The Sin Against the Holy Ghost, Sermons · Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON VPONUPON PART OF THE TENTH CHAPter of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes.
HEBR. 10. VER. 26.27.
26 For if we ſinne willingly, after that wee hauehave receaued the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſinne:
27 But a fearefull looking for of iudgement, & violent fire, which ſhall devoure the adverſaries.
IN this Scripture the Apoſtle endeavouring to perſwad the Hebrewes, & vsus in them, to continue & perſevere conſtantly in the faith which they had, and we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus; and willing to ſhake of from them and vsus, all careleſneſſe and fleſhly ſecuritie, preſuming ſo farre of our ſluggiſh dulneſſe, as that poſſibly it may not bee healed without ſharpe medicines: vſeth theſe words, nothing pleaſing to carnall minds, for that they are very forcible, ſharper indeed then any two edged ſword, to pricke all ſuch conſciences as are well nigh ſeared vp.
Herein it may pleaſe you to conſider two things;
1 What it is from which in this place wee are diſſwaded: it is from ſinning willingly after that wee hauehave receaued the knowledge of the truth: in theſe words, for if wee ſinne willingly, &c.
2 What inducements are brought to diſſwade vsus from ſo ſinning. They are two.
1 Becauſe if thus we ſinne, wee ſhall never bee able by any ſacrifice to make an atonement betweene vsus, and God revenging vsus. In the latter words of the 26. verſe: there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſinne.
2 Becauſe if thus we ſinne, we can looke for no better, then eternall deſtruction, ſpecified verſ. 27. by a fearefull looking for of iudgement, & violent fire, which ſhall devoure the adverſaries.
In the firſt general part we may be moued to the conſideration of three circumſtances.
1 Who they needs muſt bee, that may fall into this ſinne, from which the Apoſtle ſo effectually dehorteth vsus: & they are ſuch as hauehave receaved the knowledge of the truth.
2 With what minde this ſinne is committed. The minde muſt be willing.
3 What manner of ſinne it is.
I ſhall at this time content my ſelfe, to ſpeake only of the firſt generall note, and ſome of the circumſtances therein.
If we ſin willingly after wee hauehave receaued the knowledge of the truth] My firſt obſervation here, toucheth the perſons, who alone doe fall into this ſinne. Here they are ſaid to hauehave receaved the knowledge of the truth. They are ſaid to hauehave beene once lightned, and to hauehave taſted of the heavenly gift, and to hauehave bin made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, and to hauehave taſted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, Heb. 6.4, 5. They are ſaid to hauehave eſcaped from the filthineſſe of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, & of our Savior Ieſus Chriſt, Mat. 12.43. Our Saviour ſpeaking of ſuch, ſaith, that the vncleane spirit is gone out of them; and verſe 44. that they are ſwept and garniſhed; and Mat. 13.20. that they heare the word, and incōtinētly with ioy receaue it. Other like places for the ſame purpoſe, might be alleaged; but theſe may ſuffice to ſhew, that God hath many waies made himſelfe knowne vntounto them; that he hath given them true vnderstanding, that he hath quickned their ſpirits to receaue gladly his Gospell; that they had a feeling of the kingdome of Heaven; that they had knowne ſinne to be ful of miſery, and vexation of the ſpirit; that they had confeſſed all true ioy to be only in Chriſt. Such is the ſtate of knowledge to which they are called; ſuch are the graces, wherewith they are endued.
Whence it neceſſarily followeth, that nor Turkes, nor Infidels, nor Atheiſts, nor Epicures hauehave yet ſinned this ſinne: nor Pharaoh, a veſſell of Gods wrath; nor Sodome and Gomorah with all their filthines; nor blaſphemousaEſai 36.13. Rabſhakeh, making the Idols of the nations equall with the God of Heaven, hauehave yet ſinned this ſinne. A curſe (I graunt) hath gone out againſt them, and all like them, and truly are they accurſed: their ſins hauehave beene abominable; bondſlaues are they of Satan, and ſtrangers from the God of Iſrael: but yet muſt I ſay, that a heavier curſe is paſſed forth againſt all ſuch as ſinne this ſinne. The time will come (and farre of it cannot bee, for long ſince it was at hand) when it ſhall be eaſier for Turke, for Infidel, for Atheiſt, for Epicure, for Pharaoh, for Sodome, for Gomorah, & the like, then for ſuch, as ſinne this ſinne. Much eaſier for Turk, for Infidell, and the reſt, then for thoſe wicked blasphemers of the holy Spirit, who doe not onelyonly fulfill the full meaſure of thoſe Pagans ſinnes, but contemne alſo the Graces given vntounto them, the knowledge, whereto they hauehave beene called, and that good Spirit, whereof the Pagans were never made partakers. Now looke we backe for a while to thoſe markes, wherewith they are noted, againſt whom our Apoſtle in this place denounceth. If they bee duely conſidered, they will moue our hearts to wiſdome.
One is: they hauehave beene once lightned] that is, they hauehave been endued with the knowledge of God; and that not onelyonly by the heavens, though theybPſal. 19 …. declare Gods glory; nor only by the firmament, though that ſheweth his handy worke; nor onelyonly by other his creatures, though in them alſo his eternall power & godhead appeareth and ſhineth, (for of this light all nations are made partakers:) but they hauehave beene lightned alſo with his holy word. This hath beene acPſ. 119, 105. lanterne to their feet, and a light vntounto their paths. When they found it, they did greedily taſt of it, and it was vntounto them the ioy and reioycing of their hearts. And can we think, that any thus lightned are neere vntounto curſing? Yea, thedHeb. 6.7. Scripture telleth vsus, that they may ſo fall away, as that it ſhall be impoſſible for them to be renued againe by repentance, Heb. 6.6. Indeed the earth which drinketh in the raine, that commeth oft vponupon it, and bringeth forth hearbes, meet for them, by whom it is dreſſed, ſhal receaue a bleſſing of God; but that earth, which beareth thornes and briers, is reproued, is neere vntounto curſing, the end thereof is to bee burned. Preſume wee not then, beloved in the Lord. Whoſoever1. Cor. 10.12 thinkes he ſtandeth, may fal. O! worke we out our ſalvatiō with feare & trembling.
An other marke of theirs is: they hauehave taſted of the heavenly gift. This heavenly gift is eternall life through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6.23. It is that great ſalvatiō that is in Chriſt Ieſus, ſo called by Chriſt himſelfe, ſpeaking to the woman of Samaria, Iohn. 4.10. This gift they hauehave not only knowne, but hauehave alſo tasted of it. Would you know what taſte this is? One expounds it thus. Suppoſe a banquet provided, wherein are many ſweet, pleaſant, and dainty meates. At this banquet, the bidden guests muſt be ſet downe; they ſee the meats, they taſte thē, they eate them, they diſgeſt them, they are nouriſhed & ſtrengthened by them. The vnbidden gueſts! it is not ſo with them. They indeed may ſee the meates, yea more then ſo, happyly they may be permitted to handle them, and taſte of them, to feele how good they are; but eate, or feed of thē, they may not. Apply this; and in the vnbidden gueſts, taſting of thoſe dainety meates; you ſhall perceiue this taſte of the heavenly gift reſembled. They hauehave taſted of the heavenly gift; that is, they hauehave gladly ſometime receaved it, and reioyced in it; like Herode, who did gladly heare Iohn Baptiſt preaching, Mark. 6.20. & like the ſecond kinde of naughty ground, that ioyfully receaved the ſeed, Mat. 13.20. Herod may willingly heare the preaching of the word, and yet be accurſed; the naughty ground receiving the ſeed with ioy, in the end may be burned. Many may hauehave a taſte of eternall life, & of that great ſalvation, which is in Chriſt Ieſus, and yet may finally fall away. Preſume wee not then, beloved in the Lord. Whoſoever thinkes he ſtandeth, may fall. O! worke we out our ſalvation with feare and trembling.
Their third marke is; they hauehave beene made partakers of the holy Ghoſt; that is, many graces of the ſpirit of God hauehave beene given vntounto them. They may repent, like Iudas, Mat. 27.3. confeſſe their ſinnes, like Pharaoh, Exod. 10.16. louelove God, as Saule did, 1. Sam. 10.9. They may deſire to be like Gods children in happineſſe, as Balaam deſired, when he ſaid: O let my ſoule die the death of the righteous, & let my laſt end be like his, Num. 23.10. They may ſhew liking to Gods Miniſters, reverence them, and feare to diſpleaſe them, as Simon Magus did, who at Philips preaching beleeved, wondred at his miracles, and kept cō pany with him, Act. 8.13. They may be zealous in the profeſſion of the goſpell, as the Galatians were, who receaved Paule as an Angell; and if poſſible, would hauehave plucked out their eies, to hauehave done him good, Gal. 4.16. Thus may they be qualified, yea much better then thus; and yet may finally fall awaie. Preſume we not thē, beloved in the Lord. Whoſoever thinkes he ſtandeth, may fall: O! worke we out our ſalvation with feare and trembling.
Their laſt marke, (for I omit the reſt, as being all reducible to theſe fowre) their laſt marke is: They hauehave receaved the knowledge of the truth: that is, they hauehave cauſed theirfEzech. 3.3. bellies to eate, and hauehave filled their bowels with that ſweet roule, as ſweet as any hony in their mouthes: they hauehave receaved the word of God in their hearts in ſuch abundance, as that they are become preachers of the word: for they hauehavegHeb. 6.5. taſted of the good word of God, and of the power of the world to come, they hauehave taſted it indeed, but only hauehave they taſted it.
Here let me once more remember you of the reſemblance of taſting. You know that Cookes which are buſied in preparing of banquets, hauehave commonly as much feeling and ſeeing of the meates, as any other, and yet, there is none that eateth leſſe of it then they; their ſtomackes are ſo cloyed with the ſmell & taſte thereof: ſo is it here; it may come to paſſe, that the preacher, which dreſſeth and provideth the ſpirituall food, may eate leaſt of it himſelfe, & ſo labouring to ſaue others, himſelfe may proue a reprobate. It hath beene thought, that ſome of them which built the Arke, were not ſaved in the Arke: but certaine it is, (not only thought ſo) certaine it is, that diverſe ſpirituall builders of Chriſts Church, ſhall not be ſaved with the Church, They may by vsus be takē for Gods ſheepe, becauſe they are kept in the ſame paſtures, and folded in the ſame fold with vsus; they may by vsus be taken for Gods ſheepe, though indeed they be very Goates. There is a day to come, wherein the h2. Pet. 3.10.heavens ſhal paſſe away with a noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with heate, & the earth, with the workes that are therein ſhall be burnt vp: then may Demas alleage for himſelfe his old and once-true religion, and Iudas for himſelfe, his Apoſtleſhip: and many others for themſelues, their prophecying in Chriſts name; but al in vaine. For that iust Iudge will profeſſe vntounto them,iMat. 7.23. Luk. 13.27. I never knew you; depart from me yee workers of iniquity. Preſume wee not then, beloved in the Lord. Whoſoever thinkes he ſtandeth, may fall. O! worke we out our ſalvation with feare and trembling.
Having thus conſidered their markes, & finding that they hauehave beene once lightened, that they hauehave taſted of the heavenlie gift, that they hauehave beene made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, that they hauehave received the knowledge of the truth, that they heare the word, and receiue it, and receiue it forthwith, and receiue it forthwith with ioy; examine we our ſelues by thoſe notes, whether we are ſowen in the Lords field, hauehave taken roote, hauehave growen to perfection, yea, or no. For if our righteouſneſſe exceede not theirs, their lot ſhall be as good as ours: if we be foreign, time-ſeruers, as wel as they, their backeſlidings ſhal hauehave as eaſie a iudgement as ours: if we apply our religion and conſcience to the preſent condition of things; the change of this preſent condition, muſt worke in vsus new religious, new conſciences. And therefore would I counſell you, as Philadelphia is counſelled, to hold that which you hauehave, that no man take your crownes, Revel. 3.11. and as Sardi is counſelled, to ſtrengthē & confirme the things that remaine in you, that your workes might be fulfilled before the Lord, Revel. 3.2. You are now in a race, and muſt runne, not only to pace the ground, or to make vp the number of runners, or to weary your bodies, or to spend your breathes, but you muſt runne to obtaine alſo; ſuch is the Apoſtles coūſell: So run, that yee may obtaine, 1. Cor. 9.24. There is no time of ſtanding in this life, we muſt ſtill forwardes. Some came into the vineyard at morning, & ſome at noone; but none received any reward, but they which ſtaide vntill night, Mat. 20.8. Iacob prevailed not with God at his firſt wraſtling: but when he had wraſtled with him all night, Gen. 32.26. It is not our praying for an howre can do vsus good; for we muſt pray cō tinually, 1. Theſſ. 5.17.
kSee my third ſermon on Luk 9 pag. 56.Having a long time beene fed lLam. 4.5.delicately and brought vp in ſcarlet, ſhall we now periſh in the ſtreets, ſhall we now imbrace the doung? Having a long time had our heads of gold, ſhall we now (to become like Nabuchadnezzars Image) put onmDan. 2.33. feet of clay? Having long ſince begun in the spirit, ſhall we now end in the nGal 3.3., fleſh? So ſhall our laſt eſtate, be worſe then our firſt: ſo ſhal we all this while hauehave runned in vaine. For he runnes in vaine, whoſoever he be that runnes (run he never ſo ſwiftly) that ſits him downe, or ſtands ſtill before he comes to the goale. There is no time of ſtanding or ſitting ſtill in this life; we muſt ſtill forwards. He that is righteous, let him be righteous ſtill; he that is holy, let him be holy ſtill. Since we hauehave bin once lightned, ſince we hauehave bin taſters of the heavenly gift, ſince we hauehave bin partakers of the holy Ghoſt, ſince we hauehave beene receivers of the knowledge of the truth, ſuch be we ſtill: & thinke we, that every bleſſing of God beſtowed vpō vsus, is a further calling and provocation of God, as were his callings vponupon Elias, 1. King. 19.4, 5.
When God found Elias a daieso1. Kin. 19.4. iourney in the wildernes ſitting vnderunder a Iuniper tree, & ſleeping, he called vponupon him, ſaying,pVerſ. 5. vp and eate, and when he had found him aqVerſ 7. ſecond time ſo ſitting and ſleeping, a ſecond time alſo he called vponupon him & ſaid, vp, and eate, thou haſt a great iourny to goe: and whē he had travailedrVerſ. 8. forty daies and was lodged in a ſVerſ. 9.caue, he called vpō him againe and ſaid, what doeſt thou here, Elias? at laſt he was brought forth to thetVerſ. 11. mount, & then alſo there came auVerſ. 12. voice vntounto him, and ſaid,xVerſ. 13. What doeſt thou here Elias?yVerſ. 15. Goe & returne by the wildernes vntounto Damaſcus; and do ſo, and ſo.
Here is inſtruction for vsus, whether we bee entred into our way, or hauehave proceeded in it; whether we be babes in Chriſt, or ſtrong men; whether carnall, or spirituall; we muſt vp and eate, and ſtrengthen our ſelues; firſt with milke, and then with ſtronger meate; we muſt vp & eate, we hauehave ſtill a great iourny to goe, we muſt walke from light to light, from grace to grace, from vertue to vertue, from knowledge to knowledge: we muſt thinke that alwaies we heare a voice calling vsus forward, vp; thou haſte a great iourney to go: what doſt thou here, Elias?
Excellent is that commendation given to the Church of Thyatira, Revel. 2.19. I know thy workes, and thy louelove, & thy ſervice, and faith, and patience, and that thy laſt workes are more, then thy firſt. Here was no backeſliding, but great encreaſe; Shee was a true branch in that vine, which bare fruit, Iohn. 15.2. Shee was purged, that ſhee might bring forth more fruit: ſhee grew vp dayly in Chriſt, and became better and better; fuller of faith, fuller of louelove, fuller of all good workes: and as a new borne babe ſhee coveted the ſincere milke of the word, that ſhee might grow thereby: her laſt workes were more, then her firſt.
And the concluſion of the Epiſtle written to this Church, & of al the other Epiſtles written to the other ſixe Churches, is this: foreign, not he, that draweth his ſword, nor he, that fighteth the battles of the Lord, nor he, that ſpendeth his blood, much leſſe he, that fainteth, that flyeth, that ſleepeth, that ſtandeth, or ſitteth ſtill, but foreign he that overcommeth, ſhallzRevel. 2.7. eate of the tree of life, and of theaVetſ. 17. hidden Manna, ſhall receaue a white ſtone, ſhall be clothed inbRev. 3.5. white aray, ſhall be made a cVerſ 12.pillar in Gods Temple, and ſit with God himſelfe in his dVerſ. 21.throne.
The ſumme of all this is:eSee my third Serm. on Luke 9. p. 57. not every one, but he onelyonly, that endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved, Mat. 10.22. Not every one, but he only which is faithfull vntounto the death ſhall receaue the Crowne of life, Revel. 2.10. Not every one, but ſuch only as are marked in their forbeads with the letter foreign; with the note of perfection and perſeverance, ſhall enter the inheritance of the bleſſed, Ezech. 9.4. foreign, he that overcommeth,fRev. 2.11. ſhall never be hurt of the ſecond death.
Let the dogge returne to his vomit, and the ſow to her wallowing in the mire; but let vsus (like Abraham) hold on our ſacrifices till the evening, the laſt evening of our liues, and a full meaſure ſhall be meaſured vntounto vsus. If we are lightned, endeavour we to encreaſe this light in vsus, if we hauehave a taſt of the heavenly gift, ceaſe we not to tast it ſtill; if we are made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, reſt we not, but walk we from grace to grace; if we hauehave receaued the knowledge of the truth, let vsus hold it faſt till our Lord Ieſus come, & he will deliver vsus from that houre of tentation, which ſhall come vponupon all the world, to trie thē that dwell vponupon the earth. Thus much of the perſons, who alone doe fall into this ſinne. Now ſee we, with what mind this ſinne is committed. For that is my ſecond circumſtance.
If we ſinne willingly] How deſirouſly & with what conſent of mind this ſinne is committed, it appeareth partly in this place, by this word (willingly) and partly by thoſe wordes, Heb. 6.6. they crucifie againe vntounto themſelues the ſonne of God, and make a mocke of him. They crucifie againe the ſonne of God, that notes their envy and malice; they crucifie him againe vntounto themſelues, that argues their willingneſſe. Their conſciences, & their hearts filled with envy and malice, doe make thē with all willingneſſe commit ſuch abomination. This their willing mind to doe ſo ill, may ariſe from three of their conceits.
One is: that a man may repent when he will, and this perſwaſion they hauehave, becauſe, Ezech. 18.21. they find, that at what time ſoever a ſinner ſhall returne from all his ſinnes, that hee hath committed, and ſhall doe that which is lawfull and right, hee ſhall ſurely liue, and ſhall not die: all his tranſgreſſions that he hath cō mitted, they ſhall not be mentioned vntounto him; but in his righteouſneſſe that he hath done, he ſhall liue. Here they may conceaue that late repentance is ſeldome true repentance, and iuſtly may they feare, leſt that repentance which they frame to themſelues when they are dying, die with them. The firſt leſſon that Iohn Baptiſt taught, was Repent, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 3.2. The firſt leſſon, that the Diſciples taught, was Repent, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Math. 10.7. And the firſt leſſon which Chriſt himſelfe taught, was, Repent, too, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 4.17. Here is no poſting over to the houre of death. Repentance muſt be firſt of all learned both by young, and old. It is not for a young man to ſay, I will repent; for certainely could Iudas hauehave repented, whē he had liſted, he would never hauehavegMat. 27.5. Act. 1.18. hanged himſelfe; neither is it ſafe for an old man to ſay, I hauehave repented: he hath lived long enough to knowe that God is I am, and therefore is beſt pleaſed with I am: he little cares for, I was, or I will be.
A ſecond conceit of theirs, making their mind ſo willing to doe wickedly, is, that the beſt man that is hath ſeaven falls every day into groſſe ſinnes, and here they alleage that place, Prov. 24.16. the righteous man falleth ſeaven times in a day, and riſeth againe. But we may anſwer, that this place is to bee vnderſtood of fals into afflictions and calamities, rather then of falls into actuall ſinnes, and ſo makes little for their purpoſe.
Their third conceit is: that their ſmall ſinnes, or hidden ſinnes are no ſinnes, and that their greateſt ſinnes, wherein they liue & lie wallowing moſt dangerouſly, are but ſinnes of infirmitie. And here they are perfit in the reckoning vp of Peters fal, Lots inceſt, Solomons Idolatrie, Noahs drunkenneſſe, Davids murther, Sarahs lie, Rebeccahs perſwading her ſonne Iacob to beguile his owne father, the theft of Oneſimus, the many Concubines of the Patriarchs, and the like: they finde that the grace of God hath abounded aboue ſinne in all theſe; and why may it not abound aboue their ſinnes alſo? In this reſolution they hold on their owne and proper walke. Impij in circuitu ambulant, Pſal. 12.8. the wicked hauehave their waies: but they are crooked, they are circular endleſſe waies, they walke by compaſſe, not much vnlike their father the Divell, who teſtifieth of himſelfe, that he had compaſſed the whole earth, Iob. 1.7. they walke by compaſſe indeed, but never towards the marke, never towards the price, that is ſet before them. For how can they attaine thereto, as long as they goe thus wheeling about, to no purpoſe, like the turning of a mill; which, when it hath laboured the whole day long, is foūd at night in the ſelfe ſame place, where it firſt began? So theſe men in circuitu ambulant, they walke by compaſſe, and when the night ſhall come, their laſt night, the laſt houre of their liues, they ſhall bee found, not to hauehave proceeded one ſtep forwards, except it be in wickedneſſe.
To this point I ſay, howſoever grace aboundeth aboue ſin, yet accurſed are they, yea ever curſed ſhall they bee, who doe ſinne, that grace, and bleſſing may abound vntounto them, Rom. 6.1. we are forbidden to doe hRom. 3.8.evill, where we certainely know that good may come thereof; much leſſe may wee make the grace of God a defence for our ſinnes. This muſt bee our ſhield: there is no iRom. 8.1.condemnation to the righteous, though hee fall many times a day; but if any man ſhall ſinne, preſuming of Gods mercies, let ſuch a one knowe that his damnation is iuſt; and himſelfe is like that theefe that ſtealeth, becauſe hee ſeeth one among twentie pardoned by the Prince.
Thus you ſee, with what minde this ſinne is committed, the heart is full of envy, full of malice, and the minde in all willingneſſe aſſenteth. But do not Gods children, having received the knowledge of the truth, ſinne alſo willingly? If they do, how thē is it, that they are freed, from this ſinne, for which there remaineth no more ſacrifice? This doubt will be cleare if we doe but conſider this one poſition: The childe of God though he cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time, may notwithstanding fall grievouſly, may fall dangerouſly. Firſt, by his default the graces of God may be leſſened in him: and therefore hath S. Paule exhorted the Theſſalonians not to quench the spirit, 1. Theſſ. 5.19. & the Epheſians, not to grieue the holy spirit of God, Epheſ. 4.30. By his default then the graces of God may be leſſened in him; yea, they may be ſo buried in him for a time, as that he may be like a man in a trance, who both by his owne ſenſe, and by the iudgement of the Phyſitian is taken for dead. Hither may you referre the eſtate of Peter, of David, and of others, whom I hauehave already mentioned vntounto you. Secondly, he may fall againe into the ſame ſinne after repentance; and this may wee learne of Paule praying the Corinthians in Chriſtes ſteed, that they would bek2. Cor. 5.20 reconciled to God; who indeed were reconciled to God before. Thirdly, he may ſin preſumptuouſly, that is, he may ſinne wittingly, willingly & wilfully. Againſt this David praied vntounto the LORD, Pſal. 19.13. keepe thy ſervaunt from preſumptuous ſinnes; that he was in danger of them appeareth by the words following, let them not reigne over me. Laſtly, he may ſinne desperately; and this is a fearefull ſinne: he may deſpaire of Gods mercies for a time, as the inceſtuous mā was like to doe, as S. Paule ſheweth, when he ſaith, comfort him, leſt he be ſwallowed vp of overmuch heavines, 2. Cor. 2.7. So, true is one part of our former poſition, the childe of God may fall grievouſly, may fal dāgerouſly. For he may quench the ſpirit within him, after repentance he may ſinne againe; he may ſin preſumptuouſly, he may ſinne deſperatly. The childe of God may fall grievouſly, may fall dangerouſly, yet cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time. The reaſon hereof is this: after that he is ſanctified, he receiveth from God an other ſpeciall grace, you may call it corroboration, the ſtrengthning power of Chriſt. Hence is it that Paul praieth for the Epheſians, that they may be ſtrengthened in the inner man, Epheſ. 3.16. and for the Coloſſians, that they might be ſtrengthened with the glorious power of Chriſt, Coloſſ. 1.11. and of himſelfe he ſaith, that he is able to doe al things through the power of Chriſt, that ſtrengtheneth him, Philip. 4.13. This corroboration, this ſtrengthening power is that, that raiſeth vp the children of God as oft, as they are fallen. DAVID in the anguiſh of his ſoule may ſay; I am caſt out of thy ſight, O Lord, Pſal. 31.22. Marke how this ſtrengthning power lifteth him vp: firſt, it maketh him confeſſe that he ſpake that in haſt; and then it putteth into his minde a Veruntamen, a particle of better grace, wherewith he correcteth his haſty ſpeech; Veruntamen audiſti vocem deprecationū mearum, cum vociferarer ad te. I ſaid in my haſt, I am caſt out of thy ſight, YET thou hardeſt the voice of my praier, when I cryed vntounto thee. And in the ſame Pſalme verſe 12. he vſeth thoſe harſh words, iarring very vnpleaſantly in his owne eares, & ſtriking out of tune; I am forgotten, as a dead man out of minde; I am like a broken veſſel. And here ſee, how this ſtrengthning power helps him with a verò, a note of better ſound: Ego verò in te confido, IEHOVA, dicens, Deus meus es. I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde, I am like a broken veſſell; BVTlPſal. 11.14, I truſted in thee, O LORD; I ſaid, thou art my God. When Ionas had beene caſt into the bottome mIon. 2.3.in the middeſt of the Sea, and the floods had compaſſed him about, when all the ſurges, and all the waues had paſt over him; then (looking on his former diſobedience) he ſaid, I am caſt away out of thy ſight, O Lord, Ion. 2.4. and here alſo this ſtrengthning power revived Ionas ſpirits with a Veruntamen and an Attamen, words of comfort; Veruntamen pergā intueri in templum ſanctitatis tuae; Attamen eduxiſti à corruptione vitam meam, IEHOVA Deus mi. I ſaid, I am caſt away out of thy ſight, O Lord;nVerſ. 4. YET will I looke againe toward thy holy temple: TheoVerſ. 5. waters compaſſed me about vntounto the ſoule, the depth cloaſed me round about, and the weedes were wrapt about mine head; pVerſ. 6.I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines: the earth with her barres was about me for ever; qVerſ. 7.YET haſt thou brought vp my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
One hath noted vponupon this place, that if it were not (for Attamen, verò, and veruntamen, but, yet, notwithſtanding, and ſuch like comforting particles, our hearts might quake within vsus, to ſee ſuch paſſions in the Saints of God. But it is the Lords property, ever to ſend a gracious raine vponupon his inheritāce, to refreſh it, when it is weary, Pſal. 68.9. and true it is that Hoſea ſaith, though we looke for a day or two, as if we were dead and forlorne, yetrHoſ 6.2. after thoſe two daies, he will reviue vsus, and the thirde day he will raiſe vsus vp, and we ſhall liue in his ſight. So true is the other part of our former poſition, the childe of God cannot fall finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time. For God hath bleſſed his children with repentant hearts: And ever bleſſed ſhall they be, that are ſo bleſſed by the Lord.
For he hath made a decree with himſelfe, it belongeth to the new Teſtament, it is ratified by the death of the Teſtator; it is witneſſed by three in heavē, & by three in earth, & never ſhal it be altered; and this is the DECREE? At what time ſoever a ſinner, ſEzech. 18.21whoſoever he be ſhall repent him of his ſinnes, whatſoever they be, and ſhall doe iudgement and iuſtice, he ſhall ſurely liue, he ſhall not die. If he truely repent of his wickednes he neede not be troubled, either by the vexations of this wretched life, or by the horror of conſcience, or by the malice of many foes, be they men or Devils; and if Devils, be they ſeaven in one, a legiō in an other, all the principalities, all the powers of darkneſſe in the third; for he ſhall be aſſured to hauehave forgiuenes; & therefore I ſay againe: At what time ſoever, a ſinner, whoſoever he be, ſhall repent him of his ſinnes, whatſoever they be, and ſhall doe iudgement and iuſtice, he ſhall not die.
Hitherto hauehave you ſeene, how willingly this ſinne is cōmitted, and how Gods children, though ſinning alſo willingly are freed from it. In the third place muſt I ſpeake of the ſinne it ſelfe.