Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…

I added further, that this prevailing is with foils. A foil is, when the flesh for the time vanquisheth & 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, & so cut off a man from Christ, till such time as he be ingrafted again. The answer is this. There be ⟨p. 86⟩two sorts of christians: one who doth only in show & name profess Christ: & 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 & deed is a lively part & member of Christ. If the first fall, he cannot be said to be cut off, because he was never ingrafted. If the second fall, he may be & is cut off from Christ. But mark how: he is not wholly cut of but in some part, namely in respect of the inward fellowship & communion with Christ, but not in respect of conjunction with him. A mans arm taken with the dead palsy, hangs by & receives no heat, life, or sense from the rest of the members, or from the head, yet for all this, it remains still united & coupled to the body, & may again be recovered by plasters & 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 remains before God a member of Christ which shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance.

I added further, that this prevailing is with foyles. A foile is, when the flesh for the time vanquisheth & 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 lyes groueling astonished not able to fight: or like him that hath a fit of the falling sicknes, who for a time lies like a dead man. Hence the question may be mooued, whether the flesh preuailing doth not extinguish the spirit, & so cut off a man from Christ, till such time as he be ingrafted again. The answer is this. There be ⟨p. 86⟩two sorts of christians: one who doth only in shew & name professe Christ: & such an one is no otherwise a member of Christs mystical body, then a wooden leg set to the body is a mēber of the body. The second is he that in name & deed is a liuely part & mēber of Christ. If the first fall, he cānot be said to be cut off, because he was never ingrafted. If the secōd fall, he may be & is cut off from Christ. But marke how: he is not wholly cut of but in some part, namely in respect of the inward fellowship & communiō with Christ, but not in respect of coniunctiō with him. A mans arme takē with the dead palsie, hangs by & receives no heate, life, or sense frō the rest of the members, or frō the head, yet for all this, it remains still united & coupled to the body, & may again be recovered by plaisters & phisicke: so after agrievous fall the childe of God feeles no inward peace and comfort but is smitten in conscience with tbe trembling of a spirituall palsie for his offence: and yet indeed remaines before God a member of Christ which shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance.