A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 136. Of the degrees of the fals of such as are effectually called.

THey who are effectually called, through security, pride, inward and outward temptations, may so farre fall, as to lose

• 1. All that joy and comfort wherewith they were before upheld.
• 2. All assurance and sense of the Spirits abode in them: so as they may, in their opinion, think him clean departed.
• 3. The fruits of the Spirit, and the power and efficacy of his grace: so as they shall finde no growth of grace, but rather a decay in faith, love, zeal, gift of prayer, and other like fruits. They shall be as trees in winter: They shall wax cold and re∣miss in the duties that formerly they performed.
• 4. They may be given over to their own lusts, and to such gross and grievous sins as naturall men would be ashamed of.
• 5. They may have a troubled tormenting conscience, and thereby be put as it were, upon a rack, so as that which brought them much quiet and peace before, will be a terror and torture unto them: yea they may be brought to the very pit of despair.
• 6. They may be brought, not only inwardly, but also outwardly to feel the shame and smart of their foul fall: and to have sore judgements executed on them∣selves, children and others belonging unto them.
• ...

• 7. They may be long under the inward and outward effects of their folly, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not easily recover themselves; but sigh, groan, weep, cry, roar, before they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 celve sound comfort.
• 8. They may utterly lose the measure and degree of that grace they had before at least of their former joy and comfort: and carry the grief of their fall, even 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their grave.

Most of these, if not all of them may be exemplified in David, and that 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.1 Psal. 51. For it is manifest that he lost,

• 1. The joy and comfort that formerly he had, in that he thus prayeth, R•…•… unto me the joy of thy salvation, v. 12.
• 2. The sense that he had of Gods presence with him, and of the abode of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Spirit in him: which made him thus to pray, Cast me not away from thy prese•…•… and take not thy holy Spirit from me, v. 11.
• 3. The power and efficacy of Gods grace manifested in this clause, Uphold •…•… with thy free Spirit, (v. 12.) which is, as if he had said, I feel my self very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and unable to perform any good duty, my former strength is wasted, upho•…•… strengthen, inable me again by thy Spirit to perforn the duties which thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quirest.
• 4. That he was given over to his own lusts and to other temptations, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by his adultery, by seeking to make Uriah drunk, by contriving his death, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the destruction of many other of his souldiers. As the title of the Psalm, so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 part of his prayer, Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse, is a sufficient proof; b•…•… the express history of all these, 2 Sam. 11. 4, &c.
• 5. That he had much trouble of conscience, is evident by these phrases, M•…•… waxed old through my roaring all the day long: for day and night thy hand was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on me, &c. Psal. 32. 3, 4.
• 6. The outward judgements that were executed on him, are evident in the •…•…∣ry recorded after his fall. Heavy judgements were denounced against him, 2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 12▪ 10, &c. and answerably were they executed.
• 7. With how much ado he recovered himself, is evident by his many g•…•… complaints, such as these, Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eye is consumed with grief, yea my soul and my belly, &c. Psal. 31. 9, 10.
• 8. Whether he ever recovered his former joy and comfort again is unce•…•… Surely Sampson, Solomon, Asa, and others did not.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The effects of Davids fall.