to his disciples (d) John 15.16 chap. 13 1â— Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and I know whom I have chosen Now though Election be the cause of Faith it doth not follow by the rule of relatives which are said to be the cause of one another that Faith should be the cause of Election that maxim is to be understood of the natural respect and relation of the Subjects not of the Subjects themselves of relations else it would a so follow That because the Creator is the cause of the Creature the Creature ought also to be the cause of the Creator which is Blasphemy It is the part of a wise Agent when he doth appoint to the end also to appoint to and provide the means So the only wise God having predestinated us to the end eternal life hath also predestinated us to the means namely Faith For saith the Apostle (a) 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth here are the decree election chosen the efficient cause God the Object you the end to salvation with the means sanctification of the spirit and belief of the Truth or Faith Farther I say if prevision of Faith had been the cause of our Election it would also be the cause of our Vocation in time which is contrary to the word (b) 2 Tim. 1.9 God hath called us with his holy calling not according to our works but according to his purpose and grace I bring one Argument more which is this if Faith and Holiness fore-seen had been the cause of our Election it would follow that the object of Election had been Man already restored through Grace and justified which is false Take notice that there are not two Decrees one to Grace the other to glory as they say Scripture maketh no mention of a double Election by one and the same Decree we are elected to Glory through Grace as the means and way for the first in Intention is last in Execution We are saved by Faith yet not elected by Faith the reason of both being different Election is an eternal act of God inward and immediately proceeding from God but Salvation is a temporal act of God outward and mediate which is perfected thorough many other means and second causes if the causes of Election and Salvation be the same then the Law of God the Gospel Sacraments and Ministers are the causes of our Election for God makes use of all these means to bring us to eternal life We are elected in Christ not for Christ God was never moved by the merit of Christ to Elect us but he decreed to save us in Christ who is not the cause of the Decree but a medium or means appointed in the Election to execute it We must have a care not to confound between the cause and sign of things which do very much differ thus the Rainbow is not the cause why the world shall no more be drowned with a general Flood 't is only the sign of it the cause is God's Will and Promise thus Sacraments are signs not causes of the things they represent Circumcision was the sign of God's Covenant with Abraham but not the cause which was God's Free-grace and Mercy to him the Lords Supper is the sign of Christ's Passion but not the cause which is God's Free-grace and Mercy to mankind When our blessed Saviour saith (a) Matth. 16.2 3. When it is evening ye say it will be fair weather for the Sky is red c. that colour of the Sky is not the cause but the sign of fair or foul weather Thus to make an Application to our Subject I say we must take heed not to make Faith the cause of our Election when it is the sign and effect of it so much posteriour to it for Election is from eternity when Faith is given but in time and yet serveth to prove Election for wheresoever true saving Faith is there is an infallible sign but no cause of Election which far from being caused by any grace is the sole and only ground of all and every grace we receive Faith it self the chief Gospel grace is an effect of it as it appears out of many places of Scripture which I already quoted so out of (b) Acts 18.27 Acts where 't is said Apollos helped them much which had believed through grace And those men who will not believe this will have much cause to fear they are of the same sort of those whom our Saviour speak of when he saith (c) John 9.39 For judgment I am come into this world that they which see not may see and that they which see might be made blind There is mercy for the first and judgment for the last for certainly Christ came into the world both for mercy and for judgment to make some unexcusable (d) John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin It was said of Christ almost after his very Birth That (a) Luk. 2.34 he was set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against And as the Prophet says (b) Isa 3.14 a stone of stumbling a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to Jerusalem And Men are too apt to fansie things to be the cause of God's actings which are not thus the Disciples themselves thought because a Man was born blind the Man's sins or his Parents must be the cause of it but our Saviour tells them they were in an error for (c) Joh. 9.3 neither hath the man sinned nor his parents but he was born blind that the works of God should be made manifest in him This place sheweth clearly how God in whatsoever he doth in upon or for Men he minds chiefly his own Glory and followeth his own will and pleasure Thus (d) Chap. 11.4 Lazarus's Sickness and Death was for the glory of God and of Christ God denyed the Man his sight from his Birth here are his Will his Power and Justice over his Creature the Lord Jesus gives him his sight there is mercy thus the works of God are made manifest in this Man and why not so too in others in relation to eternity as well as to time This Man was naturally blind but God is pleased to give him his sight as he might without any wrong have left him in his blindness if it had been his pleasure So if God be pleased to leave some Men naturally dead in that condition and quicken others that were in the same state what hath wretched Man to do to cavil against or find fault with it Or presumptuously not to be satisfied with this cause the meer will and pleasure of God but must prye into his Secrets and forge other Motives instead
that calleth any thing of works and of Faith too for they could have no Faith before they were born or had done any good or any evil are here excluded and all attributed to the purpose of God according to Election The same Apostle saith in another place that though some have erred concerning the Truth even those who before were professors of it such as (b) 2 Tim. 2.17 19. Hymineus and Philetus yet Nevertheless the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 't is no prejudice to neither can it change God's Decree And still to make use of the same authority St. Paul saith elsewhere (c) Ephes 1.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself Not only that purpose in himself but also the declaration to us of that my stery of his will are altogether attributed to his good-pleasure not to any thing without him or in the Creature and all this to the end (d) Ephes 2.7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness tovards us through Christ Jesus Here is Grace here are riches of Grace yea exceeding riches of Grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus through whom only these graces are conveyed to us and who is the sole dispenser thereof and he addeth (f) Ephes 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Here every word is a sentence against our Adversaries and after this t is an amazement to me that amongst those who pretend to be Christians and to receive the word of God for rule of the Truth there should be some who go about to set up Free-will and Man's strength to the prejudice of Grace and forge Motives and Counsellours for God besides his own good-will and pleasure We say further there is a certain small select number of those that are predestinated to Glory this we speak after St. Paul (g) Rom. 11.5 6. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace and if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works then it is no more grace otherwise work is no more work Here the reason is given why amongst the unbelieving obstinate Jews there was a small remnant which did believe and were saved The Faith Grace and Salvation of this remnant is ascribed to their Election as to the cause and this Election affirmed to come only of God's grace and deny'd to have proceeded from any of their works not by a simple affirmation but by a double opposition of Works and Grace as incompatible in point of Election Arminians must not think to blind this with saying they do not attribute Election to a foresight of Works but of Faith 'T is true their Father Arminius doth not openly assert it this Text being so clear and so positive however he minced the matter for he made Election and Justification to depend upon Faith not as an Instrument applying Christ but as an Evangelical Work in the Gospel appointed of God to be a saving quality in it self as a perfect Obedience should have been under the Law but his Followers are not so scrupulons as he But the Apostle denies it to be of Faith as of Works wholly ascribing it to the Election or Grace But as to the point of the small number of the Elect our blessed Saviour himself decides it when he saith (a) Matth. 20.10 Many be called but few chosen and St. Paul to shew the small number of those that are elected and shall be saved is not satisfied to call it a remnant in the place already quoted but in another of the same Epistle he also makes use of the word remnart (b) Rom. 9.27 Though the number of the children of Israel be as the Sand of the Sea a remnant shall be saved Only a remnant and this after the Prophet Isaiah 10.20 21. Who elsewhere calls it (c) Isai 1.9 A very small remnant which the Apostle in the same Chapter doth call a Seed (d) Rom. 9.29 Except the Lord of Sabbath had left us a seed which is only as much as sufficeth to sow the ground (e) Heb. 12.23 These are called the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven in the Book of God's Election which can never be encreased nor diminished and this (f) Ephes 4.12 13. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ Which meaneth that there is a fullness of the mystical body of Christ that is so many Members and that every Member is to come unto a degree of Stature unto a perfect Man as a certain number of Martyrs that shall be fulfilled Rev. 6.9 11. All those and those only (g) Rom. 8.30 whom God did predestinate them he also called with an inward and effectual calling and whom he called all and only them he also justified all and only them he also glorified This is the Golden Chain of our Salvation and the thing so certain and so sure that though to some it be to come 't is represented as already past and as if they were in actual possession of Glory There shall be no more nor less and though to the eye of Man in this there may seem to be some alteration some falling from the Truth it is only as to the outward shew and profession not as to the Election Wherefore St. John (h) 1 John 2.19 saith They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us And this also is a strong proof and evidence of the perseverance and against the final Apostacy of Saints which Arminians are stiff asserters of And that Election is the sole cause of everlasting Salvation it appears because into the heavenly City (i) Rev. 21.27 none shall enter but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life In another place this Book is mentioned (k) Rev. 13.8 and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him the Beast whose names are not written in the book of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world This is the Book of God's Decree of Election all that have names written in it shall enter into new Jerusalem or Heaven but those whose names are not written therein and do worship the Beast (l) Rev. 20.10 12. shall with the devil the beast and the false prophet be cast into
Scripture in matter of Predestination speaks only of men we shall consider it only as men are the object thereof but before I must shew what a Decree is because it entereth within our definition now God's Decrees are the eternal and unchangeable counsels and resolutions he hath taken from all Eternity about what he purposed to do in time according to the first rule we have laid down These Decrees are called God's essential works ad intra inward according to our capacity and manner of conceiving which himself in his word is pleased to condescend to We then call them Decrees after the manner of Men for Decrees and Resolutions of Men are works or acts really distinct from Man from his Understanding and his Will By this way we do conceive God's Decrees or rather God Decreeing though properly they may not be called his Works for every act so properly called is an effect really distinct from the Agent But in God 't is not so or else his supream Simplicity would come to nothing when 't is said of God are known all his works that knowledge is nothing else but his Decree of doing all things to be done in time Of ELECTION PRedestination hath two parts Election and Reprobation the word is not restrained only to Election as Papists and some others would have it It is in vain amongst Hebrews or Greeks to search the Original of the word which is Latin The ancient Latin Authors used the word destinare to destinate or appoint for Pains as well as Rewards so did the ancient Doctors of the Church as (a) Enchirid. cap. 100. de Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 24. Austin (b) Ad. capital Gallor Prosper (c) Lib. 1. ad Monim Fulgentius Now the Election we here speak of is not to an Office in which (d) 1 Sam. 10 24. Saul and David were chosen Kings over Israel So Matthias (e) Acts 1.24 26. was by lot chosen one of the twelve But 't is Election to Eternal Life and Salvation Now Election is a Predestination of some Men to Eternal Life to be obtained by Faith in Christ only out of God's pleasure in them to declare his Divine Mercy Every part of which definition we by the grace of God shall speak of This point most of any is to be taken notice of because it is the ground of our Hope Faith Holiness in a word of the whole mystery of our Salvation which doth wholly run and depend upon the decree of our Election therefore to darken it the Devil hath stired up so many instruments to oppose it In Scripture among many Texts we have one specially lays open the whole matter before us which here I quote to be read with great application (a) Ephes 1.3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood c. The eternity of God's decree of Election is here asserted he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World this Election is affirmed to be the cause of all spiritual blessings which God hath blessed us with some of those blessings are named as Holiness Blamelessness and Adoption Now Faith Repentance Charity and such graces are parts of Holiness and the fruits of the Spirit Holiness is posteriour to our Election All those blessings are in and by Jesus Christ Out of this Text it also appeareth that the good pleasure of God is the only impulsive or moving cause if we may use such a word which is improper here to Elect us nothing from without all from within according to the good pleasure of his will Hence between Papists Arminians and Us for I must say in matters of grace they both joyn against us ariseth the question What it is that moved God to appoint some Men to Eternal Life We say nothing but God's good will and pleasure moved him to it Amongst several reasons we have to prove it I will only bring two of the chief The first because Scripture assigneth no other cause but that as the only and when the word is silent we ought not to speak The whole 9th Chapter to the Romans is a sentence of condemnation against the Adversaries there St. Paul saith of Election (†) Rom. 9.16 15. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Which is but a conclusion out of what God said to Moses in the foregoing verse verse 18. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion whence he thus concludes so then it is not of him c. 't is only of free grace Why three verses after the Apostle gives the reason He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth This is very plain if any one is willing to dispute God's right herein let him do 't but he shall find God is a strong party (a) 2 Tim. 1.9 God hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us before the world began Here the Decree of Election is made the cause of calling and other graces we receive in time The other reason is because in those that were elected was nothing at all that could move him to love them (b) Ephes 2.1 We were men dead in trespasses and sins unfit for any good thing and guilty of eternal death They say God hath chosen some because from Eternity he foresaw they would believe in Christ and continue in the Faith to which some add the foresight of some good works with Faith but against this I say God could foresee in sinful Man no spiritual good but what out of his mercy he was to give him this none but Pelagians can deny consequently God could not foresee Faith or Good Works as a motive to his Decree God elected us to be holy and without blame before him That is to the end we should be and not because we were such Holiness is an effect and not a cause of Election Faith also is an effect of Election as clearly expressed in Scripture (c) Acts 13.48 And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed If so then Faith is not the cause that moved God to elect us we were elected to believe not because we believed before for then we had chosen Christ and not he us contrary to what he positively saith
are common mercies though great which come short of saving and converting grace 't is not every manifestation that there is a God which must be called a sufficient grace amongst the Devils themselves God hath not left himself without witness CHAP. X. Of Vniversal Calling AND now we are upon this let us view another branch of this universal grace for they say God according to his Decree doth universally call all Men Reprobates as well as Elect to receive and believe in Christ and this by the means of the word preached to every Man What we already said may also serve in answer to this namely that before and after the coming of Christ millions of Men are dead who never heard Christ preached unto them yet we may charitably believe that God shewed some of them mercy for though they were deprived of the outward ordinary means God who is not tyed to second causes might by the inward call of his spirit have revealed unto some of them his saving knowledge We may say of this Ordinance of the Word as is said of Baptism which is another (a) Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned He doth not say and is not baptized shall be damned so he that heareth the outward preaching and believeth shall be saved we may say that though the outward hearhing of the word be the usual means to breed Faith yet he that wants it may be taught inwardly and believe and be saved However things be those are secrets of God which we ought not to dive into Our Blessed Saviour is positive against universal calling when he saith (b) Matth. 20. many are called he doth not say all but many we may say very many or the greatest part are not called for as we see he comes to narrower bounds if few be chosen many are called so by a gradation we may say if many be called more are not called Indeed David saith (c) Psal 47.1 Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in are and O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph But this is no such an universal vocation to all the Inhabitants of the World as the question is about all the earth besides the reason of saving grace hath cause enough to fear the Lord and to praise him All the world could not hear what David said and did write but the question is to have Christ offered to every Man in the Gospel by the ministery of Men. This leadeth us to another question between Remonstrants and us namely supposing every Man in the world had been called by the preaching of the word yet it doth not follow they should have been converted and saved without God's special saving grace because in Adam men lost the power of believing the Gospel This question these innovators started up to show how God is bound to give every Man a sufficient grace to believe in Christ if they will So they say the grace of believing in Christ was not given to Adam therefore he could not lose it and so God may no justly require of Man faith to believe in Christ except he giveth him sufficient grace to believe But we say God gave Adam that grace and he lost it For whatsoever Adam received from God for himself and Posterity that same through his fall he lost for himself and Posterity too now that with other privileges he received also the power of believing the Gospel it appeareth for he received for himself and Posterity the power of loving God and believing his word whatsoever it might be in time to come this is proved because without this power the image of God had not been perfect in him neither had he been without it provided with a sufficient grace to avoid all manner of Infidelity In the state of innocency God might have revealed him future things and in case of a fall have promised him a gracious restoration by the means of his Son Who can deny but that Men in the state of Innocence might and ought to have believed such a promise of God Let us hear what they say for themselves Adam in the state of Innocency stood in no need of Faith in Christ therefore God gave him not power to believe in Christ but though in the state of innocency he had no need of Faith it doth not follow but that God might give it to him strength and power is not always given to nature for use but sometimes for perfection In this sence 't is said (a) Matth. 3.9 God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham Yet there is no need of doing it God had given Adam strength to travel all the world over which he never did neither was there any occasion for him to do it Again they object God gave Adam the Law therefore he was not bound to believe in Christ because Faith is not commanded by the Law but though the Law was given unto Adam yet he was bound to believe in Christ for although Faith be not expresly commanded in the Law yet 't is implicitly because by the Law a Man is bound to believe every word of God which in time to come should be revealed unto him We have already shewed there is no such universal vocation as they are for However it is granted several Reprobates have an outward calling but seeing they are not converted the question is put to what purpose and for what end are reprobates thus called Our Adversaries say 't is to the end they should be made partakers of everlasting life This we cannot agree to because they do not attain to it Whence necessarily followeth that as I said heretofore God is frustrated of his end which is a sign and effect of want of Power and Wisdom which must needs be so if in what God doth he proposeth to himself an end which he foreknoweth he cannot and shall not attain unto no Man of sound mind will do so and of God it cannot be affirmed without blasphemy This consideration is so pregnant that they think to shift it off with a distinction God doth not absolute say they intend they should be saved but upon condition they shall obey and come in at the call and persevere therein now this condition not being performed by Reprobates they say God is not disappointed of his end but what a pitiful coming off is this shall a Man not deprived of his wits make an end which he in earnest aimeth at depend upon a condition which he is sure shall never be God foreseeth Reprobates will not obey the call much less continue in obedience I farther say no Man who hath his wits will make an end which in earnest he proposeth to himself depend upon such means as none but himself can procure and which he is resolved never to procure But to incline to obedience the hearts of
can know it to be so then they must be sure of their faith that is have a certitude of it In the case of the two blind men (d) Matth. 9.28 our Saviour asked them believe ye that I am able to do this they said unto him yea Lord. When believers are seriously asked whether they have faith They may well and do confess it in conscience to the Lord himself which must arise out of a certitude of it Then (e) 1 Cor. 2.11.12 the spirit a man which is in him knoweth the things of a man and in the next verse he addeth we have received the spirit of which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God And we can distinctly perceive the proper acts of faith as when one out of a sincere and pious affection findeth himself ready to deny the world and himself to serve and obey God according to his holy will To the question how can a man know when he is elected And how see he hath Faith I say Election is evidenced by effectual calling by Faith and Repentance so is Faith by the fruits and effects thereof as are good works as certainly-as one may conclude where a fire is there is heat and when the Sun shineth it is day-light Thus the cause is proved by the effect and the effect by the cause Where is motion either natural or spiritual we may confidently assirm there is life accordingly Thus we need not to go up to Heaven to dive into the secret Council of God nor to turn the leaves of the Book of Life to see whether our names be written in it but to search into our own souls and examine our own Thoughts Affections and Actings if there be holiness love and other fruits of the spirit Now they object that this certitude must be expressed or implyed in the word and thence drawen by a consequence but we say it doth not arise out of the letter of the word but out of the inward testimony of our understanding being enlightened by the holy Ghost which beareth witness to our spirit that we are the Children of God and consequently that we have true faith This is not written in the Book of Scripture but in the Book of our Heart with the very finger of the Holy Ghost hence it is that we do not believe we do believe but we feel and perceive it as we do not believe we think of God when we do 't but we know and feel it in our minds One thing here I must take notice of upon the matter in relation to that Exhertation of St. Paul to the Corinthians to examine themselves that it is a great deal of pity that many I dare say good people do not set themselves upon that tryal but do either wholly or in part neglect it but if they be of God's Elect at one time or other they must come to 't the sooner the better and the more often to known what progress they made in faith what degrees of strength it hath gotten and for neglecting this so necessary a duty they thereby deprive themselves of much comfort which would accrue to them To make an end of this matter I shall add that this certitude is very much improved when we can clearly make out we have an interest in Christ and are Christ's For saith the Apostle (a) 1 Cor. 3.22 Ye are Christ's and Christ is God's To know whether we be Christ's we have a certain rule to know it by that is if the spirit of Christ be in us (b) Rom. 8.9 For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his How then to know whether the spirit be in us St. Paul giveth a rule by (c) Gal. 5.22 23. the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith c. Now we are come to a great question why of so many that hear the word of God there are so few that believe What may be the cause of it at the same word and under the same Ministery so different and contrary effect is produced some like Wax at the fire are softned and melted when others at the same time like Clay and Dirt are hardened whilst some believe others continue in unbelief and harden themselves some are the better others the worse for it Like (d) Joh. 13.27 Judas into whom the Devil entred after our Saviour had given him the sop The word is a wholesome Physick to some and as deadly poyson to others the Lord Jesus is a (e) 1 Cor. 23. 2 Pet. 2 8. stumbling-block and a rock of offence and foolishmess to some and the (f) 1 Cor. 2.6 7. wisdom of God in a mystery to others so that this word and they that preach it are unto some those that are saved (g) 2 Cor. 2.15.16 a Savour of life unto life and to others to them that perish a Savour of death unto death All this is truth Scripture teaches and Experience confirms how all that hear the word of God do no believe for all men have not Faith 2 Thess 3.2 Now we are to inquire into the reasons of it First 'T is not for any Dignity Merit Natural Capacity or any other quality in the hearer seeing the (h) 1 Cor. 2.14 natural man such we are all by nature receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them Which the same Apostle doth confirm in another place (a) Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Neither is it for any depth of knowledge learning eloquence or other abilities in the Minister who preacheth the word (b) 1 Cor 3.6 Paul may plant Apollos may water but neither of them can give the increase (c) 2 Cor. 2. 2 Cor. 4.7 Who is sufficient for these things For saith he in another place this treasure we have in earthen vessels that the excellency be of God and not of us The most fervent and excellent Servants of God commonly complain of the hardness and impenitency of their hearers and let Isaiah speak for all (d) Isai 53.1 16. Who hath believed our report And our Blessed Saviour should if any have had cause to expect a good success of his outward teaching yet how often doth he complain of the hardness stubbornness impenitency and unbelief of his hearers How few of the great multitudes he taught were converted to him So that we must not seek in the dispensers of the word for the cause why some believe and others do not The cause why all do not believe is not as the Adversaries would have it because they do not all they can and do not make use of all the power remaining in them out of their natural corruption that they do not go to Church do not hear nor read
Jesus is a fall to Reprobates which yet perish through their own Defaults so is his Word yea the whole Book of God a cause of Damnation unto them through their Incredulity c. Furthermore Christ Jesus the Prophets the Apostles Pag. 16. and all the true Ministers of his Word yea every jot and tittle in the Holy Scripture have been is and shall be for evermore the Sauour of Life unto eternal Life unto all those whose Hearts God hath purified by true Faith c. God of his mercy and special Favour towards them whom he hath appointed to everlasting Salvation hath so offered his Grace especially and they have received it so fruitfully that altho' by reason of their sinful living outwardly they seemed before to have been the Children of Wrath and Perdition yet now the Spirit of God mightily working in them unto the obedience to God's Will and Commandments they declare by their outward Deeds and Life in the shewing of Mercy and Charity which cannot come but of the Spirit of God and his special Grace that they are the undoubted Children of God appointed to everlasting Life c. For a further confirmation of this 't is said The reasonable and Godly as they must certainly know and perswade themselves Part 2. p. 172. that all Goodness all Bounty all Mercy all Benefits all Forgiveness of Sins and whatsoever can be named good and profitable either for the Body or for the Soul do come only of God's Mercy and meer Favour and not of themselves So c. p. 199. we have thus It is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the Minds of Men stirring up good and godly Motions in their Hearts which are agreeable to the Will and Commandment of God such as otherwise of their own crooked and perverse nature they should never have Man of his own Nature is carnal corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to God without any spark of Goodness in him without any vertuous or godly motion only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds as for the works of the spirit the fruits of faith charitable and good motions if he have any at all in him they proceed only of the holy ghost who is the only worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Jesus Christ And page 219. his power and wisdom compell us to take him for God Omnipotent having all thing in his subjection and will have none in Council with him nor any to ask the reason of his doing for he may do what liketh him and none can resist him for he worketh all things in his secret judgment to his own pleasure yea even the wicked to damnation saith Solomon .... David would make answer for all know ye for surely even the Lord is God he hath made us and not we our selves .... Not to us O Lord not to us but to thy name give all the thanks for thy loving mercy .... Verily the holy prophet Esay beareth record and saith O Lord it is then of thy goodness that hath wrought all our works in us not we our selves .... St. Paul bringeth in his belief We be not saith he sufficient of our selves as of our selves once to think any thing but all our ableness is of God's goodness for he it is in whom we have all our being our living and moving And pag. 228. It is he that preventeth our will and disposeth us thereunto That is as said before Faith Charity and Repentance And p. 229. For without his secret and lively inspiration can we not once so much as speak the name of our mediator ... It is he that purgeth and purifieth the mind by his secret working .... He lightneth the heart c. And p. 263. We must beware and take heed that we do in no wise think in our hearts imagine or believe that we are able to repent aright or to turn effectually unto the Lord by our own strength ... For this cause although Jeremiah had said before If thou return O Israel return unto me yet afterwards he saith Turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned c. Why should I longer insist upon this which is so full and so clear let those that have a mind to know more of it read the First and Second Parts of the Homilies of the misery of Man with the Homilies of Christ's Nativity Passion and Resurrection The first on Whitsunday the First Second and Third part of that on Rogation-week and the First part of that of Repentance And as to the points of our Election Vocation Justification Sanctification and Salvation besides the foresaid let them read the First Second and Third parts of the Homilies of Salvation and Faith And out of all they shall find that there is an eternal and immutable predestination of certain Men unto eternal Life out of meer grace and free-mercy and a passing by or reprobation of others to eternal Death out of Gods meer pleasure That there is no free-will or sufficient grace communicated unto all men whereby they may convert and save themselves if they will on the contrary that Man without the special help of Gods spirit and grace is so weak that he can neither think any thing that is good nor prepare his heart to seek for grace That Christ dyed intentionally and effectually for none but the Elect that Gods grace and spirit do always work effectually in the hearts of the Elect in the act of their Conversion which they can never totally nor finally resist and that the same Elect do never nor can wholly and finally fall from the state of grace In these Homilies which for the most part were compiled by the learned Martyr Cranmer doth appear the spirit of our first Reformers to have been wholly for free-grace against free-will or any thing of merit or strength in man Another Authentick proof of the Doctrine of the Church against Arminianism is taken out of a short Catechism published in the time of good King Edward 6th It was Composed by John Ponet Bishop of Winchester and before its publication was presented to the King who committed the perusal thereof to some Bishops and other learned men who assured his Majesty it agreed with Scripture and the Statutes of the Kingdom whereupon by his special command it was not only Printed in Latine and English in the Year 1553 The next after the first publishing of the 39 Articles So that we may well look upon it as a perfect Comment on them but he also prefixed his own Epistle wherein he did command all School-masters within the Kingdom carefully and diligently to teach it in all their Schools There in one of the Scholars answers to the Master 't is said But as many as are in the faith stedfast were fore-chosen predestinate and appointed to everlasting life before the world was made And in another thus The first principal and most proper cause of our Justification and Salvation is the goodness
the lake of fire and brimstone that is Hell and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever and in that same chap. ver 12. again amongst the Books that were opened a particular mention is made of the Book of Life the opening of which Book is mentioned by a (m) Dan. 7.10 and 12.1 Philip. 4.3 Prophet and by an Apostle speaking of some whose names are written in the Book of Life On the other side we say that as God hath elected some to everlasting Life so others he hath reprobated and appointed to eternal Death The Decree of Predestination is the sentence of both of Pardon and Absolution for some and of Condemnation for others See the proof of this (n) Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known to men endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Such as Esan whom God hated such as Pharaoh (o) Ver. 13 17. whom God raised for this same purpose that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth All the earth is God's and so are all that dwell therein and this calls to my mind a common saying we have my Lord is Lord and Master at home where as he pleases he may order things as they best conduce to his honour and convenience and if we may argue from the less to the greater why should we not say Heaven and Earth are God's why then should not the Lord dispose of all things therein for his Glory as it best seems good unto him Scripture speaks of it as matter of Fact I hope no Man may or will question the matter of Right (p) Jude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation c. So that as some are ordained to eternal life others are to condemnation this is a Scripture phrase not of our making We have a third witness for this Truth Christ is a stone (d) 1 Pet. 2.8 a stumbling and a rock of offence to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed As some are vessels of honour appointed to obedience of Faith so others are vessels of dishonour appointed to disobedience and this we do clearly see in the next verse by the opposition he makes between some men and others But ye saith he are a chosen generation Vers 9. a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people The Lord Jesus saith clearly how at the last day there shall be two sorts of men To his sheep at the right hand he will say Matth. 25.33 3â— c. come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Which proveth their Election to Glory from Eternity as blessed of the Father In these words I think I read God's Decree of Election of those blessed ones But Christ will say to those on the left depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels Here is a Kingdom prepared for the blessed of the Father from the foundation of the World here is an everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels so that in that very place me may see Christ opening the Books of Election and Reprobation of Salvation and Damnation not only the Names but the Persons of the Elect may be seen on the right-hand as those of the reprobate may be seen on the left This everlasting fire is prepared not only for the Devil and his Angels but also for the Devil and his Children for so our Saviour calleth some Jews (e) John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning c. he is a lyar and the father of it Thus Elymas the Sorcerer is by St. Paul call'd (f) Acts 13.10 thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness Such was Judas by our Saviour called (g) Joh. 17.12 the son of perdition who as Peter saith (h) Acts 1.25 was gone to his own place If there be as certainly there is a place for the Devils and wicked Men prepared from Eternity there is reason also why from Eternity wicked men should he appointed for that place upon which account as I said before they are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Now that God is the efficient cause of both Election and Reprobation 't is plain out of what the Apostle saith (i) 1 Thes 5 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Then God doth appoint some Men to Wrath and some to Salvation Thus the Reader may see how strong in that way cometh the stream of Scripture which we do but follow Our Second Article is this The only moving cause of our Election is the meer good pleasure love free-grace and mercy of God This truth we also have many proofs of I (k) Exod. 33.19 will saith God be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy What can Men object against this By the mouth of his Prophet he saith (l) Hos 14.4 I will love them freely We use to say nothing is more free than Love Yet amongst Men some motive or pretence may happen to be assigned but in relation to God's love to the Creature no such thing may be pleaded for even in this world when God prefereth a people or one person before another there is nothing in that subject to move him to it as in the case of the Children of Israel Moses tells them plainly first not for their number (m) Deut. 7.7 8. the Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you and would keep the oath he had sworn unto your fathers Let this stop every Man's mouth God loves because he will love let who can go further and fathom that which is infinite neither were they chosen and loved for their wisdom for (n) Deut. 32.21 they were a nation void of counsel neither was there any understanding in them Nor for their uprightness of heart or for (o) chap. 9.4 5 6. their righteousness for they were a stiff-necked people Neither was it for any power of theirs (p) chap. 8.17 18. to do to say not so much as in thine heart my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth And (q) chap. 4.38 the nations that were driven out before them were greater and mightier than they So none of the things mentioned nor any thing else in them commended them to God We see how careful was that faithful Servant of God to beat them out of the conceit of any merits of their own
consisteth is not of God but only of Man wherefore Man alone is the author of sin as such Arminians accusing us to make God the author of sin do but follow the steps of their Elder Brothers the Papists Calvin and Beza c. falsely aspersed by slanderers speak well of this matter The first in his Treatise of Predestination a piece much worth reading the (a) Beza contra Castellinem other as quoted in the Margin are both (b) De gratia lib. arbit cap. 20 21. St. Austin's followers against Pelagius They who in this permission attribute nothing to God but only that he leaves the wicked to act according to their mind or to turn themselves to this or to that Object make God an idle spectator of things and one of these two things they must own either that God doth not execute his just Judgments by the sins of the wicked which is false and contrary to Scripture or else that many of God's Judgments are executed accidentally or by chance so that God decreed to punish David by his Son Absolom because he did foresee Absolom would go about rebelling against his Father and to punish Israel by the Kings of Assyria because he foresaw the Assyrian would make War against Israel a thing absurd and altogether contrary to Scripture which expresly saith that Tyrants are called God's (c) Isai 13.3 sanctified the Medes and Persians to execute his Judgments and in the same verse I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger They are called (d) Isai 10.5 6 15. the rod of God's anger and in their hand is the staff of his indignation as the Assyrian which is also called the Ax the Saw the Rod and the Staff in God's hand vers 15. I will send him against an hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the street God sent him and he had God's Commission for what he was to do He is called (a) Jerem. 50.23 the hammer of the whole earth and in the following Chapter the King of Media is called God's battle-ax and weapons of war c. Certainly all this is more than a bare permission Chap. 51.20 whence we conclude there is an effectual acting of God and directing wicked Instruments to a certain Object against which God is pleased to execute his Judgments We have so many more Texts of Scripture to prove the effectual concourse of God with bad actions of Men against those who assert only a bare permission and a direction of evil to a good end The expressions of Scripture upon this subject are so full so clear so significant and so much to the purpose that Men must be blind who will not see Here we will produce only some few God saith to David (b) 2 Sam. 12.11 12. I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbour and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun By Absolom (c) 2 Sam. 16.10 the Lord hath-said unto Shimei curse David (d) 1 Kings 22.22 God sent a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Ahab's Prophets (e) Jerem. 15.8 I have brought upon them a spoiler at noon day (f) Ezech. 14.9 I the Lord have deceived that Prophet The falling off of the ten Tribes is the work of God (g) 2 Chron. 11.4 Ye shall not fight against your brethren return every man to his house for this thing is done of me (h) 1 Kings 12.15 And Roboham hearkned not to the people for the cause was from the Lord. (i) 2 Kings 10.32 33. God stirred up the heart of the King of Assyria to carry a way some of the Tribes of Reuben Gad and half of Manasseh The destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to (k) 2 Chorn. 22.7 Joram (l) Chap. 25.23 Amaziah would not hear for it came of God that he might deliver them into the hands of their enemies because they sought after the Gods of Edom. Besides what we said before of God's hardning Pharaoh's heart God (m) Josh 11.20 hardned the hearts of several Kings that they should come against Israel as he had done before to Sihon King of Heshbon †Deuter. 2.30 For the Lord thy God hardned his spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into thy hands Must all this be understood of a bare permission Farthermore God by Deborah said to Barak (a) Judg. 4.7 I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera the captain of Jabin's army and deliver him into thine hand (b) Psal 78.49 He sent evil Angels amongst the Egyptians And †Judg. 9.23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem (c) Isai 19.14 The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst of Egypt (d) Jer. 13.13 God will fill the Kings that sit upon David's throne and the priests and the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness In another place 't is called (e) Isai 29.10 a spirit of deep sleep (f) 1 Sam. 2.25 The Sons of Ely hearkned not unto their Father because the Lord would slay them God saith by the mouth of his Prophet (g) Isai 45.7 I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things (h) Amos 3.6 Is there any evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Hence it is that (i) Psa 17.13 the wicked is called the sword and hand of God David prays to God (k) Psal 141.4 not to incline his heart to any evil thing to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity And also (l) Psal 15.25 God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people (m) Psal 69.27 Add iniquity to their iniquity saith David (n) Isai 54.16 God hath created the waster to destroy And the same Prophet saith (o) Isai 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord (p) 2 Chron. 21 16 17. God stirred up against Jehoram the heart of the Philistins and of the Arabians that are near Aethiopia and they came up to Judah and brake into it and carried away all the substance that was found in the King's house and his Sons also and his Wives And three Chapters after 't is said (q) Chap. 24.24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men and the Lord delivered a great host into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers so they executed judgment against Joash Hence it is clear out of the very
those that are called and to turn stony hearts into hearts of flesh none can do 't but God alone but experience teaches he will not do it in Reprobates a sign he hath decreed not to do it And let the nonsence of their Hypothesis and Assertion be taken notice of which is thus God in calling reprobates intends to save them in case he giveth them effectual grace to obey the call which he resolved never to do God doth not intend the effectual calling or conversion of every one whom the Gospel is preached to and have only the outward means of Salvation as it appearet out of the fore-quoted places Ezech. 2.5 For sometimes a Prophet sent to a people or to a person is a stumbling block to that people or person so of some other Providence John 15.22 And this is God's own doing for he saith Ezech. 3.20 when I lay a stumbling block before a man whether righteous or otherwise or when God's own Son came into the world 't was as said before to take from unbelievers all manner of excuse to make them unexcusable for saith the Apostle as to them that believe he is a chief corner stone elect and precious so unto those that are disobedient he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. And this is the Lord 's doing Psal 118.22 saith David wherefore it is marvellous in our eyes John 8.43 Our Blessed Saviour said to the Jews Why do you not understand my speech In the same verse he gives the reasons even because ye cannot hear my word His word they heard and the meaning they understood but it did not work upon them neither could they effectually understand it of themselves they could not do 't neither did God intend they should or else it had been effected Gamaliel spoke well the truth Acts 5.39 when he said if this counsel be of God ye cannot overthrow it For 't is beyond any Man's power to disappoint God of his ends wherefore whensoever he intends by preaching of the word to convert any one he shall certainly be converted but if he be not it is a certain and infallible sign that God thereby never intended his conversion or that he should believe To what end then are Reprobates called I answer to know their duty and at last to own they are justly punished for having neglected it and herein God doth attain to his end Rom. 9.7 out of Exod. 4.21 9 1◠1◠20 St. Paul shewing how God called Pharaoh not to the end he should obey but that he should be hardened and should not let the people go In several places Holy Scriptures shew how God in calling and offering means of grace to wicked and reprobates doth not intend their Conversion but to make them unexcusable and to have Witnesses and Testimonies against them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that at the last day every wicked man may hear this Thou art unexcusable O man When God gave Ezechiel his Commission and commanded him to go to the people he gave him no hope of success nor seemed to intend their conversion for saith he Ezech 2.34.5 they are a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me they and their Fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day for they are impudent children and stiff-necked to what purpose then doth God send him to them God declares it and they whether they will hear or forbear et shall know there hath been a prophet amongst them There is an Evidence and a Witness against them I have given them warning and they cannot pretend ignorance or any ground of excuse God doth not declare to the Ministers at first whether or no they will hear but to do and obey what is commanded When our Blessed Saviour sent his Disciples to preach the Gospel he gave this charge Mark 6.11 and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you when ye depart thence shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them St. Paul did it for he shook his raiment and said let your blood be upon your own heads To the Jews that opposed themselves and blasphemed Acts. 18.6 as a testimony against them for verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Judgment than for such And elsewhere but upon the same argument doth before-hand tell his Disciples and ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake but to what end and purpose Matth. 10.18 to convert them not for if it was to that intent they would be converted for who hath resisted his will Luke 10.11 but for a testimony against them and the gentiles And according to another Evangelist the Lord directeth them what to say even the very dust of your City which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you As if he had said this shall be the ground of the charge against you at the last day and this dust shall rise in Judgment and as a witness against you Our Saviour saith how before the end of the world this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world Matth. 24.14 not with an intention in God to convert the whole world for then God would be disapointed of his purpose For Scripture and Experience teach us the contrary that all shall not answer the call and be converted In the Text the Lord Jesus declares why the Gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations At the last day shall be the general Assize where every Man shall be called to an account for his sins the Causes shall not be between Man and Man but between God and Man and the Lord Jesus shall be the visible Judge for by him God will judge the World Now as matters of fact do require proof by Evidences so God makes sure of Witnesses to convince and confound the wicked for as St. Paul and Barnabas said to those of Lystra God left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain and fruitful seasons Acts 14.17 These mercies though common will be Evidences against those that abused or remained unthankful under them So shall the outward means and offers of grace against those that neglected and rejected them though God never intended they should thereby be converted for God's secret will was unknown to them and the revealed they ought to have obeyed as Abraham did when commanded to Sacrifice his Son so ought all when commanded to repent and believe Now those witnesses of God are of two sorts First those that are of his own immediate appointment as were the Lord's Disciples to whom he said John 15.27 ye also shall bear me witness because ye have been with me from the beginning which he repeated after his Resurrection Ye shall be
fellow servant for though it was unpossible for him to pay the ten thousand talents yet he delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due that is for-ever for he could never do 't here the torments of Hell are meant so God may justly do with every Man whom he hath no mind to be merciful to I do add one thing more how the Law promised life upon unpossible conditions of a mans own perfect obedience yet we do not read that any of the Jews ever said the Law was unjust on the contrary we find the Law was confessed to be holy just and good Rom. 7.12 and let some men say what they will we all know and must own that faith the condition upon which eternal life is promised in the Gospel is unpossible for men because 't is a gift of God Let therefore God be owned to be just in all his ways 2 Thes 2.12 though all may be damned who believe not the truth God sent them strong delusions to believe a lye that they might be damned as if he had said that there might be a just cause of their damnation CHAP. XI Of FAITH NOW we must come to the chief and most excellent Gospel Grace which is Faith concerning which also Arminians do teach many unsound things we intend by the Grace of God to speak of every one of them in order Satan ever raised his strongest batteries against this (a) Ephes 6.16 shield wherewith we are able to quench his fiery darts To have a right understanding of this matter we must know Scripture doth mention four kinds of Faith First Historical whereby we believe the Word of God to be true as 't is revealed in Scriptures and God to be the God of Truth the Devils have this Faith (b) Jam. 2.19 for they believe and tremble Secondly The Faith of Miracles which at first was granted thereby to confirm the Doctrine of the Cospel for (c) 1 Cor. 14.22 tongues a sort of Miracles aâ—â— a sign not to believere but to unvelievers t is a certain persuasion grounded upon some Revelation or a special Promise of some miraculous work to be done Our Saviour granted it to the Apostles but it ceased long ago Thirdly Temporal Faith is a knowledge and assent to Truth contained in God's Word but only for a time hence called Temporal attended with some joy arising out of the consideration of some worldly advantages or of the thoughts and bare notion of a future happiness which at last vanish away Some Reprobates have this Faith This our Saviour speaks of when he mentions that part of the (d) Matth. 13.20 21. Seed which fell into stony places where it is received with joy Thus (e) Mark 6.20 Herod heard gladly John the Baptist and went farther for he did many things and observed him Whether this as (f) Acts 26.28 Agrippa's being almost perswaded to be a Christian may be said of Temporal or only of Historical Faith I will not dispute it being nothing at all material for my purpose but this I say that this Temporal Faith sometimes goeth so far that they who have it are said (g) Heb. 6.4 to have tasted of the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the holy Ghost The spirit of God sometimes bestoweth grace upon some which graces are not common nor saving neither our Saviour saith to the man in the Gospel who had discreetly answered him (h) Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven for a man may go far on the way and yet fall short of it All that came out of Egypt though they went far into the wilderness nay some came within sight of the Land of Promise yet never entred into it so many (i) Matth. 7.14 strive to enter in at the straight gate who cannot find it We read of one (k) Mark 10.20 21. who observed all the commandments from his youth and in part he spok the truth for 't is said our Saviour beholding him loved him which he would not have done if he had told him a lye This I insist the more upon to make this temporal Faith better known and how far it bordereth upon true faith because our Adversaries do confound it with the true faith which is the fourth kind of Faith This is the only true faith otherwise called saving and justifying faith which doth consist not only in knowledge of things necessary to Salvation and also in an assent to all truths revealed in Gods word which reprobates may have but also in a trust and confidence and relying upon Christ and in a special way applying unto the Soul the general promises of God without this there is no true faith and here we are to do two things First To shew the difference between temporal and justifying faith and then prove that assurance is essential to true faith without which it cannot be such As to the first saving faith is attended with a real spiritual joy not arising out of any humane consideration but only out of the sence of God's mercy this temporal faith hath not nor the following signs of saving faith Secondly True faith hath a love of Christ overcoming all difficulties which love is attended with a religious fear of offending God and with a studying how to promote his glory Thirdly A sence of a future happiness amidst the greatest troubles and calamities Fourthly A hope of glory which maketh not ashamed raised within us by the spirit (a) Rom. 8.15 which beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Lastly A special unmoveable trust and confidence in the mercy of God and an application of Christ's merits Temporal faith hath nothing to do with these but they are proper to true saving faith Hence may appear the error of our Adversaries or rather of the truth who would have temporal and saving faith to be the same in nature and to differ only as to duration of time Now as to the other thing that a trust and confidence in God is of the nature of faith it doth appear from the names given faith in the word of God 'T is called boldness and confidence (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him or a strong persuasion A liberty of confidence (c) And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3. chap. 10.19 and 1 Joh. 5.14 If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end A full assurance (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith A (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ— 11.1 substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Also confidence (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 16.33 This is the confidence we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he
the word as often as they ought that the spirit of God is ever ready to give faith to all that do these things which is most false for though we own men are in the wrong to neglect those Christian duties yet though they would perform all that and more it would not do for God giveth faith to none but to those whom from eternity he decreed to give it to How could God have decreed by the word to give faith unto every man when as experience sheweth and we already have proved it he doth not afford every man that outward call We own that usually God doth not give men come to years faith without hearing or reading of the word but Scripture and experience do teach God doth not give it to every one that heareth and readeth it so that 't is false to say the neglect of the word is the only cause why God gives not every one faith for several do read hear meditate preach and write Commentaries upon the Word who yet never have true faith Yet we own how God blesseth the Ministery of some more than of others Now to come to the true cause of it 't is because God hath decreed to give it only to the Elect for faith is an effect of our Election (a) Acts. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed as I quoted before and our Saviour saith all that the father giveth me hath elected in me shall come unto me and none else (b) Joh. 6.37.44 for no man can come to me except the father draweth him The good pleasure of God is the cause of the decree and of Faith too wherefore 't is called the gift of God nothing more free than what is given Our Saviour saith plainly to his Disciples (c) Eph. 2. â— It is given unto you to know the misteries of the kingdom of heaven to them it is not given Grace puts a difference between them After his resurrection our (d) Matth. 13.11 Saviour opened the understanding of his disciples that they might understand the Scripture without which they could not do it as afterwards was (e) Luke 24.45 opened the heart of Lydia and this made her attend unto the things which were spoken of by Paul So that to believe or not to believe (f) Acts 16.14 is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy (g) Rom. 9.16 God prepareth the heart of the humble saith David without it nothing can be done 't is his work First In relation to those that believe for our Saviour saith (h) Matth. 11.25.26 I thank thee O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hath revealed them unto babes If in this God had been accepter of persons or had been moved by any qualification in the persons he would have done the contrary of what he acted he would have revealed it to the Wise and Prudent and hid them from Babes This to a carnal reason seemeth strange yet 't is true and in the next verse our Blessed Saviour assigneth God's will as the only cause and ought to be sufficient for any one Even so father for so it seemeth good in thy sight They who are become the Sons of God and believe on his name (a) Joh. 13. are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Here our Coversion and Regeneration are attributed to the will of God exclusively to the will of the flesh or of man Now God doth act on both parts not only he maketh those believe who do but also others cannot believe because (b) Joh. 12.39.40 he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heal them In consequence of this they are delivered up to Satan who acts his part upon them in the way exressed by St. Paul (c) 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them whieh believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine upon them Of these speaketh the Prophet (d) Isai 43.8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf that have ears they shall continue blind and deaf no Faith for these On the contrary side (e) Isai 32.3 The eyes of them that see shall not be dim and the ears of them that hear shall harken these shall have Faith After this we adore the actings of God and with St. Paul cry out (f) Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out Now as begetting of Faith in us is an effect of God's Election and of his good-pleasure so is the increase and improvement of it for the more it feeds upon Christ the stronger and the more lively it groweth There are degrees of Faith so that though all Believers have the same Faith as to the substance and to the parts yet there is a great difference as to the degrees upon which account we are said (g) 2 Pet. 3.18 Ephes 4.15 to grow in faith or grace There is weak Faith and strong Faith yet both true that Man's Faith who said to our Saviour If thou (h) Mark 9.22.23 canst do any thing have compassion on us was a weak and languishing Faith and seemed to doubt whether Christ could cure his Child after Christ had said to him Mark 9 22.23 If thou canst believe all things are possible to the believer as if he had said to him I can do it but canst thou believe whereupon the Man prayed for supply and strength of Faith Lord I believe but help thou mine unbelief he was much weaker in Faith then he who said Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Luke 5.12 And then the Centurion of whom our Saviour (a) Matth. 8.10 saith I have not found so great a faith no not in Israel and that of the Woman of (b) Matth. 15.26.27 Canaan who for all the repulses which our Saviour did outwardly give her even comparing her to a Dog yet she would not give over till our Saviour had said to her (a) Matth. 8.10 O woman great is thy faith and cured her Daughter so of the woman who had the Issue of Blood for 12 years If I may but touch his cloths (c) Mark 5.28 I shall be whole all effects and signs of a great Faith the increase whereof we ought ever to pray for thereby in time of tryal to be able to resist the temptation Now as Christ is the true and only object of our Faith so 't is a hindrance to 't when we
Indifferent Men Women Babes Children Youths Old Men of all Languages of all Dispositions of all Trades of all Professions and according to their divers inclinations innumerable ways diversified I am not used to quote Authorities of the Fathers though I could easily shew that the Orthodox Men amongst them do about all these controverted points speak as we do but besides that those Quotations would fill too much Paper we must give them no farther credit than as they agree with the infallible rule the word of God therefore we keep close to it only this passage is so much to our purpose that I thought fit to set it down However we shall hereafter have occasion to make use of such Authorities The same answer may be returned to this God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth that is Men of all sorts and qualities and that the Apostle meaneth it so in this place it appears out of the scope very clearly for St. Paul exhorteth (b) 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. prayers supplications c. to be made for all men He proceedeth to the distinction when he saith for Kings and all that are in authority and giveth the reason That we may lead a quiet life in all godliness under their Government for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be Saved that is of the several states and conditions whether they be Kings or any in Authority as well as those that live under them The Adversaries themselves must own how restrictions must be made of those general terms as in the last Text God will have all men to be saved they will not deny that 's expressed under condition of Faith and Repentance and yet the Text doth not explain it self so the like we may say of other places which tend to the same effect if men could but part with prejudice which they are prepossessed of and seek after truth for truth's sake there would sooner be an agreement They Object farther (a) 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive therefore by his death he hath obtained life for all we deny the Consequence the scope of the place is not to shew the extent by way of parallel of the number of those that were dead or alive but the ground of death or life for the sense of the place is and St. Austin explains it so as all those who die die in Adam So all those that are made alive are made alive in Christ out of him there being no Salvation (b) Acts. 9.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved It is most clear out of Scriptures how all dead in Adam are not quickned by Christ but some are left in the state of death for (c) Math. 7.14 few find the way to life This very comparison between Christ and Adam was by Pelagius urged against Austin But say they if Adam hath more destroyed than Christ hath restored then Adam had more power than Christ which is a gross mistake for the restoring to life one dead Man requireth a greater power than to kill a Million Another place of Scripture they bring (d) 1 Tim. 4.10 God is the Saviour of all men but there St. Paul doth not speak of deliverance by way of Salvation but of Preservation and of God's Providence in this world extended upon mankind and to shew it is so 't is added in the same verse specially of those that believe in matter of redemption there is no speciality God takes care of preserving all men in general but Believers in a special manner They make use of another place (e) Rom. 14.15 Destroy not him with thy meet for whom Christ died Therefore Christ died for those who may be damned but the Apostle doth not say that he may be damned for whom Christ died but his scope is to forbid giving offence or matter of scandal to a weak Brother with eating things which he thinks to be unlawful and unclean neither is one destroyed upon any occasion of offence though his Conscience be thereby wounded for the hand of God doth uphold those whom his Son hath redeemed Of this same nature is another place they bring against us (a) 2 Pet. 2.1 Some deny the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction But this Text is not about true redemption from eternal death but only a deliverance of the error and ignorance of the times by the means of the light of the Gospel which happeneth sometimes to the false Prophets which the Apostle speaks of not that they were so in truth but only in appearance they lived in the Church with them that were truly redeemed whose number they seemed to be of but were not really so I now come to the last Objection which is that all to whom Christ's death is preached are bound to believe Christ died for them or else they would be bound to believe a lye but as many Reprobates are hearers of the Word so they ought to believe that Christ died for them But 't is not true that all those whom the word is preached to ought absolutely to believe Christ died effectually for their sins but only in a qualified and restrictive sence if God enableth them by his grace to repent and believe not that repentance should be the cause of that death of his but a most certain and infallible sign of it Scripture doth indeed bind all the Faithful and Elect to believe that Christ effectually died for them because it is so but for those who are yet out of Christ there is no such Precept they must first really be ingrafted in Christ and then believe it not first believe it and then be ingrafted else they should believe a lye in believing their sins are actually purged because a Man must be first in Christ before his iniquity can actually be washed away Then Scriptures enjoyn no reprobate and unregenerate Man to believe at first that Christ effectually died for his sins only as I said upon condition of Repentance and Faith which the reprobate shall never have and the unregenerate who is Elect is not absolutely bound to believe it till the time of his conversion be come And suppose every private Man were obliged to believe Christ effectually died for his sins yet it doth not follow therefore that Christ died effectually for all Men because knowing nothing to the contrary every Man may be bound particularly to believe for himself but not for all besides 't is not well argued to say every Man must particularly believe he is Elected therefore he must believe all are Elected or he must believe particularly he shall be saved therefore he must believe all shall be saved this Argument from the individual to the species doth not hold The revealed
will of God obligeth Man to believe such things as God in his secret will never intended to accomplish So Abraham was bound to believe as also he believed it that God surely intended the Sacrificing of his Son because he commanded him to do it Yet God intended to try his Faith The Ninevites were bound to believe and so they did the Prediction of Jonah (a) Joh. 3.4 Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed yet God intended their repentance not their ruine It is a mistake to think that every one whom Christ is preached unto is bound to believe that he died for him which not being he is bound to believe a lye which to understand the better one must know the several degrees of Faith in this case Upon hearing the Gospel preached there is a general Faith required namely that the Lord Jesus came into the world to save sinners the next thing for a Man to believe is that if I repent and believe Christ came into the world to save me so this is but conditional and many a wicked Man can believe thus far but the third and last degree is proper only to the Elect and 't is this when upon self examination and inquiry a Man finds that he repents as thus formerly I delighted in sin now I hate it heretofore I did eagerly run after the occasions now I avoid them and also doth find and feel that he believeth thus I know and am sensible of the desperate condition I am in by nature and see there is but one way to come out of it namely through the Lord Jesus for there is no Salvation in any other wherefore I hope and trust for mercy in him I lay hold upon and believe in him and do feel within me a comfort and inward assurance in the holy Ghost whereby I am sealed and which is the earnest of the Inheritance and assures me that I am the child of God Now a Man in such a condition is bound to believe that Christ died for him and believes it and so believes the truth according to this method St. Paul makes this declaration (a) Tim. 1.15 16. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief how be it for this cause I obtained mercy Ye see he hath the general notion wherefore Christ came into the world then he proceeds to apply it unto himself Lastly he is sure and believeth he obtained mercy This is the case of every Elect and Believer for there is for all but one way to Salvation Some go another way to work and say all are bound to believe Christ dyed not effectually but sufficiently for all if thereby be meant that the death of Christ as to the value and Merit be sufficient to save all we agree to it for if there had been ten thousand worlds Christ's death had been a sufficient value and price to save all but that distinction of effectually for the Elect and sufficiently for Reprobates doth not well become the dignity and merits of Christ's death wherein the design and wisdom of God and Christ are concerned to dye for one is properly so to die on his behalf as that he thereby may be delivered from death and this as our Saviour saith (b) Joh. 15.13 Implyeth the greatest love that can be Now to say that Christ dyed sufficiently not effectually is as good as to say Christ out of his infinite love for Reprobates dyed in their stead that they should be sufficiently delivered from death but noteffectually that is that they should never be actually delivered To say that Christ dyed for Reprobates not to the end they should actually be delivered but only put in a possibility of being so 't is in a manner to imply or else what they say is to no purpose that it lays in their power to receive Christ by Faith seeing without it they cannot be saved which all comes to this that God decreed from Eternity to save all and every Man upon condition they shall believe which smells of Pelagianism and Semipelagianism These are a new late sort of Arminians who would have minced and mitigated things but did not God from Eternity foresee many would not believe and decreed not to give them Faith which except he doth they can never have Why then should God have made a decree upon a condition which he knew shall never be performed having decreed never to grant the means to do it when a wise Man will not become guilty of so much imprudence But let this be enough upon the matter which in our hands is swelled beyond what we at first intended but 't is so copious that 't is almost unavoidable and yet how many things more might have been said Now we will proceed to something else CHAP. XIII That the Doctrines we hold concerning these Points are the same as Austin and other Orthodox Doctors maintained against Pelagians and Semipelagians WE have been at the Spring of all Truth and out of it I hope clearly and sufficiently proved all the Doctrines in question Now by the grace of God only to satisfie some we will come to something of humane Authority which indeed after God hath in his word passed a sentence is not necessary nor much material However 〈◊〉 shew we are not singular and that those high truths are not our particular opinion we shall make it appear how many hundred years ago some Hereticks having published their corrupt phancies against these truths God raised those who powerfully and successfully stood up in defence thereof Our Adversaries like prostitute Women which in a scolding fit hasten to call Whore first are gone about falsely to asperse us with innovation giving the points controverted between us the name of Calviaian Doctrines as good and as fit for them to call a Calvinist Austin who lived much above a thousand years before Calvin which in effect is to overturn the world and make last first and first last Hence it is that in a fit of rage some of them brake loose upon that worthy Servant of God who hath been an Eminent instrument in his hand to beat down the strength of that Roman Anti-christ to which so many pious and learned Men have given their Evidence Yet no Papist though never so violent spoke against him more unbecomingly and with greater fury than some Arminians have but we must not wonder at it the Cause he fought against is common to Papists with them and so they look on him as their Common Enemy However amongst Enemies if there be any sence of Christianity and Humanity there should be something more of Moderation and Generosity if they were capable of it Cannot we dispute about the things we differ in and let persons alone Forbear making reflections upon the Dead who in their Generation were better Men than we are in ours we should mind the merit of the Cause and not pick an unjust quarrel against the person And here before I
and I am afraid the Reader too Besides that I make this the least part of my plea but because I promised it I must perform and that in two parculars more I shall do first about free-will to shew the judgment of ancient Doctors agreed with ours therein the Second shall be about Perseverance As to the first we begin with Cyprian (a) Cyp. cap. de orat domin When we pray that we do not enter into temptation we are admonished of our own infirmity and weakness by this prayer least any man should insolently exalt himself Least any man should proudly attribute any thing to himself Epist 1. And else where it is God's it is God's I say all that we can do thence we live and thence is our strength Another saith (b) Basil de vita solitar cap. 17. We must take heed that whatsoever is well done of us our soul doth ascribe the causes of our vertue unto the Lord attributing nothing to our own power A third one speaks enough to this purpose but I shall mention only this (c) Greg. Nyssen de orâ—t demin Because humane nature being seduced by subtilty erred from the true judging of good and inclined our will to the contrary all mischief invaded the life of man and brought it into the power thereof c. And again man changed the freedom and power of himself and his own will with the heavy and noisome slavery of sin The next saith (d) Ambros in proaem Lucae The will of man is prepared of God and it is God's grace which causeth that God is worshiped of a Saint It is added by another (e) Hieron in 6. Joh. 44. When Christ saith no man can come unto me he breaketh the proud freedom of will which if it should go unto Christ unless that be done which follows except my heavenly Father draw him it shall be in vain and strive in vain St. Austin is copious upon this point yet let this be sufficient (a) August Enchir. ad Laurent cap. 30. de correp grat cap. 12. Man abusing free-will lost both it and himself c. And in another place Their will is so much kindled with the holy ghost that therefore they are able to work because they will and therefore they will because God worketh that they will And much more to that purpose (b) Fulgent de incarn grat cap. 19. When sin reigneth man hath free-will but free without God and therefore miserably and slavishly free because not made free by the free gift of God's mercy this the Apostle doth evidently insinuate c. Again God worketh that we work by whose working in us all the good that we do is wrought of whom it is said to the Hebrews let him make you perfect in every good works working in you that which is pleasing in his sight Let us hear what Prosper saith (c) Prosper de voc gent. lib. 1. cap. 9. It is most fully declared that all things which belong to the obtaining of eternal life without God's grace can neither be began increased or perfected and any election that boasteth of free-will that sentence of the Apostle doth most invincibly withstand when he saith who hath made thee to differ But we must not omit the evidence of a whole Council (d) Concil Arausic cap. 4. If any man do affirm that our will doth seek God that we may be purged from sin and doth not confess that by the infusion of the holy ghost and his working in us it is wrought that we should will to be purged he resisteth the holy ghost saying by Solomon The will is prepared of the Lord and he resisteth the Apostle wholesomely teaching It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his pleasure God saith Gregory the Great (e) Gregor in Job lib. 18. cap. 22. Coming to an unworthy Soul makes her worthy by coming to her and worketh in her those works which he may reward though he found nothing in her but that which he might punish He is not alone of this opinion (f) Isidor sent lib. 2. cap. 5. The profiting of man is the gift of God Neither can any man be amended of himself but of the Lord for man hath not any thing of himself that is good whose way is not in his power as the Prophet witnesseth I know Lord that the way of man is not his own What Bernard saith is very well (g) Bernar. de lib. arbit grat they are not my words but the Apostles who attributes all the good that may possibly be unto God and not to his own will even to think to will and to do if then God worketh these three things in us that is to think good to will it and to perform it he worketh in us the first indeed without us the second with us and the third by us for by sending in a good thought he preventeth us by changing our wicked will he joyns it to him by consent and by giving power to our consent This inward worker sheweth himself outwardly in our manifest work A Great Schoolman speaks very well upon the matter (a) P. Lombar ex Hug. de Sanct. Vict. lib. 2. dist 25. grand lib. 2. dist 26. A. After sin and before the restoring of grace the will is oppressed and overcome by concupiscence and is weak in evil and hath no grace in good and therefore it can sin and it cannot chuse but sin and that damnably Again working grace is that which preventeth the good will for by it the will of man is freed and prepared that it may be good and that effectually it may will good But co-operating grace followeth the will when it is good in helping it This Point we conclude in Cassander's words (b) Cassan consult art 18. By which grace there is not created a new will neither is the will forced being unwilling but the will being sick is healed being depraved is rectified and is changed from evil into good and by an inward kind of motion is drawn that of unwilling it may become willing and may freely consent to the divine calling and afterwards the same grace co-operating it may obey the will of God and by the same grace persevering in good works may also thorough the same grace enter into the inheritance of the heavenly Kingdom this Doctrine of grace and free-will the sounder Schoolmen strongly defended against the Pelagians amongst whom was Thomas Bradwarden called in his time the profound Doctor who wrote an Excellent work which is called A Summ against Pelagianism c. But I am almost tired out with these Quotations whereof all the Authors are for free-grace against free-will which is our Plea They who have a mind to see more about it may do it out of the Quotations in the (c) Trenaeus lib. 3. cap. 19. Tacianus Assirius Orat. cont gentes Chrysolog Serm. 114. Pâ—â— diacon de incarn
The Doctrines contained in every Article he reduces under several Heads and Propositions which he proves out of Scripture and these Propositions he in his Epistle Dedicatory affirmeth to be maintained by the Church of England which if it had not been true he would not have had the Face to have said so in Print to the Primate of the whole Kingdom To add a greater weight to what he writes I must warn the Reader he was no Puritan nor Friend to them as it appeareth out of his Book and so no Calvinist to make use of their Words He out of this 17th Article draweth ten Propositions the 1st That there is a Predestination of Men unto everlasting Life 2. Predestination hath been from everlasting Here is the eternity 3. They which are predestinated unto Salvation cannot perish This is Perseverance and against the Apostacy of Saints 4. Not all Men but certain are predestinated to be saved Here is a certain number of Chosen and Elect 5. In Christ Jesus of the meer Will and purpose of God some are elected and not others unto Salvation Here are Election and Rebrobation and no outward Motive in God but his meer Will and Purpose In the 6th and 7th Propositions he makes the outward Calling by the Word and inward by the Holy Ghost the Justification by Faith of those that are predestinate their Sanctification by the Holy Ghost and Glorification in the Life to come to be infallible Effects of free Election Take notice also how in his Proofs of the first Proposition he makes use of the Examples of Abel and Cain Isaac and Ishmael Jacob and Esau as Examples of Election and Reprobation And amongst those whom he condemns as Adversaries to this Truth for of the Truth he asserts in every Proposition he names those that are against it he expresses those that say how some are appointed to be saved but none to be damned And upon the 4th Proposition he condemneth those who say no certain Company be fore-destined unto eternal Condemnation Upon his 5th Proposition he condemneth of Impiety that 's his Word those who say that Man maketh himself eligible for the Kingdom of Heaven those who say that God beheld in every Man whether he would use his Grace well and believe the Gospel or no and as he saw a Man affected so he did predestinate choose or refuse him And those that say that besides God's Will there was in him some other Cause why he chose one and cast off another O Arminians here by a true Son of the Church according to the Doctrine of the Church you are charged with Impiety for your Opinions More of this is to be seen in the Book which for Brevities sake I omit One Evidence more of a true Son of the Church I shall make use of upon this point which also proves our 13th Chapter in the very Words (a) Reply to Fisher p. 275. Although our Tenet concerning predestination be no other than St. Austin and his Scholars maintained against the Pelagians saith Dr. Francis White Dean of Carlisle As to Mr. Rogers's Book something else I shall add how therein in matter of Predestination he saith as do all the Churches Militant and Reformed with a sweet consent testifie and acknowledge Then all such Churches agree against Arminians in these points For free-Will we must read the 10th Article The Condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural Strength and good Works to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasing and acceptable unto God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will This is plain enough as observed by Rogers how Man cannot do any good Work before he be regenerated and converted And he declares Adversaries to this Truth all such as hold that naturally there is free-will in us and that Man hath free-will to perform spiritual and heavenly things Again that Men believe not but of their own free-Will That it is in a Man's free-Will to believe or not to believe to obey or disobey the Gospel of Truth preached This is the Doctrine we assert in as plain and proper Words as can be expressed And on his 3d. Proposition upon the same Article he brings in the very same Texts we make use of for that purpose As (b) Acts 15. â— God purifieth man's heart (c) Phil. 2.13 works in us both the will and the deed (d) Rom. 8 2â— the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought (e) 1 Cor. 6.7 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God c. All this against free-Will and for God's free effectual Grace As to the certainty of Salvation and for Perseverance 't is contained in the already-quoted 17th Article where 't is said God hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to bring those he hath chosen in Christ and by Christ to everlasting Salvotion Whence it doth follow that certainly and infallibly such shall be brought to Salvation or else God could not execute that which he hath decreed to do which is Blasphemy Now the Adversaries are for Mutability and in constancy of Salvation which certainly this Article doth cross for it induceth a certain and constant Salvation and a constant Decree of Election constantly bringing to Salvation which must be by way of Perseverance in the State of Grace But they by inducing this Apostacy and that Men though elected may have leave to fall from Salvation if they will make an Election which followeth a Man upon condition of his fore-seen Perseverance a strange Election that waits upon Man to see whether he will give to himself a final Perseverance by his own free-Will an Election by which no Man is actually elected until he be no more that is after his death In this Article the Church hath another way to teach the certainty of Salvation which is to go upon the same Grounds St. Paul doth when he saith by Particulars to make the General sure (f) Rom. 8.29.3 Whom he did fore-know them he also did predestinate to be made like to the Image of his Son Whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified According to this Foundation in the said Article are these Words Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the Calling They be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like unto the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by God's
of sticking to the Rule and Word of God To such we may put St. Paul's question (e) Rom. 11.34 35. Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellour Hast thou known his mind or hast thou been his Counsellour Or who hath first given to him hast thou then it shall be recompensed to thee again Thou hast chosen him to be thy God before he predestinated thee to the adoption of Children thou hast believed in him before he elected thee to believe in Christ since thou makest God as accomptable to thee be sure if he owes any thing he will pay it but one should know that (a) Job 33.13 there is no striving against God and that he giveth not account of any of his matters For (b) Prov. 21 30. there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. As to the question whether or not the decree of Election be absolute I say 't is not in some respect and in some other it is 't is not absolute in relation to the means conducing to the obtaining of Salvation which are included in the decree whereof the merits of Christ and Faith are the chief though I must say that the Use and Application of those means is the work of grace God saith Job (c) Job 23 1â— performeth the thing that is appointed for me And St. Paul by the grace of God I am what I am ... Yet not I but the grace of God that was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 And I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Philip. 4.13 It is absolute in relation to any impulsive or instrumental cause or any condition which the decree should depend upon which is the question between Arminians and us In the execution of the decree Faith is the instrument and hand whereby we receive and apply Christ's merits unto us but it is under no such Notion in the making of the decree What I said before I repeat here that there are not two decrees one for the end another for the means but one and the same for both because God willeth together end and means where one can do two are superfluous Now God doth nothing in vain Let us now speak of the matter of Election or who are those whom God elected unto eternal life They are Men fallen in Adam and for sin in the sight of God guilty of eternal death yet God hath not chosen all men sinners but only some few of every sort especially of those which are low and contemptible in this world As to the first they are Men fallen in Adam We think this to be the order of God's decrees about Men First to Create Man for the glory of his Name Secondly to permit they should fall from the integrity wherein they were created and so become guilty of eternal death Thirdly Out of that whole lost lump of mankind to restore some to everlasting life thereby to shew his mercy and leave the rest in the state of Perdition and Damnation for their sins to manifest his Justice Our reasons why God hath chosen men in that state are First Because he hath (a) Ephes 1.4 elected us that we should be holy and without blame Therefore he lookt upon such as unholy and sinners Secondly Scripture calleth Election (b) Rom. 9.15.23 a will to shew mercy and a little lower the Elect are called vessels of mercy therefore considered as in misery for misery is the Object of Pity and Mercy We say in the second place all men are not elected only some out of all sorts on which Scripture is positive (c) Matth. 20.16 few are chosen Neither doth God give eternal life to all for some are Damned therefore he decreed not to do 't for God doth nothing in time but what from eternity he decreed to be done God hath not mercy upon all but (d) Rom. 9.18 he hardneth some neither doth he give the means of Salvation as calling by the word Faith in Christ Repentance Justification by Faith to all but only to some so that we may say they who are not elected to the means are not elected to the end for God will not bestow the end but through the means the very name of Election signifieth a choice of some out of many he cannot be said to chuse who taketh all promiscuously The Adversaries we are now disputing against to prove that God decreed from eternity with an antecedent will to save in time all and every Man do argue thus (e) 1 Tim. 2.4 God will have all men to be saved therefore he decreed to save them all but the consequence is not good for in the Text the Apostle doth not mean every particular Man but men of all sorts as Princes and Subjects which is the scope of the place For there he exhorteth to have prayers made for all men for Kings and all in authority Rich and Poor Old and Young Men and Women great Men and of low degree that is of all Ages Sexes Quality Nation and People c. The particle all is distributive as School-men say into the genders of singulars not into the singulars of genders we do not our selves give that sence but 't is Scripture interpretation The four Beasts and twenty four Elders said to the Lamb (a) Rev. 5.9 chap. 7.9 and chap. 11.9 chap. 13.6 chap. 14.6 chap. 19.18 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Which is repeated in several other places of the same book as are quoted in the Margin to shew this is the true meaning of the Spirit of God And the Reader may peruse them with that of Colos 3.4 Again they object (b) 2 Pet. 3.9 God will have none to perish but all that should come to repentance But there the Apostle speaketh not indifferently of all Men but only of the Elect as appeareth in the same verse God is patient or long suffering to us ward so he is not willing that any of us should perish and who those are whom he speaks to they are the same he writes his Epistle to and them he nameth in the first verse of the first Chap. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us thorough the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ He will have none of these to perish but that they all come to repentance and certainly they will Thus the word all is taken for the Elect in the two following places (c) 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ gave himself a ransome for all and (d) 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all and not for every Man whether Believer or Reprobate as it will be proved in its place by the grace of God What St. Paul saith that (e) Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all is not to be understood of every particular Man but
and love of God whereby he chose us for his before he made the world after that he granted us to be called by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ when the spirit of the Lord is poured into us by whose guidance and governance we be led to settle our trust in God ... From the same spirit also cometh our sanctification the love of God and our Neighbour justice and uprightness of life finally whatsoever is in us or may be done of us honest pure true and good that altogether springeth out of this most pleasant Rock from this most plentiful fountain the goodness love choice and unchangeable purpose of God he is the cause the rest are the fruits and effects .... It is meant thereby that faith or rather trust alone doth lay hand upon understand and perceive our righteous making to be given us of God freely That is to say by no desert of our own but by the free grace of the Almighty Father .... For not by the worthiness of our deservings were we either heretofore chosen or long ago saved but by the only mercy of God and pure grace of Christ our Lord whereby we were in him made to do these good works that God hath appointed for us to walk in ... And fol. 68. Immortality and blessed life God hath provided for his chosen before the foundation of the world was laid To what hath been said out of fol. 7 8 12. I shall add few words more The image of God in man by original sin and evil custom was so obscured that man himself could not sufficiently understand the difference between good and bad between just and unjust c. And from these and other actions of Christ two benefits do accrue unto us one that whatsoever he did he did it all for our profit so that they are as much ours if so be we cleave fast to them with a firm and lively faith as if we our selves had done them .... Out of all this I made it appear Arminian Tenets to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Church and upon occasion I shall be ready to make enlargements not only out of all the same Springs and Authentick Records but out of others too which now for brevities sake I do not mention tho' they be considerable however before I make an end of this point I must not omit taking notice of the Catechism of Predestination or some certain Questions and Answers about that matter in opposition to Arminianism and as a preservative against it when here it began to appear in the Year 1607 they were Licensed by Authority and Printed by Robert Barker which then were bound up and sold with the Bibles I shall take notice only of three or four things in it The answer to the question What is the reason why men do so much vary in matters of religion Is this Because they only believe the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which are ordained unto eternal life And to the next question Are not all ordained to eternal life The Answer is Some are vessels of wrath ordained unto destruction as others are vessels of mercy prepared to glory And to the question How standeth it with God's justice that some are appointed to damnation The Answer is Very well because all men have in themselves sin which deserveth no less and therefore the mercy of God is wonderful in that he vouchsafed to save some of that sinful race and to bring them to the knowledge of the truth And to the following question If God's ordinance and determination must of necessity take effect then what need any man to care For he that liveth well must needs be damned if he be thereunto ordained And he that liveth ill must needs be saved if he be thereunto appointed The answer is this Not so for it is not possible that either the Elect should always be without care to do well or that the Reprobate should have any will thereunto for to have either good will or good work is a testimony of the spirit of God which is given to the Elect only whereby faith is so wrought in them that being grafted in Christ they grow in holiness to that glory whereunto they are appointed c. And as to another question Cannot such perish as at some time or other feel these spiritual motions within themselves 'T is answered It is not possible that they should for as Gods purpose is not changeable so he repenteth not of the gifts and graces of his adoption neither doth he cast off those whom he hath once received If we had had the penning of these words we could not have set them down otherwise than they are Hence appeareth the sweet and perfect harmony between these publick Records of the Faith and Religion of the Church of England let those that have a mind to look farther there into among the 39 Articles to peruse the 9th about Original Sin the 11th of the Justification of Man and the 18th of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the name of Christ With Mr. Roger's Exposition upon every one of them specially the 17th about Predestination I hope we hitherto have out of Publick and Authentick Records sufficiently demonstrated Arminianism to be contray to the Doctrine of the Church We ought to take notice how these 39 Articles Common-Prayer-Book c. were compiled before Arminius and his errors were heard of here for I make no doubt but if they had been spread before we should have had other things more directly and positive against them for certainly the spirit of the first Reformers was altogether for free-grace against free-will wherefore to prosecute my Argument I now must shew how strongly and generally Arminianism was opposed here when it first appeared Which can more and more confirm it to be against the Doctrine of the Church But this affordeth matter enough for another Chapter CHAP. XVI How Arminianism did meet with a strong and general opposition here when it began to appear HEre the sparkles of that unhappy Fire did at first except once which I shall have occasion to mention break out in Cambridge where one Doctor Baroe a Divinity Professor and one Barret in a Sermon of his having published some Arminian Tenets a speedy course was taken to suppress it for the Vice-Chancellor and Heads of the University-Colleges met together and declared those opinions to be Innovations and contrary to the Doctrine of the Church professed in that University Whereupon they sent up Doctor Whitaker and Tindal two Members of their own to Archbishop Whitgift who forthwith called to him several learned and worthy Divines amongst whom were the then Bishop of London the Elect Bishop of Bangor and others in and about the City and upon due Examination and Debate upon the matter on the 20th of November 1595 drew up unanimously the 9 Articles called the Lambeth Articles wherein they also had the concurrence of the Archbishop of York and of several Divines of that