the act another speciall as touching the manner of performing it Lastly as touching the manner how all things shall come to passe by vertue of Gods decree this Author lurkes purposely under a miserable confusion which we cleere thus All things come to passe we say by Gods decree whether they are such things as come to passe necessarily by second causes working necessarily Or such as come to passe contingently by second causes working contingently and freely And accordingly upon supposition of Gods decree we say it is necessary that such things as God hath decreed shall com to passe but how Not necessarily allwayes but eyther necessarily or contingently and freely according to the condition of second causes some of them onely working necessarily but others working contingently freely All this this Author most judiciously confoundes as whose ende is to serve his owne turne and the advantage of his owne cause but not the cause of God in the sincere and faithfull investigation of his truth As in the very next sentence he manifesteth himself deep in this confusion as when he saith That the first cause doth in such manner moove and direct the second among which is the will of man that they cannot otherwise stirre then they are stirred For here he confoundes the different manner of Gods mooving and directing second causes as if there were no difference herin wheras indeede there is a very vast difference For wheras of second causes some worke necessarily some contingently God mooves them all not after one manner but differently that is agreably to their different conditions Second causes working necessarily he mooves and directs to worke necessarily in such sort as they cannot otherwise stirre then they are stirred but as for second causes working contingently and freely he mooves and directs them to worke accordingly that is contingently and freely to witt so as they have power eyther to suspende their operation which is their libertie quoad exercitium or to produce another operation which is their libertie quoad specificationem Thus he mooved Cyrus to builde his cittie and lett goe his captives as he had foretolde long before thus he mooved Iosiah to burne the prophets bones upon the altar which was foretold in the dayes of Ieroboam many hundred yeares before and no sober man makes doubt but that these workes of theirs though predetermined by God yet were performed as freely by them as any other workes of theirs In like manner he mooved the souldiers to absteyne from breaking of Christs bones prophecyed of about a thousand yeares before and the bordering nations to forbeare to invade the land of Israel when all the males came up thrise in the yeare before the Lord in Ierusalem according to the promise made unto them Exod. 34.24 I will cast out the nations before thee enlarge thy coasts so that no man shall desire thy land when thou shalt come up to appeare before the Lord thy God thrisâ— in the yeare Yet who doubts but they did as freely forbeare this as ought els and that the souldiours as freely absteyned from breaking Christs bones as they did freely breake the bones of them who were crucified with him But these Lucifugae delight in confusion like owles that are in love with darkenes that is their best time for prey In that which followes I confesse he deales clearly saying that though a man be given to sinne yet in case he knowes God would have it so by his secret will and that God hath predestinated him therunto this is a comfort unto him and truly I doe not envy him such a comfort and I see no reason but in the midst of the torments of hell it shoulde be likewise a comfort unto him that God did predestinate him therunto by his secret will Only he is pleased to speake in his owne phrase when he talkes of predestinating unto sinne Of predestinating unto damnation the Ancients spake acknowledging such a predestination But they acknowledged no predestinating unto sinne for as much as they tooke predestination to be only of those things which were wrought by God not of sinnes which are only permitted by God Yet these even as foule sinnes as were committed Herod and Pilate together with the Gentiles and people of Israel when they were gathered together against the holy Sonne of God are in the mouthes of the Apostles confessed to have bene foredetermined by the hand and counsel of God which wee understand thus God did fore-determine they should come to passe by his permission as touching the sinfulnes of them Now as for the Spirit of this Author how well it suiteth with the Spirit of Gods Saints we may easily judge by the word of God For when they doe expostulate with God in this manner Lord why hast thou caused us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts against thy feare it seemes apparantly that they tooke no comfort at all in this that God hardned their hearts against his feare and caused them to erre from his wayes And when the Lord revealed unto Moses that he would harden Pharaohs heart wherupon he should not let Israel goe for a long time I never perceaved that herby any comfortable condition was denoted that shoulde be unto Pharao in case he had known so much It seemes allso S. Paul tooke no notice of any such comfortable condition when having taught that God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth he bringâ—s in one herupon expostulating thus why then doth he yet complayne For who hath resisted his will Neyther doth the Apostle take any such course to pacifie him as by representing any coÌ„fortable condition redounding unto him hereby namely in as much as God it is who hath hardned him unto disobedience But the course he takes to stop his mouth is of another nature thus O man who art thou that disputest with God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one a vessell unto honour and another unto dishonour And whatsoever a debaucht Christian may be feigned to conceave for mine owne part and so I thinke I may be bold to say of every one of our profession whose hearts God hath seasoned with his feare I may be bolde to professe a truth that albeit I take notice of Gods hand sometimes hardening me against his feare yet God knowes I take no comfort in it but rather in this that God knowes how to worke it for my good according to that of Austin Audeo dicere vtile est superbis in aliquod apertum manisestumque cadere peccatuÌ„ c. when I find that my sinnes doe not make a finall or a totall separation betweene my soule God this may well tende to the corrobaration of my faith and persuade my soule that nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Iesus our
judgements are of such a nature that they are least felt where they are most suffered And as he opposeth this so doth he impugne the doctrine of Gods word concerning the impotency that is found in all to beleeve to repent untill God be pleased to cure that infidelitie and impaenitency which by propagation of nature is derived unto us all and made as naturall unto us as flesh and bone As where it is sayd that men cannot beleeve cannot repent they that are in the flesh cannot please God That the naturall man perceaves not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes unto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned that the affection of the flesh is enmitie against God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be That we are all naturally dead in sinne and that our raysing therehence is no lesse worke then regeneration or new birth All this he setts himself purposely to oppose and that in a vile manner by base insinuations to undermine this doctrine rather then by any just argument to overthrow it But when we deale about the reformation of such a one we will pray unto God to accept our endeavours and to shew his power in making his word in our mouths powerfull as to the convicting of his sinne so to the humbling of him and bringing him acquainted with the Spirit of bondage to make him feare and that he may be pricked in the heart as the Iewes were when by Peters Sermon the Lord brought their horrible sinne close home unto them in crucifying the Sonne of God If so be he may finde sinn to be as an heavy burthen unto him and cry out unto us to minister a word of comfort unto his weary soule and in