APrefaceto the Reader. grant that theymay f ,t1! away , filthas upon the account of their Baptifmalentranceinto the Church , this P.uu> devout lives their profcffion ofthe faithof the Gofpel, they called and accounted ,;g. =:erart be i:evers whom yet they tell you upon a through fearch into the nature and canine o, irlynr,';r, grace, and walkzingwithGodthat they would be found,not tobe truly, and really in char (tote and condition, that they were efteemed to be in; ofwhich they thought this a fui{7tien, Demonfttation, even becaule they didnot perfevere: which undenia- bly on the other hsnd ( with the teftimoniesforegoing , and the like inumerable that might be produced j evinces , that their conftant judgment was, that all who are truly, really,and in the light ofGod believers, engrafted into Chrift,and adopted intohis family,fhouId certain- ly perfevere : and chat all the paffages dually cited out of this holy and learned man , to perfwade usthat heever cart an eye towards the Doctrine of the Apoftacyofthe Saints, may particularly be refer'd to this head , and manifefted that they do not at all concerne thofe , whom he efteemed Saints indeed ; which is cieere from the confderation ofwhat bath been infifted on. Thus far He , ofwhom what were thethoughts of the ChurchofGod in the dayes wherein he lived, hash been declared : He who bath been efteeemed amongft the Ec- c1eftaftica/Writersof old tohave laboured more, and to more purpofe in the Doétrine ofthe Grace ofGod then all that wentbeforehim , or any that have followed after him whofe re- nowne in the Church hathbeen theifly upheld,and maintained upon theaccount of theblef- fed paines, and labours.wherin the Prefence ofGodmade him toexcel,for the depreffìng the pride ofall flefh , and the exaltationof theriches ofGod's love , and efficacyof his grace in Jefus Chrift , wherewith the whole Church in fucceeding Ages hath been advantaged beyond what is eafy to be expreffed. That Proffer, Hilary, Fulgentiut, and the men ofrenowne in the Congregation ofGodat the end of that Age,dtd fall to with their judgments , to that which Auftine had delivered I fuppofe will be eafrly confeffed: Trofferad Cap:y.Gal. quemodo cos habeaspreordinatain Chrì- fto Eletlio? camMaim non fit donumDei efJe Terfeverantiam in bono $.4adfinem;quod iftos,ex ea ipfa quadnon perfeverarunt,nonhabuiffe manifeflumeft. Alto thebreaking of the Power,and fraftrating of theattempt of Pelagitu by fundry Do fors ofthe Church, and Synods to that end affembled, ( whereofProfper gives us an account, reckoningthem up in their order; and Am./line before him,Epift :4z.&47,) with fpecial relation to what was done in Africk;(and in thebegining ofhis verfesDe Ingratis )with what troubles were raifed,and created anew to the Champions ofthe Grace ofGod by thewritings of Cafanue,Fauflus,Vincentit ,the Mafilien- fes, with fome others in France,and the whole rable of Semi-Telagians,with the fiction ofSi- _ibert about a PredeflinarianHerefy , whereoftherewas never any thing in being , nonot a- mong the Adrnmetine cAlonkf, where Voftn hoped to have placed it , the Councel ofArles, the Corruptions , and falfificacions of Farrfleu in the bufinefs ofLucidus, the impolitionson Gotefchalcua, with the light given to hatbufinefs from the Epifileof Flarsu,have exercifed thecommendable endeavours of fo many already , that there is not the leaf} need further to infrft upon them. What entertainment that peculiar Doéìrine which lam in the Conliderati- onof,fonnd in the following ages, is that which 1 fhall further demonfirate. After thefe was Gregory: r: who Gib. r.F.p f 99: fpeakes to the fame purpofe, with them in thefe words;Redempeor nofler, Dei hominum4r mediator,Conditionis Humanenon immemor,fic imis fiamma conjnngit,ut ipfe in imitate permanens itaTemporalia, occults Infiinliu,pih confident mode- raeionedifponat, quatenue de ejue menu antiquesHoflis nullatenua rapiat quo: anteSecada intra Sinum marris Ecclefieadunandos rifeprefcivit ; nam etfe quifquamcorm inter quos digit, Stati- bus motets adTempia ut palmes tituber , radix tarnen retteFidel, quit ex occult. prodit,divinoju dicio virensmánee , quaaccepts Temperefruflum defe ofientare malear , qui latebat, This is the femmeof what wecontend for : viz: that all thofe whomGod hachpredeftinated to be ad- ded to the Church , receiving a faring faith , though they may be fhaken, yet on that account, the Root abides firme, their -Faith never utterlyperifheth, but in due time brings forthaccep- ted fruits againe. And moft exprefliveto our purpofe isthat difcourfe of his which you have,Lib.34.Moral. Cap. 8: faith t-ie, Aurum,quodpenis Diaboli perfuaJonibus qua( lutum( ternpotuerit, Aurum ante Dei Oinks nunquamfuit , qui enim Seduci quandoq, non reverfuri poffunt,quafs habitant Santiotatemanteocular hominum videntur amiteere,fed cam ante ocules Dei nunquamhabuerunt. The Exclufionof thofe from being True Believers,whomay be(educedand fall away;doth moft eminently infer thePerfeverance ofallThem, who are fo: Adde unto thefe, Oecumeniva ( though he be one ofa latter date) and thofe fhall fuffice for the period oftime, relatingto the Pelagian Coatroverfy: faith he in Epifi: ad Ephes:rap. a. 14, i ciOagdpxtsovrru li!Agr acre F 2 miss,
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