of administration which is in the efficacie of the spirite working inwardlie by the outwarde meanes of diuine pollicie as preaching of the worde ministration of Sacraments c. also this same inwarde operation is twofold as tending to the fulfilling of the decrée of election or reprobation both which againe are diuerse in infants and elder persons In infants I vnderstand the operation after this sorte when as outwardlie that is as pertaining to the iudgement of the Church they are holie through the grace of the couenant whereinto they are entred And of these so manie as are elect of God are after a secret and vnspeakable maner graffed into Christ by the spirite of God The Reprobate of them are for the guiltinesse of their natiue â— originall sinne cast off for euer being left vnto them selues Now in the elder sorte the inward operation is their vocation or calling Uocation is that whereby men are gathered vnto the Church This is accompanied wiâ—â— distribution of gifts and the kéeping and encreasing of them But this vocation we find to be twofold one common to euerie sorte wherein both reprobate and elect are brought as if they were a brotherhood to one outward societie of a church But the other is the proper calling of the elect wherby they are brought vnto election Election is a seperation of them from the world to be citizens together in Christ and of the houshold of God Their proper gifts are faith vnfained and the fruites of faith Faith vnfained is a faith whose facultie is altogether a supernaturall efficacie put into the heart to the aprehending of Christ the promise extant in him The proper action hereof or as Paule speaketh 1. Thes 1. 3. the worke of it is to take hold of Christ and to receiue him applyed vnto vs whereby he not onely dwelleh in our heartes as it is in Ephes 3. 17. but is also put vpon vs as a worthie clothing like as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2. 27. The fruites of this faith are those which Christ worketh in his elect dwelling in them by faith The chiefe heades of which are reconciliation and sanctification and so the fruites that respect or follow either of them Fruites respecting reconciliation are the fruites of the spirite which spring from the certaine applying of the same reconciliation And those are either respecting iustification or adoption Those of iustification are such as like verie effects of a true cause so do they declare the same iustification for certaine to be applyed vnto vs such as are they which of the Apostle are set downe in their order namely an entrance into the fauor wherein we stand The loue of God towarde vs poured out in our heartes that is by the excellent working of the holie Ghost pleÌ„tifully imprinted in the sense of our soule The peace of our conscience before God spirituall gladnesse and glorying in these benefits Now the fruites respecting adoption are those which do confirme the same yet more certainely vnto vs. To wit the spirite of Adoption hope The spirite of adoption which is here a figuratiue speach the cause being put for the effect is that working of the spirite of Christ which witnesseth vnto our spirite that we are the sonnes of God Wherehence ariseth that boldnesse that we call God our father And haue the certaintie of the inheritance so as with a pledge or earnest pennie confirmed vnto vs here till we be brought to the full libertie to the prayse of his glorie Hope which is the other fruite respecting adoption is whereby from the certaintie of faith we expect with patience all those thinges which are to be fulfilled This patience or waiting is the waiting of the setled or quieted soule for the full redemption from all euils which redemption also I haue largelier spoken of heretofore In this order are the fruits respecting reconciliation Those that respect our sanctification is the gift of right repentance infused in our heartes by faith where the right season of the practising faculties of holie life speciallie towardes God and men is called charitie by a figuratiue phrase ascribing the whole vnto a part And the action of this loue is a laboring in euery good worke Which I belieue euery Christian man so far forth as his life is lent vnto him is bound vnto not that good workes are anie causes of righteousnes for the Apostle flatly calleth them the fruites of righteousnesse nor yet that wee can deserue any thing by them as the filthie Papist speaketh but for others most excellent and necessarie vses which the holy Ghost setteth down vnto vs in sundry places and that both in regard of God and of man Of God in shewing forth his vertuous power thereby to the prayse and glorie of his holy name In regard of man according to the saying of James 2. 18. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes Which this way haue vse both in respect of our selues and of others For to our selues they bring a double benefit for the present life in getting a good testimonie and approbation of others that feare y â— Lord and in assuring more and more our own consciences of the certaintie of our election Also towardes other men our good works haue notable vse whether they be now of the number of the faithful congregation with vs or els euen without the same Of those that are within the Church they bee beneficiall both to the weake and the strong to the weake to confirme and build them vp more To the strong in reioycing them and gladding of their heartes And as for those that are without this our holie conuersation shall either win them if they pertaine to the Lords election being as it were a hand of conduct vnto them in the day of their visitation to bring them to the Gospel of Christ or els stop their mouthes so as they hauing no iust occasion by vs to blaspheme the trueth may be also ashamed when they come to speak euil of our professioÌ„ Thus I hope your consciences beare me witnesse that I soundly belieue in Christ both touching his priestly and kingly office and haue good workes in pretious account in their proper place yet had I neuer other teachers for the matter then such as that wilfull man whom you would follow hath coÌ„demned and by writing laboured to make odious both to friends and enimies So that it is more then probable that the cause of the poyson which he speaketh of euery where so virulently is not at all in our teachers but in such vncircumcised hearers as E.G. was who for lacke of an vnderstanding heart and humble spirite turned that into venome which another man receiueth the permanent foode of life by Neither is it maruel that one and the same cause should haue so contrarie effectes through the onely diuersitie of
kinde are in deed and truâ—ly such before God in his holy presence to wit those whom he hath chosen in Christ according to his euerlasting purpose and in which he hath not onely wrought an vnderstanding of the trueth but also anew seasoned their heartes with the spirite of regeneration Of this sort the 8. Rom. entreateth And these are properlie the Church of God And for this number sake the rest which are in the Church as tares in the corne are vnproperly and by a figure of the whole for a part termed by the name and title of sanctified and iustified ones This is plaine by the Israelites which though in deede and in the sight of God they were not all y e people of God yet we know that all of them bare the name of the people of God So Paule calleth all the Church of the Corinthians sanctified ones So Peter calleth all those to whom he writeth A holie people and an elect generatioÌ„ So Paule calleth al the Romaines Saintes Againe of these that beare a name with the best are two sortes One which hold not Christ our true righteousnesse sanctification in their heart apprehended by a true liuely faith yet haue him not onely in tongue and outward profession but are besides enlighned by the spirite of God in their vnderstanding and their iudgement so formed as that in some sorte they shew a kind of liking to reforme them selues as if they were made partakers of the spirit of Christ whiles that partly in words partly in déedes they will after a maner glorify God shew a certaine delight in the exercises of religion with zeale and feare and reuerence towardes the Ministers But for all that the seede taketh no roote in their heart neither doth the spirite set any new season vpon their affections so that they are in trueth before the Lorde that séeth the heart vnregenerate still what account soeuer they carry among men or in the Church of God here militant The other sort of Hipocrites attaine not so far as to haue knowledge and reformation in iudgement much lesse to reforme themselues or shew anie zeale or feare of God but onely content to accompanie the Church in the outward profession of Christ and seruices of religion according to that our sauior saide to the Samaritan woman you worship you know not what Notwithstanding because this confession of Christ is vnto the Church an outward testimonie of some inward regeneration vntil there breake out of them some manifest stubbornesse or open impietie they are reputed with the rest regenerate iustified and sanctified Now of these two there is no doubt but that the dangers which the scripture admonisheth of may simply fall vpon them and they become bereaued euen of that they séemed to haue according to those wordes of Christ from him that hath not euen that which he hath shalbe taken away Also as coÌ„cerning the truly regenerate I grant that in respect of their own strength they may fall away so would I haue saide if a certain measure or maner might haue been admitted that they may quench the spirit but to put it cleane out or quite to fall away is not in their power to will much lesse to doo For their standing is not of themselues but of the Lorde not by their will but by his grace neither is founded vpon the sand of their strength but vppon the rocke of his assured promise Yet cannot heerehence bee concluded that then such admonition should bee giuen in vaine of the Apostle for as the reprobate were thereby left vnexcusable so the elect were both stirred vp to a greater alacritie and circumspectnes séeing the perill set before them and their own weaknes pointed at as also gratiously exercised of the Lord to worke togither with him in the finishing of our faith and saluation Example hereof for our slender capacitie may bée this A father setteth his yoong sonne on horseback and stayeth him thereon with his hande that he shall not fall yet while the horse goeth he saith vnto him hold fast my childe hold fast for falling although I saie the securitie of the childe rest in the fathers holding himself being euer readie to slip of either on one side or other not willingly but through his weaknes yet his admonitions are not in vaine for they still stir vp the childes desire and cause a further care of better practise And this is a full answere not onlie to these places of scripture but likewise to all others of like nature that can be brought for this purpose namely to the 11. of Rom. v. 20. which he alledgeth in the 9. diuision and the 18. of Ezech. v. 24. with all the rest that follow to proue if his astonied senses had not failed him That the holie Ghost doeth no where teach the truly sanctified ones to perseuere in that estate vnto the end For in all those his testimonies examples like as in these before he either by grosse vnskilfulnes or singuler maliciousnes seduceth his reader with sophisticall deceits as in the petition of the principle both here and throughout his booke taking it still for granted that we hold presumptuous sinners for elect and sanctified which is the chiefe thing he should haue proued Also taking wordes in one signification which haue diuers as where men are called iust sanctified that indéed are not so and again taking things as spoken simply which are but in part and in some respect as where the Corinthians are feared to bee corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ and the Galathians seduced he vnderstandeth them to be simply and altogither corrupted and seduced which cannot be said of the truely regenerate but hath only place in the hypocrites and reprobate Which because E G. so proubly hath denied to bee the dectrine of the holie Ghost let vs adde yet moe arguments vnto those against often regeneration that this trueth may plentifully appeare to haue a surer foundation in the scriptures then that all the hereticall spirites in the worlde can preuaile against it And first of these which he after his mad maner putteth down for our proofes neither quoting place nor naming his authour I will make some by Gods helpe â—oo hote for his handling First none that are Christes shéepe can fall away Io. 10. 28. All that are truly sanctified are Christes shéepe as appeareth by that whole Chapter therefore none that are truelie sanctified can fall away E. G. staggering at the blow knew not what to saie to the argument of the place but hunted for his answere in y â— verse going before it where it is reade My sheepe heare my voice I acknowledge them and they follow me And what of this Here saith he it is manifest that Christ hath elect and chosen only such to be his sheepe which heare his voice and obey his word and so follow Christ in their liues and conuersations First
it is false and pepish doctrine to make obedience anie cause of our election when as Christ plainly sheweth their hearing following of him to be signes of their election putting the only cause of it in his fathers gift in the 29. verse Then also a childe may see this is nothing to the question for wee enquire not of the causes but of the certaintie of our election The latter part of his answere is in these words When as therefore we doo heare the voice of Christ and follow him then may we be sure that wee are his chosen sheepe which can neuer bee plucked out of his hand nor perish but that wee shall haue eternall life But when as we refuse to heare his voice and will not follow him but our owne fancies and euill lusts then may we be sure that we are not his chosen sheepe How this agreeth with the former part of his answere I refer it to the reader and what his crasie head here ran vpon I will not determine Only this sufficeth he granteth in these words an euerlasting certaintie of the state of those that are Christes chosen shéep therefore he granteth the argument of the place and so consequently the question Thus the Lord can make the enemies of his trueth to wound themselues Another of the places hee bringeth I acknowledge which is this The gifts and callings of God are without repentance His answere to this is That it was written to proue that though the Iewes were reiected and reprobated for a time yet at the last they should bee conuerted vnto Christ because God had from the beginning chosen them for their fathers sakes A lier is best knowne by his shifting and it is their propertie if they can possibly auoide it by circumstances they will neuer speake directly to the purpose as knowing they shal then be taken tardie So E. G. being pressed with the place aforesaid telleth vs a tale of the verse going before it in the text that of the Jewes shall also some be saued because they were chosen for their fathers and so cunningly passeth ouer the proofe of that reason which the Apostle yeldeth and which was now the question For the Apostle hauing rendred this reason why of y â— Jewes there should be saued to wit because there was of them elected for their fathers sakes hée sawe this néeded further proofe séeing men might think their election to be a matter of nothing to them that folowed not the footsteps of their godlie fathers Therefore in the 29. verse he confirmeth his former reason by this vniuersall and perpetuall principle For the gifts and calling of God are such as he cannot repent him of As though he should haue answered the former obiectioÌ„ in mens minds on this sort The gifts of God in the 9. Ch. 4. v. and his calling wherby he tooke vnto him this nation for his people in times past are not the gifts and calling of a man who is apt to repent him of his facts but they are of God who cannot be changed and is subiect to no repentance whereupon it followed that their election stood certaine and could not be disanulled by anie meanes Yet E. G. who presumed so much of his quicke sight that hee durst set downe these points and interprete diuers scriptures contrarie to the receiued iudgement and sense of the whole Church of GOD was so blinde in espying the consequence of this place that he asketh how this doeth prooue that he can neuer fall away from God that is once truely called and sanctified Certeinly hée shall neuer iudge colours for me that is not able to discerne one inch before his eies But lest he haue left any as dim eids as himselfe behinde him I will lend them these spectacles to make the letters greater Whatsoeuer is done not to be repented of for abideth euer vnremoueably but the gifts that God giueth and the calling wherewith he calleth his are done not to be repented of therefore they abide for euer vnremoueably And so consequently there is no breaking of anie more The parts are plaine and the argument I doubt not to auouch it against anie heretike inumcible Now to these arguments I wil adde two or three me not as my store for I protest I could fil a 〈◊〉 treatise with the proofes for this purpose nor yet as a thing verie needfull considering what hath béen said But for the desire I haue to satisfie all such as are not wilfully bent to contention E. G. hath granted before That they are certainly Christes chosen sheepe which heare his voice and follow him Now we take all the truely sanctified to be such therfore those whom we vnderstaÌ„d here for truely sanctified are all one with those E.G. accounteth the chosen sheep of Christ Herevpon let this be the third argument for the perseuerance of the saints They that cannot be seduced cannot fall awaie but the elect cannot be seduced if the word of Christ may bee taken 24. Math. 24. verse therefore the elect cannot fall away 4. Christ saith 4. 10. 14. verse Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I wil giue him he shall not thirst for euer but that same water which I will giue him shall become in him a fountaine of water springing vnto eternall life Now what hee vnderstood by that water is explaned in the 7. of John 39. verse where it is said to be the spirite which Christ wold giue those that beleeued in him Wherhence I reason thus Whosoeuer haue the holy Ghost promised to abide in them for euer shall neuer fall away but all that truely beléeue in Christ haue this promise therfore they shal neuer fall away and so consequently the state of the saints is vnchaungeable 5. That blasphemous absurditie which before hée foolishly charged our doctrine withall touching the inward man of the regenerate shall most necessarily bée found the consequence of this his srensie For if the spirite of God may bee cleane put out in the saints as he most grosâ—y granteth how can it be auoyded but that he maketh the deuill mightier then God himselfe Christ indéed is that strong man that many times that is in all that are ordemed to life entreth by force and driueth Sathan out of his kingdom And although Sathan also cease not to assault the Cities of Christ that is the saints in whoÌ„ Christ owelleth by his spirite yea to batter some pinnacles or towers of the same yet that hee should be able to take the spoile of it â—â— cast out Christ the king and raign himself in hissteed is abhominable to be thought and ouermatcheth in measure the greatest blasphemie of the Papists 6. The golden chaine of so sure a making as the linkes can neuer be sundred in 8. Rom. 29. 30. verses warranteth vndoubtedly this doctrine vnto vs sith that iustification the lowest linke by the order of working is indissolubly coupled with glorification the highest linke for the assurance of
the subiects or matters whereon it worketh for nothing is more common in the whole course of nature Let the sunne be an example for all which by one and the same shine of his beames doth not onely soften the waxe harden the claye but also most comfortably fur ther the sprout of the fruites of the earth and yet horribly encreaseth putrefaction in all other thinges that haue not the séed of life in them His next diuision framed against this doctrine that the holy Ghost meaneth him to be the seruant of sinne and of the diuel who willingly with delight committeth sin not misliking it nor striuing against it partly is answered as his place of Peter the rest is not worthie a word of answere in regard of the matter being nothing but a heape of friuolous words either quite from the question or els absurdly begging the question Onely for the simpler sort I will take some occasions that it offreth me to laye abroad some pointes which perhaps the Reader might wish to be instructed in for the further clearing of the controuersie First for the doctrine which hee putteth downe with that poysomous title according to his accustomed lewdnesse I graunt it to bee ours so it be rightly vnderstood Namely that by the words misliking and striuing be not vnderstood euerie light pricke or remorse of conscience which euen the wicked haue not by coÌ„trarie affection of their will for they sinne with all their heart but by the contradiction of their iudgement which they haue by the light of nature whereby they can inwardly controll themselues in committing the grosser sins but an vnfamed hatred and detestation of sinne which the loue of GOD hath wrought in our heartes whereby groweth that warre and spirituall battaile which Paule speaketh off and which none but the children of God haue in them As for his impudent insinuation which in euery place he offreth as though we exempted grosse continuing sinners according to his diuelish accusation euen such as make but an hipocritical profession of religion from the number of the seruants of sinne and of the diuel I will answere it no more supposing his booke doth now blush alreadie thereat But some will aske if the regenerat man do so hate sinne as I haue declared how it commeth to passe that he can fall into sinne at anie time I answere that it falleth out by reason of the vnregenerate condition that is in him sith as I haue aboundantly proued our inherent righteousnesse is in this life but begone in vs. And when I speake of a beginning of inherent righteousnesse I meane such a beginning as hath a dayly procéeding encrease euen as it is saide from strength to strength Which whosoeuer féeleth not in him selfe in some answerable measure to his graces receiued I except onely the afflicted conscience during the storme of affliction let him not flatter himselfe he is not yet in the state of the childe of God And in this exacting of holie life our preachers are so farre from being behind E.G. that he is not worthie to be named the same day they are For he reckoneth it sufficient or to be out of the compasse of daunger if we be able to abstaine from such grosse sins as hee babbleth off in euerie place as though there were no other sins to be spoken off els But they make in comparison small reckoning of him that hath but so farre preuailed for manie ciuile men for other respects then the reuerend loue of God are séene to absteine from those sinnes therefore do they also with all instancie pâ—â—test vnto vs that we must resist euen the first motions of sin and goe into the field with our affections euerie day And when they acknowledge the life of the regenerate not to bee without sinne they speake not that either to deny good works or that they thinke not the good workes of regenerate men to be pleasing vnto god wherby to dull our desier and weaken our members to labour after them but only to stoppe the way of presumption against vs and to make vs vnderstand and sée our vncleannes and impuritie to the perceauing wherreof we are blockish and more then blynd Here hence another question semeth to rise namely whether the regenerate man can possibly fall into anie of the grosser sins In a word the examples of Dauid and Peter do answere yea The euidence of which examples E.G. séeing so full against him deuised this most vnlearned and prophane shift to auoid it to wit that when such are ouercome of their corruption and so commit such sinnes they are destitute of the spirite of Christ and loose the grace of Gods children or of their new birth and regeneration vntil it be renewed againe in them by repentance This is that monster of often regeneration which he made shew off before in his second diuision An egge verie worthie the crow that laied it But let vs sée what he can say for it why we should suffer it to be hatched Peters example he subtilly ouerslippeth But Dauid he saith did therefore praye diligently when he was ouercome of murther and adulterie that God would renew a right spirite in him or giue vnto him a new a right spirite that he would not take his holie spirite from him to wit as he did for the time hee was ouercome of those two horrible sinnes And further he saith also he prayed that God would giue vnto him a new and cleane heart whereby we vnderstand that for the time the grace of his new birth was lost and the image of God was wholy defaced in him A heauie iudgement that you had no better vnderstanding How grosly he abuseth here the text with his 〈◊〉 glosses I hope there is none that either reading or hearing the text will not espy it For whereas Dauid prayeth God to renew a right or as the chiefest translate a firme spiâ—iâ—â— in him it is manifest he prayeth not there fâ—r the spirite of God first because in the next verse following he maketh petition concerning the holie Ghost Secondly the context and epithete leadeth that Dauid by these wordes required one speciall effect of the spirite to be wrought in his minde namely of strength firmitie to be stedfast in the obedience of the Lord hereafter The context I say sheweth it for the words are these Create in me O God a clean heart or as some translate a cleane mind and renew a firme spirite within me Nothing is more sutable then when as the affections are cleansed afiesh that in the next worke stablenesse and constancie be added vnto them But if there were no more saue onely the nature of the word renew it were inough to conuince this frensie of often regeneration for that argueth that Dauid prayed not for y e thing that hee was absolutely without The like shame receiueth his cause in the next verse Cast me not from thy presence and take not away
answereth neuer a worde But to this text of the Corinthes he opposeth a place of the Romanes where the naturall man is said to haue the law writen in his heart Out of which two places he would faine resolue that the naturall man knoweth and approueth the commandements of God according to the rule of his will but onely lacketh abilitie to walke in them Abilitie being the verie difference betwixt the regenerate and him And hereupon without anie more labour of reconciling places he leapeth into his second point being gladlie ridde of the former But hast maketh wast accompanieth daunger Two places of scripture that by wordes séeme contrarie can not be easelie or vndoubtedly reconciled without the thréed of a third place at the least to sowe them together And that third place must not be the word of a man but the word of God For he that shall péece his owne wordes vnto the wordes of the liuing God shall haue the plagues added vnto him mentioned in the word of God Yet E. G. in reconciling these places deliuereth his owne sense without testimonie of other scripture for the same Therefore he can not be excused of presumptuous and wicked dealing therein Againe call you that reconciling when the sentence of reconciliation it selfe directlie fighteth with one of the textes Truely it is like as if a man pretending to part a fray should set vpon one of the parties himselfe But it is manifest that E. G. resolution of these two places standeth directlie against the place of the Corinthes as appeareth both generallie by the whole drift of the chapter and perticulerlie by the reason S. Paule there rendreth while the naturall man can not vnderstand the thinges that be of God to wit because they haue a spirituall vnderstanding in them which the naturall man can not reach vnto Now if E.G. sense stand that the naturall man hath the same knowledge with the regenerate man then is the Apostles reason quite ouerthrowne Therefore it appeareth that E.G. hath here reconciled no places at all And now that his foile is apparant in this I will procéed to buckle with him in the next You know he promised to shew what difference the holie Ghost maketh betwene the inward man of the good and the inward man of the bad Let vs attend vnto him though he haue thereby enlarged his question frō the naturall man to the vnregenerate The difference he putteth thus that whereas the vnregenerate