comfort from them that feele the wrath of God and that this Error is euidently confuted by these words Being justified by faith wee haue peace with God Also therefore is righteousnesse of faith that it might be sure Therefore it aduiseth vs to lay hold on this sweet comfort that the Sonne of God is the keeper of his Church as he saith Iohn 10. No man shall take my sheepe out of my hands Hee doth protect vs and also by his holy Spirit doth confirme our mindes to true opinions as hee doth begin eternall life so doth hee kindle in our hearts good motions faith the loue of God true inuocation hope chastitie and other vertues Through the Sonne of God wee are deliuered from eternall death and translated into eternall life as hee saith I giue vnto them eternall life and hee that hath the Sonne hath life And let hope be firme and sure as Peter saith hope perfectly that is looke for eternall life not with doubtfull opinion The famous Augustane confession confirmed and ratified by all the Protestant Princes States and Churches of Germany Anno Dom. 1530. in the 3. Article concurreth with vs for saith the Article Christ doth sanctifie all those that beleeue on him by sending the holy Ghost into their hearts who doth gouerne comfort and quicken them and defend them against the diuell and the force of sinne If against the Diuell and the force of sinne then nothing can cast them downe from the state of grace If you object that the 12. Article of this famous Confession doth condemne the Anabaptists who deny that such who are once iustified can loose the holy Ghost and therefore by the voyce of this confession those who are once justified may fall from grace I answer that the Protestant Diuines in Germany who were at the making of this Article and those who haue liued since did neuer expound or intend it in this sense that a man once iustified might fall away from grace either totally or finally but they condemned this Tenet of the Anabaptists in that sense as they defended it For this was the opinion of the Anabaptists That when once a man was regenerated and had obtained the holy Ghost and was made a true beleeuer that sin could not hurt him and therefore they would tell men that if they did beleeue let them doe what they would or commit what sinne they would it could not hurt them for faith would blot out all those sinnes which was the Error of the Valentinians as Irenaeus hath recorded it Now in this sense only doth this confession condemne the Anabaptists and in no other and so did the Lutherans before them as you may reade in Articulis Smalcandicis Article 3. composed by Luther himselfe which you shall finde in Lutherana Concordia pag. 310. Now the reason yeelded by the Lutherans why they condemne this Error of the Anabaptists in their third Article will fully proue that the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall from grace Forsay they the Saints of God doe alwayes grieue and repent for their sinnes groaning vnder the burthen of them and they alwayes striue against them Theresore those that voluntary rush into sinne whether it be adultery murther or blasphemie must needes shake off faith and the holy Ghost and faith and the holy Ghost must needes depart from them For the holy Ghost doth nener suffer sinne to reigne to get strength or to obtaine the victory and to be perfected but hee doth represse and curbe it that so it might not doe the thing it would But if it doth what it would certainly the holy Ghost and faith are lost neither are they present For so saith Iohn hee that is borne of God doth not sinne neither can hee sinne So that both the Augustane Confession and the Article of Smalcard are both for me and not against me being rightly vnderstood The Augustane Confession composed by the Argentine Church and confirmed by their Senate Anno dom 1539. concurreth with vs For these are the words of their 7. Article This sole and only mediator hath taken away our sins and reconciled vs to his Father hee hath impetrated the holy Ghost for all those whom his Father hath giuen him and which heare his voyce This regeneration together with all Christs merits the holy Ghost doth inspire into the hearts of all the faithfull and preserue them in them to the end All these Confessions of the Protestants in Germanie and else-where are expresse for me let Mr. Mountague now shew mee any to the contrarie But you will tell mee now that Mr. Mountague records it That all the Protestants of Germanie haue concluded against mee and consented to the Church of Rome in the Diot of Ratisbon Vpon those grounds and reasons which he there mentions True it is that Mr. Mountague hath so recorded it but his records are so false in euery thing that he must haue a strong faith that will beleeue them without examination of the truth of them For my owne part I haue read the disputation of Ralisbon set out by Bucer himselfe Anno dom 1548. and I can finde no such thing as Mr. Mountague relates in it For first this question of a totall finall fall from grace was not so much as controuerted there neither are there any of those Scriptures grounds and Fathers which Mr. Mountague hath recorded in his Gagge or in his Appeale only that place of Phil. 2. 12. and of St. Augustine de Ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 12. excepted so much as mentioned in all that disputation and these two quotations are cited by Steuen Bishop of Winchester who did oppose the Protestants in that Disputation and not by Bucer and the other Protestants there present How then could the Protestants of Germanie yeeld to that position in this Diot which was not drawne into question there Indeed the question of the certainty of saluation was there controuerted and discussed and by the vnanimous consent of all the Protestants resolued and determined against Maluenda Billickius and the Bishop of Winchester who did oppose it and in the resolution and determination of this Controuersie if you will beleeue learned Zanchius in his Confession to the Senate of Argentine in this our point De perseuerantia sanctorum or the Disputation of Ratisbone it selfe our very assertion though it were not there particularly controuerted was yet de claro resolued for vs in this famous Diot in the name of all the Protestants in Germanie For in the Disputation of Ratisbon or Ralisbon pag. 41. Respons ad Replic 14. This is the expresse Resolution of all the Protestants in that Diot That true faith and a sinne that wastes the conscience are incompatible and that hee which liues by a true iustifying faith can neuer sticke in such a sinne So pag. 243. to 251. they proceed to proue this assertion and conclusion For say they those who haue this iustifying
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
for the sight of their eyes which they should see they should then finde no ease no rest or comfort to thâ—…ir soules at all and so they must needs sinke and perish in dispaire Where as if they had this pillar to rest and stay their soules vpon that they can neuer fall â—…rom grace nor be depriued of the loue of God that let what will befall their bodies their soules are sure to be safe that though their outward man perish yet their inward man shall be renewed day by day that though their earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued yet they haue a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heauens this would comfort and reioyce their soules beyond expression this would beare them vp in all extremities and keepe them from sinkeing in dispaire So that you see that the whole comfort and treasure of a Christian that the whole seruice of God and practice of religion are vtterly abolished and taken away by this pernicious Error and therefore I made choyce of this aboue any of the rest to combate and to grapple with especially in these dubious and ambiguous times of ours wherein we need an anchor on which to stay our soules But now some men may thinke my labour vaine and needlesse and perchance vnseasonable to because so many Worthies of our Church haue so lately handled and discussed this our present Controuersie To whâ—…ch I answer first That the slacknesse of the Printer in whose hands this worke hath beene pending euer since Lâ—…nt last hath turned these my First fruites into Gleanings against my expectation and intent and therefore if you returne a Tardè to them let the Printer beare the blame not I. Secondly I answer that though many haue lately handled and discussed this very controversie in the by conioyning it with other points yet none of them haue handled it particularly and indiuidually by it selse as I haue done it Yea I may with modestie affirme it without any pride arrogance or selfe-conceite that there was neuer any hitherto who hath written of this controuâ—…rsie that hath handled and discussed it so fully and perspicuously as I haue done it here I haue produced many more arguments and reasons and cited more quotations from Scriptures Fathers Councells Synods Confessions and moderne Diuines to confute this Error and I haue giuen more cleere full and satisfactorie answers to most of those arguments that are brought for to defend it than any yet haue done that I could reade or heare of And therefore notwithstanding that so many haue lately written of this subiect I hope that these my labours which I haue vndertaken in the synceritie of my heart for the glory of God for the peace and quiet of this our Church for the vindicating of the truth and for the comfort and consolation of all such faithfull Christians as shall be made partakers of them shall finde such approbation and acceptance in the world that they shall neither be condemned as vntimely nor loathed as superfluous And here Courteous Reader to free my selfe from causelesse censure I must intreate these few courtesies at thine hands First that where thou findest any mistakes or slips in words or letters in reading of this Treatise that thou wouldest take the paines for to amend them imputing the fault vnto the Corrector and not vnto my selfe Secondly that when thou findest the same reasons Scriptures Arguments or answers reiterated and repeated in seuerall places of this discourse that thou wouldâ—…st not forth-with condemne me of Battologie and Surplusage because they are alwaies vrged and recited in a different forme and manner and to other ends and purposes then they were before so that though they are almost the same in words and matter yet they alwayes differ in circumstances forme and end and in the manner of propounding them so that in truth they are not the same though prima facie they may seeme to be the same Thirdly I would request thee so to censure and iudge of these my labours as thou wouldest haue me and others to censure and to iudge of thine if thou thy selfe hadst written Lastly since the generall end and scope of these my labours is nothing else but to vindicate and cleere the honour and the truth of God to establish peace and vnitie in this our Church and State that this our present controuersie and those others which depend vpon it may no more molest and trouble them and to comfort and reioyce the hearts and soules of all the true and faithfull Saints of God in these ambiguous doubtfull and perplexed times whose only ioy and comfort whose onely stay and proppe whose very heauen vpon earth and chiefest happinesse lie all at stake and are suspended on this present Controuersie I would request thee so to reade and meditate on these my rude and indegested labours as if thou didst vnfainedly desire for to learne and profite by them and to diue into the truths contained in them Reade them with a single and impartiall eye and with an vpright and an honest heart voide of all criticall fore-stalled and preiudicated affections Reade them with a meeke and humble spirit not to carpe or quarrell with them but willingly to yeeld and to submit vnto them as far as truth and conscience will permit and if thou shalt receiue any benefit comfort or saâ—…isfaction from them giue God the glory pâ—…ay for me The vnfained well wisher of thine eternall good and comfort WILLIAM PRYNNE TO ALL THOSE OF THE Church of England who falsly and malitiously traduce calumniate and slaunder the Patrons of the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace and thereupon labour to suppresse their workes because they know not how to answer or resell them IT is recorded of certaine of the Synagogue of the Libertines and 〈◊〉 who disputed with that holy Martir Saint Steuen that when as they Were not able to resist the wisdome and Spirit by which hee spake they suborned false witnesses against him which said wee haue heard him speake blasphemous words against this holy place against Moses and against God and vpon these false accusations they stirred vp the people the Elders and the Scribes against him and caught him and brought him before the Councell thinking to carry away the cause and to confute that which they were not able to gainsay by calumniating traducing and condemning the innocent person who defended it Thus did the Iewes confute and answer Saint Paul when as they had nothing to reply vnto his doctrine they presently fly vpon his person accusing him for a pestilent and seditious fellow for a ringleader of sects for a mouer of sedition through out the World and one that did contrary to 〈◊〉 decrees of Caesar. And thus did the Gentiles in former ages confute the Christians if Iustin Martyr Tertullian Arnobius or Lactantius may be credited You my Breahtren who oppose and bend your selues
against the Doctrine of the totall and 〈◊〉 perseuerauce of the Saints in grace which hath beene so long setled and established in our Church reflect and cast your eyes on these examples which are such liuely Emblems and representations of your selues These Libertines Iewes and Gentiles when as they could finde nothing to reply against that truth the which they did oppose they leaue the matter and the points in question and fly vpon the persons of such as did defend them So you since you haue nothing to reply vnto the arâ—… of those who do defend the totall final perseuerance of the Saints in grace doe waiue the Controuersie and fall foule vpon their persons thinking to carry away the cause by calumnies and scandalous accusations because you cannot do it by force and truth of argument For first you accuse and taxe all such who patronize this orthodox and ancient truth for Puritans Secondly for pestilent seditious and factious persons And thirdly for such as doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar such as violate and transgresse his Maiesties most pious Proclamation and vpon these false and scandalous grounds you labour to suppresse the workes and prosecute the persons of all such as doe defend this truth A worthy and a learned confutation which sauoreth of nothing but of pure malice and venomous rancor against all grace goodnesse and such as doe defend them Now that all the world may know how false your accusations are and so how ill your cause I will a little 〈◊〉 them and discusse them Your first accusation and objection against our present assertion is this That there are none but Puritants who 〈◊〉 it Surely if you so confidently affirme that there are none but 〈◊〉 that defend it I may with greater confidence and truth 〈◊〉 it that there are none but Pelagians Papists and Arminians nay 〈◊〉 who oppose it if any of you thinke I speake to harsh in this I haue the warrant of our late and learned Soueraigne King Iames to justifie mee who hath stiled them Heretickes and Atheisticall Sectaries vpon record But are there none but Puritans who defend it Sure I am and I hope I haue sufficiently proued it that Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles that all the ancient Fathers and some Councells that-all Protestant Churches and sound orthodox writers in forraine parts that the Synod of 〈◊〉 at which there were the choice Diuines of most Protestant reformed Churches that the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies and that King lames of blessed memorie haue from time to time deliuered published defended propagated and resolued this our present assertion as sound and orthodox and yet are there none but Puritans or are they all Puritans who defend it Was Christ his Prophets Apostels Puritans were all the Fathers and the Primitiue Church Puritans are all the Protestant and reformed Churches beyond the seas and all their sound and orthodox writers Puritans was thè famous Synod of Dort but a meere packe of Puritans are the Church of England and all her chiefest worthies Puritans or was King lames a Puritan that none but Puritans should maintaine this truth If you will condemne all these for Puritans as you must doe if your accusation goe for currant truth and so make Puritans to be nothing else as they are in truth but the true Church and Saints of God who professe propagate and maintaine the truth and puritie of the Gospell and will not bee withdrawne or seduced from it then we willingly acknowledge the accusation to be true and account it not a blemish but a grace and honour to our cause but if you will haue none of these to be the Puritans which you accuse your accusation then That none but Puritans defend this assertion must needes be false vnlesse you know to make a difference between those who 〈◊〉 maintained it in former times such as doe defend it now Now that I may giue a further answer vnto this false scandalous and malitious accusation I will a little inquire what kinde of creature this Puritan should be which makes such a stirre and businesse in the world and is so much accused condemned hated persecuted inueighed at and spoken against that so the odiousnesse and 〈◊〉 of the very name may not impeach the worth the credit the qualitie or condition of the person on whom it is 〈◊〉 Certainely the onely Puritan that is now aymed at and so commonly accused and spoken against is nothing else in veritie and truth if you will but lay aside the name that so you may behold him as he is But a godly and syncere Christian who stickes close vnto the word of God both in his iudgement and his practise being more abstemious from all kinde of sinue more diligent and frequent in all holy duties and more industrious to serue and please the Lord in all things then those who doe condemne reproach and censure him Hee that now sticks fast and close vnto the word of truth and will not be withdrawne from it hee that shewes forth the power and efficacy of grace in the constant holinesse of his life hee that is diligent and frequent in Gods seruice and squares his life and actions according to his word hee that makes a conscience of all his waies and workes and will not be so vitious and licentious so riotous and deboist so prophane dissolute and desperately wicked as other men hee and hee onely is the Puritan which is now so much condemned hee onely is the Puritan who now is made the very But and obiect of all mens hatred malice enuy scorne and disdaine hee onely is the Puritan whom you doe here accuse Take but away the vgly horrid and mishapen name and visard of a Puritan which doth now wholly ouercloud the persons on whom it is imposed and present them in a strange and different forme from what they are in truth and consider but the persons the liues the graces and the inside of those men who are reputed sor the greatest Puritans disrobed and vncased of the name it selfe and then the greatest and fierceest Ante-puritan of you all if his conscience be not strangly cauterized must bee forced to confesse that as it was with the Christians among the Gentiles so now it is with Puritans among such as seeme to be Christians Non scelus aliquod in causa est sed nomen et solius nominis crimen est that Puritans are hated contemned reproached accused and condemned not for any offence for any euill or wickednesse that is in them but onely for their name which is imposed on them onely for this end that men might the more freely persecute oppose dispise condemne and hate them for their holy liues And if that this seeme strange vnto you that men should be condemned hated reproached persecuted and accused for their graces and their holy liues consider then that euen from the beginning and from that time that God put
11. 12. pag. 300. The sixteenth from 2 Cor. 6. 1. and 1 Cor. 15. 2. pag. 301. The seuenteenth from Psal 27. 9 11. Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 71. 9. pag. 302. The eighteenth from Gal 5. 4. pag. 304. The ninteenth from Prou 30. 8. 9. pag. 305. The twentieth from 1 Thes. 5. 19. pag. 306. The twenty one from 2 Iohâ—… 8. pag. 307. The twenty two from Psal. 119. 176. pag. 309. The twenty three from 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. pag. 310. The twenty foure That a regenerate man may fall into a grosse knowne and scandalous sinne and lye in it for a time or dye in it without repentance therefore he may fall from grace pag. 312. The twenty fiue That a regenerate man may be excommunicated and therefore he may fall from grace pag. 342. The twenty sixe That infants which are regenerated in their baptisme may fall from grace and therefore true regenerate men pag. 343. where that place of Gal. 3. 27 and the words obiected out of the Common prayer booke are answered and the vse the efficacy and the end of baptisme are declared The twenty seuenth argument is from examples pag. 364. which are of three sorts The first of Adam and the Angells pag. 365. The second from whole Churches pag. 368. as the Church of the Iewes pag. 369. The Church of the Galathians pag. 370. The Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Thyatira and Pergamus pag. 372. The third from particular Saints as the second and third ground pag. 383 those in Iohn 2. 23 24. pag. 375. The Disciples who went backe from Christ Iohn 6. 66. pag. 377. Dauid pag. 378. Peter pag. 385. Iudas pag. 391. Solomon pag. 393. Saul Aâ—…a Ioash Simon Magus the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Demas Hymenens Alexander those of Math 24. 24. and the rest of whom Paul Peter and Iude haue prophecied that they should depart from the faith pag. 393. 394. The twenty eighth and last argument is from the incâ—…cies of this our assertion pag. 394. which are three First it would make men presumptions bold to sin pa. 395. Secondly it would make men negligent and sloathfull in Gods seruice pag. 399. Thirdly it would make men proud arrogant pag. 403. And this is the substance of this third generall part The fourth last part of this worke consists of two profitable vses drawne from this assertion pag. 406. The first is a vse of exhortation to incite stirre vp all men to seeke prise the state of grace which is so permanent pag. 406. The second a vse of exhortation to the true Saints of God to comfort and reioyce their soules in the consideration of the perpetuity of their state of grace pag. 408. And thus you haue the compendium summe substance of this Treatise THE PERPETVITIE OF A REGENERATE MANS ESTATE WHEREIN IT is proued by sundry arguments reasons and authorities That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither Finally nor Totally fall from grace c. IT is the expresse voyce and testimony both of the Spirit and the word of God that in the latter times and ages of the world there shall be some false teachers in the Church which priuily shall bring in damnable haeresies and pernitious doctrines euen denying the Lord that bought them and bring vpon them selues swift damnation Yea the same Spirit and word of God doe testifie that as there shall bee such false teachers in the world so likewise that there shall be many who departing from the faith and turning their eares from the truth shall giue heed to their seducing and erronious spirits and follow their pernitious wayes and doctrines insomuch that wholsome doctrine and the very way of truth itselfe shall be euill spoken of I would to God these prophecies and praedictions were not so truly and experimentally fulfilled in these last and euill daies of ours wherein we may truly say that there are some false teachers crept in among vs who priuily haue brought in damnable doctrines vnder the spetious pretence and coulour of the doctrine of our Church almost to the deniall of that Lord which bought them to the seducing of many ignorant and vnstable soules and to the scandall and reproach both of the word and way of truth Who and what those persons and these doctrines 〈◊〉 I need not for to mention the publicke fame hath made them so notorious that it would be altogether idle and superfluous for me to point and chalke them out Wherefore passing by the perâ—…ons I shall onely single out one pestilent and pernitious doctrine which they doe maintaine to wit the Totall and finall Apostacy of the Saints the which I here intend for to incounter not with the weake and feeble armes of fleshly wisdome but with the all conquering and all-subduing sword of the Spirit the word of God Now that I may not fight as one that beats the ayre nor trouble you with a long discourse to little purpose before I come to grapple with the aduersaries I will briefly and perspicuously relate the state and substance of that controuersie which is betweene vs. The question and controuersie 〈◊〉 selfe is onely this Whether those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liâ—…ely faith may either finally or totally fall from grace For the full and cleare vnderstanding of which you must take notice of two distinctions the first concerning regenerate men and such as are in thâ—… state of Grace the second concerning Grace it selfe Of regenâ—…rate men and such as are in the state of Grace there are two sorts The first are such as are regenerated and inuested into the state of Grace onely in outward shew and in the bare opinion of men but not in sincerity and truth these they are not within the question for though they make an outward shew and flourish of Grace vnto the world yet they had neuer any truth of sauing Grace within them and therefore we grant that such as these may both finally and totally fall away from that hypocriticall and superficiall shew of Grace the which they made The second sort of regenerate men are such as are regenerated in sinceritie and truth and not in outward shew onely such as haue really the seeeds and habits of true and sauing Grace within them of these onely is the present question and of these wee doe affirme that they can neither finally nor totally fall from Grace For Grace it selfe which is the second thing you must obserue that it hath a double acception in the Scriptures First it is taken for the free loue and mercy of God in Christ Iesus secondly it is taken for the graces which are wrought in men by the holy Ghost in this latter sense onely and not in the former is Grace taken in our present question Now these Graces of Gods Spirit they are of two sorts First there are ordinary and common Graces
girdeth their loines with a girdle He leadeth Princes away spoiled and ouerthroweth the mighty Hee remoueth away the speech of the trusty and taketh away the vnderstanding of the aged He powreth contempt vpon Princes and weakneth the strength of the mighty He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them hee inlargeth the nations and straitneth them againe He taketh away the heart of the chiefe of the people of the earth and causeth them to wander in a wildernesse where there is no way Iob 12 13 to 25. If our wills were in our owne powers not in Gods alone why then doe we dayly pray to God thy kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen and leade vs not into temptation but deliuer us from euill this prayer were but vaine idle if our wills were our owne if God had no kingdome and power ouer vs to sway and rule vs as he pleaseth If our wills are free if wee may cast away that grace which God hath giuen vs and hath likewise couenanted to preserue it in vs why then doe wee call the Lord our God our King our Master and our Gouernour and why doth the Scripture certifie vs that our soules our spirits and our selues are not our owne but Gods and that it is God onely that worketh in vs both the will and the deede of his good pleasure 1 Cor 6 29. and Phil 2 13 Certainely if God be God Lord and King ouer vs as hee is if our hearts our wills and all our wayes are in his hands to dispose of them at his pleasure as wee must needes confesse they are vnlesse wee will turne Atheists and deny his Diety then when as God himselfe doth absolutely promise and vndertake to preserue and keepe 〈◊〉 Saints from falling and to establish them so that they shall not nor cannot for euer be remoued this their slight and supposition if they continue faithfull or vnlesse they will themselues must needes be false and idle or else you must of necessity grant that those whom God himselfe hath promised to keepe from falling and to establish so that they can neuer possible be remoued may fall away from grace which doth not onely falsifie the Scriptures and the promises of God but likewise pull God out of heauen and either make him to be no God at all or else sets man aboue him which is blasphemous and atheisticall Lastly If this their answere to the absolute promises and texts of Scriptute which we alledge against them were once admitted to be true then marke what dangerous consequents would follow vpon it First it would be a meanes to shake the very foundations principals and pillars of religion For if a thing which is absolutey true be not absolutly true which is the very summe and substance of all their answeres if that which God hath promised to establish for euer to keepe from falling and departing from him may notwithstanding fall and come to ruine if it will it selfe and that it is safe onely if it continue or as long as it continues then marke what a ready way they make for Atheists and Infidels to delude all those fundamentall truths which are deliuered and set downe in Scripture For if I were an Atheist and an Infidel and they should come to conuert or confute me by the Scriptures or by reason If they should now produce any argument or text of Scripture to proue that there were a God to proue that there were a Christ or an holy Ghost or to proue that there were a Church or to proue any such fundamentall truthes I would shift them of with this sleeuelesse answere of their owne true it is that there is an eternall God there is a Christ and an holy Ghost there is a Church of God if they continue or as long as they continue and then I would inferre as they do vpon this answere but they doe not continue and therefore they are not What answer could they giuâ—… me if this their owne cuasion would hold water and goe for câ—…rrant certainely none at all Yea but they will obiect that the Scripture saith that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are eternall and that the Church of God continueth and abideth for euer and therefore this answere if they continue or as long as they continue is very repugnant And doth not the Scripture say as positiuely that the righteous shall neuer be remoued that they shall stand fast for euer that their faith and graces shall neuer faile that the holy Ghost shall abide with them for euer that they shall neuer faile or perish Where then I pray you stands the difference If this answer of theirs bee repugnant and contradictorie in the one why should it not bee so in the other to Yea but God is eternall in his owne Nature and so in this there is a difference And is not grace an immortall and incorruptible seed a treasure which neither rust nor moth can corrupt nor theeues breake through and steale the Scripture I am sure stiles it so Yea Christians themselues that are once illuminated with the spirit of Grace they are immortall through grace the second death shall haue no power ouer them and they shall die no more Reu. 20 6. and Rom. 6. 10 11. Therefore if Christians are immortall and euerlasting by Grace and if that Grace which we haue now by Christ be of an incorruptible nature as well as God is eternall if it be absurd to suppose that God may not continue and abide for euer or to say that he is eternall vnlesse hee will himselfe it must likewise be absurd to suppose that Grace which is immortall and incorruptible that the Saints of God who shall stand fast for euer and cannot be remoued may notwithstanding cease to be and fall from grace and perish So that you see plainely that this euasion of theirs if it were admitted would vtterly subvert and ouerturne the very grounds principles and foundation of Religion Secondly if this their shifting answer should be admitted it would make the word of God but a meere nugation a meere tantologie a vaine absurd and idle thing a thing meerely repugnant and crosse vnto it selfe Absolute things must then be conditionall plaine things will become obscure expresse and absolute promises must bee suspended vpon vaine and idle suppositions mens graces then should alwaies increase and never faile and yet they should be lost and faile the Saints then should neuer fall perish or be remoued and yet they should fall quite away from grace they should perish and bee remoued they should not bee able to deparâ—… from God and yet they should depart the Scriptures in which there is no iarre at all should then bee full of contradictions or nugations Yea Scripture would become no Scripture truth no truth God no God if this their shift anfwer and euasion should be admitted to be true And therefore wee reiect this
Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 10. 5 it workes so powerfully and maiestically in mens soules that none can let it or resist it Isai 43. 13. and Acts 6. 10. it makes euery knee to bow and stoope to Iesus Christ and to keepe his iudgments and doe them Phil. 2. 10. and Ezech. 36. 27. wherefore this doctrine which doth thus ouerturne and pull downe the kingdome of grace which makes it subiect vnto man whereas man is subiect vnto it must needes be a damnable and pernitious doctrine and so cannot bee admitted for a truth euen in this respect Fourthly if this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints should bee admitted it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the whole Church of God but more especially in respect of our Church of England For first it would wrong the whole Church of God in traducing slighting condemning the doctrine and opinion of all the ancient Fathers of the Church and of the Church of God in former ages and in vilifying and contradicting the doctrine of all Protestant and reformed Churches and the judgment and learning of all the best moderne Protestant Diuines who haue alwaies defended and maintained this assertion that the true regenerate Saints of God can neither finally nor totally fall from grace as I shall proue hereafter Secondly it would wrong the whole Church of God in reuiuing and raising vp from hell againe that old Pelagian Heresie which hath not onely beene condemned and opposed by Saint Augustine Hierome Prosper Bradwarden and others but likewise by three seuerall Councells to wit the Councell of Mileâ—…etan the Councell of Africke and the Councell of Orange For as all the points of Arminianesme are nothing else but meere Pelagianisme clad in other tearmes so this was one part and member of the Pelagian or Deme pelagian Heresie that the true regenerate Saints of God might fall away from the state of grace and therefore the Demepelagians did caâ—…ell and carpe at Saint Augustines doctrine for teaching that the Saints of God after they were once regenerated had such a disposition put into them that they could not but perseuerance in grace as appeares by the Epistles of Hilarie and Prosper to Saint Augustine concerning the remainders of the Pelagian Heresiâ—…s wherefore this doctrine of the Apostacie of the Saints being nothing else but a part of the Pelagian Heresie cannot be now admitted and imbraced without great wrong and preiudice to the whole Church of God Thirdly it would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of the Church of England For first it will pull vp a maine foundation and a maine principle and ground of truth which hath bin planted and setled in our Church it will raise a strong bulwarke and fort of true religion which the best and chiefest worthies of our Church haue hitherto full well and manfully defended against all forraine hostility whatsoeuer which will be a great disparagement and blemish to our Church Secondly it will giue our enemies just cause to vaunt and triumph ouer vs and to erect a Trophie where as they neuer got the field This hath beene the glory and honour of the Church of England that the 〈◊〉 Church and all her complices since her reformation and reuolt from them could neuer yet with all their learning wiâ—… or policie conuince her of any maine or fundamentall error in her doctrine If then wee should now admit and approue of this doctrine of a finall or a totall fall from grace and imbrace it as a truth wee should then conuince our selues of a maine and fundamentall error in our doctrine wee should then subscribe and yeeld the wasters vp to them without any combate or opposition at all when as they were not able for to wrest them from vs by truth strength of argument and so wee should giue them just and lawfull cause to triumph ouer vs to the great dishonour of God to the very betraying of the truth and to our owne perpetuall infamie and disgrace Thirdly it would breake downe the very walls and bulwarkes of our Church that so Armiâ—…nisme and 〈◊〉 might come rushing in with a full carere and quite beat downe the truth For if this be once admitted and receiued for a truth that the true regenerate Saints of God may fall either finally or totally from the state of grace this very point it selfe is grosse and palpable Arminianisme and Poperie it is a point which all Rhemists and Arminians and which Bellarmine Becaonus and other Papists do defend against the Proâ—…estants and it drawes along with it many other grosse and palpable points of Armianisme and Popery as predestination from the foresight of faith and workes freewill both to receiue and reiect grace at our pleasures veniall sinne no certaintie of saluation in this life without some speciall reuelation vniuersall grace that those who are not elected to saluation are members of the holy Catholike Church that the number of the elâ—…t is not certaine vnto God himselfe and the like If this one point then should bee admitted and imbraced by vs as a truth it would scrue in the whole body of Arminianisme Pelagianisme and a great part of Poperie into our Church and so would quickly crush and quell that glorious and holy truth which now we doe professe Fourthly it would breede such a combustion and diuision in our Church as would hardly bee appeased without great hurt and danger to the state wee see by present experience that a little conniuancie wincking at this doctrinâ—… hath bred a kinde of faction and diuision in our Church and drawne many great disciples after it who if they were not awed by superiour powers and with the expectation of the doome censure of the Generall and Grandee of their faction would make such astrange and sodaine rent and combustion in our Church and state as would indanger both and giue occasion to our enemies to fish in troubled streames where they could hardly misse their prey You therefore my brethren who are so hot and forwards to vsher and bring in this damnable and pernicious doctrine into our glorious and much renowned Church consider what you are about to doe consider what dangerous and dismall consequencies are like to follow and insue vpon it consider how ill and viper like you shall reward that mother of yours which hath nourished and brought you vp to the end that you should defend her vpon all occasions and not beare armes against her Consider that it is no other but the Diuill himselfe woo either by his owne priuate suggestions to your hearts or else by his dangerous agents and seditious factors doth labour to withdraw you from the faith and to rent you from your mother Church not for any desire or loue to God or to the truth but for priuate ends and by respects that so he may make both you and others a prey and bootie to himselfe Consider what the inducements are that
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
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
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
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
that the proper meaning of this place is onely this that in the militant Church of God there are two sorts of Christians some there are that are members and branches of Christ in outward shew and profession onely but not in truth these God the Father will cut off as dead rotten and fruitlesse members and he will cast them into hell fire to be burned because they do not abide in him bring forth fruit Others there are that are the true members and the liuing branches of Christ bringing forth much fruite those God the Father will bee alwaies purging that they may bring forth more fruite but yet not by their owne strength and vertue but by that sappe and nourishment which they receiue from Christ all therefore that you can collect from hence is only this That hypocrites and the dead branches of Iesus Christ may fall from grace and perish which no man will deny Yea but you will obiect that here are two words in the text which doe strongly imply that the true branches of Iesus Christ may bee broken off from him may become vnfruitfull and so be cast into the fire to wit this word â—…xcept and this word if which are both conditionall words I answer that neither of these words imply the thing which you intend For first this word except in this place of Iohn is a word of causality and not of condition As the branch cannot beare fruite of itselfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee our abiding in Christ is not a condition but a cause of bearing fruite that which makes vs fruitfull in good workes is our abiding in Christ is the only substance and summe of these words and so you can collect no necessary consequence which makes against me from them All the argument which this sentence yeelds you is but this No regenerate man can beare any fruite except heâ—… abide in Christ therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may fall from grace which is a meere 〈◊〉 Secondly for this word if I answer that it doth necessarilie imply that the true branches of Iesus Christ may be broken off withered and cast into the fire Consider but the words themselues and you shall finde it so If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered If yee abide in me and my words abide in you you shall aske what you will and it shall be done vnto you What now will your arguments from these words bee surely no more but this If anyman abide not in Christ he is cast forth as a branch and withered therefore regenerate men may fall from grace If any man abide in Christ all his prayers shall be granted therefore regenerate men may fall from grace Who but franticke and distracted men would produce such arguments as these Yea but there is a great deale of profound matter in the white of an egge there is much included in these conditionall words which euery mans vnderstanding is not able to fathom these conditionall speeches must needes imply possibilitie of falling from grace else to what purpose are they vsed I answer Not to proue that regenerate men might fall from grace this was neuer Christs meaning in this place it is but your wrested strained and forced collection For the only end wherefore Christ did speake those words was onely to incourage and stirre vp his Disciples and his Saints to fruitfulnesse in good workes which he doth by these two seuerall meanes First by declaring vnto them the way and meanes by which they might be fruitfull and that is by continuing and abiding in him Secondly by propounding some certaine motiues to them to stirre them vp to fruitfulnesse which are of two sorts The first taken from the danger of vnfruitfulnesse euery branch in mee that beareth not fruite my Father taketh away and he is cast forth and withered Secondly From the aduantage and the great commoditie of fruitfulnesse in good workes both in respect of themselues and in respect of God In respect of themselues it would cause God to giue them a gratious answer to all their prayers and requests to him it would preserue and continue the loue of Christ to them and it would fill them full of joy In respect of God God should bee glorified by their fruitfulnesse in good workes This then being the onely end and scope of Christs words in this place to stirre vp his Disciples and to prouoke them to fruitfulnesse in good workes if you take the words as they are spoken and as Christ intended them then they make not for you at all then your conclusion and argument from them must be this Christ doth prouoke and stirre vp regenerate men and such as are his members to fruitfulnesse in good workes therefore they may fall from grace a ridiculous and absurde inconsequence To conclude all I say that the true branches of Iesus Christ can neuer fall from grace nor yet depart from Christ. First because Christ himselfe hath chosen them and ordained them that they should goe and bring forth fruite and that their fruite should remaine Iohn 15. 16. Secondly because Christ and the holy Ghost will alwayes liue dwell and abide within them Iohn 15. 3. cap. 14. 16 17. Ephes. 3. 17. Gal. 2 20. Math. 28. 20. 1 Iohn 4. 15. and cap. 5. 10. 20. Thirdly because that Christ doth loue them in the same manner as his Father loueth him Iohn 15. 9. Now Gods loue to Christ is perpetuall and neuer ends therefore Christs loue to them must bee perpetuall to and so Christ cannot but abide in them and they in him Fourthly because the true branches of Iesus Christ cannot bring forth ill fruite Math. 7. 18. they cannot fade nor wither they cannot cease from yeelding fruite Psal. 1. 3. Ier. 17 8. Fiftly because the feare of God is in their hearts that they shall not depart from Christ Ier. 32. 40. Sixtly because Christ hath prayed to his Father for them to keepe them through his owne name that so they might be in him and hee in them Iohn 17. 11. 23. That is as Athanaâ—…us expounds it that the grace of his Spirit might remaine irreuocable and immouable in his Disciples that that which was granted to the Sonne by nature to bee in the Father might be granted 〈◊〉 vnto vs by the Spirit which when Paul knew who saith he shall separate vs from the loue of Christ for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Lastly because Christ spake these very words which you object to this only end that his ioy might remaine in his Disciples and that their ioy might be full Iohn 15. 11. nâ—…ither of which could be if that the true members of Iesus Christ might fall quite away from grace For then Christ could haue no joy in them nor they no ioy and comfort in him Therefore your collection from this
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
speciall reuelation that Grace is but a morall perswasion and that men may receiue it or reiect it at their pleasure that such as are not elected to saluation are true members of the holy Catholike Church that such as are not predestinated may bee saued Yea the Sacrifice of the Masse Purgatory Popish pennance and Indulgencies will all to wrecke and fall vnto the ground So many other Errors are there which depend on this Sixtly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it is an Error of greatest consequence For it derogates very much from all Gods great and holy attributes from his glorie mercy honour goodnesse truth wisdome iustice power and the rest it derogates from Christs intercession and the merits of his death and passion it detracts very much from the Deity might power essicacte truth and working of the holy Ghost it quite ouerthrowes and disanulls the Scriptures and the very kingdome nature 〈◊〉 and power of true and sauing grace it robs the Saints of God of all their happinesse ioy and comfort it stripps and spoyles them of all their spirituall priuiledges of all the treasures of their soules and leaues them 〈◊〉 poore and miserable where else they were the onely happy and blessed of the Lord In a word it strikes at the very roote of all true religion it pulls God out of heauen and it either makes men Atheists to haue no God at all or at least to haue no God besides themselues These and many other are the ineuitable consequencies of this Error which as they are many so are they very great and dangerous Laftly I made choyce of this aboue the rest because it is not as some surmize a notionall and speculatiue Error fit onely for Schooles and Schollers to know and to determine but it is a practicall Error and a point which trencheth farre into the practice of Christianitie it is a point and Error that concernes not only the learnedest but the very lowest and meanest Christians it extends it selfe alike to all and therefore the more needfull is it to refell it Questions which concerne the nature and the truth of Grace the Perpetuitie and properties of Grace extend indifferently to all those to whom grace it selfe extends to one as much as to another because they are alike vsefull and necessary vnto all be they learned or vnlearned Now this being a question concerning the very nature essence and propertie of true and sauing grace extends alike to all men and it is of great vse and moment euen in their very practice of 〈◊〉 Yea I will affirme it that there is no one thing 〈◊〉 which will more 〈◊〉 men in the practice of religion then this one pernicious Error that they may fall totally finally from grace For if Ministers should preach and publish this for orthodox and current truth that true grace is of a corruptible and fading nature that it is such a thing as may be lost when once it is obtained who is there that would seeke it or respect it who is there that either would or could preferre his profit and his pleasures his riches and his honours farre before it who is there that would part with these to purchase it when as they were not sure to inioy it when as they might be dispossessed of it at the last If grace might vtterly be lost if it were a transitorie and fading good men would not nay men could not loue it or affect it they would not part with any other thing to win and purchase it euery man would then loue and serue his owne lusts and pleasures you should haue none at all to loue or serue the Lord. Besides if this were true that men might fall from grace what comforts or incouragements could Christians giue vnto themselues or others If a man should come to any one that was perplexed in his conscience or to a dying Christian if this were true that true regenerate men might fall from grace what comfort could he giue them Should hee magnifie Gods grace and mercy to them in Christ Should he repeate those comfortable and pretious promises of grace and mercie which are euery where recorded in the Scriptures should hee tell them that they haue liued a godly and religious life That they are in a happy condition and state of grace that they are the beloued of the Lord that Christ hath prepared an euerlasting kingdome and a crowne of glory for them in heauen and therefore they need not for to doubt or dispaire of Gods mercy Alas all these might be wiped off with this one answer we are fallen quite away from the state of grace by these and these our sinnes if not we are sure to commit 〈◊〉 sinne or other ere we die which will vtterly seuer and cut vs off from Christ for euer and therefore all these promises and comforts which you bring they belong to others not to vs our soules can take no comfort in them Doubtlesse there is not a Christian in the world which could administer any â—…oy or comfort at all vnto his owne or other mens soules if true regenerate men might fall from grace at last and lose the fruite and benefit of all their workes and graces Againe what comfort or incouragement could any Christian haue to doe or suffer any thing for the Lord if this were true Who is there that would spend his life and dayes in doing of Gods seruice Who is there that would suffer persecution and afflictions that would vndergoe disgrace contempt and scorne or fire and fagot for the Lord if he might after all this fall from grace and lose the things which hee had wrought Christians could haue no comfort or incouragement at all to doe or suffer any thing for Christ if this were true Againe in what a miserable and forlorne estate should poore Christians be in dubious troublesome and dangerous times if this position were grounded in their hearts that they might fall from grace then they were not sure of heauen they were not sure of earth they were vncertaine of this present life but more vncertaine of the life to come they then should haue no certaintie at all of any thing they should haue nothing left them on which to stay or rest their soules they should haue horrors within and feares without troubles and doubts within and crosses and afflictions without that curse of God which is denounced against all disobedient and impenitent sinners should light vpon them Among the nations they should finde no ease neither should the sole of their foote take any rest but the Lord should giue them a trembling heart and failing of eyes aud sorrow of minde and their liues should hang in doubt before them and they should feare day and night and haue none assurance of their liues In the morning they should say would it were euen and at euen they should say would God it were morâ—…ing for the feare of their heart wherewith they should feare and
