such men which are regenerated ingrafted into Christ in outward shew but not in truth which are not within the verge and compasse of our question and not of such as were in truth regenerated and inserted into Christ. Or else if they are intended of true regenerate men they will not reach so farre as to proue that euer these did either finally or totally fall from grace notwithstanding all their wrestings and collections because the expresse words of the Scripture say the contrary and so they come not home vnto the point in question But all such as fall away from grace are onely such as neuer had any true and sauing grace and such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. Therefore all those Scriptures and examples which our Antagonists produce against vs make nothing to the purpose These two generall assertions which are able for to satisfie and cleare all future obiections being thus praemised I come now to giue a particular answere to all those particular arguments which may bee obiected against mee either from Scripture or from reason The first argument which may bee obiected against this conclusion is drawen from Ezech 18 24 26. and Ezech 33 12 13 18. where the words are these If the righteous turneth away from this righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shall hee dye When I say to the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not bee remembred but for his iniquity that hee hath committed hee shall dye for it From which texts of Scripture this argument is framed Righteous men may turne away from their righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe ac̄cording to all the abominations that the wicked doe and they may dye in their sinnes as appeares by this text Therefore they may fall finally or totally from grace I answere that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by the place that is alleaged For first of all the righteous man which the Prophet speakes of in these places is not such a one as is justified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ being ingrasted into him by faith but such a one which is justified meerely by his owne righteousnesse as your Popish merit mongers seeke to be which is euident by the expresse words of the text For these words If he trust to his owne righteousnesse if hee turne away from his righteousnesse all his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not bee remembred the righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of his transgression neither shall hee bee able to liue for his righteousnesse in the day that he sinneth proue that the Prophet speakes onely of Legall and not of Euangelicall righteousnesse and his words are in effect no more but this Hee that seekes to be justified by his owne righteousnesse or by the workes of the law if he commit but one sinne in all his life this doth disanull his legall justification and makes him liable to eternall death For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. and cursed is he that continueth not in all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27 26. So that all the argument which this text affords you is but this Hee that seekes to bee justified by the Law and by his owne righteousnesse if he commits but one sinne doth loose his justification and make himselfe liable to damnation Therefore regenerate men who are justified onely by faith in Christ may fall from the state of grace how well this argument followes and how well it makes for your purpose let all men judge Now for farther proofe that this righteous man and this righteousnesse here mentioned is onely meant of such a man that is legally righteous and of legall righteousnesse I shall manifest it to bee so by these three reasons The first is taken from Ezech 18 4 20. where the words are the soule that sinneth it shall dye this is true onely in respect of the strictnesse of the Law but not in respect of the clemencie of the Gospell for then none should be saued therefore the righteousnesse here intended must onely bee a legall and not an euangelicall righteousnesse for in the Gospell and in respect of euangelicall righteousnesse the soule that sinneth may not dye The second reason is taken from Ezech 18. ver 5. to 9. ver 14 to 18. wherethe words are these If a man be iust and doe that which is lawfull and right and hath not eaten vpon the mountaines c. hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements to deale truly hee is iust he shall surely liue saith the Lord God which words cannot bee intended of the righteousnesse of faith which is wrought by Christ alone but onely of the righteousnesse of workes which is wrought by men themselues wherefore this righteousnesse here mentioned is onely a legall and not an euangelicall righteousnesse Thirdly the Scriptures say expresly that a true regenerate man who is justified by faith in Christ can neuer sinne vnto death because he is borne of God and his seede remaineth in him 1 Iohn 3 9. that he keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Iohn 5 18. that hee shall be had in euerlasting remembrance Psa 112◅6 and that hee shall neuer perish nor yet dye the death Iohn 10 28. cap 11 25 26. And therefore this righteous man here mentioned which may sinne vnto death which may bee quite forgotten and not remembred and which may dye and perish in his sinnes must needes bee one that is legally righteous or righteous onely in the eyes of men and not such a one as is regenerated and justified by Iesus Christ and so this place of Scripture makes nothing for your purpose Secondly admit that this place were meant of a true regenerate man and such a one as is justified by faith yet it proues not any thing at all against me for two reasons First because the whole scope and meaning of the place is not to proue the Apostacie of the Saints but onely for to cleare Gods justice and that in these two particulars First that he will neuer punish any man for the sinens of other men of which they are not guilty that he will neuer punish a righteous son for the sins of a wicked father the soule that sinneth it shall dye no other the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him Ezech 18 4 20. This is the maine scope of
more death hath no more dominion ouer it Iohn 11. 25 26. and Rom. 6. 9. 10. 11. 14. it is a seed that proceeds from the very power of God and of the holy Ghost Rom. 15 13. 1 Cor. 2. 5. it is wrought in vs by the selfesame almighty power of God which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead and set him at the right hand of God in heauenly places Ephes. 1. 19. 20. and cap. 3. 20. therefore it cannot bee vanquished or destroyed by all the power and strength of sinne or Sathan the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it Math. 16. 18. this power and grace of Christ in vs is sufficient for vs it is stronger then sinne or Sathan it is able to vanquish and subdue them and to treade and bruise them vnder our feet 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. cap. 12. 9 10. Rom. 16. 20. Ephes. 6. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 4. and cap. 5. 4 5. No sinne that the Saints of God commit doth vtterly destroy and roote this seede of Grace out of their hearts it still abides within them and therefore they neuer sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of damnation or to fall wholly or totally from the state of grace Hee who amidst the very greatest of his sinnes doth retaine the very habit and seed of grace within him it is certaine that he falls not wholly from the state of grace for for any man to fall totally from the state of grace and yet to retaine the very habit and seed of grace within him still is a plaine and manifest contradiction But the true regenerate Saints of God and such as are truly borne of God euen amidst the very greatest of their sinnes doe still retaine the habit and the seed of grace within them as is euident by the premises therefore it is certaine that they fall not wholly from the state of grace by these their sinnes Thirdly a true regenerate man can neuer sinne so farre as to fall totally from grace and to put himselfe into a state of death and damnation because he neuer sinnes so farre as to make himselfe a slaue or seruant vnto sinne though sinne be in him yet it is in him as a tyrant and a rebell not a King or a friend it rules and reignes not in him he obeyes it not in the lusts thereof he neuer yeelds vp himselfe as a seruant or a subject to it Rom. 6. 12. to 23. 2 Pet. 2. 19. Iohn 8. 34. though he walkes after the slesh or rather is drawne violently after the flesh sometimes yet he wars not after the flesh 2 Cor. 10. 3. hee is so farre from warring after it that he alwaies wars and fights against it the very sinne and euill which he doth commit is the sinne and euill which hee would not doe Rom. 7. 15. to the end and Gal. 5. 17. hee neuer sinnes with a full intire compleate resolued and deliberate will he neuer yeelds a full and perfect assent vnto his sinne there is a reluctancie reuitancie dislike and hatred of it in his soule and it his inner man and therefore he neuer sinnes so farre as to cast himselfe wholly downe from the state of grace and to put himselfe into the state of death and damnation Fourthly Regenerate men they neuer sinne so far as to fall totally from the state of grace no not for a time because they neuer sinne so farre as to seuere and cut off themselues from Christ. Those who euen then when as they do commit sinne and whiles they haue the remainders of the old man and of the body of sinne continuing in them continue still in Christ it is certaine that they are in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and dà mnation because he that is in Christ the spring and fountaine of all grace and life hath grace and life within him and he is wholly freed from the law of sinne and death Iohn 5. 24. 1 Iohn 5. 12. and Rom. 8. 2. But the true regenerate Saints of God euen then when as they doe commit sinne and whiles they haue the remainders of the old man and of the body of sinne continuing in them continue still in Christ as is euident by Rom. 7. 15. to the end compared with Rom. 8. 1 2. where Paul making mention of that perpetuall combate which is betweene the flesh and the spirit in euery true regenerate man who did with their minde serue the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne he concludes it with this Corollarie or inference There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit for though there be much sinne and corruption in them yet the law of the Spirit of life hath made them free from the law of sinne and death There is now no condemnation to them euen now whiles there is much sinne and corruption in them because they striue against this sinne and corruption they hate it and are grieued vnder it they obey and serue it not because there is an inner man a regenerate and sanctified part within them which God doth most respect which is alwaies grapling and contending with those corruptions and because they are still in Christ who hath freed them from the law of finne and death Therefore because the regenerate Saints of God euen then when as they doe commit siâ—…ne and whiles their corruptions are hanging on them are still in Christ Therefore it is certaine that they are in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and damnation Fiftly the true regenerate Saints of God when as they commit auy grosse and knowne sinne euen before their actuall and particular repentance for it are still in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and damnation because they are still the elected Saints and the adopted sonnes of God and their names are still inrolled in the book of Life Those who are still the elected and adopted sons of God and haue their names inrolled in the Booke of Life it is certaine that they are alwaies in the state of grace and life and not in the state of death and damnation because their election and adoption they are altogether immutable they cannot be altered or changed no more then God himselfe But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are still the elected and adopted sonnes of God and their names are alwayes inrolled in the booke of Life Rom. 8. 29. 30. Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. Luke 10. 20. Phil. 4. 3. Heb. 12. 13. Reu. 13. 18. and infinite other places Therefore it is certaine that they are alwayes in the state of grace and life and not in the state of death and damnation yea euen then when as they lie in any grosse scandalous and knowne sin without any particular and actuall repentance Sixtly the true regenerate Saintâ—… of God
the powers of the world to come that is they may heare the word of God and receiue it with great ioy as the second and third ground did Math. 13. 20. Marke 6. 20. and as Iohn Baptists auditors did Iohn 5. 35. Yea they may relish the word of God and taste a sweetnesse and pleasantnesse in it they may bee much affected with it for a time but yet in a carnall manner out of selfe-loue and by-respects or out of feare in times of sicknesse or outward judgements they may be much affected with the promises of grace and mercy though the Doctrine of mortification and selfe-deniall may seeme harsh and bitter to them They may taste of the powers of the world to come that is they may vnderstand the Doctrine of the Resurrection and of eternall life they may bee much affected with the joyes of heauen and with the happinesse of the Saints when they shall heare them amplified and expressed to the full Wee know by common experience that many Hypocrites and wicked men when they doe but heare the joyes and excellencies of heauen discoursed of haue oft-times by sodaine fits and flashes a kinde of inward taste sense and feeling of them and their very hearts and soules are euen rauished and delighted with them not from any inward principle of grace or any sure euidence of heauen which they haue within them but out of a secret admiration of the things themselues or out of a false and groundlesse opinion and conceite that these ioyes and excellencies belong to them when as it is nothing so Wherefore there being nothing in these places but that which is common to hypocrites and carnall men we ought with the most and best expositors vpon these places to appropriate these texts and places only to hypocrites and carnall men which may fall away from their outward shewes of grace and not vnto the true regenaerate Saints of God who cannot fall from grace nor yet depart from God or sinne vnto death Ier. 32. 40. and 1 Iohn 3. 9. cap. 5. 16 17 18. But you will object that those of whom Saint Peter writes were bought with the blood of Christ for they denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. and those of whom the Apostle writes Hebr. 10. 29. were such as were sanctified with the blood of the Couenant therefore they were men truly regenerated and not only in outward shew I answer that they were such as were purchased with Christs blood sufficiently or in common reputation but not effectually and truly they were neuer washed and cleansed with his bloud for Peter applieth this to Heretickes and false teachers which priuily should bring in damnable beresies euen to the denying of the Lord that bought them Now such Heretickes and false teachers they were neuer truly purchased or sanctified with the blood of Christ for if euer they had beene of the true sold and sheepe of Christ if euer they had beene truly ingrafted into him they would no doubt haue continued with them but therefore they went out from him that it might appeare that they were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into him 1 Iohn 2. 19. And whereas it is said that they were sanctified with the blood of the Couenant The meaning is no more but this that they were Sacramentally sanctified they were outwardly washed in their Baptisme from the filth of their sinnes but yet their hearts and natures were not inwardly purified washed and regenerated by the bloud of Iesus Christ and the inward operation of Gods Spirit This is euident by the 2 Pet. 2. 22. where they are stiled washen swine who had their outside only washed but their swinish and filthy nature still remained in them and therefore they returne againe to their wallowing in the mire and puddle of their sinnes Wherefore all these places must be vnderstood only of Hypocrites and carnall morall men whose hearts and natures were neuer changed and renewed and not of the true regenerate Saints of God who are new men and new creatures Secondly all these places must needs bee vnderstood of Hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace because the most and best expositers doe appropriate and applie them only to such as commit the sinne against the holy Ghost which shall neuer be forgiuen Now this is certaine that all such as are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer commit the sinne against the holy Ghost For St. Iohn tells vs 1 Iohn 3. 9. cap. 5. 16 17 18. That hee that is borne of God sinneth not vnto death because his seed remaineth in him neither can hee sinne thus because hee is borne of God hee cannot commit the sinne vnto death which most interpret to bee the sinne against the holy Ghost wherefore these places cannot bee meant of such as are truly regenerated and borne of God who cannot commit the sinne against the holy Ghost Againe Christ himselfe assures vs that none of his sheepe shall euer perish Iohn 10. 28. and Dauid certifieth vs that though the righteous man fall yet hee shall neuer bee vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Psal. 37. 24. therefore these places cannot be vnderstood of any of the Sheepe of Christ or of any that are truly righteous but only of Hypocrites and such as had no truth of Grace Thirdly it is euident that these places must needs bee intended only of hypocrites and carnall men and not of true regenerate men by reason of the antithesis opposition and difference that the Apostle makes betweene those regenerate Saints of God to whom he writes and those which were â—…lightned and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come For when the Apostle had spoken of those Heb. 6. 4. to the 9. verse in the 9. and with verses he subjoynes these words But wee are perswaded better things of you and things that accompanie saluation though wee thus speake For God is not vnrighteous to forget your worke and labour of loue which yee haue shewed towards his name and Heb. 10. hee doth the like 〈◊〉 So that this difference which the Apostle himselfe makes betweene the Saints to whom he writes and those of whom these places which you object make mention proues that those places which you alledge are only meant of hypocrites and such as were neuer truly regenerated and so they come not to the purpose Lastly the very words of these places and Scriptures proue as much For first those who are here mentioned are only such as did but taste of the good word of God and of the heauenly gift and of the powers of the world to come Which phrase of tasting implying but a meere fit flash and transitorie act and passion which is proper only to hypocrites and carnall men cannot be fitly and properly applied to the Saints of God and such as are truly regenerated
mediation who is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse and iustication and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 31. and suspendeth all vpon our actuall repentance which is contrary to the Scriptures For when a man is once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ though hee doth afterwards commit sinne yet this sin of his is not imputed to him because God lookes vpon him as hee is in Christ who hath fully satisfied for all his sinnes both past present and to come Hence is that of the 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Christ Iesus bee is our ransome and attonment Rom. 3. 24 25. and cap. 5. 11. it is hee that iustifieth who is he that condemneth Those who are once in him there is no condemnation due vnto them though they sinne Rom. 7. 25. cap. 8. 1. the law of the spirit of life in Christ bath made them free from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. and therefore they cannot perish for want of one particular act of repentance for one particular act of sinne as you pretend vnlesse that you will derogate much from the merits and satisfaction of Christ death Ninthly the Antecedent is false because it would make one act of sinne for to destroy an whole habit of grace which cannot bee for if it bee true of naturall acquisite and artificiall habits that one or two acts that are contrary to them cannot destroy them and that they are so setled rooted and grounded in those subiects in which they are that they are hard for to be lost againe or rooted out much more must it be true of diuine spirituall coelestiall and infused habits which are wrought in mens hearts by the holy Ghost that they cannot be rased or vtterly abolished by one actuall sinne or two especially when as they are not committed with a full consent Lastly I answer that this argument followes not because it doth suppose that true grace a grosse notorious and knowne sin can neuer stand together which is false and contrary to the Scriptures True it is that truth of grace and the whole body power and dominion of sinne can neuer stand together they are incompatible and cannot stand together vpon equall tearmes but yet vpon vnequall and different tearmes they may Truth of grace it cannot stand together with the dominion of sinne and satan or with the power and strength of sinne but where the kingedome of sin and Satan is shaken and brought vnder where the power and strength of sinne is curbed weakned mortified and subdued by the power and strength of grace where sin and Satan are subordinate to grace as they are in all the true regenerate Saints of God who haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof there they are not incompatible they may stand both together There is no man in the world so thoroughly mortified and sanctified but there are still some remainders of the dody of sinne some parts of the old man left within him Euery regenerate man hath flesh in him as well as spirit and the one of these is alwaies lusting and striuing against the other so that they cannot doe the things they would Gal. 5. 16 17. See this in holy Paul Rom. 7. 15. to the end I know saith hee that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but how to performe that which is good I find not For the good that I would I do not but the euill that I would not that I do I finde then a law that when I would doe good euill is present with mee for I delight in the law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members â—…arring against the law of my minde and bringing mee into captiuity to the law of finne which is my members which makes mee to cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ. So then with the minde I my selfe doe serue the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne Paul had a body of sinne within him not wholly mortified and subdued and yet it stood together with his graces and with his inwardman So Dauid and Peter they committed grieuous sinnes and yet they stood together with their graces as I shall proue anon The Churches of Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira they fell into such scandalous and grosse sins as made God angry with them and yet they did not fall from grace for they did labour still in the Lords worke without fainting they did hold fast his name and suffer persecution for his sake they did not deny the faith but they kept their faith their charity and patience still of which God takes speciall notice and their last workes were more then their first Reu. 2. 3. to 21. These Churches they had many great sinnes within them and yet they had many excellent and pretious graces ioyned with them Iehoâ—…aphat may commit a great siâ—…ne against the Lord in helping of the vngodly and in louing those that hate the Lord and yet there are good things found within him still 2 Chron. 19. 2 3. The acts of great infamous and notorious sinnes doe sometimes meete and stand together in the Saints of God but the dominion and the power the strength and babits of those finnes doe neuer The Saints of God may commit such grosse and scandalous sins which are in their owne nature peccata 〈◊〉 â—…alutis vastantia 〈◊〉 as Augustine and 〈◊〉 stile them but yet they neuer doe so wast their consciences and spoile their graces as to roote out the very feeds and habits of their graces to cut them off from Christ and to disturbe them in their state of grace because they neuer doe commit them with an absolute and full consent and will they neuer commit them out of a deliberate purpose and setled resolution but the very bent and frame of their hearts and soules and of their inward man which is their selfe is alwaies set and bent against them and turned to the Lord they hate their sinnes and resolue against them from their soules though now and then out of the strength of the temptation and out of the policy of satan they are suddainely foyled though not vtterly cast downe and conquered with them Wherefore seeing that this argument doth suppose that the seeds the habits and the truth of grace can neuer stand together with the acts of any grosse and knowne sinne which is but a meere fiction and notion of our Antagonists being ex diametro opposite to the expresse testimonie of the Scriptures and hauing nothing else but their ipsi diximus to warrant it there is just cause for to deny it both for the inconsequencies and falsenesse of it But because this very argument as I am informed hath
beene lately pressed and propounded in another manner I will propound it in the same manner as it was then vrged and so will answere it A true regenerate man and a member of Iesus Christ may lie long in a grosse and knowne finne without any actuall repentance as Dauid and Salomon did therefore hee may fall totally if not finally from the state of grace The argument they proue to bee true by this reason The true regenerate Saints of God committing any grosse and knowne sins and lying in them without repentance from the time of these sinnes committed to the time of their actuall repentance of them are not in the state of grace but in the state of damnation which they proue by these two reasons First because these sinnes are mortall in themselues and exclude men quite from heauen as appeares by Ezech. 18. 20. the soule that sinneth it shall dye and by the 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. those that commit â—…nch things and sinnes as these shall not inherit the kingdome of God Secondly because these sinnes of theirs are not forgiuen before their actuall repentance of them so that if they should die before their actuall repentance of them they should be damned for them so that in that Interim and space of time betweene the sinne committed and their actuall repentance they are in the state of damnation and not in the state of grace because their sinnes are not forgiuen and therefore the Argument followes For answer to this maine Objection which is the very summe and substance of all that can be objected and the very basis and foundation of our Antagonists Error I shall denie the ground and reasons which support this argument First I shall denie that the Saints of God committing any grosse and knowne sinne and lying in it for a time without any actuall repentance are during the space and time of this their impenitencie in the state of damnation And secondly I shall denie that a particular repentance is absolutely necessarie to saluation after euery particular grosse and knowne acte of sinne which the Saints of God commit and that those sinnes of theirs cannot bee pardoned before their actuall and particular repentance For the first of these it will be plaine and manifest if wee consider how farre those men must goe that will sinne vnto death or sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of damnation He that will sinne vnto death or sinne so farre as to put himselfe into the state of damnation must sinne so farre as vtterly to separate and cut off himselfe from Christ vtterly to extirpate all the seeds and habits of true and sauing grace which are within him and wholly to emancipate and inthrall himselfe to the seruice of sinne and Sathan For as long as any man abides in Christ and is not seuered or cut off from him as long as any man hath any habits and seeds of true and sauing grace within him and is not wholly inthralled and imbondaged vnto sinne and Sathan so that the whole intire wrath of God cannot light and fall vpon him he is not in the state of damnation but in the state of grace Now none of the true regenerate saints of God can sin so far as vtterly to seuer cut off themselues from Christ or vtterly to roote out the very habit and seed of those true and sauing graces that are within them and to inthrall themselues wholly to the seruice of sinne and Sathan so that the whole intire wrath of God cannot arise against them therefore they can neuer sinne so faire as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation This is euident by diuers pregnant places of Scripture and by diuers reasons First it is euident that a true regenerate Saint of God can neuer sinne so farre as to put himselfe into the state of death and damnation no not for a time because he can neuer sinne so farre as to bee vtterly cast downe from the state of grace to be vtterly cut off from Christ and to be vtterly depriued of the life of grace Dauid he informes vs that a good man though hee fall yet he shall not be vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand and Paul he assures vs that hee shall be holden vp for God is able to make him stand The Saints of God they may be troubled on euery side by reason of sinne but yet not distressed they may be cast downe by sinne but not destroyed they may be as dying men and yet behold they liue as chastened yet not killed as sorrowfull yet alwayes reioycing as poore yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things they may be like the man that went downe from Ierusalem to Ierico and fell among theeues euen wounded and halfe dead with sinne their graces like those of the Church of Sardis may be ready to die the Saints of God and their graces they may suffer a winter of temptation they may bee sicke and languishing by reason of sinne they may bee semianimes as Cyprian stiles them halfe dead and halfe withered but yet they are neuer wholly dead in sinnes and trespasses when they are at the worst and lowest ebbe they are but bruised reedes and smoaking flaxe they are neuer vtterly broken neuer vtterly quenched and put out there are still some breathings of grace and spirituall life within their soules there are graces alwayes mixed with their sinnes there are still some good things in them of which God takes speciall notice there is still a little strength within them wherby they are inabled to recouer themselues againe to keepe the word of God and not to denie his name and therefore by the voyce and testimonie of all these Scriptures the true regenerate Saints of God doe neuer sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation because they neuer sinne so farre as to be vtterly cast downe from the state of grace to be vtterly cut off from Christ or to be wholly depriued of the life of grace Secondly the Saints of God when as they fall into any sinnes they neuer goe so farre as to put themselues into the state of death and damnation by these their sinnes because the seed of grace doth still abide within them this is St. Iohns reason in the 1 Iohn 3. 9. and cap. 5. 16 17 18. Hee that is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him neither can hee sinne that is hee cannot sinne vnto death because he is borne of God The seed of grace it is an immortall seed 1 Pet. 2. 23. it is a diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. it will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes. 6. 16. and it cannot bee quenched or drowned Cant. 8. 7. it is an annointing that abideth in men 1 Iohn 2. 27. it is such a seed as can die no
Cor. 3. 16 17. cap. 6. 19. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. and cap. 4. 17. the whole Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost abide and dwell in them for euer Ps. 68. 16. 2 Chron. 7. 16. Reu. 21. 3. Ephes. 2. 22. Iohn 14. 16 17. Math 28. 20. 1 Iohn 3. 24. Ephes. 3 17. and Col. 1. 27. and therefore when as they sinne against the Lord and lie in any knowne and scandalous sinne without repentance they are not in the state of death and condemnation but in the state of life and grace True it is that the members of Iesus Christ they may be feeble sicke and languishing for a time by reason of sin but yet they neuer die of sinne they are not seuered from their head and they neuer cease for to be members Christ Iesus himselfe he is their life their liues are inuolued and treasured vp in his Col. 3. 3 4. Iohn 11. 25 26. and 1 Iohn 5. 11 12 13. Christ Iesus hee is their life and liueth in them and the life which they now liue in the flesh they liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. and therefore Christ himselfe must cease to liue which cannot be because hee being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him ere the Saints of God who are his mèmbers and haue him for their life and soule can die and perish in their sinnes This I can with boldnesse testifie and affirme to the infinite and vnspeakable joy and comfort of euery true and faithfull member of Iesus Christ that it is as impossible for any one that is a true and liuing member of Iesus Christ to die and perish and to be broken off from him againe as it is for Christ himselfe to die or perish or to cease to bee For there is the same reason of the immortality and perpetuitie of euery faithfull Christian and member of Iesus Christ as there is of Christ himselfe The reason why the humane nature of Iesus Christ is immortall and perpetuall and can die no more is because it is vnited and knit vnto the Deitie because it is animated quickned and inliuened by the eternall Spirit of God Now euery true regenerate Saint of God is vnited and knit vnto the Deity it selfe as well as Christs humane nature through the humanitie of Christ though not in the same degree as wee may see expresly Ephes. 2. 20 21 22. cap. 4. 13. 16. Col. 2. 19. and 2 Pet. 1. 4. The selfe-same Almightie power of God that raised vp Christ from the dead and the very selfe-same Spirit of God which did animate quicken and inliuen Christ himselfe doth raise vp animate quicken and inliuen euery true and faithfull member of Iesus Christ euen as the same soule doth animate and informe euery part and member of the same body and as the selse-same sappe doth nourish the grift and the branches which doth nourish the stocke and the roote as wee may reade in expresse tearmes Ephes. 1. 19 20. cap. 2. 18 cap. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Rom. 8. 2. 9. 11. 1 Iohn 4. 17. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 1 2. 4 5 6. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Iohn 1. 4. 16. cap. 17. 21. 22. 23. and infinite other places and therefore seeing that all such as are the true and faithfull members of Iesus Christ haue the same vnion with the Deitie the same life soule and spirit to animate and quicken them as the humanity of Christ hath seeing that Iesus Christ himselfe is their life and that they liue and moue in him and by him seeing they are the house and remple the habitation and dwelling of the whole Trinitie it is certaine that no sinnes which euer they doe commit can euer raze them or destroy them can euer seuer or cut them off from Christ can euer wholly extinguish the life of grace within them or cast them downe from the state of grace into the state of death and damnation no not for one minute noâ—… for that scantling of time which comes betweene their sinne and their actuall and particular repentance for it Let all the diuells in hell combine and plot together they cannot solue or answere this reason here alledged But now here comes in a threefold and 〈◊〉 objection First that those sinnes which the Saints of God commit they are mortall and deadly in themselues Secondly that they are not forgiuen to the Saints before that they haue actually and particularly repented of them Thirdly that the Saints of God may dye and perish in them before any actuall and particular repentance for them and therefore the Saints of God so long as they lye in their sins without any actuall and particular repentance for them are in the state of death and damnation and not in the state of life and grace To the first of these I answer that it is true that the sins of the Saints of God are mortall and deadly in themselues and that they are so to all carnall and vnregenerate men who doe commit them but yet they are neuer mortall and deadly to the Saints If you consider the sinnes of the Saints as sins or as they are abstracted from the Saints then they are mortall and deadly and haue damnation attending on them but if you consider them as they are the sinnes of the Saints and as they haue their existence and being in the Saints they are not mortall and deadly effectiuè vnto them First because these sinnes of theirs as I haue formerly proued are not imputed to them but they are alwaies imputed to done away in Christ. Secondly because the sting and venom of these sinnes of theirs is taken away in Christ for as the sting of death is sinne so the strength of sinne is the law without which 〈◊〉 it selfe is dead Now Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath fulfilled and abrogated the law for all his Saints hee hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law being made a curse for them he hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against them and taken it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse hee hath freed them from the law of sin and death and hath taken away the poyson the strength and sting of sinne and death as we may reade Gal. 4. 5. cap. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 2. cap. 10. 4. Col. 2. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 14. and 1 Cor. 15. 57. and therefore they can boldly and victoriously cry out O death where is thy sting ô sinne where is thy victory and thy poyson becanse that Christ hath pulled out the sting of sinne and allayed the poyson that was in it so that it cannot hurt or kill him Thirdly though the sins of the Saints are mortall in themselues yet God will take no aduantage against them for them hee will pardon and forgiue them hee will passe them by and remember them no more and hee will
cast them all into the depth of the sea ler. 31. 34 and Mich. 7 18. 19. and therefore these their sinnes cannot bee mortall and deadly vnto them If a man should commit treason for which hee deserues to dye if the King will either pardon it or take no notice of it it is not deadly vnto him that doth it though it bee deadly in it selfe God will pardoâ—… or else passe by the sinnes of all his Saints hee will not take aduantage of them and therefore though they are mortall and deadly in themselues they are not so to them Lastly wee haue the expresse testimonie of Saint Iohn 1 Iohn 3. 6. 9. and cap. 5. 16 17 18. that the Saints of God and such as are borne of God can neuer sinne vnto death and therefore their sinnes can neuer put them into the state of death and damnation no not for a time Neither will that of Ezech. 18. 20. the soule that sinneth it shall dye nor that of 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. make any thing to the contrary all that these two places proue is but this that sinne is mortall in its owne nature that euery one shall beare his owne sins and that the vnrighteous and such as liue and dye in the sinnes there specified such as make a common trade of those sinnes being neuer washed sanctified and iustified from them shall not inherit the kingdome of God neither of them proue that the sinnes of the Saints are mortall vnto them or that they put them into the state of death and damnation Consider therefore the sinnes of the Saints as the sinnes of the Saints as they are inherent in and conioyned with the Saints and not as they are abstracted and deuided from them consider how God hath promised to forgiue them in his mercie and to remember them no more and then you shall discouer and discerne your Error and finde your selues to bee ouer-reached with a Fallacy and quirke of Logicke in seuering those things which should not be deuided To the second clause of the objection that the sins of the Saints are not forgiuen before their actuall and particular repentance for them and therefore after that they commit any grosse and knowne sinne till their actuall and particular repentance for it they are in the state of death and damnation and not in the state of grace I answer first that the argument it selfe is false and followes not which that you may the better and more perspicuously vnderstand You must know that when a regenerate man falls into any sinne his repentance in this case is not required as a meanes to put a new life and a new estate and seed os grace into him as it was vpon his first regeneration and conuersion vnto God but it is onely required as physicke is in a sicke man to heale him and to cure him and to preserue that life that estate and seed of grace was in him before which by reason of this his sinne are like the graces of the Church of Sardis Reu. 3. 2. ready to dye but yet not wholly dead and therefore euen before his actuall tepentance for his sin he is not wholly dead in trespasses and sinnes he is not in the state of death damnation but in the state of grace I will euidence and make this cleare by some few familiar and common similitudes Suppose a regenerate man should fail into any mortall and deadly sicknesse which might proue his death vnlesse hee tooke some antidote and physicke to expell it you will not presently say that this man is but a dead man or that hee is in the state of death because hee is fallen into this disease or because hee lieth sicke of it for a moneth or two without recouery for hee hath life within him still hee is still a liuing man and for ought you know hee may recouer and therefore you doe still account him call him and repute him a liuing man So if a regenerate man commit a felonie for which his life may be drawne into question you will not forthwith determine that heee is in the state of death and damnation because hee hath committed such a felonie for it may bee that no man will prosecute him for this felonie or if hee be prosecuted hee may bee either acquitted or pardoned and so escape that death which hee did deserue So if a wife commit adultery for which shee deserues to be deuorced from her husband and so cease to be his wife you will not presently say that this woman iâ—… deuorced or that she is no wife for her husband may forgiue her and she is still a wife till the deuorce be sued out So if a sonne doth highly offend his gratious and louing father for which hee doth justly deserue to be disinherited he doth not therefore cease to be a sonne neither is he forthwith disinherited but hee continues a sonne and an heire still hee only incurs his fathers anger for the present and perhaps he may receiue some stripes and correction at his hands but neuer ceaseth to be his sonne and heire till he incnrre his fathers hatâ—…ed his whole and finall displeasure till he be actually disinherited and utterly cast off Iust so is it in our present case Sinne in the regenerate Saints of God it is a deadly disease and sicknesse to the soule it is such a felonie as may justly draw their liues into question before the barre of Gods Tribunall it is such an adultery as might justly cause the Lord their husband to sue out a bill of diuorce against them and it is such an offence as might moue their gratious and louing Father to disinherit and to cast them off But yet they are not presently dead neither are they in the state of death because they are sicke of sinne for they may recouer and purge out this disease yea it is certaine that they alwaies doe and shall recouer for the Lord himselfe is their physition hee will recouer them and raise them vp and restore them to their health againe he will not suffer them to dye or perish in this sicknesse of their sinnes they haue his owne expresse word and promise for it Psal. 41. 2 3. Iohn 6. 51 58. cap. 10. 28. cap. 11. 25 26 Hosea 14. 4. Mal. 4. 2. and 1 Iohn 5. 11 12 13. and he will surely performe make good his word to the vttermost They are not presently in the state of death and condemnation when as they commit any treason or felonie against the Lord before their actuall repentance for it for God may passe by their sinnes and treasons and take no notice of them hee may in his mercy pardon them and not arraigne them for them Yea he will be sure for to doe it For hee is a God that passeth by the transgression of his heritage hee will forgiue their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more because hee delights in mercy and because it is his couenant so to doe Mich.
