A table concerning Christ our aduocate and whether remission of sinnes once obtained, can againe be made frustrate, comprised in foure propositions, and fourteene conclusions / by Richard Swaine.

A Table concerning Christ our Aduocate , and whether remission of sinnes once obtained , can againe be made frustrate , comprised in foure propositions , and foureteene Conclusions .

CHRIST is the Aduocate of the elect Iohn 17. Rom. 8. onely , and ( that ) of all which haue been from the beginning of the world , and shall be to the end .

Aug. Tract. 41. in Ioh. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 15 2 Christ also is the propitiation onely for the sins of the elect of the whole world : therefore hee is their Aduocate onely . So the Church of Smirna to all the parishes , as Paul saith ; Christ did suffer for the saluation of all the world which are to be saued ; but the elect onely are saued . So Ambrose , Tom. 2. de fide ad gratianum , lib. 4. c. 1. If thou dost not beleeue , he descended not for thee : therefore he suffered onely for the beleeuers .

Gen. 18. 22. Galat. 3. Psalm. 44. Iohn . 12. Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Coloss , 1. Habet ergo populus Dei plenitudinem suum . Ambros . Ibid. 3 The ( world ) is somtimes taken for the whole world , and all men , as well Elect as Reprobate . Sometime for the more principall part ; to wit , the Elect. Sometime for the worse part of the world , that is , the Reprobate . The author also of the booke , De vocatione Gentium , lib. 1. cap. 3. doth declare by examples of many scriptures , oftentimes for a part of the earth , the whole earth ; for a part of the world , the whole world ; for a part of men , all men to bee nominated : and this as well touching the wicked as the godly . Therefore when he saith , that Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world , wee are not inforced by the name of ( the whole world ) to vnderstand vniuersally all men .

4 There is a difference betweene the worke of our Redemption , and the force ( or fruit ) of our redemption : for the first is once done , the other is eternal , extending it selfe as well to them which were from the beginning of the world ; euen before the work of our redemption was accomplished , as to them who after the worke of our redemption effected , shal be to the end of the world . 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 is properly the efficacie of redemption and propitiation ; nothing therefore doth let , but that Christ hath beene , and is perpetually the attonement for the sinnes euen of them which were elected from the beginning of the world .

The summary of questions , whether remission of sinnes once obtained , can againe be made frustrate , comprised in fourteene Conclusions .

THe whole course of the Gospell is contained in this summe , that it might perswade vs with beliefe in Christ , that our saluation is firme & constant Iohn 3. 5. Math. 7. & 16. Rom. 11. ( that is in Christ . ) If therefore any shall say , that remission of sinnes once obtained , by consequent falles can be made frustrate in the Saints , hee doth ouer-turne the whole scope of the Gospell . Reade Esay 38. 44. Mich. 7.

2 Only by an absolute relapse from piety to impiety , Nunquam in nemine ob nullum peccatum sit irrita remissio . Zanch. the remission of sinnes past once obtained , can be done away . But this relapse the true Saints and elect are not incident vnto : therefore in them forgiuenesse of sinnes cannot be frustrate .

3 In the Reprobate true remission of sinnes neuer tooke place : therefore it can neuer in them bee frustrate ; wherefore in none .

Pro omnibus sufficienter , pre electis tantum efficaciter . Zanch. exscholasticis .

Pro omnibus illis electis . ex Aug. Iohn . 17. 1 , Ioh. 2. Rom. 8

4 For the blood of Christ , by which alone remission is atchieued , is not according to the purpose of God , and in deed shed out for the reprobate vnbeleeuers , but only for other many , that is , the Elect , and that for all those many .

5 Neither did Christ pray vpon earth , nor now mediate in heauen , for the reprobate ; but onely for the elect beleeuers , & in time to come to beleeue in Him ; but remission of sinnes is obtained by the Aliqua luce mentes illuminat , nurquam tamen pen●●●at illo●is corda , Zanch. Ioh. 1. intercession of Christ .

6 Likewise none but the Elect are truely endued with the Spirit of Regeneration , who are truely Christs , Rom. 8. But without the Spirit of Regeneration forgiuenesse of sinnes is not gotten .

Titus . 1 Rom. 10. 2. Thess 3. Act. 13 Rom. 5. 7 So also true and iustifying Faith is onely proper to the Elect : How then can the reprobate attaine remission of sinnes ?

8 To the wicked reprobates there is no peace , as saith the Prophet , but of remission of sinnes doth follow true peace .

9 From remission of sinnes doth alwaies follow title to eternall life , and after title the possession it self ; but the reprobate can neuer haue any title vnto life eternal , and much lesse to the possession thereof .

10 To attaine remission of sinnes , and to be iustified , are all one Rom. 4. Now none are iustified who are not predestinated , and elect to iustification and life eternall ; and whosoeuer are iustified shall be glorified Rom. 8. Therefore the Reprobate Rom. 8 shall neuer obtaine truely remission of sinnes , therefore it can neuer be frustrate in them , in whom it is not at all .

Gu●…erunt nō●…ederunt .

Zanch. Gustant sed ●…ox expuūt idem . discrimen inter dona spiritus sancti simpliciter & dona spiritus sancti regenerantis .

Zanchius .

11 By that speech of the Apostle to the Hebrewes c. 6. It is impossible that they who are illuminated , and haue tasted of the heauenly gift , and haue beene made partakers of the holy Spirit , and haue tasted notwithstanding of the good Word of God , and of the Powers of the world to come , and are fallen away , to be againe renewed to repentance : it cannot be concluded that the reprobate are endued with the true Spirit of Regeneration , with a true and iustifying Faith , and therefore with true remission of sinnes : yet that many of them are affected with a temporary faith , and some tastes of the holy Spirit , this , and other places , do plainely teach .

12 The place 2. Pet. 1. touching Hypocrites ( For hee that hath not these things is blinde , which seeth nothing a farre off , forgetting that he was purged from his old sinnes ) is to bee vnderstood according to the custome of the holy Scriptures , which do call Saints according to the iudgment of charity , Iust , purged from their sinnes , although they are not all so before God , so many as are Baptised into Christ , and confesse Him , all such are Sacramentally cleansed .

Conditionalis propositio nihil ponit in forma . Zanch.

Psalm. 1. 112.

13 That of Ezech. chap. 18. ( If the Iust do auert from his Iustice ) is not to be vnderstood of him who is truely iust , but of him who onely seemeth of men to be iust . For neither can he who is truely righteous , finally fall from iustice to iniquity , and die therein , of which finall and perfect auersion the Prophet speaketh : Now hypocrites being iust onely before men , do neuer obtaine true remission of sinnes before God , therefore it cannot bee proued by this sentence , that it is frustrate .

14 That Mat. 18. So your heauenly Father shall do to you , vnlesse you forgiue euery one to his brother from his heart their offences ; doth not conclude , that sins once truly released can againe be called into iudgment , but this onely , that such men are deceiued , who thinke their debts to be remitted from God vnto them , when as they do not forgiue trespasses to their brethren .

Math. 12. 33. Euery tongue that speaketh against mee ( that is the Holy Ghost ) shall be condemned .

1. Cor. 15. 19. If in this life wee haue onely hope in Christ , wee are of all men most miserable .

By Richard Swaine ,