94 Ofgod's government, away all their comfort in life and peace, and in there Friends : Even there perlonsare their truli and joy. There is no man fare but he may be executed among Malefa&ors: And yet while there is no reafon to expect it, a man may live a comfortable life. There is no man certain that he himfelf fhali not fall into a particular crime of Murder, Theft, Perjury, or the like; And yet we live not therefore uncomfortably. For mens affeltions follow thepowerfulleftcaufe. 26 r. Hence alto I conclude, that certainly the denial of certainty of perfevering, and Salvation is not a thing that fhould break the love, peace or concord ofthe Chriftian Churches, or for which they (hould cart off or revile each other. For what fober man could do fo by all thofe that I have inftanced in. 262. It is a fhameful felt-delufionof fome Difputers, who thinkwhen they have once believed that certaintyof Salvation may be had, that they are then certain themfelves, or next to certainof their own Salva- tion. But he that hathnomore certainty to be rich, or healthful, than to believe that Health and Riches may be got, is far from having them. 263. Who was more full of confidence and joy than Luther, who fpeaketh more againft thePapifts, commandingmen todoubt of the par- don of fin? who fpeaketh of a higher Faith thanhe on Galat. Yet he with McLane/hole and all the fide Protefiacts in the Augu.fi. Confeff: Art. r r. faith, [They damn the Anabapptills, who deny that thofe that are once juflifiedcan again lofe theHolyGhofi. ] 264. If Adam in Innocencyhad neither folid comfort, or caufe of fuch, the [tate that we fell from was not fo good aswe commonly be- lieve. But Adamhad noaffurance of his perfeverance in that fiate: For he fell from it. Vïd. yudie. Tbeel. Palat. 265. No man (as is faid) is certain that he fhall not fall into fuch a deper/ever.in Ymi'Da. hainous fin, as Peter, David, &c. did. p. t. pag. 208. pr.3. 266. The Synod of Dort faith, [ Byfuch enormous fins, they greatly offendGod, theyincur the guilt of death, theygrieve the Holy Ghofi, they interrupt theexercife of Faith, they moflgrievoufly wound Confcience, fome- times they lofe the fenfe of Grace for a time; till by feriono Repentance re- turning into the way, Godsfatherlycountenance again fhitte upon them. And the Brittifh Divines intheir Synodic. Explic. fay, [ They contraIl damnable guilt, and lofe theirprefent aptitude to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Adding, [ so thatwhile they remain in thatfiate of Impenitence, they neither ought norcan perfwade themfelves otherwife, than that they are obnoxious to death. Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flefh, ye (hall die. For they are bound in a capital Crime, by the defertwhereof, according to Gods Ordination, theyare fubjell to death, though they be not yet delivered to death, nor (hall be, if we refpel.I Gods fatherly love, but (hall be pluckt out ofthis fin, thatfo they maybe pluckt out of theguilt of death. Laftly, For their prefect condition, they lofe their aptitude to enter into Heaven, &c. And Thef. 4. p. 193. [Gods unmovable ordination requireth that a Believer thus exorbitant, do firfi return into the way by renovation of Faith and the all ofRepentance, before he can be brought to theways end, which is the heavenly Kingdom. By the Decree of Elellion, thefaith- ful are fo predeflinatedto the end, that they can no utherwife be brought to it, than by Gods inhibited means, as by the Kings high way. And Gods Decrees of themeans, and of theend andorder ofevents, areasfirm and certain, as thofe of the end, and of the events themfelves. If any man therefore go onin away contrary to Gods Ordination, at the broadway of
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