5.2 Grace seems to be lost when it is not so indeed some have sought for that they have had in their Hands so Mary did Christ 3. The Sun may be Ecclips'd yet wade out of it into his former Lustre the Tree may lose all its Leaves and Fruit in Winter yet have fresh Budding at Spring the Sea may ebb and retire from its Banks ye the next Tide return to them again The Babe may live though it spring not always in the Womb. uzziah by his Leprosie lost his Jus aptitudinale to his Crown and Kingdom but not his Jus Haereditarium Nebuchadnezzar when deposed was as a Tree that is lopped yet his Root springs up again in his returning to the Throne The Romans faith the Historian lost several Battels but never any War Israel flies once and twice before their Enemies yet conquer they the Land of Promise A Troop overcomes Gad yet Gad overcomes at last Gen. 49.19 Hot Water hath a Principle in it self to reduce it when removed from the Fire to its natural Coldness Thus some Saints may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Phil. 2.27 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as John 11.14 They may fall as Mephibosheth to lame them and as Eutichus to hurt them but not as Eli to kill them That is great Displeasure where such a Rout is as admits of no raliying 4. Sin make a Forfeiture of all into God's Hands and he might make a Seisure if he pleased as two Tenants for Non-payment of Rent forfeit their Leases and their Landlord may seize on the one and not on the other pro arbitrio We incur Divine Displeasure in every Act of Sin Demeritoriè though not effectivè and yet though God do not disinherit us according to our Demerit nor blot us out of the Book of Life yet doth he withdraw his Favour and imbitter all our Comforts as to Peter Mat. 26.75 he makes Relations that should be Comforts to become Scourges to us as to David 2 Sam. 12.11 He may fill us with Anguish Psal 38.3,4 which are strong and sufficient Curbs to any more new Out-bursts from God seeing the Evil we smart under after Sin is commensurate to the Pleasure found in Sin Could David have foreseen the Evil Consequences of his Sin which Nathan foretold him of he might have said to his Sin A dear bought Sin thou art like to be to me Yea sometimes as need is God adds Apprehensions of Eternal Wrath Psal 88.6,7 without any Hope of being eased Upon these Considerations this Doctrine begets no Looseness in any of the Reformed Churches Objection 2. Some suffer Shipwrack of Faith and Conscience the Prodigal a Child yet dead in sin Answer 1. That Scripture 1 Tim. 1.19 holds out no more than what is granted that as a false Faith may be lost in the whole so a true Faith may be lost in part though a Shipwrack be sustain'd yet there is Secunda post Naufragium Tabula as in Acts 27. no Life lost 2. That of the Prodigal is but a Parable and Dicta Symbolica non sunt Argumentativa It may illustrate but cannot proves besides he was but a lost and dead Son in his Father's Account only and seemingly in his own So God's Children may in their own Sense and in the Opinion of others seem lost yet truly and indeed not be so 3. If one cease to be a Son because he commits Sin then Saints as oft as they sin so oft are they out of Son ship and liable to Death Eternal the Wages of Sin and so can have neither Certainty nor Comfort in their Estate unless it could be shown what Sins rend this Relation and what not so come to the Popish Notion of Mortal and Venial Sins Objection 3. Angels and Adam did fall from Grace Ergo c. Answer 1. That Grace which was Creation-love was loseable but that which flows from Redemption-love is not so Neither Angels nor Adam were under the Grace of the New Testament nor were they righteous by Faith in Christ nor were they at all justified because they did not perform the Condition required that they might be justified before God 2. The Case is altered now in the New Covenant made with the Elect both Men and Angels they stood not by a Mediator as Saints do now Neither did Christ pray for them as in John 17.15,20 Luke 22.32 nor promise to them that The Gates of Hell should not prevail