seuerall Conferences at Hage recorded by Brandius and Bertius haue concurred in the contrary assertion I confesse that Iacobus Arminius in Apolog aduers Artic quosdam Theologicos Respons ad Artic secundum in Examinatione Praedestinationis Perkinsis that Conradus Vorstius in amica collatione cum Piscatore sect 108 that Nicholaus Greuinchouius and Bertius in his Hyminaeo desertore sine de Sanctorum Apostasia and others of the Arminian crew to whom Master Mountague is much beholding haue beene of this opinion That faith once had may be lost againe But that any sound and orthodox Protestant Diuines were of this opinion in any of their decisions writings or resolutions that I neuer heard or read of as yet But will you know now who are Master Mountagues Protestant Diuines who haue so much opposed our present assertion and consented to the Church of Rome in the totall and finall losse of faith once had Surely they must and can be no other but those whose reasons arguments and quotations both out of Scriptures and Fathers Master Mountague hath ttanscribed in his Gagge for he intimates as much himselfe Now what Diuines are these Surely I must needes informe you who they are because they are worth the knowledge his two chiefe Diuines they are Bellarmine and Bertius the one a Cardinall and cheise pillar of the Church of Rome the other the strongest pillar and stoutest Champion of the Arminian faction It may be hee hath praid in some ayde from the Rhemists but I can assure you that all his quotations that are there cited are transcribed either out of Bellarmine in his 3. booke de Iustif cap. 14. or out of Bertius in his Hymeneo disertore siue de Apostasia sanctorū and most of them especially the quotations out of the Fathers are not to be found in any other Writer but in Bertius only Are these your Protestant Diuines Mr. Mountague were there no other Protestant Diuines from whence to fetch resolutions decisious but from these or can you bee so strangely impudent as to grace these two notorious and famous men the one knowne for the greatest Papist the other for the chiefest Arminian that euer was with the stile of most Protestaut Diviues no meruaile then is these men bee your Protestants that you stile all others that dissent from them not Protestants but Caluinists Puritans and Nouellers and that you stile this doctrine of the totall finall perseuerance of the Saints a Puritan Doctrine Wherefore good Reader take this short Nota with thee in the by that all M. Mountagues Protestants are none but Papists and Arminians and all his Puritans Nouellers and Caluinists whom hee so much lasheth none but sound and Orthodox Protestants who assent not to Arminius and the Church of Rome and what must Mr. Mountague be then in the meane time Surely a Papist or Arminian if not both or worse then both But I passe this ouer and come to the second thing which is to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in the state of Grace to bee the receiued and approued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the Seas by their seuerall Articles and Confessions and by their Synods which haue so resolued it That this is the receiued and approued doctrine of their Articles and Confessions it is euident and plaine First by the latter Confession of Helvetia Artic. 9. Because that the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the Spirit therefore the faithfull are called free yet so that they do acknowledge their infirmity and glory no whit at all of their Free-will So that by the expresse words of this Confession the regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall totally from grace because the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the spirit So Artic. 10. of the same confession The Saints are chosen in Christ by God vnto a sure end and Artic. 15. Wee who are once justified are not only cleansed from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life And Article 16. True faith is the meere gift of God because God of his power doth giue it to his elect according to measure and therefore it is called the faith of Gods elect This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse to God it doth keepe vs in our dutie which wee owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie and it doth bring forth good fruites of all sorts c. By this it is euident that our assertion is the positiue doctrine of the Helu◅◅◅◅tian Church So is it also of the Bohemian as it is manifest by the 6. Article of their Confession which saith That true faith doth alwayes lift vp him that hath it and assures him that in and for Christ he assuredly hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth on me hath eternall life For whomsoeuer God doth iustifie to them he doth giue the holy Ghost and by him hee doth regenerate them as hee promised by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my Spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also grace might reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ. Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace and bounty of God to inioy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation ond to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection bee made heires The French Church doth likewise concurre with vs in our assertion in the 21. and 22. Articles of their confession which say That true faith is giuen only to the Elect not that they might once only be brought into the right way but rather that they might bee forward therein vnto the end because that as the beginning is of God so is also the accomplishment Therefore it is so farre that faith should extinguish the desire to liue well and holily that it doth rather increase and kindle it in vs whereupon good workes doe necessarily follow with which the confession of Belgia artic 23. 24. doth fully agree The Confession of Saxonie Artic. 3. 7. 9. concurreth with vs For it testifieth vnto vs. That the Error of doubting is altogether heathenish that it doth abolish the Gospell and take away all true
immutable and if they were not so it were not in the power of regenerate men to make them so but it hath onely reference to regenerate men themselues or to election and vocation as they haue reference to regenerate men and not to God so that the Apostles meaning is no more but this that the Saints of God ought by their holy liues and godly conuersation and by the inward graces of his holy Spirit which are the vndoubted fruits and markes of their true election vocation to assure their hearts and consciences that they were truly called and elected to saluation so that the Maior proposition remaines as true The Minor onely rests for to be proued That all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are praedestinated and ordained vnto eternall life And this appeares by these insuing reasons First because that none are called and truly regenerated but those that are praedestinated and elected vnto eternall life which appeares by diuers euident texts of Scripture as Rom 8 30. Whom he did praedestinate them also he called a and no oothers and whom he calles them he also iustified and no others whom he iustified them he also glorified and no others God doth regenerate call sanctifie none but such as are elected to eternall life and the rest are hardned Rom 11 7. God doth saue or call none with an holy calling but according to his purpose of grace in Iesus Christ before the world began 2 Tim 1. 9. None but such as are Christs sheepe beleeue and heare his voyce Iohn 10 26. as many as are ordained to eternall life beleeue and none but they Acts 13 48. None be rich in faith but such as God hath chosen to eternall life Iames 2 5 and therefore Titus 1 1 faith is stiled the faith of Gods elect to signifie thus much vnto vs that none haue true and sauing faith but such as are elected to saluation therefore it is euident that all those who are once truly regenerated ingraâ—…ted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are praedestinated and ordinated to eternall life Secondly it must needes be so because all those that are once truly regenerated and sanctified are regenerated and sanctified by vertue of their praedestination this is euident by Ephes 1 4 5. Blessed bee God who hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue hauing praedestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe Those that are sanctified called and adopted they are all praedestinated to this their adoption sanctification and calling and withall they are praedestinated to eternall life as you may reade at large Rom 8 29 30. Ephes 2 10. 1 Thes 5 9. 2 Thes 2 13 14. 1 Tim 6 12. 2 Tim 1 9 cap 2 19 21 and 1 Pet 1 2. therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally fall from grace All that can be answered to this obiection and argument is onely this that there is no such absolute and irreuocable decree and praedestination to eternall life which how false it is let these Scriptures testifie Psal 139 16. Isay 49 1 5. Ier 1 5 cap 31 3. Mal 1 2 3. Math 24 22 24. cap 25 34 41. Iohn 12 40. Acts 13 48. Rom 8 29 30 33. cap 9 11 23. cap 11 5 7 28. Gal 1 15. Ephes 1 3 4 5. cap 2 10. 1 Thes 5 9 2 Thes 2 13 14. 1 Tim 6 12. 2 Tim 1 9. cap 2 19. 21. Tâ—…t 1 1. 1 Pet 1 2. cap 2 9. and 2 Pet 1 10. which are all expresse to the contrary or else that all those that are once truly regenerated sanctified and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith are not praedestinated to eternall life which I haue proued to be false Wherefore this argument proues this to be an vndeniable truth that those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Iesus Christ by a true and liuely faith can neuer finally fall from grace for then Gods election should be frustrated which cannot be The second thing in God is his almightie power and strength which giues vs full assurance that those who are once truly regenerated can neither finally nor totally fall from grace from which I frame this second argument Those who are kept by the very might and power of God vnto saluation it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true liuely faith they are kept by the very might and power of God vnto saluation so is the expresse text in the 1 Pet 1 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation so is Esay 26 3 c 27 3. I the Lord do keepe my vynyard I will water it euery moment least any hurt it I will keepe it night and day thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is staied on thee so is Iohn 10 27 28 29. My sheepe heare my voyce and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hands my Father that gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand God doth keep all those that are once truly regenerated through his owne name vnto euerlasting life he preserues and keepes them by his power Iohn 17 11. 2 Cor 12 9. cap 13 4. Ephes 1. 18. and 2 Tim 1 12 wherefore they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace All that is replyed to this argument is onely this That it is true that God doth keepe all such as are regenerated by his power to saluation he preserues them so that nothing can plucke them out of his hands vnlesse they will themselues God doth preserue and keepe them so that no outward thing shâ—…l plucke them from him but yet he doth not preserue them from themselues though nothing can plucke them out of his hands yet they by the liberty of their owne wills may plucke themselues out of his hands and so fall totally or finally from grace To which I answer that it is as impossible for the Saints themselues by vertue of their owne free will to pull themselues out of the hands of God as it is for any outward thing to doe it First because Christ himselfe tells vs that no man can pluck them out of his Father hands if no man can do it then they themselues can neuer doe it for they are but men and so are included in this word no man as well as others no man nor any man can doe it therefore they themselues can neuer doe it Secondly they themselues can neuer doe it because the Scripture saith expresly that they are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation that they are kept night and
can haue any benefit or aduantage by them but when once the condition on our parts is in truth performed by God who workes it for vs then the promises and the things promised are our owne for euer without any further condition This we may see in these three seuerall promises of God Hee that repenteth hee that beleeueth hee that receiueth Iesus Christ shall be saued and shall not come into condemnation Marke 16 16. Iohn 1 12. cap. 3 17 18. cap. 5 24. Acts 2 37 38 39. cap. 3 19. and cap. 16. 30 31. Here it is true that these promises being conditionall and requiring something on our parts before wee shall inioy them wee by the assistance and helpe of God must first truly repent beleiue and receiue Iesus Christ before we shall be saued and freed from condemnation but when we haue once truly repented belieued and receiued Iesus Christ then we are saued and freed from condemnation for euer Now in these three generall promises I would haue you to obserue these two things which make much for my present purpose First that these three promises are the originall charters and assurances that giue vs interest right and title vnto heauen and eternall life and that all these other promises which belong vnto vs after we haue truly belieued repented and receiued Iesus Christ giue vs no new interest right and title to heauen and eternall life but onely serue for to confirme and strengthen that interest right and title to which wee had in them before by these three generall promises that so wee may inioy them with greater comfort and assurance I cannot better expresse it then by this similitude A man hath lands demised to him by a fine or by a deed indented and inrolled or some such originall conuaiance these very originall deedes without any other assurance doe giue him a full perfect and absolute right and interest in those lands Suppose now that after this deuise the party that sold those lands should make a generall release or confirmation of those lands vnto the party to whom they were deuised this release or confirmation giues him no new right or interest in these lands but onely serues to strengthen and confirme the old which was sure and safe enough before So it is heare these three originall promises when once wee doe truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus they are the originall charters that giue vs a full sure and perfect interest right and title to heauen and eternall life and all these other promises which God makes vnto vs either for himselfe or vs when once we are within the couenant and state of grace serue onely to strengthen and confirme our ancient interest right and title vnto heauen which was sure and safe before they giue vs no new interest right and title to it So that if a man doe but once truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus this makes him sure of heauen and eternall life though hee had no other promises to assure him but these Secondly obserue that saluation heauen and eternall life in these three radicall and originall promises are suspended onely and depend meerely vpon the performance of the conditions themselues and not vpon the perpetuall and continuall performance of them God doth not say if ye beleiue and beleiue for euer if yee repent and repent for euer if yee receiue Iesus Christ and receiue him for euer yee shall bee saued and haue euerlasting life no there is no such matter in the promises but if wee truly beleiue if we doe truly repent and receiue Christ Jesus in the sinceritie of our hearts though it be but once wee shall be saued and haue euerlasting life because that hee that doth truly beleiue truly repent and receiue Christ Iesus but once doth belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus for euer he is passed from death to life for euer and shall not come into condemnation Iohn 5 24. Rom 8 1 2. and Marke 16. 16. Suppose a man should promise another an hundred pounds vpon condition that hee should marry his daughter or publikely recant those iniuries which he had done vnto him if there he doth marry his daughter but once or recant those iniuries in publike but once though hee doe not reitterate them hee shail haue the hundred pound because hee hath performed the condition So when as God doth promise vs saluation heauen and eternall life if we belieue râ—…pent and receiue Christ Iesus in sinceritie and in truth if once wee doe but truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus wee shall certainly be saued and haue heauen and euerlasting life because the condition on which these are suspended is performed I would aske but this question of any of our Antagonists whether any man may not safely make this argument with himselfe Euery one that doth truly belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus shall be saued and haue euerlasting life But I my selfe do truly belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus therefore I shall bee saued and haue euerlasting life If this be not a good argument then what benefit comfort or assurance can any Christian take from these or any other promises of the Gospell what claime interest or title can he lay to saluation heauen or eternall life or to what end doe these promises serue If it be a good argument as I thinke none can deny it then certainly heauen saluation and eternall life depend onely vpon the faith and repentance of men and their receiuing of Iesus Christ without any necessary relation to any inclusiue condition if they perseuere withall for he that doth but once truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus doth beleiue repent and receiue Christ for euer Certainly as Christ himselfe by dying vnto sinne but once is become the authour of eternall saluation to all truly penitent and beleiuing sinners and being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him Rom 6 9 10. Hebr 5 9. cap. 7 27. and cap 9 25 28. So he that is but once truly regenerated and aliue to God through Iesus Christ our Lord dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him but he shall liue for euer vnto God and shall not come into condemnation Rom 6 7 to 12 Iohn 5 24. Rom 8 2. 1 Iohn 3 9 14. and Hebr 10 2. how then can he euer finally or â—…otally fall from grace Let all the deuils in hell or men in earth lay their heades together they shall neuer with all their wit and sophistrie delude or ouerthrow this plaine and pregnant truth Againe there are a second sort of promises which are proper peculiar only to those which are in truth regenerated and within the couenant and state of grace of which sort the greater part of all the promises which I haue formerly cited are which promises I haue proued giue them no new interest right or title vnto heauen and eternall life but onely serue to ratifie and confirme that
