A Golden Chain, Essay 1
CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW FARRE A MAN MAY goe in the profession of the Gospel, and yet be a wicked man or a Reprobate.
I.
A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain aRo. 1. 21. Psal. 19. 1.3knowledge of God, of common equitie among men, of the difference of good from bad: and this is partly from nature, partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures, in which the wisdome, the power, the louelove, the merciemercy, the maiestie of God is perceiued.
II.
This knowledge is only generall and imperfect, much like the ruines of a Princes pallace: it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good work. For example, he knoweth that there is a God, and that this God must be worshipped: come to particulars, who God is? what a one he is? how he must be worshipped? Here his knowledge faileth him, and he is altogither vncertain what to doe to please God.
III.
By reason of this knowledge, the Reprobate doeth giuegive consent, and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods law; as may appeare by the saying of Medea: Video meliora probóque; deteriora sequor. That is, I know what is best to be done, and like it; yet I doe the worst. This approbation in the Reprobate commeth from constraint; and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe: in the elect being called, the bRo. 7. 15.approbation of the law, proceedeth from a willing and ready mind, and is ioyned with louelove and liking.
IV.
And by reason of this light of nature, a meere natural man, and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations: for example, hee may be tempted of the deuill, and of his owne corrupt flesh, to beleeue that there is no God at all. As Ouid saith of himself, Eleg. 3. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos: I am often tempted to thinke there is no God.
V.
The reprobate for all this knowledge, in his heart may bee an Atheist, as Dauid saith: cPsal. 14.1. Rom. 3.10. 11.The foole hath said in his heart there is no God. And a man may now a daies find houses and townes full of such fooles: Nay, this glimmering light of nature, except it bee preserued with good bringing vp, with diligent instruction, and with good companie, it will be so darkened, that a man shall know verie litle, and lead a life like a very beast: as experience telleth, and Dauid knewe very well: who saith,dPsal. 49. 20. Man is in honour, and vnderstandeth not; he is like to beasts that perish.
VI.
Wherefore, this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature, and from the creatures, albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God: yet before Gods iudgement seat,eAct. 14.17. Rom. 1. 21. it cutteth off all excuse, which he might alleadge, why he should not be condemned.
VII.
fHeb. 6.4. 2. Pet. 2. 23.Beside this naturall knowledge, the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word, & be illuminated by the holy ghost, and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word.
VIII.
Thus when they heare the preaching of the word, god profereth saluation to them, and calleth them, gMat. 22. 14. Luk. 13. 14. Prou. 1.24. Ioh. 9.41. Luk. 14.6.yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God. For the reprobate when he is called, he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes, and therefore neither will he; and if he would, yet could he not answer, and be obedient to the calling of God. The elect beeing called, with speed he answereth, and commeth to the Lord, and his heart beeing readie, giueth a strong and loud eccho to the voice of the Lord. This eccho we see in Dauids heart: hPsal. 27.8.Whē (saith he) thou saidst, Seek ye my face: mine heart answered vntounto thee; O Lord, I will seek thy face. And god himself speaketh the same of his children. Zach. 13.9, They shall call on my name, and I wil heare them: I wil say, it is my people (nowe marke the eccho) and they shall say, the Lord is my God.
IX.
After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word,iHeb. 10.26 Act. 1.16.17. hee may acknowledge the truth of it, and confesse it: and if neede require, be a defender of it: As Iudas was, and Iulian the Apostata.
X.
The reprobate may hauehave a feeling of his sinnes, and so acknowledge them, and the punishment due vntounto them: k1. Sam. 29. 21.as Saul did; who said, I hauehave sinned: come againe my sonne Dauid: for I will doe thee no harme, because my soule was precious in thine eies this day: Behold I hauehave done foolishly, and hauehave erred exceedingly. Thus did Caine,lGen. 4.13. when he said; My punishment is greater then I can beare. mEus. lib. 8. cap. 17.18.Galerius Maximinus, a vile persecutor of Christians, had his bowels rotting within him: so that an infinit number of wormes continually crawled forth of his bodie, and such a poysoning stinke came from him, that no man coulde abide him: being thus plagued with the hand of God, he began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians, and he confessed his sinnes to the true God: and assembling the chiefe rulers about him, he commanded that all within his dominions should cease to trouble Christians, and in all haste he made a lawe for the peace and libertie, and the publike meetings of Christians.
XI.
The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terrour of conscience: but this is onlie, because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God, which is most terrible. When Paul preached before Foelix, and by the maiestie of Gods spirit, did (as it were) thunder from heauen against his sinnes… doubtlesse he made his heart to ake, and eueryevery ioynt of him to tremble.nSocrat. l. …. c. 11. Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople, in the daies of Constantius, professed Christian religion, & went beyond all other in zeale for the same religion: yet afterward vnderunder Iulian, he fell from that religion vntounto Gentilisme. But after Iulians death making meanes to bee receiued into the Church againe, ouerwhelmed with the horror of his own conscience for his wicked reuolting, he cast himselfe down on the groūd before the doores of the church crying aloud, Calcate me salē insipidum: Trample on me vnsauerie salt. And the deuill beleeueth the worde of God and at his owne damnation he trembleth. These seruile feares, though they harden the heart of the reprobate, as heate doth the yron, after it hath bin in the furnace: yet these feares in the children of God oAct. 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15.are very good preparations, to make them fitte to receiue grace: like as we see the needle which soweth not the cloath, yet it maketh a passage and entrance for the thread, which serueth for this vse, to sowe cloath togither.
XII.
A reprobate before he commit a sin, is often vexed within himselfe, & feareth to commit it: not because he hateth and disliketh the sin for it selfe, but because he cānot abide the punishment due vntounto the sin. pMar. 6.20 26.When the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod, and pleased him: that hee might doe her a pleasure, he bad her aske what she would: shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter: Herod did grant her request, but yet he had a grudging in heart, & he was sore grieued at it.qMat. 27. 19.24. In like maner, Pilate was very much troubled inwardly before he condemned our Sauiour Christ.
XIII.
After he hath committed a sin, he rMar. 27.3. Heb. 12.17.sorroweth and repenteth: yet this repentance hath two wants in it. First, he doth not detest his sin, and his former conversation when he repenteth: he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed: he crieth out through very anguish, & through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him: yet for his life, he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne: & if he might be deliuered, he would sinne as before: sGen. 27.38 & 27.41. & 28.9.Esau wept before his father with great yelling and crying, but after hee was gone from his fathers presence he hated his brother, who had got his blessing, and in contempt of his father, chose him a wife against his liking. Pharao, as oft as the Lord laid any calamitie on him, tExod. 8.8.he euermore desired to be deliuered from it, yet afterward alwaies he returned to his old by as againe. Foelix trembled before Paul: for all that, he could not leaue his couetousnesse, but euen then he sought for a bribe. Secondly, the reprobate… when he repenteth, he cannot come vntounto God, & seeke vntounto him: he hath no power, no not so much as once to desire to giuegive one litle sob for the remissiō of his sinnes: if he would giuegive all the world he cannot so much as giuegive one rap at gods merciemercy gate, that he may open to him.Mat. 7.7. He is very like a man vponupon a racke, who crieth & roreth out for very paine, yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his paine. uGen. 3.4. 1. Sam. 31.4. Mat. 27.5.Caine would hauehave bin void of his trembling, but he could not aske pardon of his sinne from his heart: neither could Saul, or Iudas, or now can the deuill.
XIV.
The reprobate may humble himselfe for some sinnes which he hath committed, and may declare this by fasting and teares. When Eliah reprooued Ahab for his Idolatrie, and threatned him from the Lord, it is said, that when he had heard these words,x1. Reg. 21. 27.29. he rent his cloaths, and put sackcloath vponupon him, and fasted, and went softly in token of mourning: and this humiliation stayed Gods wrath for a time.
XV.
He may confesse his sinnes, euen his particular sinnes before men: but this is onelyonly then, when his soule is tormented for them, and can find no ease. For then he sticketh not to vtter his secret filthines to the hearing of all men; & to the open shaming of himselfe. When God smote all that was in the fieldes of Egypt with haile, then Pharao sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said vntounto them,yExod. 9.27 Num. 22.44 I hauehave now sinned, the Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked: pray ye vntounto the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mightie thunders, &c. So Iudas, when he saw that Christ was condemned, and felt an hell in his conscience, brake out, and said, I hauehave sinned in betraying the innocent blood. And the experience of these daies giueth fearefull examples for the proofe of this point.
XVI.
He hath often a desire to be like the children of God in happinesse, and to be saued: not because he hath any louelove to the kingdom of God, but because he is afraid of hell. As Balaam ouerpressed with the feare of Gods iudgement, praied thus:zNum. 2… 10. Oh that my soule might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his.
XVII.
The wicked in their distresse may pray to God, and God may heare their praiers, and grant them their request,aNum. 18. 18. as the Israelites wickedly murmuring against God, desired flesh in the wildernes: God heard their crie, and rained Quailes among them. But god heareth the wicked after one sort, & them that feare him after another: them that feare him, he granteth their requests of louelove and mercy: to the other of indignation and anger. bNumb. 11. 33. Psal. 78. 31.As may appeare in the Israelites, who when they were in eating of their Quailes, and the meate was within their teeth, God in his anger stroke thē with a sore plague. And (which is more strange then this) God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers, though they refused to aske it at his hands, euen then whē they were particularly commanded: cEsa. 7.…1.of this thing we hauehave a worthie example in King Achas, who vtterly refused to hauehave a signe of his deliuerance, and the confusion of his enemies, when God offered it to him, and yet the Lord deliuered him.
XVIII.
The reprobate may go further in the profession of religion… and may seeme for a time to bee planted in the Church: for he doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus, yet so that he cannot apply them to himselfe. In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ. The reprobatedLuk. 8. 13… generally in a confused manner beleeueth that Christ is a Sauiour of some men: & he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The elect beleeueth, that Christ is a Sauiour of him particularly. The reprobates faith may perish in this life, but the faith of the elect cannot. The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercy and goodnes of God towards him for the present time in the which he feeleth it: the elect is not onelyonly perswaded of the mercies he presently enioyeth, but also he is perswaded of his eternal election before the foū dation of the world, and of his euerlasting life, which yet he doth not enioy: Yea eIob. 3. 15.if God would confound him, and he saw nothing but present death, and hell fire: yet such is his nature that still hee would beleeue; for faith and hope are not grounded vponupon sense and feeling; but are the euidence of those thing… which were neuer yet seene or felt. The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ, as the sap in the root of the tree: their life is not in sense & feeling, but in hoping and beleeuing: which oftentimes are contrarie to mans sense and feeling.
XIX.
After that he hath receiued a generall, and a temporarie faith in Gods heauenly word, & his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life cōtained therin, by the power of the spirit of God,fHeb. 6.4. Mat. 13.20. he commeth to hauehave a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies, and a reioycing in consideration of the election, adoption, iustification, and sanctification of Gods children. But what is this taste? I expresse it thus, after the meaning of Gods word. Suppose a banquet prepared, in which are many sweet, and pleasant, and daintie meats. At this banquet, such as are the bidden guests, they must be set downe, they see the meates, they taste them, they chaw them in their mouthes, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthened by them: they which are not bidden to this feast, may see the meats, handle them, and taste of them, to feele how good they are… but they must not eate and feede of them. The first resemble the elect, which truly eate, digest, & are nourished by Christ vntounto euerlasting life, because they hauehave great aboundance of the vitall heat of Gods holy spirit in them, and doe feele sensibly his grace & vertue in them, to strengthen them & guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which neuer in truth enioy Christ, or any of his benefits appertaining to saluation: but only see them, and hauehave in their hearts a vanishing, but no certen or sound feeling of them; so that they may be changed, and strengthened, and guided thereby. To vse another similitude. The reprobates hauehave no more feeling, and enioying of Christ and his benefits, then those men hauehave of the sunne, which see onelyonly a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day, before it riseth. g2. Pet. 1.14 1. Ioh. 2.8. Luk. 1.27. Esa. 60. 1,2.Contrariwise, the elect, they hauehave the day-starre, euen the Sunne of righteousnes, Iesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visit them, the glorie of God doth rise vponupon them: they hauehave their eyes annointed with the oyntment of the Spirit, which is the true eye salue, and doe plainly behold the sonne of righteousnes; they enioy his presence, they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken and reuiue them.
XX.
From this sense and tast of Gods grace proceed many fruits: as first, generally, he may doe outwardly all things which true Christians doe, and he may lead such a life here in this world, that although he cannot attaine to saluation, yet his paines in hell shal be lesse: which appeareth, in that our Sauiour Christ saith, hMatth.11. 20,21,22, 23.it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon, for Sodom and Gomor…ha, then for Capernaum, and other cities vntounto which he came, in the day of iudgment.
XXI.
Also the reprobate may hauehave a louelove of God: but this louelove can be no sincere louelove, for it is only because God bestoweth benefits and prosperitie vponupon him: as appeareth in Saul, i1. Sam. 10. ….who loued God for his aduancement to the kingdome: & here is a difference betweene the Elect and reprobate: the Elect louelove God, as children their fathers: but reprobates, as hirelings their masters, whom they affect not so much for themselues, as for their wages.
XXII.
Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing in doing those things which appertaine to the seruice of God, as preaching and praier. kMar. 6.20Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladly: lmat. 13.20.and the second kind of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy.
XXIII.
A Reprobate often desireth them, whom he thinketh to be the children of God, to pray for him.mExo. 9.27. As Pharao desired Aaron and Moses to pray to God for him. nAct. 8. 24.So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which he had spoken against him, should come to passe. But yet they cannot pray themselues,oRom. 8. 16,26. because they want the spirit of Christ.
XXIIII.
He may shew liking to Gods Ministers, he may reuerence them, and feare to displease them.pAct. 8.13. Thus did Simon Magus, who at Philips preaching beleeued, wondred at his miracles, & kept companie with him. And Herod is said to feare Iohn, knowing that he was a iust man and holy: also he gaue reuerence to him. Antonius the Emperour, called Pius, though he was no Christian, rEus. lib. 4.yet in a generall parliament held at Ephesus, he made an act in the behalf of Christians: that if any man should trouble or accuse a Christian, for beeing a Christian; the partie accused should goe free though he were found to be a Christian, and the accuser should be punished.sPlin. lib. 10. … pist. 97. And Plinius secundus, gouernour of Spaine vnderunder Trajanus the Emperour, when he saw an innumerable companie of Christians to be executed; being mooued with compassion, he wrote in their behalfe, beeing no Christian, vntounto Trajanus to spare them that could be charged with no crime: and his letter is yet extant.
XXV.
He may be zealous in the religion which he professeth, and fall from that profession, as the Galatians did, tGal. 4. 16.who, after that they had receiued Paul as an Angel, and would hauehave plucked out their eyes to hauehave done him good: yet they fell from the doctrine which he had taught them to iustification by the works of the Law, which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone. u2. King. 10. 16.The same appeareth in Iehu, who was very zealous for Gods cause, & for the defacing of idolatrie, and thereupon God blessed him in his children: yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked man, x& 30. 31.and followed the vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father.
XXVI.
y2. Pet. 2. …0. Hos. 6.4. 1. Sam. 9.21After that he hath sinned, he doth in many things in which he is faultie, amend and reforme his life, and doth professe great holines outwardly. Herod, he did many things which Iohn Baptist in preaching mooued him vntounto: Saul, when he was to be chosen king, professed great humilitie. They may represse their vices and corruptions, and so moderate themselues that they breake not outzHest. 5.9… 10. as did Haman; of whome it is written: that when he was full of indignation against Mordecai, yet he refraine himself. And herein the Elect and the Reprobate differ: fora1. Thess. 5. 32. the elect are somewhat reformed in eueryevery one of their sinnes. But the reprobate, though he be amend in many faults: yet someone fault or other, he cannot abide to hauehave it reformed; and by that, in a vile manner the deuill wholly possesseth him. As Herod, who did many things, yet would not leaue his brothers wife. And no doubt, in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified: and yet by couetousnesse the deuill possessed him, and held him fast chained in bondage vnderunder him. For one sinne is sufficient to him, that by it he may bring a man to damnation. Secondly, in infidels liuing honestly, the spirit of God bridleth the force of sinne, & the corrupt nature that it breake not out, as it doth in many other. But in Christians that are indeed godly, the same spirit not only represseth the corruptiō of nature outwardly; but also mortifieth it within at the root, & regenerateth the whole mā into a new creature. Thus then neither the faithfull nor infidels doe effect any thing that is laudable but by the spirit of god: the faithful by the spirit of regeneration: infidels by the same spirit, only suppressing the outward act of sinne.
XXVII.
Beside this, he may hauehave the gift of working miracles, of casting forth deuils, of healing, and such like: aMat. 7.22 Mar. 9. 38.and this power of doing strange miracles, shall be vsed as an excuse of some of the reprobates in the day of iudgement.
XXVIII.
Oftentimes, vntounto him is giuen the gifts of the holy Ghost, to discharge the most waightie calling that can be in any common wealth. And this is meant, when God is said, b1. Sam. 10. 9.to giuegive Saul an other heart; that is, such vertues as were meet for a King.
XXIX.
A reprobate may hauehave the word of God much in his mouth, and also may be a preacher of the word:cMat. 7.22. for so prophecying in Christs name, shal be vsed as an excuse of reprobates: and we know that among the twelue Apostles, dAct. 1. 16. 17. Collos. 4. 2. Tim. 4.10Iudas was a reprobate. And this may be wel perceiued in the resemblance of tasting which the author to the Hebrewes vseth. We know, that cookes commonly which are occupied in preparing of bankets, hauehave as much feeling and seeing of the meat, as any other: and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it then they: for their stomackes are cloyed with the smell and taste of it: so, in like maner it may come to passe, that the minister which dresseth & prouideth the spiritual foode, may eate the least of it himselfe; and so, labouring to saue others, he may be a reprobate. And it is thought, that some of them which built the Arke, were not saued in the Arke, but perished in the floud.
XXX.
When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospell, though in deed he be a goat, yet he is taken for one of Gods sheepe: he is kept in the same pastures, and is folded in the same fold with them.cIoh. ….23. 24.25. He is counted a Christian of the children of God, and so he taketh himself to be; no doubt because through the dulnesse of his heart, he cannot trie and examine himselfe, & therfore truly cannnot discerne of his estate, whether he be in Christ or not: and it may be thought, that Sathan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him. For this is his propertie, that vponupon whome God threatneth death, there Sathan is bold to pronounce life and saluation: as on the contrarie, to those, to whome God pronounceth louelove and merciemercy, to those (I say) he threatneth displeasure and damnation: such malice hath he against Gods children.
XXXI.
And hereby it commeth to passe, that an *The elect may be of the Catholike Church and not of the visible, and the reprobate may …e of the visi…le and not of the Catholike.hypocrite may be in the visible Church, and obey it in the word and discipline, & so be taken for a true member of Christ: when as a man indeed regenerate may be excommunicate, and end his life before he be receiued againe: for this is the end of excommunication, a1. Cor. 5.5.that the flesh, that is, the part vnregenerate, may be destroyed: and the spirit, that is, the part regenerate, may be kept aliue in the day of the Lord. Now the man in whome is spirit and flesh, bRom. 8.9, 11.must needes be the childe of God, because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirit of Christ. Againe, Paul when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man, c2. Cor. 2.7, 11.least through the sleight of Sathan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouer much heauines, giueth men to vnderstand, that he might hauehave ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe, before he had beene visibly receiued into the Church againe.
XXXII.
Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate: yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profit. For they find the blessing of God to be on them by reason that they dwel together, & hauehave societie with the children ofdGen. 7.1. Gen. 19.21. and 18.32 and 39. 3. God. For Noahs sake eueryevery one in his family is saued in the flood. For lots cause the men of Zoar are preserued frō the fire. And God would hauehave spared Sodom, if there had bin but ten good men in it. For Rahabs cause, her family and kindred are at libertie in Iericho. When Ioseph was in Putiphars house, al things prospered well. eSam. 7. 13For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistims: fAct. 27,24.And for Pauls cause they which were with him in the ship were preserued. And againe, a reprobate by meanes of the faith of either of his parents may be within Gods couenant, and so may be made partaker of Baptisme, one of the seales of the couenant. For so God made his couenant with Abraham,gGen. 17. 7. 10. that he would be not onelyonly his God, but also the God of his seede after him: hGal. 3.8.which Paul expoundeth not of a few, but of all nations. Also he saith manifestly that those children, either of whose parents are beleeuers, i1. Cor. 7.14. Rom. 11.16.are holy: which holinesse is not inherent in their persons, but onelyonly outward: and it is a spirituall prerogatiue graunted them of God, in that he vouchsafeth them to be in his couenant: whereby they are distinguished from the wicked and prophane men of the world.
XXXIII.
Besides this, reprobates hauehave some prerogatiues of God: kRom. 9.22. and 2.4,5. Gen. 6.3.as that lie is patient towards them: that before he will destroy them, he vseth many meanes to win them, that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie: insomuch, that it is said of them in the Psalme:lPs. 13. 12. that they goe in continual prosperitie vntounto their death, and pine not away as the children of God doe. m2. Pet. 2. 22. 1. Tim. 1.4. 2. Thes. 2. 6. Esa. 6.10.But after a certain time God in his iust iudgement hardneth their hearts, blindeth the eyes of their minds, he maketh their heads giddy with a spiritual drunkennes, & by the strength of their inward lusts, as also by the effectuall op…ration of Satan, they fall to open infidelitie, & contempt of Gods word, and so run headlong to their own damnation, and perish finally. And in this they are like to hauks, which so long as they liue are caried on the handes of noble men: but when they are dead, they are cast on the dunghill. nTheod. lib. 3. Hist. cap. …5. I… cob, Berg. chron.Iulian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent, and professed the religion of Christ; but afterward, he fel and wrote a booke against the religion of Christ, answered by Cyril: & on a time, in a battell against the Persians, was thrust into the bowells with a dart, no man then knew how, which dart he pulled out with his owne hand, & presently blood followed, which as it gushed out, he tooke it in his hand, and flung it into the ayre, saying, Vicisti Galil…e, vicisti. O thou Galilean (meaning Christ) thou art the conquerour: thou art the conquerour: thus he ended his daies in blaspheming Christ whom he had professed. The reason of this apostasie is euident. oMat. 13. 28.Seede, that is not deepely rooted in the earth, at the beginning of the yeare, springeth vp; it is greene, and bringeth forth leaues & flowers, and (it may be) some kind of fruit too: when the heat of sommer commeth, it parcheth the earth, and the corne wanting deepe rooting, and therfore wanting moysture, withereth away. Gods word is like seede; which that it may bring forth fruit vntounto euerlasting life, it must be first receiued of the ground: secondly, it must be rooted: the receiuing of it, is when the minde vnderstandeth it, and remembreth it: he rooting of it, is when being beleeued, it pierceth to the heart, and taketh hold of the affections. This rooting is of two sorts: the first is, when the word rooteth, but not deepe ynough, as when the word is receiued into the minde, and into the heart, by the ioy of the heart, but not with the residue of the affections. The second, is a deepe and liuely rooting of the word, when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart by the will and all the affections of the heart. The first kind of rooting of the word, befalleth to a reprobate, who vnderstandeth and reioyceth in the promises of saluation, yet he doth not put any confidence in them: he can not rest in them, he doth not reioyce that his name is written in the book of life, he doth not work out his saluation with feare and trembling. In a word, his heart is in pa…t softened to reioyce at the preaching of the word of God:pAct. 15.16 Ps. 119. 32. yet his heart is not opened as Lydias was; nor enlarged (as Dauid saith) to imbrace the truth: but the Elect, he receiueth the word, not onelyonly into his mind, least it should be only an imagination, but also it is deepely rooted in his heart. For,
1 In sure confidence he resteth himselfe on Gods promise. Rom. 8.38. Heb. 10.22.
2 He hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it. 1. Thess. 1.10.
3 He heartily loueth God, for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. Ioh. 4.10.
4 He reioyceth in it, and therefore doth meditate on it continually. Luk. 10.20. Rom. 5.2.
5 He hateth all doctrines which are against it.
6 He is grieued when he doth any thing that may hinder the accomplishment of it. Math. 26.75.
7 He vseth the meanes to come to saluation, but with feare and trembling. Phil. 2.12.
8 He burneth with zeale of the spirit, &c. And so the rest of the affections are exercised about the promises of God in Christ, and by this meanes, is the deepe rooting of the word in the heart.
Thus it commeth to passe, that the Reprobate falleth away from faith in the day of triall and temptation, but the Elect cannot be changed.
XXXIIII.
Thus it appeareth, how farre a reprobate may proceed in religion: the consideration of this point I direct vntounto two sorts of men. Carnall gospellers, and Papists. Carnall gospellers are such among vsus, as know the word, but obey it not; or such, as bearing a profession neither know it, nor obey it. And the best of these come short of reprobates in two points. 1. In faith, they come short of the deuill most of them. The deuill beleeueth and trembleth: but they contrariwise liuing in their sinnes, beleeue and hope. How comes this to passe? The deuill knoweth the Gospel, and the points of it: and withall he beleeueth the terrible threatnings of the law, and therefore trembleth. Drowsie Protestants beleeue the Gospel as the deuill doth; though he conceiues the points of it better then they doe: as for the law and the threatnings thereof, they doe not beleeue them: and that makes them euen when they liue in their sinnes to hope and presume of merciemercy. Therefore the deuill beleeues more of Gods word then they doe. Secondly, they come short of wicked men in outward obedience. The young man not yet conuerted to Christ, when he was bidden to keepe the commaundements of the second Table, answered,Mar. 10. 20,21. that he had kept them from his youth: and therefore our Sauiour Christ looked vponupon him, and loued him: although this externall obedience was not sufficient: for Christ telleth him that one thing is wanting vntounto him. And in another place he saith, except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies, you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. Now the carelesse Gospeller is farre from performing this; in so much that commonly he makes an open practise of sinne one way or other.
The causes of their carelesnes are, first a perswasion that a man may repent when he will: because the Scripture saith, At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart, God will put all their wickednesse out of his remembrance. But indeed late repentance is seldome true repentance; and it may be iustly feared, least that repentance, which men when they are dying frame to themselues, die also with them. Secondly, they flatter themselues, imagining that the best man that is, hath seuen falles eueryevery day into grosse sinnes: whereas the place which they abuse out of the Prouerbs, The righteous man falleth seuen times in a day and riseth againe: Prou. 24.1….it is rather to be vnderstood of falls into affliction, then falls into actuall sinnes. Thirdly, they deceiue themselues, most falsly thinking, small sinnes, or hidden sinnes to be no sinnes: and grossest sinnes in which they liue and lie most dangerously, to be but sinnes of infirmitie.
XXXV.
By this which hath bin said, the professours of Christian religion are admonished of two things. First, qPhil. 2.12. 1. Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 11.20.that they vse most painfull diligence in working their saluation, in attaining to faith, in dying to sinne, in liuing to newnesse of life: and that their hearts be neuer at rest, till such time as they goe beyond all reprobates in the profession of Christ Iesus. Seest thou how farre a reprobate may goe? presse on to the straight gate with maine and might, with all violence lay hold on the kingdome of heauen Slial. Herod feare and reuerence Iohn Baptist, and heare him gladly? and wilt thou neglect the Ministers, and the preaching of the word? shall Pharao confesse his sinne, nay shall Satan beleeue and tremble? And wilt not thou bewaile and lament thy sinnes, and thy wicked conuersation? It behooueth thee to feare and take heed, least wicked men, and the deuill himselfe rise in iudgement and condemne thee. For if thou shalt come short of the duties of a reprobate, and doe not goe beyond him in the profession of the Gospel, sure it is, thou must looke for the reward of a reprobate.
The second thing is, that the professour of the Gospell,r1. Cor. 11. 31. Psal. 16.12. and 119.59. diligently trie and examine himselfe, whether he is in the state of damnation, or in the state of grace: whether he yet beare the yoke of Satan, or is the adopted child of God. Thou wilt say, this need not, thou professest the Gospell, and art taken for a Christian: yet marke and consider, that this often befalleth reprobates to be esteemed Christians: and they are often so like them, that nonesMatth. 25.32,33. but Christ can discerne the sheepe from the goates, true Christians from apparant Christians. Wherefore it behooueth all men that shew themselues to be Christians, to lay aside all pride, and all selfeloue, and with singlenes of heart to put themselues into the ballance of Gods word, and to make iust triall, whether in thē, repentance, faith, mortification, sanctification, &c. giuegive waight answerable to their outward profession: which if they doe, let them praise God: if not, let them with all speede vse the meanes that they may be borne anew to the lord, and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirit, to giuegive obedience to his will, least in the day of Gods trial, they start aside from him like a broken bow, and fall againe to their first vncleannesse.
XXXVI.
To come to the second sort of men and to conclude; let the most zealous Papist that is,… …ue…tto them of the religion of the Church of Rome. trie himselfe and his whole estate with a single heart as in the presence of Gods maiestie, and he shall finde that by his whole religion and profession he doth come short of a reprobate, or at the least not goe beyond him in these points before named. The Lord open their eyes that they may see it.
Amen.