Exod. 22. 12. 14. Numb 14. 13. ver 18. Ezech 20 8 9 14 22. 44. Leuit. 10. 3. Psa 29. 1 2. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Iude 25. Reu 4. 11. and Reu. 5. 13. if therefore it stands vpon Gods honour and glory to preserue his Saints in that estate of grace which he hath giuen them it cannot be that euer they should loose it or fall from it because God should then loose his honour and his glory which hee will not doe Men will not loose their honour and their glory if they can preserue it much lesse will God therefore the Maior must be granted Now for the Minor that all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are in such an estate of grace as God in his honour can not but preserue them in it and that it will not stand together with his honour that euer he should suffer them for to fall quite from it it is most euident and plaine For how can it euer stand with the honour and glory of Gods infinite and boundlesse mercy with the glory and honour of his almightie power with the praise and honour of his incomprehensible wisedome with the glory and honour of his eternall purpose and decree and of his infinite and neuer failing truth how can it stand with the glory of his deity and the honour of his eternall immutabilitie how can it stand with the honour of his great and glorious attributes that any of those who are once truly regenerated and made the true members of Iesus Christ should either finally or totally fall from grace Is it for the honour and glory of his infinite and boundlesse loue and mercy that any of his Saints wherein his soule delights that any of those whom he hath bought and purchased with the pretious blood of his onely Sonne should euer fall from grace and perish Is it for the glory and honour of his almightie power that any of those whom he hath vndertaken for to preserue and keep vnto saluation by his mightie strength and power that euer they should either finally or totally fall from grace Is it for the glory of his incomprehensible wisdome and almightie power that hee should leaue any worke of his vnfinished that hee should with that foolish builder Luke 14 29 30. begin to build â—…d to â—…rect the frame of grace in the hearts of any of his children and yet bee vnable or vnwilling for to finish it How would men especially such as are professed atheists blaspheame the name of God how would â—…hey deride his wifdome and his power if this were so Is it for the honour and glory of his word truth that those whom he hath bound himselfe by promise oath and couenant to preserue and keepe from falling from him that they should euer fall from grace Is it for the glory and honour of his eternall immutabilitie and bounty that hee should euer repent him of 〈◊〉 gifts and graces that he should take away those graces from his Saints which he had fully and freely imparted to them out of the largesse of his loue and bounty Is it for the honour and glory of his wisdome that hee should euer suffer any of his Saints either finally or totally to fall from grace when as it would bring a scandall on himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name Or is it for the glory of his deity that hee should not protect those from a totall or a finall fall who are his friends his children and his meniall seruants Can it not stand together with the honour and glory of an earthly potentate not to shelter and protect his subiects his friends his children and his meniall seruants from fall and ruine and shall it yet stand with the honour and the glory of the God of heauen not to doe it If God be not able for to doe it that were a dishonour to his power if he be able and yet not willing for to doe it that is a great blemish and disparagment vnto his loue and mercy If God should euer suffer his faithfull children after they are once regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace hee must needes loose the very glory and honour of his diety and of all his great and glorious attributes which he will neuer doe Gods greatest glory and his chiefest honour is in the perseuerance of his Saints it is his chiefesâ—…g lory and his soules delight to see his children continue and stand fast in grace and to hold out vnto the end wherefore seeing that it is Gods chiefest honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his 〈◊〉 should perseuere and grow continually 〈◊〉 seeing that it cannot stand together with his honour and his glory to suffer them to fall away from that estate of grace which hee hath giuen them and â—…eeing that God for his owne glory and honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their state of grace lâ—…t others babble whiles they will yet this I can assure you that they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace What can bee now replyed to 〈◊〉 this argument it transcends my vnderstanding 〈◊〉 surmise Let others then answere and reply vnto it as they can I for my owne part know not how to doe it The eighth argument which makes mainely for the proofe of this assertion is drawne from the infinite wisdome of almightie God and it is no more but this That which is altogether repugnant to the infinite wisdome of almightie God it s altogether impossible that euer it should come to passe but that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith should euer finally or totally fall from grace is altogether repugnant to the infinite wisdome of almightie God therefore it s altogether impossible that euer it should come to passe The Maior cannot be denied for if God should suffer any thing to be done which is contrary and repugnant to his wisdome it would either argue want of wisdome or want of will and power in God which is blasphemous for to thinke The Minor then is onely to be proued that it is repugnant and contrary to the infinite wisdome of almightie God to suffer any that are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace This is plaine and euident by these insuing reasons First because it can not stand with Gods infinite wisdome to haue his name his truth his mercy ' and his honour blemished but if God should suffer any of his Saints either finally or totally to fall from grace his name his truth his loue his mercy his honour yea and all his other attributes should be blemished and tainted and therefore it stands not with Gods wisdome that his Saints should fall from grace Secondly it would giue Infidels Atheists and Heathen men occasion to blaspheme his name and to deride both himselfe and all that should professe his name God
for to hinder it Wherefore since true and sauing Grace is of a permanent perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature it is impossible for those that haue this Grace as all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ must needs haue it or else they were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from it againe euen in respect of the very nature of Grace it sâ—…lfe Lastly it is altogether impossible for such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace in respect of the many dangerous consequents which else would ineuitablie follow vpon the contrary and that both in respect of the Trinity in respect of the true Saints of God in respect of grace and in respect of the Church of God in generall but specially of our Church of England First these dangerous consequents would follow euen in respect of the Trinitie and Dietie it selfe For first it would deâ—…ogate from the honour of the Trinitie What greater dishonour could there be vnto the whole Trinitie What greater dishonour to Father Sonne and holy Ghost then this that they should suffer any of those Saints whom they haue chosen for themselues and vndertaken to preserue and keepe to â—…all from grace â—…hat they should begin to build the fabricke of grace in men and yet be vnwilling or vnable for to make an end that they should make so many absolute couenants and promises to preserue and keepe the Saints from falling and not performe their words that they should giue true grace to men and yet repent them of these gifts and take them quite away that they should owne such for their followers their seruants and attendants their children and their friends as should disgrace them by their falls and bring a scandall vpon the profession of their names What would Atheists what would Heathens say if they should heare of this position that the true Saints of God may apostacie and fall away from grace would they not say that it were farre better to haue no God at all that it were farre better to haue an Idoll God then such a God as this as either will not or cannot keepe his Saints from falling from him Certainely this very Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints dishonours all the Trinitie in all their sacred and most glorious attributes yea it depriues God of his Dietie it puls him from his throane and sets vp man aboue him it makes God to be no God at all or at least to be no better then an Idoll or an idle God Wherefore in respect of this dishonor which elâ—…e would light vpon the whole Trinitie this Doctrine of the perseuerance of the Saints must needes be true Secondly if the true regenerate Saints of God might Apostatize and fall away from grace it would derogate much from the word and promise of God and Christ. For they haue promised to preserue all such as are once truly regenerated and to keepe them from falling they haue promised that their graces shall not faile that they will giue them perseuerance to the end that they will finish the worke of grace begun within them that they will preserue them blamelesse to the day of Christ and keepe them so that they shall neuer perish but haue euerlasting life as I haue pâ—…oued at large before If then the Saints of God might either finally or totally â—…ll from grace where then were the truth of God and Christ where were the performance of their word and promises wee might then say that all these promises of God were but false and counterfeite and so we should make God and Christ no better then the Diuell himselfe who is a lyar and the father of lyes Iohn 8. 44. Yea I may boldly say that this assertion of the Apostacie of the Saints would quite ouerthrow the whole frame and fabricke of the word of God For take the whole Scripture from the beginning to the very end of it the whole frame and fabricke of it serues to no other end and purpose but to take away all from man in matters of grace and to attribute all to God that so he only and not man might haue the praise and glory of all Now this assertion of the Apostacie of the Saints it takes all away from God and attributes all to man that so man might glory in himselfe onely and not in the Lord. It giues a man free will to reiect or receiue grace at the first and it giues him full power and ability to reiect or to retaine grace after hee hath receiued it it takes away Gods prouidence kingdome soueraigntie and power ouer man it exempts man wholly from his jurisdiction it makes man an absolute creature it makes him a God and Lord ouer himselfe whereas the Scripture dorh take man of from his owne legges and subiects him wholly vnto God in whose hands his life his thoughts his will his waies and all his actions are and so it dissolues and ouerturnes the whole frame and fabricke of the Scriptures and strikes at the very foundation and roote of all religion Wherefore this Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints can neuer be admitted to bee tâ—…ue euen in this respect and so my present assertion must be sound and orthodox Thirdly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the great goodnesse and the infinite mercy and loue of God vnto his children For if those Saints of God might fall quite away from grace where then were the exceeding riches of Gods mercy where were the gratiousnesse and infinite goodnesse of his nature where were the freenesse the constancy and vnchangablenesse of his loue If you obiect that the fault is not in the loue of God to them but in their want of loue to him I answere first that Gods loue to them is free and voluntary Hosea 14. 5. I will loue them freely therefore if God should quite withdraw his loue from them for their disobedience vnto him this freenesse of Gods loue would be much tainted and blemished and the breach would light on God Secondly Gods loue to them is the cause of their loue to him 〈◊〉 Iohn 4. 10. 19. and it is the loue mercy of God which should preserue and keepe the saints in obedience loyalty and subiection vnto him yea God himselfe hath promised to preserue their whole spirit soule and body blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thâ—…s 5. 23 24. If therefore God should suffer them to sin against him and so to incurre his displeasure whereas hee hath vndertaken to preserue them blamelesse vnto the comming of Iesus Christ the breach must bee first on Gods part in suffering them to sinne and not on theirs who hath no power of their owne without the power and ayde of God to keepe themselues from sinne
Lord so now I will maintaine it against our Autagonists that the onely meanes to make men diligent and carefull in Gods seruice is the assurance of their totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace This is cuident by that speach of Dauid Psal 27. 13. I had fainted vnlesse I had belâ—…eued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing If Dauid had not beene sure of saluation and of his totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace he had then fainted and vtterly giuen ouer the worke and seruice of the Lord but the assurance of his finall and constant perseuerance and of Gods mercie to him was the onely thing to strengthen quicken and rouse him vp againe That which made Paul to suffer so much for the Gospell and not to be ashamed of it was this that hee knew whom hee had beleeued and that bee was perswaded that he was able to keepe that which bee had committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. Yea the same Paul informes vs that the onely thing which makes the Saints to labour that whether present or absent they may bee accepted of the Lord is this that they are confident of Gods loue and fauour to them and that they know that if their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued yet they haue a building of God not made with hands eternall in the heauens and therefore Paul in the 1 Cor. 15. 58. exhorts the Corinthians to bee stedfast vnmoueable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord euen from this very ground for as much as they knew that their labour was not in vaine in the Lord intimating thus much vnto vs that the onely meanes to make men abound in the worke of the Lord is to be assured that they shall perseuere in grace and that their workes shall be rewarded at the last Hence also is the ground of his other exhortation in the 2 Cor. 7. 1. Hauing therefore these promises Dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all pollution of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God The more assured men are of their continuance in the state of grace the more industrious are they for to perfect and increase their graces Hence is it that St. Iohn informes vs in the 1 Iohn 3. 2. 3. That euery man which bath this hope that when Christ Iesus shall appeare hee shall bee like to him and see him as he is is so farre from being idle in Gods seruice that hee purifieth himselfe euen as hee is pure Was it euer knowne that the certaintie and assurance of the end should make men slacke and sloathfull in vsing of the meanes Was there euer any Souldier that was sloathfull and vnwilling for to fight becanse he was sure for to winne the field Was there euer any Husband-man that was slacke in tilling of his ground because he was sure for to reape the croppe Was there euer any Merchant who was vnwilling for to traffique because he was sure of a safe returne Or was there euer any true regenerate Saint of God on earth that grew idle lazie and secure because he was sure not to fall srom grace Who more certaine and sure of perseuerance in the state of Grace then Paul and yet none so painefull none so laborious and industrious in the worke of God as hee Neuer was it heard as yet of any childe of God that grew secure negligent and sloathfull in Gods seruice beâ—… cause he could not fall from grace the assurance of consâ—…ant and finall perseuerance hath alwayes made the Saints industrious neuer idle and secure and therefore this second pretence and inconuenience which our Opposites obiect is vaine falfe and idle and sauours only of fleshly and carnall reason not of heauenly and spirituall The third and last pretended inconuenience of this our assertion is that it would make men proud and arrogant I answer that you are much mistaken True it is that this our assertion doth comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of the Saints it breeds in them an holy magnanimitie which causeth them to scorne and contemne the world and all things in it as base and worthlesse and not worth the seeking it makes their mindes more high heauenly and generous in respect of worldly things then euer they were before but yet it cannot make them proud and arrogant for diuers reasons First because the more a Christian is assured of Gods loue and fauour in Iesus Christ and of his totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace the nearer doth hee alwaies draw to God and therefore the more is hee humbled and abased in his soule The nearer any Christian drawes to God and the more and greater fauours hee receiued from him the more he seeth his owne vilenesse and emptinesse the lesse is hee alwaies in his owne opinion and the more is hoâ—… confounded and abased in himselfe this is euident by the example of Dauid 2 Sam. 7. 18. to 23. of Iob Iob. 42. 5 6. and of the Prophet Isaiah Isaiah 6. 1. to 6. who were neuer so much humbled abased and confounded in themselues as when they saw the Lord in his glory and considered the greatnesse of his mercy to them Therefore this our assertion can neuer make men proud and arrogant as you surmise because you neuer felt the working of grace and of Gods mercies on your hearts Secondly it cannot make men proud and arrogant because grace is alwaies of an emptying nature it alwaies emptieth vs of our selues and makes vs alwaies to ascribe the praise and glory of our perseuerance vnto God who workes it in vs and for vs and that out of his meere grace and mercy to vs without any deâ—…ert of ours Lastly the Saints of God though they are sure that they shall neuer fall from grace yet they dare not to exalt themselues they dare not swell and puffe themselues with pride for feare the Lord should send a messenger of Satan for to buffet them as he did to Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. they know and are assured that God doth alwaies resist the proud and giues grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. and therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet they dare not swell themselues with pride least God should humble them and cast them downe You see now that all these pretended inconueniences are but friuilous false and idle that this our present assertion doth neither make the Saints of God presumptuous to commit sinne nor idle and slouthfull in Gods seruice nor yet proud and arrogant in themselues What then though wicked men which haue no grace within them abuse this sweete and comfortable assertion as the Valentinians Anabaptists did is it not therefore true becausâ—… that they and not the Saints abuse it Will you say the Scripture is not true but false because some wrest it to their owne confusion or will you say that Gods mercy
for the sight of their eyes which they should see they should then finde no ease no rest or comfort to thâ—…ir soules at all and so they must needs sinke and perish in dispaire Where as if they had this pillar to rest and stay their soules vpon that they can neuer fall â—…rom grace nor be depriued of the loue of God that let what will befall their bodies their soules are sure to be safe that though their outward man perish yet their inward man shall be renewed day by day that though their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued yet they haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens this would comfort and reioyce their soules beyond expression this would beare them vp in all extremities and keepe them from sinkeing in dispaire So that you see that the whole comfort and treasure of a Christian that the whole seruice of God and practice of religion are vtterly abolished and taken away by this pernicious Error and therefore I made choyce of this aboue any of the rest to combate and to grapple with especially in these dubious and ambiguous times of ours wherein we need an anchor on which to stay our soules But now some men may thinke my labour vaine and needlesse and perchance vnseasonable to because so many Worthies of our Church haue so lately handled and discussed this our present Controuersie To whâ—…ch I answer first That the slacknesse of the Printer in whose hands this worke hath beene pending euer since Lâ—…nt last hath turned these my First fruites into Gleanings against my expectation and intent and therefore if you returne a Tardè to them let the Printer beare the blame not I. Secondly I answer that though many haue lately handled and discussed this very controversie in the by conioyning it with other points yet none of them haue handled it particularly and indiuidually by it selse as I haue done it Yea I may with modestie affirme it without any pride arrogance or selfe-conceite that there was neuer any hitherto who hath written of this controuâ—…rsie that hath handled and discussed it so fully and perspicuously as I haue done it here I haue produced many more arguments and reasons and cited more quotations from Scriptures Fathers Councells Synods Confessions and moderne Diuines to confute this Error and I haue giuen more cleere full and satisfactorie answers to most of those arguments that are brought for to defend it than any yet haue done that I could reade or heare of And therefore notwithstanding that so many haue lately written of this subiect I hope that these my labours which I haue vndertaken in the synceritie of my heart for the glory of God for the peace and quiet of this our Church for the vindicating of the truth and for the comfort and consolation of all such faithfull Christians as shall be made partakers of them shall finde such approbation and acceptance in the world that they shall neither be condemned as vntimely nor loathed as superfluous And here Courteous Reader to free my selfe from causelesse censure I must intreate these few courtesies at thine hands First that where thou findest any mistakes or slips in words or letters in reading of this Treatise that thou wouldest take the paines for to amend them imputing the fault vnto the Corrector and not vnto my selfe Secondly that when thou findest the same reasons Scriptures Arguments or answers reiterated and repeated in seuerall places of this discourse that thou wouldâ—…st not forth-with condemne me of Battologie and Surplusage because they are alwaies vrged and recited in a different forme and manner and to other ends and purposes then they were before so that though they are almost the same in words and matter yet they alwayes differ in circumstances forme and end and in the manner of propounding them so that in truth they are not the same though prima facie they may seeme to be the same Thirdly I would request thee so to censure and iudge of these my labours as thou wouldest haue me and others to censure and to iudge of thine if thou thy selfe hadst written Lastly since the generall end and scope of these my labours is nothing else but to vindicate and cleere the honour and the truth of God to establish peace and vnitie in this our Church and State that this our present controuersie and those others which depend vpon it may no more molest and trouble them and to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all the true and faithfull Saints of God in these ambiguous doubtfull and perplexed times whose only ioy and comfort whose onely stay and proppe whose very heauen vpon earth and chiefest happinesse lie all at stake and are suspended on this present Controuersie I would request thee so to reade and meditate on these my rude and indegested labours as if thou didst vnfainedly desire for to learne and profite by them and to diue into the truths contained in them Reade them with a single and impartiall eye and with an vpright and an honest heart voide of all criticall fore-stalled and preiudicated affections Reade them with a meeke and humble spirit not to carpe or quarrell with them but willingly to yeeld and to submit vnto them as far as truth and conscience will permit and if thou shalt receiue any benefit comfort or saâ—…isfaction from them giue God the glory pâ—…ay for me The vnfained well wisher of thine eternall good and comfort WILLIAM PRYNNE TO ALL THOSE OF THE Church of England who falsly and malitiously traduce calumniate and slaunder the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace and thereupon labour to suppresse their workes because they know not how to answer or resell them IT is recorded of certaine of the Synagogue of the Libertines and 〈◊〉 who disputed with that holy Martir Saint Steuen that when as they Were not able to resist the wisdome and Spirit by which hee spake they suborned false witnesses against him which said wee haue heard him speake blasphemous words against this holy place against Moses and against God and vpon these false accusations they stirred vp the people the Elders and the Scribes against him and caught him and brought him before the Councell thinking to carry away the cause and to confute that which they were not able to gainsay by calumniating traducing and condemning the innocent person who defended it Thus did the Iewes confute and answer Saint Paul when as they had nothing to reply vnto his doctrine they presently fly vpon his person accusing him for a pestilent and seditious fellow for a ringleader of sects for a mouer of sedition through out the World and one that did contrary to 〈◊〉 decrees of Caesar. And thus did the Gentiles in former ages confute the Christians if Iustin Martyr Tertullian Arnobius or Lactantius may be credited You my Breahtren who oppose and bend your selues
as their loue to him is constant and immutable but when as they doe cease to loue God as many times they doe when they sin against him then God doth cease to loue them so that the defect is not in Gods loue to 〈◊〉 but in our loue to him To which false and slender 〈◊〉 I will make this replication First I say that Gods loue vnto the Saints doth not depend vpon the loue of the Saints to him first because the Scriptures certifie vs expresly that God doth loue his Saints freely that he sheweth mercy to them for no other cause but because hee will haue mercy Exod 33 19. Iosâ—…a 3 8. Rom 4 15 19. and Ephes 1 5 6. therefore his loue to the Saints doth not depend vpon the loue of the Saints to him for then his loue were not free depending meerely on the riches of his mercy and the freedome of his will Secondly Gods loue vnto his Saints cannot depend vpon their loue to him because then the Saints should love him first and so God should loue them because they loued him first and chose him to betheir God but Saint Iohn tells vs in expresse words 1 Ioh 4 10 19 that we loue God because he loued vs first and Christ himselfe assures vs Iohn 15 16 that wee haue not chosen him but that he hath choâ—…en vs God doth loue his Saints before euer they did loue him and therefore his loue doth not depend on theirs but their loue on his they beare not the roote but the roote them Rom 11 18. Thirdly Gods loue is a permanent constant and perpetuall loue as I haue proued by the Scriptures formerly cited therefore it cannot depend vpon the loue of man to him which is various and mutable that which is immutable permanent constant in its owne nature can neuer depend vpon that which is fickle and vnconstant therefore you must either grant the loue of the Saints to God to be constant and immutable which makes altogether against you or else you must hold the loue of God to his Saints and children to be mutable and vnstable which is expresly against the Scriptures and vnbeseeming that great and glorious God in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Iames 1 17 wherefore this surmise of theirs that the loue of God vnto his Saints and Children dependeth wholly vpon their loue to him is meerely false and contradictory to the Scriptures and so the answere to this obiection is no answere at all Secondly I say that this surmise that God should loue all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith with a permanent constant immutable loue and yet that they should either finally or totally fall from grace implies a meere contradiction for if this loue of God to them be immutable constant and perpetuall God can not but preserue and keep them both from a totall and a finall fall from grace Morrall men who haue but a sparke of loue within them will neuer suffer any either totally or finally to fall or perish whom they loue with a constant setled and perpetuall loue if it lie in their powers to relieue them and can you thinke that God who is infinite constant and perpetuall in loue vnto his Saints alwayes able to relieue them will suffer them either totally or finally to fall from grace doubtlesse he will not nay he cannot doe it this loue of his is constant and permanent therefore he cannot suffer them to fall totally it is perpetuall and euerlasting therefore hee will not permit them to fall finally from him the perpetuall and euerlasting obiects of Gods loue can neuer be the perpetuall and euerlasting obiects of his wrath and justice God will still preserue and keepe them from a totall and a finall fall hee will sustaine them and keepe them by his hand and power that they shall neuer fall vtterly from him and perish Psa 37 24. Psa 16 8. Ps 145 14 20. Cant 8 3. Iohn 10 28 29. God neuer casts of â—…hose he neuer throwes those into hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wgiâ—… hee loues with a constant permanent and euerlasting loue and therefore they can neither totally nor finally fall from grace And here you must obserue this difference that it is one thing for God to haue loue for euer if men will entertaine it and another thing for to loue men for euer because it is his will and pleasure so to doe in the first case its true that men must first imbrace Gods loue before that they can haue it and if they chance for to cast off this loue of God they might chance to loose it which is not our case but in the other which is our case where God doth loue men actually with a constant permanent perpetuall loue only because it is his will and pleasure so to doe there men can neuer vtterly depriue themselues of this loue of God this loue is grounded not vpon their merits but vpon his owne free loue and goodnesse and therefore God will not vtterly withdraw it from them though they sinne against him so that they can neuer totally nor finally fall from grace Thirdly I reply that the Saints themselues who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer seperate themselues from the loue of God and so fall from grace First because the Lord hath married himselfe to them and them 〈◊〉 himselfe not for a time onely but for euer they are his spouse he is their husband Christ and they are become one flesh and one spirit for euer Hosea 2 19 20. Psa 4 3. Cant 7 10 Isaiah 43 1. cap 54 5. 1 Cor 6. 17. Ephes 5 25. to 33 therefore they cannot seuer or diuorce themselues from God those things which God himselfe hath thus ioyned together no man can seperate Secondly all those that are once truly regenerated and made the sonnes of God they haue a son-like nature and disposition put into them the loue of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen to them which loue of God doth with a naturall kinde of instinct holy violence constraine them for to loue and please him to sticke fast close to him continually with full purpose of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea this loue of God doth so knit and tie their hearts and soules to God and Christ it doth so ouer rule and master them that they cannot doe the things they would they cannot totally noâ—…â—…nally depart from him nay they cannot so much as will a departure from him for proofe of this reade but Ezech 36 27. Cant 5 5. Math 718. Acts 4 20. Iohn 6 67 68. Gal 5 16 17. Rom 5 5. Ier 33 40. and 2 Cor 5 14 15. which are all expresse in this point and therefore it cannot be that God should euer totally or finally withdraw his loue from them or they their loue from him Thirdly Paul assures vs Rom 8 25. to
the end that tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword can neuer seperta◅ the Saints from the loue of God nay he assures both himselfe vs that neither death nor life of which the feare of the one the loue of the other would seperate the Saints from the loue of God if any thing would doe it seing that the one is most terrible the other most sweet and louely nor Angels nor principalities nor powers which would surely seperate the Saints from the loue of God if might force and pollicy could doe it nor things present nor things to come nor highth nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate the Saints of God from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord if things present if things to come if Diuels or men if no creature whatsoeuer can seperate them from the loue of God then its certaine that they themselues can neuer doe it for they themselues are creatures and therefore if no creat◅r whatsoeuer can seperate them from Christ neither can they themselues nor ye◅ their flesh which is a distinct creature from their inward man which is themselues be euer able for to doe it Lastly if the Saints themselues could feuer themselues frō God then it must be meerely out of the freedome liberty of their owne wi◅ for Paul hath certified vs in the forenamed place that nothing else can doe it But this can neuer be first because if it be in the meere power of their wills to fall or stand they cannot will a fall from grace because its dangerous and hurtfull to them it will pull eternall misery vpon them therefore they can not will it if they would the will can not desire any thing but that which is good in truth or at least in shew it can not desire any thing that is ill as ill now a totall or a finall fall from grace can not be good either in truth or in shew it can not bee considered but as ill and hurtfull therefore regenerate men out of the freedome of their owne wills can not desire it or seeke it they can not but desire to stand and perseuere in grace which is euery way best for them Secondly they cannot fall from grace out of the freedome and liberty of their owne wills because their wills are subordinate especially in this of perseuerance which is principally for their owne eternall good vnto the will of God the same spirit and minde is in them that is in God and Christ. 1 Cor 6 17. and Phil. 2 5. Now it is the will of God and Christ that the Saints should alwaies perseuere and neuer fall from grace and therefore it must needes be their will too because their wills are subordinate and conformable to the will of God Thirdly the loue of God is shed abroade in their hearts which doth so vnite and knit their soules to God and Christ that they can not will a fall or a departure from them they cannot will any thing with a full and perfect will that is displeasing to them and which might seuer and diuide them from them the very euill that they doe is the euill that they would not doe Rom. 7. 15. to the end and Gal. 5. 16 17. therefore out of the meere libertie of their owne wills they cannot fall from God Fourthly they can not will a totall or a finall departure from God because they know him to be the onely true God and they know not any else to whom they may resort for succour and reliefe this is euident by Peters answere vnto Christ Iohn 6. 67 68. When Christ demands of the twelue will yee also goe away Lord saith Peter to whom shall w◅ goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God the Saints of God know God to be the onely true God and they know not whether to goe if they should depart from him and therefore they can neuer will a departure from him Lastly God hath put his feare into the hearts of all his Saints hee hath put his spirit into them to the end that they should ◅ot depart from him Ier. 32. 40. Ezech. 36. 27. and therefore out of the liberty of their owne wills they can not fall from grace nor yet depriue themselues wholly o◅ the immutable constant and perpetuall loue of God Lastly out of the liberty of their owne wills they cannot depar◅ away from God because it is the absolnte and positiue will of God that they should not depart from him Ier. 32. 40 Psa. 85. 8. Iohn 6. 39. Rom. 3 11. put this then to be the case God doth absolutely will that a regenerate man shall not fall from grace and he hath determined it that he shall not fall well this regenerate man which I onely admit by way of supposition resolues that he will fall away from grace notwithstanding that God hath absolutely willed and refolued the contrary I pray which of these shall haue their wills either God or he if man then where is the power where is the omnipotency nay where is the soueraigntie and deity of God if man can crosse and thwar◅ the absolute and positiue will of God then either God is not God or else man can ouer-rule him either ofwhich is atheisticall and blasphemous to affirme or thinke But if God in this case hath his will and notman which none but an atheist can gainsay then it followes that a regenerate man can not fall quit◅ from grace out of the freedome and power of his owne will Lastly for to end this cauell I answere that a regenerate man and a true member of Iesus Christ can neuer finally nor totally cease to loue the Lord and therefore by your owne reason the Lord can neuer finally nor totally cease to loue him That a regenerate man can neuer vtterly cease to loue the Lord I proue it by these reasons First because a regenerate mans loue to God is grounded vpon Gods immutable and perpetuall loue to him he lo◅es God because that God did loue him first 1 Iohn 4. 10. 19. and Psa. 116. 1. Gods loue is the cause of his now this loue of God tohim is immutable constant and perpetuall therefore his loue to God must be so to as you may see expre◅y Psa 116. 2 2. Math. 5. 46. Ioh. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 18 19. 1. Iohn 4. 10 11 16 19. 20. as long a◅ God is kinde and louing to his Saints they can not but be louing and obedient vnto him else they should be worse then publicans and sinners yea then the beasts that perish Secondly regenerate men and the true members of Iesus Christ can neuer cease to loue the Lord because the holy Gh◅st doth dwell in th◅ir hearts and soules for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. now where the holy Gost doth alwaies dwell there the lou◅ of God must
are once committed to his charge Ioh. 17. 14. Ezech. 34. 16. Isai. 40. 11. Luk. 15. 45. 2 Pet. 3. 9. and Luk. 21. 18. Therefore the conclusion followes of necessitie and cannot be denied The sixt thing in Iesus Christ that may establish vs in this present truth is Christs continually residence and dwelling in our hearts from whence I frame this argument Those in whose hearts and soules Christ Iesus doth for euer remaine and dwell it is altogether impossible that they should fall from grace but Iesus Christ doth for euer remaine and dwell in the hearts and soules of all them that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him Io. 14 20 23. Cap. 17. 2â—… 23 26. 2 Cor. 13. 4 5. Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 3. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 24. cap. 4. 4. Ephes. 2. 22. 1 Io. 4 12 13. 15 16. cap. 5. 10. 20. Col. 1. 27. Psal. 68. 16. 18. Reâ—… 2. 20. Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer totally or finally fall from grace What can bee truly answered or replyed to this argument I cannot learne or know The last thing in Iesus Christ that may assure vs of this present truth is his Sacraments for to what other end doe the Sacraments serue specially that of the Lords Supper but to assure our soules of Gods vnchangeable loue vnto vs in Iesus Christ and of our euerlasting obedience vnto him The Sacraments they are the very seales of Gods couenant wherein God and Christ doe seale vnto vs euen in the blood of Iesus Christ the one that hee will become a gratious and louing Father the other that he will become a gratious and louing Sauiour to vs for euer and wee seale againe to God and Christ that wee will become dutifull faithfull and obedient Children and seruants vnto them for euer The holy Sacraments therefore wherein God doth chuse vs for his children and wee doe chuse him for our God and Father must needes assure our soules that wee shall neuer finally and totally fall from grace or be depriued of Gods loue and fauour If wee could either totally or finally fall from grace what comfort and benefit what profit and assurance could wee haue from those most comfortable and blessed Sacraments if that couenant which is sealed ratified and confirmed in the blood of Iesus Christ should euer once bee broken what good or profit could it bring vnto our soules Wherefore the very Sacraments which seale Gods loue vnto our soules and all those other things which are in Christ which haue been formerly mentioned may giue our soules this comfortable and sweet assurance that wee shall neuer totally or finally fall from grace euen in respect of Iesus Christ when once we are but truly regenerated and ingrafted into him Thirdly it is altogether impossible in respect of the holy Ghost that those that are once truly regenerated should either totally or finally fall from grace Now in the holy Ghost there are these things which may serue for to assure vs of this truth First there is his personall residencie and habitation in our hearts and soules from whence this argument may bee deduced Those in whose hearts and soules the holy Ghost shall abide and dwell for euer it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace because as long as they haue the holy Ghost within them there is alwayes grace within them But the holy Ghost shall abide and dwell for euer in the hearts and soules of all those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ as appeares by Io. 14 16 17. I saith Christ will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for hee dwelleth in you and shall be in you by Rom. 8. 9 11. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man haue not the spirit of Christ he is none of is but if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by â—…is spirit that dwelleth in you by 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know yee not that your body is tho Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee haue of God and yee are not your owne by 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs and by Ezech. 36. 26 27. A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iâ—…dgements and doe them Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer fall either finally or totally from grace If it be obiected that the holy Ghost may bee taken away from vâ—… that it may be grieued quenched and resisted as it is euident by Psal. 51. 11. 1 Thess. 5. 19. Ephes. 4 30. and Act. 7. 51. I answer that it is true that the sense and feeling of the sweet and comfortable motions of Gods holy Spirit may oft-time be taken from vs and suspended for a time but yet the habituall graces and fruits of Gods holy Spirit the Seale and inward annoynting of Gods Spirit and that fruite and seed of grace which Gods holy Spirit hath plaâ—…ted in our hearts shall neuer bee taken away or lost they shall abide and remaine in the hearts of those that are regenerated for euer they cannot be rooted or weeded out of them Io. 14. 16 17. 1 Io. 2 20. 27. and cap. 3. 9. And though Dauid prayeth to God not to take away his holy Spirit from him Psal. 51. yet that is onely meant of the ioy and comforts of the spirit and not of the spirit it selfe or the graces of the spirit as appeareth by the 8. and 12. verses of the same Psalme wherein hee prayes to God not to restore to him the holy Ghost or the graces of the spirit but to restore vnto him the ioy of the spirit As for that exhortation of Paul 1 Thes. 5. 19. Quench not the spirit some interpret it to bee no more but this that men should not hinder any one whose heart and soule was filled with the graces and gifts of Gods spirit from preaching of the word of God and interpreting of it vpon all occasions coupling it with the next verse where the Apostle saith thus Despise not prophecyings but the genuine and proper meaning of the place is this that men should not quench and smother those good motions and holy affections which the spirit of God doth kindle in their hearts but stirre and blow them vp vpon all occasions The spirit of God oft-times doth trouble the hearts of his Saints with
could not bee sure of heauen and of some benefit or aduantage by the death of Christ who is there that could loue the Lord at least in that degree as if hee were assured of all these That which kindles holy affections in vs that which warmes our heartâ—… and soules and doth euen fire and inflame them with an ardent feruent zealous and burning loue to God and Christ is the infallible and full assurance of their vnchangable and constant loue to vs and the serious consideration of that sure and certaine state of grace and glory which they haue prouided and prepared for vs If men were not in some good measure perswaded of their totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace and secretly assured of the perpetuall and constant loue of God and Christ to them that they will loue them and preserue them to the end and giue them that eternall crowne of glory which is prepared for the saints in heauen they would not nay they could not loue the Lord as else they might and would doe they could not prise him aboue all things else they could not sequester their hearts and soules from other things to set and fixe them wholly vpon him as vpon their chiefest ioy and onely treasure And therefore this Doctrine which would robbe the Lord of the hearts and soules of all his children and lessen abate extenuate if not wholly extinguish the heate and vigor of mens loue to him must needes be odious and abominable to such as loue and feare the Lord and cannot be admitted to be true Ninthly If this should be admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might Apostatize and fall away from the state of grace it would robbe the Lord of all the praise and glory that is due vnto his name If men might loose those graces which God bestowes vpon them if it were not Gods goodnesse might and power but their owne strength their owne care and diligence that did preserue them in the state of grace if men could not bee sure of the loue of God and Christ of heauen and eternall happinesse but might loose them all at last who is there that could praise the Lord and giue him the glory which is due vnto his name There are but two chiefe grounds and causes of praysing God in a spirituall and heauenly manner The first is the free loue and bountie of God in bestowing grace vpon vs and working of it in vs without any merit or desert of ours the second is the perpetuity of his loue in the preseruation and continuance of thâ—…se graces which hee bestowes vpon vs. The chiefest ground and cause of euery true Christians thankfulnesse vnto God is this that God hath beene exceeding gratious mercifull vnto his soule and that this mercy of God indures for euer the 136 Psalme is wholly spent in praysing God and that onely vpon this ground beâ—…ause his mercy indures for euer Now this position that the true regenerate saints of God may fall away from grace it takes away both these causes and grounds of praysing God it attributes both the begining and the end the continuance and the perseuerance of grace to mans freewill and power and not to God it makes man both the beginer and the preseruer of his owne grace and it makes the grace and mercy of God together with those spirituall and heauenly graces which hee bestowes on men to be but momentary and fading and not â—…o indure for euer and so it robbes the Lord of all the praise and glory which is due vnto his name Therefore it must needes bee a damnable and pernitious Doctrine and cannot be admitted Tenthly if this were once admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might fall from the state of grace it would rob God of his worship and make men negligent and carelesse in his seruice for what man is there that would euer labour or take paines for grace if he might loose it after that he had gotten it who is there that will labour after perishing and fading treasures which he is not sure for to keep who is here that would labour and take paines for grace or spend his life in doing of God seruice if hee might loose the things which hee hath wrought and not receiue a full reward would any wise or well aduised man consume and spend his time and daies in purchasing of such a treasure or possession which hee were not sure alwaies to inioy would any man take paines to sowe the seed of grace wher he were not sure for to reap the fruites It is Christs owne counsell and aduise to all his saints Labour not for the foode that perisheth but for that which indureth vnto eternall life Iohn 6. 27. and lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where moth and rust doe corrupt and where theeues breake thorough and steale But lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake thorough nor steale Math. 6. 19. 20. If therefore grace were such a treasure that might bee lost and perish the Saints of God euen by Christs owne rule were not to seeke it nay they would not neither could they seeke it they could not serue the Lord with that diligent auxious and industrous care as now they doe they would grow very slacke negligent and carelesse in his seruice For though it be alwaies true that the true Saints and children of God ought not nor doe not serue the Lord onely or principally for the wages of heauen and eternall life or out of selfeloue or selfe respects but for himselfe yet that which doth most incourage them and make them more forwards actiue zealous and liuely in Gods seruice is the consideration of that large and great reward which God out of his mercy and goodnesse hath promised them for their seruice of purpose to incourage them and to make them actiue in it This is euident by the example of Moses Heb. 11. 24 25 26. who refused to be called the soune of Pharohs daughter châ—…sing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and why did he doe all this for he had respect vnto the recompence of reward So the Hebrewes themselues they tooke ioâ—…fully the spoyling of their goods onely for this reason because they knew that they had in heauen a better and more induring substance Heb. 10. 34. Yea who euer he be that comes to God he must not onely beleeue that God is but also that he is a rewarder of all such as doe diligently seâ—…ke him for if he should consider the seruice of God abstracted from the reward it would make him negligent and weary of Gods seruice Wherefore if this assertion were once true that the true regenerate saints of God who haue spent their whole life and strength in doing of Gods seruice might after all their care and paines fall
thing as where it is once possessed it cannot bee lost Philosophers could say that hee was neuer a happy man that might afterwards become miserable if morall happinesse were so permanent shall not Christian happinesse which farre excells it be so to Doubtlesse those whom God himselfe pronounceth blessed are blessed and happy men for the present yea and they shall bee such for euer Gen. 27. 33. and Num. 23. 8. 20. God himselfe hath pronounced all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ to bee blessed and happy men as I haue proued it at large before therefore they are and shall be such for euer Now this position if it were granted would quite depriue the Saints of God of all their happinesse it would strip and robbe them of their graces which are the only treasure of their soules and make them of all men most miserable where as they are the only blessed of the Lord wherefore this posiâ—…ion cannot be granted to bee true euen in this respect Thirdly it depriues the Saints of God of all true joy and comfort it robs them of that peace of conscience of that joy and comfort of the holy Ghost of those spirituall and heauenly consolations which are more sweet and pleasant to them then life it selfe or all things in the world besides and so vnutterable and beyond expression that none can know the pleasantnesse and sweetnesse of them but such as feele them and inioy them it robs and spoyles the hearts and soules of all true faithfull Christians of those inestimable and invaluable ioyes and consolations and fills their soules with doubts with terrors and amazements For wâ—…at is that which doth so joy so comfort and refresh the hearts and soules of faithfull Christians What is that which fills them full of joy vnspeakeable aud glorious but only this that their names are written in heauen that their peace is made for euer with God that they are justified and sanctified by Iesus Christ that they are passed from death to life and shall neuer come into condemnation that they are so established and settled in the state of grace that they shall neuer fall nor be remoued from it and that they are so thorowly ingrafted into Christ that they shall neuer bee broken off from him againe But if this once were true that these Christians might either finally or totally fall from grace that they might vtterly loose all the good things which they had done in all their liues so that they should not bee any more remembred that they might loose Gods loue and fauour loose Christ Iesus and all the rich benefits and merits of his death and passion loose the holy Ghost and all the comforts and graces which they haue by him How dolefull how miserable then should the state of Christians bee how would their soules droope and languish with griefe and heauinesse which now doe euen dance and leape for joy how would their zeale their loue and courage be abated how would their mindes and consciences bee perplexed how would the diuell vex and torture them after euery small and little sinne which they should commit with this Quare doâ—… I yet perseuere am I yet in the state of grace or am I not already fallen from it by my sinnes Certainly if this exposition were once imbraced as a truth the diuell would so tyrannize ouer weake scrupulous and tender-hearted Christians by this meanes that he would euen driue theâ—… almost vnto dispaire and send them downe with griefe and sorrow to their graues where as else they should haue alwayes cause to laugh and sing The state of Christians is a state of joy God himselfe commands them to reioyce euermore To reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe for to reioyce To bee ioyfull in glory and to sing aloud in their beds for ioy of heart Therefore this position which would depriue the Saints of God of their very heauen vpon earth of all their sweet and heauenly joyes and consolations and of all the grounds and causes of their joy and fill their soules with doubts feares griefes discouragements tâ—…ares and amazements must needs be odious false and dangerous and cannot be admitted Fourthly it breedes dispaire in the hearts and soules of all regenerated and sanctisied Christians For if the Saints of God after their true regeneration and inscision into Christ might either finally or totally fall from grace how would this perplex the soules and consciences of all regenerate Christians and driue them to dispaire especially in times of sicknesse and temptations wherein Satan doth most commonly set on their sinnes and presse them on their consciences of purpose for to driue them to despaire Tender hearts and consciences which are thorowly wounded and touched with the sense of sinne and are apt to bee dejected vpon euery small occasion with the apprehension of Gods wrath would soone be driuen to despaire if this were true For if any sinne or lust should ouercome them if any temptation or sicknesse should befall them how then would the diuell tyrannize and triumph ouer them Hee would then bee alwayes suggesting this vnto them and pressing it vpon their consciences You are now fallen quite away from grace you are now cut off from God and Christ by these and these your sinnes you were once the children of God but now you are now the sonnes of Satan and vessells of wrath fitted only for destruction You are now fallen quite away from that state of grace wherein you stood before and so it is impossible for you to be renewed by repentance any more Your last end now shall bee farre worse then euer your biginâ—…ing was and because that you haue cast off God hee hath now for euer cast off you you haue committed a wilfull sinne in departing and falling from his grace and therefore there is no more sacrifice and oblation for sinne remaining but a certaine fearefull expectation of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure you What can poore perplexed and distressed soules answer vnto these objections or the like when Satan shall assault them with them and presse them on their consciences They cannot say wee were in the state of grace before and therefore wee are sure that wee continue in it now because it is impossible for vs to fall from it for this were quite contrary to this assertion They dare not say that they haue committed no such sinne as might disturbe them from the state of grace and cut them off from Christ because the diuell and their owne scrupulous and tender consciences doe testifie the contrary they date not for to say that they are still in Christ and if they are diâ—…cted and cut off from him they cannot hope to bee ingrafted into him againe because they haue so wilfully fallen from him and so they cannot but despaire whereas if they had this pillar this helpe and stay to rest their soules vpon Wee
aedificat valde impium est vt credamus adeam quae inflat nos habere gratiā Christi adeam quae aedificat non habere cum sit vtrumque donum Dei et scire quid facere debeamus et diligere vt faciamus vt aedificante charitate scientia non posset inflare Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est qui docet hominem scientiam ita etiam scriptum est Charitas ex Deo est Which two Canons affirming that true grace is a great helpe and preseruatiue against sinne inabling those that haue it not onely to know but likewise for to doe and loue the things which God commaunds them make much for my conclusion for he that is able through the speciall assistance of God and grace to resist sinne and to do and loue the things which God commandes him how can he chuse but perseuere in grace Grace giues him power loue giues him will to perseuere what is here then that can hinder him from perseuering To conclude let but any indifferent and iudicious reader peruse that generall and famous Councell of Africke held in the yeare of our Lord 418 against Pelugius the Hereticke and the second Councell of Aransica or Oreng◅ held in the yeare of our Lord 529 and if his eyes and judgment are not praeiudicated and infected with Arminianisme or phrase-transformed Pelagianisme hee must needes acknowledge that these two Councells do corroberate and confirme our present assertion For in both these Councels it is positiuely resolued That grace is the only worke of Gods Spirit and the gift of God and not a morrall perswasion nor the strength of nature That regeneration and the state of grace is wrought only by the Spirit of God and not by any freewill strength or power of our owne That the beginning the continuance and the end of the worke of grace in vs is from God alone not from our selues and that by the grace of God only we are what wee are That when we doe inioy any good at all it is not from our owne power and strength but from the assistance of God himselfe who worketh in vs and with vs. That God loues vs not because we doe deserue his loue but because that he intends to make vs louely That the perseuerance of the Saints is from God alone and not from themselues that soe they might ascribe the glory of their graces and their perseuerance not vnto themselues but vnto God alone If then grace and regeneration bee the onely worke of the Spirit of God if the continuance the beginning and the end of Grace and perseuerance in the state of grace bee from God alone and not from man as these two Councels haue determined it then by the determination of these two Councels the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall finally nor totally from grace For if perseuerance bee the onely worke and gift of God alone the Saints of God can neuer chuse but perseuere because that God hath promised and couenanted to giue them perseuerance to cause them to walke i◅ his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and to doe them and to put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him if God will cause them for to perseuere there is nothing then that is able for to hinder them for no man can resist his worke and will Rom 9 19. and Isai 43 13. If you will but compare the Canons and Decrees of the generall Councell of Africke with Saint Augustines bookes de Bono Perseuerantiae and de Corrept et Gratia who was then present at this famous Councell then you may ascertaine your selues that this famous Councell and likewise the Councell of Orange who tooke their patterne and grounds from it did suffragate to this our assertion That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a iustifying and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace You see now how we haue an whole Grand-Iury of ancient and learned Fathers and Councells who haue giuen vp their verdict for vs so that you need not for to doubt of the truth and goodnesse of our cause And here good Reader I would intreate thee to take notice of the truth the honestie and modestie of one Mr. Mountague who in his Gagge and his Appello Cesarem doth confidently affirme That it hath beene the common Tenet of all Antiquitie That the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from the state of grace O the matchlesse impudency mallice and falsitie of the man who against his owne knowledge and conscience durst to affirme so grosse and palpable an vntruth and that to such a wicked and pernicious end as to deceiue his readers and to thrust a dangerous and condemned error on them for an ancient and approued truth What Mr. Mountague did you thinke that none had read the Fathers but your selfe or that your fame and credite was so great among vs as that we would beleeue your false quotations before the authenticall Records themselues Or did you thinke as you haue attempted for to doe to stop the labours of all such and to crush them in the shell as should disclose your partiall and disloyall dealing to the world that so yout virulent Appeale and your forged and new coyned doctrines therein recorded might passe without controll It is well you thought so but thankes be to God you are deceiued in your expectation and truth though it hath found some difficultie and opposition at the presse by your meanes yet it hath come forth at last to display your basenesse your impudencie your malice and your disloyalty vnto the world But say you had had your will Mr. Mountague and all things had succeeded according to your hopes yet me thinkes Mr Mountague if you had had any conscience or feare of God within you if you had had any loue and respect vnto antiquitie and truth as you pretend you haue how truly let others iudge you might haue beene ashamed and affraid to haue traduced slandered and sophisticated to haue outfaced and belyed all Antiquitie as now you haue for feare lest the worthy workes of so many Fathers should haue cryed out against you here and these very Fathers themselues should haue risen vp against you to condemne you in the day of judgement for wronging and traducing of them to that end as you haue done Nay if you had had any loue vnto your Mother Church or to the soules of so many thousands of your Country-men which you should haue wronged and seduced by these false quotations and confident assertions of your owne you could not haue beene so gracelesse so false so trecherous and so shamelesse as to haue fathered this your damnable pernicious error on the ancient Fathers who haue so much opposed it But it may be the good learned man did all this out of ignorance and simplicity For being destitute of the Fathers workes or wanting
place being quite repugnant to the very words and scope of the place and all the arguments which you can truly collect from hence being meere Nonsequiturs and inconsequencies and nothing to the purpose I will here shake hands with this text and Argument and proceed to some others The sixth Argument that may bee made against me is that of Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling The regenerate Saints of God must worke out their owne sâ—…luation with feare and trembling therefore they may fall from grace For if they might not fall from grace they had no cause to feare and tremble thus For answer here vnto I shall deny the argument for the inconsequencie of it True it is that a true Saint of God may feare and tremble yea and he ought to do it yet it followes not that therefore hee may fall from grace You must know therefore that there is a double feare of God the one a seruile feare or a feare of hell and of Gods judgements a feare of God as hee is a just and vpright judge which feare can neuer stand with the truth of grace loue but is alwaies swallowed vp and cast out of men by the synceritie and truth of grace and loue as it appeares by Rom. 8. 15. 1 Iohn 4. 17. 18. Luke 1. 74. 75. Psa. 27. 1. Psa. 46. 1. to 8. Heb. 13. 6. and 2 Tim. 1. 7. This feare therefore being incompatible with the truth of grace and loue and being cast out of the hearts of of all the Saints of God who haue receiued the spirit of grace and adoption is not the feare which Paul intendeth in this place Besides this there is another kinde of feare of which all the true Saints of God are made partakers to wit a religious godly deuout and filiall feare proceeding from the due consideration of the holinesse the glory the maiestie omnipotencie omnipresence and gratious goodnesse of God from the consciousnesse of our owne basenesse emptinesse vilenesse and â—…nabilitie to doe his will where by we stand in awe of God and are afraid to commit any sinne which may offend and greiue him out of that loue and holy reuerence which wee owe vnto him because hee is our gratious God and louing Father and not because wee feare that hee will vtterly disinherit and cast vs off for these our sins This is the feare which is here injoyned and this feare is alwaies accompanied with faith with loue with joy and perseuerance and it is the chiefest meanes a to keepe men from falling from the state of grace For first this filiall reuerent and godly feare it keepes men from committing sinne it makes men for to stand in awe of God and not to sinne against him Psal. 4 4. Prou. 3. 7. cap. 8. 13. cap. 14. 2 16 26 27. cap. 16. 6. cap. 19. 23. Secondly it keepes men from dâ—…parting from the Lord. Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Thirdly it makes men for to cast themselues wholly into the armes of God and Iesus Christ it makes men for to trust perfectly in God and to chuse him for their onely portion their onely refuge stay and prop. So that this feare of God is the onely preseruatiue and antidote against Apostacie and falling away from grace Now that this is the feare which is here intended it is plaine and euident First by the words themselues Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling what for feare of falling away from grace no such matter for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deede of his good pleasure They must feare and tremble not because they may fall from grace but because they haue to doe with God whose presence whose loue and goodnesse whose maiestie and greatnesse whose purity and holinesse are all exceeding dreadfull and terrible and require much reuerence much awe and godly feare from such as are to deale with him especially in such weighty matters as concerne their soules Secondly it is euident by paralelling this place with some other Scriptures that expound it as Psal. 2. 10. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Ioy and trembling can neuer stand together if you take trembling for a â—…lauish feare or a feare of falling away from grace So Psal. 4. 4. stand in awe and sinne not Psal. 33. 8. Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him Psal. 34. 7. O feare the Lord yee his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship towards thine holy Temple Psal. 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assemblie of the Saints and to bee had in reuerence of all them that are about him Ier. 5. 22. Feare yee not mee saith the Lord Will yee not tremble at my presence c and Hosea 3. 3. They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies which places being compared with this of the Apostle proue that this feare which hee intendeth is onely a filiall and louing feare of not offending God and not a feare of falling away from grace that of Heb. 12. 28. will iully cleare it Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptablie with reuerence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire The place is worth the obseruing The Saints oâ—… God haue receiued such a kingdome which cannot bee moued and yet they must serue God with reuerence and godly feare But is this feare a feare of loosing their kingdome and graces no they are so firme and sure that they neede not feare the losse of them they are a kingdome which cannot bee moued What is it then that they must thus reuerence and feare it is onely the glory the maiestie and almighty power of God they must serue God acceptablie with reuerence and godly feare because that hee is a consuming fire So that this place being onely meant of a religious godly deuout and filiall feare which is the chiefest preseruatiue against Apostacie it makes not for you but against you The seuenth objection that may be made against mee is this The true regenerate Saints of God may bee led away with the error of the wicked and fall from their owne stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3. 17. Therefore they may fall from the state of grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and not warranted by this place of Peter which I shall manifest and proue by these subsequent and insuing reasons First because this place of Peter is nothing else but a meere exhortation to vigilancie and circumspection for feare of being seduced by Heretickes and false teachers You therefore my brethren saith the Apostle seeing that you know these things
and disparage him If God therefore were jealous of his Saints who are his friends and his best beloued to whom hee doth communicate his secrets and his will they would not nay they could not put their trust â—…n him Yea it would cause them for to call his promises and truth into question wherein hee hath promised to preserue them from Apostacie to keepe them from falling and to put his feare into their hearts that they should not depart from him and the like Wherefore they must and doe take all these Scriptures to be nothing else but so many motiues and incouragements both from the danger and the profit to stirre them vp to a finall constant vigilant circumspect and cheerefull perseuerance in grace which is the true the proper and only vse and end of them So that these objections and arguments which you â—…rame from these and such like Scriptures are but friuolous and idle they are but meere inconsequencies and come not to the purpose Lastly the Saints of God by the helpe and assistance of Gods Spirit doe aâ—…waies perforâ—…e these conditions they doe continue stedfast in the faith they doe perseuere vnto the end they are alwayes adding one grace vnto another they doe still hold on their way they still grow stronger and stronger they mount vp with wings as Eagles they runne and are not wearie they walke and doe not faint they walke in gods statutes and they keepe his iuagements and doe them Iob 17. 9. Isai. 49. 31. 〈◊〉 36. 27. therefore they shall neuer fall therefore they shall be saued so that these conditionall speeches proue only that they cannot fall from grace because that God doth alwayes inable them for to performe the conditions The eleuenth obiection which may be made against mee is that of Heb. 10. 35 38. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward If any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him From whence this argument may bee framed The Saints of God may cast away their confidence draw backe from God and loose Gods fauour therefore they may fall from grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by the text That the Saints of God may cast away their confidence I answer first that the text it selfe doth not warrant it For two reasons First because these words cast not away your confidence c. are nothig else but an earnest exhortation which the Apostle makes to the Hebrewes to cause them to continue constant in the faith and in the assurance of Gods loue to them mauger all those afflictions which did befall them they are nothing else but an exhortation vnto constancie and perseuerance in the state of grace and therefore they doe not imply a fall from grace All the argument that you can haue from these words in this sense is this The Hebrewes are exhorted to perseuere in grace therefore they may fall from grace which is but a nugatory and absurd inconsequent Secondly the Apostle tells vs in the former verse that these Hebrewes were assured of their saluation and that they knâ—…w that they had in heauen a farre better and induring substance then their earthly goods and possessions were therefore these subsequent words of the Apostle doe not necessarily intimate that these Hebrewes might fall from grace and so loose that heauenly substance and treasure of which they were assured for then this would contradict his former words and take away that certaintie of saluation which hee had attributed to them before Secondly admit that these Hebrewes might cast away their confidence and assurance of Gods loue and call their saluation into question in times of pressure affliction yet it followes not that therefore they might cast away their faith and those habits and seeds of grace which were within them for the strongest faith may doubt and stagger now and then and such as haue most grace may in times of pressure and temptation call Gods eternall loue and fauour to them â—…to question and yet their faith and graces may not faile Christians may cast away or loose their confidence and the comfortable assurance of Gods loue fauour for a time which is but a degree and fruite of faith though their faith and graces do habitually remaine within them Wherefore make the most you can of this exhortation your collection from it will bee onely this The Saints of God may loose the degrees and acts of grace therefore they may fall from the habits and state of grace which is but a meere Noniquitur For the other part of the Antecedent that the Saints of God may draw backe from God and so loose his fauour I answer that if you take this word draw backe for nothing else but the losse of the degrees of their loue and vnion vnto Christ which is not the meaning of the Apostle then I agree it But if you take it for a totall withdrawing of their soules froÌ„ God for a totall Apostacie and falling from God which is the true and proper meaning of the Apostle then I denie it because it is not warranted by the text For those that thus draw backe they are not any such as are true beleeuers and truly ingraâ—…ted into Iesus Christ but onely hypocrites and such as made an outward formall shew and profession of religion and had neuer any true and justifying faith at all within them which appeares most euidently by these two reasons taken from the very text it selfe The iust shall liue by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him The just men who haue a true and liuing faith are here put in opposition to those that haue it not but only in outward shew Those that haue this true and sauing faith they liue by it their faith doth liue and hold out euen in times of persecuâ—…ion it neuer dies nor yet expires those who haue not this true and liuing faith and yet make an outward profession and shew of faith in times of peace they alwaies doe and will draw backe in times of triall when persecution ariseth because of the word of God by and by they are offended like the stonie ground Math. 13. 2â—… they will rather draw backe from God then suffer for him therefore Gods soule shall haue no pleasure in them Which Antithesis betweene the iust who liue by faith and those that draw backe proues vndeniablie that such as draw backe are no true beleeuers who liue by faith but onely hypocrites and such beleeuers who had no truth of grace at all within them Secondly it is euidently proued by the Antithesis in the next insuing verse But wee that is wee who are true beleeuers are not of them who draw backe vnto perdition wee neuer fall from grace nor yet deny the profession of Gods name but of them that beleeue to the sauing of the soule our faith it alwaies continues to the end and wee doe alwaies
onely meanes to keepe men from committing sinne should cause them for to sinne with greater boldnesse and security Is it not grace that only that restraines and keepes men backe from sinne Is it not grace and that onely which makes men to detest abhor and vtterly renounce all sinne and dare you then affirme that perseuerance in the state of grace will imbolden and incourage men to rush into all kinde of sinne doubtlesse you are much mistaken and deceiued in affirming it and it is an infallible argument that you are so â—…arre from hauing any truth of grace within you that as yet you know not what this true grace is of which wee now dispute Secondly regenerate men they are dead to sinne they haue crucified the flesh with the 〈◊〉 and lusts thereof and therefore though they cannot sall from grace yet they cannot yet they dare not sinne against the Lord. This is Pauls reason Rom. 61 2. What shall wee say then shall wee continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall wee that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein the true regenerate Saints of God they are dead to sinne therefore they cannot liue any longer to it they haue put off their coate how then shall they put it on they haue washed their 〈◊〉 how then shall they defile them they are regenerated sanctisied and dead to sinne therefore they cannot therefore they will not runne into it though they cannot fall from grace Thirdly the true regenerate Saints of God they are redeomed from their sinnes that they might no longer liue vnto them but liue vnto the Lord they are now made Kings and Priests vnto God the Father to offer vp spirituall all sacrifices vnto him they are now quite other persons then they were before and therefore they scorne now to stoope to those base and filthy sinnes which might defile their soules and 〈◊〉 their professions they are now the sonnes of God and heires of heauen they are now the vessels and â—…emples of the holy Ghost and they haue vowed to foâ—…sake their sinnes and lusts and to keepe themselues vnspotted from the world and therefore now though they cannot fall from grace yet there is such an holy ingenuity and magnanimitie wrought within them that 〈◊〉 they scorne for to how and yeeld to sin or to sell themselves as slaues and 〈◊〉 to it Fourthly the true regenerate Saints of God they hauethe loue of God which is shed abroade in their hearts by the holy Ghost which loue is preserued and increased in their hearts and soules by the assurance of their constant and finall perseuerance in the state of grace Now this loue of God doth so worke vpon their hearts and soules and so awe and curbe them that they dare not sinne against the Lord for feare of greeuing offending him though God would neuer disinherite them for their sinnes A dutifull and louing fonne that honours and respects his father though he be sure of his fathers loue and fauour to him yet hee dares not to offend him because hee honours and respects him God is an exceeding good gracious and louing Father vnto all his Saints and they are exceeding dutifull and louing vnto him yea they estimate his louing kindnesse better then life it selfe Psal. 63. 3. and therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet they dare not yet they will not sinne against him for feare of greeuing and offending him Fifthly the true regenerate Saints of God they haue the holy Spirit of God within them who doth sway and ouerrule their wills their hearts and soules and will not so much as suffer them to doe the sinne and euill that they would when they haue any euill and sinsull lusts or thoughts arising in their hearts the holy Ghost doth crush and quell them when they are running on to any sinfull actions the holy Ghost doth pull them backe and quite restraine them causing them to walke in his statutes and to keepe his commandements and doe them so that they cannot will or doâ—… the euill that they would as you may reade Ezech. 32. 6. 27. Rom. 7. 25. c. 8. 1 2 13 14. Gal. 5. 16 17 25. 1 Iohn 3 9. and 5. 18. therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet they will not yet they cannot rush more boldly into sinne Sixthly the true regenerate Saints of God though they cannot fall from grace because God will preserue them and cause them for to vse the meanes which should preserue them in the state of grace yet they know that they cannot perseuere but by vsing of the meanes they know that sinne will hinder them much in this their perseuerance and therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet because they must vse the meanes to perseuere in grace they dare not plunge themselues presumptuously into any sinne Seuenthly though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they dare not to allow themselues in any sinne because they know that euery sinne the which they doe commit it doth wound and pierce the sides of their gracious and louing Sauiour and crucifie him afresh they know that hee is wounded payned and grieued with their sinnes and therefore they dare not to commit them but pray against them as Dauid did Psal. 19. Lord keepe meâ—… from presumptuous â—…nnes When any good Christian is tempted vnto any sinne though the sinne iâ—… selfe could neuer hurt him yet hee reasons thus with himselfe What hath not my blessed Sauiour been crucified already for my sinnes haue I not wounded and grieued him enough already but I must wound and grieue and crucifie him yet once againe O no I will not nay I dare not doe it though I might gaine a thousand worlds I will not shew my selfe such a gracelesse and vnthankfull wretch I will rather die I will rather doe or suffer any thing then sinne against him This is the resolution of euery Christian soule and therefore though he cannot fall from grace yet hee dares not yet he will not sin Lastly to omit all other reasons The true regenerate Saints of God though they cannot fall from grace yet they dare not sinne against the Lord. For though the Lord hath promised neuer to disinherite or cast them off neuer to take away his graces or his euerlasting mercies from them yet if they sin against him he hath threatned and hee will performe it that hee will chastise them with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men that he will visite their iniquitie with rods and their sinne with stripes 2 Sam. 7 14 15. and Psal. 89. 30. to 34. God will chastise them as sonnes though he condemnes them not as enemies and rebells this his fatherly correction and chastisement then is sufficient to keepe them from presumption and to restraine them from rushing into sinne though God neuer disinherits or casts them off And so you see what a false what a
shallow weake and carnall inconuenience and pretence this is which is obiected against our Orthodox and comfortable assertion The second pretence and inconuenience that is obiected against this totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints is this that it will make men idle negligent and floathfull in the wayes of God for if men cannot fall from grace they need not they will not be industrious for to please the Lord. I answer you as Christ once answered the Sadduces in another case Math. 22. 29. Yee doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God For when once the seed of true and sauing grace is sowen in mens hearts it makes them much in action and they cannot but be operatiue and stirring in the worke and seruice of the Lord. First because the loue of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost and it is much in larged and increased in them by this assurance of their totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace Now this loue of God doth so warme and heate and so inlarge the hearts and soules of all the Saints and it is of such an operatiue working and stirring nature that it alwayes stirres them vp to action they cannot be idle though they would this very loue of God constraines men for to please and serue the Lord and to be exceeding fruitfull and abundant in his worke and seruice as you may reade Acts 2. 37. cap. 4. 20. Cant. 4. 9 10. cap. 8. 6 7. Iohn 21 15. cap. 14 15. 22. 23. cap. 15. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 15. 1 Thes. 1. 4. Gal. 5. 6. and Ephes. 3. 19. Therefore though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet because this loue of God is seated and spread abroad in their hearts they cannot be idle and sloathfull in the worke and seruice of the Lord. Secondly though the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot be idle and sloathfull in Gods seruice because it is the very ioy the very comfort and reioycing of their hearts and soules their very heauen vpon earth and the very essence and substance of their happinesse to obey and serue the Lord and to be abundant in his worke Nothing is there that brings so much delight and ioy vnto the Saints as frequencie in holy duties and assiduitie and diligence in the seruice of the Lord as you may see Prou. 3. 17. cap. 21. 15. Psal. 42. 1 2. Psal. 84. 1. 2. 10. Psa. 119. 97. Psal. 122. 1. Isai. 26. 8. 9. and cap. 58. 13. Now that which a man doth most of all delight and ioy in hee will bee sure neuer to neglect and sleight he will be diligent and frequent in it euen for the very ioy and comfort that is in it and therefore though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet because their only ioy and chiefest comfort consists in seruing God they cannot but be operatiue and diligent in his seruice Thirdly though the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot but be operatiue and stirring in his seruice because the Spirit of the Lord which is within them will neuer suffer them to be idle but will alwaies incite and stirre them vp to action as you may finde it in the 1 Sam. 11. 6. Iudges 14. 19. cap. 15. 10. Acts 4. 20. Isai. 1. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 1. 11. 14. 15. 26. cap. 12. 11. and Gal. 5. 16. 17. 25. Fourthly though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot be idle and sloathfull in Gods worke because it will be hurtfull and prejudiciall to themselues The lesse men are in the worke and seruice of the Lord the lesse ioy and comfort haue they here and the lesse glory hereafter but the more fruitfull and abundant they are in all good workes the more ioy and comfort haue they here and the more glory shall they haue hereafter Dan. 12. 3. Math. 5. 12. and Luke 10. 17. Therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet self-selfe-loue and the care of their eternall happinesse will make them diligent and fruitfull in Gods seruice Fiftly though the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot grow cold and negligent in his seruice because there is in euery regenerate man an ambitious and inward desire of attaining to perfection and to the vtmost end euen to the very toppe and height of grace As it is in naturall so it is likewise in spirituall things they both desire accomplishment and perfection And therefore a good Christian doth alwaies goe from grace to grace from faith to faith and from strength to strength He forgets that which was before and presseth forwards towards the marke of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus indeauouring to attaine vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Psal. 84. 7. Psal. 92. 12. 13. 14. Phil. 3. 13 14 15. and Eph. 4. 13. Therefore he cannot be idle and sloathfull in Gods seruice though he cannot fall from grace euen in this respect Sixtly though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot bee negligent and carelesse in his seruice because it is not for Gods glory that they should be idle and sloathfull in his worke The more diligent and painefull that the Saints are in Gods seruice the more honour and glory doe they bring to God Math. 5. 16. Ioh. 17. 4. and Phil. 1. 11. Now the true regenerate Saints of God they tender Gods glory aboue all things else they will not suffer him to be dishonoured vpon any tearmes and therefore they cannot be negligent and backward in his seruice though they cannot fall from grace because then they should dishonour God Lastly to omit all other reasons though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they cannot be idle and sloathfull in Gods seruice because that grace it selfe is of an actiue growing stirring and increasing nature and will not suffer any man to sit still and idle Grace is that which makes vs diligent and carefull in Gods seruice it is that which incites and stirres vs vp to action and can any one then imagine that grace should make men negligent and idle in Gods seruice This is all one as if a man should say that fire makes men cold that life makes men dead that knowledge makes men ignorant or that reason makes them bruitish therefore since grace is of a stirring liuely growing and increasing nature seeing it is the prime and onely cause that makes men diligent and actiue in Gods seruice it is certaine that this totall and finall perseuerance in the state of grace can neuer make men negligent and sloathfull in the worke and businesse of the Lord. Yea as I haue formerly proued that this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace is the onely meanes to make men idle and sloathfull in the worke and seruice of the
who now injoy it and haue it in possession learne more and more to prise and value it and to be more and more affected joyed and delighted with it It is the onely and chiefest treasure of your soules it is the only thing that makes you truly blessed and that for euer let God then and all men see how much you value it by counting all things losse yea drosse and dunge and worse then nothing in respect of it Secondly if those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace then this may serue to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all such men as are thus truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. You that can but truly say that you are regenerated and made new creatures that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ in synceritie and truth yea you who haue but the least sparke and attome of true and sauing grace began within you and planted in your hearts what cause haue you sor to reioyce and sing for ioy You haue such an heauenly treasure such a firme setled and sure estate of grace within your soules as nothing shall be able to depriue you of it let all the diuels in hell or men on earth combine and plot together to depriue and spoyle you of it they are not able to effect it The least sparke 〈◊〉 that seed of true and sauing grace which is within you is of such a diuine permanent and immortall nature that all the flouds of prosperitie all the waters of aduersitie all the stormes of temptation all the malice of of men or diuells cannot vtterly extinguish or put it out againe What then should euer daunt your hearts or cause you for to feare What is there that should make you sad or heauy or interrupt your ioy If once you haue but the true seed of grace within you be it neuer so little neuer so small it is a sure pledge and earnest of heauen it giues you actuall possession and seison of eternall life it keepes you so that you can neuer perish If once you haue the smallest dram of true and sauing grace you need not feare afflictions or temptations you need not feare the very King of terrors hell and death you need not feare the most that men or diuells can doe to you they cannot seuer you from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus your Lord nor yet disturbe you from the state of Grace Wherefore you my brethren who finde and feele this seed and habit of true and sauing grace within your soules reflect on what you haue and see that matchlesse happinesse the which you now inioy banish all anxious sad and dolorous feares and doubts that cause your hands your hearts and soules to droope and take your fill of ioy and comfort reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce and let not any thing depriue and spoyle you of that ioy and comfort which is due vnto you This is the fault of most but specially of young and tender-hearted Christians that they dote too much vpon their sinnes and that they doe not so much prise their state of grace nor take that ioy and comfort in it as they should they are apt to bee discouraged and deiected apt to suspect and to grow jealous of their state of grace vpon all occasions as if that they might lose it and bee depriued of it and this makes them â—…o dull so heauie so dead and lumpish in Gods seruice Wherefore now at last endeuour for to know your happinesse and the worth and nature of your state of grace It is a state of joy and comfort it is such an estate as you can neuer lose or fall from hee that hath the life of grace but once began within him can die no more the second death shall haue no power oâ—…er him Establish then and settle this vndoubted truth and ingraue it in your hearts and soules That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace and this will strengthen and support this will comfort and reioyce your soules in all temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer in all extremities and times of need Wee haue all great cause as the times are now to stablish ground and settle this truth within our soules wee see what feares and dangers what crosses and afflictions what iudgements and calamities are like to come vpon vs wee see what miserable and wofull times are likely to befall vs if then we haue this truth ingrauen in our soules that the grace we haue within vs is of an incorruptible and immortall nature that it cannot be lost or perish O how will this establish settle comfort and reioyce our soules and strengthen and inable vs to vndergoe asflictions with patience ioy and comfort This will make vs for to feare no euill Though the earth beo moued and the mountaines carried into the midest of the Sea though carnall and wicked men shall be so amazed and affrighted with the miseries and afflictions that shall befall them that they shall call to the rockes and mountaines for to fall vpon them and couer them and bee euen at their witts ends for very feare yet such as haue this state of grace within them shall not feare but they shall euen reioyce and sing in the middest of all their troubles and afflictions and lift vp their heads and hearts with ioy and comfort because the day of their redemption draweth neere Wherefore beloued brethren if you would fill your soules with ioy and comfort and arme your selues against the euill day be sure for to ground and roote this comfortable sweet and heauenly meditation in your hearts that come what will you can neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace nor yet be seuered and cut off from Christ and this will comfort strengthen and reioyce your soules in times of need and beare them vp in all extremities And thus adieu FINIS Errata PAge 3. line 36. for the reade these p. 4 l. 1. for degrees the degrees p. 5. l. 34. for haue raise p. 49. l. 31. for this his p. 51. l. 27. for title to title p. 59. l. 19. for one only only p. 61. l. 7. for anithesis antithâ—…sis p. 62. l. 15. for sons sound p. 70. l. 31. for those these p. 73. l. 23. for will his will performe his p. 77 l. 10. for keepe them keepe l. 20. for himselse him p. 83 l. 12. for that it that he p. 86. l. 7 for man may may p. 91. l. 34. for that it p. 96. l 3. for how true how p. 104. l. 19. for receiued recorded p. 105. l. 8. for these those p. 116. l. 2. for but yet yet p. 125. l. 15. for hath haue p. 127. l. 31. for those these p. 128. l 7. for so sealed so firmely
peace and safetie of this our Church which is committed to your charge as you tender your owne honor and reputation with God man or that great account which you must shortly make to God of that great stewardship of his which is committed to you if you â—…ender the good and comfort of your owne soule both here and hereafter if you would haue Iesus Christ to owne you and not to bee ashamed of you at the last when hee shall come in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angells if you would not bee cast with those other fearefull ones into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer take heart and courage for the Lord of hoasts and for his truth and cause which now are likely to miscarie Suffer not his word and truth to bee betrayed and suppressed by scismaticall factious and Antechristian spirits for want of supportation and defence but since the eyes of God and man are cast vpon you execute stirre vp and act that place and power which God and man haue giuen to you to the quelling of heresy and scisme to the extirpation of Poperie and Arminianisme which are now flowing in so fast vpon vs that they doe euen threaten a sodaine inundation and deluge to vs to the subuersion of the kingdome of Satan and Antechrisâ—… to the maintaining and inlarging of the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to the establishing of that glorious truth and Gospell which hath flourished and shined so long among vs to the admiration and mirror of our friends and to the griefe and enuy of our aduersaries Let not feare and cowardice let not flesh and blood or any other impediment whatsoeuer daunt your courage or coole your loue and zeale to Christ or to his cause but be willing to denie your selfe to part with all for him who hath euen denied himselfe and parted with his life and all for you And here I would intreate your Grace to pardon this my boldnesse and my rudenesse with you which though modesty and manners might caâ—…e mee to forbeare yet piety and zeale to God and to his truth and loue to this my Mother Church together with the necessity and extremitie of the times hath made me guilty of it I hope not faulty in it and withall I humblie consecrate these Firstlings of my studies being nothing else but a iust defence of a comfortable and Orthodox point of faith which hath long beene setled and established in this our Church and in all reformed Churches beyond the seas which if your Grace will but vouchsafe to Patronize and shelter they shall not feele they will not feare a totall or a finall 〈◊〉 Now the God of all Grace so beautifie and adorne your Grace with all the graces of his Spirit so fill and replenish you with zeale with fortitude and courage for the truth and so firmely settle and establish you in the glorious and happy estate of true and sauing grace that neither your Grace nor yet that truth and Gospell which 〈◊〉 now inioy may euer feele a finall totall or a partiall fall Your Graces in all humble submission and respect WILLIAM PRYNNE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader when as I had well considered with my selfe the great danger and combustion that was likely to befall our Church and State by reason of some dangerous points of Pelagianisme Poperie and Arminianisme which some factious and nouillizing spirits haue lately broched and set on foote among vs as the receiued positiue and resolued doctrines not only of the Scriptures Fathers and Protestant Churches in forraine parts but likewise of the Church of England I supposed that I could not performe a better peece of seruice to God or to our Church and State then to cast in my Mite among the rest and to indeauour according to my poore ability to stoppe the streame and current of these late reuiued and new minted Errors which by reason of the learning fame and greatnesse of their Patrons and the deprauation of mans nature which is alwayes more propense and prone to Error then to truth and holinesse are like to threaten a generall and vniuersall deluge to our Church and State if authority preuent them not in time Vpon this I resolued to put my penne to Paper and thereupon I selected and culled out from among the rest this hereticall and pernicious Error Of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints from grace to combate and to grapple with The reasons which moued me to single out this one aboue all or any of the rest were these First because this Error is most of all insisted and stood vpon and is more peremptorily maintained and dâ—fended then any of the rest and therefore requires the speediest and the strongest opposition Secondly because this Error by reason of a misreported confereÌ„ce hath drawne more disciples and parties after it than any of the rest it hath found more Patrons of late among vs than any other Error that I know and therefore I thought that I should doe the greatest good in opposing and suppressing the most infectious and spreading Error Thirdly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it was a part of Pelagianisme heretofore and it is but a point of pure Popery and Arminianisme now and therefore I presumed that I might with greater boldnesse and audacitie and with lesse offence to any aduenture to refell it especially since those who now defend it produce no other reasons arguments answers or authorities than those which the Pelagians Papists and Arminians haue framed and collected to their hands before without any new addition of their owne Fourthly I made choyce of this to vindicate the Church of England the Fathers Scriptures and Protestants in forraine parts from the false calumnies of those who would make all these the Patrons of this Error when as they haue all with one vnanimous consent condemned censured and refuted it yea and resolued against it as against a dangerous and hereticall position Fifely I made choyce of this because the sound confutation of it will ouerthrow the whole frame and fabricke of Arminianisme it will likewise out off a great part of Poperie and it will in effect suppresse and quite subuert the most of all those Errors Which haue beene lately broched among vs. For if this totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints bee once proued to be but an Error then the doctrines of Vniuersall Grace of Free-will of Election from the fore-sight of saith that such men as were neuer elected to saluation haue true saith that the number of the elect is vncertaine that the sinnes of the Saints doe cut them off from Christ that all these who are baptized are regenerated that the Sacraments conuey grace alike to all ex opere operato that there are some sinnes which are not mortall in their owne nature that men ought to doubt and that they cannot be certainely assured of their owne saluation without some
are branched into 4. generall heads First into the dâ—…ngerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinity and Deity which are 13. First it would derogate from the honour of the Trinitie pag. 122. Secondly it would derogate much from the truth the promises and word of God pag. 123. Thirdly it would derogate much from the infinite goodnesse mercy and loue of God pag. 124. Fourthly it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and power of the Trinity and from the efficacie of the meanes of grace pag. 125. Fiftly it would derogate much from the infinite iustice and wisdome of God pag. 126. Sixtly it would much ecclipse the efficacie and vertue of Christs passion and intercession pag. 127. Seuenthly it would make the sweet and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the Saints to be but a meere imposture pag. 127. Eigthly it would rob the Lord of the heart the affection and the loue of all his Saints pag. 128. Ninthly it would rob the Lord of all his praise and glory pag. 129. Tenthly it would make men negligent in Gods seruice pag. 130. Eleuenthly it would rob God of the prayers of his Saints and make the Lords prayer to be but vaine and idle pag. 131. Twelfthly it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination pag. 132. Lastly it would make men and not God the authors of their owne saluation pag. 133. Secondly into the dangerous consequencies in regard of the Saints themselues which are 6. First it would cause them to call Gods truth and promises into question pag. 134. Secondly it would depriue them of all true happinesse in this life and make them miserable men pag. 134. Thirdly it would depriue them of all 〈◊〉 ioy and comfort pag 135. Fourthly It would driue them to dispaire pag. 136. Fifthly it would make no difference at all betweene the godly and the wicked in this present life p. 141. Lastly it would breed a doubt whether God had alwayes a true Church on earth or whether there are any saued pag. 142. Thirdly into dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe Which are 6. First it would cause men to vilifie and vnder-value grace p. 142. Secondly it would destroy the very nature and essence of true grace pag. 143. Thiraly it would vtterly abolish and take away all true and sauing faith pa. 144. Fourthly it would take away all certainty and assurance of saluation pa. 145. Fifthly it would take away and abolish the graces of loue to God and of ioy in the holy Ghost p. 146. Lastly it would make grace to bee no worke and fruite of the holy Ghost but a meere mor all perswasion and it would quite destroy the â—…ery kingdome of Grace which is in men pag. 147. Fourthly into the dangerous consequents in respect of the whole Church of God which are 2. First it would traduce condemne and sleight their doctrine and opinions pag. 147. Secondly it would reuiue those herefies which they had formerly condemned pag. 147. And into the dangerous consequences in respect of the Church of England Which are 4. First it will pull vp one maiue point and principle of that doctrine and religion which hath beene planted and established in our Church p. 148. Secondly it will giue our aduersaries occasion for to triumph ouer vs Ib. Thirdly it will be a meanes to bring in Poperie Arminianâ—…sme into our Church ibid. Fourthly it will breed diuisions and Combustions in our Church page 249. Eighthly into humane authorities which are of three sorts Fathers and Councells Protestant Churches and writers in sorraine parts and the Church of England p. 151. First for Fathers and Councells we haue for vs Dionysius Areopagiâ—…a pa. 152. Iustin Martyr p. 153. Irenaeus pa. 154. Clemens Alexandrinus p. 155. Tertullian pa. 159. Origen p. 159. Cyprian p. 162. Arnobius p. 163. Hilarie p. 163. Basil the Great p. 165. Ambrose p. 167. Epiphanius pag. 169. Câ—…rysostome p. 169. Augustine p. 171. Cyril pa. 173. Prosper p. 174. Chrysologus p. 175. Fulgentius p. 176. Gregorie the Great p. 178. Venerable Bede p. 179. Anselme pag. 181. Bernard p. 185. Bradwardyn p. 188. The Councell of Miliuitan p. 189. The Generall Councell of Africke and the Councell of Arausica or Orange p. 189. An answer to the Fathers that are obiected p. 193. 194. For Protestant Churches beyond the Seas we haue first their Authors whose names and workes are cited pag. 196. to 202. Secondly their seuerall Confessions Articles Resolutions and Synods wâ—…ich are cited p. 202. to 215. Thirdly for the Church of England pag. 215. wee haue first her learned Authors and Writers pa. 216. to 226. Secondly her Articles p. 226 to 235. where the obiection from the 16. Article is answered and the Article it selfe is expounded Thirdly her Homilies and Common prayer Bâ—…ke which make rather for vs than against vs p. 235. to 245. where the obiections from the Homilies are answered Fourthly an Argument to proue this present position here defended to be the receiued and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England p. 245. In this eighth part all the cauells of those who would haue the Error of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints to be the Tenet of all Antiquitie of all the German Protestants and of the Church of England are answered in their places And this is the whole summe and substance of the second generall part of this worke The third generall part of this worke which begins at pag. 253. containes the arguments which are made against this assertion here defended with the seuerall answers that are giuen to them where first you haue two obseruations commended to your consideration which serue to answer or at least to weaken all future arguments that are obiected which you shall finde pag. 253. 255. Secondly you haue the seuerall arguments which are obiected and the answers to them in their order The first argument is taken from Ezech. 18. 24. and 33. 12. 13. 18. it begins pag. 257. The second is from 1 Cor. 9. 27. pag. 264. The third from Heb. 6 4 5 6. cap. 10. 26. to 30. and the 2 Pet. 2. 21. pag. 287. The fourth from Math. 12. 43 44 45. Luke 11. 24 25. pag. 273. The fifth from Iohn 152. to 11. pag. 276. The sixth Phil. 2 12. pag 211. The seuenth from 2 Pet. 3. 17. pag. 283. 284. The eighth from 1 Cor. 10. 12. Heb. 3. 12. cap. 4. 1 11. and Rom. 11. 8. pag. 285. The ninth from 1 Cor. 16. 13. Phil. 41. Reu. 2. 25 26. pag. 288. The tenth from Iohn 8. 31. 1 Cor. 15. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Gal. 69. Col. 1. 21. 22 23. 1 Thes. 3. 8. 1 Tim 2. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 21. Heb. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 10. p. 290. The eleuenth from Heb. 10. 35. 38. pag. 296. The twelfth from Dan. 11. 35. pag. 296. The thirteenth from Prou. 24. 16. pag. 297. The fourteenth from 1 Cor. 8. 11. pag. 298. The fifteenth from 1 Tim. 5.
11. 12. pag. 300. The sixteenth from 2 Cor. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 2. pag. 301. The seuenteenth from Psal 27. 9 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. pag. 302. The eighteenth from Gal 5. 4. pag. 304. The ninteenth from Prou 30. 8. 9. pag. 305. The twentieth from 1 Thes. 5. 19. pag. 306. The twenty one from 2 Iohâ—… 8. pag. 307. The twenty two from Psal. 119. 176. pag. 309. The twenty three from 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. pag. 310. The twenty foure That a regenerate man may fall into a grosse knowne and scandalous sinne and lye in it for a time or dye in it without repentance therefore he may fall from grace pag. 312. The twenty fiue That a regenerate man may be excommunicated and therefore he may fall from grace pag. 342. The twenty sixe That infants which are regenerated in their baptisme may fall from grace and therefore true regenerate men pag. 343. where that place of Gal. 3. 27 and the words obiected out of the Common prayer booke are answered and the vse the efficacy and the end of baptisme are declared The twenty seuenth argument is from examples pag. 364. which are of three sorts The first of Adam and the Angells pag. 365. The second from whole Churches pag. 368. as the Church of the Iewes pag. 369. The Church of the Galathians pag. 370. The Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira and Pergamus pag. 372. The third from particular Saints as the second and third ground pag. 383 those in Iohn 2. 23 24. pag. 375. The Disciples who went backe from Christ Iohn 6. 66. pag. 377. Dauid pag. 378. Peter pag. 385. Iudas pag. 391. Solomon pag. 393. Saul Aâ—…a Ioash Simon Magus the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Demas Hymenens Alexander those of Math 24. 24. and the rest of whom Paul Peter and Iude haue prophecied that they should depart from the faith pag. 393. 394. The twenty eighth and last argument is from the incâ—…cies of this our assertion pag. 394. which are three First it would make men presumptions bold to sin pa. 395. Secondly it would make men negligent and sloathfull in Gods seruice pag. 399. Thirdly it would make men proud arrogant pag. 403. And this is the substance of this third generall part The fourth last part of this worke consists of two profitable vses drawne from this assertion pag. 406. The first is a vse of exhortation to incite stirre vp all men to seeke prise the state of grace which is so permanent pag. 406. The second a vse of exhortation to the true Saints of God to comfort and reioyce their soules in the consideration of the perpetuity of their state of grace pag. 408. And thus you haue the compendium summe substance of this Treatise THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE WHEREIN IT is proued by sundry arguments reasons and authorities That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither Finally nor Totally fall from grace c. IT is the expresse voyce and testimony both of the Spirit and the word of God that in the latter times and ages of the world there shall be some false teachers in the Church which priuily shall bring in damnable haeresies and pernitious doctrines euen denying the Lord that bought them and bring vpon them selues swift damnation Yea the same Spirit and word of God doe testifie that as there shall bee such false teachers in the world so likewise that there shall be many who departing from the faith and turning their eares from the truth shall giue heed to their seducing and erronious spirits and follow their pernitious wayes and doctrines insomuch that wholsome doctrine and the very way of truth itselfe shall be euill spoken of I would to God these prophecies and praedictions were not so truly and experimentally fulfilled in these last and euill daies of ours wherein we may truly say that there are some false teachers crept in among vs who priuily haue brought in damnable doctrines vnder the spetious pretence and coulour of the doctrine of our Church almost to the deniall of that Lord which bought them to the seducing of many ignorant and vnstable soules and to the scandall and reproach both of the word and way of truth Who and what those persons and these doctrines 〈◊〉 I need not for to mention the publicke fame hath made them so notorious that it would be altogether idle and superfluous for me to point and chalke them out Wherefore passing by the perâ—…ons I shall onely single out one pestilent and pernitious doctrine which they doe maintaine to wit the Totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints the which I here intend for to incounter not with the weake and feeble armes of fleshly wisdome but with the all conquering and all-subduing sword of the Spirit the word of God Now that I may not fight as one that beats the ayre nor trouble you with a long discourse to little purpose before I come to grapple with the aduersaries I will briefly and perspicuously relate the state and substance of that controuersie which is betweene vs. The question and controuersie 〈◊〉 selfe is onely this Whether those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liâ—…ely faith may either finally or totally fall from grace For the full and cleare vnderstanding of which you must take notice of two distinctions the first concerning regenerate men and such as are in thâ—… state of Grace the second concerning Grace it selfe Of regenâ—…rate men and such as are in the state of Grace there are two sorts The first are such as are regenerated and inuested into the state of Grace onely in outward shew and in the bare opinion of men but not in sincerity and truth these they are not within the question for though they make an outward shew and flourish of Grace vnto the world yet they had neuer any truth of sauing Grace within them and therefore we grant that such as these may both finally and totally fall away from that hypocriticall and superficiall shew of Grace the which they made The second sort of regenerate men are such as are regenerated in sinceritie and truth and not in outward shew onely such as haue really the seeeds and habits of true and sauing Grace within them of these onely is the present question and of these wee doe affirme that they can neither finally nor totally fall from Grace For Grace it selfe which is the second thing you must obserue that it hath a double acception in the Scriptures First it is taken for the free loue and mercy of God in Christ Iesus secondly it is taken for the graces which are wrought in men by the holy Ghost in this latter sense onely and not in the former is Grace taken in our present question Now these Graces of Gods Spirit they are of two sorts First there are ordinary and common Graces
which are common to wicked men as well as to the Saints of God as prophecie learning the knowledge and interpretation of Scripture and tongues the working of miracles the discerning of spirits extraordinary skill in any art mysterie or science an heroicall valient and Kingly minde and spirit of which we may reade in the 1. Cor 12. 1 to the 12. Exod 35 30. to the end of the chapter Iudgees 14 19 cap 15 14 15. 1 Sam. 11 6 and cap. 16 13 14. Of such ordinary Graces as these this question is not intended for these may be both finally and totally lost Secondly there are sanctifying sauing and peculiar graces of Gods holy Spirit which are proper only to the elect children and saints of God such as are faith loue hope sauing and experimentall knowledge peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost and the like of which wee may reade Gal 5. 22 23. of these onely is our present question Now in these sanctifying sauing and peculiar graces there are two things to bee considered first there are the seedes and habits of these graces of which this question is only intended secondly there are the degrees the sence and feeling the acts and effects of these graces which are not within the verge and limits of our question As for the seedes and habits of the graces we hold that a truâ—… regenerate man can neither finally nor totally fall from them but as for degrees the sense and feeling the acts and effects of these sauing graces we hold that a regenerate man may fall from them and loose them for a time So that the question that is now to be disputed of is no more but this Whether those that are true beleeuers those that are once truly regenerate and grafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith and not only in outward shew may fall finally totally from the very seedes and habits not from the degrees the sense the acts and effects of the sauing sanctifying and peculiar graces and not of the ordinary and common graces of Gods holy Spirit wrought in their hearts and soules In this question there are three different opinions Some there are that hold that those that are once truly regenerated and put into the state of sauing grace may fall totally from the very seedes and habits of their graces but yet not finally that is they may so farre loose the very seedes and habits of these sauing graces for a time that there shall not be so much as any remainders of them left behinde insomuch that they neede a new insition and ingrafting into Christ againe but yet they hold that they can neuer fall finally from grace because that God hauing praedâ—…stinated them vnto life eternall and foreseeing this their fall doth alwaies out of his mercy raise them vp againe that so they may not perish finally but haue euerlasting life Others there are that hold that the true regenerate Saints of God and members of Iesus Christ may fall from the very seedes and habits of sauing grace not onely totally so as vtterly to loose these seedes habits of sauing grace for a time but finally to so as to loose them for euer and to perish euerlastingly in their sinnes Others they hold that the state of grace is such a permanent setled and well grounded estate that the seedes and habits of true and sauing grace are so rooted and fixed in the hearts and soules of all those in whom once they are begun in truth that they can neither totally for a time nor finally for euer fall from the state of grace or vtterly loose the seedes and habits of these sauing and peculiar graces that are within them The two first of these opinions I am now to refute as false wicked damnable and erroneous and the last opinion only will I maintaine as sound and orthodox Now because these two first opinions of a totall and a finall fall from grace are so wraped and included one within the other and haue so neere affinity one with the other that the same arguments and answers serue to defend them both and most of the arguments that serue to ouerthrow the one of them doe serue likewise for to subuert the other to auoide prolixity and tedious repetitions I will ioyne them both together and oppugne them both by maintaining this sound Orthodox and comfortable assertion which defeates them both That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely saith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Infinite and many are the arguments which I might produce to proue this Orthodox and sound position which for order method and perspicuity sake I shall now reduce to seuen generall heads The first sort of arguments shall be taken from God himselfe the second from Christ the third from the holy Ghost the fourth from regenerate men themselues and from those priuiledges which they doe inioy the fifth from the Angells the sixth from the very nature of true and sauing grace and the seuenth from those many dangerous absurdities and consequences which else will necessarily follow vpon the contrary assertion First from God himselfe there are ten arguments which may be deduced to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints The first thing in God is that which makes for the finall perseuerance of all such as are once truly regenerated to wit Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree whereby hee hath elected and praedestinated all such as are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Iesus Christ by a true and liuely faith vnto eternall life From which eternall purpose and decree of God I haue this argument which neither hath already beene neither shall hereafter be once fully answered Those who by Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree are praedestinated and ordained to eternall life can neuer finally fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a tâ—…ue and liuely faith are by Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree praedestinated and ordained to eternall life therefore they can neuer finally fall from grace The maior proposition that can not be denyed for Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree cannot bee altered or changed this purpose of God according to election it shall stand firme for euer Psal 33 11. Rom 9 11. As he hath purposed so shall it stand and none shall disanull it Isay 14 24 27. this foundation of the Lord it abideth sure hauing the seale of God annexed to it 2 Tim 2 19 therefore it can not bee changed If you obiect that of the 2 Pet 1 10. where the Saints are exhorted to make their calling and election sure therefore their election is not so sure but it may be altered I answere that this Scripture hath not reference or relation to the calling and election themselues as they haue relation vnto God for election and vocation in themselues and as they haue reference vnto God they are
not slumber behold hee that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe the Lord himselfe he is the keeper the Lord is his shade vpon the right hand so that the sunne shall not smite him by day nor the moone by night the Lord shall preserue him from all euill he shall preserue his soule the Lord shall preserue his going out his comming in from this time forth and for euermore Psa 121 2 to the end The Lord will create vpon euery place of mount Sion and vpon the assemblies thereof a cloud and a smoake by â—…day and the shining of a flame of fier by night for vpon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate and for a place of refuge and for a couert from storme and from raine Is 4 5 6. Marke here and see how vigilant and carefull the Lord is to defend and keepe his Saints from euill not vpon one place only but vpon euery place of mount Sion and vpon all the assemblies thereof and vpon all the glory shall be a defence not onely by day but by day and night to not onely against some sorts of temptations but against all God will be a couering and a refuge against the heate against the storme and against the raine against all temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer God will keepe euery regenerate man as the apple of his owne eye and couer him vnder his wings Deut 32 10 11 he will be with him to the end of the world Math 28 20 he will not faile him nor forsake him Heb 13 6 the Lord is his sheepheard the Lord preserueth his soule and leadeth him on in the paths of Righteousnesse the Lord is on his right hand to preserue and keepe him that hee should not fall that hee should not wholly wander and stray from him Psa 23 1. to 5. Psal 16 8. Psa 37 28 23 24. Psa 125 1 2. Iohn 10 28 29. Iude 24. Hebr 13 6 7 Esay 25 4. cap 26 3. cap 27 3. cap 43 2 therefore its impossible for him either finally or totally to fall from grace All that here can bee replyed is onely this that as long as men are regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that God doth thus defend and keepe them but when they fall away from God then he doth not preserue them To which I answere that I presse this argument onely to this purpose to proue that the Saints of God when they are once regenerated can neuer fall away from grace because God doth presence and gard them thus with his continuall care and presence and not to proue that God doth sence and guard his Saints the vigilent care and custody of God is that which makes the Saints of God to continue Saints so that they can neuer cease to bee Saints any more and therefore the answere is but a meere begging of the question and noe answere at all to the force and drift of this my argument it is onely a deny all of my conclusion not of my premises and so it is no answere but a shift and cauell If you obiect that all these places are meant of a temporall protection from worldly dangers I answere that the most of them if not all of them are principally if not soly intended and meant of a spirituall protection and not of a temporary of a perpetuall protection from spirituall not from temporall dangers as the places themselues doe fully proue how euer let them be intended of a protection from temporall dangers only which cannot be yet this doth necessarily follow that if God hath so great a care to free his Saints from temporary dangers he will certainly haue as great if not a greater care to protect them from spirituall dangers and so the argument standeth still in force The fourth thing in God which may giue vs full assurancâ—… of the truth of this assertion is his immutable and perpetuall loue to all such as are once truly regenerated and made the true members of Iesus Christ from which this fourth argument doth arise Those whom God himselfe doth loue with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue and those who can by no meanes possible bee euer seuered from this loue of God it s altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are such as God himselfe doth loue with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue For whom God doth once loue he loues vnto the end Ioh 13 1 he loues all the true members of Iesus Christ in the same manner as he loueth Christ himselfe and with the same loue that he loueth him Iohn 17 23 24 26 now Gods loue to Iesus Christ is immutable constant and perpetuall therefore must his loue to all his members be so to God he loues them with an euerlasting loue Ier 31 3 he is their louing God and Father from euerlasting to euerlasting Psa 90 1 2 his louing kindnesse indureth for euer and euer vpon them Psa 103 17 his righteousnes shall be foreuer euer and his saluation from geâ—…eration to generation the mountaines may remoue and the hills may fall downe but his mercy shall not depart from them neither shall the couenant of his peace be remoued Esay 51 8 and cap 54 13 Gods loue to them is immutable constant and perpetuall Neither can they by any meanes whatsoeuer bee euer vtterly seuered from this loue of God to them in Christ. It is Pauls expresse challeng Rom 8 35 who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or sword nay saith hee verse 37 31 39 iâ—… all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate not me but vs who are once in Christ and made the Sonnes of God by adoption and grace verse 1 9 14 15 17 29 30 from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord so that they may boldly say with Dauid Ps 26 1 the Lord is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraide God hee loues all such who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith with an immutable constant perpetuall loue they themselues can neuer be vtterly seuered from this loue of God wherefore it is impossible for them either totally or finally to fall from grace Our subtle Sophisters haue nothing here to answer but their crambemillies coctum that God doth loue all such as are truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue as long
needs dwell too because it is a fruit of the spirit and it can not be seuered from the spirit Rom. 5. 5. Gal. 5. 22. Ephs. 3. 16 17. 1 Iohn 3. 16. therefore the true Saints of God can neuer cease to loue the Lord habitually because the holy Ghost the spring and fountaine of this loue doth alwaies dwell within them Thirdly this loue of the Saints to God is a grace which God bestowes vpon them out of his loue and which is preserued in him by his loue and therefore if they should cease to loue the Lord the breach would be on his side not on theirs for they can neuer cease to loue him but where God doth first giue ouer to support their loue to him God must first withdraw this grace from them or else they could not giue ouer for to loue him so that if there could bee any totall or finall breach betweene God and his Saints the defect should be in God who hath vndertaken to preserue them in his loue and not in the Saints which defect on Gods part can neuer be admitted If you obiect that they giue God the cause of breach and so the defect is not in God but in themselues I answere that God hath vndertaken to preserue them blamelesse and without offence hee hath vndertaken to preserue them from sinne 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. Ezech. 36. 27. ler. 32. 40. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Isay 46. 3 4. câ—…p 27. 3. therefore though the sinne be theirs when as they doe commit it yet if it make a totall breach betwixt God them the breach will be first in God in not preseruing of them from this sinne according to his promise and not in them in committing of it Lastly true loue is of a permanent and constant nature if it be set vpon a constant permanent and immutable obiect Let a man loue any thing truly for it selfe as long as the thing continues and the cause for which hee loues it his loue can neuer cease Let a man loue any man truely for his virtues or his graces as long as he continues vertuous and gratious he can not cease to louehim now God as hee is all and onely amiable so he is alwaies amiable there is neuer any change at all in him wherefore those that doe once truly loue him for himselfe cannot but loue him still and so the answere to this my argument is but false and idle I haue been the larger in refuting of this answere because I shall haue occasion oft times for to referre you to it hereafter I now proceed to other arguments The fifth thing in God which doth yeeld vs an argument for to proue our conclusion is the gratious mercy and goodnesse of God in which there are foure things to be considered First the freenesse of it it is voluntary and of free grace it is not wrested or merited by vs from God Exod. 33. 19. Hosea 14. 5. Iohn 3. 8. Rom. 9. 15. 19. and Ephes. 1. 5 6. Secondly it is permanent and constant it indures for euer and admits not of any totall change or interruption Psa. 103. 17. Psa. 100. 5. Psa. 118. 4. Psa. 136. Psa. 138. 8. Isay 51. 8. and cap. 54. 8. 10. Thirdly it is infinite there is an infinite store of it which is neuer drawne dry Exod. 34. 6 7. Psa. 103. 8. Psal. 130. 7. Micah 7. 18. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes. 2. 4. cap. 3. 16. and 1 Tim. 1. 14. Fourthly God is ready and willing to impart it to his children vpon all occasions it is his chiefest delight and ioy for to dispence the riches and treasures of his mercy to his Saints Ezech. 18. 23. cap. 33. 11. Micah 7. 18. Math. 11. 28. cap. 23. 37. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and 2 Pet. 3. 9. from this mercy of God thus considered I frame this fifth argument Those who are partakers of the free permanent constant sure euerlasting in finite and abundant metcies of God and haue these mercies of God readily freely and bountifully imparted vnto them vpon all occasions its impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace but all those who are once truely regenerated and in grafted into Christ are partakers ofthese mercies of God and they haue these mercies of God readily freely and bountifully imparted to them vpon all occasions and times of neede therefore its impossible for them either finally or totally to â—…all from grace The Maior proposition cannot be denyed the Minor only rests to be proved in these particulars first that the mercyes I meane the saving and spirituall mercyes of God are permanent constant and perpetuall Secondly that all those who are truely regenerated and are the true members of Iesus Christ are partakers of these mercies For the first of these it is euident by Isay 55. 3. where Gods spirituall mercies to his children are stiled the sure mercies of Dauid the seed of grace which is sowen in the hearts of all regenerate men is an immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. a seed that remaineth and an vnction that abideth in them 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. cap. 3. 9. the Saints of God they haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost who shall abide and dwell in their hearts and soules for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. Eph. 3. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 24. cap. 4. 4. Gal. 2. 20. they haue a Kingdome which cannot bee shaken Heb. 12. 28. a faith which cannot faile Luke 22. 32. a ioy which no man can spoyle them of Ioh. 16. 22. and charity which shall neuer cease 1 Cor. 13. 8. they haue mercies which indure for euer Psal. 103. 17. Gods mercies to them are permanent constant and perpetuall it cannot be denied Secondly that all those that are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ by a true liuely faith are partakers of these mercies it is most euident For all those that are borne of God all those that are within the câ—…uenant of grace all those that are the true sheepe and members of Iesus Christ they are partakers of these mercies which appeares expressly by Isai. 55 1. 3. cap. 4. 5 6. cap. 27. 3. Rom. 4. 16. Marke 16. 16. and Act. 2. 38 39. almost euery page in Scripture hath some thing in it that will proue it now all those who are truely regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are borne of God they are the members and sheepe of Christ and within the couenant of grace and therefore it is certaine that they haue such permanent constant and euerlasting mercies as those and so can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Can any one so much as thinke that God who hath proclaimed himselfe to be a God of grace and mercy a God delighting in mercy 〈◊〉 to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth 〈◊〉 mercy for thousands fâ—…rgiuing iniquitie transgressions and sinnes that God who doth not desire the death of any sinner but rather that he should repeâ—…t and be saued
totally from grace The fifth sort of promises making for me are that the Lord will guide and keepe the feetâ—… of his Saints that they shall not vtterly stray and wander from him that hee will neuer leaue them nor forsake them that hee will bee their rocke and strength their fortresse and their buckler that hee will bee alwayes present with them to gard and protect them from all euill and to preserue them from falling from which holy promises this fifth argument doth arise They whose feete the Lord will guide and keepe continually that they shall not vtterly â—…ray and wander from him those whom he hath promised neuer to forsake and leaue those to whom he will be a rocke a strength afortresse and a buckler and those with whom he will be alwayâ—…s present to protect and guard them from all euill and to preserue them from falling can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace But God hath promised that he will guide and keep the feete of all his Saints that they shall not 〈◊〉 stray and wander fro him 1 Sam 2 9 Psa. 17 5. Psa 23 3 4 7. Psa 25 9 12. Psa 37 23 31. Psa 48 14. Psa 73 24. Psa 121 3. Prou. 2 11 cap. 16. 9. cap. 20 24. and Isay 26. 7. he hath promised neuer to leaue them nor forsake them Leuit 26 43. Deut 31 6. Ioshu 1 5. 1 Sam 12 22. Psa 37 28. Psal 138 8. Isay 41 10. cap 42 16. and Heb 13 6 17 he will be a rocke a strength a fortresse and a bulwarke to them to keepe from all euill Gen 15 1. Psa 29 11. Psa 37 39 40. Isay 8 14. cap 26 1. cap 41 10. Prou 18 20. Zâ—…c 10 12. and Ioel 3 16 20. he will be alwaies present with them to protect and guard them from all euill and to preserue them from falling Psal 16 8. Psa 5 12. Psa 90. 1. 2. Psa. 91. 4. Psa 121. 3. to the end Psa. 125. 1 2. Exod. 15 〈◊〉 cap. 33. 14. Deut. 32. 10. 11. Esay 4. 5. cap. 25. 4. cap. 26 1. 〈◊〉 ca. 27. 3 Math. 28. 20. Ioliâ—… 10. 12. 28. 29. all which places formerly cited are expresse in point and to many to recite at large therefore they can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace If now you except and say that though God doth not forsake them yet they may forsake God and so come to ruiâ—… I answere that God hath promised for to guide and keepe their feete that though they slippe out of the way some time yet they shall neuer stray quite away from him and therefore this caâ—…ell is but idle The sixth fort of promises which make for my present purpose are these that Christ Iesus himselfe and the holy Ghost shall dwell and abide for euer in the hearts of all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and that they also shall continue and abide in Christ from which this sixth argument may be framed Those in whose hearts and sâ—…ules the holy Ghost and Iesus Christ will abide for euer and those who shall continue and abide in Christ it is impossible for them to fall finally or totally from grace but God hath promised that Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost shall dwell and abide for 〈◊〉 in the hearts and soules of all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and that they also shall continnâ—… and abide in Christ as appeares by these expresse testimonies of Scripture too tedious to recite at large Iohn 14. 16. 17. 23 27. Gal. 2. 20. Ephes 3. 17. 2 Cor 12. 9. cap 13. 5. 1 Cor. 6 19. 2 Tim 1. 14. 1 Iohn 2 27. cap. 3. 24. and cap 4 4. therefore it is impossible for them to fall finally or totally from grace I will speake more largely of this hereafter and therfore I will passe it ouer now The seuenth sort of promises which make for me are these that God will loue his Saints vnto the end that his loue mâ—…rcy shall rest vpon them for euer that he will finish the worke of grace which he hath begun within them and that no temptation what soeuer shall be ablevtterly to vanquish or to ouercome them from which promises I shall collect this seuenth argument Those whom God himselfe hath promised for to loue vnto the end those vpon whom his loue and mercy shall abide and rest for euer those in whom God will finish that worke of grace which hee hath begun within them and those whom no temptation whatsoeuer shall euer vtterly vanquish and ouercome it cannot 〈◊〉 that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace But God hath promised all such as are once truly regâ—…nerated and ingrafted into Christ that hee will loue them to the end Iohn 13. 1. that with euerlasting kindnesse he will haue mercy vpon them Isai. 54. 8. that he will keepe his mercy and couenant with them for euermore Psa. 89. 28. that his mercy shall rest and be vpon them from euerlasting to euerlasting Psa. 103. 17. that hee will loue them with an euerlasting loue Isai 54 8. and Iohn 17. 23. 26. he hath promised that he will perfect that worke of grace which he hath begun within them Psal. 138 8. the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me Phil. 1. 6. he that hath begun a good worke in you will perfect it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. he that hath bin the beginner will likewise be the finisher of our faith hee will not leaue his worke imperfect Hebr. 12 2. Reu 1 8. and Deut 32. 4. hee hath promised that no temptation whatsouer shall be able vtterly to vanquish and subdue them though it may foile them now and then 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it Satan hath desired to sift the Saints as wheate but all in vaine for their faith shall neuer faile Luke 22. 31 32. the gates of hell may fight against the Saints but yet they shall not preuaile against them Math. 16. 18. the winds the stormes and the floods may beate violently against them but yet they shall not cause them for to fall because they are founded on a rock Math. 7. 24 25. Sathan may assault them and sometimes may chance to foyle them but yet he shall not vanquish and conquer them for God hath promised that he will bruise Sathan vnder his feete Rom. 16. 20. though the Saints arr tempted and tried yet they shall be able to indure their temptations and be made the purer and the brighter by them Iam. 1. 12. 1 Pet 2. 7. The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation 2 Pet. 2. 9. he will arme them with the armor of Christ and therefore they shall be able to stand in the euill day and to quench all the
was totally lost and vtterly abolished so that by this exposition their saith should not onely faile which is the lesse but likewise vtterly to be lost which is farre greater and so Christs prayer should not be granted for that which may be lost and is lost doth without all question faile Secondly I answere that Christ prayes that the holy Ghost may abide with them for euer and dwell in them and bee in them if therefore the holy Ghost do abide and dwell in them and with them for euer they cannot fall totally from grace for where the holy Ghost is alwaies dwelling and residing there grace must of necessity alwaies be Thirdly Christ doth pray vnto his Father that he would keepe all those that are his true and faithfull members from euill that they might bee in him and he in them continually and that they might bee made perfect in him if therefore this prayer of Christ bee granted it cannot bee that they should euer totally fall from grace Fourthly this prayer and intercession of Christ doth sâ—…ue men to the vttermost it keepes them so that nothing shall bee able so much as once to seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ and therefore it must needes bee that this prayer and intercession of Christ doth not onely keepe his true and faithfull members from a finall but likewise from a totall fall from grace so that this argument remaines still vnanswered neither is it possible for any man to giue a full and satisfactory answere to it The third thing in Christ which may assure vs of and settle vs in this present truth is the power and might of Christ from which I frame this third argument Those who are kept by the power and might of Christ so that nothing can plucke them out of his hands to that end and purpose that they might neuer perish but haue euerlasting life it cannot be that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are kept by the power and might of Christ to that end and purpose that they may neuer perish but haue euerlasting life Iud. 1. 1. Iohn 10. 28. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 10. and 1 Pet. 1. 5. Therefore it cannot be that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace Of which argument you may see more in the second argument drawne from God himselfe The fourth thing in Christ that proues this position to the full is his compassionate and tender nature He will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flaxe Isai. 42. 13. Mat. 12. 20. Hee will seeke that which is lost and bring againe that which was driuen away hee will binde vp that which is broken and strengthen that which is sicke hee will seed his flocke like a shepheard and hee will gather the Lambes with his arme and carry them in his bosome and will gently leade those that are with young Exech 34. 16. 10. and Isai. 40. 11. He giueth power to the faint and to those that haue no might he increaseth strength Isai. 40. 29. And therefore seeing that Iesus Christ is so compassionate to all those that are his members and once ingrafted into him seeing that he is alwayes touched with the sense and feeling of their infirmities Heb. 4. 15. It cannot bee that euer they should either finally or totally fall from grace When a man is once but truly regenerate and ingrafted into Christ if hee be weake and faint hee will strengthen and refresh him if hee be sicke and dead he will quicken and reuiue him if hee be sicke and wounded hee will heale and cure him if hee be in any distresse or temptation he will helpe him and assist him if hee be deiected in minde and conscience he will comfort and reioyce him such is the mercifull gratious and compassionate nature of Iesus Christ that he will supply all the wants and necessities of all his Saints in all kindes whatsoeuer they shall neuer want any thing that may helpe to keepe them in the state of grace or bring them home to heauen Psal. 23. 1. Phil. 4. 19. and Psal. 34. 10. therefore they need not feare a totall or finall fall from grace it cannot happen to them The fift thing that may stablish our hearts in the present truth is the vigilancy and care of Christ ouer vs and his perpetuall presence with vs Christ is that great that good and that carefull shepheard of his sheepe Who is alwayes watching ouer his flâ—…cke lest any of them should miscarry He doth alwayes night and day keepe and gard his sheepe and neuer fleeth from them when the theefe doth come to steale them but hee carrieth them in his owne bosome and keepes them in his armes bee giues life in great abundance vnto all his sheepe yea he layeth downe his owne life for his sheepe hee giues vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of his hands as wee may reade Iohn 10. 10 11 12 28. Psal. 23. 1 2. Ezech. 34. 16. Isai. 40. 11. Psal. 121. 3 8. Christ is alwayes present with his faithfull sheepe his presence doth goe with them alwayes for to giue them rest Exod 33. 14. and as it was with the Children of Israel when they marched toward the temporall Canaan so is it with all those that are once truly regenerated in their marching toward the heauenly Iesus Christ will goe before them in a piller of a cloude to lead them in their way and in a pillar of fire by night to defend them from their enemies and to giue them light to goe by day and night hee will not take away the pillar of the Cloude by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before his people Exod. 13. 21 22. Cap. 14. 19 Therefore they shall be safe and neuer fall either totally or finally from grace From all which I collect this fift argument Those who haue Iesus Christ for their Pastor and shepheard those whom hee doth alwayes gard and keepe with speciall care and vigilancy and protect and shelter with his presence it s altogether impossible for them to fall from grace But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue Iesus Christ for their Pastor and shepheard who will lose none that are committed to his charge Iohn 17. 14. Hee doth alwayes gard and keepe them with speciall care and vigilancie and protect and shelter them with his continuall presence and therefore it is altogether impossible for them to fall from grace The minor proposition cannot be denyed the maior like wise must be true else you must make Christ Iesus that great good and carefull shepheard of the sheepe to be exceeding negligent and carelesse in his office A good shepheard will neuer so much as lose a sheepe or let it goe astray much lesse then will Iesus Christ loose any of those sheepe that
puts a new nature and disposition into them so that they cannot alter or destroy it if they would But of this see more in the reply to the answere which is giuen to the fourth argument drawne from God If therefore no sinne which the saints of God can commit if the freedome and liberty of their owne will cannot destroy that seede of grace which is within them and there be no other cause or thing to doe it it is certaine that this seede and annoynting of the Spirit must still remaine within them and so your answere as long as the seede and annoynting remaines which supposeth that they doe not alwaies remaine and abide within them must needes be false friuilous and repugnant And so this argument and text of Scripture remaines vnanswerable Other answeres there are vpon the diuers readings and expositions of these places which because they are but vaine and idle and not worth the answering I will passe them ouer and so proceede The fourth thing in the spirit of God or in the holy Ghost that may stablish and settle vs in this present truth is the earnest of the Spirit that is giuen to all those that are once truly regenerated from whence this fourth argument doth arise Those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from Grace But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13 14. 2 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should either finally or totally fall from grace The minor being the expresse text of God The maior only is for to be proued Now that those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts can neuer fall either finally or totally from grace it appeares by these reasons First because the earnest of the Spirit of God is nothing but an assurance giuen vnto vs by God of that share and portion which he hath prepared for vs in heauen whence it is stiled the earnest of our inheritance vntill the purchased possession be really bestowed vpon vs Eph. 1. 14. 15. Secondly because it makes the Saints of God confident and sure of heauen and of eternall life as appeares by the 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Where Paul saith thus Now hee that hath wrought vs for the selfe-same thing is God who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit therefore 〈◊〉 are alwayes confident knowing that whiles wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord wee are confident I say and willing rather to bee absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. This 〈◊〉 of the Spirit makes the Saints of God confident and sure of their saluation vpon good and solid grounds and not vpon bare conjectures and therefore it cannot choose but keepe them from falling away from grace Thirdly it must needes bee so that those who haue the earnest of the Spirit can neuer fall from grace in respect of the properties of an earnest For first an earnest it tyes and bindes the party that doth giue it to make good his bargaine and his promise Secondly it is a badge and signe of true and vpright dealing and it giues an assurance that the bargaine shall bee punctually performed to the vtmost by him that giues the earnest Thirdly an earnest is part of payment it is part of the whole which wee shall receiue Fourthly it is such a thing as can neuer be taken from vs. Let the Bargaine or the Contract hold or breake the earnest still remaines with him that doth receiue it hee that giues it is not to require it hee thâ—…t receiues it is not to restore it Fiftly an earnest drawes the whole to it it makes the whole of which it is an earnest to be our owne Now the Spirit of God and the graces of Gods Spirit which are once put into our hearts are stiled an earnest in all these respects because they binde the Lord for to performe his Covenant and to giue vs that inheritance which he hath promised to vs 〈◊〉 because they giue vs full assurance that God deales truly honestly and in good earnest with vs and that he will performe whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto vs to the very vtmost because that portion of Grace and of Gods Spirit which wee haue in possession here is a part and inchoation of that happinesse and glory which we shall haue hereafter because they are such things as shall neuer be taken from vs againe Luke 10. 42. Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not bee taken away from hâ—…r God will not require this earnest at our hands againe but wee shall still enioy it as our owne and because they drawe the whole vnto them they make the whole and all of that which God hath promised to vs to be our owne Wherefore this must needes bee an vndoubted truth that those who haue but once this earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts as all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue it Rom 8. 9 14. can neuer possibly fall either finally or totally from grace for then this earnest of Gods spirit should bee lost and serue to none or little purpose Of all arguments that can bee produced this is one of the strongest and least capable of any sound and solid answer The fift thing in respect of the holy Ghost which may convince vs of the truth of this position is the ordinary and constant working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all those who are once truly regenerated sanctified and ingrafted into Christ. For the spirit of God when once it enters into mens hearts and soules after it hath once truly humbled them for their sinnes and in some good measure sanctified and purified their hearts and soules then it doth secretly pacifie their soules and consciences then it giues them that inward and secret assurance of the everlasting and vnchangeable loue of God to them in Christ which passeth vnderstanding and testifieth to their owne spirits and consciences that they are the adopted children and sonnes of God which causeth them to cry Abba Father Rom 5. 1. and cap. 8. 15 16. Then it stampes and settles this assurance of Gods loue this vndoubted certaintie of their owne salvation and of their continuall perseverance in grace vnto the end vpon their hearts and soules in such deepe and indelable Characters that no temptation no sinne or affliction whatsoeuer can vtterly raze and blot it out againe though it may so blot and blurre it for a time that thâ—…y themselues may not so evidently and cleerely see it as they should And when all this is done then the holy Ghost descends as a sweet and heauenly dew vpon them and doth fill and euen glâ—…tte and ravish their very hearts and soules with that ioy which is most vnspeakeable
20. 9. Christ doth leade them in the way of righteousnesse and in the middest of the paths of iudgement Prou. 8. 20. The loue of Christ doth euen constraine them for to please him so that they cannot but speake and doe the things which they haue seene and heard 2 Cor. 5. 14. Acts 4. 20. They are vessels vnto honour sanctified and meetâ—… for their masters vse and prepared vnto euery good worke 2 Tim. 2. 21. the whole frame and disposition of their soules is bent and set only vpon that which is good so that they cannot choose but serue obey and please the Lord continually in all things They cannot doe the euill and commit the sinne they would They are good trees of the Lords owne planting therefore they cannot bring forth euill fruite Math. 7. 18. they are borne of God therefore they cannot sinne 1 Ioh. 3. 9. They haue put off their coate of sinne how then shall they put it on they haue washed their feete how shall they then defile them Cant. 5. 3. They are dead to sinne and how can such as are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. The sheepe of Christ they will not follow a stranger but they flee from him for they doe not know his voyce Iohn 10. 5. They walke in the spirit so that they cannot doe the things they would nor yet fulfill the lust of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. 17. The word of God doth cast downe their sinfull imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against God and bringeth into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. So that they cannot doe the euill that they would And againe they cannot sinne vnto death because their seed remaineth alwaies in them and because they are borne of God 1 Ioh. 3. 6. 9. and c. 5. 16 17 18. Therefore they cannot possibly fall finally or totally from grace How this argument can be answered or â—…uaded I cannot yet conjecture Thirteenthly the Saints of God they cannot be separated from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus they are married 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto God for eâ—…er God â—…ath 〈◊〉 tâ—…em to be his people and they haue chosen him to be their God which yeelds vs this thirteenth Argument Those that cannot possiblie bee separated from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus those that are married espoused and betrotheâ—… vnto God and Christ for euer those whom God hath chosen for to be his people and hath likewise caused them to choose him for their God and to ioyne themselues vnto him in such an euerlasting Couenant as shall neuer be forgotten it is impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are married espoused and betrothed vnto God and Christ for euer Hosea s. 19. 20. I will betroth theâ—… vnto mee for euer yea I will betroth thee vnto me in righteousnesse and iâ—… iudgement and in louing kindenesse and in mercies I will euen betroth thee vnto meâ—… in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord God will marry himselfe to them and them vnto himselfe â—…e will be their husband and they shall be his Spouse Psal. 45. 10. 11. Isai. 54. 5. Ier. 3. 14. cap. 31. 32. Math. 19 5. 6. Christ and they are become one flesh and one spirit Eph. 5. 28. ver 33. 1 Cor. 6. 17. They cannot possibly be separated from the loue of God which is in Christ â—…sus their Lord by any thing or creature whatsoeuer Rom. 8. 34. to the end God hath chosen them to bee his people and hath also câ—…sed them to choose him for their God Psal. 4 3. Ier. 31. 33. vers 38. Isai. 43. 1. Ezech. 11. 20. Tit. 2. 14. Hebr. 8. 10. and 1 Pet. 2. 6. And hath also caused them to ioyne themselues vnto him in such an euerlasting league and couâ—…nant as shall 〈◊〉 be forgotten Ier. 50 5. Therefore it is impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace Fourteenthly those who are established settled grounded in grace those who are so rooted and grounded in grace that they cannot bee remoued or cast downe those who are as pillars in the house of God and shall goe out thence no more and those who are the very inheritance of the Lord himselfe it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are established settled and grounded in grace Iob 36. 7. Hee withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but he doth establish them for euer 2 Cor. 1. 21. He which establisheth vs with you in Christ is God See Psa. 89. 36 37. Rom. 16. 25. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Ephes. 3. 18. cap 6. 10 11. 1 Thes. 3. 13. 2 Thes. 2. 15. 17. Col. 1. 11. cap. 2. 57 and 1 Pet. 5. 10. They are so rooted and grounded in grace that they can neuer be remoued or cast downe Psal. 37. 27. Psal. 112. 6. Ps. 125. 1. Prou. 10. 30. Math. 7. 24. 25. Eph. 2 21. Heâ—… 12. 28. and 1 Pet. 2. 6 They are as pillars in the house of God and shall goe out thence no more Reu. 3. 12. Yea they are the Lords owne inheritance Deut. 4. 20. Psal. 78. 71. Psal. 2. 8. Psa. 79. 1. Therefore they must indure for euer For an inheritance is not of any transitory and fading thing but of such things only as are perpetuall and indure for euer Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Lastly the true regenerate Saints of God they haue all the inward and outward meanes and helpes that may be to preserue and keepe them in grace they haue the Word and Sacraments the communion company of the Saints and they haue the prayers of all the Saints on earth and they haue the continuall presence and protection of God himselfe they haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost dwelling and residing in their hearts and they haue the intercession and mediation of Iesus Christ From whence I frame this fifteenth and last argument in this kinde Those who haue all the inward and outward meanes that may be to preserue and keepe them in the state of grace those who haue the Word and Sacraments the Communion companie and prayers of the Saints the continuall presence and protection of God himselfe those who haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost dwelling and residing in their hearts continuâ—…lly and those who haue the perpetuall intercession and mediation of Iesus Christ it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they haue all the inward and outward meanes that may be to preserue and keepe them in the state of grace they haue the Word and Sacraments the Communion company and prayers of the Saints the continuall presence
and protection of God himselfe they haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost dwelling and residing in their hearts and soules they haue the perpetuall intercession and mediation of Iesus Christ together with the protection of all the blessed Angels and many such like great and glorious priuiledges which I haue mentioned and proued at large before Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Thus you see how in regard of the very present estate and condition of the Saints of God who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and in respect of these many excellent great and glorious priuiledges which they doe inioy vpon their regeneration and inscision into Christ that it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Sixtly it is altogether impossible for such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ to fall finally or totally from grace in respect of the very nature of Grace it selfe For first of all true and sauing grace as it is the immediate worke and fruite of Gods Spirit in our hearts so it is of a perpetuall incorruptible diuine and perseuering nature admitting of no finall end nor totall interruption Hence it is that Grace is stiled in the Scriptures the Diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 3. an incorruptible seed which abides for euer 1 Pet. 1. 23. a seed remaining within the Saints 1 Iohn 3. 9. an vnction abiding in Gods children 1 Iohn 2. 27. a liuing well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4 14. cap. 7. 38. a spring of water whose waters faâ—…le not Isai. 58. 11. an heauenly treasure which neuer weareth out nor waxeth old a treasure which neither Moth nor Canker can corrupt nor yet theeues purloyne and steale Luk. 12. 33. Math. 6. 20. and food that perisheth not but indureth vnto euerlasting life Iohn 5. 24. cap. 6. 27. 47. 50. 54. Hence it is that faith is said to be euerlasting life Iohn 17. 3. and to be such a grace as shall not faile Luk. 22. 32. for it is kept by the very power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. Hence is it said of loue that it is as strong as death that many waters cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it Cant. 8. 6 7. Hence is it said of the feare of the Lord that it is cleane induring for euer Ps. 19. 9. of Charity that it neuer faileth that is which neuer faileth in this life nor in the life to come 1 Cor. 13. 8. of ioy in the holy Ghost that it is euerlasting ioy which cannot bee taken from vs Isai. 35. 10. cap. 51. 11. 12. Iohn 16. 22. and of the righteousnesse of righteous men that it indureth for euer Psal. 112. 3. 9. Perpetuity immortality and eniternity they are of the essence of true and sauing Grace That grace which is not perpetuall and holds not out vnto the end it was but false and counterfeit and neuer true because it wanted this perpetuity this eniternity immortality and perseuerance which is the very life and essence of all true grace That which doth distinguish hypocrites from true beleeuers and the shew and shadow of grace from the truth of grace that which makes a specificall and essentiall difference betweene a liuing faith and a dead faith betweene a true beleeuer and a temporary is only this True beleeuers true grace and true liuing faith they alwayes perseuer and hold out to the end they neuer die they neuer fade or end Hypocrites and such as haue but only a shew of true and sauing grace they neuer perseuer they last not they hold not out vnto the end Perseuerance only is that essentiall character badge and propertie whereby God himselfe doth distinguish true and sauing Grace from false and counterfeite true Saints from Hypocrites and other men as wee may see expressely by these texts of Scripture Math. 13. 3. to the 24. Luk. 8. 11. to 16. 1 Iohn 2. 19. Iohn 5. 25. cap. 6. 66. to 70 cap. 8. 31. 2 Iob. 9. Luk. 8. 18. Isai. 40 29. 30. 31. Iob 17. 9. Psal. 92. 12. 13. 14. Therefore it is certaine that true and sauing grace is of a perpetuall incorruptible diuine and perseuering Nature admitting of no finall end nor totall interruption as long as any of those that doe inioy it haue any life and being Grace is a part of God of Christ and of the holy Ghost it is a part of their Image and it participates of their nature and immortalitie it is the worke of God and therefore it shall be for euer Eccles. 3. 12. Therefore it shall alway as perseuere it cannot die nor haue an end Secondly as true and sauing grace is of an immortall perpetuall diuine incorrupâ—…ible and perseuering so likewise is it of a growing and still-increasing nature it is alwayes growing greater and greater stronger and stronger as we may see by these insuing Scriptures Iob 17 9. Psal. 84. 7. Prou. 4. 18. Iohn 14. 14. cap. 6. 27. Isai. 40. 29. 31. cap. 44. 4. Ezech. 47. 3. to 7. 2 Thes. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Luke 2. 52. and 2 Iohn 2. Hence it is that grace is compared to a graine of Mustard-seed which though it bee but little at the first yea the least of all seeds yet at last it growes to be the greatest of all hearbes Math. 13. 31 32 and Marke 4. 31. 32. to a spring of water springing vp vnto euerlasting life and rising higher and higher Iohn 4 14 Ezech. 47. 3. to 7. Hence it is that true regenerate Christians are compared vnto trees planted by the waters side and to the Cedars of Lebanon that are alwayes flourishing growing and increasing Psal. 1 3 Psal. 52 8 Psal. 92 12 13 14. Psal. 104. 18. ler. 17. 8. Hosea 14. 5 6 7. To Calues of the stall which are alwayes groing and increasing Mal. 4. 2. and to liuing stones and members growing vp into an holy temple and body in the Lord 1 Pet. 2. 5. Col. 2. 19. and Eph. 4. 13. 16. From the nature of grace thus proued and considered I frame this Argument which doth most euidently and fully confirme and proue my present assertion If all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue such graces in them as are of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature it must then be altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue such graces in them as are of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature Therefore it must bee altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace The sequell of the maior proposition cannot be denyed vnlesse you will say that though grace bee permanent immortall perseuering and increasing in its owne nature but yet it is not so in respect of vs that it is perpetuall alwayes
If a man had a deare intire friend who was like to perish vnlesse he did relieue and helpe him if now hee should absolutely promise him to sucour aud releiue him and then faile him at the last if now this man should perish the blame would now light vpon him that should haue helped him and not vpon him that perisheth God is able to keepe his Saints from falling from him Iude 24. and he hath promised for to doe it Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 155. 1. Psal. 121. 3 7 8. Psa. 145. 13 20. He that hath giuen vs grace hath promised to preserue and keep it for vs because we cannot doe it of our selues If then wee might loose this grace and fall quite from it the blame would light on God and on the whole Trinitie who are both able and onely able to preserue and keepe the saints from falling and haue likewise promised for to doe it and not on the saints themselues who are not able of themselues to keepe themselues in the loue of God and to preserue themselues from falling from him and therefore this your Doctrine can neuer bee admitted to be true Fourthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the Trinitie and from the vertue and efficacie of the meanes of grace For if these might fall from grace where then were the omnipotencie and mightie power of God and Christ which should preserue and keepe them through faith vnto saluation where were the efficacie and power of the holy Ghost where were the strength the life mighty operation of the word of God and of the meanes of grace which should conquer and subdve the very Prince of darknesse and trample him vnder feete which should cast downe imaginations the strong holds and forts of sinne and Iust and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ where were the efficacie and power of the death and passion of Iesus Christ which should destroy out of the Saints the workes of the Diuill the power of Satan and the whole body of sinne where were the efficacie power of that feare which God will put into their harts that they may not depart from him Certainely this assertion would derogate very much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the whole Trininie and from the efficacy and power of grace and of the meanes of grace and therefore it cannot be admitted to be true and orthodox Fifthly if the saints of God might Apostatize and fall from the state of grace it would derogate much from the infinite justice and wisdome of almightie God For when as God shall haue once accepted of the death and passion of his only Sonne in full satisfaction for the sins of all his true and faithfull members when God shall promise for the merits of this his Son to pardon all their sins and to remember their iniquities no more when Christ shall purchase grace and all things appertaining to life and godlinesse when he shall purchase perseuerance heauen and eternall happinesse for them and God shall in his justice promise to make all these things good vnto them if after all this they should fall from grace and bee depriued of all these things which Christ hath purchased for them where then will this infinite justice of God appeare Yea where will his infinite wisdome bee Can it stand together with Gods infinite wisdome to discourage and deiect the hearts and soules of any of his saints to weaken and abate their loue to him and to make them cold and negligent in his seruice to bring a scandall vpon himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name which are the ineuitable consequencies of this your doctrine what justice or what wisdome would there be in God if this were true Doubtlesse very little or none at all and therefore this doctrine of perseuerance must be true Sixthly if the saints of God might fall from the state of grace it would much eclipse the efficacie of Christs death and passion and the vertue andr powe of his intercession Where were the efficacy where were the merits where were the end the worth and benefit of Christs death and passion if it could not saue men to the vtmost and preserue them from falling from the state of grace to what end and purpose would his death and passion serue If this were true then Christs should be but an imperfect Sauiour a Sauiour and yet no Sauiour a Iesus at one time for to saue vs and yet afterwards a Iudge for to condemne vs. Then a man might be oft times saued and oft times damned one howre in the state of grace another in the state of damnation a man might be ost times saued in one month in one weeke and in one day And if so where were the efficacie of the death where were the vertue of the intercession of Christ Christ by his death and passion hath purchased eternall redemption for his true and faithfull members and hath perfected those that are sanctified for â—…uer and now he is in heauen he makes perpetuall intercession to his Father for them to keepe them in his owne name to preserue them from euill and from falling from him If then those members of Iesus Christ might notwithstanding fall from the state of grace which once they haue the very death and intercession of Iesus Christ would bee of very little or of no effect and the very dearest of Gods saints â—…nd children could reape no benefit or comfort from them Seuenthly if this were true that the Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace it would make the sweete and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all Gods children to bee but a meere delusion and imposture or at least but a meere lying fancie and a vaine conceite For this I am well assured of that euery sanctfied growen and experienced christian which hath felt the working of Gods Spirit in his heart can testifie that the Spirit of God hath so sealed this truth vnto his soule and so firmely settled and ingrauen it in his heart that he can neuer depart away from God or fall finally or totally from grace Wherefore this position which would falsifie this working of Gods Spirit in the hearts and soules of all his faithfull children must needes be false and odious and cannot be admitted Eightly if this should be admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of the hearts and soules of all his saints it would much abate if not quite extinguishing the zeale and seruency of their loue to him If men could not bee sure of their owne saluation if they could not bee sure of Gods constant and immutable loue to them if they
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
frame this accusation and in ditement against you at the day of Iudgement as he did against the shepheards of Israel Ezech. 34. 4. The diseased haue yee not strengthened â—…either haue you healed that which was sicke neither haue you bound vp that which was broken neither haue you brought againe that which was driuen away but with force and crueltie haue you ruled them and then your doome and judgment will be terrible and dismall as this your Doctrine is Fifthly This doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace it makes no difference at all beeweene the godly and the wicked in this present life If the true regenerate Saints of God might either finally or totally fall from grace what difference should there be betweene impenitent and wicked men and them what priuiledge or aduantage had they more then they They haue no more assurance of Gods loue and fauour no more assurance of heauen and eternall life no more aduantage or benefit by the death of Christ then they there were then no difference at all in their estates but onely for the present they had but a meere possibilitie of heauen and eternall life they could not absolutely say we shall be saued but onely wee may be saued and so may euery wicked man that liues vpon the earth All that the Saints of God should then haue it should depend meerely vpon incertainties and future contingences they should be no more sure of saluation then wicked men True it is that that for the present they should haue a greater probabilitie and likelihood of heauen and saluation then wicked men because they are for the present in the state of grace but yet they were no neerer vnto heauen and eternall saluation then they for these wicked men might become Gods children afterwards continue so when as they themselues might fall from grace and perish in their sinnes those that are the children of Satan might be the Saints and sonnes of God when as they themselues may bee the sonnes of Beâ—…ial and vessels fitted for destruction Wherefore seeing that this doctrine of falling from grace puts no sound and sure difference betweene the wicked and the godly in this present life and giues the one no greater and no surer priuiledges then the other hath when as the Scripture makes as great a difference betweene them as is betweene sheepe and goates wheate and tares gold and drosse happinesse and misery it must needes be false and opposite to the truth and cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall finally from grace it would breede a doubt and scruple in mens mindes whether there are any that are saued or at least whether God hath alwaies had a true Church on earth For if one regenerate man may fall from grace then a second and a third may to and so euery regenerate man in particular and so all regenetate men and then there should bee none that should bee saued then there might be a time when all men might be fallen from grace and so a time when as there was no Church of God on earth Wee all know that the very best of all Gods Saints and children are apt and ready to fall into sinne and that in many things they offend all which things by your assertion may cut them of from Christ and cast them headlong from the state of grace wherefore for ought that any man knowes there is not any one of Gods Saints and children but may bee fallen quite away from the state of grace before his death and so may dye and perish in his sinnes and therefote if this position were once admitted it would breede a doubt in men where euer there were any saued or whether God hath alwaies had a Chruch on earth which would be a dangerous consequent and would much eclipse the riches of Gods mercy the merits of Christs death and passion the glory and perpetuity of his kingdome and make men carelesse of religion Thirdly this Doctrine of a finall or totall Apostacie from the state of grace would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe and so cannot be admitted First it would cause men to vilifie and vnderualue grace it would cause them for to slight and disrespect it and not to set that price vpon it as they should For if true and sauing grace might bee lost againe who then would estimate or value it who would forsake the riches the honours and the pleasures of the world to seeke it and imbrace it ' which should be then as permanent sure and stable as grace it selfe That which makes men for to prise estimate grace aboue all things else is this that it is a perpetuall stable and permanent possession which will neuer decay that is is not subiect vnto time and chance as all sublunary and worldly things are that it is such an heauenly treasure as cannot be lost nor taken from vs. Therefore Christ when as hee would incite and stirre vs vp to seeke after grace doth commend grace vnto vs as a permanent and euerlasting good which neuer fades nor yet decaies putting it by way of antithesis and opposition to all worldly things which are but momentary and fading hence are these his exhortations Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the â—…eate that perisheth but for that which indâ—…reth vnto euâ—…rlasting life Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth where 〈◊〉 and rust doth corrupt and where theeâ—…es breaks through and â—…teale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theâ—…es doe not breake through nor â—…eale Math 6 19. 20. Whosoeuer shall drinke of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4. 13 14. That which doth most of all commend and set forth grace that which makes it amiable and louely and giues it an excâ—…llencie aboue all earthly things is this that it is a permanent possession an euerlasting treasure which cannot be loâ—…t If it were notso men could not prise it aboue earthly thing This Doctrine therefore of falling from the state of grace it takes away the very excellency of grace and so it would cause men for to vilifie and vnderualue it and to preferre the base and transitorie things of the world before it which would bee a dangerous consequence Secondly this assertion it would ouerthrow and vtterly disanull the very nature and essence of true sauing grace For grace as I haue proued at large before is of a permanent constant perpetuall immortall growing and increasing nature it cannot perrish or decay where once it is in truth begun This Doctrine of a totall or finall fall from grace it makes grace to be but a transitory and fading thing in ouerthrowes this nature and essence of true
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
leade you to imbrace this error If you will but examine your owne hearts well you shall finde that the thing which leades you to imbrace this error is either the learning or the fame of some particular men that do defend it or else some secret hatred malice either to all or to some particular men that doe oppose it or else some felfe conceite and some high opinion which you do attribute to your owne conceites without any due examination of them by the word of God or else it is some desire of singularity or fame or the hope of gaine honour preferment one of these I may be bold to say is the cause that moues you to patronize this error and not the loue of God or of his truth Remember therefore that you are bought with a price that you should not be the seruants of men that the word of God is the rule of life and doctrine and not the word of men remember that if you are the sheepe of Christ you must heare his voice and his only you must not hearken to the voice of strangers let their learning or their parts bee what they will No men more apt to erre then those of greatest parts and learning especially when as their parts and persons are not sanctified The greatest schollers haue alwaies broached and propagated the greatest and the most dangerous errors Wherefore neuer pinne your faith to the fickle opinions of fraile and mortall men especiallly of such men in whose liues the practise and power of religion shines not forth but examine all things by the word of God and though an Angel from heauen much lesse a Diuell from hell or a carnall man from earth should bring any other doctrine to you then what you finde to be warranted and recorded there receiue him not but let him bee accursed Sure I am that this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints hath no ground or footing for it in the word of God if you will but take the paines to search the Scriptures you shall finde it to bee so and therefore let not the opinion or fame of any particular man that doth patronize this error ouersway your judgments against the Scriptures the word of God And as for all other priuate by respects which may ingage you to adore this error remember that Gods glory and the loue of truth if not the good and welfare of the Church should ouer ballance and surpasse them all Better is it for to loose the world with all the fame the riches honours and preferments in it then to loose the Lord of truth and his euerlasting fauour to loose both soule and body at the last in hope of gaining honouror prefernâ—…ent now Wherefore lay aside all sinister by respects and consider how many great dangerous and pernitious consequencies will ineuitable follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall Apostacy of the Saints and then you cannot but disclaime it and detest it from your soules and euen fromyour hearts imbrace this orthodox and sound position which here I do defend That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Hauing thus as I suppose so fully proued the truth of this position by arguments and reasons drawne from the Scriptures that no man can be able to gainsay it For further satisfaction in the point I will now produce some humane authorities for to proue it which authorities I shall reduce to these three generall heads First I will proue that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church 〈◊〉 that this was and is the doctrine of all Protestant Churâ—… beyond the Seas Thirdly that this was and is the doctrine of the Church of England For the first of these that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church I shall manyfâ—… it by their owne authorities which I will vouch in â—…atine as I finde them printed lest I should giue the opposites any occasion for to carpe at mee or wrong the authors or the reader in the translation especially since I cite these Fathers to satisfie the learned not the ignorant I will first begin with the auncient of the Fathers and so discend to these of latter times Dionysius Areopagita Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apoftles times and as himselfe records it in his 11. Epistle to Apollophanus the Philosopher was 25. yeares of age at the death of Christ though others doubt of it hath deliuered and recorded this very doctrine in his booke de diuinis nominibus cap. 7. His words are these Diuina fides est stabilis credentium sedes qua hos in veritate locat in ipsisque veritatem impersuasibili identitate certam simplicem veritatis notionem habentibus ijs qui crediderunt Nam profectò si scientia cognoscentium cognitorum coniunctrix est ignorantia verò mutationis semper ex se ignoranti suae diuisionis est author eum qui in veritate credit iuxta Scripturae fidem nihil remouebit à verae fidei autore in quo constantiam immobilis atque immutabilis identitatis habebit In the 8. chapter of the same booke about the end of the chapter he hath these words Verum enim profectò hanc salutem non praeter intentionem Scripturae sanctae vt bonitate cuncta saluantem qua sunt omnia ab suorum prolapsione bonorum redimentem praedicare meritò possumus quantum cuiusque saluâ—…ndorum admittet naturae Idciâ—…cò etiam redemptionem iam theologi nominant ex quo sinit quae verê sunt ad id caedere vt non sint Ex eo item quod et fi quid deliquerint ab ordine suo aberrauerint imminutionem aliquam perfectionis bonorum suorum passa fuerint Hac etiam parte à passione imbecillitate ac priuatione reddimit impleus quod deest paterno affectu infirmitatem supplens at que à 〈◊〉 â—…rigons imò in pulchro fistens quod effluxerat bonuÌ„ reparans ae disponens ordinis quod deest in illo atque positionis exornans integrumque perficiens ab omnibus absoluens 〈◊〉 atibus And a little before he hath these words Itaque vt verum dixerim hoc magis est diuinae iustitiae proprium nequaquam emollire atque enermare optimorum quorumcun que masculum sensum largitione carnalium neque si quis id conetur agere eas sine adiutorio linquere sed eos in praeclâ—…o inflexibilique statu solidare eisque cum sint huiusmodi secundum merita reddere So that by this most ancient Diuines opinion these that are truly faithfull can neuer fall quite away from grace Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr who flourished in the yeare of Lord 163. and somewhat after concurreth in opinion with vs in his Explic. quaest à Gent. Christ. positarum quaest 23. For there
totall or finall perseuerance of the Saints and proue the contrary to be true All that they produce against vs from the Scripture is nothing else but their owne collections and conceits which how farre they varie from the true scope and meaning of the places from which they are collected you shall see hereafter by particulars Now on the contrary side there are diuers and sundrie texts of Scripture almost in euery page throughout the Bible which doe in so many words either abso lute ly fully positiùely and plainely set it downe or by way of sound necessary and ineuitable consequence inferre that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer fall neuer bee moued neuer bee cast downe from the state of grace neuer depart quite away from God nor yet be separated from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus the most and chiefest of which places I haue quoted in my former Arguments and therefore will not stand to repeate them now The case then standing thus I take this for a true sure and neuer failing rule which admits of no exception That when there is any point of doctrine se t downe in Scripture in plaine positiue and expresse tearmes especially if it be thus set downe in diuers seuerall places which is our case that there no inference or bare collection from any other text of Scripture contrary to that doctrine and those expresse places of Scripture which doc warrant it ought not to bee admitted or receiued for else wee should preferre the inferences and vaine conceites of men which are full of error and vncertaintie before the positiue and sure word of God Wherefore seeing that all which is objected against vs from the Scriptures is not the Scripture it selfe but bare conceites inferences and collections from the Scriptures farre dissonant from the true sense and meaning of those Scriptures from which they are collected it is not to bee valued or accounted of but to be sleighted and reiected as humane fancies and conceites and as opposite and contrary to the expresse plaine positiue and absolute word of God which doth in so many words and in expresse tearmes lay downe this doctrine which I here maintaine I shall reduce this first obseruation to this Argument That doctrine and Argument which is but a bare inference and collection from the Scriptures and is quite opposite and contrary to that doctrine which is plainely positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures is not to be regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as false and counterfeit But the doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints and the Arguments which are produced for to proue it are but bare inferences and collections from the Scriptures and they are quite opposite and contrary to the doctrine of the finall and totall Perseuerance of the Saints which is plainly positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures Therefore they are not to bee regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as falfe and counterfeit This is the first thing which you must obserue The second thing which I would haue you to obserue is this That the Scripture saith expressely that all those that doe Apostatize and fall from grace were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only in outward shew and appearance This is positiuely and litterally set downe by the Apostle in the 1 Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not all of vs. Here the Apostle expresly affirmes That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer Apostatize nor fall from grace And that all such as doe fall away from that outward shew of grace the which they made doe therefore fall away because they had neuer any truth and soundnesse of grace or any true regeneration in them This is seconded by the same Apostle in the 2 Iohn 9. Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He was neuer truly regenerated in the sight of God though he were in the eyes of men but hee that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath the Eather and the Sonne hee only hath them in truth and in deed This is also ratified by Christ himselfe Iohn 8. 31. If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed intimating that such as did not continue in his Word were neuer his disciples indeed but only in outward shew So Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken not that which hee had in truth but that which hee seemed to haue None are there that doe euer loose the state of grace but such only as seeme to haue it but haue it not in truth All the plants which are rooted out of the Church of God are such as God the Father neuer planted Math. 15. 13. Those that seeme to fall out of the hands of Christ and perish are only such as were not in the number of his sheepe Iohn 10. 28. and those of Israel that fall from grace and perish they are only such as were not Israel they had only that circumcision which is outward consisting meerely in the flesh and in the letter they had neuer the inward circumcision of the heart and of the spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. and cap. 9. 6 7. From which I shall frame these two Arguments the one to proue my present assertion the other to defeate all those subsequent arguments which shall or can bee vrged against it The first Argument is only this If all those that fall away from grace were only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doc neuer fall from grace But all those that fall away from grace are only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ yea and the reason why they fall from grace is only because they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ as appeares by the premises Therefore those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doe neuer fall from grace what can be replied to this Argument transcends the spheare and compasse of my thoughts The second Argument which will vtterly defeate and falsifie all the Arguments and the very ground of all those objections which are or can bee made against mee is this If all such as fall away from grace are onely such as neuer had any true and sauing grace and such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then all the Scriptures and examples which onr Antagonists produce against vs make nothing to the purpose For then they must either be intended onely of
that the proper meaning of this place is onely this that in the militant Church of God there are two sorts of Christians some there are that are members and branches of Christ in outward shew and profession onely but not in truth these God the Father will cut off as dead rotten and fruitlesse members and he will cast them into hell fire to be burned because they do not abide in him bring forth fruit Others there are that are the true members and the liuing branches of Christ bringing forth much fruite those God the Father will bee alwaies purging that they may bring forth more fruite but yet not by their owne strength and vertue but by that sappe and nourishment which they receiue from Christ all therefore that you can collect from hence is only this That hypocrites and the dead branches of Iesus Christ may fall from grace and perish which no man will deny Yea but you will obiect that here are two words in the text which doe strongly imply that the true branches of Iesus Christ may bee broken off from him may become vnfruitfull and so be cast into the fire to wit this word â—…xcept and this word if which are both conditionall words I answer that neither of these words imply the thing which you intend For first this word except in this place of Iohn is a word of causality and not of condition As the branch cannot beare fruite of itselfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee our abiding in Christ is not a condition but a cause of bearing fruite that which makes vs fruitfull in good workes is our abiding in Christ is the only substance and summe of these words and so you can collect no necessary consequence which makes against me from them All the argument which this sentence yeelds you is but this No regenerate man can beare any fruite except heâ—… abide in Christ therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may fall from grace which is a meere 〈◊〉 Secondly for this word if I answer that it doth necessarilie imply that the true branches of Iesus Christ may be broken off withered and cast into the fire Consider but the words themselues and you shall finde it so If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered If yee abide in me and my words abide in you you shall aske what you will and it shall be done vnto you What now will your arguments from these words bee surely no more but this If anyman abide not in Christ he is cast forth as a branch and withered therefore regenerate men may fall from grace If any man abide in Christ all his prayers shall be granted therefore regenerate men may fall from grace Who but franticke and distracted men would produce such arguments as these Yea but there is a great deale of profound matter in the white of an egge there is much included in these conditionall words which euery mans vnderstanding is not able to fathom these conditionall speeches must needes imply possibilitie of falling from grace else to what purpose are they vsed I answer Not to proue that regenerate men might fall from grace this was neuer Christs meaning in this place it is but your wrested strained and forced collection For the only end wherefore Christ did speake those words was onely to incourage and stirre vp his Disciples and his Saints to fruitfulnesse in good workes which he doth by these two seuerall meanes First by declaring vnto them the way and meanes by which they might be fruitfull and that is by continuing and abiding in him Secondly by propounding some certaine motiues to them to stirre them vp to fruitfulnesse which are of two sorts The first taken from the danger of vnfruitfulnesse euery branch in mee that beareth not fruite my Father taketh away and he is cast forth and withered Secondly From the aduantage and the great commoditie of fruitfulnesse in good workes both in respect of themselues and in respect of God In respect of themselues it would cause God to giue them a gratious answer to all their prayers and requests to him it would preserue and continue the loue of Christ to them and it would fill them full of joy In respect of God God should bee glorified by their fruitfulnesse in good workes This then being the onely end and scope of Christs words in this place to stirre vp his Disciples and to prouoke them to fruitfulnesse in good workes if you take the words as they are spoken and as Christ intended them then they make not for you at all then your conclusion and argument from them must be this Christ doth prouoke and stirre vp regenerate men and such as are his members to fruitfulnesse in good workes therefore they may fall from grace a ridiculous and absurde inconsequence To conclude all I say that the true branches of Iesus Christ can neuer fall from grace nor yet depart from Christ. First because Christ himselfe hath chosen them and ordained them that they should goe and bring forth fruite and that their fruite should remaine Iohn 15. 16. Secondly because Christ and the holy Ghost will alwayes liue dwell and abide within them Iohn 15. 3. cap. 14. 16 17. Ephes. 3. 17. Gal. 2 20. Math. 28. 20. 1 Iohn 4. 15. and cap. 5. 10. 20. Thirdly because that Christ doth loue them in the same manner as his Father loueth him Iohn 15. 9. Now Gods loue to Christ is perpetuall and neuer ends therefore Christs loue to them must bee perpetuall to and so Christ cannot but abide in them and they in him Fourthly because the true branches of Iesus Christ cannot bring forth ill fruite Math. 7. 18. they cannot fade nor wither they cannot cease from yeelding fruite Psal. 1. 3. Ier. 17 8. Fiftly because the feare of God is in their hearts that they shall not depart from Christ Ier. 32. 40. Sixtly because Christ hath prayed to his Father for them to keepe them through his owne name that so they might be in him and hee in them Iohn 17. 11. 23. That is as Athanaâ—…us expounds it that the grace of his Spirit might remaine irreuocable and immouable in his Disciples that that which was granted to the Sonne by nature to bee in the Father might be granted 〈◊〉 vnto vs by the Spirit which when Paul knew who saith he shall separate vs from the loue of Christ for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Lastly because Christ spake these very words which you object to this only end that his ioy might remaine in his Disciples and that their ioy might be full Iohn 15. 11. nâ—…ither of which could be if that the true members of Iesus Christ might fall quite away from grace For then Christ could haue no joy in them nor they no ioy and comfort in him Therefore your collection from this
receiue the end and fruite of it euen the saluation of our soules This opposition therfore betweene those that hold out and those that draw backe this distinguishing and seuering of them doth euidently proue that such which draw backe from God are onely hypocrites and not true beleeuers so that your Antecedent is false and no waies warranted by this text of Scripture which comes not home vnto our purpose and doth no waies make against me Secondly admit that these words are spoken of such as haue true faith in them yet they are but conditionall If they draw backe not absolute and positiue or they do draw backe and therefore they proue not any thing against me The twelfth obiection that may bee made against mee is that of Dan. 11. 35. Some of those of vnderstanding that is some of the true and chosen Saints of God shall fall to try them to purge them and to make them white From which words this argument may be framed The true Saints of God may fall therefore they may fall from the state of grace I answer that the argument is false and followes not because this fall which the Prophet meanes in this place is not a fall from the state of grace but a fall into afflictions and temptations which appeares euidently by these vnanswerable reasons First because it is said that they shall fall to purge them to try them and to make them white now this a totall and a finall fall from grace or a fall into the mire and puddle of sin can neuer do for these falls doe wholly contaminate and defile men they neuer purge or purifie them that fall which purgeth trieth and makes men white is a fall into the fire of afflictions and temptations and no fall else 1 Pet. 1. 7 1 Cor. 3. 15. Iames 1. 12. Ezech. 22. 18. to 23. and cap. 24. 13. therefore this fall here must needes bee a fall into affliction and temptation and no other fall Secondly it must needes be so by reason of the connexion with the two former verfes where it is saide that those of vnderstanding among the people shall fall by the sword by the famine by captiuity and by the spoile for many daies which is onely a fall into afflictions and is the same fall which is meant in the 35. verse Lastly this must needes bee intended of a fall into affliction and not of a fall from grace because verse 32. it is saide that those onely that doe wickedly against the couenant shall bee corrupted with flatteries but the people which doe know their God shall doe exploites they shall not fall from God they shall not be corrupted from the Lord. This place then being onely intended of a fall into affliction and not of a fall from grace your argument followes not for it is no more in subâ—…tance but this The true regenerate Saints of God may fall into afflictions and temptations therefore they may fall from grace So this text and argument doth not hurt vs The thirteenth obiection that may bee brought against mee is that of Prou 24. 16. A iust man falleth seuen times therfore a regenerate man may fall from the state of grace For answer I shall deny the argument For this fall here spoken of is onely a fall into affliction and not a fall from grace This is euident both by the precedent and subsequent verses Lay not waight ô wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous spoile not his resting place for the righteous falleth seuen times and riseth vp againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe Reioyce not when thine enemie falleth and let not thine heart bee glad when heâ—… stumbleth least the Lord see it c which words doe fully euidence this to be nothing else but a fall into outward crosses and afflictions Secondly if this bee not meant of a â—…all into afflictions which I grant not yet make the most you can of it it can bee but intended of a fall into the acts of sinne and not of a totall and finall fall from grace Lastly when the righteous man falleth hee neither falls totally nor finally For the text tells vs that hee neuer falls into mischiefe as the wicked man doth and that hee neuer falls but presently hee riseth vp againe Wherefore take this place which way soeuer you will yet it proues nothing at all either for a finall or a totall fall from the state of grace The fourteenth obiection which may bee pressed against mee is that of Paul in the 1 Cor. 8. 11. Through thy knowledge shall a weake brother perish for whom Christ dyed A weake brother for whom Christ died may perish by reason of scandall therefore a regenerate man may fall from grace For answer to this argument I shall distinguish of this word brother and of this word perish There is a double fraternity and brotherhood among Christians the one internall and reall when as two or more are really and truly ingrafted into Christ and vnited and knit together in him the other externall when as two or more are incorporated into one visible Church but yet not really incorporated and ingrafted into Christ himâ—…lfe Againe there is a double kinde of perishing the one spirituall when as the soule and inward man the other corporall when as the body and the outward man doe perish and decay either of these may be sub-deuided into these two heads into a partiall perishing when as soule and body perish and decay in part to a totall perishing when as they perish wholly in euery part and not in some particular part alone and that either for a time or for euer If you take a brother in this case for one that is a brother onely in the Church but not in Christ I grant that such a brother as this may perish both in the inward and outward man in part or in the whole either for a time of for euer But if you take a brother in this place for one that is a brother in Christ as well as in the Church I grant then that such a brother as this may by reason of some scandalls perish in part euen in the inward man that is his conscience may be greiued and offended hee may bee prouoked thereby to commit sin to violate the law of charity to haue vn charitable thoughts of religious men and to distast them for a time it may somewhat abate his zeale and feruencie in the practise of religion and coole his affection and loue to God and so may be destroyed in part But yet hee cannot be totally destroyed that seede and habit of grace which is planted in his soule cannot bee vtterly abolished and rooted out by reason of any scandalls whatsoeuer though the acts and fruites of it may bee suppressed by them for a time So that the meaning of this place of Paul if we compare it with the precedent and subsequent words and with that place of Math. 18. 6. 7. and
nothing impeach the truth of this our assertion The seuenteenth obiection against this present assertion is drawne and collected from Psal. 27. 9. 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. and from other places and prayers of this nature and it is but this in substance The regenerate Saints of God doe alwaies pray to God not to hide his face from them not to put them away in his anger not to leaue them nor forsake them not to cast them off at last nor to take away his holy Spirit from them Therefore they may fall from grace or else these prayers would bee but vaine and idle I answer that the argument followes not and the reason which you alledge for to confirme it is but friuilous First because that prayer is a chiefe meanes to preserue the Saints of God from Apostacie and backsliding and to confirme and settle them in the state of grace therefore the vse of prayer cannot imply a falling from grace This is no good argument The Saints of God do vse the meanes to peâ—…seuere therefore they may fall from grace because the Saints cannot perseuere in grace but by vsing of the meanes and the vse of the meanes is the cause of perseuerance not of Apostacie this is your argument in effect The Saints of God doe vse prayer to God which is a meanes of perseuerance therefore they may fall from grace What a ridiculous and absurd argument this is let all men judge The perpetuall care of God ouer his Saints his euerlasting loue towards them his continuall presence with them together with the guidance and direction of his Spirit are the chiefest causes why the Saints of God do thus perseuere in grace which though God hath promised vnto them freely and will be sure to make them good vnto them yet hee will haue them for to pray vnto him for the accomplishment and performance of them that so they may bee thankfull to him for them that so they may prise them at an higher rate and ascribe the glory of them vnto him Therefore their prayers vnto God to haue these promises accomplished and made good vnto them cannot imply a finall or a totall fall from grace Secondly The argument followes not nor yet the reason which is alledged because it makes the promises of God vncertaine euen in respect of God himselfe God hath promised not to leaue nor yet forsake his children Deut. 31 5. Iosh. 1. 5. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Heb. 13. 6. hee hath promised them not to cast them off Iob. 8. 20. Isay. 41. 9. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Iohn 6. 37. and that his spirit shall abide with them for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. doe their prayers therefore vnto God make these promises of God vncertaine in themselues and doubtfull whether they shall bee performed by that God of truth and faithfulnesse that made them to them God forbid for this would bee nothing else but to make God a lyar and to make him subiect vnto change and ficklenesse in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning I am 1. 17. I would demand but this question of you who presse this argument whether your praying vnto God for his presence and spirit doe imply that God will not giue them to you If it doth how then can you pray in faith without doubt and waâ—…ering beleeuing that you shall receiue the thing you pray for It is impossible for any man to pray in faith if his prayer vnto God did imply an incertaintie in Gods persormance of the thing hee prayes for and so it should bee impossible for any man to haue any fruite or benefit by his prayers because they are not made in faith So that if this were true your prayers must needes be faithlesse and fruitlesse and all these gratious and comfortable promises of God concerning the hearing and answering of your prayers would bee of no effect or truth If it doth not implie thus much that God will not grant the things you pray for how then will this your Argument follow or stand good If the prayers of the Saints to God not to cast them off not to forsake them or depriue them of his presence or his Spirit doe not implie that God will caâ—…t them off forsake them and withdraw his Spirit from them then you can collect nothing at all against me from these prayers no not so much as a possibilitie of falling from the state of grace Wherefore if you will but recollect your senses and weigh but this your Argument in an vpright ballance you cannot but acknowledge and confesse it to be ridiculous false and idle and nothing to the present purpose The eighteenth objection that may bee made against me is collected from these words of Paul Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect vnto you who euer of you are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The Saints of God may fall from grace in seeking to be justified by the law therefore they may fall away from grace I answer that the Antecedent is not warranted by this place which you alledge for the scope of this place and of this whole Epistle is nothing else but to disswade the Galathians from seeking iustification and righteousnesse by the Law and to seeke justification only by faith in Christ. So that this place alleaged is nothing else but a dehortation and no more in sense then this Those that seeke to be justified by the law shall haue no benefit by the death of Christ and therefore beware how you seeke to be justified by the law What is this to our purpose Surely nothing at all Yea but you will say that the Galathians fell from grace Well I grant it But from what grace was this surely the grace of God offered vnto them in the Gospell or the grace of the Gospell which is not here in question but not the true and sauing graces of Gods Spirit they fell from the doctrine of grace in cleauing to the law not from the Spirit and habit of grace by cleauing vnto sinne The greater part not all the Galathians fell from the Gospell to the law but that the true regenerate Saints of God which were among them did so to that they fell away from the state of Grace this place is not sufficient for to proue it though you racke and wrest it to the vtmost The nineteenth obiection may be drawn from that prayer of Agur. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Giue me neither pouerty nor riches feed me with food conuenient for mee left I be full and denie thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steale and take the name of God in vaine Plentie or pouertie may make a regenerate man to fall from grace as appeares by this prayer of Agur. therefore regenerate men may fall from grace I answer first that plenty or pouertie may cause regenerate men to fall from grace if God should leaue them to themselues
but a meere transient act and not an habituall grace or at least it would make habituall repentance to bee of no esteeme in the sight of God neither of which can bee admitted For if a new and fresh repentance bee necessarily required after euery particular knowne sinne as your argument surmiseth then either the sinne which is committed must destroy that habituall repentance which is in men or else the act of repentance after those knowne sinnes committed must be a fruit of that habituall repentance which was in them before or else it must be but a meere transient act or else it must follow that such as haue the habituall grace of true repentance in thē may be damned or put into the state of damnation for want of an outward act of this their habituall repentance at that particular time If the sinne committed doth destroy that habituall repentance which was in them then you will make one act of sinne to destroy an habit of grace which cannot bee If this actuall repentance after the sinne committed which you say doth cut men off from Christ and cast them downe from the state of grace bee but a fruite and effect of the former habit of r◅pentance that was in them then they were not totally cut off from Christ and cast downe from the state of grace for they had still the grace and habit of repentance in them If this actuall repentance afterwards proceed not from an habit of repentance which is wrought within them then you make repentance to bee but a meere transient act and not an habituall grace which is contrary to the Scriptures which doe make repentance to bee an habituall grace If you grant repentance to bee an habituall grace and yet maintaine that the Saints of God are in the state of damnation after any grosse sinne committed before their actuall repentance notwithstanding they haue the habituall grace of repentance in them then you make the habit of true repentance to wit the inward disposition and frame of the heart and soule the inward hatred and antipathie against sinne the inward tendernesse and the habituall sorrow and griefe of heart and soule the constant purpose of heart to forsake all sinne and to cleaue inseperablie to Christ to bee nothing wor◅h in the sight of God and to bee nothing auailable to the Sa◅nts when as it is onely the inward and habituall disposition and inclination of the heart and soule that God requires and regards as an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice vnto him neuer respecting the outward act of repentance vnlesse it proceed from that babit of repentance which is within vs as you may see at large 2◅ Chro. 34. 27 28. Ps. 51. 17. Isa. 57. 15. c. 61 1 2 3. Eze. 36. 26. Mal. 3. 14. Wherfore seeing that this argument would make repentance to be a meere transient act not an habituall grace and seeing it would make the habituall grace of true repentance to bee of no effect and not sufficient to free men from damnation it followes not Fifthly this argument followes not because it would breed a great fraction and interruption in a Christian mans estate a regenerate man might then bee one day in the state of grace another day in the state of damnation a third day saued a fourth day damned a fifth day written in the booke of life a sixth day rased out of it againe the state of grace should then beefull of fractions and interruptions full of inconstancie and ficklenesse whereas the Scripture doth informe vs that a regenerate mans estate is a constant stable setled permanent and immutable estate and so well grounded fixed rooted and established that it cannot be shaken moued or totally interrupted as you may read at large Psal. 125. 1. Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 89. 36 37. Ier. 31. 36 37. Math. 7. 24 25. Luke 6. 48. Iob. 36. 7. Heb. 12 28. Ephes. 3. 17. Col. 1. 23. cap. 2. 5 7. 2 Cor. 1 21. Rom. 5. 2. 1 Cor. 16. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 8. 2 Tim. 2. 19 and 1 Pet. 5. 10. wherefore your argument followes not Sixthly the argument followes not because it would seuere the meanes from the end or the end from the meanes it would seuere Gods absolute positiue and immutable decree and election from the meanes that should execute it and so it would make it to bee of no effect For if repentance bee the meanes which God hath appointed his children to obtaine saluation by as wee all know it is then that God who hath decreed that his elect chosen and true regenerated Saints should bee saued hath likewise decreed that they should still repent because else this decree of his could not be executed As God hath giuen Christ vnto his Saints and children so hee doth also together with him freely giue them all things that may tend to their saluation Romans 8. 32. as God hath giuen them life and godlinesse so hee hath giuen them all things that belong vnto them 2 Pet. 1. 4. all things that may preserue and keep them in them So that all whom God hath praedestinated to eternall life he hath likewise praedestinated them to all things that are needfull and requisite for to obtaine it else this praedestination and decree of his would be in vaine for want of meanes to execute it Wherefore God hauing praedestinated all such as are regenerated vnto etern all life hee hath likewise praedestinated them for to repent of all their sins and therefore this argument of yours which would seuer repentance from praedestination and suppose that a regenerate man elected to eternall life might die without repentance and so perish for euer must needes be false Seuenthly this argument followes not neither can it bee admitted because it would seuer and diuide those graces of Gods spirit which cannot bee disioyned It would seuer repentance from faith and loue from justification and adoption which cannot bee disioyned or seuered from the other For a man may commit a grosse sinne and yet haue true and sauing faith and loue within him still a man may bee stained with some foule and scandalous sinne and yet not loose his adoption and that seede of grace which is within him 1 Iohn 3. 9. If therefore such a man as is adopted and regenerated such a one as hath the seede of grace and the habit of faith and loue within him might fall from grace and perish as you pretend hee may then a man that is justified a man that hath true and sauing grace within him may bee damned and the graces of Gods spirit which are concatinated and lincked together by an inseperable vnion might bee seuered which were an absurd and an impossible thing Eightly this argument followes not because it derogates much from the merits and satisfaction of Iesus Christ it puts all vpon one act of repentance it makes our former repentance and justification by faith in Christ to bee nothing at all it takes away all from Christs satisfaction and
affirme that it is not the Doctrine of the Church of England and that these words of the Common prayer Booke doe not warrant it And lastly if all these faile me I shall denie the Argument and proue vnto you that it followes not and that though the Antecedent and the Argument were both true yet that they are both impertinent to our present purpose For the first of these that all Infants that are baptized are not by their very Baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only Sacramentally I shall make it good by these subsequent reasons First because the Sacraments doe neuer conuey any inward and spirituall grace which may truly regenerate and ingraft men into Christ but where there is the hand of faith for to receiue them and that grace which is conueyed by them This is euident by Mark 16. 16. not he that is baptized only but he that beleeueth is baptized shall bee saued but hee that beleeueth not though hee be batized shall bee damned therefore it is not baptisme of it selfe but faith which doth regenerate and saue men So Acts 8. 36. 37. When the Aethiopian Eunuch demanded of Philip behold here is water what doth hinder mee to be baptized Philip returnes him this answer If thou beleeuest withall thine heart thou maist intimating that his baptisme without faith would doe him no good at all that it could not regenerate him nor yet conuey any grace into his soule So Gal. 3. 26 27. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus for as many of you as were baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. It was the Galathians faith and not their Baptisme which made them the adopted sonnes of God for in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing no nor yet Baptisme which succeedeth it neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. Baptisme without faith is in effectuall it may wash and purifie the body but it can neuer wash purifie regenerate and cleanse the soule vnlesse it bee accompanied with faith which workes by loue and with true repentance For it is faith only that purifieth the heart Acts 15. 8. it is Repentance and not Baptisme that doth wash away our sinnes Baptisme without repentance it cannot doe it therefore Peter Acts 2. 36 37 38. doth joyne them both together For when his auditors that were pricked at the heart demanded of him what they should doe Hee answers them thus Repent and bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost If Baptisme without repentance had beene sufficient to haue regenerated them and purified them from their sins Peter would neuer haue aduised them for to repent withall for that had beene superfluous but his joyning of repentance and baptisme thus together intimates that the one is not effectuall without the other It is faith only that doth iustifie vs and ingraft vs into Christ Rom. 4. 3. 5. cap. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 6. and Ephes. 2. 8. it is faith onely that doth make the Sacraments effectuall to regenerate vs and ingraft vs into Christ this I am sure is the doctrine of our Church Now all those Infants which are baptized no nor all those that are baptized at their ripe yeares be they Anâ—…baptists or such as are newly conuerted to the faith they haue not this grace of true sauing and justifying faith within them and therefore they are not truly regenerated by their baptisme As it is said of the word of God Heb. 4. 2. that it profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it So I may say of Baptisme that it regenerates not all Infants because all haue not faith that doe receiue it Secondly all Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because this would make the Sacrament of baptisme effectuall to all that doe receiue it which cannot be First because that this would make baptisme to bee quite different from all the other ordinances of God and meanes of grace For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it profits not all alike to all vnworthy communicants it is the cause of damnation it is a cause of grace to none but such as doe receiue in a worthy manner so the word of God though it be the sauour of life vnto life to some yet it is the sauour of death vnto death to others that doe heare it 2 Cor. 2 16. So it is of all the other meanes of grace whatsoeuer they are not effectuall to worke grace in all and therefore Baptisme cannot doe it There is the same reason of all Gods ordinances where one of them is effectuall all of them are effectuall where one of them is ineffectuall there all of them are ineffectuall to for else there should be a great confusion and jarring in the ordinances of God a man should then bee saued by one ordinance of God suppose by Baptisme and damned by another by the vnworthy receiuing of the Lords Supper or by the vnprofitable hearing of the word of God which the God of order peace and vnion can neuer suffer There is a sweet harmonie and mutuall agreement betweene all the meanes of grace and ordinances of God they alwayes goe hand in hand together they all worke within the same sphere and compasse one of them is no larger then the other where one is effectuall there the others are or at least may be to Wherefore since the other ordinances of God are not effectuall to regenerate and to worke grace in all no more can Baptisme doe it Secondly Baptisme cannot regenerate all alike because circumcision which was a type of Baptisme did not doe it All those that were circumcised with the outward circumcision of the flesh were not circumcised with the inward circumcision of the heart and spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. therefore all those that are outwardly baptized with water are not inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire Baptisme is come in the place of circumcision and therefore it must be of the same effect as circumcision was and so it is For as there was an outward circumcision of the flesh which was common to all and an inward circumcision of the heart which was proper only to the elect of God so there is an outward Baptisme or putting away of the filth of the flesh only which is common to all but saues none and an inward baptisme of the Spirit which is the answer of a good conscience towards God this is the Baptisme which doth regenerate and saue men of which all that are baptized are not partakers but only such as are elected to saluation Thirdly all that are baptized are not alike regenerated by their baptisme because this would take away the libertie of Gods Spirit which breatheth when and where it listeth
of Galatia if the greater part of them onely if the chaffe of them if the Goates and not the wheate and sheepe among them fall away this example proues nothing at all against me All that this example proues if you racke it to the vtmost is only this that men may fall from the word the doctrine and Gospell of faith but not that they may fall from the grace of faith The third example is taken from the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira and Pergamus these they lost their first loue and fell from grace Reu. 2. 4 5. therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace I answer that neither of these Churches fell from grace though they fell into some sinnes for which the Lord reproues them by Saint Iohn For it is there said of the Church of Ephesus verse 2 3. that shee had workes and labour and patience that shee could not beare them which were euill that shee had tried them which saide they were Apostles and were not and shee found them to be lyars that shee had patience and that shee had laboured for Gods name sake and had not fainted of which God tooke speciall notice and God himselfe tells her that hee had but somewhat to say against her all that was in her was not out of order she was not generally faulty something only was amisse and what was that she had lost not her loue but her first loue that is shee had lost the degrees the zeale the heate and feruencie of her loue her loue was not so intense so hot so zealous and so ardent as it was before but yet the habit of her loue was still remaining in her shee had loue in her still though not in that degree as shee had it before yet she had it in such a degree that shee hated the deedes of the Nicholitans whom God hated and shee could not beare them which were euill verse 3 6. which shee could neuer haue done if this habit and grace of loue had beene vtterly extinguished and abolished in her and therefore because that all things in her were not amisse because there were many graces and good things in her of which God tooke speciall notice it is most certaine that she was not fallen totally nor finally from the state of grace The same answer may serue for all the other Churches for they had all workes charity seruice faith patience they did hold fast the name of Christ and not deny his faith and their last workes were 〈◊〉 then their first versâ—… 9. 13 19. and of this God himselfe takes speciall notice and can you thinke that these Churches which had these things in them were fallen quite from grace Can any Church or person haue all these graces in them and yet be fallen totally from the state of grace Credat 〈◊〉 Apella non ego others may beleeue it if they will but men of any judgement cannot doe it because it is a plaine contradiction that a man should bee fallen totally from grace and yet haue many graces in him still So that these examples proue nothing at all against mee Yea I may boldly say they are vnanswerable proofes and euidences for mee For say I if these Churches of God when as they fell into those sinnes for which God reproues them did not fall totally from the state of grace as it is manifest they did not then it is plaine that the Saints of God doe neuer fall from grace for if they fall not from the state of grace by falling into sinne they fall not from it by any other meanes and so they fall not from it at all So that these maine examples and proofes on which you doe rely they are the strongest euidences that make against you Thus much for the second sort of examples The third sort of examples are taken from some particular Saints of God and these are many in number First the examples of the second and third ground are produced against vs. The second and third ground they had true grace and faith but they fell away from grace Math. 13. 5 6 7 20 21 22. Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace I answer that the Major is false for though they did receiue the word with joy for a time yet they had no true and sauing grace at all within them as is euident by these reasons First because they neuer came to that maturity and ripenesse as to bring forth fruite there was only a blade and outward shew of grace within them there were only the buds and leaues but not the fruites of faith in them now faith without fruits and workes is but a dead and empty faith yea no faith at all 1 Thes. 1. 3. Iam. 2. 14 17 26. Secondly because the faith the which they had it did not altar and change it did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 their hearts it made them not good and firtle groâ—…nd they were but stonie and thornie ground still the word the which they did receiue it wrought no chang or alteration in them they were still the same they were before Now how is it possible that such as were neuer changed and regenerated such as continued in their carnall and old estate being as bad as euer such in whose hearts there was no alteration and renouation wrought that they should haue true grace or faith within them For true grace and true faith they doe regenerate transforme and alter men they purifie and 〈◊〉 their hearts and soules and make them new men and new creatures Rom. 12. 2. Acts. 15. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Gal. 5. 24. and Col. 3. 9 10. and therefore these two grounds could haue no true and sauing grace or faith because they were not thus truly regenerated purified and transformed into good ground but continued stonie and thornie as they were before Thirdly because it is said of one of the groundes that afflictions and temptations made the seeds that was sowen in it to wither away and of the other ground that the thornes and weeds sprung vp and choaked the seede that was sowen in it Now this is the propertie of true justifying and sauing faith that it makes men to abide the triall and to hold out in times of persecution affliction and temptation Iam. 1. 12. and 1 Pet. 1. 7. that it ouercomes the world and the cares and troubles and temptations of it 1 Iohn 5. 4 5. and therefore these two grounds which were ouercome of temptations persecutions and afflictions and of the cares the pleasures and riches of this world had no true justifying and sauing faith within them Fourthly because that true justifying and liuing faith of which only our question is intended is alwaies rooted and grounded in the soule so that it can neuer wither nor yet be rooted and weeded out as we may reade at large Ephes. 3. 17. Col. 1. 23. cap. 2. 5. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Ier.
faile finally so neither did it faile totally as you surmise Secondly I answer that this prayer and speach of Christ as will plainly appeare by the context had reference principally to this very act of Peters deniall Christ had prayed for him that euen now when as Sathan did seeke to sift him as wheate in tempting of him to denie his Master that euen in this particular temptation his â—…aith might not faile in his heart though it did in his mouth So that this speach and prayer of Christ hauing reference to this very act of Peters deniall of him that his faith might not so much as faile in it you cannot without great wrong to Peter but greater iniury to Christ affirme that his faith did totally faile at this particular time and so this your replie is vaine and friuolous Secondly it is manifest that Peter did not fall totally from grace in denying Christ because he did it onely out of feare and infirmitie and not out of malice or infidelitie hee did it being forced to it by carnall feare and not with a full consent hee denied him onely in the flesh and in the tongue and not in the heart and soule Now all will grant that sinnes of infirmitie and not of malice That sinnes committed by the flesh against the consent and approbation of the spirit and the inward man doe neuer cast a man wholly downe from the state of grace or else none could stand in the state of grace so much as for one houre such a sinne was Peters as all the Fathers and others doe agree therefore this sinne of his though it were great and grieuous yet it could not wholly depriue him of the state of grace Thirdly it is euident that Peter fell not totally from the state of grace because one act of infidelity cannot destroy an whole habit of grace especially being in such a nature as Peters was For Peter here did not denie that Iesus was the Christ and Sauiour of the world hee did not denie that he was God equall with the Father hee did not denie any thing touching his Deity or humanity or which did crosse any Aâ—…ticle of faith he onely denies that he was personally acquainted with Christ or that he was one of his companions or followers and will you say that such a deniall of the personall knowledge of Christ as this did vtterly destroy that habit and seed of grace and faith which was in Peters heart when as he did beleeue in his heart that Iesus was the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God when as this was no sinne of infidelitie but of feare and did onely argue not want of faith but want of courage in Peter will you make this one acte of cowardice in Peter to abolish and destroy the very seed and habit of his faith especially since he had no sooner denied Christ with his mouth but he presently bleeds for it at the heart Certainly if you doe it it is a signe you want the grace of charity who judge so harshly of other mens sinnes and yet thinke so lightly of your owne Fourthly it is euident that Peter fell not totally from the state of grace by this his sinne both by his cariage in and after this his sinne For as Peter shewed his faith and loue to Christ in following him to the high Priests pallace when as all the other Disciples fled away so his vnwillingnesse to forsake Christ euen then when as he was suspected to bee one of his friends and followers which might haue brought him into danger did shew that hee did still affect and loue him in his heart euen then when as he denyed that he knew him with his mouth I would demand but this question of our Antagonists who doe so much presse this Example whether Peter euen at that very time when as hee denyed with an oath that he knew not Christ did not beleeue on him and relie on him as on his onely Lord and Sauiour in his heart If he did so as it is more then probable that he did by Iohn 6. 67 68. Math. 16. 16 17. and Luke 32. 32 33. and by this his action here in that he did not leaue him or forsake him then it is certaine that his faith did not vtterly saile him that the habit and seed of grace and faith were still within him and so he fell not from the state of grace If he did not thus if he did not relie vpon him for saluation but disclame him for his Sauiour let our Antagonists then proue the contrary by the Scriptures that I am sure they cannot doe and therefore I am not bound to beleeue their bare assertion for it Againe Peters cariage after this his sinne comâ—…itted proues that he did not totally fall from grace for no for had the Cocke crowen but hee presently remembers the words which Iesus spake vnto him and hee went forth and wept bitterly Iâ—… Peter had fallen totally from the state of grace by this his sinne if he had had no habit no seed and no remainders of grace left in him when as he had denyed Christ it had beene impossible for him to haue beene so apprehensiue and sensible of his sinne as now he was No sooner had he committed this sinne of his but presently the Cocke crowes no sooner had the Cocke crowen but forthwith he remembers the words of Christ and was deeply affected with this sinne of his Hee gâ—…eth out and weepes bitterly his repentance followes so soone â—…on his sinne that if his faith and ancient graces had not continued in him no new infused grace could haue come betweene his sinne and his repentance and therefore Peters carriage both in and after his sinne committed doth proue that he did not fall totally from grace by this his sinne Fistly I would demand this question of our Antagonists whether the other Disciples did not fall from graâ—…s well as Peter for they denyed him in deeds in flying from him hee denyed him but in words in saying that he knew him not If the other Disciples fell from grace in flying from him where then was the Church of God in what persons was it then existing if they fell not from grace in flying from him then neither Peter in denying of him Sixtly the Scriptures make no mention at all that Peter in denying Christ did fall from grace strange then that our Antagonists should so confidently affirme it vnlesse they haue it by some spetiall reuelation Is not this a strange kinde of presumption in men to determine and judge of other mens estates in such a resolute and peremptorie manner without a ground in Scripture for it is not this a kinde of folly and arrogancie in them to censure and judge of other mens estates which they neuer were acquainted with and in the meane time to neglect to sâ—…arch and trie their owne Sure I am the Scripture makes no mention that Peter fell from grace by this his sinne therefore
neuer elected or chosen to saluation And whereas you say that hee was giuen by God to Christ true as a sonne of perdition as the same text tells you not as a sheepe of Christ as a traytor not as a friend as a Disciple not as a Saint as one ordained to destruction that the Scripture might be fulfilled nor as one elected to saluation therefore this example comes as short of the purpose as Iudas did of grace The seuenth Example is Salomon Salomon he was a regenerate Saint of God But hee fell away from grace in committing idolatrie 1 Kings 11. 1. to 13. Therefore other regenerate men as well as hee may fall from grace To this I answer that it is not fully agreed vpon by Diuines whether Salomon though God indued him with excellent parts and wisdome beyond all those that were before or after him were euer truly regenerated yea or no if hee were not truly regenerated then hee is not within the verge and compasse of our present question if hee were regenerated as most Diuines doe thinke I answer that though Salomon in his old and doting age was led away vnto idolatrie by reason of those idolatrous wiues the which hee married yet there is no place of Scripture that proues that he fell totally from grace there are three places which doe strongly proue the contrary to wit the 1 Kings 11. 6. where it is said that Salomon went not fully after the Lord his God as did Dauid his father which word fully implyeth that hee did still follow the Lord notwithstanding his idolatry but not so fully as hee should haue done not so fully as Dauid did Psal. 68. 30. to 38. and 2 Sam. 7. 13. 14. where God bindes himselfe by his oath and couenant to Dauid that though Solomon should sinne against him yet his mercy should not depart from him as hee tooke it from Saul that he would not vtterly take from him his louing kindnesse nor suffer his faithfulnesse to faile that hee would not breake his couenant with him nor alter the thing that was gon out of his lips but that hee would establish him for euer before him though hee did visite his iniquitie with rods and his sin with scourges which places being compared with his Ecclesiastes which most take to bee a penetentiary booke for his idolatry and other sinnes will fully proue that Solomon did neither finally nor totally fall from grace To auoide prolixity and to end these examples Saul Asa Ioash Symon Magus The Elders of the Church of Ephesus Demas Hymeneus and Alexander Those of whom Christ prophecied that their loue should waxe cold Mat. 24. 12. Those of whom Paul and Peter and lude prophecied that they should depart from the faith and sedâ—…ce many all these say our Antagonists were true regenerate men they had the Spirit and true faith But all these they fell away from grace either totally or finally Therefore true regenerate men may fall from grace I answer that the Major is false these had no true grace at all they were neuer in the number of Christs sheepe for then they would haue continued with the residue of his flocke that went not from the fold but they went out from them that it might bee made manifest that they were not of them 1 Iohn 2. 19. If any of these by the verdict of the Scriptures had the Spirit it was but only the ordinary and common gifts but not the justifying sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit If any of them had any faith it was an historicall not a justifying and sauing faith and the faith from which they departed was nothing else but the doctrine of faith and not the grace of justifying and liuing faith as is euident by Acts 20. 30. Phil. 1. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 18 19 20. cap. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. and 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 3. Iude 3. The loue the which they had it was but counterfeite for many waters cannot quench true loue neither can the floods drowne it Can. 8. 7. Yea the very Scriptures from which these examples are taken do distinguish them from the Saints of God and reckon them as hypocrites as wicked and prophane persons as gracelesse men as reprobates as the seede and children of the diuell so that I cannot chuse but wonder at the impudencie of our Antagonists who will canonize them for Saints and godly men against the manifest and reuealed truth of God as if they knew them better then God himselfe and therefore since God himselfe hath branded them for hypocrites they come not to the point in question The twenty eight and last argument is drawne from those dangerous consequencies which would follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints Bertius he enumerates and musters vp some sixteene of them the most of which are but meere trifles and not worth the answering I will only cull out three of them which are the chiefe and most commonly objected by all our Antagâ—…nists and will waiue the other as idle and impertinent The first inconuenience which is obiected is this That this our assertion would make men very bold and presumptious to commit sinne when once they are regenerated because they could not fall from grace nor yet bee damned for it I answer that you are much mistaken and this your argument shewes plainely to the world that you who vrge and presse it were neuer yet acquainted either with the nature or the power of true and sauing grace nor yet with the mysteries and secrets of the word of God For if euer you had bin acquainted with the power and tâ—…uth of grace or with the Scriptures and the word of God you could neuer reason so carnally so rawly and ignorantly as now you doe the want of grace and the ignorance of the Scriptures is that which makes you argue thus that which makes you for to measure the Saints of God by your owne selues when as they haue not so learned Christ as you haue done If you were but acquainted with the Scriptures or with the nature of true and sanctifying grace you should finde that notwithstanding the true regenerate Saints of God could neither finally nor totally fall from grace yet they dare not sinne either willingly or wittingly against the Lord for these insuing reasons First because their hearts and natures are changed and regenerated sinne now becomes as odious and distastfull vnto them in their proportion and degree as it is to God himselfe they hate and detest yea they do vtterly defie and abhor from their very hearts and soules all kinde of sinne they hate it with an implacable and perfect hatred as an odious dangerous and bitter thing and as the greatest enemy of their soules therefore they will not therefore they cannot commit it Strange it is that any man should so much mistake himselfe as to thinke that perseuerance in the state of grace which is the