good and holy motions and affections as the Angell sometimes troubled the poole of Bethesda inflaming rauishing and warming of their hearts and soules and stirring of them vp to frequent prayer godly meditations and discourses and such like holy duties which motions and influences of Gods spirit if the Saints of God doe well obserue and take aduantage of them to kindle and to stirre them vp they may gaine abundance of grace of heauenly ioy and comfort to their soules which for want of ioyning with them and stirring of them vp may quite be lost Now the Apostles meaning here is onely this that we should not quench these motions and influences of Gods spirit when as wee feele them arising and growing vp in our hearts and soules but that wee should blow and stirre them vp by yeelding and assenting to them that so they might fully warme our hearts and soules and bring much ioy and comfort and much increase of grace vnto them and not that the spirit of God it selfe or the habituall and inherent graces of Gods spirit might be quenched and quite put out within vs. And though that good men may sometimes resist the spirit in not hearkening and yeclding to those motions of it and may oft-times grieue it by their sinnes yet they doe neuer so quench it or resist it as vtterly for to loose it and the habituall graces of it Yea but you will obiect that the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an euill spirit from the Lord troubled him and therefore the spirit it selfe and the habituall graces of it may be lost I answer that in this place the spirit of the Lord is not taken for the sanctifying gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit which are proper onely to the Elect and Saints of God but onely for the common and ordinarie gifts of Gods Spirit as Fortitude Valour Wisdome strength and an Heroicall Valiant and Kingly spirit as appeares by comparing these seuerall places one with another Iudges 9. 19. cap. 15. 14. cap. 16. 19. 20. cap. 6. 14. 1 Sam. 10. 10. cap. 6. 7. cap. 16. 13. 14. So that the spirit of the Lord departed from him signifieth onely this that his heroicall valiant and Kingly spirit and those other common gifts of the spirit departed from him which are not here in question and not the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God and the sauing graces of the Spirit for this abideth as a firme and stable truth that where once the sanctifying spirit of God doth come there it dedicates and sanctifies the heart and soule vnto it selfe there it takes vp its rest its habitation and abode for euer as those places of Scripture formerly cited doe expresly testifie And therefore it is altogether impossible that those that are once regenerated and truly sanctified should euer totally or finally fall from grace The second thing in respect of the spirit of God which doth assure vs of the truth of this position is the seale of Gods Spirit which is stamped on the hearts of all those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ Those that are sealed and marked to be Gods by the inward and powerfull operation of Gods Spirit working vpon their hearts and soules and that not for a time onely but to the day of Redemption and the day of Iesus Christ it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace because the seale and stampe of Gods spirit doth alwayes abide rest vpon their soules can neuer be razed and blotted out again But all those that are once truly regenerated are sealed and marked by the Spirit of God to be Gods own peculiar people that not for a time but to the day of Redemption and the day of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. Now hee which establâ—…sheth vs with you in Christ and hath annoynted vs is God who hath also sealed vs and giuen the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Eph 1. 13 14. In whom also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory cap. 4. 30. And grieue not the holy Spirit of God whereby yee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Therefore it is impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace This argument though it may seeme a mystery a riddle to carnall men who were neuer acquainted with the workeing of Gods Spirit yet it doth so fully conuince the hearts and consciences of all the true saints of God and so settle this conclusion in them that nothing can be able to perswade them to the contrary The third thing in the Spirit of God which man may assure our soules of the truth of this position is the seede and annoynting of Gods Spirit from which I frame this third argument Those that haue the seede and the annoynting of Gods Spirit in their hearts it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they haue the seede and annoynting of Gods Spirits in their hearts therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace The Maior proposition is warrented by these two reasons First because the seed and annoynting of Gods Spirit they are of a deuine incorruptable perpetuall and immortall nature whence they are styled an incorruptible seede and a diuine nature 1 Pet. 1. 23. and 2 Pet. 1. 4. Secondly because where euer the seede and anoynting of the Spirit are there they alwayes continue and remaine for euer as appeares by the 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. But yee haue an vnction from the holy one and the annoynting which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and by 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because he is borne of God And that all those who are once truly regenerated and borne of God haue this seede and annoynting of the Spirit it appeares by Rom. 8. 9. 14. where it is saide that if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his and that as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and no others and by 1 Iohn 3. 9. where the expresse words are whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him The premisses then being true the conclusion doth ineuitably follow that they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Yea but say our acute Antagonists if not absurd in this it is true that as long as the seede and annoynting abideth in those that are regenerated they cannot sin or fall away but when the seede and onnoynting is gon then they may I haue giuen a full defeate in generall to this
