know that wee were once ingrafted truly into Christ and therefore it is impossible for vs to bee broken off from him wee were once inuested into the state of Grace from which wee cannot fall and therefore we are now in Christ wee are in the sure state of grace and shall continue in it all our dayes This would be able to ward off all these fierce assaults of Satan that they should neuer hurt them this would comfort and beare vp their soules and keepe them from sinking in despaire this would make men for to die with ioy and comfort and to lie downe and rest in peace For then they might say with Paul Wee haue finished our course wee haue fought a good fight and wee haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for vs a crowne of glory Whereas now they cannot die with ioy with comfort and assurance and lie downe in peace because they are not sure of their perseuerance they are not sure of their state of grace it may be that they are alreadie fallen from their state of Grace for ought they know if not they may fall from it ere they die yea in the very last gappe and minute of their liues they may commit such sinnes as may cut them off from Christ for euer because they cannot liue for to repent of them before their death and so despâ—…iring or at least doubting of their owne saluation the diuell being aptest then for to assault them with desperate and auxious thoughts and feares when as they are neerest to their ends and least able to resist his fierce assaults they lie downe in terrour and rest in woe and griefe Alas what comfort could a godly and a Christian life which otherwise would comfort and reioyce the soule beyond expression bring any man at his death if this were true that hee might after all fall finally or totally from grace if all the workes and holy duties which hee had done or wrought in all his life might vtterly be lost and be remembred of the Lord no more If hee might loose the wages and reward of all his paines at last Certainly if faithfull Christians and holy men who are the only happy men on earth and haue the only cause for to reioyce and ioy continually might either finally or totally fall from grace they should of all men bee most wretched and miserable they should be stripped of all true comforts here and be driuen to despaire at the last day Away then with this Doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace which sauoureth of nothing but of meere despaire God grant that those who doe maintaine it in their health may neuer feele the smart and terrour of it in their temptations sicknesses or deaths But you may perchance obiect that though regenerate men may fall totally from grace and so may bee discouraged and perplexed for the present yet they may comfort and sustaine their hearts and soules with this that God in his mercy may raise them vp againe and may in some good measure assure their soules that because God hath bestowed grace vpon them heretofore therefore he will be the more ready and willing to restore it to them againe and to impart it to them the second time To this I answere that you are much mistaken in this point and it is nothing so For their hauing of Grace bestowed on them heretofore doth rather argue that God will therefore bestow grace on them no more because they did not keepe it at the first God seldome or neuer giues those grace the second time who haue not kept it at the first Gods graces they are alwayes pretious hee will neuer cast them before such dogges and swine as haue lost and trampled them vnder foote before This is euident by all those places of Scripture which our Antagonists doe principally object against vs. For Ezech. 18. 24. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall bee liue Marke the comfort which you talke of no all the righteousnesse which hee hath done shall bee no more remembred God will not so much as once respect it in his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee die So Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for them who were once inlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come if they fall once away to renew themselues againe vnto repentance seeing that they crucifie againâ—… vnto themselues the Sonne of God and put him to open shame Marke the words it is impossible for such as fall totally from grace to be renewed againe vnto repentance they cannot bee ingrafted into Christ the second time Where then is the truth or comfort of your answer So Heb. 10. 26. 27. If wâ—… sinne wilfully after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation to deuoure those that doe Apostatize from Grace These and such like Scriptures which are objected against vs for to proue a totall or a finall fall from true and sauing grace serue only to satisfie this objection to terrifie the hearts and daunt the soules of all such men as shall once fall from grace and to exclude them for euer from Gods mercy and from rising vp againe So that the possession and inioyment of grace before if it be once lost serues only for to proue that those which had it shall neuer haue it nor injoy it any more and not that God will therefore bee more ready and willing to bestow it on them againe And so the due consideration of all these Scriptures and this position of a totall or a finall fall from grace would driue men vnto finall desperation You therefore that maintaine this desperate and terrible doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacy of the Saints beware lest that you quench the smoaking flax and breake the bruised reede which Christ himselfe would neuer doe Beware lest you afflict and wound to desperation the tender and the broken heart the troubled conscience and the soft and tender soule which God himselfe commands you for to heale to comfort cherish and binde vp with the comfortable assurance of his immutable constant and perpetuall loue to them in Christ and with the impossibility of a finall or totall fall from grace If the pressing of this doctrine driue any to despaire as it cannot choose but doe vnlesse they are perswaded by Gods Spirit to the contrary their bloud and soules shall be required at your hands that presse it and Christ himselfe who is that good and great Shepheard of his sheepe which wil not suffer any of his sheepe to perish will
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
the Scriptures and if thou wilt but weigh them with a iudicious and impartiall eye thou shalt finde them so disioynted so incongruous so indigestlie so idle and absurd so full of inconsequies and grosse Nonsequiturs so palpably miscollected and incongruously wrested and extorted from the places which are cited for to warrant them that thou canst not choose but wonder at the injudiciousnesse and weaknesse of such as doe produce them For mine owne part I wonder how any that make a vaunt or shew of judgement wit or learning can be so strangely besotted and so much ouer-seene as to build a point of faith and doctrine vpon such slender and injuditious collections and grounds as these and to oppose a manifest and vndeniable truth with these weake childish absurd incongruous injudicious and ridiculous arguments and collections which children and schoole-boyes would blush to vrge Certainly if it were not that some of this sect haue a name of learning wit and judgement in the world I should thinke them very illiterate and simple very childish sottish and injudicious to produce such strange collections arguments and conceits as these against so euident and cleere a truth But what shall I say God himselfe hath besoâ—…ted them with these vaine delusions hee hath giuen them ouer to a reprobate and iniuditious sence to beleeue those lies and fancies of their owne because they would not receiue the loue of the truth and submit their wills and judgements to his word and hence it is that they are not ashamed to broach these vaine conceites these false collections and injuditious if not absurd and ridiculous arguments which they themselues would scoffe at deride and vtterly disclaime if they were in their right sences and had not their faces steeled with impudencie and boldnesse I mention this but as an Item on the by I now proceed to the insuing arguments The twentyfourth argument which may be produced against mee is that which is the very ground the very head roote and fountaine of this damnable and pernitious Error of the finall and totall Apostacie of the Saints and it is onely this A true regenerate Saint of God may commit a grosse and vnknowne sinne and dye before hee hath particularly repented of it Therefore he may fall away both finally and totally from the state of grace For answer to this grand and vnanswerable objection as our Antagonists repute it I shall deny the argument for the inconsequencie of it Now that this argument followes not it is euident by these insuing reasons First because it requires a particular and actuall repentance after euery knowen and grosse sinne that a true member of Christ commits as absolutely necessary to saluation which if I should admit it would necessarily follow that no man could bee saued First because that there is no man whatsoeuer that can particularly repent of all those particular and mortall sins which he hath committed from time to time Secondly because the most righteous men in the world doe no doubt commit some actuall and deadly sin or other in thought word and deed betweene the last minute instant of their death and their last actuall repentance of which sins they haue no time and space particularly to repent if therefore an actuall repentance were absolutely required after euery particular act of sinne that a child of God commitâ—… it would bee then impossible for any to bee saued a desperate and dismall consequent which would make the very stoutest of our Antagonists to quake and tremble if it were admitted to bee true as they pretend it for to bee Secondly this argument followes not because it would either bring in that Popish distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes when à s the least sinnes that any man can commit as idle words and thoughts are mortall and deadly in their owne proper nature as appeares by Deut. 27. 26. Ier. 17 9. Ezech. 18. 20. Math. 5. 28. cap. 12. 37 38. Acts 8. 22. Gal. 3. 10. and Ephes. 5. 3 7. Or else it would make euery sinne yea the very least sinne that a regenerate man commits to seuer and cut him off from Christ and to cast him downe from the state of grace For if any mortall sinne whatsoeuer may cut a man off from Christ and cast him downe from the state of grace as you affirme it may why then should not euery sinne doe it as well as any sinne Euery sin is alike mortall in it felfe and in its owne nature and therefore euery sinne as well ac any sinne should cut a man off from Christ and cast him downe from the state of grace That which makes any sinne to cut a man off from Christ is onely this that it is a mortall sinne now euery sinne is a like mortall in its owne essence and nature therefore euery sinne should cut a man off from Christ as well as any sinne where there is the same cause there must needes be the same effect Now you your selues doe grant that euery sinne which a Saint of God commits doth not seuer and cut him off from Christ and if it were not so in were impossible for any to be ingrafted into Christ or to be saued for before he could repent him of one sinne he would still commit another which would hinder his inscition into Christ and his inuesting into the state of grace his sinnes would come so fast and thicke vpon him that hee could neuer be ingrafted into Christ againe and so he could not be saued If therefore any deadly sinne that a Saint commits doth not seuer him from Christ and cast him downe from the state of grace then no sinne at all can doe it because all sinnes are alike mortall in their owne nature and so your argument doth not follow Thirdly this argument followes not because it would make the sinnes of regenerate men vtterly to abolish and roote out that immortall seede of grace which is planted in their hearts make them liable to eternall condemnation which cannot be For Saint Iohn doth certifie vs in expresse words in the 1 Iohn 3. 9. that whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his feede remaineth in him neither can bee sinne bâ—…cause bee is borne of God that is hee cannot sin vnto death or to extirpate that seede of grace which is within him The seed of grace is an incorruptible and immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. therefore no sinnes which the Saints of God commit can suffocate or quite extinguish it True it is that the sinnes of Gods children may crosse hinder and in part suppresse the acts and fruites the increase and growth of grace for a time but yet they cannot quell nor quite extirpate that habit and seed of grace which is within them they cannot make them not to bee the sons of God the members of Christ or the elect of God and therefore the argument followes not Fourthly the argument followes not because it would make repentance to be
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
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
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
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.
needs dwell too because it is a fruit of the spirit and it can not be seuered from the spirit Rom. 5. 5. Gal. 5. 22. Ephs. 3. 16 17. 1 Iohn 3. 16. therefore the true Saints of God can neuer cease to loue the Lord habitually because the holy Ghost the spring and fountaine of this loue doth alwaies dwell within them Thirdly this loue of the Saints to God is a grace which God bestowes vpon them out of his loue and which is preserued in him by his loue and therefore if they should cease to loue the Lord the breach would be on his side not on theirs for they can neuer cease to loue him but where God doth first giue ouer to support their loue to him God must first withdraw this grace from them or else they could not giue ouer for to loue him so that if there could bee any totall or finall breach betweene God and his Saints the defect should be in God who hath vndertaken to preserue them in his loue and not in the Saints which defect on Gods part can neuer be admitted If you obiect that they giue God the cause of breach and so the defect is not in God but in themselues I answere that God hath vndertaken to preserue them blamelesse and without offence hee hath vndertaken to preserue them from sinne 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. Ezech. 36. 27. ler. 32. 40. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Isay 46. 3 4. câ—…p 27. 3. therefore though the sinne be theirs when as they doe commit it yet if it make a totall breach betwixt God them the breach will be first in God in not preseruing of them from this sinne according to his promise and not in them in committing of it Lastly true loue is of a permanent and constant nature if it be set vpon a constant permanent and immutable obiect Let a man loue any thing truly for it selfe as long as the thing continues and the cause for which hee loues it his loue can neuer cease Let a man loue any man truely for his virtues or his graces as long as he continues vertuous and gratious he can not cease to louehim now God as hee is all and onely amiable so he is alwaies amiable there is neuer any change at all in him wherefore those that doe once truly loue him for himselfe cannot but loue him still and so the answere to this my argument is but false and idle I haue been the larger in refuting of this answere because I shall haue occasion oft times for to referre you to it hereafter I now proceed to other arguments The fifth thing in God which doth yeeld vs an argument for to proue our conclusion is the gratious mercy and goodnesse of God in which there are foure things to be considered First the freenesse of it it is voluntary and of free grace it is not wrested or merited by vs from God Exod. 33. 19. Hosea 14. 5. Iohn 3. 8. Rom. 9. 15. 19. and Ephes. 1. 5 6. Secondly it is permanent and constant it indures for euer and admits not of any totall change or interruption Psa. 103. 17. Psa. 100. 5. Psa. 118. 4. Psa. 136. Psa. 138. 8. Isay 51. 8. and cap. 54. 8. 10. Thirdly it is infinite there is an infinite store of it which is neuer drawne dry Exod. 34. 6 7. Psa. 103. 8. Psal. 130. 7. Micah 7. 18. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes. 2. 4. cap. 3. 16. and 1 Tim. 1. 14. Fourthly God is ready and willing to impart it to his children vpon all occasions it is his chiefest delight and ioy for to dispence the riches and treasures of his mercy to his Saints Ezech. 18. 23. cap. 33. 11. Micah 7. 18. Math. 11. 28. cap. 23. 37. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and 2 Pet. 3. 9. from this mercy of God thus considered I frame this fifth argument Those who are partakers of the free permanent constant sure euerlasting in finite and abundant metcies of God and haue these mercies of God readily freely and bountifully imparted vnto them vpon all occasions its impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace but all those who are once truely regenerated and in grafted into Christ are partakers ofthese mercies of God and they haue these mercies of God readily freely and bountifully imparted to them vpon all occasions and times of neede therefore its impossible for them either finally or totally to â—…all from grace The Maior proposition cannot be denyed the Minor only rests to be proved in these particulars first that the mercyes I meane the saving and spirituall mercyes of God are permanent constant and perpetuall Secondly that all those who are truely regenerated and are the true members of Iesus Christ are partakers of these mercies For the first of these it is euident by Isay 55. 3. where Gods spirituall mercies to his children are stiled the sure mercies of Dauid the seed of grace which is sowen in the hearts of all regenerate men is an immortall seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. a seed that remaineth and an vnction that abideth in them 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. cap. 3. 9. the Saints of God they haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost who shall abide and dwell in their hearts and soules for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. Eph. 3. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 24. cap. 4. 4. Gal. 2. 20. they haue a Kingdome which cannot bee shaken Heb. 12. 28. a faith which cannot faile Luke 22. 32. a ioy which no man can spoyle them of Ioh. 16. 22. and charity which shall neuer cease 1 Cor. 13. 8. they haue mercies which indure for euer Psal. 103. 17. Gods mercies to them are permanent constant and perpetuall it cannot be denied Secondly that all those that are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ by a true liuely faith are partakers of these mercies it is most euident For all those that are borne of God all those that are within the câ—…uenant of grace all those that are the true sheepe and members of Iesus Christ they are partakers of these mercies which appeares expressly by Isai. 55 1. 3. cap. 4. 5 6. cap. 27. 3. Rom. 4. 16. Marke 16. 16. and Act. 2. 38 39. almost euery page in Scripture hath some thing in it that will proue it now all those who are truely regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are borne of God they are the members and sheepe of Christ and within the couenant of grace and therefore it is certaine that they haue such permanent constant and euerlasting mercies as those and so can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Can any one so much as thinke that God who hath proclaimed himselfe to be a God of grace and mercy a God delighting in mercy 〈◊〉 to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth 〈◊〉 mercy for thousands fâ—…rgiuing iniquitie transgressions and sinnes that God who doth not desire the death of any sinner but rather that he should repeâ—…t and be saued
can haue any benefit or aduantage by them but when once the condition on our parts is in truth performed by God who workes it for vs then the promises and the things promised are our owne for euer without any further condition This we may see in these three seuerall promises of God Hee that repenteth hee that beleeueth hee that receiueth Iesus Christ shall be saued and shall not come into condemnation Marke 16 16. Iohn 1 12. cap. 3 17 18. cap. 5 24. Acts 2 37 38 39. cap. 3 19. and cap. 16. 30 31. Here it is true that these promises being conditionall and requiring something on our parts before wee shall inioy them wee by the assistance and helpe of God must first truly repent beleiue and receiue Iesus Christ before we shall be saued and freed from condemnation but when we haue once truly repented belieued and receiued Iesus Christ then we are saued and freed from condemnation for euer Now in these three generall promises I would haue you to obserue these two things which make much for my present purpose First that these three promises are the originall charters and assurances that giue vs interest right and title vnto heauen and eternall life and that all these other promises which belong vnto vs after we haue truly belieued repented and receiued Iesus Christ giue vs no new interest right and title to heauen and eternall life but onely serue for to confirme and strengthen that interest right and title to which wee had in them before by these three generall promises that so wee may inioy them with greater comfort and assurance I cannot better expresse it then by this similitude A man hath lands demised to him by a fine or by a deed indented and inrolled or some such originall conuaiance these very originall deedes without any other assurance doe giue him a full perfect and absolute right and interest in those lands Suppose now that after this deuise the party that sold those lands should make a generall release or confirmation of those lands vnto the party to whom they were deuised this release or confirmation giues him no new right or interest in these lands but onely serues to strengthen and confirme the old which was sure and safe enough before So it is heare these three originall promises when once wee doe truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus they are the originall charters that giue vs a full sure and perfect interest right and title to heauen and eternall life and all these other promises which God makes vnto vs either for himselfe or vs when once we are within the couenant and state of grace serue onely to strengthen and confirme our ancient interest right and title vnto heauen which was sure and safe before they giue vs no new interest right and title to it So that if a man doe but once truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus this makes him sure of heauen and eternall life though hee had no other promises to assure him but these Secondly obserue that saluation heauen and eternall life in these three radicall and originall promises are suspended onely and depend meerely vpon the performance of the conditions themselues and not vpon the perpetuall and continuall performance of them God doth not say if ye beleiue and beleiue for euer if yee repent and repent for euer if yee receiue Iesus Christ and receiue him for euer yee shall bee saued and haue euerlasting life no there is no such matter in the promises but if wee truly beleiue if we doe truly repent and receiue Christ Jesus in the sinceritie of our hearts though it be but once wee shall be saued and haue euerlasting life because that hee that doth truly beleiue truly repent and receiue Christ Iesus but once doth belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus for euer he is passed from death to life for euer and shall not come into condemnation Iohn 5 24. Rom 8 1 2. and Marke 16. 16. Suppose a man should promise another an hundred pounds vpon condition that hee should marry his daughter or publikely recant those iniuries which he had done vnto him if there he doth marry his daughter but once or recant those iniuries in publike but once though hee doe not reitterate them hee shail haue the hundred pound because hee hath performed the condition So when as God doth promise vs saluation heauen and eternall life if we belieue râ—…pent and receiue Christ Iesus in sinceritie and in truth if once wee doe but truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus wee shall certainly be saued and haue heauen and euerlasting life because the condition on which these are suspended is performed I would aske but this question of any of our Antagonists whether any man may not safely make this argument with himselfe Euery one that doth truly belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus shall be saued and haue euerlasting life But I my selfe do truly belieue repent and receiue Christ Iesus therefore I shall bee saued and haue euerlasting life If this be not a good argument then what benefit comfort or assurance can any Christian take from these or any other promises of the Gospell what claime interest or title can he lay to saluation heauen or eternall life or to what end doe these promises serue If it be a good argument as I thinke none can deny it then certainly heauen saluation and eternall life depend onely vpon the faith and repentance of men and their receiuing of Iesus Christ without any necessary relation to any inclusiue condition if they perseuere withall for he that doth but once truly beleiue repent and receiue Christ Iesus doth beleiue repent and receiue Christ for euer Certainly as Christ himselfe by dying vnto sinne but once is become the authour of eternall saluation to all truly penitent and beleiuing sinners and being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him Rom 6 9 10. Hebr 5 9. cap. 7 27. and cap 9 25 28. So he that is but once truly regenerated and aliue to God through Iesus Christ our Lord dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him but he shall liue for euer vnto God and shall not come into condemnation Rom 6 7 to 12 Iohn 5 24. Rom 8 2. 1 Iohn 3 9 14. and Hebr 10 2. how then can he euer finally or â—…otally fall from grace Let all the deuils in hell or men in earth lay their heades together they shall neuer with all their wit and sophistrie delude or ouerthrow this plaine and pregnant truth Againe there are a second sort of promises which are proper peculiar only to those which are in truth regenerated and within the couenant and state of grace of which sort the greater part of all the promises which I haue formerly cited are which promises I haue proued giue them no new interest right or title vnto heauen and eternall life but onely serue to ratifie and confirme that
other sacred attributes vnto him without any deminution or ecclipse at all the only way to doe it is for to maintaine the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints For if it bee impossible for those who are once truly regenerated and sanctified to fall from grace as wee affirme it for to be then your surmise of clearing Gods iustice when they fall away is out of doores and comes not into question and so Gods iustice mercy goodnesse honour wisdome truth and power are not only not so much as once tainted and ecclipsed but likewise highly magnified in the continuall perseuerance and preservation of the Saints And thus I hope I haue so fully cleared the absolutenesse of all Gods promises and so fully vindicates them from those false glosses and sophismes of the opposites which did obscure and delude them that now they may giue full and perfect assurance to euery Christian soule that is become a true member of Iesus Christ that he shall neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace The third thing in these promises of God which may assure vs of the truth of this assertion is Gods ability to performe them If wee had so many great and gratious promises as these from God if God were not able to performe them to the vttermost wee could then take but little ioy and comfort in them but now God is omnipotent he is able to make good his promises and to performe them to the vtmost title and circumstance and therefore this may comfort and reioyce our hearts Lastly all these promises of God they are exceeding faithfull and true and God is very just and faithfull in performing of them If a man had neuer so many great and goodly promi ses if they were not true but false and counterfeite there were then great cause and couler for to doubt of them and mens hearts and soules could take no true ioy and solid comfort in them because they could not rest and trust vpon them But now all these promises of God which I haue formerly mentioned to prouethe finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints they are exceeding faithfull and true proceeding from that God and spirit of truth which will not nor cannot lie vnto vs. All the promises of God they are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor 1 20. his couenant will he not breake nor alter the thing that is gon out of his mouth Hee hath 〈◊〉 in his holinesse that he will not lie vnto vs Psal 89 34 35. As God hath thought so shall it come to passe as he hath promised so shall it surely stand no man shall disaâ—…ll or turne that backe which hee hath promised and decreed Isay 14 24 27. God hath ratified all his promises with an oath and sealed them vnto vs euen in the blood of Iesus Christ to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his Councell and the truth of all his promises to the end that they might haue strong consolation and comfort in theÌ„ Heb 6 17 18. And as all these promises of God are true and faithfull in themselues so God will bee exceeding just and faithfull in performing them to the very least title and circumstance of them God will his truth to Iacob and his mercy to Israell which he hath sworne to our fathers in the dayes of old Micâ—… 7 20. The strength of Israel will not lie neither will he repent him of his word 1 Sam 15 29. Whatsoeuer he hath promised the will performe to the very vttermost title Heauen and earth may passe away but yet not so much as the least title of any of these promises which hee hath made vnto his Saints shall faile vntill it be fulfilled to the full Math 5 18 When God had promised to bring the children of Israell out of Egypt after foure hundred and thirty yeares it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares euen the selfe same day that God had promised that all the host of Israel went out of Egypt Exod 12 41 51 God did not faile them in this promise so much as in one day God hath alwaies bin so faithfull in the performance of his promises vnto his people that he did neuer so much as faile them in any circumstance wherfore Salomon in the period and perclose of that excellent and famous prayer of his at the consecration of the Temple doth vse this gratulatory speech to God Blessed be the Lord which hath geuen rest vnto his people Israel according to all that hee hath promised their hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his seruant Euery word and sillable that God hath spoken for the weale welfare of his children he will as certainly and faithfully performe as if he had actually performed it to them already Seeing then that wee haue so many absolute and sure so many true and faithfull promises which shall be performed to the vtmost sillable which may assure vs that such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace let vs wholy relie and depend vpon them let vs cast our selues and our soules vpon them And seeing there are so many things in God himselfe which may fully resolue settle vs in this truth let vs haue strong consolation and let vs runne that race of holinesse which is set before vs with ioy with comfort and assurance And though we may and ought to feare the falling into any sin whereby wee may offend the Lord and cause him for to scourge vs with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men yet let vs neuer feare or dreame of any finall or totall fall from grace when once we are but truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by faith because we haue God himselfe for our assurance that we shall neuer fall from him Secondly as it is altogether impossible in respect of God himselfe that those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith should either totally or finally fall from grace so is likewise altogether impossible in respect of Iesus Christ. Now in Iesus Christ himselfe there are these seuerall things which may assure vs of this potision First there is the efficacy metits and power of his death and passion whereby the power and strength of sinne the forts and holds of Satan are weakned and subdued in them whereby their soules are thoroughly purified and washed from all pollution of flesh and spirit and their sins and wickednesse for euer so vtterly abolished that they shall neuer appeare any more from which I frame this first argument Those out of whom the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed by the death of Christ those whose soules are purified and washed from all sinne by the blood of Christ. Those in whom the power of Satan and the whole
body of sinne are wholly destroyed by the passion of Christ to no other end and purpose but that their consciences might beo purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring fotth fruites vnto God that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues that they might bee a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes that they might serue him in holinesse and true righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues that Christ might present them vnto himselfe a glorious and holy Church without spot blemish or wrinckle it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace because else Christ should dye in vaine and not obtaine the end the fruite and substance of his death and passion But out of all those that are once truly regenerated the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed 1 Iohn 3 8 the power of 〈◊〉 and the body of sinne are quite destroyed by the death and passion of Christ. Hebr 2 14 15. Rom 6 6 and their soules are purified and washed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ. Reuel 1 5. Tit 3 5. to the onely end and purpose that their consciences might be purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebr 9 14 that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring forth fruite vnto God Rom 7 4. 1 〈◊〉 2 24 that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues or sinne Rom 6 6. 2 Cor 5 15. 1 Ephes 5 10 that they might be a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes Tit 2 14. That they might serue him in holinesse righteousnesse without feare all the dayes of their liues Luke 1 74 75 that they might liue and dye vnto the Lord and that both liuing and dying they might bee his Rom 148 that Christ might present them vnto himselfe an holy Church without spot or blemish or wrinckle Ephes. 5. 26 27. and so it is altogether impossible that they should euer totally or finally fall from grace Secondly as the death and passion of Christ so likewise his perpetuall intercession vnto his Father for all his true and faithfull members may assure us of the truth of this positition from which I frame this second argument Those for whom Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father that they may continueally perseuere it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father for all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him that they may alwaies perseuere therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For the Maior proposition no man can deny it vnlesse he will maintaine as the Rhemists did in their conference at Hahge that God doth not alwaies heare the intercession of Christ and grant him his requests which is blasphemous in it selfe and contrary to the Scripture For Iohn 11. 41 42. Christ doth giue thankes vnto his Father for that he hath heard him and I know saith he Father that thou hearest me alwaies â—…oubtlesse if God will grant vs whatsoeuer we our selues shall desire and pray for in the name of Christ as he hath promised to doe Iohn 14. 13 14. Cap. 16. 23. 24. much more then will he grant that thing which Christ himselfe shall petition to him for And if God should not alwaies grant whatsoeuer Christ should now desire and request of him Christs intercession would be fruitlesse and to little purpose and we our selues should haue but little benefit or comfort from it Now for the Minor proposition that Christ doth alwaies make intercession to his Father for all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him it is plaine and euident by Iohn 16. 26. Rom. 8. 24. Hebr. 2. 17. cap. 4. 14. 15 16. cap. 7. 25. and cap. 9. 24. And that this his intercession is for their constant continuall perseuerance it is euident Luke 22. 32 33. where Christ tells Peter that he had prayd for him that his faith might not faile which prayer of Christ extends to all his faithfull member aswell as vnto Peter by that of Iohn 14. 15. 16. where Christ himselfe doth certifie vs that he will pray vnto his Father for all his Saints and that he shall giue them another comforter which shall abide and dwell and be in them and with them for euer and also by that prayer of his Iohn 17. 11 15 21 23 24. where hee prayes thus for his Apostle and afterwards for all true beleiuers Holy Father keepe them thorough thy owne name those whom thou hast giuen vnto mee that they may be one as we are one I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill and that they may all bee one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in vs and that the world may know that thou 〈◊〉 sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that those also whom thou hast giuen mee be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This is also intimated by the Apostle Hebr. 7 25. where speaking of Christ he saith thus of himselfe wherfore hee is able also to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Those for whom Christ himselfe doth pray and interceede they shall be saued to the vttermost no man shall condemne them or seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord because that Christ himselfe is euen at the right hand of God alwaies making intercession for them Rom. 8. 33. to the end of the chapter Christ hath prayed heretofore and doth now continually make intercession to his Father for all such as are once his true and faithfull members that they may alwaies perseuere continue constant in the state of grace and therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace If it be obiected that this prayer of Christ doth onely tend to keepe them from a finall but yet not from a totall fall from grace I answere that it is not so but that this prayer of Christ extends to preserue them from a totall aswell as from a finall fall First because Christ doth pray that their faith might not faile now if they might fall totally from grace then their faith should faile yea that numericall faith which once they had should vtterly be lost for that faith which they haue by their new inscision into Christ is not the same numericall faith which they had before for that
once truly registred in the booke of life Reu 3. 5. Secondly because God hath promised such that they shall be had in euerlasting remembrance and that he will giue them an euerlasting name which shall not be cut off Psal. 112. 6. Isai. 56. 5. Thirdly because God hath promised all such as are registred in the booke of his remembrance that they shall bee his in the day when hee makes vp his Iewells and that he will spare them euen as a Father spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Mal. 3. 16 17. Fourthly because Christ bids his Disciples to reioyce because their names were written in heauen Luke 10 20. if then their names might haue beene blotted out againe they had had no iust cause of true and solid ioy and so Christs exhortation had beene in vaine Fiftly because they whose names are written in the booke of Life cannot bee seduced by the beast they cannot bee withdrawne from God Reu. 13. 8. Sixtly because those that are receiued in the booke of Life they were written in that booke from the foundation of the world Reu. 17. 8. they were predestinated to Eternall life from all eternity by the determinate counsell and Decree of God which shall stand fast for euer and shall not bee repealed Psal. 89. 28. 33. 34. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Isai. 54. 10. Seuenthly because all such as are written in the Lamhes booke of life shall enter into the new Ierusalem Reu. 21. 27. they shall surely be saued Lastly because there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning with God Iam. 1. 17. he neuer repent him of his gifts and calling Rom. 11. 29. therefore hee will neuer suffer any of those to fall to die or perish whom he hath registred in his Booke of life Now all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they haue their names written in heauen and ingrauen in the booke of Life Mal. 3. 16. 17. Luk. 10. 20. Phil. 4 3. Hebr. 12. 23. Reu. 3. 5. cap. 13. 8. cap. 17. 8. c. 20. 12. and c. 21. 27. Therefore they can neuer fall quite away from grace But it may be obiected that mens names may be blotted out of the Booke of life For Moses prayeth to God to blâ—… him 〈◊〉 of the Booke of life rather then the Israelites should bâ—… destroyed Exod. 32. 32. and Paul hee could wish himselfe accursed from Christ for his brethren the Iewes that so they might bee saued Rom. 9. 3. Yea God himselfe saith expresly Exod. 32. 33. Whosoeuâ—…r hath sinned against me him will I bloâ—… out of the booke of Life and Reu. 22. 19. If any man shall take away from the words of this Prophecie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life All those places proue that mens names may be razed and blotted out of heauen and the Booke of Life I answer first That these wishes and prayers of Moses and Dauid they doe only serue to testifie their exceeding loue and their ardent affection to the Israelites but they doe not proue that such as haue their names written in heauen and ingrauen in the booke of Life may haue them blotted out againe First because they are but meere wishes and desires proceeding only from a passionate loue and zeale they are patheticall and hyperbolicall speeches and doe not necessarily imply either a reality or a possibilitie in 〈◊〉 thing desired and wished for It is common for men to wish and desire things that are impossible out of passion and affection these therefore being but wishes and desires proue nothing at all against mee Secondly these wishes and desires they are not absolute but conditionall they are subordinate to Gods will and therefore they proue nothing absolutely Thirdly they are such wishes and prayers which were altogether impossible to bee performed because they were contrary and repugnant to Gods infinite justice For it could not stand with Gods justice to condemne a righteous man that so many wicked ones might be saued Fourthly these wishes of theirs if they were absolute were impossible to be performed in respect of Gods eternall and immutable Decree God had predestinated Paul and Moses to eternall life and hee had reprobated and cast off these Israelites for whom these wishes of theirs are made these wishes therefore of theirs could not alter and change Gods purpose and decree which is immutable irreuocable and impossible to be repealed Fistly their damnation could not be satisfactory vnto God for the sinnes of their brethren therefore these zealous desires of theirâ—… were impossible to be performed and so they proue not any thing at all against me Secondly to that of Exod. 32. 33. Whosoeuer hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my booke I answer First that this booke here spoken of is only the booke of this temporall but not of eternall life as will easily and plainly appeare by comparing this verâ—…e with the 27 28 29 and 35. verses of the same chapter and with Psal. 119. 13. 15. For the Israelites had there made a Calfe and committed idolatry against God in worshipping of it For which sinne of theirs the sonnes of Leuy by Moses command slew 3000. of their brethren Yet Moses fearing that the justice and wrath of God were not fully satisfied with the death of these 3000. men but that he had some greater temporall judgement in store for them makes recourse vnto God for them by prayer confesseth their sinne and the greatnesse of it and desireth God to pardon it if not then he desires God rather to take away his life and to blot him out of his booke then to suffer so many of his people for to perish To which prayer of his God returnes this answer Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee him will I blot out of my booke that is he shall be slaine and my iudgement of the Plague and Pestilence which I haue prouided for the punishment of this his sinne shall seize vpon him for to cut him off So that Moses his prayer being but to remoue the temporall judgement of the Plague which God did afterwards inflict vpon them for this their sinne this booke of God may here bee well taken and accepted for the booke of this temporall life Hierome Gregorie Parerius and others make this to be the exposition of the place and so it makes not against mee Secondly I answer that there is a difference betweene the booke of Life liuing and betweene that booke of life wherein the righteous are written and recorded Dauid hee makes the difference Psal. 69. 28 Let them bee blotted out of the booke of the liuing and not be written with the righteous A man may be blotted out of the Booke of the liuing that was 〈◊〉 written with the righteous Hâ—… that is written in that booke of liâ—…e wherein the righteous are recorded can 〈◊〉 bee bloâ—…e out as I haue proued before he that is written in 〈◊〉 booke of the liuing may therefore this booke of
If a man had a deare intire friend who was like to perish vnlesse he did relieue and helpe him if now hee should absolutely promise him to sucour aud releiue him and then faile him at the last if now this man should perish the blame would now light vpon him that should haue helped him and not vpon him that perisheth God is able to keepe his Saints from falling from him Iude 24. and he hath promised for to doe it Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 155. 1. Psal. 121. 3 7 8. Psa. 145. 13 20. He that hath giuen vs grace hath promised to preserue and keep it for vs because we cannot doe it of our selues If then wee might loose this grace and fall quite from it the blame would light on God and on the whole Trinitie who are both able and onely able to preserue and keepe the saints from falling and haue likewise promised for to doe it and not on the saints themselues who are not able of themselues to keepe themselues in the loue of God and to preserue themselues from falling from him and therefore this your Doctrine can neuer bee admitted to be true Fourthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the Trinitie and from the vertue and efficacie of the meanes of grace For if these might fall from grace where then were the omnipotencie and mightie power of God and Christ which should preserue and keepe them through faith vnto saluation where were the efficacie and power of the holy Ghost where were the strength the life mighty operation of the word of God and of the meanes of grace which should conquer and subdve the very Prince of darknesse and trample him vnder feete which should cast downe imaginations the strong holds and forts of sinne and Iust and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ where were the efficacie and power of the death and passion of Iesus Christ which should destroy out of the Saints the workes of the Diuill the power of Satan and the whole body of sinne where were the efficacie power of that feare which God will put into their harts that they may not depart from him Certainely this assertion would derogate very much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the whole Trininie and from the efficacy and power of grace and of the meanes of grace and therefore it cannot be admitted to be true and orthodox Fifthly if the saints of God might Apostatize and fall from the state of grace it would derogate much from the infinite justice and wisdome of almightie God For when as God shall haue once accepted of the death and passion of his only Sonne in full satisfaction for the sins of all his true and faithfull members when God shall promise for the merits of this his Son to pardon all their sins and to remember their iniquities no more when Christ shall purchase grace and all things appertaining to life and godlinesse when he shall purchase perseuerance heauen and eternall happinesse for them and God shall in his justice promise to make all these things good vnto them if after all this they should fall from grace and bee depriued of all these things which Christ hath purchased for them where then will this infinite justice of God appeare Yea where will his infinite wisdome bee Can it stand together with Gods infinite wisdome to discourage and deiect the hearts and soules of any of his saints to weaken and abate their loue to him and to make them cold and negligent in his seruice to bring a scandall vpon himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name which are the ineuitable consequencies of this your doctrine what justice or what wisdome would there be in God if this were true Doubtlesse very little or none at all and therefore this doctrine of perseuerance must be true Sixthly if the saints of God might fall from the state of grace it would much eclipse the efficacie of Christs death and passion and the vertue andr powe of his intercession Where were the efficacy where were the merits where were the end the worth and benefit of Christs death and passion if it could not saue men to the vtmost and preserue them from falling from the state of grace to what end and purpose would his death and passion serue If this were true then Christs should be but an imperfect Sauiour a Sauiour and yet no Sauiour a Iesus at one time for to saue vs and yet afterwards a Iudge for to condemne vs. Then a man might be oft times saued and oft times damned one howre in the state of grace another in the state of damnation a man might be ost times saued in one month in one weeke and in one day And if so where were the efficacie of the death where were the vertue of the intercession of Christ Christ by his death and passion hath purchased eternall redemption for his true and faithfull members and hath perfected those that are sanctified for â—…uer and now he is in heauen he makes perpetuall intercession to his Father for them to keepe them in his owne name to preserue them from euill and from falling from him If then those members of Iesus Christ might notwithstanding fall from the state of grace which once they haue the very death and intercession of Iesus Christ would bee of very little or of no effect and the very dearest of Gods saints â—…nd children could reape no benefit or comfort from them Seuenthly if this were true that the Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace it would make the sweete and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all Gods children to bee but a meere delusion and imposture or at least but a meere lying fancie and a vaine conceite For this I am well assured of that euery sanctfied growen and experienced christian which hath felt the working of Gods Spirit in his heart can testifie that the Spirit of God hath so sealed this truth vnto his soule and so firmely settled and ingrauen it in his heart that he can neuer depart away from God or fall finally or totally from grace Wherefore this position which would falsifie this working of Gods Spirit in the hearts and soules of all his faithfull children must needes be false and odious and cannot be admitted Eightly if this should be admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of the hearts and soules of all his saints it would much abate if not quite extinguishing the zeale and seruency of their loue to him If men could not bee sure of their owne saluation if they could not bee sure of Gods constant and immutable loue to them if they
frame this accusation and in ditement against you at the day of Iudgement as he did against the shepheards of Israel Ezech. 34. 4. The diseased haue yee not strengthened â—…either haue you healed that which was sicke neither haue you bound vp that which was broken neither haue you brought againe that which was driuen away but with force and crueltie haue you ruled them and then your doome and judgment will be terrible and dismall as this your Doctrine is Fifthly This doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace it makes no difference at all beeweene the godly and the wicked in this present life If the true regenerate Saints of God might either finally or totally fall from grace what difference should there be betweene impenitent and wicked men and them what priuiledge or aduantage had they more then they They haue no more assurance of Gods loue and fauour no more assurance of heauen and eternall life no more aduantage or benefit by the death of Christ then they there were then no difference at all in their estates but onely for the present they had but a meere possibilitie of heauen and eternall life they could not absolutely say we shall be saued but onely wee may be saued and so may euery wicked man that liues vpon the earth All that the Saints of God should then haue it should depend meerely vpon incertainties and future contingences they should be no more sure of saluation then wicked men True it is that that for the present they should haue a greater probabilitie and likelihood of heauen and saluation then wicked men because they are for the present in the state of grace but yet they were no neerer vnto heauen and eternall saluation then they for these wicked men might become Gods children afterwards continue so when as they themselues might fall from grace and perish in their sinnes those that are the children of Satan might be the Saints and sonnes of God when as they themselues may bee the sonnes of Beâ—…ial and vessels fitted for destruction Wherefore seeing that this doctrine of falling from grace puts no sound and sure difference betweene the wicked and the godly in this present life and giues the one no greater and no surer priuiledges then the other hath when as the Scripture makes as great a difference betweene them as is betweene sheepe and goates wheate and tares gold and drosse happinesse and misery it must needes be false and opposite to the truth and cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall finally from grace it would breede a doubt and scruple in mens mindes whether there are any that are saued or at least whether God hath alwaies had a true Church on earth For if one regenerate man may fall from grace then a second and a third may to and so euery regenerate man in particular and so all regenetate men and then there should bee none that should bee saued then there might be a time when all men might be fallen from grace and so a time when as there was no Church of God on earth Wee all know that the very best of all Gods Saints and children are apt and ready to fall into sinne and that in many things they offend all which things by your assertion may cut them of from Christ and cast them headlong from the state of grace wherefore for ought that any man knowes there is not any one of Gods Saints and children but may bee fallen quite away from the state of grace before his death and so may dye and perish in his sinnes and therefote if this position were once admitted it would breede a doubt in men where euer there were any saued or whether God hath alwaies had a Chruch on earth which would be a dangerous consequent and would much eclipse the riches of Gods mercy the merits of Christs death and passion the glory and perpetuity of his kingdome and make men carelesse of religion Thirdly this Doctrine of a finall or totall Apostacie from the state of grace would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe and so cannot be admitted First it would cause men to vilifie and vnderualue grace it would cause them for to slight and disrespect it and not to set that price vpon it as they should For if true and sauing grace might bee lost againe who then would estimate or value it who would forsake the riches the honours and the pleasures of the world to seeke it and imbrace it ' which should be then as permanent sure and stable as grace it selfe That which makes men for to prise estimate grace aboue all things else is this that it is a perpetuall stable and permanent possession which will neuer decay that is is not subiect vnto time and chance as all sublunary and worldly things are that it is such an heauenly treasure as cannot be lost nor taken from vs. Therefore Christ when as hee would incite and stirre vs vp to seeke after grace doth commend grace vnto vs as a permanent and euerlasting good which neuer fades nor yet decaies putting it by way of antithesis and opposition to all worldly things which are but momentary and fading hence are these his exhortations Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the â—…eate that perisheth but for that which indâ—…reth vnto euâ—…rlasting life Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth where 〈◊〉 and rust doth corrupt and where theeâ—…es breaks through and â—…teale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theâ—…es doe not breake through nor â—…eale Math 6 19. 20. Whosoeuer shall drinke of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4. 13 14. That which doth most of all commend and set forth grace that which makes it amiable and louely and giues it an excâ—…llencie aboue all earthly things is this that it is a permanent possession an euerlasting treasure which cannot be loâ—…t If it were notso men could not prise it aboue earthly thing This Doctrine therefore of falling from the state of grace it takes away the very excellency of grace and so it would cause men for to vilifie and vnderualue it and to preferre the base and transitorie things of the world before it which would bee a dangerous consequence Secondly this assertion it would ouerthrow and vtterly disanull the very nature and essence of true sauing grace For grace as I haue proued at large before is of a permanent constant perpetuall immortall growing and increasing nature it cannot perrish or decay where once it is in truth begun This Doctrine of a totall or finall fall from grace it makes grace to be but a transitory and fading thing in ouerthrowes this nature and essence of true
seuerall Conferences at Hage recorded by Brandius and Bertius haue concurred in the contrary assertion I confesse that Iacobus Arminius in Apolog aduers Artic quosdam Theologicos Respons ad Artic secundum in Examinatione Praedestinationis Perkinsis that Conradus Vorstius in amica collatione cum Piscatore sect 108 that Nicholaus Greuinchouius and Bertius in his Hyminaeo desertore sine de Sanctorum Apostasia and others of the Arminian crew to whom Master Mountague is much beholding haue beene of this opinion That faith once had may be lost againe But that any sound and orthodox Protestant Diuines were of this opinion in any of their decisions writings or resolutions that I neuer heard or read of as yet But will you know now who are Master Mountagues Protestant Diuines who haue so much opposed our present assertion and consented to the Church of Rome in the totall and finall losse of faith once had Surely they must and can be no other but those whose reasons arguments and quotations both out of Scriptures and Fathers Master Mountague hath ttanscribed in his Gagge for he intimates as much himselfe Now what Diuines are these Surely I must needes informe you who they are because they are worth the knowledge his two chiefe Diuines they are Bellarmine and Bertius the one a Cardinall and cheise pillar of the Church of Rome the other the strongest pillar and stoutest Champion of the Arminian faction It may be hee hath praid in some ayde from the Rhemists but I can assure you that all his quotations that are there cited are transcribed either out of Bellarmine in his 3. booke de Iustif cap. 14. or out of Bertius in his Hymeneo disertore siue de Apostasia sanctorū and most of them especially the quotations out of the Fathers are not to be found in any other Writer but in Bertius only Are these your Protestant Diuines Mr. Mountague were there no other Protestant Diuines from whence to fetch resolutions decisious but from these or can you bee so strangely impudent as to grace these two notorious and famous men the one knowne for the greatest Papist the other for the chiefest Arminian that euer was with the stile of most Protestaut Diviues no meruaile then is these men bee your Protestants that you stile all others that dissent from them not Protestants but Caluinists Puritans and Nouellers and that you stile this doctrine of the totall finall perseuerance of the Saints a Puritan Doctrine Wherefore good Reader take this short Nota with thee in the by that all M. Mountagues Protestants are none but Papists and Arminians and all his Puritans Nouellers and Caluinists whom hee so much lasheth none but sound and Orthodox Protestants who assent not to Arminius and the Church of Rome and what must Mr. Mountague be then in the meane time Surely a Papist or Arminian if not both or worse then both But I passe this ouer and come to the second thing which is to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in the state of Grace to bee the receiued and approued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the Seas by their seuerall Articles and Confessions and by their Synods which haue so resolued it That this is the receiued and approued doctrine of their Articles and Confessions it is euident and plaine First by the latter Confession of Helvetia Artic. 9. Because that the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the Spirit therefore the faithfull are called free yet so that they do acknowledge their infirmity and glory no whit at all of their Free-will So that by the expresse words of this Confession the regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall totally from grace because the strength of the flesh and reliques of the old man are not of such great force in the regenerate that they can wholly quench the worke of the spirit So Artic. 10. of the same confession The Saints are chosen in Christ by God vnto a sure end and Artic. 15. Wee who are once justified are not only cleansed from sinne and purged and holy but also indued with the righteousnesse of Christ yea and acquitted from sinne death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heires of eternall life And Article 16. True faith is the meere gift of God because God of his power doth giue it to his elect according to measure and therefore it is called the faith of Gods elect This faith doth pacifie the conscience and doth open vnto vs a free accesse to God it doth keepe vs in our dutie which wee owe to God and to our neighbour and doth fortifie our patience in aduersitie and it doth bring forth good fruites of all sorts c. By this it is euident that our assertion is the positiue doctrine of the Helu◅◅◅◅tian Church So is it also of the Bohemian as it is manifest by the 6. Article of their Confession which saith That true faith doth alwayes lift vp him that hath it and assures him that in and for Christ he assuredly hath and shall haue for euer eternall life according to his true promise which hee confirmed with an oath saying Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth on me hath eternall life For whomsoeuer God doth iustifie to them he doth giue the holy Ghost and by him hee doth regenerate them as hee promised by the Prophet saying I will giue them a new heart and I will put my Spirit in the middest of them that as before sinne had reigned in them to death so also grace might reigne by righteousnesse vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ. Now they that attaine to this iustification by Christ our Lord are taught to take vnto themselues true and assured comfort out of this grace and bounty of God to inioy a good and quiet conscience before God to be certaine of their owne saluation ond to haue it confirmed to them by this meanes that seeing they are the sonnes of God they shall also after death in the resurrection bee made heires The French Church doth likewise concurre with vs in our assertion in the 21. and 22. Articles of their confession which say That true faith is giuen only to the Elect not that they might once only be brought into the right way but rather that they might bee forward therein vnto the end because that as the beginning is of God so is also the accomplishment Therefore it is so farre that faith should extinguish the desire to liue well and holily that it doth rather increase and kindle it in vs whereupon good workes doe necessarily follow with which the confession of Belgia artic 23. 24. doth fully agree The Confession of Saxonie Artic. 3. 7. 9. concurreth with vs For it testifieth vnto vs. That the Error of doubting is altogether heathenish that it doth abolish the Gospell and take away all true
the words are that he may fall into sinne not that he doth cast himselfe into sinne in a voluntary presumptuous and wilfull manner so that this word fall into sinne implies that these sinnes here mentioned are sinnes of infirmity and incogitancie not of malice and presumption now I hope you will grant that sinnes of infirmitie and incogitancie without any precogitated and resolued malice doe not cast a man totally from the state of â—…ce for then euery Saint of God should fall from the state of grace continually but only sinnes of malice and presumption committed with an high hand and with an absolute full and deliberate consent Wherefore the sinne mentioned in the Article being but a sinne of infirmitie only and not of praecogitated and resolued malice it cannot be imagined that this falling into sinne in the Article should bee a totall or a finall fall from grace Thirdly obserue the order of the words they doe first depart from grace giuen and then fall into sinne they doe not fall into sinne first and then depart from grace giuen if then they depart from grace before they fall into sinne then this departure from grace cannot be intended of a falling from the state of grace because our Antagonists will confesse that the sinne committed is that which casts men downe from the state of grace and that men fall not from grace before but after sinne committed this departure therefore from grace giuen being before the sinne committed cannot be a totall departure from the habit and state but from the act of grace Fourthly the very coherence and connexion of the words will cleere the sense and meaning of them For and being a conjunction copulatiâ—…e â—…itting both sentences together it makes the sense of the Article After wee haue receiued the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 may depart from grace giuen and full into sinne to bee no more but this after wee haue receiued the holy Ghost wee may â—…all into sinne so that 〈◊〉 departure from grace giuen is nothing else but to fall into sinne which a man may doe and yet not fall from grace so that torture and rackâ—… these words which way you will they will not warrant this doctrine of a totall or a finall fall from grace Yâ—…a but you will object that these subsequent words By the grace of God wee 〈◊〉 rise againe and amend our liues doe necessarily imply thus much that the Saints of God may fall totally and finally from grace True Mr. Mountague if you if Bortius or the Rhemists bee the interpreters else there might be some doubt of it For you must know that the only reason wherefore these words were added to the former was but to meete with the Montanists Nâ—…uations Anabaptists and Brownists who denied forgiuenesse and reconciliation to such as sinned after Baptisme and if you had not beene purblinde when as you reade the Article you could not but haue seene it But God in his justice hath giuen you eyes according to your minde which alwaies looke besides and ouerthwart the truth but not vpon it But if you will haue the sense of these words it is only this that the Saints of God may rise againe from that sinne into which they were fallen and amend their liues not that they rise againe from the state of condemnation That from which the Saints of God must rise is only from that into which they were fallen for falling and rising they are Relatiues but the thing into which the Saints were fallen was but into some act of sinne as appeares by the words of the Article wee may depart from grace and fall into sinne it was not a fall from the state of grace into the state of damnation and therefore this is but a rising from some actuall sinne to amendment of life Secondly I say that these words make much against you For if those that fall doe rise againe this doth necessarily imply that they were not fallen quite away from the state of grace into the death of sinne that all their spirituall life was not extinguished and abolished by their fall for if they were dead in trespasses and sinnes they could not rise againe Hee that is quite dead in sinne and without the life of grace is not said to rise againe and amend his life for that implies a continuance of the former life but hee is said to reuiue againe and to haue a new life put into him and therefore if the Article had intended this departure from grace giuen and falling into sinne of a totall or finall fall from grace into the state of death and damnation the words should haue beene these Hee may reuiue againe or God may raise him vp to a new estate of grace againe and hee may haue a new life of grace infused into him which would crosse this rule in Logicke à priuatione ad habitum non datur regressus and not that he may rise againe and amend his life Take then either the title or the scope and substance or the very letter and words of the 16. Article yet neither of them will warrant this doctrine of a totall or a finall fall from grace All the argument which any man can raise from this Article in proofe of this conclusion is but from the bare words and letter abâ—…racted from the sense to wit Those who haue receiued the holy Ghost may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and by the grace of God may rise againt and amend their liues Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may both finally and totally fall from grace therefore faith once â—…ad may be both totally and finally lost which how wâ—…ll it followes let all men judge But to giue M. Mountague and others full satisfaction in the sense and meaning of this Article I will compare it with some other Articles which are expresse in point that the true regenerate Saiâ—…ts of God â—…an neither finally nor totally fall from grace The 5. Article of Lambeth concluded and agreed vpon Nouemb. 20. 1595. by diuers reuerend and learned Bishops and Diuines of this our Church for the determining of some controuersies in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge is expressely contrarie to Mr. Mountagues collection from our 16 Article for the words of that Article are these True liuing iustifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished it fayles not it vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally If the 16. Article had beene expresse to the contrary I suppose the reuerend and learned Composers of this Article would not haue varied from it But Mr. Mountague pleads to this that the Articles of Lambeth are forbidden by Authority but when and where and by what authority that he sets not downe Surely for my owne part I neuer yet could learne that these Articles were disallowed by any publike authoritie but only by Mr. Mountagues who like a Magisteriall Dictator and Cathedrall moderator ouer all divinitie and Diuines approues
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
the righteous neuer fall from grace yet God hath his end because his law and justice is declared by this place Lastly this commination is made generally to all as well to the elect of God as to any others now you your selues doe grant that those whom God himselfe hath elected to saluation ex praeuisa fide can neuer fall from grace and therefore this commination being made to them as well as to any others can neuer imply a fall from grace for then it should imply that the elect of God should fall from grace as well as others which is impossible by your owne confessions And thus much in answer to this first obiection Other answeres there are which are giuen to this place As first that this righteous man and righteousnesse here mentioned is only meant of hypocrites who haue onely an outward shew of righteousnes and seeme to be righteous in the sight of men and not of men that are truly righteous nor of true righteousnesse nor of such ai were habitually righteous but onely such as were actually righteous hauing onely the acts of righteousnesse but not the habit Others answer that those which are here meant are such as are truly righteous but yet the departing from righteousnesse here mentioned is onely intended of the acts but not of the habits of righteousnesse and grace and that by death in this place is onely meant a temporall death but not an eternall which temporall death being the punishment of sinne may bee common to the righteous and the wicked and is inflicted vpon righteous men oft times as a punishment for some sinne of theirs as we may see in the examples of Iosiah and Hezechiah 2 Chron 35 22. and Isay 38 1. but neuer the eternall death But these answers are lesse probable and come not so home as the others doe Wherefore I will passe them ouer and proceed to the second argument The second argument that may be made against me is taken from that of Paul 1 Cor 9 27. I keep vnder my body bring it into subiection least that by any meanes when I haue preached vnto others I my selfe should be a cast away From whence this argument is framed Paul who was a true regenerate man might become a reprobate or cast away Therefore such as are truly regenerated may fall from grace For answer to this argument I shall first of all denie the Anticedent For if you take a reprobate or cast-away in this place as opposite to one that is elected as you doe then the proposition is false and is not warranted by the text For hee that is elected to saluation can neuer become a reprobate in this sense because the foundation of the Lord abideth sure and his purpose according to election shall stand fast for euer 2 Tim 2 19. and Rom. 9. 11. Now that Paul did not feare to become a reprobate in this sense it is euident by these insuing reasons First because that Paul was alwaies sure and certaine of his saluation He was alwaies fully perswaded that neither tribulation distresse persecution famine nakednesse perill nor sword that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to seperate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus his Lord. Hee was alwaies sure that whether he should liue or dye hee should liue and dye vnto the Lord and that when euer his earthly house of this tabernakle were dissolued hee should haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the highest heauens hee was confident of his saluation and this his confidence made him willing to bee dissolued that so hee might bee present with the Lord. Hee knew whom hee had beleiued and that hee would surely keepe that which hee had committed to him against that day Whence hee doth boldly auouch this of himselfe The Lord shall deliuer mee from euery euill worke and will preserue mee to his beauenly kingdome And therefore a little before his death he triumphs ouer hell and death in this comfortable confident and triumphant speech I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laide vp for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which God the righous iudge shall giue mee at that day Paul therefore could neuer feare that euer hee should become such a reprobate and cast-away as you intend because hee was so sure and so absolutely confidenr of his saluation Secondly Paul was sure that he could neuer fall away from the state of grace and become a reprobate in your sense because he knew that hee was praedestinated and elected to eternall life and therefore could not but be justified sanctified glorified for euer with God in heauen Paul knew very well that none of the elect of God could perish and hee also knew that himselfe was elected to saluation as we may see by Acts 9 15. Rom 1 1. cap. 8 30 33 35. cap. 9. 11. cap. 11. 7. 2 Cor. 1 21. cap. 5. 1. to 10. Gal. 1. 1. Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. 2 Tim 1. 13 14 16. 2 Tim. 1. 2 12. and Tit. 1. 1. Therefore hee could neuer feare to become such a reprobate as should bee damned and cast for euer into hell or such a reprobate as you inted and so the Antecedent is vntrue in the sense that you propound it If then you will take a reprobate and a cast-away for such a one as is blame worthy such a one as deserues reproose which is the genuine and proper sense of the word in this place then it makes nothing for your purpose For I grant that a regenerate man may deserue reproofe and blame for some miscariages or sins which he doth commit but yet if followes not therevpon that therefore he may fall from grace Paul he did indeauour to liue according to his doctrine least his auditours should haue just cause for to reproue him if he had done any thing in his practise which might crosse this doctrine for which hee should deserue reproofe yet it followes not that therefore he might fall away from the state of grace Wherefore if you take a reprobate or cast-away in the strictersense for one that is bound ouer to eternall condemnation then your Anticedent is false if in a more milde and larger sense for one that deserues reproofe then the Anticedent is true but the argument is false and followes not Secondly admit that Paul in this place doth vse this word reprobate or cast-away in the stricter sence for one that is vtterly forsaken of God and bound ouer to eternall condemnation then the argument followes not For Pauls meaning then is no more but this As God hath ordained that his Saints should perseuere so hee hath ordained the meanes by which they should perseuere as fasting prayer mortification and the like Now I vse
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
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
7. 18 19. and Ier. 31. 33 34. If hee doth take notice of those sinnes of theirs as to scourge them for them yet he neuer drawes them into question for their soules hee neuer brings them into the judgement of eternall condemnation as we may reade expresly Isay 45. 17 Iohn 3. 19. cap. 5. 24. and Rom. 8. 1 2. wherefore though the Saints commit treason against the Lord for which they deserue to be perpetually condemned yet this their treason neuer puts them into the state of death and damnation So when the Saints of God commit adultery against him and such sinnes as might cause him to deuorce them from him yet they are not presently deuorced because they doe not presently repent for God is a louing and kinde husband to them hee is not easily prouoked to put them away and to giue them a bill of deuorce vpon euery act of adultery which they doe commit as is euident by Ier. 3. 1. If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne vnto her againe but thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. The adulteries of the Saints doe neuer breake that bond of matrimonie which is betweene God and them because God will not take aduantage of them hee hath married them vnto himselfe for euer in faithfulnesse in louing kindnesse in mercies therefore will he loue them and not cast them off therefore will hee not seuer or deuorce them from him Hee hath commanded vs not to seperate those whom hee hath ioyned together therefore hee himselfe will neuer seuer nor deuorce those from himselfe whom hee hath married and betrothed to himselfe for euer but hee will seperate their sinnes from them that so they may not seuere or diuorce them from himselfe and therefore when as they sinne against the Lord they are not presently in the state of death and damnation because they are still married to and not deuorced from the Lord. So when the sonnes of God offend their gratious and louing father by their sinnes they doe not therefore cease to bee his sonnes neither are they forthwith disinherited but they continue sonnes and heires still and he continues to bee a gratious father to them It may be they may incurre his anger and displeasure for a time it may bee hee doth chasten and correct them with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men out of his fatherly care and loue vnto them and out of a desire of their good that so they may not be condemned with the world But yet they neuer incur his hatred or his whole displeasure hee neuer disinherits them or casts them out of doores hee alwaies dealeth with them as a gratious mercifull and louing father who delights in mercy hee will not alwaies chide them neither keepeth hee his anger foreuer hee will not deale with them after their sinnes nor yet reward them according to their iniquities but will euen pitty spare and pardon them as a father pittieth spareth and pardoneth his onely son that serueth him And therefore though they sinne against their gratious Father and lie perhaps in this their sinne for a time without repentance yet they are not thereby disinherited nor put from the state of grace I will now contract all this into this Syllogisme Hee that is still aliue in Christ and is but only sicke and not dead of sinne hee that is onely in a meere possibilitie to be questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited for his sinne and is not actually questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemned for it He that is more likely to liue to recouer more likely to escape vnsentenced and vncondemned more likely to continue a wife and an heire vnto God then to dye of sinne and to be perpetually condemned diuorced and disinherited of God for sinne Nay hee that is sure to recouer and neuer to die of sinne sure to scape scot-free and neuer to bee condemned diuorced or disinherited for sinne it is vndoubtedly true that such a one is not in the state of death and damnation but in the state of life and grace For no man can be in the state of death and damnation but such a one as is either dead in trespasses and sins such a one as is actually condemned diuorced and disinherited for his sins or such a one as is more likely to dy to be condemned diuorced and disinherited in and for his sins then to liue and to escape vncondemned vndiuorced and vndisinherited for his sins But all those who are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith they are aliue in Christ and euen then when as they lie in any knowne sin without repentance they are but only sicke not dead of sin they are only in a mâ—…ere remote possibility to be questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemned for their sinne they are not actually questioned arraigned diuorced disinherited and condemfor it They are more likely to liue and to recouer more likely to escape vnsentenced and vncondemned more likelyto continue wiues and heires vnto God then to dye of sin and to be perpetually condemned diuorced and disinherited of God for sin Nay they are sure to recouer and neuer for to dye of sin they are sure to escape scot-free and neuer to be condemned diuorced or disinherited for sinne as is euident by the former premises Therefore it is vndoubtedly true that such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith euen then when as they lye in any knowne sinne without repentance are not in the state of death and damnation but in the state of life and grace and so the argument which is produced followes not Secondly I answer that the Antecedent is false For these sinnes of the Saints they are and may be pardoned and actually forgiuen without any particular repentance for them First because when men are once truly justified the eternall guilt of these their sinnes is neuer imputed to them as I haue formerly proued therefore a particular actuall repentance for them is not necessarily and absolutely required for to saue them and â—…ree them from damnation Christ had made them free from the law of sinne and 〈◊〉 before being made a curse for them that they might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him therefore they might bee saued without this this actuall and particular repentance Secondly These their sins as I haue formerly proued did not put the Saints into the state of damnation and therefore a particular repentance for these sinnes of theirs is not absolutely necessary to saluation Thirdly a particular and actuall repentance for these sinnes is not required as absolutely necessary to saluation because a generall repentance and an inward disposition of the soule without this particular outward and actuall repentance will serue the turne If a
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
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
I may safely say he did not fall from grace and may well aduise our Antagonists to search and trie their owne estates and to forbeare to censure and determine Peters till the Scriptures haue defined it Lastly that Peter fell fell not totally from the state of grace in denying Christ it is the expresse determination and resolution of most Diuines both ancient and moderne So it is resolued by Tertullian De fuga in Persecutione lib. cap. 3. by Origin Hom. 4. in Psal. 36. et Hom. 3. in Math. by Hilarie in Psal. 54. by Basilius Magnut de Humilitate sermo by Chrysostome Homil. 88. in Math. by Augustine de Corrept et Gratia lib. cap. 6. 7. Contra Mendatinm ad Consentium cap. 6. by Prosper in his Epist. de Liberâ—… Arbitrio ad Ruffinum pag. 12 〈◊〉 Leo de Passione Dom. sermo 3. 9. by Gregorius Magnus Hom. 15. in Ezech. et Morral lib. 25. cap. 11. by Anselme in Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. by Theophylact in Luke 22. 32. by Bernard De natura et dignitate amoris diuini cap. 6. by Luther in John 17. Enarratio in magno Comment in cap 5. ad Galatas by Melanethon in 1 Cor. 10. by Bucer in Psal 1. in Rom. 7. by Tyndall in his Treatise of the manner of our Election by Zanchius Caluin Pareus Marâ—… 〈◊〉 Abbot and by all other moderne writers of our side yea and by most Pontificians to and therefore wee may rest in their judgements and not preferre the sentence and opinion of euery factious Noueller before them who hath nothing else but his owne words and fancie for his warrant Now wee haue sufficiently proued that Peter fell not totally from grace by this his sinne I will answer the reasons that are obiected to the contrary For the first of them that such as deny Christ haue not the spirit of Christ and that Christ will also deny them I answer that it is true of such as deny Christ wilfully of such as deny him both in word and deede of such as will not submit themselues vnto him and will not suffer for the profession of his name Now Perer hee denies Christ only in words but not in heart and in deede hee denies him out of feare and that but for a fit not out of disobedience malice or meere infidelity hee denyed only the knowledge of his person not his diety his offices and his attributes hee denied him because God left him to himselfe to humble him for his former arrogancie and pride and not for want of loue and will to Christ and therefore these Scriptures reach not vnto Peter especially seeing he had no sooner denied Christ but hee repented of it presently euen with great griefe and sorrow of heart To the second objection that Peter wanted a new conuersion vnto Christ therefore hee was fallen quite away from grace I answer that this conuersion here meant by Christ is not a conuersion from a state of sin death and damnation vnto a state of grace or a conuersion from infidelity to faith for in the same verse Christ tells Peter that hee had prayed for him that his faith might not faile and then these words follow vpon it and thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren which connection by this coniunction copulatiue and with the former words proues that Peters conuersion here was only a conuersion from that sinne of his in denying of Christ to a confession and profession of his name and not a conuersion from infidelity to faith and so doe the most and best expound it So that notwithstanding all these cauils it is plaine and euident that Peter fell not from the state of grace and so his example makes for vs not against vs and is as farre from your purpose as Peter was falling from the state of grace The sixth Example is Iudas Iudas was once a true regenerate man and in the state of grace but hee fell totally and finally from grace Therefore others may fall so to I answer that the Major is false For first Iudas was excluded from the number of beleeuers euen by Christ himselfe Iohn 6. 68 69 70 71. For there when as Peter in the name of all the other Disciples had testified his faith beleife in Christ Christ to cleare this scruple that Iudas had neuer any true and justifying faith in him no not at that very time giues this answer vnto the 12 haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is not shall be a deuill this saith the Euangelist hee spake of Iudas Iscariot which should afterwards betray him If Iudas were then a Deuill where then was that true grace and faith the which you speake of True it is the diuills themselues beleeue and tremble Iam 2 19. it may be Iudas did so to but yet that Iudas who was a Deuill or that the Diuells haue any true grace and justifying faith within them I thinke that none but Diuills dare affirme Secondly Christ himselfe stiles Iudas the sonne of perdition Iohn 17. 12. and therefore hee being but a vessell of wrath fitted for destruction was neuer truly regenerated Thirdly hee was alwaies couetous he loued the bagge better then the poore at first and that made him loue it better then Christ himselfe at last and therefore he had neuer any truth of grace within him But our Antagonists object that Iudas was chosen of Christ and giuen vnto him of God Ioh. 6. 70. and 17. 12. therfore hee was regenerated and in the state of grace Surely these acute opponents who leaue no stone vnmoued know Iudas better then Christ euer did hee neuer tooke him but for a deuill and a sonne of perdition they like the ancient Caianites mentioned by Epiphanius adore him for a Saint whether Christ or they are to bee beleeued bee you the judges But to answer this objection I say that this election and choise of Iudas was only to an office to be a Disciple not a Saint which is euident first by expresse Scriptures as Mar. 3. 14. Luke 6. 13. Acts 1. 20. Iohn 6. 70. where Iudas is mentioned among the number of those twelue whom Christ did chuse not to bee his Saints but his Disciples Secondly it is euident that Iudas was not chosen to be a Saint but a Disciple because hee was only chosen by Christ not in Christ. Now all those who are chosen to bee Saints are chosen by God the Father in Iesus Christ not by him before the foundations of the world were laide not when Christ was on earth Ephes. 1. 4. therefore Iudas being chosen by Christ only not by the Father that in the daies of Christs abode on earth not from all eternity must needes bee elected and chosen to an office only and not to be a Saint Thirdly Iudas was appointed and prophecied of long before Christs comming or his owne being that he should betray Christ and therefore hee was