that without the least intimation of any disparagement hereby unto it When Moses prayed God to blot him out of the Book which he had written in case he would not forgive the Sin of the People a Ex 〈…〉 32. 32 questionless he did not conceive that he desired any thing that would deface or disgrace His Book So when God returned this answer to that His demand Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Booke He did not intend any blemish to His Book When Christ from Heaven expresseth Himself thus to the Church of Sardis He that overcommeth the same shall be clothed in white rayment and I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life b Revel 3. 5. c. He clearly supposeth that there were or at least might be some whose Names he would blot out of this Book otherwise it would be no matter of honor or specialty of priviledge which He promiseth herein As in case all Men were to be cloathed in white and no possibility of any Mans falling short of this honour it had been very impertinent and unproper for our Saviour to promise with so much solemnity as the words import a Cloathing in white by way of reward unto him that overcommeth See also Psal 69. 28. 2. To conceive that what the Scripture meaneth by blotting out of the Book of Life should be any matter of defacement to this Book or any thing unseemly for God otherwise savours of Carnality of Notion about this Book and of a mis-apprehension of what is seemly and unseemly for God to doe For Gods Book of Life is nothing else but His generall purpose or decree concerning persons to be saved not by their Names but their capacities or qualifications So that when He is said to blot out any Mans Name out of this Book which He never doth or is said to doe but upon their devesting themselves of that capacity in respect whereof they are said to have been written in this Book according to what we lately heard from himself whosoever hath sinned against me Him will I blot out of My Book it importeth onely this that whereas before whilest he remained faithfull and upright with God God according to his Purpose and Promise made to such Men intended Life and Salvation unto him now by reason of his back-sliding unto Sin and Wickednesse he purposeth to destroy him and that according to his generall and unpartiall decree of destroying sinners and wicked Men if they repent not So that if it be not unseemly for God to destroy backsliding sinners who remaine hardened and impenitent to the end neither is it unseemly for him to blot out the Names of Men upon the occasion specified out of His Book of Life Cameron expounding those words lately mentioned I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life To be blotted out of the Book of Life saith he is nothing else but to be condemned It is a forme of speech where the antecedent is put for the consequent borrowed from that which is frequently done amongst Men as viz. when any Man or any Mans Name is by command from the Magistrate struck out of the Catalogue or Roll of Citizens that all may know that he is a condemned Man a Deleri à libro vitae nihil aliud est quà m damnari Est autem antecedens pro consequenti sumptâ formulâ loquedi abeo quod fieri solet in vitâ communi verbi gratiâ cum deletur aliquis è catalogo civium jussu magistratus ut eum damnatum sciant omnes Cameron Myroth p. 354. There is nothing in the Allegation in hand worthy any further consideration it is all Face and nothing Heart against the cause which it pretends to fight Another Argument demonstrative of the Doctrine pre-asserted is this §. 32. Argum. 6. That Doctrins which is according unto godlinesse i. e. whose naturall and proper tendency is to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth Such is the Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo. The Reason of the Major Proposition though the truth of it needs no light but it s own to be seen by is because the Gospell it self is a Doctrine which is according unto godlinesse b 1 Tim. 6. 3. a Truth according unto godlinesse c Tit. 1. 1. a mystery of godlinesse d 1 Tim. 3. 16 c. i. e. a Doctrine Truth and Mystery calculated contriv'd and fram'd by God with a singular aptnesse and choycenesse of ingredients for the advancement of godlinesse in the World Therefore what particular Doctrine soever is of the same spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and of perfect accord with it This proposition then is unquestionable Nor can the Minor lightly be lesse unquestionable to him that shall duly and unpartially examine and weigh the frame and import of it For what Doctrine can be more proper or powerfull to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men then that which on the one hand promiseth a Crown of blessednesse and eternall glory to those that live godlily without declining and on the other hand threateneth the vengeance of eternall Fire against those that shall turne aside unto prophainnesse and not retâ—rne by Repentance Whereas that Doctrine which promiseth and that with all possible certainty and assureance all fulnesse of blessednesse and glory to those that shall at any time be godly though they shall the very next day or houre degenerate and turne loose and prophane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive unto godlinesse and incouraging above measure to prophainnesse If it be objected and said yea but the assureance of the unchangeablenesse §. 