The vvorldes resurrection, or The generall calling of the Iewes A familiar commentary vpon the eleuenth chapter of Saint Paul to the Romaines, according to the sence of Scripture, and the consent of the most iudicious interpreters, wherein aboue fiftie notable questions are soundly answered, and the particular doctrines, reasons and vses of euery verse, are profitable and plainly deliuered. By Thomas Draxe. Minister of the word of God.

If God spared not the naturall branches.

Q If the naturall branches bee not spared, then they that are ingrafted into Christ by faith may bee cutte off.

Ans. The Argument followeth not, for they are called naturall, not by reason of their sound faith which they now had, but because of Gods couenant, and be∣cause naturally they had their beginning from the Fa∣thers. Secondly they were onely members of the visible Church wherein are many hypocrites but not of the Ca∣tholike and inuisible Church.

Take heed least he spare not thee i. least he disdaine thee and cast thee off.

Ques. Can an elect or true member of the Church fall••∣way and so perish?

Ans. No, for they onely haue the spirit of regene∣ration whereby they are sealed vnto the day of redempt∣ion:* 1.1 they alone are indued with the spirit of constancie, and Christ doth neuer cast them off. Iohn. 6.37. but the comforter doth abide with them for euer.

They may (for the time) bee depriued of the out∣ward ministery and meanes of grace and saluation,* 1.2 yet they were GODS people before in his eternall counsell. Secondly benig regenerate and borne a∣newe of incorruptible seede, they cannot perish nor fall away, albeit the outward meanes bee re∣moued.

Ques. What are wee then to thinke and iudge of those, that from the profession of sound doctrine fall away to superstition or Atheisme, and from outward

and apparant holynesse to open prophanesse and licenti∣ousnesse, and thus liue and die, were they euer of the number of the elect or any members of the inuisible Church?

Ans. No, for the elect and members of the Catholike and inuisible Church are onely indued with sauing faith, true repentance, a liuely hope and the true loue of the godly their bretheren, which graces neuer faile, die, or are vtterly extinct: Whereas Apostates▪ and they that degenerate to Atheisme and open Prophanes, were neuer indued with true faith, repentance and other graces that accompany saluation: Well they might (for the time) haue the shadow of them, but they neuer had the truth and substance.

* 1.3Secondly Christ is alwaies, and he alone an effectuall Mediator and Intercessor for the elect onely, whereby they are so preserued in the state of grace that they can∣not fall away. Wherefore Apostates and backe-sliders were Christians and members of the Church in outward apparance and shewe onely, and in their owne opinion and estimation of others, and indeed all their holynesse and profession is nothing else before God but meere formalitie and hypocrisie. And therefore all these tem∣porall things and outward seemings, in time of temptati∣on soone fade and fall away: and of such Christ pro∣nounceth that he knoweth them not .i. he neuer did nor doth acknowledge them for any of his elect, nor approue of them.

Ques. Who and what kinde of persons fall away?

Ans. First, they that are outwardly ingrafted into the couenant, but yet are not inwardly called, nor e∣lected.

Secondly they that receiue the seed of the Gospel, but without the roote of true faith, and inward change, & re∣nouation of heart and affection, and these are onely the reprobate. Math. 13. V. 19.20.21.22.

Ques. In what sort or in what regard doe they fall away?

Ans. First by their vnbeliefe and vnthankefulnesse refusing the promise made to them. Secondly by cor∣rupting and choaking the seed of the word either by want of memory or vnderstanding, & of defect of change and regeneration, or absence of the full perswasion of the truth, or finally either by troubles and persecutions, or else by prosperitie, profitt and pleasures. Here-vpon the worde and Sacraments and the golden candlesticke of y^e Angelicall ministery as wholy taken from them (as some∣time it iustly commeth to passe) or else if they haue no meanes continued,* 1.4 they either as recusants and meere Atheists, contemne them and refuse to vse them, or else are thereby [through their owne corruption] more hardned, blinded and darkened▪ for the more good gifts and meanes of grace which offreth vnto them, and the good motions he putteth into their mindes, the more they do corrupt and abuse them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ephes. 4. 1 Ioh. 2.20. Ioh. 14.5.
• * 1.2

  1 King. 18.19.
• * 1.3

  Luke 22. Ver. 32.
• * 1.4

  Amos. 8.11.12.