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
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
430. which saying I would to God Mr. Mountague had well considered before hee had put his Penne to paper Cum primum mali cuiuscunque erroris is putredo erumpere caeperit ad defensionem sui quaedam sacrae legis verba furari atque fallaciter fraudulenter exponere statim interpraetando Canoni maiorum sententiae congregandae sunt quibus illud quoque exurget nouitium ideoque prophanum absque vlla ambage prodatur â—…ine vlla retractatione damnetur Sedeorum duntaxat patrum sententiae congregandae sunt quae in fide Communione Catholica sanctè sapienter constanter viuentes docentes permanentes vel mori in Christâ—… fideliter vel occidi pro Christi feliciter meruerunt Quibus tamen hac lege credendum est vt quicquid vel omnes plures vno eodemque sensu manifestè frequenter perseueranter velut quodaÌ„ sibi consentiente magistroruÌ„ concilio accipiendo tenendo tradendo firmauerint id pro indubitato certo ratoque habeatur Quicquid verò quamvis ille sanctus doctus quamvis Episcopus quamvis Confessor Martyr praeter omnes aut etiam contra omnes senserit id inter proprias occultas priuatas opiniunculas à communis publicae generalis sententiae autoritate secretum sit ne cum summo aeternae salutis periculo iuxâ—… sacrilegam haereticornm scismaticorum consuetudinem vniversalis dogmatis veritate dimissa vnius hominis nouitium sectemur errorem Follow now this safe and golden rule in our particular case wee haue the vnanimous consent of most if not of all the ancient Fathers for vs which they haue manifestly frequently and constantly recorded and commended to vs and therefore let not Bertius or Mr. Mountague his ape nor any other vpstarts whatsoeuer who defend their errors seduce and leade you from this ancient resolued and approued truth to the wrecke the perill at least the great dâ—…comfort of your soules The Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas Secondly as this hath beene the vnanimous and constant doctrine of all the ancient Fathers and of the Church of God in former ages That the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace so likewise hath it alwaies beene the receiued positiue consiant and resolued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas which is euident First by the writings and records of their greatest learnedst and chiefest Schollers and Diuines which are very full and copious in the defence and maintinance of this our present assertion Secondly by the seuerall Articles Confessions of these Churches and by the expresse resolutions of those Synods which haue bin held and kept among them which haue resolued and established this our position as the orthodox truth and Tenet First their greatest learnedst and chiefest Schollers and Diuines haue in their seuerall workes and writings recorded propagated published and defended this our present Theses and assertion as the orthodox and vndoubted truth which I will proue by a particular Induction and Index of their names and workes without transcribing of their words for feare least I should bee to voluminous and ouer-tedious in this point Iohn Husse that learned and faithfull Martyr of Iesus Christ and one of the first reformers of the Bohemian and German Churches hath not onely published and recorded this our present assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace to all posteritie as you may reade at large in his Tractate de Ecclesia cap 1 3 4. but hee hath likewise sealed and ratified the truth of this with his very blood as is euident by the 1 2 3 5 6 and 21 Articles of his which were condemned in the 15. Session of the Popish Councell of Constans After him laborious and zealous Luther in his Postills Homil in lohn 14 in die Penteeostes Hom in fecto sanctae Catbarinae and in his Commentarie in 1 Pet 1 23. Learned Bucer in his Comment on Math 7 13. cap 16 18. cap 24 24. on lohn 4 14 cap 10 28 29 cap 14 16 17. on Rom cap 7 8. and in diuers other of his workes epithomized by Zanchius in the first part of his 7 Tom in his treatise de Perseuerantia sanctorum learned Zwinglius in his Opus Articulorum Artic 8. Elegant and learned Melanchthon in his Comentary on the 1 Cor 10. 13. in his Loci Comm Locâ—…s de Iustificatione ac fide and in Tom. 3. de sacris Concionibus pag. 264 267. Profound Brentius in Iohn 10. hom 81. in lohn 16. hom 56. in Iohn 17. hom â—…4 and in his Exegesis in Iohn 17. Learned painefull and iudicious Caluin a farre better Diuine and a farre honester man then any of all those who calumniate slight and vilifie him in his lnstitutions lib. 2. cap. 3. sect 11. and cap. 5. sect 3. lib. 3. cap. 24. sect 6 7. Expositio in Psal. 51. verse 12. 13. Commen in Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. In. 2 Pet. 3. 17. and in diuers other places of his workes Learned Bullinger in his Comentarie on 2 Tim. 2. 19. and is his Exposition on Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. Gualtherus in Euangelium Lucae homil 197. et 201. and homil 26. in Epist. 1 Iohn Grynaeus in his Disputationum Theolog. pars 2 de fide electorum Theses 18. pag. 471. and Praelectiones in Hebr. 6. verse 4 5 6. Profound and learned Peter Martyr Locorum Com. Classis 3. cap. 3. sect 46 47. and in his Commet on Rom. 8. Iudicious Marlorat in his Exposition on Psal. 51. 12 13. and on Psal. 125. 1 2. In his Exposition on Math. 7. 25. cap. 16. 18. cap. 24. 24. on Iohn 4. 14. cap. 5. 24. cap. 6. 37. cap. 8. 31. cap. 10 28 29. cap. 15. 6. cap. 17. 9. on Rom. 5. 2. cap. 9. 3. on 1 Cor. 1. 8. 9. on 2 Tim. 2. 19. on Hebr. 6. 3 4 5. on 1 Pet 1 5. 23. on 1 Iohn 2. 19 cap. 3. 9. and cap. 5. 16. Musculus in his Comentary on Maâ—…h 16. 18. cap. 24. 24. and on Iohn 10. 28. 29. and in his Loci Comm. de Peccato cap. 5. Aretius in Phil. 1. 6. in 2. Tim. 2. 19. in 1 Pet. 1. 5. and in his Theolog Problemata Locus 6. de Praedestinatione pag. 81. Oecolampadius in 1 Iohn 2. 19. Mollerus in Psal. 121. 3. to the end and in Psa. 125. 1. 2. Alardus Mehinus in Anchora salutis pag. 173. Hyperius in his Comentary on the 2 Tim. 2. 19. and on Titus 1. 1. Rennicherus in his Aurea Catena salutis cap. 27. pag. 210 211. Hessâ—…usius in his Exposition in 1 Cor. 1. 8. and in his Examen Theolog Locus 16. de Predestinatione Gasper Oleuianus in his Expositio Symboli Apostolici pag. 38 63 64 75 133 134 137 138 139 150 154 155 156 162 163 164 191. in his Commentary on Rom. 8. ver 28 29 30. and so to the end of the chapter and de Testimonio faederis
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
and directly to condemne abhorre contemne oppose and persecute grace in any of the Saints and therefore to auoide the infamy and shame of men and to restraine and blinde his owne conscience which else would flie into his face hee vseth some pretence or other that so he may with lesse suspicion and with greater boldnesse disgorge his malice and his spight against it Againe consider that there is nothing so crosse and contrary so odious and hatefull to vnregenerate and carnall men as the very power and truth of grace and holinesse nothing is there in the world that carnall men abhorre and loathe so much nothing is there that they hate with such a bitter exorbitant vnlimited and implacable detestation as that power of grace and that image of holinesse which shines so glorious and resplendent in the liues and actions of the Saints this makes them fret and fume and mads them to the heart And lastly consider seriously and in good earnest with your selues because it is a matter which concernes your soules that there alwaies haue been are all shall be a generaâ—…ion of men vpon the earth which shall be hated scorned persecuted reproched reuiled accused slandered and condemned euen of all sorts of men for no crime no cause or sinne at all bur only for their new their gratious godly and their holy liues and for their hatred and detestation of all kinde of sinne Now lay all these together and sâ—…e what men there are in all the world who are generally hated reproched condemned scorned persecuted disdained â—…euiled falsly accused see what manner of men they are whose names are cast out as euill and who haue all manner of euill spoken against them falsely by all sorts and kindes of men and thaâ—… only for the syncere profession of the name of Christ for the vprightnesse and synceritie of their hearts for the puritie and holinesse of their liues and for the auoyding of all kinde of sinne and then you shall finde that these and these onely whom you accuse censure and condemne for Puritans are the men for they onely are hated of all sorts and kindes of men Papists Protestants Arminians ciuill and morrall men prophane and loose persons young and old rich and poore Clergie and Laitie they all doe band and set against them they all reuile reproch accuse condemne deride persecute slander and abhorre them they all auoide and shun them more or lesse and separate them from their companie they all distaste them in their hearts they all cast out their names as euill and prosecute them euen with virulent and bitter hatred as farre as oportunitie law or power will giue them leaue yea many men are so rauing mad against them that they could wish as Caligula did of the Romans that they had all but one neck that so they might cut them of at a blow and all this is for no other cause at all but because they are too pure and precise to holy and religious because they are too frequent in hearing and reading of Gods word in prayer and such like holy duties because they will reproue men for their euill courses and will not beare them company in their sinnes because they will not sweare whore drinke dice game inordinately mispend their time haunt Playes and Tauernes and play the good fellowes as others doe because they speake against Pluralities Nonresidents and lazie or good-fellow Pastors who either starue and quite neglect or else mislead their flockes If all men would be prophane and wicked and make no bones of sinne there would not be a â—…uritan in the world If therefore Puritans are such men as these if they are the best the dearest and holiest Saints of God as there is no doubt or question but they are if you will but giue your owne consciences libertie â—…or to determine it your accusation then that none but Puritans doe defend â—…his Doctrine will be so farre from disparaging of it that it doth highly grace and honour it and proue you who doe oppose and contradict it to be but prophaue licentious carnall and gracelesse persons and vtter enemies to all grace and goodnesse And now since I haue made it manifest vnto your vnderstandings at least vnto your consciences that Puritans are not the men you take them or rather such men as you would haue them for to be forbeare from hence-forth to hate to scorne to disdaine reproach accuse deride condemne oppose and slander them without a cause as formerly you haue done for feare lest whiles you bend your tongues your hearts your malice and your force against them for standing close vnto the truth and for manifesting the very power and truth of grace and holinesse in their liues you take vp armes against the Lord of Hoasts and King of heauen and wrecke your soules vpon that rocke and sinne against the holy Ghost which shall neuer be forgiuen But admit now that none but Puritans maintaine our present assertion that is as you in part intend it that none but Caluinists oâ—… men infected with Geneuanisme doe defend it must it therefore be a Puritan doctrine must it therefore be a false position doth the qualitie or condition of the Patrons make truth to be no truth consider I pray a little of it and then reflect vpon your selues perchance it may be some disparagement to your cause But say that the qualitie of the Patrons doth change and alter the very nature of the truth are Caluin and his followers so vndeseruing of the Church of God or is the Church of Geneua or the Belgicke Churches so subiect vnto Errors in their doctrine that this should not be truth because that these defend it Surely though I will â—…ot wholly pinne my faith on Caluins sleeue nor canonize him for a Saint stiling him St. Caluin as some of you haue done it in disdaine and scorne though I make no doubt but he is now a Saint with God in heauen yet this I will say vnto the best the proudest and the learnedest of you that the name of Caluin shall be remembred and renowned in the Church of God when as your names shall rotte and be forgotten And as for the Church of Geneua and the Belgick Churches though they differ from vs in their discipline yet none but Papists or Arminians can cauell at their Doctrine if you are such as you must be such if you continue to oppose our present assertion goe on and cauell at them whiles you will your cauells will but honour them not disgrace them and this our cause shall neuer fare the worse because it hath these Patrons to defend it Since therefore the quality of the Patrons of this truth can neuer change the nature of it and make it not to be a truth since Puritans appearing in their proper colours are men of greater grace and holinesse than the best of those who slander them and stile them so and are not such in truth as they are commonly taken and
Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 10. 5 it workes so powerfully and maiestically in mens soules that none can let it or resist it Isai 43. 13. and Acts 6. 10. it makes euery knee to bow and stoope to Iesus Christ and to keepe his iudgments and doe them Phil. 2. 10. and Ezech. 36. 27. wherefore this doctrine which doth thus ouerturne and pull downe the kingdome of grace which makes it subiect vnto man whereas man is subiect vnto it must needes be a damnable and pernitious doctrine and so cannot bee admitted for a truth euen in this respect Fourthly if this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints should bee admitted it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Church of God but more especially in respect of our Church of England For first it would wrong the whole Church of God in traducing slighting condemning the doctrine and opinion of all the ancient Fathers of the Church and of the Church of God in former ages and in vilifying and contradicting the doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches and the judgment and learning of all the best moderne Protestant Diuines who haue alwaies defended and maintained this assertion that the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace as I shall proue hereafter Secondly it would wrong the whole Church of God in reuiuing and raising vp from hell againe that old Pelagian Heresie which hath not onely beene condemned and opposed by Saint Augustine Hierome Prosper Bradwarden and others but likewise by three seuerall Councells to wit the Councell of Mileâ—…etan the Councell of Africke and the Councell of Orange For as all the points of Arminianesme are nothing else but meere Pelagianisme clad in other tearmes so this was one part and member of the Pelagian or Deme pelagian Heresie that the true regenerate Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace and therefore the Demepelagians did caâ—…ell and carpe at Saint Augustines doctrine for teaching that the Saints of God after they were once regenerated had such a disposition put into them that they could not but perseuerance in grace as appeares by the Epistles of Hilarie and Prosper to Saint Augustine concerning the remainders of the Pelagian Heresiâ—…s wherefore this doctrine of the Apostacie of the Saints being nothing else but a part of the Pelagian Heresie cannot be now admitted and imbraced without great wrong and preiudice to the whole Church of God Thirdly it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the Church of England For first it will pull vp a maine foundation and a maine principle and ground of truth which hath bin planted and setled in our Church it will raise a strong bulwarke and fort of true religion which the best and chiefest worthies of our Church haue hitherto full well and manfully defended against all forraine hostility whatsoeuer which will be a great disparagement and blemish to our Church Secondly it will giue our enemies just cause to vaunt and triumph ouer vs and to erect a Trophie where as they neuer got the field This hath beene the glory and honour of the Church of England that the 〈◊〉 Church and all her complices since her reformation and reuolt from them could neuer yet with all their learning wiâ—… or policie conuince her of any maine or fundamentall error in her doctrine If then wee should now admit and approue of this doctrine of a finall or a totall fall from grace and imbrace it as a truth wee should then conuince our selues of a maine and fundamentall error in our doctrine wee should then subscribe and yeeld the wasters vp to them without any combate or opposition at all when as they were not able for to wrest them from vs by truth strength of argument and so wee should giue them just and lawfull cause to triumph ouer vs to the great dishonour of God to the very betraying of the truth and to our owne perpetuall infamie and disgrace Thirdly it would breake downe the very walls and bulwarkes of our Church that so Armiâ—…nisme and 〈◊〉 might come rushing in with a full carere and quite beat downe the truth For if this be once admitted and receiued for a truth that the true regenerate Saints of God may fall either finally or totally from the state of grace this very point it selfe is grosse and palpable Arminianisme and Poperie it is a point which all Rhemists and Arminians and which Bellarmine Becaonus and other Papists do defend against the Proâ—…estants and it drawes along with it many other grosse and palpable points of Armianisme and Popery as predestination from the foresight of faith and workes freewill both to receiue and reiect grace at our pleasures veniall sinne no certaintie of saluation in this life without some speciall reuelation vniuersall grace that those who are not elected to saluation are members of the holy Catholike Church that the number of the elâ—…t is not certaine vnto God himselfe and the like If this one point then should bee admitted and imbraced by vs as a truth it would scrue in the whole body of Arminianisme Pelagianisme and a great part of Poperie into our Church and so would quickly crush and quell that glorious and holy truth which now we doe professe Fourthly it would breede such a combustion and diuision in our Church as would hardly bee appeased without great hurt and danger to the state wee see by present experience that a little conniuancie wincking at this doctrinâ—… hath bred a kinde of faction and diuision in our Church and drawne many great disciples after it who if they were not awed by superiour powers and with the expectation of the doome censure of the Generall and Grandee of their faction would make such astrange and sodaine rent and combustion in our Church and state as would indanger both and giue occasion to our enemies to fish in troubled streames where they could hardly misse their prey You therefore my brethren who are so hot and forwards to vsher and bring in this damnable and pernicious doctrine into our glorious and much renowned Church consider what you are about to doe consider what dangerous and dismall consequencies are like to follow and insue vpon it consider how ill and viper like you shall reward that mother of yours which hath nourished and brought you vp to the end that you should defend her vpon all occasions and not beare armes against her Consider that it is no other but the Diuill himselfe woo either by his owne priuate suggestions to your hearts or else by his dangerous agents and seditious factors doth labour to withdraw you from the faith and to rent you from your mother Church not for any desire or loue to God or to the truth but for priuate ends and by respects that so he may make both you and others a prey and bootie to himselfe Consider what the inducements are that
and liuely faith they are the sons of God the Spirit of God doth moue them to those things which are holy and right that so they may not wittingly commit any things to the contrary much lesse perseuere in them notwithstanding oft-times out of the weakenesse of the flesh they sin doe not according to faith but yet they neuer commit those sins which waste the conscience nor those which doe forth-with exclude them from the kingdome of God which reason they doe backe likewise with this Syllogisme drawne from the Scriptures Hee that beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Ioh. 5. but hee that is borne of God the same Apostle in the same Epistle testifies cap. 3. that hee doth not sin neither can hee sin therefore â—…ee who doth truly and liuingly beleeue the Gospell of Christ can abide in no sinne which doth waste the conscience For euery one who commits such a sin as this hath neither seene nor knowne God Wherefore seeing that this Diot hath resolued that such a one as hath true faith cannot commit such a sinne as doth waste his conscience but only sinnes of infirmitie which doe not cast men wholly from the state of grace it hath likewise by this resolued against Mr. Mountagues assertion that faith once had may bee both finally totally lost againe so they haue not consented to the Church of Rome in this as hee most falsely doth affirme Againe this whole Diot haue with one vnanimous consent resolued it that all such as haue true faith both may and must be assured of their saluation because that God hath vndoubtedly promised eternall life to all such as are iustified doe 〈◊〉 beleeue in him which promise hee will punctually vndoubtedly performe in the time which hee hath promised because that Christ doth call elect all his not to a temporarie kingdome grace or life but to an eternall because that God himselfe will inable them cause them for to perseuere because this liuing iustifying faith is in it selfe eternall life those that haue it euen from the first time of their hauing of it haue euerlasting life because this faith is preserued in those that haue it not by their owne power or might but by the very power of God of the holy Ghost because this faith is of an incorruptible of a growing increasing and neuer failing nature as you may reade from pag. 461. to 538. Therefore by this expresse resolution vpon these pregnant and sure grounds which doe all proue our assertion to the full it is most euident and apparant to all the world that this famous Diot and so all the Protestants in Germanie who assented to it and were present at it haue resolued and determined That the state of true and sauing graece that true and liuely faith once had can neither finally nor totally be lost againe How base how trecherous and perfidious then is Mr. Mountague who would thus traduce this noble Diot and all the German Protestants in recording it vnto the world that they assented to the church of Rome in this that faith once had might bee lost againe when as they did expresly resolue it to the Contrary Well Mr. Mountague I must needs speake plainly to you and let all the world iudge whether I doe amisse in it or no as in many other things touching this particular controuersie so especially in traducing and abusing of this famous Diot you haue shewed your selfe a base an impudent a lying and seditious Varlet and a man vnworthy to liue in any Protestant Church or Christian Common-wealth and I will euidence and proue it by these 4. particulars First in that you traduce corrupt and falsifie the judgement of a whole Protestant Synod Secondly in that you traduce and falsifie it in such a manner saying that all the Protestants in Germany assented to the Church of Rome in this Diot at Ratisbon in this point of falling finally and totally from grace as if all the Protestants in Germany were turned Papists Thirdly in that you do it to this end to bring in Popery and Arminianisme into our Church to make the world beleeue that Popery and Protestanisme are all one and that Protestants haue heretofore alwayes yeelded and submitted to the Church of Rome in matters of Doctrine and therefore they should doe so now and so the end of this your falsification of this Synod is but to perswade all Protestants to turne Papists at least in this particular point Fourthly in that you would father the base bratts of that Arminian Bertius vpon this Protestant and famous Diot that so his dangerous workes might be countenanced approued and receiued as sound and orthodox vnder the name and colour of this Diot For if it please Mr. Mountague to remember himselfe those Scriptures reasons and authorities of Fathers which he citeth in his Gagge cap. 20. as the reasons arguments and grounds which moued Bucer and the Diot of Ralisbon to assent to the Church of Rome in this point of falling from grace as they are not to be found in the disputation of Ralisbon wherein the contrary was resolued so all and euery one of these Scriptures reasons and Fathers Clemens Romanus a meere suppositions and forged Writer only excepted were transcribed out of this Bertius his Apostatia Sanctorum where they are all and only to bee found Now hee who professing himselfe to be a Protestant and receiuing so many fauours from our Church shall putposely traduce and falsifie such a generall and famous Synod or Diot as this in such a base and infamous manner and that to such dangerous sinister and wicked ends as these how ill hee doth deserue of God and man especially of this our Mother Church whom hee doth labour to corrupt and seduce by this his jugling let all men judge But to passe this ouer which the loue I owe vnto the truth and to my Mother Church could not suffer mee to smother or conceale I will now proceed to giue you some farther and cleare euidence to proue the totall and finall Perseuerance of the Saints to be the doctrine of the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas Concordia Lutherana which was agreed vpon and resolued and set out by the consent of all the Protestants in Germanie against those who did oppose the Augustine Confession informes vs that this was one Article of the Protestants beleife touching justification which they did both teach and confesse That albeit true beleeuers and regenerate men were liable to many infirmities and spotts euen to their death yet that they ought not for to doubt either of the righteousnesse imputed vnto them by faith or of eternall saluation but that they ought firmely to resolue that God is reconciled to them in Christ according to his sure word and promise And though there bee much infirmitie in the Saints which makes them to complaine with Paul yet God doth neuer impute this
these I say who were vndoubtedly the learnedest in the Church of England in their times haue hitherto bin reputed so without controll haue with one vnanimous and joynt consent in these their seuerall writings and records in which they doe and shall for euer liue defended and maintained the Totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints as the Orthodox positiue and undoubted truth and as the receiued and resolued doctrine of the Church of England opposing confuting reiecting and condemning the contrary assertion as haereticall wicked blasphemous and athiesticall and as quite repugnant and crosse to the receiued and established doctrine of our Church But now it may be obiected that it is true that the learnedest in the Church of England haue heretosore maintained desended this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and as the receiued doctrine of our Church but doe the learnedâ—…st in the Church of England maintaine and defend it now in any of their workes and writings I answere yes Doctor Benefelde Lady Margarets Lecturer in the Vniuersitie of Oxford as learned and profound a Scholler as any in the Church of England in his two bookes de Perseuerantia sanctorum being nothing else but two publike Lectures which he read in the Diuinitie Schooles at Oxford Doctor Prideaux now regious Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man as famous for his learning as any in our Church in his Lecture de Perseuerantia sanctorum and in his Sermon intituled Ephesus backsliding Doctor Ames a famous and renowned Scholler now a Professor of Diuinitie in the Netherlands in his Coronis ad Collationem Hagiensem Article 5. Doctor Francis White whom some report to be dyed blacke of late one of the greatest Gamaliels in our Church in his reply to Fisher pag 52 53 54 81 84 87 102 167 168 200. Doctor Carlton the reuerend Bishop of Chichester Doctor Dauenat Bishop of Salisbury Doctor Samuell Ward Doctor Thomas Goade and Doctor Balcanquall in the fifth Article of the Synod of Dort at which they were present and to which they haue subscribed their names and in the Examination of Mr. Mountagues Appeale composed by Bishop Carlton to which they haue also annexed a Protestation touching the Synod of Dort so touching our particular point which is resolued in the one and defended in the other Mr. Wotton in his defence of Mr. Perkins in the point of the certaintie of saluation Mr. Bolton in his Discourse of true happinesse to passe by Mr. Ronse Mr. Burton Mr. Yates and others who haue answered Mr. Mountague and haue written particularly of this our present controuersie all these I say who are the learnedest at least as learned as any in our Church haue defended and maintained this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and as the doctrine of the Church of England in these their seuerall records neither is there any English Diuine but Mr. Mountague that did euer publish and record the contrary This cloude of witnesses which I haue here recorded together with many oâ—…hers which I might haue mentioned is sufficient for to proue that the learnedest in the Church of England not onely heretofore but likewise at this present time concurre and iumpe with vs in this our assertion that true grace once had can neuer be totally nor finally lost againe Mr. Mountague himselfe though hee records the contrary is so ingenious as to conâ—…esse that many in the Church of England reputed learned haue concurred in opinion with vs but yet withall hee auerreth that those who hold the contrary are their superiours both in learning authoritie so that in his opinion no learned men indeede no man of place or note in this our Church but onely some meane obscure men who are reputed learned but are in truth illitterate were euer of his opinion that true faith once had could not be totally nor finally lost againe But whether those men whom I haue formerly mentioned were obscure men or no or whether they were illitterate dunces men only reputed learned or whether they are not more eminent in place learning dignity and piety then Mr. Mountague or any of his Abettors let all men judge Hauing now sufficiently proued by many testimoâ—…ies that the learnedest in the Church of England haue assented to vs and that they haue maintained this our assertion as the resolued doctrine of the Church of England I will now in the second place examine whether there are any learned in the Church of England who either did or do oppose it as Mr. Mountague hath auerred it For my owne part I must confesse ingenuously that I neuer heard or read of any English orthodox Protestant Diuine that did euer oppose or contradict our present assertion in any worke or writing of his set forth by publike authoritie Indeed Mr. Bradwell in his detection pag. 89. and Mr. Rogers iu his third proposition on the 17. Article records the doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace to bee one of Glouers errors but whether Glouer were one of the learnedest in the Church of England of which Mr. Mountague speakes or whether he hath left this error of his vpoÌ„ any authenticall and approued records that I know not sure I am that this doctrine of his which Mr. Mountagne would father vpon the learnedest of our Church is but a branded error and that vpon record I must confesse that Iohn Breyerly a Priest in his reformed Protestant Printed at 〈◊〉 in Laâ—…cashire 1621 pag 79. hath recorded this to be the Tenet of Mr. Harsnet now Bishop of Norwich and he quotes his sermon at Paules Crosse in the margent for to proue it where in this error of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints together with some other Arminian points were deliuered by him If the Bishop of Norwich then be one of Mr. Mountagues learnedest number who oppose this our present assertion I answer first that Mr. Harsnet was long since conuented for his Sermon and forced to recant it as haeriticall and erronious and therefore since hee hath recanted it as an error heretofore I doubt not but he doth disclaime it as an error now Secondly I answer that vpon this Sermon the controuersies that arose vpon it the Articles of Lambeth which do resolue this for vs that the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace were composed and by the appointment of the whole Vniuersitie of Cambridge Mr. Wotton was appointed to confute Mr. Harsnets Sermon as haereticall the next Sunday following and therefore by the voyce of the whole Vniuersitie of Cambridge and by the resolution of the reuerend Bishops and learned Diuines assembled at Lambeth who were farre more learned then Mr. Harsnet this totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints was branded for an error and so not the receiued Tenet of the learnedest in the Church of England Thirdly I answere that this Sermon of Mr. Harsnets was neuer
against the Doctrine of the totall and 〈◊〉 perseuerauce of the Saints in grace which hath beene so long setled and established in our Church reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such liuely Emblems and representations of your selues These Libertines Iewes and Gentiles when as they could finde nothing to reply against that truth the which they did oppose they leaue the matter and the points in question and fly vpon the persons of such as did defend them So you since you haue nothing to reply vnto the arâ—… of those who do defend the totall final perseuerance of the Saints in grace doe waiue the Controuersie and fall foule vpon their persons thinking to carry away the cause by calumnies and scandalous accusations because you cannot do it by force and truth of argument For first you accuse and taxe all such who patronize this orthodox and ancient truth for Puritans Secondly for pestilent seditious and factious persons And thirdly for such as doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar such as violate and transgresse his Maiesties most pious Proclamation and vpon these false and scandalous grounds you labour to suppresse the workes and prosecute the persons of all such as doe defend this truth A worthy and a learned confutation which sauoreth of nothing but of pure malice and venomous rancor against all grace goodnesse and such as doe defend them Now that all the world may know how false your accusations are and so how ill your cause I will a little 〈◊〉 them and discusse them Your first accusation and objection against our present assertion is this That there are none but Puritants who 〈◊〉 it Surely if you so confidently affirme that there are none but 〈◊〉 that defend it I may with greater confidence and truth 〈◊〉 it that there are none but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay 〈◊〉 who oppose it if any of you thinke I speake to harsh in this I haue the warrant of our late and learned Soueraigne King Iames to justifie mee who hath stiled them Heretickes and Atheisticall Sectaries vpon record But are there none but Puritans who defend it Sure I am and I hope I haue sufficiently proued it that Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles that all the ancient Fathers and some Councells that-all Protestant Churches and sound orthodox writers in forraine parts that the Synod of 〈◊〉 at which there were the choice Diuines of most Protestant reformed Churches that the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies and that King lames of blessed memorie haue from time to time deliuered published defended propagated and resolued this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and yet are there none but Puritans or are they all Puritans who defend it Was Christ his Prophets Apostels Puritans were all the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Puritans are all the Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas and all their sound and orthodox writers Puritans was thè famous Synod of Dort but a meere packe of Puritans are the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies Puritans or was King lames a Puritan that none but Puritans should maintaine this truth If you will condemne all these for Puritans as you must doe if your accusation goe for currant truth and so make Puritans to be nothing else as they are in truth but the true Church and Saints of God who professe propagate and maintaine the truth and puritie of the Gospell and will not bee withdrawne or seduced from it then we willingly acknowledge the accusation to be true and account it not a blemish but a grace and honour to our cause but if you will haue none of these to be the Puritans which you accuse your accusation then That none but Puritans defend this assertion must needes be false vnlesse you know to make a difference between those who 〈◊〉 maintained it in former times such as doe defend it now Now that I may giue a further answer vnto this false scandalous and malitious accusation I will a little inquire what kinde of creature this Puritan should be which makes such a stirre and businesse in the world and is so much accused condemned hated persecuted inueighed at and spoken against that so the odiousnesse and 〈◊〉 of the very name may not impeach the worth the credit the qualitie or condition of the person on whom it is 〈◊〉 Certainely the onely Puritan that is now aymed at and so commonly accused and spoken against is nothing else in veritie and truth if you will but lay aside the name that so you may behold him as he is But a godly and syncere Christian who stickes close vnto the word of God both in his iudgement and his practise being more abstemious from all kinde of sinue more diligent and frequent in all holy duties and more industrious to serue and please the Lord in all things then those who doe condemne reproach and censure him Hee that now sticks fast and close vnto the word of truth and will not be withdrawne from it hee that shewes forth the power and efficacy of grace in the constant holinesse of his life hee that is diligent and frequent in Gods seruice and squares his life and actions according to his word hee that makes a conscience of all his waies and workes and will not be so vitious and licentious so riotous and deboist so prophane dissolute and desperately wicked as other men hee and hee onely is the Puritan which is now so much condemned hee onely is the Puritan who now is made the very But and obiect of all mens hatred malice enuy scorne and disdaine hee onely is the Puritan whom you doe here accuse Take but away the vgly horrid and mishapen name and visard of a Puritan which doth now wholly ouercloud the persons on whom it is imposed and present them in a strange and different forme from what they are in truth and consider but the persons the liues the graces and the inside of those men who are reputed sor the greatest Puritans disrobed and vncased of the name it selfe and then the greatest and fierceest Ante-puritan of you all if his conscience be not strangly cauterized must bee forced to confesse that as it was with the Christians among the Gentiles so now it is with Puritans among such as seeme to be Christians Non scelus aliquod in causa est sed nomen et solius nominis crimen est that Puritans are hated contemned reproached accused and condemned not for any offence for any euill or wickednesse that is in them but onely for their name which is imposed on them onely for this end that men might the more freely persecute oppose dispise condemne and hate them for their holy liues And if that this seeme strange vnto you that men should be condemned hated reproached persecuted and accused for their graces and their holy liues consider then that euen from the beginning and from that time that God put
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
frame this accusation and in ditement against you at the day of Iudgement as he did against the shepheards of Israel Ezech. 34. 4. The diseased haue yee not strengthened â—…either haue you healed that which was sicke neither haue you bound vp that which was broken neither haue you brought againe that which was driuen away but with force and crueltie haue you ruled them and then your doome and judgment will be terrible and dismall as this your Doctrine is Fifthly This doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace it makes no difference at all beeweene the godly and the wicked in this present life If the true regenerate Saints of God might either finally or totally fall from grace what difference should there be betweene impenitent and wicked men and them what priuiledge or aduantage had they more then they They haue no more assurance of Gods loue and fauour no more assurance of heauen and eternall life no more aduantage or benefit by the death of Christ then they there were then no difference at all in their estates but onely for the present they had but a meere possibilitie of heauen and eternall life they could not absolutely say we shall be saued but onely wee may be saued and so may euery wicked man that liues vpon the earth All that the Saints of God should then haue it should depend meerely vpon incertainties and future contingences they should be no more sure of saluation then wicked men True it is that that for the present they should haue a greater probabilitie and likelihood of heauen and saluation then wicked men because they are for the present in the state of grace but yet they were no neerer vnto heauen and eternall saluation then they for these wicked men might become Gods children afterwards continue so when as they themselues might fall from grace and perish in their sinnes those that are the children of Satan might be the Saints and sonnes of God when as they themselues may bee the sonnes of Beâ—…ial and vessels fitted for destruction Wherefore seeing that this doctrine of falling from grace puts no sound and sure difference betweene the wicked and the godly in this present life and giues the one no greater and no surer priuiledges then the other hath when as the Scripture makes as great a difference betweene them as is betweene sheepe and goates wheate and tares gold and drosse happinesse and misery it must needes be false and opposite to the truth and cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall finally from grace it would breede a doubt and scruple in mens mindes whether there are any that are saued or at least whether God hath