are once committed to his charge Ioh. 17. 14. Ezech. 34. 16. Isai. 40. 11. Luk. 15. 45. 2 Pet. 3. 9. and Luk. 21. 18. Therefore the conclusion followes of necessitie and cannot be denied The sixt thing in Iesus Christ that may establish vs in this present truth is Christs continually residence and dwelling in our hearts from whence I frame this argument Those in whose hearts and soules Christ Iesus doth for euer remaine and dwell it is altogether impossible that they should fall from grace but Iesus Christ doth for euer remaine and dwell in the hearts and soules of all them that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into him Io. 14 20 23. Cap. 17. 2â—… 23 26. 2 Cor. 13. 4 5. Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 3. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 24. cap. 4. 4. Ephes. 2. 22. 1 Io. 4 12 13. 15 16. cap. 5. 10. 20. Col. 1. 27. Psal. 68. 16. 18. Reâ—… 2. 20. Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer totally or finally fall from grace What can bee truly answered or replyed to this argument I cannot learne or know The last thing in Iesus Christ that may assure vs of this present truth is his Sacraments for to what other end doe the Sacraments serue specially that of the Lords Supper but to assure our soules of Gods vnchangeable loue vnto vs in Iesus Christ and of our euerlasting obedience vnto him The Sacraments they are the very seales of Gods couenant wherein God and Christ doe seale vnto vs euen in the blood of Iesus Christ the one that hee will become a gratious and louing Father the other that he will become a gratious and louing Sauiour to vs for euer and wee seale againe to God and Christ that wee will become dutifull faithfull and obedient Children and seruants vnto them for euer The holy Sacraments therefore wherein God doth chuse vs for his children and wee doe chuse him for our God and Father must needes assure our soules that wee shall neuer finally and totally fall from grace or be depriued of Gods loue and fauour If wee could either totally or finally fall from grace what comfort and benefit what profit and assurance could wee haue from those most comfortable and blessed Sacraments if that couenant which is sealed ratified and confirmed in the blood of Iesus Christ should euer once bee broken what good or profit could it bring vnto our soules Wherefore the very Sacraments which seale Gods loue vnto our soules and all those other things which are in Christ which haue been formerly mentioned may giue our soules this comfortable and sweet assurance that wee shall neuer totally or finally fall from grace euen in respect of Iesus Christ when once we are but truly regenerated and ingrafted into him Thirdly it is altogether impossible in respect of the holy Ghost that those that are once truly regenerated should either totally or finally fall from grace Now in the holy Ghost there are these things which may serue for to assure vs of this truth First there is his personall residencie and habitation in our hearts and soules from whence this argument may bee deduced Those in whose hearts and soules the holy Ghost shall abide and dwell for euer it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace because as long as they haue the holy Ghost within them there is alwayes grace within them But the holy Ghost shall abide and dwell for euer in the hearts and soules of all those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ as appeares by Io. 14 16 17. I saith Christ will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for hee dwelleth in you and shall be in you by Rom. 8. 9 11. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so bee that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man haue not the spirit of Christ he is none of is but if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by â—…is spirit that dwelleth in you by 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know yee not that your body is tho Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee haue of God and yee are not your owne by 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing which was committed vnto thee keepe by the holy Ghost which dwelleth in vs and by Ezech. 36. 26 27. A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iâ—…dgements and doe them Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer fall either finally or totally from grace If it be obiected that the holy Ghost may bee taken away from vâ—… that it may be grieued quenched and resisted as it is euident by Psal. 51. 11. 1 Thess. 5. 19. Ephes. 4 30. and Act. 7. 51. I answer that it is true that the sense and feeling of the sweet and comfortable motions of Gods holy Spirit may oft-time be taken from vs and suspended for a time but yet the habituall graces and fruits of Gods holy Spirit the Seale and inward annoynting of Gods Spirit and that fruite and seed of grace which Gods holy Spirit hath plaâ—…ted in our hearts shall neuer bee taken away or lost they shall abide and remaine in the hearts of those that are regenerated for euer they cannot be rooted or weeded out of them Io. 14. 16 17. 1 Io. 2 20. 27. and cap. 3. 9. And though Dauid prayeth to God not to take away his holy Spirit from him Psal. 51. yet that is onely meant of the ioy and comforts of the spirit and not of the spirit it selfe or the graces of the spirit as appeareth by the 8. and 12. verses of the same Psalme wherein hee prayes to God not to restore to him the holy Ghost or the graces of the spirit but to restore vnto him the ioy of the spirit As for that exhortation of Paul 1 Thes. 5. 19. Quench not the spirit some interpret it to bee no more but this that men should not hinder any one whose heart and soule was filled with the graces and gifts of Gods spirit from preaching of the word of God and interpreting of it vpon all occasions coupling it with the next verse where the Apostle saith thus Despise not prophecyings but the genuine and proper meaning of the place is this that men should not quench and smother those good motions and holy affections which the spirit of God doth kindle in their hearts but stirre and blow them vp vpon all occasions The spirit of God oft-times doth trouble the hearts of his Saints with
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
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
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
