The Sum of Christian Religion, Aphorisms · Article 6
ARTICLE VI. Of Faith and Perſeverance.
1. WE beleeve, that faith in Chriſt is the gift of (a) God, not a generall gift, and common to (b) all, but a particular effect of Gods (c) predeſtination, which is given to all, and ſolely to the (d) elect, not only in reſpect of its increaſe, but alſo in reſpect of its firſt (e) beginning;De vocat. gentium, l. 1. c. 1. as 'tis truly ſaid by Ambroſe, God is the doner both of the beginning and of the increment of faith. And Luther, in his Preface on the Epiſtle to the Romanes, ſaith, that properly it ariſeth from Gods eternall predeſtination, who ought to beleeve, or not to beleeve: that by theſe meanes our holineſſe may not be in our owne hands, but in the power of God alone.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) John 6.29. This is the work of God, that you beleeve on him whom he hath ſent.
Galat. 5.22. The fruit of the ſpirit is faith.
Epheſ. 2.8. By grace you are ſaved, through faith.
Phil. 1.29. Becauſe it is freely given to you in the behalfe of Christ, not onelyonly to beleeve in him, but alſo to ſuffer for him.
(b) 2 Theſ. 3.2. Every one hath not faith.
(c) Acts 13.48. So many as were ordained to life eternall, beleeved.
(d) Tit. 1.1. According to the faith of Gods choſen.
Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe, according to his free pleaſure.
Phil. 1.6. Who hath begun in you a good worke, will perfect it till the day of Jeſus Chriſt.
II. Perſeverance, by which men continue in faith to the end, and without which no man ſhall be ſaved, is ſuch a gift of God, as is aſſuredly given to all the elect, Matth. 24.14.
III. For this God hath (a) promiſed, I will put my feare in their hearts, Jerem. 32.40. De bone perſev. cap. 2.that they ſhall not depart from mee, &c. which, what elſe is it, ſaith (b) Auſtine, but ſuch and ſo great a feare which I will put in their heart, that they ſhall with perſeverance adhere to mee?
IV. And the Saints doe daily begge of God perſeverance in (a) faith,Lead us not into temptation. undoubtedly then they obtaine it of God, according to Chriſts promiſe, John 16.23. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, whatſoever you aske of the Father in my name, he ſhall give it to you. So Auſtine in the ſame place: Why is perſeverance begged of God, if it be not given by God?
V. They aske then, and they receive of God not onelyonly that grace, that in the end of their life they may have faith; but alſo, that they may perpetually retaine the ſame: which in the Schooles is called, a finall and totall perſeverance.
VI. For, although many times they offend God by grievous falls, and grieve the holy Spirit, they caſt away and loſe many of his gifts, they defile their conſcience, they weaken their faith, and, as much as in them is, break it off, as the examples of David and Peter ſhew; yet they doe not ſo oppoſe God with all their hearts, as to become his enemies, and to loſe his favour for ever, and totally to ſhake off the holy Ghoſt, and utterly to loſe faith: becauſe the ſeed of God (a) remaineth in them, although that powerfull force and ſenſe of Gods gifts doth not at all times ſhew it ſelfe, but doth under the infirmity of the fleſh (as the Sun under a cloud, or fire under aſhes) for awhile lurk, untill God by true repentance ſtirre the ſame up againe, which is done before death, leſt they periſh. Wherefore totally they never fall from the grace of God; but God is ſo angry with them for ſinne, that, notwithſtanding he hates them not, being his ſons, he ſo corrects them, that yet he doth not totally reject (b) them: Even as an earthly father will not preſently thruſt his ſon out of doores when he offends him, much leſſe will he ſhake off his fatherly affection, although he may ſeverely reprove and correct him.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) John 3.9. Whoſoever is borne of God ſinneth not, becauſe his ſeed is in him; nor can he ſin, becauſe he is borne of God.
(b) Pſal. 37.24. Though he fall, he ſhall not be caſt off: for the Lord helpeth him with his hand.
2 Sam. 7.14, 15. I will be his father, and he ſhall be my ſon; whom when he offendeth, I will viſit with the rod of men, and with the ſtripes of the ſons of men: but my mercy ſhall not depart from him.
VII. With this comfort David erected himſelf when hee fell: Caſt mee not away from thy preſence, and take not thine holy ſpirit from me, Pſal. 51.11. If the righteous man fall, he ſhall not be caſt off, for the Lord puts his hand under him.
VIII. This maine comfort the Saints have in their ſpirituall conflicts, that they know they doe beleeve, and by Gods grace will more and more beleeve, and that their faith ſhall not totally faile them, as to be damned; becauſe by the Goſpel they are taught, that it is ſuſtained by Gods immutable (a) election, and Chriſts moſt effectuall merit and (b) interceſſion, and that it is preſerved by the power of (c) God.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) Epheſ. 1.4. He hath elected us in Chriſt, before the foundation of the world was laid.
Rom. 8.39. Whom he predeſtinated, theſe he hath called: and whom he hath called, theſe he hath juſtified: whom he juſtified, theſe he hath glorified.
2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeale, The Lord knoweth who are his.
(b) Rom 8.33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that juſtifieth: Who ſhall condemn? It is Chriſt that is dead, yea rather, that is riſen againe, who is alſo at the right hand of God, and maketh interceſsion for us.
John 17.15. I deſire that thou ſhouldſt keep them from the evill.
Luke 22.31. Simon, Simon, Sathan hath ſought to winnow thee as wheat, but I have prayed to my Father, that thy faith may not faile.
(c) 1 Pet. 1.5. Who by the help of Gods power are preſerved through faith to ſalvation.
IX. To theſe may be added other expreſs aſſurances out of Scripture of this*foreign. fulneſſe of faith: That it is impoſſible for the elect to be (a) ſeduced, for Chriſts ſheep to be taken out of his (b) hands, for the faithfull to be ſeparated from the love of God in (c) Chriſt: That vocation and the gifts of God are without (d) repentance*foreign.: That an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, unfading, is reſerved for us in (e) heaven: That by the power of God through faith we are preſerved to (f) ſalvation: That God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer us to be tempted above our ſtrength, but with the tentation giveth an iſſue, that we may (g) beare it.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) Matth. 24.24. It is impoſsible for the elect to be ſeduced.
(b) John 10.28. My ſheep ſhall never periſh, nor ſhall any man take them out of mine hand.
(c) Rom. 8.39. Nothing can ſeparate us from the love of God in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
(d) Rom. 11.29. Theſe gifts and calling of God are ſuch as are not to be repented of.
(e) 1 Pet. 1.4, 5. Chriſt hath againe begotten us to an inheritance which cannot periſh, nor be defiled, nor wither, reſerved for us in heaven.
(f) Ibid. Who by the help of Gods power are preſerved through faith to ſalvation, which is ready to be revealed in the laſt time.
(g) 1 Corinth. 10.13. God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above your ſtrength, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that you may be able to beare it.
X. But they who doubt of perſeverance, beleeve not life eternall: yea, they ſlight faith and all hope, ſeeing that is an aſſured confidence of Gods merciemercy both preſent and to come: this a certain expectation of life eternall, which maketh not aſhamed. Rom. 5.5. Hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt, which is given to us. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeen, Hebr. 11.1. But doubting confoundeth, Jam. 1.6.
XI. Neither is this a doctrine of ſecuritie, except of (a) ſpirituall; for, with the certaintie of perſeverance in the Saints, there remaines alwaies a purpoſe to avoid ſin, or to repent for (b) ſin, God working all this immutably, according to his eternall purpoſe in them, nor withdrawing his merciemercy utterly from them, leſt they (c) periſh.
Teſtimonies of Scripture.
(a) Rom. 8.38. For I am perſwaded, that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor any other creature, can be able to ſeparate us from the love of God in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
1 John 5.10. He that beleeveth in the Son of God, hath the witneſſe in himſelfe.
2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have beleeved, and I am perſwaded, that he is able to keep what I have committed to him againſt that day.
(b) Rom. 7.15. For what I would doe, I doe not; but what I hate, that I doe: if I doe that which I would not, I conſent to the law, that it is good.
(c) Epheſ. 1.11. In whom we have obtained an inheritance, when we were predeſtinated according to his purpoſe, who doth all things according to the counſell of his will.
2 Sam. 7.14. and Pſal. 89.30. I will keep my mercy for him for ever, and my covenant ſhall ſtand faſt to him.
XII. We reject the opinions of Puccius, Huberus, and others, who have been bred in the ſchoole of Pelagius, as being contrary to this moſt comfortable doctrine: 1. That faith now in the ſtate of grace is naturall, that it is Gods gift common to all; as the Sun by Gods bountie ſhines on the good and bad. 2. That faith hath its increaſe from God, but not its beginning. 3. That it is our work to beleeve, that is, to ſuffer God to help us. 4. That we may doubt of our perſeverance to the end. 5. That the certaintie of Gods gifts, which wee brag of out of the Apoſtle, Rom. 11.29. is vaine. So Huberus, theſ. 777. 6. That the Saints, as ſoon as they ſin mortally, utterly fall off from grace, utterly caſt off the holy Ghoſt, and altogether loſe their faith; and ſo, many of the elect are damned, and periſh.