and godly Fathers Nay it is a certaine demonstration that they had this knowledge of the God-head because out of those Scriptures wherein their knowledge and faith is set forth vnto vs wee haue testimony and proofe thereof though not so formall and cleare as in some few places of the new Testament is expressed yet such as from whence this point of faith is most certainly and vndoubtedly to be conceiued For when we finde on the one side h Deut. 6. 4. The Lord our God is one Lord and on the other side doe reade i Psal 2. 7. The Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee and againe k Psal 110. 1. The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand c. and againe l Esa 48. 16. The Lord and his spirit hath sent me m Esa 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord God is vpon me with infinite other places to like effect how can we doubt but that in vnity of the God-head they saw distinctly three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And thus Gregory resolueth that n Gregor in Ezech. hom 16. Siâ—e hi qui elects in testameÌ„to veteri fuerunt siue hi qui in nouo testamento secuti sunt â—imirum constat quia omnes ex amore Trinitatis accensi sunt c. Ad veram speciem ex Trinitatis sunt cognitione decorats whether the elect in the old Testament or they that followed in the new they were all enkindled with the loue and adorned to true beauty with the knowledge of the holy Trinity As touching the last point which he mentioneth of Christ in vnity of person being both God and Man I answer him by St. Austin that they did so beleeue for o Aug. Epist 157. Cuius hominis eiusdemque Dei saluberrima fide â—tiam illi iusti salui facti sunt qui priusquam in carne vemret crediderunt illâ—m in carne centurum by the most wholsome beleefe saith he of Christ both God and Man euen those iust were saued who beleeued that hee should come in the flesh before that hee did come And in another place hee saith yet more expresly concerning Abraham p Idem cont Pelag. Celest lib. 2. c. 27. Nunquid il lud quod iubet Abraham ponere mark seruum suum sub semore suo iurare per Deum coeli alitèr quisquam rectè intellecturus est nisi Abraham scisse in qua vâ—ntuâ—us esset Deus coeli carnem de illo semore propagari When Abraham bid his seruant put his hand vnder his thigh and sweare by the God of heauen can any man otherwise vnderstand it aright but that Abraham knew that from that thigh should be deriued that flesh wherein the God of heauen should come If Abrah 〈…〉 knew that the God of heauen should come in flesh taken of his flesh hee could not bee ignorant I trow that when hee should bee come hee should bee in the flesh both God and Man To be short the same St. Austin presently after saith q Ibid. cap. 28. Nondum factum sed adhuc futurum eadem tamen ipsa patrum quae nostra est sides vna caÌ„tabal Tues Sacerdos in aternum c. The faith of the Fathers all one with our faith did sing that which then was not done but was as yet to come Thou art a Priest fâ—r euer after the order of Melchisedec Where we cannot doubt but their faith obserued as ours doth from the beginning of the Psalme that it was Dauids Lord to whom this was said and therefore that he was very God and because he could not be a Priest after the order of Melchisedec except he were man therefore that he was truly man and because God notwithstanding speaketh vnto him as only one therefore that in vnity of person he should be both God and man For conclusion M. Bishop granteth that they beleeued some few points of faith in particular and had a certaine confuse and darke conceipt by figures and types of most of the rest but inasmuch as he instanceth against me the most high mysteries of our Christian faith and yet it appeareth that they had the beleefe and knowledge thereof we doe not doubt but that they had likewise knowledge though not so easily as we but with more labour attained vnto yet they had knowledge not only of the most but also of all the rest W. BISHOP §. 3. TOuching these very points whereof M. Abbot would haue them wholly ignorant if his bare word without any manner of proofe were so powerfull I affirme that they held the most of them which I will not stand here to proue at large for that were Protestant-like to runne from one question to another without order but I will only giue a touch to euery one of his instances referâ—ing the Reader for more full satisfaction to the proper place of those head controuersies First no Catholike euer taught any man to worship Idols let that then passe as a Protestant slander but that Images are to be placed in Churches the examples recorded in the old Testament of hauing them both in their Tabernacle and in the Exod. 25. v. 18. Temple of Salomon and this sentence of the Psalmist 3. Reg 6. v. 23. Adore his foote-stole and many such like places and Psalm 98. v. 5. resemblances doe argue very strongly that Images are to be worshipped Secondly inuocation of Angels is most plainly practised by the holy Patriarke Iacob the Father of all Israelites God c. and the Angell that hath Genes 48. v. 16. deliuered me from all euill blesse these children The example of so religious a person is our sufficient warrant to pray to Angels and Saints for Saints in heauen are equall Luc. 22. to Angels as our Sauiour himselfe assureth vs and Iob was counsailed to pray and call for aide vnto some of the Saints Ad aliquem Sanctorum conuerte Thirdly Iob 5. vers 1. they of the old Testament knew good workes to merit life euerlasting and had by Gods grace free-will to doe them which I adde because by the same sentences I will proue both togither God said vnto Cain If thou doe Genes 4. v. 7. well shalt thou not receiue if euill thy sinne will be at the dore but the appetite or pange of it shall be vnder thee and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it see both power giuen to the wicked to doe well if they will and recompence promised therefore Againe in the law Moyses hauing propounded to the Israelites Gods Commandements exhorting them thereunto saith Consider Deut. 30. v. 15. that I set before you life and good and contrariwise death and euill if you loue God and will walke in his Commandemens life or else death c. choose therefore life c. Must they not be very dull Vers 19. that hence cannot gather the keeping of Gods
vitae primordio in peccati fouâ—am iâ—cidi concupiscentiae carnalis sordibus inquinata natiuitatis meae initia contraxi Non in me illa quam nouitèr admisi sola viget iniquitas â—abeo in me etiam ex veteri quod ignoscas Lord. I haue neede that thou haue mercy vpon me because euen from the beginning of my life I am fallen into the pit of sinne and haue drawen my first birth defiled with the vncleannesse of carnall concupiscence Not only that iniquity which I haue lately committed abideth in me I haue also in me fâ—r thee to pardon of the iniquity that was of old Thus he confesseth that we are not in the world without the sinne which we brought into the world that for originall sinne we still stand in neede of Gods mercy and haue still thereof remaining in vs that for which we must craue pardon at Gods hands This he spake according to the ancient doctrine of the Roman Church and shall we not rather beleeue him then M. Bishop who according to the new learning of their new Church telleth vs e Of Original sinne sect 10. that in him that is newly baptized there is no more sinne then was in Adam in the state of innocency and that originall sinne is vtterly extinguished and concupiscence in the regenerate is become no sinne Yea shall we not rather beleeue him then the Councell of Trent telling vs that f Concil Trident sess 5. In renatis nihil odit Deus c. ita vt nihil prorsus caâ— ab ingressâ—â— coeli remoretur in the regenerate there is nothing that God hateth nothing to stay them from entring into heauen These are absurd paradoxes of new and late deuice strange to true Christian eares and abhorred of all true Christian hearts contrary to the expresse and cleare determination of holy Scripture and fitting only them who haue learned to say g Psal 12. 4. With our tongues we will preuaile we are they that ought to speake who is Lord ouer vs CHAP. XII Of the spirit of adoption giuing witnesse to the faithfull that they are the sonnes of God ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE SAint Paul saith of the spirit of adoption The same spirit beareth witnesse c. to Paul saith the sufferings of this time c. W. BISHOP ANd that we say vpon good consideration for we must not beleeue with the Christian faith which is free from all feare any thing that is not assured and most certaine Now the spirit of God doth not beare vs witnesse so absolutely and assuredly that we are the sonnes of God but vnder a condition which is not certaine to wit that we be the sonnes and heires of God Si tamen Rom. 8. vers 17. compatimur yet if we suffer with him that we also may be glorified with him but whether we shall suffer with him and constantly to the end beare out all persecutions we know not so assuredly because as our Sauiour fore-telleth There be some that for a time beleeue Luc. 8. vers 13. and in time of temptation doe reuolt Was it not then a tricke of a false merchant to strike off the one halfe of the Apostles sentence that the other might seeme currant for him now no man doth more plainly or roundly beate downe their presumption who assure themselues of saluation then S. Paul as in many other places so in this very Epistle to the Romans in these wordes Well because of their incredulity they the Iewes Cap. 11. vers 20. were broken off but thou Gentile by faith dost stand be not too highly wise but feare For if God hath not spared the naturall boughes least perhaps he will not spare thee neither see then the goodnesse and seuerity of God vpon them surely that are fallen the seuerity but vpon thee the goodnesse of God if thou abide in his goodnesse otherwise thou shalt also be cut off c. Can any thing be more perspicuously declared then that some such who were in grace once afterwards fell and were cut off for euer and that some others stand in grace who if they looke not 〈◊〉 to their footing may also fall and become reprobate the Apostle directly fore-warning those men who make themselues so sure of their saluation not to be so highly wise but to feare their owne frailty and weaknesse least otherwise they fall as many had done before them If this plaine discourse and those formall speeches vttered by the holy Ghost will not serue to shake men out of their security of saluation I cannot see what may possibly doe it R. ABBOT THis answere of M. Bishops is a Of the certainty of saluation sect 17. before examined and exploded and his new see thing of the same woorts will neuer proue to any good broth We must beleeue nothing he saith by Christian faith that is not assured and most certaine Well and therefore that which the faithfull beleeue that they are the sonnes of God is assured and most certaine because we are taught to beleeue it by Christian faith For that which the spirit of God testifieth we are to beleeue by Christian faith But the spirit of God testifieth to the faithfull that they are the sonnes of God Therefore by Christian faith they are to beleeue that they are the sonnes of God b Rom. 8. 