and as one who neuer had as yet any truth of sauing grace within him but likewise as a friend vnto Arminians and the Church of Rome and as an open and professed enemie to the grace of God and to the Doctrine of our Church if any of you will be so bold as to take vp this challenge this present Treatise or if not this another shall make it good against him so as the peace of this our Church bee not disturbed by it But if that your assertion be the positiue Doctrine of our Church as perchance you doe pretend it for to be how then doth it appeare to be so Sure I am our Articles our reuerend and learned writers our Religious professors and our Diuinity Schooles our reuerend Ministers throughout the Kingdome haue alwaies cryed it downe till now as blasphemous Papisticall and heriticall and there is not one approued writer of our English Church that did euer dare as yet to publish it vnto the world as sound and orthodox or as the Doctrine of our Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church why do you not ioyne issue on it and put it to the tryall why do you not answer and refute but only labour to suppresse the workes of those who doe oppose it and challenge it as vnsound Indeede the truth is this you know your cause is bad you know that this your Doctrine is but false and counterfeite and quite repugnant to the Doctrine of our Church and therefore you dare not put it to the tryall for feare it should be proued to be false you dare not go about to proue our position to be vnsound or to giue an answer vnto such as haue defended it all your labour is to quell it and to suppresse not to answer the workes of such as haue defended it And why is this let Lactantius relate the cause Timeut ne à nobis reiucti manus dare aliquandò clamante ipsâ veritate cogantur Obstrepunt igitur et intercedunt ne audiane et oculos suos opprimunt ne lumen videant quod offerimus quum neque cognoscere neque congredi audent quià sciunt se facilè superari Et idcircò disceptatione sublata pellitur è medio sapientia vi geritur res You know you are not able for to answer and therefore you labour to suppresse our workes thinking to carry away the cause by force and pollicy and to suppresse the truth before it shall be able to come vnto a just legall tryall But remember that Intercipere scripta et publicatam velle submergere lectionem non est Deos defendere sed veritatis testificationem timere this is not to confute but to suppresse the truth this it not to confirme and proue but to condemne and marre your cause That gold which dreads the touchstone is but counterfeite that felon who refuseth his tryall doth but confesse himselfe guilty and that doctrine which hates the light and will not come vnto it which would establish it selfe by force and policy and not by truth and honest dealing it doth but discouer it selfe to be euill false and counterseite Whiles therefore you labour to suport your haerisie by force and pollicy and by suppressing of the truth you doe but daube with vntempered morter and marre it whiles you make it Wherefore giue ouer now for very shame your sinester and disloyall practises of which the world takes notice though you thinke not of it peruert not any longer the godly and religious intent of our gratious Soueraigne to a wicked and irreligious end and make not that an instrument to suffocate curbe the truth of God and Doctrine of our Church which hee intended should support inlarge and â—…uccor them How euer take this instruction from an ancient Father Nulla lex vetat discuti quod prohibet admitti Or if the saying of a Pope will please you better let Leo tell you thus much for your learning Quae patefacta sunt quaerere quae perfecta sunt retractare et quae sunt definita coâ—…ellore quid aliud est quam 〈◊〉 adeptis gratiam non referre et ad interdictae arboris cibum 〈◊〉 probos appetitus mortiferae cupiditatis extendere I know not whether you will I am sure you may apply it You see now how scandalous how sleight how false and forged all these your accusations are you see they are but shifts for to euade and colours to oppose the truth and such as doe professe it and defend it they are but meere impostures and pretences whereby the diuill and your owne deceitfull hearts doe labour for to blinde your eyes and to keepe you still in darkenesse to stupifie your hâ—…arts and consciences and so to set you in opposition against all gâ—…ace and goodnesse that so they may depriue you of your soules at last Consider therefore these wiles and pollicies of Satan and looke vnto the end of all your actions Consider who and what it is that sets you now on worke to slaunder and traduce the Saints of God and to oppose his truth and know that it is not the God of peace and vnion the God of grace and truth but the very Diuill himselfe the very spirit of Antechrist and the enemy of all grace and goodnesse who out of some carnall wicked sinister and by respects hath put you on this seruice aske but your owne brests and the secret whisperings of your owne consciences and they will tell you so And therefore though I haue spoken somewhat sharply to you before to make you know your selues the want of which knowledge if Lactantius may bee credited is the cause of all your Errors so now I doe euen beseech you by the mercies of God and by the death of Iesus Christ your Sauiour who died for you that you should no longer liue vnto your selues but vnto him that now you would lay downe your armes of rebellion and vomit vp your bitter hatred malice and dispite against all grace and goodnesse and such as doe excell in piety and holinesse that so you may with all meeknesse of spirit and humility of heart and minde submit vnto this comfortable and holy truth which here I offer and expose vnto you which will be the onely joy the onely comfort and safety of your soules If you will but seririously consider it and ponder it in your hearts and desire God to sanctifie and blesse it to you if you will but reade it with meeke and quiet spirits with indifferent and impartiall mindes and with an earnest desire to finde out the truth it may bee it may rectifie your judgements and reforme your liues it may bee it may doe you good and saue your soules But if you will shut your eyes and will not see if you will stoppe your eares and will not heare or if you will harden your hearts not consider If you will proceed for to oppose and persecute the Doctrine and the
11. 12. pag. 300. The sixteenth from 2 Cor. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 2. pag. 301. The seuenteenth from Psal 27. 9 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. pag. 302. The eighteenth from Gal 5. 4. pag. 304. The ninteenth from Prou 30. 8. 9. pag. 305. The twentieth from 1 Thes. 5. 19. pag. 306. The twenty one from 2 Iohâ—… 8. pag. 307. The twenty two from Psal. 119. 176. pag. 309. The twenty three from 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. pag. 310. The twenty foure That a regenerate man may fall into a grosse knowne and scandalous sinne and lye in it for a time or dye in it without repentance therefore he may fall from grace pag. 312. The twenty fiue That a regenerate man may be excommunicated and therefore he may fall from grace pag. 342. The twenty sixe That infants which are regenerated in their baptisme may fall from grace and therefore true regenerate men pag. 343. where that place of Gal. 3. 27 and the words obiected out of the Common prayer booke are answered and the vse the efficacy and the end of baptisme are declared The twenty seuenth argument is from examples pag. 364. which are of three sorts The first of Adam and the Angells pag. 365. The second from whole Churches pag. 368. as the Church of the Iewes pag. 369. The Church of the Galathians pag. 370. The Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira and Pergamus pag. 372. The third from particular Saints as the second and third ground pag. 383 those in Iohn 2. 23 24. pag. 375. The Disciples who went backe from Christ Iohn 6. 66. pag. 377. Dauid pag. 378. Peter pag. 385. Iudas pag. 391. Solomon pag. 393. Saul Aâ—…a Ioash Simon Magus the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Demas Hymenens Alexander those of Math 24. 24. and the rest of whom Paul Peter and Iude haue prophecied that they should depart from the faith pag. 393. 394. The twenty eighth and last argument is from the incâ—…cies of this our assertion pag. 394. which are three First it would make men presumptions bold to sin pa. 395. Secondly it would make men negligent and sloathfull in Gods seruice pag. 399. Thirdly it would make men proud arrogant pag. 403. And this is the substance of this third generall part The fourth last part of this worke consists of two profitable vses drawne from this assertion pag. 406. The first is a vse of exhortation to incite stirre vp all men to seeke prise the state of grace which is so permanent pag. 406. The second a vse of exhortation to the true Saints of God to comfort and reioyce their soules in the consideration of the perpetuity of their state of grace pag. 408. And thus you haue the compendium summe substance of this Treatise THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE WHEREIN IT is proued by sundry arguments reasons and authorities 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 c. IT is the expresse voyce and testimony both of the Spirit and the word of God that in the latter times and ages of the world there shall be some false teachers in the Church which priuily shall bring in damnable haeresies and pernitious doctrines euen denying the Lord that bought them and bring vpon them selues swift damnation Yea the same Spirit and word of God doe testifie that as there shall bee such false teachers in the world so likewise that there shall be many who departing from the faith and turning their eares from the truth shall giue heed to their seducing and erronious spirits and follow their pernitious wayes and doctrines insomuch that wholsome doctrine and the very way of truth itselfe shall be euill spoken of I would to God these prophecies and praedictions were not so truly and experimentally fulfilled in these last and euill daies of ours wherein we may truly say that there are some false teachers crept in among vs who priuily haue brought in damnable doctrines vnder the spetious pretence and coulour of the doctrine of our Church almost to the deniall of that Lord which bought them to the seducing of many ignorant and vnstable soules and to the scandall and reproach both of the word and way of truth Who and what those persons and these doctrines 〈◊〉 I need not for to mention the publicke fame hath made them so notorious that it would be altogether idle and superfluous for me to point and chalke them out Wherefore passing by the perâ—…ons I shall onely single out one pestilent and pernitious doctrine which they doe maintaine to wit the Totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints the which I here intend for to incounter not with the weake and feeble armes of fleshly wisdome but with the all conquering and all-subduing sword of the Spirit the word of God Now that I may not fight as one that beats the ayre nor trouble you with a long discourse to little purpose before I come to grapple with the aduersaries I will briefly and perspicuously relate the state and substance of that controuersie which is betweene vs. The question and controuersie 〈◊〉 selfe is onely this Whether those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liâ—…ely faith may either finally or totally fall from grace For the full and cleare vnderstanding of which you must take notice of two distinctions the first concerning regenerate men and such as are in thâ—… state of Grace the second concerning Grace it selfe Of regenâ—…rate men and such as are in the state of Grace there are two sorts The first are such as are regenerated and inuested into the state of Grace onely in outward shew and in the bare opinion of men but not in sincerity and truth these they are not within the question for though they make an outward shew and flourish of Grace vnto the world yet they had neuer any truth of sauing Grace within them and therefore we grant that such as these may both finally and totally fall away from that hypocriticall and superficiall shew of Grace the which they made The second sort of regenerate men are such as are regenerated in sinceritie and truth and not in outward shew onely such as haue really the seeeds and habits of true and sauing Grace within them of these onely is the present question and of these wee doe affirme that they can neither finally nor totally fall from Grace For Grace it selfe which is the second thing you must obserue that it hath a double acception in the Scriptures First it is taken for the free loue and mercy of God in Christ Iesus secondly it is taken for the graces which are wrought in men by the holy Ghost in this latter sense onely and not in the former is Grace taken in our present question Now these Graces of Gods Spirit they are of two sorts First there are ordinary and common Graces
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