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
and as one who neuer had as yet any truth of sauing grace within him but likewise as a friend vnto Arminians and the Church of Rome and as an open and professed enemie to the grace of God and to the Doctrine of our Church if any of you will be so bold as to take vp this challenge this present Treatise or if not this another shall make it good against him so as the peace of this our Church bee not disturbed by it But if that your assertion be the positiue Doctrine of our Church as perchance you doe pretend it for to be how then doth it appeare to be so Sure I am our Articles our reuerend and learned writers our Religious professors and our Diuinity Schooles our reuerend Ministers throughout the Kingdome haue alwaies cryed it downe till now as blasphemous Papisticall and heriticall and there is not one approued writer of our English Church that did euer dare as yet to publish it vnto the world as sound and orthodox or as the Doctrine of our Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church why do you not ioyne issue on it and put it to the tryall why do you not answer and refute but only labour to suppresse the workes of those who doe oppose it and challenge it as vnsound Indeede the truth is this you know your cause is bad you know that this your Doctrine is but false and counterfeite and quite repugnant to the Doctrine of our Church and therefore you dare not put it to the tryall for feare it should be proued to be false you dare not go about to proue our position to be vnsound or to giue an answer vnto such as haue defended it all your labour is to quell it and to suppresse not to answer the workes of such as haue defended it And why is this let Lactantius relate the cause Timeut ne à nobis reiucti manus dare aliquandò clamante ipsâ veritate cogantur Obstrepunt igitur et intercedunt ne audiane et oculos suos opprimunt ne lumen videant quod offerimus quum neque cognoscere neque congredi audent quià sciunt se facilè superari Et idcircò disceptatione sublata pellitur è medio sapientia vi geritur res You know you are not able for to answer and therefore you labour to suppresse our workes thinking to carry away the cause by force and pollicy and to suppresse the truth before it shall be able to come vnto a just legall tryall But remember that Intercipere scripta et publicatam velle submergere lectionem non est Deos defendere sed veritatis testificationem timere this is not to confute but to suppresse the truth this it not to confirme and proue but to condemne and marre your cause That gold which dreads the touchstone is but counterfeite that felon who refuseth his tryall doth but confesse himselfe guilty and that doctrine which hates the light and will not come vnto it which would establish it selfe by force and policy and not by truth and honest dealing it doth but discouer it selfe to be euill false and counterseite Whiles therefore you labour to suport your haerisie by force and pollicy and by suppressing of the truth you doe but daube with vntempered morter and marre it whiles you make it Wherefore giue ouer now for very shame your sinester and disloyall practises of which the world takes notice though you thinke not of it peruert not any longer the godly and religious intent of our gratious Soueraigne to a wicked and irreligious end and make not that an instrument to suffocate curbe the truth of God and Doctrine of our Church which hee intended should support inlarge and â—…uccor them How euer take this instruction from an ancient Father Nulla lex vetat discuti quod prohibet admitti Or if the saying of a Pope will please you better let Leo tell you thus much for your learning Quae patefacta sunt quaerere quae perfecta sunt retractare et quae sunt definita coâ—…ellore quid aliud est quam 〈◊〉 adeptis gratiam non referre et ad interdictae arboris cibum 〈◊〉 probos appetitus mortiferae cupiditatis extendere I know not whether you will I am sure you may apply it You see now how scandalous how sleight how false and forged all these your accusations are you see they are but shifts for to euade and colours to oppose the truth and such as doe professe it and defend it they are but meere impostures and pretences whereby the diuill and your owne deceitfull hearts doe labour for to blinde your eyes and to keepe you still in darkenesse to stupifie your hâ—…arts and consciences and so to set you in opposition against all gâ—…ace and goodnesse that so they may depriue you of your soules at last Consider therefore these wiles and pollicies of Satan and looke vnto the end of all your actions Consider who and what it is that sets you now on worke to slaunder and traduce the Saints of God and to oppose his truth and know that it is not the God of peace and vnion the God of grace and truth but the very Diuill himselfe the very spirit of Antechrist and the enemy of all grace and goodnesse who out of some carnall wicked sinister and by respects hath put you on this seruice aske but your owne brests and the secret whisperings of your owne consciences and they will tell you so And therefore though I haue spoken somewhat sharply to you before to make you know your selues the want of which knowledge if Lactantius may bee credited is the cause of all your Errors so now I doe euen beseech you by the mercies of God and by the death of Iesus Christ your Sauiour who died for you that you should no longer liue vnto your selues but vnto him that now you would lay downe your armes of rebellion and vomit vp your bitter hatred malice and dispite against all grace and goodnesse and such as doe excell in piety and holinesse that so you may with all meeknesse of spirit and humility of heart and minde submit vnto this comfortable and holy truth which here I offer and expose vnto you which will be the onely joy the onely comfort and safety of your soules If you will but seririously consider it and ponder it in your hearts and desire God to sanctifie and blesse it to you if you will but reade it with meeke and quiet spirits with indifferent and impartiall mindes and with an earnest desire to finde out the truth it may bee it may rectifie your judgements and reforme your liues it may bee it may doe you good and saue your soules But if you will shut your eyes and will not see if you will stoppe your eares and will not heare or if you will harden your hearts not consider If you will proceed for to oppose and persecute the Doctrine and the
are branched into 4. generall heads First into the dâ—…ngerous consequencies in respect of the whole Trinity and Deity which are 13. First it would derogate from the honour of the Trinitie pag. 122. Secondly it would derogate much from the truth the promises and word of God pag. 123. Thirdly it would derogate much from the infinite goodnesse mercy and loue of God pag. 124. Fourthly it would derogate much from the omnipotencie and power of the Trinity and from the efficacie of the meanes of grace pag. 125. Fiftly it would derogate much from the infinite iustice and wisdome of God pag. 126. Sixtly it would much ecclipse the efficacie and vertue of Christs passion and intercession pag. 127. Seuenthly it would make the sweet and comfortable working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of the Saints to be but a meere imposture pag. 127. Eigthly it would rob the Lord of the heart the affection and the loue of all his Saints pag. 128. Ninthly it would rob the Lord of all his praise and glory pag. 129. Tenthly it would make men negligent in Gods seruice pag. 130. Eleuenthly it would rob God of the prayers of his Saints and make the Lords prayer to be but vaine and idle pag. 131. Twelfthly it would take away all absolute and irrespectiue predestination pag. 132. Lastly it would make men and not God the authors of their owne saluation pag. 133. Secondly into the dangerous consequencies in regard of the Saints themselues which are 6. First it would cause them to call Gods truth and promises into question pag. 134. Secondly it would depriue them of all true happinesse in this life and make them miserable men pag. 134. Thirdly it would depriue them of all 〈◊〉 ioy and comfort pag 135. Fourthly It would driue them to dispaire pag. 136. Fifthly it would make no difference at all betweene the godly and the wicked in this present life p. 141. Lastly it would breed a doubt whether God had alwayes a true Church on earth or whether there are any saued pag. 142. Thirdly into dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe Which are 6. First it would cause men to vilifie and vnder-value grace p. 142. Secondly it would destroy the very nature and essence of true grace pag. 143. Thiraly it would vtterly abolish and take away all true and sauing faith pa. 144. Fourthly it would take away all certainty and assurance of saluation pa. 145. Fifthly it would take away and abolish the graces of loue to God and of ioy in the holy Ghost p. 146. Lastly it would make grace to bee no worke and fruite of the holy Ghost but a meere mor all perswasion and it would quite destroy the â—…ery kingdome of Grace which is in men pag. 147. Fourthly into the dangerous consequents in respect of the whole Church of God which are 2. First it would traduce condemne and sleight their doctrine and opinions pag. 147. Secondly it would reuiue those herefies which they had formerly condemned pag. 147. And into the dangerous consequences in respect of the Church of England Which are 4. First it will pull vp one maiue point and principle of that doctrine and religion which hath beene planted and established in our Church p. 148. Secondly it will giue our aduersaries occasion for to triumph ouer vs Ib. Thirdly it will be a meanes to bring in Poperie Arminianâ—…sme into our Church ibid. Fourthly it will breed diuisions and Combustions in our Church page 249. Eighthly into humane authorities which are of three sorts Fathers and Councells Protestant Churches and writers in sorraine parts and the Church of England p. 151. First for Fathers and Councells we haue for vs Dionysius Areopagiâ—…a pa. 152. Iustin Martyr p. 153. Irenaeus pa. 154. Clemens Alexandrinus p. 155. Tertullian pa. 159. Origen p. 159. Cyprian p. 162. Arnobius p. 163. Hilarie p. 163. Basil the Great p. 165. Ambrose p. 167. Epiphanius pag. 169. Câ—…rysostome p. 169. Augustine p. 171. Cyril pa. 173. Prosper p. 174. Chrysologus p. 175. Fulgentius p. 176. Gregorie the Great p. 178. Venerable Bede p. 179. Anselme pag. 181. Bernard p. 185. Bradwardyn p. 188. The Councell of Miliuitan p. 189. The Generall Councell of Africke and the Councell of Arausica or Orange p. 189. An answer to the Fathers that are obiected p. 193. 194. For Protestant Churches beyond the Seas we haue first their Authors whose names and workes are cited pag. 196. to 202. Secondly their seuerall Confessions Articles Resolutions and Synods wâ—…ich are cited p. 202. to 215. Thirdly for the Church of England pag. 215. wee haue first her learned Authors and Writers pa. 216. to 226. Secondly her Articles p. 226 to 235. where the obiection from the 16. Article is answered and the Article it selfe is expounded Thirdly her Homilies and Common prayer Bâ—…ke which make rather for vs than against vs p. 235. to 245. where the obiections from the Homilies are answered Fourthly an Argument to proue this present position here defended to be the receiued and resolued Doctrine of the Church of England p. 245. In this eighth part all the cauells of those who would haue the Error of the totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints to be the Tenet of all Antiquitie of all the German Protestants and of the Church of England are answered in their places And this is the whole summe and substance of the second generall part of this worke The third generall part of this worke which begins at pag. 253. containes the arguments which are made against this assertion here defended with the seuerall answers that are giuen to them where first you haue two obseruations commended to your consideration which serue to answer or at least to weaken all future arguments that are obiected which you shall finde pag. 253. 255. Secondly you haue the seuerall arguments which are obiected and the answers to them in their order The first argument is taken from Ezech. 18. 24. and 33. 12. 13. 18. it begins pag. 257. The second is from 1 Cor. 9. 27. pag. 264. The third from Heb. 6 4 5 6. cap. 10. 26. to 30. and the 2 Pet. 2. 21. pag. 287. The fourth from Math. 12. 43 44 45. Luke 11. 24 25. pag. 273. The fifth from Iohn 152. to 11. pag. 276. The sixth Phil. 2 12. pag 211. The seuenth from 2 Pet. 3. 17. pag. 283. 284. The eighth from 1 Cor. 10. 12. Heb. 3. 12. cap. 4. 1 11. and Rom. 11. 8. pag. 285. The ninth from 1 Cor. 16. 13. Phil. 41. Reu. 2. 25 26. pag. 288. The tenth from Iohn 8. 31. 1 Cor. 15. 2. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Gal. 69. Col. 1. 21. 22 23. 1 Thes. 3. 8. 1 Tim 2. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 21. Heb. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 10. p. 290. The eleuenth from Heb. 10. 35. 38. pag. 296. The twelfth from Dan. 11. 35. pag. 296. The thirteenth from Prou. 24. 16. pag. 297. The fourteenth from 1 Cor. 8. 11. pag. 298. The fifteenth from 1 Tim. 5.
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
not slumber behold hee that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe the Lord himselfe he is the keeper the Lord is his shade vpon the right hand so that the sunne shall not smite him by day nor the moone by night the Lord shall preserue him from all euill he shall preserue his soule the Lord shall preserue his going out his comming in from this time forth and for euermore Psa 121 2 to the end The Lord will create vpon euery place of mount Sion and vpon the assemblies thereof a cloud and a smoake by â—…day and the shining of a flame of fier by night for vpon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate and for a place of refuge and for a couert from storme and from raine Is 4 5 6. Marke here and see how vigilant and carefull the Lord is to defend and keepe his Saints from euill not vpon one place only but vpon euery place of mount Sion and vpon all the assemblies thereof and vpon all the glory shall be a defence not onely by day but by day and night to not onely against some sorts of temptations but against all God will be a couering and a refuge against the heate against the storme and against the raine against all temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer God will keepe euery regenerate man as the apple of his owne eye and couer him vnder his wings Deut 32 10 11 he will be with him to the end of the world Math 28 20 he will not faile him nor forsake him Heb 13 6 the Lord is his sheepheard the Lord preserueth his soule and leadeth him on in the paths of Righteousnesse the Lord is on his right hand to preserue and keepe him that hee should not fall that hee should not wholly wander and stray from him Psa 23 1. to 5. Psal 16 8. Psa 37 28 23 24. Psa 125 1 2. Iohn 10 28 29. Iude 24. Hebr 13 6 7 Esay 25 4. cap 26 3. cap 27 3. cap 43 2 therefore its impossible for him either finally or totally to fall from grace All that here can bee replyed is onely this that as long as men are regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that God doth thus defend and keepe them but when they fall away from God then he doth not preserue them To which I answere that I presse this argument onely to this purpose to proue that the Saints of God when they are once regenerated can neuer fall away from grace because God doth presence and gard them thus with his continuall care and presence and not to proue that God doth sence and guard his Saints the vigilent care and custody of God is that which makes the Saints of God to continue Saints so that they can neuer cease to bee Saints any more and therefore the answere is but a meere begging of the question and noe answere at all to the force and drift of this my argument it is onely a deny all of my conclusion not of my premises and so it is no answere but a shift and cauell If you obiect that all these places are meant of a temporall protection from worldly dangers I answere that the most of them if not all of them are principally if not soly intended and meant of a spirituall protection and not of a temporary of a perpetuall protection from spirituall not from temporall dangers as the places themselues doe fully proue how euer let them be intended of a protection from temporall dangers only which cannot be yet this doth necessarily follow that if God hath so great a care to free his Saints from temporary dangers he will certainly haue as great if not a greater care to protect them from spirituall dangers and so the argument standeth still in force The fourth thing in God which may giue vs full assurancâ—… of the truth of this assertion is his immutable and perpetuall loue to all such as are once truly regenerated and made the true members of Iesus Christ from which this fourth argument doth arise Those whom God himselfe doth loue with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue and those who can by no meanes possible bee euer seuered from this loue of God it s altogether impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are such as God himselfe doth loue with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue For whom God doth once loue he loues vnto the end Ioh 13 1 he loues all the true members of Iesus Christ in the same manner as he loueth Christ himselfe and with the same loue that he loueth him Iohn 17 23 24 26 now Gods loue to Iesus Christ is immutable constant and perpetuall therefore must his loue to all his members be so to God he loues them with an euerlasting loue Ier 31 3 he is their louing God and Father from euerlasting to euerlasting Psa 90 1 2 his louing kindnesse indureth for euer and euer vpon them Psa 103 17 his righteousnes shall be foreuer euer and his saluation from geâ—…eration to generation the mountaines may remoue and the hills may fall downe but his mercy shall not depart from them neither shall the couenant of his peace be remoued Esay 51 8 and cap 54 13 Gods loue to them is immutable constant and perpetuall Neither can they by any meanes whatsoeuer bee euer vtterly seuered from this loue of God to them in Christ. It is Pauls expresse challeng Rom 8 35 who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or sword nay saith hee verse 37 31 39 iâ—… all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate not me but vs who are once in Christ and made the Sonnes of God by adoption and grace verse 1 9 14 15 17 29 30 from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord so that they may boldly say with Dauid Ps 26 1 the Lord is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraide God hee loues all such who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith with an immutable constant perpetuall loue they themselues can neuer be vtterly seuered from this loue of God wherefore it is impossible for them either totally or finally to fall from grace Our subtle Sophisters haue nothing here to answer but their crambemillies coctum that God doth loue all such as are truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ with an immutable constant and perpetuall loue as long
Exod. 22. 12. 14. Numb 14. 13. ver 18. Ezech 20 8 9 14 22. 44. Leuit. 10. 3. Psa 29. 1 2. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Iude 25. Reu 4. 11. and Reu. 5. 13. if therefore it stands vpon Gods honour and glory to preserue his Saints in that estate of grace which he hath giuen them it cannot be that euer they should loose it or fall from it because God should then loose his honour and his glory which hee will not doe Men will not loose their honour and their glory if they can preserue it much lesse will God therefore the Maior must be granted Now for the Minor that all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are in such an estate of grace as God in his honour can not but preserue them in it and that it will not stand together with his honour that euer he should suffer them for to fall quite from it it is most euident and plaine For how can it euer stand with the honour and glory of Gods infinite and boundlesse mercy with the glory and honour of his almightie power with the praise and honour of his incomprehensible wisedome with the glory and honour of his eternall purpose and decree and of his infinite and neuer failing truth how can it stand with the glory of his deity and the honour of his eternall immutabilitie how can it stand with the honour of his great and glorious attributes that any of those who are once truly regenerated and made the true members of Iesus Christ should either finally or totally fall from grace Is it for the honour and glory of his infinite and boundlesse loue and mercy that any of his Saints wherein his soule delights that any of those whom he hath bought and purchased with the pretious blood of his onely Sonne should euer fall from grace and perish Is it for the glory and honour of his almightie power that any of those whom he hath vndertaken for to preserue and keep vnto saluation by his mightie strength and power that euer they should either finally or totally fall from grace Is it for the glory of his incomprehensible wisdome and almightie power that hee should leaue any worke of his vnfinished that hee should with that foolish builder Luke 14 29 30. begin to build â—…d to â—…rect the frame of grace in the hearts of any of his children and yet bee vnable or vnwilling for to finish it How would men especially such as are professed atheists blaspheame the name of God how would â—…hey deride his wifdome and his power if this were so Is it for the honour and glory of his word truth that those whom he hath bound himselfe by promise oath and couenant to preserue and keepe from falling from him that they should euer fall from grace Is it for the glory and honour of his eternall immutabilitie and bounty that hee should euer repent him of 〈◊〉 gifts and graces that he should take away those graces from his Saints which he had fully and freely imparted to them out of the largesse of his loue and bounty Is it for the honour and glory of his wisdome that hee should euer suffer any of his Saints either finally or totally to fall from grace when as it would bring a scandall on himselfe and vpon the profession and professors of his name Or is it for the glory of his deity that hee should not protect those from a totall or a finall fall who are his friends his children and his meniall seruants Can it not stand together with the honour and glory of an earthly potentate not to shelter and protect his subiects his friends his children and his meniall seruants from fall and ruine and shall it yet stand with the honour and the glory of the God of heauen not to doe it If God be not able for to doe it that were a dishonour to his power if he be able and yet not willing for to doe it that is a great blemish and disparagment vnto his loue and mercy If God should euer suffer his faithfull children after they are once regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace hee must needes loose the very glory and honour of his diety and of all his great and glorious attributes which he will neuer doe Gods greatest glory and his chiefest honour is in the perseuerance of his Saints it is his chiefesâ—…g lory and his soules delight to see his children continue and stand fast in grace and to hold out vnto the end wherefore seeing that it is Gods chiefest honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his 〈◊〉 should perseuere and grow continually 〈◊〉 seeing that it cannot stand together with his honour and his glory to suffer them to fall away from that estate of grace which hee hath giuen them and â—…eeing that God for his owne glory and honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their state of grace lâ—…t others babble whiles they will yet this I can assure you that they can neither finally nor totally fall from grace What can bee now replyed to 〈◊〉 this argument it transcends my vnderstanding 〈◊〉 surmise Let others then answere and reply vnto it as they can I for my owne part know not how to doe it The eighth argument which makes mainely for the proofe of this assertion is drawne from the infinite wisdome of almightie God and it is no more but this That which is altogether repugnant to the infinite wisdome of almightie God it s altogether impossible that euer it should come to passe but that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith should euer finally or totally fall from grace is altogether repugnant to the infinite wisdome of almightie God therefore it s altogether impossible that euer it should come to passe The Maior cannot be denied for if God should suffer any thing to be done which is contrary and repugnant to his wisdome it would either argue want of wisdome or want of will and power in God which is blasphemous for to thinke The Minor then is onely to be proued that it is repugnant and contrary to the infinite wisdome of almightie God to suffer any that are once truly regenerated ingrafted into Christ either finally or totally to fall from grace This is plaine and euident by these insuing reasons First because it can not stand with Gods infinite wisdome to haue his name his truth his mercy ' and his honour blemished but if God should suffer any of his Saints either finally or totally to fall from grace his name his truth his loue his mercy his honour yea and all his other attributes should be blemished and tainted and therefore it stands not with Gods wisdome that his Saints should fall from grace Secondly it would giue Infidels Atheists and Heathen men occasion to blaspheme his name and to deride both himselfe and all that should professe his name God
chuse but heare and grant it to Secondly they alwaies pray for this their perseuerance in the name of Christ and therefore God cannot but heare and grant it Iohn 14 13 14. cap 15. 16. 22. 1 Iohn 3 22. and cap. 5 14 15. Thirdly It is a prayer according to the will of God therefore God cannot but heare and grant it 1 Iohn 5. 23 14. Fourthly it is a prayer proceeding alwaies from faith and from a sincere and vpright heart it is a prayer that is for the most part accompained with feruency and zeale of heart and spirit and therefore God cannot chuse but grant it alwaies Wherefore seeing that all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted truly into Christ doe alwaies pray to God for finall and constant perseuerance in grace and holinesse and seeing that God doth alwaies heare and grant those prayers of theirs it followes of necessitie euen in this respect that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace How vnanswerable this argument is let those that reade it judge The tenth and last thing in God which seales the truth of this position to our soules are those couenants and promises which God hath made that he will keepe his Saints from falling and departing from him In which promises of God wee may obserue these foure things for to establish and settle this truth within our hearts First the multitude and infinite number of these promises Secondly that they are all absolute without any annexed condition Thirdly that God is able to performe them to the vtmost And Fourthâ—…y that all those promises are exceeding true and that God is faithfull in performing them From these couenants and promises of God thus considered I frame this argument Those who haue a great multitude of absolute true and faithfull couenants and promises which shall bee performed to the vtmost which doe either in expresse â—…earmes or at least by way of necessarie consequence assure thâ—…m that they can neuer fall quite away from God and grace can neuer totally nor finally fall from grace But all such as are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith haue a great multitude of absolute true and faithfull couenants and promises which shall bee performed to the vtmost which doe either in expresse tearmes or by way of necessary consequence assure them that they can neuer fall quite away from God or grace therfore they can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace The Maior proposition cannot be denied the Minor onely is for to be proued In the Minor proposition I shall proue these foure things First that all the true regenerate Saints and members of Iesus Christ haue a great multitude of couenants promises made vnto them by God himselfe which doe either in expresse tearmes or by way of necessary consequence assure thâ—…m that they shall neuer fall quite away from God and grace Secondly that all those promises are absolute without any condition at all on our parts Thirdly that God is able to performe them Fourthly that hee out of his truth and faithfulnesse will performe them to the vtmost For the first of these which is the multitude of these promises it appeares most euidently by these many sweete comforâ—…able and heauenly promises and couenants which are euery where scattered throughout the Scriptures which because they are many in number and different in words though one in substance I will for perspecuity and methods sake reduce them vnto generall heads and recite them in their order The first promise wich I meete with in the Scriptures is that which is expresse and full in point that God will praeserue all his Saints and children that he will put his hand vnder them and support them so that they shall neuer fall vtterly from him nor yet be moued or vtterly cast downe from whence I frame this argument Those whom God himselfe hath promised to preserue and keepe from falling from him those whom God hath promised to support and hold vp with his hand continually and those whom he will neuer suffer to bee moued it is impossible that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace But God himselfe hath promised to all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that he will preserue and keepe them from falling quite away from him Psal 37 23 24. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall not be vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand and vers 28. 31. The Lord for saketh not his Sainâ—…s they are preserued for 〈◊〉 the law of their God is in their hearts none of their stâ—…ps shall slide Psal. 94. 18. when I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me vp Psal. 145. 14. 26. The Lord preserueth all them that loue him bee vpholdeth all them that fall and raiseth vp all those that bee bowed downe Prou. 3. 26. the Lord will be thy confidence and shall keepe thy foot from being taken Esai 26 3. thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Isai. 40. 11. cap. 46. 3. 10. Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are borne by me from the belly which are carried from the wombe and to that old age I am hee and euen to hoarâ—… haires will I â—…rry you I haue maâ—…e and I will beare euen I will carry and will deliuer you I will carry you in my bosome How then is it possible that euer they should fall away from God So Phil. 4. 7. the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe our hearts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ and 2. Thes. 3. 3. the Lord is faithfull who shall stablish you and keepe you from euill God is able to keepe his Saints froâ—… falling Ind. 24. and hee hath promised for to doe it Yâ—…a he hath promised to carry them in his armes to beare them vp and support them with his hands that so they might not fall Psal. 37. 24. Psa. 16 8. Isai. 46 3 4. Psa. 145. 14. Caâ—…t 8. 3. Ioh. 10 28 29. and 1 Pet. 1. 5. Hee hath promised that they shall not bee moued from their state of grace Ps. 15. 5. Psa. 16. 8. Ps. 37. 27. Ps. 55. 22. Ps. 89. 37. Psa. 102. 28. Isai. 33. 20. and Prou. 10. 30. they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euâ—…r Psal. 125. 1. God hath promised to plant all his Saints vpon their land and that they shall no more be pulled vp from off their land which he hath giuen them that hee will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their owne and moue no more 2 Sam. 7. 10. Amos 9. 15. he hath promised to keepe his Saints from falling to carry them in his armes to
other sacred attributes vnto him without any deminution or ecclipse at all the only way to doe it is for to maintaine the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints For if it bee impossible for those who are once truly regenerated and sanctified to fall from grace as wee affirme it for to be then your surmise of clearing Gods iustice when they fall away is out of doores and comes not into question and so Gods iustice mercy goodnesse honour wisdome truth and power are not only not so much as once tainted and ecclipsed but likewise highly magnified in the continuall perseuerance and preservation of the Saints And thus I hope I haue so fully cleared the absolutenesse of all Gods promises and so fully vindicates them from those false glosses and sophismes of the opposites which did obscure and delude them that now they may giue full and perfect assurance to euery Christian soule that is become a true member of Iesus Christ that he shall neuer finally nor totally fall from Grace The third thing in these promises of God which may assure vs of the truth of this assertion is Gods ability to performe them If wee had so many great and gratious promises as these from God if God were not able to performe them to the vttermost wee could then take but little ioy and comfort in them but now God is omnipotent he is able to make good his promises and to performe them to the vtmost title and circumstance and therefore this may comfort and reioyce our hearts Lastly all these promises of God they are exceeding faithfull and true and God is very just and faithfull in performing of them If a man had neuer so many great and goodly promi ses if they were not true but false and counterfeite there were then great cause and couler for to doubt of them and mens hearts and soules could take no true ioy and solid comfort in them because they could not rest and trust vpon them But now all these promises of God which I haue formerly mentioned to prouethe finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints they are exceeding faithfull and true proceeding from that God and spirit of truth which will not nor cannot lie vnto vs. All the promises of God they are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor 1 20. his couenant will he not breake nor alter the thing that is gon out of his mouth Hee hath 〈◊〉 in his holinesse that he will not lie vnto vs Psal 89 34 35. As God hath thought so shall it come to passe as he hath promised so shall it surely stand no man shall disaâ—…ll or turne that backe which hee hath promised and decreed Isay 14 24 27. God hath ratified all his promises with an oath and sealed them vnto vs euen in the blood of Iesus Christ to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his Councell and the truth of all his promises to the end that they might haue strong consolation and comfort in theÌ„ Heb 6 17 18. And as all these promises of God are true and faithfull in themselues so God will bee exceeding just and faithfull in performing them to the very least title and circumstance of them God will his truth to Iacob and his mercy to Israell which he hath sworne to our fathers in the dayes of old Micâ—… 7 20. The strength of Israel will not lie neither will he repent him of his word 1 Sam 15 29. Whatsoeuer he hath promised the will performe to the very vttermost title Heauen and earth may passe away but yet not so much as the least title of any of these promises which hee hath made vnto his Saints shall faile vntill it be fulfilled to the full Math 5 18 When God had promised to bring the children of Israell out of Egypt after foure hundred and thirty yeares it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares euen the selfe same day that God had promised that all the host of Israel went out of Egypt Exod 12 41 51 God did not faile them in this promise so much as in one day God hath alwaies bin so faithfull in the performance of his promises vnto his people that he did neuer so much as faile them in any circumstance wherfore Salomon in the period and perclose of that excellent and famous prayer of his at the consecration of the Temple doth vse this gratulatory speech to God Blessed be the Lord which hath geuen rest vnto his people Israel according to all that hee hath promised their hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his seruant Euery word and sillable that God hath spoken for the weale welfare of his children he will as certainly and faithfully performe as if he had actually performed it to them already Seeing then that wee haue so many absolute and sure so many true and faithfull promises which shall be performed to the vtmost sillable which may assure vs that such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace let vs wholy relie and depend vpon them let vs cast our selues and our soules vpon them And seeing there are so many things in God himselfe which may fully resolue settle vs in this truth let vs haue strong consolation and let vs runne that race of holinesse which is set before vs with ioy with comfort and assurance And though we may and ought to feare the falling into any sin whereby wee may offend the Lord and cause him for to scourge vs with the rods of men and with the stripes of the children of men yet let vs neuer feare or dreame of any finall or totall fall from grace when once we are but truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by faith because we haue God himselfe for our assurance that we shall neuer fall from him Secondly as it is altogether impossible in respect of God himselfe that those which are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith should either totally or finally fall from grace so is likewise altogether impossible in respect of Iesus Christ. Now in Iesus Christ himselfe there are these seuerall things which may assure vs of this potision First there is the efficacy metits and power of his death and passion whereby the power and strength of sinne the forts and holds of Satan are weakned and subdued in them whereby their soules are thoroughly purified and washed from all pollution of flesh and spirit and their sins and wickednesse for euer so vtterly abolished that they shall neuer appeare any more from which I frame this first argument Those out of whom the workes of Satan are vtterly destroyed by the death of Christ those whose soules are purified and washed from all sinne by the blood of Christ. Those in whom the power of Satan and the whole
comfortable delectable and glorious This is the ordinarie and constant method and manner of the working of Gods spirit in the hearts and soules of all such as are once truly regenerated the very Spirit of God assures their soules and consciences that God will alwayes loue them and preserue them vnâ—…o the end that hee will never suffer them wholly to depart or stray from him that hee will giue them perseuerance and cause them to hold out constantly vnto the end The spirit of God himselfe doth secretly powerfully and fully resolue and satisfie their soules and consciences that they shall neuer returne vnto their sinâ—… againe or fall finally or totally from him Therefore those who are sound growne and experienced Christians can neuer be perswaded to beleeue that they shall ever appostatize and fall quite away from God or grace because the spirit of God doth so powerfully perswade them and resolue them to the contrary Wherefore I dare bee bold for to avouch this for truth that those who hold thee fiuall and totall Apostacie of the Saints did neuer so much as feele the powerfull sweete and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts which would haue fully resolved them to the contrary Carnall men who haue never felt the sweet and comfortable working of Gods spirit in their hearts and soules may chance to call this holy truth into question because the spirit of God did neuer seale it to their soules or fixe and stampe it on their hearts But regenerate and â—…oly men can neuer doe that because the Spirit of God doth witnesse to their spirits that they are the sons of God and that they shall continue such vnto the end so that all the divells in hell cannot perswade them to the contrary From hence therefore I doe collect this experimentall sensible and vnanswerable argument which though it be a meere Mysterie and Riddle vnto naturall and carnall men who cannot perceiue these holy operations of Gods spirit because they are spiritually discâ—…rned and are knowne and discovered to be true onely by an inward experience sensâ—… and feeling and not by any outward knowledge learning Science or Discourse whatsoever Yet the hearts and consciences of all experienced and grounded Christians must willingly subscribe and yeeld vnto it That which the inward working and secret operation of Gods holy Spirit doth powerfully evidently and vndeniablie seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that must needs bee a sure firme and infallible truth But the spirit of God by the inward and secret operation of it doth powerfully evidently and vndeniably seale and ratifie vnto the hearts soules and consciences of all experienced growne and syncere Christians that they shall neither finally nor totally fall from grace And therefore it must needs be true For proofe of the minor proposition I onely appeale vnto the soules and consciences of growne strong and aged Christians who haue had long and sweet experience of the sweet working of Gods spirit in their hearts And for the Maior no man can deny it vnlesse hee will make the working of Gods spirit in the hearts of his Saints to bee but a meere imposture and delusion which is blasphemous for to thinke Wherefore I doubt not but that these foâ—…r last arguments here produced will bee so prevalent and irresistable in the hearts of all experienced and growne Christians who are onely able to discerne and iudge of them that they cannot but subscribe to this assertion and imbrace it as the truth The sixt thing in the spirit of God which may establish vs in this present truth is the perpetâ—…all guidance and direction of Gods spirit from which I frame this sixt argument Those that are alwayes led guided and directed by the spirit of God those that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit and are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the spirit that they cannot fulfill the lusts of the flesh and doe the euill that they would it is impossible for them either â—…inally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ are alwayes led guided and directed by the Spirit of God Exek 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Psal. 48. 14. For this is our God for euer and euer hee will be our guide euen vnto death Io. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come it guides you into aâ—… truth They walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. And they are so ouer-ruled and mastered by the Spirit that they cannot doe the euill that they would Gal. 5. 16. 17. This I say then walke in the spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the â—…pirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things yee would the Spirit of God doth cause them to walke in his 〈◊〉 and to keepe his iudgements and doe them they cannot chuse but doe them Ezek. 36. 27. and Act. 4. 20. Therefore it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace Lastly the intercession and assistance of Gods spirit may ground and settle vs in this present truth For the spirit of God when wee are vnable of our selues to pray in that manner as wee ought doth alwayes helpe our informities and makes intercession vnto God for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered and hee who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mindâ—… of the spirit because hee maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. When wee are weake dull and dead and quite indisposed vnto holy duties then doth the holy Ghost helpe and quicken vs and enable vs to performe them in a gratious comfortable and holy manner whence I conclude with this argument Those whom the spirit of God doâ—…h alwayes make intercession for and those â—…hom the holy Ghost doth alwayes assist in the performance of euery holy dutie it is impossible for them to fall from grace But the spirit of God doth alwayes make intercession to God for those that are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ and doth alwayes assist them in the pâ—…rformance of euery holy dutie Therefore it is altogether impossible for them to fall from grace And thus you see how true this Doctrine and position must needs bee true in respect of the holy Ghost himselfe Fourthly it is altogether impossible for the Saints of God that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ either totally or finally to fall from grace in respect of the Angels who doe alwayes gard them and attend them from which I forme this argument Those about
God mentioned in this place of 〈◊〉 seeing it is not stiled the booke of Life but only Gods booke must bee intended to bee the booke of the liâ—…ing and not the booke of life Thirdly if you will take this booke of God in this place for the booke of life and compare it with that of Reuel 22. 19. If any 〈◊〉 shall take away from the words of this Prophâ—…cie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life I answer then that the meaning of the Scriptures is no more but this Whosoeuer shall sinne against me and take from the words of this Prophecie I will blot him out of my Booke and take his part out of the Booke of life That is I will make it manifest to himselfe and all the world that albeit such a man had a name hee liued and that he had his name registred and recorded in the Booke of life that yet hee was neuer but a dead man and that his name was neuer truly written and recorded in the Booke of life The sense and meaning of these two places is but this He that sinneth against me shall die the death and shal neuer inherite euerlasting life So then you see that those places make nothing at all against mee that those whose names are registred and written in heauen and the Booke of life can neuer bee blotted out againe and so they cannot fall quite away from grace Eleuently those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they cannot depart from him and it is impossible to seduce them From whence this eleuenth Argument doth arise Those that cannot depart away from God nor yet be possibly seduced by any meanes miracles or policies whatsoeuer can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer depart away from God God will put â—…is feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Ier. 32. 40. And they cannot possibly bee seduced by any meanes miracles or policies whatsoeuer Math. 24. 24. Marke 13. 22. There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Yea the Beast which did deceiue all the other Inhabitants of the earth could not deceiue them with all his subtilty Reu. 13. 8. and cap. 17. 8. Therefore they can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace The euasions to that place of Ieremy I haue fully answered and defeated heretofore the euasions to the other places remaine now to be answered which are two in number First that these words if it were possible imply only a great difficultie but not an absolute impossibilitie Secondly that it proues only that they cannot bee seduced finally but it proues not that they cannot be seduced totally To the first of these I answer that these words imply an absolute impossibilitie of seducing any such as are the elect of God First because the very emphasis of the words imply as much for these words if it were possible imply a more imposâ—…ible impossibilitie then the word impossible doth Secondly because the end and scope of the text is to proue as much For if any thing could seduce the Saints of God then certainly false Christs and false Prophets comming vnder the colour and habit of Religion and working great signes miracles and wonders to the very admiration of the beholders would seduce them but yet all those great subtile and lying signes and wonders cannot deceiue them it is impossible euen for those to doe it and therefore is it absolutely impossible for any thing to seduce them Thirdly because the Scriptures certifie vs that the Beast and Antichrist whose comming is after the comming of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse could neuer seduce any of the elect Saints of God whose names were written in the booke of life but only such as neuer had any share or portion in the Booke of life 2 Thes. 2. 10 13 14. Reu. 13. 8. and cap. 17. 8. If hee could neuer seduce any of Gods elect it is then impossible for any to seduce them and so their first euasion is but false for the second euasion that the elect Saints of God cannot bee finally seduced I willingly admit but that they may bee totally seduced notwithstanding that I shall deny For first if they may be seduced totally for a time then the words and sense of the place are not so fully satisfied For he that is totally deceiued is deceiued and so not impossible to bee deceiued as the words and sense import him for to bee Secondly hee that may be deceiued totally may bee deceiued finally to and so both finally and totally which will quite falsifie and delude this Scripture and therefore if it be impossible for the elect Saints of God to bee finally seduced it must be likewise impossible for them to be totally seduced to Lastly the sense and scope of this Scripture and the very litterall words doe fully implie and affirme that they can neither finally nor totally bee seduced and therefore wee must giue these Scriptures their full and perfect sense and meaning and imply them to an impossibilitie of a totall as well as of a finall seducement If you obiect that the Saints of God are oft-times deceiued and seduced I answer that they are oft-times deceiued but yet not seduced they may fall into diuers petty errors in religion but yet they alwayes hold the maine and fundamentall truths 1 Cor. 3. 11. vers 16. and so this Argument standeth good and firme Twelfthly the true regenerate Saints of God they cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will they cannot doe the euill that they would neither can they sinne vnto death From whence this twelfth Argument will arise Those that cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will those that cannot doe the euill that they would and those that cannot sinne vnto death it is impossible for them either finally or totally to fall from grace But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they cannot choose but alwayes feare obey serue the Lord and doe his will God hath giuen them one heart and one way that they may feare him for euer Ier. 32. 39. God doth put his Spirit into them and cause them to walkâ—… in his statutes and they shall keepâ—… his indgements and doe thâ—…m Ezech. 36. 27. If they should at any time resolue with Ierâ—…miah that they will not make mention of the Lord nor speake any more in his 〈◊〉 his â—…d which is written 〈◊〉 ingranâ—…n in their hearts will bâ—… 〈◊〉 a burning fire shut vp in theis bones it will make theâ—… weâ—…rie of for bearing and they cannot stay but they must presently both speake it and doe it to Ier.
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
know that wee were once ingrafted truly into Christ and therefore it is impossible for vs to bee broken off from him wee were once inuested into the state of Grace from which wee cannot fall and therefore we are now in Christ wee are in the sure state of grace and shall continue in it all our dayes This would be able to ward off all these fierce assaults of Satan that they should neuer hurt them this would comfort and beare vp their soules and keepe them from sinking in despaire this would make men for to die with ioy and comfort and to lie downe and rest in peace For then they might say with Paul Wee haue finished our course wee haue fought a good fight and wee haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for vs a crowne of glory Whereas now they cannot die with ioy with comfort and assurance and lie downe in peace because they are not sure of their perseuerance they are not sure of their state of grace it may be that they are alreadie fallen from their state of Grace for ought they know if not they may fall from it ere they die yea in the very last gappe and minute of their liues they may commit such sinnes as may cut them off from Christ for euer because they cannot liue for to repent of them before their death and so despâ—…iring or at least doubting of their owne saluation the diuell being aptest then for to assault them with desperate and auxious thoughts and feares when as they are neerest to their ends and least able to resist his fierce assaults they lie downe in terrour and rest in woe and griefe Alas what comfort could a godly and a Christian life which otherwise would comfort and reioyce the soule beyond expression bring any man at his death if this were true that hee might after all fall finally or totally from grace if all the workes and holy duties which hee had done or wrought in all his life might vtterly be lost and be remembred of the Lord no more If hee might loose the wages and reward of all his paines at last Certainly if faithfull Christians and holy men who are the only happy men on earth and haue the only cause for to reioyce and ioy continually might either finally or totally fall from grace they should of all men bee most wretched and miserable they should be stripped of all true comforts here and be driuen to despaire at the last day Away then with this Doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace which sauoureth of nothing but of meere despaire God grant that those who doe maintaine it in their health may neuer feele the smart and terrour of it in their temptations sicknesses or deaths But you may perchance obiect that though regenerate men may fall totally from grace and so may bee discouraged and perplexed for the present yet they may comfort and sustaine their hearts and soules with this that God in his mercy may raise them vp againe and may in some good measure assure their soules that because God hath bestowed grace vpon them heretofore therefore he will be the more ready and willing to restore it to them againe and to impart it to them the second time To this I answere that you are much mistaken in this point and it is nothing so For their hauing of Grace bestowed on them heretofore doth rather argue that God will therefore bestow grace on them no more because they did not keepe it at the first God seldome or neuer giues those grace the second time who haue not kept it at the first Gods graces they are alwayes pretious hee will neuer cast them before such dogges and swine as haue lost and trampled them vnder foote before This is euident by all those places of Scripture which our Antagonists doe principally object against vs. For Ezech. 18. 24. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall bee liue Marke the comfort which you talke of no all the righteousnesse which hee hath done shall bee no more remembred God will not so much as once respect it in his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee die So Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for them who were once inlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come if they fall once away to renew themselues againe vnto repentance seeing that they crucifie againâ—… vnto themselues the Sonne of God and put him to open shame Marke the words it is impossible for such as fall totally from grace to be renewed againe vnto repentance they cannot bee ingrafted into Christ the second time Where then is the truth or comfort of your answer So Heb. 10. 26. 27. If wâ—… sinne wilfully after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation to deuoure those that doe Apostatize from Grace These and such like Scriptures which are objected against vs for to proue a totall or a finall fall from true and sauing grace serue only to satisfie this objection to terrifie the hearts and daunt the soules of all such men as shall once fall from grace and to exclude them for euer from Gods mercy and from rising vp againe So that the possession and inioyment of grace before if it be once lost serues only for to proue that those which had it shall neuer haue it nor injoy it any more and not that God will therefore bee more ready and willing to bestow it on them againe And so the due consideration of all these Scriptures and this position of a totall or a finall fall from grace would driue men vnto finall desperation You therefore that maintaine this desperate and terrible doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacy of the Saints beware lest that you quench the smoaking flax and breake the bruised reede which Christ himselfe would neuer doe Beware lest you afflict and wound to desperation the tender and the broken heart the troubled conscience and the soft and tender soule which God himselfe commands you for to heale to comfort cherish and binde vp with the comfortable assurance of his immutable constant and perpetuall loue to them in Christ and with the impossibility of a finall or totall fall from grace If the pressing of this doctrine driue any to despaire as it cannot choose but doe vnlesse they are perswaded by Gods Spirit to the contrary their bloud and soules shall be required at your hands that presse it and Christ himselfe who is that good and great Shepheard of his sheepe which wil not suffer any of his sheepe to perish will
frame this accusation and in ditement against you at the day of Iudgement as he did against the shepheards of Israel Ezech. 34. 4. The diseased haue yee not strengthened â—…either haue you healed that which was sicke neither haue you bound vp that which was broken neither haue you brought againe that which was driuen away but with force and crueltie haue you ruled them and then your doome and judgment will be terrible and dismall as this your Doctrine is Fifthly This doctrine of a finall or totall fall from grace it makes no difference at all beeweene the godly and the wicked in this present life If the true regenerate Saints of God might either finally or totally fall from grace what difference should there be betweene impenitent and wicked men and them what priuiledge or aduantage had they more then they They haue no more assurance of Gods loue and fauour no more assurance of heauen and eternall life no more aduantage or benefit by the death of Christ then they there were then no difference at all in their estates but onely for the present they had but a meere possibilitie of heauen and eternall life they could not absolutely say we shall be saued but onely wee may be saued and so may euery wicked man that liues vpon the earth All that the Saints of God should then haue it should depend meerely vpon incertainties and future contingences they should be no more sure of saluation then wicked men True it is that that for the present they should haue a greater probabilitie and likelihood of heauen and saluation then wicked men because they are for the present in the state of grace but yet they were no neerer vnto heauen and eternall saluation then they for these wicked men might become Gods children afterwards continue so when as they themselues might fall from grace and perish in their sinnes those that are the children of Satan might be the Saints and sonnes of God when as they themselues may bee the sonnes of Beâ—…ial and vessels fitted for destruction Wherefore seeing that this doctrine of falling from grace puts no sound and sure difference betweene the wicked and the godly in this present life and giues the one no greater and no surer priuiledges then the other hath when as the Scripture makes as great a difference betweene them as is betweene sheepe and goates wheate and tares gold and drosse happinesse and misery it must needes be false and opposite to the truth and cannot be admitted Lastly if the true regenerate Saints of God might fall finally from grace it would breede a doubt and scruple in mens mindes whether there are any that are saued or at least whether God hath alwaies had a true Church on earth For if one regenerate man may fall from grace then a second and a third may to and so euery regenerate man in particular and so all regenetate men and then there should bee none that should bee saued then there might be a time when all men might be fallen from grace and so a time when as there was no Church of God on earth Wee all know that the very best of all Gods Saints and children are apt and ready to fall into sinne and that in many things they offend all which things by your assertion may cut them of from Christ and cast them headlong from the state of grace wherefore for ought that any man knowes there is not any one of Gods Saints and children but may bee fallen quite away from the state of grace before his death and so may dye and perish in his sinnes and therefote if this position were once admitted it would breede a doubt in men where euer there were any saued or whether God hath alwaies had a Chruch on earth which would be a dangerous consequent and would much eclipse the riches of Gods mercy the merits of Christs death and passion the glory and perpetuity of his kingdome and make men carelesse of religion Thirdly this Doctrine of a finall or totall Apostacie from the state of grace would produce many dangerous consequencies in respect of grace it selfe and so cannot be admitted First it would cause men to vilifie and vnderualue grace it would cause them for to slight and disrespect it and not to set that price vpon it as they should For if true and sauing grace might bee lost againe who then would estimate or value it who would forsake the riches the honours and the pleasures of the world to seeke it and imbrace it ' which should be then as permanent sure and stable as grace it selfe That which makes men for to prise estimate grace aboue all things else is this that it is a perpetuall stable and permanent possession which will neuer decay that is is not subiect vnto time and chance as all sublunary and worldly things are that it is such an heauenly treasure as cannot be lost nor taken from vs. Therefore Christ when as hee would incite and stirre vs vp to seeke after grace doth commend grace vnto vs as a permanent and euerlasting good which neuer fades nor yet decaies putting it by way of antithesis and opposition to all worldly things which are but momentary and fading hence are these his exhortations Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the â—…eate that perisheth but for that which indâ—…reth vnto euâ—…rlasting life Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon earth where 〈◊〉 and rust doth corrupt and where theeâ—…es breaks through and â—…teale but lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theâ—…es doe not breake through nor â—…eale Math 6 19. 20. Whosoeuer shall drinke of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4. 13 14. That which doth most of all commend and set forth grace that which makes it amiable and louely and giues it an excâ—…llencie aboue all earthly things is this that it is a permanent possession an euerlasting treasure which cannot be loâ—…t If it were notso men could not prise it aboue earthly thing This Doctrine therefore of falling from the state of grace it takes away the very excellency of grace and so it would cause men for to vilifie and vnderualue it and to preferre the base and transitorie things of the world before it which would bee a dangerous consequence Secondly this assertion it would ouerthrow and vtterly disanull the very nature and essence of true sauing grace For grace as I haue proued at large before is of a permanent constant perpetuall immortall growing and increasing nature it cannot perrish or decay where once it is in truth begun This Doctrine of a totall or finall fall from grace it makes grace to be but a transitory and fading thing in ouerthrowes this nature and essence of true
leade you to imbrace this error If you will but examine your owne hearts well you shall finde that the thing which leades you to imbrace this error is either the learning or the fame of some particular men that do defend it or else some secret hatred malice either to all or to some particular men that doe oppose it or else some felfe conceite and some high opinion which you do attribute to your owne conceites without any due examination of them by the word of God or else it is some desire of singularity or fame or the hope of gaine honour preferment one of these I may be bold to say is the cause that moues you to patronize this error and not the loue of God or of his truth Remember therefore that you are bought with a price that you should not be the seruants of men that the word of God is the rule of life and doctrine and not the word of men remember that if you are the sheepe of Christ you must heare his voice and his only you must not hearken to the voice of strangers let their learning or their parts bee what they will No men more apt to erre then those of greatest parts and learning especially when as their parts and persons are not sanctified The greatest schollers haue alwaies broached and propagated the greatest and the most dangerous errors Wherefore neuer pinne your faith to the fickle opinions of fraile and mortall men especiallly of such men in whose liues the practise and power of religion shines not forth but examine all things by the word of God and though an Angel from heauen much lesse a Diuell from hell or a carnall man from earth should bring any other doctrine to you then what you finde to be warranted and recorded there receiue him not but let him bee accursed Sure I am that this doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints hath no ground or footing for it in the word of God if you will but take the paines to search the Scriptures you shall finde it to bee so and therefore let not the opinion or fame of any particular man that doth patronize this error ouersway your judgments against the Scriptures the word of God And as for all other priuate by respects which may ingage you to adore this error remember that Gods glory and the loue of truth if not the good and welfare of the Church should ouer ballance and surpasse them all Better is it for to loose the world with all the fame the riches honours and preferments in it then to loose the Lord of truth and his euerlasting fauour to loose both soule and body at the last in hope of gaining honouror prefernâ—…ent now Wherefore lay aside all sinister by respects and consider how many great dangerous and pernitious consequencies will ineuitable follow vpon this doctrine of the finall and totall Apostacy of the Saints and then you cannot but disclaime it and detest it from your soules and euen fromyour hearts imbrace this orthodox and sound position which here I do defend That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace Hauing thus as I suppose so fully proued the truth of this position by arguments and reasons drawne from the Scriptures that no man can be able to gainsay it For further satisfaction in the point I will now produce some humane authorities for to proue it which authorities I shall reduce to these three generall heads First I will proue that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church 〈◊〉 that this was and is the doctrine of all Protestant Churâ—… beyond the Seas Thirdly that this was and is the doctrine of the Church of England For the first of these that this was the doctrine of the ancient Fathers of the Church I shall manyfâ—… it by their owne authorities which I will vouch in â—…atine as I finde them printed lest I should giue the opposites any occasion for to carpe at mee or wrong the authors or the reader in the translation especially since I cite these Fathers to satisfie the learned not the ignorant I will first begin with the auncient of the Fathers and so discend to these of latter times Dionysius Areopagita Dionysius Areopagita who liued in the Apoftles times and as himselfe records it in his 11. Epistle to Apollophanus the Philosopher was 25. yeares of age at the death of Christ though others doubt of it hath deliuered and recorded this very doctrine in his booke de diuinis nominibus cap. 7. His words are these Diuina fides est stabilis credentium sedes qua hos in veritate locat in ipsisque veritatem impersuasibili identitate certam simplicem veritatis notionem habentibus ijs qui crediderunt Nam profectò si scientia cognoscentium cognitorum coniunctrix est ignorantia verò mutationis semper ex se ignoranti suae diuisionis est author eum qui in veritate credit iuxta Scripturae fidem nihil remouebit à verae fidei autore in quo constantiam immobilis atque immutabilis identitatis habebit In the 8. chapter of the same booke about the end of the chapter he hath these words Verum enim profectò hanc salutem non praeter intentionem Scripturae sanctae vt bonitate cuncta saluantem qua sunt omnia ab suorum prolapsione bonorum redimentem praedicare meritò possumus quantum cuiusque saluâ—…ndorum admittet naturae Idciâ—…cò etiam redemptionem iam theologi nominant ex quo sinit quae verê sunt ad id caedere vt non sint Ex eo item quod et fi quid deliquerint ab ordine suo aberrauerint imminutionem aliquam perfectionis bonorum suorum passa fuerint Hac etiam parte à passione imbecillitate ac priuatione reddimit impleus quod deest paterno affectu infirmitatem supplens at que à 〈◊〉 â—…rigons imò in pulchro fistens quod effluxerat bonuÌ„ reparans ae disponens ordinis quod deest in illo atque positionis exornans integrumque perficiens ab omnibus absoluens 〈◊〉 atibus And a little before he hath these words Itaque vt verum dixerim hoc magis est diuinae iustitiae proprium nequaquam emollire atque enermare optimorum quorumcun que masculum sensum largitione carnalium neque si quis id conetur agere eas sine adiutorio linquere sed eos in praeclâ—…o inflexibilique statu solidare eisque cum sint huiusmodi secundum merita reddere So that by this most ancient Diuines opinion these that are truly faithfull can neuer fall quite away from grace Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr who flourished in the yeare of Lord 163. and somewhat after concurreth in opinion with vs in his Explic. quaest à Gent. Christ. positarum quaest 23. For there
aedificat valde impium est vt credamus adeam quae inflat nos habere gratiā Christi adeam quae aedificat non habere cum sit vtrumque donum Dei et scire quid facere debeamus et diligere vt faciamus vt aedificante charitate scientia non posset inflare Sicut autem de Deo scriptum est qui docet hominem scientiam ita etiam scriptum est Charitas ex Deo est Which two Canons affirming that true grace is a great helpe and preseruatiue against sinne inabling those that haue it not onely to know but likewise for to doe and loue the things which God commaunds them make much for my conclusion for he that is able through the speciall assistance of God and grace to resist sinne and to do and loue the things which God commandes him how can he chuse but perseuere in grace Grace giues him power loue giues him will to perseuere what is here then that can hinder him from perseuering To conclude let but any indifferent and iudicious reader peruse that generall and famous Councell of Africke held in the yeare of our Lord 418 against Pelugius the Hereticke and the second Councell of Aransica or Oreng◅ held in the yeare of our Lord 529 and if his eyes and judgment are not praeiudicated and infected with Arminianisme or phrase-transformed Pelagianisme hee must needes acknowledge that these two Councells do corroberate and confirme our present assertion For in both these Councels it is positiuely resolued That grace is the only worke of Gods Spirit and the gift of God and not a morrall perswasion nor the strength of nature That regeneration and the state of grace is wrought only by the Spirit of God and not by any freewill strength or power of our owne That the beginning the continuance and the end of the worke of grace in vs is from God alone not from our selues and that by the grace of God only we are what wee are That when we doe inioy any good at all it is not from our owne power and strength but from the assistance of God himselfe who worketh in vs and with vs. That God loues vs not because we doe deserue his loue but because that he intends to make vs louely That the perseuerance of the Saints is from God alone and not from themselues that soe they might ascribe the glory of their graces and their perseuerance not vnto themselues but vnto God alone If then grace and regeneration bee the onely worke of the Spirit of God if the continuance the beginning and the end of Grace and perseuerance in the state of grace bee from God alone and not from man as these two Councels haue determined it then by the determination of these two Councels the true regenerate Saints of God can neuer fall finally nor totally from grace For if perseuerance bee the onely worke and gift of God alone the Saints of God can neuer chuse but perseuere because that God hath promised and couenanted to giue them perseuerance to cause them to walke i◅ his statutes and to keepe his iudgments and to doe them and to put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him if God will cause them for to perseuere there is nothing then that is able for to hinder them for no man can resist his worke and will Rom 9 19. and Isai 43 13. If you will but compare the Canons and Decrees of the generall Councell of Africke with Saint Augustines bookes de Bono Perseuerantiae and de Corrept et Gratia who was then present at this famous Councell then you may ascertaine your selues that this famous Councell and likewise the Councell of Orange who tooke their patterne and grounds from it did suffragate to this our assertion That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a iustifying and liuely faith can neither finally nor totally fall from grace You see now how we haue an whole Grand-Iury of ancient and learned Fathers and Councells who haue giuen vp their verdict for vs so that you need not for to doubt of the truth and goodnesse of our cause And here good Reader I would intreate thee to take notice of the truth the honestie and modestie of one Mr. Mountague who in his Gagge and his Appello Cesarem doth confidently affirme That it hath beene the common Tenet of all Antiquitie That the true regenerate Saints of God may fall finally and totally from the state of grace O the matchlesse impudency mallice and falsitie of the man who against his owne knowledge and conscience durst to affirme so grosse and palpable an vntruth and that to such a wicked and pernicious end as to deceiue his readers and to thrust a dangerous and condemned error on them for an ancient and approued truth What Mr. Mountague did you thinke that none had read the Fathers but your selfe or that your fame and credite was so great among vs as that we would beleeue your false quotations before the authenticall Records themselues Or did you thinke as you haue attempted for to doe to stop the labours of all such and to crush them in the shell as should disclose your partiall and disloyall dealing to the world that so yout virulent Appeale and your forged and new coyned doctrines therein recorded might passe without controll It is well you thought so but thankes be to God you are deceiued in your expectation and truth though it hath found some difficultie and opposition at the presse by your meanes yet it hath come forth at last to display your basenesse your impudencie your malice and your disloyalty vnto the world But say you had had your will Mr. Mountague and all things had succeeded according to your hopes yet me thinkes Mr Mountague if you had had any conscience or feare of God within you if you had had any loue and respect vnto antiquitie and truth as you pretend you haue how truly let others iudge you might haue beene ashamed and affraid to haue traduced slandered and sophisticated to haue outfaced and belyed all Antiquitie as now you haue for feare lest the worthy workes of so many Fathers should haue cryed out against you here and these very Fathers themselues should haue risen vp against you to condemne you in the day of judgement for wronging and traducing of them to that end as you haue done Nay if you had had any loue vnto your Mother Church or to the soules of so many thousands of your Country-men which you should haue wronged and seduced by these false quotations and confident assertions of your owne you could not haue beene so gracelesse so false so trecherous and so shamelesse as to haue fathered this your damnable pernicious error on the ancient Fathers who haue so much opposed it But it may be the good learned man did all this out of ignorance and simplicity For being destitute of the Fathers workes or wanting
and liuely faith they are the sons of God the Spirit of God doth moue them to those things which are holy and right that so they may not wittingly commit any things to the contrary much lesse perseuere in them notwithstanding oft-times out of the weakenesse of the flesh they sin doe not according to faith but yet they neuer commit those sins which waste the conscience nor those which doe forth-with exclude them from the kingdome of God which reason they doe backe likewise with this Syllogisme drawne from the Scriptures Hee that beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Ioh. 5. but hee that is borne of God the same Apostle in the same Epistle testifies cap. 3. that hee doth not sin neither can hee sin therefore â—…ee who doth truly and liuingly beleeue the Gospell of Christ can abide in no sinne which doth waste the conscience For euery one who commits such a sin as this hath neither seene nor knowne God Wherefore seeing that this Diot hath resolued that such a one as hath true faith cannot commit such a sinne as doth waste his conscience but only sinnes of infirmitie which doe not cast men wholly from the state of grace it hath likewise by this resolued against Mr. Mountagues assertion that faith once had may bee both finally totally lost againe so they haue not consented to the Church of Rome in this as hee most falsely doth affirme Againe this whole Diot haue with one vnanimous consent resolued it that all such as haue true faith both may and must be assured of their saluation because that God hath vndoubtedly promised eternall life to all such as are iustified doe 〈◊〉 beleeue in him which promise hee will punctually vndoubtedly performe in the time which hee hath promised because that Christ doth call elect all his not to a temporarie kingdome grace or life but to an eternall because that God himselfe will inable them cause them for to perseuere because this liuing iustifying faith is in it selfe eternall life those that haue it euen from the first time of their hauing of it haue euerlasting life because this faith is preserued in those that haue it not by their owne power or might but by the very power of God of the holy Ghost because this faith is of an incorruptible of a growing increasing and neuer failing nature as you may reade from pag. 461. to 538. Therefore by this expresse resolution vpon these pregnant and sure grounds which doe all proue our assertion to the full it is most euident and apparant to all the world that this famous Diot and so all the Protestants in Germanie who assented to it and were present at it haue resolued and determined That the state of true and sauing graece that true and liuely faith once had can neither finally nor totally be lost againe How base how trecherous and perfidious then is Mr. Mountague who would thus traduce this noble Diot and all the German Protestants in recording it vnto the world that they assented to the church of Rome in this that faith once had might bee lost againe when as they did expresly resolue it to the Contrary Well Mr. Mountague I must needs speake plainly to you and let all the world iudge whether I doe amisse in it or no as in many other things touching this particular controuersie so especially in traducing and abusing of this famous Diot you haue shewed your selfe a base an impudent a lying and seditious Varlet and a man vnworthy to liue in any Protestant Church or Christian Common-wealth and I will euidence and proue it by these 4. particulars First in that you traduce corrupt and falsifie the judgement of a whole Protestant Synod Secondly in that you traduce and falsifie it in such a manner saying that all the Protestants in Germany assented to the Church of Rome in this Diot at Ratisbon in this point of falling finally and totally from grace as if all the Protestants in Germany were turned Papists Thirdly in that you do it to this end to bring in Popery and Arminianisme into our Church to make the world beleeue that Popery and Protestanisme are all one and that Protestants haue heretofore alwayes yeelded and submitted to the Church of Rome in matters of Doctrine and therefore they should doe so now and so the end of this your falsification of this Synod is but to perswade all Protestants to turne Papists at least in this particular point Fourthly in that you would father the base bratts of that Arminian Bertius vpon this Protestant and famous Diot that so his dangerous workes might be countenanced approued and receiued as sound and orthodox vnder the name and colour of this Diot For if it please Mr. Mountague to remember himselfe those Scriptures reasons and authorities of Fathers which he citeth in his Gagge cap. 20. as the reasons arguments and grounds which moued Bucer and the Diot of Ralisbon to assent to the Church of Rome in this point of falling from grace as they are not to be found in the disputation of Ralisbon wherein the contrary was resolued so all and euery one of these Scriptures reasons and Fathers Clemens Romanus a meere suppositions and forged Writer only excepted were transcribed out of this Bertius his Apostatia Sanctorum where they are all and only to bee found Now hee who professing himselfe to be a Protestant and receiuing so many fauours from our Church shall putposely traduce and falsifie such a generall and famous Synod or Diot as this in such a base and infamous manner and that to such dangerous sinister and wicked ends as these how ill hee doth deserue of God and man especially of this our Mother Church whom hee doth labour to corrupt and seduce by this his jugling let all men judge But to passe this ouer which the loue I owe vnto the truth and to my Mother Church could not suffer mee to smother or conceale I will now proceed to giue you some farther and cleare euidence to proue the totall and finall Perseuerance of the Saints to be the doctrine of the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas Concordia Lutherana which was agreed vpon and resolued and set out by the consent of all the Protestants in Germanie against those who did oppose the Augustine Confession informes vs that this was one Article of the Protestants beleife touching justification which they did both teach and confesse That albeit true beleeuers and regenerate men were liable to many infirmities and spotts euen to their death yet that they ought not for to doubt either of the righteousnesse imputed vnto them by faith or of eternall saluation but that they ought firmely to resolue that God is reconciled to them in Christ according to his sure word and promise And though there bee much infirmitie in the Saints which makes them to complaine with Paul yet God doth neuer impute this
published and Printed by authoritie it was so farre from this that it was inioynâ—…d to be recanted by authoritie and therefore howsoeuer it can bee no record against me Neuer was there any among vs before Mr. Mountague that published this error of the Apostacie of the Saints in print but onely Thompson a Dutch-man fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge a man of an excellent memory and of great learning but of little grace and of a deboist loose licentious and voluptious life he being the first who infected Cambridge with Arminianisme hath published this error of the Apostacie of the Saints in that posthumous Diatraba of his But was this booke of his printed in England and allowed and receiued of our Church as sound and orthodox no such matter For when as Thompson himselfe made meanes to publish it it was stopped at the presse and it sound no license or approbation because it was contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England After his death because it could finde no license here it was transported vnto Lyons by some friends of his there was it printed But no sooner was it come from the presse and scattred abrode in England but as it found resistance at the presse at first so it found a Reuerend and learned Antagonist euen Abbot Bishop of Salisbury to incounter it least our Church should bee disquieted and infected by it Since therefore this Thompson was no English but a Dutch-man a drunken one to since this his booke was vtterly disalowed of as contrary to the doctrine of our Church and was printed but by stealth beyond the seas and not by any publike license and allowance here and seeing it was no sooner printed but it was presently refelled by a learned Bishop of our Church as haereticall and quite opposite to the established and receiued doctrine of our Church it makes much for me not against me fo that as yet there are no records against me but all of them are wholly for mee Let Mr. Mountague now with all his reading if hee can stoope so lowe as to cast his eyes vpon the moderne writers of our Church whose very names he cannot mention without disdaine and scorne shew mee but one learned Diuine nay any meane vnlearned Diuine in the Church of England since the reformation that did euer openly and in expresse tearmes oppose the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints in grace in any worke of his set forth by publike allowance and authoritie and then perchance I shall in part beleiue him that some of the learned of the Church of England haue opposed it till then I shall account him but a meerelyer and impostor as he is For how is it possible that all the learnedest in the Church of England should affirme that faith once had might be both totally and finally lost and that they should oppose and refell the contrary when as there is not one member of the Church of England to bee found from the first reformation of it hitherto that doth in any publike or approued worke of his record the same If there bee any records of any learned in our Church to bee found which may make good Mr. Mountagues words let him doe vs that fauour as to giue vs a Catalogue of their workes and names but if his learnedest in the Church of England be but a meere notion abstracted from no Indiuidualls if they are namelesse and workelesse then surely Mr. Mountague is much mistaken and hee must for shame recant this forgery and vntruth of his Indeed Mr. Mountague hath vouched one by name and but one to patronize and make good his words to wit Doctor Ouerall Deane of Pauls But was Doctor Ouerall the learnedest in the Church of England if hee were so yet he is but one and what is one to all those worthies and learned Diuines which I haue cited to the contrary If Doctor Ouerall were of this opinion where then is this opinion of his recorded Surely in no printed workes of his set forth by publike authoritie but only in the Conference at Hampton Court pag 41 42 43. And what are his words they are onely these Those who are called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods election how euer they might did fall sometimes into greiuous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did they neuer fall totally from all the graces of God to be vtterly destitute of all the parts and seedes thereof nor finally from iustification but were in time renewed by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely faith and repentance and so iustified from these sins and from the wrath curse and guilt annexed thereunto Is this the learned man the which you vouch as making for you who in expresse tearmes concludes againg you Indeed if this bee your meaning that those are the learnedest in our Church who haue maintained this our assertion point-blanke against you I willingly acknowledge it but yet that Doctor Ouerall or any others who are ex diametro against a totall and finall fall from grace should be so punctually for you I confesse this is a mysterie and riddâ—…e vnto me I cannot vnderstand it vnles your ipse dixi 〈◊〉 Gospell and their opinions must bee soe not because they are so but because you say it But it may bee now of late some of the learnedst in the Church of England haue made a defection from their Mother Church and haue shaken handes and sided with Papists and Arminians and this makes Maister Mountague to auerre that the learnedst in the Church of England do assent vnto Antiquity and to Arminius and the Church of Rome in this That faith once had may be both finally and totally lost If this bee so as I doe not beleeue it I would to God Mr. Mountague would disclose their names vnto vs that so we might indeauour to conuert them or else learne for to auoide them or at least that wee might iudge of them whether they are the learnedst in the Church of England yea or noe Sure I am whoeuer or whateuer they are they are neither the greatest nor yet the learnedest nor yet the best and honestest in the Church of England if there bee any such make the best and vtmost of them that you can they are but a company of carnall gracelesse prophane and dissolute persons there is no truth nor power of grace in any of them For our two Arch-bishops and the learned Arch-bishop of Meth to whom Mr. Mountague and all his Abettors are much inferiour they are all for vs. For other of our Bishops and diuers others of our learned Clargie throughout the Kingdome I know that they haue declared themselues wholly for vs and for my owne part I know not any man of any learning worth or note at least of any grace and goodnesse in our Church who hath fully declared himselfe against vs in any written or printed records if there are any against vs as I professe
and disalowes of whom and what he will without controll Sure I am these Articles and the doctrine in them were approued and agreed vpon on all hands at the conference at Hampton Court though Mr. Mountague records the contrary The booke is yâ—…t extant which will auerre all that I say for truth and proue Mr. Mountaguâ—… a lyer and Impostor if not worse so that if Mr. Mountague had not had his face euen crusted and steeled ouer with more theâ—… audatious impudencie hee would not haue thus incouraged his readers See the booke Againe the Articles of Ireland Nomber 33. 38. confirmed by King Iaâ—…es vnder his broad Seale they are the very same with the Articles of Lambeth and contradictory to Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article which proues that the Articles of Lambeth were neuer repealed by publike authoritie and that the 16. Article was neuer expoundâ—… in Mr. Mountagues sense by any publike authoritie for then King Iames would neuer haue confirmed these Articles vnder his broad Seale hee being such a King as did desire vnitie and peace as much or more in Church as in the Common-wealth The words of the Article of Ireland are these A true liuely iustifying faith and the sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanished away in the regenerate either finally or totally And againe All Gods Elect are in their time inseparablie vnited vnto Christ by the effectuall and vitall influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head into euery true member of his mysticall body So that if you will interpret our 16. Article either by the Articles of Lambeth or Ireland Mr. Mountagues exposition must be false and strained But the best expoâ—…ition of the 16. Article will bee taken from the 17. Article which was composed by the same men at the same time and if you will expound it by this Article then farewell Mr. Mountagues false glosse vpon it For our 17. Article certifieth vs That they which be indued wiâ—…h so excellent a benefit as Predestination is are called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season and that they through grace obey the calling that they are iustified freely that they are made the sonnes of God by adoption that they are made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ that they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy obtaine euerlasting felicitie From which article Mr. Rogers Chaplaine to Archbishop Bancroft in his Analysâ—… on the 39. Articles allowed to be publike by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England and not hitherto disallowed or called in hath raised this third proposition They which are predestinated vnto saluation cannot perish and from thence he inferres this Consectarie Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke that the very Elect totally and finally may fall from grace and be damned that the regenerate may fall from the grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the vine Christ Iesus which was one of Glouers errors of which exposition allowed by publike and lawfull authority Mr. Mountague cannot bee ignorant because the more is the pitty hee hath subscribed and read them often as himselfe informes vs. And therefore if you will beleeue the 17. Article or Mr. Rogers his Collection from it allowed by the lawfull authority of the Church of England as the doctrine maintained professed and protected in the Church of England Mr. Mountagues collection from the 16. Article must be false and contrary to the Articles and Doctrine of the Church of England and hee himselfe must in the meane time bee a scismaticall factious and seditious person and one that doth oppose the Articles and Doctrine of our Church in an audatious peremptorie impudent and dangerous manner All now that Mr. Mountague can say for himselfe is this That this exposition and Collection of his from the 16. Article and this doctrine of a totall and finall fall from grace was resolued of and auowed for true Catholicke ancient and orthodoxe by that royall reuerend honourable and learned Synode at Hampton Court and for proofe of it he sendeth vs to the Conference at Hampton Court published by warrant and republished by command But sure Mr. Mountague did neuer reade the booke or else he was purblinde when hee read it for there is no such thing within the booke All that is mentioned and recorded there touching the 16. Article is this Dr. Reynolds moued his Maiestie that the 16. Article the meaning of which was sound might be inlarged and explained with this or the like addition yet neither totally nor finally and that the 9. assertions Orthodoxall might bee inserted into the booke of Articles to which his Maiestie replyed that it was best not to stuffe the booke with all conclusions theologicall Vpon this Dr. Ouerall Deane of Pauls informed the King of what had passed betweene him and some other in Cambridge tâ—…ching our present question and concludes that notwithstanding those who were instified and called according to the purpose of Gods election might and did sometimes fall into grienous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did they neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to bee vtterly destitute of all the parts and seeds thereof nor finally from instification to which King Iames replyed that repentance in the elect of God after knowne sinnes committed is so necessary as without it there could not bee remission of these sinnes nor reconciliation vnto God This was all that was spoken either of this point or of the 16 Article and whether Mr. Mountagues glosse and exposition were not here condemned in expresse tearmes let all men judge But will you now know what was the true cause why Mr. Mountague did so grossely mistake I will informe you in a word and it worth your knowledge Mr. Mountague as he hath beene deceiued by that varlet Bertius in other things euen so he hath beene in this For hee transcribed this argument from our 16. Article out of Bertius in his Apostatia Sauctorum pag. 107. and for his Exposition of it and that it was so resolued on at the conference at Hampton Court he had it Verbatim from the Rhemists in their second Conference at Hage recorded by Brandius pag. 364. Alas good Mr. Mountague that you should be ouertaken thus that you should be driuen to such narrow shifts as to flie to Bertius and the Rhemists the very dregges and seumme of all Arminians for corrupt glosses expositions and collections vpon our Articles as if the Church of England did not vnderstand but quite mistake the genuine true and proper sense of her owne Articles or as if that Bertius and the Rhemists who are strangers to them vnderstood them better then the Church yea then the learnedest of the Church of England who composed them What doth this betoken but that Master Mountague like
totall or finall perseuerance of the Saints and proue the contrary to be true All that they produce against vs from the Scripture is nothing else but their owne collections and conceits which how farre they varie from the true scope and meaning of the places from which they are collected you shall see hereafter by particulars Now on the contrary side there are diuers and sundrie texts of Scripture almost in euery page throughout the Bible which doe in so many words either abso lute ly fully positiùely and plainely set it downe or by way of sound necessary and ineuitable consequence inferre that those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer fall neuer bee moued neuer bee cast downe from the state of grace neuer depart quite away from God nor yet be separated from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus the most and chiefest of which places I haue quoted in my former Arguments and therefore will not stand to repeate them now The case then standing thus I take this for a true sure and neuer failing rule which admits of no exception That when there is any point of doctrine se t downe in Scripture in plaine positiue and expresse tearmes especially if it be thus set downe in diuers seuerall places which is our case that there no inference or bare collection from any other text of Scripture contrary to that doctrine and those expresse places of Scripture which doc warrant it ought not to bee admitted or receiued for else wee should preferre the inferences and vaine conceites of men which are full of error and vncertaintie before the positiue and sure word of God Wherefore seeing that all which is objected against vs from the Scriptures is not the Scripture it selfe but bare conceites inferences and collections from the Scriptures farre dissonant from the true sense and meaning of those Scriptures from which they are collected it is not to bee valued or accounted of but to be sleighted and reiected as humane fancies and conceites and as opposite and contrary to the expresse plaine positiue and absolute word of God which doth in so many words and in expresse tearmes lay downe this doctrine which I here maintaine I shall reduce this first obseruation to this Argument That doctrine and Argument which is but a bare inference and collection from the Scriptures and is quite opposite and contrary to that doctrine which is plainely positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures is not to be regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as false and counterfeit But the doctrine of the finall or totall Apostacie of the Saints and the Arguments which are produced for to proue it are but bare inferences and collections from the Scriptures and they are quite opposite and contrary to the doctrine of the finall and totall Perseuerance of the Saints which is plainly positiuely fully and in expresse tearmes deliuered and recorded in the Scriptures Therefore they are not to bee regarded or imbraced but to be rejected and contemned as falfe and counterfeit This is the first thing which you must obserue The second thing which I would haue you to obserue is this That the Scripture saith expressely that all those that doe Apostatize and fall from grace were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ but only in outward shew and appearance This is positiuely and litterally set downe by the Apostle in the 1 Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not all of vs. Here the Apostle expresly affirmes That such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer Apostatize nor fall from grace And that all such as doe fall away from that outward shew of grace the which they made doe therefore fall away because they had neuer any truth and soundnesse of grace or any true regeneration in them This is seconded by the same Apostle in the 2 Iohn 9. Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He was neuer truly regenerated in the sight of God though he were in the eyes of men but hee that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath the Eather and the Sonne hee only hath them in truth and in deed This is also ratified by Christ himselfe Iohn 8. 31. If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed intimating that such as did not continue in his Word were neuer his disciples indeed but only in outward shew So Luke 8. 18. Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken not that which hee had in truth but that which hee seemed to haue None are there that doe euer loose the state of grace but such only as seeme to haue it but haue it not in truth All the plants which are rooted out of the Church of God are such as God the Father neuer planted Math. 15. 13. Those that seeme to fall out of the hands of Christ and perish are only such as were not in the number of his sheepe Iohn 10. 28. and those of Israel that fall from grace and perish they are only such as were not Israel they had only that circumcision which is outward consisting meerely in the flesh and in the letter they had neuer the inward circumcision of the heart and of the spirit whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. 28 29. and cap. 9. 6 7. From which I shall frame these two Arguments the one to proue my present assertion the other to defeate all those subsequent arguments which shall or can bee vrged against it The first Argument is only this If all those that fall away from grace were only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doc neuer fall from grace But all those that fall away from grace are only such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ yea and the reason why they fall from grace is only because they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ as appeares by the premises Therefore those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ doe neuer fall from grace what can be replied to this Argument transcends the spheare and compasse of my thoughts The second Argument which will vtterly defeate and falsifie all the Arguments and the very ground of all those objections which are or can bee made against mee is this If all such as fall away from grace are onely such as neuer had any true and sauing grace and such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ then all the Scriptures and examples which onr Antagonists produce against vs make nothing to the purpose For then they must either be intended onely of
such men which are regenerated ingrafted into Christ in outward shew but not in truth which are not within the verge and compasse of our question and not of such as were in truth regenerated and inserted into Christ. Or else if they are intended of true regenerate men they will not reach so farre as to proue that euer these did either finally or totally fall from grace notwithstanding all their wrestings and collections because the expresse words of the Scripture say the contrary and so they come not home vnto the point in question But all such as fall away from grace are onely such as neuer had any true and sauing grace and such as were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. Therefore all those Scriptures and examples which our Antagonists produce against vs make nothing to the purpose These two generall assertions which are able for to satisfie and cleare all future obiections being thus praemised I come now to giue a particular answere to all those particular arguments which may bee obiected against mee either from Scripture or from reason The first argument which may bee obiected against this conclusion is drawen from Ezech 18 24 26. and Ezech 33 12 13 18. where the words are these If the righteous turneth away from this righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shall hee dye When I say to the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not bee remembred but for his iniquity that hee hath committed hee shall dye for it From which texts of Scripture this argument is framed Righteous men may turne away from their righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe ac̄cording to all the abominations that the wicked doe and they may dye in their sinnes as appeares by this text Therefore they may fall finally or totally from grace I answere that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by the place that is alleaged For first of all the righteous man which the Prophet speakes of in these places is not such a one as is justified by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ being ingrasted into him by faith but such a one which is justified meerely by his owne righteousnesse as your Popish merit mongers seeke to be which is euident by the expresse words of the text For these words If he trust to his owne righteousnesse if hee turne away from his righteousnesse all his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not bee remembred the righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of his transgression neither shall hee bee able to liue for his righteousnesse in the day that he sinneth proue that the Prophet speakes onely of Legall and not of Euangelicall righteousnesse and his words are in effect no more but this Hee that seekes to be justified by his owne righteousnesse or by the workes of the law if he commit but one sinne in all his life this doth disanull his legall justification and makes him liable to eternall death For whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. and cursed is he that continueth not in all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27 26. So that all the argument which this text affords you is but this Hee that seekes to bee justified by the Law and by his owne righteousnesse if he commits but one sinne doth loose his justification and make himselfe liable to damnation Therefore regenerate men who are justified onely by faith in Christ may fall from the state of grace how well this argument followes and how well it makes for your purpose let all men judge Now for farther proofe that this righteous man and this righteousnesse here mentioned is onely meant of such a man that is legally righteous and of legall righteousnesse I shall manifest it to bee so by these three reasons The first is taken from Ezech 18 4 20. where the words are the soule that sinneth it shall dye this is true onely in respect of the strictnesse of the Law but not in respect of the clemencie of the Gospell for then none should be saued therefore the righteousnesse here intended must onely bee a legall and not an euangelicall righteousnesse for in the Gospell and in respect of euangelicall righteousnesse the soule that sinneth may not dye The second reason is taken from Ezech 18. ver 5. to 9. ver 14 to 18. wherethe words are these If a man be iust and doe that which is lawfull and right and hath not eaten vpon the mountaines c. hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements to deale truly hee is iust he shall surely liue saith the Lord God which words cannot bee intended of the righteousnesse of faith which is wrought by Christ alone but onely of the righteousnesse of workes which is wrought by men themselues wherefore this righteousnesse here mentioned is onely a legall and not an euangelicall righteousnesse Thirdly the Scriptures say expresly that a true regenerate man who is justified by faith in Christ can neuer sinne vnto death because he is borne of God and his seede remaineth in him 1 Iohn 3 9. that he keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Iohn 5 18. that hee shall be had in euerlasting remembrance Psa 112◅6 and that hee shall neuer perish nor yet dye the death Iohn 10 28. cap 11 25 26. And therefore this righteous man here mentioned which may sinne vnto death which may bee quite forgotten and not remembred and which may dye and perish in his sinnes must needes bee one that is legally righteous or righteous onely in the eyes of men and not such a one as is regenerated and justified by Iesus Christ and so this place of Scripture makes nothing for your purpose Secondly admit that this place were meant of a true regenerate man and such a one as is justified by faith yet it proues not any thing at all against me for two reasons First because the whole scope and meaning of the place is not to proue the Apostacie of the Saints but onely for to cleare Gods justice and that in these two particulars First that he will neuer punish any man for the sinens of other men of which they are not guilty that he will neuer punish a righteous son for the sins of a wicked father the soule that sinneth it shall dye no other the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him Ezech 18 4 20. This is the maine scope of
these meanes of perseuerance I beate downe my body and bring it into subiection as God hath appointed mee to doe that so I may perseuere I cannot perseuere in grace but by these meanes these meanes I vse that so I may perseuere So that take the words and sense of Paul in this place as fauourable as you can for your selues yet they make not any thing for your purpose the most that you can truly collect from them is but this gaping and disioynted argument The Saints of God cannot perseuere in grace but by vsing the meanes Or The Saints of God doe vse the meanes to perseuere in grace Therefore they may fall from grace Paul could not bee saued Paul could not perseuere but by vsing the meanes to do it Therefore Paul might become a reprobate and fall quite away from grace How absurd ridiculous and false this argument is there is no man of vnderstanding but may judge For it makes the vse of the meanes to depriue men of the end and to make the end vncertaine where as the end is neuer certaine neither can it bee obtained but by vsing the meanes But you will say that the Saints of God doe not alwaies vse the meanes to perseuere in grace and therefore they may fall from grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and quite repugnant to this text which you alledge for Paul tells vs in this place that he did beate downe his body and bring it into subiection that so hee might not fall from grace and you argue and reason thus from this example Paul being a regenerate man did vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therefore regenerate men doe not alwaies vse the meanes to perseuere in grace as sound an argument as the former was Paul did vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therfore Paul might fall from grace Well then I will deale with you but as you deale with vs. You from this particular example of Paul would praeposterously collect a generall vntruth that Paul might fall away from grace and therefore other regenerate men might doe so to giue me leaue therefore from this particular example of Paul to collect this generall truth Paul did alwayes vse the meanes to perseuere in grace therefore all other regenerate men doe vse them to as well as hee and so your last objection is but false Thus you see that this place of Paul makes nothing at all against mee Giue mee leaue now but to retort it against you who doe object it and then you shall see how much it makes for me Those who alwayes use the meanes to perseuere in grace lest by any meanes they should proue reprobates at the last can neuer fall from grace But all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ they alwayes vse the meanes to perseuere in grace lest by any meanes they should proue reprobates at the last as it is euident by this example of Paul Therefore they can neuer fall from grace Here you are put to this Dilemma either you must yeeld my Argument to be sound and good which ouer-turnes your false assertion or else you must giue such an answer to it as will vtterly defeate all the Arguments which you your selues can object against me from this place So that now I hope you will grant mee one of these two things that either this place makes not against me at all or else that it makes more or at least as much for me as it doth for your selues and so it is impertinent to your purpose The third Argument that may bee objected is collected from Heb. 6. 4 5 6. c. 10. 26. to 30. 2. Pet. 2 21. it is no more but this in substance Those that haue beene once inlightened those that haue receiued the knowledge of the truth those that haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ those that haue tasted of the heauenly gift of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and those that haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost may fall away from grace and neuer bee remoued againe as appeares by the fore-quoted places Therefore such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ may finally and totally fall from grace To this I shall giue a double answer First I shall denie the Argument which followes not For those which you mention in the Antecedent are only Hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace and so your argument is no more in substance but this Hypocrites such as haue no truth of Grace may fall from the outward shewes of grace therefore true regenerate men and true beleeuers may fall from the truth of grace Now that these places of Scripture here alledged and so consequently your Antecedent which is grounded on them are meant only of hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace within them I proue it by these insuing reasons First because there is nothing mentioned or recorded in any of these three places which are objected but that which is common to hypocrites and carnall men as well as to the regenerate Saints of God For first hypocrites and carnall men which neuer had any truth of grace may bee so farre inlightned as to know the truth of God and the mysteries of saluation Yea they may yeeld an assent vnto them and beleeue them to be true yea they may doe many things and goe very farre in the outward practice of Gods word and yet be hypocrites and carnall men still as we may see by these seuerall Scriptures and examples Numb 23. 10. Deut. 5. 28 29. 2 Chron. 25. 2. Psal. 50. 16 17. Math. 7. 21. 22. cap. 13. 5 6 7. 20 21 22. Luke 11. 44. 47. Marke 6. 20. Acts 19. 15. cap. 24. 25 26. Prou. 12. 13. Secondly Hypocrites and carnall men may escape the pollutions of the world that is they may auoide all grosse notorious and open sinnes of which the world takes notice as drunkennesse whordome couetousnesse pride oppression deceite theft murther and the like they may haue a very faire outside and yet their hearts and soules may be polluted and not cleansed from their filthinesse Luke 11. 44. Math. 23. 25. 27. and 2 Pet. 2. 22. Thirdly Hypocrites and carnall men they may bee made partakers of the holy Ghost that is of the ordinary and common gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as knowledge illumination the gift of tongues preaching and prophecie the gift of healing and of working miracles the gifts of temperance sobrietie justice meeknesse affabilitie fortitude and such like morall and common vertues and yet they may not be regenerated by the peculiar by the sauing and sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit as appeares by Math. 7. 21 22. 1 Cor. 12. 4. to 12. and cap. 13. 1 2 3. Fourthly hypocrites and carnall men they may taste of the good word of God and of
the powers of the world to come that is they may heare the word of God and receiue it with great ioy as the second and third ground did Math. 13. 20. Marke 6. 20. and as Iohn Baptists auditors did Iohn 5. 35. Yea they may relish the word of God and taste a sweetnesse and pleasantnesse in it they may bee much affected with it for a time but yet in a carnall manner out of selfe-loue and by-respects or out of feare in times of sicknesse or outward judgements they may be much affected with the promises of grace and mercy though the Doctrine of mortification and selfe-deniall may seeme harsh and bitter to them They may taste of the powers of the world to come that is they may vnderstand the Doctrine of the Resurrection and of eternall life they may bee much affected with the joyes of heauen and with the happinesse of the Saints when they shall heare them amplified and expressed to the full Wee know by common experience that many Hypocrites and wicked men when they doe but heare the joyes and excellencies of heauen discoursed of haue oft-times by sodaine fits and flashes a kinde of inward taste sense and feeling of them and their very hearts and soules are euen rauished and delighted with them not from any inward principle of grace or any sure euidence of heauen which they haue within them but out of a secret admiration of the things themselues or out of a false and groundlesse opinion and conceite that these ioyes and excellencies belong to them when as it is nothing so Wherefore there being nothing in these places but that which is common to hypocrites and carnall men we ought with the most and best expositors vpon these places to appropriate these texts and places only to hypocrites and carnall men which may fall away from their outward shewes of grace and not vnto the true regenaerate Saints of God who cannot fall from grace nor yet depart from God or sinne vnto death Ier. 32. 40. and 1 Iohn 3. 9. cap. 5. 16 17 18. But you will object that those of whom Saint Peter writes were bought with the blood of Christ for they denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. and those of whom the Apostle writes Hebr. 10. 29. were such as were sanctified with the blood of the Couenant therefore they were men truly regenerated and not only in outward shew I answer that they were such as were purchased with Christs blood sufficiently or in common reputation but not effectually and truly they were neuer washed and cleansed with his bloud for Peter applieth this to Heretickes and false teachers which priuily should bring in damnable beresies euen to the denying of the Lord that bought them Now such Heretickes and false teachers they were neuer truly purchased or sanctified with the blood of Christ for if euer they had beene of the true sold and sheepe of Christ if euer they had beene truly ingrafted into him they would no doubt haue continued with them but therefore they went out from him that it might appeare that they were neuer truly regenerated and ingrafted into him 1 Iohn 2. 19. And whereas it is said that they were sanctified with the blood of the Couenant The meaning is no more but this that they were Sacramentally sanctified they were outwardly washed in their Baptisme from the filth of their sinnes but yet their hearts and natures were not inwardly purified washed and regenerated by the bloud of Iesus Christ and the inward operation of Gods Spirit This is euident by the 2 Pet. 2. 22. where they are stiled washen swine who had their outside only washed but their swinish and filthy nature still remained in them and therefore they returne againe to their wallowing in the mire and puddle of their sinnes Wherefore all these places must be vnderstood only of Hypocrites and carnall morall men whose hearts and natures were neuer changed and renewed and not of the true regenerate Saints of God who are new men and new creatures Secondly all these places must needs bee vnderstood of Hypocrites and such as neuer had any truth of grace because the most and best expositers doe appropriate and applie them only to such as commit the sinne against the holy Ghost which shall neuer be forgiuen Now this is certaine that all such as are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neuer commit the sinne against the holy Ghost For St. Iohn tells vs 1 Iohn 3. 9. cap. 5. 16 17 18. That hee that is borne of God sinneth not vnto death because his seed remaineth in him neither can hee sinne thus because hee is borne of God hee cannot commit the sinne vnto death which most interpret to bee the sinne against the holy Ghost wherefore these places cannot bee meant of such as are truly regenerated and borne of God who cannot commit the sinne against the holy Ghost Againe Christ himselfe assures vs that none of his sheepe shall euer perish Iohn 10. 28. and Dauid certifieth vs that though the righteous man fall yet hee shall neuer bee vtterly cast downe for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Psal. 37. 24. therefore these places cannot be vnderstood of any of the Sheepe of Christ or of any that are truly righteous but only of Hypocrites and such as had no truth of Grace Thirdly it is euident that these places must needs bee intended only of hypocrites and carnall men and not of true regenerate men by reason of the antithesis opposition and difference that the Apostle makes betweene those regenerate Saints of God to whom he writes and those which were â—…lightned and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come For when the Apostle had spoken of those Heb. 6. 4. to the 9. verse in the 9. and with verses he subjoynes these words But wee are perswaded better things of you and things that accompanie saluation though wee thus speake For God is not vnrighteous to forget your worke and labour of loue which yee haue shewed towards his name and Heb. 10. hee doth the like 〈◊〉 So that this difference which the Apostle himselfe makes betweene the Saints to whom he writes and those of whom these places which you object make mention proues that those places which you alledge are only meant of hypocrites and such as were neuer truly regenerated and so they come not to the purpose Lastly the very words of these places and Scriptures proue as much For first those who are here mentioned are only such as did but taste of the good word of God and of the heauenly gift and of the powers of the world to come Which phrase of tasting implying but a meere fit flash and transitorie act and passion which is proper only to hypocrites and carnall men cannot be fitly and properly applied to the Saints of God and such as are truly regenerated
place being quite repugnant to the very words and scope of the place and all the arguments which you can truly collect from hence being meere Nonsequiturs and inconsequencies and nothing to the purpose I will here shake hands with this text and Argument and proceed to some others The sixth Argument that may bee made against me is that of Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling The regenerate Saints of God must worke out their owne sâ—…luation with feare and trembling therefore they may fall from grace For if they might not fall from grace they had no cause to feare and tremble thus For answer here vnto I shall deny the argument for the inconsequencie of it True it is that a true Saint of God may feare and tremble yea and he ought to do it yet it followes not that therefore hee may fall from grace You must know therefore that there is a double feare of God the one a seruile feare or a feare of hell and of Gods judgements a feare of God as hee is a just and vpright judge which feare can neuer stand with the truth of grace loue but is alwaies swallowed vp and cast out of men by the synceritie and truth of grace and loue as it appeares by Rom. 8. 15. 1 Iohn 4. 17. 18. Luke 1. 74. 75. Psa. 27. 1. Psa. 46. 1. to 8. Heb. 13. 6. and 2 Tim. 1. 7. This feare therefore being incompatible with the truth of grace and loue and being cast out of the hearts of of all the Saints of God who haue receiued the spirit of grace and adoption is not the feare which Paul intendeth in this place Besides this there is another kinde of feare of which all the true Saints of God are made partakers to wit a religious godly deuout and filiall feare proceeding from the due consideration of the holinesse the glory the maiestie omnipotencie omnipresence and gratious goodnesse of God from the consciousnesse of our owne basenesse emptinesse vilenesse and â—…nabilitie to doe his will where by we stand in awe of God and are afraid to commit any sinne which may offend and greiue him out of that loue and holy reuerence which wee owe vnto him because hee is our gratious God and louing Father and not because wee feare that hee will vtterly disinherit and cast vs off for these our sins This is the feare which is here injoyned and this feare is alwaies accompanied with faith with loue with joy and perseuerance and it is the chiefest meanes a to keepe men from falling from the state of grace For first this filiall reuerent and godly feare it keepes men from committing sinne it makes men for to stand in awe of God and not to sinne against him Psal. 4 4. Prou. 3. 7. cap. 8. 13. cap. 14. 2 16 26 27. cap. 16. 6. cap. 19. 23. Secondly it keepes men from dâ—…parting from the Lord. Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Thirdly it makes men for to cast themselues wholly into the armes of God and Iesus Christ it makes men for to trust perfectly in God and to chuse him for their onely portion their onely refuge stay and prop. So that this feare of God is the onely preseruatiue and antidote against Apostacie and falling away from grace Now that this is the feare which is here intended it is plaine and euident First by the words themselues Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling what for feare of falling away from grace no such matter for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deede of his good pleasure They must feare and tremble not because they may fall from grace but because they haue to doe with God whose presence whose loue and goodnesse whose maiestie and greatnesse whose purity and holinesse are all exceeding dreadfull and terrible and require much reuerence much awe and godly feare from such as are to deale with him especially in such weighty matters as concerne their soules Secondly it is euident by paralelling this place with some other Scriptures that expound it as Psal. 2. 10. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Ioy and trembling can neuer stand together if you take trembling for a â—…lauish feare or a feare of falling away from grace So Psal. 4. 4. stand in awe and sinne not Psal. 33. 8. Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him Psal. 34. 7. O feare the Lord yee his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him Psal. 5. 7. I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship towards thine holy Temple Psal. 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assemblie of the Saints and to bee had in reuerence of all them that are about him Ier. 5. 22. Feare yee not mee saith the Lord Will yee not tremble at my presence c and Hosea 3. 3. They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies which places being compared with this of the Apostle proue that this feare which hee intendeth is onely a filiall and louing feare of not offending God and not a feare of falling away from grace that of Heb. 12. 28. will iully cleare it Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptablie with reuerence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire The place is worth the obseruing The Saints oâ—… God haue receiued such a kingdome which cannot bee moued and yet they must serue God with reuerence and godly feare But is this feare a feare of loosing their kingdome and graces no they are so firme and sure that they neede not feare the losse of them they are a kingdome which cannot bee moued What is it then that they must thus reuerence and feare it is onely the glory the maiestie and almighty power of God they must serue God acceptablie with reuerence and godly feare because that hee is a consuming fire So that this place being onely meant of a religious godly deuout and filiall feare which is the chiefest preseruatiue against Apostacie it makes not for you but against you The seuenth objection that may be made against mee is this The true regenerate Saints of God may bee led away with the error of the wicked and fall from their owne stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3. 17. Therefore they may fall from the state of grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and not warranted by this place of Peter which I shall manifest and proue by these subsequent and insuing reasons First because this place of Peter is nothing else but a meere exhortation to vigilancie and circumspection for feare of being seduced by Heretickes and false teachers You therefore my brethren saith the Apostle seeing that you know these things
and disparage him If God therefore were jealous of his Saints who are his friends and his best beloued to whom hee doth communicate his secrets and his will they would not nay they could not put their trust â—…n him Yea it would cause them for to call his promises and truth into question wherein hee hath promised to preserue them from Apostacie to keepe them from falling and to put his feare into their hearts that they should not depart from him and the like Wherefore they must and doe take all these Scriptures to be nothing else but so many motiues and incouragements both from the danger and the profit to stirre them vp to a finall constant vigilant circumspect and cheerefull perseuerance in grace which is the true the proper and only vse and end of them So that these objections and arguments which you â—…rame from these and such like Scriptures are but friuolous and idle they are but meere inconsequencies and come not to the purpose Lastly the Saints of God by the helpe and assistance of Gods Spirit doe aâ—…waies perforâ—…e these conditions they doe continue stedfast in the faith they doe perseuere vnto the end they are alwayes adding one grace vnto another they doe still hold on their way they still grow stronger and stronger they mount vp with wings as Eagles they runne and are not wearie they walke and doe not faint they walke in gods statutes and they keepe his iuagements and doe them Iob 17. 9. Isai. 49. 31. 〈◊〉 36. 27. therefore they shall neuer fall therefore they shall be saued so that these conditionall speeches proue only that they cannot fall from grace because that God doth alwayes inable them for to performe the conditions The eleuenth obiection which may be made against mee is that of Heb. 10. 35 38. Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward If any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him From whence this argument may bee framed The Saints of God may cast away their confidence draw backe from God and loose Gods fauour therefore they may fall from grace I answer that the Antecedent is false and is not warranted by the text That the Saints of God may cast away their confidence I answer first that the text it selfe doth not warrant it For two reasons First because these words cast not away your confidence c. are nothig else but an earnest exhortation which the Apostle makes to the Hebrewes to cause them to continue constant in the faith and in the assurance of Gods loue to them mauger all those afflictions which did befall them they are nothing else but an exhortation vnto constancie and perseuerance in the state of grace and therefore they doe not imply a fall from grace All the argument that you can haue from these words in this sense is this The Hebrewes are exhorted to perseuere in grace therefore they may fall from grace which is but a nugatory and absurd inconsequent Secondly the Apostle tells vs in the former verse that these Hebrewes were assured of their saluation and that they knâ—…w that they had in heauen a farre better and induring substance then their earthly goods and possessions were therefore these subsequent words of the Apostle doe not necessarily intimate that these Hebrewes might fall from grace and so loose that heauenly substance and treasure of which they were assured for then this would contradict his former words and take away that certaintie of saluation which hee had attributed to them before Secondly admit that these Hebrewes might cast away their confidence and assurance of Gods loue and call their saluation into question in times of pressure affliction yet it followes not that therefore they might cast away their faith and those habits and seeds of grace which were within them for the strongest faith may doubt and stagger now and then and such as haue most grace may in times of pressure and temptation call Gods eternall loue and fauour to them â—…to question and yet their faith and graces may not faile Christians may cast away or loose their confidence and the comfortable assurance of Gods loue fauour for a time which is but a degree and fruite of faith though their faith and graces do habitually remaine within them Wherefore make the most you can of this exhortation your collection from it will bee onely this The Saints of God may loose the degrees and acts of grace therefore they may fall from the habits and state of grace which is but a meere Noniquitur For the other part of the Antecedent that the Saints of God may draw backe from God and so loose his fauour I answer that if you take this word draw backe for nothing else but the losse of the degrees of their loue and vnion vnto Christ which is not the meaning of the Apostle then I agree it But if you take it for a totall withdrawing of their soules froÌ„ God for a totall Apostacie and falling from God which is the true and proper meaning of the Apostle then I denie it because it is not warranted by the text For those that thus draw backe they are not any such as are true beleeuers and truly ingraâ—…ted into Iesus Christ but onely hypocrites and such as made an outward formall shew and profession of religion and had neuer any true and justifying faith at all within them which appeares most euidently by these two reasons taken from the very text it selfe The iust shall liue by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him The just men who haue a true and liuing faith are here put in opposition to those that haue it not but only in outward shew Those that haue this true and sauing faith they liue by it their faith doth liue and hold out euen in times of persecuâ—…ion it neuer dies nor yet expires those who haue not this true and liuing faith and yet make an outward profession and shew of faith in times of peace they alwaies doe and will draw backe in times of triall when persecution ariseth because of the word of God by and by they are offended like the stonie ground Math. 13. 2â—… they will rather draw backe from God then suffer for him therefore Gods soule shall haue no pleasure in them Which Antithesis betweene the iust who liue by faith and those that draw backe proues vndeniablie that such as draw backe are no true beleeuers who liue by faith but onely hypocrites and such beleeuers who had no truth of grace at all within them Secondly it is euidently proued by the Antithesis in the next insuing verse But wee that is wee who are true beleeuers are not of them who draw backe vnto perdition wee neuer fall from grace nor yet deny the profession of Gods name but of them that beleeue to the sauing of the soule our faith it alwaies continues to the end and wee doe alwaies
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
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
can either totally or finally fall from grace But if you take a whole Church for the greater part of a visible Church for those who are members of a visible Church and yet are but goates tares and chaffe and no members of the true and holy Church of Christ then the sequell of the Major proposition is false and no more in substance then this If hypocrites and wicked men may fall from the shew and shadow of grace then the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from the very habits and seed of true and sauing grace which is but a meere Nonsequitur True then it is that all those of a whole Church which are notregenerated which are farre the greatest number may Apostatize and fall from the doctrine of grace but yet the true regenerate Saints of God in such a Church doe neuer fall from the habit and state of true and sauing grace and therefore both the Major and the Minor proposition in that sense as they are propounded are false and vnsound Thus much for the generall The first example of any particular Church that is objected against me is the Church of the Iewes The Iewes who were partakers of the fatnesse of the roote and Oliue tree Christ Iesus were broken off and fell from grace Rom. 11. 16. to 25. therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace I answer first that the Antecedent is false for the roote and Oliue tree which the Apostle speakes of is not Christ but Abraham and the Patriarkes So Chrisostome Bede Anselme Theodoret Haymo Caluin Peter Martyr Beza Pareus Willet Hyperius and most of those that coment on this place and therefore it followes not that because the Iewes might be broken off from Abraham and be depriued of the promises and couenant made to him and to his seed that therefore the true beleeuers may be broken off from Christ. Secondly admit that Christ himselfe and not Abraham is the roote and Oliue tree here mentioned and that some of the Iewes were broken off from him yet I answer that those Iewes and branches which were broken off were such as were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ but only in common reputation ond in outward shew which is euident by the same chapter First because it is said ver 7. that such as were blinded and broken off were such as were neuer elected Secondly because it is said vâ—… 〈◊〉 that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through vnbeleefe if then those that were thus broken oâ—… were not elected if they were vnbeleeuers it is certaine then that they were neuer truly ingrafted into Christ because they neuer had any true and liuely faith Thirdly though the greatest part of the Iewes did Apostatize and so were broken off yet the 2. 5. 7. and 17. verses of this chapter certifie vs that all the elect and chosen Saints of God that were among them all the true Israell of God belonging to the election of grace did still continue in the stocke and roote and were not broken off they did not fall from grace none but the counterfeite and superficiall branches were broken off the true and liuing branches did still continue So that this example makes wholly for vs not against vs. The second example is taken from the Galathians The Galathians they were true beleeuers and the true regenerate Saints of God For they receiued the Spirit of God they began in the spirit and suffered many things for Christ Gal. 3. 2 3 4. yea they were all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus and they all had put on Christ ver 26. 27. But yet they fell from grace they ended in the flesh they disobeyed the truth and turned from the Gospell to the law and so made Christ of no effect vnto them Gal. 1. 6. cap. 3. 1. 3. cap. 4. 9. and cap. 5. 2. 4. 7. Therefore the true regenerate Saints of God may fall from grace For answer to this example I say sirst that all the Galathians to whom Paul wrote were not regenerated because there was neuer yet any Church on earth I meane any visible Church neither shall there euer be any where all the members of it are regenerated for Christ himsele hath certified vs that there shall be chaffe as well as wheate goates as well as sheepe good fish mixed with bad continually in his Church euen to the end of the world Math. 13. therefore it must needs bee so in these Churches of Galatia to whom Paul wrote If you object that Paul saith that they were all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 26. therefore they were all regenerated I answer that the meaning of these words of Paul is not to shew vnto vs that all the 〈◊〉 were then in the 〈◊〉 of regeâ—…eration and justification and if it were so it would make quite against you not for you for if they were in this estate when as Pâ—…l wrote vnto them then they were not fallen from grace as you pretend but Pauls meaning there is onely this That all such as are the regenerate and adopted sonnes of God in Christ they are so onely in regard of faith it is faith onely that makes them so and not the workes of the law which is euident by the very scope of the place so that this place proues not that all the Galathians were truly regenerated And so the Major proposition that all the Galathians were regenerated iâ—… false Secondly I answer that all those Galathians who were regenerated did perseuere in grace and did not turne away from the Gospell to the Law and that such as did Apostatize vnto another Gospell were such onely as had receiued the Gospell but not the grace of Faith and such as neuer were regenerated I would aske but this question of our Antâ—…gonists whether all the Galathians or onely the greater part of them fell from grace If all then they were no Church when as Paul did write vnto them for there cannot be a Church but where there are some faithfull ones continuing in the state of grace If all of them did not fall from grace then who were those which did fall away Who were they which did continue did the true regenerate Saints of God fall away and the hypocrites onely continue or did the hypocrites fall away and the true regenerate Saints of God continue If any fell away they were certainly the hypocrites and such as had no truth of grace within them for the true regenerate Saints of God they cannot bee seduced they cannot depart from God and they goe not out from the fold and flocke of Christ. Math. 24. 24. Ier. 32. 40 1 Iohn 2 19. and Reu. 3. 12. If any did continue they were certainly the faithfull Saints of God for hypocrites and wicked men they hold not out but as the chaffe before the winde they are blowne away Psal. 1. 4. and Math. 3. 12. Therefore if that the outward face only of the Church
justification because he prayes to God to forgiue him his trespasses which may seeme for to implie that his sinnes are not as yet forgiuen and so he is not iustified If men then will not be so absurd and ridiculous to collect such an inference and conclusion from these forecited speeches and prayers why then should they doe it from this prayer of Dauid create in me a new heart O God and renew a right spirit within me which doth not intimate or implie as much as they Thirdly I would demand of our Antagonists whether Dauid had not the Spirit of God within him whether he were not in the state of grace when as he penned this Psalme If he had not the Spirit of God within him if he were not in the state of grace how then could this bee a poenitentiall Psalme for no man can vnseignedly repent him of his sinnes but by the helpe and assistance of Gods Spirit If hee had not the Spirit of God within him why then doth he pray to God in the next verse Cast me not out of thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from mee yea why is this Psalme recorded and receiued as Canonicall Scripture if Dauid were not in the state of grace if he had not the Spirit of God within him which is the author of all Canonicall Scripture when as he penned it If then Dauid had the holy spirit of God within him when as hee penned this Psalme as our Antagonists must needs grant or else they must raze this Psalme out of the Booke of God then it is certaine that these words of Dauid Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me cannot implie that Dauid was now fallen from the state of Grace by these his sinnes So that the first reason of our Antagonists is vaine and idle For the second reason drawne from Iohn that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him therefore Dauid being a murtherer fell from grace I answer first that the scope of the Apostle in this place is no more but this to proue that such as hate the Saints of God haue no life and grace within them this is the onely aime of the place which cannot bee applied to Dauid who was a louer and an earnest fauourer of the Saints as we may see Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 101. 6. and Psal. 119. 79. and therefore by St. Iohns words was passed from death to life and did dwell in God and God in him 1 Iohn 3. 14. and 4. 16. Secondly I answer that this is onely true of such as neuer were in the state of grace and of such as liue and die without repentance in this sinne and not of the Saints and therefore it cannot be applied vnto Dauid But because I would be as briefe as may be for further answer to this and to the other two reasons which our Antagonists object to proue that Dauid fell from grace I referre you to my answer of the twentie foure Argument where these three reasons are fully answered and to my two obseruations immediatly before my answer to these Arguments where I haue proued that no true regenerate men can fall from grace and that such as doe fall away had neuer but a shadow and no truth of grace All which being pondered and considered together with my reasons here alledged will giue you full satisfaction that Dauid did neither finally nor totally fall from grace The fift Example is Peter Peter hee was a true regenerate man But he fell from grace in denying of Christ. For first hee denyed him thrice and that with an oath yea with many oathes and execrations Math. 26. 72 73. 74. Now he that denieth Christ before men hee hath not the spirit of Christ and Christ will denie him before his Father which is in heauen Rom. 8. 9. 2 Iohn 7. Math. 10 33. Luke 9. 26. and therefore Peter in denying Christ thus fell from grace Secondly Christ himselfe intimates that hee should fall from grace in denying him Luke 23. for he saith vnto him with reference to his deniall and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Peter needed a new conuersion therefore he fell from grace Therefore true regenerate men may fall from grace as well as Peter I answer that the Minor is false and that Peter in denying Christ did not fall totally from grace and that I shall euidence by these reasons First because that Christ had prayed that his faith should not faile Luke 22. 32. If therefore Peter fell from grace either Christs prayer was not heard which is contrary to the Scriptures for he himselfe informes vs Iohn 11. 42. that his Father heareth him alwayes or else Christ made no such prayer either of which makes Christ a lyar If you replie that Christs prayer extended meerely to a finall not to a totall failing that he prayed that Peters faith should not faile finally but not totally I answer first that Christs prayer extendeth as well to a totall as a finall falling For first the originall word it signifieth to faile So as the Sunne or the Moone doe in an ecclipse which are neuer wholly deptiued of their light nor so ecclipsed but that they may be seene if the medium bee cleere and therefore Christ praying that his faith should not faile no not as the Sunne or the Moone doe in an ecclipse prayes that it should not so much as faile totally for a time as well as that it should not finally faile Secondly that which failes totally for a time it is certaine that it failes now Christs prayer for Peters faith was not that it might not faile finally but that it might not faile therefore that it might not faile totally as well as that it might not finally faile because that faith which failes totally doth faile as much as that which failes finally and therefore to make vp the words and to giue them their full and true signification wee must take it as well for a totall as for a finall fall else the words are not sufficiently supplyed and satisfied Thirdly faith cannot faile totally but it must faile finally to If Peters faith which he had before his deniall of Christ were wholly abolished and destroyed in him it were impossible for the same numericall faith which was vtterly lost and abolished to be restored to him againe the faith which he had afterwards must bee a new faith and not the same numericall faith which he had before And therefore since Peters faith could not faile totally so as to be vtterly abolished in him but it must of necessity faile finally to because it was not in abeiance nor yet transmitted into any other subiect for the time but vtterly lost and annihilated by this his sin as you affirme and therefore if this prayer of Christ extends to a finall failing as your felues confesse it must needs extend to a totall failing to and so as Peters faith did not
onely meanes to keepe men from committing sinne should cause them for to sinne with greater boldnesse and security Is it not grace that only that restraines and keepes men backe from sinne Is it not grace and that onely which makes men to detest abhor and vtterly renounce all sinne and dare you then affirme that perseuerance in the state of grace will imbolden and incourage men to rush into all kinde of sinne doubtlesse you are much mistaken and deceiued in affirming it and it is an infallible argument that you are so â—…arre from hauing any truth of grace within you that as yet you know not what this true grace is of which wee now dispute Secondly regenerate men they are dead to sinne they haue crucified the flesh with the 〈◊〉 and lusts thereof and therefore though they cannot sall from grace yet they cannot yet they dare not sinne against the Lord. This is Pauls reason Rom. 61 2. What shall wee say then shall wee continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall wee that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein the true regenerate Saints of God they are dead to sinne therefore they cannot liue any longer to it they haue put off their coate how then shall they put it on they haue washed their 〈◊〉 how then shall they defile them they are regenerated sanctisied and dead to sinne therefore they cannot therefore they will not runne into it though they cannot fall from grace Thirdly the true regenerate Saints of God they are redeomed from their sinnes that they might no longer liue vnto them but liue vnto the Lord they are now made Kings and Priests vnto God the Father to offer vp spirituall all sacrifices vnto him they are now quite other persons then they were before and therefore they scorne now to stoope to those base and filthy sinnes which might defile their soules and 〈◊〉 their professions they are now the sonnes of God and heires of heauen they are now the vessels and â—…emples of the holy Ghost and they haue vowed to foâ—…sake their sinnes and lusts and to keepe themselues vnspotted from the world and therefore now though they cannot fall from grace yet there is such an holy ingenuity and magnanimitie wrought within them that 〈◊〉 they scorne for to how and yeeld to sin or to sell themselves as slaues and 〈◊〉 to it Fourthly the true regenerate Saints of God they hauethe loue of God which is shed abroade in their hearts by the holy Ghost which loue is preserued and increased in their hearts and soules by the assurance of their constant and finall perseuerance in the state of grace Now this loue of God doth so worke vpon their hearts and soules and so awe and curbe them that they dare not sinne against the Lord for feare of greeuing offending him though God would neuer disinherite them for their sinnes A dutifull and louing fonne that honours and respects his father though he be sure of his fathers loue and fauour to him yet hee dares not to offend him because hee honours and respects him God is an exceeding good gracious and louing Father vnto all his Saints and they are exceeding dutifull and louing vnto him yea they estimate his louing kindnesse better then life it selfe Psal. 63. 3. and therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet they dare not yet they will not sinne against him for feare of greeuing and offending him Fifthly the true regenerate Saints of God they haue the holy Spirit of God within them who doth sway and ouerrule their wills their hearts and soules and will not so much as suffer them to doe the sinne and euill that they would when they haue any euill and sinsull lusts or thoughts arising in their hearts the holy Ghost doth crush and quell them when they are running on to any sinfull actions the holy Ghost doth pull them backe and quite restraine them causing them to walke in his statutes and to keepe his commandements and doe them so that they cannot will or doâ—… the euill that they would as you may reade Ezech. 32. 6. 27. Rom. 7. 25. c. 8. 1 2 13 14. Gal. 5. 16 17 25. 1 Iohn 3 9. and 5. 18. therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet they will not yet they cannot rush more boldly into sinne Sixthly the true regenerate Saints of God though they cannot fall from grace because God will preserue them and cause them for to vse the meanes which should preserue them in the state of grace yet they know that they cannot perseuere but by vsing of the meanes they know that sinne will hinder them much in this their perseuerance and therefore though they cannot fall from grace yet because they must vse the meanes to perseuere in grace they dare not plunge themselues presumptuously into any sinne Seuenthly though the Saints of God can neuer fall from grace yet they dare not to allow themselues in any sinne because they know that euery sinne the which they doe commit it doth wound and pierce the sides of their gracious and louing Sauiour and crucifie him afresh they know that hee is wounded payned and grieued with their sinnes and therefore they dare not to commit them but pray against them as Dauid did Psal. 19. Lord keepe meâ—… from presumptuous â—…nnes When any good Christian is tempted vnto any sinne though the sinne iâ—… selfe could neuer hurt him yet hee reasons thus with himselfe What hath not my blessed Sauiour been crucified already for my sinnes haue I not wounded and grieued him enough already but I must wound and grieue and crucifie him yet once againe O no I will not nay I dare not doe it though I might gaine a thousand worlds I will not shew my selfe such a gracelesse and vnthankfull wretch I will rather die I will rather doe or suffer any thing then sinne against him This is the resolution of euery Christian soule and therefore though he cannot fall from grace yet hee dares not yet he will not sin Lastly to omit all other reasons The true regenerate Saints of God though they cannot fall from grace yet they dare not sinne against the Lord. For though the Lord hath promised neuer to disinherite or cast them off neuer to take away his graces or his euerlasting mercies from them yet if they sin against him he hath threatned and hee will performe it that hee will chastise them with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men that he will visite their iniquitie with rods and their sinne with stripes 2 Sam. 7 14 15. and Psal. 89. 30. to 34. God will chastise them as sonnes though he condemnes them not as enemies and rebells this his fatherly correction and chastisement then is sufficient to keepe them from presumption and to restraine them from rushing into sinne though God neuer disinherits or casts them off And so you see what a false what a
is not true because that most abuse it I tell you nay the abuse of things that are true and good doth neuer take away the truth the vse and goodnesse of them and therefore these your cauills against our present assertion are but false and idle And that you may know them to be so in truth looke but vpon the liues of those who are assured of this their totall and finall perseuerance and vpon the liues of such as doe oppose it and then the controuersie will be ended Who more mâ—…eke and humble who more diligent and painfull in Gods seruice who more vigilant and watchfull against all kinde of sinne than those who are assured in their hearts that they shall neuer fall from grace Who more proud ambitious and arrogant who more negligent and sloathfull in Gods seruice who more prophane and dissolute in their liues who more fell and bitter enemies against the power and practise of religion then those who most violently oppose our present position Shew mee but one man among the whole packe of our Antagonists in whose life the power of godlinesse and the truth of grace shines forth shew mee but one among them who is diligent and carefull in Gods seruice who is holy in all his waies and righteous and just in all his workes shew mee any one among them that excells in piety in grace and holinesse that is zealous and earnest sor the Lord of hoasts and forwards to aduance his glory and inlarge his kingdome certainely there is not one such man among them to be found and therefore their very liues and actions do proue their doctrine and these their cauells and obiections to be false I haue now by Gods gratious assistance waded through the depths and fords of this great and weighty controuersie and that as syncerely indifferently and impartially as possiblie I could God who knowes the very secret turnings of my heart can testifie that I haue not concealed baulked or omâ—…ted any materiall or substantiall thing that might make for mee or against me And now I hope that I haue so fully proued and confirmed this orthodox and comfortable assertion That those who are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ can neither finally or totally fall from grace from Scripture Fathers Councells and all Protestant Churches and Diuines and so satisfactorily and plainly answered the principall and chiefe objections from Scripture and from reason that haue or can be made against it that there are none but obstinate or ignorant readers but will subscribe vnto it And here I could very fitly and I would as willingly set vp my rest and take my farwell of this truth But because it is pitty that so sweet a Theses and position should passe without some comfortable and vsefull application I will giue you one salute or two with it at parting for manners sake and so Adieu If this then be the estate and condition of all those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ that they can neuer finally nor totally fall from grace how should this cause vs for to prise and estimate the state of grace and regeneration which is now so vnderualued and slighted of the world It is the part of wise and vnderstanding men to prise and purchase such estates as they are alwaies sure to inioy now there is no estate no purchase in the world so sure and stable as the state of grace Friends goods riches honours morrall virtues all worldly possessions and heritances whatsoeuer they are alwaies subject to change and alteration they haue their periods and their ends they are or may be lost but the state of grace and regeneration is such a good such an honour such an estate inheritance and poâ—…session as neuer can be lost no affliction no temptation no crosse or chance no man or diuell whatsoeuer can rob depriue or dispossesse those of it who doe but once in truth inioy it It is such a Diuine and heauenly treasure that no moth or canker can corrupt it nor no theefe purloine it hee who doth but once inioy it is made an happie man for euer after He hath such a firme fixed sure and stable felicitie as all the powers of hell can neuer shake he hath the very earnest the very beginnings of heauen whiles he is on earth and hee shall be sure to inioy the whole ere long and yet how few men are there in the world who doe estimate and prise this state of grace Many are there in the world who are so farre from prising it that they doe vtterly abhorre contemne and vilifie it and all such as doe in truth inioy it Most men doe so vnderualue it as to preferre their riches their pleasures and their honours which are subiect to a thousand changes farre before it All men doe so much debase it as not to prise it at its true and proper worth But now let me request you Christian Readers to estimate and value it according to its price and worâ—…h to preferre it farre before all treasures that the world affords For this estate of grace is such a treasure such a possession and inheritance as will still remaine within you to comfort strengthen and support your selues euen then when all things else will quite forsake you When troubles trialls and temptations come when stings and prickes of conscience when pangs of sicknesse and of death shall come vpon you as they will surely come ere long then what will all your worldly inheritances and possessions what will all your honours friends pleasures and riches doe then they will all forsake you then they will leaue and faile you altogether they will not nay they cannot comsort you or doe you good But if you haue once this state of grace begun within you this will neuer faile you nor forsake you at your need this will still abide within you and beare you company in all distresses When you are in any asfliction or distresse this will succour comfort and support you that you sinke not vnder it when you are assaulted by the diuell this will ayde and succour you that he shall not gaine a conquest ouer you when you are cast downe and humbled in yonr soules in the sense and feeling of your sinnes this will comfort and cheere vp your hearts and raise you vp againe When you lie a dying on your death-beds and you haue none to helpe and comfort you then this will strengthen pacifie comfort and reioyce your soules Grace will neuer leaue you hopelesse helplesse nor comfortlesse it will not leaue you nor forsake you till it brings you safe to heauen where there is no end of ioy and happinesse O then if you tender the wealth the good the ioy and comfort of your soules make out for this estate of grace if that you want it imploy and bend your mindes and thoughts to get and purchase it and rather part with all you haue then be without it And as for you
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