33. of Gods Love towards him that is godly is both a more effectuall and perswading motive unto godlinesse and more incouraging unto a persevering in godlinesse then a doubtfulnesse or uncertainty whether God will be constant in His affection to such a Man or no. Certainty of reward is more incouraging unto action then uncertainty I answer 1. The Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints finall defection teacheth an assurance of the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love towards him that is godly as well as the Doctrine contrary to it onely with this difference this latter Doctrine teacheth the said unchangeablenesse absolutely and against all possible change by sin and wickednesse in the person supposed at present to be godly whereas the former teacheth and asserteth the same unchangeablenesse but conditionally and upon the Perseverance oâ— him that is godly in his course So that this Doctrine teacheth as much câ—râ—ainty of the love of God towards him that is godly as such and as continuing such as the other doth And the truth is that the other Doctrine rightly interpreted doth not so much promise
you were children you were accepted with Him ye shall not enter c. Calvins words in English are these And the conversion whereof He speaks imports that His Disciples had at this time too much accustomed themselves to the common course and manners of men in the world and therefore that they might aspire to the mark at which they aimed I suppose He meaneth greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven they must turn back in their course c Atque huc spectat conversio cujus meminit quòd scilicet ad communes hominum mores jam nimis assuevissent Discipuli ideó que ut ad scopum adspirent cursum illis retroflectendum esse And unless we shall suppose that children to whom our Saviour saith that His Disciples must be like or else never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven are in an estate of grace favor with God we shall make Him to say in effect that unless they be like unto those who are in an estate of condemnation they cannot be saved For as Musculus upon the place well observes our Saviour doth not say unto them Except ye be converted and become as this childe but indefinitely and become as children or little ones lest they should conceive that there was something singular in this childe more then in others which they were to imitate d Non dicit sicut puer iste sed sicut parvuli ne putarent isti puero singulare quid ab aliis pueris inesse quod imitandum esset Nor doth any thing that hath been said upon this last account suppose children to be begotten or born without Original Sin onely that indeed hath been said which supposeth that that sin which is in children is taken away by the Death of Christ so that they are generally whilest children in the favor of God through Christ notwithstanding that sin which is in them Neither is this any thing more then what Musculus Himself upon the place clearly avoucheth in respect of all Children without exception that have been Baptized a Quòd veró per baptismum dicit tolli peccatum originis verum est ità tamen ut concupiscentia illa prava non ideó extinguatur sed opus sit ut crucifigatur per omnem vitam Ita tollitur peccatum per gratiam Christi ut non condemnet ampliùs juxta illud Nihil est condemnationis illis qui sunt in Christo Iesu Vt autem nullum sit peccatum in carne nostrâ non sequitur But this onely by the way Nor doth that of the Apostle any ways oppose either the possiblity or §. 30. conveniency of a second Regeneration For though you have ten thousand Instructors in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel b 1 Cor. 4 15. Because He speaketh here not of what they were uncapable of having afterwards but of what their state and condition was at present by His means and Ministry That which He remindeth the Corinthians of in the Metaphorical Notion of His being a Father unto them and the onely Father they had is nothing else but that He was the onely Person that had layd the Corner-stone or first foundations of that spiritual building which was now amongst them He was the onely Person that had by the Preaching of the Gospel formed them into a Church of Christ and that all those Teachers that came amongst them afterwards however magnified by them above Him yet were they but as Tutors or Schoolmasters unto them in comparison of Him building upon His foundations and consequently could not in Reason be so truly and naturally affected towards them as He as it is no ways probable but that the love and care of a Father towards His Children should be greater and more genuine then of a School-master This is agreeable to what He elsewhere writeth to the same Persons I have planted Apollos watered c 1 Cor. 3. 6. c. and a little after According to the Grace of God given to me as a skilful Master-builder I have layd the Foundation and another buildeth thereon d Vers 10. c. And elsewhere not boasting of things without our measure that is of other mens labors and presently after to preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast of another mans line of things made ready to our hand e 2 Cor. 10. 15 16. In these expressions of his not boasting of things without His measure of other mens labors of things prepared to His Hand c. He obliquely taxeth the ambitious vanity of those vain glorious Teachers whom these Corinthians so much applauded with an undervaluing of Him in assuming unto themselves the Honor and Repute of all that knowledg of Christ and those other worthy things of the Gospel that were found in them as if they had been the Authors and prime or sole Instruments of God in the raising and working of them whereas this was His line and measure and that which of right and according to truth appertained to Him But His being a Father unto them in this sence neither implies but that there might be many particular Persons amongst them begotten to the Faith through the Gospel by other Ministers and Teachers besides Him nor but that in case any of those who had been begotten by Him should apostatize from the Faith they might be again recovered and so be again begotten by others The substance of this Interpretation is delivered by Calvin Himself upon the place If any objecteth saith He how can Paul deny those to be Fathers who succeeded Him when as there are new Children begotten unto God dayly in the Church The Answer is easie viz. that here He speaketh of the first beginnings of a Church For though never so many should have been begotten by the Ministry of other Men yet this honour remained intâ—re unto Paul that he was the first founder of the Corinthian Church a Si quis objiciat quùm gignantur quotidie novi Dâ—o filij in Ecclesiâ cur Patres esse negat Paulus qui sibi successorant Facilis est solutio nempe quòd hîc dâ— primordio Ecclesiae loquatur Vt enim plaerique aliorum Ministerio geniti fuissent manâ—bat tamen uni Paulo hic honor illibatus quod Ecclesiam Corinthiacam fundâsset So that evident it is that there is nothing at all in the place alledged against a Reiteration of Regeneration Nor is that which I have sometimes heard alledged in opposition to the §. 31. Doctrine maintained in the Digression yet in hand any whit more considerable as viz. that it teacheth or supposeth a blotting and a blurring a putting in and a putting out of Names in Gods Book of Life which some it seems conceive to be unseemly and some wayes disparaging the said Book But 1. The Scripture it self frequently speakes of that which the Objectors call a blotting in the said Book of God and
their sacrificing to an unknown God d Acts 17. 29 4. And lastly The Interposure and actings of Reason and Vnderstanding in men are of that soveraign and most transcendent use yea necessity in and about matters of Religion that all the Agency of the Spirit notwithstanding a man can perform nothing no manner of service unto God with acceptation nothing in a way of true Edification to himself without their engagement and service First I stand charged by God not to beleeve every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God e 1 Iohn 4. 1 I demand by what Rule or Touchstone shall I try any spirit When or upon what account shall I reject one as a spirit of Error Falshood and Delusion and do Homage with my Iudgment and Conscience to another as the Spirit of God If it be said I ought to try the spirits by the Scriptures or Word of God I demand again but how shall I try my Touchstone or be sure that that principle notion or ground which I call the Word of God and by which I go about to try the spirits is indeed the Word of God There is scarce any spirit of Error that is abroad in the Christian World but freely offers it self to be tryed by the Word of God as well as the true Spirit of God Himself i. e. by such meanings sences or conclusions as it self confidently asserts to be the Word of God i. e. the Mind of God in the Scriptures So that I am in no capacity to try such a spirit which upon such an account as this pretends his coming forth from God unless I be able to prove that those sences meanings and conclusions by which he offers to be tryed are not indeed the Word of God Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly and only by the Scriptures themselves because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proof or tryal in this case this spirit will reject my sence and interpretation in case it maketh against him and will substitute another that shall not oppose him Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case at least as an untruth unless I apprehend some relish or taste therein which is irrational or some notion which jarreth with or grateth upon some clear principle or other of reason within me For as on the one hand what Doctrine or notion soever clearly accordeth and is commensurable with any solid and undoubted principle or ground of Reason within me is hereby demonstrably evinced to be a Truth and from God so on the other hand what Doctrine or saying soever bears hard or falls foul upon any such principle must of necessity be an Error and somewhat that proceeds from Satan or from men and not from God The Reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of Confusion but of peace a 1 Cor. 14. 33. From whence it appears that God is not divided in himself or contradictions to himself so as to write or assert that in one book as in that of the Scriptures which he denyeth or opposeth in another as viz. in that of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing Inclinavit Deus Scripturas ad infantium lactentium capacitatem Aug. in Psal 8. * Tertul. De testimonio Animae adversus Gentes c. 1. Mirum si a Deo data homini novit divinare Sic mirum si a Deo data cadem canit quae Deus suis dedit nosse Ibidem c. 5. Si de tuis literis dubitas neque Deus neque natura mentitur ut Deo naturae credas crede animae c. Ib. cap. 6. Cur verba habet Christianonorum quos ne auditos visâ—s que vult Ibid. O testimonium Animae naturaliter Christianae Tertul. Apologet Ne â—ui praeclusus esset ad felicitatem aditus non solum hominum mentibus indidit illud quod diximus Religionis semen c. Calvin instit l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 1. in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Mr Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speaks of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which may be obtained by the light of nature In this saying of his he clearly supposeth that whatsoever should be taught by any man in the mysterious and high points of Predestination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the Truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. the disagreement of it with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men If himself had kept close to this principle of his own in drawing up his Judgment in the point of Predestination the World had received a far differing and better account from his pen of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were that the heights and depths of Religion for so we may well call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c have nothing in them but what agreeth with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Dictates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of Reason It was the saying of Augustin that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of Babes and Sucklings Tertullian hath much upon this account to excellent purpose In one place speaking of the Soul being yet simple rude and unfurnished with any acquired knowledge either from the Scripture or other institution he demands why it should be strange that being given by God it should speak out or sing the same things the knowledg whereof God giveth unto his children Not long after he admonisheth the Gentiles that neither God nor Nature lye and thereupon that they may beleeve both God and nature willeth them to beleeve their own Souls A little after he saith that the Soul he speaks of hath the words and therefore the inwards senses and impressions of Christians whom notwithstanding it wisheth that it might never hear or see Elsewhere having mentioned some expressions of affinity with the Scriptures as oft coming out of the mouths of Heathen he triumphs as it were over them with this acclamation O the Testimony of a Soul naturally Christian Nor doth Calvin himself say any whit less then all this when he saith that God hath implanted or inwardly put the seed of Religion in the mind of men Doubtless the seed sympathizeth richly with that body which springs and grows from it But these
spiritual and obstruse contemplation it cannot reasonably be expected but that the Disputes themselves should sometimes soar high so that the ordinary apprehensions of men may possibly lose the sight of them for a time 5. Some plead a non-necessity of bestowing our time in looking into Books that shall now or hereafter be written about the Argument or Subject matter of the present Discourse upon a pretence that nothing more can be said therein then hath been said already and that all Scriptures and Arguments that can be levyed for the defence of the Doctrines maintained herein have been already answered Such a pretence as this is proper for men who hope to make a great purchase with a little money to produce the honour and reputation of much knowledg and learning by uttering a few assuming and daring words For upon what sober and rational account can such a saying proceed from any man Or who can say unto the Almighty with due reverence to the unsearchable Riches either of his Wisdom or of his Grace and Bounty Hitherto indeed thou hast advanced thy self in giving Wisdom and Understanding unto men but further thou canst not go thy treasures are exhaust It becometh not me to say unless I were invested with Paul's priviledg of speaking without offence like a fool e 2 Cor. 11. 16 23 that there are several Considerations and Grounds traversed in the present Discourse and these intimously relating to the Controversies there handled which I beleeve the Masters of the pretence last specified have not observed in all their Travels through those many regions of Books and Authors which they would be supposed to have read and studied for the Information of themselves and others with the Truth in those great Controversies And whereas the Pretext in hand glorieth that all that hath been said in defence of the Opinions avouched in our Discourse hath been already answered unless he takes Sanctuary at some very unproper signification of the word Answer his glorying in this behalf will be found to his shame yea such a Sanctuary as this will not much relieve him Indeed as Tacitus saith of the ancient Britans of this Nation in relation to the Romans eos potius triumphatos quam victos fuisse that the Romans rather triumphed over them then overcame them so have the Adversaries of the Opinions and Doctrines we speak of been at the charge of erecting many Trophies one after another as if they had by the Sword of the Spirit and dint of Argument vanquished and subdued them and trodden down their strength whereas upon a true and unpartial account the main Grounds and Pillars upon which the said Doctrines stand will be found to remain undemolished and unshaken to this day yea and to have too much evidence and clearness of truth in them ever to be shaken Some pretend that the Opinions contended for in this Discourse have been from time to time taken up and held for the most part by a looser and less-Religious generation of men and the contrary by persons of a better Name for Holiness and Worthiness of Conversation This notion is accessory to some mens stumblings at the said Opinions yea and at all those whether men or Books that give the right hand of fellowship unto them But what near communion this notion hath with darkness and untruth is abundantly proved in the nineth fifteenth and nineteenth Chapters of the Discourse besides other places Although the truth is that were there truth in it yet would there be little weight in it to mediate a resolved Enmity between mens Iudgments and these Opinions The Devil held that Jesus Christ was the Holy One of God f Mark 1. 24 and professed it whilest Paul persecuted him and thought verily that he was bound to do many things against his Name g Acts 26. 9 But to this Point I speak more in the said 15 Chapter The noise of Arminianism Pelagianism Socinianism is very terrible in the ears of some and make the said Opinionâ— the dread and abhorring of their Souls and all Books and men that own them as the shadow of death unto them To this I answer 1. That it is a saying of Luther that God sometimes puts on the vizor of the Devil and the Devil the vizor of God But God would be known by men under the vizor of the Devil and would have the Devil rejected under the vizor of God h Deus larvam Diaboli Diabâ—lus Dei induit et Deus sub larva Diaboli cognosci et Diabolum sub larva Dei reprobari vult Luth. in Gal. 5 Odious names and imputations are but the Devils vizors which though they be by men put upon the face of Truth will not excuse us in our rejections of the Truth But 2. Concerning the Charge of Pelagianism I demonstrate in several passages in the Discourse that the Opinions there pleaded have an express diametral antipathy against the Errors of Pelagius and that the sence of our Adversaries in opposition to us is truly Pelagian 3. Concerning Arminianism I confess I do not well understand what men mean by it I suppose they mean the owning of such Doctrines or Opinions in opposition to the Truth so voted and called by men which were held and taught by Arminius If so the formality or essence of Arminianism doth not stand in holding any thing simply in opposition to the Truth but in opposition unto men as supposed by themselves and others to be Truth The Jewish Doctors who love to be called Rabbi have a saying that the Law is on Earth not in Heaven the import of which saying Musculus interprets to be this that the Law meaning of God is subject to their power i Magistri Synagogae dicebant Lex est in terra non est in coeliâ— significantes illam suae potestati esse subjectam Mus 1. Cor. 11 or authority If this be the sence of those that are Teachers amongst us that their Authority is competent to over-rule the Scriptures or to make Truth and error of what they please they who dissent from them must for ought I know compose themselves as well as they can to bear the burthen of their imputations If the opinions commended by me for Truth in the work in band be Arminian certain I am that the ancient Fathers and Writers of the Christian Church were generally Arminian yea and that Calvin himself had many sore fits and pangs of Arminianism at times upon him yea and that the Synod of Dort it self was not free from the infection nor scarce any writer of name and note in these latter times These things are brought into a clear and unquestionable light by the Discourse ensuing Concerning Socinianism if the opinions themselves charged herewith know no more then I do of the Truth of the charge they may justly take up Davids complaint and say They lay to our charge things that we know not k Psal 35. 11 But if such Doctrines or Tenents
that great and blessed end and purpose viz. that by them they might be made capable of attaining that life and Salvation which was procured purchased for them by Christâ— and intended to be really conferr'd upon them upon their believing and continuance therein unto the end though it is true that men generally as they grow up in the World convert these Principles of light and understanding to other uses and not to those for which they are given them as viz. to make provision for the flesh for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof and not to the obtaining of that life and happinesse which is in Christ for them as foolish Children which fall to play or quarrell amongst themselves by the opportunity of that Candle which their Parents allow them for their studies and books Yea men generally doe not only mis-spend those Talents of light we speake of about the impertinencies of this present World but partly through an un-manlike oscitancy and inconsideratenesse partly out of an inordinate Propensity to comport with the World without any feare or sence of danger hereby suffer their judgements and understandings to be corrupted adulterated imbased and abused by many false and foolish Principles and Notions which turne them quite aside from a regular and due prosecution of that Life and Salvation which is in Christ for them and might have been obtained by them yea and subject them to a sad incapacity of the things of their Peace when they are proposed with the greatest Evidence and Power unto them Insomuch that though the Life which was in Christ is said to be the light of men yet it immediately followeth that the light shineth in darknesse i. e. The Doctrine of Life and Salvation is cleerly Preached to an ignorant World and the darknesse comprehended it not i. e. That ignorance or incapacity rather of the things of eternall life which men have voluntarily contracted and brought upon themselves is fo exceeding great and strange that they understand little or nothing of this Doctrine so Preached unto them But this occasionally only and by the way As to the Worke in hand doubtlesse there was never any man touch'd with any competent sence or enlightened with any tolerable Notion of a Deity that ever put it to the question in himself whether God was perfect or no. All men saith Aristotle in his Metaphysiques without any demur or delay ascribe that unto God which they conceive to be most perfect And indeed that very Sence and Notion of God which Nature prompteth her Children with though many of them are dull of hearing in this kind doth not admit of any thing look'd upon as defective or imperfect within the Verge of it Therefore having so firme and so generally-approved a foundation to build upon as the perfection of God let us see what it affordeth unto us by way of §. 