And of infirmitie for that by the violence and force of sinne either presently smitten and quelled they voluntarily yeeld themselues which after a short resistance to the contrarie at last euicted they giue place a time Wherefore these first sort obey sinne willingly but not with a full will and totall consent for they doe not loue sinne these may be said to sinne against their conscience but not properly for they obey sinne wittingly and willingly but yet neither vpon perfect knowledge nor intentiue cogitation of that which they doe nor with full will and full consent as a little before is declared Others obey with the whole will full consent whole heart and all their might and these are such as doe offend of purposed malice or with studie and from the heart They properly sinne against the conscience for they know that they doe contrarie to the Law of God and that with contempt and they obey sinne with such a willing minde as that they loue it and would if they might with impunitie be perpetually seruiceable thervnto Therefore this is called euen that reigning sinne for that while we doe loue the concupiscences of the sinne of Nature and doe from the heart fulfill them we doe bring to passe effectiuely that it râ—igneth in our hearts Therefore there be two sorts of Actuall sinnes drawne from the two different manners of willing one which is so voluntarie as that it is also partly involuntarie of which kinde of Actions Aristotle treateth in his Ethicks which indeed is not committed with plenarie consent as is expounded before This likewise I grant befalleth the Saints for thus sometime they sinne as Dauid and Peter therefore of this as is said before there is no controuersie Neither is it controuerted Whether by this sinne the Saints are obliged with a new guilt by the committing thereof and so also haue need of new remission of this new sinne for none of vs doe deny it Another sort is so vn vluntarie as that in no respect it is involuntarie for which cause it is called the sinne properly against the conscience that is to say plenarie and vtterly wasting the conscience and therefore euen reigning Therefore the difference betweene vs is concerning that other kinde of actuall sinne For our Aduersaries doe vouch That the Saints as Peter do offend with the whole will and with all their heart and so properly against the conscience And for that such sinne cannot in any wise consist with faith therefore hence they conclude That the Saints may loose faith totally But contrariwise I doe deny that this kind of sinne can befall the Elect being sanctified an regenerate and so consequently I deny That the Elect sanctified can vtterly fall from faith and wholly loose the Holy Spirit And why I should deny that this kinde of sinne can befall the Saints I am induced by these reasons and testimonies For how can Sin reigne and by Sinne Satan where Iustice and Christ reigneth And how can Faith reigne there and by Faith Christ where Sinne and Satan reigneth The Parable of Christ is famous When the strong man keepeth his Tower it cannot bee inuaded of the enemie vnlesse hee bee stronger then the Owner of the Tower doe expell him from it Now Christ is stronger then Satan therefore Christ doth often banish Satan out of his Kingdome and there doth reigne himselfe And Satan though hee doe often besiege the Cities of Christ that is the Elect yet can he not surprise them and by eâ—ecting Christ the King there reigne himselfe for hee is not stronger then Christ Therefore is it vtterly impossible That Sinne should properly reigne and get dominion in the Elect. Sinne in his dominion or reigning Sinne is that to whose concupiscences â— as to the Kings mandates Men without any resistance with heart and with full and cheerefull will obey and are alwaies obsequious with readinesse according to that of the Apostle Rom. 6. Let not therefore Sinne reigne in your mortall body to obey the lusts thereof As touching the Saints first before Satan and Sinne doe make any assault against them in them there is no purpose to obey or serue Sin for they hate it with perpetuall hatred Againe in the assault and incursion of Sinne striuing to draw them to the obedience therof they so farre as strength will worke doe resist encounter against it though sometime they are wounded and fall downe buffeted but this commeth vpon them against their wils Finally after this by imbecillitie sometimes beeing surprized they doe obey sinne a fresh they doe by the force of the Spirit thereunto fortified redintigrate the battell against Sinne as against a Capitall and perpetuall enemie and doe continue this combate vnto the end of their daies Gal. 5. How therfore can it be said that Sinne reigneth in the Saints or that the Saints doe obey Sinne as their King to fulfill the lusts thereof Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle doth specially labour in this That it cannot be that such as are truely sanctified and borne of GOD should commit such sinnes which are called sometimes sinnes wasting the conscience sometimes sinnes vnto death sometimes reigning and therefore that they are lyers who boast themselues to be the sonnes of God to acknowledge God when yet in the meane while they sin in securitie hate their brethren and doe not endeuour to obserue Gods Law and therefore that they onely are Saints and borne of God who study to avoyd sinne and keepe the Law of God cap. 2. He that saith that he knoweth God and doth not keepe his commandements is a lier and the truthâ— is not in him And Gods precepts aâ—â— specially obserued when they are laid vp firmely in the heart and beloued So saith Dauid In the volumâ— Psal 41. of thy booke is it wrttten of me that I should doe thy will O Lord I am câ—â—tent to doe it yea thy law is in the middest of my heart scilicet I haue it theâ—e written and ingrauen If the Saints haue the Law so fixed in their harts how then therfore should sin reigne in their hearts cap. 3. Euery one whâ— abideth in him sinneth not and euery one that sinneth haeth not seene him not knowne him againe hee that doth sin is of the diuel because the diuel sinneth from the beginning Hereof it is apparant of what sort of sinnes the Apostle speaketh when he saith He that doth sinne is not borne of God but is of the diuell that is of such as are like to the sinne of Satan the Father of all the wicked And of what quality is the sinne of the diuell sinne committed of purposed malice sinne reigning and perpetuall For the Diuell sinned from the beginning that Aliud est proijcerese in lutum vt sues aliud labi in lutuÌ„ vt solent munditiei studiosi Zanchius is to say from the beginning vnto this present houre he doth continually sinne and adhaere vnto sinne Wherefore it cannot be that
will into that peruerse loue of himselfe but conuinced it to be so Euen then doubtlesse he was such but hee knew it not when he heard from him â—â—om whom he could not conceale himselfe Before the Cock crow twise thou Mat. 26. shalt deny me thrise Therefore that debility of will was manifested through that peircing feare not procreated he made it knowne how much he loued himselfe and how much Christ knowne I say not to Christ but to Peter for Christ knew euen before what was in man Therfore in that respect he loued Christ his will did vtterly endure violence which cannot be denied so that he spake against himselfe but in that respect he loued himselfe Doubtlesse hee consented voluntarily so that hee spake for himselfe If hee had not loued Christ he would not haue denied involuntarily but if he had not loued himselfe more hee wold not at al haue denied him ther fore it is to bee granted That the man by compulsion though hee did nor alter his owne will yet did hee conceale it beeing compelled I say not to reuolt from the loue of God but in some degree to yeeld co selfe-loue What then perchance the former assertion is totally dissolued touching the libertie of the will for that the will is found obnoxious to compulsion so it is clearely but yet so as if the coaction is from another not from it selfe but if it selfe compelled and compelling did enforce it selfe it seemeth there to loose libertie where it found it that is it did suffer that force from it selfe which it did violently offer vnto it selfe Moreouer that which it suffered from it selfe was from the will that which was from the will was not of necessitie but voluntary and if voluntary thâ—â— free Finally whose own will did enforce to deny was enforced because he would nay he was not enforced but consenting and not to the power of another but his owne will that iâ— that will whereby he might by all meanes escape death otherwise how could the voice of a Damsel haue compelled a holy tong to frame such heynous words if the will as Lady had not consented to the tongue To conclude when afterward he tempered himselfe in his selfe-loue and as dutie was began to loue Christ with all his heart all his soule all his strength now the will could not at all bee drawne either by threats or punishments to yeeld the tongue as weapons of vnrighteousnes but rather boldly applying himselfe to the truth he said It is betâ—er too â—ey GOD then men Act. 5. Compulsion is of two sorts There is indeed a double compulsion in that we are coacted to suffer or doe something against out will whereof the Passiue for so it is rightly termed may sometime bee without voluntary consent of the Patient but nouer the Actiue Wherfore the euill that is done against vs or of vs is not to be imputed vnto vs if vnwilling But that which is done and of our seluâ—s is not without some fault of the will Wee are conuinced to will which would not come to passe if wee were nilling Therefore there is also an Actiue compulsion but without excuse for that it is voluntarie A christian was enforced to deny Christ and yet lamenting but not yet but as willing These things Bernâ—rd These things I haue more fully dilated by Explication that my Lords may better conceiue by what meanes it falleth out That thâ— Saints are said both to will and â—ill the sinne they commit and therefore it can by no meanes bee said thaâ— Peter and other godly men when they offend to haue sinned or to sinne by a totall and plenâ—riâ— will for that otherwise there could â—â—e no difference put betweene thâ—â—â—iâ— of the godly and vngodly tâ—â—en from their wils and so as weâ—â—â—â— godly as vngodly should sin of pâ—â—posed malice â—â— all times Therefore I doe confesse that the Saints when they sinne with consent that they offend indeede not of a will in suspence but definite and certaine for that absolutely their will is to sinne and if they willed not they sinned not And in this behalfe their sinnes are greeuous neither by mee extenuated But my labour is this that it cannot bee said That they sinne with a full and totall will for that in them there is a double man and for other reasons and authorities by mee alledged both of Scriptures and Fathers QUEST 3. Of the qualitie of the sinnes of the Saints OVT of the second Question ariseth the third which is Whether the Saints may fall into sinne as Paul speaketh reigning or the sin against the conscience as it is called But that we may clearly vnderstand what sinne is meant in this controuersie wee must take notice that there are three sorts of sinnes as the Apostle insinuateth Rom. 6. when he saith Therefore let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof The first is the sinne of Nature the root fountaine of all other sinnes which is termed Originall and this is signified by an excellencie of speach by the name of Sinne. The next are the concupiscences of this sinne rising vp euen against our wils as lewd desires and vicious affections to sinne which neuer cease in this life to molest vs. This kinde is intimated by the name of Concupiscence The third is in plaine termes Actuall sinne when indeed wee obey that sinne of Nature in pursuing the lusts thereof whether it bee done by consent onely or also by word or deede This is signified by the word of Obeying The first is meere Originall the second partly originall partly actual the third totally actuall Of the first two there is no controuersie whether they be in the Saints or no. The Question is onely of the third But for so much as there bee also many sorts of this it likewise is to bee distinguished that wee may better perceiue whereof this controuersie is intended The third sinne therefore which is then done when we obey original sinne in yeelding to the lusts thereof is so voluntarie as that if it were not voluntarie it should not bee sinne as Augustine in many places obserueth For no man could obey Original sinne in perfecting the concupiscences thereof but that he is willing Therefore it is alwaies voluntarie Moreouer men obey that naturall and inhabiting sinn after a double and that also a differing maner Some are obedient and that willing yet not with a full will or plenarie consent or with the whole heart but as it were captiues to a Tyrant And this befalleth them who either of ignorance or infirmitie doe obey sinne Of ignorance for that either simply they know not that they doe euill and such in no case are said to sinne against conscience or if they know in Thesi in generall they doe not consider in hypothesi in particular or if they do consider they doe it very coldly the violence of concupiscence auerting their mindes from Gods Law
of the Question Whether the Elect after they be once endued with true faith and truely iustified regenerate and ingraffed into Christ can againe vtterly fall away from faith and from Christ Neither did I put in this Quaestion this Particle although theâ— sinne against conscience and liue wickedly as I was vntruely traduced for I was not ignorant that this Clause would make the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not questionable for that it is impossible for one to be in Christ and to liue wickedly that is to walk according to the flesh Therefore in the Schooles I answered to the question to this effect as may bee seene in my Praelections of Perseuerance That the Saints who by the bond not onely of aeternall Election but also of the Spirit of Christ and of true faith are coupled to Christ and so haue been once ingraffed into the bodie of Christ which is the Church of the Saints will perpetually persâ—uerâ— in Christ and in faith neither â—an they againe vtterly fall away from faith that not from their owne strength and merits but partly for the promise of God partly for the prayer and intercession of Christ the spirit of Christ preseruing faith in them All this doctrine they condemned and impugned as new and Hâ—reticall but yet mine accusers haue not cassiered it For although both my self in my Praelections and other my writings I did so plentifully proue it as also other Vniuersities and Churches and other great men in Germanie confirmed the same because notwithstanding yee my Lords did enioine me that I should exhibite vnto you my Confession and the same confirmed by some testimoniâ—s touching this point therefore I will not hold it burdenous to establish the same doctrine againe euen by other testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers both of our Doctors as also of your owne Confessions so bee it be not greeuous to you to read them with attention and examine them with diligence Testimonies out of the Scriptures Esai 59. I saith the Lord will make this my Couenant with them My spirit that is vpoÌ„ thee my word which I haue put in thy mouth shal neuer depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy seed nor from the mouth of thy seedes seede saith the Lord from this time forth for euermore THIS is a promise and Rom. 11. not a precept as before is declared And that in this Prophecie is promised the gift of perseuerance elsewhere I haue proued aboundantâ—y Therefore to auoid repetitions I remit the Reader to those things which we haue spoken for the interpretation of this place cap. 4. of Perseuerance A place not vnlike to this we haue Ier. 31 Behold the daies shal come saith the Lord I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel and Iuda not according to the couâ—nant which I made wiâ—h their fathers at what time I tooke them by the hand and brought them out of the land of AEgipt which my Couenant they made frustate and I declared my selfe to be their Lord saith the Lord And this is the Couenant that I wil make with the house of Israell after those dayes saith the Lord I wil plant my Law into theâ—r inward parts and write it vpon their heart and I wil be their God and they shal bee my people neither shal any heerafter teach his neighbâ—ur or a man his brothâ—r saying Know yee the Lord but all shal know me from the least to the greatest saith the Lord because I will be mercifull â—o their sinnes and remember their iniquities no more Out of this place likewise I did most manifestly confirme my sentence to the Lordes But for that this prophesie also was fully by me explaned in the former Booke cap. 4. de perseuerantia Sanctoâ—â—â— therefore least I should re-act a thing already acted I send the reader thither with this addition only of thinges which were not there explaned Because hee saith not I wil make another Couenant but absolutely I wil make my Couenant to wit the same that your fathers frustrated neither saith he I wil wrâ—te another Law but simply my Law sciliâ—â—t the same which your fathers transgressed Therefore the old and new Testament as concerning the substance the Prophet teacheth to bee one and the same Yet to be different one froÌ„ the other touching the manner of dispensation of the one and the other partly for that he saith I wil make my Couenant not according to or after that Couenant that is after the same manner 2. partly for that he saith I wil write the Law in their hearts as if he should say whereas before I had written it in Tables of stone For that he opposeh the new man to the old and therefore hee saith that this was made frustrate of the people because they obserued not the law and therefore they did not obserue it because they had it not written in their heartes therefore the new should bee euerlasting for that the Law written in their hearts should be loued of the new people and therefore kept therefore the study of obseruing the Law to bee perpetuall in the regenerate and so faith in Christ to be perpetual which is the maine poynt of the Law For that he saith I wil write in their hearts it is in sense as if he had said I wil effect that my law shal be firmly sized in their hearts they shall take continuall delight therein and therein shal meditate day and night And so euery iust godly man doth say with Dauid Thy law is in the midst of my heart that is fixed imprinted therevpon I am affected with coÌ„tinual study of the obseruation therof For that whch is written in the hart is perpetuall can neuer be blotted out So doth the Apostle speake of the Law of nature written in their hearts saying The Gentiles who are wâ—thout the Law of Moses written in Tables doe shew that they haue the worke of the Law written in their hearts their conscience testifying with them By which phrase of speach the apostle doth signifie that the Law of nature which was written in al men euen the Gentiles by God could neuer be vtterly raced out of the harts minds of men yet after sinne came it but that as yet continually men do feele the accusation thereof in their conscience Therefore this manner of speach doth signifie That thinges written by God in the heart are perpetuall and can neuer be blotted out The same thing the same Apostle purposed to signifie 2. Cor. 3. when he termeth them his and the Epistle of Christ written by the spirit of God in the fleshy Tables of the heart They were the Epistle of Christ for that he by his spirit properly had ingrauen that Law whereof Ieremy speaketh in their heartes They were likewise the Epistle of Paul for that Christ did vse Pauls labour therby to write the Gospel in them Therefore he calleth them his Epistle written in the
all giuen freely and all effects of the first Grace And chiefly that gift of faith whereby we acknowledge that first Grace and feele it â—is termed Grace from this also I say that the Elect cannot fall Regeneration in like sort is a singular grace of God neither anâ— they vtterly depriued of this grace for the Holy Spirit doth preseruâ— that in the Elect euen vntill the last breath as hereafter I will declare Also Remission of sinnes is a graceâ— for it is freely giuen and from this they neuer fall because the sinner once remitted shall neuer be againe imputed vnto them For his gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11. The feare of God also hope and Loue towards God arâ— singular graces neither doe the Elect wholly loose these graces neither are they euer hayled to this passe that they contemne God as Epicures doe or that they vtterly despaire of God oâ— hate him Finally all those effects which in no wise are seperable from faith are called Graces and mine endeuour is that they can neuer in the Elect be vtterly extinguished for that if faith can neuer be totally extinct neither can such effects as are inseperably ioined with faith be vtterly wasted Therefore I doe vnderstand touching all these Graces in this Question That the Saints cannot fully fal froÌ„ Grace But yet there bee other gifts of the Holy Spirit and effects of that first Grace for that they are freely giuen but yet so as that they are in no wise necessarily and alwaies adharent with this vertue of faith as a greator puritie of conscience and heart as aâ—acriâ—â—e of spirit proceeding from a good conscience as great boldness in publishing and confessing Christ as an Heroicall fortitude of minde in beaâ—ing euery gâ—â—euous Crosse as a vehement and singular taste of the goodnes and fauour of God in vs as free and chearefull invocation of God and many other effects of faith which are as most splendent flames shining out of a burning fire Certainly as the flames of fire are extinguished either by withdrawing the â—ewell or by infusion of water although the whole fire at once and together be not vtterly extinct and as the beames of the Sunne by interposition of thick clouds are expelled out of of our Horison although the whole light of the Sunne be not vtterly taken away so these effects of saith formerly mentioned and of the holy Spirit by sinne committed by consent that they so can be remooued out of the mindes and hearts of the Saints yet 〈◊〉 through the diuine promise the substance of faith abiding I neuer did neither can it be denied seeing both the examples of the Saints in Scripture doe praegnantly demonstrâ—â—â— this and euery sanctified man doth experimentally finde this in hâ—â—selfe Dauid although hee did not vtterly loose his faith neither all feare of God neither all confidence and hope in God neither yet all loue of God for neither at any time did hee either wholly reiect the word of God or despair of Gods mercie or hated God yet that hee had lost many other things both himselfe confesseth in the repetition of them and prayeth for the restitution thereof The puritie of conscience and heart which before his sinne hee enioyed hee confesseth to haue lost while hee prayeth to bee washed and cleansed from his iniquitie Psal 51. Wash mee from mine iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne Againe Purge me with Hysope and I shall be pure wash me and I shal be whiter then snow Againe Create in mee O God a new heart That ioy of mind wherein formerly hee reioyced in the Lord and did often exhort others likewise to reioyce saying Reioice in the Lord and be glad Oye righteous hee confesseth to bee lost after his fall whilest hee requesteth restitution thereof himselfe saying Fill mee full of ioy and gladnes and make my bones which theu hast smitten to reioyee Againe Restore to me the ioy of my saluation The sense whereby through faith he perceiued God to bee fauourable to him and as it were with a chearefull countenance to smile vpon him that it was extinct and turned into trembling wherewith he was throughout shaken while he saw God to be angry with him to frowne angeâ—ly vpon him hee confesseth saying Turne thy angry face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities Likewise that free will of spirit whereby before voluntarily and with a willing heart hee constantly followed the things that were right after 〈◊〉 sinne if it was not vtterly extinct yet notwithstanding to bee exceedingly decayed insomuch that afterward hee fainted in the thingâ— of God himselfe teacheth when 〈◊〉 saith Confirme mee with thy principall and free spirit Therefore of these and such like effects of grace faith which are euen not vnworthily teaâ—â—ed graces for that they are freely giuen and are effects of Gods grace I doe not speake in this controuersie of the perscuerance of the Saints in faith and in grace for I am not ignorant that these fruits are 〈◊〉 lost but my discourse is both of that first grace and of the graces of the second kinde Of Saints NOW heare you what I will vnderstand by the name of Saints This name Saint when it is attributed to Men first it is generally taken for all them who haue consecrated themselues to the true God and giuen their names to Christ and doe professe him and his religion whether it bee before God truely and sincerely or if it be before men onely So the people of Israel though they were not all truely sanctified yet are they called totally holy So Paul calleth all Saints who haue giuen their name to Christ Rom. 1. So 1. Pet. 2. All Christians to whom he writ hee calleth an holy nation roiall Priesthood But specially 〈◊〉 properly this name is taken for thâ—â— which are not onely called but 〈◊〉 in veritie Saints in the sight of God And they are thus described in scrâ—â—ture Who being elected from all â—nâ—â—nitie in Christ and after in time 〈◊〉 called to Christ according to purposeâ—â— and endued with true faith in Christ and truely iustified by Christ 〈◊〉 regenerate by the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 and iâ—graffed into Christ and so 〈◊〉 graffed that now sinne hath no dâ—â—â—nion in them but Christ neither 〈◊〉 they walke any more after the flesh 〈◊〉 after the spirit and they are so 〈◊〉 by the spirit of Christ and prescrued as they are both affected with a perpetuall loue of the Law of God and withall they continually bend their care for the keeping thereof and on the contrarie inflamed with a constant hatred of sinne they likewise continually fight against sinne and they doe so fight that although at some time through the remissâ—neâ— of the strength of the spirit and debilitie of faith and by the excessiue violence of the flesh and sin in the battell as it were vnhorsed they bee throwne vpon the ground and so suffer and doe many things they would not and many things
that prayer Ioh. 17. prayed the Father for all the Elect which should beleeue in him That hee would keepe them in the faith and not permit them at all to fall away from the faith This doth Luther plainely deliuer vppon these words I pray for them I pray not for the World Saith hee So he prayeth for Christians and for all that shall be conuerted that they abide firme touching true faith and profit therin and proceed neither that they sall away from it These things Luther Therefore hath Christ obtained for all the Elect that they shall persist in the faith and neuer shrinke from it Wherefore it cannot bee in regard of this prayer of Christ that the Elect beeing indued with true faith should vtterly slide away from faith Hee that doubteth whether Luther was of this iudgement which I defend doth certainly declare That either he hath not been much conuersant in his books or doth not vnderstand Luther The testimonies of Bucer so many and such ye haue in my Lectures as that of his determination no doubt can be made But beside them I will also put downe these of new In Mat. 6. And leade vs not into temptation pag. 70. in the Entrance Seeing then none can take them out of the Lords hands Ioh. 10. And hee in no wise casteth off such as come vnto him Ioâ— 6. It is necessarie that such as are Christs once shall neuer be alienated from him In Ioh. 4. Vpon these words If thou knewest the gift of God For saith hee as the liuing and springing water out of the fountaine doth alwaies flow to quench the thirst of men So the Holy Spirit giuing testimonie to our Spirit that wee bee the Sonnes of God doth for euer take away the thirst of the good in that it maketh them finally blessed in fulnesse and here doth refresh them continually with sure faith This is that fountaine neuer failing for that it neuer forsaketh such as it once inspireth Rom. 8. in the Quaestion of Praedestination pag. 361. not much before the conclusion of the Third Question He concludeth Predestination to be a Diuine designement of the Saints vnto this that they should bee made partakers of euerlasting saluation by Christ the Lord. This verily is saluation saith hee that being inspired with Gods Spirit thou maist most fully see soundly iudge that which is truely good and prose quute the same with a most eager and constant studie Here of it is a good consequent That therfore the Elect vnto life aeternall are also Elect to this that they should prose quute that which is good with a continuall studie or with perseuerance And that which is by God decreed cannot be made frustrate wherefore the Elect and Saints cannot but perseuere in faith Likewise in ep ad Eph s câ—p 1. vpon these words Hee hath chosen vs that we should be holy Paul saith he Romans 8. doth treat of Election as is meete And when the Saints are compassed with most grieuous afflictions they would often distrust amongst these euills wherevnto they are throwne of the glorie promised to the sonnes of God if they did not relie vpon this buckler For it will come to passe that whatsoeuer their sufferings be they shal be at last glorified Neither can they be dispelled by any thing out of their inheritance which is in Christ Iesus He is our euerlasting Mediatour and we for euer ioyned vnto him our vnion with Christ is inseparable nether can it be but for euer Also vpon the same 1. chap. in his short treatise of faith page 34. Faith although it bee infirme euen in the Saints and therfore also more to be lamented they do commit the more sinnes as euery where both the old and new Testament doe testifie and examples too euident doe declare as in Peter Dauid and others yet doth it not suffer him who is therewith endued vtterlie to lie vnder as surprised He trieth our faith but yet for this purpose that wee may vnderstand how much imperfection is alwaies intermixed in vs. Hence are are afflictions and from thence these voices in the Psalm O God hast thou forgotten mee hast thou forsaken mee From hence it fell out that Peter by the Damsell was assalted and afflicted with the batterings of temptation but yet he fell not for euer for that God put vnder his hand For God doth alwaies sppport his Elect that at last he shall swimme out and break through for the gifts and calling of God is without repentance And what shall wee say to these things If GOD be on our side who shal be against vs which words of Paul are not to be vnderstood of some but of al Gods elect And God doth solace vs against this debility of faith by the mightie power of Christ whereby hee beareth rule ouer all and hath dominion ouer death and sinne For he verily died but he rose againe death being subdued hee ascended to the Father sitteth at his right hand maketh intercession for vs and let all the Elect applie these things to themselues and say Hee arose for mee c. And seeing he is our head he shall â—â—relie quicken vs and confirme vs neither can hee derelinquish the duty of a true head For we liue for his sake which loued vs therefore wee liue not for our owne loue Without doubt ours is required but it is imperfect and cannot vphold the hope of life aeternall Therefore that our hope might be certaine the cause of our life is setled in him not in vs. And therefore whatsoeuer excuse is alleadged touching vncertaintie of faith whatsoeuer commaunded and deliuered is vtterlie impious and blasphemous against the might amplenesses maiestie and loue and dispensation of Christ and doth oâ—erturne all faith and authoritie of the word which Paul presseth Rom. 8. and euerie where else Likewise pag. 38. in the Treatise of the Church quinto signo Touching Perseuerance saith hee wee haue a place 1. Ioh. 2. If they had been of vs they would surely haue continued with vs And that He that is borne of God sinneth not is thus to bee vnderstood Hee sinneth not wittingly and of knowledge Hee sinneth not impenitently for that a certaine efficacacie of the Spirit of Christ doth beare him vp For though many sins doe yet beset the godly yet doe they not perseuere in them or consent therevnto with a suffocation of conscience or of the Law of God See Augustine Of Repentance against the Donatists All these things Bucâ—r Here ye perceiue my Lords First that not vnfitly I did entreat of the perseuerance of the Saints when I did interpret that place of Iohn If they had beene of vs they would verily haue continued with vs. Againe neither did I interpret amisse that place of Iohn He that is born of God sinneth not in my Treatise of Perfeuerance when I gaue this interpretation That the Saints born of God did not sinne from the heart or with their totall and plenarie will and therefore not
saluation of the Reprobate to whom they are giuen yet for that they tend to effect the saluation of the Elect and restauration of the Saints therefore are they taken to be effects of the first grace in this respect that they doe come from the aeternal free loue of God not indeed toward the Reprobate but towards the Elect for whose saluation they are communicated 13 Grace in the first and proper acception that is the aeternall and free loue and fauour of God is the beginning consummation and end of our saluation from whence haue and doe proceed our whole saluation and whatsoeuer make for our saluation 14 That from whence God as I may say was moued to elect and praedestinate vs vnto life aeternall was his Grace onely or his good will towards vs and good pleasure and loue As for the last and principall end it was his Glorie to wit That his Goodnes Mercie and dustice might bee manifested and so glorified The Apostle doth deliuer both of them Ephe. 1. He hath chosen vs in Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will this is the first to the praise of the glorie of his grace This is the second 15 Our saluation is totally of Grace And because of grace therefore it is certaine and because certaine therefore ought we beeing freed from all feare and doubtfulnes or trembling with a cheerefull heart and ioyfull conscience continually giue thankes to such an Heauenly Father in Christ beleeue in him hope in him call vpon him loue him conforme our selues to his will studie to accomplish his commandements and to prepare our mindes to endure al torments for his Names sake and to say with Dauid What shall I render to the Lord for the bâ—nefits he haâ—h done vnto me I wil receiue the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. The Treatise of the Praedestination of the Saints is seuered into these speciall heads THE loue whereby GOD loueth all things euen the wicked is different from that whereby he hath so loued some from all aeternitie as that also hee hath praedestinated them to life aeternall 2 Of all men which euer were are or shall be fallen into the pit of sinne some God hath taken vp some left therein and therefore did decree to deliuer some and other to relinquish there And this is Election and Reprobation 3 The Praescience of God is taken sometime for that knowledge wherby God from euerlasting in generall did know as well such things as some admitted that is sinne as also what himselfe would doe whether in the Elect or in the Reprobate or in other creatures Thus both in Fathers and Schoolemen somtime for that knowledge wherby specially some that is the Elect hee did with affection of loue foreknow as his that loued them from aeternitie as Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. God hath not reiected his people quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee foreknow or it is taken for Praedestination it selfe 4 Praedestination is a part of his Prouidence and both according to the Schoolemen is onely of such things which God himselfe doth and will doe But Prouidence is extended to all things and Praedestination restrained to creatures endued with reason although sometime in the Fathers Praedestination is taken for Prouidence and so it is extended abusiuely to al things 5 To Praedestinate in the Latine tong is in the beginning to deliberate before-hand determine resolue with thy selfe to doe a thing before thou doest it againe to purpose before and to appoint and direct before-hand of some thing to a certaine end Also amongst the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to define before thou doest any thing what thou wilt doe then to determine euery thing before it bee done to the certaine end and vse thereof And Moses the Hebrue in the Holy Bookes that which the Septuagint doe translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath Habhdeâ— which signifieth to separate to a certaine vse one thing from all other things As when the Lord from the corrupt Masse of all other people did select separate and diuide his owne people Israel to the true worship and true Religion 6 This name of Praedestination may if wee respect the signification thereof generally bee extended to all creatures euen vnreasonable nay also without life But in the Fathers it is onely of Men and Angels both of euill and good but in the Scriptures this name is onely vsed touching the Elect Therefore they onely are said properly to bee praedestinate 7 Therefore the definition of Praedestination is Triple one most generall comprising all creatures another generall extending it selfe to all men the last speciall pertaining onely to the Elect. 8 The first Praedestination is that aeternall and immutable Decree of God whereby hee hath deputed and ordained euery thing before it was created to his certaine both vse and end 9 The next Praedestination is that aeternall and immutable decree of God whereby hee hath from all aeternitie determined with himselfe first both to create all men then to permit them to fall into sinne and runne headlong into death then some of them to vouchsafe in Christ freely both of his grace and of life aeternalll but others not to dignifie with this grace but with â—â— tanas both to smite with blindnes and to indurate at also to destroy aeternally and that for this end That both in theone sort his diuine goodnesse and mercie and in the other his diuine power and iustice may be declared and so God in all may be glorified 10 The third that is the Praedestination of the Saints is that aeternall and immutable Decree of God whereby without any merits of men hee hath with himselfe determined some certaine men beeing brought in due time into this life sallen together with others by the worke of the Diuell into sinne and No free iustification by Christ vnlesse wee defend free praedestination in Christ Zanchius death to ingraft into CHRIST and by faith to iustifie and beeing ingrafted into Christ to regenerate and to sanctifie vnto his hests beeing sanctified by a continuall forgiuenesse of dayly sinnes to attend vpon and by the perpetuall grace of the holy Spirit finally as the Sonnes of God and co-heires with Christ of the celestiall Kingdome to endue them with a blessed and aeternall life and all this That in them the mercie and goodnesse of God may perpetually bee magnified and God himselfe for euer glorified 11 God knoweth nothing or willeth now which he hath not also knowne from aeternitie and likewise willed Therefore Praedestination is aeternall 12 The aeternall and simple will of God is immutable Herevpon that Rom. 11. The gifts and calling of God is without Repentance Therefore Praedestination is vnchangeable 13 No man is the efficient cause of his owne Praedestination but Permittere â—ccata nòn â—st concedeâ—â— sed non â—elle impâ—â—iri cum o◠〈◊〉 Zancl the sole simple and aeternall will of
against their ful conscience Thirdly yee see that to bee impious which my Aduersarie did publish in the Schooles That such men are Regenerate and sanctified who may sinne against conscience and euen perseuere in the same sins with madnes Againe pag. 39. Of them saith he when it is said that they cannot sinne it is onely to bee vnderstood of Perseuerance and a studie to sin Thus Bucer Therefore the Saints do not sin neither purposely nor with perseuerance And then presently They sinne saith hee but they doe not lie in their sinnes neither doth sin reigne in them but finally they are erected and heare and follow their shepheaâ—d Rom. 8. Sect. 4. vpon this In that we pray c. pag. 343. The Saints indeed do liue and are led with the spirit of Christ as Paul taught a little before but while our most gracious Father doth humble vs with aduersitie and doth make vs see our Nothingnes of our selues There this spirit whereby wee cry Abba Father which doth contestate the good will of God towards vs in all things and withall doth make vs euen glory in our afflictions as it were is oppressed the flesh which is weake to all honest things preuaileth the terrour of Gods iudgment doth wholly possesse vs. From hence wee feele nothing but detestarion of Gods iudgements but a deploring of our owne lot and accusation of God to burst forth and to be tossed too and fro in our mindes Herevpon are those most grieuous complaints of Iob Ieremie and the Psalmist God now is accused of excessiue and vniust seueritie we curse his holy and iust workes wee doe execrate our whole life and such things as were seruiceable to produce or preserue life So Iob and Ieremie did curse the very night and day wherein they were conceiued and borne But because in that though most grieuous praecipitation and intolerable exagitation of mind the Saints doe still liue in the Spirit of God for the same doth neuer forsake them therefore hath it vncessantly its operation in them and alwayes the motion thereof And that is nothing else but to crye Abba father that is to pray for Gods helpe In his Booke of the true reformation of Churches fol. 135. out of those words Ioh. 6. Whither shall weâ— goe thou hast the wordes of eternall life he inferreth saying whereby he doth clearely expresse that such as do truly beleeue and by beleeuing do soundly know the Lord Iesus Christ to be the Sauiour of meÌ„ to haue the words of eternal life cannot depart from him Wherevppon the Lord so often heere of vseth repetition That such haue eternall life who beleeue in him Againe vpon the three last verses of the 80. Psalme This likewise redounded out of the same spirit saith he Wee wil not decline from thâ—e for that they are sealed with such a spirit of the sonnes of God insomuch as that they can neuer fall away from it And whereas to all these and other most manifest places of Bucer in a manner infinite touching perseuerance some do obiect three places ex Refor Coloniensi as though there were a repugnancie therein they doe nothing effect thereby For we haue giuen demonstration in our answers to our accusers arguments That they are so far from being contradictory as that they implie mutuall confirmation First there it is taught that true faith cannot consist with sinne against the Conscience and this we concluded out of Bucer but we added withall both according to the Scriptures Bucers doctrine That the Saints doe not sinne against plenary conscience nay therefore the Saints not to commit these sins because they are endued with true faith which cannot endure these sinnes to be with it Agame there it is laid downe that many haue and do fall from grace and faith The examples which are alleadged are partly of the reprobate partly of the Elect as of Dauid We likewise according to Bucers doctrine doe teach thatt both the Elect and Reprobate when they sinne by consent may be said to fall from grace and faith but not altogether after the same manner For the Reprobate for that they doe sinne against conscience plenarily they do vtterly and fully fall from grace and doe entirely loose that temporary faith totally which they had But the Elect for that they doe not sinne with a full will and full consent therefore neither fully nor vtterly they fall away from grace neither vtterly loose their faith but partly that is they are so said to fal from the grace of their heauenly father as sonnes from the grace of their parents when as they by their euil manners or offences do prouoke them to anger yet so as that they neither cease to be parents nor they to be children And so they are said to loose faith as fire is said to bee extinguished when either by wet fuel cast vppon it it is suffocated or for want of wood the heat is remitted but yet so as the whole fire is not put out Therefore by these places nothing is concluded against such and such others produced by me for Perseuerance O Ecolampadius in Ep. Ioh. trimam demegor 8. vpon these words If they had heene of vs tâ—ey would haue continued with vs From hence saith hee some do collect That such as are once truly illuminated cannot fall totally from faith and vtterly slie out of the Church for although Peter denyed Christ yet went he not vtterly away We know that a reuelation was made vnto him of the father not from flesh and blood and that he sinned we are not ignorant neither yet did his faith vtterly faile as neither of Dauid the adulterer from whence by repentance both of them returned But if some goe out so as that they doe not returne we do at no hand belieue that they were truely illuminated For such as reuert haue yet safe the seeds of faith neither are they altogether desperate neither do any of such so go out as do the Antichrists who not being truly illnminated did go out so that either they should oppugne the knowne truth or their brethren for the truthes sake for we do not read that any such haue returned for they sinned with an vnpardonable sinne that is against the Holy Ghost which is neither remitted in this nor in the life to come Let euery one consider what faith he hath hitherto had and pray God continually to encrease my faith help mine vnbeleefe least either he be drawne away with such a number of Antichrists or be vnprepared when the Lord Iesus commeth and calleth Soe bee it Amen This testimony of OEcolampadius can neither my aduersary nor any other reiect as discordant with the Augustane confession or coudemne it as haereticall doctrine but he must withal reiect and condemne D. Hedion as one who did approue doctrine both haeretical and repugnant to the Augustane Confession and proposed it to be read and receiued of the people of a Argentme for Strausburg he translated these