An Apology for the True Christian Divinity / Being an explanation and vindication of the principles and doctrines of the people called Quakers

by Robert Barclay

§. II.

Arg. 1.If Men may turn the Grace of God into Wantonness, then they must once have had it:

But the First is true: Therefore also the Second.

Arg. 2.If Men may make Shipwreck of Faith, they must once have had it; Neither could they ever have had true Faith without the Grace of God:

But the First is true: Therefore also the Last.

Arg. 3.If Men may have tasted of the heavenly Gift, and been made Partakers of the Holy Spirit, and afterwards fall away, they must needs have known in Measure the Operation of God’s saving Grace and Spirit, without which no Man could taste the heavenly Gift, nor yet partake of the Holy Spirit:

But the First is true: Therefore also the Last.

II. The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation is inconsistent with Preaching, and daily Exhortation.Secondly, Seeing the contrary Doctrine is built upon this false Hypothesis, That Grace is not given for Salvation to any, but to a certain elect Number, which cannot lose it, and that all the rest of Mankind, by an absolute Decree, are debarred from Grace and Salvation; that being destroyed, this falls to the Ground. Now as that Doctrine of theirs is wholly inconsistent with the daily Practice of those that preach it, in that they exhort People to believe and be saved, while in the mean Time, if they belong to the Decree of Reprobation, it is simply impossible for them so to do; and if to the Decree of Election, it is needless, seeing it is as impossible to them to miss of it, as hath been before demonstrated. So also in this Matter of Perseverance, their Practice and Principle are no less inconsistent and contradictory. For while they daily exhort People to be faithful to the End, shewing them if they continue not, they shall be cut off, and fall short of the Reward; which is very true, but no less inconsistent with that Doctrine that affirms there is no Hazard, because no Possibility of departing from the least Measure of true Grace; which if true, it is to no Purpose to beseech them to stand, to whom God hath made it impossible to fall. I shall not longer insist upon the Probation of this, seeing what is said may suffice to answer my Design; and that the Thing is also abundantly proved by many of the same Judgment. That this was the Doctrine of the primitive Protestants thence appears, that the Augustine Confession condemns it as an Error of the Anabaptists, to say, That they who once are justified, cannot lose the Holy Spirit. Many such like Sayings are to be found in the common Places of Philip Melancthon. The Opinion of the Fathers concerning falling from Grace.Vossius, in his Pelagian History, Lib. 6. testifies, That this was the common Opinion of the Fathers. In the Confirmation of the twelfth Thesis, Page 587. he hath these Words: “That this which we have said was the common Sentiment of Antiquity, those at present can only deny, who otherwise perhaps are Men not unlearned, but nevertheless in Antiquity altogether Strangers, &c.” These Things thus observed, I come to the Objections of our Opposers.