body and soule created by all three per­sons, yet assumed only by the Sonne of God. This is that obvious and much vsed distinction in schoole divinitie, Inchoatiuè, & Terminatiuè. For if wee respect the beginning of these workes, they are the workes of the whole TRINITIE, common vnto all; but respect we their perfection and en [...], they are no more com­mon, but hypostaticall and personall; for so, the voice is the Fa­thers alone; the doue is the Holy Ghosts alone; the reasonable soule and humane flesh are the Sonnes only.

Besides these, there are other workes of God, as begunne, so ended also, extra personas, and they are of two sorts; either su­pernaturall (such I call the miraculous workes of God) or na­turall, such as are, the creation of the world, the preservation of the same, and the government of it. And all these workes of which kind soever, whether miraculous, or workes of nature, they are common to the whole TRINITIE. The Father worketh, the Sonne worketh, and the Holy Ghost worketh, as in doing of wonders, so in creating all things, in preseruing all things, & in governing all things, wherevpon followeth, that which I men­tioned, that not only the Sonne is LORD, but the Father is LORD, and the Holy Ghost is LORD also.

Yet must I adde, that this name of power, [...], or LORD, is most often and very specially giuen vnto Christ; for that hee hath receaued of God the Father, absolute soveraigntie over all creatures in Heaven, in earth, and in the waters to doe with them all, as him listeth; which his soveraigntie hee hath obtai­ned, in as much as being made man, and hauing dyed for vs, and for the sinnes of the whole world, hee is become the mediatour [Page 157] of the new covenant. In which sense the Apostle in my text cal­leth him the LORD; the LORD, who shall iudge his people. For the Father iudgeth no man, but hath cōmitted all iudgement vnto the Sonne: so Christ himselfe told the Iews, Ioh. 5.22. Thus far of him that shall iudge, called by Moses, IEHOVAH, and by the Apostle here, [...]. He is the LORD Christ; Christ our LORD.

His people] For there is a people, not his; even in the midst of the Children of Israel, lineally descended from Gomer, that wife of fornications. Her first borne sonne was by Gods ap­pointment named [...] Iezreel, to remember them of the house of Israel, that for the much blood shed by Iehu in Iezreel, the chiefe citie of the ten tribes vnder Ahab, their kingdome should cease. They much boasted of their name, for that they were called Israel, as if they could prevaile with God: but they came to be, of a base and vnnoble linage, to be called Iezreel a people disseminated, dispersed, and scattered among the Gentiles: for the Lord brake the bow of Israel, in the val­ley of Iezreel.

The next fruit of her wombe was a woman child, called in like sort by Gods direction. [...] Lo-ruchamah, to let the house of Israel further to vnderstand, that it was the Lords absolute resolution, to take no more pitie vp on them, but to giue them vp into the hands of the Assyrians, by them to be led into captivitie, whereout they should not returne at any rime.

She conceaued a third time and bare a sonne, & called him as God hath cōmanded, [...] Lo-ammi, yet further to sig­nifie vnto the house of Israel, that therefore hee will not bee their God, because they are not his people. Lo-ammi, you are not my people. This third imaginarie sonne of Gomer, brought for a type of Israel, Hos. 1. is by Paule, Rom. 9. applyed to the Gentiles also. But how farre forth it may bee verified of either, either Israelites or Gentiles, that may bee considered. For of both, both Israelites and, Gentiles saith God, Hos. 2.23. I will call them my people, which were not my people; and, Hos. 1.10. God saith likewise: it shall be in the place, where it was said vnto [Page 158] them, yee are not my people; that there they shal be called, the chil­dren of the living God.

To shew therefore how farre forth it may bee verified both of Israelites, and Gentiles, that they are, or are not the people of God, I must distinguish. To be Ammi or Lo-ammi, the peo­ple of God, or not his people, admitteth a threefold vnder­standing.

First, A people may bee, or not bee Gods people in respect of Gods predestination, that his immutable decree concerning the salvation of some, and the damnation of the rest, set downe by himselfe from all eternitie. In which sence there is among both the Israelites and Gentiles, Ammi, the Lords people, and there is also among them Lo-ammi, a people not the Lords. As many of them, as God foreknew (praescientiâ approbationis, as the Schoolemen call it,) specially, as to loue and like them, them hath he predestinated and chosē to be his people: the rest whom so he foreknewe not (for otherwise to his absolute pre­science all thinges are naked) the rest, I say, whom specially hee foreknewe not, them hath he ordained of old to bee no people of his.