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
power of grace in such as doe defend them Si quod semel sine ratione fecistis ne videamini aliquandò nescisse defenditis meliusque putatis non vinci quam confessae cedere atque anuuere veritati if you thinke it a disparagement vnto you to recant your Errors and would rather obstinately continue in them then disclaime them Go on and perish your blood shall light vpon your owne heads not on mine All I haue to say vnto you then is this that there is a day of account a day of death and iudgment comming which now cannot be farre wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall be reuealed from heauen with his Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance of you and punnishing you with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power for hating slaundering reuiling persecuting deriding and traducing of his Saints and not submitting to his word and truth Consider therefore and againe I say consider and thinke well of this and of that great account which you must render vnto God ere long euen for your carriage and your actions in this particular Controuersie and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things that so you may repent you of all the euill of your doings and of all your damnable and pernitious Errors both in life and Doctrine that so you may be saued and not condemned in the day of Christ which now drawes neere The earnest and hearty desirer of your true conuersion both to the Doctrine and the life of Grace WILLIAM PRYNNE A briefe Epitome and Compendium Of the whole worke which may serue for a Table to it THis Whole Worke may bee deuided into foure generall parts â—…nto the state of the question controuerted Into the proofes of the conclusion which is maintained Into the answer and defeate of the Arguments obiected and into the vses which arise from the conclusion and assertion here defended 1. The state of the question you shall finde recorded pag. 2. to pag. 5. 2. The proofes and Arguments in defence of the conclusion here maintained are reduced vnto 8. generall heads First into Arguments drawne from God himselfe Which are 10. in number The first of them is taken from Gods eternall purpose and Election which you shall finde pag. 5. The second from his almightie power and strength pag. 8. The third from his perpetuall presence With and his continuall vigilancie ouer his Saints pag. 10. The fourth from his perpetuall and constant loue vnto them p. 13. The fift from his gracious mercie and goodnesse to them p 22. The sixt from his infinite Iustice p. 24. The seuenth from his honour p. 26. The eight from his infinite wisdome p. 29. The ninth from his readinesse to heare the prayers of his Saints p. 31. And the tenth from his gracious Couenants and promises to support and keepe his Saints from falling p. 33. Now in these Promises of God there are foure things considered First the great multitude number of them which are reduced vnto 10. heads from pag. 33. to 47. Secondly the absolutenesse and freenesse of them they being all absolute and positiue without any condition at all annexed to them in which all the cauells to the contrary are answered and cleered from pag. 48. to 72. Thirdly 〈◊〉 abilitie and power of God for to performe them pag. 72 Fourthly the truth of all these promises and Gods truth and faithfulnesse in performing them p. 72. Secondly into Arguments drawne from Iesus Câ—…ist which are in number 7. The first is drawne from the efficacie and merits of his death and passion pag. 74. The second from his perpetuall intercession for his Saints pag. 76. The third from his might and power pag. 78. The fourth from 〈◊〉 compassionate and tender nature p. 79. The fift from his 〈◊〉 vigilancie and care ouer his Saints and sheepe p. 79. The sixt from his perpetuall residencie and dwelling in their hearts p. 81. And the seuenth from his Sacraments p. 81. Thirdly into Arguments drawne from the holy Ghost being 7. in number The first is taken from his residencie and dwelling in the Saints p. 82. The second from that seale and stampe which he sets vpon them p. 85. The third from that seed and annointing which he puts into them p. 86. The fourth from that earnest which he giues them p. 90. The fift from the witnesse of the Spirit to them and from the ordinarie and constant working of the Spirit in their hearts p. 92. The sixt from his continuall guidance and direction of them p. 94. The seuenth from his intercession for them and his assistance of them pag. 95. Fourthly into an Argument drawne from the perpetuall presence of the Angells with the Saints and their continuall watchfulnesse and protection ouer them pag. 96. Fiftly into arguments drawne from the present estate and condition of the Saints of God and from those many priuiledges which they doe inioy pag. 96. which are 15. in number First they are partakers of the diuine nature and of the immortall seed p. 96 97. Secondly they are borne of God and they are the sons of God p. 97. Thirdly they are built vpon a rocke and vpon Christ the sure corner stone p. 98. Fourthly they haue a new heart and a new spirit and the law of God ingrauen in them p. 98. Fiftly they haue ouer come the world they are men of another world they are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation pa 99. Sixtly they are partakers of the first resurrection and the second death shall haue no power ouer them pa. 99. Seuenthly they are alwayes greene and flourishing like trees planted by the riuers side pa. 100. Eigthly they are truly happy they are truly and fully saued and they haue eternall life begun within them p. 101. Ninthly they are called iustified and sanctified and they are made Kings and Priests for ouer vnto God the Father pag. 102. Tenthly their names are written in heauen and in the Booke of Life pag. 103. Eleuenthly they cannot depart from God and it is impossible for any to seduce them pag 107. Twelfthly they cannot choose but serue and please the Lord and they can neuer sinne vnto death pag. 109. Thirteenthly they are married vnto God for euer and they cannot be separated from his loue pag. 111. Foureteenthly they are the inheritance of the Lord they are as pillars in the house of God and they are so established settled and grounded in grace that they cannot be cast downe pag. 111. Lastly they haue all the inward and outward helpes and meanes that may bee to preserue them in grace pag. 112. Sixthly into an Argument drawne from Grace it selfe which is of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible and euer-growing nature pag. 113. to 122. where all the obiections against the perpetuitie and immortality of grace are answered Seuenthly iâ—…o Arguments drawne from the dangerous consequencies which would arise from the contrary position which
euasion and shift before and therefore I will answere it but breefly now as it is applyed to these particular places of Scripture I say therefore that this answere is but false and idle and contrary and repugnant to these places of Scripture to which it is applyed For first it is onely a denying of the conclusion for which this Scripture is alledged and a meere begging of the question now disputed Secondly it is but a meere nugation and tautologie and in effect no more then this that those that are borne of God cannot sinne or fall from grace as long as they doe not sinne or fall from grace Thirdly it is a supposition that is quite repugnant to the sense and meaning of the place For first the text saith that the seede and annoynting of the Spirit abideth in them and if it doth abide within them then your supposition and andition as long as it abideth in them is but idle and contrary to the text because it supposeth that the seede doth not abide Secondly this is an immortall incorruptible and eternall seede 1 Pet. 1 23. Hebr. 9. 14 therefore this supposition that the seede should faile and not abide must needes be false because it is contrary and repugnant to the nature of the thing supposed Thirdly the scope of the Apostle in this place is onely to proue that those that are once truly regenerated and borne of God can neuer fall from grace because they cannot sinne vnto death Now his reasons why they cannot sin vnto death are two First because they are borne of God and secondly because the seede remaineth in them This therefore being one of the Apostles reasons why those that are once truly regenerated can neuer fall away from grace because their seede remaineth in them this your answere and supposition doth but falsifie and make voide the Apostles reason and therefore it must needes be false Fifthly if your exposition were the Apostles meaning in this place no doubt but the Apostle himselfe who desires plainnesse and perspicuity would haue expressed himselfe in other termes then now he doth to wit that those who are borne of God cannot sinne as long as the seede remaineth in them and not in these wordes which now hee vseth because the seede remaineth in them Sixthly those who are regenerated and borne of God the text faith they cannot sinne because they are borne of God God hauing once chosen them for his children and begotten them againe in Iesus Christ they must needes continue still to bee his children because now they are partokers of the Diuine nature and they cannot sinne so as to seperate themselues from God and to cease to be his children because they are borne of God God chuseth none to be his children and adopted sonnes in Christ whom hee doth intend to disinherit afterwards Men will not adopt those to bee their heires whom they will disinherit afterwards much lesse then will God do it whose gifts and calling are without repeutance Rom. 11. 29. Therefore the Apostle saith that they cannot sinne and fall from grace because they are borne of God and so your supposition as long as they are borne of God is friuilous and repugnant to the Apostles meaning Seuenthly this your answere and euasion doth quite inuert and change the words and meaning of the text for the text makes the seede of grace and the new birth the cause of the perseuerance of the saints they cannot sin because the seede remaineth in them and because they are borne of God Now you make the saints themselues the cause of the perseuerance and continuance of their graces you make the Saints to preserue grace and to beare the roote when as grace and the roote doth preserue and beare them and so you inuert the Apostles order meaning Lastly your answere supposeth that this seede and annoynting of the Spirit may be lost if it be lost then there must be some thing that is the cause of it there is something or other that must roote it out of their hearts Now I would demand of you what that cause should bee if there be any cause then either it must be some grosse sinne which they doe commit or the meere freedome of their owne wills for God himselfe cannot be the cause whâ—…se gifts and calling are without 〈◊〉 nor yet any outward thing whatsoeuer which can befall or assault them for Paul assures vs that they can neâ—…er seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 35. to the end Now no grosse sin that they doe commit can doe it for the Apostle tels vs that those that are borne of God doe not 〈◊〉 sinne for the seede remaineth in them neither can they sinne because they are borne of God 1 Io. 3. 6. 9. and cap. 5. 16. 18. Secondly the liberty and freedome of their owne wills can neuer do it First because their wils are in the hands of God they are subordinate and conformable to his will now it is Gods will that the seede of grace should abide within them and therefore it cannot but bee their will so that they themselues out of the freedome of their owne wills cannot roote out the seede of grace that is planted in their hearts because they cannot will to doe it their wills being subordinate and conformable to this will of God Secondly out of the libertie of their owne wills they cannot cast out the seede of grace which they haue once receâ—…ued because it is euery way hurtfull for them and there is no colour of any good to doe it now they cannot will that which is euery way hurtfull for them because the will cannot will that which is hurtfull to it selfe and therefore they cannot will the casting away of this seede of gracc Thirdly out of the freedome of their owne wills they cannot cast away this seede of grace which they haue once in truth receiued because then they should repent them of those graces which they haue Now the saints of God can neuer repent them of those graces that they haue receiued whence Paul styles repentance to saluation repentance not to bee repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. and therefore they can neuer out of the freedome of their owne wills reiect and cast them out againe Fourthly out of the liberty and freedome of their owne wills they cannot extirpate and roote out those graces which are once planted in them because though they had the will yet they neuer haue the power for to doe it For as men cannot alter and change the order and course of nature though they would they cannot change that nature which God hath giuen them though they should set themselues about it no more can they change and alter that seede habite of grace which God hath put into them because it is an other nature yea a thing more permanent vnchangable then nature is It is such a thing as doth make them new men and new creatures it
God mentioned in this place of 〈◊〉 seeing it is not stiled the booke of Life but only Gods booke must bee intended to bee the booke of the liâ—…ing and not the booke of life Thirdly if you will take this booke of God in this place for the booke of life and compare it with that of Reuel 22. 19. If any 〈◊〉 shall take away from the words of this Prophâ—…cie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life I answer then that the meaning of the Scriptures is no more but this Whosoeuer shall sinne against me and take from the words of this Prophecie I will blot him out of my Booke and take his part out of the Booke of life That is I will make it manifest to himselfe and all the world that albeit such a man had a name hee liued and that he had his name registred and recorded in the Booke of life that yet hee was neuer but a dead man and that his name was neuer truly written and recorded in the Booke of life The sense and meaning of these two places is but this He that sinneth against me shall die the death and shal neuer inherite euerlasting life So then you see that those places make nothing at all against mee that those whose names are registred and written in heauen and the Booke of life can neuer bee blotted out againe and so they cannot fall quite away from grace Eleuently those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they cannot depart from him and it is impossible to seduce them From whence this eleuenth Argument doth arise Those that cannot depart away from God nor yet be possibly seduced by any meanes miracles or policies whatsoeuer can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer depart away from God God will put â—…is feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Ier. 32. 40. And they cannot possibly bee seduced by any meanes miracles or policies whatsoeuer Math. 24. 24. Marke 13. 22. There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Yea the Beast which did deceiue all the other Inhabitants of the earth could not deceiue them with all his subtilty Reu. 13. 8. and cap. 17. 8. Therefore they can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace The euasions to that place of Ieremy I haue fully answered and defeated heretofore the euasions to the other places remaine now to be answered which are two in number First that these words if it were possible imply only a great difficultie but not an absolute impossibilitie Secondly that it proues only that they cannot bee seduced finally but it proues not that they cannot be seduced totally To the first of these I answer that these words imply an absolute impossibilitie of seducing any such as are the elect of God First because the very emphasis of the words imply as much for these words if it were possible imply a more imposâ—…ible impossibilitie then the word impossible doth Secondly because the end and scope of the text is to proue as much For if any thing could seduce the Saints of God then certainly false Christs and false Prophets comming vnder the colour and habit of Religion and working great signes miracles and wonders to the very admiration of the beholders would seduce them but yet all those great subtile and lying signes and wonders cannot deceiue them it is impossible euen for those to doe it and therefore is it absolutely impossible for any thing to seduce them Thirdly because the Scriptures certifie vs that the Beast and Antichrist whose comming is after the comming of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse could neuer seduce any of the elect Saints of God whose names were written in the booke of life but only such as neuer had any share or portion in the Booke of life 2 Thes. 2. 10 13 14. Reu. 13. 8. and cap. 17. 8. If hee could neuer seduce any of Gods elect it is then impossible for any to seduce them and so their first euasion is but false for the second euasion that the elect Saints of God cannot bee finally seduced I willingly admit but that they may bee totally seduced notwithstanding that I shall deny For first if they may be seduced totally for a time then the words and sense of the place are not so fully satisfied For he that is totally deceiued is deceiued and so not impossible to bee deceiued as the words and sense import him for to bee Secondly hee that may be deceiued totally may bee deceiued finally to and so both finally and totally which will quite falsifie and delude this Scripture and therefore if it be impossible for the elect Saints of God to bee finally seduced it must be likewise impossible for them to be totally seduced to Lastly the sense and scope of this Scripture and the very litterall words doe fully implie and affirme that they can neither finally nor totally bee seduced and therefore wee must giue these Scriptures their full and perfect sense and meaning and imply them to an impossibilitie of a totall as well as of a finall seducement If you obiect that the Saints of God are oft-times deceiued and seduced I answer that they are oft-times deceiued but yet not seduced they may fall into diuers petty errors in religion but yet they alwayes hold the maine and fundamentall truths 1 Cor. 3. 11. vers 16. and so this Argument standeth good and firme Twelfthly the true regenerate Saints of God they cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will they cannot doe the euill that they would neither can they sinne vnto death From whence this twelfth Argument will arise Those that cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will those that cannot doe the euill that they would and those that cannot sinne vnto death 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 cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will God hath giuen them one heart and one way that they may feare him for euer Ier. 32. 39. God doth put his Spirit into them and cause them to walkâ—… in his statutes and they shall keepâ—… his indgements and doe thâ—…m Ezech. 36. 27. If they should at any time resolue with Ierâ—…miah that they will not make mention of the Lord nor speake any more in his 〈◊〉 his â—…d which is written 〈◊〉 ingranâ—…n in their hearts will bâ—… 〈◊〉 a burning fire shut vp in theis bones it will make theâ—… weâ—…rie of for bearing and they cannot stay but they must presently both speake it and doe it to Ier.