grace and therefore cannot be admitted euen in this respect Thirdly this assertion if it were admitted would vtterly disanull abolish and take away the very roote and chiefe of graces euen true justifying and sauing faith For faith as it is defined Heb. 11. 1. Is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene it is a sure euidence of heauen and eternall life Wherefore those that haue this faith must not only beleeue that God is but also that he is a rewarder of all such as doe diligently seeke him they must bee perswaded of all Gods promises and imbrace them as their owne Hebr. 11. 6. 13. and with faithfull Abraham Rom. 4. 19. 20 21. they must not stagger at the promises of God through vnbleâ—…fe but they must be strong in faith they must be fully perswaded that as God is able so likewise hee will bee faithfull to performe what euer hee hath promised He that hath a true justifying and sauing faith hee must be able to apply Christ Iesus and all the promises of the Gospel to himselfe he must appropriate and ascertaine them vnto himselfe so as to make them his owne for euâ—…r hee must be able thus to argue He that heareth the word of Christ and beleeueth on him that sent him hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Iohn 5. 24. he that trusteth and waiteth on God shall neuer bee remoued but shall stand fast for euer he shall mount vp with eagles wings he shall run and not be weary he shall walke and not be faint Psal. 125. 1. Isai. 40. 31. God will put his feare into his heart and they shall not depart from him Ier. 32. 40. But I doe heare the word of Christ I beleeue on him that sent him I doe waite and trust on him therefore I haue euerlasting life I am passed from death to life and shall not come into condemnation I shall neuer be remoued from the state of grace but shall stand fast for euer I shall runne and not bee weary I shall walke and not faint I shall not depatt from him He that cannot argue thus hee that cannot thus apply and assume these promises of God vnto himselfe hath no faith at all he that hath faith and is able thus for to apply them can assure himselfe that hee shall perseuere vnto the end and that he shall neither finally nor totally fall from grace yea and must assure him selfe so from these and such like promises or else he hath no faith in them So that if this assertion of the Apostacie of the Saints were once admitted it would quite abolish and vtterly take away all true and sauing faith whose property it is not onely not to faile Luke 22. 32. but likewise to assume these promises of finall and totall perseuerance to it selfe Fourthly if this assertion were once admitted it would take away all certaintie and assurance of saluation for if the true regenerate Saints of God might after their true inscition into Christ either finally or totally fall from grace then they could neuer bee assured of saluation where euer there is a possibilitie of falling away from grace there can bee no full and perfect assurance of saluation a man can neuer bee surâ—… of the end that is not assured of the meanes for to attaine it perseuerance in the state of grace is the meanes for to attaine saluation and therefore if men could not be assured of their perseuerance they could neuer be assured of saluation which depends vpon it If a man might fall totally from grace hee could not be assured of saluation because he cannot bee assured of this whether he shall rise againe whether God will cut him off in his sinnes before hee be ingrafted into Christ againe Now this grace of assurance is a speciall fauour which God bestowes vpon his Saints and children it is the very anchor and piller that supports their soules and it is such a grace as all the Saints of God both may and ought to haue without any speciall reuelation as appeares by diuers pregnant places of Scripture which for breuity sake I will only quote and not set downe at large as Iob. 19. 25 26. cap. 11. 15 18. cap. 13. 16. cap. 16. 19. Psal. 27. 1. Psal. 46. 1. to 8. Isai. 25. 8 9. cap. 50. 7 8 9. Iohn 5. 24. cap. 14. 27. Rom. 8. 35. to the end cap. 14. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 1. to 10. Ephes. 3. 12. Phil. 1. 21. 23. Cor. 3. 4. 1 Thes. 1 4 5. 1 Tim. 1. 7. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 19. cap. 4. 7 8 18. Heb. 2. 15. cap. 10. 34 35. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 1 Iohn 3. 2. cap. 4. 17 18. cap. 5 18 19. 20. Wherefore since this doctrine of the Apostacie of the Saints would vtterly abrogate falsifie and ouerthrow the grace and doctrine of assurance and certainty of saluation it must needs bee a false dangerous and pernitious doctrine which cannot be admitted Fifthly if this were once admitted for a truth it would take away and vtterly abolish in the Saints the grace of loue and of joy and comfort in the holy Ghost it would take away the causes of loue and joy and so consequently these graces themselues which are the very end of the Gospell and in which the very kingdome of God consists as you may reade Iohn 15. 11. Rom. 14. 17. and cap. 15. 13 wherefore it cannot be admitted euen in this respect Lastly if this assertion were once admitted it would make true and sauing grace to be but a meere morrall perswasion and not a worke of the holy Ghost a thing that was meerely subiect to our owne wills it would destroy the kingdome of grace within vs and make vs Kings and Lords ouer grace whereas grace hath a kingdome and dominion ouer vs. If a man had liberty to cast off grace at his pleasure then grace should haue no power no kingdome or dominion ouer him then the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of Iesus Christ in the hearts of his Saints should be but a meere fiction and a fabulous conceite whereas the Scriptures do informe vs to the contrary almost in euery page If wee may cast of the yoke of Iesus Christ if we may cast of grace at our pleasures where then is the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of grace that is within vs An earthly Prince who hath but a kingdome ouer the bodies of his subiects is able for to keepe them from rebellion and from casting of his yoake at their pleasure Christ Iesus grace they haue not only a kingdome ouer vs but a kingdome in vs to and that not ouer our bodies but ouer our soules and bodies ouer the whole man and the whole foule and therefore wee cannot but be subiect to them and wee haue no power for to cast them off Grace it captiuates the whole soule the whole man it brings euery thought into subiection vnto
the righteous neuer fall from grace yet God hath his end because his law and justice is declared by this place Lastly this commination is made generally to all as well to the elect of God as to any others now you your selues doe grant that those whom God himselfe hath elected to saluation ex praeuisa fide can neuer fall from grace and therefore this commination being made to them as well as to any others can neuer imply a fall from grace for then it should imply that the elect of God should fall from grace as well as others which is impossible by your owne confessions And thus much in answer to this first obiection Other answeres there are which are giuen to this place As first that this righteous man and righteousnesse here mentioned is only meant of hypocrites who haue onely an outward shew of righteousnes and seeme to be righteous in the sight of men and not of men that are truly righteous nor of true righteousnesse nor of such ai were habitually righteous but onely such as were actually righteous hauing onely the acts of righteousnesse but not the habit Others answer that those which are here meant are such as are truly righteous but yet the departing from righteousnesse here mentioned is onely intended of the acts but not of the habits of righteousnesse and grace and that by death in this place is onely meant a temporall death but not an eternall which temporall death being the punishment of sinne may bee common to the righteous and the wicked and is inflicted vpon righteous men oft times as a punishment for some sinne of theirs as we may see in the examples of Iosiah and Hezechiah 2 Chron 35 22. and Isay 38 1. but neuer the eternall death But these answers are lesse probable and come not so home as the others doe Wherefore I will passe them ouer and proceed to the second argument The second argument that may be made against me is taken from that of Paul 1 Cor 9 27. I keep vnder my body bring it into subiection least that by any meanes when I haue preached vnto others I my selfe should be a cast away From whence this argument is framed Paul who was a true regenerate man might become a reprobate or cast away Therefore such as are truly regenerated may fall from grace For answer to this argument I shall first of all denie the Anticedent For if you take a reprobate or cast-away in this place as opposite to one that is elected as you doe then the proposition is false and is not warranted by the text For hee that is elected to saluation can neuer become a reprobate in this sense because the foundation of the Lord abideth sure and his purpose according to election shall stand fast for euer 2 Tim 2 19. and Rom. 9. 11. Now that Paul did not feare to become a reprobate in this sense it is euident by these insuing reasons First because that Paul was alwaies sure and certaine of his saluation He was alwaies fully perswaded that neither tribulation distresse persecution famine nakednesse perill nor sword that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to seperate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus his Lord. Hee was alwaies sure that whether he should liue or dye hee should liue and dye vnto the Lord and that when euer his earthly house of this tabernakle were dissolued hee should haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the highest heauens hee was confident of his saluation and this his confidence made him willing to bee dissolued that so hee might bee present with the Lord. Hee knew whom hee had beleiued and that hee would surely keepe that which hee had committed to him against that day Whence hee doth boldly auouch this of himselfe The Lord shall deliuer mee from euery euill worke and will preserue mee to his beauenly kingdome And therefore a little before his death he triumphs ouer hell and death in this comfortable confident and triumphant speech I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laide vp for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which God the righous iudge shall giue mee at that day Paul therefore could neuer feare that euer hee should become such a reprobate and cast-away as you intend because hee was so sure and so absolutely confidenr of his saluation Secondly Paul was sure that he could neuer fall away from the state of grace and become a reprobate in your sense because he knew that hee was praedestinated and elected to eternall life and therefore could not but be justified sanctified glorified for euer with God in heauen Paul knew very well that none of the elect of God could perish and hee also knew that himselfe was elected to saluation as we may see by Acts 9 15. Rom 1 1. cap. 8 30 33 35. cap. 9. 11. cap. 11. 7. 2 Cor. 1 21. cap. 5. 1. to 10. Gal. 1. 1. Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. 2 Tim 1. 13 14 16. 2 Tim. 1. 2 12. and Tit. 1. 1. Therefore hee could neuer feare to become such a reprobate as should bee damned and cast for euer into hell or such a reprobate as you inted and so the Antecedent is vntrue in the sense that you propound it If then you will take a reprobate and a cast-away for such a one as is blame worthy such a one as deserues reproose which is the genuine and proper sense of the word in this place then it makes nothing for your purpose For I grant that a regenerate man may deserue reproofe and blame for some miscariages or sins which he doth commit but yet if followes not therevpon that therefore he may fall from grace Paul he did indeauour to liue according to his doctrine least his auditours should haue just cause for to reproue him if he had done any thing in his practise which might crosse this doctrine for which hee should deserue reproofe yet it followes not that therefore he might fall away from the state of grace Wherefore if you take a reprobate or cast-away in the strictersense for one that is bound ouer to eternall condemnation then your Anticedent is false if in a more milde and larger sense for one that deserues reproofe then the Anticedent is true but the argument is false and followes not Secondly admit that Paul in this place doth vse this word reprobate or cast-away in the stricter sence for one that is vtterly forsaken of God and bound ouer to eternall condemnation then the argument followes not For Pauls meaning then is no more but this As God hath ordained that his Saints should perseuere so hee hath ordained the meanes by which they should perseuere as fasting prayer mortification and the like Now I vse
speciall reuelation that Grace is but a morall perswasion and that men may receiue it or reiect it at their pleasure that such as are not elected to saluation are true members of the holy Catholike Church that such as are not predestinated may bee saued Yea the Sacrifice of the Masse Purgatory Popish pennance and Indulgencies will all to wrecke and fall vnto the ground So many other Errors are there which depend on this Sixtly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it is an Error of greatest consequence For it derogates very much from all Gods great and holy attributes from his glorie mercy honour goodnesse truth wisdome iustice power and the rest it derogates from Christs intercession and the merits of his death and passion it detracts very much from the Deity might power essicacte truth and working of the holy Ghost it quite ouerthrowes and disanulls the Scriptures and the very kingdome nature 〈◊〉 and power of true and sauing grace it robs the Saints of God of all their happinesse ioy and comfort it stripps and spoyles them of all their spirituall priuiledges of all the treasures of their soules and leaues them 〈◊〉 poore and miserable where else they were the onely happy and blessed of the Lord In a word it strikes at the very roote of all true religion it pulls God out of heauen and it either makes men Atheists to haue no God at all or at least to haue no God besides themselues These and many other are the ineuitable consequencies of this Error which as they are many so are they very great and dangerous Laftly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it is not as some surmize a notionall and speculatiue Error fit onely for Schooles and Schollers to know and to determine but it is a practicall Error and a point which trencheth farre into the practice of Christianitie it is a point and Error that concernes not only the learnedest but the very lowest and meanest Christians it extends it selfe alike to all and therefore the more needfull is it to refell it Questions which concerne the nature and the truth of Grace the Perpetuitie and properties of Grace extend indifferently to all those to whom grace it selfe extends to one as much as to another because they are alike vsefull and necessary vnto all be they learned or vnlearned Now this being a question concerning the very nature essence and propertie of true and sauing grace extends alike to all men and it is of great vse and moment euen in their very practice of 〈◊〉 Yea I will affirme it that there is no one thing 〈◊〉 which will more 〈◊〉 men in the practice of religion then this one pernicious Error that they may fall totally finally from grace For if Ministers should preach and publish this for orthodox and current truth that true grace is of a corruptible and fading nature that it is such a thing as may be lost when once it is obtained who is there that would seeke it or respect it who is there that either would or could preferre his profit and his pleasures his riches and his honours farre before it who is there that would part with these to purchase it when as they were not sure to inioy it when as they might be dispossessed of it at the last If grace might vtterly be lost if it were a transitorie and fading good men would not nay men could not loue it or affect it they would not part with any other thing to win and purchase it euery man would then loue and serue his owne lusts and pleasures you should haue none at all to loue or serue the Lord. Besides if this were true that men might fall from grace what comforts or incouragements could Christians giue vnto themselues or others If a man should come to any one that was perplexed in his conscience or to a dying Christian if this were true that true regenerate men might fall from grace what comfort could he giue them Should hee magnifie Gods grace and mercy to them in Christ Should he repeate those comfortable and pretious promises of grace and mercie which are euery where recorded in the Scriptures should hee tell them that they haue liued a godly and religious life That they are in a happy condition and state of grace that they are the beloued of the Lord that Christ hath prepared an euerlasting kingdome and a crowne of glory for them in heauen and therefore they need not for to doubt or dispaire of Gods mercy Alas all these might be wiped off with this one answer we are fallen quite away from the state of grace by these and these our sinnes if not we are sure to commit 〈◊〉 sinne or other ere we die which will vtterly seuer and cut vs off from Christ for euer and therefore all these promises and comforts which you bring they belong to others not to vs our soules can take no comfort in them Doubtlesse there is not a Christian in the world which could administer any â—…oy or comfort at all vnto his owne or other mens soules if true regenerate men might fall from grace at last and lose the fruite and benefit of all their workes and graces Againe what comfort or incouragement could any Christian haue to doe or suffer any thing for the Lord if this were true Who is there that would spend his life and dayes in doing of Gods seruice Who is there that would suffer persecution and afflictions that would vndergoe disgrace contempt and scorne or fire and fagot for the Lord if he might after all this fall from grace and lose the things which hee had wrought Christians could haue no comfort or incouragement at all to doe or suffer any thing for Christ if this were true Againe in what a miserable and forlorne estate should poore Christians be in dubious troublesome and dangerous times if this position were grounded in their hearts that they might fall from grace then they were not sure of heauen they were not sure of earth they were vncertaine of this present life but more vncertaine of the life to come they then should haue no certaintie at all of any thing they should haue nothing left them on which to stay or rest their soules they should haue horrors within and feares without troubles and doubts within and crosses and afflictions without that curse of God which is denounced against all disobedient and impenitent sinners should light vpon them Among the nations they should finde no ease neither should the sole of their foote take any rest but the Lord should giue them a trembling heart and failing of eyes aud sorrow of minde and their liues should hang in doubt before them and they should feare day and night and haue none assurance of their liues In the morning they should say would it were euen and at euen they should say would God it were morâ—…ing for the feare of their heart wherewith they should feare and
and directly to condemne abhorre contemne oppose and persecute grace in any of the Saints and therefore to auoide the infamy and shame of men and to restraine and blinde his owne conscience which else would flie into his face hee vseth some pretence or other that so he may with lesse suspicion and with greater boldnesse disgorge his malice and his spight against it Againe consider that there is nothing so crosse and contrary so odious and hatefull to vnregenerate and carnall men as the very power and truth of grace and holinesse nothing is there in the world that carnall men abhorre and loathe so much nothing is there that they hate with such a bitter exorbitant vnlimited and implacable detestation as that power of grace and that image of holinesse which shines so glorious and resplendent in the liues and actions of the Saints this makes them fret and fume and mads them to the heart And lastly consider seriously and in good earnest with your selues because it is a matter which concernes your soules that there alwaies haue been are all shall be a generaâ—…ion of men vpon the earth which shall be hated scorned persecuted reproched reuiled accused slandered and condemned euen of all sorts of men for no crime no cause or sinne at all bur only for their new their gratious godly and their holy liues and for their hatred and detestation of all kinde of sinne Now lay all these together and sâ—…e what men there are in all the world who are generally hated reproched condemned scorned persecuted disdained â—…euiled falsly accused see what manner of men they are whose names are cast out as euill and who haue all manner of euill spoken against them falsely by all sorts and kindes of men and thaâ—… only for the syncere profession of the name of Christ for the vprightnesse and synceritie of their hearts for the puritie and holinesse of their liues and for the auoyding of all kinde of sinne and then you shall finde that these and these onely whom you accuse censure and condemne for Puritans are the men for they onely are hated of all sorts and kindes of men Papists Protestants Arminians ciuill and morrall men prophane and loose persons young and old rich and poore Clergie and Laitie they all doe band and set against them they all reuile reproch accuse condemne deride persecute slander and abhorre them they all auoide and shun them more or lesse and separate them from their companie they all distaste them in their hearts they all cast out their names as euill and prosecute them euen with virulent and bitter hatred as farre as oportunitie law or power will giue them leaue yea many men are so rauing mad against them that they could wish as Caligula did of the Romans that they had all but one neck that so they might cut them of at a blow and all this is for no other cause at all but because they are too pure and precise to holy and religious because they are too frequent in hearing and reading of Gods word in prayer and such like holy duties because they will reproue men for their euill courses and will not beare them company in their sinnes because they will not sweare whore drinke dice game inordinately mispend their time haunt Playes and Tauernes and play the good fellowes as others doe because they speake against Pluralities Nonresidents and lazie or good-fellow Pastors who either starue and quite neglect or else mislead their flockes If all men would be prophane and wicked and make no bones of sinne there would not be a â—…uritan in the world If therefore Puritans are such men as these if they are the best the dearest and holiest Saints of God as there is no doubt or question but they are if you will but giue your owne consciences libertie â—…or to determine it your accusation then that none but Puritans doe defend â—…his Doctrine will be so farre from disparaging of it that it doth highly grace and honour it and proue you who doe oppose and contradict it to be but prophaue licentious carnall and gracelesse persons and vtter enemies to all grace and goodnesse And now since I haue made it manifest vnto your vnderstandings at least vnto your consciences that Puritans are not the men you take them or rather such men as you would haue them for to be forbeare from hence-forth to hate to scorne to disdaine reproach accuse deride condemne oppose and slander them without a cause as formerly you haue done for feare lest whiles you bend your tongues your hearts your malice and your force against them for standing close vnto the truth and for manifesting the very power and truth of grace and holinesse in their liues you take vp armes against the Lord of Hoasts and King of heauen and wrecke your soules vpon that rocke and sinne against the holy Ghost which shall neuer be forgiuen But admit now that none but Puritans maintaine our present assertion that is as you in part intend it that none but Caluinists oâ—… men infected with Geneuanisme doe defend it must it therefore be a Puritan doctrine must it therefore be a false position doth the qualitie or condition of the Patrons make truth to be no truth consider I pray a little of it and then reflect vpon your selues perchance it may be some disparagement to your cause But say that the qualitie of the Patrons doth change and alter the very nature of the truth are Caluin and his followers so vndeseruing of the Church of God or is the Church of Geneua or the Belgicke Churches so subiect vnto Errors in their doctrine that this should not be truth because that these defend it Surely though I will â—…ot wholly pinne my faith on Caluins sleeue nor canonize him for a Saint stiling him St. Caluin as some of you haue done it in disdaine and scorne though I make no doubt but he is now a Saint with God in heauen yet this I will say vnto the best the proudest and the learnedest of you that the name of Caluin shall be remembred and renowned in the Church of God when as your names shall rotte and be forgotten And as for the Church of Geneua and the Belgick Churches though they differ from vs in their discipline yet none but Papists or Arminians can cauell at their Doctrine if you are such as you must be such if you continue to oppose our present assertion goe on and cauell at them whiles you will your cauells will but honour them not disgrace them and this our cause shall neuer fare the worse because it hath these Patrons to defend it Since therefore the quality of the Patrons of this truth can neuer change the nature of it and make it not to be a truth since Puritans appearing in their proper colours are men of greater grace and holinesse than the best of those who slander them and stile them so and are not such in truth as they are commonly taken and
power of grace in such as doe defend them Si quod semel sine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquandò nescisse defenditis meliusque putatis non vinci quam confessae cedere atque anuuere veritati if you thinke it a disparagement vnto you to recant your Errors and would rather obstinately continue in them then disclaime them Go on and perish your blood shall light vpon your owne heads not on mine All I haue to say vnto you then is this that there is a day of account a day of death and iudgment comming which now cannot be farre wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall be reuealed from heauen with his Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance of you and punnishing you with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power for hating slaundering reuiling persecuting deriding and traducing of his Saints and not submitting to his word and truth Consider therefore and againe I say consider and thinke well of this and of that great account which you must render vnto God ere long euen for your carriage and your actions in this particular Controuersie and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things that so you may repent you of all the euill of your doings and of all your damnable and pernitious Errors both in life and Doctrine that so you may be saued and not condemned in the day of Christ which now drawes neere The earnest and hearty desirer of your true conuersion both to the Doctrine and the life of Grace WILLIAM PRYNNE A briefe Epitome and Compendium Of the whole worke which may serue for a Table to it THis Whole Worke may bee deuided into foure generall parts â—…nto the state of the question controuerted Into the proofes of the conclusion which is maintained Into the answer and defeate of the Arguments obiected and into the vses which arise from the conclusion and assertion here defended 1. The state of the question you shall finde recorded pag. 2. to pag. 5. 2. The proofes and Arguments in defence of the conclusion here maintained are reduced vnto 8. generall heads First into Arguments drawne from God himselfe Which are 10. in number The first of them is taken from Gods eternall purpose and Election which you shall finde pag. 5. The second from his almightie power and strength pag. 8. The third from his perpetuall presence With and his continuall vigilancie ouer his Saints pag. 10. The fourth from his perpetuall and constant loue vnto them p. 13. The fift from his gracious mercie and goodnesse to them p 22. The sixt from his infinite Iustice p. 24. The seuenth from his honour p. 26. The eight from his infinite wisdome p. 29. The ninth from his readinesse to heare the prayers of his Saints p. 31. And the tenth from his gracious Couenants and promises to support and keepe his Saints from falling p. 33. Now in these Promises of God there are foure things considered First the great multitude number of them which are reduced vnto 10. heads from pag. 33. to 47. Secondly the absolutenesse and freenesse of them they being all absolute and positiue without any condition at all annexed to them in which all the cauells to the contrary are answered and cleered from pag. 48. to 72. Thirdly 〈◊〉 abilitie and power of God for to performe them pag. 72 Fourthly the truth of all these promises and Gods truth and faithfulnesse in performing them p. 72. Secondly into Arguments drawne from Iesus Câ—…ist which are in number 7. The first is drawne from the efficacie and merits of his death and passion pag. 74. The second from his perpetuall intercession for his Saints pag. 76. The third from his might and power pag. 78. The fourth from 〈◊〉 compassionate and tender nature p. 79. The fift from his 〈◊〉 vigilancie and care ouer his Saints and sheepe p. 79. The sixt from his perpetuall residencie and dwelling in their hearts p. 81. And the seuenth from his Sacraments p. 81. Thirdly into Arguments drawne from the holy Ghost being 7. in number The first is taken from his residencie and dwelling in the Saints p. 82. The second from that seale and stampe which he sets vpon them p. 85. The third from that seed and annointing which he puts into them p. 86. The fourth from that earnest which he giues them p. 90. The fift from the witnesse of the Spirit to them and from the ordinarie and constant working of the Spirit in their hearts p. 92. The sixt from his continuall guidance and direction of them p. 94. The seuenth from his intercession for them and his assistance of them pag. 95. Fourthly into an Argument drawne from the perpetuall presence of the Angells with the Saints and their continuall watchfulnesse and protection ouer them pag. 96. Fiftly into arguments drawne from the present estate and condition of the Saints of God and from those many priuiledges which they doe inioy pag. 96. which are 15. in number First they are partakers of the diuine nature and of the immortall seed p. 96 97. Secondly they are borne of God and they are the sons of God p. 97. Thirdly they are built vpon a rocke and vpon Christ the sure corner stone p. 98. Fourthly they haue a new heart and a new spirit and the law of God ingrauen in them p. 98. Fiftly they haue ouer come the world they are men of another world they are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation pa 99. Sixtly they are partakers of the first resurrection and the second death shall haue no power ouer them pa. 99. Seuenthly they are alwayes greene and flourishing like trees planted by the riuers side pa. 100. Eigthly they are truly happy they are truly and fully saued and they haue eternall life begun within them p. 101. Ninthly they are called iustified and sanctified and they are made Kings and Priests for ouer vnto God the Father pag. 102. Tenthly their names are written in heauen and in the Booke of Life pag. 103. Eleuenthly they cannot depart from God and it is impossible for any to seduce them pag 107. Twelfthly they cannot choose but serue and please the Lord and they can neuer sinne vnto death pag. 109. Thirteenthly they are married vnto God for euer and they cannot be separated from his loue pag. 111. Foureteenthly they are the inheritance of the Lord they are as pillars in the house of God and they are so established settled and grounded in grace that they cannot be cast downe pag. 111. Lastly they haue all the inward and outward helpes and meanes that may bee to preserue them in grace pag. 112. Sixthly into an Argument drawne from Grace it selfe which is of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible and euer-growing nature pag. 113. to 122. where all the obiections against the perpetuitie and immortality of grace are answered Seuenthly iâ—…o Arguments drawne from the dangerous consequencies which would arise from the contrary position which
fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6 11 to 19. God will loue them euen vnto the end he will loue them euen with an euerlasting loue his loue and mercy shall rest vpon them for euer he will perfect that worke of grace which he hath begun within them and he will suffer no temptation whatsoeuer vtterly to vanquish and subdue them Therefore it cannot be that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace The eight sort and kind of promises making for me are that the Lord will neuer forget his Saints that he will neuer cast them off that he will quite subdue their iniquities and rebellions that he will heale their backslidings and that hee will remember their iniquities and sinnes no more From which this eighth argument doth arise Those whom God hath promised neuer to forget neuer to cast out or off those whose iniquities and rebellions he will quite subdue those whose backslidings he will heale and those whose sinnes and iniquities he will no more remember it is impossible that they should either finally or totally fall from grace But God hath promised all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that he will neuer forget nor yet forsake them Isai. 49 15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands thy wayes are continually before mee and as God will not forget so neither will he forsake his people 1 Sam. 12 22. the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his people his gifts and graces they are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. whom hee hath once chosen he will not forsake Hebr. 13. 6. Yea God will quite subdue all their iniquities and rebellions and heale all their backslidings Ier. 3. 22. Hosea 14. 5. Mich. 7. 19. he will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 12. and 10. 17. hee will turne againe hee will haue compassion on them hee will subdue their iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the depths of the sea Mich 7. 19. Hee hath chosen them and will not cast them away the Father hath giuen them to Christ who when they come vnto him will in no wise cast them out Iohn 6 37 therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace If you obiect that though God will neuer forget neuer forsake them or cast them out yet they forget forsake and cast off God and so fall from God I answere First that God wil subdue their rebellions heal their backslidings therefore they can neuer vtterly and totally reuolt from him Secondly I answere that if God will neuer forsake them neuer forget them neuer cast them out as hee hath promised not to doe it then they can neuer forsake forget or cast off God for whiles he is with them and in them hee will not suffer them to forsake or cast him off Christ is that good sheepheard of our soules those that are his shepe hee will not onely not cast them out of his fold but he will also keepe them so that none of them shall be lost Iohn 10. 28. and 17. 12. Wherfore this cauill and obiection is but vaine and idle The ninth kind of promises making for me are these he that beleeueth he that repenteth shall be saued he shall neuer perish neuer come into condemnation he shall haue euer lasting life and shall receiue a sure reward From which I raise this argument They that shall assuredly be saued they that shall neuer perish nor come into condemnation they that shall haue euerlasting life and shall receiue a sure reward it cannot be that they should euer fall quite away from grace But God hath promised that all such as doe repent and beleiue shall assuredly be saued that they shall neuer perish nor come into condemnation that they shall haue euerlasting life and receiue a sure reward Psa 34. 22. Psal. 37 40. Isai. 45. 17 cap. 55. 3. Marke 16. 16. Luke 12 32. Iohn 3. 17 18. cap 5 24. cap. 10 28. Rom 〈◊〉 9 10 17 21. cap 8 1. cap. 10 13. 1 Tim 4 8. Heb. 11 16. 1 Iohn 3 14. and Prou 11. 18 all expresse in point Therefore it cannot be that they should euer fall quite away from grace To omit all others The tenth and last promise which makes for me is that couenant which God hath made with all his children Ezech 36 25 26 27 28. I will sprinkle cleane water vpon you and you shall be cleane from all your filtâ—…enesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you A nâ—…w heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take â—…ay the stony heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heâ—…rt of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgments and doe them anâ—… yee shall be my people anâ—… I will be your God From this gratious 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 â—…rgument may be framed Those whom God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all their sinne and filthinâ—…sse those to whom â—…e will giue a new â—…eart and 〈◊〉 neâ—…â—…pirit those whom hee will make to be his people and cause to walke in his 〈◊〉 and to keepe his iudgements and doâ—… them it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But God hath couenanted with all such as are once truly regenerated with all such as are his children that he will cleanse them from all their sinne and filthinesse that he will giâ—…e them a nâ—…w heart and a new spirit that he will make them his people â—…nd 〈◊〉 them to walke in his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and doe them as appeartes by the praemises therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Loe here what a multitude of sweete and heauenly promises there are throughout the Scriptures which may fully assure and resolue euery true regenerate man and euery one that is a true member of Iesus Christ that he can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Not one of all these promises but may assure a doubtfull scrupulous perplexed conscience that he neede not feare a totall or a finall fall from grace if hee be but once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. Et 〈◊〉 non prosint siâ—…guila cuncta inuant And if that any one of them by it selfe may thus resolue him what will they doe when as they â—…re all conioyned and put together But yet our stout Antagonists that they may leaue no stay or comfort to a Christian â—…oule will frustrate all these gratious promises and blow them quite away at one breath one idle and false euasion forged
then you shall bee a peculiar treasure vnto me aboue all people then incounter it with that of Ezech. 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them Goe through all the Scriptures and you shall not meete with any condition which God requires of vs but you shall likewise finde that he hath promised to performe the same condition for vs and in vs. Wherefore set downe the conditionall places first which are first in order and in nature and then the absolute promises of God to performe the same conditions for vs and so all the Scriptures will bee fully reconâ—…led Secondly to this obiection of yours I answer that the only end and scope of all those places which you obiect for to defend your answer is only to incite and stirre men vp to perseuerance and to an holy boldnesse and cheerefulnesse in the wayes of God and in the constant profession of Religion they were neuer spoken to that end to which you wrest them to feare and to discourage men or to proue that they might fall quite away from grace when once they were in truth regenerated For that of Math. 24. 13. Marke 13. 13. Hee that endureth to the end hee shall be saued and that of Gal. 6. 9. Let vs not bee weary of well-doing for in due time wee shall reape if wee faint not and that of Reu 2. 10. Bee faithfull to the death and thou shalt receiue the crowne of life and those other places of this nature they are but so many exhortations and incouragements to goe on and perseuere in a Christian resolution and in a constant practice and profession of religion maugre all afflictions crosses persecutions and scandalls whatsoeuer as the contexâ—…s doe most plainely manifest They were spoken only to this purpose and they are no more in substance but this There are many afflictions many troubles and crosses many persecutions losses scandalls and diffamations that will befall you euen for the very profession and practice of religion Yet let not all these discourage you from going on in a constant and settled course of holinesse for though these losses crosses afflictions persecutions and scandalls doe befall you yet they shall not hurt or disaduantage you you shall be no loosers by them for you shall be saued you shall reape the fruites of all those suffrings at last what euer you loose on earth it shall bee recompenced to you in heauen these light and momentary afflictions which here you suffer shall purchase for you a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Goe on therefore as you haue begun hold on your way and perseuer in grace vnto the end for then you shall receiue a full reward for all that you haue done or suffered This is the only end and scope of the Holy Ghost in all those texts of Scripture this was the only end for which they were spoken and recorded to incourage and prouoke the Saints of God to a constant and finall perseuerance in grace and holinesse How grossely then doe you abuse and wrest these Scriptutes when as you make no other vse of them but to quench the smoking flaxe and breake the bruised reed to discomfort and deiect the hearts and soules of weake and tender Christians and to discourage them in the wayes of holinesse when as you proue vnto them from those places that they may finally and totally fall from grace Certainly if the chiefe and only meaning of the Holy Ghost in all these places is but to incourage and stirre men vp to perseuerance as it is most plaine and euident that it is you doe but crosse the very scope the very sense and meaning of the holy Ghost when as you racke and wrest those places to this your present purpose which the holy Ghost did neuer thinks of or intend vnlesse that you will make the holy Ghost an ambiguous equivocator like vnto your selues If therefore you will take those places in their genuine and proper sense and as they are intended as being so many incouragements and helpes to constant and finall perseverance they are so farre from making for you that they make much against you If now you doe obiect that you are forced to maintaine this doctrine of the Apostacie of the Saints and so by consequence this euasion to free God from iniustice and from being author of or party to mens sinnes For if God should absolutely without any condition on our parts promise for to keepe vs from falling from him and yet should suffer vs for to fall from grace as wee seee he doth oft times then wee should make God himselfe vniust in not fulfilling of his promise Wherefore that wee may free God from iniustice euen in this behalfe wee say that notwithstanding all those promises of God are absolutely and positively pronounced yet they are all suspended vpon the freedome and libertie of our owne wills hauing this inclusiue condition annexed to them If wee our selues will continue righteous And so when as we fall away from grace out of the libertie and freedome of our owne wills the sinne and blame lights only vpon our owne heads which else would rest on Gods I shall answer you in the words of holy Iob Will you speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him will yee accept his person will yee contend for God as if God did need your helpe and counsell for to free him from iniustice and were not able for to cleare himselfe without this helpe and shift of yours Well admit that you doe God some seruice in it in cleering of his iustice yet how much is God beholding to you for your paines who in freeing of him from iniustice doe rob him of his mercy goodnesse honour power wisdome truth and iustice to For if God should suffer his chosen and his best beloued Saints to fall away from him and so to perish where then were his mercy and his gracious goodnesse If he should suffer those to fall whom he hath vndertaken to preserue and keepe from falling where then were his honour his truth his wisdome his iustice or his power If hee should suffer those to fall and perish for whom Iesus Christ hath shed his pretious blood that so they might not perish but haue euerlasting life if God should suffer them to loose that grace and that heauâ—…ly inheritance which Christ hath purchased for them where then were this his iustice which you labour to maintaine Doubtlesse this paradox and shift of yours it robs the Lord and strips him naked of all his glorious and most sacred attributes yea it depriues him of his very Diety so that whiles you seeke to doe the Lord a fauour in vindicating of his iustice by this your cauell and euasion you doe him all the wrong that may be If then you would free God from iniustice and reserue his very Diety and all his
body of sinne are wholly destroyed by the passion of Christ to no other end and purpose but that their consciences might beo purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring fotth fruites vnto God that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues that they might bee a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes that they might serue him in holinesse and true righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues that Christ might present them vnto himselfe a glorious and holy Church without spot blemish or wrinckle it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace because else Christ should dye in vaine and not obtaine the end the fruite and substance of his death and passion But out of all those that are once truly regenerated the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed 1 Iohn 3 8 the power of 〈◊〉 and the body of sinne are quite destroyed by the death and passion of Christ. Hebr 2 14 15. Rom 6 6 and their soules are purified and washed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ. Reuel 1 5. Tit 3 5. to the onely end and purpose that their consciences might be purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebr 9 14 that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring forth fruite vnto God Rom 7 4. 1 〈◊〉 2 24 that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues or sinne Rom 6 6. 2 Cor 5 15. 1 Ephes 5 10 that they might be a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes Tit 2 14. That they might serue him in holinesse righteousnesse without feare all the dayes of their liues Luke 1 74 75 that they might liue and dye vnto the Lord and that both liuing and dying they might bee his Rom 148 that Christ might present them vnto himselfe an holy Church without spot or blemish or wrinckle Ephes. 5. 26 27. and so it is altogether impossible that they should euer totally or finally fall from grace Secondly as the death and passion of Christ so likewise his perpetuall intercession vnto his Father for all his true and faithfull members may assure us of the truth of this positition from which I frame this second argument Those for whom Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father that they may continueally perseuere it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father for all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him that they may alwaies perseuere therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For the Maior proposition no man can deny it vnlesse he will maintaine as the Rhemists did in their conference at Hahge that God doth not alwaies heare the intercession of Christ and grant him his requests which is blasphemous in it selfe and contrary to the Scripture For Iohn 11. 41 42. Christ doth giue thankes vnto his Father for that he hath heard him and I know saith he Father that thou hearest me alwaies â—…oubtlesse if God will grant vs whatsoeuer we our selues shall desire and pray for in the name of Christ as he hath promised to doe Iohn 14. 13 14. Cap. 16. 23. 24. much more then will he grant that thing which Christ himselfe shall petition to him for And if God should not alwaies grant whatsoeuer Christ should now desire and request of him Christs intercession would be fruitlesse and to little purpose and we our selues should haue but little benefit or comfort from it Now for the Minor proposition that Christ doth alwaies make intercession to his Father for all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him it is plaine and euident by Iohn 16. 26. Rom. 8. 24. Hebr. 2. 17. cap. 4. 14. 15 16. cap. 7. 25. and cap. 9. 24. And that this his intercession is for their constant continuall perseuerance it is euident Luke 22. 32 33. where Christ tells Peter that he had prayd for him that his faith might not faile which prayer of Christ extends to all his faithfull member aswell as vnto Peter by that of Iohn 14. 15. 16. where Christ himselfe doth certifie vs that he will pray vnto his Father for all his Saints and that he shall giue them another comforter which shall abide and dwell and be in them and with them for euer and also by that prayer of his Iohn 17. 11 15 21 23 24. where hee prayes thus for his Apostle and afterwards for all true beleiuers Holy Father keepe them thorough thy owne name those whom thou hast giuen vnto mee that they may be one as we are one I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill and that they may all bee one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in vs and that the world may know that thou 〈◊〉 sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that those also whom thou hast giuen mee be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This is also intimated by the Apostle Hebr. 7 25. where speaking of Christ he saith thus of himselfe wherfore hee is able also to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Those for whom Christ himselfe doth pray and interceede they shall be saued to the vttermost no man shall condemne them or seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord because that Christ himselfe is euen at the right hand of God alwaies making intercession for them Rom. 8. 33. to the end of the chapter Christ hath prayed heretofore and doth now continually make intercession to his Father for all such as are once his true and faithfull members that they may alwaies perseuere continue constant in the state of grace and therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace If it be obiected that this prayer of Christ doth onely tend to keepe them from a finall but yet not from a totall fall from grace I answere that it is not so but that this prayer of Christ extends to preserue them from a totall aswell as from a finall fall First because Christ doth pray that their faith might not faile now if they might fall totally from grace then their faith should faile yea that numericall faith which once they had should vtterly be lost for that faith which they haue by their new inscision into Christ is not the same numericall faith which they had before for that
translated and taken out of the world being made men of another world those who are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation it is impossible for them either totally or finally to fall from grace But all those who are once tâ—…uly râ—…generated and ingrafted into Christ they haue ouercome the world 1 Ioh. 4. 4. Yee are of God little children and haue ouercome them because greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world cap. 5. 4 5. Whosoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Christ hath ouercome the world for them Io. 16. 33. And God hee giueth them victory through the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 57. They are quite translated and taken out of the World They are redeemed from the earth and from this present euill world and made men of another world their hearts and soules their thoughts their affections desires and conuersationâ—… are in heaueâ—… Io. 15 19. cap. 17. 11. 16. Reu 14. 3. 4. Phil. 3. 20. They are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation Io. 5. 24. Verily verily I say vnto you hee that heareth my word aâ—…d belâ—…eueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is past from death vnto life Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Col. 1. 13. who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Soâ—…ne and 1 Io. 3. 14. Wee know that wee haue passed from death vnto life because wee loue the brethren Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Sixtly those who are partakers of the first resurrection those who are dead to sinne those who haue put off the old man called vs with an holy calling Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy hee saued vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Yea they are saued to the vttermost Heb. 7. 25. they are saued in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation they shall not bee ashamed nor confounded world without end Isai. 45. 17. they are passed from death to life and shall not come into condemnation Iohn 5. 24 And they haue euerlasting life in present possession hee that beleeueth on me he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hâ—…h euerlasting life Christ doth not say he shall haue it but hee hath euerlasting life Iohn 3. 16. 18. 36. ca. 5. 24. c. 6. 27. 39 49 47 50 51 54 57 58. Christ hath giuen euerlasting life to all those that are his sheepe Iohn 10. 28. Euery true beleeuer hee hath the Sonne of God dwelling in him and therefore he cannot choose but haue euerlasting life Hee that hath the Son hath euerlasting life within him 1 Iohn 5. 11 12 13. Yea this is life eternall to know God to bee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent Iohn 17. 3. and 1 Iohn 5. 13. 20. Therefore it is impossible for them to fall finally or totally from grace This is an argument which in my iudgement cannot be answered or euaded Ninthly all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are called iustified and sanctified they are made the members of Iesus Christ and they are made Kings and Priests for euer vnto God the Father which yeelds vnto vs this ninth argument Those that are once truly called iustified and sanctified those that are once become the true and liuing members of Iesus Christ and are made Kings and Priests for euer vnto God the Father it is impossible for them to fall finally or totally from grace For first those that are called effectually by God they are called to saluation and to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes. 2. 13 14. They are called vnto Gods kingdome and glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. They are called to lay hold of eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 12. therefore they cannot fall from grace for then they should loose the end of their calling Secondly all those that are iustified they are freed from condemnation and they are iustified only to this end and purpose thâ—…t they might not bee condemned Rom. 8. 1. 33. 34. and Iohn 5. 24. Therefore they cannot fall from grace for then they should loose the benefit and fruite of their iustification Thirdly all those who are sanctified they are therefore sanctified that they might bee glorified and saued Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. Fourthly all such as are the true and liuing members of Iesus Christ Christ giâ—…es vnto them eternall life Iohn 10. 28. and 1 Ioh. 5. 11 12 13. Though they were dead before yet they shall liue in him and when they doe liue once in him they shall so liue that they shall neuer die death shall haue no more dominion and power ouer them John 11. 25 26. and Rom. 6. 9 10 11. Christ Iesus who is the head will neuer suffer any of his liuing true and faithfull members for to perish he will keepe them and preserue them so that none of them shall be euer lost or broken or cut off from him Psal. 34. 20. and Iohn 17. 12. Where Christ himselfe is there they shall alwayes be they in him and hee in them Iohn 17. 23 24. Fiftly all such as are Kings and Priests vnto God for euer they cannot fall finally nor totally from grace for then they should cease to be Kings and Priests and could not be such for euer But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are truly called iustified and sanctified Rom. 8. 29 30 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ephes. 1. 18. cap. 5. 26. 27 2 Thess. 2. 13. Christ Iesus is made vnto them of God righteousnesse iustification sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1. 30. They are the true and liuing members of Iesus Christ Ephes. 5. 30. Wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bone Christ is the Vine they are the branches Iohn 15. 5. Hee is the head and body they are the members 1 Cor. 6. 15. Ephes. 4 16. and Col. 2. 19. And they are made Kings and Priests for euer vnto God the Father to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto â—…im 1 Pet. 2. 5. Reu. 15. 6. and cap. 5. 10. Therefore it is impossible for them to fall finally or totally from grace Tenthly the true regenerate Saints of God they haue their names written in heauen and in the Booke of liâ—…e which doth suggest vnto vs this tenth Argument They whose names are written in heauen and ingrauen in the Booke of life it is impossible for them to fall quite away from grace First because that God himselfe hath promised that hee will neuer blot out the names of those who are
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
peccat pro eo scilicet quod non imputatur ei peccatum generatio coelestis etiam in hac parte conseruat illum Data sunt signa quaedaÌ„ et indicia manifesta salutis vt indubitabile sit eum esse de numero electoruÌ„ in quo ea signa permanserint Propter hoc inquam quos praesciuit Deus â—…t praedestinauit conformes fieri imagini filij sui vt quibus certitudinem negat causa sollicidinis vel fiduciam praestat causa consolationis So in his tracte de gratia et liberio arbitrio Neque enim hic possumus penâ—…tus esse sine peccato et miseria possumus tamen gratia iuuante nec peccato superari nec miseria QaunquaÌ„ tamen scriptura loquatur Omne quod natuÌ„est ex Deo non peccat Sed hoc dictuÌ„ est de praedestinatis ad vitaÌ„ noÌ„ quod omninò noÌ„ peccant sed quod peccatuÌ„ ipsis noÌ„ imputetur quod vel punitur condigna paenitentia vel incharitate absconditur So in his booke de Natura et dignitate amoris diuini c. 6. Itaque quisquis ille est sicut dicit beatus Iohannes secunduÌ„ hoc quod natus est ex Deo id est secunduÌ„ interitoris hominis rationem in tantum non peccat in quantuÌ„ peccatuÌ„ quod corpus mortis foris operatur odit potius quam approbat semine spiritualis natiuit at is quod ex Deo natus est eum interius conseruante Quod etsi interim aliquandò incursu peccati laeditur et attenditur radice tamen charitatis in altum defixa non perit Imò statim saecundius et viuacius conualescit in spem boni fructus et surgit Sic enim dicit beatus Ioannes Omnis qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit quoniam semen ipsius in eo manet et non potest peccare quia ex Deo natus est Notanda vis verborum Non inquit peccatum facit quod patitur potius quaÌ„ facit qui natus est ex Deo et non potest peccare perseuerando scilicet in peccato duÌ„ legi Dei cuÌ„ mente seruit etiam carneÌ„ festinat subigere quae tentatione et peccato incurrente legi peccati videbatur seruire Petrus cum peccauit charitatem non amisit quia peccauit potius in veritatem quam in charitatem cum se noÌ„ esse mentitus esset in re cuius totus erat in corde Ideoque negationem falsitatis continuò lachrymis lauit veritas charitatis Sic et David cum peccauit charitatem non perdidit sed obstupuit quodammodo in eo charitas ad vehementem tentationis ictuÌ„ et charitatis in eo nequaquam facta est abolitio sed quasi quaedam soporatio quae mox ad vocem arguentis prophetae euigilauit continuò in illam ardentissimae charitatis confessionem erupit peccaui Domino et continuò audire meruit Dominus transtulit à te peccatum tuum non morieris And to conclude in his booke de Tripl coherent vinculo c. his words are these Nouit Dominus qui sunt eius et propositum Dei manet immobile etsi horrendorum criminuÌ„ nota David inuritur etsi Maria Magdalene septem daemonjjs cumulatur etsi princeps Apostorum in profundum negationis barathrum submergitur non est tamen qui de manu Dei possit eruere Thus is this Father fully for vs though some would wrest and scrue him to the contrary See more of this Sermo 61 in Cantica Sermo de duplici baptsmate c. and Sermo de fragmentis septem Misericordiarum Bradwardyn Bradwardyn our owne Countriman sometime Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the raigne of King Edward the third who was stiled the profound Doctor of his time and as Thomas of Walsingbam relates it departed this life in the yeare of our Lord 1350 concurreth in opinion and judgment with vs. For in his first booke de Causa Dei cap 23. he proues Quod tam sciâ—…ntia Dei quam voluntas eius est omninò immutabilis and from thence he infers this fifth Corolarie Quod omne saluandum aut damnandum praemiandum vel puniendum sub quocunque gradu voluit ab aeterno saluari vel damnari praemiari similiter vel puniri sub eodem gradu praecise et hoc nedum voluntate conditionall aut indeterminata sed it a absoluta et determinata sicut vult in praesenti vel finali iudicio aut post valet which is the very ground and basis of the constant and finall perseuerance of the Saints So in his 2. booke de Causa Dei cap. 5. 6. hee proues that no man can ouercome the least temptation without the speciall ayde and assistance of God and with all hee certifieth vs. Quod auxilium Dei speciale posse tentationem aliquam superare est voluntas eius inuicta So cap. 8. hee declares what perseuerance is and proues it to be the gift of God et quod nullus viator quantacuâ—…que gratia creata subnixus solius liberi arbitrij viribus vel etià m cum adiutorio gratiae possit perseuerare finaliter vel per aliquod tempus omninò sine aliquo Dei auxilio speciali cap 11 hee proues Quod perseuerantia non est aliquod donuÌ„m Dei creatum à charitate et gratia realitèr differens et distinctum but that it is alwaies an adjunct and concomitant of true grace cap. 13. he proues Quod illud auxilium sine quo nullus perseuerat et per quod quilibet perseuerat est spiritus sancti diuina bonitas et voluntas et quod Deus dat voluntatem et poâ—…estatem perseuerandi sanctis suis and cap. 14. he proues Quod perseuerantia gratis detur à Deo et non meritis comparetur In all which chapters if you will take the paines to reade them you shall finde him fully for to act our parts and to produce such Scriptures and sentences from the Fathers in which he was very well read as make vndeniable for this our present assertion Councells To these authorities sayings of the Fathers I may adde that of the Councell of Miliuitan can 3 4. Where in these 2. Cannons with diuers others were concluded vpon against Pelagius and his followers Item placuit vt quicunque dixerit gratiam Dâ—… in qua iustificamur per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum ad solum remissioneÌ„ peccatorum valere quae iam commissa sunt non etiam ad adiutorium vt non committantur anathema sit Item quisque dixerit eandem gratiam Dei per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum propter hoc tantum nos adiuuare ad non peccandum quia per ipsam nobis reuelatur et aperitur intelligentia mandatorum vt sciamus quid appetere quid vitare debeamus non autem per illam nobis praestari vt quod faciendum cognouerimus etiaÌ„ facere diligamus atque valeamus anathema sit Cum enim dicat Apostolus scientia inflat charitas verò
and liuely faith they are the sons of God the Spirit of God doth moue them to those things which are holy and right that so they may not wittingly commit any things to the contrary much lesse perseuere in them notwithstanding oft-times out of the weakenesse of the flesh they sin doe not according to faith but yet they neuer commit those sins which waste the conscience nor those which doe forth-with exclude them from the kingdome of God which reason they doe backe likewise with this Syllogisme drawne from the Scriptures Hee that beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Ioh. 5. but hee that is borne of God the same Apostle in the same Epistle testifies cap. 3. that hee doth not sin neither can hee sin therefore â—…ee who doth truly and liuingly beleeue the Gospell of Christ can abide in no sinne which doth waste the conscience For euery one who commits such a sin as this hath neither seene nor knowne God Wherefore seeing that this Diot hath resolued that such a one as hath true faith cannot commit such a sinne as doth waste his conscience but only sinnes of infirmitie which doe not cast men wholly from the state of grace it hath likewise by this resolued against Mr. Mountagues assertion that faith once had may bee both finally totally lost againe so they haue not consented to the Church of Rome in this as hee most falsely doth affirme Againe this whole Diot haue with one vnanimous consent resolued it that all such as haue true faith both may and must be assured of their saluation because that God hath vndoubtedly promised eternall life to all such as are iustified doe 〈◊〉 beleeue in him which promise hee will punctually vndoubtedly performe in the time which hee hath promised because that Christ doth call elect all his not to a temporarie kingdome grace or life but to an eternall because that God himselfe will inable them cause them for to perseuere because this liuing iustifying faith is in it selfe eternall life those that haue it euen from the first time of their hauing of it haue euerlasting life because this faith is preserued in those that haue it not by their owne power or might but by the very power of God of the holy Ghost because this faith is of an incorruptible of a growing increasing and neuer failing nature as you may reade from pag. 461. to 538. Therefore by this expresse resolution vpon these pregnant and sure grounds which doe all proue our assertion to the full it is most euident and apparant to all the world that this famous Diot and so all the Protestants in Germanie who assented to it and were present at it haue resolued and determined That the state of true and sauing graece that true and liuely faith once had can neither finally nor totally be lost againe How base how trecherous and perfidious then is Mr. Mountague who would thus traduce this noble Diot and all the German Protestants in recording it vnto the world that they assented to the church of Rome in this that faith once had might bee lost againe when as they did expresly resolue it to the Contrary Well Mr. Mountague I must needs speake plainly to you and let all the world iudge whether I doe amisse in it or no as in many other things touching this particular controuersie so especially in traducing and abusing of this famous Diot you haue shewed your selfe a base an impudent a lying and seditious Varlet and a man vnworthy to liue in any Protestant Church or Christian Common-wealth and I will euidence and proue it by these 4. particulars First in that you traduce corrupt and falsifie the judgement of a whole Protestant Synod Secondly in that you traduce and falsifie it in such a manner saying that all the Protestants in Germany assented to the Church of Rome in this Diot at Ratisbon in this point of falling finally and totally from grace as if all the Protestants in Germany were turned Papists Thirdly in that you do it to this end to bring in Popery and Arminianisme into our Church to make the world beleeue that Popery and Protestanisme are all one and that Protestants haue heretofore alwayes yeelded and submitted to the Church of Rome in matters of Doctrine and therefore they should doe so now and so the end of this your falsification of this Synod is but to perswade all Protestants to turne Papists at least in this particular point Fourthly in that you would father the base bratts of that Arminian Bertius vpon this Protestant and famous Diot that so his dangerous workes might be countenanced approued and receiued as sound and orthodox vnder the name and colour of this Diot For if it please Mr. Mountague to remember himselfe those Scriptures reasons and authorities of Fathers which he citeth in his Gagge cap. 20. as the reasons arguments and grounds which moued Bucer and the Diot of Ralisbon to assent to the Church of Rome in this point of falling from grace as they are not to be found in the disputation of Ralisbon wherein the contrary was resolued so all and euery one of these Scriptures reasons and Fathers Clemens Romanus a meere suppositions and forged Writer only excepted were transcribed out of this Bertius his Apostatia Sanctorum where they are all and only to bee found Now hee who professing himselfe to be a Protestant and receiuing so many fauours from our Church shall putposely traduce and falsifie such a generall and famous Synod or Diot as this in such a base and infamous manner and that to such dangerous sinister and wicked ends as these how ill hee doth deserue of God and man especially of this our Mother Church whom hee doth labour to corrupt and seduce by this his jugling let all men judge But to passe this ouer which the loue I owe vnto the truth and to my Mother Church could not suffer mee to smother or conceale I will now proceed to giue you some farther and cleare euidence to proue the totall and finall Perseuerance of the Saints to be the doctrine of the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas Concordia Lutherana which was agreed vpon and resolued and set out by the consent of all the Protestants in Germanie against those who did oppose the Augustine Confession informes vs that this was one Article of the Protestants beleife touching justification which they did both teach and confesse That albeit true beleeuers and regenerate men were liable to many infirmities and spotts euen to their death yet that they ought not for to doubt either of the righteousnesse imputed vnto them by faith or of eternall saluation but that they ought firmely to resolue that God is reconciled to them in Christ according to his sure word and promise And though there bee much infirmitie in the Saints which makes them to complaine with Paul yet God doth neuer impute this
in their learned labours set forth by publike authority maintained propagated and defended this my present assertion and there is not one Orthodox English Diuine that did either publikely in the Schooles or in any writings set forth by publike approbation maintaine the contrary Therefore this my present assertion is the receiued positiue and the resolued Doctrine of all the learnedest and most judicious Diuines of the Church of England For the Major it cannot be denied the Minor I shall proue by many particular authors I will not stand to mention those many learned Diuines throughout the Kingdome who in their seuerall Sermons and Lectures haue maintained and defended this my present assertion euery man knowes that this assertion is publikely preached throughout the Kingdome for orthodox â—…urrent truth neither was there any one that euer did positiuely deliuer the contrary in any Sermon that euer I heard of with publike approbation till Master Mountagues Appeale was published Some three or foure did preach it as I haue heard before but they were presently conuented for it and injoyned to recant How this my assertion hath from time to time beene maintained and defended in the publike Schooles I neede not for to mention it Sure I am that the Schooles of the Vniuersity of Oxford haue alwaies defended it and so haue the Schooles of Cambridge to and I neuer heard that the contrary was publikely defended and maintained in them That which I intend mainely to insist vpon is the learned labours and writings of the chiefest worthies and learne dest of our Church in which my present assettion is recorded and defended Not to make mention of venerable Bede or of Anselme and Bradwardyu both Arch-bishops of Canterbury who haue declared their opinions vpon record in defence and maintenance of this my assertion I will onely mention such writers of our English Church as haue beene famous and eminent since the reformation I will begin with that godly and learned Martyr William Tindall who liued in the beginning of the reformation Who in his Treatises what the Church is and whether it may erre how a member of Christs true Church sinneth and erreth and yet sinneth and erreth not and how hee is yet a sinner and may erre and of the manner and order of our election which you shall finde in his workes pag 257 to 261. hath recorded it That the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer sinne so farre as quite to loose that habit and seede of grace which is within them nor yet to fall quite from God These Treatises of his are onely to this effect that the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Master Latimer Tyndalls contemporanie a man of worth and note in the times where in he liued in his Sermon on the Gospell the third Sonday in Aduent which is in his Sermons pag 258. hath likewise registred it That there was neuer none that belieued in Christ which was lost but all beleiuers were saued therefore saith hee it is not to be doubted but that if wee will beleiue wee shall be saued too Master Greenham that worthy and experimentall Saint of of God in the 2 part of his workes cap 32 sect 5 6. in his readings on Psal 119. ver 116. and in other places of his works hath deliuered this our present assertion as a sound orthodox and experimentall truth So hath Master Deering in his 27. Lecture on the Hebrewes But if these men seeme vile and little in your eyes behold some greater men then these are here to giue testimonie to vs and our assertion and that vpon record Mathew late Arch-B of Yorke in his Commentary of Election Praedestination reprobation Edwin Arch-B of Yorke in his Sermon vpon Luke 1 v 74 75. sect 14. Dr. Babington Bb. of Worcester on the 12 Artic of the Creede life euerlasting In his exposition on the Lords prayer the sourth vse from the word Father and on the sixth petition Lead vs not into temptatien but deliuer vs from euill Learned Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury and regious professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford in his Lecture De perseuerantia sanctorum read publikely in the Diuinitie schooles at Oxford in the Act time Iulie 10. 1613. In his Animaduersions vpon Thompsons Diatriba and in his answere to Bishop part 1. cap 12. part 2. cap 3. Ready and learned Doctor Fulke in his answere to the Rhemist Testament on Rom 8. 16. 39. Incomparable Hooker in his discourse of Iustification and in his Sermon of the certaintie perpetuitie of faith in the elect Profound Doctor Field in his first booke de Ecclesia cap 3 17 in his pathway to the Church Digress 42. Profound iudicious and famous Doctor Reinolds once regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man of incomparable learning and of as godly humble and religious a conuersation whom yet Master Mountague how justly let all men judge stiles a Puritan one of the Tribe a petitioner against the doctrine discipline of the Church of England and a man onely excellent for his reading in his 6 Theses Thes 4. sect 23 24. in his Apollog Thesium sect 17 20. and Conference at Hampton Court pag 24. Learned Doctor Whitakers regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge whom Master Mountague sticks not for to stile an earnest promoter of nouell opinions in his Respons ad 8 Rationes Campiani De paradoxis lib 8. and in other of his workes Learned Doctor Ouer all Deane of Pauls and afterwards Bishop of Norwich whose memory by Mr. Mountagues owne confession shall euer be pretious with all good and learned men Conference at Hampton Court pag 41 42 43. Profound orthodox and solid Mr. Perkins in his booke of Praedestination and Grace in his Commentary on Iude 1 24. and other of his workes Learned Mr. Nowell Deane of Pauls in his Catechisme Reuerend Mr. Phillipps in his Sermons on Rom 8. ver 15 16. Godly Mr. Hireon in his Sermons pag 102 119 205 365. Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-bishop Bancroft in his Analysis vpon the 17 Article Proposition third Laborious and learned Doctor Willet in his Synopsis pag 63 64. 548 546. 923 924 925. in his Commentarie on Rom 5 Contr 3 on cap 6. Contr 7 on cap 8. Contr 19 21. on cap 9. Contr 16 on cap 11 Contr 19 21. Mr. Wilcocks on Psal 125 1 2 and on Rom 8. Godly painfull and learned Mr. Byfield in his discourse of the promises cap 13. Mr. Elton in sundry places of his Sermons on Rom 8. Learned and laborious Mr. Fox in his Martyriolege Printed at London 1610 pag 1506. and in diuers other places Mr. Iohn Downham in his Snmme of Diuinity lib 2. cap 7. Mr. Culuerwell in his Treatise of faith the 6 generall head pag 489 to 506 to whom I may adde Learned King IAMES of blessed memorie in his Declaration against Vorstius all
workes in as much as there are many godly practicall wholesome and necessary doctrines helping men to honour and worship almighty God which are not the receiued established and confirmed doctrines of our Church Fifthly in these words Mr. Mountague if you marke the end wherefore he speakes them to wit because they are to sharpe and to precise against Images affirmes that the Church of England doth gratifie the Church of Rome in points of Poperie indeauouring tò reconcile herselfe and to submit to her in things in which she hath formerly oppugned her These fiue things are necessarily implied and I feare me principally intended in these words and passage of Mr. Mountague touching our Homilies and their authoritie amongst vs what censure hee is worthy of for such words and passages as these I leaue to others I judge him not From the authoritie of our Homilies and Mr. Mountagues abusing of them I come to examine the words which hee obiected out of them against my present assertion His first obiection is from the title of the Homilie There is an Homilie saith he allowed and established in our Church intituled Of falling he addes away from God Therefore it is the receiued and established doctrine of the Church of England that true regenerate men may both totally and finally fall from grace Was there euer such a ridiculous and simple argument propounded by any learned man that had his wits and sences about him as if the doctrine of the Church of England were meerely titular depending on the very titles of bookes which as they are not alwaies sutable to the doctrine contained in them so are they neuer doctrinall positiue resolutions in themselues therefore Mr. Mountague if you had not a brazen forhead or a crazie braine you could not chuse but blush at this your agument From the title of the homilies I descend vnto the words the which you cite The words out of the first Homilie are these For where as God hath sâ—…ewed to all them that truly beleiue his Gospell his face of mercy in Christ Iesus which doth so inlighten their hearts that they if they behold it as they ought to doe which parenthesis you haue omitted be transformed to his image be partakers of the heauenly light and of his holy Spirit and be fashioned to him in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God so if they after doe neglect the same if they be vnthankefull vnto him if they order not their liues according to his example and Doctrine and to the setting forth of his glory he will take away from them his kingdome his holy word wherby he should reigne in them because they bring not forth the fruite thereof that he toâ—…kes for The words you cite out of the second Homilie are these The place of Esay 〈◊〉 before sheweth that God at length will so forsake his vnfruitfull 〈◊〉 that he will not only suffer it to bring forth wilde bryers thâ—…rnes but also further to punish the vnfruitefullnesse of it Hee saith hee will not cut it he will not delue it and he will command the cloudes that they shall not raine vpon it meaning that hee will take away the teaching of his holy word from them which words Master Mountague hath passed ouer so that they shall be no longer of his kingdome they shall bee no longer gouerned by his holy Spirit they shall be put from the grace and benefits which they had and ouer might haue iniâ—…yed through Christ they shall be depriued of the heauenly life and light which they had in Christ whiles they abode in him And to be shart they shall bee giuen into the power of the 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 rule in all them that he cast away from God as he did in Saul and Iudâ—…s and generally in all such as worke after their owne wills the children of mistrust and vnbeleife You say Master Mountagne that these two Homilies but principally the words here cited doe thoroughly and wholly insist vpon the affirmation that faith once had may againe be lost and that no other construction of these words may be made then that a man my fall and hapâ—…e from grace both totally and finally But I pray what faith and what grace doe you intend Mr. Mountague a true liuing and justifying faith and sanctifying sauing and habituall grace or onely an historicall and common faith or ordinary common and hypocriticall grace If you intend these latter for you leaue them indefinite and ambigious that so you may euade the better when you are questioned for abusing our Church and Homilies then I say that your inference and collection is nothing to the purpose and reacheth not vnto thâ—…t faith and grace which is now in question If you intend and meane the former I answere then that these words of the Homilie doe not warrant yours For first they are your owne words That words are not direct which are not expresse Now here there is not so much as one word that faith once had may be lost that a true regenerate man may fall finally and totally from the state of grace your eyes Mr. Mountagne are better then all other mens if you can finde these words or any like vnto them in these Homilies they are but your priuate fancie conceite and therefore this is not the direct positiue and declatorie doctrine of these Homilies but your false and forged collection from them Secondly that I may instruct you a little in the Homilies in which I feare me you are truly or wilfully ignorant you may please to obserue Mr. Mountague that in the second and third part of the Homilie of faith It is said expresly That hee that beleeueth in Christ hath euerlasting life and therefore it must needs consequently follow that he that hath this faith must also haue good workes and be studious to obserue Gods Commandements obediently so that neither the world the diuill 〈◊〉 all the power of them shall preuaile against him That they that haue a liuely faith doe make their calling and election certaine sure and stable by good workes Therefore it is the expresse doctrine of the Homilies that true faith once had cannot be vtterly lost againe these words then which you alledge cannot imply the contrary vnlesse you will haue them to repeale and contradict the former Thirdly Mr. Mountague these two Homilies and the words you cite out of them doe not thoroughly and wholly insist vpon this that faith once had may be lost againe but if it please you to reade them ouer once againe you shall see that their principall and onely end is to exhort men to obey the Gospell and the word of God and to bring forth fruits worthy of them for feare least God depriue them of them What then will you inferre from hence All men are exhorted to obey Gods word for feare of being depriued of it Therefore the true beleiuers and Saints of God may fall totally and finally from grace
beene lately pressed and propounded in another manner I will propound it in the same manner as it was then vrged and so will answere it A true regenerate man and a member of Iesus Christ may lie long in a grosse and knowne finne without any actuall repentance as Dauid and Salomon did therefore hee may fall totally if not finally from the state of grace The argument they proue to bee true by this reason The true regenerate Saints of God committing any grosse and knowne sins and lying in them without repentance from the time of these sinnes committed to the time of their actuall repentance of them are not in the state of grace but in the state of damnation which they proue by these two reasons First because these sinnes are mortall in themselues and exclude men quite from heauen as appeares by Ezech. 18. 20. the soule that sinneth it shall dye and by the 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. those that commit â—…nch things and sinnes as these shall not inherit the kingdome of God Secondly because these sinnes of theirs are not forgiuen before their actuall repentance of them so that if they should die before their actuall repentance of them they should be damned for them so that in that Interim and space of time betweene the sinne committed and their actuall repentance they are in the state of damnation and not in the state of grace because their sinnes are not forgiuen and therefore the Argument followes For answer to this maine Objection which is the very summe and substance of all that can be objected and the very basis and foundation of our Antagonists Error I shall denie the ground and reasons which support this argument First I shall denie that the Saints of God committing any grosse and knowne sinne and lying in it for a time without any actuall repentance are during the space and time of this their impenitencie in the state of damnation And secondly I shall denie that a particular repentance is absolutely necessarie to saluation after euery particular grosse and knowne acte of sinne which the Saints of God commit and that those sinnes of theirs cannot bee pardoned before their actuall and particular repentance For the first of these it will be plaine and manifest if wee consider how farre those men must goe that will sinne vnto death or sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of damnation He that will sinne vnto death or sinne so farre as to put himselfe into the state of damnation must sinne so farre as vtterly to separate and cut off himselfe from Christ vtterly to extirpate all the seeds and habits of true and sauing grace which are within him and wholly to emancipate and inthrall himselfe to the seruice of sinne and Sathan For as long as any man abides in Christ and is not seuered or cut off from him as long as any man hath any habits and seeds of true and sauing grace within him and is not wholly inthralled and imbondaged vnto sinne and Sathan so that the whole intire wrath of God cannot light and fall vpon him he is not in the state of damnation but in the state of grace Now none of the true regenerate saints of God can sin so far as vtterly to seuer cut off themselues from Christ or vtterly to roote out the very habit and seed of those true and sauing graces that are within them and to inthrall themselues wholly to the seruice of sinne and Sathan so that the whole intire wrath of God cannot arise against them therefore they can neuer sinne so faire as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation This is euident by diuers pregnant places of Scripture and by diuers reasons First it is euident that a true regenerate Saint of God can neuer sinne so farre as to put himselfe into the state of death and damnation no not for a time because he can neuer sinne so farre as to bee vtterly cast downe from the state of grace to be vtterly cut off from Christ and to be vtterly depriued of the life of grace Dauid he informes vs that a good man though hee fall yet he shall not be vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand and Paul he assures vs that hee shall be holden vp for God is able to make him stand The Saints of God they may be troubled on euery side by reason of sinne but yet not distressed they may be cast downe by sinne but not destroyed they may be as dying men and yet behold they liue as chastened yet not killed as sorrowfull yet alwayes reioycing as poore yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things they may be like the man that went downe from Ierusalem to Ierico and fell among theeues euen wounded and halfe dead with sinne their graces like those of the Church of Sardis may be ready to die the Saints of God and their graces they may suffer a winter of temptation they may bee sicke and languishing by reason of sinne they may bee semianimes as Cyprian stiles them halfe dead and halfe withered but yet they are neuer wholly dead in sinnes and trespasses when they are at the worst and lowest ebbe they are but bruised reedes and smoaking flaxe they are neuer vtterly broken neuer vtterly quenched and put out there are still some breathings of grace and spirituall life within their soules there are graces alwayes mixed with their sinnes there are still some good things in them of which God takes speciall notice there is still a little strength within them wherby they are inabled to recouer themselues againe to keepe the word of God and not to denie his name and therefore by the voyce and testimonie of all these Scriptures the true regenerate Saints of God doe neuer sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation because they neuer sinne so farre as to be vtterly cast downe from the state of grace to be vtterly cut off from Christ or to be wholly depriued of the life of grace Secondly the Saints of God when as they fall into any sinnes they neuer goe so farre as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation by these their sinnes because the seed of grace doth still abide within them this is St. Iohns reason in the 1 Iohn 3. 9. and cap. 5. 16 17 18. Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him neither can hee sinne that is hee cannot sinne vnto death because he is borne of God The seed of grace it is an immortall seed 1 Pet. 2. 23. it is a diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. it will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes. 6. 16. and it cannot bee quenched or drowned Cant. 8. 7. it is an annointing that abideth in men 1 Iohn 2. 27. it is such a seed as can die no
cast them all into the depth of the sea ler. 31. 34 and Mich. 7 18. 19. and therefore these their sinnes cannot bee mortall and deadly vnto them If a man should commit treason for which hee deserues to dye if the King will either pardon it or take no notice of it it is not deadly vnto him that doth it though it bee deadly in it selfe God will pardoâ—… or else passe by the sinnes of all his Saints hee will not take aduantage of them and therefore though they are mortall and deadly in themselues they are not so to them Lastly wee haue the expresse testimonie of Saint Iohn 1 Iohn 3. 6. 9. and cap. 5. 16 17 18. that the Saints of God and such as are borne of God can neuer sinne vnto death and therefore their sinnes can neuer put them into the state of death and damnation no not for a time Neither will that of Ezech. 18. 20. the soule that sinneth it shall dye nor that of 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. make any thing to the contrary all that these two places proue is but this that sinne is mortall in its owne nature that euery one shall beare his owne sins and that the vnrighteous and such as liue and dye in the sinnes there specified such as make a common trade of those sinnes being neuer washed sanctified and iustified from them shall not inherit the kingdome of God neither of them proue that the sinnes of the Saints are mortall vnto them or that they put them into the state of death and damnation Consider therefore the sinnes of the Saints as the sinnes of the Saints as they are inherent in and conioyned with the Saints and not as they are abstracted and deuided from them consider how God hath promised to forgiue them in his mercie and to remember them no more and then you shall discouer and discerne your Error and finde your selues to bee ouer-reached with a Fallacy and quirke of Logicke in seuering those things which should not be deuided To the second clause of the objection that the sins of the Saints are not forgiuen before their actuall and particular repentance for them and therefore after that they commit any grosse and knowne sinne till their actuall and particular repentance for it they are in the state of death and damnation and not in the state of grace I answer first that the argument it selfe is false and followes not which that you may the better and more perspicuously vnderstand You must know that when a regenerate man falls into any sinne his repentance in this case is not required as a meanes to put a new life and a new estate and seed os grace into him as it was vpon his first regeneration and conuersion vnto God but it is onely required as physicke is in a sicke man to heale him and to cure him and to preserue that life that estate and seed of grace was in him before which by reason of this his sinne are like the graces of the Church of Sardis Reu. 3. 2. ready to dye but yet not wholly dead and therefore euen before his actuall tepentance for his sin he is not wholly dead in trespasses and sinnes he is not in the state of death damnation but in the state of grace I will euidence and make this cleare by some few familiar and common similitudes Suppose a regenerate man should fail into any mortall and deadly sicknesse which might proue his death vnlesse hee tooke some antidote and physicke to expell it you will not presently say that this man is but a dead man or that hee is in the state of death because hee is fallen into this disease or because hee lieth sicke of it for a moneth or two without recouery for hee hath life within him still hee is still a liuing man and for ought you know hee may recouer and therefore you doe still account him call him and repute him a liuing man So if a regenerate man commit a felonie for which his life may be drawne into question you will not forthwith determine that heee is in the state of death and damnation because hee hath committed such a felonie for it may bee that no man will prosecute him for this felonie or if hee be prosecuted hee may bee either acquitted or pardoned and so escape that death which hee did deserue So if a wife commit adultery for which shee deserues to be deuorced from her husband and so cease to be his wife you will not presently say that this woman iâ—… deuorced or that she is no wife for her husband may forgiue her and she is still a wife till the deuorce be sued out So if a sonne doth highly offend his gratious and louing father for which hee doth justly deserue to be disinherited he doth not therefore cease to be a sonne neither is he forthwith disinherited but hee continues a sonne and an heire still hee only incurs his fathers anger for the present and perhaps he may receiue some stripes and correction at his hands but neuer ceaseth to be his sonne and heire till he incnrre his fathers hatâ—…ed his whole and finall displeasure till he be actually disinherited and utterly cast off Iust so is it in our present case Sinne in the regenerate Saints of God it is a deadly disease and sicknesse to the soule it is such a felonie as may justly draw their liues into question before the barre of Gods Tribunall it is such an adultery as might justly cause the Lord their husband to sue out a bill of diuorce against them and it is such an offence as might moue their gratious and louing Father to disinherit and to cast them off But yet they are not presently dead neither are they in the state of death because they are sicke of sinne for they may recouer and purge out this disease yea it is certaine that they alwaies doe and shall recouer for the Lord himselfe is their physition hee will recouer them and raise them vp and restore them to their health againe he will not suffer them to dye or perish in this sicknesse of their sinnes they haue his owne expresse word and promise for it Psal. 41. 2 3. Iohn 6. 51 58. cap. 10. 28. cap. 11. 25 26 Hosea 14. 4. Mal. 4. 2. and 1 Iohn 5. 11 12 13. and he will surely performe make good his word to the vttermost They are not presently in the state of death and condemnation when as they commit any treason or felonie against the Lord before their actuall repentance for it for God may passe by their sinnes and treasons and take no notice of them hee may in his mercy pardon them and not arraigne them for them Yea he will be sure for to doe it For hee is a God that passeth by the transgression of his heritage hee will forgiue their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more because hee delights in mercy and because it is his couenant so to doe Mich.
grace and inward not according to their sins and outward man and therefore God taking them away in the very act not in the habit and the trade of sin he will estimate and reward them according to their graces and their inward man according to the inward purpose bent and clination of their soules according to the constant course and practise of their liues and not according to that particular and priuate act of sinne in which they dye so that they doe not perish euerlastingly for this act of sinne but they are certainly receiued vnto life euerlasting Sixthly the theefe which neuer did repent in all his life before was saued on the Crosse euen at the last gaspe and period of his life therefore that God and Sauiour who was so mercifull to saue a sinner that neuer was a Saint at the very last gaspe will alwaies be so gratious so louing and compassionate as to saue a sinner at the last which was a Saint a friend a brother and a best beloued vnto him before Lastly to shut vp all in a word or two Admit that an actuall and particular repentance were required as a thing absolutely necessary to saluation of all the true regenerate Saints of God after any grosse and knowne sinne committed by them yet then I say that when God doth take away any of his Saints in the very act of sinne hee doth in that very instance which hee takes them in giue them such an actuall particular repentance as shall saue their soules for hee hath praedestinated them vnto euerlasting life and therefore hauing predestinated them vnto the end he doth likewise predestinate them vnto the meanes for to obtaine it Wherefore as it is altogether impossible for to depriue them of the end so likewise is it impossible to depriue them of the meanes which are annexed inseparably vnto it and therfore put the worst you can imagine yet we may safely say that God doth alwayes giue his Saints this actuall repentance euen in the very point and instant when he cuts them off which the Pseudolut herans and those that defend only a totall fall from grace without a finall doe confesse and teach And therefore notwithstanding all those sinnes they doe commit notwithstanding their lying in sinne for a time or their dying in sin I meane in the act not in the habit and trade of some particular sin without any actuall or particular repentance for that sinne of theirs they neither fall finally nor yet totally from the state of grace This is the maine and principall argument this is the very knot and hinge of the question and therefore pardon me good Reader though I haue beene so prolix and tedious in my answer to it The twentie fiue Argument or obiection that is made against me is That a true regenerate Saint of God may bee excommunicated therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument doth not follow For though excommunication may seuer a Saint of God from the societie of the faithfull and the visible Church of God for a time to humble him for his sinne and to make him more circumspect in his carriage for the time to come yet it neuer doth dissect or cut him off from Christ nay it doth not wholly seuer and cut him off from being a member of the visible Church for then he ought not to be assayled or admitted into the visible Church againe vnlesse he were rebaptized and during the time of this his excommunication he should be no better and no more a Christian than a Turke or Heathen man neither of which can be admitted and therefore this excommunication if you take it in the true and primatiue vse of it not as it is now commonly abused and made a common proces vpon pettie and trifling occasions it only suspends men from being partakers of the priuiledges of the Church it neuer cuts them off from being members of it This is the opinion of Mr. Hooker in his third booke of Ecclesiasticall policie cap. 1. pag. 88. of Bishop Abbot in his answer to Mr Thompsons Diatriba cap. 16. of Mr. Caluin in the 14. booke of his Institutions cap. 12. section 9. 10. of Marlorat in his Exposition vpon the 1 Cor. 5. 5. And I know not any Diuines either Moderne or Ancient of any note or credite that doe affirme the contrarie and therefore your Argument followes not The twenty sixe Argument which may bee made against me is this All Infants which are baptized they are by this their baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and yet we see that many of them doe afterwards fall totally and finally from grace Therefore those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith may fall from grace The Argument is taken for granted and therefore the Antecedent is only to be proued This our Antagonists indeuour for to doe by Scripture and by the authoritie and Doctrine of our Church of England The maine place of Scripture which is alledged is that of Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ which they say is full in point And that this is also the Doctrine of the Church of England is proued by the forme of baptisme recorded in our Common prayer Booke where the Minister before baptisme reciting how Christ did blesse the little children that were brought vnto them and rebuke his Disciples for hindering such as would bring them to him doth from hence exhort the people in these insuing words Doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that hee will likewise fauourably receiue these present Infants that he will imbrace them with the armes of his mercie that hee will giue vnto them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome And againe when as the childe is baptized there is this forme of thanks-giuing there prescribed to vs. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words doe fully proue that all such Infants as are baptized are truly regenerated and so the Antecedent is fully proued to bee true Because this is an argument in which our Antagonists doe much triumph and boast as if wee were not able to vndergoe the charge and vigor of it I shall indeauour to giue a full and satisfactorie answer to it in which I shall bee forced to bee somewhat large and tedious in respect of those many particulars which I am to giue an answer to I will reduce them vnto these foure heads First I shall denie that all Infants that are baptized are truly regenerated and inwardly ingrafted into Christ by vertue of their baptisme Secondly I shall affirme that the place of the Galathians proues it not nor yet any other têxt of Scripture Thirdly I shall
them into Christ that which inables men to take and to receiue Christ Iesus now it is not baptisme but faith only which doth this it is faith only that ingrafts men into Christ and makes them the sonnes of God Gal. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. it is faith only that brings Christ Iesus into mens soules Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 3. 17. it is the hand of faith only that takes Christ Iesus that applies him and puts him on in Iesus Christ neither circumcision a◅aileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. And therefore take this place of Paul how you will it proues not that all those that are baptized are truly regenerated If any other places of Scripture are obiected to the contrary the former answers will fully satisfie them Thirdly I say that this is not the doctrine of the Church of England and those words which Mr. Mountague hath cited out of the Common-prayer Booke doe not proue it For that which is saide of infants which are to bee baptized in our Common-prayer Booke in the forme of baptisme doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that Christ will imbrace them with the armes of his mercy that hee will giue them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome if you take it in the right sense it is no more in effect then this That it is Christs will and pleasure that infants should be baptized and that hee hath'a fauour and respect vnto them but that all infants that are baptized are in truth regenerated that it proues not Mr. Mountague indeed as if hee were not acquainted with the Liturgie and publike religious seruise of our Church vnlesse it were to correct it and to cauell at it for which hee taxeth and condemneth others who are lesse guilty then himselfe would haue the word in the preterperfect tence citing this word hath for wilt because he would wrest the words to his purpose but the words are in the future tense and are no more in effect then that which I haue said before Indeede the wordes after baptisme are in the preterperfect tence We yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words proue not that all infants which are baptized are by their very baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ because these words and so the others before baptisme are not generall and vniuersall but they are limited and restrained to one particular infant or those particular infants which are then to be baptized whose absolute and definitiue estate is only knowne to God and not vnto the Church Our Church out of charity because shee knoweth nothing to the contrary doth beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated that is sacramentally or because you will haue it so Mr. Mountague really and spiritually yet shee beleeueth not that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated by their baptisme and ingrafted into Christ that Mr. Mountague as well read as hee is in the Common-prayer Booke cannot shew mee If you now object that that which is true of euery indiuiduall is true of the whole species and therfore i◅ our Church beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated therefore that shee is of opinion that all are so I answer that the rule is false for there are many things which may bee saide and predicated truly or at least charitablie of Indiuidualls which are false of the whole species and cannot bee applied to it A man may say hee ought to say of euery particular and euery indiuiduall man in the world that hee may beleeue hee may repent and he may bee saued because hee hath no warrant to the contrary and hee cannot know whether God hath otherwise disposed of him yet a man cannot say that all men shall be saued that all men may beleeue and repent because it is contrary to the reuealed will and word of God So a man may and ought to say of euery particular infant which is baptized that hee is regenerated because he knowes not any thing to the contrary Indeede afterwards if hee see him liue a wicked and vngodly life he may then safely say that hee was not regenerated by his baptisme because his life and workes declare as much but yet no man can safely say that all that are baptized are spiritually really and effect ually regenerated because it is not so reuealed in the Scriptures This charitable opiniō then of the Church of England being restrained to indiuiduall particular infants and not extended and inlarged to all such as are baptized warrants not Mr. Mountagues collection from it That all infants which are baptized are truly spiritually and effectually regenerated Which answers likewise the words in the Catechisme for there the childe in the second answer answeres only for himselfe that by his baptisme not all that were baptized but I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen that is I haue a right and title to all those by my baptisme if I will lay hold on them and take possession of them by faith my baptisme giues me a title to them but doth not giue mee actuall and full possession of them For these words in the Rubricke before the Catechisme That children being baptized haue all things necessary for their saluation the meaning is no more but this That ba◅tisme without faith knowledge lou◅ and actuall repentance is sufficient for to saue such children as dye before yeares of discretion because God will not require impossibilities at their hands and such conditions which they were not able to performe Or else that children by their baptisme are admitted into the Church and haue an interest in all those priuiledges and means of grace which are necessary to saluation what is this to purpose that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated Yea but the Rubricke saith that if they dye before actuall sinne they shall bee vndoubtedly saued That is such infants as are baptized and dye before actuall sin are saued because our Church knowes nothing to the contrary shee knowes not whether God hath otherwise disposed of them But yet it is not there recorded that all infants that are baptized are regenerated and saued or that such infants which fall away from the sacramentall grace which they receiued should haue beene saued if they had died before actuall sinne Wherefore in any wise mans judgement that hath his wits and senses about him there is nothing in the Booke of Common-prayers to warrant this assertion That all such a◅ are baptized are truly and spiritually regenerated it is only Mr. Mountagues false and brainsicke conceite who torments and rackes our Common prayer Booke to defend his Error
But admit that this were the receiued opinion and doctrine of the Church of England that all infants are by their very baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then Mr. Mountague you are in this Dilemma then you must grant this to be the doctrine of the Church of England that those who are truly regenerated may both totally and finally fall from grace which I haue proued to be false or else you must of necessitie grant that none who are baptized fall from grace which is contrary to your owne assertion or else you must needes grant that all such as are baptized are not regenerate which is contrary to that for which you do so much contend so that turne which way you will you are but in a maze and labyrinth and fettred in the gines of your owne argument Againe I would but demand this question of Maister Mountague whether this be an article of his Creedâ—… that all infants that are baptized are truly regenerated by the holy Ghost that they are partakers of eternall life and of Christs euerlasting kingdome as you say our Common prayer booke affirmes If you beleiue it not why then doe you presse it vpon vs or why do you not beleiue that which you say our Church beleiues If you beleiue it how then can your doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace stand together with it if you beleiue that all infants that are baptized shall haue euerlasting life and be made partakers of Christs kingdome you must of necessity beleeue that they shall perseuere in grace vnto the end hee that beleeues that the end shall certainly be obtained must as certainly beleeue that the meanes which must obtaine this end shall be vsed to and therefore if you beleeue that all infants that are baptized shall haue euerlasting life and injoy Christ kingdome you must likewise beleeue that they shall perseuere and neuer fall from grace If you say that you do not absolutly beleeue that they shall haue euerlasting life and bee made partakers of Christs kingdome but only conditionally if they perseuere in the grace receiued in their baptisme I answer that if you doe absolutely beleeue that they are regenerated why doe you not as absolutely beleeue that they shall haue euerlasting life and be made partakers of Christs kingdome they are both recorded in the same tearmes they are knit together in one sentence one following vpon the necke of another they are both set downe as absolutely and positiuely as the other therefore you must beleeue all of them to be alike absolute and then you cannot beleeue that euer they should fall from grace for then they could not be made partakers of Christs kingdome and of euerlasting life or else you must make them all conditionall and beleeue that those infants which are baptized are regenerated if they perseuere in grace else that they are not regenerated by their baptisme which would falsifie this your proposition that all infants are truly regenerated by their baptisme which proposition as you see is no waies warranted by the Common prayer Booke or by the Church of England Lastly admit that all infants that are baptized are regenerated and that this were warranted by Gal. 3. 27. and by the doctrine of the Church of England vet I say that this argument followes not nor is not to the purpose for the question is not whether infants other men may fall totally or finally from that sacramentall grace which they receiue inbaptisme but whether vere fideles whether such as are truly regenerated ingrafted truly into Christ by a liuely faith may fall totally or finally from the state of grace of the state or iustifying faith Now sacramentall grace and regeneration is one thing and this state of true sauing grace and of justification by faith is another if we admit that infants once baptized haue a sacramentall grace within them which is nothing else but a freedome from the guilt of originall sinne yet no man I thinke can be so absurd as to say that they haue any habituall graces or any liuing and justifying faith within them for they want reason and vnderstanding to apply the word and promises of God and to vse these meanes which should beget these graces in them And therefore seeing that the grace which children and others receiue from baptisme is but sacramentall far different from the grace of which our controuersie and question is if wee grant the whole argument to be true yet it is nothing to the purpose And so much in answer to this twenty sixth argument in which I haue beene ouer tedious by reason that our Antagonists rely so much vpon it The twenty seuenth argument which may be objected against mee is from particular examples which may be reduced to three heads The first of Adam and the Angells the second of particular and whole Churches the third of particular and priuate Saints The first argument from Examples is drawne from Adam and the Angells Adam and the Angells who were of an higher alloy then any regenerate Saints of God now are they fell from the state of grace the one totally the other finally Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God whose grace are inferiour vnto theirs may fall totally and finally from grace as well as they I answer that the Argument followes not because there is a great difference betweene the graces which the regenerate Saints of God injoy and that grace which Adam and the Angels had For first that grace which Adam and the Angels had it was in their owne possession and custodie they themselues were the gardians and keepers of it But that grace which the regenerate Saints of God doe now injoy it is not in their owne keeping they themselues are not the gardians and preseruers of it but it is God himselfe who keepes it and preserues it in them by his power This is euident by the 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing that was committed to thee keepe by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs the holy Ghost himselfe who begins doth likewise gard and keepe the graces of the Saints So in the 1 Pet. 1. 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation the power of God it doth not onely keepe the Saints vnto saluation but it preserues and keepes their faith to So in the 1 Tim. 1. 12. I know-whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day The faith of the Saints it doth not stand in the wisdome and custodie of men but in the power of God 1 Cor 2. 5. Ephes. 1. 19 20. and cap. 3. 20. and the Saints of God they doe not preserue and keepe their graces or themselues but their graces and their persons are garded preserued and protected by God himselfe by Father Son and holy Ghost and that continually as you may reade Psal. 4. 8. Psal. 12.
because they did not beleeue that Christ had the words of eternall life neither were they sure that hee was that Christ the sonne of the liuing God For the Disciples which did beleeue this did continue with him euen for this very cause because they did beleiue it so that this example is impertinent because they were no true beleeuers The fourth example is from Dauid Dauid was a true regenerate man and Saint of God But hee fell from grace by committing adultery and murther For first hee prayes to God to create a new heart and to renew a right spirit within him Psal. 51. 10. Secondly hee was a murtherer and therefore had no eternall life abiding in him 1 Iohn 3. 14 15. Thirdly hee was guilty of adultery which disinherits men of heauen 1 Cor. 6. 10 Gal. 5. 21. and Ephes. 5. 5. Fourthly he lay long in these sinnes without repentance therefore a true regenerate man and Saint of God may fall from grace as Dauid did To this I answer that the Minor is false and that Dauid did not fall totally nor finally from grace in committing of these sinnes which I proue by these reasons First because it is not recorded in the whole booke of God that Dauid fell from the state of grace true it is it is recorded how he fell into these sinnes and I beleeue it to bee true because the Scripture tells me so but that Dauid fell totally from grace in committing of these sinnes the holy Ghost hath not recorded it it is but a bare collection of our Antagonists and therefore it is not to be beleeued Doubtlesse if Dauid had fallen totally or finally from the state of grace in committing these his sinnes the holy Ghost who hath recorded his sinne and life would haue recorded this his fall vnto vs since then the holy Ghost hath not recorded this his fall it is a point of arrogancie and strange presumption for our Antagonists so confidently to determine that Dauid fell away from the state of grace when as the Scriptures doe not warrant it Secondly it is euident that Dauid fell not away from the state of grace when as hee lay in these his sinnes because in the midest of these his sins which he fell into out of infirmitie and not out of any precogitated malice his heart was vpright towards God and the whole bent and frame of his heart was turned towards him for God himselfe testifieth of him that hee was a man after his heart Acts 13. 22. that hee went fully after the Lord. 1 Kings 11 6. and that his heart was perfect with the Lord. verse 4. and therefore since that God himselfe hath giuen such Elogies and testimonies of him it cannot stand together with them that Dauid should fall quite away from grace though hee fell into these sinnes Thirdly it is euident and plaine by Psal. 51. 11. for there hee prayes to God in his penitentiall Psalme which was penned when as the Prophet Nathan came vnto him and informed him of his sinnes of murther and adultery Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me If Dauid then immediately vpon the sight of these his sinnes did pray to God not to take away his holy spirit from him it is certaine then that hee had the spirit of God abiding in him notwithstanding these his sinnes else hee would haue prayed thus to God restore and giue me thy holy spirit ô Lord and not Lord take not thy holy spirit from me if then the spirit of God were still within him then certainely hee was not fallen totally from the state of grace Yea but saith Hunnius and some other of our Antagonists the spirit of God which hee lost by these his sins was now restored to him and therefore he prayes to God not to take it away from him not because hee lost it not before but because it was now restored vnto him againe I answer that this is but a meere cauill and an idle conceite not grounded on the Scripture For if Dauid had lost the Spirit by this sinne or if God had restored it to him againe no doubt but the Scripture would haue mentioned it and Dauid himselfe would haue expressed or at least haue intimated it in this Psalme of his which wee see hee doth not doe Againe if Dauid had lost the Spirit of God by these his sinnes I would demand of our Antagonists when this holy Spirit of God returnes vnto him againe whether before or after his repentance or in the very act of his repentance If before his repentance then Dauid was in the state of grace and not in the state of damnation before hee did repent which you your selues deny If after his repentance that cannot bee for repentance is the worke of the holy Ghost and vnlesse Dauid had had this holy Spirit of God he could not haue repented thus yea then Dauids prayer had beene in vaine for how could hee haue prayed vnto God not to take away his holy Spirit from him if he had it not as yet restored to him for when he penned this Psalme he did but begin he had not fully finished his repentance for these sinne therefore the holy Spirit of God was not restored to him after his repentance If it were restored vnto him in the very beginning and act of his repentance from whence doth that appeare sure I am there is no ground in Scripture for to warrant it and if it were so then it follows that the Spirit of God may bee restored vnto men before their actuall repentance which you denie because the very beginning of repentance or a thought to repent is no perfect actuall repentance no such repentance as you require to regaine the Spirit and the state of Grace And therefore seeing that the Scripture informes vs that the holy Ghost abides and dwells in mens hearts and soules for euer Iohn 14. 15. 16 and 1 Iohn 1. 20. 27. we may safely say that the holy Spirit of God was neuer taken away from Dauid but continued in him still Againe to what end should this prayer of Dauid serue if God had now restored his Spirit to him He had as yet committed no such sinne since the restitution of the Spirit to him as might cause God to depriue him of it and therefore this prayer of his was not so fitting to the purpose in this sense therefore we must take it in the apâ—…st sense and as Dauid did intend it Dauid he was affraid left God should depriue him of his holy Spirit for those sinnes which he had committed against him before and this was the cause and ground of this his prayer now therefore this his prayer and the whole Psalme hauing reference only to his former and not to his future sinnes it must needs follow that this prayer of Dauid extendeth meerely to the Spirit which hee had before his sinnes committed and not to the Spirit newly restored to him
17. 8. and Heb. 6. 19. but the faith which these two grounds had it had no roote at all Math. 13. 5 6 21. Luke 18. 13. it was such a faith or credulity rather which was setled in the vndâ—…rstanding but was not rooted and grounded in the heart and spirit therefore it was no true liuely justifying and sauing faith Fifthly because the faith of these two grounds is put by way of 〈◊〉 and opposition to that of the 〈◊〉 and good groâ—…nd these two temporary sorts of hearers are 〈◊〉 and distinguished from the fourth sort who did with honest and good hearts not only heare the word of God but keepe it to and bring forth fruite with patience which the others did not The text it selfe makes a kinde of speciall difference betweene the faith of the one and of the other and therefore their faith could not bee true because it is distinguished and put in opposition to the faith of the fourth ground But if all this will not giue you satisfaction I answer that the difference in this parable is only intended and meant of hearers not of beleeuers the parable informes vs that there are foure seuerall sorts of hearers not foure different sorts of beleeuers Now of all these foure sorts of hearers there was but one sort of them that were true beleeuers for in the other three sorts the word preached did not profit them and why was this because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. therefore it is certaine that the three first sorts of hearers had no faith at all as you surmise they had neither can there be foure sorts of true belâ—…euers as you would hence collect for as there is but one God one Lord one spirit and one body so there is but one faith one kinde one sort and speciâ—…s of true beleeuers who are not different and many but all one in Christ. Ephes. 4. 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12 27. Rom. 15 5 6. 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 10. 17. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 1. 27. cap. 2. 2. Col. 3. 15. and therefore this Scripture being only meant of seuerall kindes of auditors and not of seuerall kindes of beleeuers makes nothing at all against mee The second example is of those Iohn 2. 23 24. Those that 〈◊〉 in the name of Christ when as they saw his miracles had true iustâ—…fying faith But these fell from grace for Iesus did not commit â—…imselfe vnto them for hee kâ—…ew all â—…en therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace I answer that these had not true justifying and liuing faith within them which is euident by these reasons First because this faith was wrought only by the sight of miracles without the preaching of the Word and it was no more but a beleife that Christ was the true Messiah but true liuing justifying and sauing faith as it is alwaies a fruite of the spirit of God Gal. 5. 22. so it is alwaies wrought by the word of God Rom. 10. 14 15 27. whence it is stiled the word of faith Gal. 3. 2. and 1 Tim. 4. 6. therefore this beliefe which was wrought meerely by miracles without the word and spirit of God could be no true justifying and liuing faith Secondly these men could be no true beleeuers because the text saith that Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them because hee knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for hee knew what was in man that is Christ knew them to be but hypocrites he knew their hearts were not vpright towards him and therefore he would not trust himselfe with them Now will any man dare to say that those whom Christ himselfe knew to be hypocrites that those to whom Christ would not commit himselfe were true beleeuers that they had true and sauing faith within them if hee doth as our Antagonists doe what is this but to make Christ ignorant of the estates of men and to make our selues more skilfull in discerning of mens hearts then hee Well marke these words of the Euangelist First he saith that Christ did not commit himselfe vnto them therefore they had no true faith therefore they were no true beleeuers For Christ is so farre from not committing of himselfe to true beleeuers that hee doth euen inhabit and dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17. and 2 Cor. 13. 5. Secondly hee saith that the reason why Christ did not commit himselfe vnto them was because hee knew all men that is hee knew them to be hypocrites as most interpreters expound it if they were hypocrites and not sound at hart then they were no true beleeuers for true faith it purifieth the heart it makes it syncere and vpright and purgeth it from all hypocrisie Acts. 15. 9. Math. 23. 26. and 2 Cor. 2. 17. If you now object that they beleeued in his name therefore this phrase implyeth that they had true faith I answer that this phrase in this place for the reasons formerly giuen declares no more then this that they had an historicall faith that they beleeued him to be the Christ and not that they did rely and trust vpon him or take him for their Lord and Sauiour and in this very sense it is taken Math 7. 21. 22. Iohn 6. 2. 14. cap. 11. 40 41 48. cap. 12. 42 43. cap. 5. 44 Iames 2. 19. and so haue all interpreters agreed it vpon this place But admit that these Iewes here mentioned had true faith Then I deny your Minor that they fell away from it againe the text saith no such thing that they fell from grace and you can produce no other text of Scripture to proue that these particular Iewes which Saint John here mentions fell away from grace or faith it is your owne imagination and surmise wherefore let these bee true beleeuers or no true beleeuers this their example proues nothing against mee The third example is that of Iohn 6. 66. Many of Christs Disciples went backe and walked no more with him but these had true faith therefore those who haue true faith may fall from grace I answer that the Minor is false for Christ himselfe informes vs. ver 26 27. That these Disciples which departed from him did seeke and follow him not for his doctrine or his miracles or for that meate which indureth vnto euerlasting life but onely because they did eate of the loaues and were filled and therefore when he exhorted them to eate his flesh and drinke his blood that is to feed on him in their hearts by faith this very thing did so much offend them that they departed from him which makes it cleare that they had no faith at all for then they could not haue taken scandall at an exhortation vnto faith Yea Christ himselfe doth certifie vs verse 64 that those who departed did not beleeue and it appeares by Peters answer verse 68 69. that the reason why they did depart was only this