The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit, Part 2 · Chapter 3
CAP. III.
Rebuke to divers ſorts, whoſe ſpirits are not full in following after the Lord.
IF thus to follow the Lord fully, bee ſo excellent, if this fulneſſe of ſpirit bee ſuch an honour unto Gods people, then juſtly are thoſe rebuked, whoſe ſpirits are not full in following the Lord, who acknowledge the Lord worthy to be followed, but their ſpirits are ſlight and vaine, their hearts are ſtraitned in the wayes of the Lord; they doe not fill up this bleſſed work of following after the Lord; their hearts doe moſt baſely fall, and moſt miſerably vaniſh in it.
As firſt, ſome are convinced, their judgements and conſciences are for 1God, but their luſts carry them violently another way: Oh the miſerable torment of theſe mens ſpirits, while their conſciences draw one way, and their luſts another! it is not ſo great an evill to have wilde Horſes tyed to the members of ones body, tearing of them by drawing contrary wayes.
Secondly, others reſt in their good inclinations, their good deſires; 2they ſay they would faine doe better, and they hope God will accept the will for the deed; they like of Gods wayes, and ſpeake well of good men, and therefore they thinke their hearts are for God: but theſe deſires and good motions, are but as little buds and ſprigs that come out of the roots of trees, or from the middle of their body, which come to nothing, they never grow up to beare any fruit; theſe are yet farre from following the Lord fully and ſavingly; for,
1 Their judgements are not yet inlightned, not throughly convinced 1of the poyſon and infinite evill there is in ſinne; of that abſolute infinite neceſſitie there is in the holy wayes of God; they ſee not the dreadfull Authority of God in every truth; they think it were well if things were amended, it were good if more were done than this; God helpe us, we have all our infirmities: and though they doe not as others doe, yet they hope their hearts are good towards God; were it not for ſome inconveniences they are like to meet withall, they could be content to doe more than they doe. But what is this, to that mighty work of God upon this ſpirit, convincing of the infinite neceſſity, equity, beauty of his bleſſed wayes? What is this to that ſight of Gods infinite, dreadfull authority? Thoſe whoſe hearts the Lord takes off from other things, to work fully after himſelfe, he begins thus with them, in the powerfull enlightning, and convincing of their judgements.
2 Theſe never were made ſenſible 2of their inabilitie to have holy deſires after God, ſo as to ſee any need of any ſpeciall worke of the Holy Ghoſt, to raiſe ſuch deſires in their hearts. Thoſe who are not ſenſible of their inability to holy deſires, though they may have many flaſhes like unto holy deſires, yet they are wholly ſtrangers to thoſe deſires after God, which are truly holy.
3 Theſe prize not the meanes of grace, they long not after them, they 3will not labour, they will not bee at charge, they will not endure hardſhip to attain them, they are not conſcionable in the uſe of them in any power; they uſe not all meanes; if one way will not bring their deſires to effect, they try not other wayes; they are not ſolicitous about the ſucceſſe of meanes, they look not much after them, but reſt themſelves in the bare uſe of them, not examining, not ſearching their hearts, to ſee what is in them that hinders the bleſſing, not bemoaning their unprofitableneſſe under meanes.
4 Their deſires are not ſtrong, 4unſatiable; other contentments quiet their hearts; Time weares away the ſtrēgth of their deſires, though they bee as farre from the enjoyment of the things that were deſired, as they were at the firſt.
5 Their endeavours are not powerfull, they are not working conſtant 5endeavours; they doe not dedicate, devote, give up themſelves, whatever they are, or have, to the ſeeking after the Lord; their conſciences cannot but tel them, that the ſtrength of their hearts, and endeavours, is after other things: David in the 119. Pſalm. 48. verſ. ſaith, That hee would lift up his hands unto Gods Commandements, which hee had loved; and hee would meditate in his Statutes: Hee did not thinke it enough to have a love to, to have ſome wiſhes and deſires, to keepe Gods Commandements, but he would lift up his hands to them, hee would ſet himſelfe on worke in labouring to obey them; hee would meditate, ſet his minde and thoughts, to plot and contrive, how he might beſt come to the fulfilling of them, Pſal. 27. 4. One thing have I deſired, and that will I ſeeke after. Certainly thoſe ſlight, vaine Grace cannot bee had with doing nothing. Nemo caſu ſit ſapient. Senec. ep. 77.deſires, and wiſhes that there are in many peoples hearts, are not the following this bleſſed God fully; they are but the dallyings, and triflings with God and their owne ſoules; they are ſo farre from bringing them unto God, as they prove to be their deſtruction; The deſire of the ſlothfull killeth him, for his hands refuſe to labour, Prov. 21. 15.
Thirdly, others have good reſolutions 3now and then in ſome good moods; the truths of God come darting in with ſome power, as they cannot but yeeld to them, and then they are reſolved that they will doe better, that it ſhall not be with them as it hath beene; they will ſet upon a new courſe of life, things ſhall bee reformed, and their lives ſhall bee changed; but yet theſe vaniſh too, they follow not God fully; They are as thoſe in the 5. Deut. 27. who ſeemed to have ſtrong reſolutions to walke in Gods wayes; Goe thou neare, ſay they to Moſes, and heare all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay, and ſpeake thou unto us all that the Lord our God ſhall ſpeake unto thee, and we will heare it, and doe it: But as the Lord ſaid there, concerning them, Verſe 29. So I may ſay of theſe, Oh that there were ſuch a heart in them; How farre are they from having yet a heart to follow God fully?
For, 1 Their reſolutions are not fruits of their deepe humiliation, for their former neglect of God, and the former ſinfulneſſe of their wayes; They are only to procure peace unto themſelves for the preſent, their hearts being ſtirred by the power of the truth darted in.
2 They ariſe not from changed principles, from a renewed nature, from out of love to the Lord, & his bleſſed wayes; hence they vaniſh, and they never bring them up unto the Lord.
Fourthly, others have ſtrong, ſudden affections, they feele ſometimes 4ſome meltings, in ſorrow for ſinne, in hearing the bleſſed truths of God revealed to them; they feele ſome ſweetneſſe in the working of truths upon their hearts, they are ſenſible of ſome joyes in good things, they have a taſte of the powers of the world to come: When they heare Chriſt preached, or ſee his body broken, or his blood ſhed in the Sacrament, they think with themſelves; Oh that Jeſus Chriſt, ſhould come from heaven, to ſave ſuch poore wretches as we are, that hee ſhould ſhed his pretious blood, that hee ſhould die for ſuch vile ſinners! yet theſe are a great way off from following the Lord fully:
For, 1 theſe affections are ſudden, 1and flaſhing; the truths of God paſſe by them, leaving a little glimmering behinde them, or as water paſſeth thorow a Conduit, & leaves a dew; but they ſoake not into the heart, as the water ſoakes into the earth to make it fruitfull.
2 Theſe are ſtirred with the pardoning, 2comforting, ſaving mercies of God, but not with the humbling, renewing, ſanctifying mercies: when the word puts them upon any hard thing to fleſh and blood, it is unſavoury to them, their hearts turne from it; If the word urgeth to ſtrict examination of themſelves, if it puts them upon the finding out of the deceits of their ſpirits, their ſecret corruptions, and would ſtraine them to higher duties than their principles reach unto, then their ſpirits fly off; they ſeeke to bleſſe themſelves in that they have already, and think that theſe things trouble people more than needs & if God ſhould not bee mercifull to ſuch who finde ſuch affections, ſuch ſtirrings of heart as wee doe, then Lord, what ſhall become of us?
3 Theſe flaſhy affections doe not ariſe from ſpirituall judgement, apprehēding the ſpirituall excellencies of godlineſſe, after a ſpirituall manner; their apprehenſions of ſpirituall and heavenly things, are too too carnall and ſenſitive: Hence afterwards when they come to finde the good things of the wayes of God to be ſpirituall, and heavenly, not ſutable to thoſe apprehenſions they had of them, their hearts are then taken off, as thoſe wee reade of in the 6. of Iohn 34. verſe; When Chriſt told them, That the bread of God is hee which commeth downe from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, Oh ſay they, Lord ever give us this bread; their hearts were up & exceedingly ſtirred; Well, as if Chriſt ſhould have ſaid, You ſhall have it, I am the bread of life; hee that commeth to mee ſhall never hunger, hee that beleeveth in me ſhall never thirſt; as if he ſhould have ſaid; This muſt bee done by faith, you muſt feed upon my fleſh by faith, and drinke of my blood by faith. But now they having apprehended a ſtrange kind of bread from heaven before, and afterwards hearing of no other, but comming to Chriſt, and beleeving in Chriſt, they were deceived of their expectations, and ſo were offended, and now their affections fall; for verſe 41. they begin to murmur at him, and verſe 60. they ſaid, It was an hard ſaying, who could heare it? and ver. 66. From that time many of them went backe, and walked no more with him. The like example wee finde in the Galathians, at the firſt they would have pluckt out their eyes for S. Paul, their affections were ſo ſtirred by his Miniſtery, they apprehended ſome great matters in the meſſage of the Goſpel that S. Paul brought, but afterwards, finding that thoſe great and excellent things that the Goſpel ſpake of, were onelyonly ſpirituall, which their carnall hearts had little skill of, and could not reliſh, their affections were ſoon cooled, & they fell off from S. Paul. Take heed therefore of reſting to theſe flaſhy affections, for if you do, when theſe are gone, your hearts will bee left in darkeneſſe. Many examples are knowne of ſuch, who have proved to bee moſt vile Apoſtates; yet time was, wherein they have had many meltings, much ſudden ſtrong joy, ſo as they have profeſſed that the joy they have found hath beene ſo great, that if it had continued but a while, they could not have lived, but their ſpirits would hauehave expired. A ſolid worke of the ſoule proceeding from an humble broken heart, caſting it ſelfe upon the faithfulneſſe, and freeneſſe of the grace of God in the promiſe, for pardoning, and ſanctifying mercy, and there reſting, ſo as willing to venture it ſelfe there for ever, though it hath no preſent ſenſe of joy, yet it is farre more to be prized than the ſtrongeſt of theſe ſudden flaſhes of affection. Theſe flaſhy affections which have not principles to maintain them, are like to Cōduits in the City, running with wine at the Coronatiō of Princes, or ſome other great triumph, but it will not hold: they are like Landfloods, which ſeeme to bee a great ſea, but come to nothing in a day or two; As there may be flaſhes of terrour, and yet no true feare of God. The Iſraelites were terrified when the Law was given, and yet God ſaith, Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were a heart that they would feare me: So there may bee flaſhes of joy, deſire, ſorrow, and yet no true ſanctified joy, deſire, or ſorrow at all. There is much deceit in mens affections; Affections not well principled, not well grounded, ſoone vaniſh; time will weare them away. The people of Iſrael at the giving of the Law, had their affections much ſtirred, ſo that one would have thought, they had been engaged unto the Lord for ever; and yet within fourty dayes, their hearts were ſo taken off from God, and his Law, as if God had never made himſelfe knowne unto them; they call to Aaron to make them gods to goe before them, and ſay to the Molten Calfe, Theſe be thy gods, O Iſrael, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Another notable example wee have of people whoſe affections are ſtrong for the preſent, and yet worne away in a little time, in the 13. of Hoſea 1. When Ephraim ſpake, trembling, hee exalted himſelfe in Iſrael; but when he offended in Baal, hee died: When Ephraim ſpake, that is, when Ieroboam who Sanctius in Hoſea 13.was of the Tribe of Ephraim, declared his purpoſe to alter the worſhip of God, the people at the firſt were exceedingly affected with it, & they ſtood all trembling at ſuch a ſtrange thing as that was; the very thought of it made their hearts to ſhake, becauſe they knew how jealous a God the Lord was; But Ieroboam exalted himſelfe in Iſrael, hee went on reſolutely in his way, and would bring his purpoſe to effect; then the people in a little time, were brought to offend in Baal, and then they died, and they became a dead, ſottiſh, heartleſſe people, fit to receive, or do any thing though never ſo vile.
Fifthly, others follow the Lord, 5but they follow him in a dull, heavy manner; there is no ſpirit, no heat, no life in their following of him, & therefore they doe not follow him fully: They reſt themſelves in a middle temper, in a lukewarme courſe; they like well of Religion, and profeſſion, but what need men goe ſo farre, what need they doe ſo much? As Pharaoh ſaid to the Iſraelites, Exod. 8. 28. I will let you goe, onelyonly you ſhall not goe farre away. The judgement of theſe men is for a middle way; they are mixed ſpirited men, like Ephraim, Hoſea 7. 8. mixed with the people, as a cake not turned, halfe baked and halfe dough; they goe on in an ordinary track of performing the duties of Religion without any growth, or any ſenſibleneſſe of the want of growth; they ſet upon ſome faire way of Religion, which they perſwade themſelves is enough, and that they meane to hold to; they are content to make uſe of Chriſt, and the profeſſion of Religion, ſo farre as may ſerve their owne turnes; but to entertaine Chriſt, and his truth, as an abſolute Lord to rule them, that their ſpirits cannot beare; in their converſe there is no ribauldry, no filthineſſe; ſo there is no warmth, no heat to refreſh and quicken any gratious ſpirit, that hath to deale with them; in all the Duties of Religion that they perform, they take no paines with their hearts, to work them to God. Luther cals ſuch kind Cainiſlae ſunt, of ſerentes non per …nam, ſed of us …e… ſonae. I uther. decl…at. in D…cal.of men, Cainiſts, that is, ſuch as Cain, who offered to God the work done, but do not offer themſelves to God; they content thēſelues with generall hopes of Gods mercy upon weake, and unexamined grounds; they never trouble themſelves in calling things into queſtion, about their conditions and their eternall eſtates; they never lay to heart the miſeries of Gods Church; and the publike cauſe of God is not deare unto them; they have not heat enough to cauſe a melting ſpirit, for the diſhonor that God hath by themſelves; much more is that heat wanting, that ſhould keepe their hearts melting for that diſhonour which God hath from others.
Now this temper is ſo farre from following the Lord fully, as it is loathſome and abominable to the Lord; ſo loathſome, as he threatens to ſpue ſuch out of his mouth. It is Revel. 3. 16,obſervable, that of all the ſeven Churches we read of in the Revelation, there is ſome good ſaid, every one is cōmended for ſomthing; onelyonly this Church of Laodicea excepted which was a luke-warme Church; and of this there is no good at all ſaid; and yet none of the Churches had that high eſteeme of it ſelfe as this had; none of them conceited themſelves 1to be rich, and encreaſed with goods, and to have need of nothing, as this did. No people doth ſo bleſſe themſelves in their way, as luke-warme people doe; and yet no people more abominable to God than they. What a diſhonour is this luke-warme temper to God, as if God were ſuch a God, as ſuch flat, ſleight, dead-hearted formall ſervices, as are performed by them, were ſufficient to honour his holy, great, dreadfull and infinite Majeſtie? God pronouneeth a curſe in Malac. 1. verſe 14. againſt thoſe who doe not offer the beſt that poſſibly they can, in ſacrifice to him; and gives this Reaſon of it, Becauſe my Name is dreadfull, and I am a great King, ſaith the Lord: As if he ſhould ſay, Therefore onelyonly the moſt high and excellent things that can bee performed by the creature, are fit for to be tendred up to mee. This luke-warme temper wrongs Ieſus Chriſt exceedingly, as if there were no other life and vertue in Ieſus Chriſt, than to inable a man to doe as they doe. What? hath Chriſt laid down his life, & ſhed his pretious blood for the renewing of Gods Image in man, and is it nothing but this? if Chriſt had never come into the world, men might have done as much as this comes to. It is a wrong to the Holy Spirit likewiſe, for it is the ſpecial office of the Holy Ghoſt, for to bee a Sanctifier, to frame the heart to God, to quicke the ſoul with the life of grace, and holineſſe; and is this all it doth? this were a poore worke, if there were no other but this. It diſhonours holineſſe, which is the moſt glorious thing in the world; the life of God, the Divine Nature; this makes it as if it were nothing but a morall, liveleſſe, dead-hearted, empty thing; this puts holineſſe in ſubjection to humane reaſon, to carnall wiſedome; it muſt bow to their diſcretion, to the opinions and wayes of men; and in truth, to their baſe luſts, though it be in a more cleanly way, than in others. Be convinced then, that this is not that following the Lord fully, wch is the honour of Gods people in his eyes.
Sixthly, ſome go beyond this dull luke-warme temper, they are very 6forward in ſome things, but in other things their hearts ſticke; they come not off fully in them. Agrippa ſaith of himſelfe, that Paul had almoſt perſwaded him; the words are, Thou perſwadeſt mee a little. The hearts of theſe men are divided, as it is ſaid of foreign.thoſe in Hoſea 10. 2. they will not let goe their profeſſion, but will keepe their corruption too. As Camden reports of Redwald King of the Eaſt Saxons, the firſt Prince of his Nation that was baptized, yet in the ſame Church had one Altar for Chriſtian Religion, and another for Sacrifices unto Devills: Thus theſe men joyne Religion and their luſt together. If they let out their hearts inordinately to any contentment, and take liberty ſometimes in ſatisfying ſome luſts, they thinke to make up all againe by ſome forwardneſſe and earneſt devotion in ſome other thing; as many who get ſurfets think they can ſweat and purge them out again.
This diviſion of heart the Lord cannot endure, and therefore it followes in that place of Hoſea, They ſhall be found faulty; or as the words are read by ſome, Now ſhall they bee made deſolate: for in the Hebrew, the word ſignifies both to bee guilty, and to bee deſolate. It is too much boldneſſe and preſumptuouſneſſe in men, to venture to take liberty to themſelves, to chuſe wherein they will yeeld to God in ſome things; but in others preſume to ſatisfie themſelves; this is not to caſt downe our ſoules before the Lord, as poore, condemned, vile creatures, to lie at his mercy in an humble, faithfull reſignation of our ſelves up to him, in all wee are, or have, which is that honour that God expects from us, and is infinitely due unto him. While our hearts are thus divided betweene God and other things; God doth not account himſelfe obeyed, or honoured at all in any thing; all that we ſeeme to doe, in truth, is nothing at all. Hence in Ierem. 32. 23. the Prophet chargeth the people with this, that they neither walked in Gods Law, and that they had done nothing of all that God had commanded them to doe; and Ver. 30. he ſaith, they had only done evill: and in 2 Kings 17. the people are ſaid to feare the Lord, and ſerve their owne gods, Verſe 33. and yet in Verſe 34. the Text ſayes, that they feared not the Lord: ſhewing unto us, that where the heart is divided betweene God and other things, there God hath not the heart at all, God is not feared, he is not honoured at all. If wee joyne the counſels of the fleſh with the ſpirit, we fruſtrate all.
Seventhly, there are others who cannot bee ſo eaſily convinced in 7what particulars they forſake God in any of his wayes; they ſeeme to have a generall forwardneſſe in that which is good, but the truth is, they follow themſelves, and not God in all; they riſe no higher than Selfe in all they doe; which their owne conſciences, upon ſearch made, will tell them; the Commandement of God may be made the pretence, but Selſe is the chiefe Engine, Selſe is the great mover in all. As Phyſitians putting in many operative ingredients into their Phyſick, and they are the things that worke; but beſides, they put in ſomething to give a colour, or a little taſte, which neither doth good nor hurt, that hath no operation at all: Thus it is in many mens Religion; ſelfe-ends are the operative ingredients in that they doe, and the ſhew of obedience to God, is but that which gives the colour, that that which they doe may have the better apperance. It is impoſſible, that a man which ſeekes himſelfe, ſhould come up to this fulneſſe of ſpirit that is required in this following of the Lord. Hoſ. 10. 1. it is ſaid, That Iſrael is an empty Vine; Why ſo? he bringeth forth fruit unto himſelfe; hee brings forth fruit, but yet is empty, becauſe hee bringeth it forth unto himſelfe. Where ſelfe-ends are the chiefe movers, Fructus adaequatus eſt ei; ſo the old Latine.there is no further latitude or degree of godlineſſe minded, but ſuch as may be ſerviceable unto them: Now they cannot but bee low, ſtrait, narrow, in compariſon of thoſe who lift up God in all they do; and therefore their profeſſion muſt needs bee empty and ſcant; not full and powerfull, as it is in the other. A ſelfe-ſeeking heart is alwayes an empty heart, but a gracious heart is fruitfull in all manner of pleaſant fruits, new and old: And what is the reaſon? I have laid them up for thee, O my beloved Cant. 7. v. laſt. Obſerve the difference, Iſrael is an empty Vine, hee brings forth fruit to himſelfe; but the Church here brings forth all manner of pleaſant fruit; for ſhee layes them up for her Beloved; ſhee brings them not forth for her ſelfe, as Iſrael did.
Eightly, others follow the Lord 8earneſtly a while, but afterwards they forſake him, they turne Apoſtates, they doe not fill up their worke they have begun, but undoe all againe; of whom it may be ſaid, as Lament. 4. 8. They were whiter than Milke, they were as Rubies and poliſhed Saphires in regard of their glorious profeſſion; but now they are blacker than a Coale. God may juſtly complaine of them, as he did of his people, Micah 2. 8. They who were my people yeſterday, are now riſen up againſt me, as an enemy: it was far otherwiſe with them very lately, than now it is. Many are very hopefull at the firſt, yet they prove exceeding vile afterwards; yea, the more forward in good at firſt, the more vile after: As water that hath once been heat, and growes cold againe, is colder than ever it was.
It is reported of Nero, who proved the very Monſter of men for wickedneſſe, yet in the firſt five yeares of his reigne, he behaved himſelfe exceeding well, ſo that it was uſed as a Proverbe to expreſſe the good beginnings of men, Neroes five firſt Nero…s Quin. quennium.yeares: So Caligula, who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked, yet Ioſephus reports of him, that when he Ioſeph. Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8, 9.was young he travelled very diligently in good diſciplines, hee was of a ſweet converſation, and modeſt, and he governed the Empire the firſt two yeares of his raigne, with moſt noble directions, behaving himſelfe graciouſly towards all men: yea, Iulian himſelfe, who proved ſuch a curſed Apoſtate, yet when hee was young, was very forward and hopefull; he was a publick Reader of holy Scriptures in the Church; he ſeemed to glory in nothing more than in Religion; he was of a very temperate dyer, content with meane food, without much preparation; hee uſed Petri Mart. Morentini praeſatione in Iulia. … M…ſapogo….to lie hard in meane bedding, to watch much a nights, ſpend his time in ſtudy; hee was very chaſte, cleare from the leaſt ſuſpition of luſt; thoſe Officers that were about him, that ſerved for nothing but to maintaine …linus, lib. 22.delicacy and luxury, hee baniſhed from him; hee tooke no delight in publike ſhewes, when hee came to them, hee came rather of neceſſity, than for any pleaſure hee tooke in them: hee ſaith of himſelfe, that when he was on the Theater, he was more like a dereſter of their Playes, than a ſpectator of them, and was preſent at them with trouble and diſdaine, and was joyfull when hee went from them: hee loved learning exceeding much; hearing of a Philoſopher that came to him out of Aſia, he leaps out of the doore, and goes to meet him, and kiſſes him, and entertains him with much honour. In an Epiſt. of his to one Eodicius a Governour of Egypt, he hath this notable expreſſion; Some (ſaith he) delight in horſes, others in birds, others in beaſts, Quidam equis, h… avibus, nonnulli ſeris de…ect…ur, ego vero n…e uſq … à pueritia l… cupiditate arſi.but I from my very childhood, have burnt with deſire after books. He had an honorable eſteeme of mans ſoule, looking upon the body as vile in compariſon of it. There is this notable expreſſion reported of him, concerning this; It is a ſhamefull thing for any wiſe man, ſeeing he hath a ſoule, …urpe eſt ſaptenti, cum, ab…at animum captare …audes ex corpore.to ſeeke for praiſes from any thing that belongs to his body. Hee ſeemed to have much uprightneſſe in the courſe of Juſtice; he would not condemne upon accuſations without proofe; there is this expreſſion of his concerning this reported of him; when one Delphidius accuſed one before him, of a crime, of which he could not bring ſufficient proofe; the party accuſed denyed the fact; this Delphidius anſwers, If it be ſufficient to deny that which is laid to ones charge, who ſhall be found guilty? Then Iulian anſwers, And if it be ſufficient to be accuſed, who can be innocent? Etquis innocens eſſe poterit, ſi accuſaſſe ſufficiet.Many other notable things are reported of him; but theſe I have related more fully, becauſe in this example we may ſee how farre a man may goe in much ſeeming good; what hopefull beginnings he may have, and yet what a vile curſed Monſter he may prove, if he lookes not to it. Let none then reſt themſelves in their good beginnings; but as they have made entrance upon this work, in following the Lord, ſo let them labour to fill it up: & as for thoſe who heretofore have ſeemed to be forward and hopefull, while they lived in good families, and under the care and watchfull eye of able and godly men, and yet have now forſaken the Lord, and his wayes; let ſuch (I ſay) know, that it is an evill, and a bitter thing, to forſake the bleſſed God; to turne from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit; ſo great an evill is it, that God himſelfe cals the heavens to be aſtoniſhed at this, Ier. 2. 12, 13. Be aſtoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord: For my people have committed two evils, they have forſaken me the Fountaine of living waters, and hewed them out Ciſternes, broken Ciſternes, that can hold no water. The evill of this forſaking the Lord, were great, if this were all.
Firſt, that all your labour in Religion, that all that you have done, is 1loſt: In Hoſea 8. 2. Iſrael ſhall cry to me, My God we know thee; but verſe 3. Iſrael hath caſt off the thing that is good; therfore, verſe 7. it is ſaid that They have ſown the wind, and ſhall reape the whirlewind: It is but a ſowing to the wind, to follow God in ſome things, and not to hold on in our way. In the 2 Epiſt. of St. Iohn and the 8. verſe, Look to your ſelves, ſaith S. Iohn. that wee loſe not thoſe things that wee have wrought: It is an evill thing, to loſe all that wee have wrought for; but this is not all.
Secondly, if you leave off from following the Lord, all the good that ever you have done, and made profeſſion of, ſhall ſerve only to aggravate your ſinne, and encreaſe your torment.
Thirdly, this leaving off from following Blaſphemiam iagerit Relig… quam co… quod conſit…tur non ante omnes impleverit. Cypr. de ſing. Cleri….the Lord, is a great diſhonor to God and his ways; an upbraiding of them, as if they were not good enough to draw the heart conſtantly after them; as if there were not that in them, that they make ſhew for. Hence the Lord pleads with his people, Ierem. 2. 5. who had forſaken him, What iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone farre from mee, and have walked after vanity? As if he ſhould have ſaid, The world may thinke my ways are unequall, men may thinke that I have not ſhewne my ſelfe a God, ready to doe good, and to reward thoſe who follow me. The forſaking of the truth, the profeſsion whereof wee have once taken up, it is to put Chriſt to open ſhame, Heb. 6. 6.
Fourthly, ſuch men as theſe, doe much miſchiefe in the world; they are grievous ſcandals; they make the good wayes of God to be evill ſpoken of; they harden mens hearts againſt them, and the profeſſion of them; many in hell curſe them, as the cauſe of their ruin: if a man were borne to doe miſchiefe, he could not doe greater any way, than this. So much hurt is done by them, they cauſe ſuch blemiſhes, ſuch ſports to be upon the profeſſion of godlineſſe, as we ſhould be glad if we could waſh them off with our deareſt heartblood, and account it well beſtowed: but woe be to them by whom theſe offences come. The greateſt part of all the ſcorne, contempt of, and oppoſition againſt the wayes of God, and godly men, ſhall be charged upon theſe men, as the cauſers of it; for were it not for ſuch as theſe, wicked men could not tell what to ſay for themſelves, in their oppoſition of thoſe wayes of godlineſſe, which in themſelves are ſo equall, and good, and bleſſed; woe be to them, by whom ſuch offences come.
Fifthly, Theſe men ſhall have their ſpirits filled with horrour; they did 5not fill up their work in following the Lord; but God and conſcience ſhall follow them, with anguiſh, and horrour, and fill up their ſpirits with them. It may be, once they had ſome flaſhy comforts in the performance of ſome duties; but they ſhall be all taken from them, and diſmall horror, and hideous amazement of ſpirit ſhall poſſeſſe them, Pro. 14. 14. The backſlider in heart ſhall bee filled with his owne wayes; Much more than, the backſlider in heart and life too, hee ſhall bee filled, he ſhall have enough of them. Conſcience one day will upbraid, fly in the face, and teare the heart. Oh wretched creature what haſt thou done? whom haſt thou forſaken? is it not the God of life, and peace, and comfort, and all good, that thou haſt forſaken? are they not the bleſſed wayes of holineſſe, the wayes of eternall reſt and peace that thou haſt left? God hath likewiſe forſaken thee, and all good and comfort begins to withdraw it ſelfe from thee; thou art like to bee left in horrid diſmall darkneſſe; Juſt it is that thou ſhouldſt be left as a forſaken, forlorne, miſerable wretch, who haſt thus wretchedly and vilely forſaken God, and his truth, for the enjoyment of ſuch poore, baſe things as thy heart is turned aſide unto. How wilt thou be able to looke upon the faces of thoſe, with whom thou haſt formerly joyned in holy duties, and haſt had communion with? But how canſt thou looke upon the face of the bleſſed God, when hee ſhall appeare in his glory unto thee? What anguiſh will it bee to thee when thou ſhalt ſee others, who have continued in their way following the Lord, to be for ever bleſſed in that God, whom their ſoules have followed, and cleaved conſtantly unto? but thy ſelfe, becauſe thy baſe unbeleeving heart dared not venture all upon him, now thou art caſt out for ever, as an eternall curſe: Oh what rack of conſcience will it bee, when thou ſhalt ſee in what a faire way once thou wert, but for want of comming off fully, and conſtantly in ſuch and ſuch particulars, thou art now for ever loſt?
