15.8c67.4. L10.E.Cap.II. 142 Reafonsalleged dgainfl perfeuerance,4nfwered. lithe ele& cannot lofe iuí}ifying faith, therecouldbe in theworld no heretikes and apo(lataes: but there are in the worldheretikes and apoflates therefore the ele& niay lore iuflifying faith. The confequençe of the propofition they indeuour to prooue, becaulethis is the difference betweene pagans and heretikes, that pagans neuer had faith, heretikes haue had, but loll it. I anfwere, firft that the propofition bath in it no force, vnleffe wee prefuppofe that onely the e- le&become heretike,swhich is vtterly falfe. iseither is the proofe of the propofition to any purpofe, Peeing their faith whichdilinguifheth heretikes from pagans is not a true iu- fiifying faith, butthe do&rive offaith, which they hauing formerlyprofeffed afterwards denie. And in this fenfe they are laid to haue departed from the faith, and tohaue made íhipwracke offaith, asbefore Ihaue (hewed moreat large, çhap.s8. Se&.7. The fourth reafon is, that ifthe ele&may not fall away, then all admonitions andthreatnings are in vaine. But vnto this obic&ion 1 haue alreadie anfwered, and therefore I will pa% it ouer. The fifthreafon is thus concluded : Theopinion which brings defperation is not true : But this opinion,that the ele& cannot lofe iuflifying faith,, bringethdefperation Therefore this opinion that the ele&cannot lofe iuilify- ing faith is not true. I anfwere to the affumption, that rather that opinion which teacheth vs that we may lofe iuflifying faith, and that we canhaue no r_ ertain tie ofperfeuerancebringeth defpera- tion; for vncertaintie caufeth doubting, anddoubting def- peration; and when our faith hath no firme ground to ref+ vpon, but flickereth and wauereth as it were in theaire, then at laff being tiredand wearied, it mull needs faint and fall. Yeabut ifour grace,faith,and iuftificationcannot be true, ''vñleffe we beealfo certaine,that we !hall perfeuere in them, thenmuff this needsbring doubtingand defperation, feeing wee cannot bee fure offuture'euents,andoftentimesdoubt whether we (hail perfeuere in there graces or no. I anfwere, that .i
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