established doctrine of our Church is yet the doctrine of the Church and I am ready to recant In which words as Mr. Mountague hath vsed a pretty sleight to keepe off men from writing or speaking against him lest they should come within the compasse of these two hatefull names Puritan and Papist so he hath discouered himselfe egregiously vnto the world and that in these particulars First hee hath discouered himselfe to be a meere Roman Catholicke in heart what euer he professe in words in hauing his beliefe and faith not grounded on the word of God but on the Church Hee beleeues only as the Church beleeues and not otherwise let come what will the Churches faith shall still bee his If our Church will owne this doctrine of his then hee will defend it then hee will teach it if our Church will not owne it then hee will disclaime it and recant it not because that this his doctrine is in it selfe true or false but meerely because it is the doctrine of the Church Now for any man thus to tie and pinne his faith vpon the Church and vpon that only what is it but to bee a professed Romane Catholicke Secondly by these his words hee hath discouered himselfe to be but a meere temporizer a meere Proteus and Chamelion a meere Neuter and a man of all religions as time and place shall serue and so a man of no religion or grace at all Let the Church of England not owne this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace Mr. Mountague will forthwith disclaime it though hee himselfe hath affirmed it to bee the doctrine of the Scriptures Fathers and of the learnedest in the Church of England So that his Tenets and religion shall bee alwayes altered and changed with the times and seasons And will you my Brethren receiue this for a sound and orthodox truth and as the receiued doctrine of the Church of England when as Mr. Mountague himselfe is as ready to disclaime it as to owne it will you suspend and pinne your faith your judgement and religion vpon Mr. Mountagues sleeue whose religion is but a meere Weather-cocke that is altered and turned about with euery blast and change in Church or State and who hath yet no other positiue or resolued religion in him but only this to be of no religion or of any religion as the times shall serue O hazard hazard not your soules vpon such vncertainties but rather sticke and cleaue to such who will sooner loose their liues and all they haue then bee remoued from this present truth which none of our Antagonists will dare to doe in defence of these their Errors And now seeing I haue made it manifest vnto your soules and consciences by vndeniable proofes and testimonies against the forgeries of Mr. Mountague and his Abbettors that this assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints is not only the positiue established and resolued doctrine of the Scriptures but likewise of the ancient Fathers of all the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas and of this our Mother Church of England ô then if you tender the glory honour and authority both of the God and word of truth which shall judge you at the laâ—…t if you reuerence and respect the authority of the ancient Fathers and of all the Churches of God or if you tender the peace the good and welsare of this your Mother Church be willing to submit and yeeld vnto the truth What if Mr. Monntague what if men of greater worth and place then hee oppugne and contradict this truth what if carnall men of great abilities and parts who are no more able to judge of this our present assertion then blinde men are of colours because it is a sensible and experimentall a spirituall and heauenly truth which is principally testified and reuealed to the soules of men by the inward operation of Gods Spirit and is not subject vnto carnall reason doe publish this as a sound and orthodox truth That the true regenerate Saints of God may Apostatize and fall both totally and finally from grace are not the Scriptures and the word of God are not the Fathâ—…rs and the Churches of God and thoâ—…e many godly learned and famous writers which I haue cited who haue farre transcended them euen in parts learning of better credit and repute with you then they If not then farwell all religion let Poperie and Arminianisme let herisie and Atheisme rule and sway the world But if the Scriptures if the Fathers if all the Churches of God and all those worthies which they haue produced haue any estimate or credit with you then striue contend and stirre no more in this our present controuersie nor yet in any other that depends vpon it but willingly subscribe to this most orthodox sound and comfortable assertion of ours which is the only proppe and pillar of a Christian soule and the only thing which makes men liue and die with joy and comfort which they haue all ratified and resolued with one vnanimous and joynt consent 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 AN ANSWER TO THE Arguments which may be objected HAuing thus as I suppose sufficiently and fully proued the truth of this position 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 By vnanswerable proofes and Arguments there is nothing now remaining but that I should giue a satisfactory answer to all such Arguments and texts of Scripture as either are or may be objected to the contrarie and then I doubt not but that this truth will bee so cleere and euident in the hearts and consciences of men that they shall neuer dare for to resist it or oppose it more Now that I may the better answer and cleere those Arguments which shal be obiected I would first of all intreate you to take speciall notice of two things which I shall propound vnto you which will take off all future objections that are made against me and giue a finall determination to the point in question The first thing I would wish you to obserue is this That there is no place or text of Scripture which doth either expressely positiuely or totidem verbis say or else by way of necessarie and vndeniable consequence proue That a true regenerate man and one that is truly ingrafted into Christ can either finally or totally fall from the state of grace but that all the Arguments which are objected from the Scriptures are nothing else but bare inferences and wrested Collections contrary to the true scope and meaning of the places There is not any of our Antagonists that can shew me any expresse absolute and positiue text of Scripture which doth either in expresse words or by way of necessary sound and ineuitable consequence confute this Doctrine of the
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
Rom. 14. 13. verse 20. is no more in substance and sense but this That stronger Christians must so much respect the weaker as that they must not giue them any just occasion of scandall or offence to wound and vexe their consciences to breed any sâ—…rupels or doubts in them to weaken their loue to God to discourage them in the practise of religion or to prouoke them vnto any sinne and not that scandals can make weake Christians in whom there is any truth of grace begun to Apostatize or to renounce the faith or to fall finally or totally from grace for this these scandals cannot do they cannot cause any of the true sheepe of Christ any that truly feare the Lord or belong vnto the â—…old of Christ to fall from grace or to depart from God and perish Iohn 10. 28. Ier. 32. 40. and 1 Iohn 2. 19. To answer this obiection in a word I answer that there is a double perishing the one in respect of such as giue the scandall and offence the other in respect of such as doe receiue it A weake brother may vtterly perish in respect of those that giue the scandall and offence that is they may doe as much as in them lies to cause him for to perish and to renounce the faith and therefore God will take it as ill at their hands as if hee had actually perished for it is onely Gods mercie which supports him and not their scandall that offends him that keepes him from Apostacie therefore God is as much offended with them as if they had perished in good earnest But yet such a brother doth neuer actually perish in respect of himselfe he doth neuer actually Apostatize and fall from grace This place proues on ely that hee may perish in respect of him that giues the offence but yet not actually in respect of himselfe and therefore it makes not against me The fifteenth obiection is that of the 1 Tim. 5. 11 12. The yonger widowes refuse for when they haue begun to waxe wanton they will marry hauing damnation because they haue cast off their first faith From whence this argument may be framed Regenerate men may cast off their first faith and so bee damned for it therfore they may fall away from the state of grace To this I answer first that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by this text For Paul speakes not here of true regenerate men and of such as were really ingrafted into Christ but of young petulant and wanton widowes whose light and vnchast behauiour doth euidently proue that they had no grace or faith at all within them So that your argument hence can be no more but this Young petulant and wanton widowes may fall from grace therefore such as are once truly regenerated may doe so to which is no good consequent Secondly I answer that faith in this place doth not signifie the grace of true justifying and sauing faith but that vow of chastitie and perpetuall widdowhood which widdowes vsed for to make in former times when as they had their vse and place in thâ—… Church of God as appeares by the very sense and scope of the place Againe damnation in his place signifies only blame or reproofe or an Ecclesiasticall censure or punishment as excommunication or the like which was vsed to be inflicted vpon delinquents in this kinde and not eternall condemnation of soule and body in hell or the state of damnation So that the true and proper sense of the place is no more but this Widdowes that breake the vow of chastity either by marrying againe or by incontinency are to bee blamed and censured by the Church for breach of this their vow because they are an occasion of scandall and reproach vnto the Church What maket this to a totall or finall fall from grace Surely nothing at all and therefore I passe it ouer without any further answer The sixteenth objection is this A man man receiue the grace of God in vaine and beleeue in vaine as appeares by the 2 Cor. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 2. Therefore hee may fall from the state of grace I answer first that if you take the grace of God for the habituall graces of Gods Spirit and beleife for true and sauing faith then the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by these places of Scripture which are quoted but if you take grace for the word of grace and the offer of Christ to men in the Gospell and beliefe for an historicall and common faith as they are taken here by the Apostle then the argument is false and followes not Now that this place of Paul is meant onely of the word of grace and of the offer of grace to men in the Gospell and not of the habituall graces of Gods Spirit it appeares by the coherence and dependancie of the 2 Cor. 6. 1. vpon the 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. God hath committed vnto vs the word of reconciliation Now then wee are ambassadors for Christ as though God did bee seech you by vs wee pray you in Christs steed bee yee reconciled to God wee then as workers together with him befeech you also that yee receiue not the grace of God in vaine which proues that this is onely meant of the offer of grace and Christ to men and not of the habit and seed of grace it selfe So that your argument from hence can bee no more but this Men may heare the word of God in vaine therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the state of grace a strange in consequent For that of the 1 Cor. 15. 2. vnlesse yee haue beleeued in vaine it is not meant of a true liuing sauing and justifying faith but of an historicoll fruitlesse dead and in-effectuall faith or beliefe which did neuer truly regenerate transforme the heart and soule of those who did injoy it This doth fully appeareby the opposition Antithesis in the samâ—… verse By which yee are saued vnlesse yee haue beleeued in vaine so that sauing faith is here put in opposition to this vaine beliefe which proues that this vaine beliefe was no true and ustifying faith So that your argument from hence must be this Men may loose a vaine and ineffectuall faith therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the seeds and habit of true justifying faith Secondly I answer that these two places proue nothing for your conclusion admitting that they were meant of true habituall grace and faith for the one of them is but a meere exhortation the other a bare exception and condition neither of them is absolute and positiue So that your argument from them can bee but this The Saints of God are exhorted not to receiue the grace of God in vaine and they shall bee saued vnlesse they beleeue in vaine therefore they may fall away from grace which is but an idle consequence and rather deserues to be derided then answered So that this objection doth
THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE Wherein 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 PSAL. 125. Verse 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euer Fulgentius de Praedestinatione ad Monimum Gratia praeuenis impium vt fiat iustus subsequitur iustum ne fiat impius Praueniselisum vt surgat subsequitur eleuatum necadat LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IONES dwelling in Redcrossestreete 1626. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY THE Diuine Prouidence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of England and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Councell MOST Reuerend Father in God it hath pleased the dispenser and giuer of all honour and preferment out of his especiall prouidence to aduance your Grace next to our gratious and Dread Soueraigne to the highest place of rule and dignitie in this our Church whereby you are farre ingaged to patronize the truth of God and the established and resolued Doctrines of our English Church Which when I had well considered it moued me to consecrate these first fruites of my studies to your Grace which are nothing else but a iust though weake and meane defence of a principell and ground of that religion which hath beene long established and setled in our Church till some factious and nouellizing spirits if not worse were so bold and impudent of late for to disturbe it The men and meanes by which this truth hath beene disturbed and drawne into question are not vnknowne I suppose vnto your Grace and therefore I neede not to informe against them All that I shall say of them is only this that they are now so potent and so politique that if they are not speedily and carefully preuented by your Grace they are like to quell at least to cloud that glorious truth and Gospell which hath shined so bright so plentifully and comfortablie among vs for so long a season with the dismall the dangerous and pernitious mists of Poperie and Arminianisme Their bookes you know which are fraught with dangerous and hurtfull errors and so much the more dangerous because they are sweetned cloathed and guilded ouer with the name and countenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England are printed and reprinted sold openly and dispersed publikely without controll and the pious wholsome and Christian labours of all such as would confute them by reason of those meanes which they haue made can either finde no license for the presse or if they chance to come vnto the presse by stealth or otherwise they are either quelled and smothered in it before they come vnto their birth or else they are called in and quelled before they can bee published and dispersed for to cleare and vindicate the truth so that by the supportation and propagating of the one and the discountenancing and suppressing of the other that truth of God which wee haue hitherto professed is like to be betrayed Shall these factious scismaticall and hereticall spirits bee so industrous to establish and to vent their Errors and to quell the truth and shall not wee be as diligent and couragious to defend it shall they with all their might and maine plant Poperie and Arminianisme nay Pelagianisme Atheismie in our Church and shall wee sit still with foulded hands with silent tongues and stupified hearts and not labour to withstand them Alas where is our loue where is our zeale to God and to his cause where is our ancient courage for the truth that wee are now so cold and frozen that we are now so much ashamed of that glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which hath flourished so long among vs and hath made vs a mirror and a spectacle of Gods mercies vnto all the world that now wee dare not or at least wee will not defend and take its part that we dare not to contend and struggle for it but that we suffer it so willingly to bee surprised and betrayed as if wee were more willing to be rid of it then any longer to inioy it Certainly this want of courage for and loue vnto the truth as it is a sure syntome that iniquitie doth abound among vs so it may iustly cause the Lord to bring a famine and scarcitie among vs not of bread only which now is very likely to befall vs but euen of the word of God which is farre worse yea it may prouoke him and that deseruedly to giue vs vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies that we all may be damned because wee would not receiue the loue of the truth that so wee might be saued O therefore let mee now beseech your Grace that as in former times you haue so now you would take heart and courage for the truth You haue many incouragements many inforcements and ingagements for to doe it For your incouragement you haue the Lord of hosts and the almightie King of heauen for to take your part you haue the votes and prayers of all true hearted Christians you haue all the aide and assistance that heauen and earth can yeeld vnto you O feare not then the face or frowne of man whose breath is in his nostrells feare not the power or the malice of any that oppose the truth for wherin are they to be accounted of the Lord of hosts is with you the God of Iacob is your refuge man therefore cannot stand before you For inforcements and incouragements to be zealous and couragious for the truth you haue very many You are called to defend and to support the truth the very nature and qualitie of your function and the very dignitie of that place and person which now you doe sustaine doe euen ingage and binde your Grace to be couragious and zealous for it God hath committed his truth Gospell to your trust and hath giuen it you in charge to propagate and defend it God and our Gratious Soueraigne haue committed the care and custodie of this our Church to your charge and they haue giuen you more ability and power and so more cause for to defend the truth and doctrine that is established and setled in it then to other men and therefore they will require and expect from your Grace to whom so much is committed much more then they can or will from any other O therefore as you tender the glory and honour of the God of heauen the defence of Christ and of his cause and Gospell the
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
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
reported for to be since Christ his Prophets and Apostles and the whole Church of God from time to time haue propagated embraced resolued and defended this our present assertion as sound and there were neuer none as yet but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay Atheists that opposed it then this your accusation that none but Puritans doe defend it must needs be false and forged at least it must bee idle and impertinent because it is but a meere euasion and waiuing of the Controuersie a meere Calumnie and reproach and a falling foule vpon the persons of syncere and vpright Christians who defend it for want of truth or learning to answer to their workes I come now vnto the second accusation that the Patrons of this assertion are nothing else but a packe and company of pestilent factious and seditious persons Indeed St. Paul had this very accusation laid against him by the Iewes because hee was so zealous to maintaine propagate and defend the Gospell and the word of God and I am verily perswaded if St. Paul were now vpon the earth as one vnknowne to you that you would presently flie vpon him accusing and condemning him for an Arch-Puritan for a Pestilent factious and seditious fellow since you accuse his followers of the selfe-same crime for defending this our Doctrine and assertion which he himselfe hath commended and recorded to them when as they are nothing like so hote and zealous for this truth as he But are there none but pestilent factious and seditious persons who maintaine our present assertion then Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles then all the Fathers and all the Churches of God from age to age were but a faction and a packe of pestilent and seditious persons then the Church of England and the Reformed Churches in forraine parts are but a faction then the Synode of Dort and our late Soueraigne King IAMES who was the cause of assembling and calling of it together with all the other Germaine States and Princes who were parties to it were but a faction for all these haue maintained defended and resolued this very assertion of ours as sound and orthodox If these were not a faction as none but Heathens Atheists or Diuells dare to stile them then surely those are not a faction who defend it now and so this false and scandalous accusation which you labour to fasten vpon others that are guiltlesse must truly light and rest vpon your selues who striue with all your might and maine and lay your heads and force together to question vnsettle and suppresse this ancient and approued truth which hath beene so long established settled and resolued in the Church of God and in this our Mother Church If one man should set an house on fire and another shauld indeauour for to quench it If one man should raise and stirre vp strifâ—… and another should take paines for to appease it If one man should breake anothers head and a third man should apply a salue to heale it If one man should oppose and labour to suppresse the truth and another should set himselfe against him to defend it I pray which of the two should be the pestilent turbulent factious and seditious person which of them is it who deserues the blame he that puts out the fire or hee that kindles it hee that seekes for to appease the strife or hee that stirres it vp he that heales the wound or hee that giues it he that defends the truth or he that doth oppose it Now those whom you accuse for pestilent factious and seditious persons they doe but labour to extinguish and put out the flame it is you that kindle nourish and increase it they doe but appease the strife it is you only that stirre it vp they doe but seeke to heale and to repaire the wounds and breaches of our Church it is you that giue and make them they doe but shelter and defend the truth it is you only that oppose it and seeke to quell and roote it out therefore you onely are the Incendiaries and fire-brands you only are the turbulent factious and seditious spirits you only and not these good Eliahs are the Ahabs who trouble this our Israell you only are the dangerous and preuayling Faction who like so many vnnaturall vipers will eate out the very bowells of this your Mother Church and of all true sauing grace if you are not preuented and withstood in time and not the men whom you accuse of purpose for to free and cleare your selues wherefore you must needes take this second accusation and slaunder to your selues alone to whom it doth truly and of right belong till you can finde some better cause to place it vpon those whom you doe here acuse To your third forgerie and last accusation That the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints are such as do contrary to the decrees of Caesar and such as violate his Maiesties late and pious Proclamation I answer that you are much mistaken For as most of their workes were published and printed before the Proclamation was published or thought on and so are not within the danger and compasse of it so the only end of this his Maiesties pious Proclamation was to establish and settle the ancient setled receiued and approued Doctrine of the Church of England in peace and quiet and to keepe backe you and all other factions scismaticall nouellizing Arminianizing and Romanizing spirits from opposing or distrubing of it it was only to defend propagate and establish the truth of God the doctrine of our Church and not to quâ—…ll them and suppresse them Who then are those who violate and transgresse this godly Proclamation those who vnder pretence and coulor of it doe labour to suppresse and quell the truth and Doctrine oâ—… our Church contrary to his Maiesties good intent or those who out of good and honest hearts indeauour to defend them and to put them out of further doubt and question Doubtlesse if I and many others are not much mistaken not the defenders and establishers but the treacherous and pernicious quellers of the truth and of the Doctrine of our Church are those who must incurre the blame and censure and then this crime and accusation must fall off from others and light heauiest on your selues to whom it doth in truth belong If any of you object that the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints is the vndoubted truth and the established and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England I answer that this is but an impudent and audatious forgerie and I dare to justifie it against the greatest Gamaliells of you all who dare to contradict me in it Yea more then this if any of you will bona fide affirme the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints to be the positiue and absolute truh and the receiued doctrine of our Church I dare aduenture for to challenge him not only for a gracelesse and atheisticall person
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
good and holy motions and affections as the Angell sometimes troubled the poole of Bethesda inflaming rauishing and warming of their hearts and soules and stirring of them vp to frequent prayer godly meditations and discourses and such like holy duties which motions and influences of Gods spirit if the Saints of God doe well obserue and take aduantage of them to kindle and to stirre them vp they may gaine abundance of grace of heauenly ioy and comfort to their soules which for want of ioyning with them and stirring of them vp may quite be lost Now the Apostles meaning here is onely this that we should not quench these motions and influences of Gods spirit when as wee feele them arising and growing vp in our hearts and soules but that wee should blow and stirre them vp by yeelding and assenting to them that so they might fully warme our hearts and soules and bring much ioy and comfort and much increase of grace vnto them and not that the spirit of God it selfe or the habituall and inherent graces of Gods spirit might be quenched and quite put out within vs. And though that good men may sometimes resist the spirit in not hearkening and yeclding to those motions of it and may oft-times grieue it by their sinnes yet they doe neuer so quench it or resist it as vtterly for to loose it and the habituall graces of it Yea but you will obiect that the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an euill spirit from the Lord troubled him and therefore the spirit it selfe and the habituall graces of it may be lost I answer that in this place the spirit of the Lord is not taken for the sanctifying gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit which are proper onely to the Elect and Saints of God but onely for the common and ordinarie gifts of Gods Spirit as Fortitude Valour Wisdome strength and an Heroicall Valiant and Kingly spirit as appeares by comparing these seuerall places one with another Iudges 9. 19. cap. 15. 14. cap. 16. 19. 20. cap. 6. 14. 1 Sam. 10. 10. cap. 6. 7. cap. 16. 13. 14. So that the spirit of the Lord departed from him signifieth onely this that his heroicall valiant and Kingly spirit and those other common gifts of the spirit departed from him which are not here in question and not the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God and the sauing graces of the Spirit for this abideth as a firme and stable truth that where once the sanctifying spirit of God doth come there it dedicates and sanctifies the heart and soule vnto it selfe there it takes vp its rest its habitation and abode for euer as those places of Scripture formerly cited doe expresly testifie And therefore it is altogether impossible that those that are once regenerated and truly sanctified should euer totally or finally fall from grace The second thing in respect of the spirit of God which doth assure vs of the truth of this position is the seale of Gods Spirit which is stamped on the hearts of all those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ Those that are sealed and marked to be Gods by the inward and powerfull operation of Gods Spirit working vpon their hearts and soules and that not for a time onely but to the day of Redemption and the day of Iesus Christ it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace because the seale and stampe of Gods spirit doth alwayes abide rest vpon their soules can neuer be razed and blotted out again But all those that are once truly regenerated are sealed and marked by the Spirit of God to be Gods own peculiar people that not for a time but to the day of Redemption and the day of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. Now hee which establâ—…sheth vs with you in Christ and hath annoynted vs is God who hath also sealed vs and giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Eph 1. 13 14. In whom also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory cap. 4. 30. And grieue not the holy Spirit of God whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Therefore it is impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace This argument though it may seeme a mystery a riddle to carnall men who were neuer acquainted with the workeing of Gods Spirit yet it doth so fully conuince the hearts and consciences of all the true saints of God and so settle this conclusion in them that nothing can be able to perswade them to the contrary The third thing in the Spirit of God which man may assure our soules of the truth of this position is the seede and annoynting of Gods Spirit from which I frame this third argument Those that haue the seede and the annoynting of Gods Spirit in their hearts it is altogether 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 the seede and annoynting of Gods Spirits in their hearts therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace The Maior proposition is warrented by these two reasons First because the seed and annoynting of Gods Spirit they are of a deuine incorruptable perpetuall and immortall nature whence they are styled an incorruptible seede and a diuine nature 1 Pet. 1. 23. and 2 Pet. 1. 4. Secondly because where euer the seede and anoynting of the Spirit are there they alwayes continue and remaine for euer as appeares by the 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. But yee haue an vnction from the holy one and the annoynting which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and by 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God And that all those who are once truly regenerated and borne of God haue this seede and annoynting of the Spirit it appeares by Rom. 8. 9. 14. where it is saide that if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his and that as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and no others and by 1 Iohn 3. 9. where the expresse words are whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him The premisses then being true the conclusion doth ineuitably follow that they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Yea but say our acute Antagonists if not absurd in this it is true that as long as the seede and annoynting abideth in those that are regenerated they cannot sin or fall away but when the seede and onnoynting is gon then they may I haue giuen a full defeate in generall to this
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
quibus prouidet munitos reddit Si vero quosdam diligentium se puniri sinit est hoc animas eorum custodientis illustrioresque reddentis etiamsi corpus intereat So in his Sermon De Spirito Sancto Tom. 1. pag. 416. Quemadmodum solis radij nubes illuminant et asspectu fulgido splendescere faciant ita et Spiritus sanctus corpus hominis ingressus vitam dedit immortalitatem dedit sanctimoniam dedit et quod iacebat erexit Habet enim homo per inhabitationem spiritus dignitatem Propheticam Apostolicam et angelicam cum anteà fuerit terra ac cinis et qui participes spiritus sunt diuino quodam modo viuunt vitam adepti diuinam ac caelestem So in his Sermon De Legend libris Gentilium Tom. 1. pag. 409. Virtus autem sola possessio immortalis atque immobilis et viuenti et morienti permanens Ambrose Saint Ambrose Bishop of Millaine who flourished from the yeare of our Lord 370. till about the yeare 400. concurreth with vs for in his Enarration vpon Psa. 36. alias 37. verse 24. Though the righteous fall yet he shall not bee vtrerly cast downe his words are these Iustus cadit interdum sed si justus est cum ceciderit non conturbabitur Quod conditionis est cadit quod justiciae resurgit quoniam justum Deus non derelinquet sed confirmaâ—… manum eius and in Psal. 40 his words are these Qui fidelis est in terram non cadit So in his Enaration vpon the 50. Psal. verse 12. Confirme mee with thy principall or chiefe spirit his words are those Firmamentum nostrum spiritus principalis est Denique is qui principali confirmatur spiritu non est obnoxius seruituti nescit seruire peccato nescit fluitare nec studio nutat incertus sed firmatus in Petra solido stabilitur vestigio So in his Commentary vpon Rom. 8. ver 29 30. he hath these words Deus istos quos persciuit futuros sibi deuotos elegit ad promissa praemia capescenda vt hi qui credere videntur et non permanent in fide caepta à Deo electi negentur quia quos Deus elegit apud se permanent Et quos vocauit ipsos et iustificauit quos autem iustificauit ipsos et magnificauit quia quos praesciuit Deus aptos sibi hi credentes permanent quia aliter fieri non potest nisi quos praesciuit Deus et ipsos et justificauit ac per hec magnificauit illos vt similes fiant filio Dei De caeteris quos non praesciuit Devâ—… non est illi cura in hac gratia quia non praescijt At si credant aut eligantur ad tempus quia videntur boni ne justitia contempta videatur non permanent tamen vt magnificentur sicut Saul et Iudas And againe in his Commentarie vpon Ephes. 1. 4. he hath these words Quos Deus vocare dicitur perseuerant in fide So in his first booke De Vocatione Gentium cap. 4. and 9. his words are these Charitas Christi eos quos diligit inseperabiles facit idest vsque in finem perseuerantes nam quid est aliud perseuerare quam tentatione non vinci And there hee produceth many pertinent and pregnant texts of Scripture as Phil. 1. 6. cap. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 35. 1 Thes. 2. 13. cap. 5. 23 24. 2 Thes. 2. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 15. 57. Luke 22. 32. Iohn 10. 28 29. 1 Iohn 5. 4 5. to proue that the Saints of God doe perseuere in grace and that God himselfe is the author and giuer of this their perseuerance And in his secoud booke De vocatione Gentium cap. 9. these are his words Innumeris sanctis suis donat vitutem perseuerandi vsque ad finem diuina protectio à nullis tamen aufert quod ipsis repugnat ex ipsis vt in omnibus studijs eorum atque conatibus semper inter se velle et nolle decertet Meritò igitur non solum incipientibus verum etiam prouectissimis sanctis vniformiter Domino supplicatur et dicitur Ne nos inducas in tentationem sed libera nos à malo vniversis enim qui in fide ac dilectione permanent ab ipso donatur ne in tentatione superentur vt qui gloriatur in Domino glorietur ipsamque gloriam ijsdem quibus eam impertit adscribit vt quamvis in auxilio Deisteterunt quia in se habebant vndè caderent ipsoruÌ„ sit merituÌ„ quod steterunt Igitur sicut qui crediderunt iuvantur vt fide maneant sic qui nonduÌ„ crediderunt iuvantur vt credant And a little after Quod pater filio dedit filius non amittit neque quisquam potest de manu eius eripere quod accepit Firmum fundamentum Dei stat et mansuri in aeternum templi eaificatio non vacillat praetenta supra omnes veritate et misericordia Dei a quo quod et nemini negatur et nulli debetur in ijs quoque promisit efficitur Ipse enim operatur omnia in omnibus Qâ—…i sicut praesciuit ante secula quanta totius mundi hominuÌ„ multitudo vel communibus via donis vel specialibus adiuta presidijs declinas tamen ab itinere veritatis ac vitae ingressura esset latitudinem erroris ac mortis Ita semper praecognitum habuit quantus pioruÌ„ numerus per opem gratiae et per seruitutem obedientiae ad eternam beatitudinem pertineret vt nullo excidente de plenitudine promissoruÌ„ qui nec prouectu erat fallendus nec auxilio defuturus eos glorificaret prae omnibus quos elegit ex omnibus uniuersitati quippe hominum ita multiplex atque ineffabibilis Dei bonitas consuluit semper et consulit vt neque vlli pereuntiuÌ„ excusatio suppetat de abnegati lumine veritatis neque cuiquam sit liberum de sua justitia gloriari cuÌ„ et illos propria nequitia demergat ad paenam et istos Dei gratia perducat ad gloriam See Prosper Aquitanicus de vocat Gent. lib. 2. cap. 28. to the same purpose Epiphanius Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus who â—…ourished about the yeare of the Lord 300. and after coucurreth with the rest and conseâ—…teth to them and vs in this particular For lib. 2. Tom. 2. Contra haereses haeres 69. pag. 627. edit Lutesiana 1612. his words are these Sic et Dominus docuit Discipulos suos dicens Si quod ab initio aâ—…diuistis manserit in vobis vos in me manebitis et ego in patre et vos in me Quare veritas fidei ab initio à Domino audita manet in sancta Dei Ecclesia et propter à man et sancta Dâ—…i Ecclesia et orthodoxa fides in Domino et Dominus vnigenitus in patre et pater in filio et nos in ipso per sanctum spirituÌ„ si facti fuerimus templa sancta ipsius spiritus capacia quemadmodum dixit
seuerall Conferences at Hage recorded by Brandius and Bertius haue concurred in the contrary assertion I confesse that Iacobus Arminius in Apolog aduers Artic quosdam Theologicos Respons ad Artic secundum in Examinatione Praedestinationis Perkinsis that Conradus Vorstius in amica collatione cum Piscatore sect 108 that Nicholaus Greuinchouius and Bertius in his Hyminaeo desertore sine de Sanctorum Apostasia and others of the Arminian crew to whom Master Mountague is much beholding haue beene of this opinion That faith once had may be lost againe But that any sound and orthodox Protestant Diuines were of this opinion in any of their decisions writings or resolutions that I neuer heard or read of as yet But will you know now who are Master Mountagues Protestant Diuines who haue so much opposed our present assertion and consented to the Church of Rome in the totall and finall losse of faith once had Surely they must and can be no other but those whose reasons arguments and quotations both out of Scriptures and Fathers Master Mountague hath ttanscribed in his Gagge for he intimates as much himselfe Now what Diuines are these Surely I must needes informe you who they are because they are worth the knowledge his two chiefe Diuines they are Bellarmine and Bertius the one a Cardinall and cheise pillar of the Church of Rome the other the strongest pillar and stoutest Champion of the Arminian faction It may be hee hath praid in some ayde from the Rhemists but I can assure you that all his quotations that are there cited are transcribed either out of Bellarmine in his 3. booke de Iustif cap. 14. or out of Bertius in his Hymeneo disertore siue de Apostasia sanctorū and most of them especially the quotations out of the Fathers are not to be found in any other Writer but in Bertius only Are these your Protestant Diuines Mr. Mountague were there no other Protestant Diuines from whence to fetch resolutions decisious but from these or can you bee so strangely impudent as to grace these two notorious and famous men the one knowne for the greatest Papist the other for the chiefest Arminian that euer was with the stile of most Protestaut Diviues no meruaile then is these men bee your Protestants that you stile all others that dissent from them not Protestants but Caluinists Puritans and Nouellers and that you stile this doctrine of the totall finall perseuerance of the Saints a Puritan Doctrine Wherefore good Reader take this short Nota with thee in the by that all M. Mountagues Protestants are none but Papists and Arminians and all his Puritans Nouellers and Caluinists whom hee so much lasheth none but sound and Orthodox Protestants who assent not to Arminius and the Church of Rome and what must Mr. Mountague be then in the meane time Surely a Papist or Arminian if not both or worse then both But I passe this ouer and come to the second thing which is to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in the state of Grace to bee the receiued and approued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the Seas by their seuerall Articles and Confessions and by their Synods which haue so resolued it That this is the receiued and approued doctrine of their Articles and Confessions it is euident and plaine First by the latter Confession of Helvetia Artic. 9. Because that the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the Spirit therefore the faithfull are called free yet so that they do acknowledge their infirmity and glory no whit at all of their Free-will So that by the expresse words of this Confession the regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall totally from grace because the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the spirit So Artic. 10. of the same confession The Saints are chosen in Christ by God vnto a sure end and Artic. 15. Wee who are once justified are not only cleansed from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life And Article 16. True faith is the meere gift of God because God of his power doth giue it to his elect according to measure and therefore it is called the faith of Gods elect This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse to God it doth keepe vs in our dutie which wee owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie and it doth bring forth good fruites of all sorts c. By this it is euident that our assertion is the positiue doctrine of the Helu◅◅◅◅tian Church So is it also of the Bohemian as it is manifest by the 6. Article of their Confession which saith That true faith doth alwayes lift vp him that hath it and assures him that in and for Christ he assuredly hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth on me hath eternall life For whomsoeuer God doth iustifie to them he doth giue the holy Ghost and by him hee doth regenerate them as hee promised by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my Spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also grace might reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ. Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace and bounty of God to inioy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation ond to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection bee made heires The French Church doth likewise concurre with vs in our assertion in the 21. and 22. Articles of their confession which say That true faith is giuen only to the Elect not that they might once only be brought into the right way but rather that they might bee forward therein vnto the end because that as the beginning is of God so is also the accomplishment Therefore it is so farre that faith should extinguish the desire to liue well and holily that it doth rather increase and kindle it in vs whereupon good workes doe necessarily follow with which the confession of Belgia artic 23. 24. doth fully agree The Confession of Saxonie Artic. 3. 7. 9. concurreth with vs For it testifieth vnto vs. That the Error of doubting is altogether heathenish that it doth abolish the Gospell and take away all true
comfort from them that feele the wrath of God and that this Error is euidently confuted by these words Being justified by faith wee haue peace with God Also therefore is righteousnesse of faith that it might be sure Therefore it aduiseth vs to lay hold on this sweet comfort that the Sonne of God is the keeper of his Church as he saith Iohn 10. No man shall take my sheepe out of my hands Hee doth protect vs and also by his holy Spirit doth confirme our mindes to true opinions as hee doth begin eternall life so doth hee kindle in our hearts good motions faith the loue of God true inuocation hope chastitie and other vertues Through the Sonne of God wee are deliuered from eternall death and translated into eternall life as hee saith I giue vnto them eternall life and hee that hath the Sonne hath life And let hope be firme and sure as Peter saith hope perfectly that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion The famous Augustane confession confirmed and ratified by all the Protestant Princes States and Churches of Germany Anno Dom. 1530. in the 3. Article concurreth with vs for saith the Article Christ doth sanctifie all those that beleeue on him by sending the holy Ghost into their hearts who doth gouerne comfort and quicken them and defend them against the diuell and the force of sinne If against the Diuell and the force of sinne then nothing can cast them downe from the state of grace If you object that the 12. Article of this famous Confession doth condemne the Anabaptists who deny that such who are once iustified can loose the holy Ghost and therefore by the voyce of this confession those who are once justified may fall from grace I answer that the Protestant Diuines in Germany who were at the making of this Article and those who haue liued since did neuer expound or intend it in this sense that a man once iustified might fall away from grace either totally or finally but they condemned this Tenet of the Anabaptists in that sense as they defended it For this was the opinion of the Anabaptists That when once a man was regenerated and had obtained the holy Ghost and was made a true beleeuer that sin could not hurt him and therefore they would tell men that if they did beleeue let them doe what they would or commit what sinne they would it could not hurt them for faith would blot out all those sinnes which was the Error of the Valentinians as Irenaeus hath recorded it Now in this sense only doth this confession condemne the Anabaptists and in no other and so did the Lutherans before them as you may reade in Articulis Smalcandicis Article 3. composed by Luther himselfe which you shall finde in Lutherana Concordia pag. 310. Now the reason yeelded by the Lutherans why they condemne this Error of the Anabaptists in their third Article will fully proue that the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall from grace Forsay they the Saints of God doe alwayes grieue and repent for their sinnes groaning vnder the burthen of them and they alwayes striue against them Theresore those that voluntary rush into sinne whether it be adultery murther or blasphemie must needes shake off faith and the holy Ghost and faith and the holy Ghost must needes depart from them For the holy Ghost doth nener suffer sinne to reigne to get strength or to obtaine the victory and to be perfected but hee doth represse and curbe it that so it might not doe the thing it would But if it doth what it would certainly the holy Ghost and faith are lost neither are they present For so saith Iohn hee that is borne of God doth not sinne neither can hee sinne So that both the Augustane Confession and the Article of Smalcard are both for me and not against me being rightly vnderstood The Augustane Confession composed by the Argentine Church and confirmed by their Senate Anno dom 1539. concurreth with vs For these are the words of their 7. Article This sole and only mediator hath taken away our sins and reconciled vs to his Father hee hath impetrated the holy Ghost for all those whom his Father hath giuen him and which heare his voyce This regeneration together with all Christs merits the holy Ghost doth inspire into the hearts of all the faithfull and preserue them in them to the end All these Confessions of the Protestants in Germanie and else-where are expresse for me let Mr. Mountague now shew mee any to the contrarie But you will tell mee now that Mr. Mountague records it That all the Protestants of Germanie haue concluded against mee and consented to the Church of Rome in the Diot of Ratisbon Vpon those grounds and reasons which he there mentions True it is that Mr. Mountague hath so recorded it but his records are so false in euery thing that he must haue a strong faith that will beleeue them without examination of the truth of them For my owne part I haue read the disputation of Ralisbon set out by Bucer himselfe Anno dom 1548. and I can finde no such thing as Mr. Mountague relates in it For first this question of a totall finall fall from grace was not so much as controuerted there neither are there any of those Scriptures grounds and Fathers which Mr. Mountague hath recorded in his Gagge or in his Appeale only that place of Phil. 2. 12. and of St. Augustine de Ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 12. excepted so much as mentioned in all that disputation and these two quotations are cited by Steuen Bishop of Winchester who did oppose the Protestants in that Disputation and not by Bucer and the other Protestants there present How then could the Protestants of Germanie yeeld to that position in this Diot which was not drawne into question there Indeed the question of the certainty of saluation was there controuerted and discussed and by the vnanimous consent of all the Protestants resolued and determined against Maluenda Billickius and the Bishop of Winchester who did oppose it and in the resolution and determination of this Controuersie if you will beleeue learned Zanchius in his Confession to the Senate of Argentine in this our point De perseuerantia sanctorum or the Disputation of Ratisbone it selfe our very assertion though it were not there particularly controuerted was yet de claro resolued for vs in this famous Diot in the name of all the Protestants in Germanie For in the Disputation of Ratisbon or Ralisbon pag. 41. Respons ad Replic 14. This is the expresse Resolution of all the Protestants in that Diot That true faith and a sinne that wastes the conscience are incompatible and that hee which liues by a true iustifying faith can neuer sticke in such a sinne So pag. 243. to 251. they proceed to proue this assertion and conclusion For say they those who haue this iustifying
