it be possible for a man to bee brought from life to death and from heauen backe againe to hell then is it possible for the child of God quite to fall away and become a reprobate But the perseuerance of the faithfull is more sure and firme then so They are builded vpon that immoueable rocke Christ Iesus Mat. 7.25 and the greatest stormes of temptations cannot make them fall It may bee sometimes with the child of God as it was with Eutychus when being ouercome with sleepe hee fell downe from the third loft Act. 20.9.10.12 euery body that sawe him thought hee had bene dead there was so little appearance of life in him yet when the Apostle Paul came and embraced him he bids them not trouble themselues for his life was in him and by and by he recouered and came to himselfe So the child of God both in his own feeling and in the iudgment of others may seeme to be gracelesse and yet there is grace remaining in the heart though so weake as it can hardly be discerned For as fire is often so raked vp vnder the ashes as that there is no token of fire to be seene there is neither light nor heat nor so much as any smoake and yet there is fire which with blowing and supply of newe fewell will soone kindle againe As trees in winter seeme to bee dead and withered but yet there is sappe belowe in the roote which in the spring will appeare and cause them to bud and flourish againe And as the sunne may for a time be hid from our sight by some thicke cloud and yet when the cloud is dispersed it appeareth againe in perfit beauty So the graces of Gods spirit may seeme for a time to bee in a manner dead and extinguished in vs but in the end they haue their liuely and powerfull operation as before A woman that is with quicke child may for a space neuer feele it stirre within her yet she is not discouraged but afterwads she feeleth it againe So peraduenture the child of God may for a certaine season feele no stirring nor mouing of Gods grace within him but yet herein he may stay himselfe that if euer he felt it in truth hee shall in good time feele it againe to his comfort And in this respect our estate is farre better then was the estate of Adam euen in his innocency God had indued him with an excellent measure of grace but being all committed to his owne keeping the Deuill soone spoiled him of it But God hath prouided better for our security for the grace that he bestoweth vpon vs he doth not trust vs with it knowing our weakenesse but hee keepeth it himselfe As the Apostle saith Our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3.4 2. Tim. 1.12 when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory So that now all the Deuils in hell cannot bereaue vs of the least sauing grace that God hath giuen vs. But it will be obiected Obiection 2. Tim. 4.10 1. Tim. 1.19 that there are examples in the Scripture as of Demas and others that haue vtterly fallen away and made shipwracke of faith And our Sauiour saith in the Parable of the seed Luk. 8.13 that many that haue beleeued in time of temptation haue fallen away To this I answere Answere that there was neuer any man that was the true childe of God and a true member of the Church that euer fell away finally Indeed the Church hath alwayes and shal be to the end beene pestered with hypocrites which occupie a roome in it but were neuer found members of it And those fall away thicke and threefold as Saint Iohn saith They went out from vs but were not of vs. 1. Ioh. 2.19 The Church is compared to a net Non omnes quos sagena trahit piâ—catorum vasa recipient Bern. de Conuers ad Schol. Now as all is not fish that commeth to the net as the prouerbe is But the net draweth many things which the fishermen neuer put in their vessels so there are many receiued outwardly into the Church as Simon Magus was to whome it may bee truely said as Peter said to him they haue neither part nor fellowship in the priuiledges of the Church Act. 8.21 Againe there is indeed a faith that may be lost namely when it is seperate from a good conscience for that is a dead and a fruitlesse faith but a true liuely faith Luc. 2â— 31.32 such as all Gods children haue can neuer be lost For that prayer of Christ in the behalfe of Peter is auailable for all the elect to the end of the world namely that howsoeuer Sathan in his malice sift and assault them yet their faith shall neuer faile And though our Sauiour speake of some that shrinke and fall away in temptation yet they are such as neuer had any roote And the faith they seemed to haue it was but temporarie they beleeued onely for a time The Galathians were the true Church of God truely regenerate and effectually called yet were they snared by false doctrine and fell dangerously euen to the extinguishing as much as lay in them of the graces of God yet were they not quite bereft of the spirit yea Christ himselfe remained in them still though for want of godly graces he was as it were without forme as the Apostle saith Gal. 4.19 Dauid also after his fall was in the like case yet he had not vtterly lost the spirit for he prayeth vnto God take not thy holy spirit from me Psal 51.11 And to this purpose Bernard hath a good saying a Petrus cum peccauit charitatem non amisit quod peccauit potuis in verit item quam in charitatem cum eius se non esse mâ—nâ—itus est â—n ore cuius totus erat in corde â—ideoque negationem falsitatis continuò lachrimis lauit ve itas charitatis Sic cum Dauid peccauit charitatem non perdidâ—t sed obstupâ—â—t in eo quo dammodo charitas ad vehe meatem tentationis â—ctum charitatis in eo nequaquam facta est abolitio sed quasit quaedam soporatio quâ—e mox vt ad vocem irguentis Proph â—ae euâ—lauit continâ—â—o in illam ardetâ—ssâ—a â—â— charitat â—coâ—fessioâ—e erupt pecca a domâ—no continuò auderit c Bern de amore Dei p. 2. 2. Sam. 12.23 Peter when he sinned lost not charitie because he sinned rather against the truth then against charitie when as with his mouth he denied himselfe to bee his whose hee was wholie in his heart And therefore the truth of charitie with teares washed away the deniall of falshood So when Dauid sinned he lost not charitie but it was after a sort benummed in him by the violence of the temptation neither was his charitie quite abolished in him but as it were laid asleepe which assoone as it was awaked at the voice of the
