A Golden Chain

I added further, that this prevailing is with foils. A foil is, when the flesh •or the time vanquisheth and subdueth the spirit. In this case, the man regenerate is like a soldier, that with a blow hath his brain-pan cracked, so as he lies grovelling astonished not able to fight: or like him that hath a fit of the falling sickness, who for a time lies like a dead man. Hence the question may be moved, whether the flesh prevailing doth not extinguish the spirit, and so cut off a man from Christ, till such time as he be ingrafted again. The answer is this: There be two sorts of Christians: one who doth only in show & name profess Christ: and such an one is no otherwise a member of Christs mystical body, then a wooden leg set to the body is a member of the body. The second is he that in name and deed is a lively part & member of Christ. If the first fall, he can not be said to be cut off, because he was never ingrafted. If the second fall, he may be and is cut off from Christ. But mark how: he is not wholly cut off, but in some part, namely in respect of the inward fellowship and communion with Christ, but not in respect of conjunction with him. A mans arm taken with the dead palsy, hangs by and receives no heat, life, or sense from the rest of the members, or from the head, yet for all this, it remains still united and coupled to the body, and may again be recovered by plasters and physic: so after a grievous fall the child of God feels no inward peace and comfort, but is smitten in conscience with the trembling of a spiritual palsy for his offence: and yet indeed still remains before God a member of Christ in respect of conjunction with him, and shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance.

I added further, that this preuailing is with foyles. A foyle is, when the flesh •or the time vanquisheth and subdueth the spirit. In this case, the man regenerate is like a souldier, that with a blow hath his brain-pan cracked, so as he lies groueling astonished not able to fight: or like him that hath a fit of the falling sicknesse, who for a time lies like a dead man. Hence the question may be mooued, whether the flesh preuailing doth not extinguish the spirit, and so cut off a man from Christ, till such time as he be ingrafted againe. The answer is this: There be two sorts of Christians: one who doth onely in shew & name professe Christ: and such an one is no otherwise a member of Christs mysticall bodie, then a woodden legge set to the bodie is a member of the bodie. The second is he that in name and deede is a liuely part & member of Christ. If the first fall, he can not be said to be cut off, because he was neuer ingrafted. If the second fall, he may be and is cut off from Christ. But marke how: he is not wholly cut off, but in some part, namely in respect of the inward fellowshippe and communion with Christ, but not in respect of coniunction with him. A mans arme taken with the dead palsie, hangs by and receiues no heat, life, or sense from the rest of the members, or from the head, yet for all this, it remaines still vnited and coupled to the bodie, and may againe be recouered by plaisters and physicke: so after a grieuous fall the child of God feeles no inward peace and comfort, but is smitten in conscience with the trembling of a spirituall palsie for his offence: and yet indeede still remaines before God a member of Christ in respect of coniunction with him, and shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance.