a Convocatio of a Synod at last it began in 1618 to be held at Dort Where did meet Divines not only within the Dominions of Holland and the Seven Provinces but also out of England and from most if not all other Reformed Churches T is true the French did not send in any solemn deputation for they dared not do it without leave of that Popish Court and they chose rather not to ask than to do it and be denyed however the sense of that Church was by the French Churches gathered in those Provinces and then by Peter Du-Moulin in his Letters and Book of Anatomy of Arminianism sufficiently made known to that Synod and afterwards a French (a) Held at Aleâ—zon Octob. 6. 1620. National Synod approved of and inserted amongst their one resolutions the Acts of the Synod of Dort where the Arminian Errors were unanimously condemned This the Arminians from the beginning thought would be the conclusion of such a Solemn Assembly wherefore like Popes Papists and Hereticks they were afraid to have things discussed in a free Council where the word of God is the only Rule and therefore they used their utmost endeavours to stop it as long as they could As to Arminius his Opinions they are part from Pelagius and part from Papists Against the first God raised Austin who by force of Scripture did beat the Heretick in all his Errors yet after his Death (a) Faustus and Cassianus those of his Sectators that remained thinking it not fit for them to own things to the height as Pelagius had done abated something of it and made alterations and got the name of Semipelagians whom also Austin and his Followers did write against with the same success he before had obtained against their Founder In the Eighth Century Semipelagians caused a great deal of trouble as we see in the Cause of Gottescalk whereof Worthy and Famous Primate Vsher hath given so true and so good an account About the Year 1590 Molina a Jesuit renewed the old Errors but was opposed at Rome by Alvarez a Dominican Fryar who followed the Principles of Thomas Aquinas hence to this very day continues the dispute about these matters between Jesuits and Dominicans Lessius another Jesuit at Lovain in the Spanish Netherlands became a Second to Molina and under the favour of the Neighbourhood those Errors passed into Holland where Arminius entertained them Let those who have a mind to a fuller account of Pelagius his Errors read what (a) Joh. Ger. hardi Vossii Hist Pelag. one hath written upon that Subject for I mention it only by the by and as it leads me to the Arminians who here durst not appear during King James's Life but in his Sons Reign under Archbishop Laud's Favour and Protection in they came with a full Sail and then indeed but not before begins our Arminian Church but with this difference from those in Holland that they incline more to Socinianism and ours more to Popery hence it is that at last some of them as Barret Montague c. turned Papists Now 't is true and to be observed how concerning the controverted points we hold the same as did the ancient Fathers who did write against Pelagius and Arminians assert some of the same things if not all which Pelagius did so that 't is the same Cause and as by the grace of God we shall see anon Pelagians did cast on their Adversaries the same aspersions as Arminians do upon us But first we must set down what are their Opinions contained in several Articles which they themselves at the Hague-Conference and at the Synod of Dort reduced to five the Chief though there be more Here I will in substance set them down but to help the Reader I must first write the Orthodox Doctrine in opposition to every Article of theirs as an Antidote and Preservative against the Poyson Afterwards I shall endeavour out of Scripture to prove it and so confute their Notions and this as shortly as I can and as far as I am able accommodating things with the capacity of the unlearned Reader which being done then by the grace of God I shall go on and as far as God will be pleased to enable me enlarge somewhat in the School way upon every point First Orthedox I. We say that from all Eternity God hath by his unchangeable Decree and Purpose predestinated unto life not all Men nor any undetermined but a certain select number of particular Men commonly called the Elect which number can neither be encreased nor diminished Others he hath passed by and predestinated to eternal Death They say Arminian I. there is no absolute or unrevocable but only a conditional and mutable Decree of Predestination both to Life and Death and that not of any particular persons but indefinitely of all Believers and Unbelievers and that the number of the Elect and Reprobate is not so certain but that it may be either increased or lessened We say that the only moving and esficient cause of Predestination or Election unto Life Orth. II. is the meer good Pleasure Love Free-grace and Mercy of God not the foresight of faith perseverance good works good will or any other quality whatsoever in the persons elected And that though sin be the only cause of Damnation yet the sole and primary cause of non-Election or Reprobation or why God doth not Elect those that Perish is the meer Free-will and Pleasure of God not the foresight of any actual sin unbelief or final impenitency in the person rejected They say Arm. II. the foreknowledge of Faith Perseverance Good-works and the right use of Grace received are the pre-required Conditions and the efficient causes of Election unto Life not God's free-grace and mercy only without respect to these as to a cause and that the original and moving cause of reprobation that is of the Decree not of its Execution is only the foresight of sin unbelief or final impenitency in the persons rejected not the meer free-will and pleasure of God We say that the Elect do always obey Orth. III. when the time appointed for their Conversion is come neither do or can they finally or totally resist the inward powerful and effectual call or working of God's spirit in their Hearts in the very act of their Conversion neither is it in their own power to Convert or not Convert themselves at that very time when they are converted They say it is in the will and power of men Arm. III. either finally or totally to resist the inward call the effectual working of God's Spirit in their Hearts in the very act of Conversion so that they may at that very instant and all times else either withstand or embrace their Conversion as they please We say that true justifing saving faith Orth. IV. is proper and peculiar to the Elect alone who after they are once truly regenerated and by faith ingrafted in Christ do always and constantly
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
to move the Lord God to do them good Hence it is that Samuel saith to Israel (r) 1 Sam. 12.22 the Lord will not forsake his people and the reason he gives is this because it hath pleased him to make you his people Thus it is with God upon the account of any mercy he bestoweth upon the Creature of any nature whatsoever David declareth the same (i) Psal 44.3 for they got not the land in possession by their own sword neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Thus we read in the Gospel when the Lord Jesus worked a Cure of any bodily or spiritual Disease he made it wholly depend upon his will as in the Miracle upon the Leper he said (k) Matth. 8.3 I will be thou clean and in the case of working Faith (l) chap 11.27 neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So (m) Joh 5.21 the Son quickneth whom he will Thus as of our Election so of our Regeneration and Conversion there is no other cause but the will of God for (n) Jam. 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of truth In few words the whole work of Salvation is an effect of his free-grace (o) Ephes 2 â— ad vers 8. When we were dead in sin he hath quickned us the reason he giveth there is this by grace ye are saved in both verses for he repeats it three verses lower by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God We further say there was no foresight or consideration of any work faith or merit in us why God should Elect us (p) Ezck. 16.6 And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live What sign of Faith or comeliness in that condition was there in us what ornaments in us there have been since they are the work of God in us whether repentance faith holiness or any other grace For after God said to us live he washed and anointed us clothed and decked us c. as may be seen in the following verses vers 8 9 10 11 12 13. We add that sin is the only cause of damnation as in St. Matthews (q) Matth 25.42 43. Gospel by me quoted already (r) Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil In another place of Scripture he says positively (s) Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death But here by the by this I must take notice of how though Damnation be the reward for Sin it doth not follow that Salvation should be the reward of Faith or good Works the just reward of Sin is Death it is its due but the Apostle doth not say that Eternal Life is the wages of Faith or Righteousness as Death is of Sin (a) Ver. 23. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is a great disparity between the rules and means of Justice and of Mercy as hereafter we shall have occasion to shew as also why God leaves and Elects one and not the other as in the ease of Esau and Jacob. (b) Malach. 1.2 3. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob's Brother yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau of which no account but God's pleasure for St. Paul makes to the same purpose use of the place in Rom. 9. as already quoted But now we must come to the proof of our 3d. Article namely that the Elect do constantly obey God's call when the time is come when (c) Cant. 1.4 God draweth they follow nay they run draw me we will run after thee and (d) Lament 5.21 turn thou us unto thee and we shall be turned The Elect obey the call When St. Paul heard the voice from Heaven he said (e) Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do This inward call for St. Paul's was such as well as outward makes a great change in Man how willing how ready to obey (f) Gal. 1.16 he confered not with flesh and blood but submitted So did the Jailour he said to Paul and Silas (g) Act. 16 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved The new Converts willing to be directed said unto Peter and other Apostles * Acts. 2.37 men and brethren wha shall we do though at first all know not what to do ye are prepared to obey and desirous to be instructed when the Lord said unto Paul arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do he complied and went So Samuel assoon as (h) 1 Sam. 3.4 6 8 10. the Lord called Samuel he answered Here I am and though he at first did not well know the nature of the voice nor whose it was yet he ran to the place whence he thought the voice came disposed to obey and when heat last was better informed then he