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
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
that St. Paul doth when hee planteth and buildeth a certaintie of Saluation Yea shee almost vseth the same words Saint Paul first in a generall sheweth that there is a constant and vninterrupted progresse of good and happinesse to the Saints that loue God and are called of his purpose This generall hee makes good by particulars for hee bringeth them in as proofes of the generall Therefore hee begins with the word For For whom her did fore-know hee also did praedestinate to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne whom hee did praedestinate them he also glorified Behold the Apostle hath made good his generall by these particulars His generall of the constant good and happinesse of the Saints is proued by these particulars because God from his first fore-knowing or taking notice of them neuer leaues doing them good from one degree of good to another vntill hee hath brought them to eternall glory and blessednesse So that this place is no other but a proofe of the constant and vndefeasable happinesse of the Saints Now let vs see how our Church doth paralell this Doctrine of Saint Paul with the Doctrine of her Article Our Church first in the generall teacherh that God by his constant Decree bringeth his Elect to Saluation And then shee also descends to particulars in the like manner Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God be â—…alled according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they hee iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy they attaine to euerlasting felicitie Behold here also the particulers by which that generall bringing to Saluation is perfited so that to ioyne both together The businesse of Saint Paul and our Church is both one or rather the purpose and businesse of Saint Paul is the purpose of our Church euen to shew that the Saints and Elect are constantly and infallibly brought to Saluation and happinesse by Gods loue and Election And indeed there is such a continued and indissoluble chaine beginning in Gods purpose and Decree and not ceasing vntill it bring the Saints to Gods to be glorified that there is no roome nor gappe for this full and finall Apostasie to breake in and interpose it selfe And that wee may be yet more sure that this place of Saint Paul did intend this very thing to proue the infallible stedfast and perpetuall blessednesse of the Saints as before it hath appeared both by his generall position at his entrance after by the particulars in his progresse so it may also most fully appeare and strongly for a three-fold cord cannot be broken by the vse that he makes in his egresse It were too much to stand vpon each particular of his inference and application I will take notice of a few First he triumphs like a conqueror beholding the safetie and assured victory of the Saints What shall wee then say to these things If God be for vs who can bee against vs God is for the Saints all the way from the first foreknowledge vnto the finall glory what Arminius or Bertius can make any Apostacy to be against vs when God is throughly for vs. God being stedfast with vs from Election to glorification no interloper can come in with intercision to cut off and put a sunder this continued chaine of happinesse which God hath ioynd together and guardeth all the way And that yet more plainly you may see that this was St. Pauls very meaning and purpose behold it in his owne words Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ See here a challenge sent to the whole world for hee defieth any thing that would seeme to seperate Gods beloued from the loue of God Wherefore let the Arminians take heed how they come within Saint Pauls defiance For the truth is they doe vndertake to accept Saint Pauls challenge and giue an answer to his question for when Saint Paul saith Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ They answer that there are many things that may seperate Saints from â—…he loue of Christ. But let them take heed how they make St. Paul their aduersary For it concernes them neerely to agree with this aduersarie while they are in the way lest their aduersary deliuer them to the iudge c. Neither is Saint Paul contented to defie their Apostacy separation only by way of a question in generall termes but he passeth on to particulars and most weightie ones which if any might cause an Apostacy and separation of Saints from the loue of God But both these particulars he denyeth to bee able to separate yea generally all or any creature hee denyeth to bee able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Here also I will spare to insist on euery particular but I desire the Reader to consider of â—… few of them which I thinke include all other if the rule be true that the greater includes the lesse First Life and Death cannot separate vs. Now the Author of Apostacy himselfe could say Skin for â—…kin and all Iob. 24. that a man hath will he give for his life Touch therefore his bone and his flesh and hee will curse thee to thy face But both the example of Iob and the Doctrine of Saint Paul shew that death nor paine doe not separate the Saints from the loue of God For Iob will trust in God though hee kill him and Paul saith That in all thosâ—… things wee are more then conquerors Now if this maximum terribilium cannot separate the Saints from the loue of God what can lesser terrors doe surely they can separate lesse But here by the way let me giue a note of instruction or at least remembrance to the Doctors of Apostacy that in this case of Iob and other Saints of whom S. Paul speaketh it is God that loued vs who makes vs to conquer and not our owne Free-will for certainly if God did not hold vs by his loue but wee held him only there were quickly an end of the businesse death and many things else would separate vs from the loue of God Especially if among those many things wee take notice of those that follow Angels Principalities and Powers These are the mightiest creatures of all and yet these cannot separate vs from the loue of God Now if these that excell in power cannot separate vs how can any lesser and inferior powers separate vs But here also wee must carefully and humbly acknowledge that we haue no defence safetie and securitie against these mighty powers but the preuailing power of God which assisteth those whom he loueth and makes them conquerors For these are the sonnes of Anah of whom it is said who can stand against the Sonnes of Anah This is the strong man whom none can binde but one
c. To dye is to Id. cap. 10. loose the habilitie of life c. But this doth not happen to the soule for it is the breath of life neither to the Spirit for the Spirit is simple and cannot be dissolued and is the life of them that receiue him Partem aliquam spiritus eius sumimus c. We receiue Id. cap. 11. a part of his spirit vnto the effecting and preparing of incorruption by degrees accustoming to receiue and carry God in vs which the Apostle also called an earnest that is part of that honour which is promised to vs of God Qui credit in filium habet vitam aeternam c. He that beleeueth elemens Alexa. padag lib. 1. cap. 6. in the Sonne hath life eternall If then wee who haue beleeued haue life eternall what remaineth beyond the possession of life eternall Non es inquit amplius servus c Hee saith Thou art Idem Ibid. no more a seruant but a sonne If a sonne then also an Heyre through God What then wanteth to a Sonne when hee is an Heyre Qui credidit in nomine eius c. Hee that beleeued in his Ciprian de Orat. Dominiea name and is made the Sonne of God from that time must begin both to giue thankes and to professe himselfe the Sonne of God Scriptum est enim Iustum fide viuere c. It is written Id. de Mort. The Iust shall liue by Faith If thou art Iust and liuest by Faith If thou truly beleeuest in God why since-thou art to liue with Christ and art secure of the Lords promise dost thou not reioyce that thou art called by death vnto Christ Plus amare compellimur c. wee are inforced to loue the Id. ibid. more while it is granted to vs to know what wee shall bee and to condemne that which wee were Hilary dâ—… Triniâ—… lib. 1. Conscia securitatis suae ocio c. The soule knowing her owne safety resteth in quietnesse reioycing in her hopes so much not fearing death that shee accounteth it as the way to life eternall Chananeaiam ipsa c. The Chananitish woman being Ibid in Mat. c. 15 now saued by faith and CERTAINE of that inward Mystery and sure of her owne saluation Per spiritum sanctum datur c. By the Holy Spirit it is Basil. de spiritu cap. 15. giuen a restoring into Paradise a returne into the Kingdome of heauen a recouery of the adoption of sonnes a confidence of calling God Father a partaking of eternall glory and that I may say all at once to be in the fulnesse of all blessednesse both of this life and of those good things which are laid vp for vs in the life to come which in the meane time wee do enioy by FAITH beholding that Glory as in a glasse For if the EARNEST bee such how excellent is the Perfection Bene ait confido c. Hee saith well I am confident For Ambrose Serm. 15. confidence is the strength of our hope and an authority of hoping Therefore hope still and no man can make tâ—…ee ashamed of thy expectation Our expectation is life eternall Signauit nos dando spiritum c Hee hath sealed vs Id. in 2 â—…or 1. by giuing his Spirit to vs for an Earnest that wee may not doubt of his promises for if when wee were in the state of death hee gaue vs his Spirit it is not to be doubted but that to vs being made immortall hee will adde glory Non praeter spem esse debemus c. Wee must not bee Angust in Psal. 1â—…2 without hope yea wee may bee bold with great confidence because if hee be with vs on earth by charity wee are also with him in heauen Hee is below by the compassion of charity wee are aboue by the hope of charity For wee are saued by hope But because our hope is certaine though saluation be to come it is so spoken of vs as if it were already done Tribulatio est enim nostra in presenti seculo c. Our Id in Psal. 123. suffering is in this life and our hope in the life to come and except in the sufferings of this life the hope of the life to come did comfot vs wee should perish Our ioy brethren is not yet in performance but in hope But our hope is as certaine as if the thing were already done Diuers other places haue beene allready cited out of him of Finall perseuerance I referre the Reader particularly to his booke De Bono Perseuerantiae de Correptione gratia Where among many other sentences approuing the Perseuerrance of the sonnes of God hee saith cap. 9. Nullus eorum c. None of them being changed from good into euill doth end his life Exempta est a morte anima c. That soule is freed Prosper in Psal. 114. from death euen though shee bee compassed with mortall flesh which of vnbeleeuing is made beleeuing and besides that perfit eternall rest from all labours which the death of the Saints precious in the eyes of the Lord doth obtaine the soule which is deliuered from the death of infidelity hath also her rest in this life euen that soule which ceaseth from the workes not of righteousnesse but of iniquity Such a soule which is now aliue vnto God and dead to the world and is diligently buried in spirituall indeauours not resting in an idle but a quiet tranquility of humility and meek nesse she accounteth as now possessed whatsoeuer with an vndoubted hope she patiently expecteth Neque vsque eo solum c. Neither is the grace of Christ â—…irill Alex. Comment in Esa. lâ—… 3. the Sauiour of vs all onely so farre extended toward vs but in good hope the possession of the Kingdome of heauen lasting and eternall life and the absence of all euill which vseth to affect with griefe are likewise added For it is written of the Saiuts euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads Probi viri cùm munduÌ„ possideant cor c. Good men hauing a pure heart became the receptacles of the comforter as Id. in Ioan. lib. 9. cap. 44. it is possible to men in this life and they do know that they shall enioy great and wonderfull rewards For they shall bee sanctified of the spirit and they shall be made partakers of all good things and the basenesse of bondage being cast off they shall be adorned with the dignity of adoption of the sons of God which Paul sheweth saying Because yee are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his son crying Abba Father Non accepistis spiritum seruitutis c. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage c. For hee cannot bee a iust man in the sight of God who serueth him not for loue but for feare Which place I alledge because the fallers from Grace by teaching this falling from Grace do teach men a Doctrine by which