not perish for ever neither shall any one take them out of my hand neither can any one of them take them out of my Fathers hand Mat. 24.24 That they should seduce if it were possible the verie Elect. Since therefore perseverance in faith is grounded upon the Election of God Election cannot proceed from the fore-required condition of persevering faith 2. Furthermore the decree of giving glorie and salvation vnto stedfast beleevers in the end of this life as the reward of faith and obedience performed is an act of Iustice or at least of faithfulnesse and truth But according to the Scriptures Election is a free act not of debt but of grace an act of loue and speciall mercy founded upon the meere good will of God Luke 12.32 It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Eph. 1.11 Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will 3. By the like reason faith foreseene is to be excluded frō Election as fore-seen works that is to say God may be sayd as well to haue elected holy men for the condition of sanctification as beleeuers for the condition of faith For who seeth not that this faith foreseene doth in truth passe into the nature of a worke which appeares more evidently by the annexed condition of perseverance by which is intended nothing else but the fruits of obedience and holinesse and the whole harvest of all good workes 4. Lastlie by granting this Election upon Gods foresight it followes that Christ was chosen by vs before we were chosen by him contrary to that Ioh. 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Which divine Oracle is often urged by St. Augustine to this purpose Neither doth faith it selfe goe before that Election which the Lord intendeth saying yee haue not chosen me but I have chosen you for he did not choose us because we have beleued but that we may beleeue lest we should be said to have chosen him first No merits of man-doe goe before the Election of grace yea and faith it selfe whence begin all merits is the gift of God lest grace should not bee grace if any thing should goe before it for which it may bee given THE THIRD ERRONEOVS OPINION THat faith and perseverance in faith are not fruits or effects of Election to salvation IF God who is the onely giver of persevering faith before he gives such faith or decrees to give it doth foresee that it will by the very giving of it bring salvation to the receiver then without doubt hee gives it also with this intent and absolute purpose that it shall bring salvation But so to give is to give out of a foregoing purpose infallibly to save which is all one as to give by the decree of Election Therefore persevering faith is the fruit of this decree or a speciall grace prepared in this decree Whence it is called Tit. 1.1 The faith of the elect of God Ephes. 1.5 Having praedestinated us into the adoption of Children But into the actuall estate of this adoption we are admitted by faith Ioh. 1.12 He gave them the power or priviledge to become the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his name Therefore faith it selfe arises from praedestination THE FOVRTH ERRONEOVS OPINION THat Election to salvation is not one and the same but that there is one indefinite another definite and this either incomplete revocable changeable Or complete irrevocable unchangeable ALthough there are divers acts of Gods Election which may bee assigned according to divers objects namely of the end and of the meanes yet the Scripture no where makes mention either of the divers degrees or kindes of Election 1 For Election is a certaine infallible ordaining of severall persons to salvation in the minde and will of God Therefore this indefinite Election here supposed is no true election because it ordaines no singular person to salvation but it onely shewes and prescribes the manner of comming to salvation promiscuously to all 2 Besides seeing Election is perfited with one act and ex natura rei according to the nature of the thing it selfe is as the Schoolemen speake in the number of those things which doe not grow and increase by degrees as sanctification mortification and such like but which doe consist in indivisibili without latitude such as justification or absolution from sinnes surely it cannot bee imagined to be capable of intention or remission and therfore by no meanes doth it admit a graduall perfection that it may be thought to bee incomplete or unfinished to day and complete or fully finished to morrow Much lesse can this maimed halfe-election be accompted election which doth not ordaine to salvation infallibly but disposes onely by some qualitie or contingent act which in the judgement of the very devisers thereof hath no necessarie connexion with eternall life 3 Lastly that which is said to bee revocable and changeable cannot be true election because election signifies the constant purpose and unchangeable counsell of God ordaining the elect unto blisse Heb. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God shewes unto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsell Two things follow predestination an affording of aid to obtaine the end and the very obtaining of the end it selfe He that will have Gods disposall of things to bee changed according to the mutability of free will professeth that the judgements of God can be searched by him THE FIFT ERRONEOVS OPINION THat the object of peremptory and complete Election is man considered no otherwise than in the end of his life 1 IN the end of this life a beleever is considered not as to bee elected but to bee brought into the kingdome prepared for him before the foundation of the world 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day The Apostle did not say henceforth now God shall elect me to the Crowne of righteousnesse but shall give it 2 Furtherfmore if election should beginne at the end onely of this life the reason or argument drawne from predestination or election could conferre nothing at all to the faithfull for finishing their course in faith and godlinesse But predestination extends it selfe as well to the meanes in the way as to the end in the conclusion of our life and as it were carieth the Elect by infallible meanes to the appointed marke or goale Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom hee called them he also justified and whom he justified them hee also glorified But if man considered onely as in the last moment of this life were the object of complete election all those things should bee inverted thus Whom hee called those he will justifie and whom hee justifies those hee will hereafter predestinate 3 Moreover 2 Tim. 1.9
be saved such as are to turne unto God to beleeve to persevere and particular ensuing acts which being considered by themselves are not absolutely necessary to salvation as the avoyding of this and that sinne the not omitting of such and such a good deed For the performing of the former actions grace doth so worke that it gives the Elect both power and will to accomplish them But as for the latter there is not wanting unto us the motion and guidance of Gods Spirit through the whole course of our lives yet so that wee may bee wanting unto those motions of grace yea and too too often wee are wanting unto them and ever and an on we both freely and foully obey our owne corruptions Hence that of the Apostle Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the spirit of God by whom yee are sealed unto the day of redemption For they are said to grieve the holy Spirit who resist the guidance thereof and with a servile libertie goe after their owne concupiscenes contrary to the motion of grace and suggestion of their own conscience Erroneous Opinions which wee reject THE FIRST THat the will is not capable of spirituall gifts and that therefore there never were any spirituall gifts in the will of man before his fall that these graces were never severed from the will of man upon his fall and that such graces are never infused in regeneration into the wills of men THe holy Scripture in placing Gods spirituall gifts in the heart acknowledgeth also them to be in the will As namely uprightnesse or truth Psal. 32.12 Rejoyce all yee that are true in heart puritie Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart goodnes Luke 8.15 They are those which with an honest and good heart heare the word of God and keepe it 1 But if any man shall referre these graces to the affections and place them without the will he shall which were a foule enormity settle the chiefest gifts of divine grace in the unreasonable part of the soule Moreover the very habituall conversiō of the will unto God the Creator the aversion or turning away thereof from the inordinate desire it had to commit fornication with the creature without doubt is to be counted a chiefe and principal gift And that the will was capable of this gift it doth hence plainly appeare because it was created with such uprightnesse For God in the beginning made man righteous But that this righteousnes is lost it is over manifest by the effects seeing that now the will being carnall cannot choose but injoy and rest in those things which it ought onely to make use of and use the things which it ought rather to injoy forasmuch as a whole trope of sinfull dispositions have rushed and broke in upon the will 2 Furthermore as the will of a meere naturall man is said to be vicious frō a certaine inbred inherēt wickednes which in a wicked man even thē when he doth nothing is habituall so againe we must acknowledge that in the will of the regenerate there is a certaine righteousnesse infused and given from God which is presupposed in their religious actions Saint Austin in many places setteth forth this habituall righteousnesse The good will of man goes before many graces of God but not before all and this good will it selfe is to be reckoned among those gifts which it selfe cannot precede But lest any man should dreame that this goodnesse of the will is not an inward gift infused into that very faculty but onely a bare denomination fetched from the act of the will Prosper calls it the first plantation of the heavenly husbandman Now a plantation notes something engrafted in the soule not an act or action flowing from the soule THE SECOND ERRONEOVS OPINION THat that grace by which wee are converted is onely a gentle and moral swasion or inducement WEE deny not but in the worke of conversion whether in fitting us for that future grace or in confirming us therein as already performed God useth the perswasive force of his threats promises exhortations by which he allureth stirreth and ploweth up the fallowes of mens hearts But moreover for adding without faile the last close to this operation hee works more powerfully and unconquerably according to the exceeding greatnesse of his power and the working of his might Ephes. 1.19 Neither is swasion sufficient which no more then contingently affecteth and inviteth the will 1 For morall swasion moveth onely by way of object and so farre forth as the end propounded can allure But the Philosophers rightly determine that as the inclination of any one is accordingly hee apprehends the end So long therefore as a man is carnall and unregenerate his will cannot so bee affected with supernaturall benefits proposed unto it that by the desire of them hee should bee throughly enflamed to beleeve and convert But the will must be overcome and changed by a powerfull operation exceeding all swasion that so it may effectually embrace the good represented unto it 2 If men should be converted unto God onely by a morall swasion then this question why upon profer of equall grace one man beleeves another doth not might be answered out of the free wils owne power of willing or nilling neither should we have herein any cause to admire the unsearchable wisedome and justice of our God But this sound doctrine hath alwaies beene defended against the Pelagians That conversion faith comes from the secret grace of God which according to his mercie is afforded to some and according to his justice is not vouchsafed to others 3 If men were converted onely by morall swasion he which receives this swasive grace might truly say I have separated my selfe For I have received this gentle and swasive grace which hath solicited me to faith and conversion but no more then it solicited others they by the liberty of their free-will did reject this morall swasion and therefore they still remaine unconverted but I by the libertie of my free-will have given way and embraced the same swasion and therefore I am converted To what purpose then is that of Saint Paul Who hath separated thee What hast thou which thou hast not received Faith both begunne and perfected is the gift of God and no man who doth not oppose most manifest Scripture will doubt but that this gift is given to some and not given to other some THE THIRD ERRONEOVS OPINION THat presupposing all the operations of grace which God useth for the effecting of this conversion yet the will of man is still left in an equall ballance either to beleeve or not to beleeve to convert or not to convert it selfe to God 1 IF after all the workings of grace the will of man be left in eaven point it will necessarily follow that not God by his grace but man by his free-will is the chiefe cause and author
If any man therefore walke in a way contrarie to Gods ordinance namely that broad way of uncleannesse and impenitencie which leads directly downe to hell he can never come by this meanes to the kingdome of heaven Yea and if death shall overtake him wandring in this by-path hee cannot but fall into everlasting death This is the constant and manifest voice of the holy Scripture Except ye repent yee shall all likewise perish Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters c. shall inherit the kingdome of heaven They are deceived therefore that thinke the elect wallowing in such crimes and so dying must notwithstanding needs be saved throgh the force of election For the salvation of the Elect is sure indeed God so decreeing but withall by the decree of the same our God not otherwise sure then through the way of faith repentance and holinesse Without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 The foundation of God standeth sure Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 As therefore it was sure out of the decree and promise of God that all those who sailed in the ship with Saint Paul should escape alive out of shipwracke and notwithstanding Pauls saying was also as certaine Vnlesse these remaine in the ship ye cannot be saved So also it was certaine that the elect servants of God David and Peter should come to the kingdome of heaven yet withall it was no lesse certaine that if they had remained unrepentant the one in his homicide and adultery the other in his denying and forswearing Christ neither of them both could have beene saved For that Theologicall rule is most true Any one defect maketh a thing bad but to make truly good no parcell requirable must bee wanting Therefore for that incomparable good of life eternall wee are not fitted out of that onely that wee are elected unlesse there concurre other things which are by Gods decree necessarily required to the accomplishing of Election If any of these things be wanting nay if the contrary hereto bee in the elected there seemes then to arise a strange impossibility thwarting on both sides As for example It is unpossible that Paul being chosen should perish T is also unpossible that Paul being a blasphemer against Christ and an unbeleever if he dye in this state should not perish Or thus It is unpossible that David being chosen should perish T is also unpossible that David being a man-slayer and an Adulterer dying impenitent should not perish But Gods providence and mercy doth easily loose this knot by taking care that none of the elect dye in such estate by which according to some ordinance of Gods will he must be excluded from eternall life THE FIFTH POSITION IN the meane time betweene the guilt of a grievous sinne and the renewed act of faith and repentance such an offender stands by his owne desert to bee condemned by Christs merit and Gods decree to be acquitted but actually absolved he is net until he hath obtained pardon by renued faith repentance THere can bee no question of the merit of damnation for such a sinne They which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Gal. 5.21 Notwithstanding in such a guilt the faithfull are not in the like case with the wicked To the faithfull the blood of Christ is a prepared antidote at hand ready to be applyed which as soone as their faith is awaked and rouzed up they can use to the overcomming of this deadly poyson But to the unfaithfull this inward active cause is wanting to wit faith without which the remedy though soveraigne in it selfe is as if it were layed afarre off out of reach neither can it be made their owne or actually applyed to them Ad moreover hereunto Gods speciall love which though it doth not hinder but that his fatherly indignation ariseth against an undutifull sonne yet it keepes of hostile hatred such as carieth with it a purpose of condemning 1 Corinth 11.32 When we are judged wee are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Notwithstanding in this case the Father of mercies who will not condemne with the world his children though bound with the guilt of sinne yet on the other side he will not have them lye still sleeping in their sinnes together with the world And therefore hath he set downe this order that the act of repentance must goe before the benefit of forgivenesse Psal. 32.5 I acknowledge my sinne unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not hid I said I would confesse my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Ezek. 18.27 When the wicked man turneth away from the wickednesse that hee hath committed he shall save his soule alive If any man therefore would know the very moment in which after the guilt procured by a grievous sin he becommeth actually absolved Saint Cyprian seemes manifestly to have shewne it in these words When I see thee sighing in the sight of God I doe not doubt but the holy Ghost breatheth with thy sighes When I behold thee weeping I perceive God forgiving THE SIXT POSITION IN the foresaid space the right to the Kingdome of God is not taken away universall justification is not defeated the state of adoption remaineth undissolved and by the custody of the holy Spirit the seed of regeneration with all those fundamentall graces without which the state of a regenerate man cannot stand is preserved whole and sound OVr right to the Kingdome of Heaven is not founded on our actions but on the free gift of adoption and on our union with Christ. And consequently the right to the Kingdome of Heaven is not taken away unlesse that be first taken away upon which it is founded If Children then heires heires of God and coheires with Christ. Therefore adoption remaining and the engrafture into Christ the faithfull may wander out of the way which leadeth to the Kingdome of heaven but hee cannot be said to lose his right of inheritance to that Kingdome For as he which fell into a leprosie was debarred from his own house untill hee was clensed and yet in the meane space lost not his right to his owne house So the adopted sonne of God taken with the Leprosie of adultery or murder or any other grievous sinne cannot indeed enter into the Kingdome of Heaven unlesse he first be purged from this contagion by renewed faith and repentance yet all this while his hereditary right is not quite lost Furthermore that universall and most properly called justification which the Apostle so lively sets forth Rom. 3.24 25. is not frustrated by the enterposed guilt of a particular sinne though heynous and grievously wounding the conscience For against this justification is directly opposed not every guilt of every sinne but the universall unremitted guilt of all sinnes nor the guilt of every person whatsoever but the guilt of
unbeleevers not yet washed in the blood of Christ nor the guilt of any whatsoever degree but such a guilt as for which the hostile anger and vengeance of God lieth heavily upon the guiltie person Whosoever is justified by a true faith can never afterward bee guiltie after this manner We may therefore say that the effect of justification is for a time suspended by the entercourse of such a particular sin because the person by reason of this new guilt needeth a particular absolution But wee cannot say that the state of justification is dissolved forasmuch as the same person doth not fall from the generall pardon of his forecommitted sins nor is deprived of that speciall intercession which our Saviour hath promised to all the faithfull nor of the free love of God his Father The same case holds in adoption For God never adopted to himselfe a Sonne in Christ whom afterwards he either must or would dis-inherit and cast out of his familie The children of God may indeed sinne and that very grievously but the providence and mercie of God will not suffer them so farre to sin as that they should thereby be bereft of their heavenly home and Father The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne abideth for ever For as Saint Ambrose speakes God doth not make void the gift of adoption To conclude the seed of regeneration with those fundamentall gifts without which the spirituall life cannot subsist are preserved in safetie This is hence evident because that the same holy Spirit who doth infuse this seed into the hearts of the regenerate doth imprint into the same seed a certaine heavenly and incorruptible vertue and doth perpetually cherish and keepe the same Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of water springing up unto everlasting life 1 Iohn 3.5 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because hee is borne of God This seed of life remaining in them it is altogether impossible that the gifts of lively faith charitie should be quite extinguished Hence Gregory rightly sayes In holy mens hearts the Spirit alwayes abides according to some vertues or graces according to others he comes to depart and departs to returne but in the hearts of his Elect he remaineth in those vertues without which eternall life is not attained THE SEVENTH POSITION THat the regenerate doe not altogether fall from faith holinesse and adoption proceeds not from themselves nor from their owne will but from Gods speciall love divine operation and from Christs intercession and custody IT is certaine that if God would deale with us upon strict termes he might most justly for our ungratitude untowardnesse withdraw from us his fatherly favour and gifts of saving grace But for as much as even by the determination of the Schoolemen sinne doth not take away grace efficiently that is by certaine expulsion but by way of demerit that is deservingly surely unlesse it can bee proved that God deales with his according to their deserts it will not follow that upon the committing of a grievous sinne they lose faith or fall away from the state of justification and adoption For that which in regard of our ill desert might justly be done is by the mercie of God and by Christs intercession and the operation of the holie Ghost hindred from being done No creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Not the Devill for God shall bruise him under our feet Not the world for Christ hath overcome the world And he doth so worke in all his that they also at length overcome through faith Lastly not those things from whence is our greatest danger our own weaknesse the inclination and pronenesse of our owne free will to wickednesse for the goodnesse of God is alwaies shewed in this weaknesse of the faithfull and through the intercession of Christ for them is obtained that they shall not fall off from their faith Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word We doe not therefore fetch this perseverance of the faithfull in their faith and Gods grace from their owne free will but from Christ that frees them The Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 To this purpose are those words of Saint Augustine We live safer if wee trust all to God and doe not commit our selves partly to God and partly to our selves As God workes that we come to him so he works also that we depart not from him THE EIGHTH POSITION THe perseverance therefore of holy men is the free gift of God and is derived unto us out of the decree of election THis conclusion ariseth out of those things which are said before but that it may more manifestly appeare we will adde somewhat more First that it is the free gift of God is proved out of the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive why dost thou glorie as if thou hadst not received If any thing can give a just cause to men of glorying surely this that they have persevered in good unto the end then when they could at their owne pleasure not have made use of those meanes which in themselves were sufficient for perseverance Either therefore this doth betide the faithfull by way of speciall gift or they have something which they have not received in which they may greatly glorie But wee affirme on the contrarie whether by perseverance be understood either that power which doth propp and hold up the faithfull or the stabilitie it selfe and the unconquered firmenesse of their faith or lastly the very act of persevering that there is none of these which is not the gift of God Touching that power by which the will is stayed up that it may persevere the Remonstrants easily grant that it is the onely grace of GOD which doth arme a man with this strength to persevere Touching the stability and firmenesse which is considered as the manner or adjunct of true faith this also is to bee numbred among the gifts of God For he which doth give the thing it selfe to wit faith doth also give the manner of the thing to wit the stability and firmenesse of the same faith 2 Thes. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who shall establish you 1 Cor. 1.7.8 Yee come behinde in no gift waiting for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall confirme you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse Out of which words it is manifest that faith is the gift of God as well in the
faithfull on that side our pledge kept in the hand of God on this side Gods earnest pennie laid up in our hearts A double pledge is given for the securing not both parties but one onely to wit us And this double pledge although it be possessed on both sides yet is surely kept by the fidelitie of one part onely to wit of God Of the former Saint Paul treateth in the 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against the last day That which I have committed there is the pledge of salvation Able to keepe there is a sure preserver I know and am perswaded there is faith I am not ashamed there is confidence Concerning the latter pledge left with us the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1.13 14. Yee were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance and 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts But if God having once given this earnest should not also give the rest of the inheritance hee should undergoe the losse of his earnest as Chrysostome most elegantly and foundly argueth in his third Sermon upon the 2 Cor. 1. And likewise in his second Sermon upon the Ephes. 1. They that truely partake of the spirit know that it is the earnest of our inheritance THE SECOND POSITION THis perswasion of faith cannot come into the act and vigor without the endeavor of holinesse and use of the meanes THe firme perswasion of Gods bestowing the gift of perseverance and of our attaining of life everlasting we attribute to the mercy of God alone and the intercession of Christ as to the originall cause but so as we withall referre it to sanctification as an unseparable companion and a most sure signe This is laid downe as an evidence of a solid faith 1 Iohn 2.3 Hereby we are sure that wee know him if we keepe his commandements This is set forth as the proper passion of justification Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit But we measure this holinesse not by the degrees of it but by the endeavor and setled purpose of him that hath it and withall we professe that this holinesse and perswasion of faith may and ought to bee forwarded and confirmed by watching fasting prayer and mortifying the flesh and other meanes thereto appointed by God Mat. 14. 38. Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation 1 Cor. 9.17 I beat downe my body and bring it into subjection lest I my selfe should be reproved Notwithstanding in the meane while let us so reckon this our diligence and pious use of these meanes in the number of the exercises of our freed will that withall wee account that very diligence and endeavour amongst the helpes of assisting grace and motions of the holy Spirit dwelling in us Now it is certaine that this firme perswasion of which we speake cannot put forth it selfe without these holy endeavors 1 Because sanctification the companion of justification cannot consist without the intent of obedience An habituall purpose whereof although interrupted by many slips is sufficient to the Elect for the maintaining the state of justification entire in it selfe But for the present comfort of this confidēce is necessarily required an actuall purpose of such obediēce neither can any man out of the testimony of the spirit speaking to his heart say I doe now confidently beleeve that I shall remaine in the state of grace to the end unless he also adde out of the sincere intent of his minde I doe now most constantly purpose with my selfe to walke in the wayes of Gods holy Commandements 2 Much lesse can it be imagined that this lively act of our confidence can stand with an actuall and direct purpose of sinning For as one habit is opposed to another habit so also an act is opposed to an act Neither can we without a senselesse contradiction imagine a man concluding after this manner I am confident that life everlasting cannot be taken away from mee and yet withall I resolve with my selfe to be a slave to my alluring affections Our Saviour shewes that these contrary resolutions cannot stand together Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters THE THIRD POSITION THis perswasion hath not that degree of certitude that can alwayes shut out all feare of the contrary but is sometimes lively sometimes languishing sometimes as in great temptations none at all IN spiritual gifts with which we are furnished in this life sincerity is required perfection of degrees is not to be expected Even that gift which is the hand by which wee lay hold on all the rest hath its diseases and weaknesses so that the perswasion of the faithfull concerning their owne salvation and perseverance cannot alwayes enjoy the highest degree of certitude 1 The first infirmity ariseth out of the ground it selfe whereupon this personall confidence is built which seemes to be of lower degree then the certitude of dogmaticall faith For the Articles of the Catholique Faith doe worke upon our assent as immediate and originall principles but the truth of this speciall faith is not enforced thence as a necessary consequent but is added therto by way of assumption Therefore there can be no greater certaintie of that conclusion which frameth this perswasion then such as is in the weaker of the premisses But that assumption is grounded upon experimentall arguments weighed and applied by a mans private conscience which arguments or markes since they are sometimes questioned whether or no they be true and concluding evidences nay often times are hid under the cloud of temptation so that they the while cannot shine forth to our present comfort what wonder if so bethe faithfull have not alwaies at hand a lively and firme perswasion concerning their eternall salvation Nay which is more the very principles of the Catholique faith howsoever they are by the light of revelation cleare in themselves yet for as much as they are knowne to us by the certainty not of evidence but onely of adhesion they doe not procure in us an assent of such uniforme stabilitie as is yeelded unto Mathematicall demonstrations and inbred notions admitted by all men But in our contemplating these revealed principles our of the remainder of our carnall diffidence sometime there arise as wee may so say certaine vapours or mists through which the light of divine truth in it selfe immutable to our weake eyes seemeth to tremble and suffer a kinde of refraction How much more frequent and more lasting is that mistake which may betide any of the faithfull in the viewing his own personal confidence Their eyes truly would alwayes waver except both this common revelation of the Catholique Faith and also that personall application made by the conscience were confirmed and sealed unto our hearts by the holy Ghost