A Golden Chain

Thirdly hence we learn, that the child of God can not wholly fall away from Gods favour, I do not say, that he cannot fall at all: for he may fall away in part but he can not wholly. Indeed so oft as he sins, he deprives himself wholly of Gods favour as much as in him lieth: yet god for his part still keepeth the ⟨p. 210⟩mind and purpose of a father. David loved his son Absalom wonderfully, but Absalom like a wicked son played a lewd prank, & would have thrust his father out of his kingdom: and David although he was sore offended with Absalom, and showed tokens of his wrath, yet in heart he loved him, and never purposed to cast him off. Hereupon when he went against him, he commanded the captains to entreat the young man Absalom gently for his sake. And when he was hanged by the hair of the head in pursuing his father, then David wept and cried, O my son Absalom, my son Absalom, would God I had died with thee, Absalom my son. ¹And so it is with God our heavenly father, when his children sin against him, and thereby loose his love and favour, and fall from grace, he forsakes them: but how far? Surely he shows signs of anger for their wickedness, and yet indeed his love remains towards them still: and this is a true conclusion, the grace of God in the adoption of the elect is unchangeable, and he that •s the child of God can never fall away wholly or finally. On the contrary,² that is a bad and comfortless opinion of the Church of Rome; which holdeth that a man may be justified before God, and yet afterward by a mortal sin, finally fall from grace and be condemned.

Thirdly hence we learne, that the childe of God can not wholly fall away frō Gods fauour, I doe not say, that he cannot fall at all: for he may fall away in part but he can not wholly. Indeed so oft as he sins, he depriues himself wholly of Gods fauour as much as in him lieth: yet god for his part still keepeth the ⟨p. 210⟩minde and purpose of a father. Dauid loued his sonne Absolon wonderfully, but Absolon like a wicked sonne plaied a lewd pranck, & would haue thrust his father out of his kingdome: and Dauid although he was sore offended with Absolon, and shewed tokens of his wrath, yet in heart he loued him, and neuer purposed to cast him off. Herupon when he went against him, he commāded the captains to intreat the yong man Absolon gently for his sake. And whē he was hāged by the haire of the head in pursuing his father, thē Dauid wept and cried, O my sonne Absolon, my sonne Absolon, would God I had died with thee, Absolon my sonne.