in time it may be forgiuen it may be taken away if we let it go on to two or three with vnfained repentance with bleeding teares with vncessant outcryes vnto a gratious God they may be rased out and wiped away but with greater difficulty at length if a man giue ouer himselfe vnto sinne so that it take deepe roote in the heart and bee setled in the soule he shall neuer be able to pull it vp nor to arise from the death of sinne Application TO draw then to an end forasmuch as God desireth not the death of any sinner but most louingly offereth his grace meanes of saluation vnto all seeing sinne doth proced from our owne vile concupiscence and we neuer striuing to stay the course of it in our thoughts do secretly fall away seeing by degrees against their own knowledge men do wound their soules with many actuall sinnes and thervpon God doth withhold his grace and so forsake them and this forsaking is such a forlorne estate that as Iob saith 12. 14. God shutteth a man vp and he can neuer be loosed O how feruent ought we to be in prayer thereby to kindle in vs the heat of Gods spirit how deuout in sweete heauenly meditations to stir vp in vs the good graces of God how diligent to shewe the fruits of our faith euer stirring in the workes labours of our calling giuing no aduantage to our aduersary how carefull when wee heare the word of God to do it with a humble spirit with great reuerence therby to keepe a tender heart a minde and cogitation that may easily bee touched with remorse how desirous secretly ioyfull at this holy time to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the blessed sacraments to haue our hearts stripped off worldly vanities to cal home our affections to appease our thoughts and so peaceably to bath our soules afresh in the precious blood of our euerlasting redeemer That so feeling our selues as it were newely created againe soule body heart hand tongue may neuer cease to sound praises vnto him who doth neuer cease to renew his mercies vnto vs. The holy kingly Prophet Dauid he is a worthy example for this roial presēce set him before your eies obserue the whole course of his life How sweet and mild was his spirit in forbearing to take reuenge for himselfe how couragious inuincible his faith whē it stood in the quarrel of gods honour how dearly affected to his people when he said to the destroying Angel not these sheep but it is I that haue offended what melting kinde affection did he shew towards Ionathan those whō he loued what a mournful repentāt heart whē he knew that he had offēded how full of diuine meditations to better his thoughts how frequent in praier falling frō him as a continual streame how ioyfull in Gods seruice dancing before the Ark how reuerend in Gods house kneeling bowing in the tēple before al the people what a thankfull heart in offering to build a glorious temple to the Lord what an hūble minde saying what am I what was my fathers house that thou hast brought vs hitherto what a chary tender care of Gods glory whersoeuer he became how abundant in praises thanksgiuing calling euery member of himselfe all the creatures both of heauē earth to make one quire in setting forth singing sounding the euerlasting praises of his God But why did Dauid thus to what end was al this that he might be sure stil to hold fast by God to be intirely knit vnto him by al means possible to retaine his loue for feare least God hauing raised him to the height of renowne deliuered him miraculously out off many eminent and bloudy dangers so set a crowne of blessings vpon his head if Dauid should haue showne any vnthankfulnes any cōtempt or the least neglect of his loue a mighty ielous god he also vpon iust cause might haue withdrawne his loue laid al his honour in the dust againe Now therfore with al humblenesse duety I intreat you by the tender mercies of Christ Iesus in the name of the liuing God I chalenge euery christiā which hopes for any ioy in the life to come take heed of actuall and presumptuous sinnes in no case let them haue dominiō ouer you Psal 19. 1 do not woūd your soules as Pharao did with wilfull offences against your own knowledge try examine all your thoughts how wherin they stand affected aboue al grieue not the blessed motions of that cōfortable spirit which keepes the very Life and Being of the soule To conclude let al slaunderous mouthes be stopped all the factious scismatiques in the land ashamed in beholding your christian and Princely example continue still to be louingly and kindly affected one towards another celebrate this holy time in a true religious maner Sanctifie the ioyful beginning of this new yeares raine with new deuotion vnto God lay all your Honors downe at the foote of the altar receiue the holy Sacraments ioyntly together and so bee faithfully knit in loue and in one head Christ Iesus go cheerefully on delight still in doing good the Lord God of our Fathers increase in you good desires giue you zeale to performe them confirme vnto you to your seede all his good promises and vnto euery one of vs here graunt pardon for offences past giue vs comfort and strength in temptations to come change all our liues more and more to a better course euen for his blessed Sonne Christ Iesus sake who with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessed and praysed for euer Amen FINIS
