body of sinne are wholly destroyed by the passion of Christ to no other end and purpose but that their consciences might beo purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring fotth fruites vnto God that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues that they might bee a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes that they might serue him in holinesse and true righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues that Christ might present them vnto himselfe a glorious and holy Church without spot blemish or wrinckle it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace because else Christ should dye in vaine and not obtaine the end the fruite and substance of his death and passion But out of all those that are once truly regenerated the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed 1 Iohn 3 8 the power of 〈◊〉 and the body of sinne are quite destroyed by the death and passion of Christ. Hebr 2 14 15. Rom 6 6 and their soules are purified and washed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ. Reuel 1 5. Tit 3 5. to the onely end and purpose that their consciences might be purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebr 9 14 that they being dead vnto sinne might liue vnto righteousnesse and bring forth fruite vnto God Rom 7 4. 1 〈◊〉 2 24 that they might liue together with Christ and vnto Christ alone and not vnto themselues or sinne Rom 6 6. 2 Cor 5 15. 1 Ephes 5 10 that they might be a peculiar people vnto God zealous of good workes Tit 2 14. That they might serue him in holinesse righteousnesse without feare all the dayes of their liues Luke 1 74 75 that they might liue and dye vnto the Lord and that both liuing and dying they might bee his Rom 148 that Christ might present them vnto himselfe an holy Church without spot or blemish or wrinckle Ephes. 5. 26 27. and so it is altogether impossible that they should euer totally or finally fall from grace Secondly as the death and passion of Christ so likewise his perpetuall intercession vnto his Father for all his true and faithfull members may assure us of the truth of this positition from which I frame this second argument Those for whom Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father that they may continueally perseuere it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But Christ himselfe doth make perpetuall intercession to his Father for all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him that they may alwaies perseuere therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For the Maior proposition no man can deny it vnlesse he will maintaine as the Rhemists did in their conference at Hahge that God doth not alwaies heare the intercession of Christ and grant him his requests which is blasphemous in it selfe and contrary to the Scripture For Iohn 11. 41 42. Christ doth giue thankes vnto his Father for that he hath heard him and I know saith he Father that thou hearest me alwaies â—…oubtlesse if God will grant vs whatsoeuer we our selues shall desire and pray for in the name of Christ as he hath promised to doe Iohn 14. 13 14. Cap. 16. 23. 24. much more then will he grant that thing which Christ himselfe shall petition to him for And if God should not alwaies grant whatsoeuer Christ should now desire and request of him Christs intercession would be fruitlesse and to little purpose and we our selues should haue but little benefit or comfort from it Now for the Minor proposition that Christ doth alwaies make intercession to his Father for all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him it is plaine and euident by Iohn 16. 26. Rom. 8. 24. Hebr. 2. 17. cap. 4. 14. 15 16. cap. 7. 25. and cap. 9. 24. And that this his intercession is for their constant continuall perseuerance it is euident Luke 22. 32 33. where Christ tells Peter that he had prayd for him that his faith might not faile which prayer of Christ extends to all his faithfull member aswell as vnto Peter by that of Iohn 14. 15. 16. where Christ himselfe doth certifie vs that he will pray vnto his Father for all his Saints and that he shall giue them another comforter which shall abide and dwell and be in them and with them for euer and also by that prayer of his Iohn 17. 11 15 21 23 24. where hee prayes thus for his Apostle and afterwards for all true beleiuers Holy Father keepe them thorough thy owne name those whom thou hast giuen vnto mee that they may be one as we are one I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill and that they may all bee one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in vs and that the world may know that thou 〈◊〉 sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that those also whom thou hast giuen mee be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This is also intimated by the Apostle Hebr. 7 25. where speaking of Christ he saith thus of himselfe wherfore hee is able also to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Those for whom Christ himselfe doth pray and interceede they shall be saued to the vttermost no man shall condemne them or seperate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord because that Christ himselfe is euen at the right hand of God alwaies making intercession for them Rom. 8. 33. to the end of the chapter Christ hath prayed heretofore and doth now continually make intercession to his Father for all such as are once his true and faithfull members that they may alwaies perseuere continue constant in the state of grace and therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace If it be obiected that this prayer of Christ doth onely tend to keepe them from a finall but yet not from a totall fall from grace I answere that it is not so but that this prayer of Christ extends to preserue them from a totall aswell as from a finall fall First because Christ doth pray that their faith might not faile now if they might fall totally from grace then their faith should faile yea that numericall faith which once they had should vtterly be lost for that faith which they haue by their new inscision into Christ is not the same numericall faith which they had before for that
If a man had a deare intire friend who was like to perish vnlesse he did relieue and helpe him if now hee should absolutely promise him to sucour aud releiue him and then faile him at the last if now this man should perish the blame would now light vpon him that should haue helped him and not vpon him that perisheth God is able to keepe his Saints from falling from him Iude 24. and he hath promised for to doe it Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 155. 1. Psal. 121. 3 7 8. Psa. 145. 13 20. He that hath giuen vs grace hath promised to preserue and keep it for vs because we cannot doe it of our selues If then wee might loose this grace and fall quite from it the blame would light on God and on the whole Trinitie who are both able and onely able to preserue and keepe the saints from falling and haue likewise promised for to doe it and not on the saints themselues who are not able of themselues to keepe themselues in the loue of God and to preserue themselues from falling from him and therefore this your Doctrine can neuer bee admitted to be true Fourthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall quite away from the state of grace it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the Trinitie and from the vertue and efficacie of the meanes of grace For if these might fall from grace where then were the omnipotencie and mightie power of God and Christ which should preserue and keepe them through faith vnto saluation where were the efficacie and power of the holy Ghost where were the strength the life mighty operation of the word of God and of the meanes of grace which should conquer and subdve the very Prince of darknesse and trample him vnder feete which should cast downe imaginations the strong holds and forts of sinne and Iust and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ where were the efficacie and power of the death and passion of Iesus Christ which should destroy out of the Saints the workes of the Diuill the power of Satan and the whole body of sinne where were the efficacie power of that feare which God will put into their harts that they may not depart from him Certainely this assertion would derogate very much from the omnipotencie and mightie power of the whole Trininie and from the efficacy and power of grace and of the meanes of grace and therefore it cannot be admitted to be true and orthodox Fifthly if the saints of God might Apostatize and fall from the state of grace it would derogate much from the infinite justice and wisdome of almightie God For when as God shall haue once accepted of the death and passion of his only Sonne in full satisfaction for the sins of all his true and faithfull members when God shall promise for the merits of this his Son to pardon all their sins and to remember their iniquities no more when Christ shall purchase grace and all things appertaining to life and godlinesse when he shall purchase perseuerance heauen and eternall happinesse for them and God shall in his justice promise to make all these things good vnto them if after all this they should fall from grace and bee depriued of all these things which Christ hath purchased for them where then will this infinite justice of God appeare Yea where will his infinite wisdome bee Can it stand together with Gods infinite wisdome to discourage and deiect the hearts and soules of any of his saints to weaken and abate their loue to him and to make them cold and negligent in his seruice to bring a scandall vpon himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name which are the ineuitable consequencies of this your doctrine what justice or what wisdome would there be in God if this were true Doubtlesse very little or none at all and therefore this doctrine of perseuerance must be true Sixthly if the saints of God might fall from the state of grace it would much eclipse the efficacie of Christs death and passion and the vertue andr powe of his intercession Where were the efficacy where were the merits where were the end the worth and benefit of Christs death and passion if it could not saue men to the vtmost and preserue them from falling from the state of grace to what end and purpose would his death and passion serue If this were true then Christs should be but an imperfect Sauiour a Sauiour and yet no Sauiour a Iesus at one time for to saue vs and yet afterwards a Iudge for to condemne vs. Then a man might be oft times saued and oft times damned one howre in the state of grace another in the state of damnation a man might be ost times saued in one month in one weeke and in one day And if so where were the efficacie of the death where were the vertue of the intercession of Christ Christ by his death and passion hath purchased eternall redemption for his true and faithfull members and hath perfected those that are sanctified for â—…uer and now he is in heauen he makes perpetuall intercession to his Father for them to keepe them in his owne name to preserue them from euill and from falling from him If then those members of Iesus Christ might notwithstanding fall from the state of grace which once they haue the very death and intercession of Iesus Christ would bee of very little or of no effect and the very dearest of Gods saints â—…nd children could reape no benefit or comfort from them Seuenthly if this were true that the Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace it would make the sweete and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all Gods children to bee but a meere delusion and imposture or at least but a meere lying fancie and a vaine conceite For this I am well assured of that euery sanctfied growen and experienced christian which hath felt the working of Gods Spirit in his heart can testifie that the Spirit of God hath so sealed this truth vnto his soule and so firmely settled and ingrauen it in his heart that he can neuer depart away from God or fall finally or totally from grace Wherefore this position which would falsifie this working of Gods Spirit in the hearts and soules of all his faithfull children must needes be false and odious and cannot be admitted Eightly if this should be admitted that the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of the hearts and soules of all his saints it would much abate if not quite extinguishing the zeale and seruency of their loue to him If men could not bee sure of their owne saluation if they could not bee sure of Gods constant and immutable loue to them if they
mediation who is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse and iustication and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 31. and suspendeth all vpon our actuall repentance which is contrary to the Scriptures For when a man is once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ though hee doth afterwards commit sinne yet this sin of his is not imputed to him because God lookes vpon him as hee is in Christ who hath fully satisfied for all his sinnes both past present and to come Hence is that of the 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes Christ Iesus bee is our ransome and attonment Rom. 3. 24 25. and cap. 5. 11. it is hee that iustifieth who is he that condemneth Those who are once in him there is no condemnation due vnto them though they sinne Rom. 7. 25. cap. 8. 1. the law of the spirit of life in Christ bath made them free from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. and therefore they cannot perish for want of one particular act of repentance for one particular act of sinne as you pretend vnlesse that you will derogate much from the merits and satisfaction of Christ death Ninthly the Antecedent is false because it would make one act of sinne for to destroy an whole habit of grace which cannot bee for if it bee true of naturall acquisite and artificiall habits that one or two acts that are contrary to them cannot destroy them and that they are so setled rooted and grounded in those subiects in which they are that they are hard for to be lost againe or rooted out much more must it be true of diuine spirituall coelestiall and infused habits which are wrought in mens hearts by the holy Ghost that they cannot be rased or vtterly abolished by one actuall sinne or two especially when as they are not committed with a full consent Lastly I answer that this argument followes not because it doth suppose that true grace a grosse notorious and knowne sin can neuer stand together which is false and contrary to the Scriptures True it is that truth of grace and the whole body power and dominion of sinne can neuer stand together they are incompatible and cannot stand together vpon equall tearmes but yet vpon vnequall and different tearmes they may Truth of grace it cannot stand together with the dominion of sinne and satan or with the power and strength of sinne but where the kingedome of sin and Satan is shaken and brought vnder where the power and strength of sinne is curbed weakned mortified and subdued by the power and strength of grace where sin and Satan are subordinate to grace as they are in all the true regenerate Saints of God who haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof there they are not incompatible they may stand both together There is no man in the world so thoroughly mortified and sanctified but there are still some remainders of the dody of sinne some parts of the old man left within him Euery regenerate man hath flesh in him as well as spirit and the one of these is alwaies lusting and striuing against the other so that they cannot doe the things they would Gal. 5. 16 17. See this in holy Paul Rom. 7. 15. to the end I know saith hee that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but how to performe that which is good I find not For the good that I would I do not but the euill that I would not that I do I finde then a law that when I would doe good euill is present with mee for I delight in the law of God after the inward man but I see another law in my members â—…arring against the law of my minde and bringing mee into captiuity to the law of finne which is my members which makes mee to cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ. So then with the minde I my selfe doe serue the law of God but with my flesh the law of sinne Paul had a body of sinne within him not wholly mortified and subdued and yet it stood together with his graces and with his inwardman So Dauid and Peter they committed grieuous sinnes and yet they stood together with their graces as I shall proue anon The Churches of Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira they fell into such scandalous and grosse sins as made God angry with them and yet they did not fall from grace for they did labour still in the Lords worke without fainting they did hold fast his name and suffer persecution for his sake they did not deny the faith but they kept their faith their charity and patience still of which God takes speciall notice and their last workes were more then their first Reu. 2. 3. to 21. These Churches they had many great sinnes within them and yet they had many excellent and pretious graces ioyned with them Iehoâ—…aphat may commit a great siâ—…ne against the Lord in helping of the vngodly and in louing those that hate the Lord and yet there are good things found within him still 2 Chron. 19. 2 3. The acts of great infamous and notorious sinnes doe sometimes meete and stand together in the Saints of God but the dominion and the power the strength and babits of those finnes doe neuer The Saints of God may commit such grosse and scandalous sins which are in their owne nature peccata 〈◊〉 â—…alutis vastantia 〈◊〉 as Augustine and 〈◊〉 stile them but yet they neuer doe so wast their consciences and spoile their graces as to roote out the very feeds and habits of their graces to cut them off from Christ and to disturbe them in their state of grace because they neuer doe commit them with an absolute and full consent and will they neuer commit them out of a deliberate purpose and setled resolution but the very bent and frame of their hearts and soules and of their inward man which is their selfe is alwaies set and bent against them and turned to the Lord they hate their sinnes and resolue against them from their soules though now and then out of the strength of the temptation and out of the policy of satan they are suddainely foyled though not vtterly cast downe and conquered with them Wherefore seeing that this argument doth suppose that the seeds the habits and the truth of grace can neuer stand together with the acts of any grosse and knowne sinne which is but a meere fiction and notion of our Antagonists being ex diametro opposite to the expresse testimonie of the Scriptures and hauing nothing else but their ipsi diximus to warrant it there is just cause for to deny it both for the inconsequencies and falsenesse of it But because this very argument as I am informed hath
more death hath no more dominion ouer it Iohn 11. 25 26. and Rom. 6. 9. 10. 11. 14. it is a seed that proceeds from the very power of God and of the holy Ghost Rom. 15 13. 1 Cor. 2. 5. it is wrought in vs by the selfesame almighty power of God which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead and set him at the right hand of God in heauenly places Ephes. 1. 19. 20. and cap. 3. 20. therefore it cannot bee vanquished or destroyed by all the power and strength of sinne or Sathan the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it Math. 16. 18. this power and grace of Christ in vs is sufficient for vs it is stronger then sinne or Sathan it is able to vanquish and subdue them and to treade and bruise them vnder our feet 2 Cor. 10. 4. 5. cap. 12. 9 10. Rom. 16. 20. Ephes. 6. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 4. and cap. 5. 4 5. No sinne that the Saints of God commit doth vtterly destroy and roote this seede of Grace out of their hearts it still abides within them and therefore they neuer sinne so farre as to put themselues into the state of damnation or to fall wholly or totally from the state of grace Hee who amidst the very greatest of his sinnes doth retaine the very habit and seed of grace within him it is certaine that he falls not wholly from the state of grace for for any man to fall totally from the state of grace and yet to retaine the very habit and seed of grace within him still is a plaine and manifest contradiction But the true regenerate Saints of God and such as are truly borne of God euen amidst the very greatest of their sinnes doe still retaine the habit and the seed of grace within them as is euident by the premises therefore it is certaine that they fall not wholly from the state of grace by these their sinnes Thirdly a true regenerate man can neuer sinne so farre as to fall totally from grace and to put himselfe into a state of death and damnation because he neuer sinnes so farre as to make himselfe a slaue or seruant vnto sinne though sinne be in him yet it is in him as a tyrant and a rebell not a King or a friend it rules and reignes not in him he obeyes it not in the lusts thereof he neuer yeelds vp himselfe as a seruant or a subject to it Rom. 6. 12. to 23. 2 Pet. 2. 19. Iohn 8. 34. though he walkes after the slesh or rather is drawne violently after the flesh sometimes yet he wars not after the flesh 2 Cor. 10. 3. hee is so farre from warring after it that he alwaies wars and fights against it the very sinne and euill which he doth commit is the sinne and euill which hee would not doe Rom. 7. 15. to the end and Gal. 5. 17. hee neuer sinnes with a full intire compleate resolued and deliberate will he neuer yeelds a full and perfect assent vnto his sinne there is a reluctancie reuitancie dislike and hatred of it in his soule and it his inner man and therefore he neuer sinnes so farre as to cast himselfe wholly downe from the state of grace and to put himselfe into the state of death and damnation Fourthly Regenerate men they neuer sinne so far as to fall totally from the state of grace no not for a time because they neuer sinne so farre as to seuere and cut off themselues from Christ. Those who euen then when as they do commit sinne and whiles they haue the remainders of the old man and of the body of sinne continuing in them continue still in Christ it is certaine that they are in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and dà mnation because he that is in Christ the spring and fountaine of all grace and life hath grace and life within him and he is wholly freed from the law of sinne and death Iohn 5. 24. 1 Iohn 5. 12. and Rom. 8. 2. But the true regenerate Saints of God euen then when as they doe commit sinne and whiles they haue the remainders of the old man and of the body of sinne continuing in them continue still in Christ as is euident by Rom. 7. 15. to the end compared with Rom. 8. 1 2. where Paul making mention of that perpetuall combate which is betweene the flesh and the spirit in euery true regenerate man who did with their minde serue the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne he concludes it with this Corollarie or inference There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit for though there be much sinne and corruption in them yet the law of the Spirit of life hath made them free from the law of sinne and death There is now no condemnation to them euen now whiles there is much sinne and corruption in them because they striue against this sinne and corruption they hate it and are grieued vnder it they obey and serue it not because there is an inner man a regenerate and sanctified part within them which God doth most respect which is alwaies grapling and contending with those corruptions and because they are still in Christ who hath freed them from the law of finne and death Therefore because the regenerate Saints of God euen then when as they doe commit siâ—…ne and whiles their corruptions are hanging on them are still in Christ Therefore it is certaine that they are in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and damnation Fiftly the true regenerate Saints of God when as they commit auy grosse and knowne sinne euen before their actuall and particular repentance for it are still in the state of life and grace and not in the state of death and damnation because they are still the elected Saints and the adopted sonnes of God and their names are still inrolled in the book of Life Those who are still the elected and adopted sons of God and haue their names inrolled in the Booke of Life it is certaine that they are alwaies in the state of grace and life and not in the state of death and damnation because their election and adoption they are altogether immutable they cannot be altered or changed no more then God himselfe But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are still the elected and adopted sonnes of God and their names are alwayes inrolled in the booke of Life Rom. 8. 29. 30. Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. Luke 10. 20. Phil. 4. 3. Heb. 12. 13. Reu. 13. 18. and infinite other places Therefore it is certaine that they are alwayes in the state of grace and life and not in the state of death and damnation yea euen then when as they lie in any grosse scandalous and knowne sin without any particular and actuall repentance Sixtly the true regenerate Saintâ—… of God
