Davids Repentance, Sermon · Commentary 12
VERSE. 11. 11. Caſt me not from thy preſence, O Lord, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
IN the former Verſe Dauid hath put vp ſundry requeſts and petitions vntounto God for grace and merciemercy for the pardon of his ſinnes.
The meaning of the words.Now this eleuenth Verſe containeth in it an earneſt Deprecation: wherein the Prophet intreateth the Lord to turne from him two fearefull iudgements and grieuous puniſhments which hee had deſerued for his ſins: for firſt, what greater miſery can befall the child of God then to be caſt out of Gods preſence, louelove and fauour? Secondly, what greater plague to a diſtreſſed ſoule then to be depriued of Gods bleſſed ſpirit, whereby alone we we are guided & comforted: and without whom we can hauehave no comfort, nor euer doe any good thing, but ſhall be carryed of our owne luſts head-long into all ſinne and wickedneſſe.
Dauid alludeth to the iudgement of God vponupon Saul.Now againſt both theſe Dauid prayeth vntounto the Lord in this verſe, and herein he alludeth to the iudgement of God vponupon Saul, who was his next predeceſſour and King ouer Iſrael: whom the Lord caſt off, and did vtterly reiect from being King ouer his people,1. Sam. 15.26. becauſe hee did reiect the Lord and caſt off the commandement of GOD, and would not obey his voyce, and therefore the Lord tooke his Spirit from Saul, and gaue him an euill ſpirit to vexe and torment him: and both theſe Dauid heere prayeth againſt, that God would ſhew him mercy, and not deale with him as hee did with Saul, though hee had ſinned grieuiouſly, yet that he would rather humble him by ſome other meanes, and not in his iuſt iudgement to caſt him off and reiect him, nor take his holy Spirit from him.
[Caſt mee not away.]
AS if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, ô Lord, howſoeuer I hauehave ſinned grieuouſly, yet I pray thee deale not with mee as thou didſt deale with Saul that wicked man, to caſt me off and reiect mee from being King and Ruler of thy people: Nor take thy holy Spirit from mee, whereby I am enabled to do thy will.
By the preſence or face of God is meant the louelove and fauour of God, and therefore Dauid intreateth the Lord that he would not thruſt him cleane out of fauour, and depriue him of his louelove.
Doctr. 1 Hence we learne that it is a wonderfull and fearefull Iudgement for a man or woman to bee caſt out of Gods fauour, from his preſence,The pleaſures of ſinne are deere bought. ſo as hee ſhall ſhewe no fauour to vsus; but his disfauour and heauy countenance, it is a very heauy and dolefull caſe: It is ſaid of Cain, that God caſt him out of his preſence, and that was the height of Caines miſery,Gen. 4. ſo the Lord caſt off Saul from being King ouer Iſrael. As the fauour of God is life, ſo his disfauour is preſent death; and as in the preſence of God is fulneſſe of ioy and pleaſure for euermore, ſo in the want of his preſence is there nothing but woe and miſery: yea it is a ſteppe to eternall death: Neither is there any miſery which the childe of God doth feare more then this, to bee forſaken of the Lord and to bee caſt out of his fauour.
Vſe 1 Seeing it is ſo great and fearefull a Iudgement to bee caſt out of Gods fauour and gracious preſence:Their madneſſe diſcouered that make light of Gods fauour. Oh what mad men bee they that make ſo light of Gods louelove and fauour! that will for the gaining of a peny or the inioying of an houres pleaſure looſe the louelove and the fauour of God,Mat. 16.26. & for euer depriue themſelues of his glorious preſence, and plunge themſelues into euerlaſting woe and vengeance with the deuill and his Angels.
Vſe 2 Seeing the inioying of Gods preſence is ſo ſweete and comfortable, and to bee depriued of it, is ſo grieuous and terrible, how ſhould wee vſe all meanes to get into his fauor, if wee want it, to keepe it if wee hauehave it? In thy preſence is fulneſſe of ioy, and in thy light wee ſhall ſee light. And becauſe ſinne thruſts men out of Gods fauour, and ſeparates betweene God and men, aboue all things take heed of ſin, auoid it, and ſhun it, as the bane and poyſon of our ſoules.
For the better opening and vnderſtanding of this verſe, wee muſt diſcuſſe two great …nd weighty queſtions, which being well conſidered, will make much for the clearing of this text.
Two obiections.The former is this, when Dauid intreates the Lord not to caſt him out of his preſence, that is, his louelove and fauour, whether a man elected, and in the fauour of GOD, as Dauid iuſtified, and ſanctified, may looſe the louelove of GOD and fall away, to become a reprobate and caſt-away, and ſo finally to periſh.
The other queſtion is, ſeeing Dauid praies the Lord not to take his holy Spirit from him, whether the ſanctified gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit may finally and totally bee loſt and taken away? Theſe queſtions both be defended and affirmed by the Papiſts and their followers, who hold that a man truely elected, called, iuſtified, and ſanctified, and in the fauour of GOD, may fall away and periſh. Wee hold the contrary, that a man once in the fauour of God, elect, called, iuſtified, and ſanctified, cannot finally periſh not cleane bee bereft of the ſauing graces of the holy Spirit.
Now becauſe theſe two queſtions be points of great moment, and on which all our happineſſe and comfort doth hang and depend: therefore I will ſtand a little to proue them by teſtimonies of Scripture, with reaſons and arguments drawne from the written word of GOD, and remoue ſome obiections of the Papiſts againſt the certainety of our perſeuerance in faith to the end.
Firſt, that place of Ieremy, where the Lord comforts his Elect and choſen people, is moſt pregnant for this purpoſe:Ier. 31.3. Yea (ſaith the Lord) with an euerlaſting louelove hauehave I loued thee, and therefore in mercy hauehave I drawne thee: So that it is manifeſt hence, whom God loues once in Chriſt, hee loues for euer, and there is not time when he can be ſaid not to louelove them; For as much as hee loued his owne, Ioh. 13.1.that were in the world, vntounto the end hee loued them. Where our Sauiour CHRIST, to comfort his Diſciples, tels them that God the father loues them that bee members of IESVS CHRIST, euen vntounto the end, and his louelove ſhall neuer faile them: The gifts and calling of God are without repentance: Rom. 11.Now then, vnleſſe a man will ſay, that GOD doth repent of his calling and electing men to eternall life, it muſt needs follow that they cannot periſh whom God cals and meanes to ſaue: and our Sauiour CHRIST ſaith plainely, that it is impoſſible,Mat. 24 24 that any man elected ſhould periſh. Falſe Chriſts ſhould deceiue the very elect,Math. 18. Rom. 8.30. if it were poſſible, but that is impoſſible: And the gates of hell: that is, all the power and malice of the deuill ſhall not preuaile againſt the leaſt of GODS children, to hinder their euerlaſting ſaluation.
Againe this is proued, Math. 16.16. Where Chriſt promiſeth Peter and in him the whole Church, That the gates of hell ſhould neuer preuaile against him: where Chriſt ſheweth that indeed the deuill through his temptations might ſhew very much ſtrength; but they ſhould comfort themſelues in this, that they ſhould neuer preuaile or finally get the victory. Againe, Mat. 24. They ſhall deceiue (if it were poſſible) euen the very Elect: Out of which words of our Sauiour wee may gather, that the Elect of God ſhould not be ſeduced, and ſo fall away finally: Againe Iohn 10.28. Chriſt ſaith his ſheepe ſhall neuer periſh, adding this withall: No man ſhall take them out of my hands: And againe, Rom. 8.30. Whom God Predeſtinateth hee Calleth, Iuſtifieth, Sanctifieth, and Glorifieth: Therefore not fall away finally, for he that falleth away finally ſhall neuer be glorified.
But admit, as the Papiſts would hauehave it, that a man might fall away fily, then hee muſt bee cleane cut off from Chriſt: for hee muſt be cleane cut off from Chriſt and hauehave no coniunction with him before hee fall away finally; then at his ſecond reuniting he muſt bee Baptiſed, for Baptiſme is the Sacrament of Incyſion or ingrafting into Chriſt: But that is abſurd that Baptiſme ſhould be any more then once adminſtred, therefore fore a man is but once vnited or once ingrafted, and cannot bee revnited and neuer fall: And therefore friuolous is that diſtinction of veniall and mortall ſinnes with the Papiſts, for if any ſinne of the Elect ſhould bee mortall: Then there muſt needs bee a ſecond renuing in the Elect vntounto Chriſt, which is moſt abſurd to thinke,Men muſt puta difference betwixt that they feele and that they hauehave. for the Lord worketh this but once: And Dauid though at this time hee lay languiſhing vnderunder the heate of the Lords wrath for thoſe horrible ſinnes of his adultery and murther, yet in this verſe he praies not to hauehave it taken from him, which doth argue that hee had it euen at this time of his greateſt extremity, though hee felt it not with the ſame meaſure of comfort hee had done many times before.
Secondly, beſides theſe plaine teſtimonies of Scripture, let vsus conſider a word or two to proue, that in regard of God the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt, that the elect cannot periſh and fin ally fall away.
Firſt, if a man elected of God to eternall life, called, iuſtified, and ſanctified, may fall away, and finally periſh, then it is either becauſe God wants louelove or power to ſaue him: but to ſay that God is vnwilling, or vnable, is meere blaſphemy: therfore all thoſe whom he elects, muſt needs be ſaued, ſeeing God doth both will it, and ſhew that hee is able to effect it. Firſt, if God be willing, and would hauehave them ſaued,Rom. 11. Rom. 8. who hath reſiſted his wil? If God be with vsus, who can be againſt vsus? but that he is moſt willing & able to ſaue the elect, it is manifeſt. For his will,Ioh. 3.16. his will, God ſo loued them, that he ſent his Sonne to dye for them. Now this is a great triall, and proofe of his louelove & willingneſſe, that hee had rather ſee his only begottē ſon, that was neere and deere vntounto him, to bee hanged on the tree, to dye the curſed death on the croſſe, to ſhed his pretious bloud, and to beare the curſe of God, and helliſh torments, then to ſee any one of his elect to periſh.Ioh. 6.39.40. And this is the Fathers wil that hath ſent me that of all which he hath giuen me, I ſhould looſe nothing, but raiſe it vp at the laſt day.
Secondly, for his power, that he is able to ſaue all thoſe whom hee will ſaue,Eſay. 63.1. it is manifeſt, God is omnipotent, & moſt righteous, & mighty to ſaue, & the Lord doth what hee will. None can take them out of my Fathers hands which is greater then all. Ioh. 10.27.28.And therefore ſeeing God is willing, and deſires that all the elect ſhould be ſaued, & not onelyonly decreed it, but ſent his Son to ſaue them.
Secondly, thoſe for whom Chriſt dyed, and prayed that their faith might not faile, they muſt needs bee ſaued, and their faith cannot faile; but he hath prayed for all true beleeuers: Father keepe them that thou hast giuen me, that they may bee one mee, Luk. 22.23. Ioh. 17.as thou art one in mee. Now then if Chriſts prayer bee of force, and can preuaile, and doe any thing with the Father, as hee confeſſeth, that the Father hath, doth, and will heare him in all things, then certainely no true beleeuer can periſh, and finally fall away.
Thirdly, no true member of Chriſt can periſh, for then Chriſts body ſhould be imperfect, but eueryevery true beleeuer is a liuing Member of Chriſts body; and therefore cannot periſh; yea it is as poſſible that Chriſt himſelfe ſhould periſh, as any true beleeuer, that is truely ingrafted into his body by faith and the ſpirit.