Againe a people may bee, or not bee Gods people, in respect of the old covenant; the covenant of desert, and of the Law: that covenant made betwixt GOD and Abraham, and Abrahams seed after him in their generations. In which covenant three things doe concurre: a condition, on Abrahams side to be per­formed; a promise of God vpon the condition, to bee expected; and the signe of covenant. The condition to bee performed by Abraham is, Gen. 17.1. Walke before mee, and be thou vpright. Gods promise is, vers. 7. I will be GOD to thee, and to thy seed af­ter thee. The signe is vers. 11. Yee shall circumcise the foreskinne of your flesh, and it shall be the signe of the covenant betweene mee and you. In which sense the Israelites, the ofspring of Abraham according to the flesh, they were Ammi, the Lords people, chosen by God himselfe to bee a precious people vnto him­selfe. But the residue of the people, that then lived vpon the earth, farre exceeding the Israelites in multitude, even all the [Page 159] Gentiles, they were Lo-ammi, a people not the Lords.

Last of all, a people may be or not be Gods people, in respect of the new covenant the covenant of grace, and of the Gospell, the new covenant made with the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah. Now no more division; the separation wall is taken a way; all were made one Church. This new covenant is registred Ier. 31.33. After those dayes saith the LORD I will put my lawes in their minde, and in their heart will I write them, and I will bee their God, and they shall be my people. In substance this new cove­nant agreeth with the old; only it is called new, because of the manifestation of Christ, and the abundant graces of the holy Ghost giuen to his Church vnder the Gospell. And here also for this new covenants sake there is the Lords people, and a peo­ple not the Lords. As many as are members of the Church, and liue within her bosome, Christians, whether true professours, or dissemblers, all are in this sence Ammi the Lords people: but Turkes & Infidels, a farre surpassing number, they are Lo-ammi, a people not the Lords.

By this tripartite division of such as are, or are not Gods people, we may point at them that shall be iudged. They are the people of God: his people, not in respect of the old covenant, for that, being disanulled and abrogated, is vanished away. Albeit they that then liued when that covenant was of force, were also iudged by the LORD. But they are the Lords people, both in respect of the new covenant, and also in respect of Gods predestination, the LORD shall iudge the whole Church, and eve­ry member thereof, yea them whom he hath predestinated to be heires of salvation. The LORD shall iudge his people.

Now a word or two of the kind of iudgement.

Yet before I speake of the iudgement here meant, giue mee leaue to remoue a scruple touching the last iudgement.

The whole world stands of beleeuers, or of vnbeleeuers. For the beleeuers it is plaine, Ioh. 5.24. that already they haue ever­lasting life, and shall not come into iudgement. For the vnbe­leeuers it is as plaine, Ioh. 3.18. that they are already condem­ned. Both are already iudged; beleeuers and vnbeleeuers; the be­leeuers [Page 160] are saued, vnbeleeuers are condemned, what need then of any last iudgement?

I answere; very great need; even in regard of the iustice and goodnesse of God, whose propertie it is, to punish all wicked & godlesse men, and to honour and reward, all that are religious and Godly. Which since hee doth not fully doe in this world, there must needs be a last iudgement, when he shall fully doe it.

We see the course of this world; Malis benè est, & bonis male. Good men hauePsal. 73.4. bands in their death, but the wicked are lustie, and strong. Good men are so overlaid with miseries, that their words are even swallowed vp; but the wicked are in such prosperitie, thatVers. 7. their eyes stand out for fatnesse. Good men are even cast downe into desolation, but the wicked haue more thē heart can wish. Cicer. de nat. [...]or. l [...]b. 3. DIOG [...]NES the Cynicke in his time, seeing one Harpalus a notable thiefe, liuing a long time happily, was bold to say; Harpalum contra Deos testimonium dicere, quod in illâ fortunâ tam diu viveret. Wicked Harpalus liuing long in pro­speritie, was some argument to Diogenes, that God respected not mans affaires.

The like experience hath shaken even the very Saints of God. It made Iob to say, chapter 24.12. MEN cry out of the the citie, and the soules of the slaine cry out, yet God doth not charge them with folly. It made Ieremie to expostulate with the LORD, chap. 12.1. O Lord let me talke with thee of thy iudg­ments; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse? It makes the God­ly, to whome [...]al. 73 10. waters of a full cup are wrung out, many times to take into their mouthes that passionate complaint, Psal. 73.11. How doth God knowe it? is there knowledge in the most high? Loe, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alway, and increase in riches. Certainely wee haue cleansed our hearts in vaine, and in vaine haue we washed our hands in innocencie; for dayly haue we beene punished, and chastened every morning.

From this experience grewe that disputation among the heathens; whether God regardeth men, and their businesses? T [...]LAMON pu [...]s downe the state of it in one verse. Tully cites it [Page 161] lib. 3. de nat. Deor. NAM si curent, benè bonis sit, malè malis; quod nunc abest. Doubtles if God had any care of men, & their acti­ons, good men should be in good estate, and wicked men in worse. But now we haue experience of the contrarie; Improbis optimè, bonis malè est; wicked men haue their hearts ease, but good mē are in miserie. TELAMON was no fitt man to make any con­struction of Gods proceedings.

We in Christianity for the thing, do know it to be true. Wic­ked Diues hath the world at will, whilest poore Lazarus is hunger bitten, full of soares, and miserable every way. The cō ­struction we make of it is grounded vpon diverse texts of holy Scripture. Giue me leaue for mine owne comfort, and the com­fort of the rest of you that are any way afflicted, to repeate for this purpose two or three sentences well knowne vnto you. It's written, 1. Pet. 4.17. Iudgement beginneth at the house of God. It's writen, 1. Cor. 11.32. When we are iudged, we are chast­ned of the Lord, because wee should not bee condemned with the world. It's written, 2. Tim. 3.12. All that will liue godly in Christ IESVS, shall suffer persecution. This being so, that the wicked flourish, and the Godly are kept vnder, it remaineth of neces­sitie, that there must be a second comming of Christ, a last iudge­ment, when the Godly shall receiue fulnesse of ioy and glory, & the vngodly, fulnesse of woe and miserie.

Now for the removall of the scruple, which I entended, I must explicate the places, which it troubleth. To that place. Ioh. 5.24. I say that by iudgement is meant the iudgement of Cō ­demnation. The beleeuer shall not come into iudgement, the iudgement of Condemnation; for already he is passed from death to life, already he hath everlasting life, non re, sed spe: non fruiti­one, sed fide. We are already passed from death to life; spe, non re; for we are saued by hope, as saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.24. We haue already life everlasting, fide, non fruitione; for wee walke by faith, and not by sight; as the same Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 5 7. The truth is; as long as this flesh encombreth vs, wee cannot fully possesse eternall life, yet in this flesh, wee haue a tast & fee­ling of it. For in this flesh wee knowe God, to bee the only very [Page 162] God, and whom he hath sent IESVS Christ: and this is life eternall. It's Christ's assertion, Iohn. 17.3. Whereto may be added that, 1. Cor. 13.9. We knowe in part, and prophecy in part. And that, Coloss. 1.13. God hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne. And that, 1. Ioh. 3.14. Wee knowe, that we are translated from death to life. Thus already are wee passed from death to life by an assured hope; already we haue everlasting life by a liuely faith, and therefore shall wee never come into iudgement, the iudgement of Condemnation.

But there is a iudgement of Absolution, then to be executed, when the Lord himselfe shall descend frō Heaven with a shout, 1 Thess. 4.16. and with the voice of the Archangell, and with the trumpet of God. At that great day the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we, which liue and remaine, shall with thē bee caught vp in the clouds to meet the LORD in the aire: at whose right hand wee shall bee set, to receiue, to the eternall ioy of our hearts, that happy sen­tence, Come yee blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepa­red for you from the foundations of the world.

To that other place, Ioh. 3.18. I say, that the vnbeleeuer is cō ­demned already in effect and substance, 3. waies; In the counsell of God, in the word of God, and in his owne conscience. Hee is condemned in Gods counsell and purpose, before ever he com­meth into the world, as Esau was, Rom. 9.11. Hee is condem­ned in the word of God, wherein sentence is already passed a­gainst him,Ioh. 1.9. for that, light being come into the world, hee yet lo­veth darknesse, rather then light. He is condemned in his owne conscience; the torment whereof like a worme, ever gnaweth him, and never suffereth him to be at rest. So many waies are the vnbeleeuers already condemned: already, that is, in this world their condemnation is begunne, but the manifestation & finishing of it shall be hereafter, and therefore the meaning of the place is this: they that beleeue not are already iudged, in part; but the full manifestation thereof shall bee at the day of wrath. Then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the cloudes of Heaven, with power & great glory; at whose left hand they must be set, to receiue to their eternall horror that irrevocable [Page 163] sentence, Depart from me yee cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Divell and his Angels.

The scruple now remoued, hath remembred vs of two of Gods iudgements; his iudgement of Condemnatiō for the wick­ed, and his iudgement of Absolution for his chosen. Neither of them is meant in the present clause of my Text: for which, I point at two other iudgements of God, familiar vnto him when he dealeth with his owne people. The one I call, his iudgement of Protection, the other his iudgement of Correction.

His iudgement of Protection is meant 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 thē 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 Comu [...]iō 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 discō ­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.

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. Can2 Kin. 23.13. Astaroth the God of Sidon, or Melchom of Ammon, or Chemosch of Moab, or2 King 1.6. Beelzebub of Ekron, or1 Sam. 5.7. Dagon of Ashdod, or any other Idol-god of any nation, lay hands vpon you to your hurt? Feare thē 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 mentiōed 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 cōpany with the nature of man:Arist. Rhet. 2. cap. 5. the Philospher defines it, to bee a shaking or disquieting of the [Page 166] minde with the expectatiō 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 passiō, 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 frō the very time he was conceiued by the Holy Ghost in the Virgins womb, was by reason of the cōjun­ction 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 man to be afraid of everyArist de Re­pub. lib. 7. small fly that passeth by, of eve­ry litle noyse that aIdem lib. 7. Moral. mouse may make, of hisCicero De consulatu pe­tendo. Plato in Phaedone. Plutarch. Symposiac. dec. 7. owne shadow, ac­cording to the old proverbes, or of meeting his own soule, asZenodotus. Pisander was; or of some thing, I know not what, to fall vpon him frō aboue, if he come forth of his doores, asPlutarchus ex historiâ Pontici Heraclide. Pet. Crinitus De honesta Dis­ciplina lib. 15 cap 11. Artemō was; or of the rustling of the leaues of trees, asIo. Xiphilinꝰ Nero was. To feare so or so, what can it argue else, saue degeneres animos, faint hearts.

Yet were not the Disciples of our Saviour Christ altogether [Page 167] exempted frō feareing so. Twise were they touched with such feare; once as they failed towardMarke 6.45. Bethsaida against the winde; a second time, as they were together at Ierusalem in a certaine house with the doores shut vpon them. Sailing vpon the water theyMatt. 14.26. cried out for feare: being together at Ierusalem within doores they wereLuke 24.37 abashed and afraid. But why so? The thing obiected to them, should haue bin rather, a ioy & reioycing to their hearts, then any cause of feare. It was no other then their LORD and Saviour CHRIST IESVS, once walking on the Sea, & againe standing in the middest of them. But they supposed he had beene a spirit; and thence grew their feare.

It's very true; such was their supposall, as its evident, Matt. 14.26. and Luke 24.37. Yet hereby are they not excused. Christ himselfe rebukes their feare, by telling them of their want of faith. And how can we imagine that Christs Disciples could be ignorant of the impossibilitie which a spirituall sub­stance hath to be sensibly perceived? Neither had they (for any thing I find in Gods word) at any time seene a spirit to moue them to that conceite. Certainely, illic trepidaverunt timore, vbi non erat timor; the wordes are in the Vulgar Latin, Psal. 13.9. and do somewhat varie from the fountaine; yet is the phrase retained in our English, Psal. 14.9. you will giue me leaue to vse it; it may serue to note all such as haue been holden in such fond feares: There were they brought in great feare, even where no feare was. But I leaue them, and this second kind of feare.