puts a new nature and disposition into them so that they cannot alter or destroy it if they would But of this see more in the reply to the answere which is giuen to the fourth argument drawne from God If therefore no sinne which the saints of God can commit if the freedome and liberty of their owne will cannot destroy that seede of grace which is within them and there be no other cause or thing to doe it it is certaine that this seede and annoynting of the Spirit must still remaine within them and so your answere as long as the seede and annoynting remaines which supposeth that they doe not alwaies remaine and abide within them must needes be false friuilous and repugnant And so this argument and text of Scripture remaines vnanswerable Other answeres there are vpon the diuers readings and expositions of these places which because they are but vaine and idle and not worth the answering I will passe them ouer and so proceede The fourth thing in the spirit of God or in the holy Ghost that may stablish and settle vs in this present truth is the earnest of the Spirit that is giuen to all those that are once truly regenerated from whence this fourth argument doth arise Those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from Grace But all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13 14. 2 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 Therefore it is altogether impossible that they should either finally or totally fall from grace The minor being the expresse text of God The maior only is for to be proued Now that those that haue the earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts can neuer fall either finally or totally from grace it appeares by these reasons First because the earnest of the Spirit of God is nothing but an assurance giuen vnto vs by God of that share and portion which he hath prepared for vs in heauen whence it is stiled the earnest of our inheritance vntill the purchased possession be really bestowed vpon vs Eph. 1. 14. 15. Secondly because it makes the Saints of God confident and sure of heauen and of eternall life as appeares by the 2 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Where Paul saith thus Now hee that hath wrought vs for the selfe-same thing is God who also hath giuen vnto vs the earnest of the Spirit therefore 〈◊〉 are alwayes confident knowing that whiles wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord wee are confident I say and willing rather to bee absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. This 〈◊〉 of the Spirit makes the Saints of God confident and sure of their saluation vpon good and solid grounds and not vpon bare conjectures and therefore it cannot choose but keepe them from falling away from grace Thirdly it must needes bee so that those who haue the earnest of the Spirit can neuer fall from grace in respect of the properties of an earnest For first an earnest it tyes and bindes the party that doth giue it to make good his bargaine and his promise Secondly it is a badge and signe of true and vpright dealing and it giues an assurance that the bargaine shall bee punctually performed to the vtmost by him that giues the earnest Thirdly an earnest is part of payment it is part of the whole which wee shall receiue Fourthly it is such a thing as can neuer be taken from vs. Let the Bargaine or the Contract hold or breake the earnest still remaines with him that doth receiue it hee that giues it is not to require it hee thâ—…t receiues it is not to restore it Fiftly an earnest drawes the whole to it it makes the whole of which it is an earnest to be our owne Now the Spirit of God and the graces of Gods Spirit which are once put into our hearts are stiled an earnest in all these respects because they binde the Lord for to performe his Covenant and to giue vs that inheritance which he hath promised to vs 〈◊〉 because they giue vs full assurance that God deales truly honestly and in good earnest with vs and that he will performe whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto vs to the very vtmost because that portion of Grace and of Gods Spirit which wee haue in possession here is a part and inchoation of that happinesse and glory which we shall haue hereafter because they are such things as shall neuer be taken from vs againe Luke 10. 42. Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not bee taken away from hâ—…r God will not require this earnest at our hands againe but wee shall still enioy it as our owne and because they drawe the whole vnto them they make the whole and all of that which God hath promised to vs to be our owne Wherefore this must needes bee an vndoubted truth that those who haue but once this earnest of Gods spirit in their hearts as all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue it Rom 8. 9 14. can neuer possibly fall either finally or totally from grace for then this earnest of Gods spirit should bee lost and serue to none or little purpose Of all arguments that can bee produced this is one of the strongest and least capable of any sound and solid answer The fift thing in respect of the holy Ghost which may convince vs of the truth of this position is the ordinary and constant working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of all those who are once truly regenerated sanctified and ingrafted into Christ. For the spirit of God when once it enters into mens hearts and soules after it hath once truly humbled them for their sinnes and in some good measure sanctified and purified their hearts and soules then it doth secretly pacifie their soules and consciences then it giues them that inward and secret assurance of the everlasting and vnchangeable loue of God to them in Christ which passeth vnderstanding and testifieth to their owne spirits and consciences that they are the adopted children and sonnes of God which causeth them to cry Abba Father Rom 5. 1. and cap. 8. 15 16. Then it stampes and settles this assurance of Gods loue this vndoubted certaintie of their owne salvation and of their continuall perseverance in grace vnto the end vpon their hearts and soules in such deepe and indelable Characters that no temptation no sinne or affliction whatsoeuer can vtterly raze and blot it out againe though it may so blot and blurre it for a time that thâ—…y themselues may not so evidently and cleerely see it as they should And when all this is done then the holy Ghost descends as a sweet and heauenly dew vpon them and doth fill and euen glâ—…tte and ravish their very hearts and soules with that ioy which is most vnspeakeable
comfortable delectable and glorious This is the ordinarie and constant method and manner of the working of Gods spirit in the hearts and soules of all such as are once truly regenerated the very Spirit of God assures their soules and consciences that God will alwayes loue them and preserue them vnâ—…o the end that hee will never suffer them wholly to depart or stray from him that hee will giue them perseuerance and cause them to hold out constantly vnto the end The spirit of God himselfe doth secretly powerfully and fully resolue and satisfie their soules and consciences that they shall neuer returne vnto their sinâ—… againe or fall finally or totally from him Therefore those who are sound growne and experienced Christians can neuer be perswaded to beleeue that they shall ever appostatize and fall quite away from God or grace because the spirit of God doth so powerfully perswade them and resolue them to the contrary Wherefore I dare bee bold for to avouch this for truth that those who hold thee fiuall and totall Apostacie of the Saints did neuer so much as feele the powerfull sweete and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts which would haue fully resolved them to the contrary Carnall men who haue never felt the sweet and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts and soules may chance to call this holy truth into question because the spirit of God did neuer seale it to their soules or fixe and stampe it on their hearts But regenerate and â—…oly men can neuer doe that because the Spirit of God doth witnesse to their spirits that they are the sons of God and that they shall continue such vnto the end so that all the divells in hell cannot perswade them to the contrary From hence therefore I doe collect this experimentall sensible and vnanswerable argument which though it be a meere Mysterie and Riddle vnto naturall and carnall men who cannot perceiue these holy operations of Gods spirit because they are spiritually discâ—…rned and are knowne and discovered to be true onely by an inward experience sensâ—… and feeling and not by any outward knowledge learning Science or Discourse whatsoever Yet the hearts and consciences of all experienced and grounded Christians must willingly subscribe and yeeld vnto it That which the inward working and secret operation of Gods holy Spirit doth powerfully evidently and vndeniablie seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that must needs bee a sure firme and infallible truth But the spirit of God by the inward and secret operation of it doth powerfully evidently and vndeniably seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that they shall neither finally nor totally fall from grace And therefore it must needs be true For proofe of the minor proposition I onely appeale vnto the soules and consciences of growne strong and aged Christians who haue had long and sweet experience of the sweet working of Gods spirit in their hearts And for the Maior no man can deny it vnlesse hee will make the working of Gods spirit in the hearts of his Saints to bee but a meere imposture and delusion which is blasphemous for to thinke Wherefore I doubt not but that these foâ—…r last arguments here produced will bee so prevalent and irresistable in the hearts of all experienced and growne Christians who are onely able to discerne and iudge of them that they cannot but subscribe to this assertion and imbrace it as the truth The sixt thing in the spirit of God which may establish vs in this present truth is the perpetâ—…all guidance and direction of Gods spirit from which I frame this sixt argument Those that are alwayes led guided and directed by the spirit of God those that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit and are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the spirit that they cannot fulfill the lusts of the flesh and doe the euill that they would it is impossible for them either â—…inally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are alwayes led guided and directed by the Spirit of God Exek 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Psal. 48. 14. For this is our God for euer and euer hee will be our guide euen vnto death Io. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come it guides you into aâ—… truth They walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. And they are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the Spirit that they cannot doe the euill that they would Gal. 5. 16. 17. This I say then walke in the spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the â—…pirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things yee would the Spirit of God doth cause them to walke in his 〈◊〉 and to keepe his iudgements and doe them they cannot chuse but doe them Ezek. 36. 27. and Act. 4. 20. Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Lastly the intercession and assistance of Gods spirit may ground and settle vs in this present truth For the spirit of God when wee are vnable of our selues to pray in that manner as wee ought doth alwayes helpe our informities and makes intercession vnto God for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered and hee who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mindâ—… of the spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. When wee are weake dull and dead and quite indisposed vnto holy duties then doth the holy Ghost helpe and quicken vs and enable vs to performe them in a gratious comfortable and holy manner whence I conclude with this argument Those whom the spirit of God doâ—…h alwayes make intercession for and those â—…hom the holy Ghost doth alwayes assist in the performance of euery holy dutie it is impossible for them to fall from grace But the spirit of God doth alwayes make intercession to God for those that are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and doth alwayes assist them in the pâ—…rformance of euery holy dutie Therefore it is altogether impossible for them to fall from grace And thus you see how true this Doctrine and position must needs bee true in respect of the holy Ghost himselfe Fourthly it is altogether impossible for the Saints of God that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either totally or finally to fall from grace in respect of the Angels who doe alwayes gard them and attend them from which I forme this argument Those about
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
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
