and sincerity in the Worship Service and Obedience which we do perform to to God The word of God is quick and Heb. 4. 12. powerful piercing to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart Now did men believe and were sensible of the quick and lively Power the Majesty and Authority of the Word and did remember those Rules to walk with God and be upright In all our wayes to acknowledge him That whatsoever we do we should do it as to the Lord and not to Men and Col. 3. â—3 withall consider That by this word we shall be judged in the last day It is not possible Joh. 12. 48. they should study such shifts and flatter themselves in them for there would be no more need of them then for the man that doth well to hide his head and fly from the light when he can make out his Joh. 3. 21. works to be wrought in God 3. Very few have heard the sound of the last 3. Or the day of Judgment Mal. 3. 17. Trumpet sounding in their Ears nor do they believe there is a Book of Remembrance written before God And that a dreadful day of account is coming when these Books shall be brought forth and that Rev. 20. 12. then God will set all in order before the Sons of men with all the circumstances of their evil Actions and then bring every Secret to light and reward all according to their Works For did they so it is not possible there would be so much base dealing and wickedness in the World making Lyes their Refuge as if they had made an Agreement with Hell and a Covenant with Death But there is a world of Atheism in Christendom and of Infidels among Christians that seek â—o dig deep to hide their Counsel from the Lord and their Works are in the dark and they say Who sâ—eth us and who knoweth us They turn things up side-down saith the Prophet turn a fair side outward and a Esay 29. 15 16. foul side inward 4. In the fourth place There is little 4. Want of Conscience of that we call Conscience in the World and the want of it is a main deficient or efficient I may say of Excuses There is much talk of Conscience every where but where is it to be found almost Right Conscience is Cordis scientia saith Bernard Or cum Deo scientia say others not Scientia simplicis Intelligentiae as I may say a bare speculation but an active practical and uniform Concurrence of Breast and Brain of Profession with Practise yea of Man with God when words deeds agree with the heart and the heart with God But alas there is much of Science in the World little of Conscience much Head-knowledge little Heart-knowledge much studying men little minding of God Were there more of this in the World there would neither be carrying on of Designs nor studying Excuses but Acts 24. 16. a serious and sincere endeavour to be without offence both before God and before men 2. For the ends which Excuses are 2. Ends of Excuses made use of 1. Many fly to them as we say For shame of the World and Speech of 1. To avoid shame the People as did they who took up stones to throw at Christ who pleadâ—d They did it not for any of the goods works John 10. 33. he had done that had been too bad but for Blasphemy Better a bad excuse then none at all People woud have cryed Shame on them it they had not covered their Malice with some plausible pretence So again when Pilate urged his Accusers for Reason Reason as they cryed out to him for Justice Justice why what Evil hath he done I find no faule in him They would have been thought inexcusable if they could not have said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die But none could they name that he had ever violated So whâ—n the Scribes and Pharisees never John 19. 6 7. left persâ—cuting Christ John Baptist and the Apostles and all that were better then themselves People would have cryed shame on them for their Impiety But when they could say You see we Reverence the true Prophets Moses Samuel Jeremy Daniel c. We Celebrate their Memorials garnish their Sepulchres and for those Mat. 23. 30. good men we lament their loss Had we been in our Fathers dayes we would have Sainted â—ot Slain them But Jesus and the Baptist we know not whence they are The one hath a Devil the other is a Wine-Bibber a Samaritan Heretick a Mover of Sedition and what not So that now they must not be thought any wayes ill affected to true Piety but honoured as the Piâ—lars of the Church the zealous Asserters of Truth Unity and Order and the only Sappressors of Heresie Schism Fâ—ction Sedition and Novelty Just so do the Papists St. Peter St. Paul St. Lawrence c. we keep dayes in their Memory preserve their Reliques pray to them honour them with a kind of Worship shew more Piety towards them then all you Protestants do But if Luther Calvin Cranmer Ridley c. teach the very same Doctrine that Peter and Paul they shall be Anathematized or burnt to Ashes if they can light of them 2. A second end Is to gain a repute of 2. To gain a Repute of Religion Religion And such is the luster and beauty of Religion that though few affect the power of it yet all court the Name and are ambitious of the Reputation of it Thus Machiavel instructs his Prince to put on the Vizor of one Religious yet to scruple nothing mean while whereby he may more enlarge his Dominion or drive on his Designs Thus those very Jews again John 10. 33. make their defence We stone thee not for any Cures or other good Works wrought or thy shews of Sanctimony but thy Blasphemy and Arrogance To make thy self the Son of God and equal to God we cannot bear Very pious Souls Though many have been so wicked as to do it none ever was so weak as to own it that they hated Piety and Virtue for its own sake A fair Pretence is fittest to cover so foul a Disposition Those that hated and cast out their Brethren of old as the Prophet said for owning the Name of God no other Crime yet said Let God be magnified Esay 65. 5. All was done out of zeal to God's Glory and the Churches Peace What do the Papists and other Persecutors pretend less 3. A third end Is to stop the mouth 3. To stop the mouth of conscience of Conscience and still its Clamors Conscience would lead the man an unquiet life and would be clamorous if he had not somewhat to pretend Therefore some grave shews of Religion some form of Godliness some Sins forborn some good Works done some Duties performed must bribe Conscience to let
Staivâ— I must not of necessity I must strike in with my Masters Debtors though to his prejudice and make sure of somewhat to take to A necessity of his own making There is never any necessity of sinning Sin often brings men into necessities no necessity can ever bring a man out of sin 13. Among other frivolous Excuses 13. Besides my intention this is one also It was besides my intention little did I dream this or that would have followed I was drawn in But we should remember those frequent Items Come not Prov. 5. 8. near her corner Shun occasions Abstain from appearance of evil 1 Thess 5. 21. Keep to thy Calling and ways and so keep thee off the Devils ground as he said once of a Maid that he took possession of finding her at a Stage-play and out of his Circle We find by experience the coldest Water becomes hot being a while over the Fire and the hardest Ice soon begins to thaw being near the Heat The beginning of many Evils as well as Contention is like the letting out of Water out of the Banks or kindling of a Fire who knows where either may stay Therefore the Wise mans Counsel is Cease before it be Prov. 17. 14. medled with q. d. Make an end before thou begin Full little did Dinah think Gen. 34. 1 16 27. her Visit in Civility or Curiosity would have occasioned her deflowring And aâ— little did Shechem think that deflowring would have cost so much Blood And it is like Aaron never thought of making the Calf when he asked their Earings But undoubtedly it was the furthest end of St. Peter's thought to deny his Master when he entred the High Priests Palace which he had so solemnly protested against But we may see we are no more our own when once out of our way Yet is this observable to our present Case This holy man never went about to excuse his crime by saying it was besides his intention but he went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26. 75. 14. Nor are they a few who think to come off with this My fear betrayed me 14. I was surprised with fear that I knew not what I said or did The fear of man as Solomon observes causeth many a snare Prov. 29. 25. And a cruel Tyrant it is and too like that false Harlot spoken of in another place that hath cast Prov. 7. 26. down many wounded yea many strong ones have fallen under her hands Witness Abraham Isaac David Peter Cranmer c. Saints all of the first Magnitude Yet this is nevertheless a sin and to be bewailed Nor do such Examples excuse but condemn us the more if we think to have our sin Patronized by their Example Bis peccat qui exemplo peccat He sins twice that sins by anothers examplâ— We should guard our hearts against this base fear of Man with the awful dread of him who is able to destroy Soul and Body in Hell and consider whether it be not a more fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God than of a Man that shall die and the Son of Man which is but a Worm Then would this Divine fear quite destroy those false fears as Aaron's Rod devoured those false and imaginary Rods and prevent those Storms and Floods or Flames of horrour which the over-prevailing fear of Man hath betrayed us unto witness those notable Examples and Champions of Christ Peter and Cranmer and many other shrinking Professors who not till after much bitter Repentance flying to Christ obtained mercy And that of miserable Spira is never to be forgotten who though he so repented and bewailed this sin that he was swallowed up of sorrow yet never gained peace or so much as the least glimpse of hope but died in extreme despair 15. Sometimes this is given in for Excuse 15. It was for a matter of moment It was not for a trifle but for a matter of moment my Livelihood depends on it as Demetrius pleaded for his Silver Shrines It was for a Prize saith another that which might make me and mine for ever I saw said Achan a Wedge of Gold a rich Babylonish Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver and none was by to discover it and who would not put the Curse to the venture on such terms But Gold may be bought too dear as our Proverb saith It proved as all such Cheats do Aurum Tholosanum accursed Gold it consumed Achan and all his house Si violandum est Jus Regni Causa violandum est c. was the saying of an elder than Machiavel If a Kingdom lie at stake there can be no foul play to win it A Crown wipes off all blots and excuseth all Crimes tam patrata quam patranda already committed or to be committed as Alexander thought when he trussed up a pedling Pyrate that took now and then a Barque when himself as he was told by the same Pyrate exercised an universal Pyracy and Robbery by Sea and Land and criâ—d Have at all yet did he reckon his Name should be recorded in the Books of Fame O tandem major parcas Insane minori And of this Religion was Jeroboam who to get and keep the Crown thinks Conscience must not be too strait lâ—ced Rem si possis recte si non quocunque modo rem or regnum rather Kingdoms are to be gotten governed kept by other Arts than other private States are Therefore to get the Crown he waits the opportunity of a Rupture then makes his advantage of it to set his Master aside And when got the Crown he sets Religion to sale erects a new Model of Worship substitutes another sort of Clergy-men such as should throughly comply and outs all of their Ministerial Employment that were of Gods appointment But it is a Golden Saying of Solomon and worthy of a Christian Princes Motto in his Coin Justitia Prov. 16. 12. firmat Thronum The Throne is established by Righteousness This turned to the utter ruine of Jeroboam and his whole House So likewise those wise Master-Builders to make the House stand the surer must needs pull out the Head Corner-stone lest the Romans should come and take away their Place Dignity and Nation all lay then at stake as they then thought But did they not thereby pull an old House on their own Heads or rather as our Saviour said pull a Stone upon them which hath ground them and their Nation to Powder This brought on those very Romans which they feared and hastned on the Abomination of Desolation which they never feared 16. Another makes this his Excuse It was to cover his shame This was that 16. To cover shame set the Son of Jesse awork after that foul Act with Bathsheba Vriah must be sent for home if that will not do made drunk if that and nothing else he must be sent to his long home Alas poor Bethleemite Thou saidst thou wast once in a great
had made a prey of a poor Widow thinks his sin expiated by a long Prayer which he meant to say ere he went to Bed And thus I fear do many Professors now a-days for whom my Heart bleeds who like the Inn-Keeper cleanse their Rooms in the Morning to be fouled again by all Comers ere Night Or like the Monks who have their Mattins and Even-song and all day do what they list only with this difference The one mock God in saying what they understand not And the other deceive themselves in plain English praying that which they after mind not But as one said once Tell me not what the man is in Affliction but what after So say I Tell me not what a man is in Duty but what after it Again there are others who think to expiate their many Sins in their Life by doing some notable act of Charity at their Death by their Goods ill gotten Debts are to be paid before Legacies and Restitution is to go before Charity as we see in Zacheus We speak not against good works but would have them done in a good manner that they may redound to the good of the Donor Many rich men once cast in great Giâ—â—s into the Treasury and all did not amount to one Farthing The poor Widow cast in no more and all theirs was not so much God hates Robbery for Burnt-Offering Esay 61. 8. Deut. 23. 18. and the price of a Dog or the hire of a Harlot was not to come into his Offering Remarkable is that story of Selimus he First who near his end was counselled by Pyrrhus the Bassa to lay out a great mass of Treasure taken from Persian Merchants upon a notable Hospital for the Poor No saith he God forbid I should bestow those Goods so ill gotten upon Works of Charity and Devotion for mine own vain-glory and praise I will never do it but command that they be all restored to the right Owners It is true indeed wicked men may do some magnificent acts much cryed up by men yet nothing available to the Doer What a splendid Temple was that which Herod built Josephus saith Not much inferior if any thing at all to that built by Solomon far beyond that built by Cyrus and Darius Tacitus calls it Immensae opulentiae Templum yet he as very a Miscreant as ever breathed 26. I may not forget the vulgar Excuse 26. Fair inside and good heart of many ignorant persons Their fair inside and good heart Charge them with their gross Ignorance neglect of God's Service in Family or otherwise loose and lewd talk c. They are ready to answer Though I can't talk so well and have not so much knowledge yet for a Heart to God-ward I have as good as the best I have so strong a Faith as I never yet doubted and for loving God I do and ever did with all my heart Poor Souls thy Heart good without knowledge is as an Eye good without sight Prov. 19. 2. Tell me thou hast a strong Faith and a Heart full of love to God when thy life and talk is loose and vain and perswade me thou hearest Thunder when I see it snows The one is not more the old man's wonder then this the Christians Or that the Spring is sweet when the water 's bitter Or that the Tree is a Pear-tree when it beareth Bramble-Berries Or that the man is sound who is alway Coughing in my Ears and spits up his Lungs and putrid matter in my sight As is the Treasure of the Heart such is the Communcation and Conversation Tell this to thy Child not to me Thy Child would perswade thee he loves thee with all his heart and will strike on his Breast when thou askest him Where he loves thee yet let him have an Apple ask him to give it or a part of it or bid him go into the next Room if dark to fetch thee any thing he shrinks and shrugs but will do neither So if the Lord bid thee part with the least sin or go into the darks of seriousness and mortifying any lust thou flingest away and wilt do neither And now tell me whose Speech and Carriage is more Childish thine or his 27. In the last place comes in one who 27. Little did I think it saith Little did I think and we may soon discern whose Language this is Insipientis est c. Even the greatest Fool hath his after-wit and after-repentance Had I been aware or were it to do again I would do otherwise Thus it is in Temporals thus in Spirituals thus in this Life thus after Who would have thought saith the Prodidal that I should ever come to beg a morsel of Bread That did I may the provident man say Who would have thought said Haman and Jezabel that we should have come to such ends We never expected other say the godly but that so proud a Wretch should have a shameful downfall and that a Whore a Witch a Murderer should come to an infamous end Who would have thought said the foolish Builder that such a storm should have come and on such a sudden And the foolish Virgins that the Bridegroom should surprize us that we had not time to trim our Lamps That did we say the wise Builder and wise Virgin and we provided against both Who would have thought saith Dives there had been such a place of Torments and that I should after all my Ease and Plenty have come hither and that I should see Lazarus taken into Heaven and my self shut out What did Moses and the Prophets tell thee other saith Abraham And who would think saith the careless Professor at the last day that I Mat. 8. 12. should see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and so many of the Children of the Kingdom so many Professors cast into utter darkness That did I forewarn you of may our Saviour then Luke 13. say It is a remarkable passage that in Wisd 5. 3. 4 5. Where the prophane Atheist and Scoffer are brought in condemning themselves We Fools counted the life of the Godly madness and his end without honour And now is he reckon'd among the Sons of God and his Inheritance is among the Saints How have we erred from the Truth c. What hath all our Pride and all our Riches and Glory profited us seeing they are vanisht and gone c. Thus have we done with the first sort of Excuses those we called Home-bred or from our selves we come now to those that we call Forreign or borrowed from others CHAP. III. Excuses taken from Others EXcuses taken from Others are either from 1. Men. 2. God 3. Satan We shall begin with those relating to men And to take in all sorts of men shall reduce them into three Classes 1. All men may be considered as Superiors Equals or Inferiors 2. As good or bad 3. As Friends Foes or Strangers 1. The first sort of men from whom Excuses
1. From Superiors Example are taken are Superiors and from such many are often taken As 1. From their Example If Parents Masters Ministers or Princes do so or so It is authority enough for Inferiors to do the same Man is a Creature much led by Example And Examples before our Eves have the same operation that Jacob's pilled Rods had upon the Sheep to produce a likeness in disposition and deportment Regis ad Exemplum If Jeroboam Sin he makes Israel to Sin If the Father say Sibboleth the Son will never frame to say Schibboleth If the Mother be an Ashdodite the Child Neh. 3. 24. will never learn to speak the Language of Canaan And challenge them for it Their answer is Thus did their Fathers before them 2. And much more if besides Example 2. Counsel there be encouragement given by Counsel and Advice The simple Vulgar made no scruple to cry out Crucifie Crucifie when set on by the Priests and Rulers upon whose Sleeves they had implicitely pinned their Faith and to whose Vote they had captivated their assent 3. And much more still if the Superior 3. Command add a peremptory Command Then will the Inferior run and go and do any thing commanded and thinks that is his warrant 2. Sam. 13. 28. Then when Absalom said Mark Amnon when his heart is merry Then set upon him slay him fear not I Command you so It is all done accordingly The Canonists have said If the Pope should command Evil and forbid Good and draw thousands of Souls with him to Hell yet all are to rest in his Determinations and Decrees not once saying Domine Papa quid ita facis Sir why do you so 4. And more again yet if those Commands 4. Promises 1 Sam. 22. 7. be backt either 1. With Promises of Favour and Reward When Saul spake of Vineyards and Olive-yards places of Command as Captains and Colonels and high Offices at his dispose the perfidious Ziphites to curry favour with an enraged Prince proffer their Service to deliver into his hand the best Subject the King had and the best Patriot the Kingdom had Is not David hid among us Let but the King 1 Sam. 23. 20. come down and we are ready for our part to deliver him into the King's hand And bloody Doeg is ready at the very Instant upon Command given when no other would execute it to fall upon the innocent Priests whom himself had first informed against and to sacrifice a whole City and Tribe of 1 Sam. 22. 18. them to the fury and lust of the enraged King in hope of a Reward 2. Or threats of Punishment Whether 2. Or threats pecuniary Pecuniary and in their Estates As when that Antichristian Beast did thunder out his Interdicts That none should buy or sell hold Office in Church or State but he that did receive the Name or Mark of the Beast Then did all the Inhabitants of the Earth worship the Beast save only the Lambs marked Ones whose Names were Rev. 13. 7 8. 17. written in the Book of Life 2. Or Corporal and Capital Punishment at which men do most tremble Then if a Nebuchadnezzar make it present death not to worship his gods and bow to his Image All People Nations and Tongues fall down Dan 3. 7. presently And in all these cases the Inferior is apt to flatter himself with this Caveant Principes Viderint Praelati Let the Prince the Prelate and Churchmen look to it they shall answer for me It is their sin if they command or lead amiss not mine to obey But remember what is said 1 Kings 14. 16. so oft of Jeroboam He sinned and made Israel to sin There was his sin and their sin too both sinned He first in enjoyning they in obeying yet were there some holy Priests Levites and People who understood better what was Sin what Duty what Obedience was due to Men and what to God that left their Places in the Ministry Livings Benefices Cities Suburbs and others after them that left their Habitations and States rather then they would 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 15 16. turn aside to Jeroboam's self-devised new Worship and Idolatry 2. Equals Towards whom some who 2. Equals know how to behave themselves with respect enough to their Superiors are often to blame in their carriage And are ready to excuse it with this I knew with whom I had to do I am as good a man as he c. Thus both Job and his Friends seem to be blame-worthy for some unhandsome Clashes and Reflections They begin with him Chap. 8. 2. and one word brought on another He tells them He was not inferior to them and knew as much as they Job 12. 2. 3. 13. 2. And they again to be even with him Tell him they are his betters Job 15. 9 10. What knowest thou that we know not with us are the gray headed and very aged men much elder then thy Father So that ere they parted they were not so good Friends as when they met How much better were it to remember those good Directions Be kindly affectionated one to another In honour preferring one another Rom. 12. 10. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory provoking one anâ—ther but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better then Phil. 2. 3. themselves This woâ—ld preserve Love 3. Towards Inferiors commonly men 3. Inferiors Gen. 4. 23. are most to blame A tyrannical Lamech will insult over his poor Wife and use her like a Slave not sparing to threaten her into awe and dread And a wicked Nabal so rugged to a Servant and to every man 1 Sam. 25. 17. puft up with his wicked Pelf that he knows not how to give any man a good word nor could any man tell how speak to him And how often do the Rich ill intreat the Poor who stands Cap-in-hand and Prov. 18. 23. useth Intreaties when the Rich answereth him roughly And excuse themselves with saying I knew with whom I had to do Should I stoop to a Thistle Thus did Abishai's blood rise at Shimei and calls him Dog dead Dog when David said Let 2 Sam. 1â— 10. him alone I will leave him to God It may be he will require me good for his cursing I will not foul my hands with him nor let choler rise against choler There could not well be a worse Creature then Shimei nor a greater or better Person then David nor a worse affront offered yet he lets all fall That is the best flesh that heals of it self Yet we have a greater example then David having to do with a worse then Shemei even Michael the Arch-Angel when disputing with the Devil durst not bring in railing Accusation only said The Lord rebuke thee If an Angel did not give an unbecoming word if an Arch-Angel the highest of that Order durst not to Satan the vilest and most cursed
Malice as Ananias his lye Acts 5. 9. Not repented of but sin unrepented of as the two Theeves are Examples 10. Not sin confessed but covered and smothered Prov. 28. 13. Lastly Sin forsaken never damns sin not forsaken ever damns Prov. 28. 13. Ezek. 18. 21. Manasseh an example of the one Pharaoh of the other 1. We must distinguish of Righteousness 1. There is a Legal and Evangelical Righteousness 2. A Righteousness before God and before men Before God there is none Righteous according to the strictness of the Law But Zachary Elizabeth Abel and Lot and all truly godly are called and counted righteous by an Evangelical righteousness while they endeavour to fulfil all righteousness though in many things fall short But though they dare not plead their righteousness before God in whose Eyes the Heavens are not pure yet can they before men say Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblamably 1 Thess 3. Po. we have had our Conversation among you Whose Oxe or Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded There are sins Quotidianae Incursionis as Tertullian calls them some over-sights which the best are not free from but bewail and they consist with Grace But there are other gross sins Vastantia Conscientiam which make foul work with Conscience and denominate a man unrighteous in a high measure these shut out of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. A third Doctrine much abused to strengthen Doct. 3. Christ died for Sinners men in sin is That Christ dyed to save Sinners which is the most comfortable Doctrine in all the Bible a saying worthy of all acceptation and due consideration But what use doth the presumptuous Sinner make of it Then saith he shall I do well enough though I live in sin for I can't out-sin the Merits of Christ's Blood which is said to cleanse from all sin And thus would he make Christ the Minister and Maintainer of sin as if he came not to destroy the Works of the Devil but to Patronize 1 John 3. 8. them But if thou wilt understand know That Jesus Christ came not to save us in and with but from our sins Matth. 1. 21. that is from the practice love and dominion of sin He gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity and to Tit. 2. 14. purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good Works Every word of which Text speaks life to the Sinner but death to his sin Christ came indeed to reconcile God and the Sinner not the Sinner and Sin He pulls down the partition-wall between God and the Believer but sets up a partition-wall between the Believer and his Sin But many deal with Christ said a worthy Dr. Hall Bishop as some do with their Prince or some great noble man they care not how much they take up and how far they run in debt and when payment should be made they get a Protection to elude the course of Justice So do many fly to Christ for his Protection saith he and this is a common cheat 4. There is no Doctrine more abused then Doct. 4. We are saved by grace that of free grace That we are saved by Grace not Merit The Scripture ascribeth all to Grace we are justified by Grace Rom. 3. 28. Saved by Grace not Works Ephes 2. 8. Where Sin aboundeth Grace superaboundeth Rom. 4. 20. Hence the Libertine assumeth I will rely on the Grace of God and not doubt of Salvation though I am such a Sinner The Apostle easily foresaw that such an Antinomian and Antievangelian Inference would be made by some ungodly ones as Jude calls them who would turn grace into wantonness therefore doth twice obviate and refute it in one Chapter Rom. 6. 1. Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound And verse 15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace And knocks down both with the same short answer of defiance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Shall Grace act against it self and destroy Grace shall gratia gratis data become Ingratum faciens 1. These do quite and clean corrupt the Doctrine of Grace which teacheth to deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11. 2. These do pervert the use of Grace set down Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the Law but under Grace 3. These frustrate the main end of Grace which is set down Rom. 5. ult That as Sin hath reigned unto Death Grace might reign by Righteousness to eternal life To abuse Grace is the greatest Sin imaginable and to despight the Spirit of Grace is the Sin unpardonable Heb. 10. 29. And if any are ungodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in God's Black-Book as destined to condemnation Jude verse 4. they are such as turn the Grace of God into wantonness A fifth Doctrine much abused is That Doct. 5. That we are saved by Faith we are justified and saved by Faith alone which is most true and consonant to Scripture Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Ephes 2. 8. I will therefore believe saith the careless Christian and then hope I shall do well enough though I have no good works which I hear are excluded in those fore-cited Scriptures in the matter of Justification But know O vain man That Faith and Works are only opposed in the matter of Justification but are never separated and parted As the Eye and Ear are opposed in the matter of seeing the Eye only sees not the Ear but where God gives Eyes he gives Ears also So to whom Grace is given to believe it is given to obey Faith is not an idle but active and operative Grace It works by love Gal. 5. 6. Is of a heart purifying nature Acts 15. 9. It unites the Soul to Christ so that Christ is said to dwell in the Soul by Faith Ephes 3. 16. And to live in the Soul Gal. 2. 20. The right Epithete of true Faith is most holy Faith Jude verse 20. His right property is sanctifying Acts 26. 28. True Faith is never solitary but attended and known by her good many Companions Vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5. Love Ephes 1. 15. Fear Heb. 11. 7. Repentance Mark 1. 15. Righteousness 2 Tim. 2. 22. Obedience Heb. 11. 8. Patience Heb. 6. 12. Sanctification 2 Thess 2. 13. Good Works Tit. 3. 8. Her Exercises are holy Duties Therefore we read of the Prayer of Faith James 5. 15. Living by Faith Heb. 11. 28. Walking by Faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. And as to our spiritual warfare it is of singular use we read of the fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6. 22. Resisting the Devil quenching his fiery Darts overcoming the World and all by Faith So that such know little of the nature of Faith who dream that Faith hath nothing to do but to look on a Promise and sit still Faith hath Promises Conditions Precepts Threats
Solomon's Manasse's or at worst as the thorny-grounds or stony or as Demas's in all which there is a door of Hope opened upon Repentance and not the last a mischievous malitious and despightful rejecting and treading under foot the Son of God upon which account many miserable Creatures have been terribly but needlesly terrified as was that blessed Soul Mr. Glover who upon the consideration of those words It is impossible c. Heb. 6. 4. concluded of himself that he had committed that unpardonable Sin and could not get it out of his mind day nor night and so continued along time that he could neither sleep quietly nor had joy to eat drink or any thing yet was afterwards recovered Of all the stories I have read or heard I have not met with a sadder then that related by Aretius a forreign Divine who upon this Subject speaks of a certain rich Merchant at Strasburgh whose whole life had been most abominable for Whoredome Drunkenness Usury Contempt of God's Word to his old age In which at last he began to bethink himself and what would become of him at the last day whereupon Aretius in Mat. 12. his own Conscience and Satan together did so terrifie him that he fell into down-right despair so that in many horrid Expressions he gave himself up to Satan acknowledging that his he was he would say the Grace and Mercy of God could not be so great as to pardon so many and so great Sins Hereupon he was filled with horror and astonishment even gnashing his Teeth weeping wayling and which is horrid to relate calling upon the Devil to fetch him away to Hell he would throw himself upon the ground refusing both Meat and Drink That if ever you saw the Picture and Idea of a despairing person he was one yet upon Conference with holy Divines and application of God's Promises and many Prayers made for him in Publick and Private he repented recovered lived piously several years after and dyed peaceably But enough of this now to proceed Another saith My case is next door to 12. Relapses into the same sin this Sin if it be not it I have replased into the same sin again or others as bad after Repentance and Knowledge of the Truth what hope is there for me I must say yet repent and humble thy self thy case is sad Yet shall I add what Tertullian saith in this case Far be it from me by saying there may be Lib. de Panitentia hope after a second or third fall to encourage any to a sinning anew Yet did Sampson fall a second time into the same and Jonah into another as bad as his former Peter lapsed and relapsed a second and third time yet repented and received to favour as great as ever God calleth upon Back-sliders to return and promiseth Mercy Promiseth to heal Back sliders and back-sliding Jer. 3. 12 14. He biddeth us forgive a Brother that offendeth seven times a day if he ask forgiveness Luke 17. 4. And his Mercies are sure above our mercies Yet saith Tertullian again God forbid that any should make this use of this Doctrine that because God is so ready to forgive man should be the more bold to sin shall abundance of Divine Mercy provoke to more Impudence and Impiety shall man make himself the worse because God is so good Sin often because he pardons often But yet saith he Let no man be over-whelmed with despair if he have fallen again Let him fear to offend again not forbear to repent again c. Let none saith he refuse to be restored to health again if his Disease have returned again if the Disease be returned the Medicine must be renewed To conclude The last Plea against believing I fear I may be â— Reprobate is I fear I am in God's black Bill And if our Sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live sâ—y those Cavillers Ezek. 33. 10. So say some If I should be reprobated how can I believe I shall be saved would you have me believe a lye or am I not bound to believe I shall be damned Answ No man is bound to believe he is a Reprobate but every man bound to give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure 2. I say as formerly no man can know himself to be a Reprobate though Election may be know in this life Reprobation cannot so easily for though our present Faith and Obedience argue Election yet present Infidâ—lity and Disobâ—dience conclude not Reprobation for then it would follow that none such should after repent and believe which we daily see the contrary 3. I do not say Every one is bound to believe he shall be saved but every one is bound to believe that he may be saved 4. Every one is bound to believe he shall perish if he do not believe and repent and that not by reason of any secret Decree but because he goes against the express conditions of Salvation Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned Therefore busie not thy Head to enquire into God's Decree but study thy Duty according to his express Command and revealed Will. 5. There is an express Command of God That all men every where should repent Acts 17. 30. All sorts of Men all sorts of Sinners and there is an absolute and universal Promise of forgiveness upon Repentance Luke 24. 47. There is an absolute Command also that we should believe in Christ 1 John 3. 23. So that we offend God as much in not believing as in any not obeying 6. Know there is a sufficient remedy provided for thee whatsoever thy case may be Heb. 7. 25. 7. Thou will not reason thus in other matters as to say If I am doomed to be famisht why should I eat or drink God's Decree will stand When God shall destroy the course of Nature put an end to Seed-time and Harvest and shut thee up in Prison within Stone-walls and deny thee daily Bread then fear thou mayst be famisht So if God should take away his Gospel his Ministers Ordinances and his Spirit and call in all those Precepts and Promises he hath made in his Gospel which he will never do then thou mayst conclude thy case desperate Were it Decreed I should be drowned which yet I can never know should I therefore cast my self into the Sea or if thrown in refuse to swim to save my life or rather labour to keep my self out of the Water None but ignorant and desperate Wretches make such simple and desperate Inferences from God's Decrees 8. Use then thy Endeavours and leave all to God Do as Joab did when he saw the Battell behind and before Let us play 2 Sam. 10. 12. the men saith he and the Lord do with us what is good in his Eyes If I perish I Ester 4. 16. perish But if I perish I will not perish like a Coward or Sluggard