the distinct Species or kinde of Sinne heere mentianed In the first word Sinne. Secondly the Subâ—â—ct of this Sinne the Will wilfully Thirdly the Obiect against which it is committed the Truth Fourthly the Circumstances wherewith it must bee inuested Beleeued and knowen in these wordes After wee haue receiued the knowledge of the Truth Lastly the Sequell or Effect of it Destitution of remedy In these wordes There remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sinne. The distinct Species or kinde of this Sinne If wee Sinne. THE terme Sinne is vsed in the Scriptures and by Diuines in two Senses Sometime Generally and so it expresseth All or any Sinne of what kinde soeuer wherewith God is offended as by our Sauiour it is vsed Whosoeuer committeth Sinne is the Seruant of Sinne. Ioh. 8. Somtime particularly and for Distinction and so it designeth Some one Sinne In which sence also it is vsed by CHRIST to specifie to the Pharises their wilfull Incredulity If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not Ioh. 35. haue had Sinne by which saying he would haue vs vnderstand saith the Father * August ibid. Non omne peccatum not euery Sinne vnder a generall terme but Magnum quoddam peccatum one certaine great Sinne which was Quia non crediderunt in eum their non credulity Seing CHRIST came to this end that they should beleeue in him And in this sence the word Sinne is heere vsed viz. to denote a particular Sinne namely A totall Desertion of the Faith of Christ before receiued The occasion was the Instability of the Hebrewes who slid backe from the Gospell which before they professed And in these wordes the danger of such Apostacy is expressed by the Apostle first laying before them the quality of Apostacy in the word Sinne. As CHRIST came to call the world to follow him proclaiming life Eternall to all who beleeued in him So hee meant that those who refused him or hauing receiued him but after departed from him should haue no part in his promise For when hee sent abroad his Disciples with prÄ™diction of the Crosse for his sake hee said that those onely Who Math. 10 continued faithfull vnto the end in bearing Witnes vnto his Name should bee saued and contrarily bee by so much more remote from Saluation by how many moe degrees they seperated themselues from CHRIST But as three thinges necessarily concurre to make a Christian First Faith whereby wee beleeue in him and assent to his Gospell Secondly Confession of his Name and profession of his Gospell Thirdly Defence of his Name and Gospell and that vnto Death if neede so require So there are three Degrees by which a man falleth away wholy from CHRIST and vnrecouerably depriueth himselfe of Saluation First by denying Christ or his Gospell against his Beleefe and knowledge Secondly by an vniuersall Apostacy from Christ Thirdly by Rebellion and hate against Christ accompanied with all manner Impugning him and his Gospell First when Gods Truth shall manifestly appeare vnto thee so that thou art conuicted in thy heart and Conscience that the matter standeth so and cannot bee otherwise yetnotwithstanding thou darest Impiously deny this Truth affirming it not to bee of God but of the Deuill like the wicked Pharises who against their Conscience ascribed the manifest worke of GOD to Belzebub when as notwithstanding they dayly perceiued such thinges to haue beene done by him which no man could effect except God had beene with him This is Non videre quod videas saith a * Pacian Epist 3. ad Sympron Noâ—at Rom. 14. Father to shut thine eyes least thou shouldest see The Apostle saith that Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is Sinne and that Priuatiuely and therefore the Pagans notwithstanding their Ignorance perish But whatsoeuer is done against Faith and a good Conscience Positiuely is the fury of Sinne which is Irremediable and whosoeuer being fallen is not raised againe by the Suggestion hereof there is no hope of him Seing his Conscience which is Instar mille testium as strong as a thousand witnesses is seared and sencelesse for such are dead while they liue who seeing are blinde and doe not see hearing are deafe and heare not the 1 Tim. 4. Spirit and such renouncing CHRIST who is the Life shut vp the way by which they should returne vnto him againe Secondly a totall Apostacy from Christ AS Sinne doth formally consist in * August lib. de lib. arb auersione ab Incommutabili bono in turning from the vnchangeable Good so there is One Sinne which seperateth a man wholy from God But as Man is Ioyned vnto God principally by Faith Aquin. 22 2. quest 12. art 1. so Infidelity taken contrary for a contempt of the Faith and Impugning the same or rather that which Bonouenturae Contiloq â—â— 1. Cap. 26. calleth Apostaciam perfidiae a wilfull turning from the Faith once receiued so that the party doth Male de Deo sentire thinke euill of God Blaspemare speake reproachfully of Comb. in compend Theolog. lib. 3. Cap. 6. him Sacramenta indigne tractare scornfully abuse his Sacraments this I say seperateth a man farthest from God So that it consisteth not in any Act of Infirmity or breach of the second Table But in an vniuersall Defection and reuolting of the Reprobate from the meanes of his Saluation Quod ex de'perato Insâ—t lib. 3. Cap. 3. 23. furore profectum saith Mr. Caluin the which proceeding from a desperat fury betokeneth the party to bee possessed by the Deuill Thirdly which is the greatest Impiety of all when the Soule is growen to that Impudence that it laboureth by all meanes possible to subuert CHRIST and his Gospell so that now * Bernard Ser. de 7. mrijs Eum paenitet adhaesissâ— Christo hee grieueth that euer he followed Christ and for all his sweet Mercies in steed of thankes hee repayeth him with contumely and persecution First to this purpose as one * Rich. de Scto vict lib. 3. de crud Interhoâ—inis Cap. 18. noteth he doth Abijcere cast him of with Nolumus hunc regnare refusing to be any longer called a Christian Secondly Obijcere mainely oppose himselfe against his honour Thirdly Deijcere labour to suppresse his Dominion Fourthly Subijcere tyranize ouer him and trample him vnder feete O how fearefull a case is it to impugne Christ who is the Truth Such a one rideth with the Deuill who is the Father of Lyes and therefore it may well bee a Signe of one Ioh. 8. that posteth to Hell those are they who Sinne against the Holy Ghost which neuer shall bee forgiuen The which Sinne is extended by the Schoole-men vnto three Degrees Sometime it is Conceitted in the Heart and Heb. Cap. 10. Vers 19. there resteth as in those Who account the Blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing Sometime it is attended with a Detestation of the affection and breaketh into Wordes and then with Blasphemous mouthes
doth hate persecute or renounce the same St. Augustine was once of Opinion that No mans Conscience could hate GOD but afterward he retracted it at the first he did not remember the saying of the Holy Ghost The presumption of them that hate thee increaseth euer more and more For there are many that hate God whom because Psal 74. they know to bee an auenger of wickednes they wish hee had no Beeing for Qucm metui◠quisque periricupit and so though that all men by Nature desire the knowledge of the Truth yet ratione adiuncti or effectus consequentis he may abhorre it and labour to doe pręiudice thereunto So a man may hate God for his Iustice which punisheth Sinne and his Truth which descryeth and reproueth the same The Circumstances Beleefe in Christ and knowledge of his Word going before and yet Christ repudiated NOw I come to the Circumstances without which wee cannot define this Sinne for not euery one that beleeueth not the Gospell in whole or part is culpable of this great Sinne yea though hee Impugne it and therefore wee must distinguish There are some who as yet haue not receiued the Faith as Natiue Indian Idolaters and other who neuer heard of it * Aquin. 2◠2. quaest 10. art 1. and these are termed Infidels Negatiue Or they haue once Beleeued and after departed from it and that either a parte in aliquibus in some particular Tho. Elys 19. in Clypeo piorum quest 42. art 1. pointes by their vnderstanding deceiued and such are termed Haretickes Or a tota totaliter from the whole in generall by their Will and Affection depriued and these are termed Apostatates The first sort are not censured in my Text because they receiued it not Nor the second because they knew it not But the third are directly pointed at who both receiued and knew it For the Cleering whereof you must know that as in Naturall Obiects there must bee first a representation of them to the Sences Secondly a Iudgement of the thinges represented by the Minde for Iudgement is Completinum cognitionis Aquin. 22.2 qu. 173. the perfecting of knowledge So before a man bee a perfect Christian two thinges are requisite First Vt sanè capiat ea quae Creduntur that he verily beleeue Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 9. art 1. the Articles of Faith Secondly Vt habeat rectum Iudicium de eis discernendo credenda a non credendis that hee Iudge rightly and soundly what hee ought to beleeue what to refuse both which are intimated in these wordes Beleeued and knowne as Anselme and Bruno expound them The first Circumstance After wee haue receiued To receiue the Truth is to beleeue it and to beleeue in Christ as the Truth teacheth vs and thus the word is vsed by the Euangelist where hee saith That vnto as many as receiued Christ hee gaue them power to be made the Sonnes Ioh. 1. of God and hee manifesteth it in the wordes following viz. To those who beleeued in his Name So Theophilact expoundeth it and in this Sence Diuines expound this word of my Text Anselme for inward Illumination Bruno for Beleeuing the Gospell Nature being blinde in Heauenly thinges if it should ouer-rule in Man must necessarily preuent his Saluation For that the Naturall man Beleeueth nought but that hee first apprehendeth by knowledge when Diuinity first doth require our confident assent to that it propoundeth and after certifieth vs of the Truth by Euidence Yea wee haue an Inchoation of Blessednes in this life by the assent of Faith which compriseth in her boundlesse Continet the end of our Hope for in this wee doe hope to bee blessed because wee shall see in open Vision that Truth vnto which wee doe now cleaue by Faith for Faith maketh these thinges present in our heart by the certainty of Beleefe and therefore is defined to bee A substance of thinges hoped for as if it gaue a reall possession of it to the Beleeuer Heb. 11. Without which Beleefe reason sheweth that Blessednes cannot bee attained for though all men desire it yet who will vse meanes if he dispaire to attaine and therfore Hope is necessary And againe who will desire to hope for that he doth not Beleeue And therefore it is necessary first to beleeue in Christ and to beleeue those thinges also without which Christ cannot bee loued that by beleeuing them hee may shape his course toward him Therefore CHRIST the Eternall word of his Father hauing according to his promise of olde Assumed our Flesh suffered Death for our Sinnes risen vp againe for our Iustification which are incredible to the Naturall man that either God should become Man Dye as a man and that man should rise from Death like God and all this for Man ought to bee entertained by Man with great Ioy and confidence because by him wee are made the sonnes of God As hee hath performed these thinges for vs so hee expecteth that wee dispise not this Grace but earnestly embrace it with thankesgiuing and build on him onely For God * Ser. de fide Spe et Char. saith Chrysostome would haue Man proue toward him as he hath shewed himself toward Man he cannot attaiue vnto the reward who will not professe him Nec accipere potest quod promittitur nisi ante Impleuerit quod Iubetur nor can hee receiue the promise who doth not performe the condition viz. Beleeueth But hee that beleeueth not is already Iudged therefore Ioh. 3. our Sauiour said that the Holy Ghost would reproue the world of Sinne because they Beleeued not in him and no wonder Ioh. 16. because * August ibi Hoe manente caetera dimittuntur as long as incredulity remained all other Sinnes abode Originall and Actuall but this being casseered all were forgiuen for faith in Christ quitteth man of all by apprehending the Merit of his passion whose Blood shed washeth vs cleane from all our Sinnes Hereupon we renounce all things whatsoeuer and our selues also to follow him as his Seruants Subiects and Souldiers and so to be reputed and termed * Nazianz. Inde Christianus vocaris quia in Christum credis Hence are we called Christians because we beleeue in Christ By which Name we testifie that we build onely on him and acknowledge him for our King and Redeemer we obserue all his Commaundements and iudge his rule to be the perfection of life Limiting our Beliefe to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we doe Huius iurare in verba Magistri take an Oath of alleageance vnto him in Baptisme to confirme our fidelity it being * Basi ' lib. 3. cont Eunom Sigillum fidei the Seale of our faith wherein we receiue the Crosse on our forehead which is the seate of shamefastnesse in token * Aug. in Psal 130. Ne Christi opprobrio Christianus erubescat that we should neuer be ashamed to confesse Christ crucified and to fight vnder his Banner vnto our liues end
Faith to Iudge rightly of the Articles of Religion which Faith otherwise cannot doe because it hath but vnperfectly participated of the Diuine light For though there bee an Irradiation from the Eternall Truth yet is it not Plenary because as yet Manet Speculum aeuigma the vayle is not remoued 1. Cor. 13. Therefore in this darkenes wee must ioyne the other Instrument which God hath assigned viz. the Vnderstanding which though it bee but as a Candle compared to Faith ioyned to the Sunne yet it is certaine that a man seeth better by the light of a Candle then of the Sunne if the same be ecclipsed Therefore what Faith entertaineth the Vnderstanding admireth examineth and often discouereth and maketh knowne For there are some things * Lumbard lib. 3. Sent. dist 24. Que creduntur nunquam Intelliguntur which are Beleeued but neuer vnderstood As the Mystery of the Trinity and the Incarnation and such like and those * Aquin. 2â— 2. quaest 8. art 2. Directè cadunt sub fide are apprehended by Faith onely but the vnderstanding cannot comprize them and therefore admireth them And there are other * Quae prius creduntur postea Intelliguntur Lbmb. vbi sap which are first beleeued and after vnderstood as are some principles of Faith gotten by hearing reading and meditation And these belong vnto Faith * Aquin. vbi sup Vt ordinata ad fidem as Instruments to build Faith in man as the Contents of holy Scripture Of the first wee cannot haue * Bonauen Sap. 3. Sâ—nt dist 24. Cognitionem a parte comprahensionis a totall and perfect knowledge while wee are heere in Via Pilgrims as God shall be knowne by vs hereafter In Patria in our heauenly Mansion But of the Second in many pointes wee may haue such knowledge heere yea the first may Imperfectè intelligi in part bee vnderstood and that * Aquin. vbi supra Intellectu Negatiuo as farre forth as the vnderstanding findeth no Obstacle to impaire * Caictan in CoÌ„ ad cundum locum the verity of them yea both may bee beleeued and vnderstood in some sort Manu ductione ratiocinationis by the Inuestigation * Bonauent vbi su ra Rom. 1. of Naturall reason as the Heathen Phylosophers thus knew God And an antient Diuine saith that to make the Faith manifest * Rich. de Scto vict lib. 1. de Trinit cap. 4. Non tantum possunt heberirationes probabiles sed etiam necessariae wee may finde both probable and necessary reasons also though sometime wee cannot espy them Thus these holy Fathers assembled in the Councell of Nice did by Naturall reasons seeke to demonstrate vnto Cyzicen in com Act. Conc. Nic. pt 22. Phaedo and other Phylosophers whome Arrâ—us had conducted thither to defend his Blasphemy the whole Mysterie of the Trinity For suppose one beleeuing one GOD and the same to bee the vniuersall Creator should after by necessary reasons begin to know the fame hee should become neuer the more faithlesse and therefore the Schoole man saith well that howsoeuer * Aquin. 2.2 qu. 2. art 10. Rationes praecedentis fidem doe Minueremeritum fidei yet Subsequentes augent Not to beleeue without reasons doth impaire the worth of Faith yet to Illustrate the Faith after wee haue already Beleeued with reasons dignifieth the same for it maketh a man more firmely and with greater delight to cleane vnto the Truth and to teach and conuict other But wee vse Reason onely * Admanifestationem fidei to Idem pt 12. q. 1. art 8. Bonauent super 3. Sent. dist 25. quest vlt. make the Faith knowne that thereby it may receiue a greater growth * Non a parte veritatis dictantis not in respect of the Diuine Truth it selfe but in respect Intellectus assentientis of the weakenes of our vnderstanding which is best led by the Senses Therefore the Schoole-men say that Knowledge is more Idem ibid. dist 23. quest 4. certaine then Faith in respect of the certainty of Speculation because a man may know a thing so certainly by knowledge that hee can by no meanes doubt of it disclaime it as false or any way contradict it in his heart as it appeareth in the knowledge of first principles though Faith bee more certaine in regard of the firmity of Adhaesion for Faith will maintaine what knowledge cannot conceiue And in this sense * Lib. 14. de Tr. n. Cap. 1. Augustine expounding these wordes of the Apostle To another is giuen the word of knowledge 1. Cor. 13. ascribeth to this knowledge the Generation Nutrition maintenance and strengthning of Faith And for this cause * Hugo de Scto lib. 1. de sacram pt 8. cap. 1. Hugo rightly placed these two differences in the Definition of Faith viz. that it is A certainty of the Soule placed Supraopinionem infra Scientiam aboue Opinion and beneath Knowledge Because the one is but a bare estimation Cum formidine oppositi alway vncertaine of the Truth Now Faith is a doubtles approbation Aquin. by way of assertion But the accesse of knowledge giueth a Reall possâ—ssion of the Truth So that it is more profitable to man in respect of attaining and retaining the perfection of Truth as it is more secure to stand by Faith then to wauer by Opinion and to see a thing present then to beleeue it absent Yea the Habite of Faith cannot fully bee had without knowledge for the vnderstanding must bee instructed in the Articles of Faith before it can consider them This is the Materiall part of Faith Id quod creditur saith * Lib. 3. Sent. dist 23. Lumbard the Articles of our Beleefe and in this respect Faith is rightly said to be Acquisita or suasa gotten by outward meanes because no man knoweth how many or what Hales pt 1. quest 1. Memb. 10. Articles of the Faith there are vntill hee hath learned them by reading or hearing let him gape as long as hee please after Anabaptisticall reuelations and thus the Apostle saith Rom. 10. Fides ex audito Faith commeth by hearing And this Knowledge is earnestly to bee sought after least it vnhappily fall out * Origen lib. 8 in Epist ad Romo cap. 10. Vt in fide positi frustremur a fide that wee hauing once beleeued should fall away from the Faith for they who are careles to vnderstand by knowledge the truth of that they Beleeue they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeue in vaine and may Euanescere in fide fall from the 1. Cor. 1. Orig. ibid. Faith Hereupon the Apostles desired our Sauior to Encrease their Faith by imparting knowledge vnto them for this Luk. 17. knowledge maketh vs to feele as it were with the Hand of Experience the Truth and therefore maketh vs more confident to build on it and more firmely to adhaere vnto it Therfore to make the Israelites more constantly to persist
they reuile the Spirit of Grace Verse codem And at length as open Enemies to Christ and his Truth they manifest it in Action Treading the Sonne of God vnder Ibid their feete saith the Apostle And although the Sinne against the Holy Ghost bee the Speaking of a word against him yet it causeth no doubt in this point For a man may speake diuersly * Caictan in CoÌ„ ad 2â— 2 Aquin. quest 13. Art 1. saith one Optatiue in heart Enunciatiue vocally Imperatiue wilfully compelling other to the like This appeared in Iultan the Apostata Hee * Socrat. lâ—br 3. Eccl. hist cap. 1. secretly detested CHRIST and imitated the Religion of Libanius the Sophist and Maximus the Philosopher his Masters at Nicomedia Secondly hee vsually termed Christ in contempt Galilaean bellowing forth euen at his Death also this Blasphemy * Theodo lib. 3. Eccl. hist cap. 25 Vicifti Galilaee thou hast vanquished mee Galilaean And lastly being enraged by the Christians of Antiochiae at the * Russin libr. 1. Eccles hist cap. 35.36 fetching home from Daphne the Corpes of Babilas the Martyr whose propinquity silenced their Oracle for that they sang with Ioy and exultation Let all bee confounded that worship carued Images He resolued to imitate the cruelty of Diocletian against the Christians commaunding Salustius his President in the meane time to torture those who did sing at that time And among other they afflicted * Socrat. vbi suâ—ra cap. 16. 17. Theodorus a young man with paines most cruell and of long continuance This is the condition of the persidious Apostata for as when the life of the Body is taken away all the Members are depriued of their due disposition So when the life of the Soule which is Faith as the Apostle saith is extinguished there appeareth a disorder in all the powers and faculties of Rom. 1. the same and the Members of the Body In the Heart which conceiueth hate against God In the mouth which blasphemeth him In the Motiue Instruments which persecute him So that the wordes of Salomon are verified of him Prouerb 6. Virnequam or Apostata as the vulgar translation soundeth it ambulat peruerso ore c. The wicked Apostate walketh with a froward mouth He maketh a signe with his eyes hâ—e signifieth with his fingers leude thinges are in his heart hee imagineth Euill at all times and raiseth vp Contentions and his Iudgement is annexed Therefore shall his destruction come sodainly without recouery To deny him were with the Greekes to repute him foolishnes and argueth damnable pride To renounce him whose seruice would yeeld thee a Kingdome aeternall were monstrous Ingratitude But if farther thou doest calumniate and reuile him Opprobriously and falsely either by vniust Detraction or imputation or labour to ruinate his Kingdome by persecution thou art a Blasphemer and Sinnest against the Holy Ghost The Subiect of this Sinne The Will Wilfully MAN being created by GOD * Benanent Brâ—uiloâ— pt 3. Cap. 1. Vt ageret opera sua a Deo secundum Deum propter Deum to performe his actions by the power of Gods might according to the Direction of his wisedome and to the aduancement of his Glory had for the full and perfect execution hereof his Soule endowed with three principall faculties termed by the School-men Actuum humanorum principia Aquin. 12. â— quâ—sâ— 78. art 1. Compend Thâ—olâ—â— lâ—b 2. Cap. 49. The first is Voluntas the Will by Albertus termed Imperuâ—ix potentia the commaunding power The Second Intellectus the vnderstanding termed Consultrix potentia the aduising or directing power The Third Appeâ—itus sensitiuus the Appetite Sensitiue termed Affectiua potentia the desiring power The Will was giuen as a powerfull Potentate to conforme the whole Man to the will of his Maker But forasmuch as this could not bee effected vnlesse the will of God were first made knowne vnto her therefore the Vnderstanding was giuen to enlighten with the manifest knowledge of the first Truth and the Vertue appetitiue which could not bee satisfied but with the perfect loue of the chiefe Good But through Adams Sinne the powers of the Soule were so peruerted and crazed Euen as an Instrument of Musick which when it is crackt and out of Tune in steed of sweete Melody annoyeth the Eare with harsh sound Hence commeth it to passe that the Will before so potent in her command and absolute in Dominion ouer Spirituall and Carnall concupiscence findeth in her kingdome so many Contradictions Rebellions Conflictations Contrarieties and Oppositions Briefely herselfe to bee infected with Malice prone vnto euill ouer-ruled by Sensuality and therby drawne vnto Carnall desires The Vnderstanding which was so prudent an informing Counsailour vnto the will is so blinded with Ignorance that it cannot discerne the Truth but is quickly deceiued and prone vnto Error And the Appetite Sensitiue before a prouident and faithfull Subiect is now infected with Infirmity and concupiscence rebellious against reason and inclining vnto all manner of euill kindling in vs an vncessant desire to Sinne. All whatsoeuer Sinnes proceed from a corruption in one of these principall faculties Sometime by default of the Vertue Appetitiue when we fall into Sinnes through Infirmity and notwithstanding all our resistance wee cannot fully auoyde them but with Humiliation wee acknowledge them and accuse our selues for the Commission Sometime by default of vnderstanding when we incurre sinnes through error and commit euill because we thinke it to be good being deceiued by the vayle of a false opinion which causeth in vs deniall of those sinnes Sometime by default of the will when we commit sinnes of meere iniquity knowing them being able to resist them and yet of purpose committing them with contumacie in the commission contempt of God in the transgression and impudence in the factitation of them Such are said to be sinnes of malice In which sence the word wilfully is vsed in my Text and so much the Greeke Aduerbe soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluntarily wittingly and of set purpose without any compulsion And in this sence Aquine expoundeth the Latine word voluntary in my Text for the deliberate malice of the will distinguishing it from volens which signifieth a seduction through passion without obstinacie For a man may sinne in blasphemy against God by feare compulsion and constraint drawne vnto it by the infirmity of the flesh which declineth the horrour of torments as did St. * Tom. 1. concil conc Synuessae Peter and Marcellinus Bishop of Rome and many other in the Primitiue Church who notwithstanding did after repent and became glorious Martyrs of whom saith that glorious Martyr * Cyprian Ser. de Lapsis Bishop of Carthage Non animus sed corpus in dolore defecit the flesh fainted but their heart did not vtterly faile vnder those tortures Or thus may a man sinne of ignorance as many of the Iewes did when they passed by Christ and nodded