alwaies had a true Church on earth For if one regenerate man may fall from grace then a second and a third may to and so euery regenerate man in particular and so all regenetate men and then there should bee none that should bee saued then there might be a time when all men might be fallen from grace and so a time when as there was no Church of God on earth Wee all know that the very best of all Gods Saints and children are apt and ready to fall into sinne and that in many things they offend all which things by your assertion may cut them of from Christ and cast them headlong from the state of grace wherefore for ought that any man knowes there is not any one of Gods Saints and children but may bee fallen quite away from the state of grace before his death and so may dye and perish in his sinnes and therefote if this position were once admitted it would breede a doubt in men where euer there were any saued or whether God hath alwaies had a Chruch on earth which would be a dangerous consequent and would much eclipse the riches of Gods mercy the merits of Christs death and passion the glory and perpetuity of his kingdome and make men carelesse of religion Thirdly this Doctrine of a finall or totall Apostacie from the state of grace would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe and so cannot be admitted First it would cause men to vilifie and vnderualue grace it would cause them for to slight and disrespect it and not to set that price vpon it as they should For if true and sauing grace might bee lost againe who then would estimate or value it who would forsake the riches the honours and the pleasures of the world to seeke it and imbrace it ' which should be then as permanent sure and stable as grace it selfe That which makes men for to prise estimate grace aboue all things else is this that it is a perpetuall stable and permanent possession which will neuer decay that is is not subiect vnto time and chance as all sublunary and worldly things are that it is such an heauenly treasure as cannot be lost nor taken from vs. Therefore Christ when as hee would incite and stirre vs vp to seeke after grace doth commend grace vnto vs as a permanent and euerlasting good which neuer fades nor yet decaies putting it by way of antithesis and opposition to all worldly things which are but momentary and fading hence are these his exhortations Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the â—…eate that perisheth but for that which indâ—…reth vnto euâ—…rlasting life Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth where 〈◊〉 and rust doth corrupt and where theeâ—…es breaks through and â—…teale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theâ—…es doe not breake through nor â—…eale Math 6 19. 20. Whosoeuer shall drinke of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4. 13 14. That which doth most of all commend and set forth grace that which makes it amiable and louely and giues it an excâ—…llencie aboue all earthly things is this that it is a permanent possession an euerlasting treasure which cannot be loâ—…t If it were notso men could not prise it aboue earthly thing This Doctrine therefore of falling from the state of grace it takes away the very excellency of grace and so it would cause men for to vilifie and vnderualue it and to preferre the base and transitorie things of the world before it which would bee a dangerous consequence Secondly this assertion it would ouerthrow and vtterly disanull the very nature and essence of true sauing grace For grace as I haue proued at large before is of a permanent constant perpetuall immortall growing and increasing nature it cannot perrish or decay where once it is in truth begun This Doctrine of a totall or finall fall from grace it makes grace to be but a transitory and fading thing in ouerthrowes this nature and essence of true
leade you to imbrace this error If you will but examine your owne hearts well you shall finde that the thing which leades you to imbrace this error is either the learning or the fame of some particular men that do defend it or else some secret hatred malice either to all or to some particular men that doe oppose it or else some felfe conceite and some high opinion which you do attribute to your owne conceites without any due examination of them by the word of God or else it is some desire of singularity or fame or the hope of gaine honour preferment one of these I may be bold to say is the cause that moues you to patronize this error and not the loue of God or of his truth Remember therefore that you are bought with a price that you should not be the seruants of men that the word of God is the rule of life and doctrine and not the word of men remember that if you are the sheepe of Christ you must heare his voice and his only you must not hearken to the voice of strangers let their learning or their parts bee what they will No men more apt to erre then those of greatest parts and learning especially when as their parts and persons are not sanctified The greatest schollers haue alwaies broached and propagated the greatest and the most dangerous errors Wherefore neuer pinne your faith to the fickle opinions of fraile and mortall men especiallly of such men in whose liues the practise and power of religion shines not forth but examine all things by the word of God and though an Angel from heauen much lesse a Diuell from hell or a carnall man from earth should bring any other doctrine to you then what you finde to be warranted and recorded there receiue him not but let him bee accursed Sure I am that this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints hath no ground or footing for it in the word of God if you will but take the paines to search the Scriptures you shall finde it to bee so and therefore let not the opinion or fame of any particular man that doth patronize this error ouersway your judgments against the Scriptures the word of God And as for all other priuate by respects which may ingage you to adore this error remember that Gods glory and the loue of truth if not the good and welfare of the Church should ouer ballance and surpasse them all Better is it for to loose the world with all the fame the riches honours and preferments in it then to loose the Lord of truth and his euerlasting fauour to loose both soule and body at the last in hope of gaining honouror prefernâ—…ent now Wherefore lay aside all sinister by respects and consider how many great dangerous and pernitious consequencies will ineuitable follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall Apostacy of the Saints and then you cannot but disclaime it and detest it from your soules and euen fromyour hearts imbrace this orthodox and sound position which here I do defend That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Hauing thus as I suppose so fully proued the truth of this position by arguments and reasons drawne from the Scriptures that no man can be able to gainsay it For further satisfaction in the point I will now produce some humane authorities for to proue it which authorities I shall reduce to these three generall heads First I will proue that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church 〈◊〉 that this was and is the doctrine of all Protestant Churâ—… beyond the Seas Thirdly that this was and is the doctrine of the Church of England For the first of these that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church I shall manyfâ—… it by their owne authorities which I will vouch in â—…atine as I finde them printed lest I should giue the opposites any occasion for to carpe at mee or wrong the authors or the reader in the translation especially since I cite these Fathers to satisfie the learned not the ignorant I will first begin with the auncient of the Fathers and so discend to these of latter times Dionysius Areopagita Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apoftles times and as himselfe records it in his 11. Epistle to Apollophanus the Philosopher was 25. yeares of age at the death of Christ though others doubt of it hath deliuered and recorded this very doctrine in his booke de diuinis nominibus cap. 7. His words are these Diuina fides est stabilis credentium sedes qua hos in veritate locat in ipsisque veritatem impersuasibili identitate certam simplicem veritatis notionem habentibus ijs qui crediderunt Nam profectò si scientia cognoscentium cognitorum coniunctrix est ignorantia verò mutationis semper ex se ignoranti suae diuisionis est author eum qui in veritate credit iuxta Scripturae fidem nihil remouebit à verae fidei autore in quo constantiam immobilis atque immutabilis identitatis habebit In the 8. chapter of the same booke about the end of the chapter he hath these words Verum enim profectò hanc salutem non praeter intentionem Scripturae sanctae vt bonitate cuncta saluantem qua sunt omnia ab suorum prolapsione bonorum redimentem praedicare meritò possumus quantum cuiusque saluâ—…ndorum admittet naturae Idciâ—…cò etiam redemptionem iam theologi nominant ex quo sinit quae verê sunt ad id caedere vt non sint Ex eo item quod et fi quid deliquerint ab ordine suo aberrauerint imminutionem aliquam perfectionis bonorum suorum passa fuerint Hac etiam parte à passione imbecillitate ac priuatione reddimit impleus quod deest paterno affectu infirmitatem supplens at que à 〈◊〉 â—…rigons imò in pulchro fistens quod effluxerat bonuÌ„ reparans ae disponens ordinis quod deest in illo atque positionis exornans integrumque perficiens ab omnibus absoluens 〈◊〉 atibus And a little before he hath these words Itaque vt verum dixerim hoc magis est diuinae iustitiae proprium nequaquam emollire atque enermare optimorum quorumcun que masculum sensum largitione carnalium neque si quis id conetur agere eas sine adiutorio linquere sed eos in praeclâ—…o inflexibilique statu solidare eisque cum sint huiusmodi secundum merita reddere So that by this most ancient Diuines opinion these that are truly faithfull can neuer fall quite away from grace Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr who flourished in the yeare of Lord 163. and somewhat after concurreth in opinion with vs in his Explic. quaest à Gent. Christ. positarum quaest 23. For there
aedificat valde impium est vt credamus adeam quae inflat nos habere gratiā Christi adeam quae aedificat non habere cum sit vtrumque donum Dei et scire quid facere debeamus et diligere vt faciamus vt aedificante charitate scientia non posset inflare Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est qui docet hominem scientiam ita etiam scriptum est Charitas ex Deo est Which two Canons affirming that true grace is a great helpe and preseruatiue against sinne inabling those that haue it not onely to know but likewise for to doe and loue the things which God commaunds them make much for my conclusion for he that is able through the speciall assistance of God and grace to resist sinne and to do and loue the things which God commandes him how can he chuse but perseuere in grace Grace giues him power loue giues him will to perseuere what is here then that can hinder him from perseuering To conclude let but any indifferent and iudicious reader peruse that generall and famous Councell of Africke held in the yeare of our Lord 418 against Pelugius the Hereticke and the second Councell of Aransica or Oreng◅ held in the yeare of our Lord 529 and if his eyes and judgment are not praeiudicated and infected with Arminianisme or phrase-transformed Pelagianisme hee must needes acknowledge that these two Councells do corroberate and confirme our present assertion For in both these Councels it is positiuely resolued That grace is the only worke of Gods Spirit and the gift of God and not a morrall perswasion nor the strength of nature That regeneration and the state of grace is wrought only by the Spirit of God and not by any freewill strength or power of our owne That the beginning the continuance and the end of the worke of grace in vs is from God alone not from our selues and that by the grace of God only we are what wee are That when we doe inioy any good at all it is not from our owne power and strength but from the assistance of God himselfe who worketh in vs and with vs. That God loues vs not because we doe deserue his loue but because that he intends to make vs louely That the perseuerance of the Saints is from God alone and not from themselues that soe they might ascribe the glory of their graces and their perseuerance not vnto themselues but vnto God alone If then grace and regeneration bee the onely worke of the Spirit of God if the continuance the beginning and the end of Grace and perseuerance in the state of grace bee from God alone and not from man as these two Councels haue determined it then by the determination of these two Councels the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall finally nor totally from grace For if perseuerance bee the onely worke and gift of God alone the Saints of God can neuer chuse but perseuere because that God hath promised and couenanted to giue them perseuerance to cause them to walke i◅ his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and to doe them and to put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him if God will cause them for to perseuere there is nothing then that is able for to hinder them for no man can resist his worke and will Rom 9 19. and Isai 43 13. If you will but compare the Canons and Decrees of the generall Councell of Africke with Saint Augustines bookes de Bono Perseuerantiae and de Corrept et Gratia who was then present at this famous Councell then you may ascertaine your selues that this famous Councell and likewise the Councell of Orange who tooke their patterne and grounds from it did suffragate to this our assertion That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a iustifying and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace You see now how we haue an whole Grand-Iury of ancient and learned Fathers and Councells who haue giuen vp their verdict for vs so that you need not for to doubt of the truth and goodnesse of our cause And here good Reader I would intreate thee to take notice of the truth the honestie and modestie of one Mr. Mountague who in his Gagge and his Appello Cesarem doth confidently affirme That it hath beene the common Tenet of all Antiquitie That the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from the state of grace O the matchlesse impudency mallice and falsitie of the man who against his owne knowledge and conscience durst to affirme so grosse and palpable an vntruth and that to such a wicked and pernicious end as to deceiue his readers and to thrust a dangerous and condemned error on them for an ancient and approued truth What Mr. Mountague did you thinke that none had read the Fathers but your selfe or that your fame and credite was so great among vs as that we would beleeue your false quotations before the authenticall Records themselues Or did you thinke as you haue attempted for to doe to stop the labours of all such and to crush them in the shell as should disclose your partiall and disloyall dealing to the world that so yout virulent Appeale and your forged and new coyned doctrines therein recorded might passe without controll It is well you thought so but thankes be to God you are deceiued in your expectation and truth though it hath found some difficultie and opposition at the presse by your meanes yet it hath come forth at last to display your basenesse your impudencie your malice and your disloyalty vnto the world But say you had had your will Mr. Mountague and all things had succeeded according to your hopes yet me thinkes Mr Mountague if you had had any conscience or feare of God within you if you had had any loue and respect vnto antiquitie and truth as you pretend you haue how truly let others iudge you might haue beene ashamed and affraid to haue traduced slandered and sophisticated to haue outfaced and belyed all Antiquitie as now you haue for feare lest the worthy workes of so many Fathers should haue cryed out against you here and these very Fathers themselues should haue risen vp against you to condemne you in the day of judgement for wronging and traducing of them to that end as you haue done Nay if you had had any loue vnto your Mother Church or to the soules of so many thousands of your Country-men which you should haue wronged and seduced by these false quotations and confident assertions of your owne you could not haue beene so gracelesse so false so trecherous and so shamelesse as to haue fathered this your damnable pernicious error on the ancient Fathers who haue so much opposed it But it may be the good learned man did all this out of ignorance and simplicity For being destitute of the Fathers workes or wanting
totall or finall perseuerance of the Saints and proue the contrary to be true All that they produce against vs from the Scripture is nothing else but their owne collections and conceits which how farre they varie from the true scope and meaning of the places from which they are collected you shall see hereafter by particulars Now on the contrary side there are diuers and sundrie texts of Scripture almost in euery page throughout the Bible which doe in so many words either abso lute ly fully positiùely and plainely set it downe or by way of sound necessary and ineuitable consequence inferre that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer fall neuer bee moued neuer bee cast downe from the state of grace neuer depart quite away from God nor yet be separated from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus the most and chiefest of which places I haue quoted in my former Arguments and therefore will not stand to repeate them now The case then standing thus I take this for a true sure and neuer failing rule which admits of no exception That when there is any point of doctrine se t downe in Scripture in plaine positiue and expresse tearmes especially if it be thus set downe in diuers seuerall places which is our case that there no inference or bare collection from any other text of Scripture contrary to that doctrine and those expresse places of Scripture which doc warrant it ought not to bee admitted or receiued for else wee should preferre the inferences and vaine conceites of men which are full of error and vncertaintie before the positiue and sure word of God Wherefore seeing that all which is objected against vs from the Scriptures is not the Scripture it selfe but bare conceites inferences and collections from the Scriptures farre dissonant from the true sense and meaning of those Scriptures from which they are collected it is not to bee valued or accounted of but to be sleighted and reiected as humane fancies and conceites and as opposite and contrary to the expresse plaine positiue and absolute word of God which doth in so many words and in expresse tearmes lay downe this doctrine which I here maintaine I shall reduce this first obseruation to this Argument That doctrine and Argument which is but a bare inference and collection from the Scriptures and is quite opposite and contrary to that doctrine which is plainely positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures is not to be regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as false and counterfeit But the doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints and the Arguments which are produced for to proue it are but bare inferences and collections from the Scriptures and they are quite opposite and contrary to the doctrine of the finall and totall Perseuerance of the Saints which is plainly positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures Therefore they are not to bee regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as falfe and counterfeit This is the first thing which you must obserue The second thing which I would haue you to obserue is this That the Scripture saith expressely that all those that doe Apostatize and fall from grace were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only in outward shew and appearance This is positiuely and litterally set downe by the Apostle in the 1 Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not all of vs. Here the Apostle expresly affirmes That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer Apostatize nor fall from grace And that all such as doe fall away from that outward shew of grace the which they made doe therefore fall away because they had neuer any truth and soundnesse of grace or any true regeneration in them This is seconded by the same Apostle in the 2 Iohn 9. Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He was neuer truly regenerated in the sight of God though he were in the eyes of men but hee that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath the Eather and the Sonne hee only hath them in truth and in deed This is also ratified by Christ himselfe Iohn 8. 31. If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed intimating that such as did not continue in his Word were neuer his disciples indeed but only in outward shew So Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken not that which hee had in truth but that which hee seemed to haue None are there that doe euer loose the state of grace but such only as seeme to haue it but haue it not in truth All the plants which are rooted out of the Church of God are such as God the Father neuer planted Math. 15. 13. Those that seeme to fall out of the hands of Christ and perish are only such as were not in the number of his sheepe Iohn 10. 28. and those of Israel that fall from grace and perish they are only such as were not Israel they had only that circumcision which is outward consisting meerely in the flesh and in the letter they had neuer the inward circumcision of the heart and of the spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. and cap. 9. 6 7. From which I shall frame these two Arguments the one to proue my present assertion the other to defeate all those subsequent arguments which shall or can bee vrged against it The first Argument is only this If all those that fall away from grace were only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doc neuer fall from grace But all those that fall away from grace are only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ yea and the reason why they fall from grace is only because they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ as appeares by the premises Therefore those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doe neuer fall from grace what can be replied to this Argument transcends the spheare and compasse of my thoughts The second Argument which will vtterly defeate and falsifie all the Arguments and the very ground of all those objections which are or can bee made against mee is this If all such as fall away from grace are onely such as neuer had any true and sauing grace and such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then all the Scriptures and examples which onr Antagonists produce against vs make nothing to the purpose For then they must either be intended onely of
and not sanctifie their prosperitie or pouertie vnto them but God doth neuer leaue regenerate men vnto themselues he doth neuer leaue them nor forsake them and hee doth sanctifie all estates and conditions of life vnto them making them all to worke together for their good Rom. 8. 38. therefore they cannot cause them for to fall from grace Secondly I answer that these words of Agur doe not proue that plentie or pouertie may cause regenerate men to fall from the state of grace they only proue that they may cause them to commit many sinnes against God which they may doe and yet not fall from grace Hezechiah his heart was lifted vp with pride 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. yet hee fell not away from the state of grace but repented him of this his sinne Plentie or pouertie they may be occasions of pride and discontent thus much this prayer of Agur proues it proues that Christians ought for to desire a competencie and to auoide and pray against all occasions of sinne and this is all it proues What consequence then can you inferre from hence What that the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace because that Agur prayes to God to keepe him from the occasions of sinne because he prayes to God to giue him perseuerance and to remoue those lets and obstacles which might hinder him in his perseuerance What an absurdity would this be Regenerate men pray to God to keepe them from the occasions of sinne regenerate men vse the meanes and helpes to perseuere in grace and remoue the obstacles that might hinder them therefore they may fall from grace This is all the argument that can bee collected from hence and this all is nothing The twentieth Argument that may bee obiected against me is taken from that of Paul 1 Thes. 5. 19. Quench not the spirit The regenerate Saints of God may quench the Spirit of God therefore they may fall from grace I answer that there is a double quenching of the Spirit the one of the heate feruencie the other of the habituall graces of Gods spirit the Saints of God out of idlenesse and negligence in Gods seruice or by the commission of some sinne or other or by the negligent and superficiall performance of holy duties may quench the feruencie the heate and zeale of Gods Spirit that is of those spirituall graces which are within them which are no more but the degrees and fruites of grace but yet they can neuer extinguish the habituall graces of Gods spirit for they are of a diuine nature they are an incorruptible seed a seed which will remaine within them a spirituall fire which neuer failes and which many waters cannot quench as you may reade in the 1 Pet 1. 23. 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Iohn 3. 9. Luke 22 32. 1 Cor. 13. 8. and Cant. 8. 6 7. So that the meaning of the Apostle in this place is onely this that the Saints of God must not neglect the sweet and comfortable motions of Gods Spirit when as they feele them arising and springing vp in their hearts that they must beware of abating of the edge the feruencie the strength the heate and zeale of their graces and not that they may vtterly extinguish and put out the habituall graces of Gods spirit which are in them So that your Argument from this place of Paul can be but this The Saints of God may suppresse and neglect the sweet and comfortable motions of Gods spirit and lose the heate the zeale the feruencie and degrees of grace therefore they may lose the very habits and seeds of grace which is but a meere inconsequencie Secondly I answer that there is a double quenching of the Spirit first in respect of our selues secondly in respect of the Spirit it selfe The Saints of God may doe as much as in them lies to quench the Spirit of God but yet they cannot actually quench the Spirit the Spirit of God will not be quenched by them but will still remaine within them though they themselues out of incogitancie or negligence but neuer out of malice and wilfulnesse indeauour for to quench it Thirdly I answer that this quenching of the Spirit of God may haue a double construction For a man may quench the motions of Gods spirit either in respect of himselfe or in respect of others Now some good interpreters expound this place of Paul of the quenching of Gods spirit meerely in respect of others making this to bee the meaning of the place See that you incourage the Ministers of the Gospell and not crosse interrupt or discourage them in their preaching by your vnfruitfulnesse or by opposing your selues against them or by your disreport and neglect of their ministry in not repairing to their Sermons joyning it with the insuing verse Despise not prophecie If you â—…ake the place in this sense as well you may your Argument can bee no other then this The Saints of God may discourage and offend their Ministers therefore they may fall from the state of grace which is a meere Nonsequitur Lastly I answer that this place of Paul is but a bare admonition hee saith not that the Saints of God doe quench the spirit but onely admonish them not to quench it Which doth not implie that the Saints of God may quench the spirit because their diligent care in not quenching of the Spirit is the chiefest means for to preserue keep the Spirit in them The Saints of God must vse the meanes for to preserue the spirit in them therefore they may quite extinguish it is but an absurd and contradictorâ—…e Argument So that take this place of Paul in what sense you will it doth not make against me The twentie one objection is that of the 2 Iohâ—… 8. Looke to your selues that wee lose not those things which wee â—…aue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward Regenerate men may lose the things which they haue wrought therefore they may fall from grace I answer that the Antecedent is not warranted or proued by this place first because these words are but a meere caution and exhortations to the Saints to beware lest Antichrist should seduce them therefore this being but a meere exhortation to vse the means to perseuere in grace doth not nor cannot necessarily implie that the saints of God may fall from grace Secondly those to whom St. Iohn doth vse this exhortation they were the elect saints of God verse 1. the truth did dwell with them and shall be with them for euer vers 2. they were such as should abide in the doctrine of Christ verse 9. therefore this exhortation and caution made to such as these doth not necessarily implie that they may be seduced fall from grace For it is impossible for the elect of God to bee seduced Math. 24. 24. Marke 13. 22. Reu. 9. 4. cap. 17. 8. it is impossible for them in whom the truth doth dwell and should abide for euer for them
neuer elected or chosen to saluation And whereas you say that hee was giuen by God to Christ true as a sonne of perdition as the same text tells you not as a sheepe of Christ as a traytor not as a friend as a Disciple not as a Saint as one ordained to destruction that the Scripture might be fulfilled nor as one elected to saluation therefore this example comes as short of the purpose as Iudas did of grace The seuenth Example is Salomon Salomon he was a regenerate Saint of God But hee fell away from grace in committing idolatrie 1 Kings 11. 1. to 13. Therefore other regenerate men as well as hee may fall from grace To this I answer that it is not fully agreed vpon by Diuines whether Salomon though God indued him with excellent parts and wisdome beyond all those that were before or after him were euer truly regenerated yea or no if hee were not truly regenerated then hee is not within the verge and compasse of our present question if hee were regenerated as most Diuines doe thinke I answer that though Salomon in his old and doting age was led away vnto idolatrie by reason of those idolatrous wiues the which hee married yet there is no place of Scripture that proues that he fell totally from grace there are three places which doe strongly proue the contrary to wit the 1 Kings 11. 6. where it is said that Salomon went not fully after the Lord his God as did Dauid his father which word fully implyeth that hee did still follow the Lord notwithstanding his idolatry but not so fully as hee should haue done not so fully as Dauid did Psal. 68. 30. to 38. and 2 Sam. 7. 13. 14. where God bindes himselfe by his oath and couenant to Dauid that though Solomon should sinne against him yet his mercy should not depart from him as hee tooke it from Saul that he would not vtterly take from him his louing kindnesse nor suffer his faithfulnesse to faile that hee would not breake his couenant with him nor alter the thing that was gon out of his lips but that hee would establish him for euer before him though hee did visite his iniquitie with rods and his sin with scourges which places being compared with his Ecclesiastes which most take to bee a penetentiary booke for his idolatry and other sinnes will fully proue that Solomon did neither finally nor totally fall from grace To auoide prolixity and to end these examples Saul Asa Ioash Symon Magus The Elders of the Church of Ephesus Demas Hymeneus and Alexander Those of whom Christ prophecied that their loue should waxe cold Mat. 24. 12. Those of whom Paul and Peter and lude prophecied that they should depart from the faith and sedâ—…ce many all these say our Antagonists were true regenerate men they had the Spirit and true faith But all these they fell away from grace either totally or finally Therefore true regenerate men may fall from grace I answer that the Major is false these had no true grace at all they were neuer in the number of Christs sheepe for then they would haue continued with the residue of his flocke that went not from the fold but they went out from them that it might bee made manifest that they were not of them 1 Iohn 2. 19. If any of these by the verdict of the Scriptures had the Spirit it was but only the ordinary and common gifts but not the justifying sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit If any of them had any faith it was an historicall not a justifying and sauing faith and the faith from which they departed was nothing else but the doctrine of faith and not the grace of justifying and liuing faith as is euident by Acts 20. 30. Phil. 1. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 18 19 20. cap. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 3. 8 9. and 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 3. Iude 3. The loue the which they had it was but counterfeite for many waters cannot quench true loue neither can the floods drowne it Can. 8. 7. Yea the very Scriptures from which these examples are taken do distinguish them from the Saints of God and reckon them as hypocrites as wicked and prophane persons as gracelesse men as reprobates as the seede and children of the diuell so that I cannot chuse but wonder at the impudencie of our Antagonists who will canonize them for Saints and godly men against the manifest and reuealed truth of God as if they knew them better then God himselfe and therefore since God himselfe hath branded them for hypocrites they come not to the point in question The twenty eight and last argument is drawne from those dangerous consequencies which would follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints Bertius he enumerates and musters vp some sixteene of them the most of which are but meere trifles and not worth the answering I will only cull out three of them which are the chiefe and most commonly objected by all our Antagâ—…nists and will waiue the other as idle and impertinent The first inconuenience which is obiected is this That this our assertion would make men very bold and presumptious to commit sinne when once they are regenerated because they could not fall from grace nor yet bee damned for it I answer that you are much mistaken and this your argument shewes plainely to the world that you who vrge and presse it were neuer yet acquainted either with the nature or the power of true and sauing grace nor yet with the mysteries and secrets of the word of God For if euer you had bin acquainted with the power and tâ—…uth of grace or with the Scriptures and the word of God you could neuer reason so carnally so rawly and ignorantly as now you doe the want of grace and the ignorance of the Scriptures is that which makes you argue thus that which makes you for to measure the Saints of God by your owne selues when as they haue not so learned Christ as you haue done If you were but acquainted with the Scriptures or with the nature of true and sanctifying grace you should finde that notwithstanding the true regenerate Saints of God could neither finally nor totally fall from grace yet they dare not sinne either willingly or wittingly against the Lord for these insuing reasons First because their hearts and natures are changed and regenerated sinne now becomes as odious and distastfull vnto them in their proportion and degree as it is to God himselfe they hate and detest yea they do vtterly defie and abhor from their very hearts and soules all kinde of sinne they hate it with an implacable and perfect hatred as an odious dangerous and bitter thing and as the greatest enemy of their soules therefore they will not therefore they cannot commit it Strange it is that any man should so much mistake himselfe as to thinke that perseuerance in the state of grace which is the
that should abide iâ—… the doctrine of Christ to fall away from grace therefore this exhortation being made to such as these cannot possibly implie that they should fall from grace So that take these words in your owne sense and meaning as if they were applied to the parties themselues to whom St. Iohn writes they doe not make against me But if wee take them in their proper sense then they make lesse against me then before For the Apostle doth not say take heed lest you loose the things which you your selues haue wrought but that yee receiue a full reward but looke to your selues that wee lose not the thingâ—… which wee haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward So that here is no losing of their owne workes but of the workes of others not a losse of their owne reward but of the reward of others and that not simplie of a reward for that cannot be lost but only of a full and plenarie reward So that the true and proper sense of the Apostle in this place is no more but this Brethren the times are very dangerous there are many Antichrists come into the world who will labour to seduce you beware then that you be not seduced and peruerted by them for then wee who are the ministers of the Gospell and haue preached Christ vnto you shall partly lose the fruite of our labours and not receiue a full reward Wee shall lose the joy the fruite and comfort of our labour here we shall haue no joy at all in you or in our preaching because you continue not in our doctrine whereas if you did continue in it it would euen comfort and reioyce our soules For that which giues vs best content and brings vs greatest ioy and comfort here is to heare that our children walke in truth and continue constant in the faith this is our chiefest and our greatest ioy verse 4. and 3. Iohn 3. 4. Yea and we shall lose some part of our reward hereafter for the more those are who are conuerted by our ministrie and the more constant and firme they are in the profession of the faith the greater shall our reioycing the greater shall our reward and glory bee in the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 2. 16. 1 Thes. 2. 19 28. and Dan. 12. 3. Wherefore if you haue any care or respect to vs or to our good as well as to your owne then looke to your selues and take heed that yee be not seduced that so wee may not lose the things which we haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward of ioy and comfort both here and hereafter This is the true genuine proper and onely sense scope and meaning of this place and what makes this against me Surely nothing at all and therefore I will forbeare to giue any further answer to it The twenty two Objection is that of Psal. 119. 176. I haue gone astray like a sheepe that is lost ô seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commandements A regenerate man may goe astray from God like to a lost sheepe therefore hee may finally or totally fall from grace I answer that this place and argument proues nothing at all against me For first though a regenerate man and sheepe of Christ may stray away for a time in some by-path of sinne yet hee is a sheepe still A sheepe that strayeth away is a sheepe still his straying from the fold doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe So one that is once a true Saint of God and a true sheepe of Christ though he chance to stray aside into some by-path of sinne for a fit yet hee is still a Saint of God and a sheepe of Christ this his straying away from God and Christ doth not alter and change his nature and make him not to be a sheepe of Christ because he strayeth not away wilfully or of set purpose so that this very comparison and similitude of a lost sheepe doth make against you For Christ doth account a lost sheepe to be still a sheepe and doth alwayes seeke him out vntill hee finde him and bring him backe againe as we may see expresly Ezech. 34. 16. Math. 18. 12 13. 14. Luke 15. 4 5. and Iohn 17. 12. Seconly I answer that if you take all the words of the Psalmist together this place is so farre from making against me as there cannot be a stronger place produced for me for though the Psalmist tells vs that hee had gone astray like a lost sheepe yet he certifieth vs withall that euen then when as he went astray hee did not forget Gods commandements though in his flesh hee did serue the law of sinne for a time yet in his minde his heart and spirit hee did alwayes serue the law of God and therefore did neither finally nor totally fall from the state of grace Lastly the Psalmist informeth vs in the three verses before this verse which is objected that hee had chosen Gods precepts that his soule did long for his saluation and that his law was his delight therefore it is certaine that he was neither finally nor totally fallen from the state of grace for then hee could neuer haue done thus So that this obiection and place makes strongly for me not against me The twenty three obiection is this A member of Christ may bee made a member of an harlot 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. therefore he may fall from grace I answer that the Argument followes not For a member of Christ may be made a member of an harlot that is hee may commit fornication and yet bee a member of Christ still as wee may see by the example of Dauid which I shall come to hereafter hee may be one body with an harlot and yet one spirit with Christ. Againe I answer that Paul in these words of his doth not intend and aime at this that a true regenerate man may fall quite away from grace and be quite cut off from Christ by this sinne of fornication this is not his drift and purpose but the end of this his speech is to disswade the Corinthians from this sinne of fornication to which they were much addicted because their very bodies as well as their soules were the members of Christ and the temple of the holy Ghost and therefore they should not defile them with this sinne of fornication and make them members of an harlot This is the scope this is the drift of the Apostle in these words this is the onely thing he aimes at he did not so much as thinke of your collection of a fall from grace and therefore vnlesse you will peruert and wrest the Scriptures and giue it such a sense and meaning as was neuer intended by the holy Ghost and those that penned it you cannot say that this Scripture makes against me I haue now good Reader gone thorow most of those Arguments that can be produced against me from