subiect to condemnation or shall bee condemned for originall sinne but that all are generally exempted from the guilt of the said sin For this opinion is repugnant to the Scripture which affirmeth Ephes 2.3 that we are by nature children of wrath VI. Who vse the distinction of Impetration Application therby to instill into the simple and ignorant this opinion that God for his part would equally bestow vpon all men the benefits purchased by the death of Iesus Christ And whereas some rather then others are made partakers of remission of sinnes and life everlasting that this difference dependeth on their owne freewill applying it selfe to that grace which is offered indifferently but that it dependeth not vpon any singular gift of mercy that works effectually in them rather then in others for to apply themselues therevnto For seeming to propose this Distinction in a good sense they go about to drench the people with the pernicious poyson of Pelagianisme VII Who teach that Iesus Christ neither could neither ought neither did die for them whom God loued before most tenderly and had elected to eternall life in as much as such had no need of the death of Iesus Christ For they contradict the Apostle who saith Gal. 2.20 Christ loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee Rom. 8.33 Who shall bring in any accusation against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead to weet for them also they contradict our Saviour who saith Ioh. 10.15 I lay downe my life for my sheepe Againe Ioh. 15.12.13 This is my commandement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you None hath greater loue then this to weet when one layeth down his life for his friends CHAP. III. Of the Corruption of man his Conversion to God and the manner thereof The first Article MAn in the beginning was created after the image of God and adorned in his vnderstanding with the true and saving knowledge of his creatour of spirituall things with righteousnesse in his heart and will with puritie in all his affections yea hee was perfectly and entirely holy but turning himselfe from God through the instigation of the Divell and by his owne free will he deprived himselfe of these excellent gifts and contrarywise insteede thereof drew on himselfe blindnesse horrible darknesse vanity and perversitie of iudgement in his vnderstanding malice rebellion hardnesse in his heart and will and therewithall impuritie in all his affections II. Now such as man was after the fall such children begate he to wit himselfe corrupted children corrupted corruption by the iust iudgement of God being derived from Adam vnto all his posterity excepting Iesus Christ alone and that not by imitation as heretofore the Pelagians would haue it but by propagation of a corrupted nature III. Whence it commeth to passe that all men are conceived in Sinne and borne children of wrath vnprofitable to all saving good enclined to evill dead in sinne and servants of sin And without the Grace of the regenerating spirit they neither will nor can returne to God nor correct their depraved nature nor dispose themselues towards the amendment of it IIII. True it is that after the fall there remained in man some light of nature by meane whereof hee still retaineth some knowledge of God and of naturall things hee discerneth betwixt honestie and dishonestie and seemeth to haue a little regard and care of vertue and outward discipline But so farre is it that by this light of nature he can come to the saving knowledge of God and convert himselfe to Him that even in things naturall and civill he vseth it not aright but rather as little as it is abuseth and defileth it diverse waies withholds it in vnrighteousnesse and so becommeth inexcusable before God V. Looke how it is with the light of Nature just so it fareth with the Decalogue which God gaue particularly to the Iewes For it discovereth indeede the grievousnesse of sinne and more and more convinceth man but forasmuch as it affordeth no remedie nor giveth any ability to get out of that miserie so being weak through the flesh leaveth the transgressour in the Curse it is impossible that by it man shoulde obtaine saving grace VI. Wherfore what neither the Light of Nature nor the Law could doe that God effecteth by the power of the Holy Spirit by meanes of the Word or the ministerie of Reconciliation that is by the Gospell of the Messias whereby it pleased God to saue beleevers aswell vnder the Old as the New Testament VII God manifested this secret of his Will to fewer persons vnder the Old Testament but since vnder the New Testament the difference of Nations is taken away he now manifesteth it vnto more The reason of which dispensation wee ought not to attribute to the dignity or worth of one Nation aboue another or because it maketh better vse of the Light of Nature but to the good pleasure of God which is most free to his vndeserved loue And therefore they on whom so great Grace hath beene shewed aboue and contrarie to all desert ought to recognize it in humility of heart with thanksgiving And the rest vnto whom this Grace hath not yet been shewed they ought to adore with the Apostle the severity iustice of Gods iudgments but not curiously to sound them VIII Furthermore as many as are called by the Gospell are called in good earnest For God shewes in good earnest and most truely and