indeed doe taste of the heauenly power but they are not led with the spirit of God they be not sanctified they walke not after the spirit Moreouer the spirit of adoption the sanctifying spirit which is in al that haue the true liuely and iustifying faith beareth withes with and to the spirit of the beleeuers that they be the children of God This is the liuely faith when a man beleeueth that the Lorde God is his father and that he is the sonne of God And this faith is not separated from the spirit of adoption for it is vpon his testimonie that they do beleeue and by him they crie Abba Father Is not this spirit a true spirit and is not his witnes most firme andtrue If it be as those men say that the reprobate are partakers of the spirit of adoption then is not his testimonie firme and true For then that spirit of adoption teacheth some man to call God Father and witnesseth to his spirit that he is the sonne of God when as he is the childe of the diuell for hauing that faith and that testimonie of the spirit in him to day to morrow he doth by their saying vtterly and sinally lose that faith and that spirit What an opinion is this to say that a man hath the true faith that is to say beleeueth by the testimony of the holy Ghost that God is his father and yet he is indeed the child of the diuell And moreouer doth not the Apostle say that after they beleeued they were scaled with the holie spirit of promise This is more then the bare testimonie of the spirit if I may so speake that hee sealeth Can this seale be disanulled or broken or made frustrate Is this seale vntrue If it bee euer set vpon the reprobate it is deceiueable If their opinion be true no man can then say thus God hath sealed me with his spirit therfore I doe belong to God For a reprobate hath that seale and it faileth him then who can say that it is a seale which is true and infallible Saint Iohn shewing vpon what testimonies faith in Christ is grounded saith There be three that bear record in heauen the Father the Word and the holie Spirit and these three are one And there bee three that bear record in earth the spirit water blood and these three agree in one If we receiue the testimony of men the testimonie of God is greater For this is the witnes which hee testifieth of his sonne Hee that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe 1. Ioh. 5. vers 7.8.9.10 Why are all these witnesses but to giue asrance of faith And if these witnesses doe testifie vnto a man that he is the childe of God and shall be saued for euery one that hath the true liuelie faith hath it vpon the testimony of all these witnesses and yet hee is a reprobate then is not the witnesse of God greater then the witnesse of men Then also to what end should be mention all these foresaid witnesses They giue an absolute testimonie that euery one that beleeueth hath life euerlasting By these places it is manifest that the reprobate cannot be partakers of the sanctifying faith they be not led at any time by the spirit of adoption they be not sealed vp with the holy spirit of promise they haue not the witnesse of God within them whosoeuer therefore hath these thinges let him be assured he shall neuer perish but if he be sanctified he is iustified hee shall bee glorified Rom. 8. ver 32. And this is it which the holie Scripture in many places proclameth that whosoeuer beieeueth in the sonne of God he shal neuer be confounded But what if the reprobate neuer haue the true faith nor the spirit of adoption yet doe not the elect so fall and sinne sometimes that there is no sparke of true faith left in them for the time This is the great cunning of the diuell to roote vp as it were the siablenesse and foundation of the truth But the word of God meeteth with it and teacheth that whosoeuer is regenerate and borne of God in the new spirituall birth as euery one is that hath the liuely faith seeing whosoeuer is in Christ he is a new creature the same man cannot so fall that this new birth should be extinguished in him For this wee haue the testimonie vttered by Saint Iohn in these words Whosoeuer is born of god sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because hee is borne of God 1. Ioh. 3. ver 9. Also we know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one doth not touch him chap. 5. vers 18. In the former of these two sayings there be two members and vnto either of them there is annexed a reason to confirme the same As whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede this is the reason remaineth in him And then the second member Neither can hee sinne the reason because hee is borne of God Now see if they doe not directlie gainsay the holie Ghost which holde that a man regenerate may loose the faith be vtterly voide of the spirit of sanctification For first whereas S. Iohn saith that whosoeuer is born of God he sinneth not They say a man hath his faith vtterhe quenched and is wholie depriued of the spirit of adoption What sin then is it that he sinneth not He that falleth in such sort as that he becommeth void of the true faith and of the sanctifying grace of God what is he other but as an