ObieEfions takenfrom teffimonies ofScripture,dnfrrered. dog fore they who are truely regenerate,may fall away and end in the flefh. I anfwere, that the affumption is falfe: for by fpirit in this place is notvnderflood the fpirit of regeneration, but the dodlrine ofthe fpirit,or the fpirituall dodlrine, which is the Gofpell; and thus dothour Sauiour Chrift call the words oftheGofpell which he preached, 1pirit and ttfe, Iohn63.6..101m6.63; and in e!1`Trftfpedl the Apoflle calleth the Miniílers ofthe . . new Teflament the Auinillers of thef] irit, and the preaching thereof the mint/iration of the f/iirtt, z. Cor.3.6.8. besaufe :.C31". 36.8. when the Gofpell is preached,the fpirit is giuen to thofe that beleeue. So that the Apoftle in this place doth not accufe themfor their falling from true regeneration, but from the profeflìonofthis Gofpell which hadbeen taught vntothem. For whereas they had learned by the preachingofthe Gof- pell,that aman is iu(lified by faith alonewithoutthe workes ofthe law, they fell from this truth which formerly theyhad received, looking to bee iuftifiedby theworkes ofthe law. Secondlic,I anfwere vnto the propofition, that by the flefh we are not tovnderfland the (late ofmanvnregenerate, but the flefhly dodtrine of the falfe Apof}les which fauourcd whallie ofcarnal and worldiie wifdome,becaufe they taught that they fhouldnot ref} wholly vpon the righteoufheffe of Chrift for their iuflification, and fo afcribe veto him the foie glorie thereof, butrather inpart they fhould relie vpon their owne legall righteoufneffe, and fo (hare with Chrii}in the praife oftheir iuf ification ; the whichmay well be called a flefhlydodlrine,feeing nothing is more agreeable andplea- fing to flefh and blood then to rob Godofhis honour,that we mayarrogate it vnto our felues. And therefore to bee perfe6ted by the flefh, cannot lignifie falling away into the Elate ofvnregeneration,but a defection from the profeffion ofthe do&rineofthe Gofpell, which teacheth that wee are iuftifiedby faith alone in Chrift, vnto the dodlrine ofthe falfe Apoflles, who taught them to Tooke for the perfe&ing oftheir righteoufneffewhich was begun by the Gofpell, by performing the workes of the law, and by receiving the le- gallfacrament ofcircumcifion which was made in'the flefh, without which they affirmed that Chrift would not profit Z z 3 them;
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