THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE Wherein it is manifestly proued by sundry arguments reasons and authorities That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace It is also proued that this hath beene the receiued and resolued Doctrine of all the ancient Fathers of all the Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas and of the Church of England All the principall arguments that are or may be obiected against it either from Scripture or from reason are here likewise cleared and answered By WILLIAM PRYNNE Gent Lincolniensis PSAL. 125. Verse 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euer Fulgentius de Praedestinatione ad Monimum Gratia praeuenis impium vt fiat iustus subsequitur iustum ne fiat impius Praueniselisum vt surgat subsequitur eleuatum necadat LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IONES dwelling in Redcrossestreete 1626. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY THE Diuine Prouidence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of England and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Councell MOST Reuerend Father in God it hath pleased the dispenser and giuer of all honour and preferment out of his especiall prouidence to aduance your Grace next to our gratious and Dread Soueraigne to the highest place of rule and dignitie in this our Church whereby you are farre ingaged to patronize the truth of God and the established and resolued Doctrines of our English Church Which when I had well considered it moued me to consecrate these first fruites of my studies to your Grace which are nothing else but a iust though weake and meane defence of a principell and ground of that religion which hath beene long established and setled in our Church till some factious and nouellizing spirits if not worse were so bold and impudent of late for to disturbe it The men and meanes by which this truth hath beene disturbed and drawne into question are not vnknowne I suppose vnto your Grace and therefore I neede not to informe against them All that I shall say of them is only this that they are now so potent and so politique that if they are not speedily and carefully preuented by your Grace they are like to quell at least to cloud that glorious truth and Gospell which hath shined so bright so plentifully and comfortablie among vs for so long a season with the dismall the dangerous and pernitious mists of Poperie and Arminianisme Their bookes you know which are fraught with dangerous and hurtfull errors and so much the more dangerous because they are sweetned cloathed and guilded ouer with the name and countenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England are printed and reprinted sold openly and dispersed publikely without controll and the pious wholsome and Christian labours of all such as would confute them by reason of those meanes which they haue made can either finde no license for the presse or if they chance to come vnto the presse by stealth or otherwise they are either quelled and smothered in it before they come vnto their birth or else they are called in and quelled before they can bee published and dispersed for to cleare and vindicate the truth so that by the supportation and propagating of the one and the discountenancing and suppressing of the other that truth of God which wee haue hitherto professed is like to be betrayed Shall these factious scismaticall and hereticall spirits bee so industrous to establish and to vent their Errors and to quell the truth and shall not wee be as diligent and couragious to defend it shall they with all their might and maine plant Poperie and Arminianisme nay Pelagianisme Atheismie in our Church and shall wee sit still with foulded hands with silent tongues and stupified hearts and not labour to withstand them Alas where is our loue where is our zeale to God and to his cause where is our ancient courage for the truth that wee are now so cold and frozen that we are now so much ashamed of that glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which hath flourished so long among vs and hath made vs a mirror and a spectacle of Gods mercies vnto all the world that now wee dare not or at least wee will not defend and take its part that we dare not to contend and struggle for it but that we suffer it so willingly to bee surprised and betrayed as if wee were more willing to be rid of it then any longer to inioy it Certainly this want of courage for and loue vnto the truth as it is a sure syntome that iniquitie doth abound among vs so it may iustly cause the Lord to bring a famine and scarcitie among vs not of bread only which now is very likely to befall vs but euen of the word of God which is farre worse yea it may prouoke him and that deseruedly to giue vs vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies that we all may be damned because wee would not receiue the loue of the truth that so wee might be saued O therefore let mee now beseech your Grace that as in former times you haue so now you would take heart and courage for the truth You haue many incouragements many inforcements and ingagements for to doe it For your incouragement you haue the Lord of hosts and the almightie King of heauen for to take your part you haue the votes and prayers of all true hearted Christians you haue all the aide and assistance that heauen and earth can yeeld vnto you O feare not then the face or frowne of man whose breath is in his nostrells feare not the power or the malice of any that oppose the truth for wherin are they to be accounted of the Lord of hosts is with you the God of Iacob is your refuge man therefore cannot stand before you For inforcements and incouragements to be zealous and couragious for the truth you haue very many You are called to defend and to support the truth the very nature and qualitie of your function and the very dignitie of that place and person which now you doe sustaine doe euen ingage and binde your Grace to be couragious and zealous for it God hath committed his truth Gospell to your trust and hath giuen it you in charge to propagate and defend it God and our Gratious Soueraigne haue committed the care and custodie of this our Church to your charge and they haue giuen you more ability and power and so more cause for to defend the truth and doctrine that is established and setled in it then to other men and therefore they will require and expect from your Grace to whom so much is committed much more then they can or will from any other O therefore as you tender the glory and honour of the God of heauen the defence of Christ and of his cause and Gospell the
peace and safetie of this our Church which is committed to your charge as you tender your owne honor and reputation with God man or that great account which you must shortly make to God of that great stewardship of his which is committed to you if you â—…ender the good and comfort of your owne soule both here and hereafter if you would haue Iesus Christ to owne you and not to bee ashamed of you at the last when hee shall come in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angells if you would not bee cast with those other fearefull ones into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer take heart and courage for the Lord of hoasts and for his truth and cause which now are likely to miscarie Suffer not his word and truth to bee betrayed and suppressed by scismaticall factious and Antechristian spirits for want of supportation and defence but since the eyes of God and man are cast vpon you execute stirre vp and act that place and power which God and man haue giuen to you to the quelling of heresy and scisme to the extirpation of Poperie and Arminianisme which are now flowing in so fast vpon vs that they doe euen threaten a sodaine inundation and deluge to vs to the subuersion of the kingdome of Satan and Antechrisâ—… to the maintaining and inlarging of the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to the establishing of that glorious truth and Gospell which hath flourished and shined so long among vs to the admiration and mirror of our friends and to the griefe and enuy of our aduersaries Let not feare and cowardice let not flesh and blood or any other impediment whatsoeuer daunt your courage or coole your loue and zeale to Christ or to his cause but be willing to denie your selfe to part with all for him who hath euen denied himselfe and parted with his life and all for you And here I would intreate your Grace to pardon this my boldnesse and my rudenesse with you which though modesty and manners might caâ—…e mee to forbeare yet piety and zeale to God and to his truth and loue to this my Mother Church together with the necessity and extremitie of the times hath made me guilty of it I hope not faulty in it and withall I humblie consecrate these Firstlings of my studies being nothing else but a iust defence of a comfortable and Orthodox point of faith which hath long beene setled and established in this our Church and in all reformed Churches beyond the seas which if your Grace will but vouchsafe to Patronize and shelter they shall not feele they will not feare a totall or a finall 〈◊〉 Now the God of all Grace so beautifie and adorne your Grace with all the graces of his Spirit so fill and replenish you with zeale with fortitude and courage for the truth and so firmely settle and establish you in the glorious and happy estate of true and sauing grace that neither your Grace nor yet that truth and Gospell which 〈◊〉 now inioy may euer feele a finall totall or a partiall fall Your Graces in all humble submission and respect WILLIAM PRYNNE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader when as I had well considered with my selfe the great danger and combustion that was likely to befall our Church and State by reason of some dangerous points of Pelagianisme Poperie and Arminianisme which some factious and nouillizing spirits haue lately broched and set on foote among vs as the receiued positiue and resolued doctrines not only of the Scriptures Fathers and Protestant Churches in forraine parts but likewise of the Church of England I supposed that I could not performe a better peece of seruice to God or to our Church and State then to cast in my Mite among the rest and to indeauour according to my poore ability to stoppe the streame and current of these late reuiued and new minted Errors which by reason of the learning fame and greatnesse of their Patrons and the deprauation of mans nature which is alwayes more propense and prone to Error then to truth and holinesse are like to threaten a generall and vniuersall deluge to our Church and State if authority preuent them not in time Vpon this I resolued to put my penne to Paper and thereupon I selected and culled out from among the rest this hereticall and pernicious Error Of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints from grace to combate and to grapple with The reasons which moued me to single out this one aboue all or any of the rest were these First because this Error is most of all insisted and stood vpon and is more peremptorily maintained and dâ—fended then any of the rest and therefore requires the speediest and the strongest opposition Secondly because this Error by reason of a misreported confereÌ„ce hath drawne more disciples and parties after it than any of the rest it hath found more Patrons of late among vs than any other Error that I know and therefore I thought that I should doe the greatest good in opposing and suppressing the most infectious and spreading Error Thirdly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it was a part of Pelagianisme heretofore and it is but a point of pure Popery and Arminianisme now and therefore I presumed that I might with greater boldnesse and audacitie and with lesse offence to any aduenture to refell it especially since those who now defend it produce no other reasons arguments answers or authorities than those which the Pelagians Papists and Arminians haue framed and collected to their hands before without any new addition of their owne Fourthly I made choyce of this to vindicate the Church of England the Fathers Scriptures and Protestants in forraine parts from the false calumnies of those who would make all these the Patrons of this Error when as they haue all with one vnanimous consent condemned censured and refuted it yea and resolued against it as against a dangerous and hereticall position Fifely I made choyce of this because the sound confutation of it will ouerthrow the whole frame and fabricke of Arminianisme it will likewise out off a great part of Poperie and it will in effect suppresse and quite subuert the most of all those Errors Which haue beene lately broched among vs. For if this totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints bee once proued to be but an Error then the doctrines of Vniuersall Grace of Free-will of Election from the fore-sight of saith that such men as were neuer elected to saluation haue true saith that the number of the elect is vncertaine that the sinnes of the Saints doe cut them off from Christ that all these who are baptized are regenerated that the Sacraments conuey grace alike to all ex opere operato that there are some sinnes which are not mortall in their owne nature that men ought to doubt and that they cannot be certainely assured of their owne saluation without some
are branched into 4. generall heads First into the dâ—…ngerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinity and Deity which are 13. First it would derogate from the honour of the Trinitie pag. 122. Secondly it would derogate much from the truth the promises and word of God pag. 123. Thirdly it would derogate much from the infinite goodnesse mercy and loue of God pag. 124. Fourthly it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and power of the Trinity and from the efficacie of the meanes of grace pag. 125. Fiftly it would derogate much from the infinite iustice and wisdome of God pag. 126. Sixtly it would much ecclipse the efficacie and vertue of Christs passion and intercession pag. 127. Seuenthly it would make the sweet and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the Saints to be but a meere imposture pag. 127. Eigthly it would rob the Lord of the heart the affection and the loue of all his Saints pag. 128. Ninthly it would rob the Lord of all his praise and glory pag. 129. Tenthly it would make men negligent in Gods seruice pag. 130. Eleuenthly it would rob God of the prayers of his Saints and make the Lords prayer to be but vaine and idle pag. 131. Twelfthly it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination pag. 132. Lastly it would make men and not God the authors of their owne saluation pag. 133. Secondly into the dangerous consequencies in regard of the Saints themselues which are 6. First it would cause them to call Gods truth and promises into question pag. 134. Secondly it would depriue them of all true happinesse in this life and make them miserable men pag. 134. Thirdly it would depriue them of all 〈◊〉 ioy and comfort pag 135. Fourthly It would driue them to dispaire pag. 136. Fifthly it would make no difference at all betweene the godly and the wicked in this present life p. 141. Lastly it would breed a doubt whether God had alwayes a true Church on earth or whether there are any saued pag. 142. Thirdly into dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe Which are 6. First it would cause men to vilifie and vnder-value grace p. 142. Secondly it would destroy the very nature and essence of true grace pag. 143. Thiraly it would vtterly abolish and take away all true and sauing faith pa. 144. Fourthly it would take away all certainty and assurance of saluation pa. 145. Fifthly it would take away and abolish the graces of loue to God and of ioy in the holy Ghost p. 146. Lastly it would make grace to bee no worke and fruite of the holy Ghost but a meere mor all perswasion and it would quite destroy the â—…ery kingdome of Grace which is in men pag. 147. Fourthly into the dangerous consequents in respect of the whole Church of God which are 2. First it would traduce condemne and sleight their doctrine and opinions pag. 147. Secondly it would reuiue those herefies which they had formerly condemned pag. 147. And into the dangerous consequences in respect of the Church of England Which are 4. First it will pull vp one maiue point and principle of that doctrine and religion which hath beene planted and established in our Church p. 148. Secondly it will giue our aduersaries occasion for to triumph ouer vs Ib. Thirdly it will be a meanes to bring in Poperie Arminianâ—…sme into our Church ibid. Fourthly it will breed diuisions and Combustions in our Church page 249. Eighthly into humane authorities which are of three sorts Fathers and Councells Protestant Churches and writers in sorraine parts and the Church of England p. 151. First for Fathers and Councells we haue for vs Dionysius Areopagiâ—…a pa. 152. Iustin Martyr p. 153. Irenaeus pa. 154. Clemens Alexandrinus p. 155. Tertullian pa. 159. Origen p. 159. Cyprian p. 162. Arnobius p. 163. Hilarie p. 163. Basil the Great p. 165. Ambrose p. 167. Epiphanius pag. 169. Câ—…rysostome p. 169. Augustine p. 171. Cyril pa. 173. Prosper p. 174. Chrysologus p. 175. Fulgentius p. 176. Gregorie the Great p. 178. Venerable Bede p. 179. Anselme pag. 181. Bernard p. 185. Bradwardyn p. 188. The Councell of Miliuitan p. 189. The Generall Councell of Africke and the Councell of Arausica or Orange p. 189. An answer to the Fathers that are obiected p. 193. 194. For Protestant Churches beyond the Seas we haue first their Authors whose names and workes are cited pag. 196. to 202. Secondly their seuerall Confessions Articles Resolutions and Synods wâ—…ich are cited p. 202. to 215. Thirdly for the Church of England pag. 215. wee haue first her learned Authors and Writers pa. 216. to 226. Secondly her Articles p. 226 to 235. where the obiection from the 16. Article is answered and the Article it selfe is expounded Thirdly her Homilies and Common prayer Bâ—…ke which make rather for vs than against vs p. 235. to 245. where the obiections from the Homilies are answered Fourthly an Argument to proue this present position here defended to be the receiued and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England p. 245. In this eighth part all the cauells of those who would haue the Error of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints to be the Tenet of all Antiquitie of all the German Protestants and of the Church of England are answered in their places And this is the whole summe and substance of the second generall part of this worke The third generall part of this worke which begins at pag. 253. containes the arguments which are made against this assertion here defended with the seuerall answers that are giuen to them where first you haue two obseruations commended to your consideration which serue to answer or at least to weaken all future arguments that are obiected which you shall finde pag. 253. 255. Secondly you haue the seuerall arguments which are obiected and the answers to them in their order The first argument is taken from Ezech. 18. 24. and 33. 12. 13. 18. it begins pag. 257. The second is from 1 Cor. 9. 27. pag. 264. The third from Heb. 6 4 5 6. cap. 10. 26. to 30. and the 2 Pet. 2. 21. pag. 287. The fourth from Math. 12. 43 44 45. Luke 11. 24 25. pag. 273. The fifth from Iohn 152. to 11. pag. 276. The sixth Phil. 2 12. pag 211. The seuenth from 2 Pet. 3. 17. pag. 283. 284. The eighth from 1 Cor. 10. 12. Heb. 3. 12. cap. 4. 1 11. and Rom. 11. 8. pag. 285. The ninth from 1 Cor. 16. 13. Phil. 41. Reu. 2. 25 26. pag. 288. The tenth from Iohn 8. 31. 1 Cor. 15. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Gal. 69. Col. 1. 21. 22 23. 1 Thes. 3. 8. 1 Tim 2. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 21. Heb. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 10. p. 290. The eleuenth from Heb. 10. 35. 38. pag. 296. The twelfth from Dan. 11. 35. pag. 296. The thirteenth from Prou. 24. 16. pag. 297. The fourteenth from 1 Cor. 8. 11. pag. 298. The fifteenth from 1 Tim. 5.
Crowes and Rauens loues 〈◊〉 better then any other sweet and wholsome flesh that hee preferres the Rhemists Arminians before all his brethren or his Mother Church that hee is quite apostatized and fallen from the doctrine of the Church of England I say not from the state of true and sauing grace for that I dare presume he neuer had as yet into the very miâ—…e of Poperie and Arminianisme thinking to verefie this his doctrine of a 〈◊〉 and finall fall from grace by his owne example for want of better proofes I hope therefore that seeing Mr. Mountague had this his exposition and collection from Bertius and the Rhemists that you will rather hearken and yeeld to the sound and orthodox exposition which the Church of England hath heretofore made of it and which Doctor Benefield Bishop Carlton Mr. Rouse Mr. Yates and Mr. Rogers haue made of it then vnto Mr. Mountague who labours only to corrupt but not to expound the 16. Article Hauing thus proued that the Articles of the Church of England are vtterly against a totall and finall fall from grace that the 16. Article makes rather for me then against me I come now to the third thing to proue that the Homilies of the Church of England and the Common prayer booke make not against me As for the homilies they make not against me For first Mr. Mountague himselfe who obiecteth them confesseth that the Homilies are not the dogmaticall confirmed resolutions of the Church of England that they haue no dogmaticall positions or doctrine in them to be propugned or subscribed in all and euery point as the bookes of Articles and Common prayer haue therefore by Mr. Mountagues owne confession admitting that the Homilies were cleare againg me yet they proue not that the dogmaticall resolution and the receiued setled and established position of the Church of England is against me to because the dogmaticall publike resolutions of the Church of England are not 〈◊〉 in the Homilies neither are they such positiue current diuinitie as to be subscribed in all and entry point if Mr. Monntague may be credited But now you may wonder well what should be the cause that Mr. Mountague should so magnifie our Homilies in one place as to stile them authentis alt and orthodox records containing the established positiue and publikely professed doctrine of the Church of England and in an other place to slight and vilifie them so much and to contradict that which hee had written of them before 〈◊〉 Surely there is a mysterie in it and some pretty trick of more then Presbyterian-Legerdemaine For you may know that where Mr. Mountague doth presse magnifie our Homilies they giue some seeming colour to the Popish and Arminian doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace but where he vilifies vnderualues them there they crosse and oppose him in his Popery in speaking against Images and therefore here they must not be the positiue doctrine and the dogmaticall resolution of the Church or if they be so yet Mr. Mountague did not subscribe to them in this particular and so they containe not the dogmaticall resolutions of the Church of England in this particular case for want of his subscription So that in Mr. Mountagues judgement the Homilies established and confirmed by the Church of England so far as they make for Poperie and Arminianisme are the dogmaticall resolutions and the authenticall and orthodox records of the Church of England and thus far are they to be subscribed to but as far as they make against Poperie Arminianisme they are not authenticall they are not the dogmaticall and positiue resolutions of the Church of England and thus farre they are not to be subscribed Very good Mr. Mountague if an honest man should haue said as much as this I doubt mee hee should haue lost his liuings his eares yea and his life ere this and that deseruedly too you can say thus much which is no more in substance but this that the Church of England is a meere Popish and Arminian Church and yet scape scot free take heede you smart not for it ere be long And doe you not deserue to vndergoe the sharpest censure that your Mother if your Mother can inflict vpon youâ—… I dare auouch it that you doe and I will proue it to or else I will suffer in your steede For you confesse in your Appeale pag 260. that the Homilies containe in them godly and wholesome exhortations to honour and worship almightie God and you grant that they containe in them godly and wholesome doctrine necessary for these times and you cite the 33. Article for the 35. Article for to proue it which shewes that Mr. Mountague is but an Ignoramus in our Articles to which hee hath so oft subscribed and yet you say in the same place that they containe not in them the publike dogmaticall and confirmed resolution positions and doctrine of the Church of England neither are they to be subscribed in all and euery point I pray obserue this passage well and then judge what Mr. Mountague is and what hee doth deserue For first in these words he affirmes that the doctrines established confirmed by the Church of England and commanded to be diligently and distinctly read in our Churches by the Ministers by our 35. Article are not the publike and receiued doctrine of our Church which as it is a contradiction in it selfe and a vilification both of our Articles and Homilies so it is a great disparagement to our Church accusing her either of ignorance and dotage in not knowing what her doctrine is or of inconstancie in hauing no setled and positiue doctrine or at least of grand hypocrisie in commanding such doctrines to bee diligently and distinctly read as godly and wholesome and as her publike and receiued doctrine when as it is nothing so Secondly in these words Mr. Mountague affirmes that the Homilies of the Church of England established by authoritie are not sound and orthodox which is contrary to the 35 Article to which hee hath so often subscribed for which very thing many honester men then himselfe haue not onely bin silenced from preaching which penalty Mr. Mountague needs not vndergoe for he is to dumme already in that kinde but haue likewise beene depriued and quite stripped of all their spirituall liuings and promotions Thirdly in these words Mr. Montague judgeth the Church of England as it is the Church of England to bee but a wicked haereticall and atheisticall Church in as much as there are many godly wholesome and necessary doctrines which though they are in the Church of England yet they are not the receiued established and confirmed doctrines and resolutions of our Church Fourthly by these words Mr. Mountague makes the Church of England but an incompleate and imperfect Church a Church in which there is no life and power of religion a Church which is all for faith and speculation but not for life and
workes in as much as there are many godly practicall wholesome and necessary doctrines helping men to honour and worship almighty God which are not the receiued established and confirmed doctrines of our Church Fifthly in these words Mr. Mountague if you marke the end wherefore he speakes them to wit because they are to sharpe and to precise against Images affirmes that the Church of England doth gratifie the Church of Rome in points of Poperie indeauouring tò reconcile herselfe and to submit to her in things in which she hath formerly oppugned her These fiue things are necessarily implied and I feare me principally intended in these words and passage of Mr. Mountague touching our Homilies and their authoritie amongst vs what censure hee is worthy of for such words and passages as these I leaue to others I judge him not From the authoritie of our Homilies and Mr. Mountagues abusing of them I come to examine the words which hee obiected out of them against my present assertion His first obiection is from the title of the Homilie There is an Homilie saith he allowed and established in our Church intituled Of falling he addes away from God Therefore it is the receiued and established doctrine of the Church of England that true regenerate men may both totally and finally fall from grace Was there euer such a ridiculous and simple argument propounded by any learned man that had his wits and sences about him as if the doctrine of the Church of England were meerely titular depending on the very titles of bookes which as they are not alwaies sutable to the doctrine contained in them so are they neuer doctrinall positiue resolutions in themselues therefore Mr. Mountague if you had not a brazen forhead or a crazie braine you could not chuse but blush at this your agument From the title of the homilies I descend vnto the words the which you cite The words out of the first Homilie are these For where as God hath sâ—…ewed to all them that truly beleiue his Gospell his face of mercy in Christ Iesus which doth so inlighten their hearts that they if they behold it as they ought to doe which parenthesis you haue omitted be transformed to his image be partakers of the heauenly light and of his holy Spirit and be fashioned to him in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God so if they after doe neglect the same if they be vnthankefull vnto him if they order not their liues according to his example and Doctrine and to the setting forth of his glory he will take away from them his kingdome his holy word wherby he should reigne in them because they bring not forth the fruite thereof that he toâ—…kes for The words you cite out of the second Homilie are these The place of Esay 〈◊〉 before sheweth that God at length will so forsake his vnfruitfull 〈◊〉 that he will not only suffer it to bring forth wilde bryers thâ—…rnes but also further to punish the vnfruitefullnesse of it Hee saith hee will not cut it he will not delue it and he will command the cloudes that they shall not raine vpon it meaning that hee will take away the teaching of his holy word from them which words Master Mountague hath passed ouer so that they shall be no longer of his kingdome they shall bee no longer gouerned by his holy Spirit they shall be put from the grace and benefits which they had and ouer might haue iniâ—…yed through Christ they shall be depriued of the heauenly life and light which they had in Christ whiles they abode in him And to be shart they shall bee giuen into the power of the 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 rule in all them that he cast away from God as he did in Saul and Iudâ—…s and generally in all such as worke after their owne wills the children of mistrust and vnbeleife You say Master Mountagne that these two Homilies but principally the words here cited doe thoroughly and wholly insist vpon the affirmation that faith once had may againe be lost and that no other construction of these words may be made then that a man my fall and hapâ—…e from grace both totally and finally But I pray what faith and what grace doe you intend Mr. Mountague a true liuing and justifying faith and sanctifying sauing and habituall grace or onely an historicall and common faith or ordinary common and hypocriticall grace If you intend these latter for you leaue them indefinite and ambigious that so you may euade the better when you are questioned for abusing our Church and Homilies then I say that your inference and collection is nothing to the purpose and reacheth not vnto thâ—…t faith and grace which is now in question If you intend and meane the former I answere then that these words of the Homilie doe not warrant yours For first they are your owne words That words are not direct which are not expresse Now here there is not so much as one word that faith once had may be lost that a true regenerate man may fall finally and totally from the state of grace your eyes Mr. Mountagne are better then all other mens if you can finde these words or any like vnto them in these Homilies they are but your priuate fancie conceite and therefore this is not the direct positiue and declatorie doctrine of these Homilies but your false and forged collection from them Secondly that I may instruct you a little in the Homilies in which I feare me you are truly or wilfully ignorant you may please to obserue Mr. Mountague that in the second and third part of the Homilie of faith It is said expresly That hee that beleeueth in Christ hath euerlasting life and therefore it must needs consequently follow that he that hath this faith must also haue good workes and be studious to obserue Gods Commandements obediently so that neither the world the diuill 〈◊〉 all the power of them shall preuaile against him That they that haue a liuely faith doe make their calling and election certaine sure and stable by good workes Therefore it is the expresse doctrine of the Homilies that true faith once had cannot be vtterly lost againe these words then which you alledge cannot imply the contrary vnlesse you will haue them to repeale and contradict the former Thirdly Mr. Mountague these two Homilies and the words you cite out of them doe not thoroughly and wholly insist vpon this that faith once had may be lost againe but if it please you to reade them ouer once againe you shall see that their principall and onely end is to exhort men to obey the Gospell and the word of God and to bring forth fruits worthy of them for feare least God depriue them of them What then will you inferre from hence All men are exhorted to obey Gods word for feare of being depriued of it Therefore the true beleiuers and Saints of God may fall totally and finally from grace
Declaration against Vorstius Mr. Mountague cannot shew mee in any of our owne Writers or in any other Protestant and Orthodoxe Writer that this was euer the receiued Doctrine of the Church of England only Bertius and the Rhemists in their Conference at the Hage Recorded by Brandius pag. 364. are the men that auerred this to be the Doctrine of our English Church and from them Mr. Mountague among other things transcribed it so that if you beleeue this to bee the doctrine of the Church of England you belieue not Mr. Mountague himselfe but only the Rhemists and Bertius from whom he doth transcribe it The second thing which I will propound vnto you is this that Mr. Mountague doth thrice record it in his Gagge cap. 20. that this our present Controuersie is vndecided and vndetermined in our Church and that the Church of England leaueth it at libertie vnto vs though in his Appeale he auoucheth the Totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints to be the publike receiued and established doctrine of our Church deliuered in authenticall plaine and Orthodoxe records in such a manner that no man can bee ignorant of it Behold here you haue Mr. Mountague against himselfe you haue one of his bookes against another which of them is it that you will beleeue If you beleeue him in his Appeale then you must make him as hee hath made himselfe a notable dissembler and Impostor in recording that to be vndecided and vndetermined by our Church which hee himselfe conâ—…th to be resolued established and determined by the common 〈◊〉 and orthodoxe records of our Church and that in such a palpable manner that no man can bee ignorant of it Or else you must make the Church of England to haue resolued this our Controuersie since the Gagge was written which cannot bee For our Articles our Homilies and our Common prayer Booke were composed long before the Gagge or Mr. Mountague himselfe were hatched and I am sure they are the same as they were before the Gagge was penned The Church of England though Mr. Mountague like a Lordly Pope hath done it hath neither altered the words or sense of any of them wherefore if this our Controuersie were not recorded in them or decided by them before it is not determined or resolued by them now as Mr. Mountague records it But how comes it to passe that so great a Scholler as Master Mountague should so much contradict himselfe It is a saying of Eâ—…ripedes in his Hyppolitus Coronatus that all men haue two tongues the one true the other what you will Mr. Mountague hath the latter of these two tongues but the first he wants or at least hee wants the vse of it and this makes him for contradict himselfe It is storied by Diodorus Siculus of certaine Ilanders who had such a double clouen and deuided tongue partly from nature partly from subtilitie and craft that they could counterfeite and resemble any voyce and that which was most admirable they could speake to two men of different things at once the one part of their tongue speaking distinctly of one thing the other part of their tongue speaking distinctly of another I know not whether Mr. Mountague bee of these mens race or no I am sure hee hath their qualities and conditions if not from nature yet at least from subtilty and craft for you see hee can speake two contrary things to two seuerall men at once And indeed if you will know the mysterie of it the difference of the men against whom hee writes doth cause this difference in his words His Gagge you know was written against a Papist and therefore to gratifie him in deeds though hee curries him with inuectiue and vnciuill words this Controuersie must be vndeeided by the Church of England only the learnedest in the Church of England consent with Rome in this which is as much to say that the Church of England is so farre from varying from the Church of Rome in this particular point which shee hath defended against her heretofore that now shee hath almost yeelded if not consented to her if there be any difference betweene them it is only a few Dunces among vs who are not to be reckoned of that make the difference but all the learnedest which are in substance the whole Church of England consent to Rome in this and so wee both agree Now his Appeale is purposely written against Protestants whom hee bedawbes with the reproachfull names of Puritans and Novellers the better to conceale his dangerous projects and to countenance his Arminian and Popish doctrines as if no Protestants but only Nouellers and Puritans did euer contradict them and therefore here that hee might secretly gratifie both Papists Arminians he will make the Church of England the Patroâ—…esse of their doctrines and to giue her content withall and so to please both sides at once hee beares her in hand that all hee doth is but to vindicate her positiue and receiued doctrines from the deprauation and corruption of Puritans and Nouellers who are alwayes thrusting out their owne priuate fancies and conceites as the publike and resolued doctrine of the Church of England and not to countenance either Poperie or Arminianisme which hee abhorres in words as much as any man though hee doth reuerence and adore them in his heart This is the whole scope and Mysterie of Mr. Mountagues juggling he labours to please the Church of England in words that so hee may couertly bring in Arminianisme and Popery into her in deeds and this is the cause why hee doth so contradict and varie from himselfe in this and other particulars that so this false and trecherous practice of his might be the better concealed This therefore being Mr. Mountagues ayme his words being so contradictory and repugnant to themselues either beleeue him not at all or beleeue him in both and so in neither else if you beleeue him in the one and not in the other whiles you take him for a true man in the one you condemne him for a lyer in the other Thirdly consider that for any thing that yet appeares Mr. Mountague is not thorowly resolued in this point himselfe For as farre as I can yet collect from any of his writings hee is a Neuter at least a man vnsettled in it ready to change his tune and to recant his words vpon all occasions For hee certifieth vs in his Appeale pag. 37. In my answer to the Gagger I suspended mine owne iudgement and lay off aloofe in a kinde of neutrality Neither doe I now say more then I am vrged to doe by the expresse words of our Articles c. So that as yet Mr. Mountague hath not declared himselfe so fully in this point as to giue you his owne resolution in it But admit he hath declared himselfe yet hee informeth vs in the same Appeale pag. 107. That if any Puritan or Papist make it plaine that any thing by mee disclaimed for being the publike
reported for to be since Christ his Prophets and Apostles and the whole Church of God from time to time haue propagated embraced resolued and defended this our present assertion as sound and there were neuer none as yet but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay Atheists that opposed it then this your accusation that none but Puritans doe defend it must needs be false and forged at least it must bee idle and impertinent because it is but a meere euasion and waiuing of the Controuersie a meere Calumnie and reproach and a falling foule vpon the persons of syncere and vpright Christians who defend it for want of truth or learning to answer to their workes I come now vnto the second accusation that the Patrons of this assertion are nothing else but a packe and company of pestilent factious and seditious persons Indeed St. Paul had this very accusation laid against him by the Iewes because hee was so zealous to maintaine propagate and defend the Gospell and the word of God and I am verily perswaded if St. Paul were now vpon the earth as one vnknowne to you that you would presently flie vpon him accusing and condemning him for an Arch-Puritan for a Pestilent factious and seditious fellow since you accuse his followers of the selfe-same crime for defending this our Doctrine and assertion which he himselfe hath commended and recorded to them when as they are nothing like so hote and zealous for this truth as he But are there none but pestilent factious and seditious persons who maintaine our present assertion then Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles then all the Fathers and all the Churches of God from age to age were but a faction and a packe of pestilent and seditious persons then the Church of England and the Reformed Churches in forraine parts are but a faction then the Synode of Dort and our late Soueraigne King IAMES who was the cause of assembling and calling of it together with all the other Germaine States and Princes who were parties to it were but a faction for all these haue maintained defended and resolued this very assertion of ours as sound and orthodox If these were not a faction as none but Heathens Atheists or Diuells dare to stile them then surely those are not a faction who defend it now and so this false and scandalous accusation which you labour to fasten vpon others that are guiltlesse must truly light and rest vpon your selues who striue with all your might and maine and lay your heads and force together to question vnsettle and suppresse this ancient and approued truth which hath beene so long established settled and resolued in the Church of God and in this our Mother Church If one man should set an house on fire and another shauld indeauour for to quench it If one man should raise and stirre vp strifâ—… and another should take paines for to appease it If one man should breake anothers head and a third man should apply a salue to heale it If one man should oppose and labour to suppresse the truth and another should set himselfe against him to defend it I pray which of the two should be the pestilent turbulent factious and seditious person which of them is it who deserues the blame he that puts out the fire or hee that kindles it hee that seekes for to appease the strife or hee that stirres it vp he that heales the wound or hee that giues it he that defends the truth or he that doth oppose it Now those whom you accuse for pestilent factious and seditious persons they doe but labour to extinguish and put out the flame it is you that kindle nourish and increase it they doe but appease the strife it is you only that stirre it vp they doe but seeke to heale and to repaire the wounds and breaches of our Church it is you that giue and make them they doe but shelter and defend the truth it is you only that oppose it and seeke to quell and roote it out therefore you onely are the Incendiaries and fire-brands you only are the turbulent factious and seditious spirits you only and not these good Eliahs are the Ahabs who trouble this our Israell you only are the dangerous and preuayling Faction who like so many vnnaturall vipers will eate out the very bowells of this your Mother Church and of all true sauing grace if you are not preuented and withstood in time and not the men whom you accuse of purpose for to free and cleare your selues wherefore you must needes take this second accusation and slaunder to your selues alone to whom it doth truly and of right belong till you can finde some better cause to place it vpon those whom you doe here acuse To your third forgerie and last accusation That the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints are such as do contrary to the decrees of Caesar and such as violate his Maiesties late and pious Proclamation I answer that you are much mistaken For as most of their workes were published and printed before the Proclamation was published or thought on and so are not within the danger and compasse of it so the only end of this his Maiesties pious Proclamation was to establish and settle the ancient setled receiued and approued Doctrine of the Church of England in peace and quiet and to keepe backe you and all other factions scismaticall nouellizing Arminianizing and Romanizing spirits from opposing or distrubing of it it was only to defend propagate and establish the truth of God the doctrine of our Church and not to quâ—…ll them and suppresse them Who then are those who violate and transgresse this godly Proclamation those who vnder pretence and coulor of it doe labour to suppresse and quell the truth and Doctrine oâ—… our Church contrary to his Maiesties good intent or those who out of good and honest hearts indeauour to defend them and to put them out of further doubt and question Doubtlesse if I and many others are not much mistaken not the defenders and establishers but the treacherous and pernicious quellers of the truth and of the Doctrine of our Church are those who must incurre the blame and censure and then this crime and accusation must fall off from others and light heauiest on your selues to whom it doth in truth belong If any of you object that the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints is the vndoubted truth and the established and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England I answer that this is but an impudent and audatious forgerie and I dare to justifie it against the greatest Gamaliells of you all who dare to contradict me in it Yea more then this if any of you will bona fide affirme the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints to be the positiue and absolute truh and the receiued doctrine of our Church I dare aduenture for to challenge him not only for a gracelesse and atheisticall person
quite away from grace and so loose the reward of all the workes which they had done you should haue few or none that should deny themselues or yet forsake their carnall friends and pleasures or their present worldly honours riches and preserments which after your computation are like to be more permanent then their graces that so they might seeke vnto the Lord alone and serue him diligently with all their hearts and soules you should haue few or none at all that would be forwards diligent feruent in the worke and seruice of the Lord. Wherfore this assertion must needes be false and dangerous euen in this respect and so cannot be admitted for a truth Eleuenthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of many zealous and faithfull prayers and it would make that exquisite forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed for vs to be but vaine and idle for if our perseuerance in grace should not depend on God but on our selues as our Antagonists doe and must affirme or else they would to wrecke how few men would there bee that would power out their hearts and soules before the Lord in feruent and faithfull prayers If it were in mens owne power to take vp to preserue and to reiect their graces at their pleasures what neede men to pray to God at all if God doth nothing in this businesse our prayers vnto him were vaine and idle God should haue no prayers at all for any spirituall things if this were true and it would be to no purpose for to pray vnto him for grace and perfeuerance Peter then should be very much mistaken in praying thus to God for those Saints to whom he writes The God of all grace who hath called you vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Paul should thē be mistaken in praying thus for the Thesolonians The Lord make you to abound and increase in lone one towards annother towards all men to the end that he may establish your hearts vnblamable in holinesse before God euen our Father and stablish you in euery good word and worke For hee which establisheth vs with you in Christ is God Dauid should be then mistaken in praying vnto God to vphold and stablish him with his free Spirit and that prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed and commanded vs to vse should be but superflous and to little purpose For who would or could pray thus to God thy kingdome come thy will be done en earth as it is in heauen leadivs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill if God had no rule and sway ouer him if God did not giue him perseuerance and preserue his gra◅es in him if man himselfe had free-will and power to take and to resist grace to preserue and keepe it or for to reiect it Wherefore seeing that this assertion it it were admitted would robbe the Lord of many faithfull prayers which now his Saints doe make vnto him for their perseuerance and seeing it would make that very prayer which Christ himselfe hath recorded and composed for vs to bee superflous vaine and idle it cannot be admitted to be true Twelfthly if this should be admitted for a truth that the Saints of God might fall quite away from the state of Grace it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination and election to eternall life one of these three must then necessarily follow that either the Saints of God who are predestinated to eternall life may fall from grace and perish or that there are some men who are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ who were neuer predestinated and elected to saluation or that God did only predestinate men vnto saluation out of the foresight of their faith their workes and perseuerance which are all ex diametro opposite and contrary to the Scriptures to the Fathers to the Doctrine of the Church of England and to all orthodox and Protestant Diuines of moderne times and therefore cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall quite away from grace out of the freedome and libertie of their owne wills then saluation or damnation should depend meerely vpon the fickle and vn constant will of man and not vpon the stable and immutable decree and purpose of Almighty God then man and not God should bee the author of his owne saluation and so saluation should not bee of God that sheweth mercy and disposeth all things according to the purpose of his owne free will and pleasure but of man that willeth and perseuereth out of the strength and power of his owne free will Man should then bee his owne God his owne gouernour and director his owne judge and sauiour if this were once admitted to be true which would bee a great disparagement to Gods supremacie and to the death and passion of Iesus Christ. And therefore in regard of these dangerous consequences in respect of the whole Trititie this doctrine cannot be allowed to be true that the Saints of God may finally or totally fall away from the habit and state of true and sauing grace Secondly as this Doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinitie in respect of Father Sonne and holy Ghost so would it doe the like in respect of regenerate men themselues For fi◅st it would cause men for to call Gods truth Gods word and promises into question for when as a man shall reade in diuers places of the Scripture that the righteous and those that trust in God shall neuer bee remoued that they shall continue to the end and neuer faint nor faile that God will perfect and finish the worke of Grace within them and preserue them blamelesse to the day of Christ that hee will keepe them so that they shall neuer fall nor perish and the like if this should stand for currant truth that the Saints of God may notwithstanding fall from the very state of Grace it would cause men for to doubt of the truth of Gods word and promises and to account no better of the word of God then of a fable or a meere imposture it would cause them to denie the Faith and to turne either Atheists or Pagans at the last and therefore it cannot bee admitted Secondly it would depriue true Christians of all true happinesse in this present life it would make them to bee but miserable and wretched men when as the word of God reputes them happy and stiles them blessed men For if it be grace and that only which makes the Saints of God to be happy men euen in this world of misery as the Scripture saith it is if it were possible for Christians for to loose this grace and to fall from it againe it were impossible for them to be happy here For happinesse is such a stable and perpetuall
Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 10. 5 it workes so powerfully and maiestically in mens soules that none can let it or resist it Isai 43. 13. and Acts 6. 10. it makes euery knee to bow and stoope to Iesus Christ and to keepe his iudgments and doe them Phil. 2. 10. and Ezech. 36. 27. wherefore this doctrine which doth thus ouerturne and pull downe the kingdome of grace which makes it subiect vnto man whereas man is subiect vnto it must needes be a damnable and pernitious doctrine and so cannot bee admitted for a truth euen in this respect Fourthly if this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints should bee admitted it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Church of God but more especially in respect of our Church of England For first it would wrong the whole Church of God in traducing slighting condemning the doctrine and opinion of all the ancient Fathers of the Church and of the Church of God in former ages and in vilifying and contradicting the doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches and the judgment and learning of all the best moderne Protestant Diuines who haue alwaies defended and maintained this assertion that the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace as I shall proue hereafter Secondly it would wrong the whole Church of God in reuiuing and raising vp from hell againe that old Pelagian Heresie which hath not onely beene condemned and opposed by Saint Augustine Hierome Prosper Bradwarden and others but likewise by three seuerall Councells to wit the Councell of Mileâ—…etan the Councell of Africke and the Councell of Orange For as all the points of Arminianesme are nothing else but meere Pelagianisme clad in other tearmes so this was one part and member of the Pelagian or Deme pelagian Heresie that the true regenerate Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace and therefore the Demepelagians did caâ—…ell and carpe at Saint Augustines doctrine for teaching that the Saints of God after they were once regenerated had such a disposition put into them that they could not but perseuerance in grace as appeares by the Epistles of Hilarie and Prosper to Saint Augustine concerning the remainders of the Pelagian Heresiâ—…s wherefore this doctrine of the Apostacie of the Saints being nothing else but a part of the Pelagian Heresie cannot be now admitted and imbraced without great wrong and preiudice to the whole Church of God Thirdly it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the Church of England For first it will pull vp a maine foundation and a maine principle and ground of truth which hath bin planted and setled in our Church it will raise a strong bulwarke and fort of true religion which the best and chiefest worthies of our Church haue hitherto full well and manfully defended against all forraine hostility whatsoeuer which will be a great disparagement and blemish to our Church Secondly it will giue our enemies just cause to vaunt and triumph ouer vs and to erect a Trophie where as they neuer got the field This hath beene the glory and honour of the Church of England that the 〈◊〉 Church and all her complices since her reformation and reuolt from them could neuer yet with all their learning wiâ—… or policie conuince her of any maine or fundamentall error in her doctrine If then wee should now admit and approue of this doctrine of a finall or a totall fall from grace and imbrace it as a truth wee should then conuince our selues of a maine and fundamentall error in our doctrine wee should then subscribe and yeeld the wasters vp to them without any combate or opposition at all when as they were not able for to wrest them from vs by truth strength of argument and so wee should giue them just and lawfull cause to triumph ouer vs to the great dishonour of God to the very betraying of the truth and to our owne perpetuall infamie and disgrace Thirdly it would breake downe the very walls and bulwarkes of our Church that so Armiâ—…nisme and 〈◊〉 might come rushing in with a full carere and quite beat downe the truth For if this be once admitted and receiued for a truth that the true regenerate Saints of God may fall either finally or totally from the state of grace this very point it selfe is grosse and palpable Arminianisme and Poperie it is a point which all Rhemists and Arminians and which Bellarmine Becaonus and other Papists do defend against the Proâ—…estants and it drawes along with it many other grosse and palpable points of Armianisme and Popery as predestination from the foresight of faith and workes freewill both to receiue and reiect grace at our pleasures veniall sinne no certaintie of saluation in this life without some speciall reuelation vniuersall grace that those who are not elected to saluation are members of the holy Catholike Church that the number of the elâ—…t is not certaine vnto God himselfe and the like If this one point then should bee admitted and imbraced by vs as a truth it would scrue in the whole body of Arminianisme Pelagianisme and a great part of Poperie into our Church and so would quickly crush and quell that glorious and holy truth which now we doe professe Fourthly it would breede such a combustion and diuision in our Church as would hardly bee appeased without great hurt and danger to the state wee see by present experience that a little conniuancie wincking at this doctrinâ—… hath bred a kinde of faction and diuision in our Church and drawne many great disciples after it who if they were not awed by superiour powers and with the expectation of the doome censure of the Generall and Grandee of their faction would make such astrange and sodaine rent and combustion in our Church and state as would indanger both and giue occasion to our enemies to fish in troubled streames where they could hardly misse their prey You therefore my brethren who are so hot and forwards to vsher and bring in this damnable and pernicious doctrine into our glorious and much renowned Church consider what you are about to doe consider what dangerous and dismall consequencies are like to follow and insue vpon it consider how ill and viper like you shall reward that mother of yours which hath nourished and brought you vp to the end that you should defend her vpon all occasions and not beare armes against her Consider that it is no other but the Diuill himselfe woo either by his owne priuate suggestions to your hearts or else by his dangerous agents and seditious factors doth labour to withdraw you from the faith and to rent you from your mother Church not for any desire or loue to God or to the truth but for priuate ends and by respects that so he may make both you and others a prey and bootie to himselfe Consider what the inducements are that
leade you to imbrace this error If you will but examine your owne hearts well you shall finde that the thing which leades you to imbrace this error is either the learning or the fame of some particular men that do defend it or else some secret hatred malice either to all or to some particular men that doe oppose it or else some felfe conceite and some high opinion which you do attribute to your owne conceites without any due examination of them by the word of God or else it is some desire of singularity or fame or the hope of gaine honour preferment one of these I may be bold to say is the cause that moues you to patronize this error and not the loue of God or of his truth Remember therefore that you are bought with a price that you should not be the seruants of men that the word of God is the rule of life and doctrine and not the word of men remember that if you are the sheepe of Christ you must heare his voice and his only you must not hearken to the voice of strangers let their learning or their parts bee what they will No men more apt to erre then those of greatest parts and learning especially when as their parts and persons are not sanctified The greatest schollers haue alwaies broached and propagated the greatest and the most dangerous errors Wherefore neuer pinne your faith to the fickle opinions of fraile and mortall men especiallly of such men in whose liues the practise and power of religion shines not forth but examine all things by the word of God and though an Angel from heauen much lesse a Diuell from hell or a carnall man from earth should bring any other doctrine to you then what you finde to be warranted and recorded there receiue him not but let him bee accursed Sure I am that this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints hath no ground or footing for it in the word of God if you will but take the paines to search the Scriptures you shall finde it to bee so and therefore let not the opinion or fame of any particular man that doth patronize this error ouersway your judgments against the Scriptures the word of God And as for all other priuate by respects which may ingage you to adore this error remember that Gods glory and the loue of truth if not the good and welfare of the Church should ouer ballance and surpasse them all Better is it for to loose the world with all the fame the riches honours and preferments in it then to loose the Lord of truth and his euerlasting fauour to loose both soule and body at the last in hope of gaining honouror prefernâ—…ent now Wherefore lay aside all sinister by respects and consider how many great dangerous and pernitious consequencies will ineuitable follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall Apostacy of the Saints and then you cannot but disclaime it and detest it from your soules and euen fromyour hearts imbrace this orthodox and sound position which here I do defend 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 Hauing thus as I suppose so fully proued the truth of this position by arguments and reasons drawne from the Scriptures that no man can be able to gainsay it For further satisfaction in the point I will now produce some humane authorities for to proue it which authorities I shall reduce to these three generall heads First I will proue that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church 〈◊〉 that this was and is the doctrine of all Protestant Churâ—… beyond the Seas Thirdly that this was and is the doctrine of the Church of England For the first of these that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church I shall manyfâ—… it by their owne authorities which I will vouch in â—…atine as I finde them printed lest I should giue the opposites any occasion for to carpe at mee or wrong the authors or the reader in the translation especially since I cite these Fathers to satisfie the learned not the ignorant I will first begin with the auncient of the Fathers and so discend to these of latter times Dionysius Areopagita Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apoftles times and as himselfe records it in his 11. Epistle to Apollophanus the Philosopher was 25. yeares of age at the death of Christ though others doubt of it hath deliuered and recorded this very doctrine in his booke de diuinis nominibus cap. 7. His words are these Diuina fides est stabilis credentium sedes qua hos in veritate locat in ipsisque veritatem impersuasibili identitate certam simplicem veritatis notionem habentibus ijs qui crediderunt Nam profectò si scientia cognoscentium cognitorum coniunctrix est ignorantia verò mutationis semper ex se ignoranti suae diuisionis est author eum qui in veritate credit iuxta Scripturae fidem nihil remouebit à verae fidei autore in quo constantiam immobilis atque immutabilis identitatis habebit In the 8. chapter of the same booke about the end of the chapter he hath these words Verum enim profectò hanc salutem non praeter intentionem Scripturae sanctae vt bonitate cuncta saluantem qua sunt omnia ab suorum prolapsione bonorum redimentem praedicare meritò possumus quantum cuiusque saluâ—…ndorum admittet naturae Idciâ—…cò etiam redemptionem iam theologi nominant ex quo sinit quae verê sunt ad id caedere vt non sint Ex eo item quod et fi quid deliquerint ab ordine suo aberrauerint imminutionem aliquam perfectionis bonorum suorum passa fuerint Hac etiam parte à passione imbecillitate ac priuatione reddimit impleus quod deest paterno affectu infirmitatem supplens at que à 〈◊〉 â—…rigons imò in pulchro fistens quod effluxerat bonuÌ„ reparans ae disponens ordinis quod deest in illo atque positionis exornans integrumque perficiens ab omnibus absoluens 〈◊〉 atibus And a little before he hath these words Itaque vt verum dixerim hoc magis est diuinae iustitiae proprium nequaquam emollire atque enermare optimorum quorumcun que masculum sensum largitione carnalium neque si quis id conetur agere eas sine adiutorio linquere sed eos in praeclâ—…o inflexibilique statu solidare eisque cum sint huiusmodi secundum merita reddere So that by this most ancient Diuines opinion these that are truly faithfull can neuer fall quite away from grace Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr who flourished in the yeare of Lord 163. and somewhat after concurreth in opinion with vs in his Explic. quaest à Gent. Christ. positarum quaest 23. For there
was hee euer with him at Eaton nor is he of this opinion as he hath recorded it And therefore it is likely that the Church of Geneua is still of this opinion as shee was before and so Deodate hath declared in that Letter of his so that there is no doubt but that all the Protestant Churches in Germanie and other parts concurre in judgement and resolution with vs and haue not subscribed and assented to the Church of Rome against our present assertion as M. Mountague hath recorded But admit now that the Diot of Ratisbon hath assented to the Church of Rome in this our Thesis and that the Protestants in the German Churches had beene of opinion against vs heretofore which I haue proued to be false yet what reason hath Master Mountague to affirme that this is their receiued doctrine and opposition now Master Mountague and all the world knew very well that in the fifth Article of the Synode of Dort which was held in the years of our Lord 1618 and 1619. this very controuersie of ours That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neither totally nor finally fall from grace was resolued by the vnanimous consent of the Deuines of Great Brittaine of the County Palatine of Rhene of Hassia of Heluetia of the correspondence of Weteran of Geneua of Breme of Emden and of all the Belgicke professors of Diuinitie assembled by lawfull authoritie who haue all subscribed their names vnto this Synode in testimonie of their vnanimous approbation of it and of this Thesis and position which wee doe here maintine and defend He knew that Vorstius Greuinchouius Bertius and others that opposed it were banished the Netherlands for it He knew that this doctrine and assertion was now fully setled and established by vertue of this Synode the Estates approbation of it in all the Belgike Churches and yet Master Mountague that he might doe the Arminians and the Church of Rome a fauour and wrong the Church of England to make her swallow a Popish and Arminian doctrine vnder the coulor of Protestanisme must 〈◊〉 passe by this Synode and the resolution of it in this point and not so much as mention it in his Gagge making the world belieue that the German Protestants had assented to the Church of Rome in this point of falling away from grace and that it is their positiue resolution doctrine and assertion now notwithstanding the Synod of Dort had resolued it to the contrary This is square and honest dealing Master Mountagne is it not If you had any grace or honestie in you you would haue publikely recanted it long agoe and haue made fewell of your bookes ere this which are so full of manifest and palpable lies forgeries Impostures and vntruths least they should record your impudencie your treacherie and your base and lying forgerie to posteritie Great reason had you to checke and blame your Informers in your Appeale for dishonesty slaunder iuggling legerdemaine forgery and the like when as you your selfe haue so superabounded in them all in this our particular point Well to spend no more time in this particular I will close and shut it vp with this sillogisme That which all the Protestant Churches and writers haue with one vnanimous consent in their seuerall Confessions Synodes Decrees Resolutions Catechismes Schooles and writings published established ratified defended and resolued must needes be the established receiued and resolued Doctrines of those Churches But all the Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas haue with one vnanimous consent in their seuerall Confessions Synodes Decrees Resolutions Catechismes Schooles and writings defended published established ratified resolued this our present assertion That thoâ—…e who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neither finally nor totally fall from grace yea they haue banished and punnished such from time to time as haue opposed it as appeares by the premises Therefore this our present assertion here maintained must needes be the established receiued and resolued doctrine of all the Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas The Church of England Thirdly as this hath beene the Doctrine of the ancient Fathers and of the Protestant Churches beyond the seas so it is the receiued positiue and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England and of the learnedst most iudicious Diuines which the Church of England euer bred Indeed Mr. Mountague who contradicts himselfe in most things contradicts both himselfe me in this particular For first he affirmes That the learnedst in the Church of England do affirme that faith once had may totally finally be lost or that men once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may both totally and finally fall from grace Secondly hee affirmeth that this is the publicke doctrine which is publickely professed and established in the Church of England not deliuered according to ordinary tracts and lectures but deliuered publickely positiuely and declatorilie in authenticall records insomuch that none can be ignorant of it And for proofe of this hee cites the 16 Article the Conference at Hampton Court the booke of Homilies and the booke of Common prayers in which this doctrine is publickely positiuely and declaratorily deliuered Now that I may answer Mr. Mountague cleare all that which hee objects I will first of all proue that this assertion which I here maintaine is the receiued positiue and resolued doctrine and position of all the learnedst and most iudicious Diuines of England Secondly I will proue that it is the Doctrine of the Articles of the Church of England and that the 16. Article makes nothing at all against it but rather for it Thirdly that the bookes of Homilies and of Common prayers make nothing at all against it And lastly I will proue that it is the publike receiued establish and resolued doctrine of the Church of England For the first of these that this my present assertion to wit That such as are one truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace hath beene the receiued positiue and resolued doctrine of all the learnedst and most judicious Diuines in England I shall make it good by this argument If most of the learnedst and judicious Diuines of the Church of England haue from time to time not onely in the Schooles and Pulpet but likewise in their learned labours set forth by publike allowance and authority maintained propagated and defended this my present assertion and there be no Orthodox English Diuine that did euer publikely in the Schooles or in any writings of his set forth by publike approbation maintaine the contrary then it is certaine that this my assertion is the receiued positiue and resolued doctrine of all the learnedest and most judicious Diuines in the Church of England But most of the learnedest and judicious Diuines of the Church of England haue from time to time not only in the Schooles and Pulpit but likewise
in their learned labours set forth by publike authority maintained propagated and defended this my present assertion and there is not one Orthodox English Diuine that did either publikely in the Schooles or in any writings set forth by publike approbation maintaine the contrary Therefore this my present assertion is the receiued positiue and the resolued Doctrine of all the learnedest and most judicious Diuines of the Church of England For the Major it cannot be denied the Minor I shall proue by many particular authors I will not stand to mention those many learned Diuines throughout the Kingdome who in their seuerall Sermons and Lectures haue maintained and defended this my present assertion euery man knowes that this assertion is publikely preached throughout the Kingdome for orthodox â—…urrent truth neither was there any one that euer did positiuely deliuer the contrary in any Sermon that euer I heard of with publike approbation till Master Mountagues Appeale was published Some three or foure did preach it as I haue heard before but they were presently conuented for it and injoyned to recant How this my assertion hath from time to time beene maintained and defended in the publike Schooles I neede not for to mention it Sure I am that the Schooles of the Vniuersity of Oxford haue alwaies defended it and so haue the Schooles of Cambridge to and I neuer heard that the contrary was publikely defended and maintained in them That which I intend mainely to insist vpon is the learned labours and writings of the chiefest worthies and learne dest of our Church in which my present assettion is recorded and defended Not to make mention of venerable Bede or of Anselme and Bradwardyu both Arch-bishops of Canterbury who haue declared their opinions vpon record in defence and maintenance of this my assertion I will onely mention such writers of our English Church as haue beene famous and eminent since the reformation I will begin with that godly and learned Martyr William Tindall who liued in the beginning of the reformation Who in his Treatises what the Church is and whether it may erre how a member of Christs true Church sinneth and erreth and yet sinneth and erreth not and how hee is yet a sinner and may erre and of the manner and order of our election which you shall finde in his workes pag 257 to 261. hath recorded it That the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer sinne so farre as quite to loose that habit and seede of grace which is within them nor yet to fall quite from God These Treatises of his are onely to this effect that the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace Master Latimer Tyndalls contemporanie a man of worth and note in the times where in he liued in his Sermon on the Gospell the third Sonday in Aduent which is in his Sermons pag 258. hath likewise registred it That there was neuer none that belieued in Christ which was lost but all beleiuers were saued therefore saith hee it is not to be doubted but that if wee will beleiue wee shall be saued too Master Greenham that worthy and experimentall Saint of of God in the 2 part of his workes cap 32 sect 5 6. in his readings on Psal 119. ver 116. and in other places of his works hath deliuered this our present assertion as a sound orthodox and experimentall truth So hath Master Deering in his 27. Lecture on the Hebrewes But if these men seeme vile and little in your eyes behold some greater men then these are here to giue testimonie to vs and our assertion and that vpon record Mathew late Arch-B of Yorke in his Commentary of Election Praedestination reprobation Edwin Arch-B of Yorke in his Sermon vpon Luke 1 v 74 75. sect 14. Dr. Babington Bb. of Worcester on the 12 Artic of the Creede life euerlasting In his exposition on the Lords prayer the sourth vse from the word Father and on the sixth petition Lead vs not into temptatien but deliuer vs from euill Learned Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury and regious professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford in his Lecture De perseuerantia sanctorum read publikely in the Diuinitie schooles at Oxford in the Act time Iulie 10. 1613. In his Animaduersions vpon Thompsons Diatriba and in his answere to Bishop part 1. cap 12. part 2. cap 3. Ready and learned Doctor Fulke in his answere to the Rhemist Testament on Rom 8. 16. 39. Incomparable Hooker in his discourse of Iustification and in his Sermon of the certaintie perpetuitie of faith in the elect Profound Doctor Field in his first booke de Ecclesia cap 3 17 in his pathway to the Church Digress 42. Profound iudicious and famous Doctor Reinolds once regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man of incomparable learning and of as godly humble and religious a conuersation whom yet Master Mountague how justly let all men judge stiles a Puritan one of the Tribe a petitioner against the doctrine discipline of the Church of England and a man onely excellent for his reading in his 6 Theses Thes 4. sect 23 24. in his Apollog Thesium sect 17 20. and Conference at Hampton Court pag 24. Learned Doctor Whitakers regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge whom Master Mountague sticks not for to stile an earnest promoter of nouell opinions in his Respons ad 8 Rationes Campiani De paradoxis lib 8. and in other of his workes Learned Doctor Ouer all Deane of Pauls and afterwards Bishop of Norwich whose memory by Mr. Mountagues owne confession shall euer be pretious with all good and learned men Conference at Hampton Court pag 41 42 43. Profound orthodox and solid Mr. Perkins in his booke of Praedestination and Grace in his Commentary on Iude 1 24. and other of his workes Learned Mr. Nowell Deane of Pauls in his Catechisme Reuerend Mr. Phillipps in his Sermons on Rom 8. ver 15 16. Godly Mr. Hireon in his Sermons pag 102 119 205 365. Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-bishop Bancroft in his Analysis vpon the 17 Article Proposition third Laborious and learned Doctor Willet in his Synopsis pag 63 64. 548 546. 923 924 925. in his Commentarie on Rom 5 Contr 3 on cap 6. Contr 7 on cap 8. Contr 19 21. on cap 9. Contr 16 on cap 11 Contr 19 21. Mr. Wilcocks on Psal 125 1 2 and on Rom 8. Godly painfull and learned Mr. Byfield in his discourse of the promises cap 13. Mr. Elton in sundry places of his Sermons on Rom 8. Learned and laborious Mr. Fox in his Martyriolege Printed at London 1610 pag 1506. and in diuers other places Mr. Iohn Downham in his Snmme of Diuinity lib 2. cap 7. Mr. Culuerwell in his Treatise of faith the 6 generall head pag 489 to 506 to whom I may adde Learned King IAMES of blessed memorie in his Declaration against Vorstius all
these I say who were vndoubtedly the learnedest in the Church of England in their times haue hitherto bin reputed so without controll haue with one vnanimous and joynt consent in these their seuerall writings and records in which they doe and shall for euer liue defended and maintained the Totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints as the Orthodox positiue and undoubted truth and as the receiued and resolued doctrine of the Church of England opposing confuting reiecting and condemning the contrary assertion as haereticall wicked blasphemous and athiesticall and as quite repugnant and crosse to the receiued and established doctrine of our Church But now it may be obiected that it is true that the learnedest in the Church of England haue heretosore maintained desended this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and as the receiued doctrine of our Church but doe the learnedâ—…st in the Church of England maintaine and defend it now in any of their workes and writings I answere yes Doctor Benefelde Lady Margarets Lecturer in the Vniuersitie of Oxford as learned and profound a Scholler as any in the Church of England in his two bookes de Perseuerantia sanctorum being nothing else but two publike Lectures which he read in the Diuinitie Schooles at Oxford Doctor Prideaux now regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man as famous for his learning as any in our Church in his Lecture de Perseuerantia sanctorum and in his Sermon intituled Ephesus backsliding Doctor Ames a famous and renowned Scholler now a Professor of Diuinitie in the Netherlands in his Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Article 5. Doctor Francis White whom some report to be dyed blacke of late one of the greatest Gamaliels in our Church in his reply to Fisher pag 52 53 54 81 84 87 102 167 168 200. Doctor Carlton the reuerend Bishop of Chichester Doctor Dauenat Bishop of Salisbury Doctor Samuell Ward Doctor Thomas Goade and Doctor Balcanquall in the fifth Article of the Synod of Dort at which they were present and to which they haue subscribed their names and in the Examination of Mr. Mountagues Appeale composed by Bishop Carlton to which they haue also annexed a Protestation touching the Synod of Dort so touching our particular point which is resolued in the one and defended in the other Mr. Wotton in his defence of Mr. Perkins in the point of the certaintie of saluation Mr. Bolton in his Discourse of true happinesse to passe by Mr. Ronse Mr. Burton Mr. Yates and others who haue answered Mr. Mountague and haue written particularly of this our present controuersie all these I say who are the learnedest at least as learned as any in our Church haue defended and maintained this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and as the doctrine of the Church of England in these their seuerall records neither is there any English Diuine but Mr. Mountague that did euer publish and record the contrary This cloude of witnesses which I haue here recorded together with many oâ—…hers which I might haue mentioned is sufficient for to proue that the learnedest in the Church of England not onely heretofore but likewise at this present time concurre and iumpe with vs in this our assertion that true grace once had can neuer be totally nor finally lost againe Mr. Mountague himselfe though hee records the contrary is so ingenious as to conâ—…esse that many in the Church of England reputed learned haue concurred in opinion with vs but yet withall hee auerreth that those who hold the contrary are their superiours both in learning authoritie so that in his opinion no learned men indeede no man of place or note in this our Church but onely some meane obscure men who are reputed learned but are in truth illitterate were euer of his opinion that true faith once had could not be totally nor finally lost againe But whether those men whom I haue formerly mentioned were obscure men or no or whether they were illitterate dunces men only reputed learned or whether they are not more eminent in place learning dignity and piety then Mr. Mountague or any of his Abettors let all men judge Hauing now sufficiently proued by many testimoâ—…ies that the learnedest in the Church of England haue assented to vs and that they haue maintained this our assertion as the resolued doctrine of the Church of England I will now in the second place examine whether there are any learned in the Church of England who either did or do oppose it as Mr. Mountague hath auerred it For my owne part I must confesse ingenuously that I neuer heard or read of any English orthodox Protestant Diuine that did euer oppose or contradict our present assertion in any worke or writing of his set forth by publike authoritie Indeed Mr. Bradwell in his detection pag. 89. and Mr. Rogers iu his third proposition on the 17. Article records the doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace to bee one of Glouers errors but whether Glouer were one of the learnedest in the Church of England of which Mr. Mountague speakes or whether he hath left this error of his vpoÌ„ any authenticall and approued records that I know not sure I am that this doctrine of his which Mr. Mountagne would father vpon the learnedest of our Church is but a branded error and that vpon record I must confesse that Iohn Breyerly a Priest in his reformed Protestant Printed at 〈◊〉 in Laâ—…cashire 1621 pag 79. hath recorded this to be the Tenet of Mr. Harsnet now Bishop of Norwich and he quotes his sermon at Paules Crosse in the margent for to proue it where in this error of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints together with some other Arminian points were deliuered by him If the Bishop of Norwich then be one of Mr. Mountagues learnedest number who oppose this our present assertion I answer first that Mr. Harsnet was long since conuented for his Sermon and forced to recant it as haeriticall and erronious and therefore since hee hath recanted it as an error heretofore I doubt not but he doth disclaime it as an error now Secondly I answer that vpon this Sermon the controuersies that arose vpon it the Articles of Lambeth which do resolue this for vs that the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace were composed and by the appointment of the whole Vniuersitie of Cambridge Mr. Wotton was appointed to confute Mr. Harsnets Sermon as haereticall the next Sunday following and therefore by the voyce of the whole Vniuersitie of Cambridge and by the resolution of the reuerend Bishops and learned Diuines assembled at Lambeth who were farre more learned then Mr. Harsnet this totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints was branded for an error and so not the receiued Tenet of the learnedest in the Church of England Thirdly I answere that this Sermon of Mr. Harsnets was neuer
published and Printed by authoritie it was so farre from this that it was inioynâ—…d to be recanted by authoritie and therefore howsoeuer it can bee no record against me Neuer was there any among vs before Mr. Mountague that published this error of the Apostacie of the Saints in print but onely Thompson a Dutch-man fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge a man of an excellent memory and of great learning but of little grace and of a deboist loose licentious and voluptious life he being the first who infected Cambridge with Arminianisme hath published this error of the Apostacie of the Saints in that posthumous Diatraba of his But was this booke of his printed in England and allowed and receiued of our Church as sound and orthodox no such matter For when as Thompson himselfe made meanes to publish it it was stopped at the presse and it sound no license or approbation because it was contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England After his death because it could finde no license here it was transported vnto Lyons by some friends of his there was it printed But no sooner was it come from the presse and scattred abrode in England but as it found resistance at the presse at first so it found a Reuerend and learned Antagonist euen Abbot Bishop of Salisbury to incounter it least our Church should bee disquieted and infected by it Since therefore this Thompson was no English but a Dutch-man a drunken one to since this his booke was vtterly disalowed of as contrary to the doctrine of our Church and was printed but by stealth beyond the seas and not by any publike license and allowance here and seeing it was no sooner printed but it was presently refelled by a learned Bishop of our Church as haereticall and quite opposite to the established and receiued doctrine of our Church it makes much for me not against me fo that as yet there are no records against me but all of them are wholly for mee Let Mr. Mountague now with all his reading if hee can stoope so lowe as to cast his eyes vpon the moderne writers of our Church whose very names he cannot mention without disdaine and scorne shew mee but one learned Diuine nay any meane vnlearned Diuine in the Church of England since the reformation that did euer openly and in expresse tearmes oppose the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace in any worke of his set forth by publike allowance and authoritie and then perchance I shall in part beleiue him that some of the learned of the Church of England haue opposed it till then I shall account him but a meerelyer and impostor as he is For how is it possible that all the learnedest in the Church of England should affirme that faith once had might be both totally and finally lost and that they should oppose and refell the contrary when as there is not one member of the Church of England to bee found from the first reformation of it hitherto that doth in any publike or approued worke of his record the same If there bee any records of any learned in our Church to bee found which may make good Mr. Mountagues words let him doe vs that fauour as to giue vs a Catalogue of their workes and names but if his learnedest in the Church of England be but a meere notion abstracted from no Indiuidualls if they are namelesse and workelesse then surely Mr. Mountague is much mistaken and hee must for shame recant this forgery and vntruth of his Indeed Mr. Mountague hath vouched one by name and but one to patronize and make good his words to wit Doctor Ouerall Deane of Pauls But was Doctor Ouerall the learnedest in the Church of England if hee were so yet he is but one and what is one to all those worthies and learned Diuines which I haue cited to the contrary If Doctor Ouerall were of this opinion where then is this opinion of his recorded Surely in no printed workes of his set forth by publike authoritie but only in the Conference at Hampton Court pag 41 42 43. And what are his words they are onely these Those who are called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods election how euer they might did fall sometimes into greiuous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did they neuer fall totally from all the graces of God to be vtterly destitute of all the parts and seedes thereof nor finally from iustification but were in time renewed by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely faith and repentance and so iustified from these sins and from the wrath curse and guilt annexed thereunto Is this the learned man the which you vouch as making for you who in expresse tearmes concludes againg you Indeed if this bee your meaning that those are the learnedest in our Church who haue maintained this our assertion point-blanke against you I willingly acknowledge it but yet that Doctor Ouerall or any others who are ex diametro against a totall and finall fall from grace should be so punctually for you I confesse this is a mysterie and riddâ—…e vnto me I cannot vnderstand it vnles your ipse dixi 〈◊〉 Gospell and their opinions must bee soe not because they are so but because you say it But it may bee now of late some of the learnedst in the Church of England haue made a defection from their Mother Church and haue shaken handes and sided with Papists and Arminians and this makes Maister Mountague to auerre that the learnedst in the Church of England do assent vnto Antiquity and to Arminius and the Church of Rome in this That faith once had may be both finally and totally lost If this bee so as I doe not beleeue it I would to God Mr. Mountague would disclose their names vnto vs that so we might indeauour to conuert them or else learne for to auoide them or at least that wee might iudge of them whether they are the learnedst in the Church of England yea or noe Sure I am whoeuer or whateuer they are they are neither the greatest nor yet the learnedest nor yet the best and honestest in the Church of England if there bee any such make the best and vtmost of them that you can they are but a company of carnall gracelesse prophane and dissolute persons there is no truth nor power of grace in any of them For our two Arch-bishops and the learned Arch-bishop of Meth to whom Mr. Mountague and all his Abettors are much inferiour they are all for vs. For other of our Bishops and diuers others of our learned Clargie throughout the Kingdome I know that they haue declared themselues wholly for vs and for my owne part I know not any man of any learning worth or note at least of any grace and goodnesse in our Church who hath fully declared himselfe against vs in any written or printed records if there are any against vs as I professe
and disalowes of whom and what he will without controll Sure I am these Articles and the doctrine in them were approued and agreed vpon on all hands at the conference at Hampton Court though Mr. Mountague records the contrary The booke is yâ—…t extant which will auerre all that I say for truth and proue Mr. Mountaguâ—… a lyer and Impostor if not worse so that if Mr. Mountague had not had his face euen crusted and steeled ouer with more theâ—… audatious impudencie hee would not haue thus incouraged his readers See the booke Againe the Articles of Ireland Nomber 33. 38. confirmed by King Iaâ—…es vnder his broad Seale they are the very same with the Articles of Lambeth and contradictory to Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article which proues that the Articles of Lambeth were neuer repealed by publike authoritie and that the 16. Article was neuer expoundâ—… in Mr. Mountagues sense by any publike authoritie for then King Iames would neuer haue confirmed these Articles vnder his broad Seale hee being such a King as did desire vnitie and peace as much or more in Church as in the Common-wealth The words of the Article of Ireland are these A true liuely iustifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanished away in the regenerate either finally or totally And againe All Gods Elect are in their time inseparablie vnited vnto Christ by the effectuall and vitall influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head into euery true member of his mysticall body So that if you will interpret our 16. Article either by the Articles of Lambeth or Ireland Mr. Mountagues exposition must be false and strained But the best expoâ—…ition of the 16. Article will bee taken from the 17. Article which was composed by the same men at the same time and if you will expound it by this Article then farewell Mr. Mountagues false glosse vpon it For our 17. Article certifieth vs That they which be indued wiâ—…h so excellent a benefit as Predestination is are called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season and that they through grace obey the calling that they are iustified freely that they are made the sonnes of God by adoption that they are made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ that they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy obtaine euerlasting felicitie From which article Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Archbishop Bancroft in his Analysâ—… on the 39. Articles allowed to be publike by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England and not hitherto disallowed or called in hath raised this third proposition They which are predestinated vnto saluation cannot perish and from thence he inferres this Consectarie Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke that the very Elect totally and finally may fall from grace and be damned that the regenerate may fall from the grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the vine Christ Iesus which was one of Glouers errors of which exposition allowed by publike and lawfull authority Mr. Mountague cannot bee ignorant because the more is the pitty hee hath subscribed and read them often as himselfe informes vs. And therefore if you will beleeue the 17. Article or Mr. Rogers his Collection from it allowed by the lawfull authority of the Church of England as the doctrine maintained professed and protected in the Church of England Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article must be false and contrary to the Articles and Doctrine of the Church of England and hee himselfe must in the meane time bee a scismaticall factious and seditious person and one that doth oppose the Articles and Doctrine of our Church in an audatious peremptorie impudent and dangerous manner All now that Mr. Mountague can say for himselfe is this That this exposition and Collection of his from the 16. Article and this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace was resolued of and auowed for true Catholicke ancient and orthodoxe by that royall reuerend honourable and learned Synode at Hampton Court and for proofe of it he sendeth vs to the Conference at Hampton Court published by warrant and republished by command But sure Mr. Mountague did neuer reade the booke or else he was purblinde when hee read it for there is no such thing within the booke All that is mentioned and recorded there touching the 16. Article is this Dr. Reynolds moued his Maiestie that the 16. Article the meaning of which was sound might be inlarged and explained with this or the like addition yet neither totally nor finally and that the 9. assertions Orthodoxall might bee inserted into the booke of Articles to which his Maiestie replyed that it was best not to stuffe the booke with all conclusions theologicall Vpon this Dr. Ouerall Deane of Pauls informed the King of what had passed betweene him and some other in Cambridge tâ—…ching our present question and concludes that notwithstanding those who were instified and called according to the purpose of Gods election might and did sometimes fall into grienous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did they neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to bee vtterly destitute of all the parts and seeds thereof nor finally from instification to which King Iames replyed that repentance in the elect of God after knowne sinnes committed is so necessary as without it there could not bee remission of these sinnes nor reconciliation vnto God This was all that was spoken either of this point or of the 16 Article and whether Mr. Mountagues glosse and exposition were not here condemned in expresse tearmes let all men judge But will you now know what was the true cause why Mr. Mountague did so grossely mistake I will informe you in a word and it worth your knowledge Mr. Mountague as he hath beene deceiued by that varlet Bertius in other things euen so he hath beene in this For hee transcribed this argument from our 16. Article out of Bertius in his Apostatia Sauctorum pag. 107. and for his Exposition of it and that it was so resolued on at the conference at Hampton Court he had it Verbatim from the Rhemists in their second Conference at Hage recorded by Brandius pag. 364. Alas good Mr. Mountague that you should be ouertaken thus that you should be driuen to such narrow shifts as to flie to Bertius and the Rhemists the very dregges and seumme of all Arminians for corrupt glosses expositions and collections vpon our Articles as if the Church of England did not vnderstand but quite mistake the genuine true and proper sense of her owne Articles or as if that Bertius and the Rhemists who are strangers to them vnderstood them better then the Church yea then the learnedest of the Church of England who composed them What doth this betoken but that Master Mountague like
proue hereafter Sixthty I answere in your owne words that admit that these places are meant of true regenerate men yet these Homilies being no dogmaticall decisions but popular sermons and Godly exhortations may sometimes hyperbolize out of a rhetoricall straine and stretch some sayings beyond the vse and practise of the Church and so euery word in these homilies is not strictly litterally to be insisted on but we must giue thē a faire gentle construction Seuenthly these words here mentioned are but exhortations and preseruatiues to keepe men from falling from God therefore they doe not necessarily imply that men may fall from God all they imply ineuitablie is but this that men cannot stand fast in grace cleaue close to God but by vsing of the meanes they doe not imply that regenerate men will not vse the meanes or that they may fall from grace and the vse of the meanes doth not imply an incertaintie in obtaining of the end Lastly which answeres all that can bee obiected All the comminations and threates in these Homilies are conditionall so that take them as they are most aduantagious to you and as spoken to the true regenerate Saints of God yet all the argument that you can extract and juggle from them is but this If the true regenerate Saints of God neglect Gods word and become vnfruitefull they shall bee cast of and be giuen vp to the power of the diuell Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may finally and totally fall from the state of grace a learned Nonsequitur following the Antecedent as much as darknesse doth the Sunne and all one And therefore Mr. Mountague and all others if they were not obstinate admitting these Homilies to bee dogmaticall decisions containing in them the doctrines and resolutions of our Church which Mr. Mountague himselfe denies must needs acknowledge that these Homilies and so by consequence the Church of England makes not against my present assertion but rather for it then against it As for the argument drawne from the Common prayer booke that infants after baptisme fall from that state of grace which they haue receiued in their baptisme therefore true regenerate men which are ingrafted into Christ by faith may fall from grace I shall answer it fully in another place All that I shall say of it here is this that though you would ground your argument on the words of the common Prayer Booke to make a flourish of it to the world as if it were your owne yet the truth is this you had it from the Rhemists from Mr. Thompson Eckardus Bertius Aegidius Hunnius Zacharias Mathesius and other Arminians or else from Bellarmine who doe presse this argument and relie vpon it as much as Mr. Mountague doth Which Argument Mr. Mountague knowes to haue beene oft-times answered both by Byshop Abbot in his Animad in Thomps Diatr cap. 7. by Dr. Benefield in his booke de Persen Sanctorum lib. 1. cap. 14. by Dr. Prideaux in his sixth Lecture by the Whole Synode of Dort in the 5. Article and by diuers others and hee knowes it to be but a meere nonsequitur admitting the Antecedent to be true and yet that he might deceiue the ignorant and the ouer-credulous hee makes no bones to publish it as an Orthodox and inuincible Argument Alas Mr. Mountague what is become of your honestie in the meane time who would thus deceiue both God and Man yea and your owne Mother Church by charging her with such a damnable and pernicious Tenent doctrine and assertion and that vpon such weake and ridiculous grounds as these I haue now sufficiently proued The totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints from grace not to be the receiued and resolued doctrine of the learnedest in the Church of England nor yet of the Articles Homilies or Common prayer booke of our English Church and so by consequence I haue acquitted the Church o◅ England of this pernicious doctrine which Mr. Mountague would scandalously lay vpon it I will now in the fourth and last place proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints to be the established resolued and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England and that by this vnanswerable Argument That assertion doctrine and position which is ratified and confirmed by the 17. Article by the Articles of Lambe◅h and Ireland and agreed vpon by the royall Synode of Hampton Court That assertion Doctrine and position which the learnedest in the Church of England haue with one vnanimous consent not only published and taught in their seuerall parishes Cures but likewise publikely maintained and defended in the Schooles in both our Vniuersities from time to time and in their learned writings set forth by publike authoritie and approbation as the established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England must needs be the receiued established and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England But this assertion Doctrine and position 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 is ratified and confirmed by the 17. Article by the Articles of Lambeth and Ireland and agreed vpon by the royall Synod of Hampton Court and the learnedest in the Church of England haue with one vnanimous consent not only published it in their seuerall Parishes and Cures but likewise publikely maintained and defend◅ it in the Schooles in both our Vniuersities from time to time and in their learned writings set forth by publike authority and approbation as the established and receiued Doctrine of the Church of England all which I haue already proued in the premises Therefore it must needs be the receiued established and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England Yea but Mr. Mountague in his Appello Caesarem affirmes the contrary True he doth so but is Mr. Mountague a Pope that he cannot erre or lie or that our Church of England should bee included in his brest alone or are Mr. Mountagues words such Gospell that men must of necessity beleeue them because hee speakes them Perhaps they may be so with some with mee they are not nay they shall not bee But if there are any who are so much deuoted to Mr. Mountague that they will pinne their faith vpon Mr. Mountagues sleeue and beleeue none else but he Let them consider but these three things which I will not only propound but proue vnto them The first ◅his That as Mr. Mountague hath all hee hath excepting that of our Homilies touching our present controuersie out of that arch Arminian Bertius and that Arch Papist Bellarmme so hee hath this among other things that this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace is the receiued doctrine of the Church of England They are Bertius his words in his booke de Apostata sanctorum pag. 107. In his Preface to the same booke and in his Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury as you may see in King IAMES his
established doctrine of our Church is yet the doctrine of the Church and I am ready to recant In which words as Mr. Mountague hath vsed a pretty sleight to keepe off men from writing or speaking against him lest they should come within the compasse of these two hatefull names Puritan and Papist so he hath discouered himselfe egregiously vnto the world and that in these particulars First hee hath discouered himselfe to be a meere Roman Catholicke in heart what euer he professe in words in hauing his beliefe and faith not grounded on the word of God but on the Church Hee beleeues only as the Church beleeues and not otherwise let come what will the Churches faith shall still bee his If our Church will owne this doctrine of his then hee will defend it then hee will teach it if our Church will not owne it then hee will disclaime it and recant it not because that this his doctrine is in it selfe true or false but meerely because it is the doctrine of the Church Now for any man thus to tie and pinne his faith vpon the Church and vpon that only what is it but to bee a professed Romane Catholicke Secondly by these his words hee hath discouered himselfe to be but a meere temporizer a meere Proteus and Chamelion a meere Neuter and a man of all religions as time and place shall serue and so a man of no religion or grace at all Let the Church of England not owne this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace Mr. Mountague will forthwith disclaime it though hee himselfe hath affirmed it to bee the doctrine of the Scriptures Fathers and of the learnedest in the Church of England So that his Tenets and religion shall bee alwayes altered and changed with the times and seasons And will you my Brethren receiue this for a sound and orthodox truth and as the receiued doctrine of the Church of England when as Mr. Mountague himselfe is as ready to disclaime it as to owne it will you suspend and pinne your faith your judgement and religion vpon Mr. Mountagues sleeue whose religion is but a meere Weather-cocke that is altered and turned about with euery blast and change in Church or State and who hath yet no other positiue or resolued religion in him but only this to be of no religion or of any religion as the times shall serue O hazard hazard not your soules vpon such vncertainties but rather sticke and cleaue to such who will sooner loose their liues and all they haue then bee remoued from this present truth which none of our Antagonists will dare to doe in defence of these their Errors And now seeing I haue made it manifest vnto your soules and consciences by vndeniable proofes and testimonies against the forgeries of Mr. Mountague and his Abbettors that this assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints is not only the positiue established and resolued doctrine of the Scriptures but likewise of the ancient Fathers of all the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas and of this our Mother Church of England ô then if you tender the glory honour and authority both of the God and word of truth which shall judge you at the laâ—…t if you reuerence and respect the authority of the ancient Fathers and of all the Churches of God or if you tender the peace the good and welsare of this your Mother Church be willing to submit and yeeld vnto the truth What if Mr. Monntague what if men of greater worth and place then hee oppugne and contradict this truth what if carnall men of great abilities and parts who are no more able to judge of this our present assertion then blinde men are of colours because it is a sensible and experimentall a spirituall and heauenly truth which is principally testified and reuealed to the soules of men by the inward operation of Gods Spirit and is not subject vnto carnall reason doe publish this as a sound and orthodox truth That the true regenerate Saints of God may Apostatize and fall both totally and finally from grace are not the Scriptures and the word of God are not the Fathâ—…rs and the Churches of God and thoâ—…e many godly learned and famous writers which I haue cited who haue farre transcended them euen in parts learning of better credit and repute with you then they If not then farwell all religion let Poperie and Arminianisme let herisie and Atheisme rule and sway the world But if the Scriptures if the Fathers if all the Churches of God and all those worthies which they haue produced haue any estimate or credit with you then striue contend and stirre no more in this our present controuersie nor yet in any other that depends vpon it but willingly subscribe to this most orthodox sound and comfortable assertion of ours which is the only proppe and pillar of a Christian soule and the only thing which makes men liue and die with joy and comfort which they haue all ratified and resolued with one vnanimous and joynt consent That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace AN ANSWER TO THE Arguments which may be objected HAuing thus as I suppose sufficiently and fully proued the truth of this position That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace By vnanswerable proofes and Arguments there is nothing now remaining but that I should giue a satisfactory answer to all such Arguments and texts of Scripture as either are or may be objected to the contrarie and then I doubt not but that this truth will bee so cleere and euident in the hearts and consciences of men that they shall neuer dare for to resist it or oppose it more Now that I may the better answer and cleere those Arguments which shal be obiected I would first of all intreate you to take speciall notice of two things which I shall propound vnto you which will take off all future objections that are made against me and giue a finall determination to the point in question The first thing I would wish you to obserue is this That there is no place or text of Scripture which doth either expressely positiuely or totidem verbis say or else by way of necessarie and vndeniable consequence proue That a true regenerate man and one that is truly ingrafted into Christ can either finally or totally fall from the state of grace but that all the Arguments which are objected from the Scriptures are nothing else but bare inferences and wrested Collections contrary to the true scope and meaning of the places There is not any of our Antagonists that can shew me any expresse absolute and positiue text of Scripture which doth either in expresse words or by way of necessary sound and ineuitable consequence confute this Doctrine of the