There is a third feare, of as large an extent as any. The well knowne peece of verse out of Statius speakes of it; ‘Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor;—’ as if in the mind of man, there could not be any opinion of the being of a God, vnlesse there were feare.

From this ground Gods haue beene multiplied, I say not, as the sands of the Sea, but exceedingly. It partly appeareth, 2. King. 17.30. where we find that the men of Babel had for their God Sucoth-Benoth, the men of Cuth for theirs Nergal, and the men of Chamath for theirs Aschima. It's added vers. 31. that the Avims had their gods Nibchaz and Tartak, and the [Page 168] Sepharvims theirs, Adrammelec and Anammelec, to whom for sacrifice they burnt their children in the fire. I haue alreadie made mention of Astaroth for Sidon, of Melchom for Ammon, of Chemosch for Moab, of Beelzebub for Ekron, of Dagon for Ashdod: I might further remember you ofEsai 46.1. Bel and Nebo, for Babylon; ofNum. 25.3. Baalpeor for backsliding Israel; and of1 Sam. 7.4. Baalim, a multitude of gods (such as they were) for the residue of nati­ons; I may well say, a multitude; for that with the cost of but a little frankinsense they haue provided for the ofscowring of men, for drunkards, harlots, and theeues, gods to protect them.

I will not disquiet your Christian eares with naming of thē. For though there bee that are named gods, whether in Heaven or in Earth (as there be many Gods, and many Lords) as S^t Paul himselfe confesseth, 1 Cor. 8.5. yet knowing it to bee true which he addeth, [...], that an Idole is nothing in the world, wee must with him make our further confession, that vnto vs there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord, Christ Iesus, by whom are all things, and we by him.

This one God, is the true obiect of the feare, which now I speake of. For he is fearefully regarded by the eies of al men; in some by the eies of faith: in the rest by the eies of nature. By the eies of faith, 1 Pet, 1.5 in such as are kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvation: by the eies of nature, in such as God hath giuen vp Rom. 1.28. to a reprobate minde to doe things inconvenient.

The faithfull feare God, and the faithlesse feare God, but not alike.

Aristotle in the 2. booke of his Oeconomickes and 2. chap. to shew what feare a good wife should owe vnto her husband, speaketh of two kindes of feare; the one accompanied with shamefastnesse and reverence; the other attended with enmitie and hatred. The first is such a feare, as wherewith a good sonne honoureth his father, or a good subiect his ruler; the other such, as wherewith a lewd servant is affected towards his Master, or a rebellious subiect towards his governour. A distinction well knowne to every novice in the studie of divinitie; it being so [Page 169] commonly & much vsed by such, as doe either write, or speak to this argument.

Wherefore to passe it over in few words, I note briefly tou­ching the faithfull, that the feare of God in them, is such a feare as the good child honoureth his father with; a feare waited vp­on with loue, reverence, puritie, ingenuitie, freedome of spirit, ever beholding God in the gratious light of his countenance, howsoever sometimes the cloudes of displeasure may seem to hide that grace away.

As for the faithlesse, the feare of God in them, is such a feare as is the feare of malefactors, towards severe & righteous Ma­gistrates: a slauish feare; a feare full of hatred, malice, contume­ly, and reproche; a feare flying and abhorring the sight of the LORD, in regard he is a God of vengeance, as hee is called Psal. 94.1. He is such a God, as hauing put on the garment of ven­geance for cloathing, and being clad with zeale, as with a cloake, will come shortly, andRev. 22.1 [...]. bring his reward with him, to giue every man according as his worke shall be: to the faithfull, who by con­tinuance in well doing haue sought glory and honour, and immor­talitie; eternall life; but to the faithlesse, who haue disobeyed the truth, and given credit to vnrighteousnesse, to every such soule indignation, and wrath, and tribulation, and anguish, a iust and full measure in the ever burning lake.

Now it is no hard matter to determine, as well of the 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 thatEphes. 2, 19. they are citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God; the2. Cor. 3.9. husbandry of God, and his building; the2. Cor. 6.16 Temple of the living God; a1. Pet. 2.9. holy nation; Ephes. 5.8. chil­dren of the light, the2. Cor. 8 23. glory of the Lord, & theRom. 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 mentiō of this chice of David, a learned and zealousD^r RAVIS Deane of Christ-Chruch. Professour notThis Sermon was preached in S^t 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 isZach. 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 (whoseIerem. 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 mā in the state of depravation & corruption, it is a fearefull thing [Page 171] to fall into the hands of God.

Infiniti ad finitum nulla proportio. What proportion cā 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 ofGen. 18.27. Abraham, Iob. 4.9. Iob, and2 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 Esai. 27. [...] 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 theAmos. 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,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 [Page 172] 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. [...]ct [...]re vpon A [...]os. 1. p. 153. but the spirit giueth life, saith S. PAVL, 2. Cor. 3.6. S^t Augustine de doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 3. c. 5. vpō 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, ne (que) 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 cause of errour.

It caused the Iewes to erre: they tooke it literally, which Christ spake in a figure, touching his owne body, Ioh. 2.19. De­stroy this Temple, and in three daies I will raise it vp againe.

It caused Nicodemus to erre: hee tooke it literally, which Christ spake in a figure touching mans regeneration, Iob. 3.3. Except a man be borne againe, he cannot see the kingdome of God.

It caused the Disciples of Christ to erre: they tooke it literal­ly, which Christ spake in a figure touching the execution of his Fathers will, Ioh. 4.32. I haue meate to eate that yee knowe not of.

I hold it to be an errour of Nicephorus and others, to take it after the letter, as if Paule had indeed fought vpon a theatre with Lyons at Ephesus, because he faith, 1. Cor. 15.32. That hee f [...]ught with beasts at Ephesus; for in the iudgement of Tertulli­an and Theophylact of old, of Beza, Baronius, and someR [...]inold. de Idol. 2. 6. 6. other very learned of this age, he spake it figuratiuely, to designe & note that disordered assembly gathered together against him [Page 173] at Ephesus, vpon the complaint of the silversmyth Demetrius, for defence of great Diana.

I am assured, it is an errour of all the Papists, to take it after the letter, which Christ spake, Mat. 26.26. This is my BODIE. There is a figure in the speech. For in all sacraments there is a great difference betweene the signes, and the things signified: the signes are visible, the things invisible; the signes earthly, the things heavenly; the signes corruptible, the things immortall; the signes corporall, the things spirituall; &, as a reverendD BILSON B. of. Winton of Christian subie­ction par. 4 p. 577. edit. Lōd. in 8. 1586. Fa­ther speaketh in the person of Theophilus, The signes are one thing, the truth is not the same, but another thing, & by plaine Arithmeticke, they be two things, and not one.

This is my body. There is a figure in the speech; Hee calls the bread his body, by way of signification, by way of similitude, by way of representation; after the maner of sacraments, in a signe; not according to the letter, but in a spirituall and mysticall vn­derstanding; and if you respect the precise speech, improperly, and figuratiuely.

I will not hold you with other like instances; these few al­ready spoken of may serue, to make it plaine, that the not ad­mitting of a trope or a figure there, where in great reason it ought to be admitted, is a cause of errour.

I haue beene bold (beloued) to giue this note in this place, because the phrase here vsed (to fall into the hands of God) be­ing spirit and life, hath beene mistaken, and applied to a carnal sense.

Frō hence as from other places of holy Scripture, in which other the members of mans body are ascribed vnto God, as thePsal. 34.10. face, theDeut. 8.3. mouth, 2. Kin. 19.16. eares, Zach. 4 10. eyes, 1 Kin. 8 42. armes, Mat. 22.44. feet, and some other; Tertullian liuing neere vnto the Apostles time. hath not doub­ted to conclude, GOD to be a BODIE.

This his erroneous and false opinion died not with him. It was on foot many yeares after him in the time of Arius, pa­tronized by those hereticks, who by Epiphanius are called Au­diani, and byDe Haeres. cap. 50. Augustine Vadiani; after whom also it was e­gerly maintained in the time of Chrysostome by certain monks [Page 174] of Egypt, who were therevpon called Anthropomorphitae.