A Golden Chain

Before it can be declared, what these desertions are, this conclusion is to be, laid down: He which is once in the estate of grace shall be in the same for ever. This appeareth in the 8. of the Rom. 30. where Paul sets down the golden chain of the causes of salvation that can never be broken; so that he which is predestinate shall be called, justified, glorified. And a little after he saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? and, Who shall sever us from the love of Christ? and, I am persuaded that no creature shall be able to sever us from the love of Christ: which he would not have said, if men being in the estate of grace, might fall quite from grace. And how should they which are justified have peace with God, if they were not sure to persevere righteous before God to the end? And how shall it be said, that hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God (wherewith Gods loves his elect) is shed abroad in their hearts, by the holy Ghost which is given them, if any may utterly fall from that love? How should the testimony of the spirit, which testifieth to the elect, that they are the children of God, be true and certain, if it may be quite extinguished? Lastly, how shall that of John be true, They went out of us, because they were not of us: if they had been of us, they should have remained with us, if a man may wholly fall from Christ which hath once bin made a true member of him? Our Saviour Christ saith,¹ My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me: and I give life eternal to them, and no man shall take them out of my hand, or out of my fathers hand, and whatsoever my father giveth me shall come unto me, and whosoever cometh to me, I will not cast out. And if any of the elect being effectually called might wholly fall from grace, then there must be a second insition or ingrafting into the mystical body of Christ, and therefore a second Baptism: nay for every fall a new infition, and a new Baptism; which must in no wise be granted: wherefore they which are predestinate to be in the state of grace, are also predestinate to persevere in the same to the end.

Before it can be declared, what these desertions are, this conclusion is to be, laid down: He which is once in the estate of grace shall be in the same for euer. This appeareth in the 8. of the Rom. 30. where Paul sets downe the golden chaine of the causes of saluation that can neuer be broken; so that he which is predestinate shall be called, iustified, glorified. And a little after he saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? and, Who shal seuer vs from the loue of Christ? and, I am perswaded that no creature shall be able to seuer vs frō the loue of Christ: which he would not haue saide, if men beeing in the estate of grace, might fall quite frō grace. And how should they which are iustified haue peace with God, if they were not sure to perseuer righteous before God to the end? And how shall it be said, that hope maketh not ashamed, because the loue of God (wherewith Gods loues his elect) is shed abroad in their hearts, by the holy Ghost which is giuen them, if any may vtterly fall from that loue? How should the testimonie of the spirit, which testifieth to the elect, that they are the children of God, be true and certen, if it may be quite extinguished? Lastly, how shall that of Iohn be true, They went out of vs, becanse they were not of vs: if they had beene of vs, they should haue remained with vs, if a man may wholly fall from Christ which hath once bin made a true mēber of him? Our Sauiour Christ saith,