Fourthly, in regard of God the Holy Ghoſt, who is the pledge and pawne of our adoption and ſaluationRom. 8.16. the ſeale of our election, and doth teſtifie Gods louelove in Chriſt, for our ſaluation. Now then vnleſſe we will ſay that the Spirit of God, who is the ſpirit of Wiſedome, being of the very Councell of God, and the ſpirit of truth that cannot lye, that he teſtifies vntruths, that the beleeuer that repents & beleeues in Chriſt ſhall bee ſaued, and yet hee ſhall not, which is blaſphemy, wee muſt needs confeſſe it is impoſſible,1. Ioh. 3.9. Hee that is borne of God cannot ſinne (with full conſent to death) becauſe the ſeed of the Spirit remaineth in him. And therefore I conclude that the childe of God, elected, called, iuſtified and ſanctified, cannot periſh, and for euer fall away; cannot become a Reprobate, and limbe of the Deuill, but ſhall continue to the end, and God will finiſh the good worke of grace in them, Papiſts doctrine againſt the nature of faith. till the comming of Chriſt Ieſus.
Ʋſe 1 This confutes that damnable doctrine of the Papiſts, wbo hold all in vncertainty, yea they teach and hold that a man truely elected, may become a reprobate, though to day a child of God and highly in his fauour, yet to morrow by thy ſinnes, thou maiſt become a limbe of the deuill, out of Gods fauour, in his diſpleaſure, damned for euer: though to day a member of Chriſt Ieſus, called, iuſtified, and ſanctified, yet to morrow looſe all, and bee damned for euer, which indeed is the breake-necke of all comfort, if a man know not whether he ſhall be ſaued or not.
Vſe 2 A meruailous comfort to Gods children, if thou didſt euer finde the true worke of grace in thy heart,Comfort to Gods children that grace cannot be loſt. true faith, repentance, and newneſſe of life, aſſure thy ſelfe it cannot euer be loſt, God will finiſh that hee beginnes; yea the eſtate of Gods children now is better then the eſtate of Adam in Paradice before his fall; for then Adam ſtood by his own power, therefore might fall and did fall:1. Pet. 1.5. But wee bee kept by the power of God vntounto eternall life: ſecondly, the eſtate ofGal. 2.20. Adam was mut…ble by reaſon he had freedome of will, to ſtand or fall: but the ſtate of Gods elect is certaine and ſure, in regard of Gods eternall decree in Chriſt his death and paſſion, and the bond of the ſpirit which cannot bee broken.
Three Obiections.But there bee three obiections againſt this doctrine, that faith can neuer bee loſt, or an Elect child of God become a Reprobate: Firſt, that God is ſaid to be angry with his children, and ſhew them his disfauour: Secondly, that they by their ſinnes may cut themſelues off from Gods fauour, and ſo looſe eternall life and be damned: And thirdly, other teſtimonies of Scripture, which may ſeeme to proue the ſame.
For the former,Eſay 64.5 Behold thou art angry, for we hauehave ſinned againſt thee: ſo that it ſeemes that a man in the fauor of GOD to day may fall out of it, & looſe it, and procure his disfauour, anger, and diſpleaſure.
Re…p Firſt, that God is not angry, to ſpeak properly, with his children, but ſeemes ſo to be by correcting and puniſhing them, by iudgements, and afflictions; ſo as a childe thinkes his father is angry becauſe he corrects him, ſo do GODS children; and inded ſuch affections do not agree to Gods nature, to bee like an earthly man.
Secondly I anſwere, that this anger of God is not an effect of his diſpleaſure or diſ-fauour, but rather of his louelove: and he corrects his children not to deſtroy them, but to correct them, that he might ſaue them: as a father his ſonne, whom he loues deerely.
Obiect. 2. Where it is ſaid, that Gods children may by their ſinnes, breake off GODS louelove, yea thruſt themſelues out of fauour,Rom. 8.1. and be for euer damned.
