O ieElions again/perfeueraíce tikenfrom erarnple,,árf,y2 S impertinent in euery refpe51, fauing that they were of hu- §. Se17.2. maine nature; for before the tall they wereon!ie in the ílate The exámple`of ofgráce bycreation, and not by redemption; theywere iufl our fill Pa- bytheir own inherent rightcoufnes, ¬ by the righteouf- elttr nes ofChrifl;theyhad no iuflifying faith,for as yet they had no promife of aMediatour,norneededhis righteoufneffe to iuílifie them, feeing they flood in their ovine righteóufnes. Yea, butif theAngels andour firfl parents, who in their creationwere farremoreexcellent,and much more flrong in grace then wee, did lofe their grace, and fall from God; thenwewho are weaker,and eueryway inferiour vino them, may much more eafilie lofe thofe graces wherewith we are indued, and fall away. I anfwere, that this reafon were offome force ifwe flood inourowne flrength, andprefeue- red through ourowne excellencie; for if we fhould be left ofGod vntoour felues,as they were, we fhould not be able to indure the 'call affault ofóur fpirituall enemies, nor hold out in our perfeuerance againfl the -flightefl tentations. But now it is farre otherwife, for our perfeuerance is not . grounded vpon our owne flrength, but vpon the promi- 59. it. fes and powerofGod, whowill,becaufe hehath faid it,and Ier.; 3.; :. can becaufe hee is omnipotent, vphold vs a ainfl all the píaiLi4o. p p g Neil .4 T. power ofhell. Andhowlbeuer we are mofl feebleand weak Luk. 22.32. inour felues,. yet we haue alure flaywhich continually vn- derproppeth vs when we arereadie to yeeld'and faint, euen the intercell on ofIefus Chrifl,who continuallymediateth iii our behalfe forGodspromifedaffiflance, and prayeth when Satan defireth to winnowvs,that ourfaith failenot.Neither dothour perfeueranceand faluation depend vpon our owne will as Adams did,for thenwe fhould eafilybe ouerthrowne and perifh, but vpon thewill ofGod. And therefore how- foeuerwe aremuch moreweake, yet our perfeuerance is in- comparablie more certaine; for though his will was free, andneuer fo refolute and firong, yetit was finite andmuta- ble, and therefore overruled by a greater power,but Gods will is immutable,and cannot be ouerf v aied in regardofhis infiniteneffe in power,andwifdom.Adarn receiued grace to Adirm accrpit perfeuere ifhe would but not towill thathe could : Whereas pot, efi veltrt, A a a 3 the non habuit
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