whose persons the holy Angels of God doe alwayes pitch their teâ—…ts and incampe themselues that they may deliuer them Those â—…uer whom the Lord doth giue his Angels charge to keepe them in all their wayes and to beare them vâ—… in their hands left they dash their feâ—…te against a stone it is vtterly impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace for how can they bee hurt whom a gard of Angels doth inviron how can they euer fall whom the holy Angels doe support and keepe from falling But about all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ the holy Angels doe alwayes pitch their tents and incampe themselues that they may deliuer them and ouer them the Lord hath giuen his Angels charge to keepe them in all their wayes and to beare them vp in their hands left they should daâ—… their feet against a stone Psal. 34. 7. Psal. 91. 11 12. Gen. 32. 12 2 King 6. 16 17. Math. 4. 11. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace This argument I doe not so much relye vpon because this protection of the Angels is principally of the bodies of the Saints but whether they haue any influence into the soules of the Saints to preserue them from sinne that I will leaue vnto the iudgement of the reader to determine Fiftly it is altogether impossible for those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace in respect of themselues and the many priviledges they doe enioy and of that present eâ—…tate and condition wherein they stand For first of all all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are partakers of the diuine Nature and they are borne of an immortall seed which still remaineth in them and cannot be rooted out From which I frame this argument Those which are partakers of a diuinâ—… nature and borne of an immortall seed which still remaines in them and cannot be rooted out it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace but all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are partakers of the diuine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and they are borne of an immortall seed which still remaines within them and cannot be rooted out 1 Pet. 1. 23. and 1. Io. 3. 9. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Secondly they are borne of God and are sonnes of God and therefore they can neuer fall from whence I thus argue Those that are the sonnes of God and are once truly borne of God it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For first if they are the sonnes of God then are they also heires and co-â—…eires together with Christ and shall be for euer glorified with him Rom 8. 17. Gal. 4. 6 7. Tit. 3. 7. Heb. 1. 14. cap. 2. 11 12. 1 Io. 1. 2. Secondly if they are sons then they shall abide in the house for euer and neuer be put â—…nt 〈◊〉 8. 36. Gal. 4. 30. Thirdly if once sonnes and borne of God then they cannot sinne and the seed of grace abides within them 1 Io. 3. 6. 9. Fourthly if once sonnes and borne of God then they shall stand fast for euer Psal. 125. 1. Eccles. 3. 14. Fiftly if once sonnes Iesus Christ hee liveth in them and the life which they then liue they liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal 2. 20. Sixtly if sonnes God then will neuer condemne them for their sinnes but hee will spare them euen aâ—… a father spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Mal. 3. 17. and Psal. 103. 8. to 15. But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are the sonnes of God Iohn 1. 12 13. Rom. 8. 14. to the 18. Gal. 4. 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Titus 3. 17. Heb. 2 16. 11 12. Iam. 1 18. 1 Io. 3. 2. 9. and therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Thirdly those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are built vpon a rocks they are founded vpon Iesus Christ a sure corner stone which cannot be moued From whence I collect this third argument Those that are founded and built vpon a rocke and are founded vpon Christ himselfe that sure foundation and pretious corner stone it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For the Scriptures are expresse in it that all such as are built and founded vpon Christ shall neuer be ashamâ—…d or confounded that though the raine descend and the flouds comâ—… and the windes blow and beate vpon them yet they shall not fall because they are founded vpon a Rocke Mat. 7 24 25. Luk. 6 48. 1 Cor. 3. 12. to the 15. 1 Pet. 2. 6. and Eph. 2. 2â—… But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are founded and built vpon a rocke and vpon Christ himselfe that sure foundation and pretious corner stone Math. 7. 24. 5. Luk. 6. 40. Eph. 2. 20 21. and 1 Pet. 2. 5 6. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Fourthly the Saints of God they haue a new heart a new spirit and a new nature put into them the law of God is written and ingrauen in their hearts with indelible Characters by the finger of Gods spirit from whence this fourth Argument may bee framed Those that haue a new heart a new nature and a new spirit put into them which will cause them to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them Those who are new men and new creatures and haue the law of God written and ingrauen in their hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit can neither finally nor totally fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they haue a new heart a new nature and a new spirit put into them which will cause them to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe his iudgements and doe them Psal. 51. 10. Exek 18. 31. cap. 36. 26 27. Io. 1. 13. They are new men and new creatures 1 Cor 5. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 3. 16. cap. 4. 21 22 23. Col. 3. 8 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 4. And the law of God is written and ingrauen in their hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit Ier. 31. 33 34. Hebr. 8. 10. cap. 10. 16. 17. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Fiftly the Saints of God haue ouercome the world they are taken out of the world and made men of another world they are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation From whence this fift Argument may be framed Those who haue ouercome the world those who are quite
and as one who neuer had as yet any truth of sauing grace within him but likewise as a friend vnto Arminians and the Church of Rome and as an open and professed enemie to the grace of God and to the Doctrine of our Church if any of you will be so bold as to take vp this challenge this present Treatise or if not this another shall make it good against him so as the peace of this our Church bee not disturbed by it But if that your assertion be the positiue Doctrine of our Church as perchance you doe pretend it for to be how then doth it appeare to be so Sure I am our Articles our reuerend and learned writers our Religious professors and our Diuinity Schooles our reuerend Ministers throughout the Kingdome haue alwaies cryed it downe till now as blasphemous Papisticall and heriticall and there is not one approued writer of our English Church that did euer dare as yet to publish it vnto the world as sound and orthodox or as the Doctrine of our Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church why do you not ioyne issue on it and put it to the tryall why do you not answer and refute but only labour to suppresse the workes of those who doe oppose it and challenge it as vnsound Indeede the truth is this you know your cause is bad you know that this your Doctrine is but false and counterfeite and quite repugnant to the Doctrine of our Church and therefore you dare not put it to the tryall for feare it should be proued to be false you dare not go about to proue our position to be vnsound or to giue an answer vnto such as haue defended it all your labour is to quell it and to suppresse not to answer the workes of such as haue defended it And why is this let Lactantius relate the cause Timeut ne à nobis reiucti manus dare aliquandò clamante ipsâ veritate cogantur Obstrepunt igitur et intercedunt ne audiane et oculos suos opprimunt ne lumen videant quod offerimus quum neque cognoscere neque congredi audent quià sciunt se facilè superari Et idcircò disceptatione sublata pellitur è medio sapientia vi geritur res You know you are not able for to answer and therefore you labour to suppresse our workes thinking to carry away the cause by force and pollicy and to suppresse the truth before it shall be able to come vnto a just legall tryall But remember that Intercipere scripta et publicatam velle submergere lectionem non est Deos defendere sed veritatis testificationem timere this is not to confute but to suppresse the truth this it not to confirme and proue but to condemne and marre your cause That gold which dreads the touchstone is but counterfeite that felon who refuseth his tryall doth but confesse himselfe guilty and that doctrine which hates the light and will not come vnto it which would establish it selfe by force and policy and not by truth and honest dealing it doth but discouer it selfe to be euill false and counterseite Whiles therefore you labour to suport your haerisie by force and pollicy and by suppressing of the truth you doe but daube with vntempered morter and marre it whiles you make it Wherefore giue ouer now for very shame your sinester and disloyall practises of which the world takes notice though you thinke not of it peruert not any longer the godly and religious intent of our gratious Soueraigne to a wicked and irreligious end and make not that an instrument to suffocate curbe the truth of God and Doctrine of our Church which hee intended should support inlarge and â—…uccor them How euer take this instruction from an ancient Father Nulla lex vetat discuti quod prohibet admitti Or if the saying of a Pope will please you better let Leo tell you thus much for your learning Quae patefacta sunt quaerere quae perfecta sunt retractare et quae sunt definita coâ—…ellore quid aliud est quam 〈◊〉 adeptis gratiam non referre et ad interdictae arboris cibum 〈◊〉 probos appetitus mortiferae cupiditatis extendere I know not whether you will I am sure you may apply it You see now how scandalous how sleight how false and forged all these your accusations are you see they are but shifts for to euade and colours to oppose the truth and such as doe professe it and defend it they are but meere impostures and pretences whereby the diuill and your owne deceitfull hearts doe labour for to blinde your eyes and to keepe you still in darkenesse to stupifie your hâ—…arts and consciences and so to set you in opposition against all gâ—…ace and goodnesse that so they may depriue you of your soules at last Consider therefore these wiles and pollicies of Satan and looke vnto the end of all your actions Consider who and what it is that sets you now on worke to slaunder and traduce the Saints of God and to oppose his truth and know that it is not the God of peace and vnion the God of grace and truth but the very Diuill himselfe the very spirit of Antechrist and the enemy of all grace and goodnesse who out of some carnall wicked sinister and by respects hath put you on this seruice aske but your owne brests and the secret whisperings of your owne consciences and they will tell you so And therefore though I haue spoken somewhat sharply to you before to make you know your selues the want of which knowledge if Lactantius may bee credited is the cause of all your Errors so now I doe euen beseech you by the mercies of God and by the death of Iesus Christ your Sauiour who died for you that you should no longer liue vnto your selues but vnto him that now you would lay downe your armes of rebellion and vomit vp your bitter hatred malice and dispite against all grace and goodnesse and such as doe excell in piety and holinesse that so you may with all meeknesse of spirit and humility of heart and minde submit vnto this comfortable and holy truth which here I offer and expose vnto you which will be the onely joy the onely comfort and safety of your soules If you will but seririously consider it and ponder it in your hearts and desire God to sanctifie and blesse it to you if you will but reade it with meeke and quiet spirits with indifferent and impartiall mindes and with an earnest desire to finde out the truth it may bee it may rectifie your judgements and reforme your liues it may bee it may doe you good and saue your soules But if you will shut your eyes and will not see if you will stoppe your eares and will not heare or if you will harden your hearts not consider If you will proceed for to oppose and persecute the Doctrine and the
thing as where it is once possessed it cannot bee lost Philosophers could say that hee was neuer a happy man that might afterwards become miserable if morall happinesse were so permanent shall not Christian happinesse which farre excells it be so to Doubtlesse those whom God himselfe pronounceth blessed are blessed and happy men for the present yea and they shall bee such for euer Gen. 27. 33. and Num. 23. 8. 20. God himselfe hath pronounced all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ to bee blessed and happy men as I haue proued it at large before therefore they are and shall be such for euer Now this position if it were granted would quite depriue the Saints of God of all their happinesse it would strip and robbe them of their graces which are the only treasure of their soules and make them of all men most miserable where as they are the only blessed of the Lord wherefore this posiâ—…ion cannot be granted to bee true euen in this respect Thirdly it depriues the Saints of God of all true joy and comfort it robs them of that peace of conscience of that joy and comfort of the holy Ghost of those spirituall and heauenly consolations which are more sweet and pleasant to them then life it selfe or all things in the world besides and so vnutterable and beyond expression that none can know the pleasantnesse and sweetnesse of them but such as feele them and inioy them it robs and spoyles the hearts and soules of all true faithfull Christians of those inestimable and invaluable ioyes and consolations and fills their soules with doubts with terrors and amazements For wâ—…at is that which doth so joy so comfort and refresh the hearts and soules of faithfull Christians What is that which fills them full of joy vnspeakeable aud glorious but only this that their names are written in heauen that their peace is made for euer with God that they are justified and sanctified by Iesus Christ that they are passed from death to life and shall neuer come into condemnation that they are so established and settled in the state of grace that they shall neuer fall nor be remoued from it and that they are so thorowly ingrafted into Christ that they shall neuer bee broken off from him againe But if this once were true that these Christians might either finally or totally fall from grace that they might vtterly loose all the good things which they had done in all their liues so that they should not bee any more remembred that they might loose Gods loue and fauour loose Christ Iesus and all the rich benefits and merits of his death and passion loose the holy Ghost and all the comforts and graces which they haue by him How dolefull how miserable then should the state of Christians bee how would their soules droope and languish with griefe and heauinesse which now doe euen dance and leape for joy how would their zeale their loue and courage be abated how would their mindes and consciences bee perplexed how would the diuell vex and torture them after euery small and little sinne which they should commit with this Quare doâ—… I yet perseuere am I yet in the state of grace or am I not already fallen from it by my sinnes Certainly if this exposition were once imbraced as a truth the diuell would so tyrannize ouer weake scrupulous and tender-hearted Christians by this meanes that he would euen driue theâ—… almost vnto dispaire and send them downe with griefe and sorrow to their graues where as else they should haue alwayes cause to laugh and sing The state of Christians is a state of joy God himselfe commands them to reioyce euermore To reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe for to reioyce To bee ioyfull in glory and to sing aloud in their beds for ioy of heart Therefore this position which would depriue the Saints of God of their very heauen vpon earth of all their sweet and heauenly joyes and consolations and of all the grounds and causes of their joy and fill their soules with doubts feares griefes discouragements tâ—…ares and amazements must needs be odious false and dangerous and cannot be admitted Fourthly it breedes dispaire in the hearts and soules of all regenerated and sanctisied Christians For if the Saints of God after their true regeneration and inscision into Christ might either finally or totally fall from grace how would this perplex the soules and consciences of all regenerate Christians and driue them to dispaire especially in times of sicknesse and temptations wherein Satan doth most commonly set on their sinnes and presse them on their consciences of purpose for to driue them to despaire Tender hearts and consciences which are thorowly wounded and touched with the sense of sinne and are apt to bee dejected vpon euery small occasion with the apprehension of Gods wrath would soone be driuen to despaire if this were true For if any sinne or lust should ouercome them if any temptation or sicknesse should befall them how then would the diuell tyrannize and triumph ouer them Hee would then bee alwayes suggesting this vnto them and pressing it vpon their consciences You are now fallen quite away from grace you are now cut off from God and Christ by these and these your sinnes you were once the children of God but now you are now the sonnes of Satan and vessells of wrath fitted only for destruction You are now fallen quite away from that state of grace wherein you stood before and so it is impossible for you to be renewed by repentance any more Your last end now shall bee farre worse then euer your biginâ—…ing was and because that you haue cast off God hee hath now for euer cast off you you haue committed a wilfull sinne in departing and falling from his grace and therefore there is no more sacrifice and oblation for sinne remaining but a certaine fearefull expectation of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure you What can poore perplexed and distressed soules answer vnto these objections or the like when Satan shall assault them with them and presse them on their consciences They cannot say wee were in the state of grace before and therefore wee are sure that wee continue in it now because it is impossible for vs to fall from it for this were quite contrary to this assertion They dare not say that they haue committed no such sinne as might disturbe them from the state of grace and cut them off from Christ because the diuell and their owne scrupulous and tender consciences doe testifie the contrary they date not for to say that they are still in Christ and if they are diâ—…cted and cut off from him they cannot hope to bee ingrafted into him againe because they haue so wilfully fallen from him and so they cannot but despaire whereas if they had this pillar this helpe and stay to rest their soules vpon Wee
know that wee were once ingrafted truly into Christ and therefore it is impossible for vs to bee broken off from him wee were once inuested into the state of Grace from which wee cannot fall and therefore we are now in Christ wee are in the sure state of grace and shall continue in it all our dayes This would be able to ward off all these fierce assaults of Satan that they should neuer hurt them this would comfort and beare vp their soules and keepe them from sinking in despaire this would make men for to die with ioy and comfort and to lie downe and rest in peace For then they might say with Paul Wee haue finished our course wee haue fought a good fight and wee haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for vs a crowne of glory Whereas now they cannot die with ioy with comfort and assurance and lie downe in peace because they are not sure of their perseuerance they are not sure of their state of grace it may be that they are alreadie fallen from their state of Grace for ought they know if not they may fall from it ere they die yea in the very last gappe and minute of their liues they may commit such sinnes as may cut them off from Christ for euer because they cannot liue for to repent of them before their death and so despâ—…iring or at least doubting of their owne saluation the diuell being aptest then for to assault them with desperate and auxious thoughts and feares when as they are neerest to their ends and least able to resist his fierce assaults they lie downe in terrour and rest in woe and griefe Alas what comfort could a godly and a Christian life which otherwise would comfort and reioyce the soule beyond expression bring any man at his death if this were true that hee might after all fall finally or totally from grace if all the workes and holy duties which hee had done or wrought in all his life might vtterly be lost and be remembred of the Lord no more If hee might loose the wages and reward of all his paines at last Certainly if faithfull Christians and holy men who are the only happy men on earth and haue the only cause for to reioyce and ioy continually might either finally or totally fall from grace they should of all men bee most wretched and miserable they should be stripped of all true comforts here and be driuen to despaire at the last day Away then with this Doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace which sauoureth of nothing but of meere despaire God grant that those who doe maintaine it in their health may neuer feele the smart and terrour of it in their temptations sicknesses or deaths But you may perchance obiect that though regenerate men may fall totally from grace and so may bee discouraged and perplexed for the present yet they may comfort and sustaine their hearts and soules with this that God in his mercy may raise them vp againe and may in some good measure assure their soules that because God hath bestowed grace vpon them heretofore therefore he will be the more ready and willing to restore it to them againe and to impart it to them the second time To this I answere that you are much mistaken in this point and it is nothing so For their hauing of Grace bestowed on them heretofore doth rather argue that God will therefore bestow grace on them no more because they did not keepe it at the first God seldome or neuer giues those grace the second time who haue not kept it at the first Gods graces they are alwayes pretious hee will neuer cast them before such dogges and swine as haue lost and trampled them vnder foote before This is euident by all those places of Scripture which our Antagonists doe principally object against vs. For Ezech. 18. 24. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall bee liue Marke the comfort which you talke of no all the righteousnesse which hee hath done shall bee no more remembred God will not so much as once respect it in his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee die So Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for them who were once inlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come if they fall once away to renew themselues againe vnto repentance seeing that they crucifie againâ—… vnto themselues the Sonne of God and put him to open shame Marke the words it is impossible for such as fall totally from grace to be renewed againe vnto repentance they cannot bee ingrafted into Christ the second time Where then is the truth or comfort of your answer So Heb. 10. 26. 27. If wâ—… sinne wilfully after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation to deuoure those that doe Apostatize from Grace These and such like Scriptures which are objected against vs for to proue a totall or a finall fall from true and sauing grace serue only to satisfie this objection to terrifie the hearts and daunt the soules of all such men as shall once fall from grace and to exclude them for euer from Gods mercy and from rising vp againe So that the possession and inioyment of grace before if it be once lost serues only for to proue that those which had it shall neuer haue it nor injoy it any more and not that God will therefore bee more ready and willing to bestow it on them againe And so the due consideration of all these Scriptures and this position of a totall or a finall fall from grace would driue men vnto finall desperation You therefore that maintaine this desperate and terrible doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacy of the Saints beware lest that you quench the smoaking flax and breake the bruised reede which Christ himselfe would neuer doe Beware lest you afflict and wound to desperation the tender and the broken heart the troubled conscience and the soft and tender soule which God himselfe commands you for to heale to comfort cherish and binde vp with the comfortable assurance of his immutable constant and perpetuall loue to them in Christ and with the impossibility of a finall or totall fall from grace If the pressing of this doctrine driue any to despaire as it cannot choose but doe vnlesse they are perswaded by Gods Spirit to the contrary their bloud and soules shall be required at your hands that presse it and Christ himselfe who is that good and great Shepheard of his sheepe which wil not suffer any of his sheepe to perish will
aedificat valde impium est vt credamus adeam quae inflat nos habere gratiā Christi adeam quae aedificat non habere cum sit vtrumque donum Dei et scire quid facere debeamus et diligere vt faciamus vt aedificante charitate scientia non posset inflare Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est qui docet hominem scientiam ita etiam scriptum est Charitas ex Deo est Which two Canons affirming that true grace is a great helpe and preseruatiue against sinne inabling those that haue it not onely to know but likewise for to doe and loue the things which God commaunds them make much for my conclusion for he that is able through the speciall assistance of God and grace to resist sinne and to do and loue the things which God commandes him how can he chuse but perseuere in grace Grace giues him power loue giues him will to perseuere what is here then that can hinder him from perseuering To conclude let but any indifferent and iudicious reader peruse that generall and famous Councell of Africke held in the yeare of our Lord 418 against Pelugius the Hereticke and the second Councell of Aransica or Oreng◅ held in the yeare of our Lord 529 and if his eyes and judgment are not praeiudicated and infected with Arminianisme or phrase-transformed Pelagianisme hee must needes acknowledge that these two Councells do corroberate and confirme our present assertion For in both these Councels it is positiuely resolued That grace is the only worke of Gods Spirit and the gift of God and not a morrall perswasion nor the strength of nature That regeneration and the state of grace is wrought only by the Spirit of God and not by any freewill strength or power of our owne That the beginning the continuance and the end of the worke of grace in vs is from God alone not from our selues and that by the grace of God only we are what wee are That when we doe inioy any good at all it is not from our owne power and strength but from the assistance of God himselfe who worketh in vs and with vs. That God loues vs not because we doe deserue his loue but because that he intends to make vs louely That the perseuerance of the Saints is from God alone and not from themselues that soe they might ascribe the glory of their graces and their perseuerance not vnto themselues but vnto God alone If then grace and regeneration bee the onely worke of the Spirit of God if the continuance the beginning and the end of Grace and perseuerance in the state of grace bee from God alone and not from man as these two Councels haue determined it then by the determination of these two Councels the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall finally nor totally from grace For if perseuerance bee the onely worke and gift of God alone the Saints of God can neuer chuse but perseuere because that God hath promised and couenanted to giue them perseuerance to cause them to walke i◅ his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and to doe them and to put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him if God will cause them for to perseuere there is nothing then that is able for to hinder them for no man can resist his worke and will Rom 9 19. and Isai 43 13. If you will but compare the Canons and Decrees of the generall Councell of Africke with Saint Augustines bookes de Bono Perseuerantiae and de Corrept et Gratia who was then present at this famous Councell then you may ascertaine your selues that this famous Councell and likewise the Councell of Orange who tooke their patterne and grounds from it did suffragate to this our assertion That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a iustifying and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace You see now how we haue an whole Grand-Iury of ancient and learned Fathers and Councells who haue giuen vp their verdict for vs so that you need not for to doubt of the truth and goodnesse of our cause And here good Reader I would intreate thee to take notice of the truth the honestie and modestie of one Mr. Mountague who in his Gagge and his Appello Cesarem doth confidently affirme That it hath beene the common Tenet of all Antiquitie That the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from the state of grace O the matchlesse impudency mallice and falsitie of the man who against his owne knowledge and conscience durst to affirme so grosse and palpable an vntruth and that to such a wicked and pernicious end as to deceiue his readers and to thrust a dangerous and condemned error on them for an ancient and approued truth What Mr. Mountague did you thinke that none had read the Fathers but your selfe or that your fame and credite was so great among vs as that we would beleeue your false quotations before the authenticall Records themselues Or did you thinke as you haue attempted for to doe to stop the labours of all such and to crush them in the shell as should disclose your partiall and disloyall dealing to the world that so yout virulent Appeale and your forged and new coyned doctrines therein recorded might passe without controll It is well you thought so but thankes be to God you are deceiued in your expectation and truth though it hath found some difficultie and opposition at the presse by your meanes yet it hath come forth at last to display your basenesse your impudencie your malice and your disloyalty vnto the world But say you had had your will Mr. Mountague and all things had succeeded according to your hopes yet me thinkes Mr Mountague if you had had any conscience or feare of God within you if you had had any loue and respect vnto antiquitie and truth as you pretend you haue how truly let others iudge you might haue beene ashamed and affraid to haue traduced slandered and sophisticated to haue outfaced and belyed all Antiquitie as now you haue for feare lest the worthy workes of so many Fathers should haue cryed out against you here and these very Fathers themselues should haue risen vp against you to condemne you in the day of judgement for wronging and traducing of them to that end as you haue done Nay if you had had any loue vnto your Mother Church or to the soules of so many thousands of your Country-men which you should haue wronged and seduced by these false quotations and confident assertions of your owne you could not haue beene so gracelesse so false so trecherous and so shamelesse as to haue fathered this your damnable pernicious error on the ancient Fathers who haue so much opposed it But it may be the good learned man did all this out of ignorance and simplicity For being destitute of the Fathers workes or wanting
who now injoy it and haue it in possession learne more and more to prise and value it and to be more and more affected joyed and delighted with it It is the onely and chiefest treasure of your soules it is the only thing that makes you truly blessed and that for euer let God then and all men see how much you value it by counting all things losse yea drosse and dunge and worse then nothing in respect of it Secondly if those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace then this may serue to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all such men as are thus truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. You that can but truly say that you are regenerated and made new creatures that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ in synceritie and truth yea you who haue but the least sparke and attome of true and sauing grace began within you and planted in your hearts what cause haue you sor to reioyce and sing for ioy You haue such an heauenly treasure such a firme setled and sure estate of grace within your soules as nothing shall be able to depriue you of it let all the diuels in hell or men on earth combine and plot together to depriue and spoyle you of it they are not able to effect it The least sparke 〈◊〉 that seed of true and sauing grace which is within you is of such a diuine permanent and immortall nature that all the flouds of prosperitie all the waters of aduersitie all the stormes of temptation all the malice of of men or diuells cannot vtterly extinguish or put it out againe What then should euer daunt your hearts or cause you for to feare What is there that should make you sad or heauy or interrupt your ioy If once you haue but the true seed of grace within you be it neuer so little neuer so small it is a sure pledge and earnest of heauen it giues you actuall possession and seison of eternall life it keepes you so that you can neuer perish If once you haue the smallest dram of true and sauing grace you need not feare afflictions or temptations you need not feare the very King of terrors hell and death you need not feare the most that men or diuells can doe to you they cannot seuer you from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus your Lord nor yet disturbe you from the state of Grace Wherefore you my brethren who finde and feele this seed and habit of true and sauing grace within your soules reflect on what you haue and see that matchlesse happinesse the which you now inioy banish all anxious sad and dolorous feares and doubts that cause your hands your hearts and soules to droope and take your fill of ioy and comfort reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce and let not any thing depriue and spoyle you of that ioy and comfort which is due vnto you This is the fault of most but specially of young and tender-hearted Christians that they dote too much vpon their sinnes and that they doe not so much prise their state of grace nor take that ioy and comfort in it as they should they are apt to bee discouraged and deiected apt to suspect and to grow jealous of their state of grace vpon all occasions as if that they might lose it and bee depriued of it and this makes them â—…o dull so heauie so dead and lumpish in Gods seruice Wherefore now at last endeuour for to know your happinesse and the worth and nature of your state of grace It is a state of joy and comfort it is such an estate as you can neuer lose or fall from hee that hath the life of grace but once began within him can die no more the second death shall haue no power oâ—…er him Establish then and settle this vndoubted truth and ingraue it in your hearts and soules That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace and this will strengthen and support this will comfort and reioyce your soules in all temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer in all extremities and times of need Wee haue all great cause as the times are now to stablish ground and settle this truth within our soules wee see what feares and dangers what crosses and afflictions what iudgements and calamities are like to come vpon vs wee see what miserable and wofull times are likely to befall vs if then we haue this truth ingrauen in our soules that the grace we haue within vs is of an incorruptible and immortall nature that it cannot be lost or perish O how will this establish settle comfort and reioyce our soules and strengthen and inable vs to vndergoe asflictions with patience ioy and comfort This will make vs for to feare no euill Though the earth beo moued and the mountaines carried into the midest of the Sea though carnall and wicked men shall be so amazed and affrighted with the miseries and afflictions that shall befall them that they shall call to the rockes and mountaines for to fall vpon them and couer them and bee euen at their witts ends for very feare yet such as haue this state of grace within them shall not feare but they shall euen reioyce and sing in the middest of all their troubles and afflictions and lift vp their heads and hearts with ioy and comfort because the day of their redemption draweth neere Wherefore beloued brethren if you would fill your soules with ioy and comfort and arme your selues against the euill day be sure for to ground and roote this comfortable sweet and heauenly meditation in your hearts that come what will you can neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace nor yet be seuered and cut off from Christ and this will comfort strengthen and reioyce your soules in times of need and beare them vp in all extremities And thus adieu FINIS Errata PAge 3. line 36. for the reade these p. 4 l. 1. for degrees the degrees p. 5. l. 34. for haue raise p. 49. l. 31. for this his p. 51. l. 27. for title to title p. 59. l. 19. for one only only p. 61. l. 7. for anithesis antithâ—…sis p. 62. l. 15. for sons sound p. 70. l. 31. for those these p. 73. l. 23. for will his will performe his p. 77 l. 10. for keepe them keepe l. 20. for himselse him p. 83 l. 12. for that it that he p. 86. l. 7 for man may may p. 91. l. 34. for that it p. 96. l 3. for how true how p. 104. l. 19. for receiued recorded p. 105. l. 8. for these those p. 116. l. 2. for but yet yet p. 125. l. 15. for hath haue p. 127. l. 31. for those these p. 128. l 7. for so sealed so firmely