The Perpetuity of a Regenerate Mans Estate, Part · Section 14 – Section 15
Augustine.
Augustine Bishop of Hippo, the most iuditious Diuine of all the Fathers, who flourished in the same time that Saint Chry…ostome and Epiphanius, did and somwhat after them, is so full and ous in this point, that I wonder how any can be so impudent, shamelesse and audacious as to cite him to the contrary. His authorities which are punctuall to this our present purpose are so many, and so commonly cited by all those who hauehave written of this subiect, that it would be superfluous for me to mention them: yet because I hauehave vndertaken for to proue this doctrine by the Fathers, I will onelyonly quote one place of his, which is cited on all hands, and two other places which are not yet cited by any (if my memory faile me not) and so referre you to the rest. The first authoritie which is cited on all hands is in his booke De Corrept: et Gratia. cap. 12. Sanctis…, 7. in regnū Dei per gratiam praedestinatis, non tantum tale adiutoriū gratiae datur vt possint perseuerare si velint, sed tale vt eis perseuerantia ipsa donetur, non solū vt sine isto dono perseuerantes esse non possunt, verum etiam vt per hoc donū non nisi perseuerantes sint. Non solū enim dixit, sine me nihil potestis facere: verū etiam dixit, Non vos me elegistis, sed ego elegi vos, et posui vos vt eatis et fructum afferatis, et fructus vester maneat. Quibus verbis eis non solū iustitiam, verū etiam perseuerantiam se dedisse monstrauit. Christo enim, sic eos ponente, vt eant et …erant fructū, et fructus eorū maneat, quis audeat dicere, forsitan non manebit? sine poenitentia enim, sunt dona et vocatio Dei: sed vocatio eorum qui secundū propositū vocati sunt. Pro his ergointerpellante Christo, ne deficiat fides eorum, sine dubio non deficiet vsus que in finem, ac per hoc perseuerabit vsus que in finem, nec eam nisi manentem vitae huius inuer…t finis. And a little after. Subuentū est ergo infirmitati voluntatis humanae vt diuinà gratià indeclinabili…èr, et inseperabilitèr ageretur, e…ideo quamuis infirma, non tamen deficeret, ne que aduersitate vlla vincere…r. Adamo for…ssimo dimisit, at que permisit facere quod vellet: infirmis seruauit in ipso donante invictissimè quod bo…um est vellent, nec hoc deserere invictissimè noll…nt. What is there that can bee more full and punctuall to our purpose then this? The second authoritie is that which you sha…l … in his Enarration vponupon Psal. 36. a…as 37. ver. 31. The law of God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide. Vp… …. 8.on which words he comments thus. Liberat a laqueo verbum Dei in corde, liberat à via prava verbum Dei in corde, liberat à lapsu verbum Dei in corde. Tecum est, cujus verbum à te non recedit. Corde autem quid mali patitur quem custodit Deus? Viuat ergo securus, & inter malos viuat securus, & inter impios viuat securus. And in his Enarration vponupon the 65. alias 66. Psa. verse 9, which holdeth our soule in life, and suffereth not our feete to be moued: he comments thus: Ecce posuit animam nostram in vitam, quia credimus in eum qui in vitam posuit animam nostram: Sed quid deinde opus est nisi vt perseueraremus vsus que in finem. Et hoc quis dabit, nisi de quo consequenter dictum est: Et non dedit in motum pedes meos. Ipse posuit animam meam in vitam, ipse regit & pedes ne nutent, ne moveantur, & dentur in motum, & ipse nos faciet & viuere, ipse perseuerare vsus que in finem, vt in aeternum viuamus. These three places doe sufficiently declare St. Augustines opinion in this point. If any man desire further satisfaction from him, let him reade his whole booke de Bono perseuerantiae, and de Corrept: & Gratia: his bookes de Praedestinatione sanctorum: and to be briefe, let him reade but Abbot Bishop of Salisburie in his Animaduersion vponupon Thomsons Diatriba, cap. 8. where he shall see St. Augustines opinion thorowout his seuerall workes, in this particular point, collected and epitomized to his hand.
Cyrill.
Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria, who flourished about the yeare of our Lord 420. in his 7. Booke vponupon Iohn, cap. 10. doth suffragate to our conclusion in these words: Suis omnibus Dominus vitam aeternam se dare affirmat, paseua scilicet vberrima bonorum omnium copia affluentia: vbi lux clarissima, pax secura, qu…es dul…issima, gloria perpetua. Et non peribunt in aeternum, q…ia pastor eorum, ac saluator talis est, apud qu…m nihil omuinò perire possit. Eos enim quos semel praedestinaendo Christus assumpserit, nulla vis diabolicae tentationis, non immanit as humanae persecutionis de sorte & latere eius potest auferre. Sed nonne Iudas (dicit quispiam) in aeternum perijt, & surreptus est à Satana de manu Dei; & nonne mulii viam Domini ambul…nt à qua tand…m d…cidunt? Verum ad finem vsq, in bo…o perseverantes duntaxat Domini oues sunt & dicuntur. Qui igitur post perceptam gratiam de numero Christi ouium perdunt; Hi certè in dei oculis o…es non sunt: quarè nec Iud…, nec alij retrò abeuntes ad ouile Christi pertinere dicendi sunt. What more plainer euidence can be produced for vsus then this? I could adde more out of this Father, but this is sufficient.