Rev 22. 15. See the place Ephes 5. 5 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God See Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Luke 13. 3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Iohn 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light 2 Thes 1. 7 8. The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ See Mat. 13. 41 42 49 50. Chap. 25. 41 43. Wherefore if thine eye offend thee c. Mark 9. 43. to 49. See Heb. 11. 6. Ch. 12. 14. Rev. 21. the last Ezek. 18. 26. Mat. 3. 10 12. Chap. 5. 20. III. And because sinful man could not possibly of himself by his natural abilitie believe in this Redeemer and persevere in such faith he decreed to afford man means sufficient and necessary as he saw befitting his own wisdome and justice for the working of faith and repentance whereby man might be inabled to believe or more and more prepared and in certain steps or degrees brought on at length to true faith Proofes out of Scripture Not of himself c. Mat 6. 27. Which of you by taking thought can adde one Cubit unto his stature Iob 9. 19 20. If I speak of strength loe he is strong Hos 13. 9. Thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Isa 43. 1. c. 45. 21. I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Prov. 3. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thine own understanding Isa 5. 21. ch 31. 1. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes but look not unto the holy one of Israel neither seek the Lord. Not believe by his natural ability c. Rom. 5. 6. ch 8. 3. Without strength See a Cor. 4. 6. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves See Rom. 11. 32. Gal. 3. 22. Ioh. 3. 3 5. Mat. 12. 33 35. Make the tree good and then the fruit good 1 Cor. 3. 4. God giveth the increase Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given Act. 16. 14. Whose heart the Lord opened Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe See Ezek. 36. 22. Mat. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Lam. 1. 17. Every good gift is from above c. Joh. 6. 44 65. Except the father draw him Mat. 11. 27. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him John 15. 5. Without me ye can doe nothing 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Eph. 2. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God See Rom. 4. 16. ch 5. 15. c. ch 6. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am Gal. 2. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 1 3. Who have obtained like precious faith with us according as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness Eph. 3. 14. c. ch 6. 23. Rev. 1. 4. Grace and peace from God the Father c. 1 Cor. 1. 3. He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. See Rom. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Nor persevere in such c. Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Heb. 12. 2. Jesus the author and finisher of our faith 2 Thess 2. 16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and worke 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you See Ephesians 3. 14. c. Phil. 1. 6. Hebr. 13. 20. Means sufficient and necessary c. Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son See Rom. 10. 14. c. 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Isa 59. last How shall he not with him also freely give us all things Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Isa 49 6 8 9. ch 42. 7. That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth To open the blinde eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house I will give thee for a Covenant to the people To perform the promise that he would grant unto us a Power that we might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life S. Luke 1 72 to 76. 2 Pet. 1. 3. His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse Mat. 25. 14 15 27 29. He gave unto them his talents Mat. 13. 11 12. To you it is given to know Act. 2. 4 5 39 41. The promise is to you and your children Luke 10. 9. The kingdome of God is come nigh unto you Isa 65. 1. Rom. 10. 20. I was made manifest to them that enquired not after me Tit. 2. 11 12. ch 3. 5 6. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared the renewing of the holy Ghost which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour See Hebr. 4. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Iam. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace Mar. 4. 23 24 25. Luke 8. 18. To him that hath shall be given Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine Luke 11. 13. Act. 5. 32. He will give the holy Spirit to them that aske and obey him Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Heb. 12. 28. wherefore let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear IIII. Whence ariseth the last decree concerning the salvation of this or that man in particular who by these means should be brought unto faith and persevere therein this being the condition required in every one that is to be elected unto eternal life and the consideration of this or that man in particular who should die in unbelief Proofes out of Scripture The condition required in every one that is to be elected c. Iam. 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith 2 Thess 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Mark 13. 20 Elect according to
providence it was that being dedicated to the service of Christ in mine Infancy the Piety of my Parents took an early care that I should not be alienated from him through the allurements of the world for want of a religious education and from a childe having been acquainted as Timothy was with the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus herein I have exercised my self through the assistance of his grace to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Mr. Narrowgrace You speak as if regeneration came by nature and education Tilenus No Sir to say regeneration comes by nature were a Contradiction Mr. Takeo'-trust Do you not remember what the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 23. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God And Ephes 2. 1 2. We are dead in trespasses and sins and are by nature children of wrath Can there be so great a change wrought in a man as is a change from death to life and he have no apprehension or feeling when such a change is wrought in him Tilenus When I reflect upon the exuberance of the Divine grace under the Gospel I perswade my selfe there is some difference betwixt Christians born of faithful and godly parents and from their childe-hood educated and instructed in the wayes of faith and pietie I say we must make a difference betwixt these and those Jews and Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks before they were made Christians I know you will not allow Heathens to stand in Competition with the servants of Jesus devoted to him from their very infancy neither is the law and discipline of Moses an equal standard to measure the dispensations of the grace of Jesus Christ by and yet if you consider Zacharie and Elizabeth who were trained up under the Pedagogie of Moses and date their practice of Pietie from their youth * See 1 King 18. 12 as you ought to do for why should we make an exception where God makes none You will finde that being righteous before God and walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless S. Luke 1. 6. they were not capable of answering your question When and where and how the work of grace was wrought in them Now if the ministration of Moses which was in comparison a ministration of death was thus glorious how shall not the ministration of Christ which is the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious 2 Cor. 3. Under the Gospel that Covenant is fully accomplished wherein God bound himself to Abraham by the sacred tie of an oath to grant us a power to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life S. Luke 1. 74. And the conveyances of this powerful grace being all put so freely into our hands this word and Sacraments it is required of us as a duty to have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. and doubtless 't is only our own inexcusable fault if we have not for indeed be it spoken with holy reverence the administration of our sacred baptisme were not better than a piece of solemn Pageantry if grace were not conferr'd upon us in receiving that Sacrament for therein are begg'd on our behalfe the blessings of Christ grace and pardon with the renewing and assistance of the holy spirit These the Church by prayer seeks for on our behalf by vertue of that Covenant wherein God hath promised and engaged himself to bestow them which promise be for his part will most assuredly keep and perform Then upon this we engage our vow to forsake the Devil and all his works and to keep Gods holy will and Commandements Can we think either that God in goodness or justice would require such an ingagement at our hands under peril of a greater condemnation or that the Church of God in prudence could oblige us to undertake it without good assurance of sufficient assistance and power from his gracious spirit to inable us to perform it according to the tenour of the Gospel Mr. Fribabe It seems you are for universal grace and you hold that all the children of the faithful dying in their infancie and before they have the use of reason are saved by vertue of that Covenant made Isa 49. 8. Heb. 13. 20. with us in the blood of Christ into which they are consigned at their baptisme as if all such were invested with some priviledge to exempt them from the absolute decree of reprobation Tilenus This Sir is the faith into which I have been baptized and catechized for I am taught to profess that in my baptisme I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritour of the Kingdome of Heaven Mr. Knowlittle But you know that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. Tilenus That I very well remember but withall I consider that besides that federal holiness which removes all obstacles in the children of the faithful and renders them recipients duly qualified for the Sacrament I am instructed in my Creed to believe in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me that is if I do not resist his work and quench his motions and am further directed to beg by diligent prayer his special grace to inable me to discharge my duty to God and my neighbour which grace if I be not wanting to my duâ—y I have reason to assure my self of upon the strength of our Saviours promise S. Luke 11. 13. The short is Baptisme being stiled the laver of regeneration Tit. 3. 5 6. And the children of the faithful being in no capacitie of putting a bar against the efficacie of it the learned Davenant one of the Divines of the Synod of Dort concludes that therein they are truly justified regenerated and adopted and by this means a state of salvation is conferr'd upon them suitable to the condition of their infancy and arriving to the use of reason if they walk in the strength of the Divine grace under the command and conduct of the Holy Spirit and fight under Christ's banner as generous souldiers ingaged by solemn covenant and armed with assistance from above to that purpose should do we are assured that sin shall not got the dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. for he is greater that is ingaged in them for their assistance then he that is in the world against them 1 John 4. 4. Whereupon the same Apostle is confident to conclude c. 5. v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Mr. Knowlittle You speak as if a man might live without sin and so be saved without Christ Tilenus Sir I believe it is the duty of the children of God and therefore possible to be blameless and harmless without rebuke shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and
out quickly and compel them to come in Rev. 22. 17. The spirit and the Bride say come And let him that heareth say come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock Prov. 1. 20. c. Wisdome crieth without she uttereth her voice in the streets How long ye simple ones Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my spirit unto you c. 3. His reception Iohn 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Mat. 11. 28. Come and I will refresh you Rev. 3. 20. He shall sup with me 4. His options 1. For the time past Psal 81. 9 10 11 12 13 14. But my people would not hear O that my people had hearkned unto me Isa 48. 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest goe O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea 2. For the future Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their later end 5. His precations and beseechings Isa 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. I have spread out my hands a posture of prayer Exod. 9. 29. Psal 63. 5. all the day unto a rebellious people 2 Cor. 5. 20. God doth beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead Be ye reconciled unto God 6. His obtestations Deut. 30. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed mayest live Isa 1. 2. Hear O heavens and give eare O earth c. 7. His complaints Micha 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Ier. 2. 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain Ier. 2. 31. Have I been a wilderness c. 8. His Lamentations Ier. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Luke 19. 41 42. He beheld the city and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace 9. His expostulations Ezek. 18. 31 32. Cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel Ier. 13. last 10. His increpations and exprobrations Iohn 5. 40 with 34. These things I say that ye may be saved And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodnes not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee unto repentance Ier. 13. last Woe unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be 11. His Comminations and threatnings Ezek. 18. 30. Therefore will I judge you O house of Israel every one according to his wayes saith the Lord God repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ier. 18. 10 11. Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah saying thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your wayes and your doings good 12. His oath and Protestation Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Are not these arguments of seriousness Judg. 13. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us all these things nor have told us such things as these See the Reason of the fifth Negative What the Remonstrants do not hold touching the said Articles viz. Gods grace and Mans Conversion I. THey do not hold that all Zeal Care and Study for the obtaining of Salvation which a man shall use before he hath faith and the spirit of renovation is vain and to no purpose much lesse that 't is rather hurtful than profitable and fruitful to him The Reason 1. The neglect hereof is complained of Isa 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 44. 19. Iob 35. 10 11. But none saith where is God my maker Who teacheth us more then the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fouls of heaven See Ier. 5. 24. ch 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done 2. This neglect is threatned Luke 16. 10 12. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much If therefore you have not been faithful in that which is anothers c. Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God 3. This is a duty expected even of the Heathens Act. 17. 27. That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and finde him 4. And 't is commanded He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Isa 46. 8. Remember this and shew your selves men Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God Strive to enter in at the streight gate Ier. 4. 3. Luke 3. 4 6. Prepare the way of the Lord. Hos 10. 12. 5. This is commended as a disposition and preparative to faith in Christ and the spirit of renovation Mat. 13. 10 11 12. To him that hath shall be given To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Mat. 11. 5 25 26. Thou hast revealed them to babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Iohn 10. 27. Iohn 3. 21. But he that doth truth cometh to the light Luke 8. 15. That on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Mark 19. 14. Of such is the kingdome of God 6. This care and study is incouraged Mat. 12. 20. He will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed Isa 55. 1. Mat. 11. 28. Ho
and salvation is according to his secret acceptable and perfect will Ephes 1. 9. 1 Thes 4. 3. Rom. 12. 2. See the proofs of the seventh affirmative see 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. VII They do utterly denie that God calleth Reprobates for these ends viz. that he may harden them the more make them unexcusable punish them the more grievously manifest their weakness and not for this end that they may be converted believe and be saved The Reason See it in the Reasons of the 5. and 6. Negatives immediately foregoing to which adde Ephes 4. 1. I therefore the prisoner See 2. Chron. 24. 19. His design is to reduce them Mark 12. 6. Rom. 1. 7. Beloved and called of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called And what answer doth such a call deserve as is given to no other end then those now mentioned But God calleth us with an holy calling 2 Tim. 1. 9. And he saith unto me write Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb And he saith unto me these are the true sayings of God Rev. 19. 9. Luke 10. 24. Mat. 16. 17. 2. He upbraids such as make no better use of his calls then to aggravate their own damnation Deut. 29. 2 3 4 5 6. Ezek. 2. 5. John 15. 22 24. John 5. 34 40. These things I say that ye might be saved And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Se proofes of the 7. Affirm VIII They do utterly deny that by the force and efficacy of the secret will and decree of God not onely good things but evill do necessarily come to pass The Reason 1. 'T is mans duty to eschew evil and doe good Psal 34. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 11. See 2 Sam. 24. 12 13. 1 Sam. 23. 11 12. good being commanded upon promise of life and evill forbidden under peril of damnation Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness See verse 32. 2. The good and evil which men do are matters of choice See John 19. 11. Ios 24. 15 22. Isa 1. 19 20. If ye be willing and obedient c. But if ye refuse and rebel c. Ezek. 2. 5. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear c. See Ier. 36. 6 7. Mic. 2. 1. Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand Mat. 17. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 36. Let him do what he will See Deut 30. 19. 3. Gods exprobration Ier. 5. 22 23. under different lawes 4. Good and evil are attended with praise and dispraise which such actions deserve not as come to pass Necessarily The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of fools Prov. Phil. 4. 8. Rom. 2. last Rom. 13. 3. Doe that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same 1 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 19 20. This is thank-worthy with God Well done good and faithful servant Luke 19. See Gal. 6. 4. Who seek for glory and honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. 5. God propounds examples to our imitation 6. That is omitted which God loves and that comes to pass which He hateth See Ier. 44. 4 5. Isa 65. 12. 66. 4. They did evil before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not Zech. 8. 17. All these are things that I hate See Ier. 44. 4 5. 1 King 20. 42. 7. Lastly God is sometimes said to expect that which doth not come to pass See Mark 12. 6. Ezek. 22. 30. 1 Pet. 3. 20. When once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah Isa 5. 2 4. He looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes See the places cited for Gods hatred of sin and against Absolute antecedent decrees The state of the Controversie touching the work of grace in the Conversion of man Whether a man when God seriously wills that he believe and be converted can nill to believe and convert The Fifth Article Controverted is touching Perseverance What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that God doth furnish the true believer with supernatural power of grace as according to his infinite wisdome he judgeth sufficient for their perseverance and conquest over the temptations of the Devill the flesh and the world and that he is never the cause why they persevere not Proofes out of holy Scripture Sufficient for their perseverance 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God See Ioh. 4. 14. ch 6. 53. shall never thirst 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee Phil. 4. 13. I am able to doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Matth. 11. 30. 1 Iohn 5. 3. My yoke is easie and my burden light And conquest over temptations Ioh. 10. 28 29. They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Luke 22. 32. John 17. 11. Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee Rom. 8. 35. c. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ 1 John 5. 4 5. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world 1 John 2. 13. 14. I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 4. 4. Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world He is never the cause why they persevere not c. 1 Cor. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ See 1 Thes 5. 23 24. 2 Thes 3. 3. The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evill Jude ver 24. Now to him that is able to keep you from falling 1 Cor. 15. 57. Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ II. They
hold that true believers may fall from true faith and into those sins which cannot stand with true and justifying faith neither is this onely possible but oft cometh to pass Proofes out of holy Scripture True Believers may fall from true faith Mat. 13. 20 21 22. Luke 8. 13. 14. They on the rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away And that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring forth no fruit unto perfection Rom. 11. 20 21 22. Because of unbelief they were broken off Gal. 5. 4 7. Ye did run well Ye are fallen from grace 1 Tim. 1. 18 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack ch 4. 1. Some shall depart from the faith ch 5. 12 15. Some are already turned aside after Satan Having damnation because they have cast off their first love See ch 6. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 15. ch 2. 17 18. Gen. 3. 6 24. Into sins which cannot stand with justifying faith c. 2 Pet. 2. 18. See ver 1. c. They allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour It hath happened unto them according to the true proverb The dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Mat. 26. 70 72 74. Then began Peter to curse and to swear saying I know not the man David a man of great faith and integrity 1 King 15. 5. yet 2 Sam. 11. 4 15. ch 12. 9. He committed adultery and murder And Solomon beloved of the Lord. 2 Sam. 12. 25. 1 Kings 3. 10. yet 1 Kings 11. from 1 to 10 verses through the love of strange women his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice and went after other gods And that these sins of Adultery Murder and Idolatry are inconsistent with true justifying faith See Gal. 5. 19 20. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8. ch 22. 15. Demas one of Saint Pauls fellow-labourers Philemon 24. Col. 4. 14. Whose names were written in the book of life Philip. 4. 3. yet 2 Tim. 4. 10. He embraced this present world How great a sin that is in a person so engaged 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. See Iames 4. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Iohn 2. 15. Ier. 2. 13. My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water c. Rev. 2. 20 22. Jezebel seduced my servants to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols and they commit adultery with her Luke 11. 24. c. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and finding none he saith I will return unto mine house whence I came out And when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there III. They hold that true believers may through their own default fall into crimes and heinous offences continue and die in them and so finally fall away and perish Proofes out of Holy Scripture 1 Chron. 28. 9 If thou forsake him He will cast thee off for ever John 15. 2 6. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away and it is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die See ver 26. and ch 33. 12 13 18. Matth. 18. 26. ad finem Then his Lord said unto him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors See the Reasons of the 2 3 4 c. Negatives and the proofes of the 2 Affirmative III. They hold that true Believers though they fall sometimes into grievous sins and such as wast the Conscience yet fall not from all hope of repentance but that God according to the multitude of his mercies can and often doth bring them again by his grace unto repentance although they cannot certainly be assured that this shall certainly and undoubtedly be done Proofes out of Holy Scripture Fall not from all hope c. Ezek. 18. 30. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not be your ruin See Rev. 2. 4. c. 3. 3. Psal 51. 17. Ier. 3. 1 12 14. Thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Turn O backsliding children I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful I will not keep anger for ever For I am married unto you Hos 14. 4. I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely Ier. 31. 19 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant childe For since Ispake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord Mich. 7. 7 8 9. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie when I fall I shall arise Mat. 18. 21 22. How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him Jesus saith untill seventie times seaven Luke 6. 36. As your father which is in heaven is merciful Exod. 32. 2. c. to the 10. Aaron makes a calf and provokes the Lord yet chap. 40. 13. He is consecrated to the Priests office Hezekiah humbled himself the wrath of God was removed from him 2 Chron. 36. 26. Peter weeps bitterly Mat. 26. 75. Davids sin is put away 2 Sam. 12. 13. The incestuous Corinthian findes indulgence 2 Cor. 2. 7 10. A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51. 17. They cannot certainly be assured c. 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Divel Joel 2. 14. Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behinde him Ionah 3. 9. Isa 27. 11. For it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on