hope we expect and wait for that saluation Rom. 8. 24. which by faith we apprehend and assure our selues of for the â—â—ualuable merits of Christ. Now this grace is not giuen to any besides the Elect. For how can the Reprobate hope to be saued seeing they are appointed for the day of euill and are reserued to the day Prou. 16. 4. Iob. 21. 30. 〈◊〉 Tim. 1 5 of destruction and shall be brought foorth to the day of wrath Thirdly Loue which springeth out of a pure heart and floweth from a good conscience and faith vnfeigned is giuen only to Gods Elect. For it is not possible for the Reprobate to loue God to that end and in that manner which God requireth seeing he hath cast them off from all eternity and purposed not to giue them any sauing grace considering also that they are by nature voyd of puâ—itie and do liue and dye in sinne Now this priuiledge is the greater because this grace is very rare and excellent Loue is as it were a knife wherewith faith shareth and cutteth out the duties which we doe owe vnto God and man in some good and acceptable manner Loue is the cock which letteth out the water of Gods graces out of the cisterne of our hearts Loue is the nurse of humanitie the mother of equitie the maintainer of vertue the daughter of faith the preseruer of pietie the mistresse of modestie the badge of Christianitie the bane of discord the staffe of concord Col. 3. 14. Iob. 13. 35. 1. Cor. 1â— 13. the keeper of the Crowne the bond of perfection and the note of a true disciple Saint Paul in some sort prefers it to faith and hope when he saith Now abideth faith hope and loue but the chiesest of these is Loue. By which we see that the Lord hath highly honoured vs in that hee conferreth this glorious grace vnto none but vs. Lastly that filiall Prou. 9. 10. Prou. 1â— 27. feare which is the beginning of wisdome and the well-spring of life to auoyd the snares of death and which makes a man to keepe the golden rule of mediocritie is giuen onely to Gods Elect. For how can the Reprobate who doe loue sinne and doe not loue God how I say can they feare to displease him because they hate sinne and loue him or how can the Reprobate who are all ordeined to ineuitable and eternall perdition be sayd to feare God as a Sonne feareth his louing Father seeing they be slaues and considering that the word of God pronounceth him happy and blessed who standeth Psa. 112 〈◊〉 in awe of GOD and feareth to offend him If the Reprobate be blessed then of all men the Elect are most accursed But wee shall say that those are blessed whom the Lord hath accursed if we shall say that the Reprobate doe feare God with that feare whereof I now speake Priuil 14. 〈◊〉 Chron. 14. 11. Nahum 1. 9. Act. 〈◊〉 4 GOD accounteth those iniuries as done vnto himselfe which the wicked offer vnto his faithfull seruants Saul persecuted the true professors of Christ yet Christ told him from heauen that he persecuted him The afflictions of Gods children are called in the Scriptures Col. 1. 24 Christs afflictions For such is the vnion and communion betwixt the head and the members that if any of Reuel 11 8. them smart the head is partaker of the griefe If any part be crazed or annoyed the heart is ready to mourne the head to consult the tongue to bewayle and vtter it the foot to run to the Surgeon and the hand is ready to do her duety Euen so it is betweene Christ and his members If any of them bee iniuriously vexed and troubled hee takes the wrong as done vnto himselfe And so Christ may be sayd to be crucified in that great city which is mystically called Sodom and Babylon that is Rome because hee is there put to death in his members and is in them as it were slayne continually by * Romish authority is either heathenish or Popish Christ died by the former but in hiâ— members he hath died by both and yet doth by the latter Zach. 〈◊〉 8. Math. 25 Romish authority as hee was by it if wee speake properly crucifyed and put to death So in lyke manner the Lord sayeth He which toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And as Christ esteemeth of those good deeds which men do vnto them as done vnto himselfe euen so hee accounteth the bare neglecting and the not relieuing of them in their wants as if the wicked had been in this kind of duety faultie vnto himselfe God will shorten the World and hasten the comming of his Sonne for the Priui 15 Elect. And so that speach of Christ may be vnderstood For the Elects sake those Math. 24 22. euill dayes shall be shortened Moreouer such is the patience and good wil of God vnto his Elect as that hee stayeth his comming for a time because he would as Peter affirmeth haue none of them to perish but come vnto repentance 2. Pet. 3. 9. that when hee commeth they may bee welcome vnto him and hee to them God doth effectually call the Elect and none besides them and they alone Priui 16 are iustifyed in his sight For hee doth pardon them alone and they only are Rom. 8. 30. clothed with the spotlesse roabes of Christs perfect righteousnes Therefore the Prophet saith The châ—stisement of our Isa. 53. 5 6. peace was vpon him The Lord hath layed vpon him the iniquitie of vs all For the 〈◊〉 transgression of my people was he plagued By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant 11. 12. Math. 1. 21. Iohn 17. 9. iustifie many He bare the sinne of many He doth not say all For he came to saue his owne people only from their sinnes He did not so much as pray for the Reprobate Now this is a very great and admirable priuiledge and honour that God should send his only Sonne to dye for vs few despicable wretches and that Christ should lose his life and shead his heart blood for vs only whereas it was in Act 20. 28. it selfe being the blood of God sufficieÌ„t to haue redeemed a thousand thousand worlds of sinners If a man had a medicine able to cure all diseases and would not giue it any sauing some few they were wonderfully indebted to him The blood of Christ is able to heale all our soule-sicknesses and to deliuer vs from all our sinnes and it hath pleased him to wash vs alone in it and to withhold it from the far greater part of mankind By which we see how highly hee hath honoured vs and how deep we are in his debt If three men were in danger of drowning or burning and a man should come and deliuer one of them and leaue the other two to the danger all men might well say that he fauoured him more then the other By our sinnes we
A C 〈◊〉 N AND 〈◊〉 E TREATISE OF THE manner and order of Predestination and of the largenes of Gods grace FIRST WRITTEN IN LATINE by that Reuerend and faithfull seruant of God Master William Perkins late Preacher of the Word in Cambridge AND CAREFVLLY TRANSLATED into English by FRANCIS CACOT and THOMAS TVKE Romanes 8. vers 29. 30. For those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be â—he first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them be also glorified AT LONDON Printed for WILLIAM WELEY and Martin Clarke 1606. To the Right VVorshipfull Sir Peter Buck Knight And to the vertuous Lady his Wife Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. RIght Worshipfull amongst the manifold points of Christian Religion the trueth of the Doctrine coÌ„cerning Predestination is worthy serious and sober study for the sound vnderstanding thereof For first it is something difficult obscure Secondly because it is by some eagerly impugned as a friuolous and forged inuention of mans braine Thirdly diuers opinions haue passed from diuers meÌ„ diuersly about this one point whereas notwithstanding there is but one truth and one definite and constant sentence to be found in holy writ concerning it Fourthly this one doctrine doth giue very good euidence and an ample demonstration of Gods infinite mercie and exact iustice Fiftly it affordeth some taste of his profound and impenetrable counsell Sixtly it doth notably manifest his admirable wisdome and policie and the incorruptible purity of his nature who wisely disposeth all things and vseth euen euils without iniustice and the least receipt or infusion of corruption and all for the manifestation of the glory of his Name and of the splendour of his renowmed properties Seuenthly it confoundeth the common cauill of many desperate and infatuated Atheists who would make Gods predestination the pillar of their sensuall security and secure sensualitie Lastly it ministreth exceeding comfort vnto those who renouncing the kingdome of Sinne do liue like Saints in the kingdome of Grace First because it is not possible for any such to sinne with full consent of heart Secondly because no personall merits are required of them Thirdly because the Spirit of God abideth in them who is busy within the hiue of their hearts as a Bee and worketh them like waxe Fourthly because God hath eternally predestinated them to eternall ioyes and those also incomprehensible and ineffable Fiftly because God hath in abundance vouchsafed that to them being but an handfull which hee hath denyed to whole heapes besides Sixtly for that they being elected can in no wise perish for the counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer Psal. 33. 11. And hee loueth them with an euerlasting loue Ieremy 3. 4. Though a Mother should forget her Child yet he will not forget them for he hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hand Isay 49. 15 16. therefore hee will confirme them vnto the end 1. Cor. 1. 8. and by his power keepe them vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1. 5. He will loue them coÌ„stantly though he visit their transgressions with rods Psal. 89. 32 33. He will neuer turne away from them though he Iere. 32. 40. Ioh. 16. 12. take them by the neck as Iob speaketh and beat them though he cut their reines and breake them and though he powreth their gall vpon the ground and runneth vpon them like a Gyant Ioseph did affect his brethren entirely though hee spake roughly to them Hee may also sometimes let them fall as a louing Nurse may her child but he will lift them vp againe therefore howsoeuer they may fall yet they shall not fall away Indeed Piptein they may leaue their first loue as the Ecpiptein Church of Ephesus did but they shall neuer leaue to loue at all if euer they loued Reu. 2. 4. truly For as Paul sayth Loue doth neuer fall away it may be lessened but it cannot 1. Cor. 13 8. be lost In like manner their faith may be couered as the Sunne with a duskie cloud in a gloomy day or as the trees are with snow sometimes in winter but yet it continueth firmely fixed though now and then eclipsed in the sphaere of the heart and keepeth sap in the roote For the righteous man is as a tree planted by the riuers of waters Psal. 1. 3. and is built by that great builder of heauen and earth vpon a rock Math. 16. 18. These comforts will this one doctrine affoord being throughly pondered and vnderstood And no doubt these and the like considerations mooued that holy and learned man of blessed memory to publish this present treatise for the benefit of the Church and the same haue also incited vs to turne it out of the toong wherein he wrote it into the English for their profit who are ignorant in the other and the rather because it is contriued and penned very plainely soundly and succinctly as the subiect will permit The which Right Worshipfull assuring our selues of your vnfeigned loue vnto the truth we do present and dedicate to you in token of deserued gratitude for vndeserued kindnesse not doubting of your courteous and kinde acceptance And thus we humbly take our leaues recommending you and all yours to the protection of Iehoua Rochester this 19. of February 1605. Your Worships in all dutie Francis Cacott and Thomas Tuke ¶ To the Right VVorshipfull Master Iohn Hayward Maior And the Worshipfull Iurates his Brethren And the whole Communaltiâ— of the Towne and Libertie of Fauersham RIght Worshipfull as many other wholsome and heauenly doctrines grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God haue beene and are to this day contradicted and impugned euen so it fareth with the diuine and deepe doctrine of Gods Predestination a doctrine not more heauenly then wholsome nor more commodious then comfortable yet as heauenly as commodions as any doctrine whatsoeuer which the Scriptures do affoord The Pelagians held that God predestinated men to life or death as he did foresee that they would by their naturall free will receiue or reiect grace offered They taught that it was in mans power to beleeue or not to beleeue they placed the causes of saluation in men themselues out of God and held that the Elect might fall from grace and perish Others hold that albeit the Lord electeth some of his meere mercy without respect of any thing in them that yet he reiecteth those which are reiected because he did foresee that they would reiect his grace offered vnto them in the Gospell Some Vbiquitaries hold that Adams fall came to passe without Gods decree or any ordination of 〈◊〉 secondly that no decree of God dependeth vpon his sample will concerning the saluation of the godly or the reiection of the Reprobate thirdly that God doth vtterly nill the reprobation of 〈◊〉 y
Cities that haue beene are and shall be can not shew such dignities such royalties and such immunities giuen them by man as I haue shewed to belong to Gods Elect and obedient children The consideration of these benefits and priuiledges should mooue vs First to acknowledge and lawd Gods infinite loue Secondly in way of thankefulnes to dedicate our soules and bodyes and all that we haue vnto GOD. Thirdly to admire the condition of Gods children Fourthly to be afrayd to disgrace them whom the Lord doth so grace and countenance Fiftly to vndergoe couragiously all aduerse blasts and all the crosses of this life Sixtly to alienate our hearts from the world Seuenthly to roll our care vpon God and to rely vpoÌ„ his prouidence Eightly to desire the comming of Christ and not to feare death too múch The sooner we dye the sooner we come to our crownes Lastly the coÌ„sideration of these benefits and priuiledges should stir vs vp to seeke by all meanes to be enrolled amongst them and neuer to rest till we be in some measure certaine certainly perswaded that we are elected and preordained to saluation WheÌ„ Ahashuerosh had honoured Mordecai and shewed fauour vnto the Iewes the Scripture sayth Hest. 8. 7 that much people of the land became Iewes So seeing the Lord hath thus dignified the Elect let vs behaue our selues like them and labour to be accounted of their company Claudius Lysias gaue a great summe of money for the freedome Act. 22. 28. of the Romanes how much more ought we to seeke for these freedomes and royalties which do more surpasse the other then the heauen doth the earth and the precious pearle doth the poorest pibble They are not indeed to be named or compared together and yet these may be had without money though they can not be had by money And thus much for the Priuiledges I come now briefly to set downe the notes of Election vnto life and to shew how a man may come to be truly perswaded in his conscience that he shall be saued Let a man that would attaine to the knowledge of his election vnto saluation 1. heare the word of God often and attentiuely For faith whereby wee Rom. 10. 17. are perswaded of Gods speciall grace vnto vs is ordinarily wrought by hearing of the word preached 2. Let him wage warre with his infidelity and let him not listen to Sathan tempting him to doubting or desperation 3. Let him beware of pride and presumption neither trusting to his owne goodnes nor obliuious of Gods infinite iustice 4. Let him often and earnestly pray for this benefit and desire that GOD would giue him his Spirit which may witnes with him that hee is the chosen childe of God 5. Let him reuerently receiue the Sacrament and meditate often of his Baptisme For the Sacraments are pledges of Gods loue and serue to increase our faith Hee that receiueth them with an honest and humble heart may assure himselfe of the remission of his sinnes and of the saluation of his soule Lastly let him expend and duly 6. Consider diligently Gods â—atherly d 〈◊〉 g with thee consâ—der the notes of Election to eternall life by the which a man may know that hee is ordâ—ined to be saued Noâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iaylour demaunding 〈◊〉 Paul and Silas what hee â—â—ould do to be â—â—â—ed they made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beâ—eeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Secondly Act. 16. 〈◊〉 â—â—ue oâ— our 〈◊〉 for theyr 〈◊〉 ty We know sayâ—h Iohn that we are transl 〈◊〉 d fâ—om death to life because we 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 14. loue the brethren Thirdly the feare of God whereâ—y wee are loth to offend him chiefly because we loue him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is the man that feareth Psa. â—12 1. the Lord 〈◊〉 Blessed then Elected 〈◊〉 y hâ—rty confeâ—sion and lothing of 〈◊〉 sâ—nnes He that confesseth and forsaketh Prou. 28 13. his sinnes shall finde mercy But God voucâ—â—afeth his speciall mercy only to his 〈◊〉 people Fifâ—ly confidence and affiancâ— in God O Lord of hosts blessed is Psal 84. 12. the man that 〈◊〉 in thee The condition of Reprobates is cuâ—â—ed â—he Apostle sayth Our confidence hath great Heb. 10. 35. recompence oâ— reward Sixtly sincere and true calling vpon the nâ—me of God For Paul sayth Whosoeuer shall call vpon Rom. â—0 13. the Name of the Lord shall be saued Seuenthly carefull and constant indeuâ—uring to keepe all â—he commandements of God â—oâ— Blessed are they that do hâ—â— Reuel 22. 14. commandements that their right may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the â—ity As the Lord promised to establish the kingdome of Salomon if 1. Chron. 28. 7. he did constantly indeuour 〈◊〉 keepe his commandements so the 〈◊〉 e Lord will establish vs for euer in the kingdome of heauen if we will indeuour constantly to serue and obey him Eightly pâ—â—ient bearing of affliction for the truths â—â—ke Blessed are they sayth Christ which suffer Math. 〈◊〉 10. persecution for righteousnes sâ—kâ— for theirs â—s the kingdome of heauen Nintâ—â—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nest and harty desire to be wâ—â—hed in the bloâ—d of Christ and to be inuâ—sted in the white robes of his righteousnesse Blessed Math. 5. 〈◊〉 are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled To him that Reuel 21. 6. is a thirst I will giue of the well of the water of life freely Tenthly Christian humilitie and pouertie of spirit when a man seemeth naked and base in his owne sight and ascribeth all to Gods grace Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Eleuenthly a lusting Math. 5. 3 and longing after the comming of Christ. Paul sayth that the righteous Iudge will giue a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 vnto all those that loue his appearing Twelfthy Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh the Lord who shall dwell in his tabernacle and rest on his holy mountaine and receiued answere as it were by oracle froÌ„ God that he shall who walks vprightly and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the truth froÌ„ his heart And Peter hauing coÌ„manded vs to make our election and calling sure addeth saying that if we do These things wee shall neuer fall but shall be sure and certaine Now 2. Pet. 1. 10. what these things are he sheweth to wit that we adorne our hearts and liues with 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. vertue knowledge teÌ„perance godlines loue To coÌ„clude he that is sure of his Adoption may be also certaine of his Election for none are adopted but such as are elected Now a man may know his Adoption if he find in himselfe the properties of an obedieÌ„t louing son I will set downe some 1. Property As a little child whether in learning good or leauing euill is either woon by a faire word or awed by a check or feared by a
cause why he foreseeth faith in one man rather than in another but onely because it is his will to giue one man faith and not an other Lastly thâ— rule is vncertaine for faith as appeareth by this platforme may bee vtterly lost and therefore the thing ruled to wit predestination is made uncertaine This a certaine Author plainly confesseth in his exposition of the epistle to the Romanes where he teacheth vnaduisedly that Gods decree may be changed and that election and reprobation haue recourse one to another because as he saith they depend vpon the condition of faith and infidelitie Furthermore this platforme teacheth that true and sauing faith may perish and Error 〈◊〉 be lost either wholly or for euer which notwithstanding is not true Reason 1. Matth. 16. 18. Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Here three questions must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be asked what the rock is what is meant by building on the rocke and what is that which is promised to those which are built vpon it The rocke is either faith it self or Christ apprehended by faith Chrysostome Vpon this rocke that is saith he vpon the faith of confession Againe He setteth Homil. in Matth. 55. Psal. 32. our feete vpon the rocke that is vpon faith for faith in Christâ— may well be said to be that which cannot bee broken Againe Christ being wise hath built his house that is In com imperfect in Mat. cap. 7. his Church vpon a rocke that is vpon the fortitude of faith or a strong faith Now if faith be a rock it remaineth constant and immoueable To be built vpon the rock is to perceiue the doctrine of the Gospel to embrace Christ our Sauiour with a true faith and to cleaue fast to him with the heart For the Coriâ—thians are said to bee Pauls building because he brought them to the faith And the Ephesians are said to be built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets because Paul came and preached vnto them the Gospell of peace The certaintie and firmnesse of the doctrine of the Gospell may also bee called a Rocke Epiphanius They shall not preuaile against the rocke that is Lib. haer 74. to say against the truth Hilarie This is thy blessed rocke of faith which Peter hath De Trin. l. 3 confessed with his mouth Augustine Vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed I will build my Church Now no man can be built vpon the confession and vpon the truth but by faith Hence I doe conclude thus Those that are built vpon the rocke cannot fall away vtterly but those which truely beleeue are built vpon the rocke therefore those which tâ—uly beleeue doe not vtterly and whollie fall away Thirdly the promise made to them that are built vpon the rocke is that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against them From hence it followeth necessarilie that the Diuels can but make a slorish and shew their strength and power against the faith and that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall neuer be able to ouercome and conquere Let vs here also weigh the iudgements of the fathers Cyprian Lord to whom shall we goe signifying that the Epist. 1. 3. Church which beleeueth in Christ and which kepeth that which it hath once knowne doth at no time altogether depart from him and that they are the Church who doe abide in Gods house But that they are not of God the fathers planting whom we doe see to be voyd of the stedfastnes and massie soundnes of corne and like to chaffe vanned or blowne about with the wind of the winnowing enemiâ— of whom also Iohn speaketh in his 1. Epistle saying They went out from vs but they were not 〈◊〉 Ioh. 2. 19. of vs for if they had bin of vs they had surely remained with vs. Augustine Loue which may be lost was neuer true Againe To beleeue Decâ— de poeâ—it d. 2. c. 2. Tract 116. 〈◊〉 Ioh. truly is to beleeue constantly stedfastly valiantlie and firmely so as that thou maist not now returne vnto thine and forsake Christ. Againe Those which are truely saints being predestinated to reigne with God De cor grat c. 12. by his grace haue not onely giuen them now a power to persâ—â—ere if they wil but perseueraÌ„ce 〈◊〉 selfe Againe Hee which makes men good â—aketh them to perseuere in that which is good And againe The Church loseth none on the earth but those which are wicked Epist. 163. and admitteth none into heauen but those that are good Againe As the aâ—ke was Quaest. 52. ad Oâ—osium built of foure-square timber so the Church is builte of saints for that which is foure-square will stand steddy on which side soeuer you set it And the saints continue stedfast in euery temptation Chrysostome This is the propertie of faith that howsoeuer Hom. 1 in 2. Tim. 1. things may fall out contrarie to the promises yet it neuer falleth away vtterly and is Penitus omninò neuer wholy confounded Againe Let vs keepe faith which is a firme and sure rocke for neither the floods nor the winds can do vs any hurt though they driue hard against vs because we stand stedfâ—st vpon a rocke so also if in this life we will choose that true foundation we shall abide without any detriment or losse Againe Thou canst not ouercome Hom. de expuls Chrys. one faithfull man O Diuel thou knowest not what the Martyre haue done vnto thee the flesh often fainteth in the torments and the streÌ„gth of faith faileth not Hence it is that in y e same place he speaketh after this sort If thou makest warre with maÌ„ thou shalt it may bee ouercome or perhaps thou shalt bee ouercome but no might can ouercome the Church Furthermore The Church Hom. 25. in Gen. is farre stronger than the earth yea and stronger than heauen Againe Faith in God In 7. cap. Ioh is a certaine secure anchor Gregorie Because the light of the elect is not extinguished by temptation wee doe not say there is a night made but an euening namely because temptation doth oftentimes hide the light of righteousnesse in the hearts of the elect but it doth not put it quite out it makes it as it were twinkle and looke wanne but it doth not extinguish it Angelome The obseruation of Gods commandements being established In lib. 3. Reg. cap. 7. in the hearts of the elect by faith hope and loue of that heauenly recompence can by no let of temporall things bee dissolued Againe The hearts of the elect are compared Ibid. cap. 5. to a foure-square figure which haue learned so to remaine in the strength of faith that they cannot be remoued from the certaintie of their estate by any repugnancie of those things they meete with no not by death it selfe Andreas Those are found to be abortiue Epise Capp in
themselues but against their sinnes and this both within and without Within when hee maketh them to feele an accusing conscience witnessing that God is displeased and that they are made guiltie of death by their sinne Without when they taste of Gods anger against them in the outward chastisemeâ—â—s of the bodie And thus far they fall from his â—â—herly loue and are become the enemies of God after a sort I say Aâ—â—er a sort because God doth not lay downe his fatherlie affection and doth not alter his purpose of Adoption and eternall life Although the faithfull do fall away so much as 〈◊〉 h in them yet God remaineth a father in Christ and they also as touching right vnto eternall life remaine sonnes Ioh. 10. 28. They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand Here some doe say that the sheepe cannot be pluckt out but yet they may of their owne accore s 〈◊〉 cke away but without reason for the sheepe which reuolteth is pluckt away by the diuell when it doth reuolt And as he which continueth in Christs word is verily his disciple so he that doth not fall away but abides a sheepe is verilie a sheepe Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 10. 29. The gifts and calling of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Second grace is either imputed or inherent imputed is in iustification a part whereof is remission of sinnes And this remaineth and shall foy euer remaine sure as touching sinnes passed That saying of the Schoolemen is most true Sinnes once forgiuen continue so alwaies But when that any faithful man shall fall grieuously the pardon of that fall is granted in Gods decree notwithstanding no pardon is actually giuen of God nor receiued of maÌ„ vntill he doe repent yea if he should neuer repent which notwithstanding is impossible he should be damned as being guiltie of eternall death by this offence For there is no pardon of any new sinne without a new act of faith and repentance Inherent grace is either faith or the gift which followeth faith In sauing faith we must consider the act and the habit The act of faith is the very action of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprehending or an vnfained apprehension of Christ. Now this faith may be lost according to some act The very habit also or power of faith may in it selfe bee lost but by reason of confirming grace faith doth not perish as touching the essence thereof but it is lesned and abated according to some degree And hence it followeth that our communion with Christ may bee diminished but that our vnion cannot be dissolued There remained in Dauid after his fall the seed of true faith and regeneration as appeareth by his words Psal. 51. 11. Take not thy holy spirit from me It is also the iudgement of the Greg. lib. 25 in lob in Eleb Homil. 15. Tertull. lib. de Persec Chrysoft hom 2â— in Math. auncient fathers that the roote of faith in Peters fall was not taken away and abolished but only mooued and that it did as it were waxe drie that it was onely shaken and troden on and that it did not vtterly vanish Here also we are to giue eare a while to Gratian who consenteth with vs and to this purpose hath gathered many testimonies together out of the fathers Hath loue saith hee taken roote bee secure no euill can proceed Againe Loue doth vtterly Decret 2. pars c. 33. q. 3. sine de poenit d. 2. estrange the mind wherein it hath once taken possession from the delightes of the world Againe Loue is ioyned to God and vnited inseparably and is alwaies inuiâ—cible in all Againe Loue is an inuâ—sible vâ—ction which staâ—ds as it were in stead of a roote to him in whom sâ—â—uer it shall be which cannot wither though the s 〈◊〉 e doe parch whatsoeuer is r 〈◊〉 d is nourished with the heate of the 〈◊〉 and doth not wâ—rher Againe Hee lookes backe after the plough who after that hee hath begun to doe good workes returnes to euilâ— which he did forsake Which in no wise befalleth to the elect Againe All the elect doe so goe forward vnto good things that they do not returne to the committing of euill And againe The fitting and mouing of the spirit may be thus vnderstood For as touching some virtues it doth alwaies abide in the hearts of the Saints but according vnto other it comes as that which will returne and â—eturnes as purposing to come For as c 〈◊〉 ning faith hope and charitie and other graces without which it is not possible to come to that heauenly countrie as namely humilitie Chastitie iustice and mercie it neuer forsaketh their hearts that are vpright But as touching the vertue of prophecie the eloquence of doctrine and working of miracles it is sometimes present with the elect and sometimes it withdrawes it selfe The Schoolemen alledge Augustine to the contrary opinion where hee saith De cor grat cap. 6. 8. That doubtlesse if the man which is renewed and iustified doe fall backe by his owne will vnto an euill life he cannot say I haue not receiued because he hath by his owne free will vnto euill lost the grace of God which hee did receiue And againe That God doth not giue the gift of perseuerance vnto some of his Cap 9. children whom he did regenerate in Christ and to whom hee gaue faith hope and loue But he speaketh not these things of those which are indeede the sonnes of the promise but of those which are so called of vs and which beare the name and profession of sonnes Furthermore he speaketh of such as haue faith and loue in opinion and imagination and truely also as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching outward practise â—or Augustine in the same place hath so expounded his meaning We must beleeue that some of the Cap. 13. sonnes of perdition doe * He speaketh of the iustice of life and not of the inwarde righteousnes of the heart Tract 5. in Iob. epist. begin to liue and for a time faithfully and iustly in the faith that worketh by loue and afterwards fall Thirdly he speaketh of faith and loue as they are imperfect vertues and as it were lately sprung vp and not as they are sound perfect and true to wit as touching the truth of their essence So Augustine Loue is sprung vp within thee but it is not yet persiâ—ed doe not despaire but nourish it lest it be stiâ—â—ed And Gratian This loue which was an herbe in Peter before his deniall Ibid. cap. 24 and which springeth vp in euery one is lost and repaired before it be strengthened and made perfect And indeed for the manifesting of the truth of faith and loue there is required perseuerance by which it might bee knowne