man misliking euil and desirous to will and to do that which God commandeth wanteth notwithstanding strength either to will or doe anie thing that good is according to the commandement the regenerate man hath that strength added to him by the spirite of God so as he can both will and do that which God commandeth though flesh and blond striue neuer so much against it Let vs diuide the partes and examine them a sunder Who séeth not that all the drift of E.G. in this section is to able his naturall man to say as much as S. Paule saide in the 7. to the Romanes when he said To wil is present with me but to performe that is good I attaine not to c. to the ende he might prooue that Paul spake that but concerning his estate before he was regenerate and therefore hath he all this while béen busilie blewing in the face of his naturall man to fill him as full of an inner man as he coulde but now when wee come to trie him by his speach he saith he woulde both will doe but he hath no strength either to will or doe whereas the regenerate man in a true measure willeth to doo the commaundement of God in the perfectest maner so that we sée this is but a rashe Ephraimite who stammeringly pronoūceth siboleth for shiboleth therefore hee must néedes haue here the rewarde of a conquered Ephraimite that henceforth wee be troubled no more with him Wel though he haue thus ouerthrown his own purpose for his natural and vnregenerate man yet he mindeth to make vp his losse in the giftes of the regenerate person For if hee might once furnish him throughly with frée will he would soone prooue that Paul was no regenerate man when he coulde not doo the good hee woulde His verie woordes are these The inner man minde or conscience of the regenerate and righteous man it hath strength and sufficiencie by the spirit of God both to will and do that good which God commaundeth though flesh and blood striue neuer so much against it First for his phrase wherein the conscience is put to y e office of the members not so strangely as fondly I will not take the vantage that I could but referre it to his ouersight being persuaded that indéed hee ment thereby flatly thus much to wit That the regenerate man hath strength and sufficiencie by the spirit of God both to will and doo that good which God commandeth c. To which purpose therfore he saith by and by afterward That God hath often and plainly pronounced that he is not the seruant of righteousnes or of Christ but the seruant of sin and of the deuill which committeth sin with his members and so serueth and obeyeth the lusts of the flesh vntill that Christ hath so loosed the works of the deuill in him that he sin not These two places set togither shewe his meaning to be as I haue said Now is the regenerate man not only a mightie warriour but a soueraign king this latter place hauing clothed him with the robe of perfection and the former put the crowne of frée-will vpon his head Why should we not now make hast to salute him saying All haile victorious king But soft that is a matter not so safe as you take it experience telleth vs that if there bee a prince set vp without right not only he and his proclaymers but all other likewise that congratulate and are knowne to ratifie him with their voices are in litle better case then traitors and so shalbe estéemed and rewarded And if the terror be so great in worldly cases what are we to feare in heauēly matters y ◠Lord our God being king of kings and a ielous God It is best therfore before we salute him king to enquire of his right This must he haue either in himselfe or from another that hath power to giue it him That he hath any such right in himselfe by all the graces of his regeneration the scripture euerie where denieth as hath béen hither to proued And here I saie moreouer if the regenerat should haue such power and perfection in this life he must either haue it at his new birth or els shortly after it so as there may be a manifest season wherin hee may appear by his actions to be euen such a one because E. G. maketh it here an essentiall proper note to know the childe of God by That he sin not Now that he hath it not
thy holyspirite from me Dauid saw his offence so great and so felt the terror of Gods displeasure in his conscience that he was well-â—ere the doore of despaire knowing that his sins had deserued that God should vtterlie withdraw his spirite from him Whereupon yet he cryeth vnto him that he would not and therehence he that is in his wits must néeds conclude that it was not Lastly whereas vpon this petition Create in me a cleane heart E. G. gathereth that therefore the grace of his new birth was lost the image of God wholy defaced in Dauid it must néeds be that the spirite of slumber had oppressed him For who prayeth not for this vnto God euerie day And although Dauid had vnderstanding of a greater foulenes hereby then euerie man ordinarily in prayer hath you see that is nothing to warrant this coÌ„clusion which standeth only vpon y â— false principle he that hath not a cleane heart is not regenerate Thus first you sée E. G. can shew no good reason why his monster of often regeneration should be suffered to liue Now will I on the other side by the grace of God proue that it ought of right to dye First I reason thus against it Whosoeuer hath one continuall abiding of y e spirit of God in him hath also oâ—e coÌ„tinual state of his regeneratioÌ„ but y e child of God hath one coÌ„tinual abiding of the spirit of God in him as is manifest in this example of Dauid therefore he doth neuer any more become vnregenerate SecoÌ„dly they that haue both their entrance their standing by mere grace cannot be excluded by works but y â— regenerate haue both their entring standing in that state by mere grace therfore their fallinges do not vnregenerate them Thirdly he that once falleth away after he is enlightned can no more be restored the reason is because there is no more sacrifice for sin whereby he should be restored but E. G. graunteth that the grace of the new birth may be lost and the image of God wholy defaced for a time which is all one with falling away it should follow therefore that such can no more be restored by repentance Which incoÌ„uenience I earnestly request this mans followers to marke Lastly the baptisme of water is an argument y â— our regeneratioÌ„ is but once wrought in vs for therefore also is it being the signe but once to be added vnto vs. Whereas if regeneration were to be twise or thrise repeated and wrought in vs then also the same baptisme must as oft be repeated and receiued of vs. Thus then we sée the trueth is that regeneration once wrought in vs by the holie Ghost is also continuallie preserued in vs by the same vnto the end And that this mans doctrine of often regenerating is false absurd and extreamely dangerous and therefore such a monster as all the louers of trueth ought of duetie vnto God laye violent handes thereon that it may not liue Like as he that hath once lost his way is readier for the most part to wander still from it then to hit vpon the right path againe so in like maner fared it with E. G. who hauing runne into the error of often regeneration laboureth next to establish it with putting cleane â—â—t the spirite of Christ in him that was once regenerate And therefore now he saith It is manifest in the word of God that if we be not stirred vp to take heed wee may quench so put cleane out the spirite of Christ we may fall away from the grace of God we may destroy the temple of God we may be broken off from the vine Christ Iesus c. First let the Reader note that the question here differeth nothing in effect from the last before handled Which was That the regenerate might fall from his state of regeneration for a time and so implyed an often regeneration in the saints Which hauing now by the grace of God with sound cleare arguments sufficiently ouerthrowne the force likewise of this must needes bee fallen together with it So as there onely remaineth that we examine these places of scripture and satisfie the Reader in those thinges wherein they séeme to make shew of doubtfulnes vnto him It is writen 1. Thes 5. 19. Quench not the spirice Heb. 12. 15. Beware that none of you fall away from the grace of God Againe 1. Cor. 3. 17. If anie man destroy the temple of God him will God destroy and cap. 6. 15. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot also Ioh. 15. 4. Abide in me I in you as the braunch can not bring forth fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine so neither can you vnlesse you abide in me Lastly in the 5. of Mat. 13. verse If the salt haue lost his saltnesâ—e c. The conclusion E. G. maketh out of these places is Therefore all these thinges may come vpon vs to wit wee may quench the spirite fall froÌ„ the grace of God c. Which conclusion I hope shall only shew this by and by that this man was very wittie to beguile him selfe But first we might lawfullie diminish the number of his places for the first place of the Corinths if it be translated destroy the temple of God the word destroy is to be vnderstood as an excessiue speach comprehenâ—inng the end of a carnall kind of preaching the Gospel not that Paule spake there of any art that simply had the force to destroy the temple of God in his children but onely in respect of it owne nature in which consideration euerie wicked course in the Church of God tendeth so much as it may to the destruction of the whole but God vpholdeth â—iâ— Saints with his owne hand and therefore Paule threatketh destruction to those that should offer such an occasion And according to this sense of the place the best interpreters translate it corrupting or deâ—â—â—ing the temple of God which it seemeth many conceited Corinthians as much as in them laye by their carnall eloquence dayly brought to passe Thus if E.G. be graunted but the true sense of this place he can conclude nothing for his own purpose by it For his question is of the depriuing of our selues of the true grace of God receiued and this place speaketh but of giuing occasion to corrupt others But admit this place goe for his purpose let vs likewise receiue al the rest of his word without examination and frame â—â—is argument thus in his forme Whatsoeuer the scriptures diswadeth vs that may we fall into but they diswade vs from the euil here specified therefore we may fall into them I answere he must vnderstand by the word we a whole congregatioÌ„ generally professing the gospel such as were those to whom the Apostle wrote And such a one I say doth consist of two kindes of men which are called in the scriptures sanctified iustified and elect The first
wit that Iesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Hetherto also maketh S. Peters exhortatioÌ„ that we would make our vocation and election sure vnto vs that is confirme our mindes therein by a holie life Of the notes to examine our selues by I haue spoken hertofore more exactly page 75. 76. where are described the seueral fruites of our recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ Briefly like as by good works indéed we acknowledge sanctification and from sanctification ascend to faith as which can bee no more separated then the fire and his light euen so from those sure effects we gather our effectuall calling from that calling we conclude our election and so our predestination in Christ as firme through the infallible connexion of canses effects euen as the throne it self of God is firme vnmoueable here fastening y â— anker of our hope which neuer maketh vs ashamed wée are carried vpward and foorthright stil we fare amids y e tempests of all temptations being euer conquerous through the spirit of God vntill at the last we attaine to the desired glorification His exhortation directed vnto vs wherein hee boasteth to minister sure matter of sounde comfort for our reliefe as though all our Ministers doo comfort vs amisse as it receiued proportion and forme from the prince of pride who maketh his instruments surpassing all others in the height of their owne conceit so the matter of it is as a waight of lead specially for the afflicted conscience to sinke it downe to hell For when the soule now alreadie humbled and brused with the sense and burden of sin shall receiue this newes that there is no allowed harboure for her safe comfort and reioycing til shée can attain to that stately abilitie of standing as neuer more to commit anie thing y â— shée knoweth to be sinne to what extremitie shall shée bée brought hereby How shal she auoyd the iawes of hell and dispaire especially hauing alreadie before her eyes the terrible experience of her own impotencie And he that standeth firmest can herein finde no comfort séeing no certaintie is granâ—â—d him so long as his conscience can tell him of any sin for this man saith plainly That condemnation abideth for him so long vntill he haue by Christ all the workes of the deuill so loosed in him that he sin not Which wordes shew more fully the reach of his meaning if they be wayed with that which a litle after he vttereth Wee may be bold by the example of Christs Apostle to affirme that no violeÌ„ce either heauenly or earthly no death no persecution no swoord no power or force whatsoeuer shalbe able to separat vs from the loue of God in our Lord Iesus Christ that is shalbe able to force vs to sin wittingly Here his wholesome glose vpon the text telleth the reader how little grace was in the man Besides a child cannot be deceiued that readeth y â— place but must sée that there the Apostle speaketh of the loue not wherewith we loue God but wherewith God loueth vs in Christ Iesu Now in that hée hath framed it thus for his purpose it declareth that I haue not charged him amisse hitherto in saying he affirmeth the regenerate man to haue a full absolute power to withstand sin Which as I haue by the grace of God plentifully confuted heretofore so yet can I not but by this flat place presse him moreouer and that worthely with these his owne absurdities and contradictions First if the regenerate mans abilitie be so great that nothing can constraine him to sin then it should folow that he cannot sin wittingly at anie time for S. Paul plainely inough teacheth that his will is euer to dâ—â— that hee knoweth God hath commanded him and euerie one of vs féeleth this most certainly in his owne experieÌ„ce to be true Secondly if this doctrine stand then election is alwaies at one staie with the regenerate his perseuerance neuer faileth vtterly the spirit cannot quite be put out and so that fayre puppie often regeneration néedeth no other violence then such as the hand of him that begot it bringeth here vnto it And to conclude thus we see in true consequence al other foundations in his booke rased to the ground for the establishing of this own browne paper building of mans absolute abilitie which hauing now alreadie put the fire of Gods word vnto it sufficeth me here to behold the flame thereof The-scriptures which he wringeth will not yeelde him one drop of liquor to quench it He faileth still in this common fallation to toke that for simply and in all respects which is meant but in a measure and in some respects So for the place of the Philippians because Paule saide he was able by Christ to behaue him selfe in all states of life whether in fulnes or hunger aboundance or scarcitie this man wil vnderstand it of euery actioÌ„ throughout Paules life of an absolute power to performe the same euen as he would In like sorte dealeth he with the other two places 1. Cor. 4. 4. and 2. Tim. 4. 18. In both which Paule speaketh concerning the offices and dueties of his Apostleship I know nothing by my selfe And The Lord shall deliuer me from euil worke For concerning the perticuler actions and practise of all his life these places of his franke confession shall for euer stand vntouched I do not the good that I would but the euil that I would not And I haue not yet attained the marke nor am not perfect Beside what soeuer may be saide for Paules holie life yet hee reasoneth absurdlie froÌ„ him to vs as if he should haue said A man can carrie a hundreth waight therefore a childe can do the same The 1. Ioh. 5. 4. hurteth his cause for the beginning of the verse is whosoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world which we acknowledge namely the worke to be a doing euen from the first day of our effectuall calling The other part of the verse is and this is the victorie which hath ouercome the world to wit our faith wherin if his eies had serued him he might haue séene that our present victory is placed not in actuall but in imputatiue righteousnesse onely that is in such righteousnesse as wee haue in Christ by faith which surely should not be if we had here an absolute power And whereas he saith there is nothing so hard or strong which by Christ we shall not be able to performe ouercome he saith trueth but the question is not betwéene vs what we shalbe able or how much we shall attaine vnto finally But whether our strength be at full to do good and our power absolute in this life therevnto I haue graunted before not onely an imputation but also an inchoation of inherent righteousnesse in all that are truely sanctified which though it be not in like measure with euerie one yet is it in a true measure in the weakest and such as hath continual