nothing impeach the truth of this our assertion The seuenteenth obiection against this present assertion is drawne and collected from Psal. 27. 9. 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. and from other places and prayers of this nature and it is but this in substance The regenerate Saints of God doe alwaies pray to God not to hide his face from them not to put them away in his anger not to leaue them nor forsake them not to cast them off at last nor to take away his holy Spirit from them Therefore they may fall from grace or else these prayers would bee but vaine and idle I answer that the argument followes not and the reason which you alledge for to confirme it is but friuilous First because that prayer is a chiefe meanes to preserue the Saints of God from Apostacie and backsliding and to confirme and settle them in the state of grace therefore the vse of prayer cannot imply a falling from grace This is no good argument The Saints of God do vse the meanes to peâ—…seuere therefore they may fall from grace because the Saints cannot perseuere in grace but by vsing of the meanes and the vse of the meanes is the cause of perseuerance not of Apostacie this is your argument in effect The Saints of God doe vse prayer to God which is a meanes of perseuerance therefore they may fall from grace What a ridiculous and absurd argument this is let all men judge The perpetuall care of God ouer his Saints his euerlasting loue towards them his continuall presence with them together with the guidance and direction of his Spirit are the chiefest causes why the Saints of God do thus perseuere in grace which though God hath promised vnto them freely and will be sure to make them good vnto them yet hee will haue them for to pray vnto him for the accomplishment and performance of them that so they may bee thankfull to him for them that so they may prise them at an higher rate and ascribe the glory of them vnto him Therefore their prayers vnto God to haue these promises accomplished and made good vnto them cannot imply a finall or a totall fall from grace Secondly The argument followes not nor yet the reason which is alledged because it makes the promises of God vncertaine euen in respect of God himselfe God hath promised not to leaue nor yet forsake his children Deut. 31 5. Iosh. 1. 5. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Heb. 13. 6. hee hath promised them not to cast them off Iob. 8. 20. Isay. 41. 9. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Iohn 6. 37. and that his spirit shall abide with them for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. doe their prayers therefore vnto God make these promises of God vncertaine in themselues and doubtfull whether they shall bee performed by that God of truth and faithfulnesse that made them to them God forbid for this would bee nothing else but to make God a lyar and to make him subiect vnto change and ficklenesse in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning I am 1. 17. I would demand but this question of you who presse this argument whether your praying vnto God for his presence and spirit doe imply that God will not giue them to you If it doth how then can you pray in faith without doubt and waâ—…ering beleeuing that you shall receiue the thing you pray for It is impossible for any man to pray in faith if his prayer vnto God did imply an incertaintie in Gods persormance of the thing hee prayes for and so it should bee impossible for any man to haue any fruite or benefit by his prayers because they are not made in faith So that if this were true your prayers must needes be faithlesse and fruitlesse and all these gratious and comfortable promises of God concerning the hearing and answering of your prayers would bee of no effect or truth If it doth not implie thus much that God will not grant the things you pray for how then will this your Argument follow or stand good If the prayers of the Saints to God not to cast them off not to forsake them or depriue them of his presence or his Spirit doe not implie that God will caâ—…t them off forsake them and withdraw his Spirit from them then you can collect nothing at all against me from these prayers no not so much as a possibilitie of falling from the state of grace Wherefore if you will but recollect your senses and weigh but this your Argument in an vpright ballance you cannot but acknowledge and confesse it to be ridiculous false and idle and nothing to the present purpose The eighteenth objection that may bee made against me is collected from these words of Paul Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect vnto you who euer of you are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The Saints of God may fall from grace in seeking to be justified by the law therefore they may fall away from grace I answer that the Antecedent is not warranted by this place which you alledge for the scope of this place and of this whole Epistle is nothing else but to disswade the Galathians from seeking iustification and righteousnesse by the Law and to seeke justification only by faith in Christ. So that this place alleaged is nothing else but a dehortation and no more in sense then this Those that seeke to be justified by the law shall haue no benefit by the death of Christ and therefore beware how you seeke to be justified by the law What is this to our purpose Surely nothing at all Yea but you will say that the Galathians fell from grace Well I grant it But from what grace was this surely the grace of God offered vnto them in the Gospell or the grace of the Gospell which is not here in question but not the true and sauing graces of Gods Spirit they fell from the doctrine of grace in cleauing to the law not from the Spirit and habit of grace by cleauing vnto sinne The greater part not all the Galathians fell from the Gospell to the law but that the true regenerate Saints of God which were among them did so to that they fell away from the state of Grace this place is not sufficient for to proue it though you racke and wrest it to the vtmost The nineteenth obiection may be drawn from that prayer of Agur. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Giue me neither pouerty nor riches feed me with food conuenient for mee left I be full and denie thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steale and take the name of God in vaine Plentie or pouertie may make a regenerate man to fall from grace as appeares by this prayer of Agur. therefore regenerate men may fall from grace I answer first that plenty or pouertie may cause regenerate men to fall from grace if God should leaue them to themselues
Saint of God commit any grosse and knowne sinne let him haue but an vpright and syncere heart which is fully and resolutely set and bent against all sinne and stedfastly set and fixed vpon God with a desire to cleaue fast and close to him and to doe his will in all things let him haue but an humble a broken and a contrite heart within him which trembles at Gods word and is thorowly affected with the grosse and generall apprehension of his owne vilenesse though he neuer pitch particularly vpon this sinne of his nor humble his soule before the Lord for this his sinne yet I dare be bold to say that this generall repentance of his and this inward frame bent and disposition of his heart and soule shall sufficiently cleanse and purifie his soule from this his sinne and saue him so that he shall neuer die or perish for it for it is the inward and habituall repentance the inward frame bent and disposition of the soule that God respects more then the outward act as wee may see by that of Dauid Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and so thou for gaâ—…est the iniquity of my sinne the inward purpose and disposition of 〈◊〉 heart for to repent was sufficient to moue God to forgiue his sinne before his outward actuall and particular repentance was expressed Which proues that though a particular confession and actuall humiliation bee very fit and requisite and necessary after euery grosse and knowne sinne which the Saints commit yet it is not absolutely necessary to saluation for an inward disposition purpose of the heart for to repent or a generall repentance and humiliation without this particular will serue the turne But of this see more in the fourth answer to this argument as it was first propounded Fourthly a particular outward and actuall repentance for these sinnes of theirs is not absolutely required of them as necessary to saluation because God in his mercy will passe by these actuall sinnes or acts of sinnes and take no notice of them if they doe chance to forget to repent and humble their soules particularly for them for God is a God that passeth by the transgressions of his people as well as their lesser sinnes hee out of his charity and loue vnto his Saints doth couer euen a multitude of their sinnes and take no notice of them when as they forget for to repent particularly of them So true is that of Bernard that the sin of the Saints of God vel punitur 〈◊〉 poenitentia vel in charitate absconditur it is either punished with condigne repentance or hid in mercy I could adde more reasons for to proue that there is no absolute necessity of a particular repentance for euery grosse and knowne sinne but I will passe them ouer and referre you to the answers which are giuen to this argument as it is first propounded and objected For the last clause of this objection that a regenerate man may dye in the very act of sin as hee may murther himselfe or God may smite him sudainly in the act of any other sinne before his actuall repentance or any other repentance else and therefore he may dye and perish in his sinnes and so fall finally from grace I answer that the argument followes not For let any one that is a true regenerate Saint of God be taken away in the very act of any knowne sinne before it is possible for him to repent I make no doubt or scruple of it but that he shall as surely be saued as if he had liued to haue repented of it and that for these reasons First because this saint of God was truly praedestinated to eternall life and therefore he cannot but be saued or else it would follow that a man who is absolutely praedestinated to eternall life might yet bee damned which can neuer be proued or admitted Secondly because Christ hath promised that none of his sheepe shall perish that none of his Saints and children shall be confounded but that they shall be sure of heauen and eternall life Iohn 10. 28. Isay. 45. 17. Iohn 5. 24. and cap. 6. 39. 40. Now all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ though they are taken away in the very act of sinne before any â—…epentance at all are the true Saints and sheepe of Christ and therefore they doe not therefore they cannot perish in this their sin Thirdly it must needs be so because God will neuer require impossibilities at his childrens hands nor take the strictest course and greatest aduantage against them for their sinnes Now it it Gods owne act to take away the Saints in their sinnes and it was impossible for them to repent at all of this their sinne in respect of their sodaine surprisall if they had had space time to haue repented no doubt but that they would haue repented them of this their sinne and therefore God seising on them before they could repent wee should exceedingly eclispe the riches of Gods mercy and of his gratious dealing with his Saints in affirming that they should be damned when as they had not space to repent Fourthly it must needs be so because this one act of sinne as I haue proued to the full before it doth not seuere and cut them off from Christ or destroy out of them those habits and seeds of grace which are planted and setled in their hearts it doth not put them into a state of death and damnation or cause their gracious and louing Father who is alwaies ready to pardon and to pitty them to disinherite them and cast them off especially seeing they neuer sinne against him out of precogitated malice or out of the setled purpose and resolution of their hearts and therefore though death doth cut them downe in this very act of sinne they cannot perish in this act but their soules are vndoubtedly saued and receiued into mercy Fifthly it must needs bee so because this one act of sin it doth not take away their justification or make them not to be justified but only in respect of this particular act it reuiues not all their former sins againe and therefore it puts them notinto the state of death and damnation a man may be an holy religious man he may offend in many things yet hee may be holy and vpright in Gods sight and estimation in respect of the constant holinesse and integrity of his life though not in respect of those particular sinnes of his Now God he alwaies lookes vnto the inward frame and disposition the inward integritie and synceritie of the heart to the constant tenor and carriage of his Saints and not vnto their particular fayles and slips if their hearts and the constant tenor and carriage of their liues be syncere holy blamelesse and vnspotted God estimates and rates them according vnto this and takes no notice of their priuate slips hee values them according to their
can neuer sinne so farre as to put them selues into the state of death and damnation or to cast themselues wholly from the state of grace because the eternall guilt and punishment of their sinnes is not imputed to them but it is alwayes done away and vtterly abolished in Iesus Christ who is their Aduocate their Mediator their satisfaction and attonement Those to whom the eternall guilt of sinne is not imputed it is certaine that no sins of theirs which they doe commit can wholly cast them downe from the state of grace and life into the state of death and damnation because that no man can bee in the state of death and damnation but where the eternall guilt and punishment of his sinnes may be imputed to him But to all such who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ the eternall guilt of sinne is not imputed no not then when as they lie in any actuall and knowne sin without particular repentance for it because they are still in Christ their Mediator their Aduocate their surety and the full and perfect satisfaction propitiation and attonement for all their sinnes which reason is fully warranted and proued by Psal. 32. 1 2. Rom. 5. 8 9 10. cap. 8. 1. 2. 33. 34. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 2. 13 14. 1 Iohn 2. 12. and cap. 3. 6 9. Therefore it is certaine that no sinneâ—… of theirs which they doe commit can euer cast â—…hem downe wholly from the state of grace and life into the state of death and damnation no not for that time when as they lie in any grosse and knowne sinne without any actuall and particular repentance for it The Saints of God when as they are once justified by faith in Christ and purged from their sinnes by his most 〈◊〉 blood they haue no more 〈◊〉 of sinnes Hebr. 10. 2. that is their sinnes are not imputed to them they are then justified and sanctified not for one day one yeare or two but for euer Christ by once offering of himselfe vpon the Crosse hath perfected for euer those that are sanctified Hebr. 10. 14. The justification and sanctification of the Saints extend not onely vnto some but to all the parts particles of their whole liues they are neuer reiterated and repeated For as there is but one naturall birth one faith one baptisme one death and passion of Iesus Christ which cannot be multiplied or reiterated so there is but one spirituall regeneration one inward baptisme of the spirit one death to sinne one justification and sanctification in the Saints when they are once justified sanctified regenerated and reconciled vnto God in Christ they are justified sanctisied regenerated and reconciled vnto God for euer God as he is but one and single in his owne essence so he is but one and single in his workes he desires not to reiterate and to doe things twice hee made the world but once he redeemed the world but once he will destroy the world but once hee giues life and being to all his creatures but once all creatures they are borne but once and they die but once God neuer delights in superfluities or changes hee will doe nothing in vaine and hee neuer repents him of his actions and therefore he doth things but once he makes his works perfect at the first Deut. 3 2. 4 Whatsoeuer he doth it shall be for euer nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it Eccles. 3. 14. And therefore those who are but once justified sanctified and reconciled vnto God in Christ those who are but once truly and thorowly ingrafted into Christ who of God is made vnto them righteousnesse wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption they are justified sanctified and reconciled vnto God in Christ for euer all their iniquities are quite forgiuen all their sinnes are couered and so vtterly abolished in the death of Christ that they shall be no more remembred nor yet imputed to them Psal. â—…2 2 2. Ier. 31. 34. and Hebr. 8. 12. therefore no sinnes that euer they doe commit can separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord or cast them downe from the state of grace and justification into the state of death and damnation And here you must obserue a difference betweene Legall justification and Euangelicall justification Legall justification or justification by workes and merits it may be vtterly lost and abolished by some actuall sinne as is euident by Ezech. 18. 24. For hee that keepes the whole law and yet offends in one point is guiltie of all and cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the words of the law to doe them Iam. 2. 10. and Deut. 27. 26. It is not so with Euangelicall justification or justification only by faith in Christ for this justification where once it is in truth is neuer abrogated disanulled or broken off by any sinnes which those who doe injoy it doe commit This free gift it is of many offences vnto iustification Rom. 5. 18. and the blood of Christ it cleanseth them not from some sorts of sinne only but from all sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7. Christ by once offering vp of himselfe hath fully satisfied for all the sinnes of all his Saints therefore all the sinnes that euer they commit are vtterly abolished and done away in him they are not imputed to them they are not put vpon their score The justification of the Saints by Christ it is of meere grace and fauour through the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them and not of any workes merit or disert of theirs Christ therefore hauing fully satisfied for all their sins both past present and to come and God hauing accepted this his satisfaction for them in full recompence for all their sinnes when as these Saints of God doe sinne against him at any time the eternall guilt and punishment of these their sins is vtterly abolished and done away in Christ their Aduocate and Surety and not imputed to them for if it were imputed to them and not to Christ it were vtt erly impossible for them to expiate it or to satisfie Gods justice for it by all the prayers and teares which they could make or shed or by any other act of theirs and therefore these sinnes of theirs especially since they are sinnes of infirmitie and incogitancie and not of wilfulnesse obstinacie malice or presumption can neuer depriue and spoile them of the state of grace and iustification nor yet put them into the state of death and damnation no not for that Interim and interuenient time which comes betweene their sinnes and their repentance for them Seuenthly the true regenerate Saints of God they are the true and liuing members of Iesus Christ they are bone of his bone flesh of his flesh and spirit of his Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 15. 17. and Ephes. 5. 28. to 37. they are the house the temple and the habitation of God and of his Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. 1