his kingdome so as that he should not want a man to be a Ruler in Israel And albeit in that place he requireth that he should do according to all his commandements whereby he may seeme to exact perfect and therefore impossible obedience yet if we consider all things well it will plainely appeare that hee meaneth no other thing then that hee should labour and seeke to please him in all things because hee setteth his father Dauid before his eyes as a patterne to follow and because else-where we reade that hee maketh the same promise vnto him onely requiring of him To indeuour himselfe to doe hiâ— commandements 2 Chron. 28. 7. as hee had begun Now this is a very comfortable doctrine For when a man considereth that GOD respects his weake obedience and honest heart and accounteth the will to doe for the deed done his heart is eased his conscience is appeased his mind is setled and beholding the infinite loue of God he is rauished with ioy and prouoked to magnifie his mercy and to struggle against the corruption of his heart to please him in doing all things which are pleasing in his sight Now lest we should beguile our selues for mans heart is a mine of subtilty in thinking we desire will to beleeue repent obey wheÌ„ as we either do not at al or do but as a reprobate may doe I will set downe some rules which as the touch-stone trieth gold and as Salomons sword found out the right mother so these may serue to discouer the truth of our desires and to deserte the goodnes of our wils First of all if we be grieued that we can desire and will no better then we do secondly if we do desire and will to do these things for the glory of God and because we are perswaded that both these things and the willing of them are pleasing vnto God thirdly if we striue to increase in willing and desiring and if we feedâ— them with the diligent hearing of Gods word with holy meditations with often prayers and with setting before vs the ensamples of excellent men as the Priests kept the fire vpon the altar and fed it continually and suffered it not to Leuit. 6. 12. go out fourthly if to our wills and desires we ioyne reformation of our liues and in our seuerall callings labour accordingly to serue God fiftly if in our hearts we prefer eternall seruing of God in heauen before all momentany profits and pleasures whatsoeuer Sixtly if we had rather liue in a continuall crosse all our life long but yet pleasing God and being in his fauour then spend the same in sinfull pleasures continually displeasing his Maiesty Seuenthly if we desire and will to sâ—rue him and to returne home vnto him from 〈◊〉 sins though wee were verily perswaded that there were no hell Lastly if 〈◊〉 had rather please God his rod of correction being alwayes exercised vpon vs then liue without remorse of conscience against our knowledge in profitable and pleasant sinnes continuâ—lly 〈◊〉 ing and displeasing GOD our grâ—cious Father though wee were certainely as it were by oracle from heauen assured that we should at the last gasp repent and be saued notwithstanding our former rebellion and horrible disloyaltie If we desire and will to beleeue repent and obey and find these things in vs then our desires will goe for currant God will accept of them and approoue them The Lord indeed suffereth his children Pri 〈◊〉 28. to fall but it is to let them see that their standing is by his grace and to shew them that he is not obliged with any bond of their meritâ— which are iust none to sustâ—ine and vphold them he dotâ— it also to make theÌ„ cling the closer about him and to seeke more earnestly for his assistance as the little child skrecâ—â—th one for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is falne lieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wling vpon the ground be doth it to hi◠〈◊〉 the and to abate their naturaâ—l â—ridâ—â—nd as 〈◊〉 lets theÌ„ ralâ—â—â— loue so by their fâ—lâ— he maniâ—esteth his wisdome â—â—tegrity and sheweth his admirable coÌ„p 〈◊〉 humanity in forgiuing and in raising them vp againe But the fals of the reprobate kindle the coales of Gods weath against them and further their full finall perdition they serue to increase their 〈◊〉 and consequently their paines they serue for punishments sometimes of former offences and by committing one sinne in the neck of an other they put out the light of nature they harden their hearts and sit themselues for further wickednes euen as the stithy becomes the harder by striking I graunt indeed that oftentimes they are greuously galled perplexed with their sins But it is not a sorow that causeth repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of And vsually it â—areth with them 〈◊〉 it doth with yong Hat-makers or such as vse to play at Stoole-ball In the beginning their fingers may blister and their hands may ake but after a while their hands become â—ard and brawny and are well armed for such works and the more they practise the lesse paine they feele so the custome of sinning takes away the sense of the sin And as y â— dropsy maÌ„ the more he drinks the drierhe is so the reprobate the more he falleth the more he â—â—nsieth falling It is not possible that any of the Elect Priâ—i 29 should be damned or that any of them being soundly conuerted should â—holly for a time much lesse for euer fall away from God and perish For Gods decree of a 2. Tim. 2. 19. Election is constant and his b Isa. 46. 10. counsell shall stand c Iohn 6. 37. Him that commeth vnto me saith Christ I cast not away that is I do not cast off or eiect him that embraceth me with the hand and armes of a liuely faith and testifieth the same with the fruites thereof And whom God hath predestinâ—ted called and iustified them d Rom. 8. 30. he will also glorifie For his couenant with them is an e Iere. 32 40. euerlasting couenant and his gifts are wâ—â—hout f Rom. 11. 29. repentance g Cant. 8 6. Loue is strong as death much water can not q 〈◊〉 h loue neither can the floods drowne iâ— Prety which 〈◊〉 was neuer prety And true faith though as small as a graine of mustâ—â—d seed cannot altogether vanish and bee extinguished For God will 〈◊〉 it hee will not h Isa. 4â— 3. breake the bruâ—ed reed nor quench the smoking flexe Indeed faith may be shaken but it can not be shiuered in peeces it may be mooued but it can not be remooued it may 〈◊〉 and wax dry but it can not weare away quite and die Sathan may siâ—t and towze it he may lay siege against it but he cannot sack it he shall neuer destroy it The Sunne may set and for a time lye hid but it remayneth in the heauen and faith may be couered as fire with
ashes but yet it continueth in the heart The fish may be in the water though she floate not alwayes aloft There is sap in the roote when the leaues are faine off and the top naked and in appearance withered So faith liueth though it haue lost some signes of life The Sâ—â—ne and the Moone may be indeed eclipâ—eâ—â— euen so the eye of faith may be dimmed But as the Sun and Moone do not perish in their eclipses nor lose their light for euer euen so faith doth not perish when it is eclipsed It may indeede receiue a buffâ—t whereby it may as it were reele and stagger and fall to the ground and there for a time lye like a man in a â—woone or fit of the falling sicknes but it cannot dye because God the welâ—pâ—ing as well of spirituall life as of naturall will neuer forsake it The Thâ—mâ—s may suffer an ebbe but it is not stâ—rke dry at any time so faith may come to a very low ebbe but yet it will haue water alâ—â—yes in the bottome As a great riuer may befrozen ouer with hard ice for a time and so couered with snow as that it seemeth rather a Rock then a Riuer or like to other ground euen so faith may be as it were frozen ouer with thicke yâ—e and so hild with the snow of sinne as that it may not bee seene at all for a time But as there is water in the Riuer which is deepe notwithstanding the frost though it be not seene euen so there is life in faith though for a time it do not appeare But when the weather is broken when the holy Ghost begins to make a thawe with the fresh fire of his grace when the South wind blowes hard and when the Sunne of righteousnes hath melted the ice then Faith will appeare and flow amayne as a Riuer after rayne and as the waters do after a thawe Then grace which was couered before will shine bright and cleare as the Sunne doth after a showre as is euident by the repentance of Dauid and Peter Moreouer our Sauiour sayeth that his sheepe shall i Iohn 10. 28. neuer perish The k Isa. 40. 11. Lord sayth Esay shall feede his flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome Hee l Psal. 23. 2. maketh them to rest in greene pastures and leadeth them by the still waters m Psa. 41 12. He vpholdeth them in their integrity and doth set them before his face for euer As n Zach. 4. 9. Zerubbabel layed the foundation of the Temple and did finish it so o Phil. 1. 6. God that hath begun his good worke in the temple of our hearts will finish it vnto the end They can not be taken from him by strong hand p Iohn 10 29 30. For hee is greater then all and his will to saue them is answerable to his power therefore hee sayth q Iohn 10 28. Hee giueth vnto them euerlasting life adding also that none shall pluck them out of his hands Master Tindaâ— sayth well Christ is thine and all his deeds are thy deeds neither canst thou be damned except he be damned with thee They cannot perish by seduction for the Elect cannot be r Mat. 24. 24. seduced Neither can they of themselues fall away For s Iere. 32. 40. God hath put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him A man may for a time cease to laugh but he cannot lose the faculty of laughing The drunkard loseth sometimes the vse of reason but the faculty neuer so the graces of God may be crazed but yet they are not vtterly abolished Finally God forsaketh not them For his loue is t â—â—re 31. 3. euerlasting those whom he loueth once he u Ioh. 13. 1. loueth to the end w Rom. 8. 39. Nothing can separate vs from hiâ— loue It is like the x Deut. 29. 〈◊〉 Israeâ—ites shooes which waxed not old It is like the tree of life he that once truly tâ—stâ—th of it shall not dye eternally As a Father doth not reiect his Child when he hath broken his face by falling but rather seekes a playster he will it may be lash him but he will not leaue to loue him Euen so our heauenly Father dealeth with his Children For he hath sayd that hee will y Iere. 32. 40. neuer depart from them to do them good hee z Heb. 13 6. will not faile them nor forsake them but a 1. Thess. 5. 23 24 will saâ—ctifie them throughout and keepe them sâ—fe vnto the comming of Christ. Indeed our enemies may wound vs but they shall not win they may vex vs but they shall not vanquish they may perhaps presse vs but they shall not oppresse vs they may cut vs but they cannot kill vs. For GOD who is greater then all will not suffer vs to be 1. Cor. 10. 13. Psa 127 4. Priuil 30. Ioh. 1. 12 Math. 14 31. Rom. 4. 20. 2. Cor. 5. 1. tempted aboue our power and is very vigilant for vs. For he that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth The Elect may assuredly be perswaded in this life that they shall be saued in the life to come For a speciall and certaine perswasion of Gods mercy is the very heart and marow the life and soule of true faith Therefore Paul sayth We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of God that is an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens Furthermore if it be not possible for men to know that they shal be saued how could Saint Iohn say These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life To conclude if it were impossible for a man to be in his conscience assured that hee is the elect and faithfull seruant of God effectually called in time ordeâ—ned to glory before time to what end should Dauid inquire who of all professors are the true meÌ„bers Psal. 15. of the Church miliâ—aÌ„t on earth and shall be of the Church triumphant in the heauens and to what end shuld he set down y â— marks wherby they may be discerned And to what purpose should Paul exhort vs to prooue our selues whether we are in the faith Or why should he speake after this maner vnto vs Know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you 2. Cor. 13. 5. 2. Peâ— 1. 10. except ye be reprobates And wherefore should Peter bid vs be diligent to make our calling election sure It remaineth therfore as an vndoubted truth that the elect may be truly assured of their election and may assuredly know without speciall reuelation that they shall be saued Now this is a very great prerogatiue and the greater first because it may be iuioyed to the end secondly because the longer it is inioyed
that these and such like vertues haue taken deep roote in the heart and are grounded vpon an earnest and constant affection that they may neuer be ouercome of temptations Obiect I. Sin and the grace of the holy spirit cannot stand together Ans. This is true of the sinne that raâ—gneth or which is committed with full consent of will but the regenerate do not sinne with a whole or full will And I lay this foundation of this our iudgement In tentation we must consider two things the beginning or ground and the degrees The ground is our owne concupiscence that is our inbred corruption The subiect thereof is the whole man but especially the faculties of mans soule the mind will and affections And in these it doth immediatly exist and reigne alone before a sinner bee conuerted And a man being not regenerated be he what he will be he is flesh euery iot of him But after that a man is regenerated the flesh is no more alone or seuered by it selfe but mixed with the spirit and the spirit with the flesh although both these qualities remaine as touching nature distinct in one subiect as in the twilight the light doth not appeare alone but with darkenesse and darkenesse is not alone but with the light And the man that is regenerated is not onely flesh nor onely spirit nor flesh in one part and spirit in another but the whole man is flesh in euery part and the whole man is spirit in euery part And because those things which are contrarie cannot consist together in the highest degrees therefore albeit the whole man bee flesh yet he is not flesh in the highest degree nor spirit in the highest degree but in remisse and lower degrees partly flesh and partly spirit as luke-warme water is remissely and indifferentlie colde thoroughout and remissely also hot thoroughout Hence it followeth that concupiscence may exist and bee with the grace of the holy spirit so that it beare not rule The degrees of tentation are as Iames teacheth in number sine Iam. cap. 1. 14. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fi 〈◊〉 Abstraction or drawing away when the mind receiueth a thought cast into it about the committing of euill and by this meanes suffers herselfe to bee drawne away froÌ„ her duty to other things The second is inescation or entising when the mind conceiueth a morose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thought for the committing of sinne together with a certaine delectation of the affection as when fishes delight themselues with the bait hanging vpon the hooke Thus farre all Diuines think a regenerate man may come and it is most certaine For hence it is that Paul complaineth that hee was held captiue of Rom. 7. 23. sinne The third degree is conception namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there is a will consent and a purpose to commit euill And when corruption doth come thus farre there bee some that say that all repentance and faith is driuen out and gone but not truely There is indeed in the vnregenerate in whom sinne reigneth a full consent but in the regenerate in whom the flesh and the spirit are two contrarie foundations of actions the consent is more remisse and vnperfect for they doe so will as that they nill and so nill as that they will As Paul hath taught by his owne example The fourth degree is birth of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when after consent an euill is actually committed And in this act the same man being regenerate doth at the same instant both sinne and not sinne He sinneth onely according vnto the flesh and in that part wherein he is renewed hee doth not sinne but before and after the fact detesteth his sinne And as when the spirit preuaileth the action is not free from all pollution of the flesh so when the flesh preuaileth the action is not so corrupt in the regenerate as it is in those in whom sinne reigneth Neuerthelesse I confesse that in euery grieuous fall the flesh doth get the masterie and that the gift of true faith after the receit of the wound lieth flat and in a swoone for a time but that it is not for all that abolished and quite put out The last degree is perfection namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when sinne being perfited and ripened by often iteration and custome groweth as it were vnto a habit So saith Gregorie Sin alwaies is finished in a worke by those same Moral lib. 4 cap. 27. foure waies For first the sinne is committed closely after that it is discouered in the sight of men without blushing at the fault then it is brought into a custome And at the last either it is nourished with the deceit of vaine hope or with the obstinacie of wretched despaire And Isidore Action bringeth foorth custome and custome necessitie And so a man being fettered with these linkes lieth fast bound as it were with a chaine of vices This last degree befals not the regenerate and if it did saith and the holy spirit should be shaken out and banished Obiect II. Adam when he was voide of corruption sell wholly away therefore much more they who being borne and regenerated after Adam shall beleeue Answ. The reason is vnlike For wee haue De eor grat c. 11. saith Augustine by this grace of God in the receiuing of that which is good and in the constant keeping of the same not onely power to doe that which we will but also will to doe that which we can which Adam wanted For one of these was in him but the other was not For to receiue good he wanted not grace because as yet hee had not lost it But to continue in it he wanted the helpe of grace without which he was not able at all to doe it and he receiued power if he would but he had not will answerable to his power for if it had been in him hee should haue perseuered Obiect III. * PropositioÌ„ The member of an harlot cannot be the member of Christ * AssumptioÌ„ But he which beleeueth truly who is actually a member of Christ may be the member of an harlot * Conclusion Therefore one that truly beleeues may come to be no member of Christ. Ans. The member of Christ is diuersly distinguished for there is either a true or an apparent member An apparent member is that which is not a member according to election nor in it selfe but in shew onely that is iudged by meanes of outward profession to bee in the visible Church And it is like a woodden legge fastned to the bodie by art A true member is either by destination and appointment or now actually one Members by appointment are all those who are elected although they be not as yet regenerated or borne An actuall member is either one that is liuely or halfe dead A liuely member is that which is according to election and in very deede ingrafted into Christ