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
THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE Wherein it is manifestly proued by sundry arguments reasons and authorities That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace It is also proued that this hath beene the receiued and resolued Doctrine of all the ancient Fathers of all the Protestant Churches and writers beyond the seas and of the Church of England All the principall arguments that are or may be obiected against it either from Scripture or from reason are here likewise cleared and answered By WILLIAM PRYNNE Gent Lincolniensis PSAL. 125. Verse 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euer Fulgentius de Praedestinatione ad Monimum Gratia praeuenis impium vt fiat iustus subsequitur iustum ne fiat impius Praueniselisum vt surgat subsequitur eleuatum necadat LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IONES dwelling in Redcrossestreete 1626. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY THE Diuine Prouidence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of England and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Councell MOST Reuerend Father in God it hath pleased the dispenser and giuer of all honour and preferment out of his especiall prouidence to aduance your Grace next to our gratious and Dread Soueraigne to the highest place of rule and dignitie in this our Church whereby you are farre ingaged to patronize the truth of God and the established and resolued Doctrines of our English Church Which when I had well considered it moued me to consecrate these first fruites of my studies to your Grace which are nothing else but a iust though weake and meane defence of a principell and ground of that religion which hath beene long established and setled in our Church till some factious and nouellizing spirits if not worse were so bold and impudent of late for to disturbe it The men and meanes by which this truth hath beene disturbed and drawne into question are not vnknowne I suppose vnto your Grace and therefore I neede not to informe against them All that I shall say of them is only this that they are now so potent and so politique that if they are not speedily and carefully preuented by your Grace they are like to quell at least to cloud that glorious truth and Gospell which hath shined so bright so plentifully and comfortablie among vs for so long a season with the dismall the dangerous and pernitious mists of Poperie and Arminianisme Their bookes you know which are fraught with dangerous and hurtfull errors and so much the more dangerous because they are sweetned cloathed and guilded ouer with the name and countenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England are printed and reprinted sold openly and dispersed publikely without controll and the pious wholsome and Christian labours of all such as would confute them by reason of those meanes which they haue made can either finde no license for the presse or if they chance to come vnto the presse by stealth or otherwise they are either quelled and smothered in it before they come vnto their birth or else they are called in and quelled before they can bee published and dispersed for to cleare and vindicate the truth so that by the supportation and propagating of the one and the discountenancing and suppressing of the other that truth of God which wee haue hitherto professed is like to be betrayed Shall these factious scismaticall and hereticall spirits bee so industrous to establish and to vent their Errors and to quell the truth and shall not wee be as diligent and couragious to defend it shall they with all their might and maine plant Poperie and Arminianisme nay Pelagianisme Atheismie in our Church and shall wee sit still with foulded hands with silent tongues and stupified hearts and not labour to withstand them Alas where is our loue where is our zeale to God and to his cause where is our ancient courage for the truth that wee are now so cold and frozen that we are now so much ashamed of that glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ which hath flourished so long among vs and hath made vs a mirror and a spectacle of Gods mercies vnto all the world that now wee dare not or at least wee will not defend and take its part that we dare not to contend and struggle for it but that we suffer it so willingly to bee surprised and betrayed as if wee were more willing to be rid of it then any longer to inioy it Certainly this want of courage for and loue vnto the truth as it is a sure syntome that iniquitie doth abound among vs so it may iustly cause the Lord to bring a famine and scarcitie among vs not of bread only which now is very likely to befall vs but euen of the word of God which is farre worse yea it may prouoke him and that deseruedly to giue vs vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies that we all may be damned because wee would not receiue the loue of the truth that so wee might be saued O therefore let mee now beseech your Grace that as in former times you haue so now you would take heart and courage for the truth You haue many incouragements many inforcements and ingagements for to doe it For your incouragement you haue the Lord of hosts and the almightie King of heauen for to take your part you haue the votes and prayers of all true hearted Christians you haue all the aide and assistance that heauen and earth can yeeld vnto you O feare not then the face or frowne of man whose breath is in his nostrells feare not the power or the malice of any that oppose the truth for wherin are they to be accounted of the Lord of hosts is with you the God of Iacob is your refuge man therefore cannot stand before you For inforcements and incouragements to be zealous and couragious for the truth you haue very many You are called to defend and to support the truth the very nature and qualitie of your function and the very dignitie of that place and person which now you doe sustaine doe euen ingage and binde your Grace to be couragious and zealous for it God hath committed his truth Gospell to your trust and hath giuen it you in charge to propagate and defend it God and our Gratious Soueraigne haue committed the care and custodie of this our Church to your charge and they haue giuen you more ability and power and so more cause for to defend the truth and doctrine that is established and setled in it then to other men and therefore they will require and expect from your Grace to whom so much is committed much more then they can or will from any other O therefore as you tender the glory and honour of the God of heauen the defence of Christ and of his cause and Gospell the
