751 / 772
O
ieElions
again/
per
feueraíce tiken
from
erarnple,,ár
f,
y
2 S
impertinent
in euery
refpe51,
fauing
that
they
were
of
hu-
§. Se17.2.
maine nature; for before the
tall
they were
on!ie
in
the ílate
The
exámple`of
ofgráce by
creation, and not by
redemption; they
were iufl
our
fill
Pa-
bytheir
own inherent rightcoufnes,
&
not
by the
righteouf-
elttr
nes
of
Chrifl;they
had no iuflifying faith,for
as
yet
they had
no
promife
of
a
Mediatour,nor
needed
his
righteoufneffe
to
iuílifie
them,
feeing
they flood
in
their
ovine
righteóufnes.
Yea,
but
if
the
Angels and
our
firfl
parents, who
in
their
creationwere
farre
more
excellent,and much more
flrong in
grace then wee, did
lofe
their
grace, and
fall
from
God;
then
we
who
are
weaker,and euery
way
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
if
we
flood
in
our
owne flrength, andprefeue-
red
through our
owne excellencie;
for
if
we fhould be
left
ofGod
vnto
our
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 power
of
God,
who
will,becaufe
he
hath
faid
it,and
Ier.;
3.;
:.
can becaufe
hee
is
omnipotent,
vphold
vs
a
ainfl
all
the
píaiLi4o.
p
p
g
Neil
.4
T.
power
of
hell. And
howlbeuer
we
are
mofl feeble
and weak
Luk. 22.32.
in
our
felues,.
yet
we
haue alure
flay
which continually vn-
derproppeth
vs
when we
are
readie
to yeeld'and faint,
euen
the
intercell
on
of
Iefus
Chrifl,who continuallymediateth
iii
our behalfe for
Gods
promifed
affiflance, and
prayeth
when
Satan defireth
to winnow
vs,that our
faith
faile
not.Neither
doth
our
perfeuerance
and faluation depend vpon our owne
will
as Adams
did,for then
we
fhould
eafily
be ouerthrowne
and perifh,
but
vpon
the
will
of
God.
And
therefore
how-
foeuer
we are
much more
weake, yet our
perfeuerance
is
in-
comparablie more
certaine;
for
though
his
will was free,
and
neuer
fo
refolute and
firong, yet
it
was finite and
muta-
ble,
and
therefore overruled by
a
greater power,but Gods
will
is
immutable,and cannot be
ouerf
v
aied
in
regard
ofhis
infiniteneffe
in
power,and
wifdom.Adarn receiued grace
to
Adirm
accrpit
perfeuere
if
he
would
but not to
will
thathe
could
:
Whereas
pot,
e
fi
veltrt,
A
a
a
3
the
non
habuit