Concerning Denial of Christ, Title page – To the reader
A TREATISE CONCERNING DENIALL OF CHRIST: A Subject of most high concernment for all those who intend to follow CHRIST.
Written by Christopher Blackwood, an unprofitable Servant of JESUS CHRIST.
foreign.
In English: Being questioned, we do not deny, accounting it ungodly not to speak truth in all things. Justin Martyr Apol. 1. ad Romanum Senatum.
Caeteris negantibus adhibetis tormenta ad confitendum, solis Christianis ad negandum. You use torments to others that denie to make them to confesse, but to Christians alone to make them deny. Tertul. Apol. adversus Gentes, cap. 2.
Thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those dayes wherein Antipas was my faithfull martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. Rev. 2.13.
London: Printed for Edward Blackmore, at the signe of the Angell in Pauls Church-yard. 1648.
To the Reader.
OƲt of pity to the soules of many, who in having only a fancy instead of faith, professe that they know God, but in their works or (which is no lesse soule-damning though not so much reproachfull) in the habit and frame of their heart denie him, have I writ these things: he that hath not studied the Crosse of Christ, how notionall soever in his mind, and how glorious soever in his profession, is yet a stranger from the Lord, and hath not aright learned the mysterie of godlinesse: that therefore thou mayest be rightly instructed in the Doctrine of Confession, then which the Gospell knowes few or no points more heard to learne, or more dangerous to be ignorant of, and maist not ship-wrack thy faith and conscience, I have like one that narrowly hath escaped Ship-wrack, discovered unto thee a dangerous unseen Rock, whereon thousands split their soules for ever, and these none of the worst men and women, but such as have escaped the pollutions of the world, too good to goe to hell, and yet not good enough to goe to heaven: to fathom that deep abysse of vaine feares, Idolizing of creatures, trechery against Christ, cowardlinesse in good causes, dissimulation in worship, regulation of conscience by humane commands, backe-sliding in heart, with many other evills, which accompany habituall deniall of Christ, is beyond my line and plummet, yet have I waded a little, being guided I trust, by the Map of Divine Light, to make some discovery of these Rocks: This subject of deniall of Christ is something unknowne, forasmuch as I never read or heard of any Treatise about the same in print, and therefore it will not be amisse to cast an eye upon it, I trust through the guidance of that good Spirit of grace, and through the experience of my owne deceitfull heart, I have (though not so fully as were to be wished) given some light in this point, hoping that God will stirre up some more able, to make further discoveries herein: when evill times come, no sin is wont more deeply to afflict then that we have denied him, of whom we desire then to be owned. And nothing more credits the cause of God, then for the people of God to be willing to witnesse the same with the losse of all earthly comforts; this was that which wrought so much upon Justin Martyr about 1500. yeares ago; hear his words, in his first Apologie, p. 39. to the Romane Senate, foreign, &c. for I my selfe being a follower of the Doctrine of Plato, hearing the Christians accused slanderously, and seeing that they went without feare to death, and to all other things which are counted terrible, I thought with my selfe it was impossible that they should live in wickednesse, and love of pleasures; for what lover of pleasure, or intemperate person, or that delights to feed upon mans flesh, can willingly entertaine death, or will suffer the losse of his goods, and will not rather by all meanes seeke to prolong his life, and by lying hid, deceive Princes, that he may not deliver himselfe up to be put to death.
Whereas there are in this Treatise some Historicall Narrations and Confirmations out of Antiquity, I shall desire the Reader, not to mis-interpret that which was intended for thine and mine owne spiritualll good, so farre as my own heart can judge: my scope herein was partly to let thee see that this Doctrine was no new Doctrine, but such as (besides the testimony of Scriptures) the practice of Saints in sundry ages commended unto us, and partly to delight thee by mingling profit and pleasure together, that whiles thou considerest the sweetnesse of the words, thou mayest also consider the truth and weightinesse of the point in hand, that God hereby may bring over thy heart to an habituall intention to confesse Christ with the losse of all thou hast; and partly that a point of such concernment may not be sleighted through the Authours superficiall handling thereof. If God shall do thy poor soul any good hereby I have my end, but if not, take heed this Treatise be not a witnesse against thee in the great-day of the Lord. I shall desire no more of thee, Reader, save (if thou canst pray) that I may have thy prayers to our God to perfect and stablish the same in me, which I commend unto thee, least whiles I preach to others to confesse the Lord, I my self be found a back-slider in heart or profession; I have no more at present, save that I am
The Lords and his Churches devoted (though unprofitable) Servant. Christopher Blackwood.
A TREATISE OF THE DENIALL OF CHRIST.
MATTHEW. 10.33.
Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven.
CHrist had foretold sundry evills which should befall his Disciples for his cause, the last whereof was death; against the four former, having propounded sundry Consolations; as when they should be brought before Councels and Governors, the Spirit should teach them what to answer, ver. 17.18, 19, 20. and when they should suffer the hatred, not only of near kindred, but of all men, (if notwithstanding the hatred of the world they did persevere) they should be saved, ver. 21.22. and when their enemies should persecute them from City to City, God would still provide a harbor for them among the spiritual Israel of God, till the second coming of Christ. ver. 23. And whereas the Adversaries would reproach them, and call them dogs, Heritecks, nay, Devils, for their comfort, it was no more then was done to the master of the house, whom they called Belzebub. ver. 24.25. Now Christ having comforted his Disciples against these evils, there remained one more, yea, the greatest evil of all to be comforted against, even death it self, which some of them must look for, and all of them must prepare for, if they preacht upon the house tops that which he spake unto them in the eare; therefore, that they might be better able to encounter with this terrible of terribles; he commands them in general, fear them not, therefore, ver. 26.27. but because fear is a most wakeful affection, as being conversant about danger, and so much the more wakeful, when it beholds death, and will hardly be cast out by three or four words; hence Christ propounds four grounds to stay their hearts: First, from the limited power of the enemies, they can only touch the body, they cannot touch the soul. ver. 28. Secondly, from the Providence of God, the enemies cannot touch an hair of our heads, but as God permits, much less can they touch our lives, without his permissive and disposing Providence; a sparrow cannot fall to the ground, much less can your lives, which are more valued with God then many sparrows. ver. 29.30, 31. Thirdly, the 3d ground is from the promise made to those, that notwithstanding the Adversary shall threaten death, yet they are resolved to confess the truth; unto these Christ saith, He that confesseth me before men, him will I confess before my Father in Heaven. Fourthly, the fourth ground from the threatning, He that denies me, though to save his life, him will I deny before my Father in Heaven.
In the words, avoyding curiosities, are two things considerable.
1. An universal admonition, that no man venture upon this sin of denial of Christ; Whosoever shall deny me before men.
2. A terrible Commination, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven.
To open the words, three questions must be resolved.
1 Quest. What it is to deny Christ?
Ans. Denial presupposes a question, which admits a double answer, either affirmative, which we are bound to make; or negative, which we are forbid; now when we shall (either to escape persecution and the Cross, or to obtain earthly enjoyments and preferments,) deny those principles which we in our hearts are convinced are Gods Truth, this is flat denial of Christ.
2 Quest. What denial of Christ is here meant in the Text, which excludes a man out of Heaven?
Ans. There is a two-fold denial of Christ; 1. Actual, when a man, in some vehement tentation of fear or danger, doth once, or oftner, deny Christ, yet in the habit of his heart doth cleave to Christ, yea, and to that truth, which for the present he doth deny: So Peter denied Christ again and again, and yet he is in Heaven: So Bilney abjured the truth, and subscribed his abjuration. Acts and Mon. vol. 2. p. 265. Yet after this abjuration, as the Historian sets down, Ibid. p. 271. The said Bilney, after much conflict of conscience, for a whole years space, wherein he thought all the Scriptures were against him, and sounded to his condemnation; yet after God endued him with such strength, that he not only confessed the faith, but suffered his body to be burned for the same. The same is related of Thomas Benbridg Gentleman, Martyr, Acts and Mon, vol. 3. p. 884. who feeling the intolerable heat of the fire, cryed out, I recant; but before he was taken from the stake, Doctor Seaton wrote Articles to have him subscribe to, as touching the Pope, Sacrament, &c. to which with much pain and grief of heart he subscribed; being in prison, he wrote a Letter to Doctor Seaton, and recanted those words he spake at the stake, unto which he had subscribed, being grieved that ever he did subscribe them: Whereupon, expressing his conscience, he was the same day seven night after burnt, where the vile tormentors did rather broyl him then burn him. Ibid. pag. 885. These men, and many others, though through weakness and fear they denyed the truth with Peter, yet afterwards with the same Peter, Acts 4.9. confess the same before whole counsess.
Contrary, there have been actual confessions of truth by many men, who yet shall never enter Heaven; when times have been peaceable, so that the Gospel and peace have gone hand in hand; so Spira and Doctor Dentleton, and others, have confessed truth.
2. There is an habitual denyal of Christ, when a man in the bent and frame of his heart, hath an intention in himself, that rather then he will leave such a dwelling, or estate, or friend, or credit, or suffer such an imprisonment, banishment, dismembring or death, he will (if he cannot evade by distinction, and so craftily come off) (which is no less guilt in the sight of God, though less reproach in the sight of man) flatly deny, that which in his heart he acknowledgeth to be the eternal truth of God; many men must needs acknowledg this an horrible sin, but few think themselves to live in this sin; and yet give me leave to tell you, that most men, where the sound of the Gospel is, live in this sin, though not explicitely to have such an intention exprest in the mind, yet implicitely, because they have not an habitual intention to leave all that is dear unto them for the Lord; they do not say in their hearts, they will not leave all rather then deny the truth; neither do they say in their hearts, they will leave all rather then deny the truth, but imbrace the truth at rovers, without any determination at all, what to do in point of confession: the former, I mean, actual denial of Christ, though it may, and commonly doth, fill the conscience of the person that falls into it with horror and anguish; yet doth it not exclude a man out of Heaven, but this habitual denial which remains in most souls with little or no anguish, and may (and too often doth) remain in persons that have made a large and a long profession, excludes out of Heaven; and this is the denial I take to be meant here in the Text.
3 Quest. How will Christ deny those that habitually deny him on Earth?
Ans. When they shall desire to be acknowledged among the sheep at the day of judgment; Christ will not only deny them, but also be ashamed of them. Mark 8.38. It was a speech of one Godtes Calchus, I am affraid to deny the truth, lest hereafter I should be denyed of the truth. When they shall say, Lord we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out Devils, he wil say, I know you not; when they shall say, as the foolish Virg…ns, Lord, Lord, open to us, he wil say, depart, I know you not; when they shall say, I was baptized in thy name, I was a professor of thy truth, I preacht, I printed for thee; true will Christ say, but for all this thou must depart among the workers of iniquity; for thou didst not only deny my cause at such a time, and such a place, but also often, yea, hadst thou lived ever, thou wouldest ever have denyed me, mightest thou have got gain, or escaped punishment by thy denial of me; therefore, thou being a back-slider in heart shalt be filled with the fruit of thine own ways. Proverbs Chap. 14. verse 14.
The words being thus opened, I shall observe one point from them, that is,
Observ. Those that do habitually deny Christ or his Truth, Christ wil deny them before his Father in Heaven, 2 Tim. 2.12. If we deny him he wil also deny us. Actual denial of Christ is dangerous, though it be but one time, especially when the soul hath time to deliberate, so that God for such an action is wont to fil the conscience with horror, that persons would give all the world to be eased of it; how much more dangerous is habitual denial? See an example of one, and some fear of both these, in Francis Spira, who being called before John Casa, the Popes Legat, for preaching That we must wholy and only depend on the free and unchangeable love of God in the death of Christ as the only way to salvation, and for condemning the received rites of the Romish Church; and in a word, accused for a dangerous Lutheran: Spira seeing the storm hanging over his head, having had a grievous combat betwixt the Spirit of God suggesting the the danger of denial, and the flesh suggesting the loss of substance and credit, and the terror of prisons and death; the flesh geting the upper hand he went to the Legat at Venice, and salutes him with this news; Having for these divers years entertained an opinion concerning some Articles of Faith contrary to the orthodox and received judgment of the Church, and uttered many things against the Authority of the Church of Rome, and universal Bishop; I humbly acknowledg my fault and error, and my folly in misleading others: I therefore yeeld my self in all obedience to the supream Bishop, into the bosom of the Church of Rome; never to depart again from the traditions and decrees of the holy See: I am heartily sorry for what is past, and I humbly beg pardon for so great an offence. The Legat perceiving him to faint, pursues him to the utmost, causeth a recitation of all his Errors to be drawn in writing, together with the confession annext to it, which accordingly he did; then the Legat commands him to return to his own town; and there to acknowledg this his confession, and to acknowledg the whole doctrine of the Church of Rome to be holy and true, and to abjure the opinions of Luther, which Spira promised to do: but whiles he was on-ward in his journey, he thought he heard a voyce speaking to him in this manner, hast thou unhappy man given thy handwriting to the Legat at Venice? See thou do not seal it in thine own Country: Dost thou prefer this present life before an eternal? Dost thou wel in preferring wife or children before Christ? Is the windy applause of people better indeed then the glory of God; and the possession of this worlds good more dear to thee then the salvation of thine own soul? Is the smal use of a moment of time more desireable then eternal wrath is dreadful? Thou canst not answer for what thou hast done already; nevertheless the gate of mercy is not quite shut: Take heed that thou heapest not sin upon sin, lest thou repent when it wil be too late. Notwithstanding all this warning, being arrived in his own Country, partly through the advice of friends who counseled him in no wise to betray his wife and children, seeing that by so smal a matter as the reciting of a little schedule, which might be done in less then half an hour, he might free himself from present danger, and preserve those that depended upon him; and partly for other carnal reasons he offers himself to the Praetor, and next morning desperately enters into the publike Congregation; where Mass being finished in the presence of neer upon 2000 people, he recites that infamous abjuration, formerly made at Venice, word for word: then was he sent home, restored to his dignities, goods wife & children: But no sooner was he departed but he thought he heard a direful voyce, saying to him thus, Thou wicked wretch thou hast denyed me, thou hast renounced the Covenant of thy obedience, thou hast broken thy vow; hence Apostate, bear with thee the sentence of thy eternal damnation: from which time forwards he never found any peace or ease mind, but continuing in uncessant torments, he professed he was captived under the revenging hand of the great God; that he heard continually that fearful sentence of Christ that just Judg; that he knew he was utterly undone; that he could neither hope for grace, nor Christs intercession in his behalf: — and after, pag. 41. saith, My sin is greater then the mercy of God; — for I willingly and against knowledg denyed Christ, and I feel that he hardens and wil not suffer me to hope. One asking him whether he did not beleeve that doctrine to be true he had denyed: He answered, I did beleeve it when I did deny it, but now I neither beleeve that nor the doctrine of the Roman Church; When some applied the mercy of God to him, pag. 43. he answered, it is exceeding large to the Elect, but not to me who am sealed up to wrath: When some, pag. 48. whispered that he was possessed, he said, doubt you of it? I have a whole legion of devils that take up their dwellings within me, and possess me as their own; and justly too, for I HAVE DENYED CHRIST. Also, pag. 55. I tel you there was never such a monster as I am, never was man alive a spectacle of such exceeding misery: I knew that Justification was to be expected by Christ, and I denyed and abjured it, to the end I might keep this frail life from adversity, and my children from poverty; and now behold how bitter life is unto me, and God only knows what shal become of Family, but surely no good is likely to betide it, &c. After pag. 65. he saith, When I, at Venice, did first abjure my profession, and so, as it were, drew an Indenture, the Spirit of God often admonisht me, and when at Citadella I did, as it were, set to my seal, the Spirit of God often suggested to me, Do not write Spira, do not seal; yet I resisted the Holy Ghost and did both, and at that very present I did evidently find a wound inflicted in my very wil; so although I can say I would beleeve, yet can I not say I wil beleeve; God hath denyed me the power of wil, and it befals me in this my miserable estate, as with one that is fast in irons; his friends pity his estate, and perswade him to shake off his fetters, and to come out of his bonds, which he would fain do, but cannot; this is my very case; you perswade me to beleeve; how fain would I do it, but cannot, Oh I cannot. After pag. 122. he saith, My heart is estranged from God, I cannot cal him Father from my heart, all good motions are quite gone, my heart is ful of malediction, hatred and blasphemy against God; I find I grow more and more hardened in heart, your prayers for me shal turn to your own benefit, they can do me no good.
And thus you see, in this example, how God, being a Spirit, hath great influence upon our spirits, and can fil them with invisible horror for denying him; though a man in some cases of theft be not hanged, yet he may be so whipt or burnt in the hand, that he may have little joy in it; so, though a man be not damned for denying Christ in some particular act, yet he may be so fil'd with horror of conscience, that he may thereby become a terror to himself, and perhaps to all his friends.
Reasons of the point are,
1. Because those that deny Christ are ashamed of him, they cast an imputation upon his truth, as if it were not worthy to be owned; now, if we now be ashamed of Christ for the present, no wonder if he be ashamed of us hereafter: Mark 8.38. Whosoever shal be ashamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shal the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels.
2. Because those that do habitually deny Christ, go on in a purpose of sin, they live and dye in a purpose of sin; now a purpose of sin is punished with rejection from Christ: If we walk in darkness, we have no fellowship with Christ, 1 John 1.6. Now that those that so deny Christ live in a purpose of sin, appears, because, if conscience or any other propound this question unto them, whether wil you comply to such an idolatrous or superstitious practise, or suffer the dis-inheriting of a father, or the imprisonment of your body? The soul wil be ready to answer, No; when the question is propounded, whether wil you worship a golden image, or be cast into a fiery furnace? The soul shal answer, I cannot burn. When the question is put, whether wil you deny the truth of which you are fully convinced, or go into banishment? The soul shal say, let me chuse iniquity rather then this affliction, Job 36.21. When it is thus with you, you live in a purpose of sin. And assuredly Christ wil deny you, and in this soul-damning purpose to deny Christ for the escaping of crosses, and for the holding of earthly injoyments, the most men in the world live. And under this notion, I mean not only Pagans, Mahumetans, Papists and prophane persons, but even thousands of those who are not a little refined, but are seemingly clean escaped from those that live in Error. Now persons that live in a purpose of sin, Christ wil renounce them; Psal. 5.4. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness; neither shal evil dwel with thee.
3. The third reason is from the rule of equality; Is it equal that when we have renounced Christ here, or denyed him, that he should acknowledg us in Heaven? Is it equal that we should reign with him, when we would not suffer with him? No, but its equal that those that have denyed him should be denyed by him: Mat. 19.28. Those that have followed me (through thick and thin) in the regeneration, these shal sit upon thrones. When a battel hath been fought, and the General rewards every mans deserts, is it equal that cowardly run-aways shal share therein? Hence the Apostle, to deter the Hebrews from denial and apostacy, saith, Heb. 10.38. If any man draw back, my soul shal have no pleasure in him: Many men are like slothful servants, who tarry all the year with their matters until harvest come, and then run away or like cowardly Souldiers, who tarry with their Captain ti… he batte… be to be fought and then draw back; or like unruly Steers, who when the yoke is to be put upon their neck, draw back, and will not endure it; if any of these ways thou drawest back, its equal Christ deny thee, nor will his soul have pleasure in thee.
4. Because as Conquerors are only under the promises, so conquered persons are under the threatnings; Conquerors are under the promise, Rev. 2.7. He that overcometh shall eate of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God; that is, shall feed for ever on Christ, who was signified by that tree of life: now, what is it to overcome but this, to confess the Truth of God, notwithstanding the threats of men and devils, though we lose life and liberty for the same? A man is not overcome when he is cast into prison, or banishment, or loses his life, Rom. 8.36, 37. When they were killed all the day long, yet were they Conquerors; but a man is overcome, when for the saving of his estate, limbs, liberty or life, he relinquishes the truth, and denies it: so they that overcome have the joy of the Holy Ghost, Rev. 3.17, To him that overcomes will I give to eate of the hidden Manna. Persons that have been combating with some great tentation, and have got victory, have comfort which tastes as sweet to the soul as the manna did to the taste, but is hid from others, as the manna in Aarons pot was from the sight of men.
Again, they that overcome have a sentence of absolution, Rev. 2.17. To him that overcometh will I give the white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Christ speaks after the manner of judgments which were used in times past, where two sorts of stones, white and black, were put into two p…tchers, the guiltless were absolved, having their names written in the white stones; the guilty were condemned, having their names written in the black: so persons, that notwithstanding the rage of persecutors overcome, they have a sentence of absolution in their own consciences; this being written and ascertained to them by Gods Spirit, no man knows it, save themselves.
Again, He that overcometh, Rev. 3.12. God promiseth to make him an unmoveable Pillar in the Temple of God, meaning, both in grace and glory: And as the Romans, and others, had Statues or Pillars wherein their noble exploits were written, so shall these Conquerors that confess Christ, they shall have written upon them the Name of God, that is, they shall be called Children of God, also the Name of the City of God, which is new Jerusalem, that is, they shall be enrolled Ci…zens of Heaven, also, they shall have Christs new Name, that is, they shall be clothed with glory, as he was after his Resurrection.
Now, as Conquerers are under promises, so are conquered persons under threats, Rev. 21.8. Fearful men lead in the forefront of Hell; these dare not do duty for fear of danger: most men fear Princes and their prisons, more then God and his Hell: As we see Dan. 3.7. As soon as ever they heard the voice of the Cornet, Flute, &c. they fell down and worshiped. And hence for their fearfulness of men, and their treacher…us denying of the truth caused thereby, God, after their bodies are destroyed, casts their souls into hel.
Ʋse. 1. Reprehension of many persons who habitually deny Christ; many say true, such things are bad, but the Law commands: I say to thee, if thou resolvest to go no further in Religion then the Laws of men permit, thou hadst as good forswear the Gosp…l; If Governors should alter an hundred times, they would alter their Religion, or at least their outward practises as oft; Is not God Lord of the Conscience, and must we not obey God rather then man? Acts 4.19..
Object. But if I do not comply, I shall expose my family to hazard, my s…lf to cru…l adversaries, poor dyet, low d…gree.
Answ. But (though this doth not always fall out) what if it were so? Better do any thing then sin; remember Moses chose afflictions with Gods People before Aegypts Pleasures; the meanest estate accompanied with Gods Love, is better then Princes fare and a wounded conscience.
