1136 4Dec eitherMiriam or prsuatiue:pefttiue, are mallgraces wrought in the heart,by rit aeita the fpirit ofGod:privatiueare fuchmeaneswherebyGod prefertles men from rar`æ fuc,t fallinointoGene : as Croffes,defertions. And thefe innumberexceed the firif, pturesquá o pofauuwe as long as men linein thisworld. Before it can beedeclared,what there defertions are,this conclufon is to be laid downe : He whichit once in the es`late ofgrace fhalt be in thefamefor crier. This appeareth in the eight ofthe llom.3 o.where Paul letsdowne the golden chaï.neof thecaufes of faluation that can neuer be broken; fo that he which is predeflinateshall becalled,iuflified, glorified. And a little after he faith, Who/halllay any thing to the charge ofGods eleEt ? and, Who [hallfewer v.rfrom the loueofChrJ1? and, Iam perfwad.d that nocreature [hall be able tofeuer vsfrom the lone of(brill; which he would not haue laid, ifinenbe- ing in theeflateofgrace,might fall quite from grace. And how fhould they whichare iwi ifaed hamspeace withGod, ifthey were not lure toperfeuerrigh- teous beforeGod to the end ? Andhow (hall it be Paid, thathope ma(eth not afbamcd, becaufe the logeof God(wherewithGod loues his ele6t) is flieda. broad in their hearts,by theholy Gheflwhich isgiwen them, if anymay vtterly fall from that loue ? Howfhould the teflimonie of the fpirit,which teflifieth to the eleet,that they are the children ofGod,be true and certaine,ifit may bequite extinguifhed ? Laflly,how íhall that of lohn be true, they went out ofvs, becaufe they were not ofvs: ifthey hadbeen ofvs, thyAouldhaue re- mainedwithvs,if a manmay wholly fall fromChrif} which bath once peen '0E1047. made a true member ofhim ? Our Sauiour Chria. faith, My fheepe heart my and6.37. voyce :and I know them; and they followme: andIgiue life eternall to them, andnoman JhaIl take themout ofmyhand, or out ofmyfathershand, andwhat- parer myfather er iuethme (hallcome tntome,andwhofoeuer commeth tome, l will not cal out. And ifanyofthe elect being effeelually called might wholly fall from grace, then there muff bee a fecond infition or ingrafling into the myfiicaïl bodie ofChriff, and therefore a fecond Baptifine : nay for cuery fall a new infition, and a new Baptifine;which muff in no wife bee graunted wherefore they which are predeflinate to bee in the eflate ofgrace, are alto predeflinate toperfeuer in the farne to the end. Hereupon it followeththat the defertions ofGods ele&t,areErtl ofall par- tiali,that is, fuch aswherein God doth not wholly forfake them but in fol.= part. Secondly,temporarie,that is for fomefpace oftime,and neuer beyond the Efay.;4. to compaffe ofthisprefent lire. For a moment (faith the Lord in Efaie) i', wine anger Aidmyfacefrom theefora lit tlefeafon,but witheuerla.fi`ing merciehaue I hadcorapaffion on thee,faith the Lord thy Redeemer. And to this purpofe Pfau t t g.8, Dauidwell acqùaintedwith this matter, prayeth, f a f.!e menot ouerlong. This fort ofdefertions,though it bebutfor atime,yycc noDart ofa Chritlian mans life is free from them; and very often takh .; drapeplace in the heart of man , they are of long continuance. Danid continued inhis daungerous fall aboutthe fpace ofan whole yeare beforehe was recouered. Luther con- feifeth
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