remitted vnto them c. And thus doth Augustine also vnderstand this place p Inter omnes Apostolos Ecclesiae Catholicae per sonam sustinet Petrus Huic enim Ecclesiae claues regni caelorum datae sunt cum Petro datae sunt Et cum ei dicitur ad omnes dicitur Amas me Pâ—sce oues meas Aug. de agone Christiano 1. Pet. 2.4.5.6 Ephes 2.20 Caluin instit lib. 4. c. 6. sect 5.6 1. Cor. 3.11 10.4 Gualter homil 10. in Mich. 4.1 Amongst all the Apostles saith he Peter beareth the person of the Catholicke Church For to this Church were giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen when they were giuen to Peter And when Christ said to him hee said to them all louest thou me feed my sheepe Wee see Peter is none of the foundation of the Church let vs see then what is the foundation By the rocke whereon our Sauiour Christ promised to build his Church is vnderstood 1. Christ himselfe as euen the Apostle Peter expoundeth it when hee saith that all Christians must be founded vpon that liuing stone elect and pretious which is the chiefe corner stone as also the Apostle Paul saith yea hee maketh Christ the onely foundation beside which none other can be laid For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And he said in plaine termes the rocke was Christ And this is most agreeable to the word of our Sauiour Christ for he saith not vpon thee will I build my Church but vpon this rocke namely which thou hast confessed Now let euery man that hath any braines iudge whether it bee more agreable to the faith and more behoofull for the Church of God to be founded vpon Christ or vpon Peter vpon the sonne of the liuing God whom Peter confessed Mat. 16.23 or vpon Peter that so shamefully denyed him vpon him that subdued and conquered Sathan or vpon him whom Christ presently after calleth Sathan vpon him that is called and is indeed the corner stone that fasteneth both the walles together or vpon him Plessis treatise of the Church cap. 7. that by his carnall counsell was a stone of offence vnto him 2. The faith of Peter whereby he confessed Christ And indeed there is no great difference but all comes to one end Pet. Mart. loc com clas 4. cap. 6. sect 29. whether of these opinions we hold For Christ is the foundation of the Church not simply and absolutely but as he is apprehended of the faithfull and confessed by faith To conclude Ferus in Mat. 16. it is very well worth our marking to consider what Ferus who was himselfe a Papist hath written concerning this point in his commentaries vpon this place of Mathew This place saith he is a chiefe place of all that Mathew hath written neither is there any place that doth more comfort the conscience And this the aduersarie of all goodnesse knew well enough and therefore he hath bent all his endeauour to wrest it from the true naturall and simple meaning and to drawe it to disputations and strife of words which also he hath effected For concerning this place wee doe nothing else but contend for superioritie who should be the greatest not considering Mat. 20.25.26 what our Sauiour said to his Disciples in the like case The Lodes of the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them c. But it shall not be so with you And a little after hee saith wee must inquire what this rocke is whereon the Church is built The word rocke in the scripture is some times taken for strength and firmenesse Psa 20.7.5 40.2 and security as in those speeches of Dauid He shall set me vpon a rocke and he set my feet vpon the rocke where he meaneth nothing else but that hee was set in a sure and safe place that is in security And therefore when Christ saith vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. hee meaneth nothing else but that hee would build his Church vpon a sure and immoueable foundation against which all the assaults of the aduersaries should not preuaile Note Hereby it is euident that Christ built not his Church vpon Peter nor vpon any other man for there is no man so firme and constant that he cannot be mooued which also we plainely see in Peter Wee must therefore seeke for another rocke In the holy Scripture Christ himselfe is many times called a stone or a rocke as Isa 28.16 Psal 118.22 1. Pet. 2.4 Hearest thou what Peter saith namely that Christ is a stone and he would haue vs to be stones also which is when we are built vpon Christ Now he is built vpon Christ that beleeueth in Christ and relieth on those things which Christ is able to doe The rocke then primarily is Christ vpon whom the whole Church is built 1. Cor. 3.11 according to that of the Apostle Other foundation can no man lay c. Againe because by true faith we are ioyned vnto Christ and so doe also after a sort become stones or rockes therefore also Christian faith and the firme and constant truth of the Gospell is that rocke whereupon Christ hath built his Church He that resteth vpon this faith is a true member of the Church in what place of the world soeuer he be And he that knoweth not this faith is no member of the Church though hee seeme to be the chiefe in the Church For the Church relyeth on this truth and the Church is but one Thus far Ferus which sentence of his is agreeable and consonant in all things to the doctrine of our Church and indeed to the doctrine taught in the holy Scriptures Where we see that God hath not left vs without sufficient witnesse of this truth euen in the midst of the Church of Rome it selfe A maide came to him c. We see yet further here the punishment of carnall pride and vaine arrogancie and confidence For our Sauiour Christ of purpose would haue the Apostle Peter discouered of this gyrle and of no greater persons to the end that his pride and boasting whereby hee had so highly exalted himselfe before might bee corrected and beaten downe when hee should perceiue himselfe to bee ouercome not of a man but a woman not of some stout Gyant but of a weake and feeble porter Hee had before in a vaine conceit exalted himselfe aboue all his fellowes Though they should all bee offended by Christ vers 33. yet hee would not Yea aboue Christ himselfe to whom in a manner he doth closely giue the lie as though hee had beene deceiued in him when hee told him hee should denie him thrice No he was another manner of man then hee tooke him for he would liue and die with him that hee would vers 35. But see how shamefully he is cast downe For his fall was so much the fowler by how much the seruants that occasioned it were the baser A
why the word is so ineffectuall in many places as it is For first many of vs that be Ministers come to preach our selues and not Christ Iesus and to vent our owne gifts and let them take winde and not to seeke the saluation of our hearers and therefore God denyeth to worke by our Ministerie Againe a number of you that bee hearers come for gapeseede to gaze the Minister in the face or to see the variety of mens gifts or to gleane vp some quaint phrases and witty sentencess and not with any desire to further your owne saluation and therefore you goe away as you come without Gods blessing And so the word is made fruitlesse and vnprofitable vnto you Whereas if wee would account the soules of Gods people deare and precious in our sight Phillip 18. and long after the saluation of them all from the very heart rootes as the Apostle saith and therefore before wee come to deliuer his word craue Gods blessing by earnest prayer vpon our labour and if you would come to heare the word with a desire to profit and to growe in grace by it and for that end would pray to God to open your heartes as hee did the heart of Lydia that you may diligently attend to that that shal bee taught it would appeare that you should reape more profit then by one sermon then you doe now by twentie Then Peter remembred c. The Apostle Peter neuer came to himselfe hee neuer began to bethinke himselfe of the hainousnesse of his fact before such time as the Lord by the meanes aforesaid had moued his heart But what did Peter in the meane while did hee any whit further or helpe forward himselfe to repentance Surely he did as much as lay in him to further himselfe to hell For as wee haue heard hee was swearing and cursing himsele in most horrible manner that he neuer knew Christ But after that he was outwardly rowsed by the crowing of the cocke and inwardly awaked by Christs looking backe vpon him then hee began to consider the danger of that estate wherein he stood From hence then wee learne Doct. The whole worke of our conuersion is frō God alone Rom. 9.16 Heb. 12 2. that the whole worke of our conuersion is from God alone There is not the least endeauour in any man to further the worke of grace in himselfe as the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie And for this cause our Sauiour Christ is called both the authour and also the finisher of our faith Yea whatsoeuer good worke is wrought in any of Gods children Phil. 1.6 the Lord by his holy spirit doth both begin and performe the same Yea if there bee but any will or desire to doe good it is from the Lord. Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deede of his good pleasure And therefore wee read Act. 2.47 that in the Primitiue Church The Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should bee saued It was not in their power to ioyne themselues with the Church of God and to become true members thereof but it was the gratious worke of the holy spirit of God But most fully and clearely doth the Prophet Ezechiel set out the truth of this point speaking in the person of God A new heart saith he will I giue you Ezech. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I wil giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you 27. and cause you to walke in my statutes c. Where the Prophet wholly disableth man for the worke of his regeneration and ascribeth both the beginning and progresse thereof vnto the Lord. For as there is not any softnesse in a stone nor the least disposition to bee made soft and pliable so in the stony heart of man there is no root from whence this blessed worke of grace might bee produced no inclination to good whereby it might be furthered no faculty wherewith it might be effected As we were not able at the first to effect our naturall generation and make our selues men or women nay as our Sauiour saith Mat. 5.36 wee cannot make our haire white or blacke So it is not in our power to effect our spirituall regeneration to make our selues the sonnes or daughters of God But we must confesse in both respects Psal 100.2 as Dauid saith It is he that hath made vs and not we our selues And for this cause the Apostle saith wee are his workmanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes c. Epbes 2.10 And this made Dauid to pray Create in mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me Psa 51.10 acknowledging that there was nothing at all in him whereby this worke might bee furthered but God by his almightie power must miraculously create it of nothing § Sicut in natiuitate carnali omnem nascentis hominis voluntatem praecedit operis diuini formatio sic ia spirituali natiuitate nemo potest habere bonam voluntatem motu proprio nisi mens ipsa id est interior homo noster reformetur ex Deo Fulg de incarnat grā Christi cap. 19. And indeede if the matter bee well considered the worke of regeneration will be a farre more hard and difficulte worke and of greater labour then was the worke of creation For as Dauid saith By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.6 and hee commaunded and they were created Psal 148.5 As we see in the story of the creation that when God beganne to raise this wonderfull and glorious frame of heauen and earth and to furnish them with varietie of creatures hee did but speake the word saying Let there bee this and that and presently it was so Gen. 1. But for effecting our regeneration there was a great deale more to doe Christ Iesus must leaue the heauens and the glory which hee had with his Father and bee incarnate in the forme of a seruant and suffer a shamefull and an accursed death to the killing and subduing of our sinnes and the efficacy of his resurrection to the reuiuing and quickning of vs to newnesse of life a Praegrauatus animus quasi pōdere suo a beatitudine expellitur nec redire potest effusts perditis viribus nisi gratia conditoris sui ad paenitentiam vocātis peccata cōdonātis Quis enim infelicem animū liberabit a corpore mortis nisi gratia Dei per Iesū Christum Aug. de Trin. lib. 12. cap. 11. And to this purpose S. Augustine hath many excellent sayings The soule of man saith he being as it were oppressed with the owne burden is expelled and banished from blessednesse and hauing
let vs retaine that holinesse in our mindes which our outward habite cloaketh and couereth c Estote discipuli Christi non in salsitate sed in veritate non in veste sed in corde Bern. ibid. Serm. 1. Let vs bee the Disciples of Christ not in falshood but in truth not in the garments but in the heart d Non confidamus in latitudine soliorum in expansione ramorum in viriditate frondium ibid. Serm. 10. 1. Pet. 3.4 Psal 45.13 Wee must not stand so much on the largenesse of our leaues nor on the spreading of our branches nor on the greennesse of our boughes considering that euery branch though neuer so flourishing if it beare not fruit it must bee cast into the fire to be burnt as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 15.6 And herein wee may all goe to the schoole to a couetous worldly man There is no man but he had rather be rich then bee accounted rich hee had rather bee wealthy then seeme to bee wealthy So should wee rather desire to bee godly and religious indeede then to seeme to be so It is true that outward holinesse and the fruites thereof are necessary to commend vs vnto men but our chiefest care and indeauour should be that the hid man of the heart whither onely the eye of God can peirce may be adorned and beautified It is said of Salomons spouse which was a type of the Church that howsoeuer her cloathing which did set her out to the world was of brodered gold yet her chiefest beauty and greatest glory was within So should it bee with vs wee should labour for a good inside whatsoeuer the outside is That which the Apostle saith of Circumcision is true also of Religion That is not religion which is outward in the flesh Rom. 2.28.29 but that is true Religion before God as Saint Iames calleth it which is within the heart whose praise is not of men but of God Al actions without this though neuer so feruēt are but froth like the hot enterprises of Iehu who made great boast of the zeale which hee had for the glory of God Come with me 2. King 10.16.31 saith he to Ionadab and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord but for all this his heart was not vpright in the sight of God Acts 24.16 But the Apostle Paul was otherwise affected who endeuoured himselfe to haue alway a cleare conscience toward God and toward men First and principally hee studied to approue himselfe to God and then afterwards to men also And this is that which God especially respecteth as he said to Samuel 1. Sam. 16.7 God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart And when Dauid lying on his death-bed exhorted Salomon his sonne to serue God with a perfit heart 1. Chron. 28.9 he vseth this as a reason to perswade him For the Lord saith he searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts To conclude this is a mans greatest comfort both in this life 2. Cor. 1.12 as the Apostle Paul saith This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicity and godly purenesse we haue had our conuersation in the world c. And also at the houre of death And therefore when Hezekiah that good King had receiued the sentence of death and for any thing that he knew was to leaue the world in a comfortable assurance of his owne conscience he betaketh himselfe to God Jsa 38.3 I beseech thee Lord saith hee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfit heart c. Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish vs further to take heede that we be not deceiued As all is not gold that glistereth so all are not good Christians that seeme to be It is a true saying Neuer age was more fruitfull of religions and yet neuer lesse religion in any age And therefore it standeth vs vpon to take good heede least whiles we approue that which is counterfait for current we be seduced and drawne either into errour in religion or into corruption in manners And therefore we must pray with Dauid in the like case Psal 141.4 Incline not mine heart vnto euill that I should commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquitie And because hypocrites are so common we must desire the Lord to discouer vnto vs who are indeede true members of the Church that we may ioyne our selues to them and who are dissemblers that we may auoide them Psal 15.1 as Dauid doth Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. Which betraied him This is the sinne of Iudas wherein we may consider first the occasion and secondly the quality of it The occasion of his sinne was couetousnesse as may appeare in the former chapter where hee went to the high Priests and asked them Mat. 26.15 What they would giue him to deliuer Christ vnto them From hence then wee may learne Doctrine A couetous man will commit any sinne though neuer so hainous 1. Tim. 6.10 Metropotis omnium vitiorum Subtile malum secretum virus pestis occulta doli artifex mater hypocrisis liuoris parens vitiorum origo criminum fomes virtutum aerugo tinea sanctitatis c. Bern. n ps 91. serm 5. Ephes 5.5 Col. 3.5 that a couetous man may be easily drawne to commit any sinne bee it neuer so hainous There is nothing too hot nor too heauy for him And therefore the Apostle saith and not without cause that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Yea the Heathen man called it The head of all vices It is as Bernard saith A subtile euill a secret poyson an hidden plague a deuiser of craft the mother of hypocrisie the breeder of enuie the fountaine of vices the nurse of sinne the rust of vertue the moth of holinesse c. In a word there is not any one of all the ten Commandements but a couetous man will easily yeeld to breake it First the Scripture hath put it out of question that euery couetous man maketh his riches his Gods And the reason is euident for a couetous person loueth his riches more then God he had rather forsake all religion then part with any of his commodities And wee haue experience of many that only in hope of gaine renounce the religion which they seemed to professe and become Papists Againe hee feareth the losse of his riches farre more then the losse of Gods fauour he is lesse afraide to breake any of Gods Commandements though it bee to the prouoking of his wrath then hee is to diminish or impaire his out ward estate And he trusteth more in his wealth then he doth in God As we see in that rich man in the Gospell who secured his soule Luke 12.19 because he had much goods laid vp for many yeares And therefore the Apostle willeth Timothie to charge rich men 1 Tim. 6.17 that
vs or if they doe we shall not feele it as we see in the example of Dauid 1. Sam 24.6 whose heart did alwayes smite him in his infirmities 2. Sam. 24.10 as after the cutting of the lap of Sauls garment and after the numbring of his men but after those great sins of adultery and murder he had either no checke nor touch of conscience at all or if hee had any it was so that he had no sense nor feeling of it til 2. Sam. 12.1 c Nathan the Prophet came to him and awaked him out of his securitie I haue sinned This is the second part of Iudas his repentance namely his confession which though it bee set downe after his restitution yet no doubt it was in order before it And therefore we will handle it first And first wee will speake of it in generall and then more particularly examine the matter of it In this confession of his wee see hee goeth very farre First he confesseth his sin openly and publiquely without any regard of his credit he careth not who heareth him Secondly he doth not onely confesse in generall tearmes I haue sinned but hee layeth out his particular sin I haue sinned sairh he in betraying innocent bloud Herein he went a great deale farther then many will doe at this day and yet hee went not farre enough For many things were wanting in him which are required in true confession which that it may the better appeare let vs consider the doctrine of true confession Wherein we are to obserue first Doct. The nature of true confessiō the person to whom we must confesse our sinnes and secondly the manner how we must confesse them For the person wee are to know that first and ptincipally we must confesse our sinnes to God as Dauid did I acknowledged saith he my sinne vnto thee for I thought I will confesse my wickednesse vnto the Lord. Psal 32.5 And the reason is First because all sinne is committed against God as Dauid saith Psal 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It is true we may and doe wrong and hurt men by our sinnes as Dauid highly iniured Vriah by his sinne but as it is a sinne the cheifest dishonour is against God And so was Ioseph perswaded when hee would not yeeld to the allurements of his Mistris How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Gen. 39.9 And yet withall he confesseth in the same place that it would haue beene a great offence against his Master considering what trust he had reposed in him a Solus Deus misereri potest veniam peccatis quae in ipsum commissa sunt solus potest ille largiri qui peccata nostra portauit Cppr. Ser. 5. de Lapsis Marke 2.7 Job 34.31 Isa 43.25 1. Iohn 1.9 Seondly because God onely can forgiue sinne The Scribes and Pharises though they were corrupt in many things yet in this they held the truth when they said Who can forgiue siinnes but God onely And Elihu in the book of Iob affirmeth it very confidently Surely saith hee it appertaineth vnto God to say I haue pardoned I will not destroy And the Lord himselfe testifieth as much saying I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake c. So that it is euident that our sins must be cōessed vnto God Now here Iudas failed For no doubt if hee had vnfainedly confessed his sinnes to the Lord hee had obtained the pardon of them according to that saying of Saint Iohn If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins Secondly we must confesse our sinnes also to men and that both publikely and priuatly as the qualitie of the sinne requireth For publike confession if a mans sinne haue been publike to the offence