man hauing once got possession when a man is fallen away from grace and his heart Hardened how fearefull how mournfull a case it is it may manifestly appeare in this for that such men they can haue no true ioy of temporall things in this world nor any true comfort of the sweete graces in the life to come First concerning spirituall blessings There is nothing more cheerefull vnto man then the knowledge of his minde nothing more excellent in him then the light of his vnderstanding This knowledge this light of nature this vnderstanding and iudgement is vtterly extinguished Suffocatur naturae lumen cùm ad huius abissi ingressum Calâ— accedimus the light of nature is choked wheÌ„ they once enter into this gulf of Hardning In man there is a threefold light The light of the body which is the Eye the light of the mind which is Reason and Faith the light of the soule Eph. 1 1â— 1 Cor. 4. â— by which we discerne things that are not seene In the obstinate their bodilie eye is full of adultery and cannot cease to sinne 2. Pet. 2. 14. 2. Pe. 2. â— The light of Reason which is the law of nature is extinguished Rom. 1. 28. Lastly Faith which is Rom. 1. 2 the light of the soule is wholy blinded for such cannot see to take hold of the mercies of God nor to apprehend his comfortable promises Ebre 4. 2. Now if the Eye which is the light Ebr. 4. 2. of the body if Reason which is the light of the minde if Faith which is the light of the soule be dimmed If all that light which should bee in vs bee darknesse Iustissima poena vt qui sciens Aug. de li 〈…〉 be arbit lib. 3. rectum non facit amittat scire quod rectum saith Saint Augustine it is a punishment that hee who knowing doth not well at length should loose the knowledge of wel dooing so is it with the Hardned as Iob. saith The light of the vngodly Iob. 18. â— shall bee darkened and the wicked shall become blind Zeph. 1. 1 because they haue sinned against the Lord. The iudgement of the minde beeing thus peruerted and Faith which in all stormes and temptations should guide the sterne being ouerthrowne there fellowes a generall shipwrack of conscience The word of God is said to bee sharper then a â—br 4. 12. two edged sword it pierceth the very sinewes marrow it diuideth the soule and spirit asunder how wonderfull it is in operation how mightie to conuince our thoughts howe powerfull to quicken the soule how comfortable to strengthen our faith I doubt not but most here to their endlesse comfort do effectually know This word this mighty word which for the piercing operation is resembled to fire able to soften yron this word it cannot mollifie the hardened But as the bright beames of Sunne doe harden clay and soften wax and as the sweete drops of raine do mollifie earth and harden sand so the heauenly and eternall word returneth not in vaine but by reason of different disposition in the subiect it illuminateth it melteth the rightous it obdurates and Hardens the wicked their Esay 6. 9. heartes being fat their eyes heauie and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceiue Where the word of God cannot preuaile there can be no repentance It is true The scripture saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent Eze. 1â— him of his sin froÌ„ the bottom of his hart God wil put all his wickednes out off his remembrance Therevpon many take their pleasure glut themselues in sin at last they thinke to make all good by repentance Indeed it is true if they can repent but they must obserue what S. August saith Qui promittit paenitenti veniam non promittit peccanti paeniteÌ„tiam God who promiseth vnto euery one Aug. that repeÌ„teth forgiuenes doth not promise vnto euery one that sinneth repentance RepeÌ„tance is the gift of god such as are hardened because in times past they despised the riches of his bounty grace his long suffering mercy that did cal them to repeÌ„tance when they wold they caÌ„not repent Ro. 2. 5. after hardnes the heart it caÌ„not repeÌ„t If there can be no repentance then lamentation teares are bootlesse Teares they are the bloud of the soule and the Wine of Angels most Bern. pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God Yet the hardened though they should wash theÌ„selues in their owne teares it will not preuaile Nihil prosuÌ„t lamenta si replicantur peccata tears are not accepted where sinnes are still and againe double Ebr. 12. 17. Esau found no place to repentance Ebr. 12. 1â— though he sought the blessing with teares The holy blessed Sacraments now presently to be administred are Pledges of Gods loue and Seals of our saluation By Baptisme he breaks the Rom. 4. 