against them as Mat. 16.18 3. The Example of Angels is Nihil ad Rbombum for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Question iâ— concerning Men nor is that of Adam to the Point for he had not that Evangelical Justifying Faith which we say cannot be utterly lost Objection 4. Saul Judas and Esau lost Grace Ergo Answer 1. They could not lose what they never had what they had were only Illuminations and such as Balaam the Sorcerer had We grant that Common Grace is loseable Gratia gratis datae sunt amissibiles 2. The Romanists in the Vulgar Latin read 1 Sam. 9.2 concerning Saul that he was Bonus et Electus yet their own Vatablus reads Bachur Tob as we do A Choice Young Man and a Goodly for Grace consists not in the Beauty of the Body but of Soul 3. Judas was only Elected to the Apostleship not to Salvation and that by one who knew how to make good Use of Evil Men even of Vessels of Dishonour in his Houshould 4. Who can say that Profane Esau so he is branded ever had a true Justifying Faith Objection 5. David and Peter fell totally and Solomon finally Ergo c. Answer 1. They all fell fouly yet none of them finally because they all repented â—nd are call'd Holy Men of God 2 Pet. 1.21 â—y the Holy Ghost Neither did they fall toâ—…lly because that Grace remain'd in them by which they repented Thus where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound 2. That Solomon fell not finally appears 1. In being called Jedidiah Beloved of God 2 Sam. 12.24,25 which is not a Name given to any Reprobate A Seal tho' dim and defac'd will pass in Acts of Record so Evidences for Heaven 2. He is of the Holy Prophets that Sits down in the Kingdom of God Luke 13.28 3. He was a Type of Christ so never was any Reprobate 4. God took not his Mercy clean from him 2 Sam. 7.14,15 5 Ecclesiastes is his Book of Repentance and never any that repented could perish Luke 13.3 6. Koheleth signifies his being joined again to the Church by Repentance which is the Hebrew Word for Ecclesiastes Kohelleth Nephesh A Soul added to the Congregation 3. Their own Cornelius à Lapide saith Petrus non perdidit fidem peccato suo So that Jesuite answers Bellarmine yea he answers himself accordingly lib. 4. cap 4. Lest Peter's Fall should cut off the Entail of the Pope's Inheritance to say nothing of David who writ so many Penitential Psalms Objection 6. Heb. 6.5 10.20,26 Ezek 18.24,26 proves a Falling from Grace Answer 1. Suppositio nil ponit in esse suppose Saints should do so this proves not that they will or may do so there may be a Supposinâ— Quod non est Supponendum As for Ezek. 8.24 it 〈◊〉 to be understood of Hypocrites Ezek. 3.20 3â— 12,13 2. 'T is spoke Heb. 6.10 c. of such as only taste but digest not that have their Minds informed not their Hearts reformed sactified in Profession not in Power that had Fidem Dogmaticam not Salvisicam 3. 'T is spoke of that Sin unto Death for which There is no Sacrifice from Devilish Malice not Humane Frailty Saints can never thus sin to waste Conscience unto Death Objection 7. Saints may lose Grace totally but not finally Answer 1. As Christ once dead dies no more So in his Members the Life of Grace cannot dye totally ut suprà Rom. 6.8,9 The Seed remains 1 Cor. 5.5 That his Spirit might be saved that remain'd still in him tho' fouly fallen as Paul saith of Eutichus He is not dead Acts 10.9 When Peter repented Non novum infulit habitum sed suscitavit 2. Then there must be a new Engrafting into Christ and a Renewing of Baptism as oft as this is done Faith is but once given to the Saints Jude 3. as we are but once born so but once born again 3. Those Saints may fall so as to lose Jus ad Rem yet not Jus in Re the Spirit blows upon the Sparks that lurk under the Ashes of Sin Objection 8. Then to what purpose be Admonitions c. It destroys Humility c. Answer 1. None say Saints cannot sin save that unto Death 1 John 1.8,9 with 3.9 so Useful enough 2. He was not proud that said God will deliver me from every Evil Work 2 Tim. 4.18 Rom. 8.38 3. But rather those that boast of having sufficient Grace both in Converting and Confirming Work FINIS