follie Prou. 26.5 First for that most vsual 〈◊〉 common forme of reasoning se If I bee predestinate to saluation I am sure to be saued let me do what I will If I bee appointed to damnation I am sure to bee damned though I liue neuer so godly for Gods decree changeth not and therefore I will liue as I list Answ Howbeit most desperate and prophane wretches for such they bee for the most part doe take occasion from Gods decree to reason in this sort yet wee must know that the occasion is taken before it be giuen for the doctrine of the vnchangeable decree of God affords no such conclusion as beere is inferred I am appointed to life or death vnchangeably this is Gods truth therefore it matters not how I liue This is the diuels conclusion not inferred by force of good reason for in a Syllogisticall forme of reasoning I am sure no such conclusion can be drawne but framed and forged by the diuels art and entertained for the most part in the braines of most dissolute and diuellish men But see we the absurditie of this consequence I am necessarily ordained to life or death therefore I may liue as I list This is a reasoning from the putting too of the surpeme cause to a remouing of the instrumental which are not opposite but subordinate one to another Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Logicians doe speake Againe this kinde of reasoning sc I am appointed to eternall life therefore I may liue as I list vsing no meanes to attaine it is as if a man should reason thus sc God hath ordained me to liue many yeeres therefore what need I eate or drinke or sleepe or vse any meanes the reason is the same This one point must needs bee remembred that in Gods decree the end and the meanes tending to that end must goe hand in hand in so much as looke what God hath appointed to come to passe by meanes those meanes hee hath as necessarily ordained to be vsed as the end to bee archieued yea so inseparably are the meanes and the euent knit together as that if wee may suppose a demad of the meanes a deniall of the euent will necessarily be inferred thereupon As for example Act. 27. the Apostle saith vers 24. that God had giuen him the liues of all those that were in the ship there was Gods decree yet in the 31. vers the Apostle saith that vnlesse the ship-men did stay in the ship they could not bee safe heere is a deniall of the decreed meanes inferring a deniall of the decreed euent So then I am ordained to eternall life there is Gods decree if I should not repent not beleeue which is impossible God hauing decreed them likewise surely I should not be saued The immutability therefore of Gods decreee doth no whit fauour the neglect of meanes tending to eternall life Wherefore as Hezekiah after hee knew Gods decree for fifteene yeeres to bee added to his daies neglected not all meanes of life for if hee had he should haue died but applied physicke to his wound are dranke and vsed other meanes of life so hee that is ordained to eternall life if hee would obtaine must vse the meanes in repentance faith and obedience or else hee cannot looke to bee saued Quest Yea but now suppose a man bee appointed to damnation may not that man so appointed resolue with himselfe to liue as he lift Answ Though this be granted to bee a true position sc that a man appointed of God to wrath shall surely bee damned yet no such conclusion as this will ensue sc that that man may resolue to liue as hee list For first there is no man liuing so acquainted with Gods decree vnlesse hee hath sinned against the holy Ghost as to know his own reiection for how be it I finding by a liuely sense a feeling of the spirit of sanctification my selfe in the estate of sauing grace may hereupon assure my selfe that I am elected yet I may not finding my selfe è contra to bee in the estate of vnregeneracie thereupon conclude that I am a reprobate for euen the elect are in the estate of sinne before they be called Againe the Lord doth not seale vp to men their reprobation as hee doth their election What mad and hideous follie thē is this for a man to resolue to liue as a reprobate before hee knowes whether he be so or no As if a man should condemne himselfe run post hast to the place of execution and put the rope about his owne necke or vse all meanes to make away himselfe before hee know whether the sentence of life or death bee past vpon in the Iudges breast One dramme of good reason much more of grace would teach a man rather to argue thus I know not whether the sentence of wrath be past in heauen against me or no I will therefore resolue to employ my selfe in all well doing repenting of sin beleeuing in Christ and yeelding obedience to Gods Commandements which is the only way to eternall life by this meanes I shall make mine owne election sure to my selfe and so at length come to eternall happinesse Thus wee vse to reason in the like case I know not whether it bee my lot to liue till the next yeere or no I will eate drinke sleepe and vse other meanes appointed of God as the way to life that so I may liue if it be possible Suppose we thus that a Iudge giue out to a companie of malefactors before him in this sort I haue secretly with my selfe past a decree vpon you all and that vnchangeably wherein some of you are appointed to life some to death now they that bee mon of life shall surely come to me and kneele downe before me and sue for pardon the men of death shall not doe so and this is the marke of difference now looke to your selues In this case shall not that man bewray his follie aboue all the rest that shall resolue and conclude with himselfe neuer to come kneele before the Iudge because the decree is vnchangeablie past vpon him either for life or death which he knoweth not should bee not rather in all reason runne to the Iudge and kneele before him and sue for pardon that so he might assure himselfe that hee is a man of life Yes surely euen thus it fareth in the case in hand for God in his most 〈◊〉 councell hath made a decree 〈◊〉 all men wherein some are appointed to life some to death vnchangeably God hath further said in his word that the men ordained to life shall 〈◊〉 to him and beleeue which is the marke of their election but the men of death shall not doe so are not they then most seely and senselesse fooles that shall vpon hearesay of an immutable decree past whether for or against them they know not resolue with themselues neuer to turne to God and beleeue whereby as by most certaine signes they might
vs vp to vigilancie and care lest we fall nay rather they implie wee shall not fall for they are instruments to preserue from falling God making good that which hee commaundeth in the hearts of the faithfull Obiect 2 But sinne raigned in Dauid during the time of his impenitencie First it is not probable Solution 1 neither can it euer bee proued that the spirit of murther and adulterie did peaceably raign in Dauid for the space of a whole yeere without checke or controlement specially hee being a man according to Gods owne heart and indued with most singular and excellent graces of God Secondly Solution 2 if we take raigning sinne properly for that which is not resisted by the grace of the holy Ghost we cannot in any wise ascribe it vnto Dauid for without doubt he resisted at the first assault though peraduenture the resistance was more obscure and insensible by reason of the vehemencie and impetuousnes of the affections by the tumult and disorder whereof the spirit of God speaking in the conscience was not heard or attended vnto yet a resistance there was because there was grace which in the first temptation could not bee idle But if wee take raigning sinne for a preuailing sinne it cannot be denied but that corruption for the time preuailed against grace Yea Obiection 3 but Paul confesseth of himselfe that he was carnall and sold vnder sinne and therefore it may seeme that sinne had dominion in him The answere is easie Solution The Apostle in the speech alludeth vnto the bondslaue for there be two kindes of seruants first the vassal which is bought and sold with money and secondly the hired seruant which being at libertie for some gaine bringeth himselfe into voluntarie bondage now Paul compares himselfe vnto the slaue who though he were very desirous to escape his masters hands yet was constrained in great miserie to serue him so hee by reason of the reliques of originall sinne was otherwhiles forced to serue sinne in some part but he doth not say that he was like to the hired seruant who in hope of some profit pleasure or preferment did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse as Ahab Secondly Doctrine 2 hence wee obserue a distinction betweene the naturall and regenerate man the one being called in Scriptures a worker of iniquitie the other no sinner though both of them fall into one and the same sinne the reason hereof is this because the one sinneth with full purpose consent of will hauing no grace at all to resist the other doth not consent but in part as it is manifest in the example of Paul Rom. 7.22.23 and by these signes first before hee sinne hee doth not intend it or desire it but hee purposeth willeth the contrary good Secondly in the action hee resisteth lesse or more though peraduenture the resistance bee not so euident by reason of the violence of the affections Thirdly after the action hee is sorrie and repents seriously An example hereof we haue in Peter who before his fall was resolute rather to haue died then denied his Master in the action there was some slender resistance as may bee perceiued by the answere hee made to the damosell in his first assault saying I know not the man coldly and remisly and after being admonished partlie by the voyce of the Cocke and partlie and principallie by the looke of our Sauiour Christ hee went out and wept bitterly All was contrarie in Iudas who came with a resolute minde to betray his Master for the diuell hauing a long time tempted him hereunto at the last entreth into him that is causeth him to resolue to commit the trecherie and in the temptation hee resisted not being altogether destitute of grace and after hee repented not in a godly manner vnto saluation but in a desperate griefe went and dispatched himselfe The vse of this doctrine is this Vse By it as by a rule wee are directed to trie and examine our owne estate for if we be regenerate and borne againe of God wee haue not our conuersation in sinne we doe as much as possible we can to abstaine from sinne for if wee take our pleasure and lead our liues in sinne a plaine argument it is that we are not borne of God but remaine as yet the sonnes of the old Adam If wee that liue in the schooles of the Prophets should examine our selues by this rule I feare me that the grace of regeneration would be very rare or not at all found among vs for the sinnes which we doe not of infirmitie and weakenes only commit but euen of custome and obstinacie and which raigne amongst vs doe plainly proue and conuince vnto our selues that wee are destitute of the grace of regeneration And first of all the securitie which ruleth amongst vs whereby we are frozen in our dregs void of sense remorse and conscience of sinne and of all feare of the wrath of God as also of all feeling of the want of Christ and of that spirituall hunger after him and his righteousnesse doth euidentlie demonstrate this Againe the contempt of religion and the worship of God which appeares in our assemblies argues no lesse as well in the Preacher as in the hearer for many a man comming into this place to preach the word doth not as it is plaine by his practise propound vnto himselfe the glorie of God the edificatiō of Gods Church that is the winning sauing and cōuerting of mens soules which is the principall drift and maine scope of all the Scriptures and of all our preaching and hearing but hee intends to preach his wit memorie learning reading skill in Arts and tongues vaine foolish eloquence As for the hearers some come of custome to heare the word for forme and fashion either to retaine their credit or to preuent the danger of law some with preiudicate mindes to carpe and to cauill and to take exception against the speaker either for the matter or manner of deliuerie some to haue their cares tickled with an emptie and idle sound some for this sinister purpose some for that but few come with due preparation with reuerent and religious mindes to haue their consciēces edified their hearts disclosed the secrets of their thoughts reuealed that they might be humbled and conuerted vnto God in both which the worship of God is abused and prophaned Thirdly the grosse and palpable hypocrisie which is to bee found amongst vs whereby we can be content all of vs to make profession of religion and Christianitie but when it comes to the practise there we faile nay if any man shall giue himselfe seriously and constantly to the practise of religion he shall be scorned mocked and reuiled with most odious and ignominious yea with most hellish and hereticall names Further this one thing bewraieth our hypocrisie to al men that whereas we prosesse loue vnto God and to our brethren wee put in practise neither of both for if we loued God we would desire to haue
good will That God that wet the fleece of Gedâ—â—â— with his owne dew Iudg. 6.38 powre downe from heauen the dew of his blessing vpon thy reading and replenish thine heart with such a plentifull measure of his grace that liuing here in righteousnes and true holines may hereafter haue thy part in that glorie and happinesse that shall be reuealed at the comming of our Lord Iesus Norwich Nouember 14. 1613. Thine in Christ Iesus Robert Gallard A SERMON WHEREIN IS OPENED THE MANNER OF Gods decree concerning Election and Reprobation 1. THESS 5.9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to the obtaining of saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ IN the three first verses of this Chapter the Apostle continueth in the argument of the last iudgement which hee had propounded in the latter end of the former wherein he signifieth vnto the Thessalonians that the time of the second comming of Christ should bee sudden and vnknowne vnto all especially vnto the wicked whom it shall ouertake vnawares and vnprouided Which thing he declareth by the example of the theefe who vpon the night when men least thinke of it breaketh vp another mans house and of the woman with childe whose trauell comes vpon her vnexpected In the 4. and 5. verses hee comforteth them against the terror of this sudden comming of the Lord intimating vnto them that there was no cause why they should greatly stand in feare of it considering they were not in darknesse and ignorance but enlightened with the knowledge of the truth and therefore were not the children of the darknesse and of the night but of the light and of the day whereupon in the 6.7 and 8. verses hee disswadeth them from securitie and perswadeth them vnto vigilancie and sobrietie And lest the enemie by his subtiltie should at any time circumuent them hee willeth them alwaies to bee in a readines furnished prepared and apparelled with the spirituall armour of Christian souldiers viz faith loue and hope This exhortation that it might take the better place he enforceth it by a reason taken from the end whereunto the Thessalonians in the decree and counsell of God were appointed to wit eternall happinesse the which is propounded in a discreet axiome on this manner God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath c. The words in themselues containe a description of the decree of Gods election First from the Author that is God Secondly from the obiect that is Paul and the elect Thessalolonians Thirdly from the nature that is an appointment or ordaining of them to the obtaining of saluation Fourthly from the principall meanes of execution that is the mediation of Iesus Christ Lastly it is amplified by the contrarie that is the decree of Reprobation which is also described to be the appointment of some vnto wrath Touching the meaning of the words they are very plaine I shall not neede to spend much time in the vnfolding of them For whereas the Apostle saith that God hath not appointed the meaning is God in his eternall and vnchangeable counsell and decree hath not appointed to manifest and declare his wrath for so by a metonimie of the subiect I take it wee are to expound the words in our iust and deserued condemnation but to make knowne the riches of his mercies in our free and gracious saluation and that by the meanes and for the merit of Iesus Christ This is the simple meaning of the words Only one doubt may be here made how the Apostle came to the knowledge of this decree especially touching the Thessalonians but the answer is readie that hee speaketh of them according to the iudgement of charity and not of certainty the reason hereof is plaine because diuers of the Thessalonians afterward fell wholly away from the faith and religion of Christ they did professe so that in the end they ceased to be a Church Now then that we see in some part the order and meaning of the words let vs in the next place come to the vse of doctrine and edification which they doe naturally affoord The first doctrine is generall out of the whole text to wit that there is a difference and disiunction of men in the decree and counsell of God some 〈◊〉 some reprobate some appointed to saluation some vnto wrath this point is cleere and euident out of this text though there were no other scripture to confirme the same where the Apostle sorts all men into two orders or rankes some whereof are appointed vnto wrath out of which number hee exempts himselfe and the elect Thessalonians and some to the attaining of saluation in which number hee rangeth himselfe with them And lest any man should doubt of the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the sense of it in this place let him reade Iohn 15.16 and Acts 13.47 where the same word is vsed in the same signification But for the fuller and more sufficient confirmation of this point compare the 2. Tim. 2.19 with Matth. 7.23 where it is affirmed of some The Lord knowes who are his which is the seale of their Election and of others our Sauiour Christ shall pronounce at the day of iudgement I neuer knew you that is acknowledged you for mine Rom. 9.22 there are vessels of mercie prepared vnto glorie and vessels of wrath fitted to destruction 2. Tim. 2.20 there bee vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour Examples also heereof are propounded in Iacob and Esan Rom. 9.13 Iacob haue I loued that is purposed to loue with an eternall loue but Esau haue I hated that is purposed to hate with an eternall hatred But against this cleere and receiued exposition many exceptions are made First it is alleaged that by Iacob and Esau wee are not to vnderstand their particular persons but their posteritie viz. two natioÌ„s which descended from them of the Israelites and Idumeans for so the diuine oracle answereth Rebecca Genesis 25.33 Two nations are in thy wombe and the elder shall serue the younger which thing was neuer accomplished in the daies of Iacob and Esau but rather of the twaine Iacob was in feare and subiection to Esau then contrariwise But the text will not tolerate this exposition for it is absurd to say that two nations were conceiued at once and did striue together in the wombe of Rebecca vnlesse we consider them as they were comprehended vnder their heads to wit the persons of Iacob and Esau And whereas it is replied that Esau in person was neuer seruant vnto Iacob the answere is easie that Iacobs preeminence and priuiledges were not so much in temporall as in spirituall things and therefore proportionally Esau was debased to the condition of a seruant in respect of his younger brother not so much in his outward estate as in regard of the couenant made with his ancestors from which hee was iustlie for his prophanenes and vnthankfulnes debarred Againe though it were granted that by Iacob and Esau
two nations and not two persons were vnderstood yet all comes to one head for the receiuing of the nation of the Israelites into the couenant and the excluding of the Edomites both descending of Iacob and Esau seeme as well to proue Gods eternall Election and Reprobation as the receiuing and reiecting of particular men Secondly others alleage and say that by loue and hatred we are not to vnderstand the eternal decree of God in Election and Reprobation but temporall blessings wherein Iacob was preferred before Esau especially that to him and his posteritie was vouchsafed the right and possession of the land of Canaan which was denied to his elder brother Answ If this were the meaning of the text then the Apostle should bee accused of vnskilfulnes in alleaging these examples to proue the reiection of the Iewes from the Couenant and indeed they should bee altogether impertinent for though it were granted there were a difference betweene man and man in respect of earthlie blessings yet hereof it followeth not that there should bee the same difference in things concerning the kingdome of heauen Againe the land of Canaan was not onely an earthly inheritance we are not so carnally to conceiue of it but a pledge and figure to our forefathers of a farre better inheritance in heauen and therefore the excluding of Esau from the land of Canaan was a signe that hee was excluded from the couenant of grace and the right of eternall life Lastly it is obiected that to admit this exposition makes Ismael and Esau damned persons which is a hard censure Answ It is the safest to leane secret iudgements touching particucular persons vnto God but whatsoeuer their state is before God the Apostle hath fitly in their two persons both descending from Abraham and both circumcised set forth examples of such as for all their outward prerogatiues are indeed barred from the couenant of life euerlasting before God Againe the opposition made by Paul requires that the contrarie to that which is spoken of Isâ—â—â— and Iacob should bee affirmed of Ismael and Esau Neither is there a word in Scriptures which argues in them any disposition of men ordained to eternall life Ismael is noted with the brand of a mocker and Esau of a prophane person And lest any man should think that this doctrine is destitute of the testimony of the Church and of men I referre them to Augustine in his booke de ciuit Dei lib. 15. cap. 1. and to his Enchirid. ad Lauren. cap. 100. and to Thom. part 1. qu. 23. art 1. I may not waste the time in reciting the testimonies at large And thus much of the generall doctrine the vse followeth which is two-fold partly in confutation of error partly in instruction vnto godlinesse Touching confutation it serueth first of all to ouerthrow the error of some Diuines that terme themselues Lutherans and Imitators of Castellio who hold and teach and in their writings publish and maintaine that God for his part hath cast lots of no man but hath willed and decreed to saue all and euery particular man without exception of any so be it they wil beleeue But this confused and vniuersall decree falleth to the ground if God hath sorted and distinguished men in his eternall counsell as wee haue before demonstratiuely proued out of Scriptures But that the truth in this point may bee more euident and error more manifestly detected against this indistinct and generall decree many reasons may bee alleaged First sauing grace is not giuen to all as faith hope loue repentance perseuerance which are the meanes of saluation therefore all are not elected to eternall life the ground of this reason is infallible to wit whosoeuer are ordained to the end are ordained to the meanes which properly and directly serue to the accomplishing of the same end so much the word predestination in Latin signifieth viz. the appointing of such an end which is not but by set and appointed meanes thereunto subordinate as by certaine steps and degrees atchieued And Paul Rom. 8.30 hath so linked and knit these things together that it is impossible to seuer theÌ„ but it must needs be that whosoeuer are predestinate they are also called iustified and shall be glorified But it will be replied that sufficiencie of sauing grace is giuen to all though it be not effectual in all that through the default of the receiuers Answ This distinctioÌ„ in the matter of grace is frinolous and absurd whatsoeuer Bellarmine or any other can say to the contrary The reason hereof is plaine for that grace be sufficient vnto saluatioÌ„ fiue things are required First the collating or donation of grace Secondly power and abilitie to receiue the grace giuen which is done by another grace Thirdly the retaining or keeping of the grace receiued Fourthly the vsing of the grace receiued and kept Fifthly the perseuerance in it or the constant keeping and vsing of the grace giuen and receiued whereof if any bee wanting it is not sufficient if all be there it must needs be effectuall vnlesse we will say that he that continueth to the end in faith and obedience shall not bee saued contrary to the expresse text of scripture Againe these are so coupled and combined together that whosoeuer hath the first grace truly and indeed hee must needes haue the second to wit perseuerance otherwise hee hath not true sauing grace but a shadow of it the perseuerance being a part of the truth of grace 1. Ioh. 2.19 so as men liuing in the Church are then knowne to be counterfeits and hypocrites when they doe not perseuere And if perseuerance doth not alwaies accompanie true sauing grace what will be the difference and preferment of the state of Redemption before the state of Creation Adam before the fall in his innocencie had indeede to can that he would but hee had not to will that he could but whosoeuer are in Christ as all are that haue receiued sauing grace they haue in some measure both posse velle so as it is impossible they should either totally fall or finally perish Mans saluation being put into his owne hands was lost because hee was not confirmed with new grace in the act of temptation but being now committed to the custodie of Christ it is safe sure he hauing ouercome Satan and al the powers of hell by subtiltie and violence whereof it might haue bin endangered To make this plaine by a familiar comparison vsed by * Loc. com pag. 464. Peter Martyr Suppose there were a great weight of timber or stone to be moued if a man shall put to so much force as is sufficient that is so much as may preuaile against the greatnes of the mole motion must necessarily follow in like manner God being to moue the stonie and wicked hearts of men if hee shall of his mercie infuse but so much grace as is sufficient that is so much as will counteruaile the hardnes and prauitie of them it
and first search the sense proper meaning of them and after descend to the doctrines and vses which they shall affoord He that is borne of God that is Sense He that is renewed and sanctified by the grace and spirit of God being in his minde enlightened with the knowledge of the truth and in his heart will affections and the whole man framed and formed vnto the obedience thereof the which that it may be more cleere and manifest it shall not bee amisse briefly to consider the causes of our regeneration and new birth The principall efficient is the holy Ghost insinuating himselfe into the hearts of the elect and effectually applying the forme and vertue of the death resurrection of Christ thereby abolishing the corruption of nature and creating an inherent qualitie of righteousnesse and holinesse in the whole man Rom. 8.9.10 The instrumentall cause is the word of God that is the immortall seede of regeneration as the Apostle termeth it 1. Pet. 1.21 The materiall cause is the efficacie or effect of that righteousnesse which is inherent in the humane nature of Christ from which as from a roote and fountaine is propagated and deriued all that holinesse which is to bee found in the faithfull 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made vnto vs from God righteousnesse holinesse not onely by imputation vnto iustification but by infusion vnto sanctification The formall cause is the renouation of the decaled image of God in the whole man Ephe. 4.23.24 The finall cause is the worship of God in the duties of the first and second table Ephes 2.10 by all which we may see in part what regeneration is Now come we to the second argument of the description which is the effect denied hee sinneth not the meaning is not that the regenerate man is this life is whole pure and free from sinne for that is cleane contrary to the tenour of the whole Bible and to common and manifest experience in the Church of God and were heresie for a man once to conceiue Eccl. 7.22 Prou. 20.9 1. Ioh. 1.8 and the most holy men of God that euer haue liued in the Church haue not onely been subiect vnto sinne but when the occasions of temptation haue been greater haue fallen dangerously and grieuously as wee haue examples in Noah Lot Aaron Dauid Peter The proper meaning therefore and sense of these words is this he sinneth not that is he doth not laboriously painfully and diligently employ and busie himselfe in the practise of sinne hee sinneth not with studie with deliberation with constant purpose with full consent of will with delight with endeuour with continuance to conclude hee makes not a trade and occupation of sinning for so much is comprehended in the phrase he sinneth not or hee doth not practise sinne For the further cleering of this point to commit sinne containeth in it these three things first to giue full and free consent vnto sinne Secondly to giue vp the members of the bodie to the practise of sinne Thirdly to keepe a course and continuance in sinne Thus the man regenerate sinneth not first he doth not fully consent vnto sinne as it may appeare in Paul Rom. 7.16 where hee saith that if hee did the euill hee would not hee cōsented to the law that it was good if then hee did at all consent vnto the law he did not wholly consent vnto sinne but more plainly vers 22. For I delight in the law of God c. Secondly hee doth not giue vp his members to the practise of sinne he is so farre from that that he bridles and suppresses the corruption of nature in the heart before it breake foorth into action Gal 5.24 They that are Christs that is by faith vnited vnto him they haue receiued the spirit of Christ whereby they crucifie them with the affections and lusts 1. Iob. 5.18 Hee that is borne of God keepeth himselfe that is preserueth himselfe from sinne so much as possibly he can And this the Apostle insinuateth Rom. 6.19 As you haue giuen vp your members c. signifying that as by the force and strength of naturall corruption they did before regeneration prostitute the members of their bodies vnto vncleannes and sinne so now by the vertue of Gods grace after their conuersion they should sanctifie all their parts vnto the practise of righteousnes Thirdly hee keepeth not a course in sinne but either presently or not long after his fall riseth againe and recouereth himselfe by repentance as we haue examples in Dauid and Peter Doctrine 1 The doctrine that we are to learne hence is two-fold first that the child of God in this life is exempted and priuiledged not from sinne but from the reigne rule and dominion of sin wholly from the power and bondage of it in some part sinne doth not at all rule in the childe of God though the remainders of the corruption of nature haue power otherwhiles to bring foorth the fruites of the flesh This appeares plainly Rom. 8.2 The lawe of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me not from sinne but è iure peccati which thing also may bee further confirmed by these two reasons First where Christ hath taken the hold there Satan is repelled and cast foorth now Christ hath taken the possession of euerie mans heart that is regenerate and borne againe and therefore no place for Satan for it is not possible that Christ by faith and grace and Satan by corruption and sinne should at once lodge and dwel together in one and the same heart if Christ keepe the hold Satan is excluded if the strong man be in possession all things are in peace there is no roome for Christ Secondlie the perpetuall combate betweene the flesh and the spirit whereof the Apostle speakes Galath 5.17 so that wee cannot doe what wee would neither that good by reason of sinne nor that euill by reason of grace which could in no wise be if so be that sinne raigned for in the raigne of sinne there is no resistance Obiection 1 But against this many things are excepted Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne Ergo the Romanes who were iustified and sanctified and all regenerate men are subiect to the raigne of sinne To this I answere 〈◊〉 that the exhortation doth not imply any such thing only it sheweth the perill and danger they might fall into by reason of sin that hereby they might lose many of the graces of God and depriue themselues of all spirituall consolation and if it were possible wholly fall from grace so as sinne might againe beare rule in them So also other exhortations in Scripture as this Hee that standeth let him take heed lest he fall 1. Cor. 10.12 doe not insinuate that a man in the state of grace may fall wholly but in part or they bewray his weakenesse considered in himselfe whereby hee may wholly fall or they are spurres to our dull sides and rods to our slow backs to stirre
what will bee the euent or else are not able to effect that which they would but God that hath al knowledge locked vp in his breast and all power in his hand hath no neede that hee should conceiue any things of his decree with condition Against effectuall vocation it is alleaged out of the Rom. 11.22 Obiection 2 whence it seemes may bee gathered that a man effectually called and knit vnto Christ may be againe cut off It is a Fallacian we call in schooles Solution Ignorantia Elenchi for the Apostle speakes not there of particular men but of the whole body of the Iewes and the Gentiles and hee opposeth the Gentiles vnto the Iewes giuing the Iewes hope that if they shall not remaine in incredulitie and disobedience but bee conuerted vnto God both they and their posteritie should againe bee receiued into the bosome of the Church and into the fellowship of the people of God threatneth the Gentiles on the other side among whom there were many that had the faith of Christ more in outward profession and appearance then in the truth and power of godlinesse that if so bee at any time they should depart from the doctrine of the Gospell they should be reiected and the Iewes receiued in their roome and stead Against iustification that is Obiection 3 remission of sinnes it is alleaged out of Matth. 18.32 33 34 35. that pardon of sinnes once giuen by some consequent sinne may be made voide Out of a parable no collection of doctrine may bee made befides the scope Solution the minde therefore of the speaker and the scope of the parable and not the words is to be weighed Now our Sauiour Christ hauing taught immediatly before that iniuries are to be pardoned he by and by annexeth this parable for the confirmation of his doctrine thereby signifying that it is necessarie that those that looke to haue their sinnes pardoned of God should also pardon their brethren their trespasses and that they are deceiued who think to finde mercie with God in the pardon of their sinnes and yet carrie implacable and irreconcilable hatred towards those that haue iniured them So our Sauiour Christ expoundeth it in the last verse wherefore the onely thing that we can gather hence is this That if wee shall not remit our brethren their trespasses wee shall incurre the anger and displeasure of God and that it is a plaine argument that wee are not released of our sinnes before God considering that our pardoning of our brethren their offences and iniuries they haue done to vs is an effect of our absolution and discharge before God Objection 4 2. Pet. 1.9 The Apostle mentioneth some that had forgotten they were washed from their old sins Against Regeneration and 2. Pet. 2.20 some that had truly escaped them that were in error and filthinesse of the world were againe intangled therewith Solution The first place meaneth them that were washed in Baptisme called by the Apostle the lauer of regeneration Tit. 3.5 who were purged onely sacramento tenus or he speaketh according to the iudgement of charitie In the second place he speaketh of false teachers and hypocrites as it is plaine by the context and he doth not attribute vnto them the grace of Regeneration but the knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell and an outward reformation of manners for these had truly escaped out of their old errors and in stead thereof embraced the truth and truly renounced their grosse and notorious sinnes and did make a profession of externall holinesse yet afterward were intangled with their former heresies and filthinesse of the world Further Solution 5 against this doctrine diuers examples are alleaged of them that haue made totall defection from grace Examples as Adam and Dauid Solution But these examples proue nothing for first it may be doubted whether Adam sinned with full consent of will or not because he as Euah was seduced by the subtiltie and iugling craftines of that old serpent 2. Cor. 11.3 But be that granted there is a great differēce betweene Adam in the state of innocencie and the regenerate in the state of grace for though Adam had greater grace yea sufficient grace to haue stood if he had would yet he had not the grace of continuance but the regenerate haue the grace of confirmation and perseuerance and herein the state of regeneration is priusledged before the state of creation Obiect 2 As for Dauid it is alleaged out of the 51. Psalme that hee prayed after his fall that the Lord would create in him a new heart now creation is of a thing that is not neither actually nor potentially Ergo hee was wholy for the time depriued of grace Solution Dauid speakes of himselfe not as howas indeede before God but as he was in his owne sence oppressed with the burden of his sinnes and apprehending in conscience the anger and displeasure of God for the same whereupon as one forlorne and destitute of all grace hee desires the Lord to frame and create in his heart the graces of his spirit Except Where there is no repentance there is no remission of sinnes where there is no remission there is no faith where there is no faith there is no grace and therefore Dauid during the time of his impenitencie had no grace Answ Where there is no repentance neither habituall nor actuall there is no grace Againe though there be no actuall remission of sins but where there is both actuall faith and actuall repentance yet the antecedent remission is still ratified and the future pardon is purposed to bee bestowed so soone as a man shall actually beleeue and repent Lastly there may bee habituall grace where there is no actuall remission of some present particular sinne or sinnes for a time Not content with these Obiection they vrge reason From reason no man can bee a member of Christ and of an harlot at once because the Apostle opposeth them 1. Cor. 6.16 and therefore hee that is ioyned and made one flesh with an harlot is cut off from Christ A man is a member of Christ two waies first Solution in respect of vnion and insition which is perpetuall secondly in respect of communion and efficacie of the spirit now then howsoeuer he may be cut off in some part that is in regard of the inward fellowship and communion with Christ yet not wholy in respect of coniunction with him yea though hee may become no liuely member yet hee remaines a liuing member though dead for a season in regard of the power and efficacie of the life of the spirit A mans arme taken with a dead Palsie hangs by and receiues no heate life or sense from the rest of the members or from the head yet for all this it remaines still vnited and coupled to the body and may againe bee recouered by plaisters and Physicke so after a grieuous fall the child of God feeles no inward peace and comfort but is smitten