power of obeying in this faln corrupted condition God requires faith of all to whom the Word is preached but will not give faith to all to whom it is revealed Pr. You seem to me to have been alwayes of this opinion Th. I was not so wedded to this opinion till such thoughts as these ran alwayes in my minde that I was really of the number of the Elect. Pr. Do not presume rashly you too confidently pronounce your self Elect when from your Childhood you have been such a rakehell and have not to this day mended your course these are but small fruits or signs of your Election Th. O good Sir you must know that all z Calv. in Instit lib. 3. c. 24. dist 10. the Elect are not called so soon as born nor all at one and the same time nay before they are congregated to the Supreme Pastor they wander in the common desert of this world in sin and are neither known to others or themselves to be elected to life till the peculiar mercy of God keep and guide them a Musc loc com de Fide c. 7. Neither is God bound to any time when or persons which to call so that 't is for no one to doubt when he shall be call'd for no sin is so great as to â—inder when heaven calls Whence it appears clear as Noon-day I am not presently to despair if I have not lived so unblameably as you would have me Pr. Yet it was your duty as the Apostle sayes by good works to make your salvation sure Th. How came you to speak so unadvisedly Sir does our Election depend on good works I 'll prove it does not and further I am perswaded that the Elect may fall b Zanch. in Mâ—scel p. 329. into great and hainous sins as Adultery Murther nay sometimes into such errours by which sometimes partly sometimes wholly the very foundation of Salvation is turned topfie-turvy or otherwise against their Conscience to sin foully and grievously c Ruard Acron Explic. Catech. qu. 53. fol. 137. against any of the Commandments of God but all these things hinder little or nothing For d Wilhel Teeling in dial de statu hom Christi pag. 44. God will not damn any of the elect though they sin because the foundation of their safety lies in his eternal act of their election neither can a thousand nay the sins of the whole world nor all the Devils in Hell destroy one of the Elect Our sins may harden our hearts weaken our faith but cannot quite destroy it nor extinguish the Spirit of God utterly So that God damns none for their sins whom he has adopted in Christ Pr. What then you did not fear to be damned Th. No not I a jot for who are e Toss de Praedest cap. 3. Zanch. de nat Dei l. 7. q. 1. predestinated cannot be cast off for ever because once elected by the immutable Decree of God and again because whom Christ loves he loves unto the end Pr. But you ought to have turn'd and conform'd your self according to the will of God that you might have obtained the remission of your sins Th. For any thing I understand you have even the same conception of f Smout in Script consent fol. 12. the New Covenant as of the Old which was placed in the condition of Works as if we would constantly believe and do this and thus God would again do for us so and so c. which rule is diametrically opposite to the New Covenant conditions g Id. fol. 31. God makes a New Covenant with us and promises us not onely when we are without any but have strayed a long way from the condition whilst we wallow in the midst of sin h Id. fol. 46. Behold God forgiveth sin before he renews the heart and does both these before we have done any good nay whilst we are in our sins and do profane his Name Hence 't is abundantly evident i Gesel probat fol. 33. that God does prosecute all his Elect with a singular eternal gracious and saving love before they believe or repent For truly as the Synod of Dort k Acta Synodi cap. 1. Art 9. sayes Election is made not from any foreseen faith obedience fanctity or any other good quality or disposition as a pre-requisite cause or condition in us that we should be thus elected but are chosen to faith and obedience so that Election is the cause from whence all good works flow and from hence faith holiness all spiritual gifts flow and at last life it self as the fruit and effect meerly of it Pr. Whither do you intend to protract this Dispute hold your tongue and leave this disputing think with your self how far the night is spent and how nigh your life is to its period and be more sollicitous how you may be saved when you shall depart this life Consider those words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 6.10 Nor thieves nor drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God yet you must possess it if you be saved Th. Do you think you can shew your self a Physician to my sinful sick Soul Pr. Believe in Jesus Christ mourn for your sins beg a blessed change from God an happy hour wherein he may give you the remission of your sins and life everlasting Th. What must I believe that I may believe in Christ aright Pr. You must believe that Jesus Christ by his Death and Passion merited the remission of sins and life eternal and that for you particularly This is commanded you in the Gospel Th. Whatsoever the Gospel says is it true or false Pr. 'T is truth it self Th. Has Christ by his Death and Passion purchased these things for all Pr. l Pisc con Schafm disp de Praedest pag. 12. Although humane Reason and in good men has thence taken scandal and some of the Evangelical Doctors much rage rail when they hear any teach that God would not have all men to be saved but onely such and such and Christ is not dead for all but we firmly believe on either side and that from Scripture it self so that I may assert in plain words m Perk. de Spir. desert p. 3. God has constituted no Mediator for the reprobated for Christ is the Redeemer of the Elect onely and not of others Th. Is not Christ then dead and made n Polan Explic. quar in Relig. diff p. 154. q. 4. an offering for Reprobates Pr. I pray Sir if you be one of Christs elect Sheep why do you thus patronize the Reprobate and Damned Reade the judgement of the Synod of o Synod of Dort c. 2. art 8. Dort that will teach you that this was the free counsel gracious intention of God the Father of the precious death of his onely Son to effect grace and Salvation in all the Elect giving them alone justifying faith and by it infallibly bringing them to heaven that is God
justifie yet notwithstanding we are bound to observe the precepts of God as it is written if you will enter into life eternal keep the commandments Th. Gently good brother l Luth. in Serm. on Joh. 16.4 for thus you deny Christ and destroy faith attributing that to Divine commands or the law which is onely due and proper to God Furthermore I am almost induced to believe that you are an heretick whilst you attribute something to good works in our justification before God m Luther N. T. I say further Sir because the way is narrow you ought to be lowly and humble if you intend to passe for those that are loaded with good works are like those we see go pilgrimage to the reliques of S. James so incompassed with reeds that they cannot passe thither n Id. therefore if you come to heaven with a great bag full of good works you will be forced to lay them down for you cannot get in with them Pr. I confesse that good works are not looked upon as the impulsive cause of our justification and salvation yet for all that we are to take heed that we commit no bad ones Th. Very right Sir we do beware of sins o Catech. Heidel qu. 114. but much more of the law and good works onely heeding divine promises and our end Good God! What good can such miserable sinners as we do when as the most holy men who ever lived whilst they were in this life have had so small beginnings of obedience that you could not out of all their actions pick out one which did not deserve the just punishment yea the eternal punishment rather of Gods wrath then worthy of the reward of eternal life Go to therefore you Pedlers and Sectaries in religion with your good works and follow me who onely build my faith and help in the free grace and mercy of God p Luther of Capt. Babyl ch of Baptism For a baptized Christian is so rich that no sinnes whatsoever they be can rob him of his inheritance or impoverish him unlesse he fall away of himself from the faith All these are the very expresse words of Luther and Calvin and are these of your reformed Divines Pr. Yes but I perceive friend that you confiding in these and such like expressions have taken too much liberty to commit hainous sins therefore 't is necessary that you be instructed of that will of God by which he will be obeyed Th. You speak well Sir but don't you think that I have often thought of it truly I have and have often and much considered with my self about it for y Sturm of Predest Thes 18. pag. 117. I knew the will of God was twofold either Secret or Revealed So that God wills many things which he will not reveal z Id. Thes p. 31. as is clear by this instance a Perk. of Free-grace p. 45. God promulgated this edict by Moses to Pharaoh saying Let my people go when as the secret will of God and purpose was that he should not let the people go Neither b Calv. ad calumn Nebulon. ought this to seem a wonder to you because God has by his secret will decreed some to sin who by his revealed will he has commanded to do no evil Pr. Why so do you believe you perform the will of God when you commit iniquity Th. If c Sturm of Predest Thes 18. p. 17. you look after the hidden will of God whereby he has ordered all things to work for his glory wicked men do do the will of God but â—f you look to the revealed will of God wicked men do it not Pr. You say right therefore you are alwayes to be intent on the external revealed will of God because his hidden will you do not cannot know Th. Truly Sir these same two wills in or of God have alwayes made a great noise in my head and sounded very strangely in my ears d Pisc against Schafm for seeing God does not alwayes will what he e Dungan Pacif. fol. 56. does reveal to us to have willed and his revealed will to be call'd so but improperly his hidden properly furthermore f Calv. ad calumn Neb. pag. 161 to Art 7. that God should by his ineffable counsel will a thing to this end and make it for another and forbid that to be done which he wills to have done I was not very inquisitive about this revealed will Pr. How dare you belch forth such Blasphemies Th. I speak the very truth it self for when-as g Sturm of Predest Thes 1. fol. 3. the secret will of God is wholly onely and alwayes done and nothing