said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth For though may be at first God's people do not distinctly understand the call yet God never gives over calling till we are come to him God makes known unto us the mystery of his will to this end saith St. Paul (i) Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him But God is never disappointed of his ends he worketh effectually and unresistibly Ver. 19. wherefore this is called the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Observe the Emphasis This dealing of God in and towards Believers is in one and the same verse called the working of Gods power yea his Mighty Power and in the beginning of the verse not only his Power but the greatness and the exceeding greatness of his Power The effectual preaching of the Gospel to People or Persons is an effect of their Election as the Cause is known by the effect so a posteriori Election is by a powerful preaching of the Gospel (k) 1 Thes 1.4 5. Knowing beloved your election of God saith St. Paul for our Gospel came not you unto in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance c. to the Elect ever it comes so in the due time and by its coming so they may judge themselves to be Elect for he saith also in much assurance We add further that the Elect neither do nor can finally and totally resist the inward powerful and effectually calling of God's spirit in the very
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
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
Election and Reprobation now in question against Pelagians and Semipelagians or Arminians The first objection is as if God was unjust in his absolute Decree of Predestination The question is set down verse the 14. in these words What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God The answer is in the same verse God forbid (a) Rom. 9.14 The ground of the question is in verses 11.12 13. Wherein by the examples of Jacob and Esau is demonstrated that there was nothing in the subject elected or reprobated to move God to chuse or reject but the only cause is the purpose of God according to election not of works but of him that calleth The circumstance of the persons doth afford us these Considerations First no difference could be pretended from nature they were Brothers by the same Father and Mother nay born at the same time for they were Twains so that on that account no priviledge or advantage to plead for Secondly Not any thing of works or of Faith for before the Children were born neither having done any good or any evil it was said the Elder shall serve the younger Mark that if there had been any natural priviledge it had been on Esau's side who was the Elder yet the Elder was to serve the Younger for God loved Jacob and hated Esau of which no other cause assigned but the will and purpose of God What saith carnal reason to make so great a difference where is such an equality to love and to hate those which had not deserved it cannot be without some injustice yet ye see the Apostle saith no such thing God forbid for the Lord is just in all his ways and the reason of this by the Apostle given in the following verse is this the will of God I will have mercy one whom I will have mercy Out of this we say the purpose of God according to Election is here understood of God's eternal Predestination which Election is ascribed only to God who calleth all works excluded because there were none nor could be none the persons not yet being born 'T is an idle distinction to say not for works present but for works to come since if it had been necessary the Apostle might have made the distinction but he absolutely say not of works After Semipelagians Arminians saith not of works but of Faith As St. Austin answereth against works so he doth against Faith being the cause why God loved Jacob It can be no better done then in his words (a) August de dotâ— je severaâ—ntiae cap. 7. Did the Apostle say not of works but of him that believeth even this also did the Apostle take from men that he might give all to God saying but of him that calleth not with every call but by such a call whereby we are made to believe We now come to the second objection Verse 19. (a) Rom. 919 Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his will As if he had said if I be reprobated I cannot help it 't is not my fault if I be damned I cannot resist his will neither my self nor (b) Job 10.7 none can deliver me out of his hands To know the occasion of this second Objection we must go back to the 15 verse and so down to the 19th St. Paul not being content to say God forbid there should be any unrighteousness in God giveth a reason out of God's own mouth for he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Rom. 9.15 16. c. and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Which makes the Apostle draw this Consequence So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy To this purpose he brings out of Scripture an argument concerning Pharaoh Verse 17 For this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth The History of Pharaoh is well known The Apostle here makes use of that example to shew how God raiseth up some to be subservient to his ends and this particularly to shew on him the glory of his power to be manifested either in this world or in that which is to come or in both Hence he draweth this Conclusion Verse 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Which giveth occasion to the question why doth he find fault Which puts the Apostle upon a high strain as mightily concerned for the Right and Honour of God which this Objection seems to strick at Wherefore to stop the mouth of such he saith Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hath thou made me thus Shall Man expostulate with God The Creature with his Maker as if he were accountable Hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour Hereat let every mouth be stopped the Plea is the soveraign and absolute power of God over the Creature The Clay is the Potters and what hath any one to do to question what he doth with it Let me answer such wretches in the words of the Prophet (a) Isai 45.9 Wo unto him that striveth with his maker let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou or thy work he hath no hands As amongst Men question a lawful Princes Right is Treason so to question God's Right is no less than Blasphemy In Scripture when God is willing to demonstrate his Absolute Power he makes use of the comparison of the Potter and the Clay Thus Jeremiah is sent to the Potters House (b) Jerem. 18.2 3 4 6. O house of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord behold as the clay is in the potters hand so are you in mine hand O house of Israel The same comparison is used in another place by the Prophet Isaiah (c) Isa 29.16 Shall the work say of him that made it he made me not or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it he had no understanding God cannot endure to have his Soveraign Right and Power called in Question and good reason too (d) Matth. 20 2â— Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own No say some besides his good will and pleasure he must give the reason why he reprobates some and not others Why he elected Peter and reprobated Judas Why he loved Jacob and hated Esau To say it is according to his Will and Pleasure that doth not satisfie us what reason can we have above the Will of God which is the rule of all Equity Reason and Wisdom Herein we are not to presume beyond what is written For
the ordinary means by him appointed These Instruments which God maketh use of are either good or bad ordinary or extraordinary Good Instruments he maketh use of when by the means of good and pious Ministers he calleth Men to Salvation when he ruleth People by good Kings and preserveth Believers by good Angels God also maketh use of bad Instruments First to punish the wicked when by the means of the Devil or wicked Men he destroyeth Tyrants Witches c Secondly He chastises his Children when he sometimes delivereth them into the hands of Cruel Tyrants to the end that being thus afflicted they may know their sins repent and draw near to God Thirdly To try the Faith and Patience of his Children thus he makes Job's Patience known all the world over he made use of the Devil and of the Chaldeans and Sabeans And although those evil Instruments which God maketh useth of do sin yet God doth nothing amiss he doth not infuse any malice into them but maketh a good use of that which in them is inherent to execute his just Judgments In the same work saith Austin God is just and Man guilty because in the same thing they have done they had different ends The ordinary Instruments which God maketh use of are Second Causes appointed to produce certain ends thus the Sun is the usual means whereby God doth give light to the World heat and warm the Earth for to that same end it is appointed and always made use of the word of God is the usual means to convert Men to God The extraordinary means are those which are not appointed always or for the most part to cause such effects but according to God's Will they variously produce sometimes one thing sometimes another thus God to kill a Man doth sometimes make use of a Thunder-bolt another of the fall of a House of a Wild Beast of Highway-men Hence one may see there are an ordinary and an extraordinary Providence The first is when he observeth the order he at first settled in Nature namely that certain Causes acting according to the perpetual Law of Nature shall produce some effects which hold a proportion with the strength of the Cause Hence are the several seasons of the year succeeding one to another rising and setting of the Planets motion of the Stars and the generation and corruption of worldly things The extraordinary is when God without or besides the way and order settled in Nature above the strength of Second Causes doth through his Omnipotency provide for things Hence are Miracles which are Works of Divine Almightiness exceeding the power of Second Causes Hence it is that those Second Causes sometimes employed by God in working Miracles in relation to the miraculous effects are signs and Evidences rather than Causes When God hath a work to do and hath a mind to make use of Instruments he doth fit them for his purpose (a) 2 Chron. 20.6 For in his hand there is such a power and might so that none or nothing is able to withstand him Because (b) Prov. 21.30 there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. In point of these acts of God's Providence let it be farther observed how though God hath appointed certain Causes to produce some effects yet as he is not tyed to them so he is sometimes and often seen to work such events as do not answer those Second Causes One would think that swiftness in running of a Race should carry the Victory that the strongest should in a Battle have the better and that the Wisest should heap up Riches yet these Successes are by Solomon ascribed to God's Providence more than to such Second Causes for he saith (c) Eccles 9.11 the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill Now we are come to the most controverted part of God's Providence namely Permission which is a governing whereby God doth not restrain or bring off Devils and wicked men so prone and inclined to sin but withdrawing or denying his Grace suffereth them to fall into sin yet so that he turneth their bad and violent inclinations to the execution of his just Judgments and directeth to very good ends their wicked Designs and Purposes In the permission of sin God is not an idle Spectator but a mighty just and wise Judge God's method herein is this First To men dead in trespasses and sins he denyeth and withdraweth the effectual helps of his Grace without which they cannot but sin Secondly Very often he keeps not form sinning Devils and Men of their nature and out of custom so prone to sin when he could do 't but suffereth them to fall into 't Thirdly That sin conceived in their mind he so restraineth and ruleth that he suffers it not to break out upon every Object but he inclineth and directeth it to such Objects or Men whom he is willing to Punish Chastise or Try. Fourthly He directeth to a good end those designs which they intend for evil ends as for instance if a Traveller on his way be killed by a Highway-man God is said to have permitted the Murther First Because he hath withdrawn and denyed him his effectual Grace without which he infallibly was to commit a Murther Secondly Because he hath not kept from Murther the mind of that Highway-man by nature and custom inclined to it when he could easily have done it but hath suffered him to commit it Thirdly because he so inclined and ruled the Highway-man's violence and design of committing a Murther that he neither would or could indifferently kill any Man but this Man rather than another hence by a just Judgment which for the most part Men know not the cause of he hath exposed to the Highway-man's fury this Traveller rather than another Fourthly Because that which by the Highway-man was committed for a bad end as may be to get money to bestow upon his own lust God directed it for a good end as may be the Robber's punishment or of him that was killed or to hinder him from executing some evil design he was going upon or some other end unknown to us In the Sins of Men about which Divine Permission is exercised four things are to be observed First The act it self as 't is a natural act physically taken Secondly The vice inherent to the fact or the morality of it Thirdly The directing of the bad Instrument and evil Act to a certain Object Fourthly The end of this direction is that God executeth his just Judgments by the sins of Men. The first third and fourth of these are of God and he is the Author of them for every act as such is good the motion of the hand stirring of the body are good the direction of the feet is good and the execution of God's judgments is very good But the second wherein properly sin
this excludeth not God for 't is said they were gathered together to do whatsoever the Hand and Counsel of God had determined before to be done so in this place it is expresly said the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David to number the people To this subscribes that famous Primate Vsher in his Body of Divinity Pag. 112. Numbering of the people was not a thing evil in it self by God's command (e) Numb 1. Moses numbred them in the Wilderness They were a second time numbred in the Plains of Moab only upon such an occasion a Poll was to be paid for an offering to the Lord half a Shekel a Head for want whereof they were threatned with a plague Exod. 30.12 13. and there is no mention made that this was performed upon this numbering whereupon they incurred the penalty and the plague followed but no doubt this desire and curiosity of David was mixed with Pride and Vanity which we are most sure God had no hand in This Satan raised in his heart which made him reject Joab's wholsome advice In some circumstances this case may be parallelled with that of Hezekiah 2 Kings 20. who shewed all his Treasures to the King of Babylon's Ambassadors In it self it was no evil thing but the Pride and Vanity that attended marred it and made it displease God then the good of our actions is of God the evil of our selves This matter being so important to clear it the more we must briefly answer some objections made against it First He who denyeth sinners his help without which they cannot avoid sinning is partaker to the sin but God doth so wherefore he is partaker to the sin I answer he who denyeth it when bound to help is partaker to the sin but upon God there is no obligation as upon Men to help one another God is most free in all his workings therefore he is not in fault as to the guilt of sin Secondly They say if the wicked do execute God's judgments yet so that their designs by God are directed and determined to certain objects it followeth that either they sin not or else 't is not well in God to be angry against those who cannot resist his power We answer with a denyal of the Consequence for neither of the two things do follow wicked Men do sin for what they do is not with a design to execute God's Judgments but to satisfie their own lust against God's Law wherefore God without any evil may make use of their sins but they are unexcusable because they sin against the Law of God and do that which is forbidden though God doth by them that which is just and lawful neither is it ill in God to be angry against them because they sin freely and without compulsion and by their sins they study to serve themselves not God neither do they consult with Providence but only their own Malice St. Paul's Objection why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will Is by him answered But O man who art thou c. whereof we have before given an account Now that Tyrants cannot execute their injustice and cruelty and ought not to promise themselves impunity though they be God's instruments it appeareth out of that Scripture we made use of not long before O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. Though God had sent him to chastise his people he had his own private ends and went on upon his own score wherefore 't is added by the Prophet verse 7. (a) Isai 10. How be it he meaneth it not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few They farther object he who directs and inclineth Men to this or that sin and makes use of them as instruments is author of their sins We answer thus He who inclineth and directs men not sinners to this or that sin as it is sin and makes use of them as instruments to commit sin as it is sin is the Author of those sins but God as a wise and a just Judge doth not infuse sin but doth incline and direct Men not unwilling but willing and ready not free from but corrupt with sin to this or that sin not as sins but as Acts whereby as a just Judge he executeth his Judgments in and against Sinners according to his eternal Decree and as I said before is no more guilty of their sins than the Horseman that rideth a lame Horse is the cause of his lameness he sets him on thus he is the cause of the motion but not of the lameness And except we admit this the Blasphemy of making God the Author of sin will fall upon the Word of God it self For in the fore-quoted places it calls wicked Men Instruments Rods Axes Saws Staffs Battle-axes Hammers and attributes their Works to God Isa 5.26 chap. 7.18 I will lift up an ensign to the nations from far and will hiss unto them from the ends of the earth and they shall come with speed swiftly And the Lord shall hiss for the flie that is in Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria And he calls Joel 2.25 the locusts the canker-worm the caterpillar and the palmer-worm my great army which I sent among you They say we affirm That God hath predestinated Men to sin but 't is no fair dealing to charge our Doctors in general They should quote Names and Places because out of the consideration of some Antecedents and Consequents one can more easily know the Doctrine of Authors Now the better to answer most Objections against this truth That Man sinneth with Gods Will and Appointment we are to take notice of the following Observations First The Will of God is either Effective Permissive or Directive as we already have spoken of Secondly Sin is considered either materially as an Act or formally as a Transgression of the Law Or Lastly as it is a Punishment of God These things thus premised to remove from our Adversaries all occasions and pretences to blame us we here set down our belief as followeth Sins materially considered are from the Effective and Approbative Will of God for an Act as an Act is a Positive Being and so is Good and from the chief Good Sins formally considered are not from God's Effective Preceptive or Approbative Will of God yet are committed by Divine Permission and Direction the fault is of Men not of God Sins considered finally in relation to the end of Punishments and Divine Judgments are from God's Effective and Approbative Will Hence it appears we do not make God the Author of sin as such and formally considered Farther they object that some of us say some Men are predestinated to the causes of Damnation as sin and so make God the Author of it Some may happen to say so but we are not sworn to any private Man's words or opinions
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
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
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
Province which Articles are a sentence past against Arminianism as the fit and proper remedy for the Disease the Antidote was specifical and composed against the Poyson which because they are few short and altogether to our purpose I shall here set down in English as they were in Latin I. God from Eternity hath predestinated certain men unto life certain men he hath reprobated to death II. The moving or sufficient cause of predestination unto life is not the fore-sight of Faith or of Perseverance or of Good works or of any thing that is in the persons predestinated but only the good will and pleasure of God III. There is a predetermined and certain number of the predestinate which can never be augmented nor diminished IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall necessarily be damned for their sins V. A true living and justifying Faith and the spirit of God justifying is not extinguished it falleth not away or vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally VI. A Man truly faithful that is such a one who is endued with a justifying Faith is certain of the full assurance of Faith of the remission of his sins and of his everlasting Salvation by Christ VII Saving grace is not given is not communicated is not granted to all men by which they may be saved if they will VIII No Man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given him and unless the Father shall draw him And all Men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son IX It is not in the will or power of any Man to be saved These Articles upon serious debate and mature deliberation having been agreed on by the persons before named very Eminent and Considerable Men were afterwards sent to the University of Cambridge by their Deputies where they were received with the unanimous approbation of the whole University with such success that of the two Arminians Baroe not long after left the University and went away and Barret was forced solemnly to recant which recantation was Registred Thus a full stop was put to those Innovations and since that time till Laud's Faction got the upper-hand this and no other contrary Doctrine was taught there as being the true Orthodox according to Scriptures and the Church of England's but since that time the Party have done what they could to suppress and discredit it Yet though sometimes truth be driven into corners we doubt not but at last it will prevail notwithstanding the opposition of Men and Devils as it happened in the case of Arrianism An Heresie against the person of Christ as Arminianism is against his grace though to our great grief we see Arrianism revived in Socinianism as Pelagianism is in Arminianism But we must go on in our design In these 9 Articles we see the true Sence and Doctrine of the Church explained by those that by their office and learning are the fittest Interpreters thereof so we may conclude that to be at that time the Doctrine of the Church which we have asserted But we have farther proofs which to bring in I must skip over some passages but with an intent to make use of them in due place the reason I have to do so is because what I am going upon carries along with it the stamp of Publick Authority and Influence I mean the confession of Faith and Articles of the general Convocation of Ireland held in Dublin 1605 That is 20 years after the Articles of Lambeth By the grace of God I shall here set down those Articles of that Convocation which are to our present purpose and so shall begin with the Eleventh XI God from all eternity did by his unchangaeble Counsel ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass yet so as no violence is offered to the wills of the reasonable Creatures and neither the liberty nor the contingency of the second causes is taken away but rather established XII By the same eternal Counsel God hath predestinated some unto life and reprobated some unto death of both which there is a certain number known only to God which can neither be increased nor diminished XIII Predestination unto life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed in his secret Council to deliver from Curse and Condemnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting Salvation as vessels made to honour XIV The cause moving God to predestinate unto life is not the fore-seeing of Faith or Perseverance or of good works or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself for all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his Mercy and his Justice It seemed good to his heavenly wisdom to chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his Justice XV. Such as are predestinated unto life he called according unto God's purpose his spirit working in due season and through grace they obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity But such as are not predestinated to Salvation shall finally be condemned for their sins XXV 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 pleasant 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 XXXII None can come unto Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father draw him and all men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son Neither is there such a sufficient measure of grace vouchsafed unto every Man whereby he is enabled to come to everlasting life XXXIII All God's Elect are in their time inseparably united unto Christ by the effectual and vital influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head unto every true member of his mystical Body and being thus made one with Christ they are regenerated and made partakers of him and of all his benefits XXXVII By justfying Faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a persuasion of the truth of God's word in general But also a particular application of the promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his Sons
which are beginning to bud forth amongst you We must not omit giving the King the due commendation he deserveth for the pains he took to write against Worstius After all this let Arminians for shame leave off the Plea that their Errors are the Doctrine of our Church which is as true and no more than when Papists do pretend their Religion to be the true Apostolical Faith even in those Articles that are so contrary to it but farther to shew how perswaded King James was of the mischief of those unsound opinions he was very active in suppressing them to prevent those evil consequences that might happen thereby and this not only at home but also abroad upon this account he did write to the States general and ordered his Ambassador there to be instant and to follow the business close and we may say the meeting of the general Synod of Dort is in a high degree due to the King 's earnest solicitations So to encourage and countenance it he sent thither Divines from hence whereof Dr. Field Bishop of Landaff was the chief Dr. Davenant afterwards Bishop of Salisbury Dr Hall was there at first but upon account