15. We haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare any more saith St. Paul but we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God The spirit of adoption is so called as by the gift whereof God actually adopteth vs to be his children By this spirit it is that we haue that inward conscience and feeling whereby we can goe vnto God familiarly and confidently as vnto our Father and say vnto him as with the mouth so with the heart Our Father which art in heauen Hereby haue we a testimony in our hearts that we are Gods children because if God be our father it necessarily followeth that we are the children of God This comfort then the holy Ghost giueth not by vocall speech but by impression of affection and not as of a thing to come but as of a thing already acted and done accordingly to that which the Apostle elsewhere saith c Gal. 4. â— Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Now hereby we see that M. Bishops answere that the spirit doth not beare vs witnesse absolutely and assuredly that we are the sonnes of God but vnder a condition which is not certaine is meerely absurd because the being of that that presently is cannot be said to depend vpon the being of any thing that is to come Of that that is we cannot say that it is not vnlesse such a condition be made good but setting aside all respect of the condition that that is must be acknowledged to
be The Apostle doth not say yee shall be the sonnes of God vpon such a condition but he saith Yee are sonnes euen as St. Iohn saith d 1. Iohn 3. 2. Now are we the sonnes of God yea and because yee are sonnes saith he therefore is it that God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father which spirit yee could not be partakers of but that yee are sonnes This then being already certaine M. Bishop committeth a manifest errour to tie it to a future condition which he saith is not certaine Albeit in annexing this condition to the testimony of the spirit hee doth wilfully and manifestly falsifle the text For the Apostle doth not say as he pretendeth that the spirit beareth witnesse that we are the sonnes of God if we suffer with him but saith affirmatiuely This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God And hauing so said he goeth on to shew what dignity we receiue by being the sonnes of God And if we be sonnes then are we also heires euen heires of God and ioynt-inheritours with Christ Now to declare how we be conioyned vnto Christ to be inheritours with him he addeth those wordes if so be we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him not as to make a doubt of the witnesse of the spirit but only to signifie what way God hath appointed to bring them to their inheritance to whom the spirit giueth witnesse that they are the sonnes of God namely by the c Phil. 3. 10. fellowship of his afflictions to be made thereby conformable to his death by f 2. Cor. 4. 10. bearing out about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus by g Col. 1. 24. fulfilling in our flesh the remainder of his afflictions And yet neither is this condition being taken so to be any vncertaine thing because what God hath determined and appointed he himselfe will effect and bring to passe and therefore the Apostle saying of them to whom that witnesse of the spirit is giuen h Rom. 8. 29. God hath predestinated vs to be made like vnto the image of his sonne we cannot in that case doubt but that the same God i Phil. 1. 29. for Christs sake doth giue vnto vs not only to beleeue in him but also if neede be and when time is to suffer for his sake We know not assuredly saith M. Bishop whether we shall suffer with him and constantly to the end beare out all persecutions But the faithfull doe beleeue and know that k 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but together with the temptation will giue the issue that we may able to beare it l Greg. Moral l. 28. cap. 7. Inter hâ—c etiam qui redemit non relinquit c. Nouit enim conditor noster quando exurgere persecutionis procellam sinat quando exurgenteÌ„ reprimat Nouit pro custodia nostra restringe e quod contra nos egredi pro nostra excitatione permittit vt saeuiens nos diluat procella non mergat Amidst persecutions saith Gregory hereupon he that hath redeemed vs doth not forsake vs our Creatour knoweth when to suffer the storme to arise and when to stay it from rising He knoweth how to restraine that for the custody of vs which for the exercising of vs he suffereth to goe forth against vs that the raging storme may wash vs and not drowne vs. And in another place by occasion of the same wordes m Ibid. lib. 29. c. 12. Etiam tentationes aduersary dispensando modificat vt aut multae simul non veniant aut ipsae tatummodo quae ferri possunt illustratam tam à Deo anima tangant vt cum tactus sui ardore nos cruciant perfectionis incendio non exurant He so dispenseth and ordereth saith he the temptations of the aduersary as that they come not too many at once or that those only which may be borne doe touch the soule which God hath enlightened that albeit by the heate of the touch thereof they torment vs yet they may not by burning wast and consume vs. Vpon this therefore the children of God build themselues securely standing alwaies fully perswaded that n Rom. 8. 38. neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and bold to say with Dauid o Psal 118. 6. Heb. 13. 7. The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto me and with St. Paul p 2. Tim. 4. 18. The Lord will deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly Kingdome And of this resolution St. Austin notably instructeth vs where saying that q August in Psal 32. Conc. 2. Secura expectans miserecorditèr promitteâ—tem miserecorditer veracitèr exhibentem Et donec exhibeat quid agamus Anima nostra patiens crit Domino Sed quid si in ipsa paticntia non durabimus Immò planè durabimus quoniam adiutor protector noster est the soule securely expecteth the Lord promising in mercy and performing in mercy and truth he further questioneth and answereth himselfe in this sort But till he performe his promise what shall we doe Our soule shall be patient to wait vpon the Lord. But what if we shall not endure or continue in our patience Yes verily we shall endure because he is our helper and defender M. Bishop teacheth the faithfull to say We cannot tell whether we shall endure or not but St. Austin instructeth them to another resolution by faith and trust in God Yes verily we shall endure because God is our helper and defender But against this he giueth instance by the wordes of Christ that there be some that for a time beleeue and in time of temptation goe away Concerning which wordes I haue answered him r Of the certainty of saluation sect 8. before and to answere him againe neede goe no further then to the very text whence he alleageth them He chargeth me with a tricke of a false merchant as if I strooke off the one halfe of the Apostles sentence that the other might seeme currant for me whether I haue so done or not the Reader is to iudge by that that hath beene said but here is a false tricke indeede committed by him in leauing out the words by which he saw and was aduertised before that his exception is made nothing worth By the seede sowen in stony ground our Sauiour describeth them Å¿ Luke 8. 13. who when they heare receiue the word with ioy but they haue no roote which for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Where note first that Christ speaketh not this of the good ground but only of the stony ground and therefore it cannot be taken to appertaine to
by occasion to a comparison betwixt the new that is and that that of old was the religion of the Church of Rome consisting specially of three parts In the first I shewed that neither the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans which is the briefe of the religion which they at the first receiued and containeth as I shewed out of Theodoret all manner doctrine of faith nor yet the two Epistles of S. Peter whom they make the founder of their Church doe containe any defence of the doctrine now taught at Rome but doe teach only our religion In the second I set downe sundry definitions and doctrines of the ancient Roman faith deliuered by the Bishops of Rome and other Authours that haue witnessed the doctrine of that Church wholly consonant and agreeable to that that we teach and altogether impugned by the Roman Church that now is In the third I declared that there were sundry heresies condemned of old by the Roman Church which the Church of Rome now embraceth and defendeth The points of this comparison I then set downe only positiuely the occasion requiring no more not respecting what cauillations the aduersary might bring for oppugning thereof the matter being by that light that I gaue very cleare that the Church of Rome is not now the same that it was of old This matter I afterwards thought worthy of a larger treatise and purposed when opportunity should serue a more full prosecution of it thinking it would bee a great comfort and establishment to the consciences of many men perhaps to some an occasion of better minde when they should see in that Church of Rome that now is such a plain repugnancy to that that of old was which notwithstanding taketh vpon it impudently to haue beene alwaies the same and to bee the only certaine rule and oracle of true faith In this meane time Doctor Bishop fearing lest his silence should make his cause suspicious and therefore thinking it necessary whether right or wrong to say somewhat publiâ—â—eth A Reproofe of the defence of the Reformed Catholike setting vnder this title a Gorgons head to affright all men concerning me as hauing abused Gods sacred word mangled misapplyed and falsified the ancient Fathers sentences so that whosoeuer hath any due care of his owne saluation can neuer hereafter credit me in matter of faith and religion Concerning which hideous outcry of my falsifications I referre thee to the Aduertisement which I haue added to my third part of the defence of the Reformed Catholike where thou shalt see that as hee hath laied himselfe open so I haue scourged him accordingly But in that Reproofe of his very little is it that hee hath said for iustifying what he himselfe had before written not being able indeede to defend any one point thereof only he found somewhat whereof to cauill concerning my debating of the name Catholike and the comparison which I made betwixt the old and new Roman Church and thereof as touching the matter of substance he hath framed his booke To this therefore I haue addressed my description of the ancient Roman Catholike forbearing that more orderly course which I had intended for the performance of this worke and choosing rather to follow him steppe by steppe as formerly I haue done only beginning where hee commeth to the purpose and leauing all his vagaries and affected discourses to be more briefly touched in the end of all Of this worke I haue yet finished but only one part wherin I haue at large discouered their vaine ostentation of the Catholike name and faith and shewed plainely that the Romish religion now accordeth not with S. Pauls Epistle to the Romans no nor with his other Epistles which M. Bishop calleth to assist him because he findeth nothing to helpe him in that Epistle to the Romans In all which I haue beene carefull gentle Reader to giue thee satisfaction by the cleare testimony either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of some other famously approued and commended in that Church Being now required a seruice of another kinde so that I cannot yet goe forward with the rest I haue thought good to publish this in the meane time If I haue promised any thing in this that is not here performed expect it in that that is to come Assist me I pray thee with thy prayers vnto almighty God by whose grace I hope in due time to supply that that is wanting now The Contents of this Booke CHAP. I. THat the Church of Rome doth vaineâ—y and absurdly challenge to it selfe the name of the Catholike Church and hath no priuiledge from God either of superiority in gouernement or stability in faith CHAP. II. The comparison betwixt the Papists and the Donatists is iustified and enlarged CHAP. III. That the name of Catholikes is abused by the Papists and is in their abuse a Donatisticall and hatefull name of faction and schisme that being in that sort substantiuely and personally vnderstood it was not vsed for three hundred yeares after Christ and therefore being abused may bee left againe that Popery properly so called is nothing but additions of latter time to our religion CHAP. IIII. That the Church before Christ euen from the beginning was a part of the Catholike Church and that the faith and religion of the new Testament differeth not in substance from the old M. Bishops proofes for Popery out of the old Testament are shewed to be ridiculous and vaine In the end is a briefe defence of the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall CHAP. V. That faith and religion cannot be safely grounded on the example of Fathers and fore-fathers and that the Popish agents and factours doe in this pretence also abuse the credulity of ignorant men CHAP. VI. That the reasons of Popery where there is not a minde preiudicate are not vrgent or forcible and that M. Bishop was iustly censured for that in repeating a rule deliuered by the Kings Maiestie for iudgement of true religion he left out some words thereof CHAP. VII Of the flourishing and best estate of the Church of Rome and of the testimony of Theodoret concerning fulnesse of doctrine contained in the Epistle to the Romans and that the Apostle there condemneth Popery of idolatry in worshipping Saints and Images CHAP. VIII That iustification before God consisteth not in proceeding from faith to workes but in the continuation of faith to faith and that this faith notwithstanding cannot be separated from charity and good workes CHAP. IX That the iustification of man before God is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes CHAP. X. That eternall life is meerly and wholly the gift of God and cannot be purchased by merit or desert CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it CHAP. XII Of the spirit of adoption giuing witnesse to the faithfull that they are the sonnes of God CHAP. XIII That the good workes or sufferings of this life are not meritorious or worthy
them of whom we speake to whom the spirit giueth witnesse that they are the sonnes of God But we are yet further to note what reason he giueth why those fall away which is namely because they haue no roote and therefore are like vnto the tree which for want of roote fastened in the ground is by euery blast of wind easily ouerthrowen Now by saying that they fall away because they haue no roote he giueth vs to conceiue that they who haue taken roote or are rooted doe not fall away But the faithfull and children of God are rooted in the predestination and grace of God they are t Col. 2. 7. rooted and grounded in Christ and stablished in the faith and therefore u Psal 1. 3. their leafe shall neuer fade because their x Prou. 12. 3. roote shall not be moued God hauing made them a promise which he will not breake y Ierem. 32. 40. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me As for them which fall away though in respect of outward shew and profession they be said for a time to beleeue yet because their faith hath no roote therefore they neuer haue true faith And thus Gregory Bishop of Rome instructeth vs that z Greg. Moral lib. 25. c. 8. Propheta intuens tantos hoc Ecclesiae tempore specietenus credere quantos nimirunt certum est electorum numerum summamque transire c. Etiam hiad fidem specietenus regni veniunt they who are not of the number of the elect doe beleeue but in shew that they come to the faith of the Kingdome but in shew and in another place that a Ibid. lib. 34. cap. 13. Aurum quod prauis cius persuasionibus sterni quasi lutuÌ„ potuerit aurum ante Dei oculos nunquam suit Qui enim seduci quandeque non reuersuri possunt quasi habitam sanctitatâ—m ante oculos hominum videntur amittere sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerâ—t the gold which by Satans wicked suggestions commeth to be troden vnder feete like dirt was neuer gold in Gods sight that they who can be seduced neuer to returne againe seeme to lose holinesse which they had after a sort before the eyes of men but indeede neuer had it in the sight of God To be short St. Austin telleth vs that b August de Doct. Christ l. 3. c. 32. Non reuerà Domini corpus est quod cum illo non eâ—it in aeternum it is not indeede and in truth the body of Christ which shall not be with Christ for euer If they only be the true body of Christ which shall abide with him for euer they they only haue true faith whereby we become members of that body and therefore they that fall away as they are no part of the true body of Christ so are voide also of true faith in Christ Now therefore M. Bishop doth amisse in going about to shake the testimony of the spirit to the faithfull by the examples of them that fall away because of all such they learne to say with St. Iohn c 1. Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But saith he no man doth more plainly or roundly beate downe their presumption who assure themselues of saluation then St. Paul It is true indeede that the Apostle beateth downe the presumption of them who assure themselues only by confidence of outward calling but the assurance which he teacheth and we from him ariseth from the effect and testimony of inward grace If any grow secure and proud vpon opinion that they are members of Christs Church and partakers of his Sacraments neglecting in the meane time that correspondence of duty that belongeth to such profession them it concerneth which the Apostle saith d 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that thinketh he standeth let him take heede least he fall But to true Christian soules humbled in themselues and reioycing in God only the Apostle speaketh farre otherwise e 2. Thess 2. 13. We ought to giue thanks alwaies for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and faith of truth whereunto he hath called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. Now of the first sort it is true that many who haue had the outward state and calling of the Church and members thereof haue beene cut off from the state wherein carnally they haue gloried and reioyced but of them who haue stoode indeede by true faith and sanctification of the holy Ghost neuer any hath fallen away as I haue shewed but as they haue beene partakers of the beginning of the calling of God so they haue had the end also The wordes therefore which M. Bishop citeth of St. Paul to the Romans f Rom. 11. 20. Be not high minded but feare continue in his kindnesse else thou also shalt be cut off are so to be vnderstood as I haue g Of the certainty oâ— saluation sect 10. before shewed as to checke the pride and security of carnall Gospellers and hypocrites but not to impeach the hope and comfort of Gods elect Albeit they haue their vse in respect of them also because they serue God for spurres whereby to stirre vp and pricke forward our dulnesse and to awaken vs from that sleepe which by the drowsinesse of the flesh is oftentimes stealing vpon vs thus to continue the standing of them of whom he hath determined that they shall neuer fall Who because they stand not by their owne strength being in themselues and of themselues as subiect to fall as any other are terrified in respect of themselues by such caueats and admonitions that they may the more in stantly looke and so the more constantly cleaue vnto him by whom only it is that they must stand And to this effect God turneth also the fals of them that doe fall away whom when we haue seene as likely to stand as our selues and yet notwithstanding in the end to forsake Christ and vtterly to perish we are moued thereby not to trust in our selues but to depend vpon God only h Gregor Moral lib. 34. c. 13. Quorum casus vtilitate non modica electorum prosectibus seruit quia illorum lapsum dum conspiciunt de suo statu contremiscunt ruina quae illos damnat istos humiliat Discunt enim in superni adiutoris protectione considere dum plerosque coÌ„ spiciunt de suis viribus â—ecidisse Their fall saith Gregory yeeldeth no small benefit for the fâ—rtherance of the elect because whilest they see the fall of them they tremble as touching their owne state and the ruine which condemneth the one is the humbling of the other For they learne to trust in the defence of him who helpeth from aboue whilest