peace and safetie of this our Church which is committed to your charge as you tender your owne honor and reputation with God man or that great account which you must shortly make to God of that great stewardship of his which is committed to you if you â—…ender the good and comfort of your owne soule both here and hereafter if you would haue Iesus Christ to owne you and not to bee ashamed of you at the last when hee shall come in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angells if you would not bee cast with those other fearefull ones into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer take heart and courage for the Lord of hoasts and for his truth and cause which now are likely to miscarie Suffer not his word and truth to bee betrayed and suppressed by scismaticall factious and Antechristian spirits for want of supportation and defence but since the eyes of God and man are cast vpon you execute stirre vp and act that place and power which God and man haue giuen to you to the quelling of heresy and scisme to the extirpation of Poperie and Arminianisme which are now flowing in so fast vpon vs that they doe euen threaten a sodaine inundation and deluge to vs to the subuersion of the kingdome of Satan and Antechrisâ—… to the maintaining and inlarging of the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to the establishing of that glorious truth and Gospell which hath flourished and shined so long among vs to the admiration and mirror of our friends and to the griefe and enuy of our aduersaries Let not feare and cowardice let not flesh and blood or any other impediment whatsoeuer daunt your courage or coole your loue and zeale to Christ or to his cause but be willing to denie your selfe to part with all for him who hath euen denied himselfe and parted with his life and all for you And here I would intreate your Grace to pardon this my boldnesse and my rudenesse with you which though modesty and manners might caâ—…e mee to forbeare yet piety and zeale to God and to his truth and loue to this my Mother Church together with the necessity and extremitie of the times hath made me guilty of it I hope not faulty in it and withall I humblie consecrate these Firstlings of my studies being nothing else but a iust defence of a comfortable and Orthodox point of faith which hath long beene setled and established in this our Church and in all reformed Churches beyond the seas which if your Grace will but vouchsafe to Patronize and shelter they shall not feele they will not feare a totall or a finall 〈◊〉 Now the God of all Grace so beautifie and adorne your Grace with all the graces of his Spirit so fill and replenish you with zeale with fortitude and courage for the truth and so firmely settle and establish you in the glorious and happy estate of true and sauing grace that neither your Grace nor yet that truth and Gospell which 〈◊〉 now inioy may euer feele a finall totall or a partiall fall Your Graces in all humble submission and respect WILLIAM PRYNNE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER CHristian Reader when as I had well considered with my selfe the great danger and combustion that was likely to befall our Church and State by reason of some dangerous points of Pelagianisme Poperie and Arminianisme which some factious and nouillizing spirits haue lately broched and set on foote among vs as the receiued positiue and resolued doctrines not only of the Scriptures Fathers and Protestant Churches in forraine parts but likewise of the Church of England I supposed that I could not performe a better peece of seruice to God or to our Church and State then to cast in my Mite among the rest and to indeauour according to my poore ability to stoppe the streame and current of these late reuiued and new minted Errors which by reason of the learning fame and greatnesse of their Patrons and the deprauation of mans nature which is alwayes more propense and prone to Error then to truth and holinesse are like to threaten a generall and vniuersall deluge to our Church and State if authority preuent them not in time Vpon this I resolued to put my penne to Paper and thereupon I selected and culled out from among the rest this hereticall and pernicious Error Of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints from grace to combate and to grapple with The reasons which moued me to single out this one aboue all or any of the rest were these First because this Error is most of all insisted and stood vpon and is more peremptorily maintained and dâ—fended then any of the rest and therefore requires the speediest and the strongest opposition Secondly because this Error by reason of a misreported confereÌ„ce hath drawne more disciples and parties after it than any of the rest it hath found more Patrons of late among vs than any other Error that I know and therefore I thought that I should doe the greatest good in opposing and suppressing the most infectious and spreading Error Thirdly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it was a part of Pelagianisme heretofore and it is but a point of pure Popery and Arminianisme now and therefore I presumed that I might with greater boldnesse and audacitie and with lesse offence to any aduenture to refell it especially since those who now defend it produce no other reasons arguments answers or authorities than those which the Pelagians Papists and Arminians haue framed and collected to their hands before without any new addition of their owne Fourthly I made choyce of this to vindicate the Church of England the Fathers Scriptures and Protestants in forraine parts from the false calumnies of those who would make all these the Patrons of this Error when as they haue all with one vnanimous consent condemned censured and refuted it yea and resolued against it as against a dangerous and hereticall position Fifely I made choyce of this because the sound confutation of it will ouerthrow the whole frame and fabricke of Arminianisme it will likewise out off a great part of Poperie and it will in effect suppresse and quite subuert the most of all those Errors Which haue beene lately broched among vs. For if this totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints bee once proued to be but an Error then the doctrines of Vniuersall Grace of Free-will of Election from the fore-sight of saith that such men as were neuer elected to saluation haue true saith that the number of the elect is vncertaine that the sinnes of the Saints doe cut them off from Christ that all these who are baptized are regenerated that the Sacraments conuey grace alike to all ex opere operato that there are some sinnes which are not mortall in their owne nature that men ought to doubt and that they cannot be certainely assured of their owne saluation without some
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
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
gratniti pars 2. sect 15. 18. to 24. Gorrutius de Prouidentia lib. 14 cap. 5 6 7. Heerbrandus in his Compendium Theolog. Locus de Electione pag. 438 439. Hutterus in his Loci Com. Locus 13. de Praedestinatione quest 5 9 12 13. Tossanus in his booke de Prouidentia Dei cap. 4 pag. 175. to 179 Chassanus Locorum Comm. lib. 2. cap. 8. Tilenus in his Syntagma Theolog. de Praedestinatione Dei Theses 24. to 33. Hemingius in his Comm. in 2 Tim. 2. 10 19. Gesnerus in his Compendium doctrinae caelestis Loc. 30. de Praedestinatione pag 235 246 247 248. Marcus Cyriacus in his Conciones 7. de Perseuerantia sanctorum Vrsinus in his booke de Prouidentia pag. 16. Chemnitius in his Encheridion de Praedestinatione pag. 224. and his Loci Communes Locus de Iustificatione de fide and in his Harmonia Euangel cap. 2 on Math. 7. 24. to 28. and Luke 6. 47. 48. Learned Iunius in his Notae on Psal. 1. verse 3. and in Philip. 1. 6. in his Meditation on Psal. 122. verse 2. in his Comment on Ezech. 33. 12. and in his Theses 33. Thesis 11. and Thesis 37. Corol. 2. Gomarus in declaratione sententiae suae pag 32. Learned and profound Danaeus in his Isagâ—…ges pars 2. de Ecclesia cap 5. Isag pars 4. lib 4 de fide cap 18. 19. and in his Tom 2. Controuers aduers Bellarm de Baptismo Respons 15. pag 385 386. Trelcatius in his Institutio Loc Com lib 3. de fide pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Festus Hommius in his Specimen Controuersiarum Belgicarum seu confessio Ecclesiarum Reformatarum in Belgio Articulus 29 33 35 all these I say haue in these their seuerall workes and writings recorded propagated and deliuered this our persent assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace as an orthodox sound and vndoubted truth To these let me adde some other of great learning worth and credit in the Churches wherein they liued the most of them being publike professors of Diuinitie who haue particularly handled and discussed this our present assertion That the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace and defended it as sound and orthodox against such Pseudo-Lutherans Papists and Arminians who haue opposed it Learned Zanchius in his booke de Perseuerantia sanctornm which you shall finde in his 7 Tom pars 1. pag 91. to 174. and in his Confession to the Argentine Senate touching this very point recorded in the same Tom. pag 347 to 388. Sturmius in his booke de Praedestiantione Theses 11. Kimedoncius in his booke de Praedestinatione pag 328 to 333 English Reuerend and judicious Beza in his Theses Geneuenses Theses 27 de fide Theses 6 in his Breuis explicatio totius Christianismi cap 4 Aphorismus 12 cap 8. Aphor 2. and Colloquium Mompelgartense pag 463. to 469. Amandus Polanus in his Syntagma Theolog lib 6 cap 43. Pareus in his Comment on Rom 8 Dub 7. and in Appendice ad cap 15 lib 3 de Iustificatione Robertus Somus in his Tractatus de tribus quaestionibus quaest 3 Georgius Sohinus Operum Tom 2 in Exegcsi Artic Augustanae Confessionis pag 764 to 785 990 991 1016 1017. Piscator in Vorstij amica Collat cum Piscatore sect 108 and in his owne Thes Theolog vol 1 Locus 20 de Certitudine electionis Thes 25 and vol 2 Loc 5 de effectis Fidei Thes 102. Ludouicus Crocius in his 7 bookes de Perseuerantia sanctorum against Bertius Ruardus Acronius in Enarrati Chatech quaest 53. sect 11. Petrus Molineus in his Anatome Arminianismi cap 46 47. Ioannes Scharpius a Scot professer of Diuinitie in Dion in his Tractatus de Iustificatione Controuers 5. Bucanus in his Loci Comm Loc 20 de fide sect 24 27. Rollocke in Psal 51 and Rom 8. And Doctor Ames a learned English man a professor of Diuinitie in the Netherlands in his Corouis ad Collationem Hagiensem Artic 5. as also some of those whom I haue formerly mentioned and therefore will not here recite them haue learnedly maintained and defended this our present position as a sound and orthodox assertion and as the receiued and resolued doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches It is euident then by this cloud of reueren famousd and renowned witnesses that the most the learnedest and the soundest writers in all Protestant and reformed Churches in forraine parts haue alwaies defended and maintained our present assertion of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints as sound and orthodox and imbraced it as an vndoubted established and resolued truth How honest then is Master Monntague who hath auerred it vpon record that the Protestants in Germanie haue assemted vnto the Church of Rome in this that faith once had may be both totally and finally lost and that this is the resolution of many if not most Protestant Diuines as priuate men of Protestant Churches in their Descisions and Resolutions and that this assertion That faith once had cannot be lost is as much or more opposed propugned refelled by Protestants as by Papists Indeed Master Mountague being so great a booke-man might haue done well to haue giuen vs a Catalogue of the names and workes of those Protestant Diuines in other Churches who haue consented to the Church of Rome in this particular but Dolosus versatur in vniuersalibus Maister Mountague is a wilie Fox and one who is loath to haue his subtilety I will not say his knauery and treachery discouered and therefore he lurkes in the generall and vniuersall tearmes of most Protestant Diuines Indeed hee particularizeth in one Bucer by name and in none but him by which he hath discouered either much ignorance in vouching such a man whose workes he neuer read or much treacherie and falsnesse in vouching him for a totall finall losse of faith once had who is so full and frequent to the contrary throughout his works that hee could not haue lighed on such another Indeede I must confesse that some spurious abortiue and Pseudo-Lutherans haue held that faith once had might be totally lost and and some of them haue likewise held that it might be finally lost As Aegidus Hunnius tractat de Praedest pag 500 to the end Eckhardus in Fasciculo Controu cap 7 quaest 4 Winckelmannus Disput Theol Tom 1 Disp 14 Hinckelmannus Disputatione 7 Anticaluinistica cap 1. Policarpus Lyserus Disput 7 de Praedest Matthias Hafanrefferus Locor Theolog lib 3 loc 3. Wolffgangus Franzius Syntag Controuersiarum Disput 4. Ioannes Hesselbineus discursi Theol cont Materium Heyderum disp 4 Thes 10. and some few others of that stampe I confesse likewise that Bellarmine lib 3 de Iustific cap 14 Becanus de Iustificat Caluinist cap 10. Franciseus Feu-ardentius Zacharias Bauerius and other Romanists haue held so I confesse likewise that the Rhemists who are little better then meere Romanists in their
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
immutable and if they were not so it were not in the power of regenerate men to make them so but it hath onely reference to regenerate men themselues or to election and vocation as they haue reference to regenerate men and not to God so that the Apostles meaning is no more but this that the Saints of God ought by their holy liues and godly conuersation and by the inward graces of his holy Spirit which are the vndoubted fruits and markes of their true election vocation to assure their hearts and consciences that they were truly called and elected to saluation so that the Maior proposition remaines as true The Minor onely rests for to be proued That all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are praedestinated and ordained vnto eternall life And this appeares by these insuing reasons First because that none are called and truly regenerated but those that are praedestinated and elected vnto eternall life which appeares by diuers euident texts of Scripture as Rom 8 30. Whom he did praedestinate them also he called a and no oothers and whom he calles them he also iustified and no others whom he iustified them he also glorified and no others God doth regenerate call sanctifie none but such as are elected to eternall life and the rest are hardned Rom 11 7. God doth saue or call none with an holy calling but according to his purpose of grace in Iesus Christ before the world began 2 Tim 1. 9. None but such as are Christs sheepe beleeue and heare his voyce Iohn 10 26. as many as are ordained to eternall life beleeue and none but they Acts 13 48. None be rich in faith but such as God hath chosen to eternall life Iames 2 5 and therefore Titus 1 1 faith is stiled the faith of Gods elect to signifie thus much vnto vs that none haue true and sauing faith but such as are elected to saluation therefore it is euident that all those who are once truly regenerated ingraâ—…ted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are praedestinated and ordinated to eternall life Secondly it must needes be so because all those that are once truly regenerated and sanctified are regenerated and sanctified by vertue of their praedestination this is euident by Ephes 1 4 5. Blessed bee God who hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue hauing praedestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe Those that are sanctified called and adopted they are all praedestinated to this their adoption sanctification and calling and withall they are praedestinated to eternall life as you may reade at large Rom 8 29 30. Ephes 2 10. 1 Thes 5 9. 2 Thes 2 13 14. 1 Tim 6 12. 2 Tim 1 9 cap 2 19 21 and 1 Pet 1 2. therefore it is altogether impossible that they should euer finally fall from grace All that can be answered to this obiection and argument is onely this that there is no such absolute and irreuocable decree and praedestination to eternall life which how false it is let these Scriptures testifie Psal 139 16. Isay 49 1 5. Ier 1 5 cap 31 3. Mal 1 2 3. Math 24 22 24. cap 25 34 41. Iohn 12 40. Acts 13 48. Rom 8 29 30 33. cap 9 11 23. cap 11 5 7 28. Gal 1 15. Ephes 1 3 4 5. cap 2 10. 1 Thes 5 9 2 Thes 2 13 14. 1 Tim 6 12. 2 Tim 1 9. cap 2 19. 21. Tâ—…t 1 1. 1 Pet 1 2. cap 2 9. and 2 Pet 1 10. which are all expresse to the contrary or else that all those that are once truly regenerated sanctified and ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith are not praedestinated to eternall life which I haue proued to be false Wherefore this argument proues this to be an vndeniable truth that those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Iesus Christ by a true and liuely faith can neuer finally fall from grace for then Gods election should be frustrated which cannot be The second thing in God is his almightie power and strength which giues vs full assurance that those who are once truly regenerated can neither finally nor totally fall from grace from which I frame this second argument Those who are kept by the very might and power of God vnto saluation it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true liuely faith they are kept by the very might and power of God vnto saluation so is the expresse text in the 1 Pet 1 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation so is Esay 26 3 c 27 3. I the Lord do keepe my vynyard I will water it euery moment least any hurt it I will keepe it night and day thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is staied on thee so is Iohn 10 27 28 29. My sheepe heare my voyce and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hands my Father that gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand God doth keep all those that are once truly regenerated through his owne name vnto euerlasting life he preserues and keepes them by his power Iohn 17 11. 2 Cor 12 9. cap 13 4. Ephes 1. 18. and 2 Tim 1 12 wherefore they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace All that is replyed to this argument is onely this That it is true that God doth keepe all such as are regenerated by his power to saluation he preserues them so that nothing can plucke them out of his hands vnlesse they will themselues God doth preserue and keepe them so that no outward thing shâ—…l plucke them from him but yet he doth not preserue them from themselues though nothing can plucke them out of his hands yet they by the liberty of their owne wills may plucke themselues out of his hands and so fall totally or finally from grace To which I answer that it is as impossible for the Saints themselues by vertue of their owne free will to pull themselues out of the hands of God as it is for any outward thing to doe it First because Christ himselfe tells vs that no man can pluck them out of his Father hands if no man can do it then they themselues can neuer doe it for they are but men and so are included in this word no man as well as others no man nor any man can doe it therefore they themselues can neuer doe it Secondly they themselues can neuer doe it because the Scripture saith expresly that they are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation that they are kept night and
and protection of God himselfe they haue Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost dwelling and residing in their hearts and soules they haue the perpetuall intercession and mediation of Iesus Christ together with the protection of all the blessed Angels and many such like great and glorious priuiledges which I haue mentioned and proued at large before Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Thus you see how in regard of the very present estate and condition of the Saints of God who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and in respect of these many excellent great and glorious priuiledges which they doe inioy vpon their regeneration and inscision into Christ that it is altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Sixtly it is altogether impossible for such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ to fall finally or totally from grace in respect of the very nature of Grace it selfe For first of all true and sauing grace as it is the immediate worke and fruite of Gods Spirit in our hearts so it is of a perpetuall incorruptible diuine and perseuering nature admitting of no finall end nor totall interruption Hence it is that Grace is stiled in the Scriptures the Diuine nature 2 Pet. 1. 3. an incorruptible seed which abides for euer 1 Pet. 1. 23. a seed remaining within the Saints 1 Iohn 3. 9. an vnction abiding in Gods children 1 Iohn 2. 27. a liuing well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4 14. cap. 7. 38. a spring of water whose waters faâ—…le not Isai. 58. 11. an heauenly treasure which neuer weareth out nor waxeth old a treasure which neither Moth nor Canker can corrupt nor yet theeues purloyne and steale Luk. 12. 33. Math. 6. 20. and food that perisheth not but indureth vnto euerlasting life Iohn 5. 24. cap. 6. 27. 47. 50. 54. Hence it is that faith is said to be euerlasting life Iohn 17. 3. and to be such a grace as shall not faile Luk. 22. 32. for it is kept by the very power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. Hence is it said of loue that it is as strong as death that many waters cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it Cant. 8. 6 7. Hence is it said of the feare of the Lord that it is cleane induring for euer Ps. 19. 9. of Charity that it neuer faileth that is which neuer faileth in this life nor in the life to come 1 Cor. 13. 8. of ioy in the holy Ghost that it is euerlasting ioy which cannot bee taken from vs Isai. 35. 10. cap. 51. 11. 12. Iohn 16. 22. and of the righteousnesse of righteous men that it indureth for euer Psal. 112. 3. 9. Perpetuity immortality and eniternity they are of the essence of true and sauing Grace That grace which is not perpetuall and holds not out vnto the end it was but false and counterfeit and neuer true because it wanted this perpetuity this eniternity immortality and perseuerance which is the very life and essence of all true grace That which doth distinguish hypocrites from true beleeuers and the shew and shadow of grace from the truth of grace that which makes a specificall and essentiall difference betweene a liuing faith and a dead faith betweene a true beleeuer and a temporary is only this True beleeuers true grace and true liuing faith they alwayes perseuer and hold out to the end they neuer die they neuer fade or end Hypocrites and such as haue but only a shew of true and sauing grace they neuer perseuer they last not they hold not out vnto the end Perseuerance only is that essentiall character badge and propertie whereby God himselfe doth distinguish true and sauing Grace from false and counterfeite true Saints from Hypocrites and other men as wee may see expressely by these texts of Scripture Math. 13. 3. to the 24. Luk. 8. 11. to 16. 1 Iohn 2. 19. Iohn 5. 25. cap. 6. 66. to 70 cap. 8. 31. 2 Iob. 9. Luk. 8. 18. Isai. 40 29. 30. 31. Iob 17. 9. Psal. 92. 12. 13. 14. Therefore it is certaine that true and sauing grace is of a perpetuall incorruptible diuine and perseuering Nature admitting of no finall end nor totall interruption as long as any of those that doe inioy it haue any life and being Grace is a part of God of Christ and of the holy Ghost it is a part of their Image and it participates of their nature and immortalitie it is the worke of God and therefore it shall be for euer Eccles. 3. 12. Therefore it shall alway as perseuere it cannot die nor haue an end Secondly as true and sauing grace is of an immortall perpetuall diuine incorrupâ—…ible and perseuering so likewise is it of a growing and still-increasing nature it is alwayes growing greater and greater stronger and stronger as we may see by these insuing Scriptures Iob 17 9. Psal. 84. 7. Prou. 4. 18. Iohn 14. 14. cap. 6. 27. Isai. 40. 29. 31. cap. 44. 4. Ezech. 47. 3. to 7. 2 Thes. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Luke 2. 52. and 2 Iohn 2. Hence it is that grace is compared to a graine of Mustard-seed which though it bee but little at the first yea the least of all seeds yet at last it growes to be the greatest of all hearbes Math. 13. 31 32 and Marke 4. 31. 32. to a spring of water springing vp vnto euerlasting life and rising higher and higher Iohn 4 14 Ezech. 47. 3. to 7. Hence it is that true regenerate Christians are compared vnto trees planted by the waters side and to the Cedars of Lebanon that are alwayes flourishing growing and increasing Psal. 1 3 Psal. 52 8 Psal. 92 12 13 14. Psal. 104. 18. ler. 17. 8. Hosea 14. 5 6 7. To Calues of the stall which are alwayes groing and increasing Mal. 4. 2. and to liuing stones and members growing vp into an holy temple and body in the Lord 1 Pet. 2. 5. Col. 2. 19. and Eph. 4. 13. 16. From the nature of grace thus proued and considered I frame this Argument which doth most euidently and fully confirme and proue my present assertion If all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue such graces in them as are of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature it must then be altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ haue such graces in them as are of a perpetuall immortall incorruptible perseuering growing and increasing nature Therefore it must bee altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace The sequell of the maior proposition cannot be denyed vnlesse you will say that though grace bee permanent immortall perseuering and increasing in its owne nature but yet it is not so in respect of vs that it is perpetuall alwayes
quite away from grace and so loose the reward of all the workes which they had done you should haue few or none that should deny themselues or yet forsake their carnall friends and pleasures or their present worldly honours riches and preserments which after your computation are like to be more permanent then their graces that so they might seeke vnto the Lord alone and serue him diligently with all their hearts and soules you should haue few or none at all that would be forwards diligent feruent in the worke and seruice of the Lord. Wherfore this assertion must needes be false and dangerous euen in this respect and so cannot be admitted for a truth Eleuenthly if the true regenerate saints of God might fall from grace it would rob the Lord of many zealous and faithfull prayers and it would make that exquisite forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed for vs to be but vaine and idle for if our perseuerance in grace should not depend on God but on our selues as our Antagonists doe and must affirme or else they would to wrecke how few men would there bee that would power out their hearts and soules before the Lord in feruent and faithfull prayers If it were in mens owne power to take vp to preserue and to reiect their graces at their pleasures what neede men to pray to God at all if God doth nothing in this businesse our prayers vnto him were vaine and idle God should haue no prayers at all for any spirituall things if this were true and it would be to no purpose for to pray vnto him for grace and perfeuerance Peter then should be very much mistaken in praying thus to God for those Saints to whom he writes The God of all grace who hath called you vnto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Paul should thē be mistaken in praying thus for the Thesolonians The Lord make you to abound and increase in lone one towards annother towards all men to the end that he may establish your hearts vnblamable in holinesse before God euen our Father and stablish you in euery good word and worke For hee which establisheth vs with you in Christ is God Dauid should be then mistaken in praying vnto God to vphold and stablish him with his free Spirit and that prayer which Christ himselfe hath framed and commanded vs to vse should be but superflous and to little purpose For who would or could pray thus to God thy kingdome come thy will be done en earth as it is in heauen leadivs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill if God had no rule and sway ouer him if God did not giue him perseuerance and preserue his gra◅es in him if man himselfe had free-will and power to take and to resist grace to preserue and keepe it or for to reiect it Wherefore seeing that this assertion it it were admitted would robbe the Lord of many faithfull prayers which now his Saints doe make vnto him for their perseuerance and seeing it would make that very prayer which Christ himselfe hath recorded and composed for vs to bee superflous vaine and idle it cannot be admitted to be true Twelfthly if this should be admitted for a truth that the Saints of God might fall quite away from the state of Grace it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination and election to eternall life one of these three must then necessarily follow that either the Saints of God who are predestinated to eternall life may fall from grace and perish or that there are some men who are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ who were neuer predestinated and elected to saluation or that God did only predestinate men vnto saluation out of the foresight of their faith their workes and perseuerance which are all ex diametro opposite and contrary to the Scriptures to the Fathers to the Doctrine of the Church of England and to all orthodox and Protestant Diuines of moderne times and therefore cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall quite away from grace out of the freedome and libertie of their owne wills then saluation or damnation should depend meerely vpon the fickle and vn constant will of man and not vpon the stable and immutable decree and purpose of Almighty God then man and not God should bee the author of his owne saluation and so saluation should not bee of God that sheweth mercy and disposeth all things according to the purpose of his owne free will and pleasure but of man that willeth and perseuereth out of the strength and power of his owne free will Man should then bee his owne God his owne gouernour and director his owne judge and sauiour if this were once admitted to be true which would bee a great disparagement to Gods supremacie and to the death and passion of Iesus Christ. And therefore in regard of these dangerous consequences in respect of the whole Trititie this doctrine cannot be allowed to be true that the Saints of God may finally or totally fall away from the habit and state of true and sauing grace Secondly as this Doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinitie in respect of Father Sonne and holy Ghost so would it doe the like in respect of regenerate men themselues For fi◅st it would cause men for to call Gods truth Gods word and promises into question for when as a man shall reade in diuers places of the Scripture that the righteous and those that trust in God shall neuer bee remoued that they shall continue to the end and neuer faint nor faile that God will perfect and finish the worke of Grace within them and preserue them blamelesse to the day of Christ that hee will keepe them so that they shall neuer fall nor perish and the like if this should stand for currant truth that the Saints of God may notwithstanding fall from the very state of Grace it would cause men for to doubt of the truth of Gods word and promises and to account no better of the word of God then of a fable or a meere imposture it would cause them to denie the Faith and to turne either Atheists or Pagans at the last and therefore it cannot bee admitted Secondly it would depriue true Christians of all true happinesse in this present life it would make them to bee but miserable and wretched men when as the word of God reputes them happy and stiles them blessed men For if it be grace and that only which makes the Saints of God to be happy men euen in this world of misery as the Scripture saith it is if it were possible for Christians for to loose this grace and to fall from it againe it were impossible for them to be happy here For happinesse is such a stable and perpetuall
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
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
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
Rom. 14. 13. verse 20. is no more in substance and sense but this That stronger Christians must so much respect the weaker as that they must not giue them any just occasion of scandall or offence to wound and vexe their consciences to breed any sâ—…rupels or doubts in them to weaken their loue to God to discourage them in the practise of religion or to prouoke them vnto any sinne and not that scandals can make weake Christians in whom there is any truth of grace begun to Apostatize or to renounce the faith or to fall finally or totally from grace for this these scandals cannot do they cannot cause any of the true sheepe of Christ any that truly feare the Lord or belong vnto the â—…old of Christ to fall from grace or to depart from God and perish Iohn 10. 28. Ier. 32. 40. and 1 Iohn 2. 19. To answer this obiection in a word I answer that there is a double perishing the one in respect of such as giue the scandall and offence the other in respect of such as doe receiue it A weake brother may vtterly perish in respect of those that giue the scandall and offence that is they may doe as much as in them lies to cause him for to perish and to renounce the faith and therefore God will take it as ill at their hands as if hee had actually perished for it is onely Gods mercie which supports him and not their scandall that offends him that keepes him from Apostacie therefore God is as much offended with them as if they had perished in good earnest But yet such a brother doth neuer actually perish in respect of himselfe he doth neuer actually Apostatize and fall from grace This place proues on ely that hee may perish in respect of him that giues the offence but yet not actually in respect of himselfe and therefore it makes not against me The fifteenth obiection is that of the 1 Tim. 5. 11 12. The yonger widowes refuse for when they haue begun to waxe wanton they will marry hauing damnation because they haue cast off their first faith From whence this argument may be framed Regenerate men may cast off their first faith and so bee damned for it therfore they may fall away from the state of grace To this I answer first that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by this text For Paul speakes not here of true regenerate men and of such as were really ingrafted into Christ but of young petulant and wanton widowes whose light and vnchast behauiour doth euidently proue that they had no grace or faith at all within them So that your argument hence can be no more but this Young petulant and wanton widowes may fall from grace therefore such as are once truly regenerated may doe so to which is no good consequent Secondly I answer that faith in this place doth not signifie the grace of true justifying and sauing faith but that vow of chastitie and perpetuall widdowhood which widdowes vsed for to make in former times when as they had their vse and place in thâ—… Church of God as appeares by the very sense and scope of the place Againe damnation in his place signifies only blame or reproofe or an Ecclesiasticall censure or punishment as excommunication or the like which was vsed to be inflicted vpon delinquents in this kinde and not eternall condemnation of soule and body in hell or the state of damnation So that the true and proper sense of the place is no more but this Widdowes that breake the vow of chastity either by marrying againe or by incontinency are to bee blamed and censured by the Church for breach of this their vow because they are an occasion of scandall and reproach vnto the Church What maket this to a totall or finall fall from grace Surely nothing at all and therefore I passe it ouer without any further answer The sixteenth objection is this A man man receiue the grace of God in vaine and beleeue in vaine as appeares by the 2 Cor. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 2. Therefore hee may fall from the state of grace I answer first that if you take the grace of God for the habituall graces of Gods Spirit and beleife for true and sauing faith then the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by these places of Scripture which are quoted but if you take grace for the word of grace and the offer of Christ to men in the Gospell and beliefe for an historicall and common faith as they are taken here by the Apostle then the argument is false and followes not Now that this place of Paul is meant onely of the word of grace and of the offer of grace to men in the Gospell and not of the habituall graces of Gods Spirit it appeares by the coherence and dependancie of the 2 Cor. 6. 1. vpon the 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. God hath committed vnto vs the word of reconciliation Now then wee are ambassadors for Christ as though God did bee seech you by vs wee pray you in Christs steed bee yee reconciled to God wee then as workers together with him befeech you also that yee receiue not the grace of God in vaine which proues that this is onely meant of the offer of grace and Christ to men and not of the habit and seed of grace it selfe So that your argument from hence can bee no more but this Men may heare the word of God in vaine therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the state of grace a strange in consequent For that of the 1 Cor. 15. 2. vnlesse yee haue beleeued in vaine it is not meant of a true liuing sauing and justifying faith but of an historicoll fruitlesse dead and in-effectuall faith or beliefe which did neuer truly regenerate transforme the heart and soule of those who did injoy it This doth fully appeareby the opposition Antithesis in the samâ—… verse By which yee are saued vnlesse yee haue beleeued in vaine so that sauing faith is here put in opposition to this vaine beliefe which proues that this vaine beliefe was no true and ustifying faith So that your argument from hence must be this Men may loose a vaine and ineffectuall faith therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the seeds and habit of true justifying faith Secondly I answer that these two places proue nothing for your conclusion admitting that they were meant of true habituall grace and faith for the one of them is but a meere exhortation the other a bare exception and condition neither of them is absolute and positiue So that your argument from them can bee but this The Saints of God are exhorted not to receiue the grace of God in vaine and they shall bee saued vnlesse they beleeue in vaine therefore they may fall away from grace which is but an idle consequence and rather deserues to be derided then answered So that this objection doth
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
in them to change them and regenerate them Secondly admit that faith is not necessarily required to make Baptisme effectuall yet all Infants nay most Insants that are baptized are not regenerated by their baptisme because they are not all elected and ordained to eternall life The meanes of grace and the Spirit of grace which accompanies them doe neuer worke powerfully and effectually vpon any but vpon such as are predestinated and ordained to eternall life as you may see expresly by Acts 2. 39 c. 13. 48. Rom. 8. 28 29. 30. cap. 11. 5. 7. 8. Ephes. 1. 4. 5. and Tit. 1. 1. now all Infants that are baptized are not predestinated to eternall life for then they could neuer perish or fall from grace and therefore baptisme and the holy Ghost doe not worke effectually on them to regenerate them But you will say if Infants that are baptized are not regenerated to what end and purpose is their baptisme To this I answer first that though baptisme doth not truly regenerate all Infants that are baptised and ingraft them truly into Christ yet it is of much vse and purpose to them For first it seales all the promises and couenants of God vnto them and giues them an interest and right vnto them if they will imbrace them when they come to yeares Secondly it makes them Christians and incorporates them into the Church making them visible members of the visible Church and giuing them an interest in all those priuiledges which the Church inioyes Thirdly when men are once in truth regenerated it makes the match betweene Christ and them to be of greater validitie it increaseth and strengthened their faith and knits them closer vnto God it makes them more carefull to auoide all kinde of sinne and to obey and serue the Lord in all things the very remembrance of that vow and couenant which they haue made to God in baptisme will make them more diligent and carefull for to please the Lord and to resigne and giue vp their selues wholly vnto him Fourthly I answer that though Infants that are baptized are not truly regenerated by their baptisme that is they are not so farre regenerated as to haue any habit stocke and seed of true and sauing grace wrought within them yet those whom God hath ordained to eternall life are so farre cleansed and washed by their baptisme from the guilt of originall sinne that if they die in their infancie before their actuall regeneration and reall conuersion vnto God they shall bee saued and therefore though Infants are not really and truly regenerated by their baptisme yet they receiue much fruite and benefit by it in these foure respects and so it is not to no purpose Secondly I answer that the end of baptisme is not to regenerate men neither was regeneration the end why baptisme was instituted For if baptisme had beene instituted of purpose to regenerate men then men in the Apostles times should alwayes haue beene baptized before they did beleeue but men in the Apostles times that were not formerly conuerted vnto Christ nor borne of Christian parents were not to be baptized before they did belieue as is euident by Marke 16 16. and by the example of the Eunuch of the 3000. conuerts of Cornelius the laylor and others as you may see Acts 2. 37 38. cap. 8. 36. to 40. cap. 10. 44. to the end and cap 16. 31. 33. 34. therefore the end of baptisme is not regeneration for then men should haue beene baptized before they did beleâ—…us that so they might be regenerated and not haue beene regenerated by 〈◊〉 first before they had beene baptized Againe if the principall and chiefe end of Baptisme had beene for to regenerate men then those men who were regenerated should not haue bin baptized because they were regenerated before for their baptisme had bin 〈◊〉 meerely superfluous but those who haue bin truly regenerated haue bin afterwards baptized as you may see by these expresse testimonies of Scripture Mat. 3. 6. Acts 2. 37. 38. ca 8. 36. to 40. ca. 10. 44. to the end Acts 16. 14. 15. 31. 33. 34. therefore the end why baptisme was instituted was not for to 〈◊〉 men Why then may you say was baptisme instituted I answer that it was instituted to theâ—…s ends First it was instituted in the place of circumcision to the intent that it might seale the couenant and promises of God vnto the Gentiles as circumcision did vnto the Iewes for which reade Acts 2. 39 and Rom. 4. 11. Secondly it was instituted as a type and signe to 〈◊〉 vnto vs that as the water it selfe which wee vse in baptisme dâ—…th wash away the filth of our bodies so the blood of Iesus Christ doth wash and purge away the filth and corruption of our bodies and the sin of our soules as you may see Rom. 4. 11 Tit. 3. 5. Col. 2. 11 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21. and 1 Iohn 1. 7 9. Thirdly it was 〈◊〉 to incorporate men into the visible Church and to interest them into the priuiledges and benefits which the Church injoyes Mat. 28. 19. Act. 2. 37. 38 39. 〈◊〉 18. 19. Fourthly it was instituted to distinguish Christians from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Heatâ—… on mon 〈◊〉 it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians where by they are distinguished from Turkes and Infidels it is the outward 〈◊〉 and seale whereby they are knowne to belong to Christ. Lastly it was instituted to knit men faster and to bring them 〈◊〉 vnto 〈◊〉 and to make them more 〈◊〉 and carefull for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to abandon and auoide all kinde of sinne and to sticke more fast and close vnto the truth by considering that vow and conenant which they made to God when as they were baptized as you may see Rom 6. 1. to 9. Gal. 3. 27. Math. 28. 19 20. and 1 Cor 1. 13. these were the many ends why baptisme was instituted and not of purpose to regenerate men and therefore though children are not regenerated by their baptisme yet they must be baptized in obedience to Christs institution and to these seuerall ends which are vsefull profitable and comfortable And thus much for the first thing the which I vndertooke to answer that all infants that are baptized are not regenerated I come now to the second to proue that Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as haue beene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ makes not against me For first I say that it is one thing to be baptized into Christ and another thing to be baptized in the name of Christ to be baptized into Christ is to be incorporated and ingrafted into Christ by faith as appeares by verse 26. 28. for yee are all the children of God not by baptisme but by faith in Christ Iesus and yee are all one in Christ so that the connection of these words with the precedent and subsequent verses proues that to bee baptized into Christ is not to bee baptized with
who now injoy it and haue it in possession learne more and more to prise and value it and to be more and more affected joyed and delighted with it It is the onely and chiefest treasure of your soules it is the only thing that makes you truly blessed and that for euer let God then and all men see how much you value it by counting all things losse yea drosse and dunge and worse then nothing in respect of it Secondly if those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace then this may serue to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all such men as are thus truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. You that can but truly say that you are regenerated and made new creatures that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ in synceritie and truth yea you who haue but the least sparke and attome of true and sauing grace began within you and planted in your hearts what cause haue you sor to reioyce and sing for ioy You haue such an heauenly treasure such a firme setled and sure estate of grace within your soules as nothing shall be able to depriue you of it let all the diuels in hell or men on earth combine and plot together to depriue and spoyle you of it they are not able to effect it The least sparke 〈◊〉 that seed of true and sauing grace which is within you is of such a diuine permanent and immortall nature that all the flouds of prosperitie all the waters of aduersitie all the stormes of temptation all the malice of of men or diuells cannot vtterly extinguish or put it out againe What then should euer daunt your hearts or cause you for to feare What is there that should make you sad or heauy or interrupt your ioy If once you haue but the true seed of grace within you be it neuer so little neuer so small it is a sure pledge and earnest of heauen it giues you actuall possession and seison of eternall life it keepes you so that you can neuer perish If once you haue the smallest dram of true and sauing grace you need not feare afflictions or temptations you need not feare the very King of terrors hell and death you need not feare the most that men or diuells can doe to you they cannot seuer you from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus your Lord nor yet disturbe you from the state of Grace Wherefore you my brethren who finde and feele this seed and habit of true and sauing grace within your soules reflect on what you haue and see that matchlesse happinesse the which you now inioy banish all anxious sad and dolorous feares and doubts that cause your hands your hearts and soules to droope and take your fill of ioy and comfort reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce and let not any thing depriue and spoyle you of that ioy and comfort which is due vnto you This is the fault of most but specially of young and tender-hearted Christians that they dote too much vpon their sinnes and that they doe not so much prise their state of grace nor take that ioy and comfort in it as they should they are apt to bee discouraged and deiected apt to suspect and to grow jealous of their state of grace vpon all occasions as if that they might lose it and bee depriued of it and this makes them â—…o dull so heauie so dead and lumpish in Gods seruice Wherefore now at last endeuour for to know your happinesse and the worth and nature of your state of grace It is a state of joy and comfort it is such an estate as you can neuer lose or fall from hee that hath the life of grace but once began within him can die no more the second death shall haue no power oâ—…er him Establish then and settle this vndoubted truth and ingraue it in your hearts and soules 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 and this will strengthen and support this will comfort and reioyce your soules in all temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer in all extremities and times of need Wee haue all great cause as the times are now to stablish ground and settle this truth within our soules wee see what feares and dangers what crosses and afflictions what iudgements and calamities are like to come vpon vs wee see what miserable and wofull times are likely to befall vs if then we haue this truth ingrauen in our soules that the grace we haue within vs is of an incorruptible and immortall nature that it cannot be lost or perish O how will this establish settle comfort and reioyce our soules and strengthen and inable vs to vndergoe asflictions with patience ioy and comfort This will make vs for to feare no euill Though the earth beo moued and the mountaines carried into the midest of the Sea though carnall and wicked men shall be so amazed and affrighted with the miseries and afflictions that shall befall them that they shall call to the rockes and mountaines for to fall vpon them and couer them and bee euen at their witts ends for very feare yet such as haue this state of grace within them shall not feare but they shall euen reioyce and sing in the middest of all their troubles and afflictions and lift vp their heads and hearts with ioy and comfort because the day of their redemption draweth neere Wherefore beloued brethren if you would fill your soules with ioy and comfort and arme your selues against the euill day be sure for to ground and roote this comfortable sweet and heauenly meditation in your hearts that come what will you can neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace nor yet be seuered and cut off from Christ and this will comfort strengthen and reioyce your soules in times of need and beare them vp in all extremities And thus adieu FINIS Errata PAge 3. line 36. for the reade these p. 4 l. 1. for degrees the degrees p. 5. l. 34. for haue raise p. 49. l. 31. for this his p. 51. l. 27. for title to title p. 59. l. 19. for one only only p. 61. l. 7. for anithesis antithâ—…sis p. 62. l. 15. for sons sound p. 70. l. 31. for those these p. 73. l. 23. for will his will performe his p. 77 l. 10. for keepe them keepe l. 20. for himselse him p. 83 l. 12. for that it that he p. 86. l. 7 for man may may p. 91. l. 34. for that it p. 96. l 3. for how true how p. 104. l. 19. for receiued recorded p. 105. l. 8. for these those p. 116. l. 2. for but yet yet p. 125. l. 15. for hath haue p. 127. l. 31. for those these p. 128. l 7. for so sealed so firmely