1â— heads of the Dragons in the Waters et per Baptismum coeli ianua aperitur And by baptisme euen the dore of heaueÌ„ is set open The sacrament of the Lords supper it is canalis gratiae et lauacruÌ„ animae 〈…〉 l. 74. 14 the coduit of grace the bath of the soule What can be more ioyful then by receiuing the signe of the crosse to fight vnder the banner of Chirsts loue to be knit into the misticall body of his saints what can be more ioyful then to receiue that pure princely blood the least drop wherof being able to redeeme a thousaÌ„d worlds I may rest assured it is a full perfect satisfactioÌ„ for all my sinnes so that if my body hath sinned his body hath made ameÌ„ds if my soule haue sinned his soule hath made recompence therefore both soule and body are his and so we firmly and fully setled in a Christian ioy for euer These holy and heauenly Sacraments are not effectuall in the obstinate Iudas notwithstanding he was a disciple of our Sauiour and that blessed hand which after for his sake was nayled on the Crosse did reach him the bread of life yet he was so hardened with secret sin a trayterous disposition that as soone as he receiued the sop the deuilentred into him tooke ful possessioÌ„ 〈…〉 h. 13. 27. of him so brought him to a most feareful end Prayer what maruailous things it hath brought to passe and indeede what greater comfort can there be to a distressed minde then to open our griefe to poure out our complaints and ease our wounded hearts by making our mone vnto God by faithful and humble prayer yet in those that are Hardenedned prayers of themselues are frutelesse Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not the prayer of sinners that is of such as reteine a will to sinne Dauid saith He that enclineth his heart vnto wickednesse Psa 6â— God will not heare his prayers To hope in the prayer of
manifest that sinne doth proceede from the suggestion of Sathan working with our owne concupiscence yet euill and godlesse men they thinke they are tempted of God and when they sinne they do not sticke to say God hath so decreed it let him therefore worke his will for who hath euer resisted his will Homer that notable Heathen Poet hee answered such men very fitly in the person of Iupiter speaking in this sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Od. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O yee foolish mortall men euer and anone you cry out of the immortall Gods imputing to them the cause of yous miseries when indeede your selues are the workers of your owne wo. 〈…〉 4. 2. Perditio tua ex te O Israel Thou hast fallen by thine owne iniquity Stigias vltrò quaerimus vndas Like the Ostridge we do pricke our selues with our own feathers and we our selues do cause the shippe to leake where we saile Onely lo this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought out many inuentions Quare peccas quianescis 〈…〉 31. c. How comes it to passe saith S. Aug. that thou dost sinne because thou art ignorant it is not so Why dost thou sin because thou art compelled there is no such matter why doest thou sinne because it pleaseth it delighteth thy wicked and corrupted nature In the transgression of a 〈…〉 9. 5. man is his snâ—re Of our owne accord wee runne wilfully into the dead fall of sinne so is it in the 9. Psal and 16. vers The vngodly is trapped how not by God but by the workes of his owne hands The Lord our God is good holy and onely holy so holy that as Iob saith the Angels are vncleane in his sight so pure that his Ministers the Cherubins Isa 〈…〉 are of fire most cleere and yet the Cherubins and Seraphins do couer their faces with their wings as not able to behold the perfect brightnes of his most pure and vndefiled Maiestie Therfore although no action can be done without God and that his power is so in all things that we cannot so much as lift vp our fingar without him For in him we liue and moue and haue all our being Yet is not God the cause of any sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 〈…〉 Wee cannot fasten the least touch of any euill vppon GOD. But so it stands Vna eademque actio tribuitur causae principali instrumentali In one and the selfe same action there is a double cause First the instrumentall cause mouing then God separated from the instrument yet giuing power of motion to the same Through this double cause of moouing there is a double worke which vnto vs seemeth to be but one For example God as appeareth in the 2. of the Acts and the 23. ver by his determinate counsell and foreknowledge deliuered vp our Sauiour Christ as the principall cause Iudas as the instrumentall cause yet neither is God to bee drawne in as a party in Iudas fault nor Iudas to bee excused as furthering the worke of God For God neuer coÌ„manded Iudas to deliuer vp Christ nor Iudas in deliuering him had any such intention as to doe God seruice in