as to the four heads above-mentioned chiefly urged in this Doctrine not once touched upon by them no Confession of any Reformed church delivering the doctrine of predestination as before propounded by me The Bohemian Confession the confession of the Church of England that of Wittenberge the first Helvâ—tian confession of the foure Cities Argentorate Constantia Memminga and Lindavia make not the least mention of it The Basilian and that of Saxony do onely point at it in three words The Augustan confession is so darke that it stands in need of annotations to preadmonish us of it as they of Geneva have thought the last Helvetian confession which hath the consent and subscription of the greatest part of all reformed churches doth so speak of it that I would gladly see how it is consistent w th it as before represented though the Sabaudican and that at Geneva have approved it Sixthly Without all strife and 6. Arg. contention this doctrine may be justly cald into question touching its concordancy with the Belgick Confession and Heydelberg Catechism as I shall briefly demonstrate Artic. 14. Confes Belg. you have this passage Man knowingly and willingly subjected himself to The Author proves the disagreement of this doctrine with the Belgick Confession being that of his own County rather then any other sin and by consequence to Death and Malediction whilest he inclined his ear to the words and impostures of the Devil Whence I conclude Man sinned not by any necessity of the preceding Decree of Predestination which is diametrically opposite to the Doctrine thereof Again Artic. 16. speaking of the Eternal Election of God God shewed himself mercifull by saving and freeing them from damnation whom in his everlasting and unchangeable counsel for his gracious goodnesse without any respect of works he chose in his Son Christ Iesus our Lord and also just in relinquishing others in that their fall and perdition whereinto they had precipitated themselves How these words are consistent with the forementioned Doctrine I plainly see not In the Heydelberg Catechism Quest 20. Salvation is not given to all those by Christ who perished in Adam but to them onely who are ingrafted into him by faith and embrace his benefits Whence I conclude God to have fore-appointed none absolutely to Salvation but those beheld in his Decree as believers which is in open defiance with the first and third head of this Predestination So Quest 54. See pag. 26. I believe the Son of God out of all Mankinde doth from the beginning unto the end of the World gather a chosen company consenting in the true faith unto Eternal life Where Election to life and consent in Faith are mutually placed together and the latter not subordinate to the former which according to the nature of this Doctrine ought necessarily to have been and the words run thus The Son of God calls and gathers by his spirit and word a company chosen unto life everlasting that they might believe and agree in the faith Things being thus there is no cause why the maintainers and promoters of this Doctrine ought with that violence contend to obtrude the same on their Complices or the Church of Christ or take it in such ill part when any thing is taught either in Church or University not consenting or at variance therewith Seventhly This Doctrine 7. Arg. fights against the very Nature of God especially with those Attributes of his Divine Being by which he worketh and manageth all things viz. With his Wisdom Justice and Goodness It opposeth his Wisdom three waies 1. In that it asserteth God to decree something for that end which neither is good nor can be made so such is Gods creation of some persons to eternal Perdition to the praise of his Justice 2. In that it averreth God by this Predestination to have proposed to himself the demonstration of the praise of his Mercy and Justice which he could no way do but by an act contrary to both such is that decree whereby he determined that man should sin and become miserable 3. It changetk and invert's the order method of the twofold Wisdom of God manifest in Scripture in that it asserts God absolutely to have fore-appointed the salvation of men by the Mercy and Wisdom comprehended in the Doctrine of the Cross of Christ without foreseeing 't was impossible that man and that through his own default should be saved by Wisdom perfected in the Lavv and infused into him by Creation vvhen the Scripture avers the contrary 1 Cor. 12. 1. It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save those that believe i. e. By the Word of the Cross after that in the Wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God 2 It wars against the Justice of God which represents him not only as a Lover of Righteousness and hater of sin but as having a perpetual and unshaken will of giving every one his right Against the first of these in that it makes God precisely to will the salvation of singular men and decree the same without any intuition or respect to righteousnesse or obedience and become a lover of those men more then his own Justice Against the later in that it stateth Gods vvillingness to entail misery upon the creature which is onely the punishment of sin not beholding it as peccant and so a culpable subject of Wrath and Punishment and so is made to impose upon the creature both that which belongs not unto it likewise that which is in conjuction with its greatest evil which is abhorrent from his Justice According therefore to this Doctrine God first detracts from himself that which is his right and attributes to the creature that which appertains not unto it to the making of it miserable 3. It is in open defiance with the goodnesse of God which is an affection in him of communicating good according to that fitnesse and congruity judged and permitted by his Justice But in this Doctrine of Predestination God is set forth unto us induced of his own accord without any external Motive to will and ordain the greatest evil to the Creature and that by an eternal preordination preceding any determination in him of indowing it with the least good this Doctrine being a declaration of Gods will to damn which that he might execute he purposed also to create now Creation is the first egresse of Divine goodnesse How discrepant are these things from that bounty of God whereby he doth good not only to the undeserving but also evil and guilty persons and which we are commanded to imitate in our heavenly Father Eightly It oppugneth the nature 8. Arg. of man consider'd in his being created after the Image of God in knowledge and righteousnesse in freedom of will with aptitude and affection to the enjoyment of Eternal life These three things may be concluded of him out of of that short sentence Do this and live in the day thou doest Rom. 10.
judge next to the Vindication of Truth and himself to set thy judgment right in the great points of Predestination and Providence and to show the happy compliance 'twixt the free and unmerited grace of God and Mans Will not sacrilegiously addmitting the latter as a copartner with the former in the work of conversion but with much respect subordiâ—ating the one to the other reserving unto each their peculiar vertues and operations making the new creation so to animate the old as to restore weakned powers and debilitated faculties to much of their antient strength vigor and fit them for action Surely had I thought the Doctor had been an enemie to grace as too many of the great Clerks of the world are I should have wished his Judgment had for ever slept in darkness and never been awaked by me or any other to see the English light But by that lively portraiture which he hath drawn of himself I am apt to think his mind was well beautified with many fair Ideas of Truth and his understanding enlightened with a raie from that divine sight which sighteth every one that cometh John 1. 9. into the world I cannot attribute the growth and encrease of the Supâ—alapsarian Sublapsarian doctrine in some of the reformd Churches to any thing so much as the untutord zeal of some men otherwise eminent in their generation in the beginning of reformation who having fallen out with the church of Rome and that upon the account of their strange innovations and ungodly errours their Mass Sacraments works merit indulgencies pardons c. they tore away indeed much of this Superstition and testified to the world their dislike of all such erroneous Tenents cursed practises But when like wise Chirurgians they should have known when the cure had been nigh finished they still continued launcing the sore deeper and deeper till they had let out some of the very vitals of Religion and maimd the doctrine of Christianity in some of the principal members thereof What was Orthodox at Rome must needs be Heterodox at Geneva for fear as I imagine least the Orifice should close and the Body Ecclesiastick return to its former temper * A good end is not to be attained by sinister indirect means How doth Calvin beat his head thorough the whole body of his Institutions the more to alienate as I conceive the minds of men from the Romish Religion to draw up the Protestant Principles in the greatest contrariety imaginable to those of Rome fearing least he should never get far enough both in doctrine and discipline from them Think not Christian Reader that I favour the Romish Church herein or intend to throw dirt in the face of the Reform'd this were to slander my mother and reproach the womb that bare me I only labour thy satisfaction and by a modest disquisition to light thee in to the rise and grounds of this controversie Neither am I ingaged in my judgment against all or half of the Protestant Churches the major part are of the same mind in the doctrine of Predestination as the author will satisfie thee in the ensueing discourse I know no rigid Predestinarians but those oâ— Sabauda and Geneva the Presbiterate Scots who according to their anâ—ient-league and freindship to comply with the French have fetch 't much of their Religion thence and those at home upon whose Spirits the doctrine of the Kirk hath been too much ascendant Yet what great respect I have born to the opinion of my reverend and learned brethren dissenting herein even to the shaking of my own faith being more ready to accuse my self of pride ignorance and singularity the usual parents of errour then them of unsoundness I have abundantly testified privately and publickly and herein Mr. Richard Copeman a worthy 〈◊〉 Gentleman and a Justice of Peace for the County of Norffolk many others though of a different opinion will be my witness The more I came to search into the nature and being of that great Jehovah reveald in the word of life the more I found it unworthy of the entertainment of a Christians heart that no way could be found out by infinite wisdome to glorifie the divine Attributes but by the precise ordination of almost infinite numbers of his children to eternal and remediless torments without the least intuition or respect to their sin and disobedience I should forget that I were a creature which the egritudes and infirmities of soul and body do dayly admonish me of were I unwilling to acknowledg that great prerogative of heaven Gods Soveraignty over me yet should I be a parasite in religion in attributing any thing to divine power but what his Justice Wisdom and Goodness permits me Job 13. 7. 9. Will a man tell a lye for God I solemnly profess I know not with what hope of advantage I should propound Christ as an object of faith in a generall exhortation to the people if he dyed not for them certainly the secret will of God is the same with his reveald he is unskild in the art of dissimulation his words alwaies agree with his mind let God be true and every man a lyar I cannot be of the judgment of Piscator who Pisc resp ad vors Part 1. pag. 120. saith reprobate persons are absolutely ordained to this twofold evil to undergo everlasting punishment and necessarily sin and therefore to sin that they might be justly punished Zanch. lib. 5. de nat Dei cap. 2. de Predest and Zanchy tells us that reprobates are held so fast under Gods Almighty decree that they cannot but sin and perish It s reported See Gods love to Mankind of Tiberius upoâ— the fall of Elius Sejanus raised for the ruin of the house of Germanicus being resolved to leave no stemme to grow out af that unhappy root purposd to put the young and tender daughter of Sejanus to death the Roman laws forbiding to strangle a Virgin Peter Bertius Ep. he caus'd her to be defloured by the executioner at the foot of the Gemonian staires and then strangled Pardon O good God the teachers of thy Church who have published thy unalterable resolves in thy eternal decree of putting to everlasting death infinite numbers of virgin and undefloured souls the righteous laws of heaven not permitting it thy determinations likewise that sin and Satan should first vitiate and constuprate them If this were once generally received that men sin necessarily and unavoidably and all that they do in pursueance of the divine decree what would this introduce but Stoicism and Manichisme would it not be an inlet to all loosnesse and licentiousnesse an inundation to all barbarism and wickednesse and in fine this undergovernment of the world suffer a dissolution But O my deare Brother labour to eschew evill and do good and be confident his grace will be sufficient for thee Say not in thy heart I am shut out from the love of God I am as a
dry tree draw neere to this communicative and diffusive love of God that thy soule may be drenched therewith I am very well assured by the blessed word of truth there stands no decree of Reprobation like the Cherubim in the garden of Eden with a flaming sword in it's hand to keep the way from the greater part of men to the tree of life God is not contributory by any voluntary purpose or act to the perdition of any of his Creatures yet is he so great a lover if righteousnesse and justice that he will punish sin unrepented of where ever he finds it Above all things pursue peace with all men if 't be possible and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord take not up any thing cantained in these papers for contention strife and debate O flee vaine janglings which defile the judgment corrupt the heart and tend not to edification The church of God is too too much made an Amphytheater Religion a meere digladiation the severall opinions the combatants the weaponâ— carnall and not Spirituall and the prize I fear Self-glory and selfe-advancement If thou knowest these things happy art thou if thou Joh. 13. 17 doest them let thy knowledge looke to practice as the fruit and thy practice to knowledg as the guide and be assured they will both lead to hapinesse as the end But not to swell this Epistle beyond its proportion let me tell thee thou must vouchfafe this peece a diligent pervsall if thou wouldest reap any profit by it expect not Rhetoricall flourishes to court thee with enticâ—ing words of vanity into the Authours judgment or the soft strains of Eloquence to touch thee with delight this the mind of the Authour the nature of the thing and the translation it self forbids thee Try all things by the test of the Scriptures hold fast that which is good Phil. 3. 15 16. Never the lesse whereto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same things and if in any thing thou he otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto thee June 5. 1655. TO THE Noble and Potent STATES OF Holland and VVest-friezland My Supreme Lords AFter the conference betwixt M. Gomar and my self at the Hague by the command of your Highnesses before the Lords Counsellors of the Supreme Court four Ministers being present and relation made thereof to your Highnesses intimating the weight and moment of the Controversie betwixt us it afterward was thought requisite by your noble Highnesses to call both of us together with the four Ministers before you into your honourable Assembly to signifie to us all this way what you should judge most expedient for that time So it fell out Mr. Gomar confirm'd the debate a foot betwixt us to be of that grand importance that he durst not joyn issue with such an opinion as this of mine in the presence of God and more then that if it were not presently stopt 't would set the Provinces Churches Cities and Citizens together by the ears and every mans hand against his brother To all which I answered nothing at that time save that I knew not my self guilty of any such cruel opinion in Religion being confident I should never administer any just cause or ground for Schism or dissention to build upon either in Church or State in testimony whereof I was ready openly in all truth and sincerity to declare my mind in the whole matter of Religion when ever I should be commanded thereunto before this Assembly and that before I removed from the place where I then stood Upon which motion it was judged convenient by your Highnesses that I should be called before you now to make good the proffer in these Sessions and therefore it is that I now appear in this place faithfully to discharge it But in as much as a sinister report of mee hath for so long a time spread it self not only at home but abroad in forrain parts and no little evill hath ensued thereupon as if I had hitherto altogether refused being often required thereunto to declare my judgement in the business of Religion Wherefore I make it my humble request that you 'l please to give me leave ingenuously to open my self in this matter before I proceed to other things In the yeer 1605. June 30. There came to me at Leyden three Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland viz. Francis Lansberge Libert Fraxim and Daniel Volege of happy memory Ministers of their respective Churches at Roterdam the Hague and Delph being present with them two Ministers of the Synod of North-Holland namely Iohn Bogard of the Church at Harleme and Iames Roland of the Church at Amsterdam telling me in their Classical Examinations of some Students in the University of Leyden in order to their entrance into the Mininistery they received some new and unusual answers to the questions propounded contrary to the received Doctrine in the Churches which they confirmed as having been disciplined into them by me which things being so they desired a friendly conference with me to know the bottom of this matter whereby for the future they might better consult the affairs of the Church To which I answered I could no way approve this manner of process which would necessarily ever and anon multiply conference upon conference even as oft as any Student should give any new answer pretending to have learn'd the same of me therefore 't was better in my judgment when any Schollar should frame any new Responsory in his Examinations confirming the same from me which should bee judged by the Brethren contrary to the Confession and Catechism of the Belgick Churches they would send for us both together being ready upon this account at my owne charge to come whereever it should please the Brethren to appoint and this course being taken once and again the calumny or truth would plainly bee evinced And further to Mr. Lansberge urging the conference in the name of the rest answer was made that as yet I saw not how I could admit of any such thing with them appearing as Deputies from the Synod to whom they stood bound to give an account of all things done by them unless my Superiours were likewise privy and consenting and also commanding me hereunto besides it 's being joyned with no small hazard if so be I should wholly cast my selfe upon their faithfulness in their own relation of the event of our conference to the Synod And further that they had no cause why they should require any such thing of me not conscious to my self of delivering any Doctrine either at Leyden or Amsterdam contrary to the Word of God Confession or Catechism of the Churches in Holland That hitherto not any such thing was ever objected to me being confident it would not easily be effected if the Objector should be obliged to make good his Objections by proof and in default thereof to bear the blame himself Notwithstanding if they would
a private person Lastly By this means I should have yeelded the Convention some right and prerogative over mee which it neither hath nor I could give considering my place without injuring those our common Magistrate would set over me Therefore Equitie did not more constrain me then Necessity to repudiate this conference yet might they have obtained their desire if they would have imbraced a private Debate of all the Articles of Christian Faith as â— offered them this being more accommodate to a mutual edification where every one as the manner is may speak with freedome and familiarity then the other where the Formalities of Deâ—utations are observed Neither was there the least ground why they should shew themselves so hard to be intreated in this case when every one might have done it himself having further delivered my mind herein that whatever should be transacted by us should abide with us and not pass abroad to any which if they had consented to I doubt not but we had either satisfied one another or at last made appear that no damage could accrue upon this our mutual controversie to the Truth necessary to salvation godliness or christian peace To omit these things I cannot give an account to my self how these rumours are consistent one with another I am complain'd of for not declaring my judgement and yet in my own Countrey and forraign parts I am inveigh'd against as if I indeavoured the introduction of some impure Novel and false Tenents in Church and Christian Religion If I declare not my judgment whence is the unsoundness of it manifest If I explicate not my self how can I bring in any falsities If they be nothing but suspitions obtruded upon me it 's against the rule of Charity to attribute so much to them But I am reported to express my selfe in some things but not in all yet even in them it 's not darkly manifest whither I tend That 's to be here observed whether any thing delivered by me be judged contrary to the Word of God or the Confession of the Belgick Churches If the last * Not agreeing with the Belgick Confession be proved that I have taught any thing contrary to that I ingaged my self by my own subscription I am liable to punishment if the first * Contrary to the Word of God be made good I ought to be much more strictly dealt with and obliged either to recant or to lay aside my place especially if the heads of doctrine were notoriously injurious to the honour of God and salvation of men But if they were found neither to clash with the Word of God nor the Belgick Confession neither the inferences depending upon them according to the Rule of the Schoolmen The consequences of a doctrine being false the doctrine is false likewise and so on the contrary One of these ought to have been done either a charge brought in against me or a discrediting the reports of me The later I wished for the first I feared not notwithstanding the one and thirty Articles dispersed every where under my name to the great prejudice of me were noted by persons of great quality into whose hands they were given with what unsavouriness they were framed with what faith and conscience they were imposed upon me But I expect to hear Why did you not to avoyd these commotions and to satisfie so many Ministers fully open your selfe to your fellow-brethren in the whole matter of Religion either for your own timely instruction or their seasonable preparation to a mutuall conference Three inconveniences deterred me from this Least First my judgment professed should afford matter to them to frame an Action against me 2. Least the same should be disquieted and refuted in their Pulpits and Academical Disputes 3. Least it should be transmitted to Forraign Universities and Churches with hope of obtaining a condemnatory sentence against it and of bearing me down this way that I had weighty cause to fear all these things were not hard for me from the Tenents and Writings of some of them clearly to demonstrate That which respects my Infortion or instruction which I might hope from thence so it is there being besides my selfe many others who had drawn up their meditations in the matters of Religion instruction could not so profitably be administer'd any where as in the place of our joynt appearance where a Definitive Sentence as they call it might and ought to be pronounced as for my brethrens seasonable Preparation to the Conference certainly it would be Then most commodious When every one have produced their meditations together and so the reason of all things at once might be had And thus I have washed away the things chiefly cast upon me and come to discharge my promise and execute the commands which you my Lords the Noble and Potent Sates have laid upon me being confident hence no prejudice will arise either to my person or judgment in that obedience ariseth from it which next after God and according to God I owe to this honorable Assembly The first and chief bâ—anch in Religion upon which I have fixed my thoughts for these many years last past is the Predestination of God That is the election and reprobation of men to life and death making my entrance here I le first explain what some have delivered in our Churches and this University of Leyden both in words and writings concerning it then manifesting my thoughts upon that I wil lastly proceed to a Declaration of my own judgment in this point The Teachers in our Churches are not at oneness and simplicity in their judgments touching this doctrine but various and different amongst themselves The opinion of those who take the high and rigid way as 't is every where contained in their writings is this 1. That God by an eternal and immutable decree out of men not considered as made much less as fallen hath predestinated some to everlasting life others to eternal destruction without any intuition or respect to righteousness or sin obedience or disobedience of his pure good pleasure to demonstrate the glory of his justice and mercy or as others his saving grace wisdome and most free power 2. Besides this decree God to have fore-appointed some certain means belonging to the execution thereof and this by an everlasting and unchangeable Ordination these meanes are necessarily to follow by vertue of the preceding decree and unavoidably to lead him that is predestinated to his fore-appointed end Some of these Meanes lying in Common appertaining joyntly to the decree of Election and Reprobation others in special respecting each 3. Means common to both are three First the Creation of Man in the right state of Originall righteousnesse or according to the image and likeness of God in Righteousness and holiness Second the permission of the fall of Adam or the Ordination of God that man should sin and become vitious The Third the losing or the taking away of Originall Righteousness and the
shutting of him up under sin and condemnation IIII. For unless God had created some he had not had upon whom he might bestow eternall life and bring upon everlasting death had not he created them in righteousness and sanctitie God himselfe had been the Author of sin and so had been deprived of the right of punishment to the praise of his Iustice and salvation for the honour of his mercy unless they themselves had sinned and by the merit thereof rendered themselves guilty of Death there could have been no place to demonstrate either Justice or Mercy 5. The meanes fore-ordained These are the special means for the putting into execution the decree of election are these three First The preordination or the giving of Jesus Christ a mediatour and Saviour who should purchase by his merit for all and onely the Elect life and lost righteousness and by his vertue communicate the same Second Their vocation to faith outwardly by the word inwardly by his spirit in the mind affections and will by an operation so efficacious that the elect person must needs assent and yeeld obedience thereunto in so much as he is not in any capacity able not to beleeve this his Calling or not to be obedient thereunto Hence comes to passe their justification and sanctification by the blood and spirit of Christ and in like manner all their good workes and this by the same forementioned force and necessity Third meanes to be is the Keeping the Elect in the faith sanctitie and zeale of good works or the donation of the perseverance to them whose vertue is to be this that the beleeving and elect persons do not onely not sin with that plenitude and wholeness of will or not fall Totally from faith or grace but they Cannot sin with that full bent of mind neither Can they totally or finally fall away from faith or grace received 6. The two * Vacotion perseverance last of these means belonging onely to the adult elect person of ripe years but for the children of beleevers who pass out of this life and never come to maturity of age God leads them a shorter way to salvation if they belong to the number of the elect which God onely knows by giving Christ a Saviour to them and them to Christ who saves them by his blood and holy spirit without actuall faith and perseverance and this according to the promise of the Covenant I will be your God and the God of your seed 7. The means appointed to These proper to the decree of Reprobation put into execution the decree of reprobation are partly proper to All the reject and reprobate whether they have lived to ripeness of years or died before their maturity partly peculiar to Some of them onely Means Common to them all is their dissertion in sin by the suspension of that saving grace which is sufficient and necessary to salvation and this hath two branches 1. God not being willing that Christ should die for them neither * i. e. He neither dignitate pretii died for them in regard of the value of the price Nor voluntate propositi God never intending that hee should shed his blood for them Quoad Voluntatem Antecedentem according to his Antecedent will as some call it or Quoad Sufficientem according to the sufficient or the valew of that reconciliatory Price which was never offerd for the Reprobate either in respect of the divine decree or the vertue and efficacy of it The 2. branch Gods unwillingness to communicate the spirit of Christ to them without which 't were impossible for them to be made partakers of him and his benefits 8. The means Peculiar to some of them onely is that obduration which befalls Adult persons for their often enormous violation of the Law of God repudiation of the Grace of the Gospel To the executing the first * For their violation of the law of God induration appertains the witness of their minds to the righteousness of the Law by knowledge illumination and conviction it not being possible for the Law not to detaine them in unrighteousness onely but necessary to the rendring them inexcusable To the execution of the second * For their refusing the grace of the Gospel obduration God makes use of their calling by the preaching of the word which is to be both insufficient and ineffectuall as well in regard of the decree of God as the event thereof This vocation is to be either externall onely which they neither will nor can obey or internall whereby some of them are raised in their understandings to embrace and beleeve the things they heare yet with such a faith as the devils endowed with beleeve and tremble some of them are carried on further even after a manner to desire to taste of the Heavenly Gift these being the most miserable of all who are therefore taken up on high that their fall may be the greater it being impossible that this event should not befall them necessitated to returne to their vomit and to fall away from the f 〈…〉 9. From this decree of election and reprobation divine and the administration of the means appertaining to the execution of both it followes that the elect should necessarily be saved so as they are not in any possibility of perishing and the reprobates unavoidably damned so as 't is utterly impossible for them to be saved and that out of the absolute purpose of Gods preceding all things and causes which are in things or could result from things This Opinion by some of those that adhere thereunto is judged the foundation of Christianity Saâ—vation and the certainty thereof in which the sure and undoubted consolation of all beleevers giving them a peaceable conscience is founded and upon which the praise of the grace of God leaneth in so much as the contradicting this doctrine is surely to rob God of the glory of his grace to attribute the merit of salvation to the free-will and power of man which savours of Pelagianisme these being the causes pretended why they labour so anxiously to retaine the purity of this doctrine in their churches and oppose themselves to all alterations repugnant there unto For my part to speake what I thinke freely with the Salvage of a better judgement I am of that minde That this doctrine of predestination containeth in it many things false impertinent and discrepant with it selfe which Universally to run thorough time permits me not but I shal leave it to be examind in grosse in its latitude There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are foure speciall heads in my view and those of the greatest weight in this doctrine I shall first declare them then give you my own judgement concerning them They are these First That God hath Absolutely and precisely decreed the salvation of some particular men by his mercy or grace and the condemnation of others by his justice without any sight or intuition in this
decree of righteousness or sin obedience or disobedience that might proceed from either of them Secondly That God for the bringing to passe this his preceding decree determined the creation of Adam and all men in him in the right state of originall righteousness and futher ordained that they should sin and so be deprived of originall righteousness and become guilty of eternall condemnation 3. That God hath decreed those whom he would precisely save as to salvation so to the means appertaining thereunto to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ and perseverance in it and this indeed by his irresistible grace and power so as they cannot but beleeve persevere and be saved 4. That God hath decreed to deny unto them whom in his absolute will he hath preordained to destruction and accordingly doth not confer that grace which is sufficient and necessary to salvation so as they are neither able to believe neither can they be saved Now after the diligent weighing and examination of these foure branches in my own breast I come to deliver the things that Arminius his Arguments against the doctrine contained in the four branches mentioned above follow touching this doctrine of predestination 1. That this doctrine is not the foundation of Christianity Salvation or the Certainty therof Not of Christianity 1. For this predestination is not that decree of God wherein Christ is established by his Father the Saviour head and foundation of those who are made heires of eternall life which is the onely fundamental of Christianity 2. Neither is this of predestination that doctrine by which men as living stones are built upon Christ alone the corner stone by faith and joyned to him as members to the head Not of salvation 1. For this predestination is not that decree of the good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus upon which alone our salvation leaneth 2. It is no foundation of Salvation for it is not the powor of God unto salvation to those that beleeve in that the righteousness of God is not manifested by it ex fide in fidem from faith to faith Neither of the certainty of salvation For that stayeth it selfe upon this decree they that beleeve shall be saved I beleeve therefore I shall be saved but this doctrine of predestination neither comprehendeth the first or second member of this syllogisme which some confessed in these words We meane not that Consult the Belgick Theses the knowing of this predestination is the foundation of Christianity or salvation or that it is necessary after the same manner as the doctrine of the Gospel Secondly The doctrine of 2 Arg. predestination thus delivered doth not contain in it either the whole or any part of the Gospel for this consists partly of an injunction of faith and repentance partly of a promise of forgiveness of sins of the spirit of grace and of eternal life according to the tenure of the sermons of Christ and the Baptist his forerunner and his successours the Apostles after his ascention but this predestination neither respects the command of faith and repentance neither the promise it doth not teach us What kind of persons God hath predestinated in general which is properly the Evāgelical doctrine but contains in it a mystery onely known to God wherein are comprehended the individual persons whom God hath decreed to save and condemne whence I further conclude this doctrine of predestination not to be necessary either to be known beleeved hoped in or effected to salvation so a learned man confesseth in his questions to bee disputed Why the Gospel cannot be termed a Book or discovery of predestination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply in its self but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectively because it neither Sets downe the numerical matter nor forme absolutely that is It doth not declare how many nor whom * As Ieremiah whom God knew before he came out of the womb sanctified him Jer. 5 a very few onely excepted but what kind of persons in general are predestinated Thirdly This doctrine of predestination was never admitted decreed or approved 3 Arg. of for the first six hundred yeares after Christ in any councel General Councils either general or particular not in the Councel holden at Nice wherein it was determined against Arrius for the diety and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Son of God not in the first at Constantinople in which it was decreed against Macedonius for the diety of the holy Ghost not in the Ephesine Councel against Nestorius for the unity of the person of the Son of God not in that holden at Calcedon which condemned Eutiches and determined for two distinct natures in one and the same person of our Lord Jesus Christ not in the second held at Constantinople in which Peter Bishop of Antioch Anthym the Constantinopoletane and others were condemned for asserting the passion of the Father with the Son not in the third at Constantinople in which the Monothelites were condemned for affirming to be but one only will and operation in Jesus Christ Neither had this doctrine any better intertainment in particular Councils as that at Jerusalem Particular Councils Arausin neither was it vintilated or confirmed in that held at Milevite in Affrick against Pelagius and his errors as appeares by the Articles of doctrine decreed in it against them And the doctrine of Austine himselfe touching this point was so farre from being received in these Councils that Celestine the Romane bishop his contemporary writing to the bishops of France and condemning the Pelagion tenents shuts up his Epistle in these words As we dare not contemne the more profound and difficult parts of those questions started and broadly handled by the opposers of the Hereticks so judge we it not necessaty to abet them beleeving it sufficient what the writings have taught us according to the forementioned rules of the apostolical seat to the owning of the grace of God from whose power and worth nothing ought to be substracted For those Canons mentioned by Celestine in his Epistle and decreed in the three foregoing particular Councils we shall agree well enough especially as to those things which were requisite for the maintaining of grace against Pelagius and his errours Fourthly There was never 4 Arg. any sound and orthodox teachers of the church for 600. yeares next after Christ that ever broched and approved this doctrine of predestination no not the keenest assertors of Grace against Pelagius such was Jerome Austin the Author of the Book entituled The Call of the Gentiles Prosper the Aquitani Hilarius Fulgentius Orosius as appears by their writings Fifthly This holds no agreement 5 Arg. or correspondency with the Harmony of Confessions put forth in the name of all the reformed and Protestant Churches Printed and published at Geneva For if they be faithfully consulted 't will be apparently manifest that many of them do not agree in this point some of them onely glancing at it And
is imprisoned because he differs from Zeno. O miserable times the doctrine of the Gospell obscured with strange and forraign disputes The dissent of the Danish Churches in general is evident from the writings of Nicholas Hemminge in his Treatife of Universal grace where he thus states the Controversie with his Adversaries Whether the Elect believe or Believers are elected Those who assert the first he judges them to agree with the doctrine of the Manichees and Stoicks those of the later perswasion with Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Further Many in our owne Countrey do so ill resent this doctrine as they have openly profess'd they neither can nor will have communion with our Church Some that have joyned themselves yet with this protestation that they could not close with this opinion and not a few upon the score of Predestination onely have fallen away from our Churches who have been of the same minde with us others threatning to leave us unless they were satisfied the Church was not of this judgement Certainly there is no doctrinal point the Papists Anabaptists and Lutherans do more sharply oppose and by whose means procure greater envy to our Church casting an Odium upon all the Doctrines thereof as if there were no blasphemy against God so dreadful either utterable or imaginable which according to this opinion of our Teachers might not upon good consequence bee deduced from this Predestination Lastly There was rarely ever any difficulty or controversie in these our Churches all along since the times of Reformation which hath not had its rise from this Doctrine or been in some conjunction with it For the truth of this wee may recollect the contests at Leyden in the matter of Coolhasius those at Gouda in the business of Herman Herberts those at Horn about Cornelius Wigyer and Medenblick in the cause of Taco Sibrand And this was not the least motive inducing me to a diligent animadvertency of this point endeavouring that no damage accrue thereby unto our Churches the Papacy hence geting ground whose ruin as of the Kingdome of Antichrist all pious Teachers ought to wish studiously seek and as much as in them lies pursue And this in brief is that I have meditated upon this Doctrine of Predestination as it hath in all faithfulness been propounded by mee from the Authours thereof not affixing the least syllable to them which I cannot clearly prove from their own writings Others of our Teachers do hold forth the Doctrine of Predestination with some diffrence from the former and that two several wayes which I will briefly run through The Judgement of some of them is this First That God hath purposed in himself by an Eternal and Immutable Decree out of the lump of mankinde to make the lesser part for his good pleasure partakers of grace and glory to the praise of his renowned Mercy but by his preterition to leave the greater part in the state of Nature impotent to supernatural things and not communicate to them that saving and spiritual grace by which their nature yet whole and integrate might be establish'd or corrupted and depraved restored to the demonstration of his Liberty but afterward being made peccant and culpable to punish them with eternal death for the illustration of his Justice Secondly Predestination which word with these men is taken in the strict sense for Election and opposed to Reprobation is considerable in respect of the end and the means leading thereunto In respect of the end which is salvation and a manifesto of his glorious grace Man 's consider'd absolutely and indifferently in his own nature in reference to the means he is looked upon as of himself and in himself perishing and as guilty in Adam Thirdly In the Decree touching the end these gradations are observable Gods prescience by which he foreknew the predestinate then his prefinition by which he preordain'd the salvation of those whom he foreknew First By electing them from eternity then by preparing grace for them in this life and glory in the life to come Fourthly Means appertaining to the execution of this Predestination are to be Christ himself then efficacious calling to faith in him whence ariseth Justification and then the gift of perseverance to the end Fifthly Reprobation as we are capable of understanding it consists of two acts Preterition and Predamnation the first antecedaneous to all things causes which are either in them or exist by them i. e. beholding man absolutely and indifferently under no consideration of sin Sixthly To execute this act of Preterition two means to be fore-appointed Dereliction in the state of Nature uncapable of supernatural performances and Non-communication of grace whereby their nature uncorrupted might be confirm'd or depraved might be restored Seventhly Predamnation likewise to precede all things yet not without the prescience of the causes of damnation God in his foreknowledge beholding man as an offender and guilty of death in Adam therefore liable to perish out of the necessity imposed upon him by Divine Justice Eighthly The means ordained to put into execution this Predamnation 1. Just desertion and that 's either of Exploration wherein God conferres not his grace or of Punishment when God deprives man of all his salutiferous gifts and delivers him up into the power of Satan 2. Means hardening and those things that accompany it to the real damnation of the Reprobate Others declare their Opinion thus The second Opinion concerning Predestination First That God willing to decree from eternity the Election of particular persons Reprobation of others looked upon mankind not onely as made but as fallen and corrupted and therefore guilty of Malediction from which he determined freely by his grace to save some for a declarative of his Mercy and leave others under the curse in just Judgement for a manifesto of his Justice and this without any consideration had of Repentance and Faith in the one or Infidelity and Impenitence in the other Secondly The special means See the stating of the first opinion particularly belonging to the execution of this Decree of Election and Reprobation are to be the same with those laid down in the stating of the first Opinion excepting those in common appertaining jointly to both for the judgement of these men we now represent makes not the fall of man as a means preordain'd to the accomplishment of the preceding Decree of Predestination but onely as a proaeresis or an occasion administred for the framing hereof Both of these Opinions according Arminius examines these Opinions to their outward shape do in this only differ from the first that they neither place Creation nor the fall as a middle cause fore-appointed of God to execute this preceding Decree of Predestination though the two later themselves agree not concerning the Fall The first of them propounds Election in respect of the end and preterition the first part of Reprobation as preceding the fall the second as both of them
and others be explained by beleevers and unbelievers my judgement is dilucidly comprehended in it which moved me being to dispute publikely in the Colledge to order the questions In Collegio publicoprivato Academiae to be stated in the words of the Confession It agrees with the Catechism Quest 20. 54. 7. It very well sutes the Nature of God viz. his wisdome goodness and righteousness is the principal matter and clearest demonstration of them 8. It 's at very good agreement with the Nature of Man whether considered in the state of Innocency Apostacy or restauration 9. It holds good correspondency with the Act of Creatiâ—n confirming it to be the communication of good according to the intent of God and the event of the thing that it had its rise from Divine goodness its continuation and preservation from Divine Love and that it is the perfect and proper work of God wherein he pleased himself and procured all things which were necessary ad non peccandum to a not sinning 10. It consents with the Nature of eternal life and those titles wherewith it is dignified in Scripture 11. With the Property of eternal death and those names put upon it by the Holy Ghost 12. It makes sinne to be truly disobedience and the meritorious cause of condemnation and so concords with Apostacy and Transgression 13. It harmonizeth with the Nature of Grace by ascribing all things competible thereunto reconciling it to his justice and the nature and liberty of Mans will 14. It 's a most advantagious declarative of the glory of Gods Justice and Mercy representing him the cause of all good and our salvation and Man the cause of fin and his own ruin 15. It contributes to the honor of Iesus Christ appointing him the foundation of Predestination the procuring and communicatory cause of salvation 16. It greatly promotes the salvation of men being the power and means unto everlasting life procreating in them sorrow for sin a sollicitous care of conversion faith in Christ study of good works zeal in prayer causing us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and as far as is necessary hinders desperation 17. It confirms and establisheth that Order and Method the Preaching of the Gospel requires First exacting Faith and Repentance then promising Remission of Sin the grace of the Spirit and eternal life 18. It strengthens the dispensation of the Gospel and renders it fruitful in the promulgation thereof administry of the Sacraments and Publike Prayers 19. It is the foundation of Christianity in that in it the double Love of God are haply joyned together and at good agreement one with another namely his Love of Righteousness with his love of men Lastly This doctrine hath always been allowed of by the major part of Christians and to this day stands approved by them neither can it administer an occasion of its abhorrency or ground of contention in the Christian Church It s much to be wished that men would proceed no further in this matter neither be inquisitive into the unsearchable judgements of God any more then as revealed in the Scriptures And this is that most Noble and Potent States I have to declare to your Highness's concerning this Doctrine so much ventilated in the Church of Christ And if I should not be burdensome I have other things to offer to your Highness's conducing to the declaration of my â—udgement and leading to the self-same end for which I am commanded hither by your Highness's The Providence of God the Free-will of Man Perseverance of Saints Assurance of Salvation are points of so great affinity with this Doctrine of Predestination and have so much dependance upon it that with your good leave I shall deliver my self upon them THe Providence of GOD I judge to be that careful continual and ever-present eye of God by which the care of the whole Universe and all particular Creatures not one exempted is upon him to the conservation and government of them in their essence qualities actions and passions as it best becomes him and sutes them to the glory of his Name and salvation of Believers Herein I substract nothing from Divine Providence competible to it but yeeld it the conservation regulation gubernation and direction of all things even to the abolition of Chance and Fortune yea I subject to the great Providence the Will of Man and the very acts of the rational creature so that nothing is done without its will though contrary thereunto This difference betwixt good and bad actions onely observed in that we affirm God both to will and do good acts but freely to permit the bad being willing to concede the attribution of all acts excogitable concerning evil to the providence of God so wee take heed lest thence God be determin'd The Author of Sin which I evidently enough testified in a Dispute once and again under me at Leyden concerning the righteousness and efficacious Providence of God in evill in which I endeavoured to ascribe unto Providence all those acts concerning sin attributed to God in Scripture making such progress herein that occasion was taken by some of impeaching me with making GOD the Author of Sin which was often produced against me at Amsterdam according to their suggestion from those Theses but how justly it is sufficiently manifest from my answer to the one and thirty Articles mentioned above falsly imposed upon me this being one of them Touching mans will I am of that opinion that he was in dowed with knowledg holiness and other ablities by his Creation whereby he was able to understand estimate consider will and performe true good even as far as the commandment obliged him yet not this without the auxiliaries of Divine grace In the state of Apostacy and sin he is disabled of himselfe and by himself to think will or do any thing truly good and stands in need of the renovating and regenerating power of God in Christ by his Spirit in his intellect affections will and all other faculties to impower him hereunto but participating hereof as freed from sin he is able to think will and do good yet still as under the Supplies of the grace of God Concerning the grace of God I believe it to be that gratuitous and undeserved assioâ— whereby God is well affected towards a miserable sinner by which first he gave his Son that whosoever believe's in him might have eternall life and then in and for Christ justifies him and adopts him into the right of his sons unto Salvation 2. It is the infusion of Spiritual gifts into the understanding will and affections of man appertaining to his regeneration and renovation viz. Faith hope Charity c. without which gratious donatives man is not meet to think will or do any thing that good is 3. Grace is that continued assistance that non-intermissive helpe of the Holy Ghost by which the Spirit doth instantly perswade excite man before Regenerate unto goodnesse infusing Salutiferous cogitations
follow if such Explications as these were once permitted in the Church of God It admits of no excuse that the Son of God should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is it proper to say that the Essence of God is common to the three persons when it 's said to be communicated one from another From what I say it 's openly manifest how much we can tolerate in him whom we suspect not of Heresie and on the contrary how greedily we snatch up any thing to burden him whom we have in suspition the first is conspicuous for the later this example is the least Concerning man's justification before God I am not conscious to my self of teaching or thinking any thing which is not the unanimous sense of the reform'd and Protestant Churches and at very good accord with their judgements herein Some controversie of this nature indeed there was afoot betwixt Piscator the Nassovian Professor of Divinity and the French Churches stated thus Whether the obedience and righteousness of Christ imputed to Believers and in which they are righteous before God were only the passive obedience of Christ according to the judgement of Piscator or both active and passive which in his whole life he yeelded to the Law of God and that holiness wherein hee was conceived as the Gallick Churches believed For my part I never durst sink into this question or assume the examination thereof being satisfied the Professors of the same Religion may dissent from one another herein salving the unity of Faith and Christian Peace the Adversaries one to another seeming to be of the same minde in mutual toleration and brotherly forbearance although in our Countrey some be of another judgement A Question is mov'd from the words of the Apostle Rom. 4. Faith was accounted for righteousnesse whether it be understood properly so that faith as an act done according to the Evangelical Precept be imputed before God to or for righteousness and that by grace in as much as it is not the righteousness of the Law or whether it be to be understood figuratively and improperly that the righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith be imputed to us for righteousness or thus whether Righteousness into or for which faith is imputed bee the instrumental work thereof as some assert I have followed the first opinion in the Theses of Justification disputed under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me Non praecisè not rigidly yet simpli itèr plainly as elsewhere in a certain Epistle For this I am judged unsound in the doctrine of mans Justification but this wil be more clearly manifest in a mutual conference in its due season For the present briefly thus I believe the justification of sinners by the sole obedience of Christ and that his Righteousness is the onely meritorious cause for which the condonation of sin is granted to believers and reputed as just as if they had fulfilled the Law perfectly but inasmuch as God imputes this Righteousness of Christ to believers only I judg in this sense it may be well and properly said that faith is imputed for Righteousness by grace to him that believeth God having set forth his Son Tribunal Gratiae a Mercy-seat or propitiation by faith in his blood But however my judgement is the same with Calvins whom none of us reprehends as unsold in this point and am ready to subscribe to what he layes down in the third booke of his Institutions concerning it And these are the chief Articles most noble and potent States at the command of these Sessions I judged necessary to declare my sense of I have made some annotations upon the Confession of the Belgick Churches and Heydelberge Catechism but of these a debate will be most seasonable in our Synod which with your consent and evocation we hope for by the first opportunity only give me leave to add a word or two concerning a certaine Claufe under which the Noble and Potent States Generall consented to a Nationall Synod in this Province which was this that in it the Confession and Catechism of the Belgick Churches should be subjected to Examination This hath displeased many who judged it not onely unnecessary but very unmeet to be done and who should procure this from the Lords the States Generall but a person of quality and my selfe But neither of these upon any ground for the later we were so far from being the authors of it that eleven or twelve years ago at the great importunity of the Churches for a Nationall Synod the States of South-Holland and Westfriesland could not judg it otherwise requisite to yeeld thereunto by their decree then that in it the Confession of the Belgick Churches should be brought under Examination we not promoting any such thing at that time either by advice or endeavour yet really if we had we had done nothing but our duty and what was agreeable both to Equity and Reason and the necessity of our present Estate First that it might appeare to all the world we bear that honour to the word of God alone as becomes us that it onely is determined to be without nay above all dispute beyond al exception and worthy of all acceptation Secondly these book 's being the writings of men Errour may be contain'd in them whence it behoves us to be inquisitive yet lawfully in a Nationall Synod whether there be any thing that stands need of Correction and emendation in them 1 Whether they have an agreement of parts with the word of i. e. An exact agreement thoroughout God as well according to the words themselves and manner of speaking as the genuine sense thereof 2. Whether or no whatsoever is Comprehended in them be necessary to be believed unto salvation so consequently saving health ascribed to those things to which it is not Competible 3. Whether the Confession doth not containe and comprehend too many things as necessary to be believed unto salvation and that saving health according to that rule be refused to be given up to what it appertaines 4. Whether the words and form's of speaking made use of in them are not of ambiguous acception administring an occasion of contention for Example 14. Artâ—â— Confes you have this passage Nothing is done without Gods ordination if by ordination be meant Gods appointing that something be done the Proposition is false in that it follows that God is the Author of sin but if the import of it be his Ordination to a good end it s rightly understood 5. Whether there may not be found things repugnant one to another Ex. Gr. A person much honoured in the Church writes to Piscator the Nassovian Professor wishes him to adhere to the Heydelberge Catechism in his Doctrine of Justification cites to this purpose three places which he thought at variance with the judgement of Piscator The Professor returns For his part he did stedfastly abide in the sense of the Catechism alledgeth for his proof eleven or twelve places thence Now
I solemnly profess I see not how these places admit of reconciliation 6. Whether all things in these writings be digested in that right order and method the Scripture requires them to be 7. Whether all things be most aptly constituted for the preservation of peace and unity with all Reformed Churches 3 Reason The end of a National Synod is diligently to consult the right ordering the affairs of the Church to which chiefly belongs a Doctrinal Scrutiny as well that which by Unanimous consent is admitted of as what some Teachers earnestly contend for 4. Reason Such an Examination as this will not only procure authority to these writings when after a Mature and rigid Scrutiny they shall be found concording with the Word of God or more and more conform'd thereunto but also raise the credit of the Ministers in the minds of men when they perceive the truth reveald in the Book of God to be so deare and of that great account with them that they will spare no pains to set their Doctrine in a greater Conformity thereunto 5 Reason Why if at any time now especially we Judge such a thing necessary because there are many Ministers having some Meditations by them upon several things contained in the Confession and Catechisme which they secretly reserve not revealing them to any hoping to debate them in a National Synod this being promised them some suffer themselves to be perswaded not to permit their thoughts herein to see the light Further The end of a National Synod should be this That it may please the Noble and Potent Lords and States to establish some Ecclesiastick Sanctions by publick authority according to which every one ought to frame himself in the Church of God That this may be obtained from your most illustrious Highnesses and others able to execute the same with a good Conscience its necessary They understand the Doctrine comprehended in the forme of unity to be Consentaneous to the VVord of God This ought be an inducement to us to present and offer the examination of our Confession before the Supreme States either to shew its agreement with the Word of God or to render it suitable thereunto 6. Reason is drawn from the example of the Associates of the Augustan Confession the Helvetian and French Churches who not above two or three yeeres ago inriched their Confession with a new entire Article and the Belgick its self since its first Edition hath undergone a Scrutiny in substraction from it addition to it and mutation of it I wave other Reasons that might be brought judging these sufficient to prove that the Clause for Examination and Review as they call it is rightly inserted in the Instrument of Consent of which mention was made even now I am not ignorant what Allegations are made against these especially that published abroad every where and judged to carry the greatest weight to which I think it requisite to make answer That to review the Doctrine of the Church would be to call the same into question which neither ought nor is fit to be done 1. Because it 's approved by the suffrage of many grave and learned men and stifly defended against all the opposers thereof 2. Seal'd with the blood of so many thousand Martyrs 3. From hence would arise confusions scandals ruine of consciences within the Church derisions reproaches and criminations without To all these I reply 1. 'T were better this odious kinde of speaking such as to call into question the like were not used but when only humane Writings are under debate which may have a mixture of Error in them What reason is there to say such a Writing is called into question which was never questionless nor ever ought to be so reputed 2. The defence of any Writing against its adversaries the approbation of learned men the obsignation thereof with the blood of Martyrs suffice not to make a Doctrine authentick these Martyrs and Teachers being liable to erre which is not to be denyed in this Argument 3. The Materials of the Confession admit of discrimination some touch the foundation of salvation and are the very fundamentals of Christianity some only are built upon this bottm and are not absolutely in themselves necessary to eternal bliss The former are approv'd of by the unanimous consent of all reformers and strongly defended against all gainsayers the later disputed to and fro amongst them and some of these not without some shew of truth oppugned by their Adversaries To the first of these the Martyrs have set to their seal in blood to the last not at all It 's worthy our diligent observation what was propounded to these Witnesses of Religion in our time and for what their own lives were not dear unto them which if we do we shall find they were never question'd about any thing judged worthy by me of a debate in the Synod therefore not sealed with the blood of any To alledge an example When the question was concerning the eleventh Cap. to the Romans 't was asserted by some That that place was cited in the Margin of the Confession and that in his sense who avouched the same and that The Martyrs had seal'd the Confession with their blood Answer was If the exactest search were made through the great Book of Martyrs set forth by the French 't would not be found that ever any of them were so much as examin'd concerning it or shed the least drop of their blood for it In brief the blood of those sacred Witnesses confirm'd this That in the Integrity and simplicity of their consciences they professed the Faith and not that their Confession was beyond all Reproof and Exception unless they had been so led into all truth by Christ that they could not erre 4. If the Church were rightly instructed in the Difference which is and ever ought to be 'twixt Divine and Humane Writings and of that Liberty the Church and all other Christians are lawfully invested with of regulating the later by the former they would neither vex themselves nor be offended when they see all the writings of men brought to the probative touchstone of Gods Word but rather 't would be matter of great joy to the Church that God had bestowed such Pastors and Teachers upon it who might justly and fitly due order alwayes observ'd to the Test of the Scriptures level their Doctrine accordingly that it might every way accord and in the least things perfectly agree therewith 5. The fear of ensuing trouble the Scorns Cavillings and Criminations of disaffected persons ought not to render a Doctrine once received less obnoxious to examination they might rather turn it to their advantage when 't would be manifest such persons as would do this were not sound in their Religion it being of Divine injunction to search and try the spirits whether they were of God If these Considerations had been of any moment with Luther Zwinglius and others the Doctrine of the Pontificiar es had never
been brought to the test by them neither those who follow the Augustine Confession had judged it reasonable to subject it to a new Examination and change it in some places thereof We cannot but approve this deed and judge Luther not to have done well being admonished by Philip Melancthon in the close of his life as it 's testified in writing by our Countrey-men to reduce the Eucharistical Controversie of the Lords Supper to some better agreement in refusing so to do upon this ground retorted upon Philip as 't is reported of him That by this means the whole Doctrine should be called into question for if reasons of this nature had been admitted then the endeavors of the Church of Rome had been lawful in hindring the controverting and questioning by any new scrutiny the Doctrine receiv'd in the Church for so many hundred yeers To this it 's opposed If the doctrine of the Churches should be subjected to a new Examination at the Celebration of every National Synod they would never have any thing on which they might rest and firmly lean and that it might be truly said of these Churches That they had fidem anniversariam an anual faith and were carried about hither and thither with every winde of Doctrine To which I answer First The Church have Moses and the Prophets the Evangelists and Apostles i. e. the whole Scripture of the Old New Testament wherein the necessaries to salvation are fully and clearly comprehended Vpon this the Church shall build its faith and stay thereon as upon an immovable foundation into which notwithstanding our Confessions Catechisms every determination in all causes of Faith and Religion ought to be resolv'd 2. There are some points in the Confession so certain and indubious that they will never be question'd by any but * Ex. Gr. Whether Christ be the Son of God Whether the soul be immortal Hereticks other branches are of that nature that 't were very advantagious as oft as may be to have them debated amongst learned and God-fearing men that they may be ranked as neer as possibly they can with points of greater certainty 3. It would be endeavoured that the Confession be made up of as few heads as may be and those briefly framed in Scripture-terms omitting all larger Explications Proofs Digressions heapings together of words and sentences Amplifications Exclamations and onely delivering in it the necessaries to salvation The brevity will render it less obnoxious to Errors Obloquy and Examination taking for our example the practise of the primitive Church which gave a draught of the Articles judged necessary to be believed in very few words Some there are that make a distinction betwixt the Confession and Catechism as to a review and judge the former because proper to the Belgick Churches and not so much made use of by others may with less difficulty fall under a Synodical review and examination but the Catechism not being peculiar to us but chiefly appertaining to the Palatinate Churches and of general use and concernment cannot without great detriment be brought to the test To which I answer If the Catechisme of Heydelberg must needs be the form of concord amongst the Teachers of the Churches and to which every of them is bound to subscribe its necessary to subject the same to Examination for there are no Churches ought to be in that place unto us that we should so admit of any writing composed by them as not to preserve our Liberty of examining the same And this I look upon as the principal cause why the Churches of several Provinces agreeing in the Fundamentals of Religion have framed their Confessions peculiar to every of them Let it be granted that the Heydelberg Catechism is no such form and liberty conceded in its Explication as is fitting and 't wil not be necessary either to review or examine the same the burden only of subscription thereunto removed and moderate liberty yeelded in the unfolding thereof CONCLUSION AND this is that most Noble Potent Wise and prudent Lords I have to propose to your Highnesses together with a returne of thanks to this Noble and Potent Assembly to which next after God himselfe I acknowaedg my selfe bound to give an account of all my actions that of your Clemency you have vouchsafed to heare me patiently with my solemne protestations that I am ready to entertaine a fraternal and amicable conference with my fellow brethren concerning these things or any other about which at any time any controversie may arise at what time or place or upon what occasion soever it shall be judged requisite by these Sessions And I further engage in every debate to yeeld my self moderate and flexible not less prompt to learn then teach And in as much as in every thing to be conferr'd of amongst us there are two things attendable First whether that in debate be true and then whether it be necessary to be believed unto salvation the Scriptures being the ground of our inquiry in both I do Sacredly affirm and solemnly oblige my selfe not to obtrude any point to be believed my brethren dissenting from me therein though proved by solid arguments to consent with the Scriptures unlesse I have clearly Evinced it from the Divine word it selfe and as dilucidly true so also necessary to be believed by every Christian to salvation which if my brethren will be prepared to do my opinion is there will scarce any debate or Schisme be amongst us And further I adde that I may take away all feare and jealousy that on my part may hang upon this Noble Assembly now charged and burden'd with weighty affaires upon which the peace and prosperity of our Nation and the reform'd Churches depend there will certainly be very many things and those of a high nature which I shall beare with in my fellow brethren not being Lord of another mans faith but a Minister in this to those that believe that in them may grow the Knowledg truth piety peace and joy in Christ Jesus our Lord. But if my fellow-brethren see not how they can attolerate me and grant me a place amongst them yet notwithstanding for that which concern's my self I hope no rent or division will ensue which God avert there are Schisms enough already in the Christian world its incumbent rather upon every one to diminish and abolish them In this case I 'le possess my soule in patience and my place though I shall indeavour to live so long as God shall prorogue my life for the common good of Christianity I will lay downe mindfull of that Sat Ecclesiae Sat Patriae datum FINIS These books following are to be sold by Henry Eversden at the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard AN Exposition with Practical Observations on the Nine first Chapters of the Proverbs by Francis Taylor Minister of Canterbury in quarto An Exposition with Practicall Observations on the whole Book of Canticles in quarto by John Robotham Minister of the Gospel An Idea or body of Church-discipline in the Theorick and Practick by Mr. Rogers in quarto Imputatio Fidei Or a Treatise of Justification wherein the imputation of Faith for Righteousness mentioned in Romans 4. 5. 6th is explained by Mr. John Goodwin Minister of the Gospel in quarto The Right of Dominions or the Prerogative of Kings proved from Scripture by Dr. Welden Lucas Redivivus or the Gospel-Physitian prescribing by way of meditation divine Physick to prevent diseases not yet entred upon the soul by John Anthony Doctor in Physick in quarto Mercy in her Exaltation a Sermon preached at the Funerall of Mr. Thomas Taylor by Mr. John Goodwin in quarto Anabaptists Meribah or Waters of strife being an answer to Mr Tho. Lamb Merchant by Mr. Price one of Mr. John Goodwins Congregation The natural mans case stated or an exact map of the little world man in seventeen Sermons by Mr. Christopher Love to which is added a Sermon preached at his Funeral by Mr. Thomas Manton of Newington in 80. Gods glory in mans happiness or the freeness of Gods grace electing us by Francis Taylor of Canterbury in 80. The Lords Prayer unclasped being a vindication of it against all schismaticks and Hereticks called Enthusiasts and Fratracilli by James Harwood B. D. Hippolitus Translated out of Seneca by Edm. Prestwich Gospel publick worship or the Translation Metaphrase Analysis and Exposition of Romans 12. from vers 1 to 8th describing and prescribing the compleat pattern of Gospel worship Also an Exposition of the 18th Chapter of Matthew to which is added a discovery of Adams three-fold estate in Paradise viz. Moral Legal and Evangelical by Thomas Brewer in 80. A Comment on Ruth together with two Sermons one teaching how to live wel the other minding how to dye wel by Thomas Fuller Author of the Holy State Pearls of Eloquence or the school of Complements wherein Ladies and Gentlewomen may accomodate their Courtly practise by Will. Elder Gent. in 12. The doctrine of laying on of hands vindicated and asserted being an Answer to Lieut. Col. Paul Hobson in quarto The Male of the Flock a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor out of the 4th of Malachy by Mr. Aggas Minister of Chynis These Books are now in the Press and ready to Publish Riverus Vniversall body of Physick in English folio The seventh day Sabbath sought out and Celebrated by The. Tillam in 8â— Mr. John Goodwin in answer to Mr. Kendall and Mr. Resbury and Mr. Pauson