378 'The eflate of a [hrijlian iudgcment of thel'hyfition is taken for dead. A Therefore Pa•lpraieth for the Ephefians, (h) hEph, l Thiswas the e(\atc ofPeter, who though bee tlw theym"]btj/rengthenedin theinner,..n:for i6, eonfdfed that Chrilt was the Sonne of the the Coiofsians (i) th4t thZmay beflre•grhened 1 Mat.t-6. liui•gLord, (a)yethedeniedhim& forfwore ltnththegt.no., power ofC ri/1. And ofhimfelfe iCo},t, 6~,70. him at rhevoiceofadamfell. Thirdly,he m•y he faith;(k..)that.heu abletodoe allthings through 9.1r, £11l againe into the fame finne after repenthepowerof(hrifl thatj/rengthenethhim. I 'lJa_ 'Piu! i ranee. Indeede this is adangerous cale;yet it u&dfatthlth!it Godrtnuetb thcmthl!tfearehim,.u I~• may befall atrue Chrill:ian. Otherwife when the Eagle renueth her decaied j/rcngth, From lPiaf, asthe Ifraetitcs (Gods people) had fallen ahence as from a fpeciall caufe arifcth Patience lOf,~, way from him by their finnes, and idolatries, and P<rfeuerancevntotheend: for whenaman PatJcnc Per(clw hec would not 1\illhaue offered them mercie, rs fttpporred by the power ofChril\, hee may rant~. b Bfa,14, (b)as he doth by his prophets. And (c) Paul be able to be~re many croffes patiently with a • 6• I praieth the Gorinthians in Chrifls jleadthat ~ontented mmde, and perfeuere in bearing of ~ aCcr. thryw01ddbee recouciled to God: whoneoertbe.. tt,how long foeuer rhecr<>fteendureth• •zo. le!fe were before reconciled to God. FourthLXII. ly, bee inay commit afinne of prefump1ion, B Thus much of the el\are of a Chriflian in Apnrw whichis a fearefull finne,beeing donewittingly thi•life. Now I will adde fomereafonsin the fion to ofknowlcdge,andwiNingry,andwith fomewilway of perfwafion to all men, but efpecially ChriA· • PCa.Ig. fH/neffi, Therefore Dauidpraied,(d)Keepe thy to worldlings, and toloofe profe!foors ofthe Airir, '3• J!ruant fom prefomptuswfi•nes : and to fhew Gofpell, tharthey would vtterly denie themhimfelfe to be in dangerofit, he prayeth furfelues, (m) andvfeall meanes tobecome true m,c therJet themnot ha"e dominionouermee. Lafily, Chrifliansbybeingmadenewcrwuresin(hrifl, S'·l7. he may falllnro ddpairc of Gods mercy fora and (n) by leading fuch :Wifeas m"Y adorne the "Tit.z time,andthis is adangerousfin. For he which Gojpellof(hrifl, 10. defpaires,makesall thepromifes ofGod robe My fir{! reafon is this; the man that liueth fal!e: and this finne of all other is mol\ conin this world, notbtingatrue Chriftian, is far trary to true fauing faith. In this eltate was mere vile then the bafefi creature ofall, euen ePfai.i7. Da•idwhen beingintrouble, he faid, ( <) rhu the dog or roade. For fir{\ hee is nothing els u. ismy death. AndPAJtl fhewesthattheincel\ubut afilthy dunghil ofal abomination and vnous man might haue fallen into defperaden, cleannes, the (o) 1\inke whereof hath infe0 Rom, f2.Cor. (f)when he faith,Comfort him,left heebeefw4lc'ted heauen and earth,and no perfumes could s.io. :.·7· t.wcd"P of ouermuch htallintjfc. And it mu{\ C euerdelay itin the nol\hrils ofGod, but onebercmembred that the Church of Rome erly the fuffering ofChrill:, becing a (p) factiP Epb. rethin this, that fheeteachethdefperationto ficeof al\veet fmellingfauour to God. We '· bee a finne again!\ the holy Gho!l:. This finne make ir verie dainty to come m:~ere abzu Defper.l· again!\ the holy Ghol\ isa blafphemie fpoken man that is full ofbotches, blaines, aMd fores; tionand again!\ theknowne truth of Gods word, or a but much more ar< thofe men ro bee abhorthe finne dcniall of Chril\, ofa wilfull and obl\inate red, who haue lien many yearcs 1\arke ( q) 0 Epb• againfl: malice. Butdcfperation may atife through igdead in ftnnes 4nd trtjpajfcs : and therefore .. the holy norance of a mans own efl:ate: through hornowdoenothi'(,;elsbur rot and 1\inke in them Gl~oft differ, rour ofconfcience for finne: through anoften like vgly looth ome carricns, rclafpc into fame fin : through the ouerdeepe Secondly, hee which is no Chril\ian is ~n. conlideration ofamans owne vnwerthineffe: der the power of darkcnelfe, hauiRg S"aran la1\ly, l,Jy abiurarion of the truth, through for his prince ( r)·and God , and gi•ingvnto t 2: Co swh.u compulfion add feare. (g) This befell Francu him in token of homage his bel\ parrs, euen •· istob: Spica, who after his apo[lafie defpaired. Yet his mindc and confcience (f) to be his dwel- ttuk,t thou~ht they are much ouerfeene that write of hill! ling place: and his whole conuerfation is no- .•. of Fr. asadamned creature. Forfi:rl\, whocantell D thing els but aperpetuall obedience to Satan. Spira, whetherhe defpaired finally or no? Secondly, IfArheil\s and worldlings, and carnall Gof. in rhe very midde!1: of his defperation , bee pellers were perfwaded of the truth of this complaitmh of the hardnelfe of his heart, (asiris molltrue) it would makerhem howle which made him that hee could not pray: no and crie, though now they line at eafe withdoubt rheo he felt his hardne!fe ofhearr: and out foeling any pricke ofconfcience forfinne. the feeling of corruption in the heart, is by And ifthey had but rheleal1 fe~fe.of it in the fame contrarie grace;fo that we may cenueni· world, it would make thetr flmtte heans to entlyrhinke,thathe was not quite bereft ofal bleed, and it would make them fhcdde rmers goodneffe: though bee neucr feltitthcn, nor oftcares. But how la.~ fhall they contmue !hewed it ro the beholders. in this vile el\ate? Truety, vntill they come LXI. to Chril\: A>Nk! therefore thooth<tjleep<ft.and Epht!t The canfe why a Chril1ian cannot quite fall f/andvpfrom thedead, and Chriflfhallg~•erhee .•. away frem grace,isrhis:after that heis fanctilight : open thine heart to receme Chnft, lied hee receiucth from God another fpeciall and therr hec will ccme and bindo the 1\rong grace, which may bee called Corroboration. man Satan, and ea!\ him our, and dwel in thee Corro• For he bath in him not onely the fanelifying, himfelfe. bomica. but al(o the 1\rcngthening power of ChrHt. Thirdll,he which is no Chril1ian is in dan_ ger •· or. ..
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