The Perpetuity of a Regenerate Mans Estate, Part (1 of 4)

The Perpetuity of a Regenerate Mans Estate · Part (1 of 4)

p. 1THE 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 testimony2. Pet. 2. 1.2 Pet 2:1 both of the Spirit and the word1. Tim. 4. 3. 4.1 Tim 4:31 Tim 4:4 of God, that in the latter times and ages 2. Tim. 3. 5.2 Tim 3:5of 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 vponupon 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 giuegive 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 p. 2fulfilled in these last and euill daies of ours; wherein we may truly say, that there are some false teachers crept in among vsus, who priuily hauehave brought in damnable doctrines (vnderunder 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 per…ons, I shall onelyonly 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 vsus. The question and controuersie … selfe is onelyonly this, Whether those that are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and li…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 th… state of Grace: the second concerning Grace it selfe. Of regen…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 onelyonly 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 vntounto 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 p. 3shew 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 onelyonly, such as hauehave really the seeeds and habits of true and sauing Grace within them: of these onelyonly 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 louelove 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 onelyonly, 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, which are common to wicked men as well as to the Saints of God: as prophecie, learning, the knowledge and interpretation of Scripture and tongues, the working of miracles, the discerning of spirits, extraordinary skill in any art, mysterie, or science: an heroicall valient and Kingly minde, and spirit, of which we may reade in the 1. Cor: 12. 1: to the 12. Exod: 35: 30. to the end of the chapter. Iudgees 14: 19: cap: 15: 14: 15. 1: Sam. 11: 6: and cap. 16: 13: 14. Of such ordinary Graces as these this question is not intended, for these may be both finally and totally lost. Secondly, there are sanctifying, sauing and peculiar graces of Gods holy Spirit, which are proper only to the elect children and saints of God: such as are faith, louelove, hope, sauing and experimentall knowledge, peace of conscience, ioy in the holy Ghost, and the like, of which wee may reade Gal 5. 22: 23. of these onelyonly is our present question. Now in these sanctifying, sauing, and peculiar graces, there are two things to bee considered: first, there are the seedes, and habits of these graces, of which this question is only intended: secondly, there are the degrees, the sence and feeling, the acts and effects of these graces, which are not within the verge and limits of our question. As for the seedes and habits of the graces, we hold, that a tru… regenerate man, can neither finally nor totally fall from them: but p. 4as for degrees, the sense and feeling, the acts and effects of these sauing graces, we hold, that a regenerate man may fall from them, and loose them for a time. So that the question that is now to be disputed of, is no more but this. Whether those that are true beleeuers, those that are once truly regenerate and grafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith (and not only in outward shew) may fall finally & totally from the very seedes and habits (not from the degrees, the sense, the acts and effects) of the sauing, sanctifying and peculiar graces, (and not of the ordinary and common) graces of Gods holy Spirit, wrought in their hearts and soules? In this question, there are three different opinions. Some there are, that hold, that those that are once truly regenerated, and put into the state of sauing grace, may fall totally from the very seedes, and habits of their graces, but yet not finally; that is, they may so farre loose the very seedes and habits of these sauing graces for a time, that there shall not be so much as any remainders of them left behinde, insomuch that they neede a new insition and ingrafting into Christ againe: but yet they hold, that they can neuer fall finally from grace, because that God hauing praed…stinated them vntounto life eternall, and foreseeing this their fall, doth alwaies out of his mercy raise them vp againe, that so they may not perish finally, but hauehave euerlasting life. Others there are, that hold, that the true regenerate Saints of God, and members of Iesus Christ, may fall from the very seedes and habits of sauing grace, not onelyonly totally, so as vtterly to loose these seedes & habits of sauing grace for a time, but finally to, so as to loose them for euer, and to perish euerlastingly in their sinnes. Others, they hold, that the state of grace is such a permanent, setled and well grounded estate, that the seedes and habits of true and sauing grace are so rooted and fixed in the hearts and soules of all those in whom once they are begun in truth, that they can neither totally for a time, nor finally for euer fall from the state of grace, or vtterly loose the seedes and habits of these sauing and peculiar graces that are within them. The two first of these opinions I am now to refute, p. 5as false, wicked, damnable and erroneous, and the last opinion only will I maintaine, as sound and orthodox. Now because these two first opinions of a totall and a finall fall from grace are so wraped and included one within the other, and hauehave so neere affinity one with the other, that the same arguments and answers serue to defend them both, and most of the arguments that serue to ouerthrow the one of them, doe serue likewise for to subuert the other; to auoide prolixity and tedious repetitions, I will ioyne them both together, and oppugne them both, by maintaining this sound Orthodox and comfortable assertion, which defeates them both.

That those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely saith, can neither finally nor totally fall from grace. Infinite and many are the arguments which I might produce to proue this Orthodox and sound position: which for order, method, and perspicuity sake, I shall now reduce to seuen generall heads. The first sort of arguments shall be taken from God himselfe: the second, from Christ: the third, from the holy Ghost: the fourth, from regenerate men themselues, and from those priuiledges which they doe inioy: the fifth, from the Angells: the sixth, from the very nature of true and sauing grace: and the seuenth, from those many dangerous absurdities and consequences which else will necessarily follow vponupon the contrary assertion.

First, from God himselfe there are ten arguments which1. From God himselfe. may be deduced to proue the totall and finall perseuerance of the Saints. The first thing in God is that which makes for the finall perseuerance of all such as are once truly regenerated: to wit, Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree, whereby hee hath elected and praedestinated all such as are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Iesus Christ by a true and liuely faith vntounto eternall life. From which eternall purpose and decree of God I hauehave this argument: which neither hath already beene, neither shall hereafter be once fully answered. Those who by Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree are praedestinated and ordained to eternall life, p. 6can neuer finally fall from grace. But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a t…ue and liuely faith, are by Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree praedestinated and ordained to eternall life: therefore they can neuer finally fall from grace. The maior proposition that can not be denyed: for Gods eternall purpose and immutable decree cannot bee altered or changed: this purpose of God according to election, it shall stand firme for euer. Psal: 33: 11. Rom: 9: 11. As he hath purposed so shall it stand, and none shall disanull it. Isay 14: 24: 27. this foundation of the Lord it abideth sure, hauing the seale of God annexed to it. 2: Tim: 2: 19: therefore it can not bee changed. If you obiect that of the 2: Pet: 1: 10. where the Saints are exhorted to make their calling and election sure: therefore, their election is not so sure but it may be altered. I answere, that this Scripture hath not reference or relation to the calling and election themselues, as they hauehave relation vntounto God; for election and vocation in themselues and as they hauehave reference vntounto God, they are immutable, and if they were not so, it were not in the power of regenerate men to make them so, but it hath onelyonly reference to regenerate men themselues, or to election and vocation, as they hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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, p. 7Aug de … …: cap. 17.and whom he calles them he also iustified, and no others, &…nselme in Rom. …. 30. 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 vntounto vsus, that none hauehave true and sauing faith, but such as are elected to saluation: therefore it is euident, that all those who are once truly regenerated & ingra…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 vsus in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove, hauing praedestinated vsus vntounto 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 onelyonly 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. T…t: 1: 1. 1: Pet: 1: 2. cap: 2: 9. and 2: Pet: 1: 10. which are all expresse p. 8to 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 hauehave 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 vsus 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 vntounto 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 vntounto saluation: so is the expresse text in the 1: Pet: 1: 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith vntounto saluation: so is Esay: 26: 3: c: 27: 3. I the Lord do keepe my vynyard, I will water it eueryevery 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 giuegive vntounto 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 vntounto 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 onelyonly 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 sh…l plucke them from him, but yet he doth not preserue them from themselues; though nothing p. 9can 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 vsus, 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 vntounto saluation; that they are kept night and day in perfect peace, so that none can hurt them: Ergo, they cannot plucke themselues out of Gods hands, for then they might perish, & so this that they are kept by the power of God vntounto saluation, that they are kept in perfect peace must needes be false. Thirdly, they themselues cannot possibly doe it, because then Christs reason would be vaine: for he tells vsus, Ioh: 10: 28, 29: That his sheepe shall hauehave eternall life, and that they shall neuer perish, because no man can plucke them out of his Fathers hand: if then they themselues out of the liberty of their owne wills might plucke themselues out of Gods hand and custody, and so fall and perish, Christs reason would bee false, who yeelds his reason why none of his shall euer perish, because that none can plucke them out of his or his Fathers hand. Fourthly, if they themselues might plucke themselues out of Gods hand, this would be, to make themselues stronger then God who hath vndertaken to preserue them by his power to saluation: and to make a poore silly mortall man more strong and potent then God himselfe, whose very weaknesse is stronger then men, 1: Cor: 1: 25. How great a blasphemy will it bee? Fifthly, if man himselfe might by the liberty of his owne will pull himselfe out of the hands of God, to what end then is it for God to preserue him against all things else? if God doth not preserue his Saints against themselues, p. 10its to little purpose for him to preserue them against their outward enemies: outward enemies could do no harme at all, if they had no enemie within: temptations without inward corruptions to worke vponupon are vaine and bootelesse: wherefore either this you must grant, that God doth defend and keepe his Saints by his might and power against themselues as well as against all outward things whatsoeuer, and then it followes, that they themselues can neuer plucke themselues out of Gods hands, and so can neither finally, nor totally fall from grace: or else it will necessarily follow, that Gods keeping of his Saints from outward temptations and enemies is to little purpose, (because hee kepes them not from themselues, without which, these outward enemies and temptations could neuer hurt them) which would be little better then grosse blasphemy. Lastly, if men out of the freedome and liberty of their owne wills, might wrest themselues out of the strong and powerfull hands of God, this would be nothing else but to make man an absolute creature of himselfe, not any way subiect to the scepter, guidance, disposing and gouernment of God himselfe, this would bee wholly to exempt man from Gods iurisdiction, when as the Scriptures testifie, that his heart, his will, and all his wayes are in the hands of God to dispose of them as he thinks fit: Prou: 21: 1: and Dan: 5: 23: wherefore, neither the Saints themselues, nor any outward thing whatsoeuer can be able to plucke them out of the hands of God, who keepes them by his power to saluation, that they shall neuer perish: and therefore its impossible for them, either finally, or totally to fall from grace. If any man deny, that all those who are once truly regenerated are thus preserued, the Scriptures here alledged, where Christ doth speake both of his vineyard and his sheepe, (in which number, all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith are included,) and the places & reasons alledged in my former argument, will giuegive him full satisfaction to the contrary, so that the argument stands still in force.

Thirdly, as the might and power of God, so likewise his p. 11perpetuall presence with, and his continuall vigilancy and watchfulnesse ouer all such as are once truely regenerated and ingrasted into Christ doe giuegive vsus strong assurance, that they can neither finally, nor totally fall from grace, from which I raise this third argument. Those who are perpetually fenced & guarded by the perpetuall vigilancy and care of God himselfe, and by the speciall presenee and protection of God, to the end, that nothing should bee euer able to hurt them or withdraw them from him, its altogether impossible that they should either finally, or totally sall from grace. But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith, are perpetually fenced and guarded by the perpetuall vigilancy and care, and by the speciall presence and protection of God himselfe, to the onelyonly end, that nothing should bee euer able to hurt them, or withdraw them from him: Therefore its altogether impossible for them, either finally, or totally to fall from grace. The Maior proposition cannot be denyed, for then it must needes follow, that God doth loose his end, and that his care and custodie ouer his Saints is but in vaine, which would be a great dishonour vntounto God, and a great dishartning to his Saints: so that the Maior must needes bee granted to be true. As for the Minor proposition, that must needes bee true, if God himselfe or his word bee true. For the Lord doth couer the righteous, and with his fauour doth compasse them as with a sheild. Psa: 5: 11: 12. God is their habitation for euer, euen from generation to generation: Psa: 90: 1: 2. Hee will couer them vnderunder his wings: and they shall be sure vnderunder his feathers, his faithfullnesse and truth shall he their shield and buckler: Psa: 91: 1: 4: as the mountaines are about Ierusalem, so is the Lord about his people from henceforth and for euer, so that they shall not be moued but stand fast for euer. Psa: 125: 1: 2. All the Saints of God they hauehave a strong Citie, saluation will God appoint for walls and bulwarkes, God will preserue them in perfect peace, by an assured purpose, because they hauehave trusted in him, Esay 26: 1: 3: God is their strength in all extreamities aud troubles whatsoeuer, he is a refuge to them against the tempest, a shadow against the p. 12heate when the blasts of the mighty are like a storme against the wall. Esay 25: 4: When they passe through the waters and the floods he will be with them that they shall not ouerflow them, when they walke through the very fire they shall not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle vponupon them, for God is the Lord their God, and the holy one of Israell is their Sauiour. Esay 43: 2: how then is it possible that those should euer perish, or fall finally or totally, who are thus protected and defended by the Lord himselfe? And least that you should thinke that the Lord doth onelyonly at sometimes, and not alwaies thus protect and guard his Saints, so that they may chaunce to fall when he is absent from them: this you must know withall, that the Lord doth keepe his vineyard night and day least any should assaile it, yea hee waters it eueryevery moment. Isai. 27: 3. God will not suffer the feete of any of his to be moued at any time, for he that keepeth them will not slumber: behold, hee that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe: the Lord himselfe he is the keeper, the Lord is his shade vponupon 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 vponupon eueryevery place of mount Sion, and vponupon the assemblies thereof a cloud and a smoake by …day, and the shining of a flame of fier by night: for vponupon 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 vponupon one place only, but vponupon eueryevery place of mount Sion, and vponupon all the assemblies thereof, and vponupon all the glory shall be a defence, not onelyonly by day, but by day and night to, not onelyonly 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 eueryevery regenerate man as the apple of his owne eye, and couer him vnderunder his wings: Deut: 32: 10: 11: he will be with him to the end of the world. Math: p. 1328: 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 giuegive vsus full assuranc… p. 14of the truth of this assertion is his immutable and perpetuall louelove 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 louelove with an immutable, constant and perpetuall louelove, and those who can by no meanes possible bee euer seuered from this louelove of God, its 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 louelove with an immutable, constant and perpetuall louelove: For whom God doth once louelove he loues vntounto 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 louelove that he loueth him. Iohn 17: 23: 24: 26: now Gods louelove to Iesus Christ is immutable, constant and perpetuall, therefore must his louelove to all his members be so to. God he loues them with an euerlasting louelove. 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 vponupon them Psa: 103: 17: his righteousnes shall be foreuer & euer, and his saluation from ge…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 louelove to them is immutable, constant, and perpetuall. Neither can they by any meanes whatsoeuer bee euer vtterly seuered from this louelove of God to them in Christ. It is Pauls expresse challeng, Rom: 8: 35: who shall seperate vsus from the louelove of Christ? shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse or sword? nay (saith hee verse 37: 31: 39:) i… all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vsus: 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 vsus 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 louelove of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord: so that they may boldly say with Dauid, Ps: 26: p. 151: 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 louelove, & they themselues can neuer be vtterly seuered from this louelove of God: wherefore it is impossible for them, either totally, or finally to fall from grace. Our subtle Sophisters hauehave nothing here to answer, but their crambemillies coctum, that God doth louelove all such asAnswere. are truly regenerated & ingrafted into Christ with an immutable, constant and perpetuall louelove, as long as their louelove to him is constant and immutable: but when as they doe cease to louelove God (as many times they doe when they sin against him,) then God doth cease to louelove them: so that the defect is not in Gods louelove to …, but in our louelove to him. To which false and slender … I will make this replication.Reply. First I say: that Gods louelove vntounto the Saints doth not depend vponupon the louelove of the Saints to him: first, because the Scriptures certifie vsus expresly, that God doth louelove his Saints freely, that he sheweth mercy to them for no other cause but because hee will hauehave mercy: Exod: 33: 19. Ios…a 3: 8. Rom: 4: 15, 19. and Ephes: 1: 5, 6. therefore his louelove to the Saints doth not depend vponupon the louelove of the Saints to him: for then his louelove were not free, depending meerely on the riches of his mercy and the freedome of his will. Secondly, Gods louelove vntounto his Saints cannot depend vponupon their louelove to him, because then the Saints should love him first; and so God should louelove them, because they loued him first, and chose him to betheir God: but Saint Iohn tells vsus in expresse words, 1: Ioh: 4: 10: 19: that we louelove God, because he loued vsus first, and Christ himselfe assures vsus, Iohn 15: 16: that wee hauehave not chosen him but that he hath cho…en vsus: God doth louelove his Saints before euer they did louelove him, and therefore his louelove doth not depend on theirs, but their louelove on his: they beare not the roote, but the roote them: Rom: 11: 18. Thirdly, Gods louelove is a permanent, constant, and perpetuall louelove, as I hauehave proued by the Scriptures formerly cited, therefore it cannot depend vponupon p. 16the louelove of man to him which is various and mutable: that which is immutable permanent & constant in its owne nature can neuer depend vponupon that which is fickle and vnconstant: therefore, you must either grant the louelove of the Saints to God to be constant and immutable, which makes altogether against you, or else you must hold the louelove of God to his Saints and children to be mutable and vnstable which is expresly against the Scriptures, and vnbeseeming that great and glorious God in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning: Iames 1: 17: wherefore this surmise of theirs, that the louelove of God vntounto his Saints and Children dependeth wholly vponupon their louelove to him, is meerely false, and contradictory to the Scriptures: and so the answere to this obiection is no answere at all. Secondly, I say that this surmise, that God should louelove all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith, with a permanent, constant, & immutable louelove, and yet that they should either finally or totally fall from grace implies a meere contradiction: for if this louelove of God to them be immutable constant and perpetuall, God can not but preserue and keep them both from a totall and a finall fall from grace. Morrall men who hauehave but a sparke of louelove within them, will neuer suffer any either totally or finally to fall or perish whom they louelove with a constant setled and perpetuall louelove, if it lie in their powers to relieue them: and can you thinke that God who is infinite, constant, and perpetuall in louelove vntounto his Saints, & alwayes able to relieue them will suffer them either totally or finally to fall from grace? doubtlesse he will not, nay he cannot doe it: this louelove of his is constant and permanent, therefore he cannot suffer them to fall totally, it is perpetuall and euerlasting, therefore hee will not permit them to fall finally from him: the perpetuall and euerlasting obiects of Gods louelove, can neuer be the perpetuall and euerlasting obiects of his wrath and justice: God will still preserue and keepe them from a totall and a finall fall, hee will sustaine them and keepe them by his hand and power, that they shall neuer fall vtterly from him and perish, Psa: 37, 24. Psa: 16: 8. p. 17Ps: 145: 14: 20. Cant: 8: 3. Iohn 10 28, 29. God neuer casts of …hose, he neuer throwes those into hell … …, wgi… hee loues with a constant, permanent, and euerlasting louelove, and therefore they can neither totally, nor finally fall from grace. And here you must obserue this difference, that it is one thing for God to hauehave louelove for euer if men will entertaine it, and another thing for to louelove men for euer, because it is his will and pleasure so to doe: in the first case its true that men must first imbrace Gods louelove before that they can hauehave it, and if they chance for to cast off this louelove of God they might chance to loose it, which is not our case: but in the other (which is our case) where God doth louelove men actually, with a constant, permanent & perpetuall louelove, only because it is his will and pleasure so to doe, there men can neuer vtterly depriue themselues of this louelove of God: this louelove is grounded not vponupon their merits, but vponupon his owne free louelove and goodnesse, and therefore, God will not vtterly withdraw it from them though they sinne against him, so that they can neuer totally, nor finally fall from grace. Thirdly, I reply, that the Saints themselues, who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ, can neuer seperate themselues from the louelove of God, and so fall from grace. First, because the Lord hath married himselfe to them, and them … himselfe, not for a time onelyonly, but for euer; they are his spouse, he is their husband; Christ and they are become one flesh, and one spirit for euer. Hosea: 2: 19: 20. Psa: 4: 3. Cant: 7: 10 Isaiah 43: 1. cap: 54: 5. 1: Cor: 6. 17. Ephes: 5: 25. to 33: therefore they cannot seuer or diuorce themselues from God: those things which God himselfe hath thus ioyned together, no man can seperate. Secondly, all those that are once truly regenerated and made the sonnes of God,) they hauehave a son-like nature, and disposition put into them; the louelove of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost, which is giuen to them; which louelove of God doth with a naturall kinde of instinct & holy violence, constraine them for to louelove and please him, to sticke fast & close to him continually, with full purpose of … …; yea this louelove of God doth so knit and tie their hearts and soules to God p. 18and Christ, it doth so ouer rule and master them, that they cannot doe the things they would; they cannot totally no… … nally depart from him; nay they cannot so much as will a departure from him: for proofe of this reade but, Ezech: 36: 27. Cant: 5: 5. Math: 718. Acts 4: 20. Iohn 6: 67, 68. Gal: 5: 16: 17. Rom: 5: 5. Ier: 33: 40. and 2: Cor: 5: 14, 15. which are all expresse in this point; and therefore it cannot be, that God should euer totally or finally withdraw his louelove from them, or they their louelove from him. Thirdly, Paul assures vsus, Rom: 8: 25. to the end, that tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword, can neuer seperta… the Saints from the louelove of God: nay he assures both himselfe & vsus, that neither death, nor life (of which the feare of the one, & the louelove of the other, would seperate the Saints from the louelove of God, if any thing would doe it, seing that the one is most terrible, the other most sweet and louely) nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers (which would surely seperate the Saints from the louelove of God, if might, force, and pollicy could doe it) nor things present, nor things to come, nor highth, nor depth, nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate the Saints of God, from the louelove of God which is in Christ Iesus their Lord: if things present, if things to come, if Diuels, or men, if no creature whatsoeuer can seperate them from the louelove of God, then its certaine, that they themselues can neuer doe it: for they themselues are creatures, and therefore if no creat…r whatsoeuer can seperate them from Christ, neither can they themselues, nor ye… their flesh (which is a distinct creature from their inward man which is themselues) be euer able for to doe it. Lastly, if the Saints themselues could feuer themselues frō God, then it must be meerely out of the freedome & liberty of their owne wi…, (for Paul hath certified vsus in the forenamed place, that nothing else can doe it.) But this can neuer be: first, because if it be in the meere power of their wills to fall or stand, they cannot will a fall from grace, because its dangerous and hurtfull to them; it will pull eternall misery vponupon them: therefore they can not will it if they would.: the will can not desire any thing but that which p. 19is good in truth, or at least in shew, it can not desire any thing that is ill, as ill: now a totall, or a finall fall from grace, can not be good, either in truth or in shew; it can not bee considered but as ill and hurtfull: therefore, regenerate men out of the freedome of their owne wills can not desire it or seeke it; they can not but desire to stand and perseuere in grace, which is eueryevery way best for them. Secondly, they cannot fall from grace out of the freedome and liberty of their owne wills, because their wills are subordinate (especially in this of perseuerance, which is principally for their owne eternall good) vntounto the will of God: the same spirit and minde is in them that is in God and Christ. 1: Cor: 6: 17. and Phil. 2: 5. Now it is the will of God and Christ, that the Saints should alwaies perseuere and neuer fall from grace; and therefore it must needes be their will too, because their wills are subordinate, and conformable to the will of God. Thirdly, the louelove of God is shed abroade in their hearts, which doth so vnite and knit their soules to God and Christ, that they can not will a fall, or a departure from them; they cannot will any thing with a full and perfect will, that is displeasing to them, and which might seuer and diuide them from them: the very euill that they doe, is the euill that they would not doe. Rom. 7. 15. to the end, and Gal. 5. 16, 17. therefore out of the meere libertie of their owne wills, they cannot fall from God. Fourthly, they can not will a totall or a finall departure from God, because they know him to be the onelyonly true God, and they know not any else to whom they may resort for succour and reliefe: this is euident by Peters answere vntounto Christ, Iohn 6. 67, 68. When Christ demands of the twelue, will yee also goe away? Lord (saith Peter,) to whom shall w… goe? thou hast the words of eternall life: and we beleeue, and are sure that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God: the Saints of God, know God to be the onelyonly true God, and they know not whether to goe if they should depart from him; and therefore they can neuer will a departure from him. Lastly, God hath put his feare into the hearts of all his Saints, hee hath put his spirit into them to the end that they p. 20should …ot depart from him. Ier. 32. 40. Ezech. 36. 27. and therefore out of the liberty of their owne wills they can not fall from grace, nor yet depriue themselues wholly o… the immutable constant and perpetuall louelove of God. Lastly, out of the liberty of their owne wills they cannot depar… away from God, because it is the absolnte and positiue will of God that they should not depart from him. Ier. 32. 40 Psa. 85. 8. Iohn 6. 39. Rom. 3 11. put this then to be the case; God doth absolutely will, that a regenerate man shall not fall from grace, and he hath determined it, that he shall not fall; well this regenerate man (which I onelyonly admit by way of supposition) resolues that he will fall away from grace, notwithstanding that God hath absolutely willed and refolued the contrary; I pray which of these shall hauehave their wills, either God, or he? if man, then where is the power, where is the omnipotency, nay where is the soueraigntie and deity of God? if man can crosse and thwar… the absolute and positiue will of God, then either God is not God, or else man can ouer-rule him: either ofwhich is atheisticall and blasphemous to affirme or thinke. But if God in this case hath his will, and notman (which none but an atheist can gainsay) then it followes that a regenerate man can not fall quit… from grace out of the freedome and power of his owne will. Lastly, for to end this cauell; I answere that a regenerate man, and a true member of Iesus Christ, can neuer finally nor totally cease to louelove the Lord, and therefore by your owne reason the Lord can neuer finally, nor totally cease to louelove him. That a regenerate man can neuer vtterly cease to louelove the Lord, I proue it by these reasons. First, because a regenerate mans louelove to God, is grounded vponupon Gods immutable and perpetuall louelove to him: he lo…es God, because that God did louelove him first. 1 Iohn 4. 10. 19. and Psa. 116. 1. Gods louelove is the cause of his: now this louelove of God tohim is immutable, constant and perpetuall: therefore his louelove to God must be so to: as you may see expre…y: Psa: 116. 2, 2. Math. 5. 46. Ioh. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 18, 19. 1. Iohn 4. 10, 11, 16, 19. 20. as long a… God is kinde and louing to his Saints, they can not but p. 21be louing and obedient vntounto him; else they should be worse then publicans and sinners, yea then the beasts that perish. Secondly, regenerate men, and the true members of Iesus Christ, can neuer cease to louelove the Lord, because the holy Gh…st doth dwell in th…ir hearts and soules for euer. Iohn 14. 16, 17. now where the holy Gost doth alwaies dwell, there the lou… of God must needs dwell too, because it is a fruit of the spirit, and it can not be seuered from the spirit. Rom. 5. 5. Gal. 5. 22. Ephs. 3. 16, 17. 1 Iohn 3. 16. therefore the true Saints of God can neuer cease to louelove the Lord habitually, because the holy Ghost the spring and fountaine of this louelove doth alwaies dwell within them. Thirdly, this louelove of the Saints to God is a grace which God bestowes vponupon them out of his louelove, and which is preserued in him by his louelove, and therefore if they should cease to louelove the Lord, the breach would be on his side, not on theirs; for they can neuer cease to louelove him, but where God doth first giuegive ouer to support their louelove to him: God must first withdraw this grace from them, or else they could not giuegive ouer for to louelove him: so that if there could bee any totall or finall breach betweene God and his Saints, the defect should be in God, who hath vndertaken to preserue them in his louelove, and not in the Saints; which defect on Gods part can neuer be admitted. If you obiect, that they giuegive God the cause of breach, and so the defect is not in God but in themselues. I answere, that God hath vndertaken to preserue them blamelesse and without offence, hee hath vndertaken to preserue them from sinne. 1 Thes. 5. 23, 24. Ezech. 36. 27. ler. 32. 40. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Isay 46. 3, 4. c…p. 27. 3. therefore, though the sinne be theirs when as they doe commit it, yet if it make a totall breach betwixt God & them, the breach will be first in God, in not preseruing of them from this sinne according to his promise, and not in them in committing of it. Lastly, true louelove is of a permanent and constant nature, if it be set vponupon a constant, permanent and immutable obiect. Let a man louelove any thing truly for it selfe, as long as the thing continues, and the cause for which hee loues it, his louelove can neuer p. 22cease. Let a man louelove any man truely for his virtues or his graces, as long as he continues vertuous and gratious, he can not cease to louehim: now God as hee is all and onelyonly amiable, so he is alwaies amiable: there is neuer any change at all in him; wherefore those that doe once truly louelove him for himselfe, cannot but louelove him still; and so the answere to this my argument, is but false and idle. I hauehave been the larger in refuting of this answere, because I shall hauehave occasion oft times for to referre you to it hereafter. I now proceed to other arguments.

The fifth thing in God which doth yeeld vsus an argument for to proue our conclusion, is the gratious mercy and goodnesse of God: in which there are foure things to be considered. First, the freenesse of it: it is voluntary and of free grace, it is not wrested or merited by vsus from God: Exod. 33. 19. Hosea. 14. 5. Iohn 3. 8. Rom. 9. 15. 19. and Ephes. 1. 5, 6. Secondly, it is permanent and constant, it indures for euer, and admits not of any totall change or interruption. Psa. 103. 17. Psa. 100. 5. Psa. 118. 4. Psa. 136. Psa. 138. 8. Isay 51. 8. and cap. 54. 8. 10. Thirdly, it is infinite, there is an infinite store of it, which is neuer drawne dry. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Psa. 103. 8. Psal. 130. 7. Micah. 7. 18. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes. 2. 4. cap. 3. 16. and 1 Tim. 1. 14. Fourthly, God is ready and willing to impart it to his children vponupon all occasions, it is his chiefest delight and ioy for to dispence the riches and treasures of his mercy to his Saints. Ezech. 18. 23. cap. 33. 11. Micah. 7. 18. Math. 11. 28. cap. 23. 37. 2 Cor. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and 2 Pet. 3. 9. from this mercy of God thus considered, I frame this fifth argument. Those who are partakers of the free, permanent, constant, sure, euerlasting, in finite and abundant metcies of God, and hauehave these mercies of God readily, freely, and bountifully imparted vntounto them vponupon all occasions, its impossible for them, either finally or totally to fall from grace: but all those who are once truely regenerated and in grafted into Christ, are partakers ofthese mercies of God, and they hauehave these mercies of God, readily, freely, and bountifully imparted to them, vponupon all occasions and times p. 23of neede: therefore, its impossible for them, either finally, or totally to …all from grace. The Maior proposition cannot be denyed: the Minor only rests to be proved: in these particulars: first that the mercyes (I meane the saving and spirituall mercyes of God) are permanent, constant and perpetuall. Secondly, that all those who are truely regenerated, and are the true members of Iesus Christ are partakers of these mercies: For the first of these, it is euident by Isay 55. 3. where Gods spirituall mercies to his children are stiled, the sure mercies of Dauid: the seed of grace which is sowen in the hearts of all regenerate men, is an immortall seed, 1 Pet. 1. 23. a seed that remaineth, and an vnction that abideth in them, 1 Iohn 2. 20. 27. & cap. 3. 9. the Saints of God they hauehave Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost, who shall abide and dwell in their hearts and soules for euer. Iohn 14. 16, 17. Eph. 3. 17. 1 Iohn 3. 24. cap. 4. 4. & Gal. 2. 20. they hauehave a Kingdome which cannot bee shaken, Heb. 12. 28. a faith which cannot faile. Luke 22. 32. a ioy which no man can spoyle them of. Ioh. 16. 22. and charity which shall neuer cease. 1 Cor. 13. 8. they hauehave mercies which indure for euer, Psal. 103. 17. Gods mercies to them are permanent, constant, and perpetuall, it cannot be denied. Secondly, that all those that are once truly regenerated, & ingrafted into Christ by a true & liuely faith, are partakers of these mercies, it is most euident: For all those that are borne of God, all those that are within the c…uenant of grace, all those that are the true sheepe and members of Iesus Christ, they are partakers of these mercies; which appeares expressly by Isai. 55 1. 3. cap. 4. 5 6. cap. 27. 3. Rom. 4. 16. Marke 16. 16. and Act. 2. 38, 39. almost eueryevery page in Scripture hath some thing in it that will proue it; now all those who are truely regenerated and ingrafted into Christ, they are borne of God, they are the members and sheepe of Christ, and within the couenant of grace; and therefore it is certaine that they hauehave such permanent, constant, and euerlasting mercies as those, and so can neuer finally, nor totally fall from grace. Can any one so much as thinke that God who hathExod. 34. 6, 7.Exod 34:6Exod 34:7 Mich. 7 18.Mic 7:18proclaimed himselfe to be a God of grace and mercy, a God delighting p. 24Pal. 103. 8.in mercy, … to anger, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, … mercy for thousands, f…rgiuing iniquitie, transgressions and sinnes; that God who doth not desire the death of any sinner, but rather that he should repe…t and be saued; that hee can suffer any of his deare, adopted, and best beloued sons in Christ, to fall and perish, for want of supportation and defence? that he who hath redeemed them by the rich and pretious Rom. 5. 10.Rom 5:10blood of Iesus Christ his onelyonly Senne, when as they were his mortall and his vtter enemies, will not preseru… and keepe them from falling from him now they are his dearest deare, as deare vntounto them as the very apple of his eye. Deut. 32. 10. & Zech. 2. 8? certainly that gratious God of infinite and boundlesse mercy, who will not suffer so much as one …aire of the heads of any of his Saints to perish. Luke 21. 16. will not, nor cannot, out of the riches of his great and glorious mercy, suffer the leastMal. 3. 17.Mal 3:17 and meanest of his true and faithfull Saints (who are his only and his cheifest iewels) for to perish, nor yet finally, nor totally to fall from him, let all the rabble of Papists, Arminians, and the rest of our Antagonists say what they can, or will, to the contrary.

The sixth thing in God, which may assure vsus of the finall and totall perseuerance of the Saints, is the infinite justice of God, from whence I frame this sixth argument. Those who are in that happy estate of grace, which God in his justice will not, nor can not, suffer them vtterly to loose or fall from, its 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 and liuely faith, are in such an happy estate of grace, as God in his justice will not, nor cannot suffer them vtterly to loose and fall from: therefore they can neither finally, nor totally fall from grace. The Maior can not be denyed, beeause then God should be vn iust; the Minor onelyonly needes a proofe. Now that all those who are truly regenerated, & which are once the true members of Iesus Christ, are in that happy estate of grace, which God in his justice will not, nor can not suffer them to fall from, it is most euident for Iesus Christ hath purc…sed p. 25eternall redemption and saluation for the … with his pretious bloud hee hath satisfied his Fathers wrath for them vntounto the fill, being made a curse for them, that they might be made sonnes of God, the heires of heauen, and the righteousnesse of God through him. 2: Cor: 5: 19. 21. Rom: 7: 6. cap: 8: 2: Col: 2: 14. Gal: 4: 5. cap: 2: 20. Heb: 9: 12. cap: 10: 12: 14. 1: Pet: 1: 18: 19. Christ hath payed a full satisfactory price vntounto hi… Father, for all such as are his members, hee hath purchased them of his Father, hee hath purchased grace, heauen, happinesse, saluation, euerlasting life, and all things that may further and preserue them in their state of grace, and glory; and God his Father hath accepted his price at his hands, as a sufficient, full, and perfect satisfaction; yea, he hath promised to preserue them in the …tate of grace, to keepe them from falling and perishing, to giuegive them that inheritance which Christ hath purchased for them, and to make good vntounto the vtmost, eueryevery thing that Christ hath merited, and procured of him for their eternall good: so that God is now in his justice bound for to preserue them in the state of grace continually, and to make good vntounto them, what euer his Son Christ Iesus hath purchased of him for them: wherefore this is certaine, and it cannot be denyed, that all those who are once truly regenerated and made the members of Iesus Christ through faith, can neither finally, nor totally fall from grace, because God in his justice will not, nor can not suffer them to fall from their estate of grace. What can be well replyed to this argument, I cannot as yet s…rmise: If you say that though Christ hath purchased grace, heauen, and eternall life for all hisObiection. true and faithfull members, yet he hath not purchased perseuerance and the meanes for to obtaine them. I answere;Answere. first, that this is false, and quite repugnant to the Scriptures: which assure vsus, that God in Christ hath giuen them, not onelyonly life and godlinesse, but all things that appertaine vntounto them too. 2: Pet: 1: 3. that as he hath … them Iesus Christ, so … hath together with him freely giuen them all things else. Rom: 8: 32. God hath giuen them his word to instruct them, his Sacraments to feede and … …, … … Spirit to …, p. 26comfort, and direct them, to preserue them from falling: he himselfe is alwaies present with them, holding them vp with his hand, carrying them in his arm…s, and helping them on in the way to hea…en; he that giues them grace, heauen and eter nall life doth giuegive them perseuerance too, he puts his feare into their bearts that they shall not depart from him. Ier: 32: 40. wherefore this is but a false surmise. Secondly, if Christ should hauehave onelyonly purchased grace, heauen, and …ternall life for them, and not giuen them perseuerance with all, and the meanes for to obtaine the things so purchased, his death and purchase had bin in vaine: for alas, they of themselues are able to doe nothing without his ayde and assistance, it is he that must worke all in them, and for them. Isai: 26: 12. Ieh. 3: 27. cap: 6: 44: 65. Rom: 2: 29. Gal: 2: 20. Phil: 2: 13. 1: Cor: 3: 7. cap. 4. 7. cap: 15: 10. and 2: Cor: 3: 5. if Christ had not purchased the meanes for to obtaine saluation and eternall life, as well as the things themselues, if he had not purchased the perpetuity and perseuerance of his Saints in grace, as well as grace it selfe, his death had bin in vaine, and to no purpose. Whe…efore this sur…ise is idle, and so the argument remaines vnanswerable.

The seuenth argument, to proue my present assertion, is taken from the honour of God. Those who are in such an 7estate of true and sauing grace, as it will not stand with Gods honour and glory, that euer they should loose it or fall off from it; those who are in such an estate of grace, as God in his honour cannot but preserue them in it, its altogether impossibile that they should euer fin…lly or totally fall from that estate. But all those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ, are in such an estate of true and sauing grace, as it will not stand with Gods honour and glory that euer they should loose it, or fall off from it; they are in such an estate of grace, as God in his honour can not but preserue them in it: therefore its altogether impossible that they should either finally, or totally fall from this estate. The Maior can not but be true, because that God is alwayes so iealous of his honour and his glory, that hee will by no meanes loose them, when as it lyeth in his power to preserue p. 27them, as we may see by those expresse … and examples of holy Scripture. 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 vponupon 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 louelove 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 onelyonly 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 vntounto 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 p. 28with that foolish builder, Luke 14: 29, 30. begin to build, …d to …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 …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 louelove 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 vponupon 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 vntounto his louelove 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 chiefes…g lory, and his soules delight, to see his children continue and stand fast in grace, and to hold out vntounto the end: wherefore, seeing that it is Gods chiefest p. 29honour, … … … … 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 …eeing that God for his owne glory and honour … … … still … … in their state of grace: l…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 vntounto it as they can, I for my owne part know not how to doe it.

The eighth argument which makes mainely for the 8proofe 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, its 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, its 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 louelove, his mercy, his honour, yea, and all his other attributes should be blemished and tainted: and therefore, it stands not with Gods wisdome, p. 30that his Saints should fall from grace. Secondly, it would giuegive Infidels, Atheists, and Heathen men occasion to blaspheme his name, and to deride both himselfe, and all that should professe his name: God for being, Christians for chusing such a God, as either could not, or at least would not preserue them, from a totall and a finall fall: wherefore God in his infinite wisdome can neuer suffer his children thus to fall. Thirdly, this would make religion odious and distastfull euen vntounto Christians themselues: the fall of hypocrites which neuer had true grace, makes those who are the true professors of the Gospell odious, it brings a scandall and imputation on religion; what then would it doe if the true regenerate Saints of God themselues should fall away? If the very slips and errors of the Saints make many men distast religion, and speake euill of the wayes of God, what would their finall, or their totall falls from grace produce? God therefore in his wisdome cannot suffer his Saints thus to fall, because it would make religion odious and distastfull euen to Christians themselues. Fourthly, it would quite discourage the hearts of all Gods children, it would quite depriue them of all true ioy and comfort, it would make them dull, dead, heauy, and exceeding negligent in Gods seruice: it would make them not to value grace; it would cause them to call Gods word and truth in question: it would make men meere Atheists; it would driue men to despaire; many such consequents would follow, which could not stand together with the infinite wisdome of God (of which I shall write more fully hereafter) wherfore seeing that it can neuer stand with the infinite wisdome of God, that any who are truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ, should either finally, or totally fall from grace, it can not be that euerObiection. they should thus fall. If you obiect, that these falls of the Saints from grace, would make those that fall, and others that see their falls more circumspect and watchfull afterward, & therefore it standsvery well with Gods wisdome that they should thus fall. I answere, first, that God hath manyAnswer. better meanes to make his children circumspect and watchfull p. 31against sinne, then this of a finall or atotall fall from grace: those temporall punishments, those threatnings in the word of God, those inward conflicts of conscience and griefes of heart, that losse of the comfortsand fence of grace, which the Saints doe feele after their sinnes committed, are sufficient moriues for to make them circumspect: this motiue of a finall and a totall fall would be but superfluous, or to little purpose: and therefore, it stands not so well and fully with the wisdome of God. Secondly, which is the maine answere; I say that God in his infinite wisdome, will neuer vse that for onesmall and lesse necessary end, which will crosse his wisdome in many great and waighty ends: now if God should suffer his Saints either finally or totally to fall from grace, to make them more vigilant and circumspect for the time to come (which may be done more fitly and effectually by many other meanes) when as this would crosse his wisdome in many waighty things and ends, (as I hauehave proued that it doth) it cannot stand with Gods wisdome, that he should vse it for this only and lesse necessary end. It is the part of fooles and not of wisemen to redresse one small and little inconuenience with many great and dangerous mischieses: wherefore, seeing that God at the most should remedy but one small inconuenience, but bring in many mischiefes, by sufferring of his Saints to fall quite away from him, it cannot stand with his infinite wisdome to suffer them to fall away, and so this argument stands firme, and in my judgment cannot be answered.

The ninth thing in God, which yeelds vsus an argument for the proofe of this assertion, is his redinesse to heare the prayers of all such, as are o…ce truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ: from which this ninth argument may bee framed. Those who doe alwayes pray to God to giuegive them perseuerance, and to keepe them from a finall and a totall fall from grace, if God doth alwayes heare their prayers, and grant them their requests in this behalfe, it is altogether impossible for th… either …, or … … all from p. 32grace. But all those who are once truly regenerated, and ingrafted into Christ by a true and liuely faith, doe alwaies pray to God to giuegive them perseuerance, and to keepe them from a finall and a totall fall from grace: and God doth alwaies heare their prayers and grant them their requests in this behalfe: therefore it is altogether impossible for them either finally, or totally to fall from grace. The Maior cannot be denied, for then this contradiction must necessarily follow, that God should alwayes giuegive regenerate men perseuerance, and yet they should not perseuere in grace: The Maior then is only to be proued, which consists of two particulars. First, that all such as are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ by faith, doe alwaies pray to God, to giuegive them perseuerance, and to keepe them from a finall, and a totall fall from grace. Secondly, that God doth alwayes heare their prayers, and grant their requests in this behalfe. For the first of these, I appeale but to the consciences of those who are once truly regenerated and ingrafted into Christ. I doubt not but they all with one consent can testifie from their owne experience, that it is the cheifest desire, and the constant, dayly, and perpetuall prayer of their hearts and soules to God, to giuegive them perseuerance, to keepe them in the state of grace, and to preserue them from apostacie; and therefore you neede not for to doubt of this. If you will hauehave Scripture for to proue it, the third petition in the Lords prayer, which you shall finde. Math. 6. 10. doth fully proue it: where we pray thus: thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen: that is, that God would inable vsus to doe his will on earth, in the same manner as the Saints and Angels doe it in heauen. Now the Saints and Angells in heauen, they doe the will of God constantly without any interruption, continually without end: wherefore seeing the Saints of God doe alwayes pray to God, thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen, they doe in it, both pray to God to giuegive them perseuerance, and to keepe them: to, that they may neuer finally, nor totally fall from grace: so the … part of the Maior pr…n … … … and …. All p. 33the doubt then rests in the second thing, whether God doth alwaies heare and grant these prayers of theirs? If any deny it (which is all that can be answered to this argument) I proue it, that God doth heare, and grant those prayers of theirs, in this behalfe, by these reasons. First, because it is the same prayer, which Christ himselfe doth alwaies make vntounto his Father for them: as appeares by Iohn 14. 16. cap. 17. 11. 15. Luke 2…. 31. 32. Rom. 8. 34. and Hebr. 7 25. now if it be the same prayer that Christ himselfe doth alwaies make vntounto his Father for them. God cannot 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 10of 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 p. 30duplicate page p. 31duplicate page p. 32duplicate page p. 33duplicate page p. 34Fourth…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 hauehave a great multitude, of absolute, true, and faithfull couenants and promises, which shall bee performed to the vtmost, which doe either in expresse …earmes, or at least by way of necessarie consequence, assure th…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, hauehave 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 onelyonly 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, hauehave a great multitude of couenants, & promises made vntounto them by God himselfe, which doe either in expresse tearmes, or by way of necessary consequence, assure th…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, comfor…able, and heauenly promises and couenants, which are eueryevery 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 vntounto 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 p. 35all his Saints and children; that he will put his hand vnderunder 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 Sain…s, they are preserued for …: the law of their God is in their hearts; none of their st…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 louelove 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 vntounto 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 hoar…: haires will I …rry you: I hauehave ma…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 fro… falling, Ind. 24. and hee hath promised for to doe it: Y…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. Ca…t. 8. 3. Ioh. 10, 28, 29. and 1 Pet. 1. 5. Hee hath p. 36promised 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 eu…r. Psal. 125. 1. God hath promised to plant all his Saints vponupon 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 support them with his hands, to plant and settle them in the state of grace so firmely, that they shall neuer be remoued, or cast downe againe. Therefore it is altogether impossible, that euer they should finally or totally fall from grace. If you object that these promisesObiect. of God are meant only of the outward and temporary, and not of the inward and spirituall estate of the Saints. I answer,Answ. that it cannot be: first, b…cause the scope and sense of the Scripture in the fore…cited places, proue the contrary. Secondly, because God doth not alwayes preserue his Saints from outward losses, crosses, and a…ictions. None more subject to the losse of temporary and outward estates, than the saints of God: God oft-times doth suffer his Saints to be stript of them: Wherefore these promises must only be referred to their inward estate of grace, of which they are neuer quite depriued, and in which the Lord doth still preserue them. Secondly, admit that these promises, or at least some of them, doe extend to the temporary and outward estate of the S…ints, yet most of them extend ouly, and all of them referre principally, to their inward and spirituall estate of grace. Lastly, admit that those promises had relation and referrence, only to the outward estate of the Saints, and not to their inward estate of grace, (which cannot be granted) yet this would necessarily follow; that if God hath so great a care to preserue their temporary estates, and earthly treasures, and possessions, that hee will hauehave much more care, for to preserue their spirituall, inward, and eternall state: if God will be so good and gratious to their bodies, hee will p. 37doubtlesse be …, bountifull, kinde, and grati…us to their soules: Wherefore these promises, and the argument deduced from them are vnanswerable.

The second promise which I meet with in the Scripture,2 Promise. is that of I…r. 32. 38, 39, 40. where God makes this couenant with all the Israell of God. They shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will giuegive them one heart, and one way, that they may feare me for euer, for the wealth of them, and of their Children after them: and I will make an euerlasting couenant with them, that I will neuer turne away my face from them, from doing them good: but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Marke now in this couenant of God, these two things, which may fully assure vsus, that the true regenerate Saints of God, shall neuer fall quite away from grace: the first is the nature and quality; the second the matter and substance of this couenant. In the nature and qualitie of this couenant, obserue these two things worth the obseruation. First, that it is no temporary and mutable, but a perpetuall and euerlasting couenant, which admits of no change, no end or interruption: secondly, that it is not (as some would glose it) a mutuall and reciprocall couenant, where in God couenants for himselfe to vsus, and wee couenant againe for our selues to him (for then wee might chance to breake with God, and so God might by this meanes breake with vsus.) But it is an intire couenant, made by God himselfe, both for himselfe and vsus, wherein he couenants for vsus, as well as for himselfe, to vsus, and to himselfe: this couenant therefore being only the couenant of God, for vsus, and for himselfe: and being likewise an euerlasting couenant, cannot be broken. Secondly, in the matter and substance of this couenant, or in the couenant it selfe, there are two parts to be considered: First, the couenant that God makes for himselfe to vsus: which consists of these foure branches: first, that he will be our God: secondly, that hee will giuegive vsus one heart and one way: thirdly, that he will not turne away his face from vsus from doing of vsus good: fourthly, that he will put his fe…re into our h…rts. Secondly, here is the couenant p. 38which God doth make for vsus vntounto himselfe, which doth branch it selfe into three parts: first, that we shall be his people: secondly, that we shall feare him for euer: thirdly, that we shall not depart from him. All which being put together, doe yeeld vsus this vnanswerable argument. All those with whom God hath made an euerlasting co…enant for himselfe, that he will be their God: that he will giuegive them one heart and one way: that he will not turne away his face from them from doing th…m good: that he will put his feare into their heart: to the end that they may feare him for euer, and not depart from him: and for whom he hath also couenanted to himselfe, that they shall be his people; that they shall feare him for euer, and not depart from him; it cannot be, that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace. But withall, those who are once truly regenerated, and ingrafted into Christ; God hath made such a couenant as this; both for himselfe to them, and to them for himselfe, (as appeares by the premises.) Therefore it cannot be that they should euer finally or totally fall from grace. Nothing is there that can be replied to the argument, as it is thus propounded. All the answer that is giuen, is toAnsw. the text it selfe: which in substance is but this. That it is true, that God doth chuse men for to be his people, that he doth giuegive them one …eart, and one way to feare him (by meanes of it) for euer; that he doth put his feare into their hearts, to the end that they shall not depart from him: but yet God d…th not giuegive them the grace to feare him alwayes, and not to depart from him; that is left wholly to themselues: God giues them the meanes to feare him alwayes, he giues them ability not to depart from him; but yet hee giues them not the euent that is wholly left to them: so that though God doth neuer faile them in the meanes, yet theyReplie. themselues doe oft-times faile in the issue and euent. To which I shall reply: First, that this answer is salse, and quite repugnant to the text: for in this couenant, God doth first avow and promise to them, that they shall bee his people: secondly, that he will giuegive them one heart, and one way: thirdly, that hee will neuer turne away his face from them, from doing of th… p. 39good. Fourthly, that he will put his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him; and that they may feare him for euer: so that the issue and euent proceeds meerely from God, and not from man: man himselfe is not the cause wherefore he doth not depart from God, but God himselfe: it is the feare of God and the new heart which God doth put into him, that keepes man from apostacy; and not man himselfe: the Prophet makes the feare of God, not man himsefe, the cause of perseuerance. Now that God himselfe, and the feare of God, are the causes of mans perseuerance: it is euident by Ezech. 36. 27. where God makes the same couenant, in effect, with his children, as he doth here. I (saith God) will giuegive you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes, and yee shall keepe my iudgments and doe them: It is God himselfe, and not man, that doth cause the issue and euent: so in the 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God, doth not commit sinne; for his seed remaineth in him: neither can he …inne, because he is borne of God: it is the new birth and the seede of grace, not mens freewill, that doth keepe them from committing sinne, and cause them for to perseuere in grace: they doe not beare the roote, but the roote them. Rom. 11. 18. they doe not perserue their graces, but their graces doe preserue them from falling from the Lord, It is the feare of the Lord that keepes men close to God; that causeth them to auoid sin and to depart from euill. Psal. 4. 4 Prou 3 7. cap. 8 13. cap. 14. 2, 16, 26, 27. cap. 15. 33. cap. 16. 6. cap 19 23. cap. 28 14. Eccle. 8. 12 13. cap. 12. 13. Psa. 19. 9. and diuers other places are expresse in it, that it is thefeare of God which doth preserue vsus from sin, & keep vsus from departing frō the Lord, and not we our selues: therefore, this their glosse, that the euent and issue of our perseuerance, dependeth on the …eedeme of our owne wills, and not vponupon the Lord, and those graces which hee giues vntounto vsus; is but false, and quite repugnant to the Scriptures: it is God onelyonly that doth worke all our workes for vsus; it is he, and not our selues, that doth preserue vsus from falling, and worke this grace of perseuerance in vsus. I…ay 26. 12. and Phil: 4. 13. Secondly, I reply: that p. 40God doth giuegive vsus one heart and one spirit, that hee doth put this feare into our hearts to that onelyonly end and purpose that wee should not depart from him, but that we should feare him for euer; if therfore we should cease tofeare the Lord, and depart away from him, then he should loose his end: which cannot be admitted. A wise man will not loose his end, when as he is able to effect it: much lesse will God: so then this place and couenant is yet vnanswered: nay I may be bold to say, that it cannot be answered.