wiping out of the booke in Exod. it is called The booke that thou hast written in the Psalme the booke of the liuing His iust answere might be that there is not meant the booke of predestination to life but the communicating of the couenant which God had made with Abraham and his séed whereby they were now as in a mustre rowle reckoned the onely people of God the Gentiles being excluded But if by way of concession we graunt him that place of the Psalme to respect the booke of life mentioned Apoc. 20. 12. as also anie such place of scripture reporting a racing out of the vngodlie yet he that is not wilfullie blind may sée that those places are not to be taken in a full and exquisite sense as though any such as the scripture thus speaketh of were euer writen in déed in the booke of life but onely according to the supposall of men and estimation that the hipocrite hath of him selfe so doth the scripture in such places answere home to his owne heart that he shall be wiped out of the number among which he thinketh himself so certainly registred and written Which is nothing els but to bee declared and laid open that howsoeuer he hath boastingly borne himselfe among the Saintes he was neuer in trueth of their number before God In likt sorte Iohn speaketh of those that fall away They went out from vs that it might be made manifest they were neuer of vs. And this is according likewise as I alledged before against the hipocrite to take from him euē that which he was supposed to haue This certainly is the vttermost that can bee concluded out of those places although it be graunted E. G. that in them is vnderstood the booke of predestination vnto life For that any in déed once written in the booke of life and predestinate to be saued can fall away or be crossed out of the number anie more is vntrue and vnpossible as I will proue 1. This is a certaine place that the elect cannot fall away God speaking by his Prophet of the new couenant saith I will put my law in their inner parts and I will write it in their hearts and wilbe their God they shalbe my people How farre this reacheth to the assurance I speake of appeareth by the opposition of the effectes of the two couenants touching which he saith first that the new should not be like that which was giuen vnto their fathers neither for the forme thereof for the new should be writen in their hearts arguing the old to be writen but in stone as Paule also speaketh neither yet for the effect for they brake y ◠couenant verse 32. But contrariewise touching the effect of the new he saith and I will be their God they shall be my people Which I say the necessitie of the contrariety enforceth as farre as if the wordes had béene They shall not breake this couenant nor be seperated from me for euer My second reason is from that place of Iohn If they had beene of vs they would haue remained with vs. Which hath this most apparant consequence that all those that are of the number of the elect shall euen so abide for euer For either the Apostle there maketh it a necessarie conclusion or els his reason must bee nothing worth 3. This chaine can neuer bee broken which the Lord himselfe hath made whom he hath knowne before those he hath predestinate whom he hath predestinate those he hath called whom he hath called those he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified those also he hath glorified So that what is clearer then that all that are written in the booke of Gods foreknowledge are predestinate to passe through all the midle meanes euen to glorification And Paule saith afterward nothing can seperate vs from this loue of God in Christ Iesus 4. It is written concerning that many headed beast which should so preuaile with the people of that age vnto Idolatrie Therefore all the inhabitants of the earth whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe slaine from the foundations of the worlde shall worship that beast Now when we sée all those that are written in the booke of life to be vtterly exempted from perill of falling into Idolatrie euery man séeth it most equall that they be exempted from falling away from grace 5. If it were possible for those that are once written in the booke of life to be wiped out againe to what purpose did our Sauiour place all his Disciples ioy and reioycing in this life in this meditation aboue all other that their names were written in heauen Where anie doubtfulnesse is there is no solid ioy nor comfort Finally if it be true that E. G. hath hetherto stood in that euer as a man standeth firme he is predestinate to life and when he falleth he is predestinate to death then it followeth that he is euer anon written in and raced out of the booke of life which is y ◠foreknowledge of God and so it can not be said that predestination is from before the begining of the world when as this man maketh it but a dayly decrée for this life The inconuenience whereof I perceiue he saw not when he set downe that Dauid was predestinate from the beginning to be the child of the diuel when he sinned and againe the childe of God when he repented Wel now at length let vs heare his conclusion of this matter Lastly ◠E. G. we deny not but that God hath also predestinate some neuer to fall away but to be renewed alwaies by repentance and therein to perseuere euen to the day of their death But it can not be knowne who are of this number vntill we see this grace giuen vnto them of God euen to their last end O chaungeable cameleon Had he conclucluded a lite before that that no man is predestinate vnto life at all times And what is this that he now affirmeth Some are predestmate neuer to fall away but to perseuere vnto the end A lier they say had néed of a notable memorie Touching that he saith we can not know who are of this number till the end I sée well he was euen ouer head and eares in poperie But howsoeuer he or any other euil spirites call it impietie presumption and sawcines in the children of God to hold their election in assurance here in this life let vs neuer a whit be discouraged to walke so farre in this point also as we haue iust warrant by the word of God Concerning others we haue litle to say this businesse concerneth euerie mans selfe And if it did not greatly concerne euerie mans owne selfe the Apostle would neuer so vpbradingly haue bidden y ◠Corinthians enter into this examinatiō of themselues saying Try your own selues whether you be in the faith proue your own selues doe you not know your own selues to
or slip doth cut of election But some perhaps will vrge the former sense againe as to ouerthrowe my answere interpreting raigning sin by actuall sin betwixt which they discerne no difference If there be any so ignorant they must learne that euerie raigning sin is actuall sin but not coÌ„trariwise euerie actuall sin raigning sin Like as al wallowings in mire are defilings to a mans bodie but euery defiling is not wallowing in the mire To slip and fall in the dyrt to his defiling is incident to the carefullest man that walketh but to wallow in y â— myre is proper vnto swine So experience hath taught the dearest children of God that they are subiect to their defilements and falles but if any man loue to fall or lye stil our soules haue no pleasure in him And now to his question I answere thus far as hee would haue me that the elect are predestinat to a holie and vnblameable condition in this life and further to be gathered in Christ vnto God him selfe finally Which double end of election coÌ„cerning man if E. G. saw not he was blinde if he did sée it he had no good meaning to conceale â—â— But from the former end of election he supposeth he hath got a great aduantage and thus he reasoneth Those onely are praedestinate to life at a times that liue blamelesly before God at all time but no man liueth blamelesly before God at all time therefore no man is praedestinate to life at all times He knew his first proposition would be denieâ— and thus he prouided to proue it For it cannot be said that there is then or for that time anie praedestinatioÌ„ or electioÌ„ vnto life for the time when as there is no praedestinatioÌ„ or electioÌ„ vnto the sanctification of the spirit or vnto true repentaÌ„ce amendmeÌ„t of life O seducing Sophister How many pitfals hath he made here to catch y e simple soules withall First he snatcheth this as though it were giuen him that euerie fall or ceassing from holy actions is a cutting off of the sanctification that so he might conclude hée that is vnsanctified is not elect But now he must restore it again with shame to his setters on For euerie fall is not a falling away as I proued before and a sanctified man is reputed holie not in that he neuer falleth at any time but in the estimation of the coÌ„tinuall tenor and course of his life for the most part So was Dauid a holie man yea a man according to Gods owne heart And in this sense is Ezekiah said to haue cleaued vnto the Lord and not to haue departed from him Though his life was not without some blemishes of rashnes and grosse omissions Otherwise if there be no sanctification but when there is a holie action then sanctification shall be nothing els but an actuall holines now if there be no sanctification but actuall then which way is Christ our sanctification Wee must burie the righteousnes that comes to vs by imputation in the graue of forgetfulnes with the absurd Papist If a man would prosecute the absurdities that rise herehence he should finde no end For in these cases not to walke in the direct path is neuer to make an end of wandring Againe hée maketh his sanctificatioÌ„ which is as you heare altogither an actuall holines the proper adiunct and perpetuall vndeuided note of electioÌ„ which though it haue no ground of scripture yet agreeth it well with his conclusion that there is no election at all Thus you sée this clause at all times must be rased out in his proposition and so his mutable predestination prooueth but a dream If any maÌ„ vrge y â— place of Paul to y â— eph 1. 4. which it séemeth E. G. would haue done to infer y â— particle at all times by as because the Apostle saieth We are chosen to be holie and blamelesse before God therefore actually at all times vnderstanding that to bee spoken absolutely and simply for this life which is but in some sort and measure You sée that hee shall deale but deceitfully For the holie and blamelesse state there spoken of which the Saintes should be in through loue is indéed imputatiue and otherwise can intende but onelie a measure and dâ—â—pensation not a fulnes and exact perfection whiche is neuer to bee atteyned to till the day of the full redemption of our bodies as hath beene proued And so are all those places of scripture to bee vnderstood that exhort vs to perfection namely that it is the goâ—â—e which all the race of our life must tend vnto and the perfectest man can be saide but to gâ—e towardes When it is said as in this life a man to be perfect and instructed perfectly vnto euery good worke there is meant nothing els by a perfect man but suche a one as in regneration is grown to mans state like as it pleased the spirite of God to speake for our capacitie who is able by the worke of God to discerne betwixt thinges that differ and apply him selfe to euery right way farre aboue manie others who in comparison of him are but children in the faith of Christ Thus we sée how manie deceiptes were secretly couched in this argument to ouerthrow the certaintie of our election But I trust he hath left none behind him of so simple iudgement and gifts of vnderstanding as that knoweth not a decrée to be a stedfast thing such as can not faile Finallie to be accomplished what soeuer falleth out betwene especiallie the God of spirits that knoweth all things that can come to passe beforehand ordaining y e same Yet this miserable man procéedeth and saith God doth from the beginning predestinate and elect in Christ some to stand onely for a time in the state of true sactification and saluation and then giueth them ouer in iustice vnto themselues so wipeth them out of the booke of life That hipocrites euer attaine to true sanctification is false and followeth the forme of his old beggerly reasoning That they are predestinate to life is absurd and like himselfe That he gathereth it from some scriptures that make mention of a putting out of the booke of the liuing as the 32. of Exod. 33. verse and 69. Psal 29. verse vttereth his old ignorance childish vnderstanding of the scriptures First therefore let the Reader consider that God writeth no bookes of memorie but this is onely a speach borrowed from the manners of men and ascribed vnto God for our capacitie comfort whiles it imprinteth in the mindes of the childreÌ„ of God that not one of them can be forgotten in the day of the iust sith they are now from euerlasting as plainely set downe in the foreknowledge of God as if their names were registred in a booke written for that purpose Therfore saith the Apostle The foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his As for his places that mention a
know he practiseth some proofes to the contrarie afterwarde but as one miserably ignoraunt of the difference of the two couenants 5. He accounteth discipline the ground-worke of the church in which doing you know he putteth it in y â— place of Christ himself whereby therefore it is become an Idoll vnto him 6. So far he procéedeth in seducing that he saith the wife ought to go away from her husband if he wil not go with her in y â— case of want of this discipline and which maketh his fault y â— worse he pretendeth ground for this in the 1. Cor. 7. 13 Which place giueth libertie onely against an vnbeléeuing partie which will not be persuaded to embrace the Gospell of Christ nor in anie wise to depart from Idolatrous worship Now what is this to enforce her going froÌ„ him only vpon want or bondage of the outward discipline where they dwell But of this mans absurdities hitherto his time commeth shortly to be better knowne I heare besides that there is one amoÌ„g you who whispereth alreadie in corners that we must not belieue in the holie Ghost Is this to encrease beloued and to abound more more in al iudgement according as the Apostle exhorteth vs Or is it not rather to go backward and to loose euen that you had attained vnto Now to the last point concerning your peace I mean not here the outward peace but I offer again to your view the peace of your conscience eueÌ„ the inward rest and repose of your soules with God in respect of this strange course you haue lately vndertaken Whereof because you are best priuie in your selues I refer it also most vnto your selues Only of those things that in this respect haue bin apparant to all mens eies I wil briefremember you This is easily granted of al that know God what course of life soeuer hath the approbation of Gods chearful countenance shining into the conscience of the practiser thereof it is such as being founded on the sure word of God is the more constantly held on and continued vnto the ende For the spirit within the word without ioyning to the testifying teaching of anie trueth vnto vs bring vs to such peace and comfort with the Lord in the practise of it as maketh vs more and more assured therof and so the firmelier to perseuere therein euen vnto the end Contrariwise that course or demeanour of life that hath any other foundation then this as it shall neuer be confirmed by that inward approbation so is it excéedingly subiect to continuall changes reuoltings If we shall therefore coniecture of your inward peace by the stedfastnes of your outward deporting and carying your selues in this your separat course I suppose we cannot deeme that y â— peace of God hath possessed your minds this while This as you know your great leader hath writ and not hitherto recanted that lodgick is an vnlawfull Art for Christians being forbidden by the scriptures so that hée calleth it a Heathenish fopperie and exhorteth to leaue and beware of it as though the end of it led vnto death Mean time himself vseth it as wel as he can in al his booke Of the life maners of true Christians And in his answere to M. Cartwrightes letter yea and of late admitted reasoning by Sillegismes in his own order put downe in writing before for the forme of the coÌ„ference Let him not here bleare your eies with this foolish saluing of the sore That where hee hath practised logicke himselfe anie way there he hath done it but to foile vs with our own weapons and as forced therevnto by our subtilties It dooth but declare his diuinitie to be pitifull for whatsoeuer is indéed vnlawfull and simply forbidden by the word of God y e same by no circumstance time nor occasion can be made tollerable while that word endureth Secondly whereas he once prouoked you all to flée out of England if you loued as he said your saluation and safetie and would not be guiltie of tempting God Of later time again by priuater writings and his owne practise hée hath counselled a resorting to our Sermons How many of you haue been distracted thereby I leaue it vnto your consciences whilest some perhaps receiued it othersome thought straunge and refused to giue eare vnto that counsell Looke also vpon his late subscribing by your selues Lastly that I excéede not my purpose in length be think your selues what glew he may haue to set these two togither No part of church discipline can be wanting but the church dooth straightway goe to ruine therby for he saith it is the life of the church And againe There may bee a true church of God without the presbyterie Now therefore beloued in Christ Jesu sith your going out with this man hath had so hard eueÌ„t in many of you as to bring you to the vnrecouerable rocks of E. G. and leadeth eueÌ„ the better sort whom Gods iudgement hath not as yet hunted foorth so far to a manifest decaie of true iudgement and vnderstanding ioyning therunto the fearful companion of vncertaintie and restlesse course of life forsake whilest yet there is time such accursed leading and returne to vs your brethren againe who whilest you hold firme the foundation with vs will neuer shrinke you And of this it standeth you in hand the rather to haue care as your contrarie dealing hitherto hath so apparantly damnified the iust cause of Christian discipline Men of anie iudgement and exercise in the scriptures may easily perceiue and doo report with what spirit Browne hath cride for discipline The greater number being of little iudgement condemne all for him O deep reach of Sathan the father of subuerting subtilties But hereof I meane not to make this my place of complaint Thus much therfore vnto those of whom there remaineth hope The rest I haue nothing to say vnto but this there will be a day wherein the Lord will make it manifest he neuer sent you require the blood of his saints which you haue caused to be spilt at your hands again and that most iustly PSAL. 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes sucklings hast thou ordeined strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemie and auenger Praise and thanks bee vnto the Lord our God for euermore Faultes escaped Page 53. Line 30. for while read whie Page 93. Line 29. read abideth for Page 103. Line 3. for worke read word LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1586. 1. Cor. 9. 24. Hebr. 12. 1. Psalme 1. Zeph. â— Deut. 1â— 1. Cor 11. 1â— Math. 24. â—4 verse 25. Mat. 24. 12. Mat. 10. 24. Gen. 21. 9. Mat. 10. 25. Heb. 12. 6. 7. â— Ioh. 16. 20. verse 21. Rom. 8. 17. verse 18. Apoc. 2. 10. Mat. â—â— 4â— verse â—â— verse 43. Mat. 16. 24. Mat. 10. 37. 38. 2. Pet. 3. â— â— Gal. 5. 17. Prou. 14. 25. Prou. 15. 21. Verse 14. Rom.