that is stronger then hee And indeed this is the very cause of our ouer comming if we beleeue S. Iohn Because 1 Ioh. 4. â—… hee that is in vs is greater then hee that is in the world Therefore Gods constant loue is still to bee lookt vnto as the only cause of our safetie which keepes our wills by grace against these ouer-mightie enemies and wretched were wee if our wills were put to keepe themselues by grace For then if we were but as Adam these principalities and powers would prevaile with vs as with Adam especially having a body of sinne about vs which hee had not But the only cause of our standing against these principalities vnder whom Adam fell is the constant loue and purpose of God By that as S. Paul saith We are more then 2 Cor. 1. 21. conquerours and thence it is that Principalities and Powers cannot separate vs from the loue of God And as by this constant loue of God we are constantly and safely preserued from separation and Apostasie so let our constant saftie ever acknowledge this constant loue and purpose of God to bee the cause of it But both this safetie and the cause of this safetie the teachers of Apostasie doe denie so robbing God of the glory of mans stabilitie and robbing man of the safetie and stabilitie which hee hath from God Finally that yet wee may know our selues to be fully and finally safe the blessed Apostle is not contented to speake of safetie from separation and Apostacie onely in the present time but he denies Apostacie beth by future things and in the future time Nor things present nor things to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God Behold a finall and full perseuerance in safetie for things present cannot separate vs and things to come shall not be able to separate vs yea no other creature that is nothing can separate vs and therefore not the Arminians A third way by which our Church in this Article doth teach Certaintie of Saluation is this shee saith that the consideration of Election doth establish in the Saints a Faith of their saluation to bee enioyed through Christ. For the Saint finding in himselfe the mortification and vivification of the Spirit hence ascendeth vp to the knowledge view and consideration of his Election and from this constant Election hath a stable and sure Faith that hee shall enioy eternall saluation in Christ. Now from hence plainly issueth this argument That saluation is certaine whereof there is an established Faith But there is an established Faith of the Saluation of of the Saints Therefore the Saluation of the Saints is certaine The first proposition cleareth it selfe by its owne light For there is not an established Faith of vncertaine and fallible things but of certaine Yea if there were no other word but the word of Faith this Faith presumeth and pâ—…esupposeth a certaine and infallible truth for the obiect of it and consequently in this place a certaine and infallible saluation of the Saints The second proposition is raysed plainly out of the words of the Article For the consideration of Election is there said vpon the view of Sanctification to establish a Faith of Saluation to be enjoyed Wherefore I may conclude in the words of the ninth Article There is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are baptized Which the Article of Ireland thus resembleth Howsoeuer for Christs sake there be no condemnation Num. 34. to such as are regenerate and doe beleeue The first of which is a position of our Sauiour They that beleeue and be baptized shall be saued They Mark 16. 16. are not onely now in the state of Saluation but they shall hereafter be saued for hee that beleeueth shall not Ioh. 5. 24. see condemnation And the other resteth on the saying of Saint Paul who saith that to the Saints there is no condemnation For the Law of the Spirit of life which Rom. 3. is in Christ Iesus freeth a Saint from the law of sinne and death Now if a Saint bee free from death who can make him a bondslaue of death This were flatly to affirme that which the Apostle denyes both here and else-where Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to Rom. 8. 15. feare againe but the spirit of Adoption by which wee cry Abba Father And if a sonne then no more a seruant Behold Saint Paul saith wee haue not receiued the spirit Psal. 46. 7. to feare againe who then dares to put vpon the Saints a spirit of bondage to feare againe and Saint Paul saith by the Spirit of God If a sonne then no more a seruant And how dares flesh and blood to say if a sonne yet againe a seruant But let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free neither let vs againe be intangled with the yoke of bondage Let vs say with Saint Paul once a sonne and no more a seruant once a sonne and a sonne for euer And indeed Christ himselfe saith That a sonne abides in the house Ioh. 9. 35. for euer onely let vs remember that therefore we are deliuered from this feare and house of bondage That Luk. 1. 74. being deliuered from our enemies wee might serue God without feare In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues Our safety is giuen vs mainly 1 Ioh. 3. 3. for an incouragement to holinesse For hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure And now that it may appeare that I haue not wrested a priuate sense out of these publike Articles let vs see whether the same truth hath not beene publikly taught by others There is a worke formerly alledged which hath this Title The Faith Doctrine and Religion professed and protested in the Realme of England and Dominions of the same expressed in thirtie nine Articles the said Articles analysed into propositions c. This worke was made by a Chaplaine of Doctor Bancroft late Archbishop of Canterbury and to his Grace Dedicated But it is well knowne Arch-bishop Bancroft did not fauour any Puritanicall or Schismaticall Doctrine neither is it to be thought that his Chaplaine would or durst offer any such vnto him Neither is it to be beleeued that he would be so shamelesse as to say to the same Arch-bishop in his Dedicatorie Epistle That these Propositions shee that is the Church of England publikely maintaineth if there had beene any Puritanicall Doctrine maintained in them Now this Writer hauing raysed a Proposition vpon these words of the seuenteenth Article constantly decreed he inferreth Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke That the Regenerate may fall from the Grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus The same Doctrine is proued by other Articles more plainely and punctually vnfolding what was in the former Articles truly and really contained though not so manifoldly
TESTIS VERITATIS 〈…〉 KING JAMES 〈…〉 OF THE 〈…〉 OF ENGLAND OF THE CATHOLICKE CHVRCH Plainely shewed to bee ONE 〈◊〉 the points of 〈◊〉 Free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With a discouery of the Grounds Naturall Politicke of ARMINIANISME By F. ROVS Printed at London by W. I. 1626. To the Reader HAuing heard of a publike declaration Doctor Palcaâ—…quell in his Coâ—…cio ad 〈◊〉 Febr. 27. made by a reuerend and right worthy Diuine of his Most Excellent Majesties Resolution and Decree to oppose Arminianisme I thought it a fit time to put in order some pieces which being set together might amount to an euident Proofe and Testimonie that his Maiestie herein hath merited most glorious and incomparable Titles euen such as haue in them the Weight and Substance of High and supreame Excellencie For first herein Hee is the Successor of his Father as in Bloud and Royalty so in his excellent Thoughts Designes and Actions for this is a proceeding and going on in the same worke wherein the most learned King and absolute Iudge of Doctrines began a most noble Foundation His zeale in this matter would not bee bounded with the seas but on the wings of an heauenly fire flying beyond them it there consumed the fifties and their Captaines it dissolued the Bands of the Enemies of the truth Secondly herein the Title of Nursing Father of the Church a Title giuen to Religious Kings by the heauenly Oracles more strongly fastneth and spreadeth the Roote of it So that at once the same Person hereby acquireth the Dignitie both of a perfect Sonne and a glorious Father When the Doctrine of a Church is cherished the life of a Church is cherished and when a contrary Doctrine is opposed then the Doctrine of a Church is cherished Thirdly hereby the Title of Defender of the Faith hath still more Realitie put into it and it is made more vnlike to those empty Titles that haue the Word without and not the matter within Each of these I hope shall appeare in that which followeth For though it consists of many seuerall pieces like vnto broken accounts yet I hope being all set together they will arise to make vp the promised summes both in weight and number F. R. The Doctrine of Predestination deliuered and approued by King IAMES our late Soueraigne of Famous MEMORY GOd hath two wills a reuealed will towards vs Medit. on the Lords prayer and that will is here vnderstood hee hath also a secret will in his eternall counsell whereby all things are gouerned and in the end made euer to turne to his glory often-times drawing good effects out of bad causes and lightout of darknesse to the fulfilling either of his Mercy or Iustice c. The first Article of the Apostles Creed teacheth vs that God is Almightie how euer Vortius and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall Decree and secret will making things to bee done in this world whither he will or not Wee doubt not but that their Ambassadors which Declar against Vorstius were with vs about two yeares since did informe them of a fore-warning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make vnto them in Our name to beware in time of seditious and hereticall Preachers and not to suffer any such to creepe into their state Our principall meaning was of Arminius who though himselfe were lately dead yet had he left too many of his disciples behinde him Wee had well hoped that the corrupt seed which that Ibid. enemy of God Arminius did sow amongst you some few yeares since whose disciples and followers are yet too bold and frrequent within your Dominions had giuen you a sufficient warning afterwards to take beede of such infected persons seeing your owne Countrey-men already diuided into factions vpon this occasion a matter so opposite to vnitie which is indeed the onely prop and safety of your state next vnder God as of necessitie it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine if wisely you doe not prouide against it and that iâ—… time Thus while his Maiestie is an enemie to the enemies of Praedestination he is a friend and protector to that Doctrine whose enemies he doth oppose The Articles of Ireland agreed on in his Maiesties Articl agreed on anno 1615. Raigne cannot bee thought to containe any other Doctrine but such as was approued by his Maiestie In them we reade The cause mouing God to praedestinate to life is not Num. 15. the fore-seeing of faith or perseuerance or good works or of any thing which is in the person praedestinated but ONLY the good pleasure of good himselfe For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his Glory and his Glory being to appeare both in the workes of his Mercie and of his Iustice It seemed good to his heauenly wisdome to chuse out a certaine number towards whom hee would extend his vndeserued Mercy leauing the rest to bee spectacles of his Iustice. And that wee may yet more punctually know this Doctrine there allowed by Him to bee verily his owne Doctrine we reade thus from his owne Dictates God drawes by his effectuall Grace out of that at Medit on the Lords prayer tainted and corrupt masse whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercy leauing the rest to their owne wayes which all leade to perdition Praedestination and Election dependeth not vpon Conference at Hampt Court any Qualities Actions or Workes of Man which bee mutable but vpon God his eternall and immutable Decree and Purpose THE DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England concerning Praedestination PRaedestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of Article 1â—… God whereby before the foundation of the world was laid hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vs to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour wherefore they that be indued with so excellent a benefite of God bee called according to Gods purpose by his spirit working in due season they through grace obey that calling they be iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by adoption they be made like the image of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercie they attaine to euerlasting Felicitie Vpon the Articles of the Church of England Master Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-Bishop Banâ—… See the Epistle Dedicatorie where hee affirmeth these propositions to be maintained by the Church of England there is set forth an Analysis of these Articles resoluing them into propositions which propositions he saith are maintained and approued by the authority of the Church of England and this Analysis vpon this Article of Praedestination thus inferreth Hereby is discouered the impiety of thâ—…se meâ—…â—…hich thinke that mâ—…n doth make himselfe eligible for the â—… Proposition kingdome of heauen And that God beheld in euery man
by free Mercie nor damne none but by most righteous Iustice. But why hee saues or not saues this man rather than that man let him search who will looke into the great depth of Gods iudgements but withall let him take heed that hee fall not downe head-long Ius meum voluntas est Iudicis c. My right is the Bernard in Cant. Serâ—… 14. will of the Iudge What more Iust for Merit What more rich for reward May not he doe what he will Mercie indeed is shewed to me but to thee is done no iniurie Take that which is thine and goe thy way If he haue Decreed to saue me also why wilt thou destroy me Talke what thou wilt of thy Merits extoll thy labours the Mercie of God is better then life P. Lombard oâ—… Master of Sentences lib. 1. Dist. 41 D. Plegit eos quos voluit gratuitâ Misericordia c. God Elected whom he pleased by free Mercie not because they would be faithfull but that they might be faithfull And hee gaue them grace not because they were faithfull but that they might bee For the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. I obtained Mercie that I might bee faithfull He saith not because I was faithfull Grace is indeed giuen to the faithfull but it is also giuen first that he may be faithfull So also he reprobated whom he pleased not for any future merits yet by a most true Iustice though hidden from our eyes Manifestum est quòd id quod est gratiae c. It is manifest Thomas Aquinaâ—… part 1. q. 23. art 5. that Grace is an effect of Praedestination and that cannot bee put as a cause of Praedestiuation which is shut vp vnder Predestination God would shew his goodnesse on some whom he Praedestinated in sparing them by way of Mercie and on those whom hee Reprobateth in punishing by way of Iustice. And this is the reason why he chuseth some and reprobateth others But why hee chuseth these vnto glory and reprobateth those there is no reason to be giuen but the will of God Non est talis causa prohibens c. There is no such Bradwarden the profound De Causa Dei lib. 1. cap. 39. cause either forbidding the will of God or causing it by which an answer may be giuen why hee loued this man or hated that man Vocetur Praedestinatio bonorum c. Let the Praedestination Id lib. 2. cap. 45. of the good bee absolutely called Praedestination and the Praedestination of the euill Reprobation And then Praedestination may be thus described Praedestination is an euerlasting fore appointment of finall Grace in the way and euerlasting happinesse in the Countrey or home to the reasonable creature by the will of God Hic quartâ—… concludit quod vtramque c. Hee concludes Gorran in Rom. 9. that both Election and Reprobation dependeth on Gods good pleasure saying Therefore hee hath Mercy on whom he will c. Because freely hee hath loued Iacob and reiected Esau hee hath Mercie on whom hee will by giuing Grace and hee hardneth whom hee will not by imparting wickednesse but by not giuing Grace Whereupon Saint Austin As the Sunne in departing farre from the earth doth harden Ice not by imparting coldnesse but by not giuing heate Ago sum qui cunctos condidi Sanctos c. I am hee Thomas Campensis de Imit Christi lib. 2. cap. 63. that made all Saints I gaue them Grace I bestowed glorie I know all their good workes I preuented them in the blessings of my sweetnesse I fore knew my beloued before all ages I Elected them out of the world and they did not prae-elect mee I called them by Grace I drew them by Mercy I led them through manifold tentations I powred into them glorious consolations I gaue them perseuerance c. I am to be blessed and honoured in them all whom I haue so highly glorified and Praedestinated without any foregoing good workes of their owne Gratia Praedestination is in divinis literis c. The Cassander endâ—… in the end of this Doctrine Câ—…nsult Art 18. Grace of Praedestination is so greatly commended in the word of God and Ecclesiasticall writers That those who are indued with Faith in Christ and with good workes springing from that Faith may not ascribe these things to themselues but vnto God and to the Grace of his diuine Praedestination and Flection and so may glory in the Lord and not in themselues The Doctrine of King IAMES concerning Free-Will and effectuall Grace THe only way for enabling vs to doe it viz. the will Medit on the Lorde prayer of God is by our earnest prayer to God that he will enable vs to doe it according to that of Saint Augustine Da Domine quod iubes iube quod vis And lead vs not into Tentation the Arminians cannot Ibid. but mislike the frame of this petition for I am sure they would haue it And suffer vs not to be led into tentation c. Saint Augustine is the best decider of this question to whom I remit me The Reader is referred in the margent to Saint Augustine thus Aug de Praedestinatione Sanctorum De dono perseuerantiae contra Pelagianos passim alibi Now Saint Augustines Doctrine of Free-will is shortly to follow Our next generall petition is That his Kingdome may Ibid. come c. That in the meanetime his will may bee done on earth as it is in Heauen The effect which the Kingdome of Heauen in this Earth will produce The nature of man through the transgression of our Declar. against Vorstius first parents hath lost Free-will and retayneth not now any shadow thereof sauing an inclination to euill those only excepted whom God of his meere Grace hath sanctified and purged from this Originall Leprosie It sufficeth vs to know that Adam by his fall lost his Meditation on the Lord prayer Free-will both to himselfe and all his posteritie so as the best of vs all hath not one good thought in him except it come from God who drawes by his effectuall Grace out of that attaynted and corrupt masse whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercie The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning Free-will THe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such Article 10. that hee cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to Faith and calling vpon God Wherefore wee haue no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of Godby Christ preuenting vs that wee may haue a good will and working with vs when wee haue that good will Here wee see first the seruitude of the Will vnder sinne in the state of naturall corruption There is an impossibilitie of turning and preparing by naturall strength and secondly the power of Grace on the Will in conuerting it the Grace of God by Christ doth so effectually preuent vs that it makes
noâ—… seuerally expressed Neither were these Articles commonly called the Articles of Lambeth approued by obscure priuate or Schismaticall persons but by chiefe Fathers of this Church in Eminence and Authoritie Iohn Arch-bishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of London Richard elect Bishop of Bangor Doctor Whitaker and other most learned Diuines In these Articles we finde the points of Free Election Finall perseuerance and certainty of Saluation embraced by the Fathers of our Church and particularly in these which follow The cause which moued God to praedestinate some to life was not the foresight of their Faith or of their Perseuerance or of their Good workes or of any thing else which is to be found in men praedestinate but Gods meere good will and pleasure A true liuely and iustifying Faith and the Spirit of God which sanctifieth is neither finally nor totally extinct in the Elect it failes them not it forsakes them not A man truly faithfull that is A man indued with a Faith that iustifieth may bee assured by Faith of the Remission of his sinnes and of his eternall Saluation through Christ. And now if I should vndertake to bring forth the sayings of those Doctors and Fathers of this Church that haue taught the Perseverance of the Saints and Regenerate and the Certainty of Saluation ensuing this certaine Perseuerance multitude would ouercome me and exceed the bounds both of this worke and the Readers patience And yet it is also almost an equall difficultie to shew any number that haue publikely without the cry of the Countrie maintained the contrary Doctrine That is the Apostacy of Saints and the Mortalitie of the Immortall seed of God And though some would faine seeke shelter vnder the shadow of Dr. Ouerall yet hee doth not only leaue them open to stormes but his owne drops doe fall downe and batter them For in the Great Famous and Royall Conference at Hampton Court hee is recorded thus to say for Totall and finall Perseuerance Those which were called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods Election howsoeuer they might and did sometimes fall into grieuous sinnes c. Yet did neuer fall either TOTALLY from all the graces of God to bee Vtterly destitute of all the parts and SEEDE thereof not FINALLY from iustification But to set some bounds vnto boundlesse abundance and to auoide both tedious multiplicitie and meere penurie I will bring forth some few of our Doctors as a patterne of the rest Men that cannot be accused for want of skill to know the Doctrine of our Church noâ—… I thinke of dishonestie that they should want will to shew it and most of them were dead before late questions and dead men are commonly very vnpartiall Iudges The Councell of Trent even that sinfull Counsell in Doctor â—…abington Bishop of Worcester one Canon saith thus c. And in a third Canon thus If any man shall say with a firme Certainty that he shall haue that great gift of Perseuerance to the end vnlesse he hath learned it by some speciall 〈◊〉 let him â—…ee accursed Vnto which three wicked Canons c. Where this Reuerend Father sheweth it to be the Doctrine of Trent and withall a wicked Canon which teacherh this Doctrine that a man cannot be certaine of finall perseuerance Expâ—…s on the Crâ—…ed Againe By the spirit of Adoption and effects of Gods grace agreeable wee may haue certaine knowledge that we shall inherite Gods kingdome which none shall doe but they that continue to the end and were appointed vnto it before the beginning of the world Ibid. When it pleaseth him to adde that Hee abideth for euer that is the Holy Ghost Ioh. 14. 17. this comforteth beyond the reach of either penne or Heart For hereupon it followeth that saâ—…sure is our saluation with him in that 〈◊〉 ioyfull kingdome that wee cannot fall from it finally For this blessed Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance whereby we are sealed vnto the Day of Redemption Hee therefore abiding with vs foreuer needs must wee be sure of that whereof he is a pledge and an earnest giuen which is the very peace of God that passeth all vnder standing O sweet office therefore of a blessed Spirit And O thrice blinded men with darknesse of Rome that will reach vs to doubt of our Saluation Wee haue this Spirit 〈◊〉 a pawne and the promise of his abode for euer with vs though the times may come through grieuous temptations that wee may not thinke so for a while Ibid. Where Finally Hee that is the Holy Ghost is lost he neuer was by Sanctifying grace Ibid. Whence issues a plaine conclusion wheresoeuer the Spirit was by Sanctifying Grace there he is not finally lost As for the Blisse and Glory of Heauen though yet wee Doctor Abbot Bishop of Saâ—…isbury know it not yet wee know that God hath giuen to vs the interest and Title of it already and by Faith doe stand assured through the Spirit that hee will in due time giue vs the full sight and fruition of it And a little after out of S. Austin De praedest Sanct. cap. 17. Hee calleth and iustifieth none but whom hee hath praedestinated vnto glory and therefore it followeth that hee giueth them perseuerance for the attainement of the said Glory Certaintie of Saluation against D. Bishop The same S. Austin saith to his hearers If there be in you faith which worketh by loue even now yee belong to them that are praedestinated called iustified Now sith the faithfull by S. Austens iudgement doe belong to them that are praedestinated called iustified it followeth by Saint Austins iudgement that they are to be assured that they belong to them that shall be glorified and therefore shall certainely perseuere because whom God hath praedestinated called iustified them he hath glorified as the Apostle saith and therefore doth S. Austin will the In Psal. 148. faithfull man to beleeue that he shall liue for euer But I need not to insist much on particular sentences of this Right Reuerend and learned Father of our Church seeing he hath whole Discourses of The Certainty of Saluation and of the Perseuerance of Saints to which I would rather remit the Reader that hee may quench his thirst in the Fountaine it selfe Only I aduertise him that in the Epistle Dedicatorie to His De persâ—…n Sanctorum Maiestie then Prince of Wales there is a complaint of some of our Divines that following the by-paths of Arminius Dogmate etiannum destruant Articulos Religion is quos prius proprià manu confirmarunt Wherin this Reverend Bishop sheweth vs that Arminianisme wherof falling from saint-ship or the grace of regeneration is a part is the way to destroy the Articles of Religion And if a Minister write Arminianisme he writes against those Articles which he hath confirmed by his owne subscription writing So vpon the matter the same hand writes forward backward for and against the same things yea contrarily and against it selfe
of sin be the reason of the incompatibility of grace and saluation then euery sinne and breach of the Law is incompatible with grace and so a Saint may fall from the state of Grace many times in a day and many times in a day he had neede to be againe regenerated But on the other side if they will allow Grace to stand with mortall sinne in the breach of one Commandement as the tenth they must bee forced to allow it likewise in the breach of another at least if they will allow Grace to be compatible with the mortall breach of one halfe of a Commandement they may be inforced to allow it in the breach of the other halfe For mortalnesse of sinne being the cause of incompatiblenesse with Grace this mortall sinne running all along through the whole breach of the Commandement the effect of incompatibility must needes runne along with it throughout the whole breach of the Commandement Or else as Grace may stand with the breach of one halfe of the Commandement so may it stand with the breach of the other halfe except men will stint the Grace of God and say it cannot reach home to ouercome the whole breach of a Commandement especially one of the second Table as that of Adultery which is vsually reckoned one of their mortall sins Yea it were fit that these â—…inters of Gods Grace should giue vs a Table of all the breaches of euery Commandement and then put downe their finger iust on the place where the breaches leaue to be veniall begin to be mortall This seemes very necesary for the full discerning of a matter of so great consequence and concernment as falling from the state of grace for without this knowledg a man may fall from the state of Grace by some sin which he knowes not to be mortall and then forgeting it or neglecting it there is an end of him he must be damned for euer But to make such a Table by Scripture is altogether impossible and without Scripture it is vaine and friuolous How much better were it to say with the Scripture That in the Iustice of God sin life are incompatible euen any sin with life eternall But by the Grace of God sin and life are not incompatible for God in his Saints leaues euen now a remnant of the body of sin Rom. 7. 8. that often leades them captiue to the Law of sin and yet at the same time there is the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus freeing them from an absolute reigne of sin death There is a remainder of the old Adam a seede of the new Adam and the motions yea single acts of the old remainder doe not kill the whole immortall seede of the new Adam As one action doth 2. Pet. 1. Pet. not make a habit so one action doth not destroy a habit especially these infused habits which are grounded in a godly nature and an incorruptible seede But that I may shew them the cause of their mistaking which is the way to remidy it I giue them to vnderstand that their error come from hence because they do not weigh these things in the Balances of the Sanctuary They do not weigh spirituall things with the weights of the Spirit For it in these vpright Balances they did weigh sinne and grace together they should finde that in the old man there being buds and leaues and fruits of sinne sinfull thoughts words and actions and the like in the new man the buds and leaues and fruits of sinne cannot ouer weigh more then the buds and leaues and fruites of grace but it is a reigne and whole body of sinne that must counter poyse and equall a reigne and body of grace More plainly thus one particular sinne may preuent and cut off for the time some act of grace which should haue preuented it but one act of sinne doth not cut of and expell the whole new man and body of grace The whole seede and roote of Grace is not digged vp but by a whole body and reigne of sinne and indeede this whole reigne of sinne is absolutely a sinne which the Regenerate cannot commit There are diuers places that confirme this in the Scripture yea diuers places in S t. Iohns first Epistle I take notice of one Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not comit sinne for his seede remaineth 1. Ioh. 3. 9. 1 Ioh. 5. 4. 1â—… in him and he cannot sinne because his seede remaineth in him A regenerate man wee know can sinne actually but he cannot sinne in the full seruice of sinne and euen our Sauiour himselfe interpreteth the committing of sinne for the seruice of sinne Whosoeuer committeth Ioh. 8. 34. sinne is the seruant of sinne But this seruice of sin and the seede of God are incompatible and therefore the seede of God still remaining in the Regenerate which the Apostle affirmeth this raigne of sinne cannot stand in them with it So are the Regenerate still safe while single actuall sinnnes do not destroy the whole seede of Grace but onely a whole seruice of sin from which the Regenerate are preserued by the seed of God that remainetâ—… in them Briefly a remaining seede is neuer lost neither by actuall sinnes which are committed which do not ouer weigh and preuaile against it not by a body of sinne which the seed of God remaining for ever excludeth And hereupon in the second place these men may also plainly perceiue their error in saying that a Saint by some actuall sinne is in the whole state of damnation For the seede of God remaining in the Regenerate hee cannot be wholly in the state of wrath and damnation for there is something in him with which God will not be angry euen the remaining seede of God But you will aske me perchance Is not God angry with sinne Yes and very angry with a very great sinne but yet his whole wrath doth not arise when there is a seede of Grace that abaites the wholenesse of his wrath Therefore let vs againe set vp the balances of the Sanctuary and as before wee laid the whole seed of Grace in one balance against one single sinne in the other balance so now let vs lay the seede of Grace together with some single sinne in one balance and the whole or full wrath of God in the other And let vs withall know that our mercifull Father looketh vpon these balances through his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus and then wee shall soone find that single sinnes ioyned with a seede of Grace will not draw moue and counter weigh a whole and intire wrath God beholding a Sonne of God though with some sinne through that first Sonne in whome he is well pleased doth not suffer his whole displeasure to arise vpon him There are dropâ—… of wrath as Hierome Hier. in Ezech. liâ—… 1. cap. â—… note and there is a not wrath Psal 6. And there is a whoâ—…e displeasure Ps 78. 38. Now these drops of