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
THE REPENTANCE OF PETER And IVDAS TOGETHER WITH THE FRAILTIE OF THE Faithfull and the fearefull ende of wicked Hypocrites PROVER 24.16 ¶ A iust man falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Ioseph Browne ANNO DOMINI 1612. TO THE VERTVOVS AND RELIGIOVS LADIE THE LADIE MILDRED SAVNDERSON WIFE TO THE HONOVRED SIR NICHOLAS SAVNDERSON Knight Baronet encrease of grace in this life and eternall glorie in the life to come GOOD MADAME there is such a satietie if not a surfet of books at this day that it may bee thought as superfluous to publish any new worke as to carrie timber to the Wood or water to the Sea In which respect I had neuer presumed to set pen to paper but only that I haue long desired to giue your Ladiship some testimonie of my thankefull heart for the fauours I haue receiued at your hands And though I know that as Plinie said of Traian the Emperour you are most sparing in prizing and valuing the benefits you bestow because you giue them freely and put them not out to vsurie yet if I should dissemble them I might iustly be condemned of grosse ingratitude I acknowledge you haue opened euen the fountaine of your good opinion to me which hath flowed as it were with a full streame of pietie and so many waies hath your vertue refreshed and relieued me that I may truly say as once Furnius said to Caesar I shall liue and die vnthankefull For when I haue done all I can I cannot sufficiently conceiue the thanks which you deserue I am bold therefore to present these poore fruits of my labours vnto your Ladiship to be a publike witnesse and pledge to all posteritie of my dutifull affection towards you And though this paper-gift bee too base a recompense for your vndeserued fauour Yet it being the best which my pouertie can affoorde I doubt not but according to your milde disposition you will accept of it respecting rather the affection of the giuer then the worth of the gift for if I were able to giue more I would performe it I am not ignorant that in publishing these my weake Meditations I shall expose my selfe to a thousand censures of curious and carping Readers but I had rather be taxed of rashnesse in this behalfe then iustly blamed for want of dutie How meane soeuer they be if they may any way benefit the Church of God especially if they may be any small meanes to further your godly endeauours in the way of Christianitie and to build you vp towards the Kingdome of heauen I shall gaine that which I most desire And thus I commend your Ladiship to God and to the Word of his grace beseeching him that whatsoeuer good beginnings hee hath wrought in you hee will perfit the same vntill the comming of Iesus Christ that your last worldly day may be your assured entrance to euerlasting glorie Your Ladiships in all Christian duties obliged CHARLES RICHARDSON or to manifest what is wrong only the one cannot demonstrate the right But Almightie God and his Ministers doe not onely shew the one but teach the other especially in this doctrine of Repentance without the knowledge whereof all knowledge in the minde is but like a dreame and all paines but the washing of the Moore Onely the true penitent when he awaketh shall be satisfied with the Image of God which made Otho the Emperour to cause his kitchin-boyes to treade vpon his necke Et vilissimam dei creaturam conculcare and trample vpon him the vilest creature of God The penitent man hath but seuen steps to heauen which are shewed out in the seuen penitentiall Psalmes the conscience and shame of sinne the feare of punishment the sorrow for the offence the desire of amendment the firme beliefe of pardon the mistrust of his strength the longing after heauen with the apprehension of Iesus Christ the way vnto it Hee that doth these things shall neuer faile But let me say of these treatises as the Angell said to Cornelius Simon Peter is at Ioppe send for him he shall shew thee what thou shalt doe This Booke in the sorrow of Peter shall teach thee to repent exemplarily and by the example of Iudas to dread hypocrisie the way to desperation Farewell EDW. TOPSELL THE REPENTANCE OF PETER AND IVDAS MATT. 26. VER 69.70 69 Peter sate without in the Hall and a maide came to him saying Thou also wast with Iesus of Galile 70 But he denied before them all saying I wote not what thou sayest c. To the end of the Chapter IN this Chapter and the next that followeth the Holy Euangelist doth at large set out the History of the passion and suffering of our Sauiour Christ together with all the circumstances and seuerall partes thereof Now in these words the course of the History is interrupted to inserte a briefe narration of the fall and repentance of the Apostle Peter which was necessarily done that the truth of that which Christ had foretold him Verse 34. namely that before the cocke crow he should denie him thrice might appeare It is worthy to bee obserued that all the foure Euangelists doe diligently describe this Story of Peters fall Manie things there are which some one of the Euangelists doe make mention of which are omitted by all the rest But here as if they had taken consent they all leaue this registred to all posteritie Shall we thinke that they are delighted in blasing and publishing this horrible and shamefull fault of their fellow Apostle Indeed carnall men loue to rippe vp other mens vices either to satisfie their owne enuie and malice whereby they are mooued to disgrace and defame their brethren or to commend their own righteousnesse and holinesse aboue other men as the proud Pharisie dealt with the poore Publican But farre be it from vs to imagine Luke 18.11 2. Tim. 3.16 2. Pet. 1.21 that so holy men being inspired and as it were led by the Holy Ghost should be carried either with enuie or arrogancie in this case But as their heart and pen was guided by the Lord in the rest of the Scripture so no doubt they were also directed in this particular and that for the publique benefit and great good of the whole Church Rom. 15.4 For as Whatsoeuer things are written they are written for our learning so this narration is richly furnished with many excellent and heauenly instructions for our vse For first of all it hath pleased the Lord in Saint Peter the chiefe of the Apostles to giue vs a memorable example of the frailtie and weaknesse of mans strength if he bee left neuer so little to himselfe Secondly we may see in it the beginning and progresse of sinne how being yeelded to at the first by degrees it commeth to the height Thirdly wee may behold as in a glasse the great loue of God towardes his children who will not suffer them to perish
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
siely gyrle and shee not free but a bondmaide bearing no great office in the house but onely keeping the doore is made an instrument to beate downe that high conceite he had of himselfe And this is the Lords ordinarie proceeding with proud persons Doct. God beateth downe the pride of men by vile and base meanes 1. Cor. 1.27.28 Hee vseth many times euen by vile and base meanes to subdue and punish their pride According to that speech of the Apostle God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mightie things And vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things that are not that is things which in mens account are nothing worth so abiect and base that they are not regarded to bring to nought things that are Thus dealt the Lord with Pharaoh King of Aegypt he was so proud at the first as there was no dealing with him he scorned that God should command him to let his people goe Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should heare his voioe and let Israel goe I knowe not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe But God made him knowe before hee left him and that euen by the weakest meanes that could bee He could haue hissed for some warlike nation Isa 5.26 to haue van quished him and led him away captiue Jer. 52.9 as he dealt with Zedekiah He could haue sent Lions to haue slaine him as hee did to the Assyrians that dwelt in Samaria 2. Kings 17.25 2.24 Hee could haue sent Beares to haue torne him in peices as hee did to the children that mocked Elisha Exod. 8. But he vseth none of these meanes Vide Aelianum var. Hist. lib. 14. cap. 4. but onely sendeth frogges and lice and flies and such like vile and weake creatures to plague him and to checke his pride And indeede euen these things which in themselues are contemptible were a greiuous annoyance to him vers 3. and to the whole Land For his very bed-chamber yea his bed it selfe was pestred with frogges c. In like manner Goliah that mightie gyant of Gath 1. Sam. 17.9.10.50 that defyed all the Host of Israel with proud and brauing termes as if none had beene able to fight with him and ouercome him was quelled by little Dauid with a sling and a stone Judg. 5.29 4.21 So Sisera the captaine of Iabins Host that came against the Isralites in such confidence of the victory Iud. 9.53.54 was slaine by Iael a weake woman with a naile and a hammer And Abimelech in the hight of his pride was also brought to his death by a woman who from a tower cast a peice of a milstone vpon his head and brake his braine pan And Herod who was lifted vp and swelled in pride at the voice of those flatterers that told him he spake more like a God then a man was suddenly smitten by the Angell of the Lord Act. 12 22.23 Brentius in Luc. 22.56 and was eaten vp of wormes And indeed this is a worthy punishment for pride that the more arrogant a man is the more hee should bee shamed and deiected Luc. 18.14 as our Sauiour Christ saith He that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe And therefore Peter is worthily more disgraced then his fellowes because hee had arrogated more to himselfe then they though without cause Vse 1 This may admonish vs to labour for humilitie to thinke basely of our selues and to bee lowly in our owne eies and so shall we be more acceptable to God Our Sauiour Christ hath euer beene louingly affected towardes those that were of humble mind When that good Centurion had such a base conceit of himselfe that he thought not himselfe worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe oh how highly our Sauiour commendeth him I haue not found saith hee Mat. 8.8.10 Mat. 3.11 11.9.11 so great faith no not in Israel Iohn Baptist confessed of himselfe in all humilitie that he was not worthy to beare the shooes of our Sauiour Christ But hee affirmeth of him and that very earnestly that he was a Prophet yea and more then a Prophet yea that among them that are begotten of women there arose not a greater then Iohn Baptist The deeper the Well is the sweeter is the water so the more humble any man is in his owne conceit the more acceptable hee is to God And indeed if we could seriously consider how vnable we are of our selues to doe any thing that is good without Gods assistance wee should see there were no cause for vs to be proud Nay if wee had any found grace or vertue at all in vs their would be no place left for pride For as wee see the sunne the higher hee is in the firmament the shorter shadowes he maketh and the neerer he comes to the earth the shadowes of all things are the longer So vertue grace the higher and the more eminent it is the lesse oftentation it maketh Whereas on the other side where grace is wanting there is nothing but pride and arrogancie euen as the eares of corne that haue nothing in them but light stuffe stand perking vp aboue all the rest but they that are laden with full come hang downe their heads Secondly this may be a good warning to vss not to contemne Vse 2 nor despise the meanest persons no nor the vilest creatures in the earth because we see God can make them instruments to correct our pride 1. Sam. 17.42.44.49.51 The proud vncircumcised Philistim when hee saw poore Dauid come to him with a staffe in his hand he disdained him and threatned to giue his flesh to the foules of heauen and to the beasts of the field Quem vidit dies veniens superbum hunc vidit dies fugiens iacentem Yet this Dauid by Gods assistance brought him groueling to the earth and afterward cut off his head with his owne sword Yea wee see how troublesome euen gnattes and fleas are vnto vs in Summer time And indeed there is not the weakest creature in the world but if God arme it against vs it is strong enough to chastise vs for our sinnes As the Lord calleth the grashopper the canker worme Joel 2.25 the caterpiller and the palmer worme all of them in themselues silly creatures his great host which he sent among them And there is a memorable history of the Archbishop of Mentz that hauing put a great number of poore people into a barne promising them some almes and hauing set it on fire ouer their heads the mice that were in it by the iust iudgment of God pursued him to death Sphinx Aenig mat And we read of a whole towne in Spaine that was vndermined and cast downe with conies And diuerse people haue beene driuen from their habitations by the annoyance
they doe any thing it is closely and couertly that no man may see them Ioh. 3.1.2 Like to Nicodemus that came to Iesus to be instructed but it was by night Though himselfe were a ruler of the Iewes Ioh. 19.38 9.22 yet he durst not auouch his loue to Christ And Ioseph of Arimathea was also one of Iesus his Disciples but it was secretly for the Iewes He durst not be to knowe of it So the parents of the blind man to whome Christ had giuen sight durst not confesse all that they knew of Christ for feare of the Iewes But this sinne is very grieuous Heb. 10.38 and therefore the Lord threatneth that if any man in faint-heartednesse for want of patience doe withdrawe himselfe his soule shall haue no pleasure in him And the fearefull and vnbeleeuing Apoc. 21.8 which for want of faith in Gods promises for that is the cause of fearefulnesse dare not stand to the profession of the truth shall haue their portion among murderers and whore-mongers and sorcerers and such like persons in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death Neither is there any sin that in this life doth he so heauy on the conscience as this when a man for want of spirituall courage shall cowardly betray and forsake the truth As may be seene in the lamentable example of Iudge Hales Foâ— pag. 1282. 1392 1393. who in Queene Maries time being called before the Bishop of VVinchester then Lord Chauncelor for proceeding against certaine masse Priests that were indited before him according to the lawes of King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixt being then yet in force did stand in defence of the truth with good constancie But afterwardes being committed to the Fleet hee was there either by threatnings or flatterie brought to yeeld vnto his aduersaries Which he had no sooner done but he was grieuously afflicted in his conscience insomuch as he attempted to lay violent handes on himselfe and had killed himselfe with his penknife but that the mercifull prouidence of God preuented him But afterwardes being deliuered out of Prison and comming home to his owne house he could neuer find rest till hee had fearefully drowned himselfe in a little riuer Mark 8.38 To conclude our Sauiour Christ exhorting his Disciples to constancy vnder the crosse hee telleth them Whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me and of my wordes among this adulterous and sinfull generation him shall the son of man be ashamed of when he commeth in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels If we be ashamed of Christ Iesus before a company of sinfull men like our selues what is he the worse for it or if wee confesse him before them what addition of glory hath hee by it He is euery way absolute in himselfe and can receiue neither diminution nor accesse of honour by any thing that we can doe But if he be ashamed of vs before his heauenly Father and the holy Angels if he doe not then acknowledge vs what shall become of vs And therefore in the second place let vs be exhorted to Vse 2 be stedfast and constant in the truth as well in time of persecution as in the daies of peace Wee haue a prouerbe that He is but an idle Swaine that will let his iourney for a shower of raine So he is but an idle Christian that dare not shew his head when a little storme of persecution beginneth to arise He that is truely godly indeed will willingly vndergoe whatsoeuer trouble shall accompany his profession as Moses did chuse to suffer aduersity with the people of God when if he would haue renounced his religion he might haue liued in great pleasure in Pharaos court Heb. 11.25 When we once enter into the profession of Christianity wee must first cast our accounts to see what it will cost vs to be Christians Luk. 14.28.31 as our Sauiour exhorteth We may not dreame of ease and security for then we shal be deceiued But wee must knowe that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution either one way or other 2. Tim. 3.12 And that wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Act. 14.22 but through many tribulations and therefore we must arme our selues against them before hand that we may endure them And to perswade vs the better let vs remember Heb. 2.11 that Christ Iesus our blessed Sauiour though he were the immortall and glorious God yet in loue to vs Was not ashamed to call vs brethren Yea suffered all extremitie for our sakes It was great praise in Moses that being so highly esteemed in Pharaos Court Exod. 2.11 Act. 7.23 yet hee would vouchsafe to visit his poore brethren the oppressed Hebrewes It was singular loue in Ioseph Gen 45.3.4 46.34 that being set next to the King himselfe ouer all the land of Aegypt yet hee was not ashamed of his brethren and of his Fathers house though they were heardsmen and shepheards Ester 4.4 It was great vertue in Ester that being so highly aduanced as to bee made Queene to so great a Monarch Phil. 1.29 yet she was not ashamed of poore Mordecai her vnckle a despised person But all this is nothing in comparison of this that Christ Iesus is not ashamed of vs. And therefore we must not be ashamed of him nor of any crosse that shall befall vs for his sake For this is certaine that whosoeuer hath faith giuen him of God to beleeue in him hee hath also grace giuen him to suffer for him as the Apostle saith * Doct. To dissemble our Religion is to denie Christ I wotte not what thou sayest Wee see that Peter doth not here deny our Sauiour Christ in plaine termes onely he would shift off the matter as cunningly as he could and yet this speech of his must be one of deniall or else hee did not denie him thrice as our Sauiour had foretold Where we may obserue that he that doth but dissemble his faith in Christ is guilty of denying him in the sight of God a Apud eos qui Christianae gratiae participatione redempti sunt peâ—è tâ—l est fidem nollâ—â—ssâ—â—cie quam negare Fulg. de myster Mediat ad Thras Van. sal regem ib. Among them that are redeemed by participation of the grace of Christ it is almost all one not to maintaine the faith and to denie it It is true Euasions are not alwayes vnlawfull nor on some occasion to dissemble the matter A bird is not bound to flie into the net that is set for her No more is a man bound to expose and offer himselfe to danger But so farre as may stand with a good conscience and so farre as hee may doe it without sinne it is lawfull to auoide it VVhen Samuel came to Bethlehem to annoint one of Ishai his sonnes to be King in steed of Saul 1. Sam. 16 1.2.3.4
neither from men nor by men Wee see in the matter of Husbandry that the seede ordinarily fructifieth in the earth by the labor of man and the influence of the heauens and yet experience doth teach vs that though the husbandman be neuer so skilfull in plowing and tilling of the earth though he obserue the most fitte seasons and opportunities that may be and though he be neuer so carefull in making choice of the best and purest seed yet many times the earth deceiueth his expectation Isa 24.5 So that as the Prophet saith they sow much and bring in little Hag. 1.6 Yea the heauen and the earth the common parents of all things become barren and the Sunne and the Moone doe loose their operation vnlesse the Lord by his diuine power doe giue to euery seede his owne body 1. Cor. 15.38 Heereupon wee read that Isaak sowed corne in the land of Gerar and had by estimation an hundreth fold encrease but it was not his owne endeauour that caused it but as the reason is there rendred so the Lord blessed him Gen. 26.12 And therefore Dauid saith that it is God that visiteth the earth and maketh it very rich and fruitfull It is he that by his owne appointment prepareth corne for men it is he that maketh the earth soft with shewers and blesseth the bud thereof it is he that crowneth the yeare with his goodnesse and couereth the vallies with corne so as men shout for ioy and sing Psal 65.9.10.11.13 So is it with the ministery of the word though the Ministers bee Gods husbandmen and though they haue neuer so much both skill and will to discharge their duties as hath beene saide though the seed which they sow be none other but that immortall seed of the word of God 1. Pet. 1.23 yet vnlesse it please God to make it effectuall it will bring forth no fruite at all And therefore the Apostle saith to this same purpose Paul may plant and Apollos may water but it is God and God onely that must giue the encrease 1. Cor. 3.6 It is one thing to minister visible obiects to the eyes another thing to cause the eyes to see It belongeth to the outward teachers to minister matter to their hearers but it appertaineth to the inward Master to open the heart to vnderstand As it is said of Lydia that God opened her heart that shee attended to the things that Paul spake Act. 16.14 And as the eye and the obiect are not sufficient to cause actuall seeing vnlesse the eye be enlightned so besides the instruction of the outward teacher it is necessary that the blessed Sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 doe shine in our hearts by the gratious beames of his holy spirite a Non quicunque ostendit viaÌ„ praebet etiaÌ„ viaticum itineranti Aliud illi exhibet qui facit ne deuiet aliud 〈◊〉 praestat ne deficiat in via Ita nec quivis doctior statim dator erit boni quodcunque docueâ—it Porrò duo sunt mihi necessaria doceri iuuari Tu quidem homo recte consutis ignorantiae sed si verum sentit Apostolus spiritus adiuuat infirmitatem nostram Bern. de gra lib. arbitrio He that sheweth a man the way as Bernard saith hee doth not by and by furnish him with necessaries for his iourney It is one thing to direct a man that he goe not out of his way and another thing to helpe him that he faint not in the way So neither is euery Teacher by and by the giuer of the good that hee teacheth Moreouer two things are necessary for me to be taught and to be relieued Thou O man dost indeede prouide well for my ignorance but if the Apostle think aright it is the spirit that helpeth our infirmities And therefore it is said that when the Apostles by vertue of Christs commission went forth preached euery where the Lord wrought with them and gaue a blessing to their endeauours Mar. 16 20. b Joanne operante dabat Deus qui dando non defuit Et nunc operantibus cunctis humana sunt opera sed Dei sunt munera Optatus in Donatist lib. 5. Where hee intreateth largely on this point Non potest munus ab homine dari quod diuinum est ibid. We are onely instruments in the hands of God hee striketh the stroke and worketh the effect making our labour effectuall in the hearts of our hearers There must bee two Preachers to the working of grace in the heart The Minister to preach to the eare and the spirit of God to apply it and blesse it to the soule And hence it is that the preacher is not called the giuer but the Minister of grace Who is Paul saith the Apostle or who is Apollos but Ministers by whome ye beleeued euen as the Lord gaue to euery man 1. Cor. 3.5 It is the Lords prerogatiue which he hath reserued to himselfe to be the giuer of all grace as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 5 10. c Ita plane conuersio animarum diuinae vocis est non humanae Simon piscator hominum in hoc ipsum vocatus constitutus est a domino incassum tamen ipse laborans tota nocte nil capiens donec in verbo domini rete iactans comprebendere possit multitudinem copiosam Bern. de conuers ad Schol. So then we see that the conuersion of soules belongeth to the voice of God and not of man As the Apostle Peter laboured all night in fishing and caught nothing but when as in the word of Christ hee let downe his net he straightway inclosed a great multitude of fishes Luk. 5.5.6 So the Ministers of the word whome God hath called to bee fishers of men Mat. 4.19 may long let downe their nets and make but a bad draught vnlesse the Lord vouchsafe his blessing vpon their labours This doctrine serueth first for the Ministers For Ministers and secondly Vse 1 for the hearers of the word For vs that bee Ministers first it serueth to abate that pride and high conceit that might arise in our hearts when it pleaseth God to worke by our Ministerie Wee must acknowledge that it was not our painefulnesse but Gods blessing that brought it to passe 2. Cor. 2.16 if any good be effected thereby For as the Apostle saith Who is sufficient for these things 2. Cor. 3.5 There is no man that of himselfe is able sufficiently to discharge his dutie in the worke of the Ministerie much lesse is hee able to make his Ministerie effectuall No all our sufficiency in this case is of God And this the Apostle confesseth where speaking of his great paines in Preaching the word namely that he laboured more abundantly then all the rest of his fellowes hee straight way correcteth himselfe as if hee had arrogated more then became him Yet not I saith he but the grace of God which is with me 1. Cor. 15.10 And in another place he saith
must humble our selues euen belowe the ground in the acknowledgement of our sinnes comming to the Lord as it were with ropes about our neckes as Benhadad did to the King of Israel 1. King 20.32 But yet withall wee must craue the pardon of them And to this doth the Prophet exhort vs saying Hos 14.3 Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And boldly may wee doe this because the Lord hath proclaimed himselfe to be so mercifull Exod. 34.7 that hee forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne that is sinnes of all sorts though neuer so hainous in their nature Now this could not Iudas performe Hee confessed and aggrauated his sinne against himselfe but hee had not the heart to giue one rappe at the dore of Gods mercy for the pardon of them And therefore the Lord might iustly say to him as once hee said to an other Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O thou euill seruant Luke 19.22 Last of all we must confesse our sinnes with a purpose to forsake them As the Prophet exhorteth Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord c. There must bee a desire to part with any sinne whatsoeuer else there is no true repentance But of this point enough hath beene spoken before in the repentance of Peter Vse 1. This doctrine serueth first for our instruction that if wee hope to speede better then Iudas did wee must confesse our sinnes better then hee did And that wee may doe it wee must first labour to see and acknowledge our sinnes a Quomodo culpam suam coÌ„fitebuntur quam nec essè putant Bern de grad humilit For how can a man confesse his sinnes when he thinketh them not to bee sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I know mine iniquities and my sinne is alway before mee Psalme 51.3 wee are apt to flatter our selues through selfe-loue and hardly are wee brought to take notice of our sinnes As wee can not see the spots that are in our owne faces so wee cannot discerne the sinnes of our owne soules In other mens sinnes wee are very quicke-sighted but in our owne wee are as blinde as Beetles And therefore in this case wee stand in neede of a glasse As proude persons vse their glasses to see their beautie so must wee vse the glasse of Gods law but to another end to shewe vs our deformitie