A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

Sixthly, by how much a man falls from the truth, by so much he falls from grace, and by how much a man falls from grace, by so much he falls from the truth, for stability in the stat• of grace, dependeth in a manner upon stability in the truth, for proof whereof mark three Ifs, Christs, Joh. 8. 31. Pauls, Col 1. 23. Johns, 1 Joh. 2. 34. Again, stability in the truth, dependeth upon stability in grace: For proof whereof, mark a fourth If, 1 Joh. 2. 19. These Scriptural Ifs have much in them, and should make us very cautious and heedful, that we do not so far deceive our selves, as to divide what God hath joined together, a sound head and a sound heart, Chrysostom exhorteth his hearers, to join Christian virtues, and purity of doctrines together, for saith he, it profiteth us nothing to be orthodox, if the life be vitiated: as upon the other part, a uncorrupt ¹life profiteth nothing without soundness of faith, licentiousness ⟨p. 148⟩of judgement in Doctrines, will certainly introduce licentiousness of heart and life, in practicals. Arminius himself (although many of his followers have cried up, Scepticism in² Religion,) could say that different doctrines produce in a people, a dubitation, or hesitation concerning Religion▪ that this doubting of the truth produceth▪ despairing to find the truth, and thence follows Atheism and Epicurism, yet when Heresies and false Doctrines introduce Atheism & Epicurism, they do but discover those roots of bitterness which were before in the heart. Therefore as Christ tells those Jews that believed on him, if they continue not in his word, they are not his disciples indeed, Joh: 8. 31. so the Apostle Joh• gives this reason, why Simon Mag•s, Hymeneus, Alexander, Philetus, Menander, Carpocrates, Basilides, Ebion, Cerinthus, and such like, went out and separated from the Church, and from the profession of the truth, because saith he, they were not of us meaning, in respect of lively faith; true grace and regeneration, therefore they went out from us, 1 Joh: 2. 19. which Text in John, Hierome in the close of his first book upon Jeremiah, applies to Heretics in this respect, when they fall away openly, they do but show those very idols of their hearts, which in their in ward parts they worshipped before.