132 An Expofition upon no more but liveth eternally unto God; fo likewife the life of grace in his mem- bers is perpetual), and can no more re- turne to the death of fin, then Jefus can return to thegrave, Rom. ch. 6. v.8 ,9. For the life of grace muff bee the life of glory, therefore eternall and unchange- able. Moreover, if a Chriftian may fo fall from Ch rift, as he (ball need to be engraffed and joined to him the fecond time; then alfo this new engraffing muff be fealed by a new baptifme, which is abfurd and impious. For as men are but once borne into this world, fo they are but once borne anew, and are but once to have the Sacrament of new birth: and if there bee any fuch extin&ion of grace, how is the feed of new birth ini- mortall,and his love unchangeable, and his fpirit abides for ever. T iris. Howbeit , the Prodigaf chitde (who it the piatire of one that after grace of reconcilement, falleth from his obedience to God) is fetid, Luke 15. to be loft and dead, being before a Ghilde. St t. To this I anfwer, that itis a Pa- rable, and fure argument cannot be rai- led from Parables. Secondly, it is Paid of that childe,that he was loft and dead; and it is true, he was fo in his fathers opinion, and in his owne feeming : fo Gods children in their owne fenfe, and in the opinion of the Church their mother, they are loft: but truly and indeed they are not fo. T i rit. Toss bold then confidently that a man regenerate, which once truly beleevetb inCbrifl, can never be quitepluck! from grace? S z t, I do confidently affirme and that for very good, and undeçeiveable realons and grounds, which I will re- hearfe in order. Thefirh is from the au- thority of Scripture, Pfal. 1.6. The wic- ked and hit wages !ball peri fb : but the god- ly and bis wáyee, fall be known and crowned. PfaL37.24. The righteous faUeth and rifetb agaiue, becaufe the Lord held under his band. Pjal. 125. I. He that trills in the Lord (ball be like Mount Sion that cannot be re- moved. Mat. 24.24. Tt is not pofble that the elei7 fbould be deceived. The 'fecond reafon dependeth uponGods ele&ion, Chap.5. upon which the ftablenes and firme fied- faftneff^e of the faithful) is grounded as upon a more fure Rock and Mountain of brafe :as it may appeare by 2 Tim.z. 79, where the Apostle having fpoken of fome Apr:dates who were faine from God, he doth comfort the weak mindes of beleevers with this refolution, that their (landing is firme becaufe of Gods elc &ion; which for the affurance and certainty of iris there likened to a foun- dation or feale, two things of greaten ffrengsh and validity. The third reafon or ground , dependeth upon the free and unchangeable Covenant , which God hash ftriken with his ele& : the tenor whereof is in Teremychgs,v,38, go. From whence Í doe obfcrve, that the Covenant of grace and falvation is every way Cure and confiant, both on Gods part who altereth not his good will towards his ; and alto on our part who (hall have no will to depart from God. This reafon may be flrengthenel by the confideratiun of Gods infinite power and truth, which maketh him able and careful' to performe unto the ele& his moti merciful) Covenant,Rom, ch. 14. V. 2. The fourth ground or reafon is theinterceffron ofJefus Chrift, pr, ¡ a, <,a onuij. who as he prayed for Peter that his faith Tai % °.A's x, fhould notfaile, Luk. 22,32. fo in Joh. ,mtd,i . 1.71. h ra eth for all A oftles 7 e P Y P 7 diba, p;.rxr,t' and all beleevers, that they might con- ,auto prr- tinue in g db race unto the end : and God ; v ..a° :a' .t,t the Father will deny nothing to his rf.o, Son, who is heard in all which he pray- ¡' ñ pr,. eth for. The flit ground is from the na- arr., fait ture of f irituai and laving race which p g g bife,..Ambr. is not fubje& to. corruption, but is per= e»...,, manent: this may appeare by the words PP Y dxu D,i , of our Saviour, John 16.22. A y joy )Ball E. ( pi none take fromyou. Allo John 74 16.R1y p" x° ¿Á °dal 94 ° fpirit which .I gave toyouPall abide with yox,tw t, youfor ever: and Saint Peter in his firft car' Epiflle 1, 23. calleth the feed whereof side r yea wee are begotten anew, immortali fled; ¿ "7,rua and SaintJobbn faith it remailles in thofe 9aox'immve- which are borne anew. LaftYt Saint i ' I Fidere°aa.,i Paul faith, that the gift., of Godare with- pole ° +oo bxaxtiÇautb out repentance, Rom. II. 29. Now the reafon why laving grace cloth not cor- di & anddye, is, becaufe hie confirmed tiVzig;,! and
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