Christ then Christ hath reliefe for the man and so may I say to you beloued If you haue grace to beleeue then haue you not so sinned against grace and mercie but that the Lord hath plentifull redemption for you in store Christ Iesus himselfe cals you the Church exhorts you the spirit of God inuites you to take the pardon for your sinnes and the pawne of your inheritance The spirit and the spouse saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life n Reuel 22.17 freely Behold here is that Aqua coelestis that whosoeuer tasteth of hee shall neuer thirst any more here is that Aqua o Iohn 4.14 vitae which whosoeuer takes and drinke he shall neuer see death Yea though he were dead yet shall it restore him to p Iohn 11.25 life Therfore I may say to euery Christian beleeuer as our Sauior said to the woman os Canaan q Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest But for as much as diuers delude themselues with a vaine conceit of that Faith they haue not and others are dismaide because they doubt of their Faith which sometimes they feele not therfore I must further exhort euery one of you to trie your hearts and examine your liues concerning your repentance For that gracious promise shall euer be found yea and Amen That hee which is soundly and seriously penitent so that he turne away from his euill waies hee shall not die but liue r Ezek. 18.22 Yea for the assurance of this you haue the Lords oath ſ Ezek. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner t Psal 51.15 The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a sacrifice but sacrifices because it is instar omnium in stead of all as Tremelius truely saith Which whensoeuer we offer vp the Lord smels a sauour of mercie and compassion as he smelled a sauour of rest in the sacrifice of n Gen. 8.21 Noah O bring then this sacrifice to the Lords sacred Altar and behold you shall alwaies finde the doore of his mercie open to receiue you and the armes of his compassion stretched out to imbrace you as the prodigall childe found at his returne of whom Saint Ambrose saith filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feared some sharpe reproofe but the father prepared a dainty banquet When Nathan reproued Dauid for his o 2 Sam. 24.10 sinnes it is said that Dauids heart did scourge him A fit Metaphor to expresse the nature of Repentance which is flagellum peccati euen the scourge of sinne which is flagellum animae the scourge of the Soule Doe your hearts smart and smite you and are your Soules troubled for your sinnes bee not dismaide For as the Angell troubled the Poole of Bethesda for the curing of the diseased So Gods blessed spirit of compunction hath beene with you and troubled your soules for your cure and consolation To conclude therefore if all that I haue now spoken hath wrought in you an indignation and dislike of your selues and a detestation and loathing of your sinnes with an earnest and a resolute purpose to banish and abandon them Then dare I be bold to pronounce that you are free from this sinne against the holy Ghost yea the God of heauen hath thereby sealed you a pardon for all your sinnes Though they were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red as skarlet they shall be as white as Wooll Which mercie that we may obtaine let vs humble our selues in Prayer Let vs pray O Lord our God who art able to preserue vs blamelesse and to present vs faultlesse before thy glory with ioy euen for thy tender mercies sake defend vs from this dreadfull sinne of Apostasie Keepe vs by thy power that we fall not restore vs by thy mercy when we are fallen preserue vs by thy grace that we neuer finally fall away O let not the gates of thy mercy be shut vpon vs neyther suffer the gates of hell to preuaile against vs But grant good Lord that albeit our fraile nature cannot obtaine an absolute freedome from sinnes of infirmity yet we may neuer set our selues against heauen or sinne with a high hand Renew a right spirit within vs that we may bewaile our sinnes Take not thy holy spirit from vs that we may reforme our liues Establish vs with thy free spirit that we may be confirmed in thy truth That being effectually sanctified in the kingdome of grace we may be eternally blessed in the kingdome of glory through the merites and mediation of Iesus Christ our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God let all prayse power and dominion be ascribed by all thy seruants both men and Angels this day and for euer Amen AMEN FINIS THE CHRISTIAN PETITIONER Shewing how we must sue in the Courts of HEAVEN both for Reward and Remission A Sermon Preached at OXFORD the seauenth day of Iuly being the Act Sunday By IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplayne LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. A SERMON PREACHED AT OXFORD the 7. of Iuly being the Act Sunday NEHEMIAH 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this and pardon me according to thy great mercy DIuers writers both diuine and humane Right reuerend Right Worshipfull welbeloued in Christ Iesus doe very fitly compare both euill men and manners in Ciuill and Christian gouernment to badde humours in the body and the Magistrate to the Physition to whom the cure thereof doth belong Now as the soundest bodies haue their bad humours which must be purged so the best gouerned Common-wealths and States doe in time grow subiect to corruptions which must be redressed The truth of this is most apparant in this present Scripture For Nehemiah comming by Artaxerxes warrant to the gouernement of Ierusalem found the house of God prophaned by Eliashib who of sacred structures had built a Chamber for Tobiah his kinseman This abuse as it grieued Nehemiah sore so did he like a worthy Magistrate redresse it and then came not to king Artaxerxes but to the King of Kings to whom especially he had done that seruice saying as it is in the fourteenth verse Remember me O my God concerning this and blot not out the kindnesse I haue shewed to the house of my God Againe as he found Gods sanctuary polluted so did hee finde his Sabbath prophaned for whereas almighty God had consecrated that day to a spirituall Mart there were some who had employed it in carnall Merchandise where Nehemiah hauing
dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one
of wicked designes As when a man will runne on desperately and sinne euen because he will sinne small or no occasion mouing him thereunto For the lesse the occasion and temptation is the greater is the transgression This was a further circumstance which made Adams sinne so m Gen. 3.2 hainous that hauing free accesse to all the other trees in Paradise hee must needes taste of the forbidden fruite As it was vile in n 1 King 21.4 Ahab that hauing many goodly possessions of his owne hee must needes be sicke for Naboths vineyeard and it doth much aggrauate the offence when a rich man shall deale deceitefully in word in waight and measure Thus when a man is rather transported by his owne rebellious will then inforced by any vrgent necessity is rather caried forward by a prompt and peremptory inclination then by any violent and coactiue temptation this is to sinne willingly When Sathan no sooner tempts but the sinner as readily yeeldes as the etymon of the word imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indulgeo When it is not by constraint but of a ready minde as Saint Peters opposition o 1 Pet. 5.2 doth manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So is the Apostles speech of sinning willingly here to be vnderstood Doe what we can whilst wee carry about this masse of corruption sin will haue her residence in vs but Saint Paul warnes that wee suffer it not to raigne in our mortall bodies that wee should obey it in the lusts p Rom. 6.12 thereof If it violently ouer-rule vs we must not willingly let it rule ouer vs If it compell like a tyrant wee must not let it command as a King Wee must sigh vnder the bondage and grone vnder the burthen of it like the Israelites vnder q Exod. 2.23 Pharaoh Wee must not say as those people professed to r Ios 1.16 Iosuah All that thou commandest vs wee will doe and whether thou sendest vs we will goe for if we doe it will command that which is dangerous and damnable and will send vs to hell for our hyre The wages of sinne is ſ Rom. 6.23 death we must all acknowledge with Saint Iohn 1. Epist 1. t 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues yet wee must take heede we be not such as hee speakes of in his third Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u 1. Iohn 3.4 which settle and sell themselues to worke wickednesse For if such a one cannot be renued by repentance Non est excusatio infirmitatis sed culpa x Anselm in Heb. 6. voluntatis he can pleade no excuse of infirmity but must needes lay all the blame vpon the wils iniquity There are some as Salomon notes y Prou. 2.14 sic Tremel Which doe euen reioyce in doing euill and delight in peruerse courses Yea they cannot sleepe except they haue done z Prou. 4.16 euill but this reioycing is odious and this delight exceeding dangerous Lord how opposite are these men in their affections to our Sauiour Christ a Iohn 4.34 It was his meate and drinke to doe the will of God but it is their meate and drinke yea it lulls them a sleepe to doe the workes of the diuell What a malepert speech is that of Sauls Courtiers b Psal 12.4 Our tongues are our owne and we will talke they will because they will Stat pro ratione voluntas Yea they are ready to say with c Apud Sueton Iulius Caesar Caesar iacta est alea fall backe fall edge they are resolued to persist in their sinnes What a desperate resolution is that of wilfull wretches in the sixt of d Iere. 6.16 Ieremie Who being thus louingly exhorted and gratiously promised Walke in the good way and you shall finde rest to your soules doe answere as wickedly as peremptorily we will not walke therein Well may it be said of these men that they sinne willingly which so rashly forsake the way of saluation and so readily step into the path of condemnation Such resolute sinners were the Iewes whose stony hearts and flinty soules neither Christs teares could e Luke 19.40 mollifie nor his threatnings terrifie therefore is their habitation become desolate for euer Such resolute and dissolute sinners were the Sodomites who could not be restrained by Lots submisse f Gen. 19.7.8.11 petition his more then lawfull motion nor the Lords extraordinary affliction but still persisted obstinately till euen extreme wearinesse inforced them to leaue their wickednesse And what then could they else expect but that fire and brimstone from heauen should be their portions Hoc Deum maxime irritat This saith g Chrysost in Psal 108. Chrysostome dorh mightily prouoke God when men doe sinne with such a pre-meditation and setled resolution So saith Dauid in the eighteenth Psalme h Psal 18.26 With the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure but with the froward thou wilt wrestle for so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well translated by Tremelius Thus God will wrestle with the wicked not in mercy as he did with Iacob i Gen. 32. when hee supported him but in iudgement as Iacob did with Esau when he supplanted him If the sinner will be wilfull God will be as wilfull if froward God will be as froward If hee will wrestle with God in disobedience God will trip vp his heeles in vengeance and cast him downe with the rebellious spirits into the lowest hell As in the time of the Law there was no Sanctuarie for wilfull murtherers So was there neuer any Sanctuarie of mercie for wilfull sinners If a subiect shall be carried violently in a rebellion much compassion is to be shewed but he that runs voluntarily with the disloyall deserues to be seuerely punished so when a poore sinner can say with the Apostle I k Rom. 7.23 would not willingly doe that euill I doe It is the law of my members that rebels against the law of my minde and leades me captiue to the law of sinne hee may looke with comfort towards the mercy seate For l Hieron in Mat. 16. peccata non nocent si non placent sinne shall not hurt vs if it doe displease vs. But when it may be said to him as it is in the fiftieth Psalme Simulac vides furem As soone as thou seest a theefe thou runnest with him Yea when hee shall commit all vncleannesse with greedinesse m Ephes 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen couetously when his heart shall be as eagerly set vpon his wickednesse as the couetous mans on his wealth what can he hope for but that the gate of mercy should be shut against him Therefore is the Lord so resolute n Deut. 22.19 that if a man will goe confidently and wilfully on in his sinnes blessing himselfe and promising peace to his soule he will not be mercifull to him Yea he hath
expos Epist ad Rom. inchoat Origen c. Fathers besides those which haue already beene produced but I haste to that point which I haue euer affected and in the beginning promised and propounded namely the reconciling of diuersity in opinion It is a distinction of the u Gerson pars 2. compend Theo. log de septem vitijs capital Negatiuè Priuatiuè Contrariè Schoolemen a sinne may be called irremissible three manner of wayes negatiuely priuatiuely contrarily Negatiuely which can no way be pardoned as the sinnes of the reprobate Angels Priuatiuely when the sinne by congruence of merit deserues to be punished though by congruity of Gods mercy it may be pardoned of which nature is euery ordinary mortall sinne Contrarily when the sinne hath a disposition contrary to pardon and remission and such is the sinne against the holy Ghost For it doth directly resist and reiect the grace of God as Bellarmine confesseth x Directè resistet repudiet gratiam Dei Bell. de poenit lib 2. cap. 17. It hardneth the heart so that those which commit this sinne are vsually giuen ouer to a reprobate sense and forsaken of God as Iudas was so that they cannot repent as Anselme y Ita quod non possint poenitere Anselm in Mat. 12. affirmeth Yea it hardneth a mans heart like a stone so that he cannot be helped by the prayers of the Church as P. Lumbord z P. Lumb lib. 2. dist 43. b. reporteth Bonauenture a Bonauent in 2 sent dist 43. quaest 1. Potestatem dispositionem poenitentiae priuat Ibid. quaest 2 cals it a sinne to death because it taketh away the disposition of receiuing life which consisteth in the imbracing of repentance Yea if it be strictly taken and considered saith hee it depriueth men both of the power and disposition of repentance so that there is left neither inclination nor habilitie to repent And therefore as Catharinus b Cathar in Heb. 6. ◠Epist Ioh. doth acknowledge this sinne to be vnpardonable so doth Sixtus Quintus c Sixt. Quint. vbi supra and yeeldes the same reason that others doe saying By reason of mens impenitency this sinne becomes absolutely and simply vnpardonable And Gerson d Vbi supra saith that in this respect it can by no meanes be remitted Yea that finall impenitency doth certainely cleaue to this blasphemous Apostasie Dionysius plainely affirmeth e Dionys Hug. Card. in Mat. 12. and yeelds two reasons for it Yea Hugo Cardinalis giues eight reasons of this impossibilitie of pardon Stella f Nunquam de facto remittitur quanquam possit remitti Stella in Luk. 12. and Iansenius g Non negat remissionis possibilitatem sed euentum Iansen Concord Cap. 49. indeede being willing to say as much as they can for the power and possibilitie of pardon for this sinne are constrained to confesse that actually and indeede it is neuer remitted although there be some possibilitie that it may be remitted Alas that is a poore possibility that is neuer reduced into act Such possibilities are but idle Chimeraes euen ridiculous conceits There is a similitude vsed by diuers yea by some who seeme to contradict the vnpardonablenesse of this sinne which similitude doth indeede expresse it with the reason and manner of it and it is this As the man which is sicke h Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Bonauent in 2. sent distin 43. quaest 2. Gerson vbi supr Greg. de Valent. disp lib. 1. qu. 4. punct 3. Bellarm. de poen lib. 2. cap. 17. if he be in that case that he can neither take foode nor Physicke may rightly be said to be vncurable so he that is infected with the sicknesse of this sinne being through his impenitencie vncapable of Gods mercy and Christs merits may truely be said to be vnpardonable The medicine and meanes of recouery is neither weake nor wanting to him that hath grace to apply it but he that wants this grace is wanting to himselfe God doth not worke alwaies to the vttermost extent of his mighty power i Phil. 3.21 whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe but distributeth or denyeth to euery man so as seemes best to his diuine wisdome and workes as it is in the Philosophicall Axiome according to the capacitie of the patient making men desirous of saluation where hee doth grant it and capable of grace where he doth impart it In which sense it is said our Sauiour could not doe many workes amongst his Countrimen because of their vnbeliefe Marke 6.5 T is true as Chrysostome saith k Chrys in Gen. Hom. 19. there is no sinne so great that it can ouercome Gods mercy if we repent and aske pardon in due time but if a man haue no power to repent then God hath no will to pardon The Lords hand is not shortened that he cannot helpe but mans heart is hardened that he cannot repent and this makes the sinne vnpardonable so that the question is not of Gods power and mans will but of mans power and Gods will There is no man that hath more iudiciously decided this controuersie then l Beda in Mar. 3 Beda and m Ludolph de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. Ludolphus with whose words being consonant to the truth and concluding what I haue at large deliuered I will conclude The spirit of blasphemie shall not be forgiuen a man Sicut nunquam ad remissionem ita nunquam ad poenitentiam peruenturus est not because remission is denied him if he repent but because that such a blasphemer through his iust desert as he can neuer obtaine remission so can he neuer come to repentance And so much for the searching of the wound The third part The binding vp the WOVND IT remaineth now in the third and last place that I binde vp the wound with Application not with hope to cure it which if I should promise I might be like those Lawyers who for their fees doe vndertake mens causes though they know them to bee vnconscionable and those Phisitians and Surgeons who take in hand the cure of those patients whose sores and sicknesse they know be incurable I may say of this sinne as Ieremie saith of Babylon n Ier. 51.9 We would haue cured Babylon but she could not be cured forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his owne Countrey This sinne cannot possibly be cured therefore let euery one in the feare of God haue care that he may auoide it The Apostle speaking of this sinne to the Hebrewes saith o Heb. 6.9 Confidemus de vobis meliora delectissimi and so doe I say to you beloued I hope better things of you all and such as belong to saluation For were your hearts possest with this sinne you could haue small delight in this sacred assembly and holy exercise Now although there be no place of application for cure yet is there
mercy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.3 The Father of Mercies Ephes 2.4 Exod. 20.6 Psal 51.1 and the God of all consolation He is rich in mercy He hath mercy for thousands He hath a multitude of mercies It would aske much time to manifest this through the whole mine of sacred Scripture I will onely bound my speech within a few rich veynes of Ore in the Psalmes In the 59. Psalme you shall finde Gods preuenting mercy In the 23. his following mercy In the 40. Psalme his tender mercy In the 119. his reuiuing mercy In the 26. his redeeming mercy In the 6. Psalme his healing mercy In the 86. his confirming mercy In the 103. his crowning mercy If I should spend many houres in recompting the particular mercies of God and had that * That yeelded seauen Ecchoes Heptaphon of Olympus yea the tongue of men and Angels you might say vnto me vpon the close of my speech with the Queene of Sheba 1 Reg. 10. Thou hast not told vs the one halfe Behold so abundant are the mercies of our God and therefore poore sinners neede not come to this blessed fountaine like the people to the poole of Bethesda one at once but be they as many as the starres in the firmament or the sands on the sea-shore let them approch together to the Mercy-seate and they shall finde that God hath in readinesse a mercy for euery misery as it were a present salue for euery sore The Lord keepeth a continuall Iubilee his Court of Chancery standeth alwaies open his euer-flowing and ouer-flowing fountaine Zach. 13.1 is still set open for sinne and for vncleannesse Where the spirit and the Spouse say come Reuel 22.17 and let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will come and take of the water of life freely Againe as Gods mercies are many in the discreete so are they great in the continued quantity Yea they are exceeding great 1 Sam. 24.14 Gods mercy as one saith well hath all the dimensions Psal 36.5 Thy mercy O God reacheth vnto the heauens there is the height of his mercy Psal 86.13 Great is thy mercy and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell there is the depth of his mercy Psal 104.24 The earth is full of thy goodnesse there is the breadth of his mercy Psal 98.4 All the ends of the world haue seene the saluation of our God there is the length of his mercy Yea the mercy of God is transcendent and beyond all dimension and no more possible to be comprehended by vs then the heauens to be compassed with our spanne Therefore when Saint Paul doth pray that the Ephesians may know the loue of Christ according to these dimensions he addeth which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.18.19 Though God be excellent in all his workes yet is his glory most eminent in his mercy His punishing rod is of Iuory Psal 2.9 Exod. 25.17 but his Mercy-seate of pure Gold Gods mercy must needes be great which extendeth it selfe in some sort euen to hell and to the damned Rom. 11.22 First in his patience towards the vessels of wrath waiting for their conuersion till he be pressed as it were a cart vnder sheaues Amos 2.13 Secondly in his indulgence in punishing a sinner For whereas ex se materiam sumit miserendi as Bernard saith He taketh occasion onely forth of his owne goodnesse to shew mercy yet no mans sinne is punished without his iust demerits Thirdly euen to the damned in hell there is a priuatiue mercy extended quoad intensionem wound except you will be like desperate Porus Iustin lib. 12. who would not suffer his wounds to be drest We reade in in the sixe and fortieth of Ezechiel that they which went into the Temple at one dore were commanded to goe forth at another It is no improbable coniecture that they might not turne their faces from the Mercy-seate That is an excellent speech of Augustines or rather Anselmes Aug. Medit. 38. Etsi Domine ego commisi vnde me damnare potes tu tamen non amisisti vnde me saluare potes O blessed Lord though I haue committed those transgressions for which thou maiest condemne me yet thou hast not lost those compassions by which thou maiest saue me Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O Lord saith Dauid Abyssus abyssum inuocat saith Bernard One deepe calleth vpon another O let the deepe of misery call vpon the deepe of mercy If your soules were in such a straight that you saw hell opening her mouth vpon you like the red Sea before the Israelites the damned spirits pursuing you behinde like the Aegyptians on the right hand and on the left a thousand dreads and dangers yet would I say vnto you in Moses words stand still Exod. 14. and behold the saluation of the Lord For he that putteth his trust in the Lord Psal 32.10 mercy imbraceth him on euery side This mercy of God is like the Sanctuary to the legall offendour like Mount Ararat to Noahs tossed Arke like Noahs hand to his weary Doue like Assuerus golden Scepter to the happy petitioner O come then and with Queene Hester touch the top of this Scepter so shall you be receiued with her into the Kings presence yea into the Kingdome of heauen where all your petitions shall be turned into gratulations your prayers into praises and your Elegies into Hallelujaes which mercy the God of all mercies grant vs euen for Iesus Christ his sake our alone Sauiour and Redeemer to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one immortall God all honour power praise Maiestie and Dominion be rendred and ascribed by all the seruants of God in heauen and in earth this day and for euer Amen AMEN FINIS
the eye in the Head and the heart in the Body the noblest and worthiest of all the children of God And this their worth shall bee published to the world It shall be published by the sonnes of Peace by the sons of perdition by the Son of God himselfe Thus as the Laurell was to the Roman Emperors both Munimentum Ornamentum a Defence against danger and an Ornament of honour So shall this Oliua Pacis be to the children of God Quanta est huius pacis retributio saith S. Austin August de â—emp Ser. 169. haereditatem possidere cum Christo substantiam patris habere cum filio caelesti regno participare cum Domino And what can your hearts desire more then this To be the children of God and the best affected of his children heyres of Grace and Glory co-heyres annexed with Iesus Christ partakers of that vnspeakeable happinesse which shall be honourably published on earth enioyed eternally in the heauens Therefore to conclude let mee say to you with Chrysostom Chrys in Psal 34. Quaerite Pacem vt inueniatis premiuÌ„ Seek Peace follow after it that you may haue the reward of Peace-makers Psal 34. Chrys ibid. Pulsate ianuam Pacis knock at the gate of Peace till it be opened to you So shall the same be to you a doore and passage into Heauen which mercy the God of Peace and Mercy grant vs for his Sonne our Sauiour Christs sake to whom with the holy-Ghost three persons and one immortall God be ascribed all Honour and Glory Might Maiesty and Dominion now and for euer more Amen FINIS THE SINNE AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST PLAINELY described By The Authoritie of Scriptures The Testimonie of Fathers The consent of Schoolemen In a Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse by IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chapleynes LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN KING Lord Bishop of LONDON Right Reuerend and Honourable THESE two Sermons being thought a second time worthie of the Presse I make bold to present to your Lordship They were both Preached in your charges the one in that eminent place where your Lordship hath Episcopall iurisdiction At Pauls crosse the other in that famous Vniuersitie At Oxford where then you were a worthy Gouernour The one hath passed hitherto vnder your patronage and the other being an Orphan desires it It obtained good acceptance with that Noble Lord The Lord Elsmere Lord Chancellor of England who loued your Lordship dearely and to whom my selfe was exceedingly bound In regard whereof I hope it shall finde the more fauourable entertainment at your Lordships hands The God of heauen who hath honoured you with many gracious endowments and made you an excellent ornament of our Church continue his fauours and enlarge his blessings to you for the Churches good and your owne eternall comfort Your Lordships humbly deuoted IOHN DENISON To the Reader IT fareth with me Christian Reader as with those Physitians who hauing employed their study for the health of their Patients doe afterwards divulge their experiments for the good of others For hauing at the request of certaine friends prepared these ingrediences and found them comfortable to their tender soules I haue beene moued to publish the same both for the further comfort of them and benefit of others And the rather haue I beene hereunto induced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc Aphor. because to vse the Physitians words here is a dangerous experiment and difficult iudgement the disease being the most dangerous and deadly of all diseases incident to any mortall creature and the physicke for cure description or preuention very rare to be had in our vulgar tongue None to my knowledge hauing of purpose handled it though I haue knowne some distressed soules haue greatly needed it and many very Christianly affected haue much desired it And so commending these my Meditations to thy courteous acceptance and my selfe to thy Christian prayers I commend thee to the grace of God in Christ Iesus Thine in the Lord I. D. A SERMON VVherein the Sinne against the Holy-GHOST is plainely described HEB. 10.26.27 For if we sinne willingly after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries IT is the part of euery Christian at his enterance into the profession of Christianitie Right Honorable right Worshipfull and welbeloued in Christ Iesus to consider our Sauiours Caueat to the Disciples He that indureth to the end shall be a Mat. 10.22 saued To what purpose is it that the Sea-faring man sailes prosperously ariues safely and obtaines a rich prize if he sinke or suffer shipwracke in his returne This life is a sea-faring life to what purpose is it that a Christian be farely imbarked for heauen if afterward he suffer shipwracke of his holy Faith What auaileth it the Warriour to march hotly with Iehu fight manfully with Ionathan if hee turne his backe with Ephraim before the end of the battaile This life is a warfare what can it auaile vs to incounter Sathan if we suffer him to foile and conquer vs For he onely that fights the good fight finisheth his course and keepes the faith can expect the crowne of b 2 Tim. 4.7 righteousnesse This is the thing whereof Saint Paul doth in this place admonish the Hebrewes namely that they forsake not the fellowship they haue among c Vers 25. themselues Wherein that he may the better preuaile he inferreth these words of my Text as a pithy reason and powerfull ingredience to make the medicine of his admonition to worke the more effectually If the Souldier shall flie forth of the field reuolt from his Captaine forsake his colours runne from his company and turne to the enemie he disgraceth his militarie profession disableth himselfe for the trophies of honour and meriteth condigne punishment Behold we are the Lords Souldiers the Church is our field Christ Iesus our Captaine the word and Sacraments our colours the communion of Saints our company he that shall flie forth of this field reuolt from this Captaine forsake these colours runne from this company and be found fighting vnder Sathans conduct dishonoureth his Christian profession depriueth himselfe of the crowne of glory and incurreth the danger of Gods heauy iudgement For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth That is if we haue giuen our names to Christ serued in his campe taken pay in his warres and yet play the carnall Apostataes with d 2 Tim. 4 9. Demas the hereticall with e 2 Tim. 2.17 Hymeneus and Philetus the scornefull with f Socrat. Theodoret Iulian the Emperour the spightfull with g 2 Tim. 4.14 Alexander the Copper-smith there
ratified it with an asseueration o Isa 22.19 Surely the iniquitie of such a sinner shall neuer be pardoned or purged Yea if a bare speech or asseueration will not serue when Elies sonnes will wilfully persist in their sinnes and will not be reclaimed either for their owne credit their fathers comfort or the Lords glory he takes his oath p 1 Sam. 3.14 that the wickednesse of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice or offering for euer The third bad humour THE third bad humour which feedes this Apostasie is bitter and violent namely Malice a consequent of the former For when men doe once grow wilfull they easily become malicious and waxe euen rebelliously bent against the truth So as was Iulian the Emperour whom Hierome q Hier. Catalog script Eccles therefore most iustly stileth for his malice Canem rabidum euen a madde Dogge So as were the Iewes whom our Sauiour taxing for this sinne r Mat. 12.37 cals a broode of Vipers because they were full of venim and malice Such a sinner the Apostle doth here call an aduersary as being one that directly opposeth himselfe against the rules of pietie and afterwards in more fearefull words he brandeth him thus which doth despight the spirit of grace And in the sixt to the Hebrewes ſ Heb. 6.6 he calleth him a crucifier of Christ and a mocker of him When a man shall become a professed aduersary to him who is able to destroy both soule and body in hell t Mat. 10.28 when he shall despight the spirit of grace which is the spirit of comfort helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with groanes and sighes which cannot be u Rom. 8 26. expressed When hee shall make but a mocke of Christ to whom the blessed Angels doe homage x Heb. 1.6 oh how lamentable is the estate of such a one When the patient loathes his foode quarrels with his Phisitian is angry with his friends chafes with himselfe you will say he is in ill case and such is the condition of a froward and malicious sinner When the vis irascibilis Which should be as a Dogge at the doore of the soule to keepe away the Theefe shall waxe madde and bite the Master or his friends euen snarle at God at his seruants and his sacred truth what safety or comfort can that soule haue When Christians which should be as Lambes and new borne-Babes in receauing y 1. Pet. 2.1.2 Iam. 1.12 with meekenesse the sincere milke of the word and the comfortable food of the blessed Sacrament shall turne dogges and swine tread vnderfoote those precious pearles and be ready euen to rent their z Mat. 7.6 Pastors they must needes kindle Gods wrath and accelerate his iudgements This was the sinne of Alexander the Copper-smith of whom Saint Paul a 2 Tim. 4.15 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he vehemently withstood our Preaching He saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not vs but our words our preaching for that had not beene so hainous the one is but a personall persecution and so had beene a sinne against charitie the other a doctrinall and consequently was a direct offence against pietie And surely it is a fearefull thing when a man sets himselfe against heauen b 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sinne against another saith Elie the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him It goes hard with a malefactor when no man will can or dare be his aduocate but it is Gods iust iudgement vpon a malicious sinner and therefore it was his ordinance c Num. 15.30 that he which sinned presumptuously euen erecting with an high hand the flagge of defiance against God as the metaphor imports blasphemed the Lord the same person should be cut off from among his people that the same cutting off might be a praeludium to his fearefull and finall separation from the societie of the blessed Angels the spirits of iust and holy men and from Iesus Christ the mediator of the new d Heb. 12.22 Testament How fearefull was the obstinacie of Stephens enemies who being not able to resist the spirit by which he spake charged him with blasphemie e Act. 6.10.11 And albeit the Lord did grace his innocent conscience with an Angelicall countenance yet they so persisted in their malice that they gaue him iust cause to taxe them thus You stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares you haue alway resisted the holy Ghost Such obstinate sinnes must needes be punished when as others committed of frailtie may easily be pardoned Should I not spare Nineueh saith the Lord f Ion. 4.11 which doth trespasse of infirmitie But how should I spare Iuda which doth transgresse g Ier. 5.7 rebelliously Here God hath something to say for Nineueh but rebellious Iuda stands arraigned of high treason and God hauing nothing to say for her nor she for her selfe why the sentence of death should not passe against her must needes be condemned except Gods iustice shall be violated which must inuiolably be maintained though all the rebellious Men and Angels in the world be damned It is dangerous to walke in the counsell of the vngodly dreadfull to stand in the way of sinners but h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 1.1 happy and thrise happy is he that doth not sit in the seate of the scornefull Who would thinke that any could be so forsaken of God and bereft of grace that he should malice and scorne the eternall Maiestie yet experience hath found out such vile wretches For such a one was that blasphemous Pope Iulius who being forbidden by his Physition to eate Porke because of his gout said in a great chafe horresco referens I tremble to vtter his words i Les vies de Papes de Rome Iules 3. Giue me my Porkes flesh al dispetto di Dio euen in despight of God What horrible blasphemies did that execrable Emperour Iulian the Apostata as also his lewd companion Libanius the Sophister belch forth against Christ who at their going forth to the Persian warre asked in k Histor Trip. lib. 6. cap. 43. scoffing manner What the Carpenters Sonne meaning Christ was doing To whom it was well answered by a good Christian l Theodoret. hist l. 3 c 18. Loculum fabricatur he is making a coffin for Iulian which propheticall speech was verified by the euent for indeede Iulian was strangely wounded and slaine in that warre Now when a man is growne to this height of impiety that he dares thus with a high hand sinne against the Almightie the Lord stops the suites of those who would pray for him not admitting any petition to be put vp in the Court of mercy according to those words of Saint Iohn There is a sinne vnto death I say not thou shouldest pray for m 1 Ioh. 5.16 it And how oft doth
expresly before that they will not d Iere. 7.27 Ezek. 2.4.5 repent and yet he sent to them that so they might be without excuse Secondly as the Euangelists doe plainely teach the impossibility of pardon for this sinne So doth Saint Paul in this Epistle vse many and waighty Arguments to confirme the same which I will briefly contract into one He that cannot possibly be renewed by Repentance Heb. 6.4.6 He that falls quite away Heb. 10.26.29 He that cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice He that dies without mercy He that must certainly look for a fearefull iudgement Cannot be pardoned saued But hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be renewed by Repentance He fals quite away hee cannot haue any benefit by Christs sacrifice he dies without mercy hee must certainely looke for a fearefull iudgment and violent fire therefore hee that sinnes against the holy Ghost cannot be pardoned and saued To these places Bellarmine and the Rhemists doe answere that whereas the Apostle saith hee cannot be renewed by Repentance and there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne he is thus to be vnderstood hee cannot haue the benefit of a second Baptisme To whom I answere First Bellarmine and the Rhemists do without all warrant or reason confound Baptisme and Repentance and the sacrifice of Christ And if Baptisme and Repentance bee confounded why should not also the other doctrines mentioned with the same So that Repentance Faith Baptisme the resurrection and the last iudgement shall be all one But let these men who are so violent without any arguments and so confident vpon onely the bare words of two or three of the Fathers expounding this place let them consider what others of the ancient Fathers haue written and what euen these haue affirmed concerning this sinne in other places The ingenuitie of Arias Montanus e Arius Monta. in Heb. 6. a learned Papist is much to be commended who saith most truely that it is an extreame racking of the word Repentance when it is here without cause transferred to another sence Againe if it were granted that the Apostle in the sixt to the Hebrewes denieth a second Baptisme when he speakes of Repentance because they are mentioned together in the same place and haue some affinity and correspondence yet how doth it follow that in this Chapter he should haue relation to Baptisme When as the same is neither directly mentioned nor by any necessary consequent implied or intimated Lastly suppose the Apostles words were so to be taken as that he should therein denie second Baptisme to the sinner doth not the same imply a deniall of pardon For why should he deny them a second Baptisme but to teach them that the meanes and instrumentall causes of Repentance and reconciliation being denied the effect cannot be granted But the truth is as euery single eye may perceiue that the Apostle hath in those places vtterly excluded those that sinne against the holy Ghost both from the meanes and fruit of repentance Thirdly Saint Iohn f 1 Iohn 5.16 speaking of this sinne cals it a sinne vnto death meaning such a sinne as yeelds death without remedy or recouery as the phrase being an Hebraisme doth necessarily import and Chrysostome doth truely expound g Chrys in psal 49 Vt in lege quaedam fuêre immedicabilia c. it Yea Alphonsus Salmeron h Alph. Salmer in 1. Ep. Ioh. dispu 32. one of the Fathers and founders of the Iesuites cals it a sinne to death quia suapte natura tendit ad mortem animae because it doth naturally tend to the death of the soule Againe the Apostle forbids vs to pray for such a sinner Now if prayer which should be the meanes to worke Repentance in men and to procure remission for them at the hands of God may not be afforded them is there any hope that such should be pardoned To this Bellarmine answers that the Apostle doth not directly forbid vs to pray for such but onely doth not incourage or perswade vs because the suite is very hard to be obtained And to him I reply that first the desperatenesse of the disease being to death may imply a reason of denying the medicine of prayer to obtaine life 1 Iohn 5. Secondly the coherence of the words with the words precedent doe euict them to be a direct prohibition For whereas before hee had taught Vers 14. that if we aske any thing according to Gods will we shall be heard he presently addeth these words as a Caueat that wee pray not for him that sinneth vnto death because that such a prayer is not according to Gods will Thirdly if Saint Iohn had noted onely a difficultie not an impossibilitie of obtaining our desires should he not haue perswaded vs to be the more earnest and importunate in prayer rather then to haue discouraged vs When our Sauiour saith i Mat. 7.14 that the way is narrow and the gate is strait that leadeth vnto life would you not make him absurd in saying I say not that you shall enter that way or indiscreet in discouraging men by denying them hope of entrance Doth he not better in perswading vs striue therefore earnestly to enter into that straight k Luk. 13.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gate and so if the matter had beene subiect to difficultie and not to impossibilitie doubtlesse Saint Iohn would haue exhorted vs euen to striue mightily l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.20 by prayers to God for the remission of that sinne as Saint Paul speakes Rom. 15.30 Lastly that it is a direct prohibition diuers both ancient Fathers and Papists also doe directly auouch As m Tertul de pudic cap. 19. Tertullian n Aug. ser Domini in Monte. lib 1. Augustine o Hier. cited by P. Lumberd Hierome p Sixtus Quintus orat habit in consistor de morte Henr 3 Sixtus Quintus q Fâ—rus in 1. Ioh. 5. Ferus r Didac de la vega in Psal 6. poenitent Con. 5. and diuers others Didacus de la Vega and diuers others Yea Catharinus Å¿ Catharin in 1. Epist Ioh. cap. 5. in my iudgement hath written very iudiciously concerning both this place and the point in hand Some saith he haue made this place obscure supposing that to be absurd which indeede hath no absurditie in it meaning that prayer should be denyed to some kinde of sinners But this comes to passe by reason of a certaine old and vulgar opinion namely that no such outragious or diuilish sinne could be found which of it selfe was inexpiable Thus hauing proued by the authoritie of sacred Scriptures that this sinne is irremissible and answered such obiections as haue bin made against my proofe I might also confirme the same by many testimonies of the ancient t Tertul de pudicitia cap. 2. Cyprian lib. 3. Iustin ad Quirin cap. 28. Chry. in psa 49. Hieron Ep. 22. ad Marcel Aug.
reproued the delinquents and reformed the abuse comes with a new Petition to the Lord of the Sabbath saying Remember me O my God concerning this and pardon me according to thy great mercy Of whose speeches I may fitly vse Bernards words concerning Saint Paul Sic vniuersa depromit Super illa verba Rom. 14.17 Serm 2. sic intonat spiritu virtute vt in serie ordinem in sensu plenitudinem in vtroque connexionem mirabiliter extendat In such a powerfull and pithy manner doth he vtter his words that you may behold in his method order in his matter copie and in both an admirable connexion Which that wee may the better obserue we will consider the words 1. First in their excellent connexion and therein I note 1. A notable harmony 2. A naturall precedency 2. According to their euident distribution therein I obserue a double petition 1. The one put vp in the Lords Court of Exchequer Remember me O my God concerning this Wherin I note 1. The subiect What he doth desire Remember me 2. The obiect of whom he doth desire it O my God 3. The motiue why he doth desire it Concerning this 2. The other in the Court of Requests Pardon mee according to thy great mercy Where I note 1 The matter hee desires to be granted Pardon me 2 The manner how hee desires to haue it effected According to thy great mercie The Harmonie AS skilfull Physitians doe so commixe their medicines that whilst they comfort the stomacke they may not inflame the Liuer And as good builders will haue care that in raising one part of the house they doe not cast downe another so doth worthy Nehemiah a singular patterne of piety and wisedome in these his Petitions For whilest he prepareth a cordiall anodyne Remember me O my God concerning this least the same might puffe him vp hee mixeth with it this corroding plaster Pardon me according to thy great mercy Whilest he raiseth the Fort of his confidence in the expectation of a blessed reward he laies the foundation thereof vpon an humble conceit Thus must we vnite our vertues in a golden chaine 2 Pet. 1.5 as Saint Peter exhorteth and see that our actions doe symbolize like the elements in compounded bodies as the Phylosopher speaketh I may truely say of these two Petitions that here is in them concordia discors Yet like different ingrediences they make a soueraigne medicine like discordant notes in Musicke they yeelde an excellent harmony and consort with Dauids ditty in the hundreth and first Psalme Psal 101.1 I will sing of mercy and iudgement to thee O Lord will I sing For here is a straine of mercy and a straine of iudgement and both sung to the Lord. To come with the first straine alone Remember mee would suppose too much presumption to come with the other onely Pardon mee might argue a totall neglect of a Christian conuersation but being both vnited they are like sweete flowers bound vp together and yeelde a delicate smell they are like the present carried by Iacobs Sonnes into Aegypt Gen. 43.11 they finde gracious acceptance Meâ—â—re in danger saith Saint Augustine sperando Aug. Tract 33. in Iohan. desperando Some fall by presumption and some are cast downe by desperation but here is a preseruatiue against both that Scylla and Charybdis It is Sathans vsuall practise hauing himselfe passed through great extreames as being cast down from heauen to hell and changed from a glorious Angell to a damned spirit still to be labouring men to extreames Zeph. 1.12 If hee cannot make them frozen in their dregges like the Israelites hee will seeke to possesse them with too fierie spirits as he did the Disciples Luke 9.54 hee will either seduce men by precisenesse euen to needelesse contention or induce them to prophanenesse in a wicked conuersation either worke them to loose behauior with the filthy Libertine or to vaine ostentation with the vaunting Pharisee But there is a golden meane to be kept betweene these extreames and happy is hee who with worthy Nehemiah can finde it He that will saile safely must aswell looke to the balase of his Ship as to his sailes Faith and Hope are the sayles Feare and Reuerence the balase of the soule Faith hoiseth vp saile and maketh forth for the prize and price of the high calling Phil. 3.14 calling for her reward Remember me O my God concerning this Feare and Reuerence doe moderate her pace lest she dash against the rockes of presumption and cryeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy Thus shall you see all Gods seruants sayling towards the hauen of eternall blisse of whom Saint Paul is a notable president Rom. 7.25 In my minde I serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne In my minde I serue the law of God here commeth in Remember me O my God concerning this But in my flesh the law of sinne here commeth in Pardon me according to thy great mercy As the vnregenerate man being totally transported to vanitie and iniquitie hath nothing to say but onely pardon me so the most sanctified seruants of God so long as they carry about this masse of corruption hauing a double motion like the lower spheares the one of grace the other of nature as they haue some thing to aske reward for so haue they something to craue pardon for If therefore at any time your mindes be deiected with a sence of your frailties get the testimony of a good conscience that you haue seriously and sincerely inclined your selues to the seruice of God so may you say with comfort Remember me O my God concerning this and if with the Swanne you begin to swell in viewing the feathers of your imperfect perfections cast downe your eyes vpon the blacke feete of your many infirmities and that shall make you say in humilitie Pardon me according to thy great mercy This if you be the Lords seruants will be the mixture of your actions this if you come into the Lords Court must be the tenour of your Petitions The Precedencie AGaine as these Petitions doe yeeld an excellent harmony so must we note their natural Precedency First Remember me then pardon me For euery one should indeuour a restraint of sinne before the remedy and propound to himselfe a reward of piety before a pardon for infirmitie We must first affect by our desires and effect by our indeuours that which may imbolden vs to say Remember me O my God concerning this and then wherein our fraile indeauours come too short of the marke we may opportunely supplicate the eternall Maiestie with the Petition following Pardon me according to thy great mercie This is Saint Iohns method for holy conuersation My little Babes 1 Ioh. 2.1 these things I write vnto you that you sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous Here the first and fundamentall care of a Christian
must be to auoide the sinne and onely after the surprizall must he looke towards the Mercy seate and haue recourse to the gracious Aduocate Christ Iesus The carefull Physition wil rather vse preseruing antidotes to preuent a disease then healing medicines to cure it the industrious sailer will rather indeuour to keepe the water out of the Ship then labour to pumpe it out So the discreet Christian must rather preuent the committing of an offence then craue pardon for the committing of it as Cato the Censor said of Aulus Albinus in Aulus Gellius Aul Gell. noct Att. lib. 11. ca. 8 he must rather forth of his industry expect a reward with worthy Nehemiah then forth of his negligence looke for an indulgence with the vnthrifty seruant Mat. 25. Salomons counsell to a surety is fit for a sinner If thou haue stricken hands with a stranger Prou. 6.1 and art insnared make haste to deliuer thy selfe but his method of safety is more notable Pro. 17.18 Touch not the hand become not surety for another If sinne and Sathan haue ensnared thee then free thy selfe by Repentance but if thou be free auoide the snare by preuention Eccles 21.2 First flye from sinne as from a Serpent as the Sonne of Syrach exhorteth but if thou hast taken this Serpent into thy hand rest not till like Moses Serpent it be turned into a rod againe to scourge thy soule with remorse But first I say flye from it Pro. 14.27 That the feare of the Lord may be a well spring of life to auoide the snares of death Thus was Adam fore-warned that he might be fore-armed not for cure but for preuention For hee had before his fall onely that commination as a defensitiue Genes 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death and not till after his fall that consolation Genes 3.15 The seede of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent Which maketh me to disclaime that conceit of learned Zanchius who supposeth that Adam was cast into a sleepe De oper Dei De creat hominis lib. 1. cap. 1. that so he might be informed concerning the spirituall marriage of Christ and his Church For this had beene to discouer the remedy before a sense of the miserie and to offer an occasion of precipitation rather then a meanes of preuention The good Souldier when he goeth into the field hath his minde vpon weapons not vpon wounds and propoundeth to himselfe a reward of victorie by the hand of his Generall rather then the benefit of cure by the hand of his Surgeon so saith Saint Augustine August hom 27. inter 50. hostem praesentem euade So doth Saint Paul Ephes 6. most amply and excellently stirre vp euery one that will be a Souldier in Christs Campe Ephes 6.11.17 to take vnto him the whole armour of God to resist the Diuell and to withstand his assaults and so to manage the combate that hee meditate nothing but the conquest It is one of Sathans especiall stratagems to delude poore sinners with a preposterous course perswading them lo lift vp their eyes to the hand of mercy to imbolden them to sinne when they should behold the arme of Iustice to preuent the offence And in truth it is the worlds generall errour whereby millions of Christians doe betray their soules into the hands of the Diuell whilest the fore-conceipt of remission is made by them a plaster of presumption their accompt of impunitie is a path to impietie and the hope of a pardon hindereth them from the expectation of a reward For when they are tempted Attendunt ad misericordiam Aug. in Psa 100 non timent iudiciam They doe not consider what danger they incurre by yeelding and what benefit they might haue by victory but presently they think vpon Gods mercy and they esteeme their sinnes as Lot said of Zoar Genes 19.20 Is not this a little one and my soule shall liue They say with Naaman euen before they come into the house of Rimmon God be mercifull vnto me concerning this 2 Reg. 5.18 Thus doe they looke vp to the brasen Serpent before their soules haue beene stung with the fiery Serpent and they adde presumption to their transgression To conclude this point Behold here and detest the odious and preposterous course of the Romanists who giue Absolution vpon intended villanies and grant pardons and indulgences for paines due to future sinnes What is this I pray you but to open a gate and a gappe to all abhomination and to giue poore soules free passage to hell And obserue I beseech you this safe and sauing method when you are tempted to sinne set before you the wrath of God which is like a flaming fire and remember that tribulation and anguish shall be vpon euery soule that sinneth Rom. 2.9 When you are drowsie in Gods seruice thinke vpon the blessed recompence of reward Rom. 2.10 and consider that to them Who by continuance in well-doing seeke glory and honour and immortalitie shall be euerlasting life that the one may be a happy retentiue from vice the other a powerfull motiue to vertue And be you assured of this that he which will not apply the plaster of grace to preuent sinne shall with more difficulty obtaine the salue of mercy to cure it he that hath not indeuoured to bring something into the Lords Exchequer for his reward shall hardly finde fauour in his Court of Requests for the obtaining of a pardon And so much for the Connexion of these words The Subiect REmember me When almighty God appeared and spake to the Israelites vpon mount Sinai as we reade in the twentieth of Exodus Exod. 10.19 they being not able to indure that manifestation of his Maiesty desired the ministery of man The same infirmity which changed the ministery changed also the stile of the Almighty according to that in the sixt to the Romanes I speake to you after the manner of men Rom. 6.19 because of the weakenesse of your flesh As the Nurse speaketh to her little Babes in an Infants language so doth almighty God speake to vs not hauing so much regard to strict proprietie as our shallow capacity vsing such phrases as this of his forgetting calling to his remembrance and the like infinite places throughout the passages of sacred Scripture of which kinde of speeches Chrysostome saith well If we consider the eternall Maiestie indignum fuisset hoc verbum this speech had beene vnfit but if we remember our infirmity Apposite est dictum it was spoken very fitly The works of God are incomprehensible therefore the holy Ghost speaketh to vs of earthly matters in humane phrases wherewith wee are acquainted to acquaint vs with heauenly from which we are estranged It is enough that the patient receiue cure though he conceiue not the property of euery ingredience in his medicine If we be made partakers of the influence of grace
some good O what a blessed houre shall that be wherein your soules shall expire with Hezekias words I beseech thee O Lord Esay 38.3 remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight Then may you say with Deborah Iudg. 5.21 O my soule thou hast marched valiantly Yea then may you say with Dauid Psal 116.7 returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath rewarded thee Death is the worlds strict doore-keeper and will see that as you brought nothing into the world 1 Tim. 6.7 so you shall carry forth nothing againe Yet can he not hinder you from that happinesse which the Oracle of heauen hath proclaimed Reuel 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Consider I beseech you that onely your good workes will be your companions to heauen They shall be your honour in life your comfort in death and your crowne at the last Resurrection And so much for the first Petition The second Petition 1. The matter of it PLutarch and diuers other Historians report of Manlius Torquatus that when his sonne Manlius Plutarch in vita Quint. Faebij Max. contrary to his Edict had valiantly encountred and slaine an enemie he first crowned him for his valour and then beheaded him for his disobedience So standeth the case betweene God and vs whilest he seeth something in vs which may be rewarded he findeth something also which deserueth to be punished As Saint Augustine saith Aug. in psal 100 Nisi Deus per misericordiam parceret non inueniret quos per iustitiam coronaret Except God should spare vs in mercy he should finde none whom he might crowne in iustice This maketh Nehemiah when he hath cryed out Remember me O my God concerning this to adde this next Petition And pardon mee according to thy great mercy Desiring not to be Rewarded with young Manlius in strictnesse of iustice but as Dauid prayeth Psal 103.4 to be crowned with mercy and louing kindnesse If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted Genes 4.7 saith the Lord to Kain Or as Tremelius translateth it Nònne erit remissio shalt thou not be pardoned The Hebrew word yeeldeth both significations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present text doth challenge both For Gods Remission and his Remuneration like Mercy and Truth must meete together Psal 85.10 like Righteousnesse and Peace they must kisse each other According to that of Ambrose Ambros lib. 7. in Luc. Arbiter omnium dedit pietati praemium infirmitati remedium The Iudge of all the world hath prouided both a reward for piety and a remedy for infirmity Thus Daniel commeth into the Lords Court where hauing deepely deplored the Israelites misery and earnestly implored the Lords mercy hee knitteth vp his Petition in this manner Dan 9.18 We doe not present our supplications before thee O God for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies Thus Iob dareth not stand to his tryall at the barre of Gods Iustice Iob 9.15 but will call for a Psalme of mercy and will supplicate his iudge Infinite are the places throughout the passages of sacred Scripture where the most sanctified seruants of God doe confesse their infirmities disclaime their merits and appeale to Gods mercies and reason For as S. Augustine saith Woe to the most laudable life of men if it be examined in strictnesse of iustice Suppose beloued we be not conscious to our selues of any grosse sinnes that wee haue neyther the crying sinnes of the Sodomites Genes 18. nor the crimson sinnes of the Israelites Esa 1. Act. 8. nor the bitter sinnes of Simon Magus Yet alas many are the infirmities of our soules many the deformities of our liues yea many are our secret sinnes In our best actions we scatter many imperfections and still we faile eyther in the end the matter or manner or measure of our obedience So that if our best actions should come to a strict tryall Lord how ignorant would our knowledge be found How froward our patience How superficiall our Repentance How proud our Humility How wauering our Hope How fraile our Faith How cruell our Mercies Wee may well say with Dauid Psal 130.3 If thou O Lord be extreame to marke what is done amisse who can be able to stand Vtique illud quis nullus est Chrys in ps 130. saith Chrysostome Surely that who is no body at all Iob indeede in the vehemency of passion desireth to dispute his case with God Iob. 23.4 but vpon cold blood God biddeth him gyrd vp his loynes and arme himselfe with arguments Iob. 40.2 For he knoweth that Iob is not able to answere one of a thousand but must come into the Lords Court of Requests with this Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy Pardon me The Hebrew word Vecusah being deriued of Casah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide doth very well expresse the manner and nature of our pardon For according to the vse of the word in the sacred Scriptures it may haue reference eyther to Gods eye or his Act His Eye and then it noteth his conniuence like that in the seauenteenth of the Acts. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.30 God winked at His Act and then it implyeth the couering of our sinnes with the mantle of Christs merits Psal 32.1 and both import an absolute pardon without relation to merit punishment or satisfaction and indeede it is as oposite to them as the two tropicks are to another as contrary as Fire is to Water This Pardon is expressed in the Scripture with great variety of the like phrases Sometime God is said to passe by our sinnes Amos 8. To put them away Esa 44. To cast them into the Sea Mich. 7. To forget them Ierem. 31. Not to mention them Ezech 18. To wash them away Psalm 51. To cast them behinde his backe Esay 38. To couer them Psal 32. and to pardon them as it is here and in many other places Thus God passeth by our sinnes as though he saw them not Putteth them away that they hurt vs not Casteth them into the Sea that they drowne vs not Forgetteth them so that hee punisheth them not Doth not mention them as though they were not washeth them away that they defile vs not Casteth them behinde his backe as though hee regarded them not Couers them that they appeare not and pardons them that they condemne vs not Behold here an absolute pardon for our singular consolation and the Papists extreme confusion For they depend vpon a ridiculous pardon of the sinne with reseruation of the punishment wherein they would make God an hypocrite like themselues with their mentall reseruation To whom I may say in Daniels words to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.16 Let the
the Lord albeit hee be the father of mercies and the God of all consolation n 2 Cor. 1.3 how oft I say doth he send forth his expresse prohibition to Ieremie o Ier. 7. 11. 15. chap. Thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie nor prayers for them Yea he is wont in such cases to stirre vp the spirits of his seruants to pray against such notorious sinners and to powre forth dreadfull execrations vpon them And to that end hath he armed the Church with that fearefull censure Anathemamaran-atha If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed till the comming of p 1 Cor. 16.12 Christ Thus doth Dauid q Psal 59.5 desire the Lord not to be mercifull to them that transgresse maliciously Yea how oft doth he pursue the enemies of God most passionate and bitter imprecations Thus did Peter against Simon Magus as histories report r Theodor. hist l. 3. ca. 9. 17. 19. Thus did the primitiue Church pray against Iulian the Apostata and neuer left assaulting him with her weapons which are prayers and teares till hee had receiued his finall and fearefull stroake of destruction and then she sang Hallelujaes for his ſ Hieron super Habac. l. 2. ouerthrow Gods dearest children may commit very hainous sinnes yet they doe it of infirmitie and not maliciously The sinne of Peter was very fearefull yea could any almost be more hainous when as hee a chiefe Apostle at the word of a silly Maide against his constant protestation three seuerall times within the space of a few houres did not onely deny and forsake but euen forsweare his Master and Sauiour yea and that with dreadfull t Mat. 26.74 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 execrations vpon himselfe If he knew the man But alas all this proceeded from infirmity the present danger feare of death extorted those oathes and drew those execrations from him And therefore when he went forth and wept bitterly diluit culpam lachrymis when he wept he wipte away his hainous sinnes with bitter teares and the Lords compassions failed him not The fourth bad humour Reuel 8.11 SAint Iohn in the eight Chapter of the Reuelation speakes of a great Starre called Wormewood which falling into the waters and fountains made them bitter so that many died thereof Behold such is the humour of malice For whereas other sinnes doe but muddie the streames this impoisons the very fountaine of our holy profession and brings immortall death without remedy And this is the fourth degree of this dreadfull Apostasie which for the better handling I call a particular humour when it is indeed like the corruptions of all the humors in the body For it is not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not some smaller distemper but a generall euill disposition and habit of Religion not a binding of Sampsons hands but a shauing of his locks not like the setting of the Sun in a clowde but a totall Ecclipse yea such a going downe as neuer admits any rising againe For it is a totall and finall Apostasie which doth vsually accompany the malicious resisting of the knowne truth And therefore Athanasius v Athanas ad Serapion ioynes that malice and Apostasie together in the definition of this blasphemy against the holy Ghost calling it a malicious denying of the faith which a man hath professed as x Sueton. Iul. Caes cap. 1. Sylla said in Suetonius Vno Caesari multos Marios in esse there were many Marijes in one Caesar So I may say there are many iniquities in this one sinne which indeede becomes a congeries of all abhominations For the curse of God seazeth vpon such a malicious sinner as hath beene mentioned to an vtter priuation of grace like Dauids heauie imprecation vpon mount Gilboe y 2 Sam. 1.21 You mountaines of Gilboe vpon you be neyther dew nor raine for euer And like our Sauiours curse vpon the figge tree neuer man eate fruite of thee while the world standeth Againe Sathan casts his violent and inuenomed temptations which the Apostle Ephes 6. calleth fiery darts and those where they strike they sticke fah and worke vpon the Soule like the arrowes on Iobs body z Iob 6.4 The venome whereof dried vp his spirits And then as in the generall deluge when the waters increased to a certaine height all flesh a Gen. 7.21 perished so in this great ouerflowing of sinne all sparkes of grace are vtterly extinguished This is implyed here when the Apostle speakes of an opposition against the causes of our saluation namely The Sonne of God the bloud of the Testament and the spirit of grace And this elsewhere b 1 Tim. 1.19 hee calleth A shipwracke of faith and an Apostasie from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 1 Tim. 4.1.2 1 Tim. 4. And addes the reason Hauing their consciences burnt with an hot Iron For when the conscience is cauterized there followeth an vtter benumming of the sanctified faculties so that there is left no spirituall sense of grace As we say of griefes so it is in sinnes Curae leues loquuntur ingentes stupent the smaller sins at first are irkesome and terrifie but being growne many and great they stupifie So that he which was wont to crie out with Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Rom. 7. can make a couenant with death the graue and hell Esay 28. He who was pressed downe with the ponderous waight of his sinnes which were as a heauy burden too heauie for him to beare Psal 38. can at last goe as roundly away with them as euer Sampson went with the Gates of Azzah The conscience at first will diligently obserue and censure the sinner but the same being neglected hee becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen condemned of d Tit. 3.11 himselfe and yet continueth in sinne with great securitie If a wounded man haue but one Surgeon and one salue to cure him and yet hee alas would slay that Surgeon and cast away that salue what hope can there be of his recouery And such is the condition of a desperate sinner Christ Iesus is the Surgeon and his precious bloud the blessed balme to cure our wounded soules If a man shall then offer violence to his person Crucifying againe to himselfe the sonne of e Heb. 6.6 God And contempt to this plaster In treading vnder-foote the blood of the f Heb. 10.29 Testament Is there any meanes left in heauen or earth to cure him Surely no but that must needes follow which our Sauiour Christ threatned to the Iewes g Iohn 8.24 You shall dye in your sinnes Saint h 1. Tim. 4.1 Paul prophesieth of some that in the latter times shall depart from the faith and Saint Peter saith i 2. Pet. 2.1 verse 20. there shall be some that will denie the Lord that bought