grace and inward not according to their sins and outward man and therefore God taking them away in the very act not in the habit and the trade of sin he will estimate and reward them according to their graces and their inward man according to the inward purpose bent and clination of their soules according to the constant course and practise of their liues and not according to that particular and priuate act of sinne in which they dye so that they doe not perish euerlastingly for this act of sinne but they are certainly receiued vnto life euerlasting Sixthly the theefe which neuer did repent in all his life before was saued on the Crosse euen at the last gaspe and period of his life therefore that God and Sauiour who was so mercifull to saue a sinner that neuer was a Saint at the very last gaspe will alwaies be so gratious so louing and compassionate as to saue a sinner at the last which was a Saint a friend a brother and a best beloued vnto him before Lastly to shut vp all in a word or two Admit that an actuall and particular repentance were required as a thing absolutely necessary to saluation of all the true regenerate Saints of God after any grosse and knowne sinne committed by them yet then I say that when God doth take away any of his Saints in the very act of sinne hee doth in that very instance which hee takes them in giue them such an actuall particular repentance as shall saue their soules for hee hath praedestinated them vnto euerlasting life and therefore hauing predestinated them vnto the end he doth likewise predestinate them vnto the meanes for to obtaine it Wherefore as it is altogether impossible for to depriue them of the end so likewise is it impossible to depriue them of the meanes which are annexed inseparably vnto it and therfore put the worst you can imagine yet we may safely say that God doth alwayes giue his Saints this actuall repentance euen in the very point and instant when he cuts them off which the Pseudolut herans and those that defend only a totall fall from grace without a finall doe confesse and teach And therefore notwithstanding all those sinnes they doe commit notwithstanding their lying in sinne for a time or their dying in sin I meane in the act not in the habit and trade of some particular sin without any actuall or particular repentance for that sinne of theirs they neither fall finally nor yet totally from the state of grace This is the maine and principall argument this is the very knot and hinge of the question and therefore pardon me good Reader though I haue beene so prolix and tedious in my answer to it The twentie fiue Argument or obiection that is made against me is That a true regenerate Saint of God may bee excommunicated therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument doth not follow For though excommunication may seuer a Saint of God from the societie of the faithfull and the visible Church of God for a time to humble him for his sinne and to make him more circumspect in his carriage for the time to come yet it neuer doth dissect or cut him off from Christ nay it doth not wholly seuer and cut him off from being a member of the visible Church for then he ought not to be assayled or admitted into the visible Church againe vnlesse he were rebaptized and during the time of this his excommunication he should be no better and no more a Christian than a Turke or Heathen man neither of which can be admitted and therefore this excommunication if you take it in the true and primatiue vse of it not as it is now commonly abused and made a common proces vpon pettie and trifling occasions it only suspends men from being partakers of the priuiledges of the Church it neuer cuts them off from being members of it This is the opinion of Mr. Hooker in his third booke of Ecclesiasticall policie cap. 1. pag. 88. of Bishop Abbot in his answer to Mr Thompsons Diatriba cap. 16. of Mr. Caluin in the 14. booke of his Institutions cap. 12. section 9. 10. of Marlorat in his Exposition vpon the 1 Cor. 5. 5. And I know not any Diuines either Moderne or Ancient of any note or credite that doe affirme the contrarie and therefore your Argument followes not The twenty sixe Argument which may bee made against me is this All Infants which are baptized they are by this their baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and yet we see that many of them doe afterwards fall totally and finally from grace Therefore those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith may fall from grace The Argument is taken for granted and therefore the Antecedent is only to be proued This our Antagonists indeuour for to doe by Scripture and by the authoritie and Doctrine of our Church of England The maine place of Scripture which is alledged is that of Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as haue beene baptized into Christ haue put on Christ which they say is full in point And that this is also the Doctrine of the Church of England is proued by the forme of baptisme recorded in our Common prayer Booke where the Minister before baptisme reciting how Christ did blesse the little children that were brought vnto them and rebuke his Disciples for hindering such as would bring them to him doth from hence exhort the people in these insuing words Doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that hee will likewise fauourably receiue these present Infants that he will imbrace them with the armes of his mercie that hee will giue vnto them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome And againe when as the childe is baptized there is this forme of thanks-giuing there prescribed to vs. Wee yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words doe fully proue that all such Infants as are baptized are truly regenerated and so the Antecedent is fully proued to bee true Because this is an argument in which our Antagonists doe much triumph and boast as if wee were not able to vndergoe the charge and vigor of it I shall indeauour to giue a full and satisfactorie answer to it in which I shall bee forced to bee somewhat large and tedious in respect of those many particulars which I am to giue an answer to I will reduce them vnto these foure heads First I shall denie that all Infants that are baptized are truly regenerated and inwardly ingrafted into Christ by vertue of their baptisme Secondly I shall affirme that the place of the Galathians proues it not nor yet any other têxt of Scripture Thirdly I shall
affirme that it is not the Doctrine of the Church of England and that these words of the Common prayer Booke doe not warrant it And lastly if all these faile me I shall denie the Argument and proue vnto you that it followes not and that though the Antecedent and the Argument were both true yet that they are both impertinent to our present purpose For the first of these that all Infants that are baptized are not by their very Baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only Sacramentally I shall make it good by these subsequent reasons First because the Sacraments doe neuer conuey any inward and spirituall grace which may truly regenerate and ingraft men into Christ but where there is the hand of faith for to receiue them and that grace which is conueyed by them This is euident by Mark 16. 16. not he that is baptized only but he that beleeueth is baptized shall bee saued but hee that beleeueth not though hee be batized shall bee damned therefore it is not baptisme of it selfe but faith which doth regenerate and saue men So Acts 8. 36. 37. When the Aethiopian Eunuch demanded of Philip behold here is water what doth hinder mee to be baptized Philip returnes him this answer If thou beleeuest withall thine heart thou maist intimating that his baptisme without faith would doe him no good at all that it could not regenerate him nor yet conuey any grace into his soule So Gal. 3. 26 27. Yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus for as many of you as were baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. It was the Galathians faith and not their Baptisme which made them the adopted sonnes of God for in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing no nor yet Baptisme which succeedeth it neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. Baptisme without faith is in effectuall it may wash and purifie the body but it can neuer wash purifie regenerate and cleanse the soule vnlesse it bee accompanied with faith which workes by loue and with true repentance For it is faith only that purifieth the heart Acts 15. 8. it is Repentance and not Baptisme that doth wash away our sinnes Baptisme without repentance it cannot doe it therefore Peter Acts 2. 36 37 38. doth joyne them both together For when his auditors that were pricked at the heart demanded of him what they should doe Hee answers them thus Repent and bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost If Baptisme without repentance had beene sufficient to haue regenerated them and purified them from their sins Peter would neuer haue aduised them for to repent withall for that had beene superfluous but his joyning of repentance and baptisme thus together intimates that the one is not effectuall without the other It is faith only that doth iustifie vs and ingraft vs into Christ Rom. 4. 3. 5. cap. 5. 1. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 6. and Ephes. 2. 8. it is faith onely that doth make the Sacraments effectuall to regenerate vs and ingraft vs into Christ this I am sure is the doctrine of our Church Now all those Infants which are baptized no nor all those that are baptized at their ripe yeares be they Anâ—…baptists or such as are newly conuerted to the faith they haue not this grace of true sauing and justifying faith within them and therefore they are not truly regenerated by their baptisme As it is said of the word of God Heb. 4. 2. that it profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it So I may say of Baptisme that it regenerates not all Infants because all haue not faith that doe receiue it Secondly all Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because this would make the Sacrament of baptisme effectuall to all that doe receiue it which cannot be First because that this would make baptisme to bee quite different from all the other ordinances of God and meanes of grace For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it profits not all alike to all vnworthy communicants it is the cause of damnation it is a cause of grace to none but such as doe receiue in a worthy manner so the word of God though it be the sauour of life vnto life to some yet it is the sauour of death vnto death to others that doe heare it 2 Cor. 2 16. So it is of all the other meanes of grace whatsoeuer they are not effectuall to worke grace in all and therefore Baptisme cannot doe it There is the same reason of all Gods ordinances where one of them is effectuall all of them are effectuall where one of them is ineffectuall there all of them are ineffectuall to for else there should be a great confusion and jarring in the ordinances of God a man should then bee saued by one ordinance of God suppose by Baptisme and damned by another by the vnworthy receiuing of the Lords Supper or by the vnprofitable hearing of the word of God which the God of order peace and vnion can neuer suffer There is a sweet harmonie and mutuall agreement betweene all the meanes of grace and ordinances of God they alwayes goe hand in hand together they all worke within the same sphere and compasse one of them is no larger then the other where one is effectuall there the others are or at least may be to Wherefore since the other ordinances of God are not effectuall to regenerate and to worke grace in all no more can Baptisme doe it Secondly Baptisme cannot regenerate all alike because circumcision which was a type of Baptisme did not doe it All those that were circumcised with the outward circumcision of the flesh were not circumcised with the inward circumcision of the heart and spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. therefore all those that are outwardly baptized with water are not inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire Baptisme is come in the place of circumcision and therefore it must be of the same effect as circumcision was and so it is For as there was an outward circumcision of the flesh which was common to all and an inward circumcision of the heart which was proper only to the elect of God so there is an outward Baptisme or putting away of the filth of the flesh only which is common to all but saues none and an inward baptisme of the Spirit which is the answer of a good conscience towards God this is the Baptisme which doth regenerate and saue men of which all that are baptized are not partakers but only such as are elected to saluation Thirdly all that are baptized are not alike regenerated by their baptisme because this would take away the libertie of Gods Spirit which breatheth when and where it listeth
them into Christ that which inables men to take and to receiue Christ Iesus now it is not baptisme but faith only which doth this it is faith only that ingrafts men into Christ and makes them the sonnes of God Gal. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. it is faith only that brings Christ Iesus into mens soules Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 3. 17. it is the hand of faith only that takes Christ Iesus that applies him and puts him on in Iesus Christ neither circumcision a◅aileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. And therefore take this place of Paul how you will it proues not that all those that are baptized are truly regenerated If any other places of Scripture are obiected to the contrary the former answers will fully satisfie them Thirdly I say that this is not the doctrine of the Church of England and those words which Mr. Mountague hath cited out of the Common-prayer Booke doe not proue it For that which is saide of infants which are to bee baptized in our Common-prayer Booke in the forme of baptisme doubt not therefore but earnestly beleeue that Christ will imbrace them with the armes of his mercy that hee will giue them the blessing of eternall life and make them partakers of his euerlasting kingdome if you take it in the right sense it is no more in effect then this That it is Christs will and pleasure that infants should be baptized and that hee hath'a fauour and respect vnto them but that all infants that are baptized are in truth regenerated that it proues not Mr. Mountague indeed as if hee were not acquainted with the Liturgie and publike religious seruise of our Church vnlesse it were to correct it and to cauell at it for which hee taxeth and condemneth others who are lesse guilty then himselfe would haue the word in the preterperfect tence citing this word hath for wilt because he would wrest the words to his purpose but the words are in the future tense and are no more in effect then that which I haue said before Indeede the wordes after baptisme are in the preterperfect tence We yeeld thee hearty thankes most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy Spirit to receiue him for thine owne childe by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation Which words proue not that all infants which are baptized are by their very baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ because these words and so the others before baptisme are not generall and vniuersall but they are limited and restrained to one particular infant or those particular infants which are then to be baptized whose absolute and definitiue estate is only knowne to God and not vnto the Church Our Church out of charity because shee knoweth nothing to the contrary doth beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated that is sacramentally or because you will haue it so Mr. Mountague really and spiritually yet shee beleeueth not that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated by their baptisme and ingrafted into Christ that Mr. Mountague as well read as hee is in the Common-prayer Booke cannot shew mee If you now object that that which is true of euery indiuiduall is true of the whole species and therfore i◅ our Church beleeue that euery particular infant that is baptized is regenerated therefore that shee is of opinion that all are so I answer that the rule is false for there are many things which may bee saide and predicated truly or at least charitablie of Indiuidualls which are false of the whole species and cannot bee applied to it A man may say hee ought to say of euery particular and euery indiuiduall man in the world that hee may beleeue hee may repent and he may bee saued because hee hath no warrant to the contrary and hee cannot know whether God hath otherwise disposed of him yet a man cannot say that all men shall be saued that all men may beleeue and repent because it is contrary to the reuealed will and word of God So a man may and ought to say of euery particular infant which is baptized that hee is regenerated because he knowes not any thing to the contrary Indeede afterwards if hee see him liue a wicked and vngodly life he may then safely say that hee was not regenerated by his baptisme because his life and workes declare as much but yet no man can safely say that all that are baptized are spiritually really and effect ually regenerated because it is not so reuealed in the Scriptures This charitable opiniō then of the Church of England being restrained to indiuiduall particular infants and not extended and inlarged to all such as are baptized warrants not Mr. Mountagues collection from it That all infants which are baptized are truly spiritually and effectually regenerated Which answers likewise the words in the Catechisme for there the childe in the second answer answeres only for himselfe that by his baptisme not all that were baptized but I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen that is I haue a right and title to all those by my baptisme if I will lay hold on them and take possession of them by faith my baptisme giues me a title to them but doth not giue mee actuall and full possession of them For these words in the Rubricke before the Catechisme That children being baptized haue all things necessary for their saluation the meaning is no more but this That ba◅tisme without faith knowledge lou◅ and actuall repentance is sufficient for to saue such children as dye before yeares of discretion because God will not require impossibilities at their hands and such conditions which they were not able to performe Or else that children by their baptisme are admitted into the Church and haue an interest in all those priuiledges and means of grace which are necessary to saluation what is this to purpose that all infants that are baptized are spiritually and truly regenerated Yea but the Rubricke saith that if they dye before actuall sinne they shall bee vndoubtedly saued That is such infants as are baptized and dye before actuall sin are saued because our Church knowes nothing to the contrary shee knowes not whether God hath otherwise disposed of them But yet it is not there recorded that all infants that are baptized are regenerated and saued or that such infants which fall away from the sacramentall grace which they receiued should haue beene saued if they had died before actuall sinne Wherefore in any wise mans judgement that hath his wits and senses about him there is nothing in the Booke of Common-prayers to warrant this assertion That all such a◅ are baptized are truly and spiritually regenerated it is only Mr. Mountagues false and brainsicke conceite who torments and rackes our Common prayer Booke to defend his Error
But admit that this were the receiued opinion and doctrine of the Church of England that all infants are by their very baptisme truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then Mr. Mountague you are in this Dilemma then you must grant this to be the doctrine of the Church of England that those who are truly regenerated may both totally and finally fall from grace which I haue proued to be false or else you must of necessitie grant that none who are baptized fall from grace which is contrary to your owne assertion or else you must needes grant that all such as are baptized are not regenerate which is contrary to that for which you do so much contend so that turne which way you will you are but in a maze and labyrinth and fettred in the gines of your owne argument Againe I would but demand this question of Maister Mountague whether this be an article of his Creedâ—… that all infants that are baptized are truly regenerated by the holy Ghost that they are partakers of eternall life and of Christs euerlasting kingdome as you say our Common prayer booke affirmes If you beleiue it not why then doe you presse it vpon vs or why do you not beleiue that which you say our Church beleiues If you beleiue it how then can your doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace stand together with it if you beleiue that all infants that are baptized shall haue euerlasting life and be made partakers of Christs kingdome you must of necessity beleeue that they shall perseuere in grace vnto the end hee that beleeues that the end shall certainly be obtained must as certainly beleeue that the meanes which must obtaine this end shall be vsed to and therefore if you beleeue that all infants that are baptized shall haue euerlasting life and injoy Christ kingdome you must likewise beleeue that they shall perseuere and neuer fall from grace If you say that you do not absolutly beleeue that they shall haue euerlasting life and bee made partakers of Christs kingdome but only conditionally if they perseuere in the grace receiued in their baptisme I answer that if you doe absolutely beleeue that they are regenerated why doe you not as absolutely beleeue that they shall haue euerlasting life and be made partakers of Christs kingdome they are both recorded in the same tearmes they are knit together in one sentence one following vpon the necke of another they are both set downe as absolutely and positiuely as the other therefore you must beleeue all of them to be alike absolute and then you cannot beleeue that euer they should fall from grace for then they could not be made partakers of Christs kingdome and of euerlasting life or else you must make them all conditionall and beleeue that those infants which are baptized are regenerated if they perseuere in grace else that they are not regenerated by their baptisme which would falsifie this your proposition that all infants are truly regenerated by their baptisme which proposition as you see is no waies warranted by the Common prayer Booke or by the Church of England Lastly admit that all infants that are baptized are regenerated and that this were warranted by Gal. 3. 27. and by the doctrine of the Church of England vet I say that this argument followes not nor is not to the purpose for the question is not whether infants other men may fall totally or finally from that sacramentall grace which they receiue inbaptisme but whether vere fideles whether such as are truly regenerated ingrafted truly into Christ by a liuely faith may fall totally or finally from the state of grace of the state or iustifying faith Now sacramentall grace and regeneration is one thing and this state of true sauing grace and of justification by faith is another if we admit that infants once baptized haue a sacramentall grace within them which is nothing else but a freedome from the guilt of originall sinne yet no man I thinke can be so absurd as to say that they haue any habituall graces or any liuing and justifying faith within them for they want reason and vnderstanding to apply the word and promises of God and to vse these meanes which should beget these graces in them And therefore seeing that the grace which children and others receiue from baptisme is but sacramentall far different from the grace of which our controuersie and question is if wee grant the whole argument to be true yet it is nothing to the purpose And so much in answer to this twenty sixth argument in which I haue beene ouer tedious by reason that our Antagonists rely so much vpon it The twenty seuenth argument which may be objected against mee is from particular examples which may be reduced to three heads The first of Adam and the Angells the second of particular and whole Churches the third of particular and priuate Saints The first argument from Examples is drawne from Adam and the Angells Adam and the Angells who were of an higher alloy then any regenerate Saints of God now are they fell from the state of grace the one totally the other finally Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God whose grace are inferiour vnto theirs may fall totally and finally from grace as well as they I answer that the Argument followes not because there is a great difference betweene the graces which the regenerate Saints of God injoy and that grace which Adam and the Angels had For first that grace which Adam and the Angels had it was in their owne possession and custodie they themselues were the gardians and keepers of it But that grace which the regenerate Saints of God doe now injoy it is not in their owne keeping they themselues are not the gardians and preseruers of it but it is God himselfe who keepes it and preserues it in them by his power This is euident by the 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing that was committed to thee keepe by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs the holy Ghost himselfe who begins doth likewise gard and keepe the graces of the Saints So in the 1 Pet. 1. 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation the power of God it doth not onely keepe the Saints vnto saluation but it preserues and keepes their faith to So in the 1 Tim. 1. 12. I know-whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day The faith of the Saints it doth not stand in the wisdome and custodie of men but in the power of God 1 Cor 2. 5. Ephes. 1. 19 20. and cap. 3. 20. and the Saints of God they doe not preserue and keepe their graces or themselues but their graces and their persons are garded preserued and protected by God himselfe by Father Son and holy Ghost and that continually as you may reade Psal. 4. 8. Psal. 12.
for the sight of their eyes which they should see they should then finde no ease no rest or comfort to thâ—…ir soules at all and so they must needs sinke and perish in dispaire Where as if they had this pillar to rest and stay their soules vpon that they can neuer fall â—…rom grace nor be depriued of the loue of God that let what will befall their bodies their soules are sure to be safe that though their outward man perish yet their inward man shall be renewed day by day that though their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued yet they haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens this would comfort and reioyce their soules beyond expression this would beare them vp in all extremities and keepe them from sinkeing in dispaire So that you see that the whole comfort and treasure of a Christian that the whole seruice of God and practice of religion are vtterly abolished and taken away by this pernicious Error and therefore I made choyce of this aboue any of the rest to combate and to grapple with especially in these dubious and ambiguous times of ours wherein we need an anchor on which to stay our soules But now some men may thinke my labour vaine and needlesse and perchance vnseasonable to because so many Worthies of our Church haue so lately handled and discussed this our present Controuersie To whâ—…ch I answer first That the slacknesse of the Printer in whose hands this worke hath beene pending euer since Lâ—…nt last hath turned these my First fruites into Gleanings against my expectation and intent and therefore if you returne a Tardè to them let the Printer beare the blame not I. Secondly I answer that though many haue lately handled and discussed this very controversie in the by conioyning it with other points yet none of them haue handled it particularly and indiuidually by it selse as I haue done it Yea I may with modestie affirme it without any pride arrogance or selfe-conceite that there was neuer any hitherto who hath written of this controuâ—…rsie that hath handled and discussed it so fully and perspicuously as I haue done it here I haue produced many more arguments and reasons and cited more quotations from Scriptures Fathers Councells Synods Confessions and moderne Diuines to confute this Error and I haue giuen more cleere full and satisfactorie answers to most of those arguments that are brought for to defend it than any yet haue done that I could reade or heare of And therefore notwithstanding that so many haue lately written of this subiect I hope that these my labours which I haue vndertaken in the synceritie of my heart for the glory of God for the peace and quiet of this our Church for the vindicating of the truth and for the comfort and consolation of all such faithfull Christians as shall be made partakers of them shall finde such approbation and acceptance in the world that they shall neither be condemned as vntimely nor loathed as superfluous And here Courteous Reader to free my selfe from causelesse censure I must intreate these few courtesies at thine hands First that where thou findest any mistakes or slips in words or letters in reading of this Treatise that thou wouldest take the paines for to amend them imputing the fault vnto the Corrector and not vnto my selfe Secondly that when thou findest the same reasons Scriptures Arguments or answers reiterated and repeated in seuerall places of this discourse that thou wouldâ—…st not forth-with condemne me of Battologie and Surplusage because they are alwaies vrged and recited in a different forme and manner and to other ends and purposes then they were before so that though they are almost the same in words and matter yet they alwayes differ in circumstances forme and end and in the manner of propounding them so that in truth they are not the same though prima facie they may seeme to be the same Thirdly I would request thee so to censure and iudge of these my labours as thou wouldest haue me and others to censure and to iudge of thine if thou thy selfe hadst written Lastly since the generall end and scope of these my labours is nothing else but to vindicate and cleere the honour and the truth of God to establish peace and vnitie in this our Church and State that this our present controuersie and those others which depend vpon it may no more molest and trouble them and to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all the true and faithfull Saints of God in these ambiguous doubtfull and perplexed times whose only ioy and comfort whose onely stay and proppe whose very heauen vpon earth and chiefest happinesse lie all at stake and are suspended on this present Controuersie I would request thee so to reade and meditate on these my rude and indegested labours as if thou didst vnfainedly desire for to learne and profite by them and to diue into the truths contained in them Reade them with a single and impartiall eye and with an vpright and an honest heart voide of all criticall fore-stalled and preiudicated affections Reade them with a meeke and humble spirit not to carpe or quarrell with them but willingly to yeeld and to submit vnto them as far as truth and conscience will permit and if thou shalt receiue any benefit comfort or saâ—…isfaction from them giue God the glory pâ—…ay for me The vnfained well wisher of thine eternall good and comfort WILLIAM PRYNNE TO ALL THOSE OF THE Church of England who falsly and malitiously traduce calumniate and slaunder the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace and thereupon labour to suppresse their workes because they know not how to answer or resell them IT is recorded of certaine of the Synagogue of the Libertines and 〈◊〉 who disputed with that holy Martir Saint Steuen that when as they Were not able to resist the wisdome and Spirit by which hee spake they suborned false witnesses against him which said wee haue heard him speake blasphemous words against this holy place against Moses and against God and vpon these false accusations they stirred vp the people the Elders and the Scribes against him and caught him and brought him before the Councell thinking to carry away the cause and to confute that which they were not able to gainsay by calumniating traducing and condemning the innocent person who defended it Thus did the Iewes confute and answer Saint Paul when as they had nothing to reply vnto his doctrine they presently fly vpon his person accusing him for a pestilent and seditious fellow for a ringleader of sects for a mouer of sedition through out the World and one that did contrary to 〈◊〉 decrees of Caesar. And thus did the Gentiles in former ages confute the Christians if Iustin Martyr Tertullian Arnobius or Lactantius may be credited You my Breahtren who oppose and bend your selues
against the Doctrine of the totall and 〈◊〉 perseuerauce of the Saints in grace which hath beene so long setled and established in our Church reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such liuely Emblems and representations of your selues These Libertines Iewes and Gentiles when as they could finde nothing to reply against that truth the which they did oppose they leaue the matter and the points in question and fly vpon the persons of such as did defend them So you since you haue nothing to reply vnto the arâ—… of those who do defend the totall final perseuerance of the Saints in grace doe waiue the Controuersie and fall foule vpon their persons thinking to carry away the cause by calumnies and scandalous accusations because you cannot do it by force and truth of argument For first you accuse and taxe all such who patronize this orthodox and ancient truth for Puritans Secondly for pestilent seditious and factious persons And thirdly for such as doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar such as violate and transgresse his Maiesties most pious Proclamation and vpon these false and scandalous grounds you labour to suppresse the workes and prosecute the persons of all such as doe defend this truth A worthy and a learned confutation which sauoreth of nothing but of pure malice and venomous rancor against all grace goodnesse and such as doe defend them Now that all the world may know how false your accusations are and so how ill your cause I will a little 〈◊〉 them and discusse them Your first accusation and objection against our present assertion is this That there are none but Puritants who 〈◊〉 it Surely if you so confidently affirme that there are none but 〈◊〉 that defend it I may with greater confidence and truth 〈◊〉 it that there are none but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay 〈◊〉 who oppose it if any of you thinke I speake to harsh in this I haue the warrant of our late and learned Soueraigne King Iames to justifie mee who hath stiled them Heretickes and Atheisticall Sectaries vpon record But are there none but Puritans who defend it Sure I am and I hope I haue sufficiently proued it that Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles that all the ancient Fathers and some Councells that-all Protestant Churches and sound orthodox writers in forraine parts that the Synod of 〈◊〉 at which there were the choice Diuines of most Protestant reformed Churches that the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies and that King lames of blessed memorie haue from time to time deliuered published defended propagated and resolued this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and yet are there none but Puritans or are they all Puritans who defend it Was Christ his Prophets Apostels Puritans were all the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Puritans are all the Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas and all their sound and orthodox writers Puritans was thè famous Synod of Dort but a meere packe of Puritans are the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies Puritans or was King lames a Puritan that none but Puritans should maintaine this truth If you will condemne all these for Puritans as you must doe if your accusation goe for currant truth and so make Puritans to be nothing else as they are in truth but the true Church and Saints of God who professe propagate and maintaine the truth and puritie of the Gospell and will not bee withdrawne or seduced from it then we willingly acknowledge the accusation to be true and account it not a blemish but a grace and honour to our cause but if you will haue none of these to be the Puritans which you accuse your accusation then That none but Puritans defend this assertion must needes be false vnlesse you know to make a difference between those who 〈◊〉 maintained it in former times such as doe defend it now Now that I may giue a further answer vnto this false scandalous and malitious accusation I will a little inquire what kinde of creature this Puritan should be which makes such a stirre and businesse in the world and is so much accused condemned hated persecuted inueighed at and spoken against that so the odiousnesse and 〈◊〉 of the very name may not impeach the worth the credit the qualitie or condition of the person on whom it is 〈◊〉 Certainely the onely Puritan that is now aymed at and so commonly accused and spoken against is nothing else in veritie and truth if you will but lay aside the name that so you may behold him as he is But a godly and syncere Christian who stickes close vnto the word of God both in his iudgement and his practise being more abstemious from all kinde of sinue more diligent and frequent in all holy duties and more industrious to serue and please the Lord in all things then those who doe condemne reproach and censure him Hee that now sticks fast and close vnto the word of truth and will not be withdrawne from it hee that shewes forth the power and efficacy of grace in the constant holinesse of his life hee that is diligent and frequent in Gods seruice and squares his life and actions according to his word hee that makes a conscience of all his waies and workes and will not be so vitious and licentious so riotous and deboist so prophane dissolute and desperately wicked as other men hee and hee onely is the Puritan which is now so much condemned hee onely is the Puritan who now is made the very But and obiect of all mens hatred malice enuy scorne and disdaine hee onely is the Puritan whom you doe here accuse Take but away the vgly horrid and mishapen name and visard of a Puritan which doth now wholly ouercloud the persons on whom it is imposed and present them in a strange and different forme from what they are in truth and consider but the persons the liues the graces and the inside of those men who are reputed sor the greatest Puritans disrobed and vncased of the name it selfe and then the greatest and fierceest Ante-puritan of you all if his conscience be not strangly cauterized must bee forced to confesse that as it was with the Christians among the Gentiles so now it is with Puritans among such as seeme to be Christians Non scelus aliquod in causa est sed nomen et solius nominis crimen est that Puritans are hated contemned reproached accused and condemned not for any offence for any euill or wickednesse that is in them but onely for their name which is imposed on them onely for this end that men might the more freely persecute oppose dispise condemne and hate them for their holy liues And if that this seeme strange vnto you that men should be condemned hated reproached persecuted and accused for their graces and their holy liues consider then that euen from the beginning and from that time that God put
for to hinder it Wherefore since true and sauing Grace is of a permanent perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature it is impossible for those that haue this Grace as all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ must needs haue it or else they were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from it againe euen in respect of the very nature of Grace it sâ—…lfe Lastly it is altogether impossible for such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace in respect of the many dangerous consequents which else would ineuitablie follow vpon the contrary and that both in respect of the Trinity in respect of the true Saints of God in respect of grace and in respect of the Church of God in generall but specially of our Church of England First these dangerous consequents would follow euen in respect of the Trinitie and Dietie it selfe For first it would deâ—…ogate from the honour of the Trinitie What greater dishonour could there be vnto the whole Trinitie What greater dishonour to Father Sonne and holy Ghost then this that they should suffer any of those Saints whom they haue chosen for themselues and vndertaken to preserue and keepe to â—…all from grace â—…hat they should begin to build the fabricke of grace in men and yet be vnwilling or vnable for to make an end that they should make so many absolute couenants and promises to preserue and keepe the Saints from falling and not performe their words that they should giue true grace to men and yet repent them of these gifts and take them quite away that they should owne such for their followers their seruants and attendants their children and their friends as should disgrace them by their falls and bring a scandall vpon the profession of their names What would Atheists what would Heathens say if they should heare of this position that the true Saints of God may apostacie and fall away from grace would they not say that it were farre better to haue no God at all that it were farre better to haue an Idoll God then such a God as this as either will not or cannot keepe his Saints from falling from him Certainely this very Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints dishonours all the Trinitie in all their sacred and most glorious attributes yea it depriues God of his Dietie it puls him from his throane and sets vp man aboue him it makes God to be no God at all or at least to be no better then an Idoll or an idle God Wherefore in respect of this dishonor which elâ—…e would light vpon the whole Trinitie this Doctrine of the perseuerance of the Saints must needes be true Secondly if the true regenerate Saints of God might Apostatize and fall away from grace it would derogate much from the word and promise of God and Christ. For they haue promised to preserue all such as are once truly regenerated and to keepe them from falling they haue promised that their graces shall not faile that they will giue them perseuerance to the end that they will finish the worke of grace begun within them that they will preserue them blamelesse to the day of Christ and keepe them so that they shall neuer perish but haue euerlasting life as I haue pâ—…oued at large before If then the Saints of God might either finally or totally â—…ll from grace where then were the truth of God and Christ where were the performance of their word and promises wee might then say that all these promises of God were but false and counterfeite and so we should make God and Christ no better then the Diuell himselfe who is a lyar and the father of lyes Iohn 8. 44. Yea I may boldly say that this assertion of the Apostacie of the Saints would quite ouerthrow the whole frame and fabricke of the word of God For take the whole Scripture from the beginning to the very end of it the whole frame and fabricke of it serues to no other end and purpose but to take away all from man in matters of grace and to attribute all to God that so he only and not man might haue the praise and glory of all Now this assertion of the Apostacie of the Saints it takes all away from God and attributes all to man that so man might glory in himselfe onely and not in the Lord. It giues a man free will to reiect or receiue grace at the first and it giues him full power and ability to reiect or to retaine grace after hee hath receiued it it takes away Gods prouidence kingdome soueraigntie and power ouer man it exempts man wholly from his jurisdiction it makes man an absolute creature it makes him a God and Lord ouer himselfe whereas the Scripture dorh take man of from his owne legges and subiects him wholly vnto God in whose hands his life his thoughts his will his waies and all his actions are and so it dissolues and ouerturnes the whole frame and fabricke of the Scriptures and strikes at the very foundation and roote of all religion Wherefore this Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints can neuer be admitted to bee tâ—…ue euen in this respect and so my present assertion must be sound and orthodox Thirdly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the great goodnesse and the infinite mercy and loue of God vnto his children For if those Saints of God might fall quite away from grace where then were the exceeding riches of Gods mercy where were the gratiousnesse and infinite goodnesse of his nature where were the freenesse the constancy and vnchangablenesse of his loue If you obiect that the fault is not in the loue of God to them but in their want of loue to him I answere first that Gods loue to them is free and voluntary Hosea 14. 5. I will loue them freely therefore if God should quite withdraw his loue from them for their disobedience vnto him this freenesse of Gods loue would be much tainted and blemished and the breach would light on God Secondly Gods loue to them is the cause of their loue to him 〈◊〉 Iohn 4. 10. 19. and it is the loue mercy of God which should preserue and keepe the saints in obedience loyalty and subiection vnto him yea God himselfe hath promised to preserue their whole spirit soule and body blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thâ—…s 5. 23 24. If therefore God should suffer them to sin against him and so to incurre his displeasure whereas hee hath vndertaken to preserue them blamelesse vnto the comming of Iesus Christ the breach must bee first on Gods part in suffering them to sinne and not on theirs who hath no power of their owne without the power and ayde of God to keepe themselues from sinne
time for to suruey them or hauing an higher conceite of other mens learning then his owne he trusted vnto their quotations and thence he was deceiued And this is not vnlikly For I finde all M. Mountagues quotations one only excepted to wit that of Clement in his constitutions recorded verbatim by that famous Arminian Bertius in his booke de Apostatia sanctorum neither are they to be found in any mans works but his Indeed Mr. Mountague in his Gagge cap. 20 would make the world beleeue that he did quote his Fathers not out of their owne workes but out of Bucer and other Protestant Diuines but to tell you the truth these quotations are not to be found in Bucer or in any other Protestant Diuine but only in that infamous and arch Arminian Peter Bertius out of whom Mr. Mountague hath transcribed them verbatim Only herein is the difference Bertius hath recorded these quotations in Latine Mr. Mountague hath translated some of them verbatim into English Bertius he cites many sentences and more Fathers then Mr. Mountague doth who hath culled out the eminentest and choycest of them And because all the world shall know that I wrong not Mr. Mountague I will compare his quotations and Bertius his quotations together Mr. Mountague in his Gagge pag. 165. 166. quotes Ignatius the ancientest Father this day extant the selfe-same quotation you shall finde in Bertius in his Apostatia Sanctorum pag. 90. Mr. Mountague quotes Tertullian de Prescript cap. 3. Gagge pag. 166. 167. So doth Bertius in the selfe-same words pa 96. So he quotes Cyprian Epist. 7. Gagge 167. So doth Bertius pag. 98. So hee quotes Nazianzen Gagge 168. So doth Bertius in the same words pag. 99. 100. So hee quotes Hierome lib. 2. advers Pelagianos Gagge 168 the selfe-same quotation you shall finde in Bertius pag. 100. So he quotes St. Gregory lib. 6. in 1 Regum you shall finde the same in Bertius pag. 103. So hee quotes St. Augustine de corrept Gratia cap. 13. Gagge 168. Apeale 27. for the booke de bono Persue and lib. 11. de Ciu. Dei cap. 12. Appeale 27. the selfe-same quotations are in Bertius pag. 102. and in Bellarmine lib. 3. de Iustif. cap 14. So hee quotes Prosper resp 7. ad cap. Gallorum Appeale 2â—… you shall finde the selfe-same words and quotation in Bertius pag. 102. so he quotes Cyprian de vnitate Ecclesiae Athanasius lib. 4. cont Arrian Basil epist ad Chilonem in the margent Appeale 36. The selfe-same quotations are in Bertius pag. 97. 98. 99. Thus hath our lëarned Mr. Mountague who vaunts so much of his skill and knowledge in the Fathers transcribed them verbatim out of Bertius Nay I will say more he hath transcribed all he hath touching this point of falling from grace either in his Gagge or in his Appeale yea his very argument from our 16. Article out of Bertius let him disproue it if he can and therefore it is no meruaile that Mr. Mountague avoucheth the totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints to bee the Tenet of Antiquitie of the Protestants in Germany and of the Church of England because that Bertius saith so to out of whom he did transcribe it But whether Mr. Mountague bee an honest innocent and harmelesse man and one that seekes only the peace of the Church in dealing thus I leaue it vnto others for to judge I come now to giue a short answer to these Fathers which Mr. Mountague hath cited out of Bertius As for Clement and Ignatius there is a great question whether they are spurious and abortiue yea or no and most Protestant Diuines not without good cause thinke them to be meere forgeries and so their authorities are but little worth But admit them to bee true yet they proue nothing against vs. For that of Ignatius that one and the same man is sometimes the childe of God and againe the childe of the diuell is no more but this in substanee that the childe of God doth sometimes fall into sinne and so in the judgement and repute of men is sometimes the childe of God and at other times the childe of the diuell but not in Gods esteeme if you reade the place you shall finde this to bee the meaning as for the other places they are impertinent and need no answer As for that of Clement it is nothing to the purpose for hee saith not that the holy Spirit is wholly deuided from any man that euer had it but if hee bee diuided hee leaueth them destitute c. That of Tertullian if you reade all the chapter is expresse for vs for it is no more in briefe then this that hypocrites fall away from God but such as are truly regenerated doe still continue with him That of Cyprian is no more then this that men must vse the meanes to preserue their graces That of Nazianzen is no more then this the ordinary and common gifts of Gods Spirit as prophecie and a royall minde may bee lost That of Hierome and Gregorie is only this in substance that wee cannot know whether other men shall perseuere because we know not their estates and therefore wee cannot call them happy before their death The Epistle of Basil ad Chilonem is but a meere exhortation to perseuerance there is not one word in it that a regenerate man may fall from grace That of Prosper is spoken only of such as were regenerated in shew and not in truth and so is that of Augustine de bono Perseu cap. 13. That of Augustine de Ciui dei Is nothing to purpose for he saith not that all the Saints of God doe not perseuere but that all of them know not certainly whether they shall perseuere that is they are not certaine of their perseuerance with the certainty of knowledge but yet they are sure of it with the certainty of faith as the Protestants in the Disputation of Ratishon pag. 511. haue expounded it So that all which these Fathers say proues nothing at all against mee if it be well examined and if Bertius or Mr. Mountague had dealt ingeniously and not cited the Fathers by peece-meale the very places which they alledge would either not make for them or else make against them Well then to end this controuersie I dare defend it against any man that either all or at least most of the Fathers are expresse and strongly for vs let these their testimonies which I haue cited out of their owne records and not at the second hand determine it and this I will say withall that there is neuer a Father which being rightly vnderstood doth make any jot against vs. Wherefore seeing that this totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints is but an vpstart doctrine among vs quite contrary to the whole streame and current of the Fathers I will conclude with that golden rule and saying of an ancient Father Vincentius Lerinensis by name who flourished about the yeare of our Lord
I know not any particular man sure I am that they are neither the best nor greatest nor yet the learnedest in our Church and therefore vnlesse that Mr. Mountague will arrogate and monopolize this title of the learnedest in the Church of England vnto himselfe alone which hee is very like to doe because he doth debase the chiefest worthies of our Church with such vile scandalous reproachfull and vnderualuing termes and checke correct reiect and vse them at his pleasure though alas good man hee is not worthy for to be their scholler hee must pardon vs though we beleeue him not in this That the learnedest in the Church of England haue alwayes held that faith once had may bee both totally and finally lost for you see that I haue proued it to be a meere forgery and vntruth that was neuer published and recorded by any member of the Church of England but himselfe But now Mr. Mountagne tells vs that they were the learnedest in the Church of England that drew composed and agreed the Articles in 52. and 62. that ratified them in 71. that confirmed them againe in 640. Well what if this be granted though perchance there might be some question of it All these saith hee haue and doe assent vnto Antiquity in this Tenent and subscribe it truly or in hypocrisie Well I grant it for all Antiquity as I haue formerly proued hath concurred with me in this assertion Yea but Mr. Mountague saith otherwise and therefore I must take his meaning not his words to wit that the learnedest in the Church of England haue agreed ratified and confirmed it that Faith once had may be both totally and finally lost But how doth this appeare O saith hee obsegnatis tabulis by the expresse words of the 16. Article so that now the second and the maine thing which I haue to proue is only this That the Articles of the Church of England but specially the 16. Article doe not proue Mr. Mountagues assertion of a totall and finall fall from gracâ—… This will euidently appeare first by the very title of the 16. Article which is only this of sinne after Baptisme The Title doubtlesse of euery Article compriseth the very pith scope and substance of the Article as well as the title of our Homilies doth of the Homilies else they were very injudicious and not the learnedest in the Church of England who imposed it and you an injudicious and shallow-pated scholler to draw arguments from titles as you haue done from the Title of an Homily if therefore this title and the 16. Article suite together the 16. Article must needs bee only intended of sinne after Baptisme and not of a totall or finall fall from grace Secondy as the title of the Article so the very words the very scope and end of the Article proue as much For the very scope and end of the 16. Article as any man that hath his eyes in his head may discerne at first was but to condemne two sorts of Heretickes First such as hold that after men are once regenerated they cannot sin as the Nouatians Iouinians and Catharists did and as some Brownists doe hauing reference to the 15. Article going immediatly before which concludes that all men besides Christ though regenerate were sinners Now this appeares by the conclusion of the 16. Article therefore they are to bee condemned which say they can no more sinne as long as they liue here Secondly to condemne such as denie place of forgiuenesse and reconciliation to such as commit any grosse and scandalous sinne after Baptisme though they are truly penitent for the same as the Montanists and Nouatians did in the primatiue Church and as some Anabaptists and Brownists doe now which appeares by the conclusion of the Article from the former praemises Therefore they are to be condemned which say they can no more sinne as long as they liue here or deny place of forgiuenesse to such as truly repent This then being the only substance end scope of our 16. Article to condemne these two sorts of heretickes there is nothing as yet to bee found in it which makes either for a totall or a finall fall from grace If then there be any thing in this Article making for it then it must needs be these bare words of the Article abstracted and wrested from their genuine and proper scope and sense After we haue receiued the holy Ghost wee may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and by the grace of God wee may rise againe and amend our liues But these words torment and racke them to the vtmost they warrant not this Doctrine of a totall or finall fall from grace at least they warrant it not in that declaratory and positiue manner and in plaine and expresse words as Mr. Mountague affirmes they doe For first here is not so much as one word of falling either totally or finally from the state of grace and justification into the state of death and damnation not so much as one word that faith once had may either totally or finally bee lost againe Now they are your owâ—… words Mr. Mountague the words are not direct which are not expresse so say I that is not the plaine positiue declaratorie and expresse Doctrine of the Articles which is not deliuered in positiue plaine absolute and expresse tearmes this Doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace is not so deliuered in these words in this 16. Article therefore it is but your bare and wrested collection and not the expresse doctrine of the Article Secondly the very words themselues will not beare that doctrine which you would thrust vpon them in any good grammaticall construction For what good Grammarian is there that would giue this construction to these words After wee haue receiued the holy Ghost we may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne that is wee may fall quite away from the state of grace into the state of damnation as if that euery departure from grace and euery fall into sinne were a falling totally from the state of grace Euery man I hope will grant that the committing of any sinne is a departure from grace in respect of that particular sinne be it but a sinne of infirmity he that commits the least sinne departs from grace and falls into sinne and yet hee doth not presently fall from the state of grace into the state of damnation A man may depart from the act of grace aud yet retaine the habit still a man may fall into finne and yet not fall from the state of grace into the state of damnation hee may recedere depart as our Article affirmes and yet not excedere fall quite away from grace giuen so that the very words will not necessarily no nor impliedly beare that sense the which you giue them because a man may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne and yet not fall either totally or finally from the state of grace Secondly
1555. Pariâ—…is 1554. 1 Coâ—… 5. Ephs. 1. Rom. 8. John 5. Psal. 19. Ps. 114. Tom. 3. fol. 1. Tom. 2. sol 49. Coloniae 1616. Tom. 2. Tom. 3. 〈◊〉 4. Maâ—… 6. Iohn 17. Iohn 10. 2 Tim. 2. Parisâ—…s 1581. Tom. 1. Tom. 3. Tom. 4. Tom. 3. 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 8. Duari `1577 ' fol. 26â—… 〈◊〉 139. Rom. 11. 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 1 Iohn 12. Lugduin 1623. Iohn 5. 24. 〈◊〉 1587. Rom. 8. 29 2â—… Rom. 9. Parisâ—…s 1619 Tom. 2. Colonia 1512. Tom. 5. Tom. 6. Coloniae 1612. Toâ—… 1. Antwerpiae 1616. Math. 7. Rom 8. Psal. 72. Gen. 32. Psal. 72. Prou. 8. Math. 28. 20. Psal. 27. 1 Iohn 3. Rom. 7. Ezech. 36. 27. Ier. 32. 40. Gagge p. 158. Appeale 27. 〈◊〉 159. 165. Cont. Heraâ—… cap. 39. Edit Costâ—…ri Gaggâ—… 158. 159. Gagge pag. 170 171. Appeale pag. 18. Tit. 1. 1. Ezech 12. 3â—… Rom. 5. a Concord Lutherans pag. 12. Obiect Answ. b Concord Luthera pag. 310. 574. c Advers Haer. lib. 1. cap. 1. pag. 22. 23. d Zanch. Tom. 7. part 1. pag. 387. Obiect Gagge pag. 158. 159. Answ. Tom. 7. operum part 1. pag. 372. Gagge p. 158. 159. 〈◊〉 Pag. 569. Pag. 573. Pag. 600. Pag 602. 771. Pag 774. Pag. 780. Pag. 787. Tom. 7. pag. 373. 374. Apeaie pag. 71. Gagge 171. The Church of England Gagge pag. 158. Appeaâ—…e 28. Appeale pag. 26 28 29 30 31 36 37 73. Appeale pag 28. 29. Appeale pâ—…g 32 33 34 35. Appeale pag. 28 30 123. Appeale pag. 71 27. Appeale pag. 31 Obiect Answ. Appeale 28. Appeale pag. 28. Appeale 32. App. pag. 36. 37. Appeale 259. Obiect Answ. Appeale pag. 〈◊〉 56. 71. 72. Appeale 32. The tytle of Analysis Appeale 30. 31. Pag. 24. Pag. 41. 42 43 44. Appeale pag. 28. Appe pag. 260. App pa. 36 37. App. pag. 29. App pi 32 33. Appeale p. 257. Appeale 27 28. Answ. Obiect Obiect Answ Appa 260 261. Obâ—…ct Pag. 〈◊〉 28. to 37. and 73. Answ. Biblioth Histor lib. 2. sect 56. Appeale pag 2â—… 28. 36. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. 1 Iohn 3. 9. Math. 7. 18. Math. 24. 24. Marke 13. 22. Gal. 5. 17. Psa. 125. 1. Obiect Answ. Answ. a Rom. 8. 35. to the end b Rom. 14. 8. c 2 Cor. 5. 1 8. d Phil. 1. 21 23 e 2 Tim. 1. 12. f 2 Tim. 4. 18. g 2 Tim 4. 7 8. Answ. Obiect Answ. 1 Cor. 12. 1. to 11. 〈◊〉 Math. 7. 22. 23. Obiect Answ. Answ. Answ. Obiect Answ. Math. 13. Math. 3. 12. Luke 3. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 20. 21. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. a Contr. Arian 〈◊〉 4. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maâ—…tyr 〈◊〉 quaest Quâ—…st 98. Maior Dei meâ—… 〈◊〉 est cur 〈◊〉 quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miniâ—… 〈◊〉 Answ. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rom. 11. Answ. Obiect Answ. Answ. 1 Pet. 1. 9. Answ. Answ. Answ. Answ. Answ. Answ. Iames 16 7. Math. 11. 24. Answ. Obiect Answ. Answ. Heb. 13. 6. Answ. Ansâ—… Answ. Rom. 7. 25. Answ. 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. Answ. Rom. 8. 39. 34. Gal. 5. 24. Col. 3. 5. Obiect Answ. a Psal. 37. 24. b Rom. 14. 4. c 2 Cor. 4. 9 10. d 2 Cor. 6. 9. 10. e Luke 10. 30. f Reu. 3. 2. g Lib. 4. Epist. Epist. 2 Antoniano fratri h Isai. 42. 3. Math. 12. 20. Reu 2. 2 3 4 5 6. 9 13 14. 15 19 20. i 2 Chron. 19. 2 3. k Reu 3. 2. 8. Ephes. 4. 4 5. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 39. Rom. 6. 9. Reu. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Heb. 9. 14. Obiect Answ. 1. 1 Cor. 15 55. Rom. 7. 8 9. Hosea 2. 19. Math. 19. 7 a 2 Sam. 7. 14. 〈◊〉 Ps. 89. 26. to 38. b Prou. 3. 12. c 1 Cor. 11. 32. Heb. 12. 6. to 12 d Mich. 7. 18. e Psa 103. 8 9 10 13. Mal. 3. 17. Rom 8. 2. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Mich. 7. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 8. De 〈◊〉 et lib. 〈◊〉 tract Answ. 1. Answ. 1 Cor. 11. 27. 29. Math 3. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 12. Iohn 3. 8. Ephes. 5. 25. 26. a Ier. 31. 31. 32. b Ezech. 36. 26. to 30. c Ier. 31. 31. d 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 4. 11. d Tert. de Baptis lib. cap. 5. Basil Exhortatio ad baptis Oratio 1. Gregor Nyss. Oratio de baptismo Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Arti. 27. Obiect Answ. Appeale 34. 35. Obiect Answ. Obicct Answ. Answ. Ephes. 1. 14. Rom. 4. 16. Answ. Answ. Answ. Obiect Answ. Answ. Answ. Answ Answ. Answ. Obiect Answ. 2 Sam. 12. 7. 13 1 Pet. 1. 23. 1 Iohn 3. 9. Psal. 37. 24. Obiect Answ. a Gen. 47. 9. b Iob 40. 4. 42. 5. c Isai. 6. 5. d Luke 5. 8 9. e Rom. 7. 14. 18. 24. Obiect Answ. Answ. Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 26. 75. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. Answ. Rom. 9. 22. Obiect Answ. a Contr. Har. lib 1. Tom. 3. Har. 38. Answ. Answ. Obiect Answ. Gal 〈◊〉 24. 〈◊〉 5 3. a 2 Cor. 5. 15. b Reu. 1. 5. 1 Peâ—… 2. 5. c 1 Cor 6. 19. d Iam 1. 27. Rom. 5. 5. Answ. Rom. 5. 5. 2 Coâ—… 5. 1. 6. 8. 9. Answ. Psal. 〈◊〉 1. Ro. 〈◊〉 â—…7 a Irenâ—…us aâ—…u bâ—…r lib. 1. cap. 1. b Concordia Iuâ—…erana pag. 310. 574. 〈◊〉 Pet. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Vse 1. Math. 6. 20. â—…se 2. Rom. 8. 38 39. Phil. 4. 4. Reu. 20. 6. Psal. 46. 1. to 5. Luk. 21. 25. 25. Isai. 2. 10. 19. 21 Luk. 21. 26. 28.