A Treatise Touching Falling from Grace, Title page – Errata
A TREATISE TOUCHING FALLING from GRACE. OR Thirteen Arguments tending to prove that Believers cannot fall from grace, as they were laid down at a Conference at Yalding in Kent, examined and anſwered; with many abſurdities of that doctrine ſhewed. Whereunto is added thirteen Reaſons to prove that Believers may fall totally and finally from Grace, and many profitable Uſes flowing from that Doctrine.
By JOHN GRIFFITH.
Hold faſt that thou haſt, that no man take thy Crown. Rev. 3.11.
Well becauſe of unbelief they were broken off, and thou stands by faith, be not high minded but fear: for if God ſpared not the naturall branches, take heed leaſt he alſo spare not thee, Rom. 11.20, 21,
LONDON, Printed by H…n. Hills, and are to be ſold by Richard Moon at the ſign of the ſeven Stars in Pauls Church-yard, 1653.
To all the Elders and Deacons with all the faithfull Brethren in the County of Kent John Griffeth, an unworthy Servant of Christ, wiſheth the increaſe of Grace and stabillity through the knowledge of our dear Lord and precious Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
DEar and well beloved Brethren, to whoſe conſideration and pious ſincerity I chiefly deſire to preſent this ſmall Treatiſe, touching falling from Grace, as a token of my bounden love and reſpects unto you, whom I judge competent judges between truth and errour. I therfore ſeek not the patronage of any one in eſteem of the world; no courting Lord,Rev. 1.6. 1 Pet. 2.5. Chap. 1 4. Rom. 8.17. Luke 12.32. Rom. 3.11. 1 Cor. 9.25. nor mincing Lady: knowing none that are of greater birth or more nobly deſcended then you, who are Kings and high prieſts of the moſt high God, born unto an inheritance that fadeth not away, who are aires unto a Kingdome, unto a Crown, not a corruptible, but an incorruptible one▪ &c.
The reaſon of my appearing in this matter ſo publikely is onelyonly and alone the glory of God, the love I bear to Religion, and the benifit of the Church of Chriſt.
That which occaſioned my ſetting upon this work, was partly the importunity of ſome friends, who greatly deſired it, together with an ingagement that lay upon me to do it, for the ſatisfaction (in this point) of ſome friends in your Country.
But the firſt and primary occaſion did ariſe as followeth; you may remember that I was providentially caſt amongſt you at Cranbrook at your generall Aſſembling there July 21. 1652. where you did appoint me with ſome others, to endeavour to give ſatisfaction touching ſome points in Religion that were queſtioned by ſome; to which end and purpoſe we did meet on the ſix and twentieth of the ſame monethmonth at Yalding about the matter, which when we were aſſembled, amongſt other things, this fell in as the matter moſt in difference, viz. falling from Grace: whereupon there was two Poſitions ſtated, the one by me, and the other by the other party: the poſition ſtated by me was, That Believers in Christ may fall away. The poſition ſtated by them was, That Juſtified perſons cannot fall totally nor finally from the grace of union with the Lord Jeſus: the proof was taken on their part in order to their affirmation: they framed thirteen Arguments, eight of which were anſwered at the ſame time, but night coming on we brake up, with this concluſion, that I ſhould anſwer them in writing and give the reaſons of my concluſion: which I have endeavoured to do in this following Treatiſe, to the end that it might extend to the ſatisfaction of all who are doubtfull in it, and for the confirmation of thoſe who have already received it: let it therefore intreat your loving entertainment and ſerious peruſall, weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuarie, if it prove weighty and ſatisfactory give God the glory. I had not been ſo forward but for theſe two reaſons, firſt, becauſe I ſee few write touching this point. Secondly, becauſe I judge it is a point very uſefull for Believers to be acquainted with, that they may know by what they ſtand viz. faith, and what need they have, eſpecially in theſe perilous times, to keep cloſe unto God, in that way that he hath taught by his Son, ſure it is, that God doth require we ſhould ſo doe: we ſee daily how many there are that do turn their backs upon the way of God, yea and tread his Son under foot, and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was ſanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done deſpite unto the Spirit of grace. What may be the reaſon that many ſo do, is it not as much in this as any one thing, that they ſuppoſe they cannot fall? and by that means grow careleſſe and ſecure, high minded and the like, being puffed up with conceitedneſſe touching their own parts, ſtrength and opinions, and ſo grow heedleſſe, and ſlight the means, denying Ordinances, the word, yea, and Chriſt himſelf at laſt, as too too many have done in this age, I believe ſome not unknown to you: for I cannot ſee but that the doctrine of impoſſibility to fall doth lead to the taking away of the very power of Religion, and godlineſſe, yea and Church-government and diſcipline: for what ſhall we need any more religion then to get into Chriſt, if nothing, when we are once in him, can ſeperate us from him, no not ſin, as is affirmed; what ſhall we need to walk under the ſtrict rule of Diſcipline if that doctrine be true?
But I hope you have otherwiſe learned Chriſt: therefore my dear Brethren be ſteadfast, unmovable, alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord, for your labour is not in vain in the Lord, hold faſt that you have, that no man take your crown: now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jeſus, that great Shepheard of the ſheep, though the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, make you perfit in every good work to doe his will, working in you that which is well pleaſing in his ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt, to whom be glory for ever and ever, amen.
Which is the hearty deſire of your brother in the faith of our dear and precious Lord, who ſubcribeth himſelf willing to ſerve you and all the Churches of Chriſt, in all ſervices of love,
John Griffith.
A word to the Reader.
FRIEND,
WHoſoever thou art let me tell thee one thing touching this ſmall Treatiſe, it may be thou wilt ſcarce read it, becauſe of the ſubject it treateth on, it ſounding unpleaſantly in thy ears: but let me in treat this one thing of thee, however it is to read it, ſeeing thou maieſt try all things, but be ſure cleave to that which is good: weigh it well, take it not upon trust, carry it to the Touchſtone, that will tell thee whether it be gold or no; if thou find it ſpeak according to the Law and Teſtament, then thou maieſt not for thy life reject it; for if thou doeſt thou wilt be found to be a diſpiſer of the word, and who ſo diſpiſeth the word ſhall be deſtroyed, Prov. 13.13.
I hope thou wilt find benefit in it, which if thou do, I have my end, thy profit is that I ſeek, if thou find it, give God the glory in obeying his voice, doing his will, and loving his righteous law and teſtimonies, which he hath ratified with the bloud of his deer Son, who died for thee.
Thine JOHN GRIFFITH.
REader, theſe few faults have eſcaped the Preſſe, and the Author deſireth thee to mend them with thy pen.
ERRATA. PAge 7. line 11. read I will give thee a Crown of life: p. 21. l. 11. r. comforts of the ſpirit: in Epiſt. Dedic. p. 4. l. 10. r. through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant.