Whether Man Be in the Estate of Damnation or Grace, Propositions
CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW farre a man may go in the the profession of the Gospel, and yet be a wicked man and a reprobate.
I
A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain aRo. 1. 21. Psal. 19. 1. 3.knowledg 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 wisedom, 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 worke. For example, the reprobate knoweth that there is a God, and that this God must be worshipped: come to particulars, who God is? what a one hee is? howe hee must bee worshipped? Here his knowledge faileth him, and he is altogether vncertaine what to doe to please God.
III
By reason of this knowledge, the reprobate doth giuegive consent, and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods lawe: as may appeare by the saying of Medea: Video meliora, probóque; deteriora sequor. That is, I knowe 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, bRo. 7. 15.being called the approbation of the lawe, it proceedeth from a willing & ready mind, and is ioyned with louelove and liking.
IIII
And by reason of this light of nature, a meere natural man, and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations, for example, he 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 himselfe, Eleg. 3. 8. 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 be an Atheist, as Dauid saith: cPsal. 14. 1. Rom. 3. 10. 11.the foole hath saide in his heart there is no God. And a man may nowe a daies finde houses and townes full of such fooles: Nay, this glimering light of nature; except it be preserued with good bringing vp, with diligent instruction, and with good company, it will be so darkened, that a man shall knowe very little, and leade a life like a very beast: as experience telleth, and Dauid knew very well: who saith, dPsal. 49. 20.Man is in honor, and vnderstandeth not; he is like to beasts that perish.
VI
Wherfore, this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature, & from the creatures, albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God: yet before Gods iudgement seat, eAct. 14. 71. Rom. 1. 21.it cutteth off all excuse, which he might alleage: 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, and 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: gMatt. 22. 14. Luk. 13. 34. Prov. 1. ver. 24. Iohn. 9. 41. Luke 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 hee; and if he would, yet could he not answer, and be obedient to the calling of God. The elect being called, with speede he answereth, and commeth to the Lord, and his hart being ready, giueth a strong and a loud eccho to the voice of the Lorde. This eccho wee see in Dauids heart: hPsa 27. 8.when (saith he) thou saidest, seeke ye my face: mine heart answered vntounto thee, O Lord, I wil seeke thy face. And God himself speaketh the same of his children, Zacha. 13. 9. They shall call on my name, and I will heare them: I will 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, iHe. 10. 26 Act. 1. 16. 17.he may acknowledge the truth of it, and confesse it: & if need require, be a defender of it. As Iudas was, & Iulian the Apostata.
X
The reprobate may hauehave a feeling of his sins, & so acknowledge them, & 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 pretiou… in thy eies this day: Behold, I hauehave done foolishly, and hauehave erred exceedingly. Thus did Cain, lGen 4. 13.when he said, my punishment is greater then I can beare. mEus. li. 8. cap. 17. 18.Galerius Maximinus, a vile persecutor of Christiās, had his bowels rotting within him: so that an infinite number of wormes continually craulled foorth of his bodie, and such a poysoning stinke came from him, that no man could abide him: being thus plagued with the hand of God, hee began to perceiue his wickednes in persecuting Christians, and he confessed his sins to the true God: and assembling the chiefe about him, he commaunded that all within his Dominions shoulde cease to trouble Christians, and in all hast he made a law for the peace and liberty, and the publike meetings of Christians.
XI
The reprobate hath oftentimes feare and terror of conscience: but this is onelyonly, because he considereth the wrath and vengeance of God, which is most terrible. When Paul preached before Foelix, & 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 ioint of him to tremble. Socrat. lib. 3. ca. 11.Ecebolius a Philosopher of Constantinople, in the daies of Constantius, professed Christian religion, and 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 owne conscience for his wicked reuolting, hee cast himselfe downe on the ground before the dores of the Church crying aloude, Calcate me salem insipidum: trample on me vnsauerie salt. And the Diuel beleeueth the word 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 beene 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 wee see the heedle which soweth not the cloth, yet it maketh a passage and enterance for the threede, which serueth for this vse, to sowe cloth together.
XII
A reprobate before he commit a sinne, is often vexed within himselfe, and feareth to commit it: not because hee hateth and disliketh the sinne for it selfe, but because he can not abide the punishment due vntounto the sin. pMark. 6. 20. 26When the daughter of Herodias daunced before Herode, and pleased him: that hee might doe her a pleasure, hee bad her aske what shee woulde▪ shee asked Iohn Baptists head in a platter: Herode did graunt her request, but yet hee had a grudging in heart, and 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 sinne, he rMat. 27. 3. Heb. 12. 17sorroweth and repenteth: yet this repentance hath two wants in it. First hee doth not detest his sinne, and his former conuersation when he repenteth: he doth bewaile the losse of many things which he once enioyed: he cryeth out through very anguish, and through the perplexities which God in his iudgement layeth on him: yet for his life, he is not able to leaue his filthy sinne: and if he might be deliuered, he would sinne as before. sGen. 27. 38. & 27. 41. & 28. 9Esau wept before his father with great yelling & crying, but after hee was gone from his fathers presence hee hated his brother, who had got his blessing, and in contempt of his father, chose him a wife against his fathers liking. Pharao, as oft as the Lorde laide any calamitie on him, tExo. 8. 8.he euermore desired to bee deliuered from it, yet afterward alwaies hee returned to his olde bias againe. Foelix trembled before Paul: for all that he coulde not leaue his couetousnes, but euen then he sought for a bribe. Secondly, the repobate, when he repenteth, hee can not come vntounto God, and seeke vntounto him: he hath no power, no not so much as once to desire to giuegive one little sobbe for the remission of his sins:Math. 7. 7. if hee would giuegive all the worlde hee cannot so much as giuegive one rappe at Gods merciemercy gate, that he may open to him. He is very like a man vponupon a Racke, who cryeth and roreth out for very paine, yet cannot desire his tormentor to ease him of his paine. uGen. 4. 4. 1. Sa. 31. 4. Mat. 27, 5.Caine would hauehave been voide of his trembling, but hee coulde not aske pardon of his sinne from his heart: neither coulde Saul, or Iudas, or now can the Diuel.
XIIII
The reprobate may humble himselfe for some sinnes which he hath committed, and may declare this by fasting & teares. When Eliah reproued Ahab for his Idolatrie, and threatned him from the Lord, it is said, that when hee had heard these wordes, x1 Re. 21. 27. 29.hee rent his clothes, and put sackcloth vponupon him, and fasted, and went softly in token of mourning: and this humiliation staied 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 hee sticketh not to vtter his secret filthinesse to the hearing of all men, and to the open shaming of himselfe. When God smote all that was in the fieldes of AEgypt with hayle, then Pharao sent, and called for Moses & Aaron, & sayd vntounto them: yEx. 9. 27. Num. 22. 34.I hauehave now sinned, the Lorde 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 bloud. And the experience of these dayes giueth fearefull examples for the proofe of this point.
XVI
He hath often a desire to be like the children of God, and to be saued: not becaus… he hath anie louelove to the kingdome of God but because he is afraide of hell. As Balaa… ouerpressed with a feare of gods iudgemēt, prayed thus: Oh that my soule might die thezNum. 23. 10. death of the righteous, and that my last ende might be like his.
XVII.
The wicked in their distresse may pray to God, and God may heare their prayers, and graunt them their request, aNum. 11. 13.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, and them that feare him after an other: thē that feare him, he graunteth their requestes of louelove & merciemercy: to the other, of indignation and anger. bNum. 11. 33. Psa. 78. 31.As may appeare in the Israelites, who when they were in eating of their Quayles, and the meat was within their teeth, God in his anger stroke them 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 handes: cIsa. 7. 11.of this thing wee hauehave a worthie example in King Achas, who vtterly refused to hauehave a signe of his deliuerance, and the confusion of his ene…ies, when God offered it to him, and yet …e Lord deliuered him.
XVIII.
The reprobate may yet goe further in the …rofession of religion, and may seeme for a …ime to bee planted in the Church: for hee doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus, yet so that hee cannot applie them to himselfe. In this thing the elect and1 the reprobate differ. The reprobate, dLuk. 8. 13generally in a confused maner, beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of some men: and he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The Elect beleeueth, that Christ is a sauiour of him particularly: The2 reprobates faith may perish in this life, but the faith of the elect cannot. The reprobate3 may be perswaded of the merciemercy and goodnes of God towardes him for the present time in the which hee …eeleth it: the elect is not onelyonly perswaded of the mercies he presently inioyeth, but also he is perswaded of his eternall election before the foundation of the world, & of his euerlasting life, which yet he doth not inioy: Yea, eIob. 13. 15if God would confound him, and he sawe nothing but present death, and hell fire: yet such is his nature, that still he would beleeue: for faith and hope are no… grounded vppon sence and feeling; but are the euidence of those thinges which were neuer yet seene or felt. The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ, as the sappe in the roote of the tree: their life is not in sence and feeling, but in hoping and beleeuing: which often times, or contrary to mans sence and feeling, is in Dauid: who saith: Create a newe heart in me. Psal. 51.
XIX.
After that hee hath receiued a generall, & a temporal faith in Gods heauenly word, and his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life contained therein, by the power of the spirite of God, fH…b. 6. 4. Math. 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 tast? I expresse it thus, after the meaning of Gods word. Suppose a banket prepared, in which are many sweete, and pleasaunt, and dainty meates: At this banquet, they which are the bidden guests, they must be set downe, they see the meates, they tast them, they chawe them in their mouthes, they digest them, they are nourished, fed, and strengthned by them: they which are not bidden to this …east, may see the meates, handle them, and …ast of them, to feele how good they are: but …hey must not eate and feede of them. The first resemble the elect, which truely eate, digest, and are nourished by Christ vntounto euer…asting life, because they hauehave great aboundance of the vitall heate of Gods holy spirit in them, and doe feele sensibly his grace and vertue in them, to strengthen them, and guide them. The second sort truly resemble the reprobates; which neuer in truth enioy Christ, or any of his benefites appertaining to saluation: but onelyonly see them, and hauehave in their heartes a vanishing, but no certaine 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 benefites, than 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. …. 14. 1. Ioh. …. …. Luke 1. …. Esa. 60. ….Contrarywise, the elect, they hauehave the day-star, euen the sonne of righteousnes, Iesus Christ, rising in their hearts; the day spring from an high doth visite them, the glorie of God doth rise vponupon them: they hauehave their eies annointed with the ointment of the spirite, which is the true eie salue, and do… plainely behold this sonne of righteousnes they inioy his presence, they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken an… reuiue them.
XX
From this sence and taste of Gods grace proceede manie fruites: as first generallie, he may do outwardly all things which true Christians doe, and he may leade such a life here in this world, that although he cannot attaine to saluation, yet his paynes in hell shall bee lesse: which appeareth, in that our Sauiour Christ saith: it shall bee easier forhMath. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. Tyrus & Sydon, for Sodome and Gomorrah, than for Capernaum, and other Cities vntounto which hee came, in the day of iudgement.
XXI.
Also the reprobate may hauehave a louelove of God: but this louelove can bee no sincere louelove, for it is only because God bestoweth benefites and prosperitie vponupon him: As appeareth in Saule, i1. Sa. 10. 9Who loued God for his aduauncement to the kingdome: and here is a difference betweene the elect and reprobate: the elect louelove GOD, as children their fathers: but reprobates, as hirelings their maisters, whome they affect not so much or themselues, as for their wages.
XXII.
Also, a reprobate hath often a reioycing …n doing those things which appertayne to …he seruice of God, as preaching & praier.kMark. 6. 20
Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladlie: lMat. 13. 20.and the seconde kinde 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 mExod. 9. 27.As Pharao desired Aaron & Moses to pray to God for him. nAct. 8. 24.So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which hee had spoken against him, should come to passe. But yet they cannot pray them selues, oRo. 8. 16. 26because 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 Phillips preaching beleeued, wondered at his miracles, and kept companie with him. qMar. 6. 20And Herod is saide to feare Iohn, knowing that he was a iust man & holie: also he gaue reuerence to him. Antonius the Emperour, called Pius, though hee was n… Christian, rEuseb. lib. 4.yet in a general Parliament hel… at Ephesus, he made an act in the behalfe of Christiās: that if anie mā should trouble o… accuse a Christiā, for being a Christian: the party accused shuld go free though he were found to bee a Christian, and the accuse… should be punished? sPlin. lib. 10. epi. 97.And Plinius Secundus, gouernour of Spaine vnderunder Traianus the Emperour, when he sawe an innumerable company of Christians to be executed; being moued with compassion, he wrote in their behalfe, being no Christian, vntounto Traianus to spare them that coulde be charged with no crime: and his letter is yet extant.
XXV
Hee may bee zealous in the religion which he professeth, and fall from that profession, as the Galathians did, tGal. 4. 16.who, after that they had receiued Paule as an Angell, and woulde hauehave plucked out their eies to hauehave done him good: yet they fell from the doctrine which hee had taught them to iustification by the works of the Lawe, which flat ouerthroweth iustification by faith alone. u2. Kin. 10. ….The same appeareth in Iehu, who was very zealous for Gods cause, and for the defacing of Idolatrie, and thereupon God blessed him in his children: yet neuer…helesse, he was a wicked man, x& 30. 31.and followed …ha vile sinnes of Ieroboam his father.
XXVI
y2. Pet. 2. 20. Hose. 6. 4. 1. Sam. 9. 21.After that hee hath sinned, hee doth in many things in which he is faultie, amende and reforme his life, and doth professe great holines outwardly. Herode, hee did manie thinges which Iohn Baptist in preaching moued him vntounto. Saule, when he was to be chosen king, professed great humilitie. Sam. 9. 21. They may represse their vices & corruptions, and so moderate themselues that they breake not out: zHest. 5. 9. 10.as did Haman; of whom it is written: that when he was full of indignation against Mardocheus, yet he refrained himselfe. And herein the elect and the reprobate differ: for a1. Thess. 5. 23.the elect are somewhat reformed in euerie one of their sinnes. But the reprobate, though hee be amended in manie faults: yet some one fault or other, he cannot abide to hauehave it reformed, and by that, in a vile manner the diuel wholly possesseth him. As Herode, who did manie thinges, yet woulde not leaue his brothers wife. And no doubt, in Iudas most of his sinnes in appearance were mortified: and yet by couetousnes the diuel possessed him, and held him fast chained in bondage vnd… him. For one sinne is sufficient to him, th… by it he may bring a man to damnation.
XXVII
Beside this, he may hauehave the gift of wo… king miracles, of casting▪ forth diuels, of he… ling, and such like: aMath. 7. 22. Mat. 9. 38.And this power of d… ing strange miracles, shall be vsed as an e… cuse of some of the reprobates, in the day … iudgement.
XXVIII
Ofrentimes, vntounto him is giuen the gift of the holie Ghost, to discharge the mo… waightie calling that can bee in anie Common wealth. And this is meant, when Go… is saide b1. Sam. 10. 9.to giuegive Saule another heart: that is such vertues as were meete for a King.
XXIX
A reprobate may hauehave the word of Go… much in his mouth, and also may be a preacher of the word: cMat. 7. 22for so prophesying in Christ… name, shall bee vsed as an excuse of reprobates: and we know, that among the twelue Apostles, dAct. 1. 16. 17. Coloss. 4. 2. Tim. 4. 10.Iudas was a reprobate. And this may bee well perceiued in the resemblance of tasting; which the Author to the Hebrewes vseth. We know, that Cookes commonlie, which are occupied in preparing of banquets, hauehave as much feeling and seeing of the meate, as anie other: and yet there is none that eateth lesse of it, than they: for their stomacks are cloied with the smell and tast of it: So, in like manner it may come to passe, that the Minister, which dresseth and prouideth the spirituall foode, may eate the least of it himselfe: and so, labouring to saue others, he may be a reprobate.
XXX
When as a reprobate professeth thus much of the Gospel, though in deede he be a Goate; yet hee is taken for one of Gods sheepe: hee is kept in the same pastures, and is foulded in the same fould with them. eIoh. 2. 23. 24. 25.He is counted a Christian of the children of God, & so he taketh himself to be; no doubt because through the dulnes of his heart, he cannot trie and examine himself, and therfore truely cannot discerne of his estate; whether hee be in Christ or not: and it may be thought, that Satan is readie with some false perswasion to deceiue him. For this is his property, that vponupon whom God threatneth death, there Satan is bolde to pronounce life and saluation: as on the contrarie, to those, to whom God pronounceth louelove and merciemercy, to those (I say) he threateneth displeasure and damnation, such malice hath he against Gods children.
XXXI
And hereby it commeth to passe, that an hypocrite may be in the visible Church, and obey it in the word and discipline, and so bee taken for a true member of Christ:The electe may be of the Catholike Church and not of the visible, & the reprobate may be of the visible and not of the Catho like. when as a man in deede 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 destroied: and the spirit, that is, the part regenerate, may be kept aliue in the daie of the Lord. Nowe, the man in whom is spirite and flesh, bRom. 8. 9. 11.must needes be the child of God, because this argueth that he hath the sanctifying spirite of Christ. Againe, Paule when he biddeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestious man, c2. Cor. 2. 7. 11.least through the sleight, of Satan he should be ouerwhelmed of ouermuch heauines, giueth men to vnderstand, that he might hauehave ended his life in great extremitie of sorrowe before hee had been▪ visiblie receiued into the Church againe.
XXXII
Though God will neuer adopt any reprobate: yet by the adoption of the elect they may receiue profite. For they finde …he blessing of God to be on them, by rea…on that they dwell together and hauehave soci…tie with the children of God. dGen. 7. 1, Gen. 19. 21 & 18. 32. & 39. 3.For Nohes …ake euerie one in his familie is saued in the …lood. For Lots cause the men of Zoar are …reserued from the fire. And God woulde hauehave spared Sodome, if there had beene but ten good men in it. For Rahabs cause, her familie and kindred are at libertie in Ierico. When Ioseph was in Putiphars house, all thinges prospered well. e1. Sam. 7. 13.For Samuels cause the Israelites were deliuered from the Philistines: fAct. 27, 24.And for Paules 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 seals of the couenant. Forso God made his couenant with Abraham, gGen. 17. 7. 10.that he woulde be not only his God, but also the God of his seede after him: hGal. 3. 8.which Paule expoundeth not of a fewe, but of all nations. Also he saith manifestly that those children, either of whose parents are beleeuers, i1. Cor. 7. 14. Rom. 11. 16or holie: which holines is not inherent in their persons, but onelyonly outwarde: 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 prerog…atiues of God: kRom. 9. 22. & 2. 4. 5. Gen 6. 3.as that he is patiēt towards them: that before he will destroy them, he vseth many meanes to winne them: that they commonly spend all the daies of their liues in prosperitie: insomuch, ▪that it is saide of them in the Psalme: lPsal. 73. 12.that they goe in continuall prosperitie vntounto their death, and pine not away as the children of God doe. m2. Pet. 2. 22. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 2. The 2. 6. Esa. 6. 10.But after a certaine time God in his iust iudgement hardeneth their harts, blindeth the eies of their minds, he maketh their heads giddie with a spirituall drunkennes, and by the strength of their inward lusts, as also by the effectuall operation of Satan, they fall to open infidelitie, and contempt of Gods word, and so runne headlong to their own damnation, and perish finally. nTheodor. lib. 3. Hist. cap. 25. Jacob. Bergom. Chron.Iulian the Apostata was first a man learned and eloquent, and professed the Religion of Christ, but afterward he fell and wrote a booke against the religion of Christ, answered by Cyrill: and on a time, in a battell against the Persians, was thrust into …he bowels with a dart, no man then knewe …ow, which dart he pulled out with his own …and, and presently bloud followed, which …s it gushed out, he tooke it in his hand, and …loong it into the aire, saying, Vicisti Galilaee, …icisti. 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. oMath. 13. 28.Seede, that is not deepely rooted in the earth, at the beginning of the yeare, springeth vp; it is green and bringeth forth leaues and flowers, and (it may bee) some kinde of fruit too: when the heate of sommer commeth, it parcheth the earth, and the corne wanting deepe rooting, and therefore wanting moisture, withereth away. Gods word is like seede; which that it may bring forth fruit vntounto euerlasting life, it must bee first receiued of the ground: secondly, it must be rooted: the receiuing of it, is when it pearceth to the heart, and the affections take holde of it. This rooting is of two sorts: the first is, when the word rooteth, but not with the residue of the affections. The second, is a deepe and a liuely kind of rooting of the word, when the word is receiued into the minde and into the heart. The first kind of rooting of the word, befalleth to a reprobate, who vnderstandeth, and reioyceth in the promises of saluation, yet hee doth not put any confidence in them: he cannot rest in them, hee doth not reioice that his name is written in the booke of life, hee doth not worke out his saluation with feare & trembling. In a worde, his heart is in part softened to reioice at the preaching of the worde of God: pAct. 16. 15 Psa. 119. 32yet his heart is not opened, as Lydias was: nor inlarged (as Dauid saith) to imbrace the trueth: but the elect, hee receiueth the word. not only into his mind, least it should be onelyonly an imagination, but also it is deeply rooted in his heart. For
1 In full confidence hee resteth himselfe on Gods promise. Rom. 8. 38. Hebr. 10. 22.
2 Hee hopeth and longeth to see the accomplishment of it. 1. Thess. 1. 10.
3 He hartily loueth God, for making such a promise to him in Christ. 1. Ioh. 4. 10.
4 He reioiceth in it, and therefore doth meditate on it continually. Luke 10. 20. Rom. 5. 2.
5 Hee 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 salua…ion, but with feare & 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, & 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 can not be changed.
By this which hath beene saide, the professors of Christian religion are admonished of two things. First, qPhil. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 17 Rom. 11. 20.that they vse most painefull diligence in working their saluation, in attaining to faith, in dying to sinne, in liuing to newnes of life: and that their harts be neuer at rest, till such time as they go beyonde all reprobates in the profession of Christ Iesus: Seest thou howe farre a reprobate may goe? presse on the straite gate with maine and might: with all violence lay hold on the kingdome of heauen. Shall Herode feare and reuerence Iohn Baptist, and heare him gladly? and wilt thou neglect the Ministers, and the preaching of the worde? shall Pharao confesse his sinne, nay shall Sathan beleeue and tremble? and wilt not thou bewaile and lament thy sinnes, and thy wicked conuersation? it behoueth thee to feare and take heede, least wicked men, and the diuel himselfe rise in iudgement and condemne thy life. For if thou shalt come short of the dueties of a reprobate, and doe not goe beyonde him in the profession of the Gospell, sure it is, thou must looke for the reward of a reprobate. The second thing is, that the professor of the Gospell, r1. Cor. 11 31. Psal. 19. 12. & 119. ver. 59.diligently try and examine himselfe, whether hee is in the state of damnation, or in the state of grace: whether he yet beare the yoke of Sathan, or is the adopted child of God. Thou wilt say, this neede 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, sMath. 25. 32. 33.that none but Christ can discerne the sheep from the Goates, true Christians from apparent Christians. Wherefore it behoueth all men that shewe themselues to bee 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 them repentance, faith, mortification, sanctification, &c. giuegive weight answerable to their outward profession: which if they doe, let them praise God: if not, let them with al speed vse the meanes that they may be borne a new to the Lord, and may be inwardly guided by his holy spirite, to giuegive obedience to his will, least in the day of Gods triall, they start aside from him like a broken bowe, and fall againe to their first vncleanes. To conclude, let the most zealous Papist that is, trie him and hisA cau…at to them that are of the church of Rome. whole estate with a single heart, as in the presence of Gods maiestie, and he shal find, that for all his profession, hee dooth come short of a reprobate, or at the least not goe beyond him in these points before named: God open their eies that they may see it.
Amen.