of indisposition of health he came back Dr. Ward Dr. Goad and Balcanquall instead of Dr. Hall in all they were five who signed the Acts of the Synod of Condemnation of Arminianism We have more witnesses to bring in if we would but we want them not though they be men of note but what need bringing in particular men after the whole body have declared against our and the truths Adversaries We might bring in (a) Exposition on the Creed Dr. Babington Bishop of Worcester (b) Certainty of Salvation against Dr. Bishop Dr. Abbot Bishop of Salisbury (c) Answer to the Rhemish Testam on Rom. 8. Dr. Fulke (d) Of the Church lib. 1. cap. 3. and cap. 17. and in his Digres 41 and 43. Dr. Field (e) Reply to Fisher Dr. White (f) Descript Eccles Thes â— Dr. Reynolds though some may happen to except against him yet what he saith in the quoted place is approved by the fore-named Dean of Carlisle Dr. White Nay in this case we have for us (g) Discouse of Justification Hooker with some a man without exception all whose evidence is much to our purpose but to quote all their words it were too long after so many other Quotations yet they who have a mind and leisure may peruse them as quoted in the Margin So then during K. James's time Arminianism had nothing to do here and continued so in Charles Reign till Laud came into favour and was made Archbishop and yet at first those Errors were ill lookt upon for Mr. Richard Mountague in his Appeal having written for Arminianism his Book was answered by five or six of the most considerable men in the Nation all agreeing he had departed from the Doctrine of the Church he was thrice about it before the Parliament and his Book condemned as contrary to the Articles of the Church Under his Hand and Seal he renounced his Errors in a letter of his written to the Archbishop of Canterbury he thought he stood in need of a Pardon which King Charles gave him for all his writings and at last called in his Book as the great occasion of many unnecessary troubles After him Dr. Thomas Jackson came upon the Stage but for those Arminian Books of his was censured in Parliament and excepted against by the Convocation and in the following Parliaments Complaints even by some of the best Sons of the Church were made against those Innovations and Errors in Doctrine under the name and notion of Arminianism Yet under the favour of Bishop Laud and his Faction being encouraged with Protection and Preferments got much ground and corrupted many members of the Clergy who became rotten branches of a sound and wholesome tree yet for all the violent stream some had the courage and zeal to appear in writing against it though they smarted for it they charged Arminians of being favourers and maintainers of Popery of renouncing the Doctrine of the Church of England of being pestilent Hereticks Enemies of God and of his grace for the most part licentious proud vicious and bitter Enemies to the practical power of godliness whereof some turned Papists Innovators and disturbers of the Peace of both Church and State And any impartial Reader that will take the pains to read some of those Books may find the charge well proved Indeed the serious consideration of these things doth afford matter for sad thoughts and sufficient cause of grief to those who love the glory of God and the good of his Church after so much pains taken by the first instruments of our Reformation to remove abuses in Doctrine and bring things into the true Primitive Channel who left us Articles and other Works in writing according to the true Apostolical Doctrine contained in the word of God believed and professed by the Orthodox Primitive Church which these first Reformers sealed with their own Blood for they were Martyrs not only for refusing to joyn with the Church of Rome in her Idolatry but also for the testimony of the grace of God in Christ to exclude all humane help power strength abilities from working our Salvation by means of any dispositions free-will improvement of graces and merits of our own these things they laid down their lives for and to maintain that our whole Salvation comes from the free grace of God alone and from nothing at all of our own For to believe one is and may be saved by his own merits and workings or by those of another or even in part through grace and in part through our care and endeavours in the bottom 't is all one for thereby Salvation is divided between God and Man when God alone will be owned to be the sole Author and Finisher of it Well those directions for our Faith left by those eminent instruments of Reformation were (h) Dr Abbâ—◠〈…〉 in his Discourse De Perseverantia Saâ—ct in the Epistle dedicated to King Charles the 1st then Prince of Wales complaineth of some of our Divines that foll wing the by-paths of Arminius Dogmate etiam nunc destruunt articulos Religionis quos â—â—sus propria manu confirmerunt They destroy'd those very Articles of Religion which they had subscribed before subscribed by those who in and about the time I mentioned before embraced and promoted Arminianism and by those who now own it in as much as they could wresting the Sense of those thus doing what they could or can to poison the very Springs But let them do their worst the Truth and meaning of those Rules of our Faith is still the same but they are bad Children of a good Mother from whose Counsels and Directions they are degenerated and about things in Question apostatized So that in this respect they have cruelly divided rent and torn Mother-Church which if