that the blind world is drowned in a carnall consolation they doe not soundly beleeue nor sensiblie consider what estate they be in They be but as drunken men who through exceeding drunkennesse passing towards horrible torments do not perceiue it nor regard it but are merie and laugh and sport themselues For they which are so merie and doe sport themselues so much in sinne and in carnall pleasures if they did knowe or aduisedly consider whither they be going and what remaineth for thē it would dampe all their mirth It is not the strong consolation which the holie Ghost speaketh of that they haue Theirs is but a drunken madnesse Such onlie as by a liuely faith doe feele the power of Christ in them mortifying and slaying sinne quickening them vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse euen to walke in the light and to bring forth the fruites and vertues of the spirite haue the strong consolation They bee assured that they be deliuered from hell and made heires of eternall glorie in as much as they know that God doth sanctifie none but those whome he doth glorifie But they doe alleage sundrie testimonies of the holie Scriptures by which they vndertake to prooue that the verie reprobate haue the true liuely and iustifying faith which they do vtterlie loose and likwise that the elect doe so fall that the same true and liuelie faith for a time is vtterlie quenched in them if it be so then all assurance is gone and with it there vanisheth away all strong consolation For if the true faith bee in the reprobate then cannot any man thus argue I haue the true liuely and sanctifying faith therefore I am chosen of God and sure to bee saued Neither can he say thus If I fall I shal rise againe for what is it that can assure him that he shall rise againe if some that haue the same true faith which he hath doe fal and neuer rise againe Let vs therfore consider what their proofes bee or testimonies vpon which they stande to prooue that the true faith may be vtterly lost In the olde Testament it is thus written But when the righteous doth turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and doth according to all the abominations which the wicked doth should he liue all his righteous deedes which he hath done shall not be remembred for his transgression in which hee transgresseth and for his sinne in which hee sinneth for these he shall die Ezech. 18.24 The Lord Iesus saith that there bee some which do beleeue for a time in time of temptation goe away Luk. 8 1◠Thou standest saith S. Paul by faith be not high minded but feare Rom. 11. ver 20. Also the same Apostle speaketh of some that made shipwrack of the faith 1. Tim. 1. vers 19. Hee that thinketh hee standeth let him take heed least he fall 1. Cor. 10. ver 12. Christ saith to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Thou hast left thy first loue Reue. 2. ver 4. Take heede least anie man fall away from the grace of God Heb. 12. vers 15. And S. Peter doth speake of such as are like the dog that returneth to his vomite 2. Pet. 2. There be other places of scripture which they doe also alleadge to prooue that men that haue the true liuely faith may wholy loose it I will not stand to answere euery one particularlie but in generall and thus that whatsoeuer the word of God speaketh of falling frō grace of turning from the way of righteousnes or loosing the faith it is not to bee vnderstood of the grace of sanctification or of the true liuely iustifying faith but of that other faith which the holie scriptures doe speake of which the wicked may haue and of those graces which they also are after a sort made partakers of For this is sufficient for me to shewe that whosoeuer is once partaker of the liuelie faith he can neuer loose that faith hee can neuer perish for that being prooued it must needs be confesled that all the scriptures which they alleadge are to bee vnderstood not of that liuely faith or of those that be sanctified I am saith Christ the true vine and my father is an husbandman Euery branch in me that beareth not fruite he taketh away and euery branch in me that beareth fruite he purgeth that it may beare more fruit Ioh. 15. vers 1.2 Christ is the vine they which professe his name be the brāches These branches be of two sortes the one sort beareth no fruit the other sort beareth fruit Now let it bee demanded what are they which beare fruit It must needs be answered they be such as haue the true and liuely faith they be ingrafted into Christ and doe receiue as it were the sap or iuice of life from him Their faith is that which Saint Paule saith worketh by charity and therfore euery one that hath that faith beareth fruite Then who bee those branches that beare not fruite They be Christians in name and in profession otherwise he would not say Euerie branch in me that beareth not fruit They be after a sort grafted also into Christ in as much as they haue been baptized and doe professe to beleeue in him but their faith is but a dead faith otherwise it could not be saide that they beare no fruite By this we see it is euident that there is a difference of faith there is a fruitlesse or a dead faith and there is a faith which is liuely and cannot but worke Then see how we are to argue out of this place Euery branch that beareth fruit that is euery one that hath the true and liuely faith shall be purged that it may beare more fruit therefore not any one of the reprobate haue the liuely faith This consequence is cleere if wee consider that he saith Euerie branch that beareth fruit he purgeth not to take it afterward away but that it may bear more fruit For will they be so bold as to say thus Some branches that beare fruite shall bee taken out of the vine as well as the branches that beare no fruite Or thus Some branches that beare fruite shall be purged that they may beare more fruite but yet in the end they shall also bee taken out of the vine were not that a strange speech What difference or what a vaine difference were that which Christ maketh of the branches touching perseuerance in the vine if the fruitfull branches or any of them could be separated from it as well as the vnfruitfull howe doe they make Christ to speak It may be they wil say that the holy scripture speaketh somtimes vnsuersally whē as yet exceptions in particulars are for to be admitted and so his saying doth stand true although some branches that haue born fruit be taken out of the vine and do perish I answere that this cauill is of no force heer because ourSauiour doth so speak vniuersallie that he also speaketh singularly He saith
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
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 of the spirit hee
is a sufficient excuse to cleer thee from crueltie to say that thou didst not decree it but onlie suffer it to come so to passe If this bee no excuse to defend thee how foolish art thou in vsing it to defende the iustice and mercie of God VVilt thou thus call the iustice of God and his mercie vnder the account of thy reason that thou maist by thine owne wit comprehend it or els it cannot bee iustice O howe much better is it that thou shouldest crie out with the Apostle How vnsearchable are his iudgmentes And where thou canst not comprehend by reason howe God shoulde in iustice either decree or suffer the fall of Angels and men yet to rest in this that howsoeuer wee cannot comprehende those thinges yet we are sure that there can be no vnrighteousnes with God but whatsoeuer he decreeth it is most holie and iust for his will is the perfect rule of all righteousnesse To proceede when man was fallen and had cast himselfe and all his posterity into endlesse miserie a redeemer is promised All are loste alike there be none which are in themselues better or more worthy than other why then is not the redeemer sent vnto all If any shall replie and say hee was sent vnto all that is vntrue for God chose the seede of Abraham the nation of the Iewes he separated them from al other nations of the world he gaue them his lawes and ordinances euen the liuelie Oracles for to teach them The other nations he left in the darke to walke in the vanities of their owne minde subiect to the manifold illusions and sleightes of diuelles and that for manie ages together among whome there were so manie famous wise men Philosophers Poets and Orators Yea there were among them infinit thousand thousands which could neuer hear of Christ of infants dying and perishing in their natiue corruption that is in originall sinne Who can search out and comprehend the iudgmentes of God in this were they not the worke of his handes Yet there is no hope offred vnto them But at the length Christ Iesus the only light and saluation of the worlde is preached to the Gentiles Why did hee not now open the eies of all whie did he not giue that effectuall grace of his spirit vnto all as to beleeue in his son vnto saluation VVhen hee opened the heart of Lydia why did he not also open the heartes of the rest that heard Paule preach Some will say they would not Yea but hee of those that were most vnwilling made willing where it pleased him As we haue a perfect example in Saint Paule who was a cruell persecuter Christ saith No man commeth vnto me except the father which sent me draw him Ioh. 6. VVhy did hee not drawe Herode and Pilate and the high Priestes as well as Paule VVee see in these latter dayes that there be great Nations as the west Indies which had neuer hearde of Christ vntill of late time and then by a most cruell and idolatrous people which haue murthered them most wickedlie so that they haue been made to stumble and to bee further from Christ VVho is able to comprehend the depth of these iudgementes Shall not wee lay downe the pride of our owne vnderstanding and say with the Apostle Hath not the Potter power ouer the claie of the same lumpe to make one vessell vnto honour and an other vnto dishonour Or shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Whie hast thou made me thus O beloued let vs lay aside all such vaine and curious presumptions and let vs as the holie Scripture directeth vs make our singular comfort of that eternall decree of God Thus wee are with it to fortifie our selues against the Diuell God of his owne good will hath chosen in his sonne Iesus Christ euen before the foundations of the worlde were laide those whome he will saue as the heires of eternall glorie Hee hath in his prefixed time redeemed them not with golde or precious stones as Saint Peter saith but with the blood of his sonne as of a Lambe immaculate and without spot He doth also call them hee doth sanctifie them This decree of God is vnchangeable it is vnpossible that any of his elect should perish VVho can plucke them out of the handes of Christ Then in the next place wee are to bee assured that none can haue the true faith but the chosen of God Not any doe receiue the spirit of adoption which witnesse unto their spirit that they be the children of God but the elect The elect are onlie regenerate and borne of God and sealed with the holie spirit of promise Then come downe to thy selfe If thou canst trulie say I haue the liuelie faith I haue receiued the spirit of adoption which doth witnesse with my spirit that I am the childe of God I am regenerate I haue the true repentance I am sanctified Satan doth tempt mee stronglie manie wayes but I am sure though he often as it were foile thee and cause me to goe awrie that hee shall neuer get the victorie ouer mee Is not this a singular comfort to a man If anie that hath the spirit of adoption may lose him then where is the stedfastnesse of faith which Saint Peter heere requireth in resisting the Diuel If it come once to lie in our selues wee cannot bee vndoubtedlie sure and stedfast wee may well wauer and doubt but when we knowe that we are kept by the power of God as it is written 1. Pet. 1. Then haue wee a rocke whereon to rest then doe we stand stedfast armed with the power of God This faith may be tried and seeme oftentimes to be sore shaken but it can neuer bee ouercome Yea will some man say but euery man cannot come to knowe that hee hath receiued the true and liuely faith or the spirit of adoption we see many goe farre in the profession of the gospel and thinke that they haue the true faith and the sanctifying spirit which yet fall quite away It is true that there bee manie which imbrace the gospell and professe it with such feeling that they suppose God hath called them as his children there is for the time such a touch such a moouing in their heartes and yet in time they manifest themselues not to be of God One occasion or other driueth them awrie so that some of them become heretickes some of thē although they fall not into heresies yet they fall into vices and become so irreligious that all the former graces which they had tasted of doe vanish and are lost And this is the cause we are willed by Saint Peter to make our calling and election sure For seeing the reprobate receiue a kinde of faith and zeale which yet is not the true and liuely faith we are willed to be diligent and carefull to see that we rest not in that faith VVe must labour to attain to that testimonie of the spirit of adoption we must seek to bee confirmed and euen sealed with the holie spirit of promise and so come to that full assurance of faith and hope which neuer confoundeth And that is it which Saint Peter teacheth the way to come vnto in the place before alleadged where he willeth vs to ioine vertue with our faith with vertue knowledge c. For if we follow that rule which hee there prescribeth we shall be sure neuer to fall we shall then with a stedfast faith resist our aduersarie the diuell and get the victorie ouer him It is a matter of great importance I pray and beseech you as you tender the happy estate of your owne soules looke vnto it Set your hearts vpon the liuelie Oracles of God and seeke day and night after the knowledge of holie thinges and howe to please the Lord your God Then shall you bee blessed for euermore Amen FINIS