A09466:254
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
XL.
By these tentations it comes to pas that a Christian 1though he cannot fall finally from Christ, yet he may fall very dangerously from his former estate. First the graces of god may be by his default lessened in him: else Paul would not have given out these exhortations aquench not the spirit. bGrieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Secondly the graces of God may be buried in him & covered for a time, so that he may be like a man in a trance, who both by his own sense ⟨p. 107⟩& by the judgement of the physician is taken for dead. This was the estate of Peter, who though he confessed that Christ was the son of the living Lord cyet he denied him & forswore him at the voice of a Damsel. Thirdly he may fall again into the same sin after repentance. Indeed this is a dangerous fall, yet it may befall a true christian. Otherwise when as the Israelites gods people had fallen away from him by their sins, & idolatries, he would not still have offered them mercy das he doth by his prophets: And ePaul prayeth the Corinthians in Christs stead that they would be reconciled to God: who nevertheless had once before been reconciled to God. Fourthly, he may commit a sin of presumption, which is a fearful sin, being done wittingly of knowledge and willingly, and with some wilfulness. Therefore David prayed