infidell for the time and what sinne is it that he committeth not Shall it be said of such a man he sinneth not It may be this poore cauill will be vsed Hee that is borne of God sinneth not so long as he continueth in that estate so long as he continueth borne of God A vaine and most foolish speech for if a man that is vnregenerate and borne of GOD through a true and liuelie faith do so fal it is sinne that casteth him downe then he doth sinne while he is in that state For doth hee first cast away his faith and the grace of the sanctifying spirit and then commit sinne and not before What greater sinne then the falling from the faith and casting forth vtterlie the grace of sanctification But see how Saint Iohn meeteth with all cauilles in the reason which he annexeth to confirme that first member Why doth not any one that is borne of God sinne For saith hee his seede remaineth in him What is the seed of God which remaineth in all that are borne of God The word of God is called the incorruptible seed by which God doth beget his children 1 Pet. 1.23 That word is but an instrument the holie Ghost is the worker of the new birth and therfore our Sauiour teacheth except a man bee borne againe of water and
not al the branches that in me bear fruit but euery branch in me that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may beare more fruit So that we may conclude that there are none of the reprobate that haue the true and liuely faith for if they had they shoulde bring forth fruit and so remain for euer in the vine Againe whosoeuer knoweth that hee bringeth foorth fruite hee may be assured that he shal continue in the vine for euer hee shall neuer perish Also Christ saith I am the breade of life hee that commeth to me shall not hunger in any wise and he that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst This is the will of him that sent me that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him may haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day I am that bread of life your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is that bread that came downe from heauen that if anie man eate thereof he should not die I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life This is that bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead he that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer Ioh. 6. ver 35.40.48.49 50.51.54.58 From these Scriptures wee may drawe most firme conclusions that not any one of the reprobate euer haue or can haue the true and liuelie faith but that whosoeuer beleeueth he is assured of life eternall Christ teacheth that hee is the bread of life and that whosoeuer eateth of that bread he shall liue for euer It is not possible that any man should eat of that bread and yet not liue for euer Euery one that beleeueth in him I speak of that liuelie faith which as the hand apprehendeth Christ and by which we receiue him and his benefites doth eat his flesh and drinke his blood He that beleeueth in mee saith hee shall neuer thirst for let any mā shew a reason why some that beleeue in Christ doe eate his flesh and drinke his blood other some hauing the same liuely faith doe not What will they say that the reprobate damned so many of them as euer come to haue the true and liuely faith according as they imagine do indeede eat the flesh of Christ drinke his blood and so for a time be made liuely members of Christ euen flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 5. ver 31 If they doe not eat his flesh drink his blood then haue they not the faith remooue that effect and the cause is remooued If they will not abhor so wicked a speech but affirm indeed that the reprobate doe eate the flesh of Christ so many of them as haue the liuely faith then let thē see how they ouerthrow also the whole force of the argumēt of Christ by which he proueth that the Manna was not the bread of life but that he himself is the bread of life Your fathers saith he did eat Māna in the wildernesse and are dead If any man eat of this bread he shal liue for euer How standeth his argument consider of it I pray you Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and yet are dead in their sinnes they are dead in the spirituall and eternall death for of that death hee speaketh seeing they also which eat the flesh of Christ doe die the naturall death therefore Manna was not the bread of life that commeth downe from heauen For that which some did eat of and yet did die eternallie is not by any meanes the bread of life And how doth hee prooue that hee himselfe is the bread of life I am the breade which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer Thus standeth his reason Whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ he shal liue for euer therefore the flesh of Christ is the bread of life If they shall now say some of the fathers in the wildernes did eate the Manna and yet died in their sinnes it cannot be denied and thereupon Christ doth affirme that Manna was not the bread of life that commeth downe from heauen and then adde their owne saying which is this some doe eate the flesh of Christ and yet do die in their sinnes what will then followe if this reason do stand in force Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernes and are dead therefore Manna was not the bread of life Then shall not this also follow Many doe eat the flesh of Christ and yet are damned therefore the flesh of Christ is not the bread of life Thus it is euident that such as do affirme that any of the reprobate haue the liuelie faith doe gainsay Christ and ouerthrow the force of his argument To proceede what can be more firme to proue that the reprobate cannot haue the true liuely and iustifying faith then that which Saint Paul hath written Where this ground is first to bee laide that whosoeuer he is that hath the true iustifying faith he hath the spirite of sanctification the spirite of adoption for thus the Apostle conioyneth them wherein also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glorie Ephes 1. ver 13.14 Is there any so absurd as to hold that a man is a liuely member of Iesus Christ as euery one is that hath the liuelie iustifying faith and yet hath not that holy spirite of promise that spirite of adoption that scale and that pledge If they will say that the faith which the reprobate doe attaine vnto is without this spirite of adoption or without this seale or pledge then doe wee holde with them and then doth it follow that the faith of the reprobate is not the true iustifying and sanctifying saith which purgeth the heart Act. 15. But if they shall say that the reprobate are for a time partakers of the spirit of sanctification euen of that spirit of adoption then will there diuers right wicked consequences follow which are to be banished far frō christian religiō For first touching the spirit of adoption see what the Apostle saith As manie as are led by the spirit of god they are the sons of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bōdage again to fear but ye haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba Father That same spirite beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 15 16. If anie of the reprobate be led by the spirit of God or be at anie time sanctified then hath not S. Paule here said true that as manie as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Some of the reprobate
of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. vers 5. The seed of God then is the graces of the sanctifying spirit the liuely word Those men that say a man may lose his faith and the spirit of sanctification doe in flat speech contrarie that which the holie Apostle heere speaketh The seed of God saith Saint Iohn remaineth in all those which are borne of God and therfore they doe not sinne that is to say they do not sinne that deadly sinne of falling from God or of being separated from Christ which is not true if their saying bee true for there remaineth no seed of God in those that doe wholy lose their faith and in whome the sanctifying graces are vtterly extinguished It may be they wil here again adde their vaine cauill that the seed of God remaineth in them so long as they bee borne of God and hold the faith and stand in grace As it Saint Iohn should say thus the seede of God remaineth in them so long as the seede of God remaineth in them Is not this a very wise speech to be ascribed to the holy ghost He speaketh absolutely that whosoeuer is borne of God the seed of God euer after doth remaine in him therefore he sinneth not Let them go with their ridiculous distinction the feed of God remaineth in them so long as it remaineth in them for that speech they must be forced to vtter vnlesse they will confesse that when he saith his seede remaineth in them we must take it remaineth in them for euer If the seede of God remaine for euer in the regenerate then doth saith and the sanctifiing spirit remaine in them for euer For will they separate these But to put all out of doubt and to minister sound comfort or as the holy ghost speaketh strong consolation to all that haue the true and liuely faith euen to let them knowe indeed and vnderstand for certainty that they can not perish that they cannot be ouercome by Satan in the battel he addeth Neither can he sinne confirming it with this reason because he is born of God What can they say vnto this How will they auoide this Will they say that Saint Iohn meant heere some other matter Is it not clearer then the Sunne that the regenerate cannot wholy bee depriued of faith nor of the spirit of sanctification when he saith they can not sinne Can they wholie loose their faith and all the sanctifying grace and yet can they not sin O how happie and blessed is the state and condition of that man which hath attained to the true liuelie faith who hath the spirit of sanctification by which hee is led euen the spirit of adoption that beareth witnesse with his spirit that he is the child of God seeing he may be tempted and sundrie times be led a wrie into some sinnes but it is vnpossible that he shuld fall from God And what is the reason by which he prooueth that hee cannot so fall Because saith he he is borne of God Consider where the force of this reason lieth Men are mortall their seede is corruptible and that which is borne of man is corruptible and mortall God is incorruptible and immortall and so the seede of God is called incorruptible seed and immortal whereupon it doth follow that the birth which is of God is incorruptible and immortall Where the life of God is it cannot bee be extinguished Thinke it not strange then that Saint Iohn saith he cannot sinne because he is borne of God Except they will denie the manifest and cleare testimonies of the word of God except they will affirme that the seed of God is corruptible and so decayeth and doth not abide in those that are begotten of God except they will also make the testimonie of the spirit of adoption deceiueable false finally except they will make the seale of God and the pledge which he giueth of none effect denying that men are to make their calling and election sure and so to haue strong consolation Let them renounce this Popish errour that the true and liuely faith and the sanctifying spirit may be in the reprobate and that the same liuelie faith quickening grace may be wholie put out for a time in the elect It may bee demanded that seeing the word of God is so euidēt that men are to resist the diuel stedfast in the faith as being fully assured that he which hath once attained the liuely faith can neuer be ouercome nor perish what shuld be the cause that some do hold that true faith the spirit of adoption may be had lost again What should cast them vpon such rocks or driue them into such absurdities Surely they be driuen into these while they do as they suppose eschue more dāgerous rocks greater absurdities They would haue it to be somwhat in mans own wil power to receiue faith the whole work of regeneratiō They wold haue it be in the power wil of man to retain the same faith sanctifying spirit to lose thē Why are they of that mind Is it because they enuy that god shuld haue the whole praise glory of mans saluatiō as man being not able to doe any thing the grace is wholy of God We cannot say so But it is another thing that driueth them hereunto that is this they take it that vnles it be in mans wil power to receiue and to retain faith it wil follow from an higher cause that is this namely that such as God hath chosen vnto life to those he giueth faith worketh in thē by his spirit the new birth Then the other sort if there be no power in mā cānot attain to the faith regeneratiō they be before ordained vnto eternal destruction Thē wil it follow that there is predestinatiō euē an eternal decree of God by which he hath chosen and ordained some to life euerlasting and appointed others to eternall destruction This doctrine they say chargeth God with iniustice with crueltie For what is more cruell then of purpose to create and make any of his workes or creatures to be condemned vnto eternall torments Where is then say they the infinit mercie iustice and goodnesse of God To charge the Lorde God with any crueltie or iniustice is most wicked blasphemous and abominable And therefore they hold this the most safe course for the defence of the iustice and mercy of God where the word of God speaketh of election to take it thus that GOD hath chosen vnto life eternall all those whome he did foresee would receiue the faith walke in obedience and continue to the end and so their faith good works and perseuerance which God foresaw is the cause that mooued the Lord to choose them On the other side that he hath not reprobate any but hee hath foreseene that they either woulde not receiue the faith at al or els after they haue receiued it of
TVVO SERMONS vpon 1. Peter 5. vers 8. and 9. Wherein is shewed that the diuell is to be resisted only by a stedfast faith how soeuer he commeth either against soule or body and that whosoeuer hath once attained the true and liuelie faith it can neuer be vtterly lost but he is sure to get the victorie By M. George Giffard Preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon in Essex LONDON Printed by Felix Kingston for Thomas Man 1597. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL M. Ioseph Bainham Esquire and to Mistresse Ione Bainham his Wife SIR when J call to minde the reuerent and holy memory of that godly Martyr both of your name countrie and house M. Iames Bainham who died most constantly for the truth of the Gospell as we haue his story at large described in M. Fox pag. 1030. and consider withall the great mercie of God in continuing still vnto that VVorshipfull name and stocke the same light of faith and zeale of the truth and holynes of profession J nothing doubt to say vnto you as sometime the holy Apostle wrote vnto Timothie When I call to remembrance the vnfayned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and in thy Mother Eunice and am assured that it dwelleth in thee also 2. Tim. 1.5 So it cannot be but a great ioy and comfort to those that feare God to see the posteritie of Martyrs to retayne still the holy faith and profession of Martyrs not only to be of their earthly linage but of the spirituall kindred also not to be next them only in generation but to folow them in regeneration And this example of your owne cloth as it is vnto vs an occasion of reioycing so to you it must serue not as a spur to pricke you but as a starre to direct you and a line to leade draw you forward to al holy encrease of faith and zeale That holy man as he was vertuous in his life deuoute in prayer sound in faith patient in his afflictions so most of all was he constant and cheerefull in his death who in the midst of his torments and out of the raging flames of fire thus spake with a comfortable and heauenly voyce O yee Papists behold yee looke for miracles here now you may see a miracle for in this fire I feele no more paine then if I were in a bed of downe but it is to me as sweet as a bed of Roses How ought wee now to honor the memorie of this blessed man and how much are you to praise God that hath giuen you out of your worshipfull house so worthie an example and encouragement to all Christian proceeding J saye againe with the same Apostle Wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stirre vp the gift of God in you c. 2. Timoth. 1.6 And J doubt not but that as it is true generally in the Church Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae the blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church so more especially in your familie that it hath been blessed of God and made fruitefull being seasoned as it were by the blood of so holy a man Saint Ambrose saith Passio Christi sufficit ad salutem passio Martyrum contulit ad exemplum Christs death sufficient to saluation the Martyrs death is effectuall for example and instruction You haue both Christs holy passion to saue you and this Martyrs worthy example and confession to instruct you The memorie of this excellent man gaue me occasion to present this Sermon vnto you which came to my hands which contayneth a profession of the same faith for the which he dyed in you reuerencing his remembrance and honoring his faith God graunt vs all the like zeale and holynes in our liues that wee may haue the like comfort and cheerefulnes in our end Your Worships welwiller in the Lord Thomas Man TWO SERMONS VPON THE 1. Peter 5. vers 8. and 9. Wherein is shewed that the diuell is to be resisted only by a stedfast faith how soeuer he commeth either against soule or bodie and that whosoeuer hath once attained the true and liuelie faith it can neuer bee vtterly lost but he is sure to get the victorie The first Sermon Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuel as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whō he may deuour whome resist stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5. verse 8.9 BLessed Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.1 wrote this Epistle to the Christian Iewes which dwelt as strangers dispersed here and there in sundrie countries as in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia For the ten tribes were scattered of old time and had dwelt long among the Gentiles in many kingdoms being caried away by Shalmaneser king of Ashur out of their owne lande as wee read 2. King 17. And of somewhat later times manie of the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin were also dispersed among the heathen so that S. Iames wrot his epistle in like maner to the twelue tribes which were in the dispersion Iames 1. ver 1. These dispersed Iewes came vp out of all landes at certaine solemne feastes vnto Ierusalem for to worship there according to the law of Moses and there had they heard the Apostles preach Christ as ye may see by that which is written Act. 2. and beleeued in him and vnto them that so beleeued S. Iames and S. Peter directed their Epistles Touching the matters handled in this Epistle of Peter we are to note that the holy Apostle dealeth principallie about the duties of christian life as namelie the times being then full of troubles and terrour of persecutions hee laboureth to make them bolde patient constant and cheerefull in all afflictions and sufferinges which they were to passe through to come to the partaking of the heauenly glory with Christ Also hee vseth manie graue and forcible reasons to mooue them vnto true holinesse euen to walke in the vertues of the spirit of grace and to bring foorth fruites worthie of so high a calling But first of all he openeth as it were the fountaine and beginning of all good actions in man that is how God of his great mercie had chosen them and begotten them in Christ to bee his children and heires of glory Among these perswasions admonitions and exhortations of the Apostle this is one which I haue read vnto you and which I am now to handle It may bee diuided into three partes Of which the first is an admonition or an exhortation wherby he stirreth vp all the faithfull vnto sobriety and watchfulnes in these wordes Be sober and watch The second part sheweth what cause there is to mone all men vnto this sobriety and watchfulnes or how much it standeth them euery way vpon seeing they haue so terrible and so cruell an aduersary who continuallie seeketh their eternall woe and destruction which is in these wordes For your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may