A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

§. 12. But if a godly man fall into a foul and enormous crime wasting conscience,¹ for the time he loseth some degree of newness of Spirit, cleanness of heart, comfort of the holy Ghost, integrity in a sort, and peace of conscience. He plungeth himself into the sense of Gods wrath and displeasure, and by his grievous transgression the power of faith is so weakened, that he can neither believe the pardon of any one sin formerly pardoned, nor lay actual claim to any privilege of grace formerly enjoyed. The favour of God towards his children is unchangeable, the sentence of pardon granted shall never be reversed, even after some grievous fall,² the seeds of grace abide in them, and they remain in the state of Justification: but whilst they continue in such an estate of sin, they can make no actual claim to the promises of eternal life. The seeds of grace abiding in them, they still retain their right and title to eternal life to be given of free and undeserved grace: but they are suspended from actual claim until they rise again by true repentance, and then they recover not a new right or title, but a ⟨p. 124⟩new claim by virtue of the old title. For it is the perpetual ordinance o• God, that if his children str ke out of the way by sin, they m st rise again, and renew their faith and repentance, before they can have any sound or true hope of salvation. There can be no Christian assurance which doth not fully consent and accord with these and such like passages of hol• S ripture:³ If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: The soul that sinneth shall die. Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, ⁴nor idolat rs, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. If therefore a godly man, as David, tu n• asi e into sin of this kind, he can have no assurance of mercy, till this iniquity be broken off by unfeigned repentance. For faith cannot receive what the word of grace doth not promise: