Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	grace_n	work_n	6,662	5	5.6625	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10194	The perpetuitie of a regenerate mans estate VVherein it is manifestly proued by sundry arguments, reasons and authorities. That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith, can neither finally nor totally fall from grace. It is also proued, that this hath beene the receiued and resolued doctrine, of all the ancient fathers, of all the Protestant churches and writers beyond the seas, and of the Church of England. All the principall arguments that are, or may be obiected against it, either from Scripture, or from reason, are here likewise cleared and answered. By William Prynne Gent: Lincolniensis.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1626 (1626)	STC 20471; ESTC S115319	355,787	462

and disalowes of whom and what he will without controll Sure I am these Articles and the doctrine in them were approued and agreed vpon on all hands at the conference at Hampton Court though Mr. Mountague records the contrary The booke is y●…t extant which will auerre all that I say for truth and proue Mr. Mountagu●… a lyer and Impostor if not worse so that if Mr. Mountague had not had his face euen crusted and steeled ouer with more the●… audatious impudencie hee would not haue thus incouraged his readers See the booke Againe the Articles of Ireland Nomber 33. 38. confirmed by King Ia●…es vnder his broad Seale they are the very same with the Articles of Lambeth and contradictory to Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article which proues that the Articles of Lambeth were neuer repealed by publike authoritie and that the 16. Article was neuer expound●… in Mr. Mountagues sense by any publike authoritie for then King Iames would neuer haue confirmed these Articles vnder his broad Seale hee being such a King as did desire vnitie and peace as much or more in Church as in the Common-wealth The words of the Article of Ireland are these A true liuely iustifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanished away in the regenerate either finally or totally And againe All Gods Elect are in their time inseparablie vnited vnto Christ by the effectuall and vitall influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head into euery true member of his mysticall body So that if you will interpret our 16. Article either by the Articles of Lambeth or Ireland Mr. Mountagues exposition must be false and strained But the best expo●…ition of the 16. Article will bee taken from the 17. Article which was composed by the same men at the same time and if you will expound it by this Article then farewell Mr. Mountagues false glosse vpon it For our 17. Article certifieth vs That they which be indued wi●…h so excellent a benefit as Predestination is are called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season and that they through grace obey the calling that they are iustified freely that they are made the sonnes of God by adoption that they are made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ that they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy obtaine euerlasting felicitie From which article Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Archbishop Bancroft in his Analys●… on the 39. Articles allowed to be publike by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England and not hitherto disallowed or called in hath raised this third proposition They which are predestinated vnto saluation cannot perish and from thence he inferres this Consectarie Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke that the very Elect totally and finally may fall from grace and be damned that the regenerate may fall from the grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the vine Christ Iesus which was one of Glouers errors of which exposition allowed by publike and lawfull authority Mr. Mountague cannot bee ignorant because the more is the pitty hee hath subscribed and read them often as himselfe informes vs. And therefore if you will beleeue the 17. Article or Mr. Rogers his Collection from it allowed by the lawfull authority of the Church of England as the doctrine maintained professed and protected in the Church of England Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article must be false and contrary to the Articles and Doctrine of the Church of England and hee himselfe must in the meane time bee a scismaticall factious and seditious person and one that doth oppose the Articles and Doctrine of our Church in an audatious peremptorie impudent and dangerous manner All now that Mr. Mountague can say for himselfe is this That this exposition and Collection of his from the 16. Article and this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace was resolued of and auowed for true Catholicke ancient and orthodoxe by that royall reuerend honourable and learned Synode at Hampton Court and for proofe of it he sendeth vs to the Conference at Hampton Court published by warrant and republished by command But sure Mr. Mountague did neuer reade the booke or else he was purblinde when hee read it for there is no such thing within the booke All that is mentioned and recorded there touching the 16. Article is this Dr. Reynolds moued his Maiestie that the 16. Article the meaning of which was sound might be inlarged and explained with this or the like addition yet