8 Of god's. government, SECT. XXV. Degrees offalling, and danger. 343. Every aegreeof Grace that is true, is not to be fuppofedpro- portionable to theffrongeft Temptations : But God preferveth the weak effeûtually by keeping themfrom Temptations too ftrong forthem. And that which a ftrongChriftian overcometh might overcomea weak one, were he affaulted by it. Therefore to avoid and pray againft Tempta- tion, is the way to bedelivered fromevil. 344. Yet theweakeft true Chriftian, in choice, refolution and trial, forfaketh allfor Chrift, and loveth God, and preferreth Glory in Hea- ven before his Life, and is a Martyr in refolution. And yet there are is What the Grace of Temptations * which are tooflrong for him : For a. He that habitually perfeverance, and what confirmation is , is a preferreth God to theCreature andhis life, may yet fall into fuch an eta great controverfie a- as Peter did; And by ailing contrary tohis habitual difpoftion and refo- mang the School-men. lution may weaken the habit and forfeit Divine affiftance and de- Malderus in t x.Tho.q. 09 a a. ,o. d. 1. mentioneth fervedefertion. 2. And he that valueth Heavenand the love of God five Opinions : t . That before his life, may yet by the nearnefi of an alluring Obje&, by the they are both one, and confiß in extrinfick Di- violence of fenf andpaffion be drawn toa flefhly fin, and thinking that vine o x. ne- he may have the pleafure of that particular fin, without lofing Gods the cóed to are ceffitated good, but love, he may be drawn firlt to lefa, and bydegrees to greater. 3. And the nicer perfevering he that is refolved for God, and Glory, and Chrift, and Holinefs, may do it freely. ;.That con- firmation is only a more meet with fuch fubtile Argumentsof Infidelsor :Senfualifts, which he is intense degree of the unable to anfwer, and confequently unable to overcome.. And his Vn- perfeverance is by Moredeirderftanding beingdeceived; his will may follow; fo that perfeverance nary Grace with Gods mutt be by the avoidingof Temptations. and congruous Thegreateft fins after Converfion, which are truly repented of, means: but confirmau- 345 g on is by Grace of it arepardoned byGod : And muff be pardoned by the Church in order felf mof effefual > to Comtnutrön, if the manifeftation of Repentance be fuch as anfwer- though not neceff[tating. 5. That confirmation is eth the ends (the fignification of its reality) and the removing of the by a participation of the fcandal and the difhonour of Religion, of the Church,and ofChrift. Gratia et charitas patria. Maldruc reßeth in this 346.- The Sin againft the Holy Ghoft feemethunpardonableby the difference, that the con- Text, though the Papifis expound it by [hardly pardonably]. And it is firmed have fuch a mea- fure of Divine help and [ an obft;in'ate infidelityand rejellion of Chrift as a Deceiver, upon a felled heavenlinefs, as is ftron- conceit that he did his Miracles by the power of theDevil, when they are con- ger than the ßrongee vinced that theywere aüraall done and fo ablafphemous fathering ofGods Temptations: Bur the i' .y fp f gift of perfeverance on-great atteftationupen the Devil, and a rejeiling his lafl Witnefi to the Truth, ly, race, fuch a idgree whichmuf' convince thofe thatever will be convinced.1 But I have wrotea of Grace, as would not ferve, if God did not Treatile of this Sin, and fo fhall pafs it by. keep fuch from ßronger . If a true Believer fhould be fuppofed to fall quite away from Temptations. So that 347 confirmation is a mid- the belief of Chrift, it feemeth hard to imagine how he cando it with- dle flare between weer put this lilaf hemin theDivitie atteftation of the Spirit, by which be- Perfeverance and Glory. p forehe was brought tobelieve. And it feemeth that therefore, lIeb. 6. & io. this Apoftacy is made the fame with the unpardonable blafphemy of the Holy Ghoft, whichyet proveth not that it ever cometh to pals, but what it wouldbe if it did. 348. Repentance which cometh from fear alone, without the love of God and Holinefs, is no fignof juftification, nor confiltent with it : nor is fuch attrition fufficient to forgivenefs : For the heart is not changed to God without love. 349 Though
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