Censure Upon the Dialogue of the Anabaptists, Part 3
Of falling away.
THE next errour which they would maintaine, is,Pag. 78. that a man may fall from his election: or, that godly men, which are in the true and saving grace of God, may fall away: Pag. …9.and may loose their heavenly inheritance which they hauehave right unto. This Popish heresie they hauehave not confirmed by any one Scripture, though they pervert many Scriptures for a show to delude the simple.
The faith which we professe is this: that the elect, however through Satans tentations, and their owne infirmities, they are subject to fall from God and perish; yet they are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5, though they through their weakenesse sin and fall, yet the Lord putteth under his hand, Psal. 37.24, and the seed of God remaineth in them, and they cannot sin (unto death) because they are borne of God, 1 Iob. 3.9. Though of themselues they are too ready to depart from God, yet he will not turne away from them to doe them good, but putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32.40, so Christs sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand, but he giveth unto them eternall life, Ioh. 10 28, and the elect cannot possibly be seduced from Christ, Mat. 24.24.
They plead for their errour by 7 reasons.
The 1 is certaine Scriptures; as Heb. 12.15. Look least any man faile of (or fall from) the grace of God. Answ. This proveth not that God will suffer his elect to fall utterly from saving grace: but warneth them to take heed to themselues in respect of their own frailty, and Satans subtilty. Though Gods election and foundation standeth sure, 2 Tim. 2▪19, yet we must make an end of our salvation with feare and trembling; and must adde vertue unto faith, and giuegive diligence to make our calling and election sure; which if we doe we shall never fall, 2 Pet. 1.5. ▪ 10.
Salt may loose his savour, Mat. 5. Answ. It may, if men be seasoned but with common grace, such as God giveth to many reprobates Heb. 6.4.5.6, but saving grace bestowed on the elect, is a gift and calling without repentance, Rom. 11.29.
Some that hauehave escaped the pollutions of the world, &c. may returne with the Sow to wallow in the myre, 2 Pet. 2.20.22. Answ. Too many in deed doe so, but they are swine, not sheep of Christ: they seemed to be washed, by the knowledge of the Lord which they had, but their swinish nature was never changed. The Apostle in that chapter speaketh of hypocrites and reprobates, which walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse, v. 10, which are as naturall bruit beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, v. 12. which are wells without water, v. 17, so they never had saving grace.
Those that Christ hath bought may be damned, 2 Pet. 2.1. Answ. Those are such as before I spake of, which were bought of Christ by his offer of grace, and their feyned acceptance of it: but had they been in deed bought from the earth, they would hauehave followed the Lamb, and should hauehave beene without fault before the throne of God, Rev. 14.3.4 5. Had they been justified by his bloud, and reconciled to God by his death; much more should they bee saved by his life; Rom 5.9.10. Had they been of Christs sheep, for whom he laid down his life, he would hauehave given them eternall life, Ioh. 10.27▪28. And here note how these men would make Christs sufferings vaine: for many whom (as they think) Christ died for, shall die themselues for ever. Where is now the justice of God, that punisheth the wicked thems…lues, and yet punished Christ for them, without cause without fruit? Such doctrine the Apostle doth abhorre, Gal. 2.21.
Some may tread vnderunder foot the bloud of Christ, wherewith they were sanctified, &c. Heb. 10.29. Answ. Such were never sanctified otherwise then Swine that were washed, whose filthy nature was never indeed changed, otherwise then by counterfeisance and hypocrisie.
They that hauehave faith and good conscience, may put it away, and make shipwrack of it: and some may leaue their first faith, & be damned, 1 Tim. 1.19, & 5.12. Ans. Faith is not alwaies in deed, that which it seemeth to be: There is a temporary faith, which falleth away in time of tentation, Luke 8.13▪ a vaine dead faith, Iam. 2, and there is a living faith, the …aith of Gods elect, Tit. 1, 1, this faith never faileth utterly, for it is the seed of God, by which we are regenerate, and it remaineth in us, keeping us from sinne, 1. Joh. 3.9.
Some written in the booke of life, may be put out, Exod. 32.32.33. Psal. 69.25.28, Rev. 3.5. Answ. Many things are spoken of God, not properly but figuratiuely, & after the manner of men. So God is no way changeable, Mal. 3.6, Iam. 1.17, neither doth he repent, 1. Sam. 15.29, yet is it said, It repented him that he had made man &c. Gen. 6.6, because in destroying the world, he did as men when they repent. So God is said to blot out of his book, those wicked which for a time seemed to themselues, & to others to be written in his book, but after by Gods rooting them out, are manifested never to hauehave been written there; for then they should hauehave continued there▪ because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11.…9, his foundation standeth sure, having this seale. The Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. But to the wicked he will professe, I never knew you, Mat. 7, 23. The talent may be taken from him that vseth it not well, Mat. 25. Answ. All that hauehave talents, that is gracious gifts, hauehave not true saving grace to sanctifie those gifts, neither are they all Gods elect. This therfore is no proofe of the question in hand.
The Saints at Rome that were justified by faith, and had accesse unto grace, Rom. 5.1.2, yet if th…y continued not in the bounty of God, they should be cut off, &c. Rom. 11.22. Answ. This and the examples following are like to the former, and teach Gods elect to hauehave care to continue in grace, without which there is no salvation. They teach also that hypocrites falling from God, shall perish. But none truely justified, and partakers of saving grace, shall perish, for God gloryfieth them, Rom. 5.9, & 8.30, and he putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32 40, and if they depart not, th…y perish not, but are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.
2 Their second reason is,Pag. 80. If the elect cannot fall out of Gods favour, then did not all fall in Adam, and then some were never dead in sinnes, and so need not Christs redemption, &c. Answ. An ignorant cavill: for the Apostle teacheth that God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1 4. These men speak of our state before Christ. Againe Adam and all in him fell from grace, su…h as th…y had of God in creation; but not from Christian grace, from grace of election and redemption, whereof they had no need before …h…ir fall, neither had they any promise of it till they were dead in si…, Gen. 3 It is this saving grace in Christ, from which the elect can never utterly fal, and not any other grace by creation, from whi…h all men and some Angels hauehave fallen.
3 If the elect cannot fall from their election, then hauehave not all sinned and been deprived of the glory of God, and shut up in unbeleefe, &c. Answ. The same sophistrie is in this reason, that was in the former, changing the state of the question, which is onelyonly of them that in Christ were chosen before the world was, and are by him redeemed, justified, sanctified, and shall hauehave eternall life, Ioh. 10.28, wheras these deceivers speak of men without Christ, and before they are by him redeemed.
4 The Ephesians were elect before the foundation of the world, Eph. 1. yet having forsaken their first louelove, if they repented not, God would remoue the candlestick &c. Rev. 2. Answ. This is answered in the answers to the Scriptures which they brought in their first reason. It is true, the elect without repentance, faith, and perseverance cannot be saved. But all Gods elect hauehave from him the grace to repent, beleeue, and continue in well-doing, as before is proved: so they cannot perish. But hypocrites which were among the Saints onelyonly, but never of them, they cannot continue with the Saints, and so cannot be saved, 1 Ioh. 2.19.
5 If a man in Gods favour and chosen cannot fall out of it: then need he not, though he commit incest, adultery, murder, &c. feare falling into damnation. Answ. Herein they abuse Gods comfortable promises, as if men should continue in sin that grace may abound. Far be it. All men ought to feare falling into any sinne, and the elect feare continually knowing their owne frailtie. Our spirituall security is not carnall security: our faith is in God, not in our selues; by his power we are kept, not by our owne. Hee saith to his people, The mountaines shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed; Esai. 54.10. But if by feare, they meane feare without faith, that is despair: we beleeue that the elect though they fall into such sinnes, ought not to despaire or distrust Gods mercy: as the examples of David, Peter &c: which they alledge, doe evidently confirme. Psal. 51. Luke 22.31.32.
6 If no man elect, can fall from his election by committing of any of these sinnes, then to what end is repentance taught? It is in vaine, if they neither be, nor can be in condemnation, &c. Answ. They that teach such doctrine, their religion is vaine. We beleeue as the elect cannot perish, so neither can they continue in sin: he that is borne of God (saith the Apostle) committeth not sinne, 1 Ioh. 3.9. All that truely beleeue that they are elect, doe also beleeue and know, that by repentance, faith, and abiding in Christ, they must come to the end of their election, the salvation of their soules: this is the way and meanes unto life, and without this they cannot see God.
7 To what end are men admonished or exhorted not to receiue the grace of God in vaine, 2 Cor. 6.1, not to fall from their stedfastnesse, 2 Pet. 3.17 &c. If they cannot fall into them, doth the Lord use words in vain? Answ. No, but these mens words are vaine. For God as he hath ordained men to life, hath also ordained his lawes, exhortations, threatnings &c. as meanes to bring them into life. He dealeth not with men as with stones, to cary them into heaven by violence; but giueth them repentance, faith, louelove, zeale, care and other graces; hee perswadeth, moveth, draweth them to come willingly, and to continue carefully, and so at last saveth them.
In the next place, these fallers from grace, seeke to wrest the Scriptures which refute their heresie.Pag. 84. VntoUnto Christs words in Mat. 24.24, if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect: They answer, that the elect, (namely those that receiue and obey the truth Iesus Christ, and abide in him to the death,) cannot perish. Answ. Great is the truth that forceth the adversaries to yeeld; this is that which we maintaine; and Christs words (if it were possible) proue it undenyably; and sheweth it to be unpossible that the elect should be deceived to loose Christ.
Obj. Our controversie is whether those that be elect, may fall out of it: and not whether those that abide in it can perish. Answ. Here they would unsay that which before they said well. And the controversie they make is meere cavilling. For if it be unpossible that the elect should be seduced from Christ, then is it unpossible they should perish; and consequently it is unpossible that they should fall from their election. Again, if it be possible that they should fall from their election, then is it possible they should perish, and possible that they should be seduced from Christ: and so our Saviours words will not stand. How greatly are these Deceivers fallen themselues, that seek so to pervert the plaine words of Christ.
Object. Many fall from their election, not by being deceived, but willingly forsake the truth, against or after their inlightning, Heb. 6▪ 4, &c. and 10.26, &c. Answ. First, this is nothing to Christs words in Mat. 24.24. Secondly, the Scriptures which they cite, say not (nor doth any Scripture say) that the elect may fall from their election either by deceit or willingly. Thirdly, as God keepeth all his elect from being deceived from Christ: so hee keepeth them from willing forsaking of Christ: for he putteth his feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from him, Ier. 32.40, hee stablisheth them in Christ, and annointeth them, and sealeth them, and giveth the earnest of the Spirit in their hearts, 2 Cor. 1.21▪22.Pag. 1….
An other sure proofe of the salvation of all Gods elect is in Ioh. 10.3.4.5.8.14.15.27.28.29. This Scripture the adversaries would pervert with this glosse: That so long as they continue Christs sheep, heare his voyce and follow him, so long they are sure, and hauehave safetie in Gods acceptance, &c. But if they doe evill and will not heare his voice, then he will repent of the good that he promised, Ier. 18.10, &c. Answ. First, that by sheep are meant Gods elect whom hee will saue, is plaine by the parable of the sheep and goats, Math. 25.33, &c. Secondly, in Iohn 10, Christ useth no such words, so long as they continue, so long as they heare his voyce, &c. but he plainly telleth us, that the sheep doe heare voyce, v. 3, that they follow him, v. 4, that they will not follow a stranger, neither know they his voice, v. 5. that the sheep did not heare strangers, v. 8, yea all Christs sheep shall heare his voice, v. 16.27, and he giveth them eternall life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand, or his fathers, v. 28.29. Hovv unsufferably novv doe these men vvrest Christs heavenly vvords! Thirdly, the exception vvhichwhich they put, If they doe evill in his sight, and will not heare his voyce, then hee will repent of the good, &c. This exception is unpossible to b…e found in Christs sheepe: for though through infirmitie they fall, yet he casteth them not off, for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand, Psal: 37, 24, though they stray he seeketh them up, Psal: 119, 176, he brings againe that which was driven away, binds up that which was broken, strenthens that which was sick, &c. Ezek: 34, 16, he circumciseth their heart to louelove the Lord, with all their heart and withall their soule, that they may liue, Deut: 30, 6, Such as beleeue not, and heare not his voyce, are not sheep, but goats or swine; as Christ sayd to the Iewes, ye beleeue not, because ye are not of my sheepe, Ioh: 10, 26. And how is it possible that the sheep should perish, seeing God is greater then all, in whose hand they are, Ioh: 10, 28, 29. If Satan assaile them, the God of peace will tread him under their feet, Rom: 16, 20, if the world, they overcome it by their faith, for greater is he that is in them, then he that is in the world, 1 Joh. 4, 4, & 5, 4, if their owne corruptions rebell in them; God not onelyonly pardoneth, but also subdueth their iniquities, Mic: 7, 18, 19: as he caried them from the wombe, so hee hath promised to cary them even unto old age, and hoarie haires, Esa: 46, 3, 4. he sanctifieth them wholly, and preserveth their whole spirit, and soule and body blamelesse unto the comming of Christ, 1 Thess: 5.23. If neither Satan, nor the world, nor the flesh can draw th…m from Christ: nothing can draw them away; but they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.
VntoUnto Ioh. 13 1. where it is sayd, Christ loved his own vntounto the end; they first say,Pag. …7. that the meaning is, vntounto the end of his life. Ans. This is a frivolous limitation: did Christ louelove his owne no longer then vvhiles he lived with them in this vvorld? Who taught these miserable men thus to limit and lessen the louelove of Christ? He himselfe testifieth otherwise to his people; I hauehave loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindnesse hauehave I drawne, Ier. 31.3.
But it seemeth their conscience checked them vvhen they wrote such doctrine: therefore after they say, that he loveth his for ever; but the question is not of Christs louelove unto his, but of their louelove vntounto him. A. This is no answer to Joh. 13.1. vvhichwhich speaketh of Christs louelove, not of theirs. Secondly, it is unpossible that Christ should louelove any for ever, if they also louelove not him. For such as hate and forsake him,… Tim. 2.12. them also he vvill hate and forsake: and so cannot louelove them for ever. Thirdly, it is before proved from Jer. 31.3. that those whom he embraceth with everlasting louelove, he also draweth vvith loving kindnesse: and being drawen, they run after him, Song. 1.4. those whom hee loveth first, they louelove him 1. Ioh. 4.19. he circumciseth their heart to louelove him, Deut. 30.6. hee putteth his feare vntounto their heart, not to depart from him, Ier. 32.40. and nothing can separate them from the louelove of Christ, Rom, 8.35.
VntoUnto Rom. 11.29. where the Apostle sayth, The gifts and calling of God are without repentance: they answer with their common exception, that if the Iewes abide not still in unbeliefe, Pag. 89.they shall be grafted in againe: of this the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Answ. They still labour to overthrow one part of the truth by alledging another. The Apostle as he sayth, that if the Iewes abide not in unbeliefe, they shall bee grafted in, for God is able, Rom. 11.23▪ so he further sayth, that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel, untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written. There shall come out of Syon the deliverer, and shall turne away ungodlines from Iakob, &c. v. 25 26. and further telleth us, that as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers: wherof the reason is this: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, v. 28.29 Therefore as the first is true, that God is able to graffe them in, so the second is also true, that he is willing, and they shal be graffed in: as there is a condition on their parts, if they abide not in unbelief, so there is an absolute promise on Gods part, that they shal not abide in it; because Christ the Deliverer will turne away ungodlines from them, that is, he will take away their unbeliefe and hardnesse, hee will take away their sins, v. 26 27. vvhichwhich is a plain evidence that he loveth them, and repenteth not of his former louelove and promise. And as he dealeth with the elect Iewes, so doth he vvith all the elect Gentiles: therefore all Gods elect shall in time be converted, and hauehave their sins forgiven them, and so undoubtedly saved by him whose gifts and calling are vvithout repentance.
In 1. Ioh. 2.19. it is sayd, They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt hauehave continued with us, &c. This place sheweth, that hypocrites and reprobates vvhichwhich abide not; vvere never of Christs Church, though crept for a time amongst them. It teacheth also, that all vvho are of the Saints, of Christs sheep and his elect, doe abide, and fall not away to perdition.Pag …0.
To this they make answer, first by an open slander; that we should affirme, that God hath predestinated some to salvation; and some to damnation without any condition. This we affirme not, but they falsly charge us, as I hauehave formerly manifested.
Againe they say we affirme, that the elect making never so great shew of vvickednesse, and vvalking in the vvayes of B…all, are stil elect, and can by no meanes fall out of their election, &c. But herein they keepe their wont. Had they dealt honestly, they should hauehave shewed vvho and vvhere vve thus affirme. We hold that the elect after their calling, are carefull to avoyd all sinne, as it is vvritten, We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not; but he that it begotten of God keepeth himselfe, and that wicked one toucheth him not, 1 Ioh. 5, 18, And though the elect fal through infirmitie into many grievous sins, yet they abide not alwayes in them, but are renewed by repentance and faith in Christ: and whiles they are fallen, they are not cast off, Psa. 37, neither doth God repent of his electing of them, nor utterly depriveth them of grace and his good spirit, Psal. 51, Luk: 22, 31, 32, Ezek: 34, 16.
Thirdly,Pag. 91. they tell us of difference between persons as they are Gods generation (or creatures) and qualities good or evill. But this (howsoever they boast of the excellencie of it) is to no purpose: for all men being corrupted with evill qualities, Rom. 2. & 3… how is it that any are changed into good; but by the povver and grace of God, vvhichwhich is effectuall in all his elect: The residue abide in their sinnes, because God changeth not nor reneweth their harts, and such he never elected unto life, but ordained them of old unto condemnation, Iude v …4.
Lastly they answer vvith absurd Sophistry;Pag. 92. saying, that these vvords, 1 Ioh: 2: 19: they went out from us, is meant of lying spirits, the Antichrists, in those persons, vvho once had the spirit of truth in them. And the Apostle sayth, they were never of us: for v: 21▪ no lye is of the truth: For example (say they) the spirit of Hymeneus, together vvith his person, was in spirituall fellowship vvith Paul, so long as he reteined faith & a good conscience, but having put avvay the spirit of truth, and received a lying spirit, he vvent out from them in that his spirit, for or because it was never of them, &c. Will any say that the Pope himselfe is Antichrist in respect of his person? or rather in regard of his spirit or spirituall power he hath. Therfore all that this place proveth, is, that lying spirits or Antichrists in mens persons, went out from the truth, and were never of the truth; and therfore serveth nothing to proue that the elect can never fall away.
Answ. Was ever plaine scripture more violently wrested, by any heretick? The Apostle sayth of the many Antichrists, they went out from us, but they were not of us, 1 Ioh. 2, 18, 19. This these men will not hauehave to be meant of their persons, but of their spirits in their persons. And what understand they by their spirits? their lyes, their errors, their spirituall power, such as the Pope hath: that is (as before they distinguished) their wicked qualities; not their persons: for God (they say) loveth all persons, they being his generation, Act. 17.27.
First it is an errour to say God hateth not the persons of wicked men, but the evill qualities in them onelyonly: for though hee hateth no creature in respect of their creation which was good; yet the creature being degenerate and fallen from God, he hateth their wickednesse and them also for it, as the Scripture plainely witnesseth, Psal. 5.4.5.6 & 11 5.
2 It is erroneous to say, that by Spirits, the Apostle meaneth not persons, but qualities, 1 Ioh. 4.1. for himselfe sheweth his meaning, when he saith, because many false Prophets are gone out into the world. So by Spirits to be tried, he meaneth Prophets, which came with spirituall gifts: and it is frequent in Scripture to call subjects or persons, by the name of adjuncts or qualities in them: as, I am against thee ê pride, Ier. 50, 31, that is, ô thou most proud…: and, pride shall stumble and fall, v. 32, that is, the proud person: the poverty of the land, 2 King. 24, 14, 15, the poorest people. Deceit (or Sloth) rosteth not that which he took in hunting, Prov. 14, 27, that is, the deceitfull man; and many the like.
3 It is from the deepness… of Familisme, to say, that Antichrists are not persons, but evil qualities in men, so Christ may be holden no person, but a godly quality in us. The Apostle speaketh of the person, for he saith not the lye, but the lyer, he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ, he is Antichrist: 1 Ioh. 2.22.
4 It is an absurd exposition of 1 Ioh 2, 19, to put qualities for persons. He there sp…aketh of Antichrists, They went out fro… us; these men will hauehave it, evill or Antichristian qualities went out from us. Bu… what sense then will they make of the last branch of the verse, That they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us? Will they say, some Antichristian qualities were of the Apostles; though not all? The meaning is evident, that in the Church are persons some good, some bad, some elect, some reprobate…: but whiles they abide and walk together in the Church, it is not manifest who are of the Church, who are not; but when the wicked and reprobates depart from th… truth and Church, then it is manifest that such Apostates, though for a time in the Church, yet were never of it. So it is a sure proofe, that Gods elect are both in and of the Church of Christ, and shall never fall away utterly from it.