Laſtly, theſe men are hatefull both to God and Men; they are 6hatefull to Men, becauſe they goe ſo farre; and to God, becauſe they goe no further, as Hebr. 10. 38. If any man draw back, my ſoule ſhall have no pleaſure in him. Oh what a happy thing were it, if God would trouble the wayes of theſe poore creatures, if hee would make them bitter and grievous to them, if hee would magnifie his mercy, and his power in turning their hearts againe towards him, if hee would deale with them as hee did with his people, Hoſea 2. 6. 7. Hedge up their wayes with thornes, make a wall that they ſhould not find their paths, that ſo they might at length, come to that bleſſed reſolution wee find there; I will goe and returne to my Husband, for then it was better with me than now; So I will goe and returne to my former wayes, and follow after the Lord againe, from whom I have wretchedly departed, for then it was better with me then it is now; then I had more comfort, more peace, more ſafety, more bleſſing than I have now; And let ſuch know, that though it were juſt with God, for ever to reject them who have forſaken him; juſt to ſay, that vanity ſhould bee their portion, who have turned after lying vanities; and many of the Ancients have made the caſe Clemens Alex. quoted by Sympſon in his hiſtory of the Church in the ſecond centuryof ſuch exceeding doubtfull, eſpecially if after conviction they have forſaken God againe and againe; as Clemens Alexandrinus thought, that God might give ſuch the firſt and ſecond Tert. thought their caſe deſperate, eſpecially who fell into the ſinne of uncleanneſs. Lib. de pudicit. ſpeaking of that place, Heb. 6. 6. It is impoſſible that they who were once inlightned, &c. He ſayes, that this Author knew no ſecōd repentance promiſed to the Adulterer and Fornicator. Nunquam moecho & fornicatori ſecundam poenitentiam promiſſam ab Apoſtolis.repentance, but if they fell oftner, there was no renewing them by repentance. And Origen ſeemed likewiſe to bee of the ſame minde, in his 5. Homily upon Leviticus, Chap. 25. So Tertullian in his Book of repentance: God grants (ſaith hee) a ſecond repentance, but no further. Thus we ſee the ſtrictneſſe of theſe Ancient times. But though theſe leave theſe men exceeding comfortleſſe, yet let them know, that the Lord cals them to returne again unto himſelfe: For though it be (ſaith the Lord) that if a wife have played the harlot, and ſhee be put away, and become another mans, her husband will not receive her again; yet ſaith the Lord, Ier. 3. 1. Thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, but yet returne to mee: and verſe 22. Returne yee back-ſliding children, and I will heale your back-ſlidings: Oh that your hearts would anſwer, as theirs there did; Oh that this gracious offer of the Lord, might have the ſame effect upon your hearts as it had upon theirs: Behold, ſay they, wee come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; truely in vaine is ſalvation hoped for from the hils, &c. Wee ſee, wee ſee, wee have beene utterly deceived; the wayes that wee have choſen, have not beene good; ſhame hath devoured our labour, wee have beſtowed our labour in ſhamefull things, we lie downe in our ſhame, and our confuſion covereth us, for wee have ſinned againſt the Lord our God. As when a man goeth from the Sunne, yet the Sunne-beames follow him, ſhine on him, warme him; ſo though thou haſt departed from the Lord, yet the beames of Gods mercy this day follow thee, they ſhine on thee; Oh that they might ſo warme thy heart, as to cauſe thee to returne.Cap. 4.