Rom. 6. 14. the Spirit which is given them at their new birth abides with them for ever * John 14. 16 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 178 Diotrephes He that hath not more hatred than love to any sin and that had not rather be rid of it even in the use Mr. Baxter of Gods means then keep it in regard of the habituated state of his will is under the dominion of sin and in a state of damnation Account of persever ubi supra Praesumptuosus 1. Is this consistent with such a man as David his having two contrary ultimate ends 2. There is a combate betwixt the inward and the outward the spiritual and the carnal the new and the old man which they only do understand who feel it in themselves Et vim peccati etiam sanctissimas actiones aliquo modo polluentis vitae suae telam totam longè latè que pervadentis experiuntur and have experience of the power of sin polluting in some measure their most holy actions and spreading over the whole course of their lives saith Mr. D. Dicson * Ad Rom. 7. 22 23. 3. But such as are under such conflicts you say will use Gods means c. What are Gods means Are they not his holy Ordinances He that doth diligently frequent thâ—se that hears the Word and delights in Religious Conferences and is constant at his Devotions and Prayers doth use Gods means and thus did David saith Mr. Baxter * Pref. to the Grot. Relig. sect 19. I verily think that after his sin David went on in his ordinary course of Religion and Obedience in all things else abating in the degrees and blessed be God so do I and this is evidence sufficient of the habituated state of the will 4. If a man cannot get rid of his sins upon this account at least he may comfort himself as to the event that God sends them for fatherly chastisements as Mr. Perkins speaketh and raise his soul up with this meditation Lapsu non tolli fidem gratiam sed illustrarâ— sin serves rather to furbush our faith and the divine grace in us than to expell it To this purpose Dr. Twiss saith That all things work together for the good of them that love God is as true as the Apostle Pauls Epistle to the Vbi supra pag. 103 104. Romans is the Word of God And Bishop Cooper a Scottish Bishop saith he applies this to mens sins amongst other things shewing how they also do work for a mans good And in another place speaking of himself the Dr. hath these words I take notice of Gods hand sometimes hardning me against Pag. 95. his fear yet God knows I take no comfort in it but rather in this that God knowes how to work it for my good according to that of Austin Audeo dicere utile est superbis in aliquod apertum â—anif stumque cadere peccatum c. And when I find that my sins do not make a final or a total separation between my soul and God this may well tend to the Corroboration of my faith and perswade my soul that nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and I have good cause to take comfort in this saith that learned Dr. 5. But suppose a man should feel some pleasure in the act of sin as to the flesh and outward man yet he hath no need to fear the dominion of sin or state of damnation * Mr. Baxter saith that David chose flesh-pleasing for it self as his ultimate end Of saving faith ubi supra if he carries a hatred towards it in his spirit and inward man for this is exactly the case of the regenerate if you will allow with our Divines that the Apostle speaketh for â—hâ—ir comfort no otherwise then as he found by experience in his own person Rom. 7. 14 c. I am carnal saith he sold under sin for that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I no but what I hate that do I which he would not have done had he not found some pleasure in it If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not but the eâ—il which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me From which Discourse of the Apostle Mr. D. Dicson * Ad locum draws several Arguments of Consolation From the 16. verse he saith the Apostle comsorts himself and other combatants with these Arguments 1. Ego ipse Apostâ—lus c. I my self an Apostle am in the number of thâ—se who bewail the Lactaâ—ius brings in a person thus excusing himself Lib. 4. Cap. 24. Volo equidem non peccare sed vincorâ— indutus sum enim carne fragili imbecilla haec est quae concupiscit quae irascitur quae dolet quae mori timet Itaque ducor invitus pecco non quia volo sed quia cogor imperfection of their holiness and feel in my self the same combate and trouble with thâ—m from the imperfection of my obedience therefore such as bâ—wail the imperfection of their holiness have consolation seeing they suffâ—r nothing but what other Saints yea and the Apostles themselves are subject unto A second Argument of Consolation is this That out of this conflict there ariseth a sign of Sanctification begun in such a Combatant and a consent to the Law of God that it is good and holy For if I do what I would not then I consent to the Law of God that it is good And all that bewail the imperfection of their obedience have the same sign of their Sanctification A third Argument of Consolation to all such Christian Combatants he draws from ver 17. 20. in that the sin which they commit who do thus bewail their imperfection and disallow of it and condemn it shall not be imputed unto them but to the corruption of their nature and to that habitual sin that dwells in them c. Thus Mr. Dicson Thus it was in the Falls of David and Peter that David hated sin habitually and so many other sinners do as well as he for all his Aâ—ulâ—ery and Murder we may conclude from his indignation against the Oppressour expressed at the hearing of Nathan's Parable * 2 Sam. 21. 5. Hâ—reupon you know how favourably some of our Godly Reforming Divines have declared their Judgement It is not imaginable saith one * Mr. Baxter in his Pref to the Gâ—oâ— Relig. sect 19. of them
non ei caedatur non pâ—ccabitur An forte fallit incautum Ergo cavâ—at ne fallatur An tanta fallacia est ut caveri omnino non possit Si ita est nulla peccata sunt Quis enim peccat in â—o quod nullo modo caveri potest Peccatur autem Caveri igitur potest Aug. lib. 3. de lib. Arbit cap. 18. whether that impulsion be through flattering insinuations or open violence if they be equally irresistible So that this Doctrine leaves a very fair plea to excuse wâ—ckedness and inables the Malefactor when he is upbraided with the enormity of his crimes to return the exprobâ—tion upon the inavoidable predetermination and impulse of this Maker for it is not in his power to make his own wayes either good or evil He cannot perform one evil act unless God doth first apply and predetermine his will unto it and whereas there are so many several sorts of sinners in the World this difference comes to pass not more by Gods restraining of some to less than by his predeterming of others unto more wickedness Insomuch as to my apprehension you make God to have as great a hand in the production of sin as of vertue * Et vos quidem necessitatem physicae praedetermination is urgere soletis tum ex dependentia tùm ex naturali indifferentia voluntatis liberae quo posito sequitur eandem determinationem necessariam esse tam ad eliciendam actum moraliter atque intrinsecè malum quam bonum coque actum malum aequè ac bonum in Deum refundi ut primam ejus causam quam â—nâ—m voluntati naturalis sit indifferentia â—oque tam ei insit ad actus malos quam ad bonos in utriusque tum mali tum boni actus productione Deo subordinata sit ut causae primae Necesse est eam tam ad mali quam ad boni actus productionem a Deo praederminari c. Si vero ista quam vos uâ—get is praedeterminatio voluntati non debetur ex dependentia subordinatione ejus ad Deum ut causam primam Ergo nec Deus quoties eam efficit in voluntate ad actum peccatâ— toties circa eam non peragit munus causae primae sâ—d potius insidiatoris aâ— seductoris ut qui citra omnem necessitatem conditionem humanae voluntatis non modo generali influxu sed speciali quadam cura auxilto scilicet praedeterminante concurrat ad hoc ut eam ad malum actum inducat deteriorem reddat Dissert Theol. inter Amesium Grevinch 383 384. pag. seq Qâ—um Deus non praedeterminet voluntatem hominis ad actum malum ex necessitate sed ex libertate dic quamobrem ad istum poâ—ius actum ex se malum quam ad alium determinet nisi ex mera voluntate affectu complacentia in hoc actu potius quam in alio At qui malo actu delectatur ex delectatione ejus influxum suum bominisque voluntatem determinat ad actum talem is quoque illius actus causa moralis est mortaliter agit malum Vid. quae sequuntur and this is the opinion of Mr. Baxter who saith If no free Agent can act without the predetermination of God as the first immediate physical cause I cannot see why all our acts good or bad are not equally by infusion Mr. Baxter of saving faith page 29 30. Diotrephes We distinguish of things such as are naturally good God effects by a single influence * Dr. Twiss ubâ— supra p. 91 92. what is spiritually good by a double influence one general unto the substance of the act another special as touching the manner of performing it saith Dr. Twiss Or as the same Author hath it elsewhere * As Mr. Hickcites him p. 97. of his Justif of the Fathers Every good work nâ—eds a twofold help one of general influence as it is a work another of special grace as good but an evil work requires only the concourse of general influence as it is a work but that it be evil no more is required than the denial of special grace In every good work God doth not only influence the will to work but also to work well but in our evil works he doth influence the will only to work and not to work ill Paganus 1. I desire you to consider that the moral goodness of our works doth not follow the entity of them as they proceed from God but only as they proceed from the will of man working freely * Sic enim voâ— libertatem arbitrii cum decreto Dei efficaci conjungere soletis Voluit ergo decrevit actum blasphemiae libere produci -Ergo malitiam ejus voluit quippe cujus malitia sormaliter consistat in co quod tali modo nempe libere cum rationis judicio producatur Dissert Theol. inter Ames Grevincho pag. 390. according to the Rule prescribed him Hence it is that the same act for substance as it flows from a man distracted wants that moral goodness that it hath when it is produced by a sober man though God affords the like concourse and influence unto the entity of them both If therefore God be the cause of our good act because he makes us conversant with perfect knowledge about a lawful object in like manner he must be accounted the cause of our evil act because according to your Doctrine he doth predetermine us with the like advertency of Reason to be conversant about the unlawful object Object 2. I pray resolve me touching the acts of Adultery Blasph my hating of God are they therefore sinful because they want some perfection which they ought to have and will they cease to be sinful when they have all the perfection which they ought to have as Mr. Hickman * Ibid. pag. 84. disputes it Is it only Gods special influence into the manner of performing them that is wanting in them Is there any modification that can possibly hallow them Will the help of special grace separate the moral pravity from the real entity in these acts Then I wonder not so much that Mr. Baxter makes Adultery in David c. so exceedingly different from the like fact in a graceless man * Prof. to his Grot. Relig. Sect. 18. In good earnest if you know any qualifications sufficient to refine and make such acts innocent it would be much for your advantage I am perswaded to set up School and teach men how they may be Adulierers Blasphemers haters of God and yet not sinners Some of your Casuists * Amesius de conscient l. 5. c. 10. q. 1. do resolve that Social causes do communicate in the fault and guilt of those sins to whose production they contribute their common assistance Now shall he that assists or commands or perswades me to commit Adultery or Murder be faulty and he that predetermines my will to it and
given him Jam. 1. 4. If you that are evâ—l can give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask iâ— Luke 11. 13. Suppose your life were in the hands of your own husband or your childrens life in your hands would it not exceedingly comfort you or them to consider whose hands they are in though yet you had no further assurance how you should be used God is a Father even to the wicked and to convince men of his fatherly mercy to them he often so stileth himself He saith by Moses Deut. 32. 6. to a wicked Generation whose spot was not the spot of his Children Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that bought thee Hath he not made thee and establish't thee And the Prodigal could call him Faâ—her for his encouragement before he returned to him Luk. 15. 16 17 18. For my own part I must needs profess that my soul hath more frequent support from the consideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature than from the promise it self To this he returns a ready Answer That God is the Father of the rain Job 38. 28. and of all Creatures as he is their Maker Ephes 3. 14 15. But if we speak with reference to salvation Dr. Twiss * Vbi sâ—pra p. 53 saiâ—h The dealing of God is with his Children he means the Elect only Father-like not with others 3. I have signified to him That this disquietness in him doth manifesâ—ly arguâ— a desire to believe as Dr. Twiss * Ibid. p. 138. observes and God hath promised to fulfill the desire of them that fear him Ibid. p. 158. And seeâ—ng aâ—â—iction especially when it is of a spiritual nature is the ordinary introduction into the state of grace in the coarse of Gods Pâ—ovidence like as the Valley of Acâ—or was a door of hope uâ— to the Children of Israel and our Saviour in going to Jerusalem the vision of peace did continually take Bethany the house of mourning in his way we have cause to conceive good hope that these pangs may be as the pangs of Child-birth unto an afflicted soul To this he replies That common grace will carry a man so far as to be abased in the feeling of his sin and misery and to be humbled by attrition as the â—Papâ—sts call it and to cry Mr. Baxter of saving saith p. 43 44. out of their sin and folly and day and night to beg for grace and mercy He may like the Word and wayes of God and think Gods servants the best and happiest men and have many a wish that he were such himself he may avoid gross and wilful sinning and continue in hearing reading the Word enquiring consideration he may have a desire after Christ and holiness and heaven he may have love to God and the Redeemer and the Saints and withall he may have either a knowledge that he is yet short of true Christianity or at least be much afraid of it and therefore be under a prudent impatiency till saving grace comes in and the Spirit hath sealed him up to the day of Redemptiâ—n and he cry out What shall I do to be saved This a man may be brought unto by common grace which hath no promise of saving grace made to it nor any necessary connexion with it and consequently saith he these pangs may be but the beginning of greater sorrows 4. I have assured him that if he doth believe in Christ a Fountain of Consolation is then opened to him * Dr. Twiss p. 148. In this case we can assure him not only of the favour of God for the present but also of final perseverance therein and of Election and of Salvation as Dr. Twiss * Ib. p. 150. affirmeth To this he replies in the words of the same Dr. * Ibid. pag. 47 48. That a man may believe by an acquired faith * How can such a Faith cloathed with all moral vertues be distinguish't from an infused Faith and perform the acts of all moral vertues and have an exteriour conformity to the means of grace and so proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem and yet not be acceptable to God for all this Nothing but a Divine Faiâ—h will save us 5. I have told him Albeit he hath not this Faith to day notwithstanding he may have it in good time * Dr. Twiss ib. 150 and that there is no cause of desperation or to conceive himself to be a Reprobate Ib. 138. forasmuch as his condition is no worse than Sauls was before his calling yea and the holiest servant Mr. Baxteâ—'s Directions for peaee of Conscience pag. 463. of God Therefore said I what if you have no grace Do you not hear God daily offering you Christ and grace Doth he not entreat and beseech you to be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And would he not compell you to come in Matâ—h 22. Do you not feel some unquietness in your sinful condition and some motions and strivings at your heart to get out of it Certainly though you should be one that hath yet no grace to salvation yet these continued offers of grace and strivâ—ngs of the Spirit of Christ with your heart doth shew that God hath not quite forsaken you and that your day of grace and visitation is not past To this he finds an answer to and tells me the question is whether there be any such day of visitation alotted for him or no. He is sure those sâ—rivings betwixt the flesh and natural conscience portend no such forasmuch as there may be such a conflict in the very Reprobate He wonders I should say that God doth bâ—seech him to be reconciled and would compell him to come in for his Conversion must be if ever it be at all of Gods irresistible working and saving grace of his immediate infusing and he being omnipotent if he were pleased to have it so it must needs be accomplâ—sh't in him presently 6. I have intreated him after this manner When the Divel clamours in your ears Christ and Salvation is none of thâ—ne let that voyce of God be in your memory O take Christ Mr. Baxter â—bi supra pag. 37. and life in him that thoâ— mâ—â—st be saved When you would fain have Christ and life and you are afraid that God will not give them to you remember then that God stands by beseeching you to accept the same thing which you are beseeching to give God is the first Suitour and Sollicitour God prayes you to take Chrâ—â— and you pray him to give you Christ what have you now to do but to take him And here understand that this taking is no impossible business it is no more but your hearty câ—â—seâ—ting And pag. 56. when God in the Gospel bids you take Jesus Christ and beseecheth you to be reconciled Ibid. pag. 56. to him if your
is the first cause of it and consequently whatsoever we do we do necessarily in respect of Him This is one of the Arguments which proveth more than our Adversaries would have them and by these Rules have I formerly Answ in the second Argument proved that they make God the Author of sin for if causa causae be causa causati as doubtless it is while they make God the cause of all those actions which either are sins or the causes of sins questionless they make God according to their own Argumentation the cause of sins But they have a limitation for this Rule and say that it holdeth in causis essentialiter subordinatis as they say that God is the cause of all those things which are essentially and districtly done by our wills but sins proceeding from the depravation of our wills are effects of a cause not directly subordinate to God The limitation is sound but not applicable to their instance ye◠the limitation it self quite spoileth them For 1. While Adam's will was yet sound they teach that God decreed that Adam should eat the forbidden fruit now at that time they cannot say but that Adam was a cause essentially subordinate to God 2. They teach that God is a cause not onely of our actions but also of our volitions as I may say then these being the causes of our sins are directly subordinate to him 3. Let us consider not onely the subordination between God and our wills but also between our actions and their moralities and we shall perceive that according to the abuse of these Rules they make God the cause of our sins For that Rule Causa causae est causa causati is infallibly true expounded thus The cause of any effect is the cause of all such events as necessarily follow that effect Now then if as they say God be a necessary cause of all our particular actions seeing our actions in reference to such and such objects must needs be sinful it is manifest what followeth For example Though to take money in general be no sin yet to take this or that money being none of our own is a sin Now then if God be a cause of this action in reference to this object as he is if he be the cause of this particular action it is impossible their Doctrine should excuse God from sin Eating in reference to the forbidden fruit was a sin but according to them God was a principal cause of eating the forbidden fruit Ergo. Minor prob They say he was the necessitating cause of this particular action Eating was a natural action the individuation of this eating by an unlawful object was a moral obliquity But God was the cause of this individual Ergo. The like may be said of all our sinful actions When I have drunk sufficiently both for the necessity and comfort of nature to drink a cup more is sin But our Opposites teach that I cannot take up this superfluous cup without Gods speciall determination Ergo. This Doctrine is enough to make ones hair stand an end making God whatsoever they say the cause not onely of our actions but also of our obliquities for what are the obliquities of our actions but the placing of them upon wrong objects If therefore they make God the principal cause of all our particular actions most of which are particularized by bad objects what do these men make of God But Recrimination is no answer Hitherto I have shewed though perhaps without method yet I hope not without profit how our Opposites are wounded with their own weapons Now I will take their weapons out of their hands and teach them the right use of them shewing how God is the cause of all things onely not the cause of sin a cause of all good things yet so as that many good things are contingent also We have shewed in the third Argument how God hath ordained that all sorts of Inferior or second causes should work according to their proper kinds that voluntary Agents should work voluntarily c. God then is the first cause that all things do work and that they do work in certain kinds If so then God is the cause that many things are done contingently one of the chiefest sorts of second causes by this appointment working voluntarily and therefore contingently which connexion we have formerly justified This being well understood will instruct us not onely that it may be so but also that it must be so That God being the necessary cause of all good things yet all such things are not necessary effects of Him For example It is impossible that man should do any thing without God therefore God is a cause necessary to the being of all things effected by him yet because many things done by the free choice of man might as well have been omitted God no ways constraining him to them these are not necessary effects of God The Reason of this is because God hath decreed that man should work voluntarily having liberty to do as well one thing as another yet so that God giveth him the strength to do whatsoever he chooseth to do and ability to choose what he will without limitation of his choice for this were else ☜ to take it away and to make man an involuntary Agent For example God hath given thee strength of body he hath given thee also ability to choose in what exercise thou wilt employ it thou choosest to Ring or Dance God then the Author of thy strength is the chief cause of these exercises yet so as they are contingent in respect of Him because thou mightest have omitted them hadst thou pleased By this we may plainly see how God is the principal cause of all things of which he is capable to be a cause and yet many things are contingent in respect of him This being cleared we may with more facility conceive how and in what sense God is the cause of all we do and yet we onely the cause of sin God sustains us when we are about our sins even then in Him we live and move and have our being as well as when we are better busied God giveth that strength by which we commit any sin yet because he doth not necessitate or incline unto it but we of our selves abuse it to wickedness God hath still the part of a Creator we onely are sinful An example will make this clear Suppose a King delivereth to his Subject Men Weapons Mony and Warlike provision that he may fight for his Honor against his enemies his Subject proves a Traitor and useth all his Soveraigns strength against himself His Soveraign here is a cause that he hath the command and doth the Office of a Captain but he is no cause of his Treachery the offence is onely the Captains and the wrong is onely the Soveraigns This is just the case between God and us God hath given us many excellent faculties both of body and soul which he intended we should
use to his Glory in obedience to his commandements and resist His and our enemy the Devil we most traiterously siding with Satan have abused His gifts to His Dishonor God did the part of a Creator we of Rebels A man lives intemperately God gave him not strength to this purpose he necessitated not the man to this intemperancy Man therefore onely sinned God is dishonoured The King made his Subject able to rebel against him by delivering his military furniture unto him the verier miscreant he that did rebell against him So God made Adam indeed able to sin but he never intended that he should sin with that ability God then is the cause of all those things in which we sin and yet whatsoever he doth is exceeding good he is not the cause that we intend any sin but the cause that we are able to commit those sins we intend and yet he intended not our abilities for sin but for his Service Of all our good actions he is the first cause we are the second of all our sins we are the proper cause he is onely the Conditio sine qui non But here some man may say That choice or election of an unlawful object upon which we misplace our actions is that which maketh us sinners now this being an act of our will it must suppose also the concourse of God how then doth our opinion clear the point The same Answer abundantly sufficeth God made Adam able to be willing to sin but he made him not to will sin God set before him life and death that he did choose death it was by the strength of will given him of God but God did not bind him to choose death for that were a contradiction a necessitated choice Briefly whatsoever we choose we do it by the power by which we are voluntary Agents yet if we choose death God is Object ult not to be blamed for he made us voluntary and therefore it was as possible for us to have chosen life If the nature of a voluntary Agent be well observed this point will be most evident The last objection is this Gods fore-knowledge of all futures is most infallible and necessary Ergo All futures in respect of him fall out necessarily otherwise it is possible God may be deceived yea if many things fall out contingently Gods fore-knowledge of them can be but contingent depending after a sort on mans free-will This Argument is plausible at the first view but if it be touched it falls to shatters It is one thing to know that a thing will necessarily be done and another to know necessarily that a thing will be done God doth necessarily and certainly foreknow all that will be done but he doth not know that those things which shall be done voluntarily will be done necessarily he knoweth that they will be done but he knoweth withall that they might have fallen out otherwise for ought he had ordered to the contrary So God necessarily knew that Adam would fall and yet he knew that he would not fall necessarily for it was as possible for him not to have fallen It was the antient and is still the true opinion That Gods Praescience is not the cause of Events he fore-knoweth all things because they will be done things are not done because he fore-knoweth them The infallibility of his knowledge consisteth not in the immutability of his decree but in the prerogative of his Deity it is impossible therefore that any man by his voluntary manner of working should delude Gods fore-sight not because God doth necessitate his will to certain effects for this were indeed to take it away but because his fore-knowledge is infinite Let our hearts therefore be never so full of Mazes and Meanders turning and winding yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the Poets language the al-seeing Eye of God cannot but espy them long before not because he himself contrived them for then it were no wonder if he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because to Him who is every way infinite all things cannot be but present and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the significant word of the Author to the Hebrews signifying open by a metaphor or similitude drawn from a word that signifies having the faces laid upwards because such as lye so have their face exposed to the sight of all men FINIS Books Printed or sold by William Leake as the sign of the Crown in Fleetstreet between the two Temple-gates Yorks Heraldry fol. A bible of a very fair large Roman Letter 4. Orlando Furioso fol. call is learned readings on the Statute 21 H. 8. Cap. 5. of Sewers Perkins on the Laws of England Wilkinsons Office of Sheriffs 8. The book of Fees Parsons Law 8. Mirror of Justice 8. Topicks in the Laws of England 8. Skene de significatione verborum 4. Delamans use of the Horizontal Quadrant Mathematical Recreations Wilbeys second Set of Musick 3 4 5 and 6 parts 4. Coâ—â—â—â—ius in English 8. Dr. Fulk's Meteors Nyes Gunnery and Fireworks Cato Major with Annotations by William Austin Esquire Mel Heliconium by Alex. Ross 8. Nosce te ipsum by Sir John Davis 8. Animadversions on Lillies Grammer 8. The History of Vienna and Paris The History of Lazarillo de Tormes Hero and Leander by George Chapman and Christopher Marlow Mayer's Catechism 8. Exercitatio Scholastica Bishop Andrews Sermons Adams on Peter Posing of the Accidence Amadis de Gaule Guillims Heraldry fol. Herberts Travels fol. Boccas Tables Man become guilty by John Francis Senalt and Englished by Henery Earl of Monmoth The Idiot in four books first and second of Wisdom third of the mind fourth of the experience of the ballance The Life and Raign of Hen. 8. by the Lord Herbert fol. Aula Lucis or the house of Light The Fort-Royal of holy Scriptures or a new Concordance of the chief heads of Scripture by J. H. A Tragoedy written by the most learned Hugo Grotius called CHRISTUS PATIENS and translated into English The Mount of Olives or 〈◊〉 volions by Henry Vaughan Sylurist with an excellent Discourse of the blessed estate of Man in Glory written by the most Reverend and holy Father Anselm Arch-bishop of Canterbury The description and use of the double Horizontal Dyall by W. O. whereunto is added the description of the General Horological Ring The Rights of the People concerning Impositions stated in a learned Argument by a late eminent Judge of this Nation France painted out to the life the second Edition The Garden of Eden both parts or an accurate description of Flowers and Fruits now growing in England by Sir Hugh Plat Knight Exercitatio Scholastica Book of Martyrs sol Willet on Genesis and Exodus PLAYES The Wedding Philaster The Hollander The Merchant of Venice The strange discovery Maids Tragedy King and no King Othello the Moor of Venice The grateful servant These Books are lately come forth and sold by Will. Leak at the Crown in Fleet-street The Solemne League and Covenant Arraigned and Condemned by the sentence of the Divines of London and Cheshire c. by Lawrence Womack now D. D. and Arch-deacon of Suffolk Amorea the Lost Lover or the Idea o Love and Misfortune being never before printed written by Patherick Jenkyn Gent. An exact Abridgment of the Records in the Tower of London from the Raign of K. Edward the second to K. Richard the third of all the Parliaments holden in each Kings raign and the several Acts in every Parliament by Sir Robert Cotton Kt. and Baronet An Apology for the Discipline of the antient Church intendep especally for that of our Mother the Church of England in answer to the Admonitory Letter lately published by William Nicolson Arch-Deacon of Brecon and now Lord Bishop of Glocestet Le Prince d'Amour or the Prince of Love Wa collection of several Ingenious Poems and Songs by the Wits of the Age. 8. A learned Exposition of the Apostles Creed delivered in several Sermons by William Nicholson Archdeacon of Brecon and now Lord Bishop of Glocester
did actually harden or had a will to harden any but such as had formerly rebelled against the fight abused his patience and despised his gracious dispensations * Rom. 1. 22 26 Because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God c. for this cause God gave them up Rom. 1. 21. with 26. Psal 81. 11 12. But my people would not hear my voyce and Israel would See also Luke 7. 30. Acts 13. 26 40 41 45 46. Hebr. 2. 3. not obey me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts We find that the Lord though he had fore-told what would be the issue of Moses Ministry to him is not said to have hardned Pharaoh till he had multiplied his Rebellions and dallied with five plagues The last whereof when Moses undertakes the removal of it he gives him a fair warning of his danger Exod. 8. 29. I will intreat the Lord but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more And because he neglected to quit himself of the danger upon this hot Alarme therefore with the sixth plague this judgment came upon him also 't is said the Lord then hardned the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. and ver 14. with the judgment following the Lord threatens I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart Therefore do not resemble God to a mad or â—nwise Potter that layes out his cost and skill in making up a Vessel for no other purpose but only to make ostentation of his power will and liberty to break it Perhaps the Apostle by that comparison takes upon him to demonstrate not what God will do but what he can for he saith What if God willing to shew his wrath c Besides God is compared to the Potter and men to the Mass or Lump of Clay but what men are they that are entred into this comparison not innocent men or men made guilty by imputation only as your Doctriâ—e supposes them but men corrupt through their own vâ—luntary pollutions as such This is evident from the Apostles Discourse in the three first Chapters of that Epistle He declares then that out of this Mass or Lump it is lawful for God according to his own Beneplaciture to select some unto life namely those who would believe in Christ upon his being tendred to them * Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Chap. 11. 20. See also John 3. ult and to harden the rest and reserve them to wrath that is to say those who would augment the number and mount the heap of their other sins by the addition of a wilful unbelief This to my sense is most clearly that liberty * 1 Cor. 1. 21. which the Apostle asserts and vindicates to Almighty God in that present juncture and current of his Providence over Jewes and Gentiles though the Jewes cryed it down with utter detestation as a violation * Rom. 11. 1. of those signal promises which he had anciently made unto their Nation For your other Allegation Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own It can conclude nothing but that God may distribute equal portions of reward to those whose labours in his Vineyard have been unequal for when he that hath done most receives the utmost they did contract for why should he repine at the Lords bounty which is no injury to him though a benefit to others But what is all this to the vindication of Gods justice when he invites men to a new Covenant wherein he promiseth to proceed with them upon a gentler account and tyes them to new conditions and yet denies abilities sufficient to perform those conditions though he binds them to that performance under the commination and peril of a soarer penalty And I ask't you further in what sense this Covenant with Mankind could be properly called a Covenant of Grace which demand and I conceive it a material one you were pleased to take no notice of in your last Reply Diotrephes You must know Sir that your natural Reason without a supernatural illumination is no competent Judge of the sense of holy Scripture which contains the mind of God yet I shall not now reply to your interpretations but address my self to give you satisfaction to your lâ—st demand which is in what sense the Covenant which God hath sealed to us in the blood of Christ is styled a Covenant of Grace To this end you must understand that there are a certain number of persons predestinated unto life and glory and these are called the Elect These Elect God Almighty before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 3. n. 5 6 7. counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace And as God hath appointed these Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will fore-ordained all the means thâ—â— unto wherefore they who are elected being faln in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation All these benefits are infallibly and irresistibly conveyed to those Elect by vertue of the said Covenant and upon this account I hope you will allow it to be very fitly intitled a Covenant of Grace Paganus I do readily allow of the title in respect to those Elect you speak of but I pray satisfie me in this particular what interest have the rest of mankind in Christ and this Covenant Do not the benefits you have now mentioned belong to them Diotrephes For your satisfaction you may assure your self it is the Determination and PUBLICK FAITH of the new Congregational Churches in England * Ibid. n. 6. agreed upon and consented to by their Elders and Messengers That not any other are redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but these Elect only Paganus I pray to what end did God create the rest and what Acts hath he passed against them and what Providence doth he exercise towards them Diotrephes There is a Text of holy Scripture that saith thus Before the children were born and when they had neither done good nor evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand Rom. 9. 11 1â— 13. not of works but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serve the younger as it is written I have loved Jacob and have hated Esau Out of which words a Renowned Divine doth conclude That Gods ordaining men unto salvation proceeds meerly according to
ita sapientissimus qui decretum de fine non facit nisi decretum de mediis ei aeque sit certum Sapientiae enim non congruit ut decretum de fine quod per media exequendum est fine Mediorum certa limitatione statuatur Resp Ant. Wallaei ad censur Câ—rvini pag. 138. As the Decree for the illustration of his own Glory is absolute and irresistibl and therefore not to be defeated so the Means for the Execution of that Decree is certainly ordained and to be accomplished inevitably and therefore not suspended upon so contingent a thing as Mans Free-will is if left to its own determination Hereupon the Westminster Assemblers and the Congregational Churches treading in their steps unless it be where they thought those tread awry do tell us That Gods Providence is Chap. 5. 〈◊〉 4. extended even to the first fall and all other sins of Angels and men 3 and that not by a bare permission c. So that this permissive Decree is very pregnant and teeming it brings forth in its season as is said by the Prophet of Gods Decree concerning a temporal judgment Zeph. 2. 2. Pâ—ganus Do you think that God allows and approves of sin then for this permission as you define it imports something to that purpose as I conceive it Diotrephes No we do not speak of a moral permission which is a concession but of a physical permission which is no-impedition a not-hindring but such as doth determine the infallible futurition of sin Nam Dei decretum de permittendo pecâ—ato ponit quidem illius infallibâ—lem fâ—turitionem câ—m debeat sieâ—i evenire quod Deus decreviâ— permittere ut fiat saith * In sua Hydra Soâ—in Expug Tom. 1. p. 353. 354. Maresius and a little after he saith By the effective Dâ—crâ—e man determinately and certainly was to be â—ntire to be endued with free-wâ—ll and peâ—cable and by his peâ—missive Decree that pâ—ccable man was to sin ultro sponte of his own acâ—oâ—d and freely but yet determinately certainly and infallibly Hereupon Piscator saith Decretum Ubi supra c. 3. Ibid. permittendi pâ—câ—ata necessit at peccâ—â—a quia se us frustra â—sset The Decree of pâ—rmitting sin doth necessitate sin for otherwise it were to no purpose And â—gain Decretum permissivum etiam est cau a â—fficiens suâ—â—obâ—ectâ— â— e. peccati The permissive Decree is also the efficiâ—nt cause of its object that is of sin And upon this account the Divines of Wedderau at the Synod of Dort * De Artic. 3 4. mihi page 154. part 2. do conclude That sins do come to pass necessarily in respect of the permissive Decree And some English Divines do affiâ—m That Gods Decree is not less efficacious in the permission of evil than in the production of good * But some say 〈◊〉 as permissiva efficâ—â— est non quoad productâ—â—nem sed quoad illationem So R. B. 〈◊〉 â—ect 2 de 〈◊〉 Med. p. 30. â—per in Fol. Dr. Twiss saith That sin cometh not to pass but by the most efficacious Decree and Ordinance of God Iâ—id p 88. Paganus This doth confound Gods Decree of permission with his Decree of effection or operation Diotrephes They do but trifle * Calv. Inâ—it lib. 1. cap. 〈◊〉 Sect. 1. and play the fool that substitute a bare permission instead of Gods Providence as if God sate only as a spectator expecting the forâ—uitous and casual events of things and so his judgment should depend upon mans free-will Paganus Have you any good proof that Gods Decree doth certainly determine the futurition of sin Diotâ—ephes Our Divines do prove it out of Petâ—rs Sermon Acts 2. 22 23. where he thus bespeaks his Auditors Ye men of Dr. Twiss ubâ— supra p. 89 90. Israeâ— hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles wonders and signs Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crâ—cified and stain In the same breath saith Dr. Twiss both convâ—cting them of crucifying Christ and withall acknowledging that he was delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God the meaning whereof is fully set down Acts 4. 28. to this effect namely That what contumelious outrages soever they committed upon the person of the Son of God in all this they did but that which Gods hand and Gods counsel had predertermined to be done Paganus * Cum ad productionem actus mali concurrit Deus eatenùs concurrit quatenús muneri auctoris naturae de patientia absolutae deesse non oult impediendo per substractionem sui concursus usum libertatiâ— creatae ac proptereà concurrit quatenùs sinit ut influxus oblatus ab ipso in actu primâ— ad opposita pâ—r libertatem creatam determinetur ad â—anc actum secundum quem quantum est ex se hoc est voluntate Antecedente nollet esse God might out of his mercy ordain that his Son should be made a Sacrifice for the sin of the World and he might freely determine his own will to deliver him up to that purpose and out of his fore-knowledge that the will of his malicious Crucifiers would fâ—eâ—ly apply and determine it self to that wicked Act of crucifying him he might as the Author of Nature and to perform the office of the first cause determine to uphold their power of acting and not to hinder the use of their naturâ—l lâ—berty by the withdrawing of his concourse but to afford the simultaneous influence thereof that they might freely act what they had most wickedly determined Diotrephes We do hold with Alvarez * Ibid. That God * Apud Ames Bel. Enervat Tom. 4. l. 2. c. 2â— 4. p. 23. by his Eternal Decree and by his Absolute and Effectual Will hath predetermined all our acts in particular and that before the prevision of them and independently to any middle knowledge of our future free co-operation upon supposition and Amesius * hath given the reason of it because the firmness of Gods Decree doth not properly depend upon the contingent and mutable will of man Paganus This overthrows the liberty of the will to my weak apprehension and turns man whose natural property it is to act freely into the condition of a necessary Agent Diotrephes No you are mistaken for seeing not only every action of the Creature but also the manner of that action depends upon Vid. Ames Bel. Enerv. Tom. 4. l. 3. c. 3. n. 4. ex Alvar. Synopsis Pur Thâ—ol Disp 11. Thes 11. the efficacy of the Divine Will it follows that the Providence of God doth not destroy the liberty of humane actions but establish it as the Belgick professors have observed for God so rules his Creatures that he suffers them also to act and exercise their own motions as Austin hath it Though God be the cause of the action in
one kind * Dato quod voluntas sit causa actionis liberae addam si placet totalis in suo genere ergone Deus ejusdem actionis non est causa in suo genere Mr. Hickman in Br. Refut Tilcâ—i ad â—inem yet man is the cause of the same action in another kind God preserves his Creatures in their nature and properties he moves them also and applies them to act or work agreeably to their nature He affords them his concourse and so concurs with them and so immediatly influenceth the action of the Creature with his action that one and the same action is said to proceed from the first and second cause iâ—asmuch as unum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one production or work derives its existence from them both in which work if there be any thing inordinate it is from the action not as it is the Creaâ—ors but as it is the Creatures Thus the Belgick professors Ibid. Thes 13. Paganus If God as the first Cause and Author of Nature to conserve that order and manner of working instituted in second causes at their first Creation doth afford his general concourse * Deus enim â—t Author naturae tenetur se voluntati creaâ—â— paratum praebere ad concurrendum ad opposita ut ipsa uti possit sua naturali libertate Hence they say Actus pravus quatenâ—â— Ens est 〈◊〉 Deo non ut induâ—enâ—e ad illuâ— sed ut non subtrahente suum necessarium concursum volâ—ntati quae dum ad illum se determinat abutitur sua libertate influxu divino in actu primo ad opposita sibi â—blato Et id 〈◊〉 magis proprie dicitur Dâ—us congerâ— voluntati in talem actum causando quaâ— voluntas dicatur coagere Deo Vid. Greg. in 2. d. 34. 37. q 1. ar 3 ad 8. ad opposita that his Creature may have power and liberty to do good or evil and suffer the will of man to determine its self freely to the evil act and then fore-seeing it so determined upon supposition of his concourse doth yield his simultaneous influence to the production of that evil act then it is possible to conceive how a man may avoid sin notwithstanding that Divine influx for in this case man doth abuse his own liberty and the Divine concurse offer'd to him ad opposita and so doth freely determine himself unto the sin when he might do otherwise and God should co-operate with the created will as the Author of nature according to the exigence thereof rather than the will co-operate with God as its first determiner Diotrephes That opinion doth cast fetters * R. B. P. ubi supra p. 27. Hoc unum asserimus hunc concursum quicunque tandem is est male statim subordinatum aut posteriorem influxâ—â— voluntatis in actum suum quia cum Deus non â—sset causa pâ—ima omnium entium sed secunda deinde quia voluntas in primo motus sui initio non dependeret a Deo sed contra Deus a primo initio mortuuâ—â— voluntatis Râ—sp A. Wallaei ad Censur Coâ—vini pag. 103. upon the Divine Liberty and Providence for if mans will doth freely determine itself before the Divine Determination then it would follow that the power and providence of God can dispose nothing till the assent of the created will be expected and first had with which it may concur as a partial cause to produce the effect and so God should not be the first but the second cause of this act and the will should not so much depend upon him as he depend upon the first motion of the will Paganus If God preserves to his rational Creature its natural propriety and manner of working I suppose he doth ordinarily allow it the liberte of a self-determination And I understand not how this should be any derogation to Gods Power or Providence for the Creature still acts not only under the general concourse of his Providence but also under the special egressions of it and God can and doth as it seemeth good to him put in an immediate and extraordinary finger of power to over-rule and order the actions of it the Creature therefore is not exempted from the conduct of his Providence by this means as you pretend Diotrephes We look upon all created beings as so many emanations from the first cause upon which they depend in Ibid. page 2â— esse operari in their being and working as the Rayes depend upon the Sun neither is the intellectual Creature in the actions of free-will exempted from this order * Synops Pur. Tâ—col ubi supra Thes 10. for it is necessary that every Creature and every action of it and every mode and perfection of every action of it be reduced unto God as unto the first most perfect and therefore most effectual cause We conclude therefore That * Mr. Bagshaw Pract. Dâ—sc pag. 3. Our wills are tyed up so close to the will of God that like lesser wâ—eâ—ls they move only as that great mover doth guide them Paganus Methinks this Doctrine should be very apt to tempt men to believe that God doth very much promote and assist them in their most prodigiously sinful courses Diotrephes The Acts of Gods Omnipotency are carefully to be distinguished from his Legislative Acts by these last God alwayes forbids sin but by those former he secretly incites * Deus homines ad suas pravas actiones incitâ—t seduct traâ—it jubâ—t indurat deceptiones immittit quae pâ—ccâ—ta gravia sunt efficit Mart. in Judic 3. 9. men unto it either by moving their wills tongues and members unto sin or else by not moving them to the contrary virtue but withdrawing his grace and necessary assistance whence it comes to pass that they cannot but sin Paganus This makes God the Author of the sinful act and consequently the cause of all sin in the world Diotrephes Though it sounds ill to weak and tender ears yet Mr. Calvin * Instit lib. 1. Cap. 18. Sect. 3. mihi p. 128. hath openly avouched it Satis apertè ostendi saith he Deum vocari corâ—m omnium Authorem quae iâ—ti câ—nsores volunt otioso tantùm ejus permissu contingere I have cleaâ—ly shâ—wed that God is called the Author of all those sins which these censurers would have come to pass only by his idle permission But that we may clear God of all imputation We are taught to distinguish when we speak of sin betwixt the act and the malice Dr. Twiss ubi supra page 73. or betwixt the act which is sinful called by some the materialty and the sinfulness thereof which is called the formality God is the cause of the former but only the permitter of the latter Paganus This permission then by which you endeavour to free God from the imputation of being the Authour and Cause of sin must not be an action by which God makes us to operate but only
that insuperably he that produceth the act and that immediatly shall he be blameless What is this but to condemn an accessary and acquit the principal Diotrephes But there is a great difference betwixt Gods concourse unto our good and evil works to good works he concurs not only efficiently Ex parte Potentiae predetermining the very faculty to the work but also morally Ex parte Objecti in that he doth counsel command perswade and aâ—â—ure us unto the lawful object In sinful acts he does only the first and not the latter so that of our sinful actions he is the physical cause only not the moral but of our good he is as well the moral as the physical Paganus You should consider that moral motion doth not give God the honour of a true and proper cause but only of a Metaphorical for the influence it hath into the Agent is not ipsum agere the very act it self and consequently the effect doth not follow that motion If therefore God should move us no otherwise than after such a manner your Partizans do conclude that while we work God should not discriminate us but we should discriminate our selves from such as work not therefore though God concurs unto the good act by a physical predetermination and morally too but unto the evil act by a physical predetermination only yet there remains the same manner of working in respect of good and evil in that which is chiefly considerable and by it self alone attributes the true and proper nature of a cause to God and assigns him the first and perfect original of that determination that this act should rather be than not be But 2. What is this moral motion and from whence and what doth it work upon in its seduction of us to an evil work be it in the understanding or the will in the imagination or the sensitiue appetite if you allow it to be an act you must confess according to your principels that it is from God and of his product on seeing therefore that the total sum of Gods concurse unto the act of sin amounts fully to thus much in your own account That he predetermines man to produce the whole entity of it and the whole reality also of every other act prerequired unto it that besides he predetermines and applies the Divel * Imoâ—â—ne ipse quidem Diabolus quicquam potest nisi determinante Deo Proinde pro certo tenendum Dominum omnes actiones decâ—rnere atque agendo concurrere suo sancto modo cooperari quando peccatum est in fiâ—â—i c. Malcom Com. ad Act. 4. 24. Passio Christi in individuo fuit a Dâ—o praedefinita praedefinitione perfecta Ergo omnes circumstantiae quae concurrunt ad individuationem illius praedeterminatae sunt aeterno Deâ— decreto sed ad talem individuation in etiam concuâ—rit inâ—â—â—sio actus extensio ad tales personas Alvarez Disp 22. 19. Câ—tance approbante Amesio iâ— Bel. ener Tom 4. lib. 2. cap. 2. n. 12. p. 27. and every other cause de facto conâ—urring to propound the unlawful object and allure to it since he predetermines the will and directs the intention and provides the object and applies the Tempter and addresseth all other circumstances that concur to the individuation of the sinful act there seems to be no moral or physical causality wanting that God should therefore be said to produce mens evil works otherwise than he effects their good works Diotrephes But the efficiency of God though he be Author of the act of sin doth not reach the formal malice of it Paganus No more do Men nor Divels in their most importunate contrivances solicitations and actings towards the sins of others notwithstanding they communicate in the fault * Quatenus incredulit adhabâ—t rationem peccati Deus illam non efficit sed Diabolus juxta illud 2. Cor. 4. 4. Piscator Apol. Resp Amicae Collat. Oppos cap. 3. and guilt by impelling to them such acts as are inseparably attended with a moral pravity neither doth any man produce the formal malice of his own wicked act but inasmuch as he produceth the entity of that act * Aquin. 12ae q. 79. ar 2. 2. to which that malice is annexed If the resolution of your Casuist * Amesius ubi supra lately mentioned be authentick he doth indirectly cooperate and so communicate in the sin of others who is deficient in his diligence to prevent it and he is sufficiently diligent to prevent sin who doth predetermine the will to it Diotrephes Now I have freed God so fully from having any hand in sin by a Metaphorical distinction you endeavour to make him communicate therein by a moral interpretation but that one may be accounted the Author of sin he must be culpably deficient saith Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 72. and thus man may beguilty saith he either by doing what he ought to omit or by omitting what he ought to do but this cannot be incident to God He could I confess saith he keep any Creature from sin â—f it pleased him but if he will not and doth not he commits not any culpable defect for he is not bound to preserve any man from sin Therefore all that can be infer'd from hence is this * R. B. Prid. ubi supra p. 13. That man doth necessarily fall into sin if God doth not uphold him not that God sins because he doth not give what he doth not owe him Paganus You grant then that God is the cause of mans fall though inculpable but your Doctors do acknowledge That to love God in such a measure as to contemn our selves in comparison of him and his service is above the power of nature A Dr. Twiss nbi supra p. 49. man mvst be endued with heavenly grace and the Spirit of God to enable him hereunto and that accordingly God created our first parents in a state of grace and endued them with the Spirit that in this capacity such a law of love might be justly impos'd upon them Now I would fain be satisfied with what equity God could withdraw * from his innocent creatures and such were our first parents before the fall * Si Deus hominem sibi obedientem a pietate deturbat bene currentem cadere facit ergo pro bonis mala retribuit injuste punit quod ut fiat impellit Quid tam perversum quid tam insanum dici aut cogitari potest Prosp Aquit ad 12. Gal. Object that supernatural and necessary assistance and yet being thus without any fault in them strip't off their abilities leave them under the obligation of that now become an impossible Commandment that they might inevitably fall and perish yet this he did as you concluded above out of your Divines Diotrephes We satisfie our selves in that God did this for a greater good and that we may have no cause to complain our Divines conclude *
more moderate Sublapsarians as that of the more rigid Sublapsarians doth make salvation not only uncertain but also impossible to the greatest number of souls how diligent soever to obtain it Therefore The Doctrine of the Calvinists c. is unserviceable to the interest of souls unpracticable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function and not according to godliness The Major is evident because it highly concerns the Ministerial Function and the power of godliness and the interest of souls to have some assurance that salvation is possible to all such at least as are diligent to obtain it for Martinius at the Synod of Dort concludes That the command and promise of the Gospel are disanull'd which evacuates the Ministerial Function and the power of godliness if there be not such a sufficiency of Redemption as is really sufficient for all and that according to the will and intention of God and Christ for saith he Quomodo ex beneficio sufficiente quidem at mihi non destinato per veram intentionem deducetur necessitas credendi quod illud ad me pertineat De Morte Christi pro omnibus Thes 8 9 10. Inter Acta Syn. Nat. Dordr par 2. pag. mihi 105. The Minor is apparent from the whole Discourse of this second Dialogue Colasterion Matth. 23. 13. Luk. 11. 52. Ye shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men and have taken away the key of knowledge and them that were entring in ye hindred Piscator Trip. Resp ad Amic C. U. Duplic cap. 7. Other proofs of the Minor Non procurat Deus illis omnibus media salutis sufficientèr quorum Conversionem in S. literis expectare dicitur Item Deus omnibus quidem vocatis gratiam salutem foris in verbo offert non tamen animo ipsos omnes convertendi Cap. 4. Item Per Deum stat quo minùs omnes vocati credant resipiscant h. e. per defectum gratiae sufficientis ibid. Marlorat in Joan. 15. 2. Stat igitur firma sententia quemcunque Deus ante conditum orbem elegerit eum non posse pâ—rire quem verò rejecerit eum non posse salvari etiamsi omnia sanctorum opera fecerit usque adâ—ò irretractablis est sententia Jacob. Triglandius A Synodist In Defens Doctrinae Honoris Eccles Refâ—r Doctor Haec Dei sententia adeò firma est immutabilis qua rejicit reprobos ut impossibile sit eos salvari etiamsi omnia sanctorum opera fecerint Ideóque verum non est eos qui culpâ suâ pereunt per gratiam potuisse salvari si laborem obedientiae salutari gratiae non subtraxissent Haec ille THE THIRD DIALOGUE BETWIXT DIOTREPHES and SECURUS DIotrephes Well overtaken Sir I pray how far are you travelling this way if you be for Canterbury I shall be very glad of your company Securus That is the place I am bound for and if your occasions lead you thither we are well met indeed for a good Companion is like a Chariot that carries one along with ease and delight to his journies end And such advantage I promise my self in this expedition whil'st the tedicusness of the way is beguiled by the charmes of your acceptable Society add Conversation Diotrephes I am glad you are so pleasant Sir but if you will make me happy in the benefit of your Company I must intreat you not to Ride too much upon the Spur we shall have day enough to accomplish our Journey why therefore should we Tyre our Selves and our Horses to no purpose Securus I beseech you excuse me Sir I Ride at the easiest Rate the importance of my Affairs will allow of and although a slower pace may very well comply with the indifferency of an Arbitrary Visit which I presume to be the design you are now engaged upon yet if you consider how great a vivacity and chearfulness of spirit is stirred up even amongst brute Creatures by Company and much more amongst Men where the benefit is improved by the reciprocation of Discourse I perswade my self you are so prudent you will choose rather to mend your Pace that we may Troop on together than disband your self and withdraw into the uncomfortable condition of a solitary Traveller Diotrephes Sir I must submit my sense and judgment to the power of your Reason But Sir give me leave for we should make a spiritual use of all occurrences we meet with give me leave therefore to unfold my wishes to you and the earnest desire of my soul which is That we were all most eager in the pursuance of those Concerns which are really of most importance to us Securus What Concerns do you mean Diotrephes The great Concerns of our Souls the Concerns of Eternity that we would post more hastily to Heaven than after the World Securus I am jealous Sir that in the way you speak of there are a great many who make more haste than good speed their zeal out-runs their knowledge and discretion Diotrephes We must not discourage zeal for Gods Cause and Gods glory and things should be esteemed and pursued according to their excellency Is not the soul incomparably more precious than the World And is not Heaven infinitely of more value than Earth Or can we do too much for God who hath done so much for us Securus Sir we know God is so freely bountiful he doth not set his goodness out to sale before his Creatures Besides 't is evident men may be so passionate and eager that they may run down the Laws and Lives of men that stand in the way of their pretended zeal and yet as we say they may be early up and ne're the near they may slatter and please themselves in such things as God is not pleased in at all The time will come 't was one of the predictions of our Saviour when they that kill you will think they do God service Sometimes this zeal miscarries the child is come to the Birth and there is no strength to bring forth and then the furious Zelot making himself obnoxious to the Law and Power of the Civil Magistrate brings upon himself a swift destruction and so perisheth with his burden Hereupon the Preacher giveth us sober advice Be not righteous over-much neither make thy self over-wise why shouldst thou destroy thy self Eccles 7. 16. Diotrephes Rash men 't is true may over-shoot themselves but the Apostle doth commend zeal and fervency of Spirit in Gods service 't is good saith he to be zealously affected alwayes in a good matter and he exhorts the Romans to Gal. 4. 18. be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 12. 11. Securus I shall not need to tell you that other Copies read it not serving the Lord but serving the time and in this you have no reason to complain of mens slothfulness but I am afraid most of that which is called fervency of Spirit in Gods service are but heats of the flesh such I am sure are hatred variance
save us in a way of justice mingled with mercy and therefore he hath chosen * Eph. 1. 4. us in Christ now * 2 Cor. 5. 17. he that is in Christ is a new Creaâ—ure Securus It seems then that the exâ—cution of the Decree is not exactly conformable to the Decree it self but contains something else besides it and then how is that true of the Apostle * Rom. 9. 11. That the purpâ—se of God according to the Election doth stand not of works but of him that calleth I am afraid you have gotten a tang of the Remonstrants Doctrine by your expressions * Vt enim Electio ad gloriam absoluta in Christo facta dicatur quatenus Christus Deus est unios cum Patre Spiritu Sancto absurdum est quiaâ—â—sic Electio etiam in Spiritâ— S. quatenâ—s unus cum Patre Filio Deâ—s est facta fuerit quod contra Scripturae stylum est For can any man be in Christ but a believer I am sure none but a bâ—lievâ—r can be a new Creature in affirming therefore crudely as you do that God hath chosen us in Christ and adding upon it that He that is in Christ is a new Creature you do plainly imply that the object of Gods Election are the faithful and sancâ—ified which the Synod at Dort will tell you is a pernicious Erroâ—r The Bishop of Winchester delivering his judgment about the second Lambeth Article as it was amended by the Bishops and other Divines there whereas the Article saith Causa moveâ—s aut efficiens praedestinationis ad vitam non est praevisio fidei aâ—t persevâ—rantiae aut bonorum operum aut alîus reâ— quae insit perâ—onis â—â—tic Lamb. p. 13. praedestinatis sed sola voluntas beneplaciti Dei The moving or efficient cause of predestination unto life is not the fore-sight of faith or perseverance or good works or any other thing which is in the persons predestâ—nated but the sole will of Gods good pleasure Bishop Andrews makes a Quaere concerning that Particle Sâ—â—a Voluntas benepâ—â—citi the sole will of Gods 〈◊〉 pag. 23 24. good pleasure whether it doth include Christ or seâ—luâ—e him that is whether the Act of predestination be aâ—solute or relative For my part saith he I think it is relative neither do I think there is any good-will of God towards men that is a will whereby he is well-pleased towards men but in his Son in whom he is well-pleased nor that any one is predestinated either befoâ—e or without reâ—â—ect to or intuition of Christ But as the sacred Scriptures have it Christ is â—ore-known in the first place 1 P. t. 1. 20. then we in him Rom. 8. 29. Christ predestinated Rom. 1. 4. then we by him Eph. 1. 5. And not we in the first place as some think He in the last and for us for we cannot be predestinated unto the Adoption of sons but in the natural son nor can we be predestinated that we should be conformable to the image of the Son unlesâ— the Son be first appointed to whose image we should be made conformable hereupon that Bishop would have it added to that Articleâ— the good pleasure of Gâ—d in Christ And though in King Edward's Articles of 〈◊〉 Articulo cuperem addi Beneplacitum Dei in Christo ibid. 1553. the 17th Article runs thus Constantèr decrevit eos quos elegit ex hominum genere * Which words are mistaken by Mr. Beâ—â—anus à malâ—dicto exitio liberare Yet in those of Queen Elizabeths and King Jame's 1616. we finde this addition In Christo quos in Christo elegit And consonantly hereunto those Articles of King Charls of blessed Memory whereunto He prefixed His Declaration 1631. do run thus He hath constantly decreed to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind But this you see overthrows absolute election to avoid which the Synod though it saith elegit in Christo hath establish't the good pleasure of God towards sinners on this side or before Christs Mediatorship and Reconciliation * Act. Sys 〈◊〉 cap. 1. de prâ—d Art 7. 9. Christum pro iâ—â— quos Deus summè dilexit ad vitam aeternam elegit Mortuum esse dicunâ— Cap. 2. Reject 7. Christus est causa meritoria salutis sed non causa electionis Causa quaerenda est 〈◊〉 Dei beneplacito amore gratuito qui ordine antecedit intercessionem filii P. Molin Consess inter Act. Syn. Dord par 1. p. 290. for Election is resolved by them to be the first benefit and the fountain of all the rest upon which depends the designation of the Mediatour himself Diotrephes Sir I am perfectly of the Synods judgment in this point however you mistake me I do not say Christ is the cause or foundation of the Decree but of the things decreed not of Election as to be established but as to be executed not of election to be decreed through him but of salvation to be obtain'd by him he comes under the Decree not antecedently but consequently not as the cause of that love wherewith God hath embrac'd us unto salvation but as a means underlayed to that love and therefore Christ was not given to men that they might be elected by him but then when they were elected he was given ut siâ—e justitiae suae dispendio nos ad gloriam adduceret as Sphanhemius * Disput Inaâ—gur Thes 5. hath it That God might bring us unto glory without any detriment unto his justice Securus You do acknowledge then that God hath elected us unto glory without any regard to faith or any good work whatsoever in us and that upon the intervention of Christ he may bring us into the possession of that glory without any detriment or impeachment of his justice therefore as I said from the beginning of our Discourse there is no need at all of our endeavours after good works or after a course of holiness and righteousness Diotrephes Sir you must not mistake us here though God do not choose us for this antecedent reason because we were hely yet he chose us to this consâ—quent end that we should be holy so the Synod have determined in these words This said Election was made not upon fore-sight of faith and the obedience of faith holiness or of any other good quality or disposition as a cause Cap. 1. Art 9 or condition before required in man to be chosen but unto faith and the obedience of faith holiness c. And therefore Election is the fountain of all saving good from whence faith holiness and the residue of saving gifts lastly everlasting life it self do flow as the fruits and effects thereof according to thaâ— of the Apostle Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us not bâ—bâ—cause we were but that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Securus Sir I hope you understand that
to be conquered according to the ground upon which it is made How Joh. 5. 44. can ye believe saith our Saviour to the Jews who seek honour one of another And he tells the Scribes and Pharisees That the Publicanes and Harlots entred into the Kingdom of heaven before them And Solomon invites us to this observation saying Sâ—est thou a man that is wise in his own eyes there is more hope of a fool that is a wicked man than of him Prov. 26. 12. The dispensâ—tion of the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit goes forth doubtless with a mighty power of conviction but how farre it works upon particular persons affected under the influences of it is not so easie to be resolved There are in the conversion of sinners cases extraordinary which must not he drawn into example nor prejudice the general Rule as in S. Paul Austin c. But ordinarily that there is some disposition and temper of spirit more apt than others to receive the effectual impressions of it is most certain Such is the honest and good heart in the Parable such are the humble and meek Psal 25. 15. Joh. 3. 21. Joh. 7. 17. Mat. 11. 18. Joh. 10. 28. Mat. 11. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Joh. 8. 47 1 Joh. 4. 5 6. Joh. 6. 45. and the pâ—or in spirit such as do the truth and the Will of God so farre as their information serves them such are the weary and heavy ladâ—n and the like They are resembled to sheep and to babes and are sâ—id to be of God to have learned of the Father and to know him These are said to be ordained that is disposed and in a sit posture for eternal life Acts 13. 48 and of this ingenuous and noble temper were those Bereans Acts 17. 11. They were as it were in the Suburbs or Confines not farre from the Kingdom of God and upon the first call by the word of grace they obeyed and stept into it Desolatus But by what means may a man obtain to be thus disposed or qualified for faith and conversion Samaritanus Mr. Baxter tells you very truly that common grace is truly preparative and dispositive to saving grace so Of Saving Faith p. 39 41 46. that if we employ and improve the first we may be confident we shall obtain the other Not by any merit or causolity force or efficacy of our work or by any natural connexion but meerly Dr. Jacks p. 3109 c. by God's grace by the counsel of his holy and irresistible will by which it hath pleased him to appoint the one as a necessary consequent of the other Desolatus Have you any grounds for this assertion Samaritanus Yea that ground so often laid down by our Saviour in the Parable of the Talents Habenti dabitur To him that hath made use of grace shall be given and he shall have more Mat. 25. 28 29. abundance Desolatus That is he shall have more of the same kind if he employes his Talents of common grace he shall have an addition of common grrce if he employes talents of saving grace he shall receive a greater measure of saving grace Samaritanus Nay God's bounty will be extended further a Mat. 25. 21 22. Thou hast been faithful in a little I will make thee ruler over much upon the emprovement of common grace he shall receive saving grace for to him that had emproved his talents he saith Be thou Ruler over so many Cities b Luk. 19. 17 19 The remuneration is in a matter of a higher nature And this God doth vouchsafe not of debt or condignity or congruity but of grace * Praecedaneorum illorum recâ—â—or â—sâ—s causae rationâ—m non habet qua Deus tanquam justus Judex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impulsus est ad majoâ—em gratiam communicandam sed tanquam mitissimus pater c. 〈◊〉 col inter D. Tilon Camer p. 35. and mercy still Desolatus Suppose two persons alike affected in mind and body exposed to the like temptation and attended with equal assistances of grace whether is it possible for one of these to stand impregnable while the other miscarries under this tryal And if he may whence is this difference in the issue and event of this combate Samaritanus Take the Totum Complexum together and there can be no other cause assign'd but the liberty of the will for grace cannot be the cause why any man doth fail of his duty but the will assisted by grace is a Partial cause of that man's standing in his integrity and the total cause of this man's falling from it Thus S. Austin hath determined the question Si aliqui duo aequaliter affecti animo corpore videant unius corporis Lib. 12. de civit cap. 6. apud Grevinch pulchritudinem quâ visa unus eorum ad illicite fruendum moveatur alter in voluntate pudica stabilis perseveret quid putamus esse causae ut in illo fiat in illo non fiat voluntas mala Respondet si eadem tentatione ambo tenentur unus ei cedat atque consentiat alter idem qui fuerat perseveret quid aliud apparet nisi unum voluisse alterum noluisse à castitate deficere unde nisi propriâ voluntate ubi eadem fuerat in utroque corporis animae affectio amborum oculis paritervisa est eadem pulchritudo ambobus pariter institit tentatio Of two persons alike affected in soul and body alike assaulted by the temptation of the same beauty why one of them should prostitute himself to the temptation while the other perseveres in his chastity Austin could assign no other reason but their own will the one would the other would not violate his Sacred chastity 2. If you take the Case apieces Prosper * De vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 26. answers distinctly to the several parts and renders the cause exactly well Quod gratiae opitulatio à multis refutatur ipsorum est nequitiae quod autem à multis suscipitur gratiae est divinae voluntatis humanae That the assistance of grace is rejected of many 't is solely of their own naughtiness but that it is embraced of many 't is both of the divine grace and the humane will Desolatus But Sir that good use and that cooperation of the will are pious actions and savingly good and therefore should be ascribed wholly to the grace of God and not at all to the will of man Samaritanus That good use and that cooperation of the will are to be ascribed to Grace as the Principle and Primary cause but yet as they are moral actions they do derive their efficacy and vertue from the will and not from grace wholly which may be clearly evinced by this Dilemma of the Remonstrants Examen censuraep 180. b. Usus ille bonus gratiae aut est actus officij nostri qui virtuosus dici meretur Aut non est Si
effects without respect to some qualifications in them would argue injustice even by St. Austin's own confession for he saith Numquid In Eâ—chirid c. 98. iniquitas est apud Deum absit Iniquum enim videtur ut sine ull s bonorum malorumve operum meritis unum Deus eligat odiatque alterum Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid For it seems unjust that God should love one and hate another without any merits of good or evil works But grant Almighty God his liberty to love freely as no doubt he may do yet the Apostle tells us He is so just His wrath comes onely where he finds sin a sufficient cause to send it upon the children of disobedience * Ephes 5. 6. Col. 3. 6. That Their Progenitors or God upon Their account have entailed that Title with the wrath annexed upon Them * Jer. 31. 29. Ezek. 18. 2. Jon. 4. 11. and never cuts it off in a matter of this everlasting concernment ought not to be affirmed without great authority Those who are said to be children of wrath by nature Ephes 2. 3. are not said to be so by the nature they were born in but by the nature * The word nature is put for custom 1 Cor. 11. 14. they walked in which was their evil custom and course of trespasses and sins vers 1 2. 3. Grant Esau a Reprobate in his Mother's womb and what certainty can the Faithful for such without doubt was Isaac when he begot Esau have of the salvation of their dearest Babes So sad an Oracle had she met with such interpreters would have been more heavy to Rebecca than the double burthen she travell'd with But 4. There was no such word in the Oracle to Rebâ—cca Gen. 25. 23. nor any such heard of till the time of the Prophet Malachi of which I shall give a fuller account anon So that Esau in his own person is not like to be concerned in it 5. If the Oracle had spake to her in that very phrase and language it would have been capable of a milder construction than to signifie his eternal Reprobation For when the Scripture speaks of hatred it doth not always mean that which is Absolute but many times that which is Comparative which is no more than a lesse degree of love And so God may hate the Innocent that is love him lesse then another Innocent for God is not bound to love all alike and with an equal degree of love That the word hatred is frequently used in this sense you may observe as you read the Scriptures Gen. 29. 31. the Text saith The Lord saw that Leah was hated yet in the former verse 't is onely said that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah So Luk. 14. 26. our Saviour saith If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother c. which signifies but to lovâ— them leâ—s as St. Matthew doth record it Mat. â— 10. 37. See also to this purpose Dut. 21. 15. Prov. 13. 24. Joh. 12. 25. with Matâ—h 10. 37. And iâ— can have no other sense when applied here to Esau or rather to his Posteriâ—y 6. Were it meant of Gods Decree of Reprobation I would fain understand wherein the Execution of that Decree consisted It must consist in the abandoning Esau to a state of tâ—mpoâ—al servitude a Gen. 25. 23. and his Hell must be an Earthly Wildernes b Mal. 1. 3. and his own Brother the Elect Jacob assigâ—'d him for his Torm â—tor c Gen. 27. 29. against whom he had a promise too that he should finally prevail d Gen. 27. 40. over him What gross Absurdities these are who wants a judgment to discern Yet all these are parts of the Oracle or Appendages in the process of the Affair as you will find by consulting the Sacred Text to this purpose Lastly there is no ground to conclude that Esau was a Reprobate for it doth not appear probable that in his person he fell off from God to serve Idollâ— and for that prophareness imputed to him Hebr. 12. 16. it consisted but in the divesting himself of a privilege e Gen. 25. 29 to the end annexed to his Primogeniture and what Sacrednesse soever was in Tâ—is he was supâ—lanted f chap. 27. 36. by his Brother's policy and induced to part with it in a case of extream necessity g chap. 25. 32. to save his life his Brother being so unnatural that he would relieve him upon no other tearms h vers 31 33. and Esau repented of This ill bargain too i ch 27. 36 38. Heb. 12. 17. For the Fornication associated with Profaneness by the Apostle in that place it is no part of Esau's Character but belongs to the Apostates of those times from the imitation of whose practices the Hebrews are there so earnestly disswaded As for the hatred k Gen. 27. 41. he did bear a while towards his Brother though it were kindled upon an exceeding provocation it was not implacable for such was his kindnesse to him at Their meeting that Jacob tells him l Gen. 33. 10. I have seen thy face as thoâ—gh I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me He was not so happy as to please his Parents in his first Marriage his wives were distasteful to Isaac and Rebecea m Gen. 26. 35. but upon what account is not so easie to determine If we say with Diodati and others that it was for their Idolatries this was no more than that guilt that stain'd the practice and education of Jacob's Wives also as the sacred Story doth record it n Gen. 31. 19. 30 32. Josh 24. 2. However if herein he were guilty of some undutifulnesse too his Parents yet that the Elect and after their Regeneration to may fall into as foul and fouler sins than that amounts to and likewise continue in them God knows how long we have the opinion of a person of some note o Mr. Baxter See his Disputations of Right to the Sacraments pag. 327 c. amongst us And besides that he intended the displeasure of his Parents in those Matches is not probable that he endeavour'd their satisfaction afterwards an undeniable instance of his repentance is evident from Gen. 28. 8 9. where we read that when he saw the daughters of Canaan pleased not his father by his forbidding Jacob to match himself amongst them then went Esau unto Ishmael Abrahams son who was as near related to Isaac as Laban was unto Rebecca and took his daughter to be his wife and this was done without doubt to comply with the temper and desires of his Parents Who then dares condemn Esau for a Reprobate Though Pâ—reus exercise this intolerable severity Mâ—llrus durst not Oâ—colampadius durst not Dr. Prideaâ—x durst not Ex Genesi ve isimiles conjecturae sumi possunt quae ostendunt Esavum non ita reâ—ectum esse à Deo ut 〈◊〉 damnatus
sit omnium causa si quis occiderit aliquem ea i. e. Parca est Homicida Si quis sacrilegium admiserit impositum sibi perpetrat Quare si Minos justum judicaverit puniet Fatum pro Sisypho Parcam pro Tantalo Quid enim injustè fecerunt illi obedientes mandatis c. STIMLVVS ORTHODOXVS Sive GOADUS REDIVIVVS A DISPUTATION Partly Theological partly Metaphysical concerning the Necessity and Contingency of Events in the World in respect of God's Eternal Decree Written above twenty years since by that Reverend and Learned Divine THOMAS GOAD Doctor of Divinity and Rector of Hadleigh in Suffolk IN DEFENCE LONDON Printed for William Leak at the Crown in Fleet-street between the tvvo Temple Gates 1661. To the READER Christian Reader THIS Piece which I here propose to thy view was the onely Remain that I know of of that Reverend Divine whose name is prefixed to it A Work certainly worth two or three hours time to peruse It came to my hands by buying some of the Books of his deceased Amanuensis I need to make no Encomium either of the Author or the Work the one was very well known to and is still remembred by some and the worth of the other needs not beg our Commendation This our Reverend Author was one of the most eminent Divines at the Synod of Dort when the subject matter of this ensuing Disputation and matters of the like nature amongst other controverted Points were incontest Whether our Author was then of that judgment which he declares in this Disputation I am not certain However if his after thoughts which commonly are the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best inclined him to the truth and swayed his belief we have reason to bless the God of Truth for the discovery And I heartily wish that all men who are intangled in the briars of these prickly Disputations as our Reverend Author calls them would lay aside all prejudice and suffer their judgments to be ravished to the embracing of Truth by the argumentative allurements of Scripture and Reason Thoâ— wilt find the singular use of this ensuing Piece in affording thee lâ—ght to and carrying thee through those obscure intricacies controverted betwixt the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants And that it may be of this singular use 〈◊〉 benefit is the hearty prayer of Thy Friend and Servant in Christ J. G. A DISPUTATION Partly Theological partly Metaphysical concerning the Necessity and Contingency of Events in the World in respect of God's Eternal Decrees The Sum of the controversie is this 1. WHETHER or no all things that ever have or shall come to pass in the world have been or shall be effected necessarily in respect of an irresistable Decree by which God hath everlastingly determined that they should inevitably come to pass 2. Whether or no many things have not been done contingently or after such a middle manner between impossibility of being and necessity of being that some things which have been might as well not have been and many things which have not been might as well have been for ought God hath decreed to the contrary An happy composing of this intâ—icate Controversie will be of excellent use not onely in guiding us safe through the briers of these prickly Disputations of Predestination Free-will the Cause of sin c. which at this day have set Protestants Papists Lutherans Armiâ—ians Puritans together by the ears but over and above in easing us of many scruples and perplexing cases which daily arise in our minds concerning God's special Decrees and particular Providence in respect of the passages of our life But the singular uses of this Disputation will best appear when it is finished and therefore without any further Preface I betake my self unto it purposing to carry such an equal eye to brevity and perspicuity that the Reader shall have no just cause to say that I am either obscure or tedious I have already divided the main Question into two particular Qâ—eriâ—s Many Divines compleatly Reverend both for their knowledge and practice of Religion and therefore deservedly 1. Opin of precious esteem in the Reformed Churches have subscribed affirmatively to the first Quaerie maintaining that whatsoever any creature doth Man or Beast Plants or Inanimate Elements and Mâ—teors God from all eternity hath decreed that they should necessarily do it so that a man doth not so much as spit without a Decree yea they say that there falleth not so much as a drop of rain or ariseth a blast of wind sine speciali Dei jussu Contrariwise some others of as good though perhaps not of so great a name as they both for their Learning and love of 2. Opin Orthodox Religion have subscribed affirmatively to the second teaching that as God in his wisdom hath ordered that some things are impossible and cannot be some things necessary and cannot but be so also hath he poised some things in such an equal possibility of being or not being and left it to his creatures choice to turn the scale that in respect of him they fall out contingently it being as possible for his creatures to have omitted them as to have done them I have a good while halted between these two opinions I have Sceptically hovered over them to see where I were best to light Sometimes I have sent out my assent like Noah's Dove but she misliking her footing speedily withdrew her self back again till at length she finding better entertainment amongst this second company she hath returned now at last with an Olive branch in her mouth with that emblem of peace Uniting my distractions The Arguments by which Truth first courted and at last ravished my assent are those which both confirm the second and confute the first opinion The first manifestly discovers an Heathenish Error lurking implicitely in the oppâ—site opinion Our Adversaries indeed do Arg. 1 disallow it explicitly and I know they heartily mislike it but it will too evidently appear that if that error be Paganism their opinion is little better which I prove thus It was the coâ—ceit of the antient Sâ—oicks that all things were governed and brought to passe by an inevitable Destiny all things falling out by a fatall necessity in spight of men and according to the addition of Poet s of gods also Now do not our Oppâ—sites in this Controversie impose a fatal Necessity on all things yea they go further in this point than some Stoicks for as it may be collected out of some of their writings though they subjected the main Events and ends to irresistable Destiny yet they supposed the means by which a man might though vainly endeavour to crosse those ends arbitrary in man's choice But our Opposites impose a necessity on all things whatsoever not onely upon Ends and events but also upon the means For example according to their Doctrine God hath not onely decreed that I shall or that I shall not escape this infection but he hath also
decreed that I shall or I shall not use the means to escape it So that all the Absurdities that dog the Stoâ—câ—l dream of fatal necessity at the heels are inseparable attendants of this Opinion For I may not onely say If I shall die of the Infection I shall if I shall not die I shall not and therefore I need not use means to avoid it But also if I must use means I must if I must not I must not Seeing Gods decree necessitateth as much to use or omit the means as to obtain or lose the end For if their opinion be true all things whatsoever end or means of little or great moment come to passe necessarily and unavoidably by reason of Gods eternal Decree Here they have two Evasions The first is this A beit say they God hath most certainly determined what shall or what shall not be done concerning us Evasio 1. yet his Decree is hid from us and we must use lawful and ordinary means for the obtaining of such and such good Ends keeping on the ordinary course which he hath revealâ—d to us See the vanity of this shift our Opposites teach that whatsoever God hath decreed shall be dâ—ne and whatsoever is omitted Confutatio shall be undone If therefore God hath determined that we should not use such and such means it is impossible for us to use them iâ— he hath decreed that we should it is impossible that we should omit them And therefore it is more than ridiculous to say that although God in his secret will hath determined that we should not do such a thing yet we are to do it seeing his decree though it be sâ—cret yet it will have its effect and it is absolutely impossible we should do that which God hath determined we shall not do Howsoever say our Opposites our opinion is far from Stoicism for the Stoâ—cks thought that all things came inevitably to pass by reason of an indissoluble Chain and Connexion of natural Evasion 2. causes but we teach that all events are irresistably necessary by reason of Gods everlasting dâ—crees and His Omnipotency daily executing them This reason is so poor a one and yet so much made on by some worthy men that I am more troubled to wonder at it Confutation than to confute it yet that I may satisfie it distinctly I will divide the opinion of the Stoâ—cks into two particular Tenets 1. They hold that all things come to pass inevitably 2. They thought the reason of this inevitablenesse of events to be an unchangeable connexion of natural causes Our Opposites stifly maintain the former of these Tenets Now let the Reader observe that the most prodigious absurdities accompanying this Stoical error follow the first part of their opinion though sequestred from the second For if all things come to pass unavoidably what need I care what I do yea if I shall care I shall care whether I will or no and a thousand the like horrid conceits follow the opinion of the necessity of events whatsoever we make to be the cause of this necessity It is a great point of Turkish Divinity at this day that all things are done unavoidably and they with our Opposites make Gods will to be the cause of this unavoidableness and therefore they judge of Gods pleasure or displeasure by the event Yet there is no Christian but abhorreth this Turcism and gives it no better entertainment than Anathema Maranatha It s too apparent therefore that albeit our Adversaries are true Christians yet in this point their opinion is guilty by reason of its consequence both of Stoicism and Turcism Again if we consider the second part of the Stoicks opinion we shall perceive that the opinion which we confute cannot be minced but that it will be compleat Stoicism The Stoicks thought the connexion of causes to be the cause of the necessity of events its true but what did they think to be the connexion of causes doubtless the eternal Laws of Nature which they supposed to be a Deity It is very probable they thought the Fates to be but Natures Laws but whatsoever they meant by the Fates its evident they made their decrees to be the cause of the connexion of causes How often read we both in Philosophers and Poets of Fatorum Decreta Parcarum Leges c. Yea the word Fatum it self is as much as a Decree as Edictum from Edicere so Fatum from Fari Quid aliud est Fatum quam id quod Deus de unoquoquâ— fatur saith Minutius Well then to apply Do not our Adversaries in this point suppose an inviolable linking of all things together one necessarily following in the neck of another Do they not make the cause of this linking to be Gods irresistable decree Do they not defend compleat Stoicism What part of Stoicism do they disclaim Do they not maintain inevitable necessity Do they not teach an indissoluble connexion of all things Do they not believe divine decrees to be the cause of this connexion Certainly they must needs confess themselves Stoicks in this point unless we will give them leave to grant the prezmises and deny the conclusion I know the Stoicks had mis-conceits concerning the Deities as accounting those to be Deities which are not whose decrees they made the causes of all things but they were the common errors of Paganism and are beside the point in hand And truly these set aside I see not wherein our Adversaries differ from the Stoicks I have prosecuted this Argument more copiously because it includeth many others I mean all those which Scripture or Reason furnish us with against the error of the Stoicks and they are many for I think verily there are few opinions which have a greaâ—er retinue of ridiculous and erroneous consequences than this of the unavoidable necessity of events Some of them may make one laugh and some of them may make one tremble I omit the former because they are obvious to every mans conceit and I would not willingly make sport of so serious a matter Of the last sort I will specific one in a second Argument That opinion which being admitted maketh God the Author of sin is gross and erroneous that I may say no worse but so I Arg. 2. speak it with horror doth the Opinion of our Opposites I know they are renowned Christians and as they abhor Stoical errors so they hold this damnable doctrine which is worse than ever any Heretick held which transformeth God into a Devil to be most accursed yet so the case standeth that as the See this Argument confirmed in the Answer to the 4th Objection error of fatal necessity so this of the cause of sin fatally followeth their opinion which I prove thus They teach That nothing is done in the world nor can be done but what God hath decreed to be done Now it 's too certain that three quarters of the things which are done in the world are
sins therefore according to this opinion God is the principal cause of sins Devils and Men are but His Instruments The usual Answer is That God is the cause of all the actions Evasio that are sinful but not of the sirfulness of the actions of all our works but not of our obliquities and imperfections As one that rides upon a halting Jade is the cause of his motion and yet not of his halting It s a hard case when they have but one frivolous distinction to keep God from sinning Might I here without wandring discourse Confutatio of the nature of sin I could prove sin it self to be an action and confute this groundless distinction that way but I will keep my self as much to the purpose as I can and so answer it thus or rather confute it That which is a principal cause of any action is a cause of those events which accompany that action necessarily This Rule is most certainly true Therefore if God by His decrees do force Concomitants us to those actions which cannot be done without sin God Himself I am afraid to rehearse it must needs be guilty of sin For example If God decreed that Adam should unavoidably eat the forbidden fruit seeing the eating of the fruit which he had forbidden must needs be with a gross obliquity I do not see how this distinction will justifie God for Adam sinned because he ate the fruit that was forbidden but they say God decreed that he should eat the fruit which was forbidden necessarily and unavoidably The conclusion is too blasphemous to be often repeated The Reader may see how well that common distinction holdeth water yea if this nicety were sound man himself might prove that he committed no murder though he stabbed the dead party to the heart for at his arraignment he might tell the Judge that he did indeed thrust his dagger into his heart but it was not that which took away his life but the extinction of his natural heat and vital spirits Who seeth not the wild frenzie of him who should make this Apology yet this is all our Adversaries say for God They say His decree was the cause that Adam took the fruit and put it into his mouth and ate that which he had commanded he should not eat Yet they say He was not the cause of the transgression of the commandment The example of the halting Jade is a meer impertinency for suppose it were as it is not appliable to us who halt naturally yet Adam before this action was sound and therefore God necessitating him to such an inconveniency dealt with him as if one should drive a lusty Nag into rough passages where he must needs break his leggs Neither is it as I said appliable unto us the lame posterity of Adam for he who rideth an horse that was lame before although he be not a cause of the impotency which he findeth in the horse already yet in urging him to motion he is now a cause of the actual imperfection in the motion and so perhaps a cause of encreasing the impotency for the future though he were not the cause of his lameness yet he is of his limping at that time Let the horse stand still and see whether he will halt or no. Marry if the horse go of himself then the Rider is no cause of his halting and so we may say that all our haltings are from our selves without any instigation from God I know our Opposites have another shift teaching that God useth to punish one sin by making us to commit another so that although we sin He doth but punish Albeit I do not believe this to be true as 't is commonly expounded yet I abstain at this time from a farther examination of it because it weakens not my Argument about Adam for his sin was the first that ever he committed and the original of all that ever followed and therefore if Gods decree were the cause that he ate the forbidden fruit as our Adversaries teach its apparent whom they make the Author of all sin These two Arguments well scanned are sufficient to make any not fore-stalled with pre-conceits to be afraid of that opinion which believeth all things to come to pass necessarily by reason of Gods irresistable decree and therefore they shall suffice for the confutation of it Moreover seeing it is clogged with such monstrous consequences me-thinks out opinion should be far more amiable which giveth no countenance to such hideous mis-shapen errors as it will appear by the process of this disputation Now I proceed to the confirmation of our opinion concerning the contingency of some events in respect of God by two Arguments more The first is this That God hath decreed that all his creatures ordinarily and for the most part should work according to their Arg. 1. several kinds and endowments by which he in the Creation distinguished them For illustration they may be ranked into three several forms In the lowest stand the meer natural Agents inanimate and sensless creatures to these God hath given certain instincts and 1. inclinations by which they are determinately swayed to these or these certain effects and operations unless they are out wardly hindered for heavy bodies cannot chuse but descend fire cannot chuse but burn c. In the second stand the Sensitive creatures four-footed beasts 2. fouls and fishes to these God hath given sense and knowledge to discern what is good for their nature and what is bad and amongst diverse goods to prefer that which is best He hath given them also a free appetite or a kind of sensitive will by which they may either â—reâ—ly prosecute or avoid such objects as they like or mislike not determinately tyed to this or that certain operation as the other were A stone cannot choose but descend but a beast may as well go up hill as down c. In the upper Forme are Men reasonable Creatures whom God hath made more volunâ—ary than the other by giving them 3. greater freedom of choice and presenting unto their more elevated knowledge a great variety of objects Now then without doubt God distinguished thus his creatures in abilities and faculties that they might operate in their several kinds that the natural agents might work naturally the voluntary voluntarily as that eloquent French-man Du Vain hath well explained this point The truth of all this no man will deny explicitely Well then let them hearken to the consequences of this truth so common both in Logick and Metaphysicks among those who handle of natural and voluntary causes If God hath decreed that many things should be done voluntarily by his creatures then also hath he decreed that many things should be done contingently in respect of him but the first is granted truth therefore the second should be The connexion I prove thus All things are done contingently in respect of God which for ought he hath decreed might with as much
particular providence of God unlesse we espied extraordinary matter in it We therefore call that universal providence whereby God directeth whatsoever His creatures do according to their natural propensions for the preservation and good of the Universe We term that particular or speciall providence whereby God interposing his extraordinary power amongst the contingent affairs of Common-wealths or private men sometimes by sensible miracles and prodigies sometimes by His secret omnipotency sensible onely in the Event manifesteth His Mercy or Justice to His own Glory or good of His Church This is properly termed special providence and in this sense it is taken by La Vosino the Italian in his Tract De particulari Providentiâ and by those who have wrote of that subject Well then I will now specifie my faith concerning Gods Providence First it is very probable that petty trivial matters such as are indifferent not onely in respect of themâ—elves but also of their consequences fall ouâ— altogether contingently without any necessitating decree These matters of lesser moment are of three sorts 1. The toys and trifling vanities of voluntary Agents such as the Italians term Badalucii or Ballocametti What a company of idle gestures and sporting tricks use we every day which doubtless for ought God hath decreed we might have as easily omitted 2. The petty consequences of the main actions of natural Agents for example though the main drift and scope of the operations of the Elements and Meteors be according to the method eternally prescribed them by God yet some particular events accompanying their operations some circumstances questionless were not prefixed by a particular decree as now and then it hapneth to rain when the Sun shineth I cannot believe that there 's any special decree concerning this Hear I would have the Reader observe how these events are not so properly called contingent as those other are for they were swayed by no decree either general or special from the middle point between necessity and impossibility of being But these though they are contingent in respect of a particular decree and may as well not be as be for ought God hath precisely determined concerning them yet in respect of the general method prefixed to natural Agents they do necessarily come to pass because their main office cannot be performed without these circumstances and consequences The last sort are mixed of the two former and include all such evenâ—s as result from the contingent concourse of natural 3. and voluntary Agents as when the wind bloweth off ones hat c. to say that God particularly decreed such trifles I think it injurious to the Majesty of His Determinations But here by trifles I mean such matters as I said before which are indiffâ—rent not onely in respect of themselves but also of their consequences I believe that things of greatest moment are done necessarily by the immediate power of God either by swaying men 2ly from their own proper inclinations or by supernatural means quite crossing their enterprises So we read in the Scripture and Church-stories how God hath sometimes quite changed the hearts of men for some great purpose concerning his Church and glory I believe that the middle sort of events in the world such as are neither trivial nor yet extraordinary the ordinary serious 3ly matters which concern Religion Common-wealths the temporal and spiritual good of private men the preservation from confusion c. Of these I say my belief is that though ordinarily men and unreasonable Agents do things contingently yet God doth so manage this contingency daily and hourly interposing His power according to His Mercy or Justice that very few matters of consequence are meerly contingent For example Because I see Marriage for the most part to be either a great curse or a great blessing * This may so happen upon the post-fact I am so far perswaded of the truth of the common saying that I think that Marriages for the most part are made in heaven * Sure Davids was not a Sam. 11. 27. before they are on earth Let a man diligently peruse any story and he shall find many things done ordinarily according to the natural bent of particular persons and so contingently in respect of God and yet let him joyn all things done by all the Actors in the story together let him accurately observe how one thing followeth upon another he shall find that still at the last there will be something from the singer of God manifesting the glory either of His Mercy or Justice If we read the History of the Reformation begun by Luther and other Divines of Germany we shall perceive many things done by the natural humors of men by the guidance of Divine wisdom made admirable furtherances of the Reformation The like may be said of Henry the 8th his Marriage which set most Universities in Christendâ—m a Disputing and the dissolution of Abbers The like indeed may be observed in any History especially if it concern Religion or a Christian Common-wealth for I conceive that Gods Providence is more or less remarkable in a place proportionable to the profession of Religion Let a man but diligently observe the prime passages of his own times let him mark how the chief Actors in them do all things according to their particular bents and private humors yet let him note the upshot he shall perceive that there was some secret guide which directed all to God's glory though men do what they liâ—t according to their own pleasure The best Demonstration of this most usefull and delightfull truth every man might best make to himself if he would but seriously and circumspectly consider the whole course of his own life and mark how whatsoever he hat done out of the absolute freedom of his choice his actions have been turned and winded now and then contrary to his intent now and then beyond it now and then beside it sometimes to his grief sometimes to his comfort always to be examples of Gods Mercy or His Justice he will easily perceive how excellently the Divine Providence worketh upon Contingencies If men would be basied upon such contemplations they would not shuffle away so many good hours with those waking dreams of fantastick solitary discoursings which Charron and others have wisely taxed Here the Reader may see how I suppose some things necessary some things contingent some things mixt by reason of divers circumstances of both kinds by no means undertaking precisely to determine how many things are done contingently or how many necessarily c. Now as we have formerly shewed how our opinion doth most exactly Blazon the Divinity of Gods infinite knowledge by which He simply knoweth all things so also it doth most clearly set forth the honor of His active wisdom by which he governeth all things for to order all things in an harmonious concord to good whatsoever the confused distracted discord of choices in inferior causes produce is a more glorious and superlative
active Faith not a dead one and such we ought to conclude his to be who lives in gross sins I nothing doubt saith Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 102. but a Carnal Christian may be Orthodox throughout and perswade himself of a Dr. Twiss true Faith But if his life be not answerable we will be bold to tell him that his Faiâ—h is vain for true Faith worketh by love Gal. 5. And Faith working by love is as much as a new Creature Gal. 6. And whosoever is in Christ is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Therefore where such such a new Creature is wantng where the flesh is not crucified with the affections and lusts they are not Christs nor in Christ nor have any faith working by love Praesumptuousus Whatever Dr. Twiss saith in his passion against his Adversary I am confident he is far from affirming That the Children of God do lose their Faith as often as they commit the works of flesh The Divines of Drent * De persev examen Thes 4. p. 275. par 3. at the Synod of Dort tell us very roundly it is false and that not only in respect of the habit of faith but in respect of the act of faith too Ille saepe manet etiam dum hâ—mo pecâ—at The Act of Faith doth oftentimes remain even then when a man sins And a little after Quid vetat quo minus sancti dum ipsa actualia peâ—cata quidem crassiora committuâ— simul actum fidei sentiant What hinders the Saints that they should not feel the effect and acting of their faith at the same time when they commit the grossest sins Diotrephes Sure you cannot think they can believe unto salvatiâ—r at that time of their gross sinning when they contract such a guilt and incapacity of coming to Heaven that if it be not removed by Repentance they cannot be saved as you had it before from the Divines of England * Reatum damnabilem contrahunt praesentem ad Regnum Coelorum ingrediendum aptitudinem amâ—ttunt De persâ—ver quoad ipsos Electos Thes 3. vid. etiam Thes 4. 5. inter Acta Syn. Nat. Dord pag. 192 193. par 2. at the same Synod Praesumptuosus Sir I wonder you or they should offer to say That the Saints or Godly may fall into such a state wherein they cannot be saved when there is such an absolute Decree past for their salvation as neither themselves nor sin nor hell nor Divel can frustrate nay the power of God himself is not able to rescind it This is the judgment of the Hassien * De persever Aphor. 5. pag. 215. par 2. Divines at the Synod of Dorâ—â— They say It is Gods immutable Counsel to preserve his Elect in the true Faith even unto the end and through that Faith to bring them ad aeternam salutem necessariò infallibilitèr infallibly and necessarily to eternal salvation which Counsel of God cannot be made void by any Creature Nec ab ipso Deo propter ipsius immutabilitatem revocari unquam poterit no nor ever be revoked in regard of his immutability by God himself And this Sir is the only Sanctuary that I flee unto for Refuge this the only Rock that my hope anchors on Diotrephes But you must first be sure to be set upon this Rock before you can prudently build your hopes and confidence upon it Praesumptuosus Sir I have good assurance that I am of the number of the Elect and the Decree of Election layeth a certain ground of perseverance and the faithfulness of God is by his promise engaged for it on their behalf Account of persever * By Mr. Baxter pag. 3 3 37. Diotrephes I would not have you too confident of your own state 't is the advice of the Apostle Let him that thinketh he 1 Cor. 10. 1â— standeth take heed lest he fall Praesumptuosus Such as have no other evidence * Amâ—sius saith Non ad timorem rejectionis exhortatur Scriptura veros fideles quamvis nonnullos professione fideles qui videntur stare 1 Cor. 10. 12. hortatur ne nimis fidant suae professioni externae Bel. Ener Tom. 4. l. 6. c. 3. th 1. n. 2. p. 173. but their own conjectures and seemings that they are in a state of grace have reason to be jealous But I hope you will not offer to lead me into an opinion that the Elect can fall totally and finally from the state of salvation for * Mr. Baxter that is an Errour of dangerous consequence against the grace and fidelity of God if not against his wisdom and his power and against the peace of the Saints and therefore is to be carefully avoided and resisted by those that would not wound their faith Ubi supra pag. 14. Diotrephes That is not the thing I tempt you to I am certain if you be elected you shall be saved but I would have you be upon sure grounds before you pretend to so great an assurance of your Election that you have obtain'd this assurance by an immediate Revelation and Testimony of the Spirit I hope you will be more modest than to affirm Praesumptuosus Sir I do not pretend to any Enthusiastical assurance a certainty of Election may be had and the Synod of Dort at least most of the Divines thereof do conclude That every Elect person hath it sooner or later before his death * See the Apology for Tilenus pag. 493. and 't is the Faith of the Congregational Churches expressed in their late Declaration * Chap. 3. n. 8. That men attending the Will of God revealed in his Word and yielding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual vocation be assured of their eternal election So also say the Westminster Assemblers Diotrephes I shall not dispute that with you I know it is the general Tenent of the Orthodox But you must remember the Apostles Exhortation Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Your effectual Calling make that sure first and then you need not doubt your Election for none are effectually called but the Elect only as the Congregational Churches * Ch. 3. N. 6. Syn. Dort Cap. 2. Art 8. have declared Praesumptuosus Sir I am able to tell you not only the man but the very Text he preach'd upon with the day and houre when I was effectually called I confess time was when I lay among those loose corns that were very fit to have been blown off but such a Fast Sermon did I hear from N. N. as melted my heart and spirit into that frame and temper that I shall never forget it This Sermon was a preparation to the Solemn League and Covenant and I was so fit for the impression at that time that I made no objection or scruple at it And having upon this Call espoused the Good
Old Cause though I say it I have been true to it ever since according to the several degrees of light which I have received How constant I have been in frequenting publick and private meetings How much I have contemned the World and laid out my self upon this account nay how much I have suffered for godliness in evil times and in the sharpest tryals never shrunk these things are not so fit for me to relate as for some of my Neighbours that have been very well acquainted with them Diotrephes There are many which make fair shewes and yet have no sound root of grace in them in time of temptation they fall away and I wish you to consider what the Lord saith by the Prophet Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he dye Praesumptuosus Divines do conclude from the freeness of Gods grace and the absoluteness of his power and the unchangeableness of his Counsel and the greatness of his Wisdom that he will not suffer any of his Elect * Syn. Dor. cap 1. art 11. to miscarry and these are the pillars * Dr. Spurst ubi supra p. 46. Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 172. I am taught to lean upon And John 10. 29. Christ plainly giveth us to understand that his sheep are in the hands of his Father and that none is able to take them out of his hands And accordingly St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 1. that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation yet when we say that this faith cannot be lost we deliver it upon supposition of Gods purpose to maintain them in that state of grace against all the powers of darkness which purpose is manifest by his promise I will put my fear in their hearts Jer. 32. 40. Ezek. 18. 24. that they shall never depart away from me As for that Text which you alledge it makes nothing to this purpose as the Professours of Leyden * Censura in Confess cap. 18. ad sinem pag. 254. have learnedly observed Quia eo loco non asseritur absolutè quod verè justus aliquando deficiat because it is not absolutely affirmed in that place that one truly justified may fall away but what will become of him if he does that so by this commination the Prophet may make those cautious who are running the Race of Righteousness and fright them from defection But he knew well enough their defection is impossible for the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. Diotrephes I must tell you from the Prophet That * Account of persever p. 27â— the heart of man is deceitful above all things who besides God and himself can know it Common grace may carry a man far but your frequent relapsing into sin is ground enough to question your sincerity and if that be doubtful so is your effectual calling and regeneration too and till you be certain of this you can in an ordinary way have no certainty of your Election Praesumptuosus Though there be a great affinity and likeness betwixt the Elect of God and such as are indued only with a temporary faith Vigere tamen in solis electis fiduciam illam quam celebrat Paulus ut pleno ore clament Abba Pater saith Mr. Calvin * Just l. 3. c. 2. Sect. 11. Yet the gift of prayer whereby they can with boldness approach the Throne of grace and in all their needs cry Abba Father This is vigorous in the Elect only and by the priviledge of this gift I am confident of my Election I suppose you do not think that the Elect when once regenerate are forthwith impeccable and for sins of infirmity which the regenerate daily falls into through inadvertency or negligence they do not interrupt his state of Justification nor cut off his haereditary right to the Kingdom of heaven as the British Divines have determined at the Synod of Dort * De Art 5. pag. 192. par 2. Diotrephes The sins you are reported to be guilty of are too gross to be called sins of infirmity Praesumptuosus The Divines of the Synod at Dort * See the Apol. for Tilen p. 380 381. do put the sins of regâ—nâ—rate persons upon the account of their ignorance and infirmity and there is good reason for it because they happen alwayes upon Gods destitution and the with-drawing of his grace * Ibid p. 382. Hereupon Dr. Dâ—mâ—an one of the Scribes of that Synod saith That the Regenerate cannot omit the performance of what is required of them if God pâ—forms what he hath prâ—mised to them and when God doth his part we cannot omit ours Diotrephes I would advise you to consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! Be not deceived neither Forâ—icators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor alusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covâ—tous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extoâ—ioâ—ers shall inherit the Kingdom of God And Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Variance Emulation Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Now I appeal to your own conscience whether you be not guilty of some of these sins which you hear the Apostle saith exclude men from a portion in Gods Kingdom Praesumptuosus I will not go about to justifie my self * It is true the Children of God may sometimes be overtaken with some foulsin as David was and they may continue in it to long without bringing forth so clear and full evidence of Repentance and satisfaction to the Church of God as the condition of their sin requires and in this case they may be for a time as Trees in the Winter Dr. Twiss ib. p. 103. in all particulars there mentioned by the Apostle but he puts Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings into the same Catalogue and saith that these are of like force with the rest to exclude men out of the Kingdom of Heaven And yet you heard even now the Judgment of that painful Divine Mr. Baxter who affirms That many in these times whom we doubt not to be godly are guilty of these things and that a man may be oft drunk and oft commit Fornication he knows not justly how oft and yet have true grace And therefore lest you should vilifie and disgrace the godly you must not understand those Texts of the Apostle of