and scandall of the Church and hee hath beene excommunicate for it he ought publikely to acknowledge the same and earnestly desire to be receiued into the felloship of the Church againe 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. Thus was that incestuous person that was deliuered to Sathan for his sinne vpon his humiliation restored And indeede there is a very necessary vse of this open confession first in respect of God who is thereby much glorified as before he had been dishonored And therefore when Ioshua laboured to bring Achan to a free and heartie confession of his sinne he saith My sonne Iosh 7.10 I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him shew me now what thou hast done c. Secondly in respect of the Church both that the congregation that hath beene offended may be satisfied when it seeth the sinner conuerted and also that others may be terrified from committing the like sinnes as the Apostle saith Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare 1. Tim. 5.20 And last of all in respect of the sinner himself that he may thereby be the more humbled as the incestuous person was 2. Cor. 2.7 before spoken of Whereas otherwise if it be made a money matter few or none will regard it Dauid performed this of his owne accord When he had dishonoured God and scandalized the Church by his grieuous sins and had caused the enemies of God to blaspheme he penned the 51. psalm 2. Sam. 12.14 to testifie his repentance to God and the world and to remaine in the Church to all posterity Mat. 3.6 And Iohn Baptist admitted none to his baptisme but such as first made humble confession of their sinnes And the coniurers being brought to true repentance came into the Church and confessed Act. 19.18 and shewed their workes And thus was it alwaies in the ancient Church where all notorious offenders were excōmunicate and debarred from publike praiers and the vse of the Sacraments They remained apart in the Church and heard Sermons that thereby they might the better be brought to the sight of their sins And after a certaine time they were admitted to praiers but yet in a seate by themselues called the seate of the penitents as they say it is the vse at this day in Scotland But when the Sacraments began to be administred they departed At the last being throughly humbled with bitter teares they craued pardon of the congregation which they had offended and so were restored and receiued againe a Tripart hist lib. 9. cap. 30. And this discipline did St. Ambrose exercise against Theodosius the Emperor who hauing made a great slaughter of the Thessalonians was kept out of the Church for the space of eight Moneths and after being admitted he did not stand nor bow his knees only but fell flat on his face vpon the floore and tearing off his haire with his hands and bedewing the pauement with his teares hee desired that his sin might be forgiuen b Amplector prompta plena dilectione cū poenitetia reuertentes peccatum
faile and so the seruice of God to fall to the ground Last of all it was a part of iniustice to denie to the Leuite that wages which was due and appointed vnto them by the Lord. So plentifull and so manifold was this sinne which God in this place vpbraideth them withall And therefore Mal. 3.9 marke what followeth vpon this You are cursed with a curse for yee haue spoiled me euen this whole nation Wheresoeuer this sinne is suffered there the curse of God hangeth ouer the whole land This may very fitly be applied to our times For though the Leuiticall Priesthood bee abrogated by Christ yet the ministerie of the Church remaineth still to the end of the world And the Lord hath appointed that the Ministers of the Gospel should be maintained still Mat. 10.10 Our Sauiour saith The labourer is worthie of his wages And the Apostle proueth it at large that there is maintenance as due to the Ministers of the Gospell as euer it was to the Priests in the time of the law 1. Cor. 9.14 The Lord saith hee hath ordained that they that preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell And how carefull the Primitiue Church was to prouide for their teachers may appeare in the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles But when once it pleased God to conuert Kings and Emperours vnto the knowledge of Christ they very bountifully enriched the Church and assigned vnto it tithes and other reuennues Which order was so inuiolably kept for a long time a Qui decimas â—aicis donaret inter maximos Haereticos non minimus babeatur Willet contr 2. quaest 3. as that there was a decree that whosoeuer should estrange tithes from the Church and giue them to the vse of Lay persons hee should bee accounted not the least among the greatest Heretikes But when superstition beganne once to grow and the ancient discipline of the Church was decayed then beganne many abuses about Church reuennues For the Pope first of all alienated the property of tithes and erected impropriations rightly so called as altogether improper for them that haue them for the maintenance of a sort of lazie Monks and Friers which like Locusts haue deuoured the Church And this appeareth euen in our owne stories For when as in the raigne of Henry the third the Bishops of England made suite to the Pope that impropriate benefices might bee restored to then first vse at the contrary request of the Monks the Pope determined they should stand as they did But the Pope is not only too blame in this case but many also of our owne Ministers are in fault For when ambitious spirits beganne to striue impudently for Church-liuings they were content basely to stoope on their knees as Camels doe for their burdens and to lay their liuings in the lap of euery Dalilah to shaue at their pleasure and to take away from them that wherein their strength consisted Hence part of the tithes and reuennues is sold away part is taken away from the Church by Noble men and part translated to other vses by the decrees of Princes so that now the poore Church of God is constrained either to satisfie the couetousnesse or to minister fewell to the prodigality of priuate persons and all men take pleasure to spoile those things which our deuout forefathers bestowed vpon the Church As the Souldiers dealt with the garments and coat of Christ Mat. 27.35 they parted his garments and cast lâ—ts so doe these men deale with the possessions of the Church They share and diuide amongst them the goods of the Church and cast lots for them and in the meane while suffer Christ Iesus to hang miserably vpon the Crosse Some deuoure some spoile the Churches goods and in the meane while suffer the Ministers of the Church and the true Teachers of the Gospell to starue and pine Thus they crucifie Christ and cast lots for his garments And this sin is so much the more hainous because a great number of those that are guilty of it would bee counted great Professours and very religious They may not bee termed wasters and spoilers but friends and fauourers yea defenders of the Church But shall I tell them how they defend it Brentius in Luc. 23. Euen iust as one saith as the Souldiers defended Christ when he hanged vpon the Crosse It is the commendation of that good Centurion that out of his loue to the Nation of the Iewes Luke 7.5 he built them a Synagogue This man shall rise vp in iudgement against these persons who by transferring Church-goods to their owne priuate gaine as much as lieth in them do pull downe Churches With what face dare they boast themselues to be Christians when they offer such iniurie to Christ in his poore Church and Ministers Rom. 2.22 how can they professe that they abhorre Idols when thus grosly they commit sacriledge The very Heathen men haue condemned this sinne They could not endure the spoiling of their Gods in any whosoeuer hee were And therefore Aelian Var Histor l. 5. c. 16. when a yong child at Athens had taken vp a plate of gold that fell out of Dianaes coronet hee was brought before the Iudges who set before him gugawes and rattles to play withall and the plate also and when the child refused the trisles and tooke the plate againe hee was not spared for the tendernesse of his age but was punished as a Church-robber And the ciuill lawes are altogether against it holding that the things of God such as are our a Sacrum dicitur quicquid mancipatum est cultui diuino vt Ecclesia vel res Ecclesiae Magist sentent lib. 3. distinct 27. C. tithes and reuennues of the Church ought not to belong to Lay persons And it is well spoken by one to this purpose That whatsoeuer is designed as proper to diuine worship is of right and iustly reputed holy of which sort is the Church and all things of the Church or belonging to it And surely such and so heauie haue been Gods iudgements denounced and executed against these sacrilegious Church-robbers themselues that by colour of their impropriations depriue the godly Leuites of their proper liuings and driue them out of their countries that we caÌ„not otherwise esteeme of such intruders vpon the rights of Gods Church then as men giuen ouer to the God of this world hauing made an irrecouerable shipwracke of a good conscience For to seaze vpon the Church-liuings thereby to bring the Ministers to extreme beggerie what is it else but after the manner of the Iewes Gentils though vnder some other pretence yet with no lesse cruelty to persecute and make hauock of the Church it selfe And therefore the Lord may iustly take vp the same complaint against vs in this behalfe as he did before against the Iewes For Christ himselfe is spoiled when those things are spent vpon prophane vses which should serue for the maintenance of his Ministers For
tithes are due only to the Church and cannot be alienated to any other vse nor turned to the maintenance of Laie men For where tithes are paid there must be a matter of giuing and receiuing Phill. 4.15 1. Cor. 9.11 The Minister giueth spirituall things as the Apostle saith and receiueth carnall things Now because Lay men cannot performe this duty they haue nothing to doe with the tithe for not keeping the condition they cannot claime the couenant a Qua fronte qua conscientia oblationes vultis accipere qui vix valetis pro vobis nedum pro alijs Deo preces offerre With what face or with what conscience can they receiue tithes and other offerings that cannot offer vp praiers for themselues much lesse for others I doe not presse this as though I meane to determine that the Ministers of the Gospell might not bee maintained by some other meanes For I am perswaded that it is in the power of ciuill Magistrates to allowe anie other maintenance to the Minister so that it bee competent But this I say that for as much as tithes are by law established amongst vs for this purpose to be the hire of the Lords labourers and the wages of his workemen it will be as great a sinne to defraude the Minister of his portion as to keepe backe the meat or wages from an ordinary labourer Which as the Apostle Iames saith Iam. 5.4 is a sinne that crieth loud in the eares of God for vengeance And yet for all this the matter is come to this passe that he is well that can catch anything from the Church Yea I could name a Knight of no small worth in the Countrie that maintained openly that a small allowance is fittest for a Minister to keepe him sober for reckoning least hauing too much he should waxe idle Indeede it is true they that neuer were sincere hearted are soone corrupted with preferment As God knowes wee haue experience of too many who whiles they had but a poore maintenance were very diligent and painefull Preachers but after they haue added steeple to steeple and liuing to liuing the fire-edge is taken off them and then as though now they had got that they preached for they waxe so hoarse and so rusty as if some bone stucke in their throats that they can hardly preach at all But they that entred into the ministerie with a sincere affection and made the glorie of God and the saluation of his people and not filthie lucre the end of their preaching a Honos alit artes omnes incenduntur ad studia gloria Cicero 2. Chro. 32.25 are by preferment stirred vp to greater diligence in their callings and the more bountifull that God is vnto them in their maintenance the more carefull are they to render according to the reward bestowed vpon them wretched therefore and wicked are they that are thus minded whosoeuer they bee And this is the miserie of our Church that it is pilled and polled in this manner Nehem. 13.10 and that by this meanes many faithfull Ministers of excellent gifts are brought to extreme pouertie because as it was in the daies of Nehemiah The portions of the Leuites are not giuen Nay in many places the Minister hath scarce the allowance of Michah his Leuite b Ten shekels is of our coine 23. shillings 4. pence euery shekel being 2. shillings 4. pence which was ten shekels of siluer by the yeare and a sute of apparell and his meat and drinke Iudg. 17.10 For I know a Minister that hath but bare foure pounds to liue on for the whole yeare Hence commeth it to passe that many yong schollers of great hope and singular towardnesse doe leaue the studie of Diuinitie and betake themselues to the Lawes or to Phisicke And hence the Church is pestered 1. Kings 12.31 I say pestered with Ieroboams Priests such as were neuer brought vp in the schooles of the Prophets but taken from base trades and as one saith well Iohn Lambert holy Martyr were made Priests before euer they were good Clerkes Hence it commeth to passe Prou. 29.18 that prophesying faileth in many places and therefore the people perish Hence is it Iob. 16.2 13.4 that many that haue care of mens soules are miserable comforters as Iob saith Phisitians of no value Hence is it that the poore people of God are pittifully dispersed Mat. 9.36 Ioh. 4.35 and scattered abroade as sheepe without a shepheard Hence is it in a word that the Regions are euerywhere white vnto the haruest Mat. 9.37 but few labourers to put in the sickle I doe not all this while pleade mine owne cause I thanke God none of these rauenous Harpies and greedie cormorants haue preyed vpon my Church But I haue all the reuennues of it with as little preiudice as the most of my brethren But as the Prophet said in another case For Zions sake I cannot hold my tongue Jsa 62.1 and for Ierusalems sake for the poore Churches sake I cannot cease And I would to God that all we that be Ministers and haue any thing to doe with these persons bee they neuer so great would euen crie aloude against them Isa 58.1 and spare not but lift vp our voices like trumpets to rowse and awake them out of this sinne Here wee should all bee right Boanerges Sonnes of thunder Mar. 3.17 to threaten and thunder out the iudgements of God against this horrible sinne of sacriledge But alas wee may crie till our hearts ake before wee shall preuaile with the belly that hath no eares vnlesse Christian Magistrates Isa 49.23 who are nursing Fathers to the Church doe by their power worke a reformation a Mr. Perkins in a Treatise of the duties of the Ministerie This sinne as a worthie Minister in our Church once said is the Kings euill and therefore no hand but his can heale it There was indeede the like calamitie in the Church of the Iewes but it was only then Iudg. 17.6 when there was no King in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes But seeing wee haue by Gods blessing a wise a godly and religious King let vs pray to God to put into his heart that care of Nehemiah for the good of the Church that hee will not suffer euery man to robbe and spoile it as it pleaseth his couetous minde but cause them and compell them to bring their tithes of Corne Nehem. 13.11.12 and Wine and Oile euen of all their fruits vnto the house of God And in the meane while let all such persons know that they must one day giue account of their sacriledge vnto God The lawes of men doe rather Patronize then punish them Psal 119.126 and therefore let them be sure that God will at last take the matter into his owne hand Horrible are the examples of Gods iudgements vpon this sinne in former ages
by this that hath beene spoken that they expose themselues to a thousand dangers Yea they tempt God and not knowing their owne strength or weakenesse rather do as it were dare and prouoke the Deuill to the combate But they say they are strong and feare no danger I answere with our Sauiour Christ in another case He that is able to receiue it Mat. 19.12 let him receiue it If they haue attained to such a measure of strength it is well But in the meane while they sinne against the Church Heb. 10.25 in breaking off the communion of Saints and in forsaking the fellowship of their brethren as the Apostle saith Secondly it serueth to admonish all men to auoide solitarinesse Vse 2 as much as may be But if a mans calling be such as he must of necessity be alone as a student in his studie or a workeman in his shop or a traueller by the high way then hee must carefully take heede of wandring thoughts and labour to keepe his minde occupied either about somthing belonging to godlinesse or else at least about the workes oâ— his lawfull calling c Cedet amor rebus res age tutus eris Ouid. de remed amoris and so hee shall preuent many occasions of sinne We that professe our selues to be Christians should be ashamed not to spend our solitarie houres at least as well as the Heathen man did who d Nunquam se minus otiosum quam cum otiosus nec minus solum quam cum solus Et in otio de negotijs cogitabat in solitudine secum loqui solebat vt neq cessaret vnquam interdum colloquio alterius non egeret Cic. offic l. 3. professed of himselfe that hee was neuer lesse idle then when he was idle and neuer lesse alone then when he was alone For when he was at leisure he thought of his businesse and when he was alone he vsed to talke with himselfe so that he was neuer idle at any time and yet stood inno neede of the conference of others Much more should we be occupied in good Meditations and haue our hearts continually stand bent therein least the Deuill returning as our Sauiour saith Mat. 12.44 and finding our soules emptie and swept c. he fill vs full of all vngodlinesse But of all other Melancholi ke persons are in greatest danger this way And therefore one calleth Melancholie the Deuils forge wherein vnlesse Gods grace do preuent him he frameth and worketh much mischiefe As we see by wofull experience that many times he preuaileth so farre with such persons as he causeth them to lay violent hands vpon themselues And therefore they are most carefully to performe this dutie And if when they haue done all they can they cannot preserue themselues from the Deuils tentations they must as speedily as may be runne into companie Eccles 4 9.10 for as Salomon saith Two are better then one for if one fall his fellow will lift him vp Qualis vita finis ita Went and hanged himselfe This is the end of Iudas A wofull end but yet agreable to his former life according to the common saying As the life is so is the death A wicked life a wretched death c Post redditum pretium laquca se suspendit vt qui se mulctauerat pecunia mulctaret vita Intelligens enim quantum scelus admiserit non sufficit ei sacrilegij carere mercede nisi careret salute Dâ—gnum enim se morte iudiâ—â—uit quod Christum vitam omnium tradidâ—sset Ambr. seem 51. de Iuda Iscar whereupon one saith That after he had restored the money he hanged himselfe that as hee had depriued himselfe of the money so hee might also depriue himselfe of his life For vnderstanding what an horrible sinne he had committed he thought it not enough to want the wages of his sacriledge vnlesse hee were without his life also For hee iudged himselfe worthy of death in that he had betraied Christ who was the life of all Now as I said his end was very horrible and very fearfull For besides that he made away himself the Lord shewed a strange token vpon him in his death For when he was hanged he brast asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Act. 1.18 There is an old Tradition whereof Beza and Aretius doe both make mention that when Iudas hanged himselfe he leaped downe so desperately that he brake the rope and so liued still But not contented therewith in a most furious moode he cast himselfe headlong from the top of a steepe hill where he lay swelling after a wonderfull manner till a Cart went ouer him and crushed out his guts whereupon hee stuncke so filthily as no man could endure to come neare him Whether this bee true or no wee haue no certaine knowledge and therefore wee neede not beleeue it vnlesse we will But be it true or false that which the holie Scripture hath recorded of him is fearefull enough And yet this was not all his miserie For as the end of his body was very wretched so no doubt in his soule he went directly from the Gallowes to hell For so saith the Euangelist that when Iudas had hanged himselfe hee went to his owne place Act. 1.25 that is to Hell To which purpose Saint Bernard hath a good saying a Pulchre omnino Petrus Apostolus filium perditionis in locum suum abijsse testatus est quod in nere crepuit medius aerearum collega potestatum vtpote eâ—e veri Dei veri pariter hominis qui de coela venisset operaturus salutem in medio huius terrae proditorem nec coelum reciperet nec terra sustineret Bern. in Ps 91. serm 7 Suspendit se laqueo vt se ostenderet coelo torraeque perosum Aqum in locum Very well did the Apostle Peter testifie that the sonne of perdition went vnto his owne place in that he brast asunder in the middest in the aire being made a companion of the powers that rule in the aire that is of the Deuils For when he had betrayed the true God and true Man that came downe from heauen to worke our saluation in the middest of the earth neither the heauen would receiue him nor the earth sustaine him * Doct. Wicked hypocrites come to a fearfull end From this example wee may learne this lesson that howsoeuer hypocrites and wicked men may flourish for a time yet at last for the most part they perish and come to a fearefull end Iudas was in great account before so long as hee continued with the Disciples but now his hypocrisie being discouered hee dyeth a dogges death and becommeth his owne Hang-man Neither was this the case of Iudas alone but diuers others liuing wretchedly haue dyed miserably and haue beene so forsaken of God as that they haue beene their owne executioners 2. Sam. 17.25 Achitophel that was a type of Iudas reuolting from Dauid and
taking part with traiterous Absolon by the iust iudgement of God hanged himselfe as Iudas did 1. Sam. 31.4 Saul openly transgressing Gods CoÌ„mandement vnder pretence of religion and persecuting poore Dauid euen against his conscience at the last being depriued of all comfort fr m God fell vpon his owne sword and killed himselfe Abimelech a bloudie wretch who to obtaine the Kingdome had slaine seuentie of his owne brethren Iudg. 9.54 being afterward wounded with a peece of a milstone that a woman cast downe vpon him desperately commanded his Page to run him through and so he died 1. King 16.10.11 16.17.18.19 And Zimri hauing by treason made himselfe King of Israel and being pursued by the people and Captaines of the host shut himselfe into the Pallace and set it on fire ouer his head and so ended his daies And howsoeuer it doth not alwaies come to passe that God doe arme the hands of wicked men in this maner against themselues yet they seldome escape some fearefull iudgement euen in this world In terrorem populi For as earthly Princes doe vse to hang vp notorious malefactours in chaines for the terrour of others so it pleaseth the Lord by some famous iudgment or other to make horrible sinners spectacles of his wrath to all the world Deut. 13.11 Leuit. 10.2 that others may heare and feare and doe no more such wickednesse as Moses saith Thus Nadab and Abihu rhe sonnes of Aaron presuming to offer strange fire vpon Gods Altar were instantly deuoured with fire from heauen Thus when Corah and his companie conspired against Moses Num. 16.30.31 God brought a new iudgement neuer heard of before hee caused the earth to open her mouth and swallowe them quicke 2. Chron. 21.18.19 Thus Iehoram that wicked King that had most vnnaturally embrued his hands in the bloud of his owne brethren was smitten by the Lord in his bowels with an incurable disease whereof hee languished for the space of two yeares and then his guts rotted out of his belly and so hee died Act. 5.5.10.11 Thus Ananias and Saphira for their deepe dissembling were sodainly stricken dead by the hand of God And thus was proud Herod Act. 12.23 for persecuting the Church smitten by an Angel of the Lord and was eaten vp of wormes So true is that which Iob saith Iob. 20.7 that wicked men shall perish for euer like their dung and they that haue seene them shall say where are they Vse This may serue to admonish euery one of vs to take heede of hypocrisie and of all grosse sinnes least continuing in them without repentance some fearefull iudgement of God light vpon vs to our confusion Iudas wee see perished horribly but as one saith well Brentius in locii 2. Pet. 3.9 Psal 50.21.21 the more horrible his destruction was the more carefully should wee endeuour to repent of our sinnes betimes least wee also perish in like manner Happie are wee if other mens harmes can make vs heedfull Though God as hee is patient towards all men doe spare wicked men long and suffer them to goe on in their sinnes without punishment yet hee will not spare them alwaies but in the end hee will reproue them and set before them the things that they haue done yea he will teare them in peeces and there shall be none to deliuer them a Prorsus confirmo audeo dicere non potest malè mori qui benè vixit Aug. de Discipl Christ For as that speech of Augustine is most true that he that hath liued well cannot die ill so it is most certaine that hee that hath liued ill cannot come to a good end Hanged himselfe Death of it selfe euen by nature is very horrible to a man so as the Heathen Philosopher called it the b Extremum terribilium most terrible thing in the world and Iob saith it is the King of feare Iob 18.14 And therefore it must needes bee some great tentation that shall make a man kill himselfe with his owne hands when by course of nature he might liue longer There must be something that hee is more afraide of then hee is of death which by procuring his owne death he seeketh to escape Now what should this bee that Iudas should so much dread in this place that should driue him to this fearefull issue Surely it c Animus culpe plenus semet timens Senec. in Hippol. was nothing else but the honour of his conscience The wrath of God had made an earth-quake in his soule which made him tremble and quake for feare Hee saw hell-fire already burning before him nay a sparke of it was now kindled in his conscience which rather then hee would endure hee chose to die a dogges death and to be his owne hangman Whence ariseth this doctrine that the horrour of conscience is the greatest miserie in the world If there were no other proofe this example of Iudas is proofe sufficient For d Domini traditorem non invenio à iudice esse damnatum non damnat eum Pilatus non daÌ„nat populus sed quod grauius est se ipse coÌ„demnat cessante iustitia iudicatur Quem enim alter iudicat potest vtcunque esse excusabilis reus auté sine excusatione est qui conscientiae suae iudicio condemnatur Quem alter iudicat potest quandoque à suo indâ—ce sperare indulgetiam qui seipse iudicat à quo indulgeÌ„tiam postulabit Ambr. serm 50. de accus Dom. coram Pilato as St. Ambrose saith he was not condemned by any Iudge Neither Pilate nor the people did condemne him but which is more grieuous he condemned himselfe and though the course of iustice ceased yet he is iudged of himselfe He that is iudged of another may peraduenture finde some excuse but he is guiltie without all excuse that is condemned by the iudgement of his owne conscience He that is iudged of another may sometimes hope for mercy from his Iudge but he that iudgeth himselfe to whom may he sue for mercy And a little after a Hoc Sacrilegi solet esse iudiciuÌ„ vt impietatem suam ipse dum recordatur puniat scelus suum dum recognoscit vindicet OmniuÌ„ enim supergreditur sententias qui à sua conscientia sua sententia coÌ„demnatur Tali ergo Judas poena damnatur vt idem sui reus sit sceleris iudex vltionis Cogente coÌ„scientia vnusquisque erit accusator iudex suus Bern. de consc adif cap. 32. This saith he is commonly the iudgement of a sacrilegious person that while he remembreth his impietie he doth punish it and while he calleth to minde his wickednesse he doth reuenge it For it surpasseth the sentence of all men when a man is condemned in his conscience by his owne sentence with such a punishment therefore is Iudas condemned that he is both the person arraigned for his sinne and also the Iudge