this case we will be â—old to apply unto him the comforts of God in Christ because our Saviour calls unto him all such as labour are heavy laden promising that he will ease them Yet if we doe exhort him to pray it followeth not that this exhortation is in vaine no more then exhortation to Infidels is in vaine when we exhort them to faith in Christ. For albeit neyther the one nor the other can be performed without grace Yet upon our exhortation God can worke this grace in him if it please him Many come to Church with a profane heart yet in the hearing of it it pleaseth God to convert some of them and Ekron may be as the Iebusite and God is able to turne Lebanon into Carmel and to make the most wast places finitefull even as the garden of the Lord. And Saul was converted in his heate and furious persecution of the Church of God God can convert not only aversas à vera fide but adversas verae fidei voluntates ex nolentibus volentes facere and that omnipotente facilitate as Austin hath observed It is untrue that grace workes a man to pray in such sort as to make it impossible for him not to pray for that were not to worke him to pray freely Vpon supposition that God by his Spirite doth worke a man to pray it is impossible he shoulde not pray but how contingently and freely So that impossibilitie is not simply an impossibilitie but only secundum quid and joyned with a possibilitie simply so called to the contrary Otherwise it could not be done contingently and freely For to produce a thing contingently is to produce it with a possibility to the contrary and to worke this or that freely is so to worke this or that as joyned with an active power eyther to forbeare and suspend the action or to produce a contrary operation And thus Aquinas most learnedly sheweth how that the efficacious will of God is the cause why both necessary things come to passe necessarily and contingent and free things contingently and freely and accordingly he hath ordeyned different second causes some working necessarily others working contingently freely But this is more it seemes then this Author hath hitherto beene acquainted with And as he hath exercised his Provinciall witt in opposing the doctrine of Gods word in the most untheologicall manner that I thinke was ever knowne to the world so I wish he would keepe his course and shew as little scholasticalitie in refuting Aquinas also in this particular And albeit God gives him not grace to mocke him yet the dutie of prayer doth no lesse oâ—lige man then any other duetie seing God gave this grace to us all in Adam and in Adam we all have sinned and by that sinne our nature is become bankrupt of grace untill God in mercy and for his sons sake be pleased to have compassion upon us to restore it But he is master of his owne times and bestowes this grace on some sooner on others later on some not at all When God sent Ezechiel to his people it seemes by that we read Ezechi 2.3.4.5 he sent him not to better them but that they might not say they had no Prophet among thâ—m and to cuâ— of that excuse yet I hope this Author is not in such a measure obduâ—ate as to say there was any such confusion in Ezechiels doctrine as here he chargeth upon ours which yet is merely according to his owne shapinge and with what felicitie he hath succeeded in this aâ—tâ—fice of his I have endeavaured to make it appeare unto the indifferent and unpartiall Reader We teache that no man can have evidence of his reprobation but by finall impenitency or by committing the sinne against the holy Ghost and in eyther of these cases there is just cause of despayre to Pelagius himselfe how much more to his disciples that oppose the grace of God after the truth therof is in such sort cleered let them looke unto it whether not against the voyce and light of their owne conscience As for securitie can the feare of God open a way therunto or doe we maynteyne any other perseverance in the state of grace then by the feare of God according to that Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me To the question in what state David had bene had he dyed in his adultery he tells us of an answeare which is usually made by the Synodists as he saith namely that it was impossible for David to have dyed before he had repented because that after this he was to begett a sonne from whom the Messias must descend But who these Syndodists be whether of Dort or of Arles he mâ—ntions not much lesse the place where As for the Synod of Arles I never heard of it but by this manuscript In the Acts of the Synod of Dort I have beene something versed but I have not mett with this answer there nor ever heard of it before I read it in this Pamphlet And to my judgement it is imperfect in two particulars neyther of which this Author takes notice of the one is in altering the
consolation in God even to the assurance of their election If weake in faith and oppressed vnder the burthen of their sinnes yet is there no cause why they should despayre by reason of any doctrine of ours but rather good hope that these troubles of minde may proove as panges of childbirth to deliver their soules into the world of grace 2. Of any doctrine Canonized eyther in the Synod of Dort which we knowe or in the Synod of Arles which I knowe not I am utteâ—lâ— ignorant The course of comprehending the doctrine of the Church concerning certeyne points in severall theses and denominating them canons hath bene anciently of use in Councells and Synods but of canonizing any doctrine therby I never heard nor read till now But if the Church be the pillar and butteresse of truthe the authoritie therof is of no small force for the establishment therof albeit we acknowledge no infallible rule of faith but the word of God The quaestion in praesent is whether election be upon the foresight of mans obedience or according to the meere pleasure of God and in the issue it comes to this as in due place I will shewe whether God hath mercy on whom he will by giving faith and repentance vnto them and whom he will he hardeneth by denying faith and repentance Or rather in the dispensation distribution of these graces proceedeth according to mens workes Now to me it seemes a strange course when a quaestion is moved as touching two contrary opinions which of them is true and to be embraced to drawe the resolution herof to the consideration of the usefulnes of the opinions or doctrines quaestioned As if because an opinion is usefull therfore it is to be coÌ„cluded that it is true and not rather in case it be founde to be true yea the very truthe of God the rule wherof alone is Gods word therfore we ought to conclude that it is vsefull and be carefull to make such use of it as it doth bespeake Nay is it not most indecent for man to presume â—o obâ—rude opinions upon Gods word upon a bare praetence of the usefulnes of them in mans iudgment to serve turnes as he thinkes good And doe not as many as take such courses for the mayntenance of their owne way manifest hereby that their cause is desperate and that it seemes they have very litle or no ground for their opinions out of the word of God when they runne out vnto such divinations as these for the supporting of their labouring and wavering cause As for example if the Apostle shall playnly professe that election is not of workes shall not we embrace this for truth unles we finde it to be more usefull to the purposes here specified then the contrary and if we seeme to finde the contrary doctrine more usefull then this in our phantasy shall we therfore contradict the Apostle in expresse termes or set our wits on worke so to fashion the Apostles meaninge by a forced interpretation as to make him to contradict his owne wordes In like sort if the Apostle sayth God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 And withall manifests that by obteyning mercy at Gods handes he understandeth the obteyning of faith Rom. 11.30 that even in the former place being manifest enough by the antithesis of it unto obduration Shall we hang still in suspense as touching the acknowledging of S. Pauls meaninge untill we have well weighed and considered the usefulnes of this doctrine in comparison with the usefulnes of the contrary doctrine and according to the weight of each by such weights and in the scale of our judgment pronounce judicially eyther for Paul or against him or at least make the holy Apostle by some practise or other to eate his owne wordes as Saturne did his children And verily in the cause of such a triall a good witt will serve a disputant in good steade who can if he list bring forth pleasant ejaculations in commendation of a bald head or of folly with Erasmus or of a louse with Daniel Heinsius and with our English Sonnetters of a stâ—aweâ— to witnesse thâ— songe O the strawe the strawe and then let them take forth and singe Now here is a jolly couâ—se quoth the minstrill And others like eâ—ough will be furnished with as good witt to the contrary in displaying the unnecessary condition of ought â—ike him who having fâ—â—st made an excellent speech in the commendation of justice afterwards spake as wiâ—â—ily to the contrary shewing that there was no justice at all in the World And I have heard of a Gentleman that would discourse against any neede we have at all of fire saying that at the end he was driven to a non plus for as much as he could not devise how his horse could be shod without it And in like manner I have with admiration receaved a relation concerning a Gentleman in an Assembly of States such as we call Parliaments namely that he was absolutely the best speaker yet nothing respected and that for a most sufficient reason which was this They knew full well that he could speake as well and as movingly to that which was quite contrary And I willingly professe the Author of this discourse seemes to be a witâ—y Gentleman and to enterteyne his readers in the following treatise with a pretty enterlude no mervail if he makes choyse of a fiâ—t scene wherein to shew the feates of his activitie Wherein how well he caryeth himselfe when he comes to the triall of our Doctrine by the serviceablenes thereof to the three endes here proposed we shall by Gods helpe inquire in due place But surely though it be not serviceable to any of these ends yet if it be as serviceable to other ends above specified out of the history of the Counsell of TreÌ„t as also out of the 17. article of our church of EnglaÌ„d as also to the glorifying of God in acknowledging the prerogative of his grace as onely effectuall to every thinge that is good the prerogative of Gods soveraintie over his Creatures in making whom he will Vessells of mercy and whom he will Vessells of wrath â—o witt by shewing mercy on whom he will and hardening whom he will This I hope shall be sufficient to uphold the reputatioÌ„ of it yea albeit it be found contrary to other endes which yet I deny like as comforts are contrary to the use of terrifying and terrours are contrary to the use of comfortinge and yet Gods word coâ—taines both kindes of discipline Like as Martin Luther and Melancthon were of different dispositions and Erasmus his censure of them was this that Melancthon followed Luther as Litae followeth Atae in Homer yet Chytraeus in his Historiae confessionis Augustanae as I remember professeth that God in his gracious providence made good use of both for the service of his Church and propagation of the Gospell in these latter dayes And I well observe
the libertie of mans will and not in the appetition of the ende it being naturall to a man to be caryed to the liking of his ende necessarily according to that of Aristotle Qualis quisque est ita finis apparet And doth it become these men to dictate unto us not only a new divinitie but also a new Philosophy at pleasure As for the reason here added fetched from the aeternall and efficatious decree of God this is so farre from confirming their premises as that it utterly overthrowes them and confirmeth ours For we say with Aquinas that the efficacions will of God is the cause why some things come to pasâ—e contingently and freely as well as it is the cause why other things come to passe necessarily Was the burning of the Prophets bones by Iosiah performed any whit lesse freely by him then any other action of his Oâ— the proclamation that Cyrus made for the returne of the Iewes out of the captivitie was not this as freely done by him as ought else Yet both these were praedetermined by God Nay I say more that every thing which cometh to passe in the revolution of times was decreed by God I proove by such an argument for answeare wherunto I chalenge the whole nations both of Arminians and Iesuits It cannot be denyed but God foresawe from every lastinge whatsoever in time should come to passe therfore every thinge was future froâ— everlasting otherwise God could not foresee it as future Now let us soberly inquire how these thinges which we call future came to be future being in their owne nature merely possible and indifferent as well not at all to be future as to be future Of this transmigration of things out of the condition of things merely possible such as they were of themselves into the condition of things future there must needes be some outward cause Now I demand what was the cause of this transmigration And seing nothing without the nature of God could be the cause hereof for this transmigration was from everlasting but nothing without God was everlasting therfore some thing within the nature of God must be founde fitt to be the cause herof And what may that be not the knowledge of God for that rather presupposeth things future and so knowable 〈◊〉 in the kinde of things future then makes them future Therefore it remaines that the meere decree will of God is that which makes them future If to shift off this it be said that the essence of God is the cause hereof I further demaunde whether the essence of God be the cause hereof as working necessarily or as working freely If as working necessarily then the most contingent thinges became future by necessitie of the divine nature and consequently he produceth whatsoever he produceth by necessitie of nature which is Atheisticall Therefore it remaines that the essence of God hath made them future by working freely and consequently the meere will and decree of God is the cause of the futurition of all things And why should we doubt hereof when the most foule sinnes that have beene committed in the World are in scripture phrase professed to have beene predetermined by God himself Vpon supposition of which will and decree divine we confesse it necessary that things determined by him shall come to passe but how not necessarily but either necessarily or contingently and freely to witt necessarie things necessarily contingent things and free things contingently and freely So that contingent things upon supposition of the will divine have a necessitie secundum quid but simply a contingencye and that the same thing may come to passe both necessarily secundum quid and simply in a contingent manner ought to be nothing strange to men of understanding considering that the very foreknowledge of God is sufficient to denominate the most contingent things as comming to passe necessarily secundum quid I come to the consideration of the fourth 4. As touching this Article here objected unto us we have no cause to decline the maintenance thereof but chearfully and resolutely to undergo the defense as of the truth of God clearly sett downe unto us in the word of God The illumination of the minde is compared to Gods causing light to shine out of darkenesse in the creatioÌ„ 1 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of the darknes is he which hath shined in 〈◊〉 heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And for God to say unto Sion thou art my people is made aequivalent to the planting of the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth Es. 51.16 I have putt my wordes in thy mouth and defended thee in the shadow of my hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people Ps. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart saith David and renewe a right spirit within me Yet was David a regenerate childe of God but when he fell into foule sinnes and sought unto God to restore him he acknowledgeth this his spirituall restitution to be a creation giving thereby to understand that the very children of God have savage lusts wild affections in them the curing mastering wherof is no lesse work then was the work of creation or making of the world 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gal. 6 1â— In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Now this new creature is all one with faith working by love Gal. 5.6 For there the Apostle expresseth the comparison antitheticall in this manner In Iesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith working by love And Eph. 2.10 We are said to be Gods workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created in Iesus Christ marke a new creation unto good workes which he hath ordeyned that we should walke in them God made the world with a word but the new making of man cost our Saviour Christ hot water the very blood of the Sonne of God agonies in the garden agonies upon the Crosse and he must rise out of his grave to worke this The Schoolemen doe acknowledge this namely that grace is wrought in man by way of creation Otherwise how could it be accoumpted supernaturall And as for the power whereby God raiseth the dead It is expressely said Col. 2.12 that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised Christ from the dead whereupon Cornelius de Lapide acknowledgeth that faith is wrought by the same power wherby God raysed Christ from the dead And Eph. 1 19. the Apostle tells us of the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power towards us which beleeve adding that this is according to his mightie power which he wrought in Christ whom he raysed from the dead And therefore most congruously doth the Apostle take into consideration that worke
of God in raysing Christ when he prayeth for the Hebrewes that God would make them perfect to every good worke working in them that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ Heb. 30.20.21 The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great sheapheard of the sheepe through the blood of the everlasting covenant Make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will c. It is called the worke of faith in power 2. Thes. 1.11 And as for perseverance therin with patience the Apostle requires such a strength as is wrought by Gods glorious power Col. 1.11 2. Pet. 1.3 we are â—ayde to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator not knowing well what good sense to make of it as it lyes interprets it unto glory and vertue as if it were in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daniel Heynsius in the preface to his Aristarchus Sacer on Nonnus upon Iohn makes bold to censure this interpretation and shewes whence it proceedes to witt herupon because he knew no other signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then vertue and that in the sense as we usually take it But sayth he in the Greeke Etymologicum we finde that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion therof is as much as potentia and accordingly we are called as Saint Peter sayth by glory and power as much as to say by Gods glorious power And doth not the scripture clearly professe that God found us dead in sinne Eph. 2.1 Col. 2.13 And is not the worke it selfe called regeneration Ioh. 3. and 1. Pet. 1. and in other places Is it not a new life wrought in us we were before estranged from the life of God Eph. 4.18 now we are not And is not this life the life of faith accordâ—ng to that Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the fleshe is by faith in Christ who loved me and gave himselfe for me Austin in playne termes professeth that God converâ—eth men omnipoâ—ente facilitate therfore he used his allmightie power therin though he did it with case like as he both made the world and shall raise the dead with ease For he speake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created and in like sort the time shall come when they that are in the graves shall hâ—are the voyer of the â—one of man and shall come foorth some to the resurrection of life some to the resurrection of condemnation And power lesse then the power of God is not able to regenerate man For can an Angell regenerate man or can man regenerate himselfe and make himselfe pertaker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the divine nature Or breath the life of God the life of grace or the Spirite of God into him Consider but soberly the importance of faith that is so much slighted by this generation Consider it aâ— touching the object therof and the things believed consider it as touching the forme of it and the confidence of the creature â—n his creator and judge indifferently whether any created power can suffice to create faith in man The thinges believed are the mystery of the Trinitie the incarnation of the Sonne of God God manifested in the flesh and to what end that his soule might be made an offering for sinne the just dye for the unjust that so God might justifie the ungodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. What wisedome is there in this by the judgment of flesh and blood Are not these thinges of God foolishnes to the naturall man 1. Cor. 2 14. then the resurrection of the dead the aeternall judgment the powers of the world to come what reason can draw a naturall man to the embracing of these Then as touching our confidence in God and dependance upon him according to these mysteries Is it in the power of nature a man should be brought to repose the fortunes of his salvation upon a crucified God which was a scandall to the Iewes foolishnes to the Gentiles but to us that are saved it is the very power of God and wisedome of God For a sinner to be assured that God is his Father in Christ and receaveth us unto him as sonnes and daughters and if sonnes then heyres allso even heyres of God and heyres annext with Iesus Christ. To say with Iob Though he kill me yet will I put my trust in him not only mangre his judgments by which he fights against us causing his arrowes to stâ—ckâ— fast in us and the venome therof to drinke up our Spirits but allso in despight of our owne sinns wherby the best provoke him too oft even the eyes of his glory Yet these disputers would not have it thought that they denyed faith to be the woorke of God but they have come so farre as to deny in expresse termes that Christ merited eyther faith or regeneration for any Censura Censurae â— 59. A time may come for them to open their mouths 〈◊〉 litle wider deal plainly openly profes that faith is meerly the worke of man not the worke of God But as yet they thinke it not seasonable to divulge this mystery of State They praetend acknowledgement that it is the gift of God only they will have it wrought in such a manner that man may reject it and they reproach us for saying that they to whom God giveth his grace are not able to reject it Forsooth they will have God to work faith in a man no otherwise then by way of suasion For Arminius professeth that there are but two wayes whereby God workes upon the will the one as he expresseth it is per modum naturae the other secundum modum voluntatis libertatis ejus The former he calleth a Physicall impulsion the latter he sayth may fitly be called suasion By the former operation the effect comes to passe necessarily and this they cannot brook So that it remaines that Gods operatioÌ„ in bestowing faith is only by way of suasion Now here they dash themselves upon a rock of manifest heterodoxy even in Philosophy For he that persuades workes immediately upon the understanding representing the object whereunto he persuades in the most alluring manner that he can Suadens agit sayth Bâ—llarmine per modum proponentis objectum And consequently leaves it to the object thus sett forth to worke upon the will Now the object works only in genere causae finalis not in genere causae effiâ—ientis And the end is well knowne to moove only motu metaphorice dicto not vero motu herehence it follows that God while he persuades only is no efficient cause at all of faith which indeede is the most genuine doctrine of these divines though they are loath the world should know so much Secondly observe their language more narrowly here is mention of Gods giving grace yet so as they to whom he gives it are able to reject it and withall that this abilitie is very often
of his will but according to a lawe which is this whosoever believeth not shall be damned And albeit God made that lawe according to the mere pleasure of his will yet no wise man will say that God denyes glory and inflicts damnation on men according to the mere pleasure of his will the case being cleere that God denyes the one and inflâ—cts the other merely for their sinnes who are thus dealt withall And indeede albeit men are founde aequall in their moralitie when God denyes the grace of faith and repentance unto some which he bestowes on others yet when he comes to deny glory and inflict damnation on men dealing otherwise with others he doth not finde all to be aequall but some he findes to have ended their dayes in the state of faith and true repentance others to have finished their dayes in sinn in infidelitie or impaenitencye And accordingly we distinguishe betweene absolute election unto salvation election unto salvation absolute absolute reprobation unto damnation and reprobation unto damnation absolute we grant absolute election unto salvation and absolute reprobation unto damnation but we deny eyther election to be unto salvation absolute or reprobation unto damnation absolute Yet there is a considerable difference betweene these for as much as finall infidelitie and impenitency are the meritorious causes of damnation but faith repentance and good workes are but the disposing causes of salvation Yet like as God inflicts not damnation but by way of punishment so he doth not bestowe salvation on any of ripe yeares but by way of reward Yet here allso is a difference for damnation is inflicted by way of punishment for the evill workes sake which are committed but salvation is not conferred by way of reward for the good workes sake which are performed but merely for Christs sake All this this Author as I sayde doth very judiciously confounde for the advantage of his cause taking no notice at all of these distinctions whether wittingly dissembling them or ignorantly not discerning them albeit the genuine condition of our Tenet rightly understood doth clearly bespeake them So that if he woulde fairely sett hâ—mselfe to the impugning of our Tenet as touching the absolutenes of Gods decree he should leave the consideration of election and reprobation as touching those things willed by them which we call salvation and damnation insist upon the consideration of election and reprobation as touching those other things willed therby which we call the giving of faith and repentance unto some and the denyall of faith and repentance unto others wherin we willingly professe that God caryeth himselfe absolutely throughout not only decreeing thâ—se according to the mere pleasure of his will without all consideration of ought in man but giving them allso unto some and denying them unto others according to the mere pleasure of his will without the consideration of ought in man Now in this point this Author is content to be silent for he findes no such harshnes imputable unto us in this Tenet of ours Neyther indeede can he stande to maynteyne his owne Tenet without plunging himselfe into manifest Pelagianisme For if God doth not give faith repentance unto men according to the mere pleasure of his will but upon consideration of somewhat founde in man then grace shall be given according unto workes which was condemned in the Synod of Palestine above 1200. yeares agoe all along impugned by the orthodoxe in opposition to the Pelagians and Semipelagians But I am willing to proceede further with this Author and to proove that God shoulde not be unjust though he inflict torment upon a creature though never so innocent For consider shall it not be lawfull with God to doe what he will with his creature Hath not man power to doe what he will with the workmanship of his owne handes And shall this power be denyed unto God How did he afflict his most holy and innocent Sonne only to make his soule an offering for the sins of others And what power hath God given us over inferior creatures that are not capable of sinne are capable of payne enough through diseases and through our imployment of them to doe us their faithfull services we put them to death after such a manner as wherby they may proove beneficiall unto us eyther for food or physicke neyther doe we offende God in this though some kindes of death proove more paynfull unto them yet so long as hereby they proove more usefull unto us we doe not transgresse And now adayes all sides confesse that it is in the power of God to annihilate the holiest Angell in heaven and that in the execution herof he shoulde execute no other then a lawfull power And who had not rather be content to suffer a continuall payne so it be tolerable then to dye much more then to have both body soule turned into nothing When the old world was drowned how many thousands of infants perished in that deluge choaked in the waters which were guiltie of no other sinne then what they sinned in our common Father Adam So in the destruction of Sodom and Gommorrha by fire how many Infants were burnt to ashes some in their mothers wombe some hanging on their mothers breasts when the earth opened and swallowed up the congregation of Dathan and Abâ—ram their litle ones were swallowed up together with their rebellious parents and shall we say that God was unjust in the execution of these and such like judgments Yet Medina professeth that God as Lord of life and death hath power to inflict any payne on any creature be he never so innocent and this he delivers ex concordi omnium Theologorum Sententia And indeed no reason can define those boundes limits of payne and sorrowe eyther as touching intension or duration within which in the execution of payne God must consist beyond which he cannot proceede incolumi justitia And will thâ—s Author deny that by the sinne of one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne hath spread it selfe over all even over those that did not sinne after the similitude of Adams transgression that is over Infants Is this the fruite of God his making us after his owne image that herupon we shoulde circumscribe and lâ—mit the execution of his power over us in comparison with others and that only by rules devised by fleshe and blood And if he doth execute no other then a lawfull power can he be justly censured of crueltie But seing he ordeynes no man to damnation but for sinne and that to the manifestation of his justice which is his glory is he lesse good or wise or just in this The scripture playnely teacheth us that God made all thinges for himselfe even the wicked against the day of evill and shall we suspende our judgements as touching our adherence unto this divine and sacred truth untill such time as we have made triall how this doctrine will relish with infidells What
be one of Gods elect which may be for ought we know to the contrary And if it proove otherwise and we have cause to complayne that we have laboured in vayne and that we have spent our strenght in vayne this ought to be nothing strange to us seing it hath bene the condition of better and more eminent servants of God then we are neyther are we to seeke how to comfort our selves but in the Prophets language Yet my labour is with the Lord and my judgment with my God though we have laboured all night yea and many dayes also and caught nothinge in S. Pauls language we are unto God the sweete savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perishe To the one we are the Savour of death unto death and to the other a Savour of life unto life and herby we doe God service in bereaving them of excuse for they cannot but by these meanes know that a Prophet hath bene amongst them yea and by molesting them with the torments of hell and stirring up a worme in their conscience to gnawe them we may as it were throwe water in their faces and quash their furious courses in satisfying their lusts so that hereby they may proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitiùs puniantur Now judge of the soliditie of this Authors discourse who conscious of giving litle satisfaction in good earnest affects to refresh the spirit of his propitious reader with a jest saying that his personate Actor will not affirme himself to be a Reprobate for feare of being held so indeed by the Synods But where doth eyther of these Synods teach that who so conceaves himself to be a reprobate is to be held by them to be such a one indeed For albeit eyther of them did affirme every Christian to be bound to beleeve that he is an elect for which we have no stronger evidence then the honesty of this Authors word which of what price it deserves to be let the indifferent judge yet that they should hold every one to be a reprobate indeed who conceaves himself to be such a one is altogether incredible Yet notwithstanding these and such like immodest and shamelesse pretences this Author will not want some to applaude him herein as a resolute champion of their cause And albeit he shapes his Actor such as feare not God yet to serve his turne he must shape him so as to stand in feare of the censure of Arles and of their hard opinion of him The third Section IF hereupon the Censurer proceede That allthough the Spirit alone doth produce repentance in the heart of a sinner yet notwithstanding that exhortations and threatnings are the meanes and instruments which it useth in the worke The other will demaund further of him the explication of his saying therein observing a most manifest contradiction in that on the one side repentance is immediately attributed to the holy Ghost and on the other side these exhortations and threatnings are held as means and instruments of this worke the operation not being there immediate where the meanes are used That if these meanes of exhortation be necessary or at least if it be ordinarily required in the operation how can it be that they who resist it and reject the instrument doe not nay cannot likewise resist the principall cause which is the holy Ghost He that will not suffer the rasour the instrument of his cure doth he not therein also reject the Chirurgeon The Censurer will say that the elect reject neither the one nor the other the holy Ghost pearcing the eare to make it heare and opening the heart to make it receave those admonitions which are alltogether vaine unprofitable untill the holy Ghost doth so worke in them Thereupon the other will make him confesse that the word preached for the most part is destitute of that operation of the holy Ghost as it appeareth by the misprise that the most part make of it which cannot be when the efficacy of the Spirit doth accompany it it followeth then that the whole ministery is but a dance no more cooperating with mans conversion then the clay which our Saviour applyed to the eyes of the blind did unto his sight or the sole voyce calling upon Lazarus made him to rise out of his grave He will also demand of him why it is seing nature doth nothing in vayne that the Author of nature did appoynt the ministery of the word and why those things which the Censurer attributeth onely to the Holy Spirit are yet notwithstanding in the Scripture attributed likewise to the word preached and how it is that thereby we are said to be begotten renued edified nourished and purified c. whereas the new doctrine of the Synod leaveth it no other function then to serve as an object and to represent that without which the Holy Spirit hath already wrought within as well in the will as in the understanding without any cooperation of the word not onely unprofitable without the Spirit but also dangerous and aggravating the damnation of its contemners although it were impossible to receave and cherish it even as it is unpossibâ—e for them to adde the efficacy of the Spirit which is not in their power Consid. Here the Censurer is brought in without any decent occasion to discourse of the Spirits operation alone in producing repentance and yet notwithstanding that exhortations and threatnings are the meanes and instruments which it useth in the worke so to make way for the discharging of some shot he hath in readinesse against this By the way I observe that howsoever he puts upon his Actor in this seene the name of a Censurer yet he might be called as well an exhorter and threatner The word of God S. Paul tels us is profitable to teach to coÌ„vince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse but no where doe I finde any such act as censuring attributed unto it But as for the mayne we acknowledge that it is the Spirits operation alone that changeth the heart and yet notwithstanding that exhortations backt with promises upon our obedience threatnings upon our disobedience are the meanes for as much as God worketh in all agreably to their natures Now having made man after his owne image indued with an understanding heart and rationall affections wherby he is fitt to be wrought upon unto that which is good and from that which is evill by way of instruction exhortation persuasion therfore it pleaseth God accordingly to bring him unto faith repentance and obedience Now let us consider what he hath to say against this herupon he saith the other will demaund further of him the explication of his sayings therin objecting a most manifest contradiction in that on the one side repentance is immediately attributed to the holy Ghost and on the other side these exhortations and threatnings are helde as meanes instruments of this worke the operation not being
Author will bethinke himself and take heede how he censureth Abraham for giving credence to a lye in this but he runnes on more like a blind man then like one who as Salomon saith hath his eyes in his head Yet am not I of Piscators minde in that like enough Abraham was apt to thinke so but I see no cause to say that Abraham was bound to beleeve that which Piscator saith he was The fourth Section SEe then if this be not a Labyrinth of prodigious Divinitie which turneth obedience into punishment For if the Synod speake true and that Christ be not dead for those that beleeve not in him how can they deserve to be punished for not having bâ—leeved that which is false And they that have obeyed his commandement in beleeving of his death how should they suffer the punishment due unto disobedients and incredulous which is to beleeve lying In a word to deny the vniversalitie of the merit of Christs death is outragiously to dishonour God as though the Author of truth commanded all men to beleeve a falshood And the better to discerne the ficklenesse of this Spirit that did praeside at the two Synods it is to be noted how that as on the one side this doctrine doth forbid to beleeve that which the Scriptâ— affirme as most true and in most expresse termes So on the other side it commaunds every one to beleeve that he is elected unto life although he be a reprobate in effect And that he cannot loose his faith being once had for any sinne whatsoever he doth committ which the Scriptures deny as a thing most false in the like termes If then that this doctrine which denyeth that Christ dyed for all bereaveth the afflicted of all consolation the other point which denyeth that a man may fall away from grace faith doth cleane overthrow the ministry of preaching which consisteth in exhortations by promises and threatnings which can no longer be meanes of doing any good worke which is only by the immediate operation of the holy Ghost as it hath bene abovesayde So neyther is there to be found in all the scripture any one promise of such a perseveraÌ„ce in faith as the Synod intimates seing that all exhortations wherof the Scriptures are full doe directly oppugne the pretended promise They admonish the faithfull that they take heede they doe not fall of hardning their hearts of receaving the grace of God in vayne from falling from their stedfastnes c. And yet the imaginary promise of the Synod doth declare that they cannot fall they cannot harden their hearts that they cannot have receaved the grace in vayne and that they cannot fall from their stedfastnes By which means the admonitions which denounce the danger and begett feare doe overthrowe the promise which saith there is no feare of danger nor cause of feaâ—e If it be not that the Synod would make us to believe that the faithfull who feare danger that can no more happen then that God should lie are more foolish then certeyne melancholy persons who feare that the havens will fall which notwithstanding shall one day passe away We reade of one that while he slept loosing his eye-sight after he awaked out of sleepe and had layne long on bed wondering that he saw no light imagined that the reason thereof was because the windowes were shutt and therupon cryed out to open the windowe In like sort this Author cryeth out of the Labyrinth of prodigious Divinitie when it is nothing but his prodigious ignorance that makes our doctrine seeme prodigious divinitie unto him It is untrue that we turne obedience into punishment but he feignes the object of obedience and obtrudes it upon others before he doth sufficiently understand it himselfe being disirous that others should be like himselfe in believing they knowe not what As in believing that Christ dyed for them we willingly confesse that Christ dyed not to procure faith and regeneration for them that never believe in him that never are regenerated I doubt not but this Author believeth this as well as wee we farther believe that Christ dyed to procure the grace of faith and regeneration for some namely for Gods elect I doubt whether this Author who vaunts so much of Christs dying for all according to his faith doth believe so much and herin I am confirmed in that the Remonstrants spare not to professe that Christ merited not faith and regeneration for any Exam. Censurae pag. 59. Yet as touching Christs dying for all men so farre as to procure pardon of sinne and salvation for them absolutely I knowe no Arminian that affirmes that on the otherside we willingly confesse that Christ dyed for all and every one so farre as to procure them both remission of sinne and salvation in case they believe In all which wee doe not maynteyne that any man is bound to believe that which is false much lesse that they deserve to be punished for not believing that which is false I dare admitt Impudency it selfe to be Iudge between us in this who of us doe attribute more to the vertue of Christs death as allso which of us doth more believe that Christ dyed for us let their owne conscience be Iudge nowe the state of the difference betweene us is cleered For as touching the benefites of remission of sinnes and salvation in the extension therof unto all and every one conditionally we are aequall But as touching the benefites of grace and regeneration that we allso attribute to Christs death as the meritorious cause therof to all that enioy those benefites wheras the Remonstrants have openly professed to the world that Christ hath merited faith and regeneration for none How then doe we at all deny the universalitie of Christs merit when on the one side we extend it as farre as they on the other side much farther then they and who deserves to be censured as outragiously dishonouring God let the world judge upon indifferent hearing of both parts It is a false suggestion that we charge God the Author of truth to commande a falshood not only for as much as we esteeme that there is no small difference betweene believing in Christ which we acknowledge to be commanded and believing that Christ dyed for us which we finde no where commanded but allso upon supposition that we are commanded to believe that Christ dyed for all and every one yet herin should we not be commanded to believe a falshood for as much as in a good sense and which alone is tolerable we believe that Christ dyed for all and every one as much as the whole nation of Arminians doe and in another sense believing that Christ dyed for us we goe farre beyond them in extending the merit and vertue of Christs death and passion Therfore it is most untrue which this Author doth reiterate charging us to deny that which the Scriptures affirme in expresse termes but in as much as neyther doe the scriptures
that worketh in us every thing that is pleasing in his sight doth the Physician sett the mans leggs whom he hath cured I thinke he hath enough to doe to sett his owne legges members going according to their severall motions was holy Paul nourished in his sloath who both professeth that he laboured more abundantly then they all yet in the same breath acknowledgeth that nevertheles it cannot he but rather the grace of God in him Nay how is it possible that God should bring a man to a sermon while he lyes lazy in his bed How is it possible he should continue that excesse which brought him to his sicknes when God workes in him that which is pleasing in his sight and fullfills the good pleasure of his goodnes towards him and the worke of faith in power But we may easily proceave the Spirit of his Author he would not be a child still he would goe on highe alone and not have any neede of the leading of his heavenly Father his owne Spirit serves his turne to performe any holy duetie any gracious worke And as Plato discerned the pride of Antisthenes through his patcht coate so may we thorough these wilde expressions as if God did mans worke for him while he lay in sleepe we may easily perceave the pride of his heart requiring no more succour from God to the performance of to velle agere of that which is good then Pelagius of olde did Yet the Lord by his prophet playnely professeth of himselfe that he causeth us to walke in his statutes and judgments and to doe them and the Apostle as playnely teacheth us that God workes in us both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure yea that he workes in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. The meaning whereâ—â— Pelagius his opinion was only this that suadet omne quod bonum est and in all liklihood no other is the meaning of the Apostle in the opinion of this Author though he comes not so farre as to the discussing therof and to treate of Gods concourse For which kinde of exercise this comicall witt of his is nothing accommodated and like enough this discourse of his is plausible to none but such comicall witts as himselfe is of and no merveyle if it be magnified of them For Lactucas similes labra simillima habent like lettice like lips Yet he doth us wrong in saying we are not content that God should furnish us with necessary and sufficient grace to preserve and keepe us from sinne For albeit we doe require that God should immediately and irresistibly worke all our good workes in us yet surely we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse and the word of God it selfe we acknowledge to be sufficient in its kinde to witt in the way of instruction but the ministery therof we willingly professe goes no farther then Pauls planting and Apollos wateringe over and above all which unles God be pleased to give the encrease we shall continue unfruitfull still only there is a sect that have a better opinion of their activitie unto that which is good then so Sure I am the Apostle tells us that God doth fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnes in us and the worke of faith with power and if he fulfill the worke of faith with power doth he not fulfill the worke of love of repentance of obedience of all holy conversation and godlines that with power Molira will have Gods concourse to be simultaneous with the will not antecedaneous in nature to the wills operation least otherwise God should not be the immediate cause of the act of the maintenance wherof he was zelous and it seemes Arminiâ—â—s tooke his conceyte from him of making God in the same manner an immediate cause of every act But Suares his fellowe Iesuite doth not approove of that Molinaes conceyte and is of opinion that albeit God doth worke the will to her operation yet this nothing hinders the immediate condition of Gods causalitie So that all of them stande for the maintenance of Gods immediate causalitie which this Author very judiciously and profoundely out of the depth of his scholasticalitie rejects and after his manner takes it in scorne that God shoulde be required to performe an immediate operation in producing any good worke he would have that left to the will of man not that he desires to have wherof to boast for he will be ready in great plerophory of wordes to professe that he gives God the glory of all but how Forsooth of working him so to that which is good as to leave it to his will at the pleasure therof to be the immediate operator in all Otherwise he should worke irresistibly which is a phrase of an ill accent in their eares and stickes as a burre in their throate it will not downe with them for they are verily persuaded it would breede no good blood in them not for feare least herby