Now of those that deny Christ, some do it
1. Silently.
2. Others do it Expresly.
1. Silently, when persons from time to time can hear the Truth of God spoken against, his servants rayled on, and Idolatry and Superstition cryed up and practised, and they sit still, as if the thing nothing concerned them for all they are able to speak in Gods behalf; they are afraid least in speaking they should lose their correspondencies with such companions; now they cannot do their duty, and hold in with them, and therefore they will be si…ent: Against this sinful silence, see the carriage of David, Psal. 119.46. I will speak of thy Testimony before Kings, and will not be ashamed. Though Jehosaphat was but too cold, 1 Kings 22.8. (though a good man) yet when Ahab in words profest a visible hatred against Micaiah, Jehosaphat could not but justifie the Prophet to the Kings face, using these words, let not the King say so: So Christ, Mat. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her children: Shall Baal have 400 to plead for him, and God not one Eliah? There must be an account given for sinful silence, as well as for wicked speech. It's none of our least sins, that by our sinful silence we have left so many in circumstantial, yea, which is more, in fundamental errors. Nothing is more dangerous to God, and destructive to our brethren, then not to declare with our tongues the truth which we beleeve in our hearts, time, places, persons and circumstances being duly weighed.
2. Christ is denied Expresly; and that
1. In a Vicious life; when our practise doth not answer our profession, Titus 1.16. They profess they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient. 2 Pet. 2.1. Denying the Lord that bought them: These have a form, but deny the power of godliness. 2 Tim. 3.5. These turning the Doctrine of free grace into lasciviousness, deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus, Jude 4. Too many live the lives of Heathens, under the name of Christians; such there were in Cyprians time; Pamelius, in his life, complains, that not only very many of the Clergy (to use his word) forsook the faith of Christ for fear of torments, but also confessors, that had once confest Christ, spotted their glory with a wicked life; persons that live wickedly will never confess Christ with loss of their lives.
2. Christ is Expresly denied in word; when Magistrates shall ask us concerning our faith, and we shall not acknowledg, but for fear of prisons or death deny what we beleeve to be truth. It was a speech of Spira, Christ will not be denied in word, and th…refore it is enough that I have denyed him in word, though in heart I never denyed him: He added, it's no small matter to deny Christ, and yet it's more ordinary then men do conceive; it is not only a denyal or abjuration made before the Magistrate, as it is with me; for as often as a Christian doth dissemble a known truth, so often as he approves of false worship by presenting himself at it, so oft he denies Christ.
I may add to his words, how many in private conference deny Christ, whiles for fear of men they deny those truths they inwardly acknowledg? As we are not to deny our sins, but freely confess them before God, so we are to confess the truth before men, though we know before hand, that in so doing, bonds and afflictions in every place abide us.
Famous was Luther herein. It is my duty (saith he) and the duty of a Christian to speak the truth, and deny falsehood, against all noise of titles and dignities. I am a Divine, and born in the Kingdom of Truth, and therefore am bound, not only to affirm it, but also to defend it by life or death. Clas. 3. loc. 20. digest. per fabricium.
This is one of the noblest actions of a Christian, to confess Christ and his Truth before the world, to confess him in the midst of his enemies; neither is it sufficient to confess Christ in word in a corner; but in the Assemblies of Princes and Counsels, we must freely speak our mind, and bear witness to the truth; few indeed dare do this, but this is our duty. Famous were Peter and John herein, Acts 4.8, 9, 10. who witnessed the truth, being filled with the Holy Ghost, though Peter formerly denyed Christ before a silly Damosel, yet now when Annas the high Priest, and Caiaphas, and Alexander, and others were gathered together in counsel, and ask't them by what power or name they did what they did, they answered very couragiously, in these words, Be it known unto you all, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, WHOM YE CRƲCIFIED, whom God raised from the dead, doth this man stand before you whole.
Only let us desire with Luther, who said, our knowledg suffers us not to keep silence, and the world suffers us not to speak; it is needful therefore that we be strengthned with the Spirit, that to escape dangers, we refrain not from confession.
3 Quaere, Whether Christ be not denyed in our estates, when his cause calls for something that we have, and we will part with nothing; the Lord hath need of our Ass, but we will not let him go, Mat. 21.3. When the cause of God stood in need, they parted with their gold and silver, pleasant things, and precious jewels, 1 Chron. 29.7, 8, 9. The question at Christs Tribunal will be too many men; didst not thou remember that such a year my cause lay at stake, and thou wouldst do nothing for me? It is all one with many, (as in the proverb) whether the Dog bite the Bear, or the Bear the Dog; whether the Churches stand or fall; Merosh was curst, because they came not to help the Lord against the mighty. Judges 5.23.
4. Christ is denyed in writing; when we shall subscribe to any writing, as truth, which we are perswaded is an error. Divers of the Martyrs, through weakness, having thus subscribed to recantations, in horror of conscience, getting a sight of such recantations, tore the same, and yeilded themselves to the persecutors. Thus doubtless Berengarius sundry times denyed the truth; who holding that the bread and wine in the supper being consecrate, are not changed, but remain in their substances,Acts 19. Mon. vol. 2 p. 457, 458. having a certain resemblance or similitude of those things whereof they be Sacraments, meaning of the body and blood of Christ signified thereby, yet after recanted the same, first, under Pope Leo the ninth, about the year 1060. After the death of Leo, being stung in conscience, he did again acknowledg the truth which he before had denyed. Then Pope Nicholas the second, called him in question for his Tenets, and made him read, and publikely profess before the people a recantation drawn in form of words, which acknowledgment was as much as subscription, wherein he beleeved, that bread and wine after consecration, are not only a Sacrament, but also are the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, and are sensibly felt, and broken with hands, and chewed with teeth, and withall swore, that if ever he preached or taught against the same, he would endure the severity of the Canons. Some report that once more he denyed under Pope Hildebrand those things which were acknowledged by him under Pope Nicholas the second for fear of burning; as Du Plessis saith in his fourth Book of the Mass, Chap. 8. where the story is at large; some add, that dying, he should say, to day Christ will appear unto me according to my penitentness, as I hope, unto glory, or because of others unto pain, meaning the fears (as I suppose) which lay upon him for such deliberate denying of the truth.
This was the unhappiness of Doctor Cranmer, Acts and Mon. vol. 3. p. 666, 667.that he thus denyed the truth, by subscribing to a recantation, when the Papists by fraud and flattery drew him upon hope of life to subscribe a recantation against his conscience. Hear his own words: And now I am come to the great thing that troubleth my conscience more then any thing that ever I did or said in my whole life, and that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth;Pag. 670. 671. Ibid which now here I renounce, and refuse, as things written with my hand, contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart, and written for fear of death, and to save my life, if it might be, and that is all such bills and papers which I have written or signed with mine hand since my degradation, wherein I have written many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand offended, writing contrary to my heart, my hand shall first be punished, therefore may I come to the fire, it shal be first burned: in token of the detestation of which fact, viz. his subscribing to the denial of the truth, (besides the profession of the contrary to what he had subscribed,) when the fire began to burn near him, stretching out his arm, he put his right hand into the flame, which he held so sted…ast and unmoveable, saving that once with the same hand he wiped his face, that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched: oftentimes he repeated his unworthy right hand, so long as his voyce could suffer him. If to these examples, we add the recantation subscribed by Spira, together with the unspeakable anguish of conscience that followed thereupon; every man may tremble to venture upon denial of Christ, by writing and subscription.
5. Quere. Whether or no Christ is not denyed in Worship, when we present our selves at such worship as we loath in our hearts? Hos. 13.2. Let the men that Sacrifice kisse the Calves. Jeroboams Priests in sign of conformitie, required that all that Sacrificed should kisse the calves, now kissing is a token of love, so that hereby they s…gnified their love to the Calve-worship; now Idolatrous kissing in this kind is cal'd a deniall of God, Job 31.27.28. If my mouth hath kissed my hand: — I should have denyed the God that is above; so that its cleer, Idolatrous worship denyes the true God: but the question is about the presence at such worship, whether that be a denyall of Christ? It seemeth so to be (whiles things manifestly false in their conscience, and that not in smaller, but fundamental points, goe for truth by their silence, they not testifying against them.) Yea after illumination, when a man knows what worship is pleasing to God, yet for fear of losse of goods and friends, he will practise what he knows is not of God; unlesse a man should go thereto with an habit to protest against it; as in the reign of Edward the sixth, one William Gardiner, Acts 16. Mon. vol. 2. p. 744. 745 .746.Merchant of Bristoll, being at the City of Lisbon in Portugal, resolved to go to the Masse (and it was a more then ordinary Masse, for the King of Portugal was there present with many great Estates, it being the Sabbath next after his sons marriage with the King of Spains daughter) when the Cardinall that consecrated it was in the midst of h…s feats, tossing the host round about the Challice, making certain circles; the said Gardiner ran speedily unto the said Cardinall, and in the presence of the King and Nobles, snatcht away with one hand the cake from the Priest and trod it under his feet, and with the other hand overthrew the Challice, for the which action he having prepared himself with much prayer day & night, continued perseverantly, testifying against their superstitions and abominations, with much patience of spirit, notwithstanding those unheard of torures which day after day they tortured him with. Another of the Saints being at Masse in Queen Maries time, cryed out. That if there were any of the Servants of God present, they should bear him witnesse at the day of judgement, that he did not comply to that abominable Idoll of the Masse. So we find the worshippers. 1 Kings 18.39. crying out in opposition to Baal, The Lord he is the God, the Lord he is the God.
But all the difficulty is about hearing: whether persons hearing things manifestly false a…ainst points of Faith, which they judge fundamentall shall not by their silence, they not testifying against them, in some measure deny Christ?
Answ. I wil in this difficult question leave others to their light; onelyonly I say, to me, in my conscience, it would be a denial of Christ, which I am drawn so to think, because every child of wisdom is bound to justifie wisdome, Mat. 11.19. and to defend the rest of the Hearers from seducement in things that are fundamentally destructive: Its a good speech of Luther to Staupicius; Let me be found proud, covetous, an adulterer, and guilty of all faults, so that I be not reproved for wicked silence. There is a notable speech of a Scorch Martyr, who suffered in the raign of Henry the eight, Acts and Mon. vol. 2. pag. 615. his name was Robert Lamb: one Fryer Spence preaching at Perth, that prayer made to Saints was so necessary, that without it there could be no hope of Salvation; which blasphemous doctrine a Burgesse of the said town, called Robert Lamb, hearing, could not abide, but accused him in open audience of erroneous doctrine, and adjured him in …ods Name to utter the truth; for which fact of interrupting the said Fryar, the said Robert Lamb was accused, which he not only confessed, but also affirmed constantly; that it was the duty of no man which understood and knew the truth, to hear the same impugned without contradiction; and therefore, Note. sundry which there were present in judgment, who hid the knowledg of the truth, should bear their burden in Gods presence for consenting to the same, hac ille; This was the chief thing brought against this godly Martyr, even the witnessing against this false doctrine, for which he lost his life.
6 There is a denyal of Christ in not asserting principles, which is, when we know such a thing is a truth, but for fear of loss of our cred…t, …rofit, em…loyment, or this or that mans favour, we shall withhold he confession of the truth, when we are thereunto called. There is a memorable story, for this purpose, related by Aeneas Silvius, de gest. Conc. Basilensis l. 1. when there was a question, whether ordinary Presbyters were to have a place, seat and vote, in national and general counsels, as well as Bishops. This same Historian was for the Presbyters, having equal power with the Bishops, as himself had formerly seen it at the counsel of Constance; but speaking of the carriage of things in the counsel of Basil, he speaks of one Abbot Panormitan, who fearing least the simplicity of the Presbyters should overcome the ambition of the Bishops, (being a man of great learning, and one that the counsel much looked on) would only have the Bishops have a voyce in Counsels: This Historian (who was a Scribe in this Counsel) complains thus; videtis quam pauci nobiscum sunt &c. You see how few are with us, and they fear the face of the mighty, and lay a stumbling block in their nimbleness; you have heard to day the voyce of the Prelates; you have heard that they all said, they rested in the will of the King, but none in the will of God: but the Presbyters are they who had righteousness, truth and to conclude, God himself before their eyes, &c. But speaking of this Panormitan, who would not in this Counsel assert the truth, as it was his duty; he adds, Panormitanus postquam domum venit in Cubiculum se recepit &c. Panormitan, after he came home, betook himself into his bed-chamber, and complained with himself of his King, that he compel'd him to fight against the truth, and to lose his name and soul, and in the midst of tears he falls asleep; there was only among them one Italian Bishop, and the Abbot of Doway, who for their constancy, and most firm will to the good of the whole Church could not be changed from their purpose. This story is cited by Phil. Morney, Tract. de Eccles. Cap. 11. pag. 515, 516.
A spice of this was in Peter, Gal. 2.12. when certain Jews came, who were zealous for Circumcision, and Seperation from all Communion with Gentiles; Peter seperated himself from the Gentiles, though formerly he had kept company with them, and he should have pleaded, that it was lawful to keep company with them as he did, Acts 11.5. upon the ground that he saw a vision, that he ought so to do; and upon this ground, that they had received the Holy Ghost, as w…ll as the Gentiles, ver. 17. And he, in not putting forth these principles, as he ought, did in some measure deny Christ in his truth, though not in that measure he had formerly in the high Priests Hall.
7. Christ is denyed implicitely, which is, when, though we do not deny him in word, or life, or writing, because we are not put to any of these, yet we would deny him were we put thereto; thus millions of people deny Christ: were it put upon most men, whether they would confess such a truth as should cost them the loss of a cow, they would not confess it; how much more would they deny a truth that should cost them all their estates, nay lives also. To rectifie the frame and habits of our hearts are those commands of self-denyal. Luke 9.23. & 14.26, 27. The sum whereof is, That every man that would approve himself Christs Disciple, must do or suffer any thing for Christ, must forsake all that he hath when God calls for it, Luke 14.33. life and all, Mat. 10.38. And how the habits must stand in point of confession, Christ shews by two similitudes; one of a house, which he that builds considers what it will cost to build; the other, of a King going forth to battel, who considers whether he be able to meet his Adversary with proportionable resistance: So must every Disciple consider, whether he hath an habit to leave any enjoyment, and undergo any suffering for Christ and a good conscience; until such time as such an habit is wrought in the soul, though thou dost not explicitely or visibly deny Christ, yet thou denyest him implicitely and interpretively.
Such an habit Luther had before he came to use it. Tom. 1. Epistolarum ad Spalat. pag. 296 297. he saith thus; Thou askest me what I will do if I be called of the Emperor Charles; I answer, if I cannot go well I will be carryed sick; I doubt not but I am called of God, if Caesar call me; if they go to violence then I commend my c…use to God; the same lives and reigns that preserved the three children in the Babilonian furnace; but if he will not preserve me, my life is but a small thing if it be compared to Christ; presume all things of me except flight and recantation. haec ille.
Now forasmuch as if thou hast a disposition in thy heart to deny Christ, though it never come to tryal. God will find it out; therefore I hold it expedient and profitable, if not one man to another yet every man to his own soul, to propound in this manner; Soul, what wilt thou do if altar-worship? Saint-worship, or any other superstition thy soul abhors, comes to be prest on thee, what wilt thou do? Or if it be put to thee to subscribe to doctrines thy heart cannot allow, as, that works justifie in the same kind of cause; That justified persons may and do totally and finally fall away and perish eternally; or any doctrine of the like kind; wilt thou, O my soul, subscribe or suffer the loss of all? If thy heart say such things are false, but yet I must practise them, and subscribe to them, or else I cannot enjoy my Country, and my inheritance; truly God looks upon thee as one yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity; and such persons do not always scape a curse in this life: But if thy heart say as Raul, Gal. 6.14. God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing, save in the Cross of Christ, or more then a good conscience; such a testimony will make thee to rejoyce in sickness, and triumph in death. Such things Justin Martyr was wont to put to himself foreign I therefore expect to be insnared of any one of those that are of any note or name, and to be crucified; or especially of Crescens the Philosopher, Justin. Mar. Apolog. 1. ad Rom. Senatum. This Crescens afterwards accusing of him, as appears in his life, was the cause of his Martyrdom; so that according as he expected it came to pass, from this vain glorious and covetous Crescens.
2 Ʋse for tryal, Seeing that habitual denyal excludes out of Heaven, try whether you so deny Christs; tryals hereof are these;
1. When we set limits to our foregoings and sufferings, when persons will part with so much, but not with all; some will endure reproaches for Christ, but if they be cast into prison, to get their liberty, they will either deny or recant the truth; others there are that will be content to lose their liberty, but are resolved what ever come they will hold their estates; if it be thus with thee, that thou wilt leave thus much, or venture thus much for Christ, but thou wilt leave no more, truly thou dost habitually deny Christ; for if God shall put thee upon a greater measure of obedience, thou wilt deny Christ whensoever thou shalt be put thereupon. It was a speech of Doctor Taylor, in a letter to Doctor Cranmer, and others, viz. Many profess Christ ad ignem exclusive, that is, in words and outward profession; but few stick to him ad ignem inclusive, that is, in deed and suffering 'for his sake. Acts and Mon. vol. 3. pag. 677.
On the contrary, persons that habitually confess Christ, set no bounds to their sufferings or to their forsakings. Abraham, when God would have him forgo his Country, he did it; when he bid him cast out Ishmael, he did it; to sacrifice Isaac, he did it in intention; nay, had God bid him to sacrifice his own life, I doubt not of his readiness: In like manner, Moses, he left the honor of a Court, was content to endure reproaches, and appeared before Pharaoh divers times, though not without hazard of life. Paul was not only ready to be bound, besides whipping, and other perils he endured, but was even ready to be put to death for Christ, Acts. 21.13. It is related by Pamelius in the life of Cyprian, set before his works; That in Cyprians time, there was a certain form of Testimonial or Certificate, which divers persons that would retain Christianity (and yet its to be feared would not suffer death for it) were wont to offer to the Proconsul or Governor, which were called libelli lapsorum; the form of it was this, as appears in the Epistle to Antonianus; ego prius legeram &c. I formerly read, and the Bishop handling, knew that the Servant of God ought not to sacrifice to Idols, nor worship Images and therefore, lest I should do that which was not lawful, when the opportunity of a testimonial was offered, (which I would not accept had not an opportunity been shewn;) I came to the Magistrate, or another by my command, saying, I am a Christian, it is not lawful for me to sacrifice, I cannot come to the altar of the Devil, I give a reward for this thing, that I may not do that which is not lawful for to do. Thus we see some would part with their goods to hold their consciences, that they might not do that which is not lawful for to do: but had there been a Magistrate that would not have received a bribe, its to be feared, they would flatly have abjured and denyed the truth; and so do many in these times, they would let go something for the Lord, but rather then let go all for him, they will deny him.
2. It's a sign a person will habitually deny Christ, when a man hath only an outward profession of Christianity, but hath not clear light and folid principles to uphold it; this is like a stately building without a foundation to support it. Men may talk and argue of Religion in prosperous times, as they please, but when it comes to the point, there is no man will suffer further then he hath clear light to convince him, and solid principles to uphold him in suffering: Clearness of light made Shadrach, Meshach and Abed…ego so confident, that when the King threatned a fiery furnace, if they would not worship the golden Image; they answered, O Nebucadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter, Dan. 3.16.17. There is no ignorant man, let his profession be what it can be, that doth not habitually deny Christ: The Hebrews, Heb. 10.32. after they were inlightned, endured a great fight of afflictions, partly, whiles they were made gazing stocks, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly, whiles they became companions of them that were so used; note, first they were inlightned, and then they endured.
3. It's a sign a person habitually denies Christ, when his conscience steers by the compass of humane Laws, when he is ready to follow what they set up, without ever looking whether it agree with the word. Most men are like those, Dan. 3.7. who when the King commanded, that whosoever would not worsh…p the golden image should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace, they all f…ll down and worshipped the golden image. What comfort can any man have in his worsh p, when he receives it upon the commands of men? He that takes his worship or religion upon the command, authority, or compulsion of this or that man or magistrate, will let it go again upon the command, authority, or compulsion of the same or another man or Magistrate: Yet what is more common in the mouths of multitudes then this saying, what authority sets up I will receive? which is in effect to prostitute our consciences to a creature, and to have Gods fear taught us by the precepts of men, Isa. 29.13. Ask multitudes, why they cast off the Mass-Book and received the Service-Book? and why they cast off the Service-Book and received the Directory? Their answer is, not because they thought any of the three agreed with the Scriptures, but because authority imposed it upon them, or injoyned them thereto: So that if the authorities of the world should put down all these three, and set up the Turkish Alchoran (it makes my heart to tremble to speak of this Atheistical time-serving) thousands, its to be feared, would receive it. Zanchy, on the fourth command, saith, Plures sunt Ecebolii; now this Ecebolius was in Constantines time a Christian, in Julians time a Heathen, and in Jovinians time a Christian; as these Emperors changed so did he: A certain Cardinal in France said of the English scoffingly, That they beleeved in their King more then in their God. So do too many make the charge appear, that persons beleeve in their Magistrates more then in their God. It was well answered by Mr Berty husband to the Lady Katherine, Duchess of Suffolk, when Steven Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, askt him whether the Lady his wife were as ready to set up the Mass, as she was to pull it down; he answered in these words, As touching setting up of Mass, which she learned not only by strong perswasions of divers excellent learned men, but by universal consent and order, whole six years past, inwardly to abhor, if she should outwardly allow, she should both to Christ shew her self a false Christian, and to her Prince a masking subject: You know, my Lord, one by judgment reformed is more worth then a thousand transformed temporizers: to force a confession of Religion by mouth, contrary to that in the heart, worketh damnation where salvation is pretended; Acts & Mon. vol. 3. page 927. And further in the person of the said Duchess, he said 'she was to be turned by perswasion and not by commandment. God is wont to work a religion in religion the hearts of his people before they make profession of it visibly.
Nay should men or Magistrates bring people to the profession of that which were Gods eternal truth, yea should they dye in the profession of it in obedience to the Magistrates power, either for fear or love, shall they be saved? No, they shall not, but they only whom the love of God constrains to obedience.
It was the praise of Ethelbert, King of Kent, of whom the Historian saith, Acts & Mon. vol. 1. page 150. 7 Edition, After the King was thus converted, innumerable others dayly came in, and were adjoyned to the Church of Chr…st, whom the King did specially embrace, but did comp…l none; for so he had learned that the faith and service of Christ ought to be voluntary and not coacted.
These speeches should be as so many beacons upon an hill to w… thee that thou steer not thy conscience according to the commands of men; and know certainly if thou goest on so to do, thou hast an habit of denial of Christ in thy heart, which as soon as a tentation cometh, will bring it self into act, and that so often as thou shalt be tempted.
4. It is a sign a person doth habitually deny Christ, when his life is vicious and unholy; acts proceed from habits; and as a thing is in being so it is in working; when mens practises are bad, that they deny Christ in them, all such do much more deny Christ in their dispositions of heart; that man who will not leave a lust for Christ, will much less leave an enjoyment: Its much at one to a wicked man in what religion he lives, seeing he is resolved to live loosely: No man denies Christ in an ungodly life but he hath first habitually denyed him in his heart: The mystery of the faith and a pure conscience are both held together, 1 Tim. 3.9. And when the ship of the soul is cast away, they both suffer shipwrack together, 1 Tim. 1.19. The conscience being lost in a loose life, as soon as a storm of persecution ariseth, the faith formerly professed is cast away.
5. It is a sign a person doth habitually deny Christ, when he doth ordinarily and usually withhold truth and wink against light; indeed good men may withhold truth too much and not suffer conscience to speak out in some cases, as Asa, who was a good man, but he imprisoned Hanani for telling truth; but when this is ordinary and frequent, then undoubtedly we have an habit of denyal of Christ, Isai. 30.10.11. they said (not only to one, and so but once) to the seers, see not, and to the Prophets, prophesie not; but to the seers, in the plural number, they spake so often in their gestures and cariage, though not in words; so many in the days when Episcopacy was in the height, were loth to read books against Episcopacy, because they never meant to close with such truths as might be a break-neck to their preferment. Men reason thus, If I shal receive truth and not practise as it shall direct, then will my conscience torment me for sinning against it in the omission of a duty; and if I do practise, according as truth and conscience shall direct, then shall I expose me and mine to persecution: Hence men do with truth, as Herod did with the Baptist, who imprisoned him first, and then kil'd him after; or as Travelers, who fearing those they meet on the high way will rob them, ride at as great a distance from them as they can. Persons fearing that truth will rob them of such an enjoyment, and expose them to such a suffering, lose them friends, and procure them enemies; hence they are, as Peter expresses it, 2 Pet. 3.5. willingly ignorant; or as the Evangelist hath it, Mat. 13.15. they have closed up their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes; they wink at truth for the present, and have an implicite intention to deny it hereafter. Hence Amaziah could not endure Amos to preach at the Kings Chappel, and the Circumcision-Teachers Gal. 6.12. could not endure Pauls Doctrine contradicting Circumcision; not that they thought Circumcision ought to be practised, but meerly for fear, lest they sh…uld suffer persecution. The more open the heart is to receive truth, especially in times when the owning thereof shall expose to great hazards or sufferings, the stronger usually is the habit and disposition of soul in confessing thereof. The soul is in a right frame, when it can say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth, I am ready, with Cornelius, to hear all things commanded to me from God.
6. A wordly frame of heart is a sign a person doth habitually deny Christ, when the heart clings close to house, land, trade, wealth, or earthly enjoyments, that in the frame of his heart he resolves not to leave them. Hence Demas left Paul, and left Christ in leaving him; the cause was, he loved this present world. That Scribe that seemed to be so forward, that he would follow Christ whithersoever he went, Mat. 8.19. When Christ told him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the ayr have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head; we read not that he went any further with Christ, Mat. 19. The yong man did deny Christ in a request or command; which was, that he should give all that he had to the poor; what was the cause? why, he had great possessions, and a heart glued to them, for he was sorrowful it went to his heart to leave them, ver. 22.
Many do with the Lord, as Orpah did with Naomi, who went with her a while; Orpah as well as Ruth said, Ruth 1.10. Surely we will return with thee unto thy peopl…; but when Naomi propounded worldly respects, Orpah kisses her mother, and weeps, ver. 14, but Ruth clave to Naomi, ver. 14.16. saying thus to her, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; For whether thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodg; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God, where thou dyest I will dye, and there will I be buried, the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me: So many worldly men, as well as godly seem to go along in confession of Christ; but when they see the confessing of such truths, and the owning of such ways, will cost them the loss of their trades or estates, they sorrowfully take their leaves of Christ, and his Truth, being sorry they cannot grasp both: but he, who in the habit of his heart confesses Christ and his Truth, saith, I will not return from following Christ, nor from owning his truth; God forbid that either trade, wealth or life it self should take me off from Christ or his truth. Cyprian in his book, de lapsis, p. 240. speaking of some Christians that sacrificed at the Devils altars, and renounced Christ, and having told them that they needed not bring any other sacrifice, for he that came to these altars to sacrifice was himself a sacrifice; there, saith he, thou hast sacrificed thy salvation, thy hope, thy faith hast thou burnt in those deadly fires; neither, saith he, was there any just cause which could excuse such a wickedness; thy Country was to be left, and thy Patrimony was to be lost: And thou he adds, Brethren, the truth is not to be dissembled, nor the matter and cause of our wound to be kept silent; the blind love of Patrimony hath deceived many, nor can they be ready to go away whom their estates like fetters have bound; these were the bonds and chains wherewith vertue was kept back, faith pres'd, and the soul shut up. So that we see what was the matter and cause of this wound of denying Christ, even an eager love of this world, and if we doubt that this is one cause of this wound, the Apostle will put it out of question, 1 Tim. 6.10. who saith, some coveting after money have erred from the faith or as Cyprian reads it, Naufragaverunt a fide, they have made shipwrack of their faith by denying the same, and pierced themselvs through with many sorrows of an accusing cōscience
7. Ignorance of the worth of Christ is another sign that the soul doth habitually deny Christ; till a man be convinced, that the having Christ is a greater good then all other goods, and the loss of him a greater evill then all other evils, let a mans profession be what it will, he doth habitually deny Christ; the Merchant will not part with a pound, much less with a 1000 pound for a jewel, till he know the worth of it; but when he knows the jewel is ten times the worth of his estate, oh, saith he, let all my estate go, so I may but gain it; so when the soul knows and beleeves the excellency of Christ, oh, saith he, let all go for him; yea, he counts it none of the least causes of his rejoycing, that he had something of worth to part with for Christ.
2 Ʋse. If Christ wil deny those that habitually deny him, it may be a caution to us, that we deny not Christ in the habits of our heart. We read in the Counsel of Nice, the eleventh Canon, that those that transgressed by denying Christ in one act they were enjoyned divers years pennance;Cyp. de laps. p 24…. the words of the Counsel are, Of those, who besides necessity have transgrest (by necessity, I suppose, he means extremity of tortures, as Castus and Aemilius, who in Cyprians time, in the first encounter were overcome, but in the second were Conquerors) either because of the taking away of their goods, or because of danger, or such like, which was done under the Tyranny of Licinius. It pleases the Synod,Vide Can. 4. post. Cap 3 cum Ringer. Annot. that if any repent from the heart, they be three years among the hearers, and seven years foreign be among the penitent, and two years without oblation (by which he means the supper, wherein they were wont to offer bread and wine for the supper, as well as for the poor, and other uses;) they shall partake with the people in prayer: foreign &c. For they killing some upon the slander against us, drew the inhabitants of our houses to torments, as children or wife, and by horrible torments do necessitate them to spe…k those things which are fabled & falsly reported of them. Justin. Mar. Apol. 1 p. 39. He means, they m…de them confess that Chr…stians fed …pon mans flesh, or, as I suppose, eate their ch ldren, for in the same page he mentions the former.If the denying Christ in one act be so dangerous, what is it to do it every hour, as those do, who deny Christ habitually. There is a threefold denyal of Christ.
1. Sudden, when a man is taken on a sudden, as Peter was; to prevent this, consider aforehand thou mayst be taken on a sudden with some great tentation; it may be, some desperate fellow may threaten to kill thee if thou wilt not renounce thy faith; it may be, a company of persons may compass thee about, and threaten to kill thee, if thou wilt not sign, or vote that which thou knowest to be unjust. Therefore, Christians must do as Marriners, who foreseeing a storm may come on a sudden, make all their cords and tacklings firm during the calm; resolve aforehand, in Gods strength, rather to dye, then do a thing thou knowest to be unjust, and so deny the Lord that bought thee, for want whereof many weak ones miscarryed in Justines time.
2. There is a deliberate denyal of Christ; the more reluctations, checks, and deliberations a person hath for the confessing of some truth of God, and yet hangs back and denies it, the greater is the sin; though this sining willingly after we have received the knowledg of the truth be not the sin against the Holy Ghost, for which there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, being it is done out of fear rather then malice, yet may it be some step to it, Heb. 10.26. So fearful were some Christians, in the primitive Church, of this deliberate denying of Christ, That when some out of pity would have had the Christians seemed as if they sacrificed among a great company that did sacrifice, and they would have cryed out, that they had satisfied the Kings Commandment; these Christians would not thus deny Christ, but some of them cryed out that they had not sacrificed but were Christians; others with greater faith cryed out, that they never had sacrificed, neither would. Eu tropius lib. r…r, Rom. c. 11. Though this deliberat denyal of Christ be very dangerous, yet I doubt not but some have fallen into it, and repented thereof, and after deliberately have confest Christ and his Truth.
3. But specially take heed of habituall deniall of Christ; for, 1. If thou deniest Christ habitually, thou setst up some other God in thy soule, to whom thou adherest more then unto Christ, that is our God for whom we leave all other things: famous was the carriage of Juleddo, mentioned by Fox, Acts & Mon. p. 305. out of Basilius Magnus, (others call her Juletta) this widdow had great Lands and many children, who being oppressed by a Cormorant that dwelt close by her, so that she was constrained to goe to Law with him, the Judge demanding of this Tyrant why he wrongfully with-held these Lands, the Tyrant answered, that he might so doe; for this woman is disobedient to the Kings proceedings, for she will in no wise worship his gods, nor offer sacrifice to them: then the Judge hearing that, said unto her, Woman if this be true, then thou art not only like to lose thy land, but also thy life, unlesse that thou worship our gods, and doe sacrifice unto them; to whom Juleddo answered, Is there no remedy, but either to worship your false Gods, or else to lose my lands and life? then farewell sute, farewell lands, farewell children, yea and farewell life too, and in respect of the honour of the everliving God, farewell all: and with that saying did the Judge commit her to Prison, and she suffered most cruell death. Certainly, no man denies Christ habitually, but he hath set up some other god in his heart, either of profit, or of credit, or earthly greatnesse.
2 If thou thus deniest Christ, thou deniest thy best friend, and makest him become thy worst enemie; how friendly was Christ to Judas before he denied him? he let him beare the bag, but after he had denied him, how did he for that and his treason fill his soule with horror? we are loth to deny a deare friend in any reasonable request, let us not deny Christ in his reasonable requests, we had our estates and lives from him, let him have them againe if he call for them, learne of Paul, Acts 9.6. Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? wilt thou have me to leave of my Iudisme? I am content: wilt thou have me to go to Prison? I am content; yea not only to bonds, but to death, Acts 21.13. Christians must take heed of denying their best friend Jesus Christ, least as he fills the Spirits of them who confesse him with invisible comfort by his Spirit, so by the same Spirit he fills your soules for deniall of him with invisible horrour, that your life shall be a kind of Hell, and none can take off that wrath that he sets on upon the soule. It was a good exhortation the Lady Jane Gray gave to her sister the Lady Katherine in a letter to her, Acts & Mon. p. 35. saying, I exhort you that you never swerve from the Christian Faith, neither for hope of life, or feare of death, for if you will deny his truth to lengthen your life, God will deny you and yet shorten your daies; and if you cleave to him, he will prolong your daies, to your comfort and to his glory.
3 Whosoever habitually denies Christ, is as an Apostate from God: Let a mans profession be never so great, and his esteeme among men never so high, yet is he a backslider in heart, and so must look to be filled with the fruit of his own waies, Pro. 14.14. whence came Alexander the Coppersmith so to slide back, when as some think he had formerly witnessed Christ to some hazard, Acts 19.33. the cause was he had denied Christ in the habit of his heart. Cyprian de lapsis p. 239. complaines that many that thus habitually denied Christ, did apostatize, his words are thus: presently at the first words of the threatning enemie the greatest number of the Brethren betraied their Faith, nor were they cast downe with violence of persecution, but they cast downe themselves with a voluntary fall, —he adds, they did not wait, that being askt they might deny, that being apprehended they might set on fire Frankincense: before the battell many were overcome, and without encountring throwne down: neither did they leave this to themselves that they might seeme unwilling to sacrifice unto the Idols, they ran willingly to the Court, they hasted willingly unto death, as if this were the thing they desired, as if they would embrace an occasion given which they had alwaies wisht.
4 Whatsoever things we shall save by deniall of Christ, we shall be sure to lose them; and what things we shall lose by confessing Christ, we shall be sure to save them, Mat. 10.39. he that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake, the same shall find it: the meaning is, carnall men think, Oh I have saved my estate, liberty and life by denying Christ, and complying to errour, but such and such have lost all: but Christ tels thee otherwise, that which thou hast saved so unworthily, thou hast lost it, and thy soule to boot; and that which the other hath lost in confession of Christ, he hath saved it for ever: cast up this gettings now, thou hast saved thy estate, and wounded thy conscience, saved thy Body, and lost thy Soule, this is to save the ship and lose the lading, save the Cabinet and lose the Jewels: Judas denied Christ and got 30 peeces of Silver, but did not he vomit it up? Joseph contrary lost his credit, by going to Pilate to beg Christ his Body, as being supposed to be a criminous person, but ever since his name hath been as a sweet ointment powred out: Hence Luther Tom. 4.35. B. spake so boldly saying thus, We will suffer our goods to be taken from us, our name, life, and all we have, but we will not suffer the Gospell, Christ or Faith to be taken from us; here every man must be most stiffe, unlesse he meane to deny Christ, here I carry the title Cedo nulli, I give place to none, & from my heart rejoyce to be called rebellious and stubborne.
3. Use. Exhortation to confesse Christ in the habit of thy heart: as he denies those that deny him, so will he confesse those who confesse him: we think it a great credit when we are in company, that a Prince or Noble-man should single us out, and take us by the hand, and call us by name, and courteously salute us: Oh! how much more honour and happinesse will it be for Christ to owne us at that day of Judgement, saying, these were they that did not deny my Name, Rev. 2.13. see how Christ speakes to the Angell of Pergamus, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satans Seat is, and thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those dayes wherein Antipas was my faithfull Martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth; Christ did not onelyonly take notice of the Confession, but of the dangerous times wherein the Confession was made: when we confesse him in the midst of dangers and enemies, Christ will say, these confest my Name, though hereby they suffered spoiling of goods, Heb. 10.34. these confest me to the losse of their Countrey, Rev. 1.9. John was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God, and testimony of Jesus Christ; 2 Chron 11.16. such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left their possessions, and came to Jerusalem, hereby making confession of true Worship against Jeroboams corruptions, these have borne witnesse of me to the losse of their lives, Rev. 12.11. those that overcame the great red Dragon and his Agents, overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimonie, and loved not their lives to death: had the Saints in the first 300. yeares been silent and contented themselves in a bosome faith, the red Dragon or the Devill in the ten first Persecutions might have long agoe swallowed up Christianity; abundance of soules go to hell in a fancied faith, thinking it enough to salvation to believe that there was such a person as Jesus Christ crucified at Jerusalem, who rose againe, and in the mean time they have no intention to confesse him with the losse of any thing, and yet in Gods sight no lesse measure of confession will serve, then to confesse him in the habit of our hearts, with the losse of our lives; how farre are these from Christianity, notwithstanding this fancy faith?