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I answer, we have an English proverb, What if the sky fall? Propositions are but weakly grounded on mere suppositions. Should they ask, What if they had died in the act of their sins? Well, say they had died in the act of their sin, they could not die in their impenitence; they in an instant might return to God, and rely on Christ: or at least, if sudden death had surprised them; their general repentance and faith in Christ which they had before their fall, would have been sufficient for them. For their justification and adoption were not impaired, though their sanctification was diminished. But we must believe God's promise, and the issue will be this, though we cannot always tell how, that God will so guide his children with his counsel, that afterwards he will receive them to glory, Psa. lxxiii. 24.

Secondly, They object violently, that this doctrine of not falling wholly from God, and of certainty of salvation, after a man is once in a state of grace, is a doctrine of licentiousness and carnal liberty, causing men to be negligent in the use of means of grace, and careless in their Christian course; for when they once know they shall not be damned, they will live as they list; say they.

First, I appeal to ancient and daily experience, both in ministers and people. For those who have been most assured of God's favour, and of their salvation, have been and are more frequent in preaching, more diligent in hearing, and in the use of all good means of salvation, than those of the other opinion, and have been most holy and more strict in their lives. But the doctrine of these, that teach falling totally and finally from grace, they being the patrons of free-will, on which all the fabric of their building hangs, is rather a doctrine opening a door to licentiousness. For thinking that they may repent if they will, they judge themselves not so unwise but that they will and shall repent before they die, therefore they take liberty to live as they list in the mean time.

Secondly, The Scriptures, the nature of saving faith, and all sound judgment, do reason quite con-