The Sin Against the Holy Ghost, Sermons · Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON.
HEB. 10. VER. 26.
26 For if we ſinne willingly, after that we hauehave receaved the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſinne:
NOW are we to ſpeake of the ſinne, frō which we are in this Scripture dehorted. This ſinne, ſeated in ſuch a ſubiect, as they are, who hauehave receaved the knowledge of the truth, and proceeding from ſuch a cauſe, as is a willing, a ſet, & an obſtinate malice againſt God, and againſt his Chriſt, is the Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt. The very naming whereof, before I proceed to the handling of it, cauſeth me to remē ber you, and my ſelfe, of two blemiſhes, wherewith the ſpirit of man (in ſuch a buſineſſe as now we hauehave in hand) vſeth very much to be infected.
1 Too much boldneſſe.
2 Too much feare.
Solomon hath ſaid, there is a generatiō, which are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not waſhed from their filthines, Prov. 30.12. Experience maketh me preſume, that I may as truely ſay: there is a generation, that are wiſe and learned in their own conceit, and yet they are not waſhed from their folly, yet they are not waſhed from their ignorance. Many men will boaſt, every one of his owne goodnes, but who can finde a faithfull man? ſaith the wiſe man, Prov. 20.6. So many thinke they ſtand, yet ſtand not; many thinke they beleeue, yet beleeue not, they knowe not what faith meaneth: many looke to be ſaved, yet are ignorant who ſhall ſaue them: many would be countedaIoh. 3.10. maſters in Iſrael, teachers of others, yet knowe they no more then Nicodemus, what it is to be bVerſ. 9.borne againe.
So farre hath this boldneſſe thruſt it ſelfe, as that now, bee there any talke of Divinitie, it is thought but a ſmall matter, for ſuch, whoſe neckes are as ſinewes of Iron, and browes like braſſe, I meane, for careleſſe hearts and venterous tongues, to be vp with predeſtination or the Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. To ſuch what ſhall I ſay? Even as one ſaid in the like caſe: it were better for them they had neither tongues in their heads, nor hearts in their breaſts, then that they ſhould delight in their ſo vnreverent and vngodly vſage. For hereby what doe they elſe but blaſpheme the eternall wiſdome of God? It is a faithfull leſſon for ſervants, to be obedient to them that are their maſters according to the fleſh, in feare & trembling; you may find it, Eph. 6.5. And ſhall we, ſervants to that great LORD, our maſter according to the spirit, when we enter talke of his word, not feare? ſhall we not tremble? ſhall we at his greateſt myſteries, be careleſſe & mockers? The knowledge of Gods predeſtination ſhould caſt downe our proud reaſon, even to the ground; it ſhould make vsus confeſſe before him, that all his doings are ſecret, all his iudgements vnſearchable, all his waies paſt finding out; yet we like fooles, vnwilling (though wee ſhould bee brayed in a morter) to let our fooliſhneſſe depart from vsus, doubt not at all, to examine the high iudgements of God, as if they were pliable to our fooliſh reaſon.
And ſo likewiſe, the Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt, is mentioned to make vsus feare, to work in vsus the feare of the LORD, which is, as a well-spring of life, to free vsus from all the ſnares of death, to make vsus louelove the LORD, & learne al his iudgemēts, to aſſure vsus ſo farre of his favour as that we cannot poſſibly ſinne againſt his ſpirit: yet we, as diſcontent herewith, put all feare apart, & make no end of queſtioning, whether the Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt, be this ſinne? or that ſinne when (God knoweth) at al ſinnes we make but a ieſt. Iuſtly may we feare, leſt God ſay to vsus, as once he ſaid to the wicked, Pſal. 50.16. Quid tuâ, vt enarres decreta mea? Gods ordinances being holy & pure ſhould not come into mouthes given to filthineſſe. With what face then dare men of vncircumciſed mindes and mouthes, medle with ſuch holy myſteries, either publikely, or privatly? Quid tuâ, vt enarres decreta mea? What haſt thou to doe to declare mine ordinances? Doth it belong to thee to take my covenant in thy mouth? ſaith the Lord. You ſee how farre too much boldneſſe carieth vsus headlong.
The other fault I ſpake of was too much feare.
Some there are (and they none of the worſt of vsus) who by the ſingular mercies of God hauehave ſo beene humbled, as that they cover their faces, and hang downe their heads at the remē brance of their ſinnes. To ſuch every ſound of the Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt is a piercing of their hearts: they ſtop their ears at the name of it: they would not hauehave it ſpoken of at all, for feare leſt themſelues ſhould bee holden in the tranſgreſſion. In which their opinion they ſeeme to accord with thoſe, who hold of predeſtination and election, that they are matters not to be thought of, too high for mans learning. Which conceite was firſt founded in the forge of a Popiſh braine, & thence hath beene derived to vsus.
Hence ſprang that their comfortleſſe leſſon; hope well, and hauehave well: and that their aſſertion leading vntounto wilfull blindneſſe; it is not the dutie of a man to knowe his election. In the 2. to the Corinth. 135. it is thus written: Proue your ſelues, whether yee are in the faith: examine your ſelues; knowe yee not your owne ſelues, how that Ieſus Chriſt is in you, except yee bee reprobates? Conſider the words. Shall God here by his Apoſtle bid, proue, and dares man ſay, doubt? Shall God bid, examine, & dares mā adviſe vsus, only to hope? Shall the ſpirit of truth command vsus to knowe our ſalvation, and dares a lying ſpirit in the mouthes of falſe prophets account it preſumption to knowe our ſalvation? To this purpoſe is it, that S. Iohn exhorteth you, 1. Iohn. 4.1. Trie the spirits, whether they are of God, or not.
As for thoſe in whoſe eares the naming of this Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt ſoundeth harſhly, Chriſt hath ſaid the ſumme of all that hath beene ſaid:cLuk. 12.32. Feare not my little flocke, for it hath pleaſed your father to giuegive to you a kingdome, not momentary, but eternall, purchaſed not with gold and ſilver, but with the moſt precious bloud of his only ſonne, and therefore may yee well be aſſured, that he will alſo giuegive you victory over ſinne & death.
This great and heinous Sinne, bee it what it will, (let it never diſcourage you) it cannot hurt you; it is none of yours. This ſinne, is the ſinne of thoſe that hauehave despiſed knowledge; but like as the Hart deſireth the water brooks, ſo doe your ſoules thirſt after more knowledge of the Lord. This ſinne is the ſinne of ſuch, as hauehave contemned the Croſſe of Chriſt; but the delight of your liues is therein. This ſinne is the ſinne of ſuch, as hauehave made the world their God, but your God with whō yee walke, in whoſe feare you liue, hath had ſuch mercy on you, as that yee account all the world but dung, to the end yee may winne Chriſt. And therefore I ſay againe: this great and heinous ſin, be it what it will, (let it never diſcourage you) it cannot hurt you, it is none of yours. Whereſoever they dwell, that hauehave thus ſinned, and are in this condemnation (be of good comfort) God himſelfe beareth you witneſſe, that their tents and their tabernacles are not neere you.
Thus hauehave wee beene warned, touching Gods holy myſteries, that we be neither too bold, nor too fearefull: let vsus now, walking in the midſt betweene both, betweene feare & boldneſſe, drawe neere with reverence; and with glad and faithfull eares, abide we the hearing of this ſinne; let vsus not bee ſo fooliſh, either to feare the ſmoake, ſince the fire cannot hurt vsus; or to wade too farre, ſince the depth may devoure vsus.
Now then, not to trouble you long, with thoſedDeſperatio, Praeſumptio, Impoenitentia, Ob…tinatio, Impugnatio …eritatis agnitae, Invidia gratiae fraternae Angelus del Pas …nchirid. Scholaſt. Theolog. Sect. 2. lib. 2. c. 1. p. 56. ſix kindes of ſinnes againſt the holy Ghoſt, much ſpoken of by the Schoolemen, as namely, preſumption of Gods mercies, and Deſpaire cō trary to preſumption, and the Oppugning of the known truth, & the Envying of all the good gifts and graces in our brethren, and Obſtinacie, & Impenitencie; let it bee ſufficient for vsus to vnderſtand, that in the word of God, there is mention of one onelyonly ſinne ſo called. In Mat. 12.31. as alſo in Mark. 3.29. and Luke, 12.10. it is called the blasphemie againſt the holy Ghost. You ſhall finde it at large deſcribed, if with theſe words of my text you will conferre thoſe other places, as Heb. 6.4, 5. 2. Pet. 2.20. 1. Ioh. 5.16. All which will manifeſt, that there is but one only Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt.
As for the repining at our brethrens good, being but a breach of the ſecond table, & touching the preſuming vponupon Gods mercies, being but a kind of hypocriſie; I ſee not how they may bee called Sinnes againſt the holy Ghoſt.
The other foure indeed hauehave ſome reference to this Sinne. The falling away from the knowne truth, and obſtinacie, are in the nature of this ſinne: finall impenitencie, is a conſequent, a puniſhment of it, and ſo is despaire. And here becauſe there goes ſomewhat a generall conceit that despaire indeed is the Sin againſt the holy Ghoſt, let me ſhew you ſome differēce between that Sinne and despaire.
This Sinne againſt the holy Ghost is a blaſphemie ſpoken againſt the knowne truth; ſo is not deſperation, though ſometimes it be a puniſhment of this ſinne. This Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt bringeth with it finall impenitencie; it ſhall bee impoſſible for ſuch a ſinner to repent; ſo is it not in desperation. A despairing mā may repent. This Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, is a deniall of Chriſt, ariſing from a ſet, a wilfull, and an obſtinate malice; ſo is not deſperation; for it may ariſe either through ignorance of a mans owne eſtate, or through horror of conſcience for ſinnes committed, or through an often relapſe into ſome ſinne, or through a ſerious conſideration of our owne vnworthines, or by abiuratiō of the truth through compulſion and feare. The ſumme of all is, the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt is a ſinne of the Reprobate, but Gods choſen children may fall into deſpaire.
For whoſe comfort let me adde a word or two. It is a true ſaying, God in ſome ſenſe may be ſaid to forſake his children. Elſe why ſhould DAVID ſay, Pſal. 77.7, 8, 9. Will the Lord abſent himſelfe for ever? Will he ſhew no more favour? Is his merciemercy cleane gone for ever? Doth his promiſe faile for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be mercifull? Hath he ſhut vp his tender mercies in displeaſure? Elſe why ſhould IONAS ſay, chap. 2.4. I am caſt out of thy ſight, O Lord? Elſe why ſhould GEDEON ſay, Iud. 6.13. Now the Lord hath forſaken vsus, and delivered vsus into the hands of the Midianites? Elſe why ſhould the Saviour of vsus all ſay, Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?
It is manifeſtly true, God in ſome ſenſe may be ſaide to forſake his children, and thus it is. God hides his graces for a time, and covereth them even within his children; he takes them not quite away; only he removeth all ſenſe, and feeling of them: & ſo farre forth he forſaketh them. The reſemblaunce is vſually made by your trees in the winter ſeaſon. They are beaten with winde and weather; they beare neither leafe, nor fruit; they looke, as though they were rotten, and dead. The reaſon you know; the ſap lies hid in the root. It is no new thing, nor ſtrāge to ſuch as tread in the pathes of godlines, to hauehave their ſoules like affected to thoſe your trees. The time of comfort will paſſe away & tentation follow, & then is the winter for your ſoules; then ſhall yea be, as beaten with winde and weather; as bearing neither leafe nor fruit; and looke, as though yea were rotten and dead. The reaſon is plaine: Gods graces do lie hidden and covered for a time within the cloſets of your hearts. But as your trees do ſpring againe, and beare both leafe and fruit, receiving comfort of a better ſeaſon, ſo ſhall you. You ſhall be reſtored, God will turne your mourning into ioy; God will looſe your ſacke; God will gird you with gladneſſe.
Here may we learne this leſſon: Cuncta dei opera ſunt in medijs contrarijs; it is Gods vſe, in, and by one contrary to worke another. A man would thinke, that an infinite hoſt of enemies could not be overcommed without an exceeding great multitude. But it was the Lords doing; Gedeon with his three hundred ſouldiers put to flight ſuch an hoſt, Iud. 7.21. A man would thinke that clay and spittle tempered together ſhould put out ones eies. Wonderfull are the Lords doings: Chriſt vſed clay & spittle ſo tempered, as a meanes to giuegive ſight vntounto the blinde, Ioh. 9.6. A mā would thinke water ſhould put out fire. Behold the finger of the Lord! Elias poures water on his ſacrifice, and fils a trench with water to make his ſacrifice burne, 1. King. 18.35. The like you may obſerue in the worke of Grace to ſalvation. A man living long in ſecurity hath at length his eies opened to ſee his ſinnes, and heart touched to feele the intolerable burdē of them; now he bewailes his wretched eſtate, with anguiſh, with bitternes of heart, & thinkes that God will preſently make him a firebrand of hell: ſee how by this contrary the contrary is wrought. The Lord is now about to worke and frame in his heart ſanctification, and ſuch repentance, as never needs to be repented of.
A man that hath had ſome good perſwaſion of Gods favor in Chriſt, comes now at laſt vponupon many occaſions to be troubled, and to be overwhelmed with diſtruſtfulneſſe & grievous doubtings of his ſalvation. Now he iudgeth himſelfe to hauehave beene but an hypocrite in former times: for the preſent time, he thinkes himſelfe a caſtaway: and ſee here how by this contrarie the contrary is wrought. For now indeed the Lord doth nothing elſe, but exerciſe, faſhion, and increaſe his weake faith. Cuncta Dei opera ſunt in medijs contrarijs. The graces of God peculiar to the elect, are begun, increaſed, and made manifeſt in or by their contraries.
And therefore if any, whoſe delight hath heretofore ſeemed to hauehave beene in the Law of the Lord, ſhall deſpaire at his end, we muſt (for ſo we learne in this place) leaving ſecret iudgements to God, in charity iudge the beſt of them. We muſt not weigh their ſpeaches; for men in ſuch caſes ſpeake, not as they are, but as they feele themſelues to be. We muſt rather looke vntounto God, who at all times, & eſpecially in temptations, (ſuch are his mercies) accepts the will for the deed; a willing mind to obey God, for faithfull obedience; a willing minde to repent their ſinnefull liues; for perfect repentance.
But happyly ſome will doubt, if a man in despaire make a way himſelfe, if he ſpill his owne bloud, what may then bee thought? The caſe, I graunt, is very fearefull; yet ſtill muſt we cary the ſame opiniō. For if Gods iudgements are very ſecret; if for any thing we know, a man may repent in the very agony; if none of vsus be able to comprehend, the bottomles depth of the graces and mercies which are in Chriſt, we ſhoulde not dare (paſſing the bounds of charity) giuegive too raſh a cenſure, but rather pray in the ſpirit, that God come not vponupon vsus with the like viſitation.
Thus hauehave we ſeene the difference betweene despaire & the Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, as alſo what cōfort, what ioy may from thence ſhine vntounto feeble and weake ſpirits: Now ſeeke we farther into this ſinne. Let vsus firſt conſider, what manner of rebellion it is. Secondly in what regard it is ſo named. Thirdly, what obiect it hath.
The manner of rebellion, namely, how farre they fall awaie, who hauehave fallen into this ſinne, we ſhall perceiue, if we looke vntounto the beginning of the ſixt chapter of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes. There verſe 1.2. the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of repentance frō dead workes, of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptiſme, & laying on of hands, of the reſurrection from the dead, and of eternall iudgement. All theſe he calleth the beginning, the foundation of Chriſtianity. Then verſe the 6. he ſpeaketh of an apoſtacie, of a falling away from all theſe points, even from the foundatiō and firſt beginnings of Chriſtian faith, giving vsus thereby to vnderſtand, that they who are holden in this tranſgreſſiō & hauehave ſinned this ſinne, hauehave forſaken all the principles of religiō, hauehave loſt their former light, hauehave departed from their firſt vnderſtā ding. As for repentance, they caſt it behinde them, and the firſt faith, they regard it not: they eſteeme baptiſme no more then the waſhing of their hands, neither care they to be received in to the Church of God: the reſurrection of the dead, that feedes them with many a merry conceit; they thinke pleaſantly with thēſelues, what manner of bodies they ſhal hauehave, of what age theſe their bodies ſhall be, whether they ſhall hauehave haire and nailes, and the like. But the eternall iudgement, the remembrance indeede thereof ſometimes frighteth them, yet are they incouraged againe, when they think, how farre of it is. So preferre they darkneſſe before light, ignorance before knowledge, errour before hope, infidelity before faith, ſhame before glory, a curſed death before eternall life.
They are fallen away from repentance, and therefore impoſſible ſhall it be for them to repent; they are fallen away from faith towards God, and therefore never may they hope to beleeue againe: they are fallen away from the doctrine of baptiſme, & laying on of hands, and therfore are they not likly any more by thoſe meanes to be illuminated; they are fallen away from the doctrine of reſurrection, and therefore though they riſe againe, it ſhall be to their owne confuſion; they are fallen away, from the doctrine of eternal iudgement; and therefore ſhall eternall iudgement ſwallow them vp.
It is no more but thus: they hauehave fallen away wholy from CHRIST, they hauehave despiſed the ſweet graces of the HOLY SPIRIT, wherewith they once were lightened, and therefore ſhal they be fed with wormewood, and be made to drinke the water of gall; and not this only, but let all the rivers and ſtreames of freſh water, which glad the city of God, and comfort the ſoules of the faithfull, runne alſo into their ſoules, they will reſiſt them and driue them backe, they will admit no entrance for any perſwaſion of the graciouſnes and kindnes of the Lord, though it be preached a thouſand times. They hauehave ſinned againſt the holie Ghoſt, and condemnation is their portion. You ſee in the manner of rebellion, how farre they may fall away; now for the name.
It is not called the Sinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, as if it were againſt the Godhead of the holy Ghoſt: for the ſame God is alſo father and ſonne: The godhead of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt is all one, their glory is equal, and their maieſty coeternall: nor is it ſo called, as if it were againſt the perſon of the holy Ghoſt, for that is no greater then the perſon of the father and of the ſonne: The whole three perſons are coeternall together and coequall. Nunquid alia est offenſa filij, alia spiritûs ſancti, ſaith S. Ambroſe De spiritu ſancto Lib. 1. cap. 3. His anſwer is; Sicut vna dignitas, ſic vna iniuria. Can the holy Ghoſt bee grieved, and the ſonne well pleaſed? No; Sicut vna dignitas, ſic vna iniuria. The Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt hauehave all one glory, & therefore an iniurie done to one, is done to all. Trium perſonarum non ſunt diviſae offenſae, ſaith the Maſter of the Sentences, Lib. 2. Diſt. 43. art. 4. It is impoſſible, that a ſinne committed againſt the holy Ghoſt, ſhould not alſo bee committed againſt the Father, and againſt the Sonne; yet ſaith he, Peccatorum genera diſtincta ſunt; you may vſe a diſtinction betweene ſinnes: where he ſheweth that although power, wiſdome, & goodneſſe, be one and the ſame in all three perſons, yet ſometimes in a more peculiar ſort, there is aſcribed, power to the father, wiſedome to the Sonne, and goodneſſe to the goly Ghoſt; and hence ariſeth this diſtinction of ſinnes. If a man ſinne through infirmitie, he may be ſaid to ſinne againſt the Father, for in him is power; he is the father of might. If hee ſinne through ignorance, he may be ſaid to ſinne againſt the Sonne, for in him is no want of knowledge; he is the wiſdome of the Father. If he ſin through wilfull malice, hee may bee ſaid to ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, for in him is all goodneſſe; his office is to ſanctifie.
You ſee then why this Sinne is called the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt; not becauſe it is againſt the Godhead of the holy Ghoſt, nor yet becauſe it is againſt the perſon of the holy Ghoſt; but becauſe it is againſt the goodneſſe of the holy Ghoſt: againſt the goodneſſe, that is, againſt the graces of the holy ſpirit given vsus to the ſetting out of the praiſes of the LORD. For whoſoever ſhall despiſe thoſe good graces, & turne them to the contempt of Gods maieſtie and glory, and tread thē vnderunder foot, and account them prophane, and purpoſely, and wilfully, Heb. 6.6.and malitiouſly carry them away to all wantonneſſe, hee crucifieth againe vntounto himſelfo the ſonne of God, hee deſpites the spirit of grace, he ſinnes againſt the holy Ghoſt.
I ſhall not need to ſpeake of the obiect, which I propoſed vntounto you in the third place; the two former notes hauehave made it ſufficiently manifeſt, that the malice of this ſinne is directed againſt the whole TRINITIE, againſt the very maieſtie of God himſelfe, and againſt his Chriſt: it directly reſpecteth the firſt table of the morall law, it is not any particular ſlipping aſide, it is a generall defection, a generall apoſtacie from God, and that totally.
Here ſhould I ſhew you, what puniſhment is provided for ſuch ſinners: but that diſcourſe is better fitting the later words of my Text. Yet that wee bee not ſwallowed vp by ſecure and careleſſe living, as long as we heare nothing of any puniſhmēt due for ſo great a ſinne, let it not be troubleſome to vsus at once to take a view of it.
Certaine it is, an end ſhall come vponupon them, yet never ſhall they end; death ſhall take them away, yet never ſhall they die; they ſhall be in fire vnquenchable, yet ſhall ſee nothing, for the darkneſſe ſo palpable; everlaſtingly ſhall they burne, yet not cō ſume.
You may read of the wine of giddineſſe, Pſalme 60.3. of a ſtrange kinde of worme, Eſa. 66.24. of the winepreſſe of Gods wrath, Revelat. 14.10. of fire and brimſtone, Ezech. 38.22. All theſe, & (if worſe may be) many more worſe then theſe, are for ſo many torments, aſſuredly allotted them. Their cup is a cup of the deadlieſt wine, that ever yet was taſted, even the wine of Gods wrath, wherwith they ſhall be filled for evermore; their worme, is a worme, that never leaveth gnawing. They ſhall bee tormented before the holy Angels, and the lambe in fire and in brimſtone: not ſuch as fell vponupon Sodome and Gomorah; (for ſo might they hauehave ſome hope at length to bee diſſolved into heaps of aſhes, or clouds of pitch) but in fire and brimſtone, aſcending from a mine without bottome, burning in the lake of death, giving them no reſt, either day or night. The ſmoke of this their torment aſcends for evermore, and is appointed to continue, for a time, and times, & no time, even when time ſhal be no more, Rev. 10.6. When time ſhall be no more, yet then ſhall their torment continue, & that in ſuch a meaſure as no eye hath ever ſeene the like, no eare hath ever heard the like, no tongue hath ever vttered the like, no heart hath beene, is, or ſhall bee able ever to conceaue the like.
Having thus pointed at their puniſhment, let vsus now conſider the degrees, by which they hauehave aſcended to that fulneſſe of their iniquitie, as alſo how far our ſelues hauehave troden in their ſteps.
The degrees are theſe.
1 They are deceaved by ſome ſinne.
2 By the ſame ſinne their hearts come to be hardned.
3 This hardneſſe of heart by continuance breedeth in the wickedneſſe, and perverſitie.
4 There followeth incredulitie and vnbeleefe.
5 After their vnbeleefe, they fall to a generall apoſtacie, neceſſarily, and that immediatly. Neceſſarily and immediatly they fall away from faith in Chriſt.
Theſe are the degrees: firſt deceit by ſin, then hardneſſe of heart ariſing from deceit, the heart being hardned it becommeth wicked and perverſe, this wickednes and perverſitie of heart, cauſeth incredulitie & vnbeleefe, whereby is wrought that higheſt ſtep, generall apoſtacie, and falling away from God. The two firſt ſteps hauehave beene & are vſually trodden in by vsus: namely deceit by ſome ſinne, and hardneſſe of heart by the ſame.
That old Prophet, 1. King. 13.11. entiſed a younger Prophet contrary to the commandment of God, to*1. Kin. 13.18. turne home with him, and to eate and drinke, but at the laſt he curſed him for his labour, and his curſe tooke effect, for as hee returned hee was ſlaine by a *Verſ. 24.lyon in the way. Not much vnlike is Satans dealing with vsus. He entiſeth vsus to ſinne, from which wee are, by the Lords commandment, to fly, as from a ſerpent; wee hauehave yeelded vntounto him, and hauehave ſinned; but hee hath curſed vsus for out labour; only as yet, we hauehave not met with any lion in the way. Notwithſtanding ſinned we hauehave, and that not once only: for Satan hath deceaued vsus ſtill, and wee hauehave yeelded ſtill vntounto him, & ſtill hauehave we ſinned. And are not our hearts now hardned with ſinning? Yes, very much hardned.
I grant, it may be, our cheekes wil bee red to talke of Chriſt, as theirs were, who went to*Luk. 24.13. Emaus, and we will bluſh apace to ſeeme ſo holy; but the Blackmore wil bluſh faſter then we, when fearefully, & fowly we ſinne againſt the Lord. Be there any ſinne, that delighteth vsus more then other, wee will take part with Naaman, (*2. King. 5.18 let God be mercifull vntounto vsus if he will) we will not leaue it, we will wallow in it, ioy in it, liue in it, grow old in it. Doe wee not bath this matter of earth and wormes meat, wherewith we are clogged, in all pleaſure and eaſe, as if there were neither corruption to rot it, nor Heaven to receaue it, nor Hell to burne it?
Behold the progreſſe, ſinne hath made in vsus: firſt there was titillatio delectationis in corde, then followed conſenſio, then factum, then conſuetudo. Firſt Satan ſlily crept into our hearts, & there he moued a tickling delight, which ſo well pleaſed vsus, that by and by we gaue conſent thereto; and to ſhew that our cōſent was not in vaine, we were not long before we brought it into fact, not long, I ſay, before wee did that wicked deed, whereto we were incited; and done it we hauehave, and that not once or twiſe only, but many times, now it is become a cuſtome. And yet doe we ſecurely ſleepe? See wee not the danger we are in? Surely the next ſtep we make, after we are accuſtomed by hardnes of heart to yeeld vntounto the deceit of ſinne, except God giuegive vsus grace to returne, can be no other, then into a wicked and perverſe heart, and then will follow incredulitie & vnbeleefe, wherevpon immediatly and neceſſarily muſt enſue the higheſt degree, even generall apoſtacie, & falling away from God.
In which caſe at this time I ſay no more vntounto you, then the Apoſtle ſaid vntounto the Hebrewes, chap. 3.12, 13. Take heed, my brethren, lest at any time there be in any of you an evill heart, & vnfaithfull, to depart away from the living God; Exhort one another dayly, while it is called to day, leſt any of you bee hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne.