:Arguments to proone thecerf4»tie ofourpertsterance. 671 are made againfi thistruth by the-enemies ofour faluation. Thefir r argil.. Thereafonswhichmaybee alleaged for this purpofe are ncolGe°d many; the firfl fort are taken fromGodsowne nature, as it vo,n Gedian is defcribed in his word,and exercifed in his works towards his decree of vs. As firfi,wè maybeaffuredof our perfeuerance,becaufeit cicEtior. is groundedvponGods will, which maybe confidered ei- ther inhis ferret counfaile and decree ofele6 ion, or in his will euealcd in his word. From the frfi wee may thus rea- Eon? Whomfoeuer the Lord in his eternal' counfaile bath 'ele&led to euerlafling life,they (hall moll certainly be faued, andperfeuere in the meanes tending.thereunto, which-are no leffe 'contained in Gods°decreethan ourfaluation it felfe. But the LordIn his erernall counfaile hath eleaed all the faithful' vnto eternal' life.And thereforenothing canhinder theirfaluation nor yet their perfeuerance, without which it is impoffible they fhouldbe faued. The firft part ofthis rea -fon is cleere and manifefi; for not to effect that which one hathdecreed andpurpofed, argueth either impotencie and want ofpower, or vnconfiancie, neither ofwhich without blafphemie can bee afcribed vnto God; for there is nothing ter,3:.i hardvntohim, Iere.32.1y.but he lothwhatfoetrer he will;Pfal. I L IJ.I 1 S. I 15.3. yea euen thofe things1vhich unto menare impofble are th ac}.t9.a6, poffible unto him., Mat. I9.26.for hecandoe allthings,Iob 42.2.11%1 .Z. Neither is the willof God Mutable, forthis'argueth a want ofwifdome, whereas his nn(dome isin site and lcnoveth no end,Pfal.Y45.5. & hepperfedlie feeth andknoweth all things Plait .t455' in oneview, pafi,prefent and to come,Heb.4:13: and there- fore t we may conclude with the Apoiile, that the purpofe o f Heb.4. ; . God inhis ele lion rremainethfare,-Ronh.9.11. and thefaun- Rom.9.t t. dation ofgod (that-is, his vnchangeable decree) contint#eth firme,andbath this feale, 7heLordknoweth whoarehis, 2.Tirn, 2.19. Whofoeuer thenare-ele&ed they fhall molt certainely be faued,neither is itpofiible-that they fhould fall away : as ourSauiouritnplieth,Matth.24.24.whereashe faith,that the falfe Prophets fhould Thew filch great fiignes, that if it were ofíible theyfliould deceiue the very Ele6t. Notinghereby that this is-altogether a thing impofiible,that they fhould be . deceiuedand-feducedwith falfe-Chrif}sand faifeProphets. XX2. The
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