happens in the world but God did before decree it nay when this hidden Decree of God is the necessary cause of all things so that God himself wills sin by the will of his bene placet I have alwayes counted it safe to follow the efficacious will of God lest otherwise I should take labour in vain Pr. h Ripert in Colloq p. 250. It is manifest that the Omnipotent God according to his secret Decree and bene placet would not have done what he has commanded to men in his revealed word and that i Id. pag. 252. all things as it appears according to God and his Decree infallibly and necessarily come to pass I go not about to deny nay I expresly hold this opinion in my judgement yet neverthelesse you ought to be the more sollicitous and careful over your self Th. I have read in Scripture Sir that Christ forbids all manner of vain sollicitousness of minde as to adde one cubit to ones height to make one hair black or white and others of these sorts Thence I judge I should do a great deal foolisher as well as more irreligious if I should presume to endeavour and strive against the decree and efficacious will of God Therefore you ought to confess with me that all operations humane commotions internal and external as well the bad as good whether of understanding heart or will have both their rise and efficacy from the force and impulse of Divine Providence so that they cannot but chuse whatsoever God shall will So that in Adams fall God had destinated his heart both to that end and action And hence it is l Calv. of Predest p. 842. that men can never will or do any thing but what God prompts them too whether it be good or evil so that he sometimes guides their hands sometimes holds them now turns them this way then that way and what way soever he pleases that they may effect whatever he has decreed which is only not to be understood of actions which are but of bad and evil likewise for m Calv. de locis praecipuis men sometimes like unto savage beasts run into all manner of viciousness yet for all this it often happens that they are so held in and curbed by an invisible and
punishment more to be feared to your Soul Therefore tell me now you are a going out of this world whether do you think you shall go Th. To heaven as well as you who art not much better than I. Pr. Do you think then you are as good and as honest as I am Th. Yes that I do and that I will prove out of your own proper Confession a Calv. Com. on Isa ch 64. v. 7. of his Institut l. 3. c. 12. dist 9 13 14. Ibid. c. 14. dist 9. one for all Your best works in themselves are filthy deformed detestable nay meer abominations and sins and like an unclean woman alwayes infected with filth and spots so that you are not accepted or esteemed of God for any of your works because that they b Belg. Confes art 24. deserve nothing but eternal punishment and that c Catech. Heidel quest 60. you altogether grievously sinn'd against all the Commandments of God neither have observed any one of them nay that you are altogether prone to all manner of malice and hatred both against God and your Neighbour In those printed Prayers at the end of your Psalter you confess worthy Sir your worchiness not onely to be blinde in your understanding but unapt to all good that it strayes from God follows its own vain imaginations that it daily sins and that most hainously and that it is by our Original Sin sometimes so corrupted and instigated that by reason of it there rise many and sinful thoughts which fight against God and your Neighbour so that many times you transgress the commands of God without intermission In brief you are a miserable sinner conceived and born in all sin and corruption prone to all evil unapt and averse to all good so that you have uncessantly by your sins throughout your whole life excited the anger of the Lord against you and according to his righteous judgement has deserved on thy self his eternal the more the pity Condemnation Your Conscience accuses you of this d Confes Belg. Art 7. nay your very sins witnesse against you so that being convinced you often groan under the sense of your corruption and desire to be freed from the body I will speak in short Since your being of little or no profit for e Teelings Dial. of Christian mans state p. 8 9. from your nativity you have been a childe of wrath and heir of Divine vengeance hadst communion with damned Devils when thou wast in thy Mothers womb full of all natural poison whence all evil actions proceed that you can do nothing more than sin yea when thou wast an Infant hadst thou but been tempted by the least occasion for you are naturally as propense to sin as the Serpent is to bite or sting and as is the Serpent odious to men not for the mischief it has done but the poison it carries about with it so even you are counted odious by God by reason of that poison of Original Sin in which you were born and conceived All this and much more of the same kind you say of your selves and have subscribed it with your own hand Nay you brand all those which deny to affirm these things with you by the name of Hereticks as Arminians Pelagians and such like Names and how would you take it if some one Shimei like should make it his business to reproach and assault you with dishonesty and maledictions and vomit out if there be any things worse than these upon you Pr. For the honour of God and the exalting of the superabundant riches of his grace I willingly confess my self guilty of all this nay God will that his chosen and faithful should be such sinners that they should not boast of themselves but f Calv. Instit l. 3. c. 14. dist 9. be humble which humility confists in this that we empty our selves of all goodnesse whatsoever Th. And of late I have believed this to be true too Sir and I did further judge if I may speak my minde in this case that I was forthwith to do no good my self for the further I was off from doing any good the truer I could confess my self to be void of all righteousness and goodness Pr. I would not have you so understand me as if God would have us to be sinners and not endevour to do good works but that 't is onely by his grace lest we should seek to be justified by our works Th. I believe the same yet and because I well know how deadly a sin it is to lean to good works for justification and see with what subtilties the devil does hunt men how with heresies he entraps men I have even lain aside doing good if I could onely leaning to the free grace of God Pr. Must you have your will and your judgement afore all others and interpret our doctrine no otherwise then if it were the cause of your perverse life Fy Fy. God intends this that men should not seek to be justified by works but faith Th. By faith what faith Pr. As our Catechism has it in the 60 question I believe onely in Jesus Christ through whom by faith I shall be justified before God My conscience accuses me of all these things that I have sinned most hainously against all the commandments of God that I have observed none of them and am now liable to all evil yet the good God without any merit of mine out of his own meer grace both gives and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction justice and sanctification of Christ as fully as if I had committed no sin yea as if I had performed all that righteousnesse and obedience which Christ either did or suffered in my own person as I apply this by belief to my heart Th. You say well Sir this pure and sound faith has been alwayes my faith and so that I am more perswaded I have alwayes stuck close to that Doctrine of the reformed Churches so that I have almost wearied God if it were possible with my prayers in which faith without any good works I persist Furthermore this was alwayes in my mind often in my mouth g Luthers preface to Galat. That it was the chiefest art of a Christian to know no law no good works no not a tittle as to justification h Luth. lib. of Christian liberty for a Christian neither wants works or the law after by faith he is freed from all laws i Luth. on 2. chap. to Gal. Id. de lib. Christian Faith is onely necessary to salvation other things we are freed from whether commanded or forbid Goodworks make not men good nor bad ones bad and as to unbelievers no good work profiteth to their salvation so on the contrary no bad action makes a man bad or condemns him but onely unbelief For where faith is no sin can hurt Pr. What then have you such an esteem of good works indeed we teach indeed that faith in Christ does alone
secret bitt that they are not able so much as to move their finger amiss of themselves but rather effect the will of God than their own n Beza against Castel Aphor. 22. for God so works by instruments that he does not onely permit that they should do such an action and it should fall out to such an end but he himself also excites impels moves governs and what is more than this creates alone and above that what he has decreed should come to pass by these very means and without question 't is for this very cause that God has given o Calv. ad calumn Neb. 11. a will and inclination to the worst of men that for this very reason he might be said to be the sole and genuine Cause of all things whatsoever willing and effecting q Trig def fol. 172. that wicked men should live in their lusts and this same necessity of sinning is imposed by God Therefore you Mr. Parson all that you have said of this same special care and watchfulness is meer nonsense and the absolute issue of your imprudence for r Gesel probl c. 14. fol. 62. s Ren. in cat aur fol. 32. wicked men are by the secret hand and power of God as by a hidden string not knowing themselves directed and twitched to an end and design of which they are altogether ignorant as a man is that shoots at a mark and missing that hits some neighbouring thing which he neither intended or knew of Pr. You prate to me as if you should not brush to affirm God to be the author of your sins Th. If by Author t Pezel treat of Predâ—…st you mean one who perswades impels or any other way administers an occasion of doing any thing you may very safely call God the Author of sin as for example when u Joh. Urba in sua Tapeinophrosyna resol p. 7. Adam is the cause of sin and God the cause of Adam why may you not call God the cause of sin Nay God is the very prime first Cause of sin x Ruard Acron expos in Catechis quest 9. but this you must take with a grain of salt as thus The same act y Zuingl dâ— provid c. 6. as Adultery or Homicide as God is the Author and impulsive cause is no sin but as it is the work of man is a shameful and Soul-killing wickedness For for just causes z Calv. de Predest fol. 844 although unknown to us wickedness comes forth from God which are unjustly committed by men a Pisc against Schafm pref p. 3. and God does secretly stir up men to those villanies he has openly forbid Nay b Sturm of Predest Thes 15 16. God himself works all things in all men yea their very sins and whatsoever is done is irresistibly done which is thus evidenced c Triglan def fol. 164. God by an effectual Decree and Providence compels Thieves to Homicide as a King compels his Subjects to pay their Tribute or as one on horse-back makes the horse to go what pace and what way he will Pr. Therefore you do not believe that 't is you have done all this wickedness and roguery Th. Yes but I do to wit against the external will of God but against his internal will and providence not a jot for this will d Rippert in Colloq of the Divine bene placet of God is then also done when a man sins against the Precepts of God Pr. Then you did not so much as think of the internal and secret will of God Th. Why Sir can you think I could think so was I able the Divine Providence and will of God premised to think any otherwise than I did for if it were the hidden will and providence of God that I should think so who was I or what could I do to resist it but because it was not his internal Decree according to our Doctrine I could not so much as think it nay as soon as ever I perceived any motions or suggestions in my self to any thing which God had forbidden by his Law it presently run in my minde whether God or no had not by his secret will pre-ordained that I should do it and whether or no he did not excite and impel me to it that he might bring to pass by me what he had from all Eternity inevitably decreed of or for me reasoning thus with my self If I resist I shall be counted with Lucifer to be an enemy to God and a fighter against him and on this Whithersoever the dictates of my will though depraved carried me I acted it and hurried that way with all violence so that I know now as sure as God's in heaven that whatsoever wickedness I committed was the internal will bene placet and Decree of God For had it not been agreeable to his internal will it would never have come to pass so long as the world had stood But to say a little more If at any time I went but about to consider more accurately and exactly with my self I was all on a fire till I had multiplied faults and sinn'd to some tune seeing it highly acceptable to God for me to do such things e Piscat as above Thes 35. p. 32. for God has as it were a necessity of our sinning that he may the more manifest his glory because he cannot exalt his mercy or bestow it but on those that are miserable sinners and have need of it neither justly damn men unless they were sinners f Id. Thes 27. Beza Predest against Castel in ref cal secundae So that unless this be granted God could not if he would bring about his principal end which are the shewing of his Mercy and Justice towards some to manifest his Mercy for their deliverance and in their salvation towards other to manifest the exactness and rigor of his vengeance in their destruction and damnation g Smout Concord fol. 107. Therefore it was necessary that man should fall from grace that God might have an occasion and reason of declaring both his Mercy and Justice Furthermore h Martyr in C. L. class 3. c. 2. dist 48. sins make as well to Reprobation as Predestination for who are reprobated are by them brought to destruction who predestinated or saved for here it is all one thing meant by their sins do so much the more illustrate the goodness and glory of God whilst they are redeemed out of them for all them And again seeing God so allow of sin that he let it exist I thought my self his creature and have often ingeminated this saying Behold thy Servant Lord alwayes ready and willing to sin Pr. But do you hear friend were you alwayes wont to live free of all anxiety and terrors of conscience Th. No I was alwayes merry since I was born thinking thus with my self If I am elected the Spirit of Christ will work conversion and faith in me with that force
and power which is to the elect irresistible for Renovation is a second Creation which does not depend upon the will of man but sole power of God i Donteclock in respons ad ignoti scriptum litera L. 4. M. 1. k Martyr L.C. de lib. arbit p. 978. For as those which are dead cannot raise themselves againe so I can by no means raise my self from the death of sin how much soever the word of God sound against threatning to reward this Spirituall death with an eternall unless God himself be pleased to give a new Spirit unto me wherefore I did wisely even to tarry l Bucer in Rom. 9. till God should come in upon me and by his word and instructions turn my heart for when I should be compeld I could not chuse but follow On the other side I concluded with my self thus If I am reprobated all that lies in me either to do or suffer will be vaine my doings can do me no good may be they may do me harm m Donteclock against Castel p. 171. nay though I should perform all the good deeds n Marl. on Ioh. 15. v. 2. that all the Saints ever did or shall do I could not be saved