4. evident deduction toward the advancement of our great design the magnifying of God in his gracious intendments of salvation unto all men without exception in or by the Death of Christ First if the Nature Essence and Being of God be most perfect then must it needs be most simple most intirely absolutely and perfectly one not admitting any Plurality or Composition whatsoever The reason of this is plaine because all Plurality and Composition whether of Parts or of Natures suppose imperfection For if any one of these Parts or Natures were perfect absolutely or infinitely perfect it were able to do whatsoever is necessary yea or possible to be done for without this there is no simple or absolute perfection and then what need were there of any thing more to be added unto it or joyn'd with it That a man hath Eares as well as Eyes and Eyes as well as Eares and so Hands as well as Feet and Feet as well as Hands cleerly proves that no one of these members are simply and absolutely perfect i. e. can do or performe and this with a like comelinesse and conveniency whatsoever is necessary to be done and performed by man for then all the rest should be superfluous They may all be perfect in their kinde i. e. with a determinate and limited perfection and in order to such or such a particular action and service and yet one stand in neede of another as the Apostle speaketh but if any one of them were simply and absolutely perfect i. e. could doe all things whatsoever upon the same terms of convenience which both it self and all the rest can do together certainly all the rest were needlesse So if an Angel could understand by his meere Essence or Substance of his Nature without any endowment or gift of understanding distinct there-from or could perform any other action or do any execution immediately by his Essence without the intervening of those Naturall endowments or qualities of Strength Power Activenesse c. all these endowments and appendices to his Nature and Essence would be meerly superfluous The necessity which the Angels have of Wisdom Knowledge Reason Strength c. over and besides their meere Essences and Beings plainly declareth and sheweth these Essences and Beings of theirs to be unperfect I meane in respect of a simple and absolute perfection and that they stand in neede of such additionall Properties and Endowments as we speak of to make them perfect even in their own kind Nor is it indeed possible for God to make any such Creature or to speak somewhat more properly no such Creature can possibly be made which shall be able to act or worke immediately by its Essence or otherwise then by the mediation of some Vertue Property or Quality in one kinde or other inherent therein it being the glorious and incommunicable property and prerogative of the Divine Essence or Being it self so to worke So then this absolute and infinite simplicity of the Nature of God supposed as without which he cannot be absolutely and infinitely perfect it plainly followeth First that all those attributes of God commonly so called as Wisdome §. 5. Knowledge Justice Mercy Goodnesse Power c. and so all those Passions and Affections as of Anger Griefe Repentance Love Hatred c. Deo idem est esse fortem esse vel sapientem esse vel justum esse si quid de illa simplici multiplicitate vel multiplici simplicitate dixeris quo substantia ejus significâ—tur Aug. de Trin. l. 6. c. 4. And again all those Parts or Members as Eyes Eares Hands Feet Mouth c. which are so frequently attributed unto him in the Scriptures are all one and the same thing in God though they be very different things in men nor is any one of them nor all of them together any other thing but only his single simple and pure Essence But therefore all this variety and diversity both of Attributes Affections and Parts is attributed unto him because by meanes of this one simple and single Essence being infinitely perfect he can when he
it to consist onely in the dissolution of the Body by Death as if the Punishment of Hell fire came in upon the account of the Gospel in case it should be rejected which is the Judgment of some amongst us I shall not dispute nor undertake to determine but pass on to hear the sence of other learned orthodox and pious Fathers much about the same time with the former Cyril of Jerusalem much about the same times delivereth His Sence about the Redemption of Christ thus The Crown of the Cross is this it led by a light those that were blinde through ignorance it set at liberty those that were detained under sin and REDEEMED THE WHOLE WORLD OF MEN. And wonder not that the WHOLE WORLD should be redeemed since He was not a bare man but the onely begotten Son of God that dyed for it t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hierosolym Catech. 13. And again Knowest thou why or for what end the Kinde Lord did not decline Death It was that the whole World might not be destroyed through sin u Scisnè quamobrem non fugit mortem benignus Dominus Vt ne totus peccatis perderetur Mundus Ibid. i. e. as appears from the former sentence and the scope of the place that the whole World might be saved by Him In another place the same Author saith Heaven and Earth are full of His Glory the ends of the World are full of His Goodness full of His Praise the WHOLE NATVRE OF MAN is full of His Condescention c. A little after speaking of Christ He saith He that is the Offerer is the same that is offered up FOR THE WORLD And not long after Let Adam rejoyce saying unto Christ by Simeon Lord now lâ—ttest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word Now dest thou dismiss or loose me from eternal bands now dost thou deliver me from corruption now dischargest thou my sorrow x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Hierosolym De Propheta Simeone c. Paulò post de Christo loquens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et posteà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evident it is that in this last Testimony He bringeth in Adam speaking not onely nor so much in His own Name personally considered but in the Name of His whole Posterity also Eusebius another Author of note about these times attesteth the same Doctrine by affirming that the Saints of old by the Teachings of the Divine Spirit came to learn long before that there was a certain Venerable and Great Sacrifice that should be highly accepted with God which should in time come unto Men and which would be the EXPIATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD And a little after This was the Christ of God concerning whom it was said of old that He should come unto men and should be slain after the manner of a beast or sheep FOR ALL MANKIND And again not long after According to the Testimonies of the Prophets there was found that Great and greatly to be esteemed Price for the redeeming both Jews and Grecians I mean that Expiation or Attonement FOR THE WHOLE WORLD that Sacrifice for the Souls OF ALL MEN that Offering for EVERY SPOT AND FOR EVERY SIN that Lamb of God y Qui venerabilem quandam Deoque acceptaÌ„ mâ—gnam hostiam venturam olim ad homines Divino indicante Spiritu tantò anté didicerant quae totius Mundi expiatio existeret c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evangel lib. 1. c. 10. Et mâ—x Hic autem fuit Christus Dei is de quo antiquitus à primis usque temporibus dictum est quòd ad homines esset venturus atque instar pecudis pro toto genere humano interficiendus Et mox Quando secundum Testimonia Prophetarum inventum est magnum magnique estimandum pro redimendis Judaeis pariter Graecis pretium illud videlicet pro toto Mundo Piaculum illud pro anima cunctorum hominum Sacrificium illa pro omni maculâ peccato purissima hostia ille vtique Agnus Dei c. c. Elsewhere He saith speaking of Christ that He took care for the Salvation OF ALL MEN THAT HAD BEEN BORN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD and to destroy Him by His Death who had the Power of Death the Devil z Quandoquidem omnium quicunque à condito aevo fuissent salutem ipse curabat nec non vt suâ Morte deleret eum qui imperium Mortis habebat c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evang. l. 4. c. 12. This Author abounds with Sayings of like import Arnâ—bius another Christian Writer about the same times of good account bringeth in the Heathen arguing and demanding of Christians thus If the Saviour of Mankinde be come as you Christians affirm why doth He not by the same bounty deliver all Men He doth not deliver all alike who calleth all alike He doth not keep back or reject any person from His soveraign Grace or indulgence who affords the same power unto high lâ—w servants women children of coming unto Him To this this Author answereth The Fountain of Life is open FOR ALL MEN nor is any man denyed the right or power of drinking nor driven away from it If your pride or disdain be such that you reject the benefit of the Gift offered nay if your wisdom be so great as to call those things which are offered by Christ pastime and toys how doth He offend who inviteth you notwithstanding who hath onely this to do viz. to expose the fruit or blessing of his bounty to the arbitrement or free choyce of that right or power of chusing which is givâ—â— you a Si generis humani inquitis conservator advenit Cur omninò non omnes aequali munificentia liberat Non aequaliter liberat qui aequaliter omnes vocat haud ab indulgentiâ Principali quenquam repellit aut respuit qui sublimibus infimis servis faeminis pueris uniformiter potestatem veniendi ad sâ— facit Patet inquit omnibus Fo rs vitae neque ab jure potandi quisquam prohibetur aut pellitur Si tibi fastidium tantum est vt oblati respuâ—s beneficium Muneris quin imò si sapientiâ tantum praevales vt ea quae offâ—râ—ntur à Christo ludum atqueâ—nâ—ptiaâ— nomines quid invitans peccat cujus solae sunt hae partes vt sub tui juris arbitrio fructum suae benignitatis exponat Arnob. lib. 2. contra gentes Didâ—mus another Author of note in this Century and who was Jeroms §. 4. Tutor in his third Book concerning the Hoâ—y Ghost writeth to this purpose Wherefore the Father even for their Salvation â—â—t sparing His own Son delivered Him up unto Death that by the Death of His Son He being destroyed who had the Power of Death that is the Devil He might REDEEM ALL THOSE that were held in the bands of captivity by Him Not long after speaking of the Jews They saith He rising