Anſwere, It is falſe, for they be kept from damnable ſinnes, and God lets their ſinnes turne to their good, for God doth euer giuegive them hearts to repent: the ſinnes of the godly i… themſelues deſerue the euerlaſting curſe of God, and eternall death: If ſo that Ieſus Chriſt had not by his death and bloud-ſhedding ſatisfyed his Fathers anger for them.
Obiect. 3.Pſal. 69.18. Dauid praies that God would blot them out of the book of life, therfore it ſeemes a man elected may periſh and bee damned, for that booke is meant Gods Councell.
I anſwere, that Dauid doth not reade that euer the wicked had their names written indeed in the booke of life; or were elected indeed: but onelyonly becauſe they liued in the Church, were taken for Chriſtians, and eſteemed as written in the book of life, and therefore hee praies the Lord to blot them out, that is, to make it knowne, that they were neuer written in it.
Well then, certaine it is, that no one elect childe of God can periſh or be damned, but ſhall come to life eternall and bee ſaued, becauſe the Councell of God ſtandeth ſure, and cannot be altered.
Inſtruct. Seeing this is ſo, that none that is the elect child of God can periſh, what a ſweet comfort is this, to all the children of GOD, for if euer thou didſt repent and feltſt the louelove of God truly in thy ſoule, and art iuſtified & ſanctified, thou needſt not feare, for ſurely thou ſhalt be ſaued: and this muſt bee a ſure ſtay to vphold our poore ſoules, in all danger and temptation: Wee are as ſtrangeTrauellers ouer the ſea, there be great ſtorms and tempeſts, great rockes and dangers; the Sea is the world, the ſhip is the Church, heauē the hauen, the Diuell raiſes vp many boiſterous ſtorms and temptations, to ſincke our poore ſoules in deſperation: Now then by faith wee caſt Anchor vppon the foundation of GODS election, which cannot bee mooued.
But in this place, by Fauour, Face, and Countenance of God is meant, that fauour and mercy of God, whereby GOD gaue Dauid the Kingdome in the ſtead of Saul, aduancing him to be king of Iſrael, and Gods Lieutenant on earth, that God would defend him and keepe him, to gouerne his people Iſrael.
Doctr. 2 Whereas Dauid obſerued Gods dealing with Saul a wicked king,The godly feare when the remembe God his iudgemēt… on others and how God plagued and puniſhed Saul for his diſobedience againſt the word of God: and thereby is warned to take heed of the ſame judgement oi God, left they fall on him: we learne that it is the duty of eueryevery man and woman, to obſerue and marke GODS dealings with others, and his iuſt iudgement vponupon vngodly ſinners, that therby we may learne to feare the like iudgements on our ſelues, and it is a great point of wiſedome to learne to be wiſe by other mens harmes; and for this end the Lord doth plague wicked and vngodly men, that his children might learne to feare, euen as wee ſee notorious malefactors are hanged on a gibbet, that others ſeeing their ſhamefull ends might beware. The Lord hauing puniſhed ſundry Nations about his people, ſaith; Hee thought they would hauehave learned to feare God by their example.
Ʋſe. Wel, ſeeing this is that God looks for at our hands, and which he aimes at in puniſhing wicked men; namely, that we ſhould be warned by it, and take heed of their ſinnes: let vsus bee wiſe and obſerue Gods iudgements vponupon wicked men, and when wee ſee a wicked man puniſhed, a murderer, a contemner, a blaſphemer, a whore-maiſter, or the like: then let vsus feare leſt if we liue in the ſame ſinnes, wee plucke not downe the ſame iudgement vponupon vsus: And as Dauid heere calls to mind Saul, how he for his rebellion and diſobedience was caſt off of God; ſo let vsus call to mind the ſpectacle of GODS iudgements on wicked men, and take heede of their ſinnes, leſt we taſte of their plagues and puniſhment.
Doctr. 3 We learne,Sin takes away the feeling of Gods fauour for a time. that for ſinne the Lord doth depriue his children of his fauour, and as it were, caſt them out of his preſence for the time: thus wee ſhall ſee GOD hath ſpoyled men of great riches and honour for their ſinnes, and brought them to extreme ſhame and miſerie :looke on Ely and his two ſons, looke on Saul that wicked king,1. Sam. 3. 1. Sam. 15. Dan. 4.26. Eſter 3. Vſe. looke on that perſecuting tyrant Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Achitophel. &c.
This ſhould admoniſh all men to take heede of ſinne and rebellion againſt God, for certainely the Lord wil abaſe all ſuch as be proud againſt the Lord, hee will caſt them out of his preſence, make their names to rotte and ſtinke in the ſight of men; thoſe that honour me I will honour: 1. Sam. 2.3But thoſe that diſhonour me I will diſhonour them: and therefore if you would not be diſhonoured in the world, & prouoke the Lord to caſt you out of his preſence and fauour, O then beware how you ſin and rebell againſt God! for if thou be as deare to God as Ely, which was Gods high Prieſt, yet hee will bring ſhame vponupon thy head.
Ʋſe. 2 This ſhews the madneſſe of thoſe man and women,Folly of worldlings deſcribed. who deſiring to inioy their honours, riches, and dignities, profits, and preferrements, they take a moſt prepoſterous, and verie wrong courſe, for how do men ſeek for preferment, honor, and promotion, lands, and liuings? namely by oppreſſion, bribery, vſury, extortion, & the like: now alas wee ſee that is a vaine courſe, & the next way to ſtrip a man naked of all theſe things, and to bring him to ſhame, and reproch, miſery and pouerty, for ſin brings all theſe things vponupon them.
But if you would come to honor and dignity, riches, preferment, then ſeek to keep the fauor of God, ſerue him, worſhip him, honour him, and he will honor them that do ſo: and if thou ſeekeſt theſe things by wicked and vnlawfull meanes, certainely the Lord will caſt dung in thy face.
Secondly, when Dauid praies, that God would not take his holy Spirit from him, he meanes not the eſſence of the three Perſons, but his gifts and graces, the vertues of GODS Spirit ſanctifying his heart and renuing of him: ſo then wee vnderſtand theſe words, we muſt conſider this obiection.
Queſt. Whether that the giftes & graces of the holy Spirit wrought in the heart of Gods children can be totally and finally loſt as Dauids words ſeeme to imply.
Graces of God double.For the cleare anſwer of this queſtion, wee muſt know that the gifts of GODS Spirit bee firſt temporarie for this life; or elſe ſpirituall for the life to come: now of the former there is no queſtion but the temporary gifts of the Spirit may bee loſt vtterly.
Againe, the ſpirituall giftes and vertues of the ſpirit be of two ſorts, ſome common to the elect and reprobate, ſome proper and peculiar to Gods Elect and choſen children: now concerning the common giftes of Gods Spirit which be common to the wicked, aſwell as the godly, to heare the word, to preach the word, and to do ſuch like things they may be loſt.
Thirdly, the gifts of GODS ſpirit are ſuch as eyther are eſſentiall to faith, and without which, faith cannot be, or elſe the effects and fruits of faith, which are not of the eſſence of faith, ſuch gifts of the Spirit as be not of the eſſence of faith nor abſolute neceſſary to eternall life, the Lord doth ſomtimes take away for a time, as namely the purity of a good conſcience, that that inward peace which doth company it, the ſenſe & feeling of Gods louelove in Chriſt, and his eſpeciall fauour, cheerefulnes of ſpirit in prayer, hearing, and ſuch holy dueties, ioy in the holy-Ghoſt, patience the gift of prayer, and ſuch like, becauſe the louelove of GOD and the ſaluation of the faithfull may ſtand without theſe for a time.
But to ſpeake of the ſauing graces of Gods ſanctified ſpirit, as faith in Gods promiſes, hope of eternall life, affiance in Gods merciemercy in Ieſus Chriſt, louelove of G OD his word and children, theſe graces can neuer be loſt wholely: true it is they may bee weakned and leſſened, and ſomtime… ſeeme to bee loſt for the time: but yet certaine it is they can not bee wholy and finally loſt, they may be as the Sun vnderunder a cloud, and as fire raked vp in the aſhes, or as the trees in winter, but they can not be extinguiſhed, loſt, and taken cleane away: but as the Sunne ſhines cleare, the cloudes being ſcattered: and the fire giues light and heate being ſtirred: ſo faith, hope, affiance, ioy, comfort, peace of conſcience, and feeling of GODS louelove, are renued and ſhew themſelues cleare againe.
Ʋſe. 1 Seeing that the ſauing graces of Gods holy and ſanctified Spirit cannot totally and finally be loſt,Comfort to the godly that grace can not be loſt this is matter of endleſſe comfort to euerie true child of God in the time of tēptation and grieuous triall: for if euer thou foundeſt and felteſt in thy hart true faith in IESVS CHRIST, ſound repentance, hope of eternall life, louelove of God: howſoeuer theſe may bee much weakened, and for a time in thy ſence and feeling ſeeme be loſt, yet they can neuer be taken away: yea, if thou doſt carefully attend the meanes, as namely, the ſincere preaching of the word, adminiſtration of the Sacraments, continuall, humble and earneſt prayer, the Lord will reuiue them and renue them againe.
Vſe 2 This muſt ſerue to direct vsus how to iudge of them, who fall ſomtimes into pangs of diſpaire, vttering words of deſperation, that they are damned perſons and reprobates, and cry out of themſelues: truely if euer we ſaw in them the ſound worke of grace and true repentance, delight in the word, care to leade a godly life, louelove to Gods children, &c. Wee are in charitie to hope the beſt of them: to thinke that they belong to God: and that they ſpeake they know not what of themſelues, for they ſpeake according to their preſent ſence and feeling, whenas indeede in time of temptation & trouble of minde they be like a man that is ſicke of an ague, he can relliſh no meate, eueryevery thing ſeemes bitter vntounto him, becauſe his mouth is out of temper, but when he comes to health hee iudgeth otherwiſe: euen ſo theſe poore diſtreſſed ſoules in their trouble and affliction they ſpeake they know not what, not as their eſtate is in truth, but as they thinke it to be, according to their preſent ſence and feeling.
Vſe 3 Hence we ſee what to anſwer to that obiection, that many men who hauehave made a faire profeſſion of the truth had excellent giftes, and yet hauehave fallen cleane away; ſo Hebr. 6. A man may be inlightned, tasted of the heauenly gift, were partakers of the holy Ghoſt, taſted of the word of God, and of the powers of the world to come: ſuch men notwithſtanding may fal away, and that finally.
I anſwere, that there is nothing ſpoken there of the true worke of grace and ſanctification, of ſauing faith, ſound repentance, hearty obedience, and a new life: but onelyonly of ſuch common giftes as may befall a reprobate, and therefore Saint Iohn ſhewes the cauſe why they fall away; namely, they were neuer true and liuely members of the Church, or of Ieſus Chriſt: neuer truly engraffed into his myſticall body,Ioh. 2.19. they had knowledge, and were inlightned, taſted of the heauenly gifts, and graces of Gods Spirit, and had ſome glimmering of the ioys of the life to come, which the childe of GOD inioyes: but the ſound worke of grace, a renued heart, faith, repentance, obedience, and a ſanctified life was euer wanting, they were but hypocrites, They went out from vsus, but they were not of vsus: Mat. 7.21, 22.for if they had beene of vsus, they would hauehave continued with vsus.
And therefore it behoueth vsus all to take heed that we content not our ſelues with the common giftes and graces of the holy Ghoſt: which a reprobate may hauehave, for it is certaine moſt excellent gifts will not auaile a man to ſaluation, vnleſſe there be the true worke of grace, ſauing faith, ſound repentance, and heartie obedience.