Cor. 3. 16 17. cap. 6. 19. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. and cap. 4. 17. the whole Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost abide and dwell in them for euer Ps. 68. 16. 2 Chron. 7. 16. Reu. 21. 3. Ephes. 2. 22. Iohn 14. 16 17. Math 28. 20. 1 Iohn 3. 24. Ephes. 3 17. and Col. 1. 27. and therefore when as they sinne against the Lord and lie in any knowne and scandalous sinne without repentance they are not in the state of death and condemnation but in the state of life and grace True it is that the members of Iesus Christ they may be feeble sicke and languishing for a time by reason of sin but yet they neuer die of sinne they are not seuered from their head and they neuer cease for to be members Christ Iesus himselfe he is their life their liues are inuolued and treasured vp in his Col. 3. 3 4. Iohn 11. 25 26. and 1 Iohn 5. 11 12 13. Christ Iesus hee is their life and liueth in them and the life which they now liue in the flesh they liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. and therefore Christ himselfe must cease to liue which cannot be because hee being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him ere the Saints of God who are his mèmbers and haue him for their life and soule can die and perish in their sinnes This I can with boldnesse testifie and affirme to the infinite and vnspeakable joy and comfort of euery true and faithfull member of Iesus Christ that it is as impossible for any one that is a true and liuing member of Iesus Christ to die and perish and to be broken off from him againe as it is for Christ himselfe to die or perish or to cease to bee For there is the same reason of the immortality and perpetuitie of euery faithfull Christian and member of Iesus Christ as there is of Christ himselfe The reason why the humane nature of Iesus Christ is immortall and perpetuall and can die no more is because it is vnited and knit vnto the Deitie because it is animated quickned and inliuened by the eternall Spirit of God Now euery true regenerate Saint of God is vnited and knit vnto the Deity it selfe as well as Christs humane nature through the humanitie of Christ though not in the same degree as wee may see expresly Ephes. 2. 20 21 22. cap. 4. 13. 16. Col. 2. 19. and 2 Pet. 1. 4. The selfe-same Almightie power of God that raised vp Christ from the dead and the very selfe-same Spirit of God which did animate quicken and inliuen Christ himselfe doth raise vp animate quicken and inliuen euery true and faithfull member of Iesus Christ euen as the same soule doth animate and informe euery part and member of the same body and as the selse-same sappe doth nourish the grift and the branches which doth nourish the stocke and the roote as wee may reade in expresse tearmes Ephes. 1. 19 20. cap. 2. 18 cap. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Rom. 8. 2. 9. 11. 1 Iohn 4. 17. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 1 2. 4 5 6. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Iohn 1. 4. 16. cap. 17. 21. 22. 23. and infinite other places and therefore seeing that all such as are the true and faithfull members of Iesus Christ haue the same vnion with the Deitie the same life soule and spirit to animate and quicken them as the humanity of Christ hath seeing that Iesus Christ himselfe is their life and that they liue and moue in him and by him seeing they are the house and remple the habitation and dwelling of the whole Trinitie it is certaine that no sinnes which euer they doe commit can euer raze them or destroy them can euer seuer or cut them off from Christ can euer wholly extinguish the life of grace within them or cast them downe from the state of grace into the state of death and damnation no not for one minute noâ—… for that scantling of time which comes betweene their sinne and their actuall and particular repentance for it Let all the diuells in hell combine and plot together they cannot solue or answere this reason here alledged But now here comes in a threefold and 〈◊〉 objection First that those sinnes which the Saints of God commit they are mortall and deadly in themselues Secondly that they are not forgiuen to the Saints before that they haue actually and particularly repented of them Thirdly that the Saints of God may dye and perish in them before any actuall and particular repentance for them and therefore the Saints of God so long as they lye in their sins without any actuall and particular repentance for them are in the state of death and damnation and not in the state of life and grace To the first of these I answer that it is true that the sins of the Saints of God are mortall and deadly in themselues and that they are so to all carnall and vnregenerate men who doe commit them but yet they are neuer mortall and deadly to the Saints If you consider the sinnes of the Saints as sins or as they are abstracted from the Saints then they are mortall and deadly and haue damnation attending on them but if you consider them as they are the sinnes of the Saints and as they haue their existence and being in the Saints they are not mortall and deadly effectiuè vnto them First because these sinnes of theirs as I haue formerly proued are not imputed to them but they are alwaies imputed to done away in Christ. Secondly because the sting and venom of these sinnes of theirs is taken away in Christ for as the sting of death is sinne so the strength of sinne is the law without which 〈◊〉 it selfe is dead Now Iesus Christ by his death and passion hath fulfilled and abrogated the law for all his Saints hee hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law being made a curse for them he hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against them and taken it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse hee hath freed them from the law of sin and death and hath taken away the poyson the strength and sting of sinne and death as we may reade Gal. 4. 5. cap. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 2. cap. 10. 4. Col. 2. 14. 15. Heb. 2. 14. and 1 Cor. 15. 57. and therefore they can boldly and victoriously cry out O death where is thy sting ô sinne where is thy victory and thy poyson becanse that Christ hath pulled out the sting of sinne and allayed the poyson that was in it so that it cannot hurt or kill him Thirdly though the sins of the Saints are mortall in themselues yet God will take no aduantage against them for them hee will pardon and forgiue them hee will passe them by and remember them no more and hee will
other sacred attributes vnto him without any deminution or ecclipse at all the only way to doe it is for to maintaine the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints For if it bee impossible for those who are once truly regenerated and sanctified to fall from grace as wee affirme it for to be then your surmise of clearing Gods iustice when they fall away is out of doores and comes not into question and so Gods iustice mercy goodnesse honour wisdome truth and power are not only not so much as once tainted and ecclipsed but likewise highly magnified in the continuall perseuerance and preservation of the Saints And thus I hope I haue so fully cleared the absolutenesse of all Gods promises and so fully vindicates them from those false glosses and sophismes of the opposites which did obscure and delude them that now they may giue full and perfect assurance to euery Christian soule that is become a true member of Iesus Christ that he shall neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace The third thing in these promises of God which may assure vs of the truth of this assertion is Gods ability to performe them If wee had so many great and gratious promises as these from God if God were not able to performe them to the vttermost wee could then take but little ioy and comfort in them but now God is omnipotent he is able to make good his promises and to performe them to the vtmost title and circumstance and therefore this may comfort and reioyce our hearts Lastly all these promises of God they are exceeding faithfull and true and God is very just and faithfull in performing of them If a man had neuer so many great and goodly promi ses if they were not true but false and counterfeite there were then great cause and couler for to doubt of them and mens hearts and soules could take no true ioy and solid comfort in them because they could not rest and trust vpon them But now all these promises of God which I haue formerly mentioned to prouethe finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints they are exceeding faithfull and true proceeding from that God and spirit of truth which will not nor cannot lie vnto vs. All the promises of God they are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor 1 20. his couenant will he not breake nor alter the thing that is gon out of his mouth Hee hath 〈◊〉 in his holinesse that he will not lie vnto vs Psal 89 34 35. As God hath thought so shall it come to passe as he hath promised so shall it surely stand no man shall disaâ—…ll or turne that backe which hee hath promised and decreed Isay 14 24 27. God hath ratified all his promises with an oath and sealed them vnto vs euen in the blood of Iesus Christ to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his Councell and the truth of all his promises to the end that they might haue strong consolation and comfort in theÌ„ Heb 6 17 18. And as all these promises of God are true and faithfull in themselues so God will bee exceeding just and faithfull in performing them to the very least title and circumstance of them God will his truth to Iacob and his mercy to Israell which he hath sworne to our fathers in the dayes of old Micâ—… 7 20. The strength of Israel will not lie neither will he repent him of his word 1 Sam 15 29. Whatsoeuer he hath promised the will performe to the very vttermost title Heauen and earth may passe away but yet not so much as the least title of any of these promises which hee hath made vnto his Saints shall faile vntill it be fulfilled to the full Math 5 18 When God had promised to bring the children of Israell out of Egypt after foure hundred and thirty yeares it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares euen the selfe same day that God had promised that all the host of Israel went out of Egypt Exod 12 41 51 God did not faile them in this promise so much as in one day God hath alwaies bin so faithfull in the performance of his promises vnto his people that he did neuer so much as faile them in any circumstance wherfore Salomon in the period and perclose of that excellent and famous prayer of his at the consecration of the Temple doth vse this gratulatory speech to God Blessed be the Lord which hath geuen rest vnto his people Israel according to all that hee hath promised their hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his seruant Euery word and sillable that God hath spoken for the weale welfare of his children he will as certainly and faithfully performe as if he had actually performed it to them already Seeing then that wee haue so many absolute and sure so many true and faithfull promises which shall be performed to the vtmost sillable which may assure vs that such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace let vs wholy relie and depend vpon them let vs cast our selues and our soules vpon them And seeing there are so many things in God himselfe which may fully resolue settle vs in this truth let vs haue strong consolation and let vs runne that race of holinesse which is set before vs with ioy with comfort and assurance And though we may and ought to feare the falling into any sin whereby wee may offend the Lord and cause him for to scourge vs with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men yet let vs neuer feare or dreame of any finall or totall fall from grace when once we are but truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by faith because we haue God himselfe for our assurance that we shall neuer fall from him Secondly as it is altogether impossible in respect of God himselfe that those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith should either totally or finally fall from grace so is likewise altogether impossible in respect of Iesus Christ. Now in Iesus Christ himselfe there are these seuerall things which may assure vs of this potision First there is the efficacy metits and power of his death and passion whereby the power and strength of sinne the forts and holds of Satan are weakned and subdued in them whereby their soules are thoroughly purified and washed from all pollution of flesh and spirit and their sins and wickednesse for euer so vtterly abolished that they shall neuer appeare any more from which I frame this first argument Those out of whom the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed by the death of Christ those whose soules are purified and washed from all sinne by the blood of Christ. Those in whom the power of Satan and the whole
whose persons the holy Angels of God doe alwayes pitch their teâ—…ts and incampe themselues that they may deliuer them Those â—…uer whom the Lord doth giue his Angels charge to keepe them in all their wayes and to beare them vâ—… in their hands left they dash their feâ—…te against a stone it is vtterly impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace for how can they bee hurt whom a gard of Angels doth inviron how can they euer fall whom the holy Angels doe support and keepe from falling But about all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ the holy Angels doe alwayes pitch their tents and incampe themselues that they may deliuer them and ouer them the Lord hath giuen his Angels charge to keepe them in all their wayes and to beare them vp in their hands left they should daâ—… their feet against a stone Psal. 34. 7. Psal. 91. 11 12. Gen. 32. 12 2 King 6. 16 17. Math. 4. 11. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace This argument I doe not so much relye vpon because this protection of the Angels is principally of the bodies of the Saints but whether they haue any influence into the soules of the Saints to preserue them from sinne that I will leaue vnto the iudgement of the reader to determine Fiftly it is altogether impossible for those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace in respect of themselues and the many priviledges they doe enioy and of that present eâ—…tate and condition wherein they stand For first of all all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are partakers of the diuine Nature and they are borne of an immortall seed which still remaineth in them and cannot be rooted out From which I frame this argument Those which are partakers of a diuinâ—… nature and borne of an immortall seed which still remaines in them and cannot be rooted out it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace but all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are partakers of the diuine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and they are borne of an immortall seed which still remaines within them and cannot be rooted out 1 Pet. 1. 23. and 1. Io. 3. 9. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Secondly they are borne of God and are sonnes of God and therefore they can neuer fall from whence I thus argue Those that are the sonnes of God and are once truly borne of God it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For first if they are the sonnes of God then are they also heires and co-â—…eires together with Christ and shall be for euer glorified with him Rom 8. 17. Gal. 4. 6 7. Tit. 3. 7. Heb. 1. 14. cap. 2. 11 12. 1 Io. 1. 2. Secondly if they are sons then they shall abide in the house for euer and neuer be put â—…nt 〈◊〉 8. 36. Gal. 4. 30. Thirdly if once sonnes and borne of God then they cannot sinne and the seed of grace abides within them 1 Io. 3. 6. 9. Fourthly if once sonnes and borne of God then they shall stand fast for euer Psal. 125. 1. Eccles. 3. 14. Fiftly if once sonnes Iesus Christ hee liveth in them and the life which they then liue they liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal 2. 20. Sixtly if sonnes God then will neuer condemne them for their sinnes but hee will spare them euen aâ—… a father spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Mal. 3. 17. and Psal. 103. 8. to 15. But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are the sonnes of God Iohn 1. 12 13. Rom. 8. 14. to the 18. Gal. 4. 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Titus 3. 17. Heb. 2 16. 11 12. Iam. 1 18. 1 Io. 3. 2. 9. and therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Thirdly those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they are built vpon a rocks they are founded vpon Iesus Christ a sure corner stone which cannot be moued From whence I collect this third argument Those that are founded and built vpon a rocke and are founded vpon Christ himselfe that sure foundation and pretious corner stone it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace For the Scriptures are expresse in it that all such as are built and founded vpon Christ shall neuer be ashamâ—…d or confounded that though the raine descend and the flouds comâ—… and the windes blow and beate vpon them yet they shall not fall because they are founded vpon a Rocke Mat. 7 24 25. Luk. 6 48. 1 Cor. 3. 12. to the 15. 1 Pet. 2. 6. and Eph. 2. 2â—… But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are founded and built vpon a rocke and vpon Christ himselfe that sure foundation and pretious corner stone Math. 7. 24. 5. Luk. 6. 40. Eph. 2. 20 21. and 1 Pet. 2. 5 6. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Fourthly the Saints of God they haue a new heart a new spirit and a new nature put into them the law of God is written and ingrauen in their hearts with indelible Characters by the finger of Gods spirit from whence this fourth Argument may bee framed Those that haue a new heart a new nature and a new spirit put into them which will cause them to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them Those who are new men and new creatures and haue the law of God written and ingrauen in their hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit can neither finally nor totally fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they haue a new heart a new nature and a new spirit put into them which will cause them to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe his iudgements and doe them Psal. 51. 10. Exek 18. 31. cap. 36. 26 27. Io. 1. 13. They are new men and new creatures 1 Cor 5. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 3. 16. cap. 4. 21 22 23. Col. 3. 8 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 4. And the law of God is written and ingrauen in their hearts by the finger of Gods Spirit Ier. 31. 33 34. Hebr. 8. 10. cap. 10. 16. 17. Therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Fiftly the Saints of God haue ouercome the world they are taken out of the world and made men of another world they are translated from death to life and shall not come into condemnation From whence this fift Argument may be framed Those who haue ouercome the world those who are quite
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
who doe not only taste of the good word of God and of the heauenly gift but doe likewise really and fully injoy them and possesse them not only in their tongues and pallates but in their inward parts and bowells in their hearts and soules and in their whole man Christ Iesus the holy Ghost with all the sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit together with the word of God doe dwell richly and plentifully in them their soules are euen filled and glutted with them Psal. 63. 5. Acts 6. 8. cap. 7. 55. Iohn 14. 16 17 20. cap. 15. 11. Rom. 15. 13. Ephes. 3. 17. 19. and Col. 3. 16. and therefore these places cannot be meant of them Secondly that Prouerbe which Peter doth vse of these 2 Pet. 2. 22. It is happened to them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire proues that those of whom these Scriptures speake what euer outward shew they made for a time were neuer truly regenerated their natures were neuer changed by grace they were dogges and swine still their natures and their hearts were filthie and corrupt though their out-sides were washed for a time So that all these places here objected against mee must needs be intended of carnall and wicked men and not of the true regenerate Saints of God and so your Argument from these places followes not Secondly admit that all these places were meant of true regenerate men yet I answer that your Antecedent is false For all these places are conditionall They say not that the Saints of God doe fall away or that they may fall away but only if they fall away it is impossible for them to be renewed by repentance or to be reconciled vnto him againe So that all the Argument which you can collect from them is this If the true regenerate Saints of God fall from grace then they shall for euer perish and not be able to repent therefore they may fall finally from grace which is a false absurd and incongruous consequent Lastly if this place makes for a finall fall from grace yet it makes altogether against a totall without a finall fall from grace so that it makes one way for me though not another it makes for one of my conclusions if not for both of them And thus much in answer to this third Argument The fourth Argument that may be objected against mee is that parable which Christ vseth Math. 12. 43 44 45. and Luke 11. 24 25. When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man hee walketh thorow â—…rie places seeking rest and findeth none Then hee saith I will returne into my house from whence I came out And when hee is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished then goeth hee and taketh with himselfe seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last estate of that man is worse then the first From whence this argument may be framed The diuell may returne againe with seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and dwell in the hearts of those out of whom hee was formerly expelled and so make their latter end to be worse then their beginning was Therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may afterwards fall from grace I answer that the argument followes not because this parable of Christ and so by consequence your Antecedent is meant only of hypocrites and not of true regenerated and sanctified men So that your Argument in substance is but this Hypocrites may fall from grace and therfore true regenerate men may doe so to which argument is not only false but likewise very ridiculous and absurd Now that this parable of Christ is meant only of hypocrites it is euident by these reasons First because that this parable hath reference to that miracle which Christ did in casting out of the diuell out of the blinde and dumme man which was possessed with him which gaue the occasion of this parable Now Christ no doubt did cast out diuells out of many that were possessed with them whom hee did neuer sanctifie withall as he cured many mens bodies whose soules hee did not heale and it is likely that Christ did not heale the soule of him out of whom hee did cast this diuell for all that the text relateth of him is this that Christ healed him insomuch that hee both spake and saw there is no mention of any cure wrought vpon his soule and therefore you cannot apply this parable to those whose soules are cured to such out of whose hearts the workes of the diuell are destroyed but only to such whose bodies are dispossessed of the actuall residencie and habitation of the diuell So that all which you can properly collect from hence is this that the diuell may returne againe and actually possesse such men out of whom hee had beene actually not spiritually cast out before Secondly the very end of this Parable proues as much For Christ applies this parable meerely to the Iewes Math. 12. 45. Euen so shall it bee to this wicked generation Christ therefore applying this to a wicked generation only you cannot apply it to the faithfull and holy generation of the Saints of God Thirdly it cannot bee intended of any other but hypocrites and wicked men because the very words themselues imply as much For first the words are not when the diuell is cast out but when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man which word gone out implies a voluntary action in the diuell Now the diuell neuer goeth out of any but out of such as are wicked men and taken captiue by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. Hee is alwayes cast out by force out of the Saints because when once he is excluded by them he can hardly get any passage into their hearts againe Hence it is said of Christ that he was manifested to destroy out of his Saints the workes of the diuell 1 Iohn 3. 8. to destroy out of vs the body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. The diuell is alwayes cast out by force out of the Saints Rom. 12. 7. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and that with much adoe with much struggling and contention Ephes. 6. 11 12. after long prayer and fasting Math. 17. 20. 22. therefore these out of whom the diuell goeth out and is not cast out must needs bee such as are wicked men and taken captiue of him at his will Secondly the diuell when he returneth againe findeth these men empty swept and garnished fit to entertaine so vncleane a guest Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost were not dwelling and residing there for then the house had not beene empty and there had beene no roome so much as for one vncleane spirit to inhabit much lesse for seuen more Now Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost they alwayes dwell in the hearts and soules of all regenerate men Ephes. 3. 17.
that should abide iâ—… the doctrine of Christ to fall away from grace therefore this exhortation being made to such as these cannot possibly implie that they should fall from grace So that take these words in your owne sense and meaning as if they were applied to the parties themselues to whom St. Iohn writes they doe not make against me But if wee take them in their proper sense then they make lesse against me then before For the Apostle doth not say take heed lest you loose the things which you your selues haue wrought but that yee receiue a full reward but looke to your selues that wee lose not the thingâ—… which wee haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward So that here is no losing of their owne workes but of the workes of others not a losse of their owne reward but of the reward of others and that not simplie of a reward for that cannot be lost but only of a full and plenarie reward So that the true and proper sense of the Apostle in this place is no more but this Brethren the times are very dangerous there are many Antichrists come into the world who will labour to seduce you beware then that you be not seduced and peruerted by them for then wee who are the ministers of the Gospell and haue preached Christ vnto you shall partly lose the fruite of our labours and not receiue a full reward Wee shall lose the joy the fruite and comfort of our labour here we shall haue no joy at all in you or in our preaching because you continue not in our doctrine whereas if you did continue in it it would euen comfort and reioyce our soules For that which giues vs best content and brings vs greatest ioy and comfort here is to heare that our children walke in truth and continue constant in the faith this is our chiefest and our greatest ioy verse 4. and 3. Iohn 3. 4. Yea and we shall lose some part of our reward hereafter for the more those are who are conuerted by our ministrie and the more constant and firme they are in the profession of the faith the greater shall our reioycing the greater shall our reward and glory bee in the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 16. 1 Thes. 2. 19 28. and Dan. 12. 3. Wherefore if you haue any care or respect to vs or to our good as well as to your owne then looke to your selues and take heed that yee be not seduced that so wee may not lose the things which we haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward of ioy and comfort both here and hereafter This is the true genuine proper and onely sense scope and meaning of this place and what makes this against me Surely nothing at all and therefore I will forbeare to giue any further answer to it The twenty two Objection is that of Psal. 119. 176. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost ô seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commandements A regenerate man may goe astray from God like to a lost sheepe therefore hee may finally or totally fall from grace I answer that this place and argument proues nothing at all against me For first though a regenerate man and sheepe of Christ may stray away for a time in some by-path of sinne yet hee is a sheepe still A sheepe that strayeth away is a sheepe still his straying from the fold doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe So one that is once a true Saint of God and a true sheepe of Christ though he chance to stray aside into some by-path of sinne for a fit yet hee is still a Saint of God and a sheepe of Christ this his straying away from God and Christ doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe of Christ because he strayeth not away wilfully or of set purpose so that this very comparison and similitude of a lost sheepe doth make against you For Christ doth account a lost sheepe to be still a sheepe and doth alwayes seeke him out vntill hee finde him and bring him backe againe as we may see expresly Ezech. 34. 16. Math. 18. 12 13. 14. Luke 15. 4 5. and Iohn 17. 12. Seconly I answer that if you take all the words of the Psalmist together this place is so farre from making against me as there cannot be a stronger place produced for me for though the Psalmist tells vs that hee had gone astray like a lost sheepe yet he certifieth vs withall that euen then when as he went astray hee did not forget Gods commandements though in his flesh hee did serue the law of sinne for a time yet in his minde his heart and spirit hee did alwayes serue the law of God and therefore did neither finally nor totally fall from the state of grace Lastly the Psalmist informeth vs in the three verses before this verse which is objected that hee had chosen Gods precepts that his soule did long for his saluation and that his law was his delight therefore it is certaine that he was neither finally nor totally fallen from the state of grace for then hee could neuer haue done thus So that this obiection and place makes strongly for me not against me The twenty three obiection is this A member of Christ may bee made a member of an harlot 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument followes not For a member of Christ may be made a member of an harlot that is hee may commit fornication and yet bee a member of Christ still as wee may see by the example of Dauid which I shall come to hereafter hee may be one body with an harlot and yet one spirit with Christ. Againe I answer that Paul in these words of his doth not intend and aime at this that a true regenerate man may fall quite away from grace and be quite cut off from Christ by this sinne of fornication this is not his drift and purpose but the end of this his speech is to disswade the Corinthians from this sinne of fornication to which they were much addicted because their very bodies as well as their soules were the members of Christ and the temple of the holy Ghost and therefore they should not defile them with this sinne of fornication and make them members of an harlot This is the scope this is the drift of the Apostle in these words this is the onely thing he aimes at he did not so much as thinke of your collection of a fall from grace and therefore vnlesse you will peruert and wrest the Scriptures and giue it such a sense and meaning as was neuer intended by the holy Ghost and those that penned it you cannot say that this Scripture makes against me I haue now good Reader gone thorow most of those Arguments that can be produced against me from
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
Iohn 3. 8. It is only the Spirit of God which doth regenerate men if men bee borne but of water and not of water and the spirit both they cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn 3. 5. If then euery one that were baptized be by his baptisme necessarily and truly regenerated the libertie and freedome of Gods Spirit should be restrained and must of necessitie breathe vpon euery one that is baptized whether it will or no whereas Christ himselfe tells vs euen in this very case of baptisme and spirituall regeneration that the Spirit bloweth where he listeth he is not confined to any person place and ordinance but hath his owne libertie to worke when and where hee will which libertie this doctrine of yours would restraine Fourthly all those who are baptized are not forth-with regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by vertue of their baptisme because this would take away all election and reprobation this would make all Infants that are baptized to bee necessarily saued if they die before yeares of discretion though God hath otherwise determined of them or else it would seuer true regeneration and sanctification from election making such to be truly sanctified and regenerated as were neuer elected to saluation which cannot be because election is the only cause of true regeneration and true grace and regeneration are proper only to the elect of God as I haue proued at large in my first Argument drawne from God or else it would make all men to be elected to saluation and so consequently to bee saued which as it is false and contrary to the Scriptures so it makes against you to for then none could fall from grace Now none of these three consequencies can be admitted and therefore your Antecedent that all who are baptized are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ cannot be true Fiftly if your Antecedent were true it would bring in what popish doctrine that the Sacraments doe ex opere operatâ—… conuey grace to men that the bare act of Baptisme or of receiuing the Lords Supper should of it selfe without any respect of the persons that are partakers of these Sacraments conuey grace to all that come vnto them Sixtly all Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because then the time of their regeneration repentance conuersion and effectuall calling should alwaies be accounted from the time of their baptisme but this wee all know is false For some wee know are regenerated called and conuerted in their youth some in their middle age some in â—…heir old age but all after Baptisme and we doe alwaies account them to be regenerated conuerted and effectually called not from the time that they are baptized but onely from the time that they doe repent them of their sins and turne from all their euill wayes to serue the liuing God in holinesse and newnesse of life God and men account the time of mens regeneration and ingrafting into Christ not from the time that they are baptized but from the time that they are effectually called and conuerted vnto God be-being made new men and new creatures which they were not before therefore they were not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme for then their effectuall vocation should bee accounted from the time of their baptisme only and not from any other time Seuenthly it is plaine and euident that Infants who are baptized are not alwayes truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because that after their baptisme and before their effectuall calling and conuersion vnto God the whole old man the whole body of sinne and the lusts of the flesh are as strong and vigorous in them as if they had neuer beene baptized Christians that are baptized before they are called and conuerted are for the most part as sinfull wicked and euery way as vitious and prophane as Heathens and Infidells that neuer were baptized therefore it is certaine that they were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by baptisme For true regeneration it doth alwayes alter and change mens corrupt natures it makes them new men and new creatures it mortifies their earthly members it casts out the old man and the body of sinne and crucifies the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Iohn 3. 5. 5. Rom. 8 13. cap. 12. 1 2. Gal. 5. 16. 24. and Col. 3. 5. 8 9 10. and therefore it is euident that all Infants are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by their very baptisme because the old man the body of sinne the flesh and the lusts thereof are as strong and vigorous in them from their very infancie to their conuersion as if they had neuer beene baptized Eightly all Infants that are baptized cannot be regenerated and really ingrafted into Christ himselfe by vertue of their baptisme because they are not all elected to saluation nor all included within the couenant of grace Baptisme is effectuall vnto none but to such as are the true Spouse and Church of Christ to such as are within the new couenant of Grace and to such as are the true and faithfull seed of faithfull Abraham For Christ hee gaue himselfe only for the Church which all the Fathers and Orthodox Diuines both of our owne and other Churches affirme to bee only the number of the elected Saints of God and no others that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that hee might present it to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Christ doth wash and sanctifie his body and his Church and none but they now all that are baptized they are not the true body and Church of Christ because they are not all elected to saluation therefore they are not truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by baptisme All that are baptized are not within the new couenant of grace and mercy they are not the true seed of faithfull Abraham nor the true Israel of God Many there are that are baptized that were neuer truly included within the couenant of grace the law of God was neuer written in their hearts nor yet ingrauen in their inward parts God did neuer sprinkle them with pure water nor yet cleanse them from all their filthinesse he neuer gaue them a new heart nor yet an heart of flesh he neuer put his Spirit within them nor caused them to walke in his statutes and doe them hee neuer saued them from all their vncleannesse he neuer became a husband to them hee neuer chose them to bee a royall Priesthood an holy nation a holy nation to himselfe and therefore they were neuer truly within the couenant of grace Many there are who are baptized and yet they were neuer the heires of promise nor the faithfull seed of faithfull Abraham Ishmael was circumcised as well as Isaac Gen. 17. 25
in them to change them and regenerate them Secondly admit that faith is not necessarily required to make Baptisme effectuall yet all Infants nay most Insants that are baptized are not regenerated by their baptisme because they are not all elected and ordained to eternall life The meanes of grace and the Spirit of grace which accompanies them doe neuer worke powerfully and effectually vpon any but vpon such as are predestinated and ordained to eternall life as you may see expresly by Acts 2. 39 c. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 28 29. 30. cap. 11. 5. 7. 8. Ephes. 1. 4. 5. and Tit. 1. 1. now all Infants that are baptized are not predestinated to eternall life for then they could neuer perish or fall from grace and therefore baptisme and the holy Ghost doe not worke effectually on them to regenerate them But you will say if Infants that are baptized are not regenerated to what end and purpose is their baptisme To this I answer first that though baptisme doth not truly regenerate all Infants that are baptised and ingraft them truly into Christ yet it is of much vse and purpose to them For first it seales all the promises and couenants of God vnto them and giues them an interest and right vnto them if they will imbrace them when they come to yeares Secondly it makes them Christians and incorporates them into the Church making them visible members of the visible Church and giuing them an interest in all those priuiledges which the Church inioyes Thirdly when men are once in truth regenerated it makes the match betweene Christ and them to be of greater validitie it increaseth and strengthened their faith and knits them closer vnto God it makes them more carefull to auoide all kinde of sinne and to obey and serue the Lord in all things the very remembrance of that vow and couenant which they haue made to God in baptisme will make them more diligent and carefull for to please the Lord and to resigne and giue vp their selues wholly vnto him Fourthly I answer that though Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated by their baptisme that is they are not so farre regenerated as to haue any habit stocke and seed of true and sauing grace wrought within them yet those whom God hath ordained to eternall life are so farre cleansed and washed by their baptisme from the guilt of originall sinne that if they die in their infancie before their actuall regeneration and reall conuersion vnto God they shall bee saued and therefore though Infants are not really and truly regenerated by their baptisme yet they receiue much fruite and benefit by it in these foure respects and so it is not to no purpose Secondly I answer that the end of baptisme is not to regenerate men neither was regeneration the end why baptisme was instituted For if baptisme had beene instituted of purpose to regenerate men then men in the Apostles times should alwayes haue beene baptized before they did beleeue but men in the Apostles times that were not formerly conuerted vnto Christ nor borne of Christian parents were not to be baptized before they did belieue as is euident by Marke 16 16. and by the example of the Eunuch of the 3000. conuerts of Cornelius the laylor and others as you may see Acts 2. 37 38. cap. 8. 36. to 40. cap. 10. 44. to the end and cap 16. 31. 33. 34. therefore the end of baptisme is not regeneration for then men should haue beene baptized before they did beleâ—…us that so they might be regenerated and not haue beene regenerated by 〈◊〉 first before they had beene baptized Againe if the principall and chiefe end of Baptisme had beene for to regenerate men then those men who were regenerated should not haue bin baptized because they were regenerated before for their baptisme had bin 〈◊〉 meerely superfluous but those who haue bin truly regenerated haue bin afterwards baptized as you may see by these expresse testimonies of Scripture Mat. 3. 6. Acts 2. 37. 38. ca 8. 36. to 40. ca. 10. 44. to the end Acts 16. 14. 15. 31. 33. 34. therefore the end why baptisme was instituted was not for to 〈◊〉 men Why then may you say was baptisme instituted I answer that it was instituted to theâ—…s ends First it was instituted in the place of circumcision to the intent that it might seale the couenant and promises of God vnto the Gentiles as circumcision did vnto the Iewes for which reade Acts 2. 39 and Rom. 4. 11. Secondly it was instituted as a type and signe to 〈◊〉 vnto vs that as the water it selfe which wee vse in baptisme dâ—…th wash away the filth of our bodies so the blood of Iesus Christ doth wash and purge away the filth and corruption of our bodies and the sin of our soules as you may see Rom. 4. 11 Tit. 3. 5. Col. 2. 11 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21. and 1 Iohn 1. 7 9. Thirdly it was 〈◊〉 to incorporate men into the visible Church and to interest them into the priuiledges and benefits which the Church injoyes Mat. 28. 19. Act. 2. 37. 38 39. 〈◊〉 18. 19. Fourthly it was instituted to distinguish Christians from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Heatâ—… on mon 〈◊〉 it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians where by they are distinguished from Turkes and Infidels it is the outward 〈◊〉 and seale whereby they are knowne to belong to Christ. Lastly it was instituted to knit men faster and to bring them 〈◊〉 vnto 〈◊〉 and to make them more 〈◊〉 and carefull for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to abandon and auoide all kinde of sinne and to sticke more fast and close vnto the truth by considering that vow and conenant which they made to God when as they were baptized as you may see Rom 6. 1. to 9. Gal. 3. 27. Math. 28. 19 20. and 1 Cor 1. 13. these were the many ends why baptisme was instituted and not of purpose to regenerate men and therefore though children are not regenerated by their baptisme yet they must be baptized in obedience to Christs institution and to these seuerall ends which are vsefull profitable and comfortable And thus much for the first thing the which I vndertooke to answer that all infants that are baptized are not regenerated I come now to the second to proue that Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as haue beene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ makes not against me For first I say that it is one thing to be baptized into Christ and another thing to be baptized in the name of Christ to be baptized into Christ is to be incorporated and ingrafted into Christ by faith as appeares by verse 26. 28. for yee are all the children of God not by baptisme but by faith in Christ Iesus and yee are all one in Christ so that the connection of these words with the precedent and subsequent verses proues that to bee baptized into Christ is not to bee baptized with