sincerely by his word what is pleasing vnto him namely that they which are called should come vnto him also he promiseth in good earnest to all that come and belieue in him rest vnto their soules and life everlasting IX And whereas many that are called by the ministrie of the Gospel come not nor are converted the fault is not in the Gospell nor in Iesus Christ offered by the Gospell nor in God who by the Gospell calleth them and withall bestowes many gifts vpon them but in those themselues which are called whereof some through their owne carelesnesse receiue not the word of life others receiue it indeede but not within their hearts and therefore after some light ioy of a temporall faith they fall backe againe others through the thornes of cares through the pleasures of this world choake the seede of the word and bring forth no fruit according as our Saviour teacheth in the parable of the seede Mat. 13. X. But whereas others being called by the ministerie of the Gospell doe come and are converted that is not to be attributed vnto the man as if hee by his owne free will made himselfe differ from others which are also furnished with like or at least with sufficient grace to belieue and bee converted as the prowde heresie of Pelagius mainetaineth But vnto God who as he hath elected his from all eternity in Christ so hee cals them effectually in their due times giues them faith and repentaunce
in our power to make satisfaction of our selues nor to deliuer our selues from the wrath of God God through his vnmeasurable mercy gaue vs his only Sonne for a pledge who was made Sinne and a Curse vpon the Crosse for vs or in our steede that so he might satisfie for vs. III. This death of the Sonne of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sinnes of an infinite price value which aboundantly sufficeth to expiate the sinnes of the whole world IV. And this death is therefore of so great worth and value both because the person that suffered it is not onely true man and perfectly holy but also the only Sonne of God of the same eternall and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Ghost such as our Saviour ought to be And secondly because his death was ioyned with the sense and feeling of the wrath and curse of God which we by our sinnes had deserved V. Furthermore the promise of the Gospell is that whosoever belieueth in Iesus Christ crucified should not perish but haue everlasting life which promise ought to be propounded and declared indifferently to all Nations and persons vnto whom God according to his good pleasure sends the Gospell and that with commandement of Repentance and Faith VI. And whereas many that are called by the Gospell repent not neither beleeue in Iesus Christ but perish in Infidelitie This comes not to passe through any defect or insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ offered vpon the Crosse but through their owne fault VII But for as much as some there are who truely beleeue and are delivered and saved from sinne and perdition by the death of Iesus Christ this benefit proceedes from the meere Grace of God which he oweth not to any and which was given them from all eternitie in Iesus Christ VIII For such was the most free counsell and most favourable will and Intention of God the Father that the wholesome quickning efficacie of the most precious death of his Sonne should be extended to all the Elect for to giue them alone Iustifying faith and thereby to bring them infallibly to Salvation That is it was Gods will that Iesus Christ by the bloud of the Crosse whereby he confirmed the new Covenant should redeeme effectually all those and no other from among every people nation and language who from all eternitie were elected to Salvation and were given vnto him of his Father that he should giue them Faith which as all other gifts also of the Holy Ghost he purchased for them by his death that hee should purge them by his blond from all sinnes Originall and Actuall committed either before or after Faith receiued that hee should keepe them faithfully to the ende and finally that he should make them appeare before him glorious without spot or blemish IX This counsell proceeding from the eternall loue of God towards the Elect hath mightily beene accomplished ever since the beginning of the world to this present time the gates of Hell having opposed it all in vaine and shall be accomplished also in the times to come yea in such sort as the Elect in their due time shal be gathered into one and there shall bee still a Church of beleevers founded on the bloud of Iesus Christ the which shal constantly loue this her Saviour who as a Bridegroome for his Spouse laid downe his life on the Crosse for her the which also shall persevere in serving him and shall celebrate and magnifie him both here and euer hereafter A Reiection of Errours The true doctrine being Expounded the Synod rejecteth the errours of those I. VVHo teach that God the Father destined his Sonne to the death of the Crosse without any certaine and definite purpose to saue any one by name so as the necessity profite and dignitie or worth of the Impetration made by the death of Iesus Christ might bee safe and perfit in all parts compleat ful and entire albeit the redemption thereby obtained had never been actually applyed to any one particular For this doctrine is iniurious to the wisdome of God the Father and to the merite of Iesus Christ and contrary to the Scripture For see what our Sauiour saith Ioh. 10.15.27 I lay downe my life for my sheepe and I know them And the Prophet Esay saith of the Saviour Esay 53.10 After that he shall haue laid downe his life for an oblation for sinne he shall see those of his posteritie he shall prolong his daies and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Brieflie it cleane overthrowes also that Article of our Creede whereby we beleeue the Church II. Who teach that the scope or end of Iesus Christ his death was not effectuallie to ratifie the new covenant of grace by his bloud but onely to purchase to his father a naked right whereby he might againe cōtract with men some covenant whatsoever it should be whether of grace or of workes Which is repugnant to the Scripture which teacheth Heb. 7.22 That Iesus Christ was made the pledge mediatour of a more excellent to wit the new Testament Againe Heb. 9.15.17 A testament is then only of force when the parties are dead III. Who teach that Iesus Christ by his satisfaction hath not assuredly merited for any one Saluation it selfe and faith wherby that satisfaction of Iesus Christ might be applyed effectually to saluation but that he hath only purchased to the Father a power or plenary will to treate anew with men and to prescribe them new conditions such as he would the fulfilling whereof was to depend on mans free-will and therefore that it might haue come to passe that either all men or none at all should fulfill them For these thinke too basely of the death of Iesus Christ not at all acknowledging the principall fruit or benefite purchased thereby and setch from hell againe the errour of Pelagius IIII. Who teach that this new covenant of Grace which God the Father hath cōtracted with men by the interventiō of the death of Iesus Christ consisteth not in this that we are iustified before God and saved by faith in as much as it apprehendeth the merite of Iesus Christ but in this that the exaction of the perfect obedience of the Law being abolished God accounteth faith it selfe and the imperfect obedience of faith for a perfect obedience of the law and of meere grace esteemeth it worthy to be rewarded with eternal life For these contradict the Scripture Rom. 3.23.24 Being iustified freely by his grace by the redemption which is in Iesus Christ whom from all eternity God ordained for a propitiation by faith in his bloud And with prophane Socinus they bring in a new and strange iustification of man before God contrary to the common consent and iudgment of the whole Church V. Who teach that all men are admitted into the state of reconciliation to the grace of the couenant so as not any one is
and having delivered them from the power of darknesse transports them into the kingdome of his Sonne to the end that they should declare the vertues of him who hath called them from darknesse to his marveilous light and that they should glory not in themselues but in the Lord as the Apostolique writings witnesse in divers sundrie places XI Moreover when God executeth this his good pleasure in the Elect or when he converts them he doth not onely procure that the Gospell be outwardly preached neither only mightily enlightens their vnderstandings by the Holy Spirit to make them vnderstande and discerne aright the things of the spirit of God but by the efficacy of the same spirit of regeneratiō he pierceth into the inmost parts of man he opens the hart that was shut he softens the heart that was hard he circumciseth the foreskinne of the heart sheds new qualities in the will and causeth it of dead to become living of evill good of not-willing willing of stubborne obedient hee workes in it and strengthens it to the end that as a good tree it may bring forth good fruit XII This lo is that Regeneration so much spoken of in Scripture that Renovation that new Creation that raising from the dead Vivification which God worketh in vs without * Without any cooperation of ours vs. And it is not effected by the doctrine alone beating on the care nor by morall perswasion induced by perswasiue reasons nor by any such kinde of operation whereby after God hath done his part it still remaines in the power of man to be regenerated or not to be to be or not to be converted No it is an operation wholy supernaturall most effectuall and withal most sweet admirable secret and ineffable which according to the Scripture that was inspired by the Author of this operation in respect of efficacie is nothing inferiour to creation or the resurrection from the dead so as all they in whose hearts God worketh after this admirable fashiō are certainely infallibly and effectually regenerated doe actually belieue And then indeede the will being now renewed is not only impelled and moved of God but being moved of God it worketh also it selfe and therefore one may wel say that Man himselfe believeth and repenteth by meanes of the Grace which he hath received XIII The faithfull during this life cannot fully comprehend the maner of this operation and yet in the meane time rest well contented inasmuch as they know feele that by this Grace of God they do from their hearts belieue and loue their Saviour XIIII So then Faith is the gift of God not because it is offered by God to mans free will but because it is in deede and in effect conferred inspired and infused into man Againe not because God giveth only a power to belieue and then afterward expects that mans Will consent therevnto or belieue indeede but because he which worketh both to will and to doe yea which worketh all in all effecteth in man both a will to belieue and beliefe it selfe XV. God oweth not this Grace to any For what may He owe to him that can giue nothing first that it might be repaide him againe yea what can He owe to him that hath nothing of his owne but sinne and leasing Wherefore he that receiveth this Grace ought yea and doth also yeeld eternal thanks to God for it he that receiveth it not either he hath no regard of these spirituall things and pleaseth himselfe in that which is his owne or retchlesse as he is boasteth in vaine of having that which hee hath not Now concerning those which outwardly make profession of the faith and amende their liues we must both iudge and speake the best according to the example of the Apostle for what is in their hearts is to vs vnknowne And for others vvhich are not yet called vve are to pray vnto God vvho calleth things that are not as if they vvere but in no hand may vve svvel vvith pride against them as if vve our selues had made our selues to differ XVI Now as by the fal man ceased not to be man endued with will and vnderstanding and sinne that overspread all mankinde abolished not the nature of mankinde but depraved it only and killed it spiritually So this divine Grace of Regeneration worketh not in men as in logs or stockes of trees neither doth it take away the will and its properties nor force or constraine it against its owne liking but spiritually enliueneth healeth correcteth and boweth it no lesse sweetly then mightily to the end that where formerly the rebellion resistance of the flesh did wholy domineere now the prompt and sincere obedience of the spirit may begin there to raigne in which very point the true and spiritual reestablishment freedome of our will consisteth And were it not that this admirable Worker of all good did ply vs in maner aforesaid there were no hope left vnto man that he should raise himselfe out of the fall by free will by which when he stood vpright he threw himselfe headlong into perdition XVII Also as the almighty operation of God whereby he produceth and sustaineth this our naturall life excludeth not but rather requireth the vse of the meanes by which God according to his infinite wisdome and goodnesse is pleased to display this his power even so the foresaid supernaturall operation of God by which he regenerateth vs excludeth not nor any way overthroweth the vse of the Gospell which the all wise God hath ordained to be the seed of Regeneration and the food of the soule Wherefore as the Apostles and Doctours which followed them did piously instruct the people concerning this Grace of God to his glory and to the abasing of all humane pride and yet in the meane while neglected not to hold them stil by their holy admonitions of the Gospell to the exercise of the word Sacraments and discipline So God forefend that they which teach and learne in the Church should presume to tempt God by separating those things which He according to his good pleasure would haue most straightly ioyned togither For Grace is conferred by admonitions and the more readily we doe our duety the more evident is the benefit of God working in vs and then doth his businesse proceede most happyly To which God all the glory both of the meanes and of their fruit and saving efficacie is due for ever and ever Amen A Reiection of Errours The true doctrine being expounded the Synode rejecteth the Errours of those I. VVHo teach that it cannot be said properly that originall Sinne is of it selfe sufficient to condemne all mankinde or to merit both temporall and eternall punishment For they contradict the Apostle who saith Rom. 5.12 By one man alone sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so death came vpon all men inasmuch as all haue sinned And verse 16. The guilt is of one offence alone to condemnation Againe Rom.
6.23 The wages of sinne is death II. Who teach that spirituall gifts or good habitudes and vertues such as are goodnesse holynesse righteousnesse could haue no place in mans will when he was first created by consequent that they could not be lost in the fall For this directly thwarteth the description of the image of God which the Apostle maketh Ephes 4.24 Where he describes it by righteousnesse and holynesse which vertues certainely haue their seats in the will III. VVho teach that spirituall gifts were not separated from the will of man in the spirituall death since that in it selfe was never corrupted but hindered only by darknes of the vnaerstanding and vnrulinesse of the affections which hinderances being removed the will is able to make vse of its libertie which to it is naturall that is it is of it selfe able either to will and choose or not to will and choose any good proposed vnto it This is new and erroneous tending to nothing but to exalt the power of free will contrary to the saying of the Prophet Ieremy 17.9 The heart is wily and desperately evill aboue all things And that of the Apostle Ephes 2.3 Among whom children of * In the French it is by mistake of the Printer children of Religion Rebellion we all conversed once in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of our thoughts IIII. VVho teach that a man not regenerate is not totally properly in Sin or destitute of all power concerning spirituall good but that he can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and life and can offer vnto God the sacrifice of a contrite and broken spirit such as may be acceptable vnto him For these things contrary the plaine testimonies of Scripture Ephe. 2.1.5 Ye were dead in your trespasses and sinnes And Gen. 6.4 8.21 Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of men is nothing else but evill at all times Adde hereto that to hunger and thirst after life and to be delivered from misery to offer vnto God the sacrifice of a broken spirit is proper to the regenerate Psal 51.19 And of those that are called happy Mat. 5.6 V. VVho teach that a corrupt and naturall man may so well vse common Grace whereby they vnderstand the light of Nature or the gifts which remaine in him after the fall that by the good vsage thereof he may by degrees and little by little obtaine greater grace to wit Evangelicall and saving grace yea salvation it selfe And that by this meanes God for his part sheweth himselfe ready to reveale Iesus Christ to all forasmuch as he affordeth vnto all sufficiently and efficaciously the meanes necessary to the Revelation of Iesus Christ and to faith and repentance For that this is false besides the experience of al times the Scripture witnesseth Psal 147.19.20 He declareth his words to Iacob and his statutes ordinances to Israell he hath not done so to all nations and therefore they know not his ordinances Act. 14.16 In times past God suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies Act. 16.6.7 It was forbidden them to wit Paul and his companions by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia comming therefore to Mysia they assayed to goe into Bithynia but the spirit of Iesus permitted them not VI. VVho teach that in the true conversion of a man it cannot be that God should poure into his will new qualities habits or gifts Therefore the faith by which we are first converted and from which we are named faithfull is not a qualitie or gift infused by God but only a bare action of man And that it cannot otherwise be called a gift then in regard alone of the power which a man hath to attaine therevnto For these things contradict the holy Scriptures which testifie That God sheddes in our hearts new qualities of faith obedience and the feeling of his loue Ier. 34.33 I will put my law within them and will write it in their heart Es 44.3 I will poure forth waters vpon him that is a thirst and rivers vpon the dry ground I will poure forth my spirit vpon thy posterity Rom. 5.5 The loue of God is shedd in our hearts by the holy spirit which is giuen vnto vs. They are also repugnant to the perpetuall practise of the Church that prayes on this manner Ierem. 31.18 Convert me O Lord and I shall be converted VII VVho teach that the Grace whereby we are converted vnto God is nothing else but a sweete perswasiō or as others expound it that the most noble maner of working in the conversion of a man and the most agreeable to the nature of man is that which is effected by perswasions And that nothing hinders but that the Grace which they tearme Moral that is to say which is wrought by perswasiue reasons may make a carnall man spiritual yea that God makes the will to consent no otherwise saue only by this kind of perswasion and that herein consisteth the whole efficacie of the divine operation whereby he su mounteth the operation of Satan inasmuch as God promiseth eternall good Satan onely temporall For this is pure Pelagianisme and contrary to all Scripture the which beside this kinde of operation in the conversion of a man acknowledgeth another over aboue to wit that of the Holy Spirit much more effectuall and divine as in the 36. chap. of Ezechiel ver 26. I wil giue you a new heart and will giue a new spirit in the midst of you and vvill take away the heart of stone and will giue an heart of flesh c. VIII Who teach that in the regeneration of a man God imployeth not his almighty power in such sort as that he mightily and infallibly benas the will to belieue and to bee converted but that notwithstanding all the operations of Grace which God vseth to the conversion of man man may resist God and the holy Spirit even then when God purposeth and would regenerate him that oftentimes man resisteth in deed effect so as he vtterly hindereth his owne regeneration yea that it resteth in his power to be or not to be regenerated For this is nothing else but to take away from God the efficacie of his Grace in our Conversion and to subiect the action of God almighty to the wil of man and that contrarie to the Apostles who teach Ephes 1.19 That wee belieue according to the efficacie of the power of his might And 2. Thess 1.11 That God fulfilleth in vs al the good pleasure of his goodnes and the worke of faith Mightily Againe 2. Pet. 1.3 That his Divine power hath given vs all whatsoever appertaineth to life and godlinesse IX Who teach that Grace and Freewill are causes that worke each their severall part and both concurre togither in the first point of conversion that Grace as a cause hath no precedence in order before the efficiencie or motion of the wil id est that