neither totally nor finally and that the 9. assertions Orthodoxall might bee inserted into the booke of Articles to which his Maiestie replyed that it was best not to stuffe the booke with all conclusions theologicall Vpon this Dr. Ouerall Deane of Pauls informed the King of what had passed betweene him and some other in Cambridge t●…ching our present question and concludes that notwithstanding those who were instified and called according to the purpose of Gods election might and did sometimes fall into grienous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did they neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to bee vtterly destitute of all the parts and seeds thereof nor finally from instification to which King Iames replyed that repentance in the elect of God after knowne sinnes committed is so necessary as without it there could not bee remission of these sinnes nor reconciliation vnto God This was all that was spoken either of this point or of the 16 Article and whether Mr. Mountagues glosse and exposition were not here condemned in expresse tearmes let all men judge But will you now know what was the true cause why Mr. Mountague did so grossely mistake I will informe you in a word and it worth your knowledge Mr. Mountague as he hath beene deceiued by that varlet Bertius in other things euen so he hath beene in this For hee transcribed this argument from our 16. Article out of Bertius in his Apostatia Sauctorum pag. 107. and for his Exposition of it and that it was so resolued on at the conference at Hampton Court he had it Verbatim from the Rhemists in their second Conference at Hage recorded by Brandius pag. 364. Alas good Mr. Mountague that you should be ouertaken thus that you should be driuen to such narrow shifts as to flie to Bertius and the Rhemists the very dregges and seumme of all Arminians for corrupt glosses expositions and collections vpon our Articles as if the Church of England did not vnderstand but quite mistake the genuine true and proper sense of her owne Articles or as if that Bertius and the Rhemists who are strangers to them vnderstood them better then the Church yea then the learnedest of the Church of England who composed them What doth this betoken but that Master Mountague like

totally from grace The fifth sort of promises making for me are that the Lord will guide and keepe the feet●… 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 ●…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 alway●…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. Z●…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. Ioli●… 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 rui●… 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 ca●…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 s●…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 continn●… 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 m●…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 reg●…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

fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6 11 to 19. God will loue them euen vnto the end he will loue them euen with an euerlasting loue his loue and mercy shall rest vpon them for euer he will perfect that worke of grace which he hath begun within them and he will suffer no temptation whatsoeuer vtterly to vanquish and subdue them Therefore it cannot be that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace The eight sort and kind of promises making for me are that the Lord will neuer forget his Saints that he will neuer cast them off that he will quite subdue their iniquities and rebellions that he will heale their backslidings and that hee will remember their iniquities and sinnes no more From which this eighth argument doth arise Those whom God hath promised neuer to forget neuer to cast out or off those whose iniquities and rebellions he will quite subdue those whose backslidings he will heale and those whose sinnes and iniquities he will no more remember it is impossible that they should either finally or totally fall from grace But God hath promised all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that he will neuer forget nor yet forsake them Isai. 49 15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands thy wayes are continually before mee and as God will not forget so neither will he forsake his people 1 Sam. 12 22. the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his people his gifts and graces they are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. whom hee hath once chosen he will not forsake Hebr. 13. 6. Yea God will quite subdue all their iniquities and rebellions and heale all their backslidings Ier. 3. 22. Hosea 14. 5. Mich. 7. 19. he will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 12. and 10. 17. hee will turne againe hee will haue compassion on them hee will subdue their iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the depths of the sea Mich 7. 19. Hee hath chosen them and will not cast them away the Father hath giuen them to Christ who when they come vnto him will in no wise cast them out Iohn 6 37 therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace If you obiect that though God will neuer forget neuer forsake them or cast them out yet they forget forsake and cast off God and so fall from God I answere First that God wil subdue their rebellions heal their backslidings therefore they can neuer vtterly and totally reuolt from him Secondly I answere that if God will neuer forsake them neuer forget them neuer cast them out as hee hath promised not to doe it then they can neuer forsake forget or cast off God for whiles he is with them and in them hee will not suffer them to forsake or cast him off Christ is that good sheepheard of our soules those that are his shepe hee will not onely not cast them out of his fold but he will also keepe them so that none of them shall be lost Iohn 10. 28. and 17. 12. Wherfore this cauill and obiection is but vaine and idle The ninth kind of promises making for me are these he that beleeueth he that repenteth shall be saued he shall neuer perish neuer come into condemnation he shall haue euer lasting life and shall receiue a sure reward From which I raise this argument They that shall assuredly be saued they that shall neuer perish nor come into condemnation they that shall haue euerlasting life and shall receiue a sure reward it cannot be that they should euer fall quite away from grace But God hath promised that all such as doe repent and beleiue shall assuredly be saued that they shall neuer perish nor come into condemnation that they shall haue euerlasting life and receiue a sure reward Psa 34. 22. Psal. 37 40. Isai. 45. 17 cap. 55. 3. Marke 16. 16. Luke 12 32. Iohn 3. 17 18. cap 5 24. cap. 10 28. Rom 〈◊〉 9 10 17 21. cap 8 1. cap. 10 13. 1 Tim 4 8. Heb. 11 16. 1 Iohn 3 14. and Prou 11. 18 all expresse in point Therefore it cannot be that they should euer fall quite away from grace To omit all others The tenth and last promise which makes for me is that couenant which God hath made with all his children Ezech 36 25 26 27 28. I will sprinkle cleane water vpon you and you shall be cleane from all your filt●…enesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you A n●…w heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take ●…ay the stony heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an he●…rt of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgments and doe them an●… yee shall be my people an●… I will be your God From this gratious 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 ●…rgument may be framed Those whom God will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all their sinne and filthin●…sse those to whom ●…e will giue a new ●…eart and 〈◊〉 ne●…●…pirit those whom hee will make to be his people and cause to walke in his 〈◊〉 and to keepe his iudgements and do●… them it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But God hath couenanted with all such as are once truly regenerated with all such as are his children that he will cleanse them from all their sinne and filthinesse that he will gi●…e them a n●…w heart and a new spirit that he will make them his people ●…nd 〈◊〉 them to walke in his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and doe them as appeartes by the praemises therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Loe here what a multitude of sweete and heauenly promises there are throughout the Scriptures which may fully assure and resolue euery true regenerate man and euery one that is a true member of Iesus Christ that he can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Not one of all these promises but may assure a doubtfull scrupulous perplexed conscience that he neede not feare a totall or a finall fall from grace if hee be but once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. Et 〈◊〉 non prosint si●…guila cuncta inuant And if that any one of them by it selfe may thus resolue him what will they doe when as they ●…re all conioyned and put together But yet our stout Antagonists that they may leaue no stay or comfort to a Christian ●…oule will frustrate all these gratious promises and blow them quite away at one breath one idle and false euasion forged

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 bel●…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 be●… cause he could not fall from grace the assurance of cons●…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 ho●… 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 de●…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 becaus●… 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

7. 18 19. and Ier. 31. 33 34. If hee doth take notice of those sinnes of theirs as to scourge them for them yet he neuer drawes them into question for their soules hee neuer brings them into the judgement of eternall condemnation as we may reade expresly Isay 45. 17 Iohn 3. 19. cap. 5. 24. and Rom. 8. 1 2. wherefore though the Saints commit treason against the Lord for which they deserue to be perpetually condemned yet this their treason neuer puts them into the state of death and damnation So when the Saints of God commit adultery against him and such sinnes as might cause him to deuorce them from him yet they are not presently deuorced because they doe not presently repent for God is a louing and kinde husband to them hee is not easily prouoked to put them away and to giue them a bill of deuorce vpon euery act of adultery which they doe commit as is euident by Ier. 3. 