the words are that he may fall into sinne not that he doth cast himselfe into sinne in a voluntary presumptuous and wilfull manner so that this word fall into sinne implies that these sinnes here mentioned are sinnes of infirmity and incogitancie not of malice and presumption now I hope you will grant that sinnes of infirmitie and incogitancie without any precogitated and resolued malice doe not cast a man totally from the state of â—…ce for then euery Saint of God should fall from the state of grace continually but only sinnes of malice and presumption committed with an high hand and with an absolute full and deliberate consent Wherefore the sinne mentioned in the Article being but a sinne of infirmitie only and not of praecogitated and resolued malice it cannot be imagined that this falling into sinne in the Article should bee a totall or a finall fall from grace Thirdly obserue the order of the words they doe first depart from grace giuen and then fall into sinne they doe not fall into sinne first and then depart from grace giuen if then they depart from grace before they fall into sinne then this departure from grace cannot be intended of a falling from the state of grace because our Antagonists will confesse that the sinne committed is that which casts men downe from the state of grace and that men fall not from grace before but after sinne committed this departure therefore from grace giuen being before the sinne committed cannot be a totall departure from the habit and state but from the act of grace Fourthly the very coherence and connexion of the words will cleere the sense and meaning of them For and being a conjunction copulatiâ—…e â—…itting both sentences together it makes the sense of the Article After wee haue receiued the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 may depart from grace giuen and full into sinne to bee no more but this after wee haue receiued the holy Ghost wee may â—…all into sinne so that 〈◊〉 departure from grace giuen is nothing else but to fall into sinne which a man may doe and yet not fall from grace so that torture and rackâ—… these words which way you will they will not warrant this doctrine of a totall or a finall fall from grace Yâ—…a but you will object that these subsequent words By the grace of God wee 〈◊〉 rise againe and amend our liues doe necessarily imply thus much that the Saints of God may fall totally and finally from grace True Mr. Mountague if you if Bortius or the Rhemists bee the interpreters else there might be some doubt of it For you must know that the only reason wherefore these words were added to the former was but to meete with the Montanists Nâ—…uations Anabaptists and Brownists who denied forgiuenesse and reconciliation to such as sinned after Baptisme and if you had not beene purblinde when as you reade the Article you could not but haue seene it But God in his justice hath giuen you eyes according to your minde which alwaies looke besides and ouerthwart the truth but not vpon it But if you will haue the sense of these words it is only this that the Saints of God may rise againe from that sinne into which they were fallen and amend their liues not that they rise againe from the state of condemnation That from which the Saints of God must rise is only from that into which they were fallen for falling and rising they are Relatiues but the thing into which the Saints were fallen was but into some act of sinne as appeares by the words of the Article wee may depart from grace and fall into sinne it was not a fall from the state of grace into the state of damnation and therefore this is but a rising from some actuall sinne to amendment of life Secondly I say that these words make much against you For if those that fall doe rise againe this doth necessarily imply that they were not fallen quite away from the state of grace into the death of sinne that all their spirituall life was not extinguished and abolished by their fall for if they were dead in trespasses and sinnes they could not rise againe Hee that is quite dead in sinne and without the life of grace is not said to rise againe and amend his life for that implies a continuance of the former life but hee is said to reuiue againe and to haue a new life put into him and therefore if the Article had intended this departure from grace giuen and falling into sinne of a totall or finall fall from grace into the state of death and damnation the words should haue beene these Hee may reuiue againe or God may raise him vp to a new estate of grace againe and hee may haue a new life of grace infused into him which would crosse this rule in Logicke à priuatione ad habitum non datur regressus and not that he may rise againe and amend his life Take then either the title or the scope and substance or the very letter and words of the 16. Article yet neither of them will warrant this doctrine of a totall or a finall fall from grace All the argument which any man can raise from this Article in proofe of this conclusion is but from the bare words and letter abâ—…racted from the sense to wit Those who haue receiued the holy Ghost may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and by the grace of God may rise againt and amend their liues Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may both finally and totally fall from grace therefore faith once â—…ad may be both totally and finally lost which how wâ—…ll it followes let all men judge But to giue M. Mountague and others full satisfaction in the sense and meaning of this Article I will compare it with some other Articles which are expresse in point that the true regenerate Saiâ—…ts of God â—…an neither finally nor totally fall from grace The 5. Article of Lambeth concluded and agreed vpon Nouemb. 20. 1595. by diuers reuerend and learned Bishops and Diuines of this our Church for the determining of some controuersies in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge is expressely contrarie to Mr. Mountagues collection from our 16 Article for the words of that Article are these True liuing iustifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished it fayles not it vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally If the 16. Article had beene expresse to the contrary I suppose the reuerend and learned Composers of this Article would not haue varied from it But Mr. Mountague pleads to this that the Articles of Lambeth are forbidden by Authority but when and where and by what authority that he sets not downe Surely for my owne part I neuer yet could learne that these Articles were disallowed by any publike authoritie but only by Mr. Mountagues who like a Magisteriall Dictator and Cathedrall moderator ouer all divinitie and Diuines approues
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 yâ—…t extant which will auerre all that I say for truth and proue Mr. Mountaguâ—… a lyer and Impostor if not worse so that if Mr. Mountague had not had his face euen crusted and steeled ouer with more theâ—… audatious impudencie hee would not haue thus incouraged his readers See the booke Againe the Articles of Ireland Nomber 33. 38. confirmed by King Iaâ—…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 expoundâ—… 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 expoâ—…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 wiâ—…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 Analysâ—… 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 tâ—…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
a worthy argument I promise you Fourthly these words are spoken indefinitely to all but principally to such as were not yet conuerted and ingrafted into Christ as appeares by the conclusion of the second Homilie and they are but an exhortation to moue men to come in and obey God therefore they proue nothing against vs. Fifthly I say that these words which are cited by you are intended onely of hypocrites and barren Christians and such as haue but a dead faith which as the first Homilie of faith saith is no faith neither is it properly called faith For they are spoken of the vnfruitefull vyneard and of such as are barren in good workes of such as wholly neglect Gods seruice and order not their liues according to his example and doctrine in the number of which such as haue a true justifying and liuing faith doe neuer come as wee may see by the three Homilies of faith So that your argument from hence can bee but this hypocrites and barren Christians may fall finally and totally from grace therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may doe so too which is a grosse Nonsequitur Yea but Mr. Mountague obiects that those in the first Homilie are such as truly beleiue and such as beholding the face of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ are transformed into the same image c. I answere that it is true that they are called true beleeuers not because they haue any true justifying and sauing faith within them but because they are visible members of a true visible Church and haue a true historicall faith beleeuing the Scriptures to bee true they are such as beleiue the Gospell to be true which if they behold it as they ought to doe I pray marke this parenthesis which you haue purposely and cunningly omitted will transforme them into his image and make them partakers of his heauenly light and of his holy Spirit c which parenthesis implies that those true beleiuers so stiled here did not behold the Gospell and the face of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ and so they were not true beleeuers nor yet partakers of the Image of Christ and of the holy Ghost as they might haue beene had they beheld them as they ought So that the genuine sence of the words is onely this All those that are planted in the visible Church of God and haue the powerfull offer of Christ vnto them in the Gospell which is able to regenerate them and to make them partakers of the holy Ghost if they make a good vse of it if they neglect this Gospell and walke vnworthy of it God will surely depriue them of it What is this to true beleeuers to true regenerate men which haue bin transformed into the image of Christ by the Gospell what is this to a totall and finall fall from the true and sauing state of grace Secondly it is euident that these words are not spoken of such as are truly regenerated and made the sonnes of God for it is said of them that if they behold the face of God in Iesus Christ in the Gospell as they ought to doe it will fashion them in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God which words proue that these here meant are such as had not that goodnesse which is requisite to the children of God and therefore they are not the children of God Lastly the conclusion of this Homilie which followes vpon these words proues that those here spoken of are only such as liueing in the Church become notoriously vitious selling themselues ouer vnto sinne and that they were such as neuer were truly regenerated Lastly admit that those here meant were true beleeuers and such as had the grace of true and sauing faith within them yet the Homilie saith not that these do finally or totally fall from grace all it saith of them is this That God will beginne to forsake them and that â—…ee will take his word from them if they doe neglect it this God may doe he may beginne to forsake them and yet not vtterly forsake them hee may take away his word and yet not take away their faith and other sauing and habituall graces from them and therefore racke these words to the vtmost they will not proue that the true regenerate Saints of God do either finally or totally fall from grace As for the words of the second Homilie they are only spoken of hypocrites and wicked men not of the true regenerate Saints of God which appeares First because they are spoken of the barren and fruitlesse vyneard of such Christians onely as beare noe fruites now the true regenerate Saints and such as haue a true and liuing faith are alwaies fruitfull in good workes Ps 1 3. Ps 92 12 13 14. Ier 17 8. Math 3 8 cap 7 17 18 2 Cor 8 7. Ephes 3 18 19. Iohn 15 3 5. Phil 〈◊〉 17. Iames 2 14 18 22 26. this the three Homilies of faith doe likewise teach and those that are barren and vnfruitfull vnder the meanes of grace they are such as haue no true and sauing grace no liuing faith at all as the Scriptures and the Homilies forecited doe declare therefore those in the second Homilie are no true regenerate Saints of God Secondly they are compared vnto Saul aud Iudas aud to all the children of mistrust aud vnbeliefe now Saul and Iudas as I shall proue hereafter and the children of mistrust and vnbeleife were neuer truly sanctified and regenerated therefore neither were these in the Homilie Lastly the whole Homilie proues it which is purposely intended to wicked men planted in the visible Church and to such as were not yet come into â—…st nor regenerated by the Gospell and to no others â—…re is no mention of true regenerate men in the Homilie the substance of the Homilie and the whole summe of it is but this Brethren if you will not now obey the Gospell which is preached vnto you and come into Christ and bring forth fruites worthy of it you shall bee depriued of it and bee cast out of the Church Christ and his spirit shall neuer rule and raigne within you what makes all this to our present purpose surâ—…ly nothing at all Yea but saith Mr. Mountague these were truly justified for they wâ—…re in Christ and continued in him for a time I answere that they were so in outward shew to the eyes of men they were visible members of the visible Church and men could not discouer so farre as to see their hearts therefore in the judgement of men they were in Christ for a time but yet they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ they had neuer any true life in him they were but like the Church of Sardis Reu 3 1. they had a name they liued and yet were dead they were alwayes dead and barren trees that neuer brought forth liuing and wholesome fruites they were but as Saul and Iudas who were neuer truly sanctified and regenerated as I shall
these meanes of perseuerance I beate downe my body and bring it into subiection as God hath appointed mee to doe that so I may perseuere I cannot perseuere in grace but by these meanes these meanes I vse that so I may perseuere So that take the words and sense of Paul in this place as fauourable as you can for your selues yet they make not any thing for your purpose the most that you can truly collect from them is but this gaping and disioynted argument The Saints of God cannot perseuere in grace but by vsing the meanes Or The Saints of God doe vse the meanes to perseuere in grace Therefore they may fall from grace Paul could not bee saued Paul could not perseuere but by vsing the meanes to do it Therefore Paul might become a reprobate and fall quite away from grace How absurd ridiculous and false this argument is there is no man of vnderstanding but may judge For it makes the vse of the meanes to depriue men of the end and to make the end vncertaine where as the end is neuer certaine neither can it bee obtained but by vsing the meanes But you will say that the Saints of God doe not alwaies vse the meanes to perseuere in grace and therefore they may fall from grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and quite repugnant to this text which you alledge for Paul tells vs in this place that he did beate downe his body and bring it into subiection that so hee might not fall from grace and you argue and reason thus from this example Paul being a regenerate man did vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therefore regenerate men doe not alwaies vse the meanes to perseuere in grace as sound an argument as the former was Paul did vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therfore Paul might fall from grace Well then I will deale with you but as you deale with vs. You from this particular example of Paul would praeposterously collect a generall vntruth that Paul might fall away from grace and therefore other regenerate men might doe so to giue me leaue therefore from this particular example of Paul to collect this generall truth Paul did alwayes vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therefore all other regenerate men doe vse them to as well as hee and so your last objection is but false Thus you see that this place of Paul makes nothing at all against mee Giue mee leaue now but to retort it against you who doe object it and then you shall see how much it makes for me Those who alwayes use the meanes to perseuere in grace lest by any meanes they should proue reprobates at the last can neuer fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they alwayes vse the meanes to perseuere in grace lest by any meanes they should proue reprobates at the last as it is euident by this example of Paul Therefore they can neuer fall from grace Here you are put to this Dilemma either you must yeeld my Argument to be sound and good which ouer-turnes your false assertion or else you must giue such an answer to it as will vtterly defeate all the Arguments which you your selues can object against me from this place So that now I hope you will grant mee one of these two things that either this place makes not against me at all or else that it makes more or at least as much for me as it doth for your selues and so it is impertinent to your purpose The third Argument that may bee objected is collected from Heb. 6. 4 5 6. c. 10. 26. to 30. 2. Pet. 2 21. it is no more but this in substance Those that haue beene once inlightened those that haue receiued the knowledge of the truth those that haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ those that haue tasted of the heauenly gift of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and those that haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost may fall away from grace and neuer bee remoued againe as appeares by the fore-quoted places Therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may finally and totally fall from grace To this I shall giue a double answer First I shall denie the Argument which followes not For those which you mention in the Antecedent are only Hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace and so your argument is no more in substance but this Hypocrites such as haue no truth of Grace may fall from the outward shewes of grace therefore true regenerate men and true beleeuers may fall from the truth of grace Now that these places of Scripture here alledged and so consequently your Antecedent which is grounded on them are meant only of hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace within them I proue it by these insuing reasons First because there is nothing mentioned or recorded in any of these three places which are objected but that which is common to hypocrites and carnall men as well as to the regenerate Saints of God For first hypocrites and carnall men which neuer had any truth of grace may bee so farre inlightned as to know the truth of God and the mysteries of saluation Yea they may yeeld an assent vnto them and beleeue them to be true yea they may doe many things and goe very farre in the outward practice of Gods word and yet be hypocrites and carnall men still as we may see by these seuerall Scriptures and examples Numb 23. 10. Deut. 5. 28 29. 2 Chron. 25. 2. Psal. 50. 16 17. Math. 7. 21. 22. cap. 13. 5 6 7. 20 21 22. Luke 11. 44. 47. Marke 6. 20. Acts 19. 15. cap. 24. 25 26. Prou. 12. 13. Secondly Hypocrites and carnall men may escape the pollutions of the world that is they may auoide all grosse notorious and open sinnes of which the world takes notice as drunkennesse whordome couetousnesse pride oppression deceite theft murther and the like they may haue a very faire outside and yet their hearts and soules may be polluted and not cleansed from their filthinesse Luke 11. 44. Math. 23. 25. 27. and 2 Pet. 2. 22. Thirdly Hypocrites and carnall men they may bee made partakers of the holy Ghost that is of the ordinary and common gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as knowledge illumination the gift of tongues preaching and prophecie the gift of healing and of working miracles the gifts of temperance sobrietie justice meeknesse affabilitie fortitude and such like morall and common vertues and yet they may not be regenerated by the peculiar by the sauing and sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit as appeares by Math. 7. 21 22. 1 Cor. 12. 4. to 12. and cap. 13. 1 2 3. Fourthly hypocrites and carnall men they may taste of the good word of God and of
who doe not only taste of the good word of God and of the heauenly gift but doe likewise really and fully injoy them and possesse them not only in their tongues and pallates but in their inward parts and bowells in their hearts and soules and in their whole man Christ Iesus the holy Ghost with all the sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit together with the word of God doe dwell richly and plentifully in them their soules are euen filled and glutted with them Psal. 63. 5. Acts 6. 8. cap. 7. 55. Iohn 14. 16 17 20. cap. 15. 11. Rom. 15. 13. Ephes. 3. 17. 19. and Col. 3. 16. and therefore these places cannot be meant of them Secondly that Prouerbe which Peter doth vse of these 2 Pet. 2. 22. It is happened to them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire proues that those of whom these Scriptures speake what euer outward shew they made for a time were neuer truly regenerated their natures were neuer changed by grace they were dogges and swine still their natures and their hearts were filthie and corrupt though their out-sides were washed for a time So that all these places here objected against mee must needs be intended of carnall and wicked men and not of the true regenerate Saints of God and so your Argument from these places followes not Secondly admit that all these places were meant of true regenerate men yet I answer that your Antecedent is false For all these places are conditionall They say not that the Saints of God doe fall away or that they may fall away but only if they fall away it is impossible for them to be renewed by repentance or to be reconciled vnto him againe So that all the Argument which you can collect from them is this If the true regenerate Saints of God fall from grace then they shall for euer perish and not be able to repent therefore they may fall finally from grace which is a false absurd and incongruous consequent Lastly if this place makes for a finall fall from grace yet it makes altogether against a totall without a finall fall from grace so that it makes one way for me though not another it makes for one of my conclusions if not for both of them And thus much in answer to this third Argument The fourth Argument that may be objected against mee is that parable which Christ vseth Math. 12. 43 44 45. and Luke 11. 24 25. When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man hee walketh thorow â—…rie places seeking rest and findeth none Then hee saith I will returne into my house from whence I came out And when hee is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished then goeth hee and taketh with himselfe seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last estate of that man is worse then the first From whence this argument may be framed The diuell may returne againe with seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and dwell in the hearts of those out of whom hee was formerly expelled and so make their latter end to be worse then their beginning was Therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may afterwards fall from grace I answer that the argument followes not because this parable of Christ and so by consequence your Antecedent is meant only of hypocrites and not of true regenerated and sanctified men So that your Argument in substance is but this Hypocrites may fall from grace and therfore true regenerate men may doe so to which argument is not only false but likewise very ridiculous and absurd Now that this parable of Christ is meant only of hypocrites it is euident by these reasons First because that this parable hath reference to that miracle which Christ did in casting out of the diuell out of the blinde and dumme man which was possessed with him which gaue the occasion of this parable Now Christ no doubt did cast out diuells out of many that were possessed with them whom hee did neuer sanctifie withall as he cured many mens bodies whose soules hee did not heale and it is likely that Christ did not heale the soule of him out of whom hee did cast this diuell for all that the text relateth of him is this that Christ healed him insomuch that hee both spake and saw there is no mention of any cure wrought vpon his soule and therefore you cannot apply this parable to those whose soules are cured to such out of whose hearts the workes of the diuell are destroyed but only to such whose bodies are dispossessed of the actuall residencie and habitation of the diuell So that all which you can properly collect from hence is this that the diuell may returne againe and actually possesse such men out of whom hee had beene actually not spiritually cast out before Secondly the very end of this Parable proues as much For Christ applies this parable meerely to the Iewes Math. 12. 45. Euen so shall it bee to this wicked generation Christ therefore applying this to a wicked generation only you cannot apply it to the faithfull and holy generation of the Saints of God Thirdly it cannot bee intended of any other but hypocrites and wicked men because the very words themselues imply as much For first the words are not when the diuell is cast out but when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man which word gone out implies a voluntary action in the diuell Now the diuell neuer goeth out of any but out of such as are wicked men and taken captiue by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Hee is alwayes cast out by force out of the Saints because when once he is excluded by them he can hardly get any passage into their hearts againe Hence it is said of Christ that he was manifested to destroy out of his Saints the workes of the diuell 1 Iohn 3. 8. to destroy out of vs the body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. The diuell is alwayes cast out by force out of the Saints Rom. 12. 7. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and that with much adoe with much struggling and contention Ephes. 6. 11 12. after long prayer and fasting Math. 17. 20. 22. therefore these out of whom the diuell goeth out and is not cast out must needs bee such as are wicked men and taken captiue of him at his will Secondly the diuell when he returneth againe findeth these men empty swept and garnished fit to entertaine so vncleane a guest Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost were not dwelling and residing there for then the house had not beene empty and there had beene no roome so much as for one vncleane spirit to inhabit much lesse for seuen more Now Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost they alwayes dwell in the hearts and soules of all regenerate men Ephes. 3. 17.
Iohn 14. 16 17. Math. 28. 20. they leaue no roome for inmates especially for Sathan and vncleane spirits therefore these men here were not regenerated and truly sanctified Thirdly the vncleane spirit and his companions they enter in and dwell in these men here but this they neuer doe in the regenerate Saints of God For God hath hedged them about so that the diuell cannot come neere to touch them much lesse to dwell within them without Gods speciall permission Iob 1. 10. Math. 8. 31 32. They are armed with the whole armour of God so that the diuell cannot 〈◊〉 though hee assalt them Ephes. 6. 10 they keepe themselues and that wicked one toucheth them not 1 Iohn 5. 18. Therefore this place cannot bee vnderstood of true regenerate men Lastly the end of all regenerate men is farre better then their beginning their latter fruites are more and better then their first Psal. 92. 13 14 Numbers 23. 10. Rom. 6. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 9. Reu. 2. 19. Psal. 37. 37. But the end of those whom Christ speakes of here is like to theirs in the 2 Pet. 2. 21â—… it is 〈◊〉 their beginning therefore this Scripture cannot bee intended of godly and regenerate Christians but of hypocrites and wicked men and so it makes not any thing for your purpose If you object that they were swept and garnished therefore they were sanctified I answer that the text saith that they were empris swept and garnished Wherefore this place cannot be intended that they were garnished adorned and purified with the graces of Gods Spirit for then they had not beene empty then they had not beene fit to entertaine such vncleane and filthy spirits which cannot dwell but in polluted hearts and soules So that the meaning of these words is this that they were empty and voide of Christ and of the gifts and graces of his spirit that they were swept and garnished not with graces but with sinnes and vices the best ornaments of the Diuils tabernacle and those in which hee most of all delights Thus you see that this place on which our opposites doe much relie makes nothing at all against mee and comes not home vnto the point in question The fifth argument which may bee produced against me is collected from Iohn 5. 2. to the 11. and it is this If the regenerate Saints of God who are once ingrafted into Christ may not abide in Christ if they may beare no fruite and so be cast out into the fire to be burned then they may finally and totally fall from grace But the true regenerate Saints of God may not abide in Christ they may beare no fruite and so they may bee cast out into the fire to be burned for the words of Saint Iohn are Euery branch in mee that beareth not fruite hee taketh away Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe 〈◊〉 â—…ide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee If a man abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned If you abide in mee and my words abide in you you shall aske what you will and it shall bee done vnto you Which words do proue the Minor proopsition Therfore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from grace To this I answer that the Minor proposition is false and is not warranted by this place of Iohn For first you may perceiue two sorts of branches of which this Scrip-ture maketh mention First there are dead and withered branches branches which beare no fruite at all brances which haue a name they liue and yet are dead as the Church of Sardis was Reu. 3. 1. These branches though they made a shew of life vnto the world yet they had neuer any true and spirituall life and sap within them they neuer brought forth fruite and therefore they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ. If a grift bee put into a stocke if it draw no sap no life and nourishment from the stocke if it grow not or if it beare no fruit but withereth away no man will euer say that this grift was well truly ingrafted into the stock so it is with those that are ingrafted into Christ if they grow and spring not or if they beare no fruite they were alwaies but dead branches they had no spirituall life within them they were neuer truly ingrafted into him Now of these branches Saint Iohn affirmes that they shall be cast out and withered that they shall be taken away and cast into the fire to be burned Secondly there are fruitfull and liuely branches which the Apostle opposeth to these other branches verse 2. and of these hee there affirmeth that his Father purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruite these branches they flourish like the palme tree and grow like a cedar in lebanon they flourish in the Courts of God they still bring forth fruite in old age they shall bee fat and flourishing Psal. 92 12 13 14. They neuer wither like these other branches neither doe they cease from yeelding fruit but they bring forth their fruite in their season and their leafe doth not wither nor fall away Psal. 1. 3. and Ier. 17. 8. So that this place of the Apostle is no more in substance but this hypocrites which were neuer the true liuing and fruitfull branches of Iesus Christ they shall wither and bee cut downe and cast into the fire for their vnfruitfulnesse like those trees that Iohn Baptist speakes of Math. 3. 10. and like the fruitlesse figge tree Math 21. 19. Luke 13. 6. to 10. But those that are the true and liuing branches of Iesus Christ they shall alwaies grow and flourish and bring forth more fruite continually their last workes shall be more then their first Psal 92. 12 13. Reu. 2. 19. Therefore this place makes wholly against you and not for you it warrants not your Minor proposition to bee true but proues it to bee false Secondly I answer that this Scripture here is not meant onely of the regenerate Saints of God but of the whole militant Church of God comprehending both the good and bad as appeares by the first verse of the chapter I am the true vine saith Christ and my Eather is the husband-man c. Now you know that the Church of God which is militant on the earth is compared to a vineyard and to a vine in diuers places of Scripture as Psal. 80. 〈◊〉 to 16. Isai. 5. 1. to 8. cap. 27. 2. 3. Math. 21. 33. to 42. and other places as it is in other places compared to a net which hath good and bad fish in it to a field which had tares as well as corne to a floore which hath chaffe as well as wheate and pure corne and to an house which hath vessells of honor and dishonor in it So
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
out of â—…is or bis Fathers hands Iohn 10. 28. that Nothing shall euer separate them from that loue of God which is in Christ Iesus theâ—… Lord. Rom. 8. 39. and therefore they need not feare this breaking off from Christ so that this place must bee applied to the whole visible Church of the Gentiles and not to the Elect faithfull and particular Saints of God within the Church Secondly I answer That this is spoken only by way of counsell and aduice to admonish the Gentiles how they should carry themselues towards the Iewes that they should not therefore contemne the Iewes and 〈◊〉 ouer them because that God had cast off the Iewes and had chosen them to be his people in their roome but that they should carry themselues louingly and humbly towardâ—… them because they were once the people of God and might be so againe for ought they knew and God might as well cast off them if they grow insolent and sinne against them and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iewes againe inâ—…o his fauour as hee did cast off the Iewes to receiue them What then makes this to your purpose God may reject the Gentiles and receiue the Iewes therefore the true regenerate Saints and members of Iesus Christ may fall from grace is no good consequent 〈◊〉 I answer with Anselme in his Exposition vpon this chapter that this place here is but a friendly admonition and a godly exhortation not to a seruile but to a 〈◊〉 feare which is the chiefest meanes to keepe vs close to God and to restraine and awe vs so thâ—…t wee shall not dâ—…part froâ—…â—…im Ier. 32. 40. therefore this being but an exhortation vnto such a grace as is one of the chiefest meanes to keepe vs from falling from the state of Grace cannot implie a fall from grace as you pretend it doth Lastly I answer that the Saints of God they are humble meeke and lowly men they are not high-minded nor haughtiâ—… hearted and they alwayes stand in awe of God Psal. 131. 1. 2. Psal. 39. 2. Isai. 61. 1. Math. 5. 3. 5. cap. 11. 29. Gal. 5. 22 23. and Col. 3. 12. therefore they need not feare to be dissected or broken off from Christ for pride and arrogance and so they are not within the compasse of this admonition and aduice of Paul at least not within the compasse of the punishment of that sinne which Paul doth here dehort the Gentiles from All these admonitions and cautions therefore which you here obiect make nothing at all against me they serue only in maiorem cautelam to make the Saints more wary not lesse firme and stable in the state of grace The ninth objection which may bee framed against mee is that of the 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch you and stand fast in the faith quitte you like men bee strong That of Phil. 4. 1. stand fast in the Lord. That of Heb. 4. 14. Hold fast your profession That of Reâ—… 2. 25 46. Hold fast till I come and the like These exhortations intimate that the Saints may fall from grace else they were but idle I answer that you are much deceiued For the end of these and such like exhortations is but currenti calcar to put spurres to a running horse to incite incourage and stirre vp the Saints of God to greater stedfastnesse and immobilitie in faith to roote settle and ground them more firmely in the state of grace and to helpe them on in their constant and finall perseuerance this is their maine and only end that men may bee more resolute firme and stable then they were before and therefore they doe not necessarily intimate or implie that the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the state of grace This I shall euidence and make plaine by some few familiar examples A Captaine who hath a regiment of resolute and valiant Souldiers who will rather die then turnâ—… their backes and flie being to incounter with an enemie speakes thus vnto them Sirs now you must stand close vnto it or else you are vndone wherefore plucke vp your spirits and your courage shew your valour maintaine your credit and your honour and rather sacrifice your liues vnto the enemies sword then staine your honour by a dangerous flight Doe these words of exhortation and incouragement necessarily imply that the Souldiers would trust their heeles before their hands and turne their backes vnto their enemies because they are thus incouraged and exhorted for to fight should these Soulders take these words as a disparagement and blemish to their valour nothing lesse for they are words of incouragement only not of diffidence and distrust A man that cannot swimme is fallen into a deepe swift and broad riuer so that he is in danger to be drowned one that is standing by perceiuing this his danger casteth a rope vnto him for to pull him ouâ—… of which when he hath taken hold hee then doth vse these words vnto him hold fast the rope and be sure not to let it goe or else you will be drowned doe these words of his implie that the other will let goe the rope and not hold it fast no hee is in danger of his life and therefore he will bee sure for to keepe his hold though the other had neuer vsed these words unto him So it is here the eternall life and welfare of the Saints of God depends vpon their spirituall prowesse vpon their holding fast of Christ if they should turne their backes to Sathan and flie before him if they should let goe their hold of Christ they were vtterly vndone for euer and their soules should perish Wherefore these and such like exhortations doe not necessarily implie that the Saints of God may fall away from the state of Grace and therefore they come not to the present purpose Secondly I answer that these exhortations make wholly for mee for they doe all implie that the Saints of God doe stand fast and perseuere continually in grace or at least that they may doe so and that they may come to such a stability and firmenesse in grace that they cannot fall away or be remoued and therefore these exhortations are wholly against you The tenth objection that may bee made against me are these conditionall texts of Scripture following Iohn 8. 31. 51. If you continue in my words then are you my disciples indeed If a man keepe my sayings hee shall neuer see death 1 Cor. 15. 2. By which word you are saued if you kâ—…epe in memorie what I preached vnto you 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him bee will cast thee off for ouer Gal. 6. 9. In due time you shall reape if you faint not Col. 1. 21 22 23. You that were sometimes alienated and enemies by your wiâ—…ked workes yet now hath hee reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy vnblamable and irrepròuable in his sight if you continue in the faith
that should abide iâ—… the doctrine of Christ to fall away from grace therefore this exhortation being made to such as these cannot possibly implie that they should fall from grace So that take these words in your owne sense and meaning as if they were applied to the parties themselues to whom St. Iohn writes they doe not make against me But if wee take them in their proper sense then they make lesse against me then before For the Apostle doth not say take heed lest you loose the things which you your selues haue wrought but that yee receiue a full reward but looke to your selues that wee lose not the thingâ—… which wee haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward So that here is no losing of their owne workes but of the workes of others not a losse of their owne reward but of the reward of others and that not simplie of a reward for that cannot be lost but only of a full and plenarie reward So that the true and proper sense of the Apostle in this place is no more but this Brethren the times are very dangerous there are many Antichrists come into the world who will labour to seduce you beware then that you be not seduced and peruerted by them for then wee who are the ministers of the Gospell and haue preached Christ vnto you shall partly lose the fruite of our labours and not receiue a full reward Wee shall lose the joy the fruite and comfort of our labour here we shall haue no joy at all in you or in our preaching because you continue not in our doctrine whereas if you did continue in it it would euen comfort and reioyce our soules For that which giues vs best content and brings vs greatest ioy and comfort here is to heare that our children walke in truth and continue constant in the faith this is our chiefest and our greatest ioy verse 4. and 3. Iohn 3. 4. Yea and we shall lose some part of our reward hereafter for the more those are who are conuerted by our ministrie and the more constant and firme they are in the profession of the faith the greater shall our reioycing the greater shall our reward and glory bee in the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 16. 1 Thes. 2. 19 28. and Dan. 12. 3. Wherefore if you haue any care or respect to vs or to our good as well as to your owne then looke to your selues and take heed that yee be not seduced that so wee may not lose the things which we haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward of ioy and comfort both here and hereafter This is the true genuine proper and onely sense scope and meaning of this place and what makes this against me Surely nothing at all and therefore I will forbeare to giue any further answer to it The twenty two Objection is that of Psal. 119. 176. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost ô seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commandements A regenerate man may goe astray from God like to a lost sheepe therefore hee may finally or totally fall from grace I answer that this place and argument proues nothing at all against me For first though a regenerate man and sheepe of Christ may stray away for a time in some by-path of sinne yet hee is a sheepe still A sheepe that strayeth away is a sheepe still his straying from the fold doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe So one that is once a true Saint of God and a true sheepe of Christ though he chance to stray aside into some by-path of sinne for a fit yet hee is still a Saint of God and a sheepe of Christ this his straying away from God and Christ doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe of Christ because he strayeth not away wilfully or of set purpose so that this very comparison and similitude of a lost sheepe doth make against you For Christ doth account a lost sheepe to be still a sheepe and doth alwayes seeke him out vntill hee finde him and bring him backe againe as we may see expresly Ezech. 34. 16. Math. 18. 12 13. 14. Luke 15. 4 5. and Iohn 17. 12. Seconly I answer that if you take all the words of the Psalmist together this place is so farre from making against me as there cannot be a stronger place produced for me for though the Psalmist tells vs that hee had gone astray like a lost sheepe yet he certifieth vs withall that euen then when as he went astray hee did not forget Gods commandements though in his flesh hee did serue the law of sinne for a time yet in his minde his heart and spirit hee did alwayes serue the law of God and therefore did neither finally nor totally fall from the state of grace Lastly the Psalmist informeth vs in the three verses before this verse which is objected that hee had chosen Gods precepts that his soule did long for his saluation and that his law was his delight therefore it is certaine that he was neither finally nor totally fallen from the state of grace for then hee could neuer haue done thus So that this obiection and place makes strongly for me not against me The twenty three obiection is this A member of Christ may bee made a member of an harlot 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument followes not For a member of Christ may be made a member of an harlot that is hee may commit fornication and yet bee a member of Christ still as wee may see by the example of Dauid which I shall come to hereafter hee may be one body with an harlot and yet one spirit with Christ. Againe I answer that Paul in these words of his doth not intend and aime at this that a true regenerate man may fall quite away from grace and be quite cut off from Christ by this sinne of fornication this is not his drift and purpose but the end of this his speech is to disswade the Corinthians from this sinne of fornication to which they were much addicted because their very bodies as well as their soules were the members of Christ and the temple of the holy Ghost and therefore they should not defile them with this sinne of fornication and make them members of an harlot This is the scope this is the drift of the Apostle in these words this is the onely thing he aimes at he did not so much as thinke of your collection of a fall from grace and therefore vnlesse you will peruert and wrest the Scriptures and giue it such a sense and meaning as was neuer intended by the holy Ghost and those that penned it you cannot say that this Scripture makes against me I haue now good Reader gone thorow most of those Arguments that can be produced against me from
grace and inward not according to their sins and outward man and therefore God taking them away in the very act not in the habit and the trade of sin he will estimate and reward them according to their graces and their inward man according to the inward purpose bent and clination of their soules according to the constant course and practise of their liues and not according to that particular and priuate act of sinne in which they dye so that they doe not perish euerlastingly for this act of sinne but they are certainly receiued vnto life euerlasting Sixthly the theefe which neuer did repent in all his life before was saued on the Crosse euen at the last gaspe and period of his life therefore that God and Sauiour who was so mercifull to saue a sinner that neuer was a Saint at the very last gaspe will alwaies be so gratious so louing and compassionate as to saue a sinner at the last which was a Saint a friend a brother and a best beloued vnto him before Lastly to shut vp all in a word or two Admit that an actuall and particular repentance were required as a thing absolutely necessary to saluation of all the true regenerate Saints of God after any grosse and knowne sinne committed by them yet then I say that when God doth take away any of his Saints in the very act of sinne hee doth in that very instance which hee takes them in giue them such an actuall particular repentance as shall saue their soules for hee hath praedestinated them vnto euerlasting life and therefore hauing predestinated them vnto the end he doth likewise predestinate them vnto the meanes for to obtaine it Wherefore as it is altogether impossible for to depriue them of the end so likewise is it impossible to depriue them of the meanes which are annexed inseparably vnto it and therfore put the worst you can imagine yet we may safely say that God doth alwayes giue his Saints this actuall repentance euen in the very point and instant when he cuts them off which the Pseudolut herans and those that defend only a totall fall from grace without a finall doe confesse and teach And therefore notwithstanding all those sinnes they doe commit notwithstanding their lying in sinne for a time or their dying in sin I meane in the act not in the habit and trade of some particular sin without any actuall or particular repentance for that sinne of theirs they neither fall finally nor yet totally from the state of grace This is the maine and principall argument this is the very knot and hinge of the question and therefore pardon me good Reader though I haue beene so prolix and tedious in my answer to it The twentie fiue Argument or obiection that is made against me is That a true regenerate Saint of God may bee excommunicated therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument doth not follow For though excommunication may seuer a Saint of God from the societie of the faithfull and the visible Church of God for a time to humble him for his sinne and to make him more circumspect in his carriage for the time to come yet it neuer doth dissect or cut him off from Christ nay it doth not wholly seuer and cut him off from being a member of the visible Church for then he ought not to be assayled or admitted into the visible Church againe vnlesse he were rebaptized and during the time of this his excommunication he should be no better and no more a Christian than a Turke or Heathen man neither of which can be admitted and therefore this excommunication if you take it in the true and primatiue vse of it not as it is now commonly abused and made a common proces vpon pettie and trifling occasions it only suspends men from being partakers of the priuiledges of the Church it neuer cuts them off from being members of it This is the opinion of Mr. Hooker in his third booke of Ecclesiasticall policie cap. 1. pag. 88. of Bishop Abbot in his answer to Mr Thompsons Diatriba cap. 16. of Mr. Caluin in the 14. booke of his Institutions cap. 12. section 9. 10. of Marlorat in his Exposition vpon the 1 Cor. 5. 5. And I know not any Diuines either Moderne or Ancient of any note or credite that doe affirme the contrarie and therefore your Argument followes not The twenty sixe Argument which may bee made against me is this All Infants which are baptized they are by this their baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and yet we see that many of them doe afterwards fall totally and finally from grace Therefore those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith may fall from grace The Argument is taken for granted and therefore the Antecedent is only to be proued This our Antagonists indeuour for to doe by Scripture and by the authoritie and Doctrine of our Church of England The maine place of Scripture which is alledged is that of Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ which they say is full in point And that this is also the Doctrine of the Church of England is proued by the forme of baptisme recorded in our Common prayer Booke where the Minister before baptisme reciting how Christ did blesse the little children that were brought vnto them and rebuke his Disciples for hindering such as would bring them to him doth from hence exhort the people in these insuing words Doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that hee will likewise fauourably receiue these present Infants that he will imbrace them with the armes of his mercie that hee will giue vnto them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome And againe when as the childe is baptized there is this forme of thanks-giuing there prescribed to vs. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words doe fully proue that all such Infants as are baptized are truly regenerated and so the Antecedent is fully proued to bee true Because this is an argument in which our Antagonists doe much triumph and boast as if wee were not able to vndergoe the charge and vigor of it I shall indeauour to giue a full and satisfactorie answer to it in which I shall bee forced to bee somewhat large and tedious in respect of those many particulars which I am to giue an answer to I will reduce them vnto these foure heads First I shall denie that all Infants that are baptized are truly regenerated and inwardly ingrafted into Christ by vertue of their baptisme Secondly I shall affirme that the place of the Galathians proues it not nor yet any other têxt of Scripture Thirdly I shall
26. yet he was not of the promised seed hee was borne after the flesh and not after the spirit Gal. 4. 28 29 30. Simon Magus was baptized as well as any others and yet he was not regenerated hee was still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie Acts 8. 13. to 25. hee was not an heire and childe of promise All are not Israell which are of Israell neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called That is they which are the children of the flesh those are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Rom. 9. 6 7. 8. The promises of God and the couenant of God belong onely to the sons of faithfull Abraham to the children of the promise and the righteous seed which are only the elect of God and such as the Lord our God shall effectually call Acts 2. 39. Tit. 1. 1. and Rom. 4. 11 12 13. 16. 24. Now all those that are baptized they are not the elect of God they are not the righteous seed or children of promise they are not within the new couenant of grace and therefore they haue no fruite not benefit no true regeneration and incision into Christ by their baptisme I will contract this reason into this Syllogisme If all those that are baptized are not of the true Church and body of Christ if they are not within the new couenant of grace if they are not the promised seed and the elect of God then all that are baptized are not regenerated and ingrafted truly into Christ by their baptisme For as Circumcision was so Baptisme is nothing else but a seale of the new Couenant and of the righteousnesse of faith and so it doth regenerate and ingraft none into Christ but by estating of them in this new Couenant of grace Now none can bee estated into this Couenant but such as are within it such as are the righteous seed the heires of promise the true Israell the true Church and body of Christ and the elect of God because the Couenant belongs to none but them and none can haue any benefit by the Seale that haue not an interest and share in the deed and Couenant it selfe But all those that are baptized are not of the true Church and body of Christ they are not within the new couenant of Grace they are not the promised seed and the elect of God as I haue proued Therefore all that are baptized are not regenerated and ingrafted truly into Christ by this their baptisme Lastly the Scriptures are expresse in it that many are circumcised outwardly in the flesh who were neuer circumcised inwardly with the spirit in the foreskin of their hearts Deut 30. 6. Ier. 9. 26. and Rom. 2. 28 29. that many are outwardly baptized and washed with water which are not inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire nor washed with the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost Math. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 21. and 2 Pet. 2. 3. And therefore all these places of Scripture which speake of this inward baptisme of the Spirit are onely attributed and appropriated to the elect and beleeuing Saints of God and to no others and not to all that are baptized as you may see Math. 3. 11 Acts 2. 38 39. Rom. 6. 2. to 7. Gal. 3. 26 27. Titus 3. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Iohn 3. 5 6 7 8. Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Ezech. 36. 26 27. Marke 16. 16. and Col. 2 11 12. Which will giue an answer to all the Fathers which are objected to the contrary Who when they say of Baptisme that it is the death and expiation of sinne the cause of regeneration and renouation the way of heauen the regeneration of the soule the grace of adoption and the like they say not that it is so to all that are baptized outwardly but to the elect and chosen of God and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus Neither doe they speake it of the outward baptisme of water but only of the inward baptisme of the Spirit which is proper only to the elect of God And that all that are baptized are not regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by this their baptisme but only the elect of God and such as are true beleeuers it is euident by the expresse words and testimonie of the Fathers of Tertullian lib. de baptismo of Hilarie Com in Math. Canon 10. of August cont Donat. lib. 5. cap. 24. de vnitat Ecclesiae cap. 19. and of Hierome Com. in Gal. lib. 2. vpon the words of Paul Gal. 3. 17. And of this opinion is Peter Lumb lib. 4. Dist. 4. cap. 3. Caluin Iustit lib. 4. cap. 15. sect 15. 17. 22. cap. 16. sect 9. Marlorat Exposit in Acts 2. 38. in Rom. 2. 25. in 1 Cor. 12. 13. in Gal. 3. 27. and in 1 Pet. 3. 21. Iohn Frith a martyr in his treatise of Baptisme Hooker lib. 5. of Eccles. Pol. sect 58. 59. 63. 64. Dr. Abbot Bishop of Salisburie In Thomps Diatr cap. 7. Dr. Benefield de Perseuer Sanctorum lib. 1. cap. 14. Zanchius Bucer Melanthon Beza Dr. Francis white Iewell Willet Master Fox all other Orthodox Diuines both of our owne and other Protestant Churches are of the same opinion and I know not any Father or orthodox writer that holds the contrary yea this is the expresse doctrine of our owne 27. Article and it is Mr. Rogers his obseruation in his second proposition raised from this Article and therefore we need not for to question it But now you will object that the holy Ghost doth alwaies accompany the Sacraments and workes effectually in them if there be no impediment on our parts but now in all infants that are baptizad there is no impediment to hinder the effectuall working of the holy Ghost and therefore the holy Ghost workes effectually in them to regenerate them I answer that it is true that the holy Ghost doth alwaies accompany the word and Sacraments yet not as an effect but as a concomitant of them where men are fitted and prepared to receiue them in a godly faithfull and religious manner the holy Ghost doth alwayes worke effectually by them when as they meete with such persons and subjects as are capable to receiue them in a gratious holy manner but where men are not fitted and prepared to receiue these Sacraments and meanes of grace there the holy Ghost doth not accompany them as we may reade at large Ezech. 2. 5. Math. 13. 4. to 10. 18. to 24. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Heb. 4. 2. c. 6. 7. 8. Now all infants they are not fitted and prepared to receiue the meanes of grace or the Spirit of grace which should regenerate them because they want faith and knowledge to receiue them and apply them and therefore in respect of this impediment Baptisme doth not worke effectually
them into Christ that which inables men to take and to receiue Christ Iesus now it is not baptisme but faith only which doth this it is faith only that ingrafts men into Christ and makes them the sonnes of God Gal. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. it is faith only that brings Christ Iesus into mens soules Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 3. 17. it is the hand of faith only that takes Christ Iesus that applies him and puts him on in Iesus Christ neither circumcision a◅aileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. And therefore take this place of Paul how you will it proues not that all those that are baptized are truly regenerated If any other places of Scripture are obiected to the contrary the former answers will fully satisfie them Thirdly I say that this is not the doctrine of the Church of England and those words which Mr. Mountague hath cited out of the Common-prayer Booke doe not proue it For that which is saide of infants which are to bee baptized in our Common-prayer Booke in the forme of baptisme doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that Christ will imbrace them with the armes of his mercy that hee will giue them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome if you take it in the right sense it is no more in effect then this That it is Christs will and pleasure that infants should be baptized and that hee hath'a fauour and respect vnto them but that all infants that are baptized are in truth regenerated that it proues not Mr. Mountague indeed as if hee were not acquainted with the Liturgie and publike religious seruise of our Church vnlesse it were to correct it and to cauell at it for which hee taxeth and condemneth others who are lesse guilty then himselfe would haue the word in the preterperfect tence citing this word hath for wilt because he would wrest the words to his purpose but the words are in the future tense and are no more in effect then that which I haue said before Indeede the wordes after baptisme are in the preterperfect tence We yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words proue not that all infants which are baptized are by their very baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ because these words and so the others before baptisme are not generall and vniuersall but they are limited and restrained to one particular infant or those particular infants which are then to be baptized whose absolute and definitiue estate is only knowne to God and not vnto the Church Our Church out of charity because shee knoweth nothing to the contrary doth beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated that is sacramentally or because you will haue it so Mr. Mountague really and spiritually yet shee beleeueth not that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated by their baptisme and ingrafted into Christ that Mr. Mountague as well read as hee is in the Common-prayer Booke cannot shew mee If you now object that that which is true of euery indiuiduall is true of the whole species and therfore i◅ our Church beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated therefore that shee is of opinion that all are so I answer that the rule is false for there are many things which may bee saide and predicated truly or at least charitablie of Indiuidualls which are false of the whole species and cannot bee applied to it A man may say hee ought to say of euery particular and euery indiuiduall man in the world that hee may beleeue hee may repent and he may bee saued because hee hath no warrant to the contrary and hee cannot know whether God hath otherwise disposed of him yet a man cannot say that all men shall be saued that all men may beleeue and repent because it is contrary to the reuealed will and word of God So a man may and ought to say of euery particular infant which is baptized that hee is regenerated because he knowes not any thing to the contrary Indeede afterwards if hee see him liue a wicked and vngodly life he may then safely say that hee was not regenerated by his baptisme because his life and workes declare as much but yet no man can safely say that all that are baptized are spiritually really and effect ually regenerated because it is not so reuealed in the Scriptures This charitable opiniō then of the Church of England being restrained to indiuiduall particular infants and not extended and inlarged to all such as are baptized warrants not Mr. Mountagues collection from it That all infants which are baptized are truly spiritually and effectually regenerated Which answers likewise the words in the Catechisme for there the childe in the second answer answeres only for himselfe that by his baptisme not all that were baptized but I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen that is I haue a right and title to all those by my baptisme if I will lay hold on them and take possession of them by faith my baptisme giues me a title to them but doth not giue mee actuall and full possession of them For these words in the Rubricke before the Catechisme That children being baptized haue all things necessary for their saluation the meaning is no more but this That ba◅tisme without faith knowledge lou◅ and actuall repentance is sufficient for to saue such children as dye before yeares of discretion because God will not require impossibilities at their hands and such conditions which they were not able to performe Or else that children by their baptisme are admitted into the Church and haue an interest in all those priuiledges and means of grace which are necessary to saluation what is this to purpose that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated Yea but the Rubricke saith that if they dye before actuall sinne they shall bee vndoubtedly saued That is such infants as are baptized and dye before actuall sin are saued because our Church knowes nothing to the contrary shee knowes not whether God hath otherwise disposed of them But yet it is not there recorded that all infants that are baptized are regenerated and saued or that such infants which fall away from the sacramentall grace which they receiued should haue beene saued if they had died before actuall sinne Wherefore in any wise mans judgement that hath his wits and senses about him there is nothing in the Booke of Common-prayers to warrant this assertion That all such a◅ are baptized are truly and spiritually regenerated it is only Mr. Mountagues false and brainsicke conceite who torments and rackes our Common prayer Booke to defend his Error
17. 8. and Heb. 6. 19. but the faith which these two grounds had it had no roote at all Math. 13. 5 6 21. Luke 18. 13. it was such a faith or credulity rather which was setled in the vndâ—…rstanding but was not rooted and grounded in the heart and spirit therefore it was no true liuely justifying and sauing faith Fifthly because the faith of these two grounds is put by way of 〈◊〉 and opposition to that of the 〈◊〉 and good groâ—…nd these two temporary sorts of hearers are 〈◊〉 and distinguished from the fourth sort who did with honest and good hearts not only heare the word of God but keepe it to and bring forth fruite with patience which the others did not The text it selfe makes a kinde of speciall difference betweene the faith of the one and of the other and therefore their faith could not bee true because it is distinguished and put in opposition to the faith of the fourth ground But if all this will not giue you satisfaction I answer that the difference in this parable is only intended and meant of hearers not of beleeuers the parable informes vs that there are foure seuerall sorts of hearers not foure different sorts of beleeuers Now of all these foure sorts of hearers there was but one sort of them that were true beleeuers for in the other three sorts the word preached did not profit them and why was this because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. therefore it is certaine that the three first sorts of hearers had no faith at all as you surmise they had neither can there be foure sorts of true belâ—…euers as you would hence collect for as there is but one God one Lord one spirit and one body so there is but one faith one kinde one sort and speciâ—…s of true beleeuers who are not different and many but all one in Christ. Ephes. 4. 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12 27. Rom. 15 5 6. 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 10. 17. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 1. 27. cap. 2. 2. Col. 3. 15. and therefore this Scripture being only meant of seuerall kindes of auditors and not of seuerall kindes of beleeuers makes nothing at all against mee The second example is of those Iohn 2. 23 24. Those that 〈◊〉 in the name of Christ when as they saw his miracles had true iustâ—…fying faith But these fell from grace for Iesus did not commit â—…imselfe vnto them for hee kâ—…ew all â—…en therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace I answer that these had not true justifying and liuing faith within them which is euident by these reasons First because this faith was wrought only by the sight of miracles without the preaching of the Word and it was no more but a beleife that Christ was the true Messiah but true liuing justifying and sauing faith as it is alwaies a fruite of the spirit of God Gal. 5. 22. so it is alwaies wrought by the word of God Rom. 10. 14 15 27. whence it is stiled the word of faith Gal. 3. 2. and 1 Tim. 4. 6. therefore this beliefe which was wrought meerely by miracles without the word and spirit of God could be no true justifying and liuing faith Secondly these men could be no true beleeuers because the text saith that Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them because hee knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for hee knew what was in man that is Christ knew them to be but hypocrites he knew their hearts were not vpright towards him and therefore he would not trust himselfe with them Now will any man dare to say that those whom Christ himselfe knew to be hypocrites that those to whom Christ would not commit himselfe were true beleeuers that they had true and sauing faith within them if hee doth as our Antagonists doe what is this but to make Christ ignorant of the estates of men and to make our selues more skilfull in discerning of mens hearts then hee Well marke these words of the Euangelist First he saith that Christ did not commit himselfe vnto them therefore they had no true faith therefore they were no true beleeuers For Christ is so farre from not committing of himselfe to true beleeuers that hee doth euen inhabit and dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17. and 2 Cor. 13. 5. Secondly hee saith that the reason why Christ did not commit himselfe vnto them was because hee knew all men that is hee knew them to be hypocrites as most interpreters expound it if they were hypocrites and not sound at hart then they were no true beleeuers for true faith it purifieth the heart it makes it syncere and vpright and purgeth it from all hypocrisie Acts. 15. 9. Math. 23. 26. and 2 Cor. 2. 17. If you now object that they beleeued in his name therefore this phrase implyeth that they had true faith I answer that this phrase in this place for the reasons formerly giuen declares no more then this that they had an historicall faith that they beleeued him to be the Christ and not that they did rely and trust vpon him or take him for their Lord and Sauiour and in this very sense it is taken Math 7. 21. 22. Iohn 6. 2. 14. cap. 11. 40 41 48. cap. 12. 42 43. cap. 5. 44 Iames 2. 19. and so haue all interpreters agreed it vpon this place But admit that these Iewes here mentioned had true faith Then I deny your Minor that they fell away from it againe the text saith no such thing that they fell from grace and you can produce no other text of Scripture to proue that these particular Iewes which Saint John here mentions fell away from grace or faith it is your owne imagination and surmise wherefore let these bee true beleeuers or no true beleeuers this their example proues nothing against mee The third example is that of Iohn 6. 66. Many of Christs Disciples went backe and walked no more with him but these had true faith therefore those who haue true faith may fall from grace I answer that the Minor is false for Christ himselfe informes vs. ver 26 27. That these Disciples which departed from him did seeke and follow him not for his doctrine or his miracles or for that meate which indureth vnto euerlasting life but onely because they did eate of the loaues and were filled and therefore when he exhorted them to eate his flesh and drinke his blood that is to feed on him in their hearts by faith this very thing did so much offend them that they departed from him which makes it cleare that they had no faith at all for then they could not haue taken scandall at an exhortation vnto faith Yea Christ himselfe doth certifie vs verse 64 that those who departed did not beleeue and it appeares by Peters answer verse 68 69. that the reason why they did depart was only this
for that was not in danger to be lost for any former sinnes The holy spirit of God therefore continuing still in Dauid it is certaine that he did not fall totally from the state of Grace by these sinnes of his Fourthly if Dauid had fallen quite away from the state of grace he could not haue repented so soone as now he did For no sooner had Nathan told him thou art the man but presently Dauid he doth confesse his sinne to God I haue sinned saith he against the Lord and presently vpon this confession of his God returnes him this answer by Nathan the Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die whence he records it of himselfe Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto the Lord and my iniquitie haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgression to the Lord and thou gorgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Certainly if Dauid had beene dead in sinnes and trespasses if he had had no life of grace within him he had not beene so soone awaked and reuiued as now he was he could not haue penned such a passionate and true poenitentiall Psalme as this I will not stand to argue that Dauid was borne of the immortall seed of grace and therefore he could not sinne vnto death because the seed of grace remained in him and because he was borne of God or that he could not fall from grace because the Lord sustained and vpheld him with his hand the former reasons are sufficient for to doe it Now that Dauid did not fall totally from grace nor yet lose the Spirit of God by this his fall we haue the testimonies of Irenaeus lib. 4 adu Haereses cap 45. Of Origen hom 4. in Psal. 36. of Basil Scholia in Psa. 50. alias 51. Of Chrisostome Hom. 44. in 1 Cor. 16. Of Augustine de Doctr Christ lib. 3. cap. 21. and Comment in Psal. 50. alias 51. Of Anselme Com in Hebr. 6. Of Bernard de Natura dignitate amoris diuini cap. 6. Of Luther in Psal. 51. vers 11. 12. Of Caluin in Psa. 51. vers 11. 12. Of Bucer in Psal. 1. and in Rom. 8. Of Marlorat Exposit in Psal. 51. 11 12 13. and in 1 Iohn 39. Of Musculus in Psal. 51 Oâ—… Tyndall in his Treatise of the manner of Election Of Abbot Benefield Scharpius Prideaux Zanchius Beza Bastingius and all other moderne Protestant and Orthodox writers Tertullian Cyprian and the other ancient Fathers they onely make mention of Dauids sinne and repentance but speake not that he fell from grace and therefore there is no great question but that Dauid continued still in his estate of grace notwithstanding that he fell into these sinnes As for that which is objected by our Antagonists that Dauid prayes to God to create in him a cleane heart therefore his heart was wholly polluted before and he was fallen quite from grace I answer that this word create though in its proper acception it signifies to make a thing out of nothing yet here it signifies no more then to renew as the most and best expositers on this Psalme agree which is euident by the words which are coupled and conjoyned with it for saith the Psalmist create in mee a cleane heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within mee now if Dauid had not intended meerely a renouation but a new creation of his heart and graces he would haue vsed onely these words create in me a new heart omitting these subsequent words and renew a right spirit within mee for else there were a contradiction in them For creation is to make a thing out of nothing renouation is to repaire and renew a thing that was in being before and therefore Dauid joyning them both together his meaning is no more but this Lord repaire the breaches of my heart and soule and renew those graces of thy Spirit in me which my sinnes haue blurred and dâ—…aced take then these words in their naturall and proper sense and then they make for me not against me Secondly I answer that Dauid was here deeply affected with his sinnes and hee beheld a great deale of filth of sinne of flesh and corruption in his heart and therefore out of a godly zeale and feruencie and a detestation of his sinne he prayes to God to giue him a new heart and to create in him such an heart as might be cleane and free from all corruption and this hee doth not because there was no synceritie and grace in his heart before for then it is certaine that hee could not haue prayed thus to God but because he did desire to haue his heart better then it was before So that these words of Dauid being but a prayer they doe not necessarily implie that Dauid had no grace in him before I would aske our Antagonists but this question Whether this prayer of Dauid be not the daily prayer of euery true regenerate man Doe not those who are in the state of grace pray earnestly to God To create in them a new heart and to renew a right spirit within them to make them new men and new creatures and will you then conclude that because these true regenerate Saints of God doe vse this prayer that therefore they are not in the state of grace If you should doe so you would but make your selues ridiculous and therefore if you cannot conclude that those Saints of God which vse this prayer as well as Dauid are not in the state of grace because they vse it neither can you conclude that Dauid was not in the state of grace because he vsed it You know it is the vsuall custome of the Saints of God to humble and debase themselues in the sense and feeling of their owne corruptions Iacob he confesseth that the dayes of his pilgrimage were but few and euill Holy Iob the most just and vpright man vpon the earth he confesseth himselfe to be vile and therefore he abhors himselfe and repents in dust and ashes the holy Prophet Isaiah he cries out Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of vncleane lips Peter he falls at Iesus feet saying depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord and holy Paul records it of himselfe Wee know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and therefore he cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death I thinke now that no man will bee so vncharitable or absurd as to say that Iaacob Iob Isaiah Peter and Paul had no grace at all within them that they were in the state of death and damnation because they vse these words of themselues And againe I suppose that no man will be so ridiculous as to affirme that euery one which doth vse the Lords prayer is not in the state of grace and
justification because he prayes to God to forgiue him his trespasses which may seeme for to implie that his sinnes are not as yet forgiuen and so he is not iustified If men then will not be so absurd and ridiculous to collect such an inference and conclusion from these forecited speeches and prayers why then should they doe it from this prayer of Dauid create in me a new heart O God and renew a right spirit within me which doth not intimate or implie as much as they Thirdly I would demand of our Antagonists whether Dauid had not the Spirit of God within him whether he were not in the state of grace when as he penned this Psalme If he had not the Spirit of God within him if he were not in the state of grace how then could this bee a poenitentiall Psalme for no man can vnseignedly repent him of his sinnes but by the helpe and assistance of Gods Spirit If hee had not the Spirit of God within him why then doth he pray to God in the next verse Cast me not out of thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from mee yea why is this Psalme recorded and receiued as Canonicall Scripture if Dauid were not in the state of grace if he had not the Spirit of God within him which is the author of all Canonicall Scripture when as he penned it If then Dauid had the holy spirit of God within him when as hee penned this Psalme as our Antagonists must needs grant or else they must raze this Psalme out of the Booke of God then it is certaine that these words of Dauid Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me cannot implie that Dauid was now fallen from the state of Grace by these his sinnes So that the first reason of our Antagonists is vaine and idle For the second reason drawne from Iohn that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him therefore Dauid being a murtherer fell from grace I answer first that the scope of the Apostle in this place is no more but this to proue that such as hate the Saints of God haue no life and grace within them this is the onely aime of the place which cannot bee applied to Dauid who was a louer and an earnest fauourer of the Saints as we may see Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 101. 6. and Psal. 119. 79. and therefore by St. Iohns words was passed from death to life and did dwell in God and God in him 1 Iohn 3. 14. and 4. 16. Secondly I answer that this is onely true of such as neuer were in the state of grace and of such as liue and die without repentance in this sinne and not of the Saints and therefore it cannot be applied vnto Dauid But because I would be as briefe as may be for further answer to this and to the other two reasons which our Antagonists object to proue that Dauid fell from grace I referre you to my answer of the twentie foure Argument where these three reasons are fully answered and to my two obseruations immediatly before my answer to these Arguments where I haue proued that no true regenerate men can fall from grace and that such as doe fall away had neuer but a shadow and no truth of grace All which being pondered and considered together with my reasons here alledged will giue you full satisfaction that Dauid did neither finally nor totally fall from grace The fift Example is Peter Peter hee was a true regenerate man But he fell from grace in denying of Christ. For first hee denyed him thrice and that with an oath yea with many oathes and execrations Math. 26. 72 73. 74. Now he that denieth Christ before men hee hath not the spirit of Christ and Christ will denie him before his Father which is in heauen Rom. 8. 9. 2 Iohn 7. Math. 10 33. Luke 9. 26. and therefore Peter in denying Christ thus fell from grace Secondly Christ himselfe intimates that hee should fall from grace in denying him Luke 23. for he saith vnto him with reference to his deniall and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Peter needed a new conuersion therefore he fell from grace Therefore true regenerate men may fall from grace as well as Peter I answer that the Minor is false and that Peter in denying Christ did not fall totally from grace and that I shall euidence by these reasons First because that Christ had prayed that his faith should not faile Luke 22. 32. If therefore Peter fell from grace either Christs prayer was not heard which is contrary to the Scriptures for he himselfe informes vs Iohn 11. 42. that his Father heareth him alwayes or else Christ made no such prayer either of which makes Christ a lyar If you replie that Christs prayer extended meerely to a finall not to a totall failing that he prayed that Peters faith should not faile finally but not totally I answer first that Christs prayer extendeth as well to a totall as a finall falling For first the originall word it signifieth to faile So as the Sunne or the Moone doe in an ecclipse which are neuer wholly deptiued of their light nor so ecclipsed but that they may be seene if the medium bee cleere and therefore Christ praying that his faith should not faile no not as the Sunne or the Moone doe in an ecclipse prayes that it should not so much as faile totally for a time as well as that it should not finally faile Secondly that which failes totally for a time it is certaine that it failes now Christs prayer for Peters faith was not that it might not faile finally but that it might not faile therefore that it might not faile totally as well as that it might not finally faile because that faith which failes totally doth faile as much as that which failes finally and therefore to make vp the words and to giue them their full and true signification wee must take it as well for a totall as for a finall fall else the words are not sufficiently supplyed and satisfied Thirdly faith cannot faile totally but it must faile finally to If Peters faith which he had before his deniall of Christ were wholly abolished and destroyed in him it were impossible for the same numericall faith which was vtterly lost and abolished to be restored to him againe the faith which he had afterwards must bee a new faith and not the same numericall faith which he had before And therefore since Peters faith could not faile totally so as to be vtterly abolished in him but it must of necessity faile finally to because it was not in abeiance nor yet transmitted into any other subiect for the time but vtterly lost and annihilated by this his sin as you affirme and therefore if this prayer of Christ extends to a finall failing as your felues confesse it must needs extend to a totall failing to and so as Peters faith did not
I may safely say he did not fall from grace and may well aduise our Antagonists to search and trie their owne estates and to forbeare to censure and determine Peters till the Scriptures haue defined it Lastly that Peter fell fell not totally from the state of grace in denying Christ it is the expresse determination and resolution of most Diuines both ancient and moderne So it is resolued by Tertullian De fuga in Persecutione lib. cap. 3. by Origin Hom. 4. in Psal. 36. et Hom. 3. in Math. by Hilarie in Psal. 54. by Basilius Magnut de Humilitate sermo by Chrysostome Homil. 88. in Math. by Augustine de Corrept et Gratia lib. cap. 6. 7. Contra Mendatinm ad Consentium cap. 6. by Prosper in his Epist. de Liberâ—… Arbitrio ad Ruffinum pag. 12 〈◊〉 Leo de Passione Dom. sermo 3. 9. by Gregorius Magnus Hom. 15. in Ezech. et Morral lib. 25. cap. 11. by Anselme in Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. by Theophylact in Luke 22. 32. by Bernard De natura et dignitate amoris diuini cap. 6. by Luther in John 17. Enarratio in magno Comment in cap 5. ad Galatas by Melanethon in 1 Cor. 10. by Bucer in Psal 1. in Rom. 7. by Tyndall in his Treatise of the manner of our Election by Zanchius Caluin Pareus Marâ—… 〈◊〉 Abbot and by all other moderne writers of our side yea and by most Pontificians to and therefore wee may rest in their judgements and not preferre the sentence and opinion of euery factious Noueller before them who hath nothing else but his owne words and fancie for his warrant Now wee haue sufficiently proued that Peter fell not totally from grace by this his sinne I will answer the reasons that are obiected to the contrary For the first of them that such as deny Christ haue not the spirit of Christ and that Christ will also deny them I answer that it is true of such as deny Christ wilfully of such as deny him both in word and deede of such as will not submit themselues vnto him and will not suffer for the profession of his name Now Perer hee denies Christ only in words but not in heart and in deede hee denies him out of feare and that but for a fit not out of disobedience malice or meere infidelity hee denyed only the knowledge of his person not his diety his offices and his attributes hee denied him because God left him to himselfe to humble him for his former arrogancie and pride and not for want of loue and will to Christ and therefore these Scriptures reach not vnto Peter especially seeing he had no sooner denied Christ but hee repented of it presently euen with great griefe and sorrow of heart To the second objection that Peter wanted a new conuersion vnto Christ therefore hee was fallen quite away from grace I answer that this conuersion here meant by Christ is not a conuersion from a state of sin death and damnation vnto a state of grace or a conuersion from infidelity to faith for in the same verse Christ tells Peter that hee had prayed for him that his faith might not faile and then these words follow vpon it and thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren which connection by this coniunction copulatiue and with the former words proues that Peters conuersion here was only a conuersion from that sinne of his in denying of Christ to a confession and profession of his name and not a conuersion from infidelity to faith and so doe the most and best expound it So that notwithstanding all these cauils it is plaine and euident that Peter fell not from the state of grace and so his example makes for vs not against vs and is as farre from your purpose as Peter was falling from the state of grace The sixth Example is Iudas Iudas was once a true regenerate man and in the state of grace but hee fell totally and finally from grace Therefore others may fall so to I answer that the Major is false For first Iudas was excluded from the number of beleeuers euen by Christ himselfe Iohn 6. 68 69 70 71. For there when as Peter in the name of all the other Disciples had testified his faith beleife in Christ Christ to cleare this scruple that Iudas had neuer any true and justifying faith in him no not at that very time giues this answer vnto the 12 haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is not shall be a deuill this saith the Euangelist hee spake of Iudas Iscariot which should afterwards betray him If Iudas were then a Deuill where then was that true grace and faith the which you speake of True it is the diuills themselues beleeue and tremble Iam 2 19. it may be Iudas did so to but yet that Iudas who was a Deuill or that the Diuells haue any true grace and justifying faith within them I thinke that none but Diuills dare affirme Secondly Christ himselfe stiles Iudas the sonne of perdition Iohn 17. 12. and therefore hee being but a vessell of wrath fitted for destruction was neuer truly regenerated Thirdly hee was alwaies couetous he loued the bagge better then the poore at first and that made him loue it better then Christ himselfe at last and therefore he had neuer any truth of grace within him But our Antagonists object that Iudas was chosen of Christ and giuen vnto him of God Ioh. 6. 70. and 17. 12. therfore hee was regenerated and in the state of grace Surely these acute opponents who leaue no stone vnmoued know Iudas better then Christ euer did hee neuer tooke him but for a deuill and a sonne of perdition they like the ancient Caianites mentioned by Epiphanius adore him for a Saint whether Christ or they are to bee beleeued bee you the judges But to answer this objection I say that this election and choise of Iudas was only to an office to be a Disciple not a Saint which is euident first by expresse Scriptures as Mar. 3. 14. Luke 6. 13. Acts 1. 20. Iohn 6. 70. where Iudas is mentioned among the number of those twelue whom Christ did chuse not to bee his Saints but his Disciples Secondly it is euident that Iudas was not chosen to be a Saint but a Disciple because hee was only chosen by Christ not in Christ. Now all those who are chosen to bee Saints are chosen by God the Father in Iesus Christ not by him before the foundations of the world were laide not when Christ was on earth Ephes. 1. 4. therefore Iudas being chosen by Christ only not by the Father that in the daies of Christs abode on earth not from all eternity must needes bee elected and chosen to an office only and not to be a Saint Thirdly Iudas was appointed and prophecied of long before Christs comming or his owne being that he should betray Christ and therefore hee was