A catechism and confession of faith approved of and agreed unto by the general assembly of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, Christ himself being chief speaker in and among them : which containeth a true and faithful account of the principles and doctrines which are most surely believed by the churches of Christ in Great Brittain and Ireland who are reproachfully called by the name of Quakers ... : to which is added An expostulation with and appeal to all other professors / by R.B.

CHAP. VIII. (Book 8)

Concerning Perseverance & Falling from GRACE.

Question. IS it enough for a Believer, to be sure that he hath once received true Grace? or is there any further Certainty requisite?

A. Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall, 2 Pet. 1. 10.

Q. May one that hath received true Grace have Ground to fear, or suppose he can fall?

A. But I keep under my Body, and bring it into Subjection, lest that by any Means when I have preached to others, I my self should become a Cast away, 1 Cor. 9. 27.

Q. That greatly contradicteth the Doctrine

of such as say, Once in ••race, ever in Grace; But doth the Apostle Paul express this only o••t of an Humble Esteem of himself? or doth he judg or suppose the like of other Saints?

A. Take heed, Brethren, lest there be in any of you an Evil Heart of Unbelief, in de∣parting from the Living God; But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the Deceit∣fulness of Sin, Hebr. 4. 12, 13.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that Rest, lest any man fall after the same Example of Unbelief, Hebr. 4. 11.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the Good Word of God, and the Powers of the World to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto Repentance, seeing they crucifie to them∣selves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open Shame, Hebr. 6. 4, 5, 6.

Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the Grace of God, lest any Root of Bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled, Hebr. 12. 15.

Q. Doth he speak this only by Supposition? or doth he assert it not only Possible, but Cer∣tain?

A. For the time will come, when they will not endure sound Doctrine, but after their own Lusts shall they heap to themselves Teachers, having itching Ears; and they shall turn away their Ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto Fables, 2 Tim. 4. 3.

Q. Doth the Apostle even judge it necessa∣ry to guard such a one as his beloved Son, Timo∣thy, against this Hazard?

A. This Charge I commit unto thee, Son Timothy, according to the Prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them might war the good Warfare; Holding Faith in a good Conscience, which some having put a∣way concerning Faith, have made Shipwrack, 1 Tim. 1. 18, 19.

For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced them∣selves through with many Sorrows, 2 Tim. 4. 10.

And their Word will eat, as doth a Can∣ker, of whom is Hymeneus and Philet••••, who concerning the true Faith have erred; saying, That the Resurrection is past already; and overthrown the Faith of some, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18.

Q. Doth the Apostle any where express his

Fears of this as a thing that may happen to any number of People, who once truly received the Faith of Christ?

A. Well, because of Unbelief they were broaken off, and thou standest by Faith; be not High-minded, but fear, Rom. 11, 20.

Now, the Spirit speaketh expresly, that in the Latter times some shall depart from the Faith, &c. 1 Tim. 4. 1.

For this Cause, when I could no longer for∣bear, I sent to know your Faith, lest by some means the Tempter have tempted you, and our Labour be in vain, 1 Thess. 3. 5.

Q. What is the Apostle Peter's Mind? does he judge that such as have known the right Way may forsake it?

A. Cursed Children, which have forsaken the Righteous Way, and are gone astray, fol∣lowing the Way of Balaam, the Son of Bez••r, who loved the Wages of Unrighteousness; but was rebuked for his Iniquity; the dumb Ass speaking with Man's Voice, forbad the Madness of the Prophet, These are Wells without Water, Clouds that are carried with a Tempest, to whom the Mist of Darkness is reserved forever: For when they speak great swelling Words of Vanity; they allure through the Lusts of the Flesh, through much Wan∣tonness;

those that were clean escaped from them who live in Error: For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the Latter-end is worse with them then the Beginning; for it had been better for them, not to have known the Way of Righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delive∣red unto them: But it is happened to them, ac∣cording to the true Proverb, The Dog is tur∣ned to his Vomit again, and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire, 2 Pet. 2. 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22.

Q. Gives he any Cautions to them that stand, as supposing they may also fall?

A. Ye therefore, Beloved, seeing ye know these Things before, beware, lest ye also be∣ing led away with the Error of the Wicked, fall from your own Stedfastness, 2 Pet. 3. 17.

Q. May a man be truly a Branch in Christ, or a real Member of his Body, and afterwards be cut off?

A. If any man abide not in me, he is cast forth, as a Branch, and is withered, Joh. 15. 6.

Q. May a Righteous Man then depart from his Righteousness?

A. But when the Righteous Man turneth

away from his Righteousness, and commits Iniquity, and dyeth in them, for his Iniquity that he hath done shall he dye, Ezek. 18. 26. & 33. 13.

Q. May a Believer come to such a Conditi∣on in this Life, from which he cannot fall away?

A. Him that overcometh will I make a Pil∣lar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, which is New Jerusalem, who cometh down out of Heaven from my God; and will write upon him my New Name, Rev. 3. 12.

Q. May such an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ome to be assured that he is in this Condition?

A. For I am perswaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord, Rom. 8. 38, 39.