the execution of his will Deus agit per malos non in malis The wicked are the instruments of God Yet not God the cause of their wickednesse God is the cause of the action but not of the euill or quality in the action For example A man trauaileth his horse by the way he is the cause of his going but if his horse halts or haue an ill pace he is not the cause of his ill going A cunning man striketh an instrument with his fingars he is the cause of the sound but if the Instrument be bad or the strings not well chosen hee is not the cause of the ill sound The Iron rusteth thou wilt not wite it vpon the Smith Wine sowreth the fault is not in the vintner In the heauens there is a double motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fixed Starres and the whole 〈…〉 â— lib. â—amiâ—tâ— Globe of all is carried about with one Sphere and with one motion yet the planets in themselues haue a wandring and vncertaine course The like 〈…〉 we may vsually behold in euery clocke the greatest and highest wheele moueth and carryeth about all the rest yet in this motion some wheeles turne to the right hand others to the left and that by a contrary course So then it fareth thus with the wicked As hee that hath an euill and corrupt stomacke if hee doe eate hony it turneth into gall or as if a mans hand be out of ioynt when he would moue it one way it turnes another so the wicked and godlesse men whereas the light of nature Gods spirit and his word leadeth them one way their owne vilâ— inclination their own concupiscence leadeth them another Now then what shall we say is there vnrighteousnesse with God doth he cause vs to commit sinne No God forbid wickednesse should bee in God or iniquity in the Almighty But as it is saide before Euery man is drawne away by his owne concupiscence Iob. â—â— and is inticed lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sin and sinne when it is finished bringeth 〈…〉 forth death Hauing hitherto freed God from all imputatation of euil by shewing from whence sin comes and that God is not the author of it wee doe heere meete with the Pelagian Heretike who not able to vntie this knot affirmes that the wicked are reiected for the sins which God fore-saw they would commit and so contrariwise the godly preuenting the grace of God by their merits are predestinated and chosen through faith and good workes which GOD fore-saw they should doe Making Gods eternall election to depend vppon our faith and vppon our workes whereas cleane contrary our faith our good workes and all the good that is in vs doth wholy depend vppon Gods free election Saint Paul saith directly God hath chosen vs in 〈…〉 his sonne Christ before the foundation of the world was If in Christ Assuredly it appeares we were vnworthy in our selues and so Gods election is the cause of our good workes Et causa non est posterior suo effectu the cause it doth neuer follow the effect The learned Schooleman makes it plaine Non ideo electus est quis quia talis futurus erat sed ex tali Lomb electione talis est factus No man was euer chosen through faith and good workes which GOD fore-saw that hee should doe but the faith and good workes which we now doe proceede from the eternall election which went before This doth the Apostle very plainely set downe â—m 1. 9 God hath saued vs and called vs not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Iesus Christ before the world was Calling Moreouer
Christian eares Where is modestie where is trueth and Chtistian piety Is this our doctrine doe we thus teach no verily both in worde and writing we acknowledge the Lord our God to bee full of compassion and loue the bowels of his mercie sweet and amiable hee would not the death of any hee is gracious and kinde gentle and readie to forgiue and to the death wee affirme more then most holy pure and iust are all his workes and wayes therefore the Lord be iudge betweene them and vs and lay not this sinne vnto their charge Touching this doctrine how sinne first came to bee how it came in where it first tooke beginning and that God is not the author of it I haue shewed heretofore in handling the Golden Châ—ine the meanes of our saluation namely that the Diuell was Primitiuus peccator the 〈…〉 6. first offender for hee sinned from the beginning So that from him sinne first boyleth vp as out of the maine Sea From Sathan when it comes to Adam it ariseth as out of a Spring from this Spring it is reserued in nature as in a Conduit from nature conueied to concupisence as by a pipe and from thence doth flow all the mischiefe and wickednesse that is in the life of man Well then if sinne doe proceede from the suggestion of Sathan working through our owne concupiscence and so God wholy freed from all imputation of euill why is it so often said in the Scripture Deut. 2. 30. And the Lord hardened the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon and made him obstinate Ioshua the 11. 20. It came of the Lord to harden their hearts and here often in the booke of Exodus and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharao To make this plaine it is a point well knowne vnto the learned that this speech where it is said God hardened The Hebrew Dialect doth Flaccuâ— Illiricâ— P. Lonâ— li. 1. diâ— Tho Aâ— quin. â— 23. arti 〈…〉 signifie a permission and not an action Verbes that signifie to doe they often expresse a suffering and not a doing Destruit cum deserit God is then said to Harden when hee doth forsake Impios cùm non retrahit a malo culpae dicitur dimittere As the enduing with grace is the effect of Gods Election so the with-holding of his grace is the effect of Reprobation Dei includere est clausis non aperire saith Saint Gregorie vpon the 12. of Iob. and foureteenth verse Euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the Author Deus autem quoad peccatum non habet positiuè velle sed tantùm priuatiuè Touching sinne God hath no Positiue will but onely in regard of former sinnes a Priuation of his grace To bee short God doth Harden as Saint Augustine Agust â— saith Non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by causing vs to commit sinne but by not graunting vnto vs his grace I but how comes it to passe that wee as well as others are not partakers of Gods grace why haue not wee also his good Spirit to direct and guide vs Saint Augustine makes it plaine againe Non ideo 〈…〉 non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit men become Hardened and want the spirit of grace why not because God doth not offer it vnto them but because they receiue it not when it is offered For example One of vs being sicke and like to die the Phisician knowing our case hee takes with him some preseruation to comfort vs and comes to the doore and knocks if wee will not or bee not able to let him in wee perish and die and the cause is not in the Phisician but in our selues that let him not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is 〈…〉 de 10. a disease whereof we are all sicke for we haue all sinned Romanes 6. 12. verse Christ he is the Phisician of our soules Venit de coelo magnus medicus 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 9. 12. quia per totum vbique iacebit aegrotus Christ the great Phisicion came downe from heauen because all mankind was generally infected Hee comes to the doore of our hearts and there hee knocks Reuel 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore 〈…〉 6. 35. and knocke Hee bringeth with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread of life his eternall word to comfort vs if we let him in if we open the doore of our hearts he will come in and suppe with vs as hee did with Mary and forgiue vs all our sinnes 〈…〉 10. but if wee will not or through long contagion of our sinne bee not able to let Christ in we die in our sinnes and the case is euident not because Christ doth not offer grace and comfort vnto vs but because wee receiue it not when it is offered Meritò perit aegrotus qui non medicum vocat sed vltrò venientem respuit worthily doth 〈…〉 that sicke patient perish who will neither send for the Phisicion himselfe nor accept of his help when it is offered More plainely thus in the foureteenth of Saint Mathew Our Sauiour walking on the Sea hee bad Saint Peter come vnto him who walking on the water seeing storme and tempestarise his heart fayled and hee began to sincke vpon his cry vnto our Sauiour hee presently stretched forth his hand tooke him into the shippe and saued him This world wee know by dayly experience it is a sea of trouble and miserie our Sauiour as hee sayd to Saint Peter so most louingly hee willeth euery one of vs to come vnto him as wee walke stormes and tempests doe arise through frailtie of our flesh and the weaknesse of our Faith wee begin to sincke our Sauiour hee stretcheth forth his hand hee giueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Word his Sacraments the good motions of his spirit to saue vs from sincking and to keepe vs in the shippe of his Church if wee refuse these meanes we perish we sincke in our sinnes why not because Christ doth not most kindly put forth his hand vnto vs but because in want and distresse wee lay not hold vpon him This is condemnation that light is come into the world men refuse it loue darknesse more then light Our blessed Sauiour with great louing kindnesse 〈…〉 3. 19. hee doth inuite all men to his Great Supper if wee make excuses or wilfully refuse to come he may iustly pronounce none of those that were bidden shall euer tast of my supper 〈…〉 14. 24 Therefore let not men deceiue themselues and complaine as though God did harden their hearts and deny them grace and mercy for as Ionas saith in his second Chapter and 8. verse 〈…〉 2. 8. They forsake their owne mercie Deus prior in amore God neuer hateth vntill he be first hated and so â—brose â—no euÌ„â—tit n◠〈…〉 i di 〈…〉 it Aug â—essi I conclude with