Cypuian is express to our purpose. Saith he, "Nemo existimet bones de ecclesia posse discedere. Triticum non rapit ventus, nee arborem solida radicefundatam procella subvertit; Inanes paleai tempestate jactantur, in- validfe arbores turbinis incursione evertuntur. llos execratur et percutit Johannes apostolus, dicens, ' Ex nobis exierunt, sed non fuerunt ex nobis, si enim fuissent ex nobis, mansissent utique nobiscum,'" Cypr. De Unit. Eccles. [cap. ii.] The whole doctrine we contend for is plainly and clearly as- serted, and bottomed on a text of Scripture; which in a special manner (as wo have cause) we do insist upon. All that is lost by temptations in the church was but chaflf"; the wheat abides, and the rooted tree is not cast down. Those fall away who indeed were never true believers in heart and by union, whatever their profession was. And yet we arc within the compass of that span of time which our adversaries, without proof, without shame, claim to be theirs. One princijial foundation of our doctrine is the be- stowing of the Holy Ghost upon believers, by Jesus Christ. Where he is so bestowed, there, say we, he abides; for he is given them for that end, — namely, to " abide with them for ever." Now, concerning him Basil tells us, that " though, in a sort, he may be said to be present with all that are baptized, yet he is never mixed witli any that are not worthy ; that is, he dwells not with any that obtain not salvation," IJasil, Lib, de Spir. Sane. cap. xvi. ; — NDi/ i^h ycco si -/.al /iri u\iax'sKsarai roTg dva^loig' d/.Xa ovv 'zu^iTiiui ooxiT rruig roTg ccrra^ ssfi^ay/Sfjisi'oig. By that seeming presence of the Holy Ghost with hypocrites that are baptized professors, he evidently intends the common gifts and graces that he bestows upon them ; and this is all he grants to them who are not at last (for such he discourses of) found worthy.
Macarius iEgyptius, Homil. v., about the same time with the other, or somewhat before, is of the same mind. He tells us that those who are Christians iv aXriOila xa! 6vvdfji,si, ds(pa.XiT; ilaiv I'-h rou agpaCivoc, ou ids^avro vZv, ug r,bri iS7i(pavu/M'ivoi xai ^usiXivovTig. And how men can be assured of heaven whilst they live here, by the earnest of it which they have re- ceived, as well as if they were crowned and reigning in heaven, if those who have received that earnest may lose it again, I know not.
The words of Amukose to this same purpose, lib. i. cap. vi. De Jacob, ct Vita Beat, are many ; but because they do not only fully assert the truth we contend for, but also insist brielly on most of the arguments with which in this case we plead, 1 shall transcribe them at large, and they are as follow: —
"Non gloriabor quia Justus sum, sed gloriabor quia redemptus sum; gloriabor non (juia vacuus ])eccatis sum, sed quia mihi remissa sunt peccata; non gloriabor (piia profui, nee quia profuit iiiihi (juisquam, sed quia pro me advocatus apud Patreni Ciu'istus est, sed quia pro me Christi sanguis etl'usus est Ha;redeui to fecit, cohairedem Christi; Spiritum tibi adoptionis
A PREFACE TO THE READER. 59
infudit Sed vereris dubios vitte anfractus et adversarii insidias, cum ha- beas auxilium Dei, habeas tantam ejus dignationem, utfilio proprio pro te non pej^ereerit? — Nihil enim excepit, qui omnium concessit authorera. Niliil est igitur quod negari posse nobis vereamur; nihil est in quo do munifieentite divinse diffidere perse verantia debeamus, cuj us fuit tarn diuturna et jugis ubertas, ut primo prfedestinaret, deinde vocaret, et quos voeavit hos et justificaret, et quos justificaret hos et glorificaret. Poterit deserere quos tantis beneficiis usque ad pra?mia prosecutus est? Inter tot beneficia Dei, num metuendre sunt aliqua; aecusatoris insidias? sed quis audeat accusare quos electos divino cernit judicio ? num Deus Pater ipse qui contulit, potest dona sua rescindere, et quos adoptione suscepit, eos a paterni aftectus gra- tia relegare? Sed metus est ne judex severior fiat. Considera quem judicem habeas; nempe Christo dedit Pater omne judicium; poterit te ergo ille damnare, quem redemit a morte, pro quo so obtulit, cujus vitam suaj mortis mercedem esse cognoscit? nonne dicet, qua) utilitas in sanguine meo, si damno quem ipse salvavi? Denique consideras judicem, non consideras advocatum ? "
The foundation of all our glorying in the love of Grod and assurance of salvation he lays in the free grace of God, in redemption and justification ; for the certainty of our continuance in that estate, he urges the decree of God's predestination, the unchangeableness of his love, the complete re- demption made by Christ, Avith his eftoctual intercession : all which are at large insisted upon in the ensuing treatise.
Add to him his contemporary, Ciirysostom. Ser. 3, in 2 Cor. i. 21, 22: 'O ^£ /SsCa/iSv Tifj^ai guv v//.Tv u; XoiStov, -/.a.) XS''°^' hlJo^i Qioc,' x.ai ff^oa- 'yiadfMvog ri/xag -/.a} doui rov d^ouQcuna rov Uvsufji^a-og sv raTi Kapdiaig jj^awD. Of these words of the apostle he gives the ensuing exposition: UdXiv d'nh TUiv va^iK66vTc»v tu /Jj'iKXovra (SeQaioZrar ii ydo avTo; Iotiv 6 (Bs^uimv »),«.as elg 'Koiffrbv (tovtsstiv 6 (j^ri sSiv ri'Mag laoasaJ.iiiiSOoi.i sk rr^g T/ffrew; rr^g iig rov lipiSTovJ xai avTog 6 p/wVag rifja,:, -/.a,! boxig to Tvsu^aa, sv raTg xasdi'aig ri/JiCov, ffwr TO, fjAKKovra ov dusn; ii yu^ rdg d^pydg %a.\ rdg v'roSseug 'ihoy/.s, '/.ai rriv hiZ,a.v xai TTjv irrjyriv (o/oi/ riv dXr,drj 'Ttioi abrou yvuatv, tyiV tou Tvsi/xaT'oc /xEraX»j-4'/t) crws rd iz toutoov oh do'jsn; ii ydo Ixs/ia bid raZra b!do\fT(/.i, cro/.Xoi; ,aa/.Aov 6 rauTO, boug x.ai l/tiTva. iraci^n- xai ii ravra i'/&^oTg ovaiv ibuKi, coXXw /^aX?.oi' sftuva (ply.oig yi\ioiMi\ioig y^aonrrai' bid rovro ovbe TLvsv/j.a ii-mv aTrXw;, aX?^ ^^t'^- Qojtia, dii/o/MaJsv, ha d-~o rovrcv, xai Tsoi rov 'zavrog ^aihrig' ou ydp il fMri i/jbiXXi TO Tav b/boi/ai, i'lKiro dv rov dohaZttjva -—aDaSyiT)! xai dcroXsffa/ s/'/cJj xai /xdrri'j.