1. If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne vnto her againe but thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. The adulteries of the Saints doe neuer breake that bond of matrimonie which is betweene God and them because God will not take aduantage of them hee hath married them vnto himselfe for euer in faithfulnesse in louing kindnesse in mercies therefore will he loue them and not cast them off therefore will hee not seuer or deuorce them from him Hee hath commanded vs not to seperate those whom hee hath ioyned together therefore hee himselfe will neuer seuer nor deuorce those from himselfe whom hee hath married and betrothed to himselfe for euer but hee will seperate their sinnes from them that so they may not seuere or diuorce them from himselfe and therefore when as they sinne against the Lord they are not presently in the state of death and damnation because they are still married to and not deuorced from the Lord. So when the sonnes of God offend their gratious and louing father by their sinnes they doe not therefore cease to bee his sonnes neither are they forthwith disinherited but they continue sonnes and heires still and he continues to bee a gratious father to them It may be they may incurre his anger and displeasure for a time it may bee hee doth chasten and correct them with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men out of his fatherly care and loue vnto them and out of a desire of their good that so they may not be condemned with the world But yet they neuer incur his hatred or his whole displeasure hee neuer disinherits them or casts them out of doores hee alwaies dealeth with them as a gratious mercifull and louing father who delights in mercy hee will not alwaies chide them neither keepeth hee his anger foreuer hee will not deale with them after their sinnes nor yet reward them according to their iniquities but will euen pitty spare and pardon them as a father pittieth spareth and pardoneth his onely son that serueth him And therefore though they sinne against their gratious Father and lie perhaps in this their sinne for a time without repentance yet they are not thereby disinherited nor put from the state of grace I will now contract all this into this Syllogisme Hee that is still aliue in Christ and is but only sicke and not dead of sinne hee that is onely in a meere possibilitie to be questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited for his sinne and is not actually questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemned for it He that is more likely to liue to recouer more likely to escape vnsentenced and vncondemned more likely to continue a wife and an heire vnto God then to dye of sinne and to be perpetually condemned diuorced and disinherited of God for sinne Nay hee that is sure to recouer and neuer to die of sinne sure to scape scot-free and neuer to bee condemned diuorced or disinherited for sinne it is vndoubtedly true that such a one is not in the state of death and damnation but in the state of life and grace For no man can be in the state of death and damnation but such a one as is either dead in trespasses and sins such a one as is actually condemned diuorced and disinherited for his sins or such a one as is more likely to dy to be condemned diuorced and disinherited in and for his sins then to liue and to escape vncondemned vndiuorced and vndisinherited for his sins But all those who are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith they are aliue in Christ and euen then when as they lie in any knowne sin without repentance they are but only sicke not dead of sin they are only in a m●…ere remote possibility to be questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemned for their sinne they are not actually questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemfor it They are more likely to liue and to recouer more likely to escape vnsentenced and vncondemned more likelyto continue wiues and heires vnto God then to dye of sin and to be perpetually condemned diuorced and disinherited of God for sin Nay they are sure to recouer and neuer for to dye of sin they are sure to escape scot-free and neuer to be condemned diuorced or disinherited for sinne as is euident by the former premises Therefore it is vndoubtedly true that such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith euen then when as they lye in any knowne sinne without repentance are not in the state of death and damnation but in the state of life and grace and so the argument which is produced followes not Secondly I answer that the Antecedent is false For these sinnes of the Saints they are and may be pardoned and actually forgiuen without any particular repentance for them First because when men are once truly justified the eternall guilt of these their sinnes is neuer imputed to them as I haue formerly proued therefore a particular actuall repentance for them is not necessarily and absolutely required for to saue them and ●…ree them from damnation Christ had made them free from the law of sinne and 〈◊〉 before being made a curse for them that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him therefore they might bee saued without this this actuall and particular repentance Secondly These their sins as I haue formerly proued did not put the Saints into the state of damnation and therefore a particular repentance for these sinnes of theirs is not absolutely necessary to saluation Thirdly a particular and actuall repentance for these sinnes is not required as absolutely necessary to saluation because a generall repentance and an inward disposition of the soule without this particular outward and actuall repentance will serue the turne If a