they should ascribe too much to God and too litle to themselves farre be that from the Spirit of their humilitie but they would have the Allmightie cary himselfe decently in dealing with them and sith he hath indued them with free will not to damnifie the free course therof which were to disanull his owne workmanship For as yet they are not arrived to any such faith as to believe that it is in the power of the Almightye to make them to worke this or that freely But let me have leave to spurre this Author one quaestion Cannot he endure that God should so powerfully worke them unto that which is good that the world should have no abilitie to resist him nor the divill and his Angells of darkenes We knowe the course and fashions of the one and the practises and suggestions of the other are prest and forward enough to hinder us in the good wayes of the Lord as much as ever the Angell of God was to hinder Balaam in his wicked courses Now why should you be so zealous of maynteyning the power eyther of the world or the divill to corrupt your soule and overthrowe your faith were it not rather cheifly to be desired that God should so worke us by his holy Spirit unto every thing that is pleasing in his sight that it shoulde not be in the power of the very gates of hell to prevayle against us that is I trowe to worke us unto that which is good irresistibly that is so that the world nor the divill should not be able to resist Gods operation though they much desire it I shoulde thinke it is not the genius of this Author to oppose irresistible operation divine in this sense though it may be he was never cast upon this distinction untill now In respect of whom then would he have this
divine operation to be resistible Is it in respect of the fleshe But if he be well content that it shoulde not be in the power of the worlds or the divill to resist Gods operation working us to good why should he affect to have it in the power of the flesh 1. Considering that if it be in the power of the flesh to resist divine operation it is therwithall in the power of Satan For in fulfilling the will of the flesh and the minde we are sayde to walke after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre Eph. 2. 2. Why should any man be so zealous for upholding the power of his flesh is it not a signe he is in love with it still 3. Or rather is it in zeale of the honour of his owne performances in doing good as it were in despight of such a potent adversary If so then let hell be loosed and the divill and the world both armed with the like power and that honour in withstanding them is likely to be greater and you shall have the greater cause to rejoyce but where is your respect to the glory of God in all this Or in fine would you have your regenerate part to be so strong and able that neyther flesh within nor world or divill without be able to resist its course in grace only you would have it free eyther to yeilde or to resist divine exhortations But consider I pray is not your unregenerate part your flesh free enough and forward enough yea most propâ—ne and propense to resist that and shoulde you not rather desire that your regenerate part should be as free and forward as propense and prone to resist them and to doe that which is good Otherwise in what a miserable case shall man be even in state of regeneration when his worse part is still prone to sinne and wants not the world and the divill to drive him headlong therinto and his best part to witt his regenerate part shall not be as prone to good but only indifferent to good or evill Beside doe you not consider how you debase the grace of regeneration making it inferior to morall goodnes For morall goodnes doth not leave a man indifferent to good or evill but inclines him naturally to that which is good and to that alone but the grace of regeneration is so shaped by you as to bring a man but to an indifferent constitution to doe eyther good or evill But perhaps you will say if regeneration and the grace thereof shall cary a man naturally unto that which is good only where is a mans freedome I answere as much as in a morally vertuous constitution For who was ever knowne to affirme that morall vertues take away a mans libertie Agayne why should any man be so eagerly sett upon libertie to doe evill were it not better for us to enioy such a libertie alone as of many good â—hings to choose which we thinke good but must we needes affect such a libertie as to choose evill allso if we thinke good and doe you not perceave what colour of contradiction steales upon you ere you are aware and shrewde evidence of the unreasonablenes of your affections Yet take one thingâ— more to acquaint you with that which perhaps may seeme a mystery unto you in morall philosophy for some may be so given to the stage and taken up with the obsequies therof that they may forget their philosophy Therfore I say that like as morall vertues tende only to the ordering of the reasonable soul aright as touching her right ende by light of nature so the grace of regeneration tendes to the ordering of the degenerate soule aright as touching her right end discovered by the light of grace Now Libertie of will consists not in appetitione finis the nature of man rightly ordered is naturally caryed on thereunto But freedome of will hath place in electione mediorum So that albeit my right end being once discovered and my nature so qualified as it ought to be in respect thereof albeit I am necessarily naturally caryed to the affecting of that end yet still I am free to choose amongst many what shall seeme most convenient to the obteyning of that end Whether in all this I have not spoken parables and mysteries in the judgement of this Author I know not yet this I know God can open his eyes and the eyes of those that are in love with these frivolous discourses of his and make them to discerne the vanity of their wayes in opposing the grace of God and withall Gods judgements upon them in striking them with such confusion as not onely to shutt their eyes against the light of grace but runne themselves on ground and cast themselves away as touching common sobriety while the courses they take are contradictious to the very light of nature What a sottish objection is that which followeth how dissolute a consequence is this which here he frames namely that because we say God doth worke in us both the will and the deed Ergo it is not Man that willeth but God not man that doth this or that good worke but God God doth repent in making us repent and God doth obey his owne commandements in making us obey them God hath given all creatures their naturall properties and on som he bestoweth supernaturall qualities and mooves them all that effectually to worke according to their properties whose operations though they are from him as the efficient cause thereof for in him we live and moove and have our beings and hitherto the Arminians themselves have pretended to concurre with us herein yet they are not formally to be attributed unto him but to the secoÌ„d causes whose proper operations they are as for a Lyon to roare for an horse to neigh an asse to bray an oxe to lowe a dogge to barke and the like The sixt last Section THe preaching of the word being thus made of none effect by the doctrine of these Synods there will remayne no use and profit of the Sacraments of baptisme the Lords Supper unlesse it be that the Ministers themselves in administring thereof doe destroy this unhappy doctrine For to every person whom they baptise they apply the promises of the covenant of grace cleane contrary to their owne doctrine which saith that they nothing belong to the Reprobates of the World The Eucharist is likewise given to all with assurance that Christ dyed for all those who do receave it although their doctrine doe affirme that he dyed not for those who receave him unworthily and to their owne condemnation the number of whom is very great in the Reformed Churches by their owne confession What then remaines Even their prayers themselves the exercise wherof is common both to the Pastor and the Flocke cannot be of any profit either to the one or to the other seeing that all are eyther elect or reprobate they for their parts obteyne nothing by this meanes if that God