492 ExpoJtion upon flake off their calling, and eaft off their gifts, and fo fall away from God, andfrom beleefe in him. S 1 L. For anfwer hereunto', firft, this Both imply acontradi&ion,that the Saints fhould lofe their gifts and their calling prove temporally and yet God abide confiant. For, he bath by promife bound himfelf to the eleEEf, that he will hold his hand under when they fall,that they fall not from him, Pfal. 37.24 and that none !hall pluck his Sheepe (the faithfull) out of his hands, John 10.2.8. They (hall never perifh but have life everlafting, John 3.16. That he will not tempt above ffrength, t Corr. 10.13; Of which promifes it followed), that God being faithfull and confiant, the beleevers cannot by their owne folly and unheedfulneffe quite lofe ( no not for a moment) their ele &ion and faith ; for then the temptation Thal exceed their ftrength, and they were pluckt out of the Shepheards hand, and they ceafe to live unto God (Faith,which is the fouls life, being extina) and fo not everla- fling. Secondly? albeit our corrupt nature is fo made, as would gee backe, and eafily of it felfe:fall away, yet the dea being upheld by the power of God, the beleevers cannot have a will to reject their calling,nay their will is confirmed to perfeverance:alfo faith bringeth with it aperfwafion, that God being our Fa- ther in very deed, will be our God and Saviour to thedeath, and for ever. And therefore, though ofweakneffe we often take fore f ls,yet he will not fuller us to fall away from him. Laftly,fïthence without perfeverance in Faith to the end,Gods calling cannot truely be faid to be without repentance (for calling and faith be fo knit, as they Rand together, or fall together) there- fore lively faith cannot be loft, no not by our owne default. For none wholly can forfakeGod,fave fuch as be wholly forfaken of God, who bath pro - mifed the righteous never to falle and forfake them, loth. r. Heb. 13. s. And to flan up (becaufe this point hathbeen elfewhere largely fpoken of,) it is not in'- Cha ply and infinitely eternal!,) but feting God who beftuwed them, will never call them backe, hence it is they are not altered, and free from chance. For that which caufeth repentance and change, is either want of counfell and forefight to underfiand things thoroughly; or of power, not being able well to effeft what was well confidered. Now in God there ladies no wifedome nor power, for he knew all his words, and none can refift his power; therefore fuch Jews as he knew before, and whom he gave to his Sonne to be redeemed and delivered, cannot fall from theft gifts and calling of God. This word then [without repentance]. muff not with Erafmu9 be referred to the gifts and things themfelves, nor with Stapleton and other Popifh Sophiffers be fo ta- ken,as if God had no taufe to repent of his reje&ing the Jewes, for that thereof came fuch a good, as the converfion of Gentiles; it being Pauls purpofe by this affertiou,to prove the calling of the Jewes : but this muff be referred to the fixed and moti good and wife counfell of God towards his ele &, fuch as he had fpoken of, Rom. 8, 3o.Whom he predeffi- noted, them he called, and juftified, and glorified. in thefe the gifts and calling of God be without alteration, info - much as neither Devils with all their malice and might, nor the Saints with all their weakeneffe and inconlfancy, can bereave them of their gifts, and in- wardcalling; becaufe God the author and worker is confiant, and fo prefer- ¡veth what he belfoweth, as neither he takes them away, nor fuffereth his children to eaft them away. Of which matter reade the Dialogue on Rem. 5. s. T I rrt. But howfoever there be no repen- tance and clanging of purpofe with God, and therefore feeirg acco %ding to his emit/fling purpoje,b. promifed that the feed of the Fathers, as of Abraham, &c. (ball be holy, he will fand to his promifes, and out of the lower will gather all bis eleti, ( for thi6 is hit roper nature,not to repent him; bir gifts and calling are without changing) yet God remain- ing confiant, men through their default may Mal.1.6. Num.tl.t9 Efay 46.11. t Sa. t f.+9. PCeI. 110 4
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