the decree of God stands so firme and sure Pr. You should have observed the outward and inward call of God both by his word and spirit Th. Could I have behaved my self any otherwise then I have done o Gesel in probat fol. 38. for who are not outwardly by the Gospel and inwardly by the Spirit called according to the good purpose of God cannot obey this call neither can they believe or p Id. 38. convert themselves and God q Smout in pref Concopd fol. 9. draws those that believe so that they will not cannot neither can will to resist his will Whom God enlightens and whose hearts he moves are compelled and cannot but follow when 't is God that calls To illustrate this by an example r Anthon. Thys in doct ord reform Eccles s Contra-Remonst in Colloq Hag. as none can hinder his own production or resurrection so none can hinder the Free-grace of God working in Jesus Christ for our regeneration and resurrection to a spirituall life from these you abundantly see if I had bin thus handled and called of God I could have done no other then followed and obeyed his will Pr. Did you then never heare God thus calling nor find your self ever moved Th. Yes I have often heard yet you very well know that as God has an internall and externall will so there is an internall and externall call t Pareus in Rom. 9. but if this externall call shall be joyned with the internall 't is to be an effect and an ineffable figne of his predestination and this is what the Synod of Dort have not of late so clearly demonstrated u Synod of Dort cap. 1. Art 6. Some have faith bestowed on them by God and others have not proceeds from the eternall decree of God according to which decree he softens the hard hearts and bends their wils to believe but the non-elect the elect by his just judgement he leaves to the hardness and malice of their own hearts Therefore Sir you seeme to be easilier bafled then one of your Coat should be bawling at me so often that I did not hearken to the call and invitation of God and fishing out of me whether I had not heard this call or no and was moved at it x Synod of Dort cap. 3 4. Art 10. For that some are called and converted by the Ministry of the Gospell is not to be ascribed to man as if by his own free will from others instructions he could discern and follow sufficient grace and works for his conversion which that proud Heresie of Pelagius affirms but to God who as he hath from all eternity chosen his in Christ so in time he doth effectually call them bestows on them Faith and Repentance and translates them out of darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Son nay y Ibid. Art 12. God creates this new creation in us without us by such a virtue which is not inferior to that of the great Creation or Resurrection So that all those in whose hearts God has thus strangely and wonderfully wrought are infallibly regenerated and do actually believe Why do you accuse me that I am not converted when to speak the truth I do not see how 't is possible that one who is alwayes tottering and doubting whether he be elected or not can conform himself to the eternal Call this lett being left too over and above that this internal Call doth not concur Pr. Have you then all this while judged your self to be a reprobate O sad to relate Th. That I have and that not without a cause too because God of his own good pleasure has reprobated the greatest part z Smout Concord fol. 109. of Mankinde and reprobates a Trigl Def. fol. 83. are not damn'd for their sins neither are fore-seen sins the cause why any should be reprobated so that 't is necessary we confess b Gesel probat f. 216 217. evil works and incredulity not to be the cause of reprobation So that God out of his will and counsel hath ordained That some should be born as infallibly heirs of Hell as of their Parents that by their destruction his Name might be glorified Pondering these things in my minde I have oftentimes silently thought O good God! hast thou also reprobated me with the greatest part of Mankinde I did easily believe it because thou hast so ordered our reprobation that though it be our misery it turns to thy glory Pr. This is very true that God c Anthon. Thys ad Summam Baron p. 20. from eternity without any respect to sin by his pure absolute Decree which no man can understand has rejected the greatest part of Mankinde and created them to destruction or bequeathed them to destruction in Adams fall from an immutable and inevitable Decree which he decreed with and in himself nay if any one d Id. pag. shall dare to say God hath not decreed to hate man as man his creature but as a sinner he contradicts the Apostle and so consequently won't take the Authority of God himself yet for all this you are not by and by without any more ado to conclude your self a Reprobate Th. You say well but how is it possible that a man whose faith is oppugned with so many various and strong temptations who is given to so many lusts should easily perswade himself not to be reprobated as for example if a man knowes and weighs with himself that not onely aged people but also Infants are of this number e Perk. Cat. pag. 393. so that among Infants that die f Thys in expl doct de Praedest p. 245. some are saved some damned and that before they have done