nothing impeach the truth of this our assertion The seuenteenth obiection against this present assertion is drawne and collected from Psal. 27. 9. 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. and from other places and prayers of this nature and it is but this in substance The regenerate Saints of God doe alwaies pray to God not to hide his face from them not to put them away in his anger not to leaue them nor forsake them not to cast them off at last nor to take away his holy Spirit from them Therefore they may fall from grace or else these prayers would bee but vaine and idle I answer that the argument followes not and the reason which you alledge for to confirme it is but friuilous First because that prayer is a chiefe meanes to preserue the Saints of God from Apostacie and backsliding and to confirme and settle them in the state of grace therefore the vse of prayer cannot imply a falling from grace This is no good argument The Saints of God do vse the meanes to peâ—…seuere therefore they may fall from grace because the Saints cannot perseuere in grace but by vsing of the meanes and the vse of the meanes is the cause of perseuerance not of Apostacie this is your argument in effect The Saints of God doe vse prayer to God which is a meanes of perseuerance therefore they may fall from grace What a ridiculous and absurd argument this is let all men judge The perpetuall care of God ouer his Saints his euerlasting loue towards them his continuall presence with them together with the guidance and direction of his Spirit are the chiefest causes why the Saints of God do thus perseuere in grace which though God hath promised vnto them freely and will be sure to make them good vnto them yet hee will haue them for to pray vnto him for the accomplishment and performance of them that so they may bee thankfull to him for them that so they may prise them at an higher rate and ascribe the glory of them vnto him Therefore their prayers vnto God to haue these promises accomplished and made good vnto them cannot imply a finall or a totall fall from grace Secondly The argument followes not nor yet the reason which is alledged because it makes the promises of God vncertaine euen in respect of God himselfe God hath promised not to leaue nor yet forsake his children Deut. 31 5. Iosh. 1. 5. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Heb. 13. 6. hee hath promised them not to cast them off Iob. 8. 20. Isay. 41. 9. 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Iohn 6. 37. and that his spirit shall abide with them for euer Iohn 14. 16 17. doe their prayers therefore vnto God make these promises of God vncertaine in themselues and doubtfull whether they shall bee performed by that God of truth and faithfulnesse that made them to them God forbid for this would bee nothing else but to make God a lyar and to make him subiect vnto change and ficklenesse in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning I am 1. 17. I would demand but this question of you who presse this argument whether your praying vnto God for his presence and spirit doe imply that God will not giue them to you If it doth how then can you pray in faith without doubt and waâ—…ering beleeuing that you shall receiue the thing you pray for It is impossible for any man to pray in faith if his prayer vnto God did imply an incertaintie in Gods persormance of the thing hee prayes for and so it should bee impossible for any man to haue any fruite or benefit by his prayers because they are not made in faith So that if this were true your prayers must needes be faithlesse and fruitlesse and all these gratious and comfortable promises of God concerning the hearing and answering of your prayers would bee of no effect or truth If it doth not implie thus much that God will not grant the things you pray for how then will this your Argument follow or stand good If the prayers of the Saints to God not to cast them off not to forsake them or depriue them of his presence or his Spirit doe not implie that God will caâ—…t them off forsake them and withdraw his Spirit from them then you can collect nothing at all against me from these prayers no not so much as a possibilitie of falling from the state of grace Wherefore if you will but recollect your senses and weigh but this your Argument in an vpright ballance you cannot but acknowledge and confesse it to be ridiculous false and idle and nothing to the present purpose The eighteenth objection that may bee made against me is collected from these words of Paul Gal. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect vnto you who euer of you are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The Saints of God may fall from grace in seeking to be justified by the law therefore they may fall away from grace I answer that the Antecedent is not warranted by this place which you alledge for the scope of this place and of this whole Epistle is nothing else but to disswade the Galathians from seeking iustification and righteousnesse by the Law and to seeke justification only by faith in Christ. So that this place alleaged is nothing else but a dehortation and no more in sense then this Those that seeke to be justified by the law shall haue no benefit by the death of Christ and therefore beware how you seeke to be justified by the law What is this to our purpose Surely nothing at all Yea but you will say that the Galathians fell from grace Well I grant it But from what grace was this surely the grace of God offered vnto them in the Gospell or the grace of the Gospell which is not here in question but not the true and sauing graces of Gods Spirit they fell from the doctrine of grace in cleauing to the law not from the Spirit and habit of grace by cleauing vnto sinne The greater part not all the Galathians fell from the Gospell to the law but that the true regenerate Saints of God which were among them did so to that they fell away from the state of Grace this place is not sufficient for to proue it though you racke and wrest it to the vtmost The nineteenth obiection may be drawn from that prayer of Agur. Pro. 30. 8. 9. Giue me neither pouerty nor riches feed me with food conuenient for mee left I be full and denie thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steale and take the name of God in vaine Plentie or pouertie may make a regenerate man to fall from grace as appeares by this prayer of Agur. therefore regenerate men may fall from grace I answer first that plenty or pouertie may cause regenerate men to fall from grace if God should leaue them to themselues
because they did not beleeue that Christ had the words of eternall life neither were they sure that hee was that Christ the sonne of the liuing God For the Disciples which did beleeue this did continue with him euen for this very cause because they did beleiue it so that this example is impertinent because they were no true beleeuers The fourth example is from Dauid Dauid was a true regenerate man and Saint of God But hee fell from grace by committing adultery and murther For first hee prayes to God to create a new heart and to renew a right spirit within him Psal. 51. 10. Secondly hee was a murtherer and therefore had no eternall life abiding in him 1 Iohn 3. 14 15. Thirdly hee was guilty of adultery which disinherits men of heauen 1 Cor. 6. 10 Gal. 5. 21. and Ephes. 5. 5. Fourthly he lay long in these sinnes without repentance therefore a true regenerate man and Saint of God may fall from grace as Dauid did To this I answer that the Minor is false and that Dauid did not fall totally nor finally from grace in committing of these sinnes which I proue by these reasons First because it is not recorded in the whole booke of God that Dauid fell from the state of grace true it is it is recorded how he fell into these sinnes and I beleeue it to bee true because the Scripture tells me so but that Dauid fell totally from grace in committing of these sinnes the holy Ghost hath not recorded it it is but a bare collection of our Antagonists and therefore it is not to be beleeued Doubtlesse if Dauid had fallen totally or finally from the state of grace in committing these his sinnes the holy Ghost who hath recorded his sinne and life would haue recorded this his fall vnto vs since then the holy Ghost hath not recorded this his fall it is a point of arrogancie and strange presumption for our Antagonists so confidently to determine that Dauid fell away from the state of grace when as the Scriptures doe not warrant it Secondly it is euident that Dauid fell not away from the state of grace when as hee lay in these his sinnes because in the midest of these his sins which he fell into out of infirmitie and not out of any precogitated malice his heart was vpright towards God and the whole bent and frame of his heart was turned towards him for God himselfe testifieth of him that hee was a man after his heart Acts 13. 22. that hee went fully after the Lord. 1 Kings 11 6. and that his heart was perfect with the Lord. verse 4. and therefore since that God himselfe hath giuen such Elogies and testimonies of him it cannot stand together with them that Dauid should fall quite away from grace though hee fell into these sinnes Thirdly it is euident and plaine by Psal. 51. 11. for there hee prayes to God in his penitentiall Psalme which was penned when as the Prophet Nathan came vnto him and informed him of his sinnes of murther and adultery Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me If Dauid then immediately vpon the sight of these his sinnes did pray to God not to take away his holy spirit from him it is certaine then that hee had the spirit of God abiding in him notwithstanding these his sinnes else hee would haue prayed thus to God restore and giue me thy holy spirit ô Lord and not Lord take not thy holy spirit from me if then the spirit of God were still within him then certainely hee was not fallen totally from the state of grace Yea but saith Hunnius and some other of our Antagonists the spirit of God which hee lost by these his sins was now restored to him and therefore he prayes to God not to take it away from him not because hee lost it not before but because it was now restored vnto him againe I answer that this is but a meere cauill and an idle conceite not grounded on the Scripture For if Dauid had lost the Spirit by this sinne or if God had restored it to him againe no doubt but the Scripture would haue mentioned it and Dauid himselfe would haue expressed or at least haue intimated it in this Psalme of his which wee see hee doth not doe Againe if Dauid had lost the Spirit of God by these his sinnes I would demand of our Antagonists when this holy Spirit of God returnes vnto him againe whether before or after his repentance or in the very act of his repentance If before his repentance then Dauid was in the state of grace and not in the state of damnation before hee did repent which you your selues deny If after his repentance that cannot bee for repentance is the worke of the holy Ghost and vnlesse Dauid had had this holy Spirit of God he could not haue repented thus yea then Dauids prayer had beene in vaine for how could hee haue prayed vnto God not to take away his holy Spirit from him if he had it not as yet restored to him for when he penned this Psalme he did but begin he had not fully finished his repentance for these sinne therefore the holy Spirit of God was not restored to him after his repentance If it were restored vnto him in the very beginning and act of his repentance from whence doth that appeare sure I am there is no ground in Scripture for to warrant it and if it were so then it follows that the Spirit of God may bee restored vnto men before their actuall repentance which you denie because the very beginning of repentance or a thought to repent is no perfect actuall repentance no such repentance as you require to regaine the Spirit and the state of Grace And therefore seeing that the Scripture informes vs that the holy Ghost abides and dwells in mens hearts and soules for euer Iohn 14. 15. 16 and 1 Iohn 1. 20. 27. we may safely say that the holy Spirit of God was neuer taken away from Dauid but continued in him still Againe to what end should this prayer of Dauid serue if God had now restored his Spirit to him He had as yet committed no such sinne since the restitution of the Spirit to him as might cause God to depriue him of it and therefore this prayer of his was not so fitting to the purpose in this sense therefore we must take it in the apâ—…st sense and as Dauid did intend it Dauid he was affraid left God should depriue him of his holy Spirit for those sinnes which he had committed against him before and this was the cause and ground of this his prayer now therefore this his prayer and the whole Psalme hauing reference only to his former and not to his future sinnes it must needs follow that this prayer of Dauid extendeth meerely to the Spirit which hee had before his sinnes committed and not to the Spirit newly restored to him