A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Out of this particular threatening some gather, That a man may be cut off from Christ, & fall away finally from true faith and repentance. For (say they) if a whole Church may be cut off from Christ, and become no Church: then may any one member of the Church be cut off, and become no member: But a whole church may be cut off, as here we see, and therefore may any one man. Answ. This reason is not good: there is great difference between the state of a whole Church, and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixed company of true professors and dissemblers: like unto a field wherein are good corn and tares; and like unto a barn floor, wherein is wheat and chaff mingled together: and yet all are reputed believers, because they profess the Gospel outwardly. Now by reason of this mixture, it may come to pass, that a particular visible Church may fall away, and become no Church: either when the godly are taken away, and hypocrites and dissemblers made manifest: or else when true believers waxing few, are not able to maintain the public profession of the truth against the might and multitude of the enemies, which may daily increase. But the case is not so with a particular member of Christ, he cannot finally fall away, as hath been showed at large, vers. 4. And thus much for the second part of this reason.

Out of this particular threatening some gather, That a man may bee cut off frō Christ, & fall away finally from true faith and repentance. For (say they) if a whole Church may bee cut off from Christ, and become no Church: then may any one member of the Church be cut off, and become no member: But a whole church may bee cut off, as here we see, and therefore may any one man. Answ. This reason is not good: there is great difference betweene the state of a whole Church, and of one man that is a true member of Christ. For a particular Church is a mixt companie of true professors and dissemblers: like vnto a field wherein are good corne and tares; and like vnto a barne floore, wherein is wheat and chaffe mingled together: and yet all are reputed beleeuers, because they professe the Gospell outwardly. Now by reason of this mixture, it may come to passe, that a particular visible Church may fall away, and become no Church: either when the godly are taken away, and hypocrites and dissemblers made manifest: or els when true beleeuers waxing few, are not able to maintaine the publicke profession of the truth against the might and multitude of the enemies, which may dayly encrease. But the case is not so with a particular member of Christ, he cannot finally fall away, as hath beene shewed at large, vers. 4. And thus much for the second part of this reason.