VVee must therefore duely examine our selues by euery one of the Commandements that so wee may come to the sight of our sinnes And when once wee knowe our sinnes then without all dissembling wee must confesse them vnto God b Apparet toties opus miseraÌ„tis quoties fit coÌ„fessio poenitentis Aug. de vera falsa poenitent cap. 5. cap. 10. Quanto pluribus quis confitebitur in spe veniae turpitudinem criminis tanto facilius coÌ„sequitur misericordiam remissionis Homo per veritatem stimulatus peccata sua confitetur Deus autem per misericordiam slexus confitenti miseretur Omnis enim spes veniae misericordiae in confessione est Nec potest quis iustificari à peccato nisi prius fuerit confessus peccatum Bern. de conscien edif cap. 1. And so much the rather because otherwise there is no hope of pardon For this is the condition annexed vnto the promise of the pardon of our sinnes If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 And Salomon saith Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prouerb 28.13 And the Apostle telleth vs that if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 1. Cor. 11.31 It is not with the Lord as it is in earthly Courts Confesse and be hanged No the Lord will not take vs at the aduantage and condemne vs by our owne confession but if wee confesse hee will forgiue if wee iudge and condemne our selues hee will acquite and discharge vs. To which purpose Bernard hath a sweete saying a Video Dauidem dicentem peccaui audientem Dominus transtulit peccatum tuum Considero Mariam si non verbis tamen operibus sua publicè crimina consitentem dominum pro ea raspondentem dimissa sunt ei multa peccata Respicio principem Apostolorum negantem timidè stentem amarissimè Dominum respicientem Iâ—â—um felicem Latronem intueor se accusantem Christum Dominum promittentem Hodie mecum eriâ— in Paradise O quam sublimis ista confessio per quam de patibulo ad regnum de terra ad caelum de cruce ad paradisum latro daÌ„natus crucifixus ascendit Ber. de vijs vitae Est apud Deum pium iudicem ipsa agnitio culpe impetratio veniae Bern. Meditat. cap. 11. Ante Dei conspectum cuncta peccata sunt scripta sed quod tibi scribit transgressio hic delet confessio Bern. de consc aedif cap. 38. I see Dauid saith hee saying I haue sinned and receiuing answere from the Prophet The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die I consider Mary Magdalen if not in word yet in deede confessing her sinne and the Lord answering in her behalfe Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much I behold the chiefe of the Apostles denying fearefully weeping bitterly and Christ looking backe vpon him with the eye of his mercie I see that blessed theefe accusing himselfe and Christ the Lord promising him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Oh how notable was this confession wherby the theefe that was condemned and crucified ascended from the gallowes to a Kingdome from earth to heauen from the Crosse to Paradise This then is an high commendation of Gods mercie that when a man layeth open his sinne God couereth it when a man acknowledgeth his sinne God pardoneth it Besides if wee doe often confesse our sinnes vnto God it will not suffer us to goe farre nor to lye long in any sinne but will hunt it out before it be warme and setled in vs yea it will chaine vp the the vnrulinesse of our nature that it shall not breake out to the dishonour of God as otherwise it would Let vs therefore pursue our sinnes by this meanes and if wee desire to come to perfect health of our soules b Quicquid conscientiae stomachum grauat totum vomitu purae confessionis euomere ne differas Bern. ibid. cap. 56. whatsoeuer sinne doth surcharge the stomacke of the soule let vs not deferre to cast it vp by the vomit of a pure confession * Vse 2. Secondly this serueth for the iust reproofe of all those that will not confesse their sinnes Many will not confesse before God It is a corruption that wee all haue by kinde to dissemble our sinnes and to excuse our selues for them As Adam when he was examined posted the matter from himself to his
Vse 1 they care not how Qui rem faciunt quocunque modo Horat. lib. 1. Epist 1. lucri bonus est odor ex re Qualibet Iuuen. sat 14. whether by hooke or crooke by right or wrong that thinke the smell of all gaine to be good which way soeuer it coÌ„meth For eueÌ„ as many times the greedy fish while she hunteth after the bait is caught and choaked with the hook so these gredy Cormorants which with an vnsatiable desire do hunt after riches many times get such a sting in their conscience as tormeÌ„teth their soules with endles woe Vse 2 Secondly it serueth to admonish al men neuer to increase their riches by vnlawfull meanes nor to bring home a pennie that is ill gotten least it proue a canker to wast and consume all the rest of their substance Though a garment bee neuer so costly yet if the plague haue infected it we will not meddle with it So though ill gotten goods doe glister gloriously in the eies of men yet because they are infected with a plague which will not only indanger those riches that are iustly gotten but hazard the soule also therefore we should haue no dealing with them For as our Sauiour Christ saith What wil it profit a maÌ„ to win the whole world lose his soule Mat. 16.26 And thus we haue handled the seuerall parts of Iudas his repentance Let vs in a word apply it to our selues We see what hee performed in his repentance we must be carefull to supply that which he wanted or else our repentance will doe vs no good But I feare me if due examination were had it would appeare that many of vs neuer goe so farre in the worke of repentance as Iudas did How then can we hope to be saued since Iudas did all this that wee haue heard and yet is damned Shall hee bee sorrowfull for his sinne shall he confesse his sinne in particular manner and shall he make restitution of that which he hath gotten vnlawfully and yet goe to hell And shall we doe none of all these things and hope to goe to heauen Oh let vs not deceiue our selues As our Sauiour Christ said to his Disciples Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 5.20 yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen So say I in this case Except our repentance goe beyond the repentance of Iudas and all such as Iudas was we shall neuer be saued Shall Kain cry out Gen. 4.13 Exod. 9.27 My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen me Shall Pharaoh confesse his sinne and acknowledge that God is righteous 1. Kings 21.27 Shall Ahab humble himselfe before the Lord in sacke-cloth and ashes Shall Simon Magus be sorie for his sinne Act. 8.24 and desire the Apostle Peter to pray for him Nay to say yet more shall the Deuill himselfe beleeue and tremble Iam. 2.19 and yet be all of them damned And shall we doe nothing at all shall wee neuer be moued and yet hope to be saued Nay rather all these shal be so many witnesses against vs at the great and dreadfull day of iudgement He departed This is the preparation vnto Iudas his wretched end that followed He shunned the sight of men and his conscience tormenting him and driuing him to the gallowes he went aside and sought some secret place If he had conuersed amongst men it is likely hee might haue beene preuented and therefore the Deuill draweth him in to some solitarie place From whence ariseth this instruction Doct. that it is very dangerous for men to liue in solitarinesse Solitarinesse is very dangerous Eccles 4.10 Gen. 2.18 Woe be to him saith that diuine Preacher that is alone The reason is because hee lieth open to tentations and offereth himselfe to the snare of the Deuill Hereupon the Lord said It is not good for man to be himselfe alone If not in Paradise whiles man was innocent much lesse now that he is wholly corrupted And wee see when the Deuill encountred with our Sauiour Christ Mat. 4.1 Gen. 3.1.2 Gen. 34.1.2 2. Sam. 11.2 hee made choise of the wildernesse implying that such places are fittest for his working And therefore wee reade that when Euah was stragling alone from her husband curiously viewing the pleasures of the garden the Deuill set vpon her and caused her to tast the forbidden fruit When Dinah Iacobs daughter was wandring alone from her Fathers Tents idly to see the fashions of the countrie Shechem the sonne of Hamor caught her and defiled her And when Dauid was walking alone on the toppe of his house he was tempted to lust after Bathshebah and to commit adulterie with her So that we see what occasions of sinne are offered vnto vs when wee are alone and how ready we are to yeeld vnto them And therefore a Vnum primò aggrâ—ssus vt lupus ouem secernere à grege vt accipiter columbam ab agmine volantium separare tentauerat Nam cui non est aduersus omnes satis virium circumvenire quaerit solitudinem singulorum Cypr. lib. 1. epist 1. Mich. 2.1 one saith wel that as the Wolfe laboureth to seperate the sheep from the rest of the flocke and the Hawke to seuer the Pidgeon from the rest of the flight So the Deuil laboureth to single out men from the societie of others that so he may the more easily ouercome them For hee that hath not strength enough to set vpon al together seeketh to circumuent them one by one Yea the greatest iniquities and grossest sinnes that haue beene done in the sight of the world were first plotted and purposed warped and contriued by men alone As the Prophet Michah saith of wicked men They worke wickednesse vpon their beds and when the morning is light they practise it And wee haue all experience of this in our selues For we are no sooner from companie but armies of ill thoughts and desires like so many swarmes of Bees about a mans eares are solliciting and offering themselues vnto vs. And this the Heathen man knew also when he said b Nemo est ex imprudentibus qui relinqui sibi debeat Tunc mala confilia agitant tunc aut alijs aut ipsis futura pericula struunt Tunc cupiditates improbas ordinant tunc quicquid aut metu aut pudore animus celabat exponit c. Seneca Epist 10. There is no indiscreet or foolish man that ought to be left to himselfe For then euill counsels doe molest him then hee deuiseth danger either to himselfe or others Then he frameth euill desires then the mind laieth open whatsoeuer either for feare or fauour it concealed before c. And we want not examples of many that being alone haue fallen into fearfull dangers This serueth first of all to reproue the Papists who so Vse 1 highly commend their Eremitical life as though it were the most excellent and the most perfite estate But wee see
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
betrayed it had beene good for that man if hee had neuer beene borne Doct. It is a grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie From whence wee may gather this inctrustion that it is a most grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie As that wretched Kain did when hearing the iudgement which God had denounced against him for killing his brother hee cryed out in the horrour of his soule My sinne is greater then can bee pardoned Gen. 4.13 And indeede a Quid aliud est desperare quam Deum sibi comparare August de vera falsa paenit ca. 5. he that despaireth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes what doth hee else but compare God to himselfe Which is a great derogation from the Lord that his high and glorious Maiestie should bee likened vnto a vile and sinnefull man Besides hee doth offer horrible indignitie and notorious iniurie vnto the Lord. For as much as in him lyeth hee denyeth many of his most glorious attributes and properties as namely his loue his truth his power his iustice and his mercie For his loue If it were such as our sinnes could hinder it it should bee inferiour to the loue of man For what offence can bee so great from one man to another but loue will easily procure the pardon of it As wee see especially betweene parents and children It is not possible for a childe to commit any offence so great but vpon his submission and reformation his Father will forgiue him Though his affection bee for a time estranged yet hee will easily receiue him into fauour againe And therefore the Prophet saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe Isa 49.15 as if he should say it is not possible But the loue of the tenderest and dearest mother in the world is but like a droppe of water to the maine Ocean in respect of that loue wherewith the Lord our heauenly father loueth vs that are his children So that wee may say of our greatest sinnes as the Apostle saith of all outward afflictions Rom. 8.39 they are not able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus If the loue of the church to Christ Iesus her blessed spouse Cant. 8.8 be so strong as much water cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it 1. Pet. 8.8 much more is his loue to vs so feruent as an Ocean of our sinnes cannot quench or drowne it If the loue of men doe couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 8.8 yea all trespasses that can be committed Prou. 10.12 surely the infinite loue of God will couer our sinnes be they neuer so many Besides the Lord is no changling in his loue to loue a man to day and vpon some dislike to cast him off to morrow but whom he loueth once to the end he loueth them Job 13.1 and it is not our sinnes though many and great that can alienate his affection Nay hauing out of the abundance of his loue giuen vs his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him giue vs all things necessarie for our saluation Secondly for his truth He hath made many gracious promises vnto vs that if we confesse and forsake our sinnes Prou. 28.13 we shall haue mercy Ezech. 18.21.22 that if we returne from all our sinnes which we haue committed c. all our transgressions which we haue committed shall neuer be mentioned vnto vs c. but as the Prophet saith God will haue mercy vpon vs Isa 55.7 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Ioh. 1.9 for hee is very readie to forgiue Now hee is faithfull in the performance of his promises as the Apostle saith Hee abideth faithfull hee cannot denie himselfe But if wee confesse our sinnes as he requireth he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes And therefore for a man to distrust the forgiuenesse of his sinnes after he hath truly repented of them is to make God a lyer If we haue but the word of an earthly Prince it is a disgrace not to trust vnto it Much more is it a disgrace vnto the King of heauen and earth not to stay and relie our selues vpon his word For as St. Paul saith Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 Thirdly for his power Wee know it is infinite And though our sinnes were as crimson yet hee is able to make them white as snow and though they were red like skarlet yet he is able to make them as white as wooll Isa 1.18 Hence is it that the Lord himselfe saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist Isa 44.22 insinuating that though our sinnes bee neuer so many yet he can as easily take them away as he can scatter the clouds with the wind or disperse the thickest mist with the heat of the Sunne And the Prophet Micah expresseth the same with great force of wordes saying Hee will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea cap. 7.19 where he alludeth vnto that great ouerthrow which the Lord gaue Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that though our sinnes did march neuer so furiously against vs and exercise most cruell tyrannie in our soules and consciences yet the Lord is able to subdue them as hee did Pharaoh and his host whom he ouerwhelmed in the bottome of the Sea To this purpose St Augustine hath a good saying a Qui de Deo non praesumit veniam non animadvertit plus peccato suo Dei posse clemētiam Si enim sentiret Deum magis bonum quam se malum quicquid in se iustitia non inueniret à Deo magis bono expectaret Et quidem diffidit qui summi boni bonitatë maiorem sua nequitia non sentit Ille enim solus diffidat qui tantum peccare potest quantum Deus bonus est Cum sit autem nullus qui hoc possit qui timet de se malo praesumat de meliore Adbuc qui diffidit suam nequitiam Dei pietati comparat finem imponit diuinae virtuti dans finem infinito perfectionem diuinitatis auferens deo Aug. de vera fall poenit c. 5. 1. Pet. 2.24 Isa 53.5.6 Collos 2.14 1 Iob. 1.9 that hee that hopeth not for pardon at Gods hands doth not consider that Gods mercy is more powerfull then his sinne For if he thought that God is more good then himselfe is euill whatsoeuer righteousnesse hee findeth not in himselfe hee would expect him from God that is better And surely he is distrustfull that doth not thinke the goodnesse of the Lord to be greater then his wickednesse For let him only distrust that is able to sinne so much as God is good But seeing there is none that can doe this let him that feareth because himselfe is euil presume of him that is better Moreouer