the whol world freed from Obligations to Cities or Mountaines walking before God in and with a pure and spiritual worship having no one Reason of that former institution in common with the Church of the Jewes must be cast into the same mould and figure I hope without offence I may take leave to deny the Consequence and what more I have to say to this Argument I shall yet deferre But the Doctour proceeds to prove that indeed the Apostles did dispose of the Churches in this frame and order according to the patterne of the civil goverment of the Romane Empire and that instituted of God among the Jewes The ninth Section wherin he attempts the proof of this Assertion is as followeth Ad hanc Imaginem Apostoles Ecclesias ubique disponendas curasse in omnibus plantationibus suit minorum ab eminentioribus civitatibus dependentiam subordinationem constituisse exemplis quidem plurimis monstrari possit illud in Syria Cilicia patet Act 16.4 cum enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud cap 15. 2. Hierosolymas reforretur ab Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiochiae Cap. 14. 26 15. 3. decretum ab Apostolis denuò ad eos mitteretur v 22. in Epistolâ quâ decretum illud continebatur simul cum Antiochensibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehensos videmus v 23. Dein Epistolâ istâ Antiochenae Ecclesiae reddita v 30. Paulus tandem Sylas Syriam Ciliciam peragrantes v 4. cap. 16. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulis civitatibus observanda tradiderunt ut quae ad hanc Antiochiae Metropolin ut totidem subordinatae Ecclesiae pertinerent ut ipsa Antiochia ad Hierosolymas primariam tam latae ut ex Philone pradiximus provinciae Metropolin pertinebat ad eam ad dirimendam litem istam se conferebat This being all that the Doctour hath to produce from the Scripture to his purpose in hand I have transcribed it at large for this being removed all that follows will fall of it's own accord 1 Then the dependance on and subordination of lesser Citties to the greater is asserted as an Apostolical institution Now because I suppose the Doctour will not assert nor doth intend a civil dependance and subordination of Cities as such among them selves nor will a dependance as to Counsel advice assistance and the like supplies which in their mutual Communion the lesser Churches might receive from the greater and more eminent serve his turne but an Ecclesiastical dependance and subordination such as whereby many particular Churches with Inferiour Officers residing in them and with them depended on and were in subjection unto some one person of a superiour order commonly residing in some eminent City and many of these Governours of a superiour order in the greater Cities were in such subordination unto some one of high degree termed a Metropolitan and all this by Apostolical institution is that which he aymeth at which being a most gallant adventure in a waking generation we shall doubtless find him quitting himselfe like a man in his undertaking 2 Then he tells you that the question about Mosaical Rites and necessity of their observation was referred to Jerusalem by the single Church of Antioch But how does the Doctour make good this first step which yet if he could would do him no good at all It is true that Paul was now come to Antioch ch 14 26 also that he was brought on his way by the Church chap 15. 3 but yet that the Brethren who were taught the Doctrine contested about v. 1 were only of the Church of Antioch when it is most certaine from the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians Colossians Romanes others that great disturbance was raised farre and wide in all the Churches of the Gentiles obout this controversy nothing is offered It seems indeed that their disputes grew to the greatest height at Antioch whether Brethren from other parts and Churches did also come whilest Barnabas and Paul abode there but that that single Church referred the determining of that controversy to them at Jerusulem exclusively to others the Doctour proves not And it is most evident from the returne of the Answer sent by the Apostles from Jerusalem v 23 that the reference was from all the Churches of the Gentiles yea and all the scattered brethren perhaps as yet not brought into Church Order not only at Antioch but also throughout Syria and Cilicia It is then granted what he next observes viz that in the Answer returned from Jerusalem with them at Antioch those in Syria and Cilicia are joyned the reason of it being manifest namely their trouble about the same Controversy being no less then theirs at Antioch It is also granted that as Paul passed through the Cities that he delivered them the decrees to keep that were ordained by the Apostles and Elders ch 16. 4 and that not only to the Churches of Syria and Cilicia which he left c 15. 41 but also to those throughout Phrygia and the Regions of Galatia v 6. What now followes out of all this What but that Antioch by Apostolical institution was the Metropolitan See of all the Churches of Syria and Cilicia Good Doctour do not be angry but tell us how this may be proved Why doubtless it was so as Antioch belonged to the Metropolitan Church at Jerusalem as he told us out of Philo who was excellently acquainted with Apostolical institutions What Jerusalem was to the whole Church and Nation of the Jewes whilest the name of God was fixed there we know But what was the primitive estate of the Churches of Jesus Christ made of Jewes and Gentiles tyed neither to City or Mountaine I must be pardoned if I cannot find the Doctour making any tender of manifesting or declaring The reasons of referring this controversy unto a determination at Jerusalem the Holy Ghost acquaints us with Acts 15 2. That we have no need of this Metro-political figment to informe us in it And now if we will not not only submit to Diocesan Bishops but also reverence the grave Metro-Politans standing upon such cleare Apostolical institution It is fit that all the world should count us the arrantest Schismaticks that ever lived since Pope Boniface his time The summe then of this doubty Argument for the Apostolical institution of Metropolitans that none might ever more dare to call Diocesians into question hereafter Is this Paul who was converted about the 3 or 4th yeare of Caligula 5 or 6 yeares after the Ascention of Christ having with great success for 3 yeares preached the Gospel went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas upon the Persecution rais'd against him at Damascus Act 9 22 whence returning to his work he went first to Tarsus Act. 9. 30 thence to Antioch where he abode one whole yeare Act 11. 25. 26 was then sent to Jerusalem with the collections for the Saints about the 4th year of Claudius Ver. 30 thence returning againe to Antioch he
we are disenabled from persuing the Comparison instituted The one part being not to be considered or at least not being considerable The time when first Head was made against the Truth we professe and Criminations like those managed by Mr Goodwin hatched and contrived to Assault it withall was when it had been eminently delivered to the Saints of this Nation and all the Churches of Christ by Reinolds Whitakers Greenham and others like to them their fellow labourers in the Lords Vineyard The poore weake Wormes of this present Generation who imbrace the same Doctrine with these men of name are thought to be free some of them at least from being destroyed by the poysonous and pernicious embracing of it by their owne weakenesse and disability to discerne the naturall genuine Consequences and Tendency in the progresse of that which in the Roote and Foundation they imbrace Their ignorance of their owne Doctrine in its compas Extent is the Mother of that Devotion which in them is nourished thereby So our great Masters tell us against whose Kingly Authority in these things there is no rising up For the Persons formerly named the like reliefe cannot be supposed He that shall provide an Apology for them Affirming that they understood not the state nature consequences and tendences of the Doctrines they received defended preached contended for will scarce be able by any following defensative to vindicate his owne credit for so doing In the lives then and the Ministry of those men and such as those if any where are the fruits of this Doctrine to be seene If it corrupted not their lives nor weakned their Ministry if it turned not them aside from the pathes of Gospell Obedience nor weakened their hands in the Dispensation of the Word in the Promises Threatnings and Exhortations thereof to the Conversion of soules and building up of those who by their Ministry were called in their most holy Faith it cannot but be a strong presumption that there is no such venomous infectious quality in this Doctrine as of late some Chimicall Divines pretend themselves to be able to extract out of it Now what I pray were these men What were their Lives What was their Ministry All those who now oppose Mr Goodwin's Doctrine do it either out of Ignorance or to Comply with Greatnesse and men in Authority thereby to make up themselves in their Ambitious and worldly aymes and to prevaile themselves upon the opinion of men for what cause else in the world can be imagined why they should so ingage what though they really believed the whole fabricke of his Doctrine wherein he hath departed from the Faith he once as they say professed to be a lye A lye of dangerous and pernitious Consequence to the soules of men a lye derogatory to the Glory of God the efficacy of Grace the merit of the Death of Christ and the honour of the Gospell and full of disconsolation to poore soule◠being in and under Temptation What though they suppose it secretly to undermine the maine fundamentals of the Covenant of Grace and covertly to substitute another Covenant in the Roome thereof what though they have observed that the Doctrine they have received was Imbraced Preached prized by all those great and blessed soules which in the last Generation God magnified with the conversion of so many thousands in this Nation given into their Ministry whilst they spent their dayes under continuall Aflictions persecutions what though they have the generall known consent of all the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas with them in their zeale for the Doctrine under consideration What though under these the like apprehensions they profes in the presence of God his holy Angels and men that the eternall Interest of the precious soules of men is more valuable to them ten thousand times than their owne lives and that that is the sole Reason of their opposition to M. 〈◊〉 in his attempts against the Doctrine they have so received and imbraced yet it is meet for us to Judge and for all to whom evill surmises are not esteemed to be among the workes of the flesh that all their opposition is nothing but a cōplyance with and pursuit of those worldly low and wretched aimes that they are filled withall But as to those Persons before mentioned what shall we say Their Piety Literature Zeale Diligence Industry Labour with successe in the worke of the Ministry and that under manifold discouragements are so renowned in the world that how or wherewith they shall be shifted of from being considerable in their Testimony I cannot imagine If ever Persons in these latter Ages had written upon their breasts Holynesse to the Lord If ever any bare about a conformity to the Death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ they may put in for an eminent esteeme and name among them will doubtlesse be found at last to be of the thirty if they attaine not to the first Ranke of the Worthyes of Christ in these ends of the world How is it that they were not retarded in the course of their Gospell Obedience by their entertainement of this wretched Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance But what though they kept themselves Personally from the pollution of it yet possibly their Ministry was defiled and rendered uselesse by it And who I pray is it that in this Generation can so support himselfe with successe in the Ministry as to rise up with this accusation against them Many thousands who were their Crowne their Glory and Rejoycing in Christ are fallen a sleepe and some Continue to this day Of the Reasons given by Mr Goodwin why all the Zealous Fruitfull Faithfull Preachers of former dayes imbraced this Doctrine we shall instantly undertake the Consideration In the meane time this seems strange that God should magnify and make famous the Ministry of so many throughout the world and give in that visible blessing to their Labours therein which hath filled this Island with such an increase of Children to Sion as that she hath not lengthned the cords of her Tabernacle to such an extent and compasse in any proportionable spot of earth under Heaven if any one eminent part of their Doctrine and that whereon they lay'd great weight in their Ministry which they pressed with as much fervency and contention of Spirit as any head of the like importance should indeed be so apparently destructive of Holinesse and of such a direct and irresistible efficiency to render uselesse that great Ordinance of the Ministry committed to them as this is clamoured to be What will be the successe of them in their Ministry who shall undertake to deny and oppose it I hope the People of God in this Nation will not have many Instances to Judge by The best conjecture we can for the present make of what will be hereafter must be taken from what hath already come to passe and the best guesse of what events will be are to be raised from
in these words he is speaking to them describing them by their former and present condition with the causes of it he tells them that though they abode with them for a season yet they were never of them as to the Communion and fellowship they had with the Father and Sonne and so were never true Members of the Church The only reason M. Goodwin gives to Invalidate this sence of the Words is that he is able to give another meaning of them in his own judgement more proper to the words and more commodious to the scope of the place which whether it have any more efficacy to take in the force and evidence of the Interpretation given lying plaine and cleare in the first view of the words and Context than it hath to evade the eduction of any Truth whatever from any place of Scripture whatever seeing some or other suppose themselves able to give another sence of the words let the Reader judge But he adds Secondly §. 30. That this Expression they were of us signifies that they were true Believers is presumed of the uncertainty of this supposition we shall saith he give the like account Ans. When we come to take M. Goodwin's farther Account we shall be able I make no doubt to reckon with him and to discharge his Bill In the meane time we say that supposition if they had been of us whence our Inference is made evidently includes a fellowship and communion with the Apostle true Believers in their fellowship with God which is asserted as a certain Foundation of mens abiding in the communion of the Saints But saies he Thirdly §. 31. t is supposed that these words they went out from us signifie their finall defection or abdication of the Apostles communion or their totall and finall renunciation of Christ his Church and Gospell This supposition hath no bottome at all or colour for it Ans. Divide not the words from their coherence and the intendment of the place and the signification denyed is too evident and cleare for any one with the least colour of Reason to rise up against it They went out so out from the communion of the Church as to become Anti-Christs opposers of Christ and seducers from him and certainly in so doing did totally desert the Communion of the Apostle renounce the Lord Christ as by him Preacht and forsooke utterly both Church and Gospell as to any fellowship with the one or the other And we know full well what is the bottome of this and the like Assertions that such and such things have no bottome at all which never yet failed M. Goodwin at his need Fourthly saith he §. 32. 'T is supposed that this clause they would no doubt have continued with us signifies they would have continued in the same Faith wherein we Persevere and continue nor is there saith he any competent Reason to inforce this sence of those words because neither doth the Grammaticall tenour of them require it and much lesse the scope of the passage Ans. The Fellowship John invited Believers unto and to continue in as hath been often observed with him and the Saints with him was that which they held with the Father and the Sonne to continue with them therein in the Litterall Grammaticall sence of the words is to continue in the Faith It being Faith whereby they have that fellowship or Communion this also is evident from the scope of the whole passage and is here only impotently denied But saith he Fiftly The said Inference supposeth that John certainly knew that all those who for the present remained in his communion were true Believers for if they were not true believers they that were gone out from them in the sence contended for might be said to be of them that is persons of the same condition with them But how improbable this is I meane that John should infallibly know that all those who as yet continued with them were true Believers I referre to consideration Ans. Had M. Goodwin a little poised this passage before he took it up perhaps he would have cast it away as an uselesse trifle But his masters having insisted on it perhaps he thought it not meet to question their judgements in least for feare of being at liberty to deale so with them in matters of greater importance I say then that there is not the least coulour for any such supposall from the inference we make from the text nor is there any thing of that nature intimated or suggested in the words or Argument from them the body of them whom the Apostates forsooke were true Believers and their abiding in the fellowship of the Saints was a manifestation of it sufficient for them to be owned as such which the others manifested themselves never to have been by their Apostacy But saith he Sixtly §. 33. The inference under contest yet farther supposeth that John certainely knew that they who were now gon out from them neither were now nor ever before true Believers yea and that he certainely knew this by their departure or going out from them Ans. This is the very thing that the Apostle affirmes that he certainely knew those Apostates never to have been true Believers and that by their Apostacy or falling totally from the Gospell becomming seducers and opposers of Christ Let him argue it out with the Holy Ghost if he can whose plaine and cleare expression this is and that confirmed by the insuing Argument of the Perseverance of them who were true Believers and whose fellowship is with the Saints in their communion with the Father and the Sonne Wherefore saith he Lastly it presumeth yet farther that all true Believers do alwayes abide in the externall communion of the Church §. 34. and that when men do not so abide they plainly declare herein that they never were true Believers which is not only a manifest untruth but expressly contrary to the Doctrine it selfe of those men who assert the inference for they teach as we heard before that a true Believer may fall so foulely and so farre that the Church according to the command of Christ may be constrained to testify that shee cannot tolerate them in her externall communion nor that ever they shall have any part or portion in the Kingdome of Christ unlesse they repent Doubtlesse to be cast out of the Church according to the institution and command of Christ who commands no such thing but upon very heinous and high unchristian misdemeanours is of every whit as sad importance as a voluntary desertion of the Churches communion can be for a season Ans. It supposeth that no true Believers fall so off from the Church as to become Antichrist's opposers of Christ and the Church so as to deny that Christ is come in the flesh which was the great busines of the Antichrists in those dayes T is true and granted by us that a true Believer may forsake the outward communion of some particular Church
wholesome words answering the mould of Gospel doctrin whereinto you have been cast may shine as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation knowing that it is but yet a little while and he that shall come will come will not tarry yea come Lord Jesus come c. So prayes Your unworthy fellow Labourer and Brother in our deare Lord Jesus JOHN OWEN A Preface to the Reader READER IF thy enquiry be only after the substance of the Truth in the ensuing Treatise contended for I desire thee not to stay at all upon this preliminary discourse but to proceed thither where it is expresly handled from the Scriptures without the intermixture of any humane Testimonies or other less necessary Circumstances wherein perhaps many of them may not be concerned whose interest yet lies in the truth it selfe and it is precious to their Soules That which now I intend and ayme at is to give an account to the learned Reader of some things nearly relating to the doctrine whose protection in the strength of him who gives to his suitable helps for the works and Employments he calls them to I have undertaken and what entertainment it hath formerly found and received in the Church and among the Saints of God For the Accomplishment of this intendment A breife mention of the Doctrine it selfe will make way Whom in this controversy we intend by the name of Saints and Beleivers the Treatise following will abundantly manifest The word Perseverantia is of most knowne use in Ecclesiastical writers Austin hath a book with the inscription of it in it's forehead The word in the New Testament signifying the same thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of them that followed Paul it is said that he perswaded them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13. 43. That is to Persevere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 10 23. He that persevereth to the end The Vulgar Latin renders that word almost constantly by persevero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word also of the same signification and which the Scripture useth to express the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes by a Metathesis expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valdé and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of him who is of a valiant resolved mind By faith Moses left Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He. 11. 27. As eying the invisible he endured his tryal with a constant valiant mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from thence is most frequently to persevere Act. 1. 14. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2. 42. They persevered in the Doctrine of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once used in the New Testament is rendred by our Translatours perseverance Eph. 6. 18. In what variety of Expression the thing is revealed in the Scripture is in the Treatise it selfe abundantly declared The Latin word is Classical Persevero is Constanter sum severus In that sense as Seneca saies Res severa est verum gaudium It 's extreme in excess is Pertinacy if these are not rather distinguished from their objects then in themselves Varro lib 4. de ling Lat Tells us that Pertinacia is a continuance or going on in that wherein one ought not to continue or proceed Perseverantia is that whereby any one continues in that wherein he ought so to doe Hence is that definition of it commonly given by the School-men from Austin Lib 87. qu 31 who took it from Cicero one they little acquainted themselves withall lib. 2 de Invent it is say they In ratione bene fundatâ stabilis per petua permansio And this at present may pass for a general description of it that is used in an Ethical and Evangelical sense Perseverance was accounted a commendable thing among Philosophers Morally Perseverance is that part of Fortitude whereby the mind is established in the performance of any good and necessary work not withstanding the assaults and opposition it meets withal with that tediousness and wearisomness which the protraction of time in the pursuit of any affairs is attended withal Aristotle informes us that it is excercised about things troublesome lib. 7. Eth Nicom giving a difference between Continence with it's opposite vice and forbearance or perseverance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that abides in his undertaken work so it be good and honest notwithstanding that trouble and perplexity he may meet withal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence he tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not pleasant to many lib. 10. cap. 9. And that because so to live implies difficulty and opposition And He also as Varro in the place above mentioned distinguishes it from pertinacy And of men infected with that deprav'd habit of mind he says there are three sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all These are in his Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicâ—â— lib. 7. cap. 9. Which perverse disposition of spirit he there clearly manifests to be sufficiently differenced from a stable resolved frame of mind what ever it may resemble it in Now though there is no question but that of two persons continuing in the same work or opinion one may doe it out of pertinacy the other out of perseverance yet amongst men who judge of the minds of others by their fruits and of the Acts of their minds by their objects these two dispositions or Habits are universally distinguished as before by Varro Hence the Termes of pertinacy and obstinacy being thrust into the definition of herisy by them who renouncing any infallible living Judge and determiner in matters of faith to make way for the inflicting of punishment on the entertainers and maintainers thereof they take no thought of proving it such but only because it is found in persons embracing such errours The same Affection of mind with the same fruites and demonstrations of it in persons embracing the Truth would by the same men be termed perseverance But this is not that whereof I Treat Evangellical perseverance is from the Scripture at large explained in the Book it selfe As it relates to our Acceptation with God and the immutability of Justification which is the the cheife and most eminent part of the Doctrine contended for as it hath no conformity in anything with the moral perseverance before described so indeed it is not comprehended in that strict notion and signification of the word it selfe which denotes the continuation of some Act or Acts in us and not the uninterruptibleness of any Act of God This then is the cause of perseverance rather than perseverance it selfe yet such a cause as being established the effect will certainly and uncontrolably ensue They who goe about to assert a perseverance of Saints cut off from the absolute unchangableness of the decree purpose and Love of God attended with a possibility of a contrary Event and that not
improvement of their writings of the several Considerations that are to be had and exercised by them who would read them with profit and Advantage after many disputes and contesâ—s between the Papists and Divines of the Reformed Churches the whole concernment of that Controversy is so clearely stated Mannaged and resolved by Mounseiur Dalie in his Book of the Right use of the Fathers that I suppose all farther labour in that kind may be well spared Those who intend to weigh their Testimony to any head of Christian Doctrine doe commonly distinguish them into three greater periods of time The first of these is comprehensive of them who lived and wrote before the Doctrine concerning which they are called out to give in their thoughts and verdict had received any signal opposition and eminent discussion in the Church on that acccount Such are the Writers of the first 300 years before the Nicene Counsel in reference to the Doctrine of the Trinity and so the succeeding writers before The stating of the Macâ—donian Eutichian and Nestorian Heresies In the next are they ranked who bare the burthen and heat of the Opposition made to any Truth and on that Occasion wrote expresly and at large on the controverted doctrines Which is the Condition of Athanasius Basil Gregory and some others in that Arian Controversy And in the last place succeed those who lived after such concussions which are of less or more esteem according as the Doctrines enquired after were less or more corrupted in the general Apostacy of the latter dayes According to this order Our first period of time will be with the Rise of the Pelagian Heresy which gave Occasion to the through full and Cleare discussion of the whole doctrine concerning the grace of God whereof that in whose defence we are engag'd is no small portion The next of those whom God raised up to make head against that Subtil opposer of his Grace with his followers during the space of an 100 yeares and somewhat onwards ensuing the promulgation of that heresy What have been the thoughts of men in the latter Ages until The Reformation and of the Romanists since to this day manifested in a few pregnant instances will take up the third part of this designe Of the Judgment of the Reformed Churches as they are commonly called I shall speak particularly in the close of this discourse For the first of these not to insist on the paucity of writers in the first 300 yeares sundry single persons in the following Ages haveing severally written three times as much as we have left and remaining of all the others the names of many who are said to have written being preserv'd by Eusebius Eccles Hist and Hierome lib de script their writings being perished in their dayes nor in general of that corruption whereunto They have almost every one of them been unquestionably expos'd I must be forced to preface the nomination of them with some Considerations The first in that known passage of Hegesipus in Euseb Hist Eccles lib 3. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So far Hel setting out the corruption of the Church even as to doctrine immediatly after the Apostles fell asleep whereof whosoever will impartially and with disingaged Judgments serach into the writings that of those days do remaine will perhaps find more Cause than is commonly imagined with him to Complaine 2 The maine work of the writers of the first Ages being to contend with Heathenish Idolaters to convince them of their madness and folly to write Apologies for the worship of God in Christ in General so to disswade their Rulers from persecution or in contesting with Heriticks for the most part appearing to be men either corrupt in their lives or mad and brainsick as we say as to their Imaginations or denying the Truth of the person of Christ what can we expect from them as delivered directly and on set purpose to the matter of our present contest Some principles may in them possibly be discovered from whence by a regular deduction some Light may be obtained into their thoughts concerning the points in difference Thus Junius thinks and not without cause that the whole business of Predestination may be stated upon this one principle that faith is the free Gift of God flowing from his Predestination and Mercy and concerning this saith he Hoc autem omnes patres uno consensu ex Christo Paulo agnoverunt Ipse Justinus Martyr in Apolog 2 Gravissime verâ— Clemens Alexandrinus in hâc alioquin palestrâ non itaexercitatus ut sequentia secula Hom lib 2. Basilâ—i Valentini dogma esse dicit quòd fides a naturâ sit Consid. Senten Pet. Baroni without this what Advantage can be taken or what use can be made for the discovery of the mind of any of the Antients by cropping of some occasional expressions from their occasions and aimes I know not Especially would I more peremptorily affirme this could I imagine any of them wrote as Hierome affirmes of himselfe that he sometimes did Epist. ad August which is among his 892. Itaque saith he ut simpliciter fateor legi haec omnia in mente meâ plurima coacervans accito notario vel mea vel aliena dictavi nec ordinis nec verborum interdum nec sensuum memor should any one say so of himselfe in these days he would be accounted little better then a mad man much then on this Account or at least not much to the purpose is not to be expected from the fathrers of the first Ages 3. Another observation to our purpose lyes well expressed in the beginning of the fourteenth chapter of Bellarmin's second Book de Grat lib Arb. Praeter Scriptur as adferunt alia Testimonia patrum saith he speaking of those who opposed God's free Predestination to which he subjoynes Neque est hoc novum Argumentum sed antiquissimum Scribit enim S. Prosper in Epistola ad S. Augustinum Gallos qui sententiam ejâ—sdem Augustixi de Prede stinatione calumniabantur illud potissimum objicere solitos quòdea sententia doctrine veterum videbatur esse contraria Sed respondet idem Augustinus inl ibâ— de bono perseverantiae veteres patres qui ante pelagium floâ—uerunt quaestionem istam nunquam accurate tractasse sed incidenter solum quasi per transitum illam attigisse Addit vero in fundamento hujus sententiae quod est gratiam dei non praevenire ab ullo opere nostro sed contra ab illâ omnia opera nostera praveniri it a ut nihil omnino boni quod attinct ad salutem sit in nobis quod non est nobis ex des convenire Catholicos omnes ibidem citat Cyprianum Ambrosium Nazianzenum quibus addere possumus Basilium Crysostomum To the same purpose with Application to a particular person doth that great and holy doctor discourse de doctrin Christianâ lib 3 cap 33 saith he non erat expertus
forth the virtues of the Corinthiaus before they fell into the schisme that occasioned his Epistle he minds them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God hath a certain number of Elect to be saved and for whose salvation by his Mercy the Church is to contend with him is a principle wholy inconsistent with those on which the doctrine of the Saints Apostacy is bottom'd Corresponding hereunto is that passage of his concerning the will of God p. 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mere consideration of this passage causeth me to recal what but now was spoken as though the Testimonie given to the Truth in this Epistle was not so cleare as might be desired The words now repeated containe the very Thesis contended for It is the beloved of God or his Chosen whom he will have made partakers of saving Repentance hereunto he establisheth them for with that word is the defect in the sentence to be supplyed by or with the Almighty will because he will have his beloved partakers of saving Repentance and the benefits thereof he confirmes and establishes them in it with his Omnipotent or Soveraigne will The inconsistency and irreconcileableness of this assertion with the doctrine of these Saints Apostacy the Learned Reader needs not any Assistance to manifest to him Answerably hereunto he saith of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 38 and p 66 mentioning the blessedness of the forgivness of sins out of Ps. 32 he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elect of whom he speaks are those on whom through and for Christ God bestowes the blessedness of Justification Elect they are of God anteecedently to the obteining of that blessedness and through that they doe obteine it so that in that short sentence of this Authour the great pillar of the Saints perseverane which is their free Election the root of all the blessâ—dness which afterward they enjoy is established other passages like to these there are in thâ—t Epistle which plainly deliver the primitive Christians of the Church of Rome from any communion in the doctrine of the Saints Apostacy and manifest their Perseverance in the doctrine of the Saints Perseverance wherein they had been so plentifully instructed not long before by the Epistle of Paul unto them He who upon the Roll of Antiquity presents himselfe in the next place to our consideration is the renowned Ignatius concernig whom I desire to begge so much favour of the learned Reader as to allow me a diversion unto some thoughts and observations that belong to another subject then that which I have now peculiarly in hand before I come to give him a tast of his Judgment in the doctrine under debate As this Ignatius Bishop of the Church at Antioch was in himselfeâ— man of an excellent spirit emâ—nent in holiness and to whom on the behalfe of Christ it was given not only to believe on him but also suffer for him and on that account of very great and high esteem among the Christians of that Age wherein he lived and sundry others following so no great Question can be made but that he wrote toward the end of his pilgrimage when he was on his way to be offered up through the holy Spirit by the mouths of wild beasts to Jesus Christ that he wrote sundry Epistles to sundry Churches that were of cheifest note and name in the Countreys about The concurrent Testimony of the Antients in this matter of fact will give as good Assurance as in this kind we are capable of Eusebius reckons them up in order so doth Hierome After them frequent mention is made of them by others special sayings in them are transcribed And whereas it is urged by some that there is no mention of those Epistles before the Nicene Councell before which time it is as evident as if it were written with the beams of the sun that many false and supposititious writings had been imposed on and were received by many in the Church as the story of Paul and Tecla is mentioned and rejected by Tertull de Baptis Hermae Pastor by others it is answered that they were mentioned by Irenaeus some good while before Lib. 5. cap. 28. saith he Quemadmodum quidam de nostris dixit propter Martyrium in Deum adjudicatus ad bestias quoniam frumentum sum Christi per dentes bestiarum moler ut mundus panis Dei inveniar Which words to the substance of them are found in these Epistles though some say nothing is here intimated of any Epistles or writings but of a speech that might passe among the Christians by Tradition such as they had many among themselves even of our Saviours some whereof are mentioned by Grotius on these words of Paul remember that word of Christ that it is more blessed to give then to receive What probabilitie or ground for conviction there is in these or the like Observations and Answers is left to the judgement of all This is certain that the first mentioning of them in Antiquities is to be clearely received and that perhaps with more then the bare word of him that recites and approves of the Epistles of Jesus Christ to Abgarus the King of the Edessens or of him that reckons Seneca among the Ecclesiasticall writers upon the account of his Epistles to Paul or the following Testimonies which are heaped up in abundance by some who think but falsely that they have a peculiar interest enwrapped in the Epistles now extant will be of very small weight or value For my part I am perswaded with that kind of perswasion wherein in things of no greater moment I am content to acquiesce that he did write 7. Epistles and that much of what he so wrote is preserved in those that are now extant concerning which the contests of learned men have drawne deep and run high in these latter daies though little to the advantage of the most that have laboured in that cause as shall be manifested in the processe of our discourse A late learned Doctor in his dissertations about Episcopacy Unicum D. Blondellum aut alterum fortasse inter omnes mortales Walonem Messalinum cap. 25. s. 3. or dispute for it against Salmasius and Blondellus tells us that we may take a tast of his confidence in asserting Dissert 2. cap. 23. § j. that Salmasius and Blondellus mortalium omnium primi thought these Epistles to be feigned or counterfeit And with more words Cap. 24. 1. he would make us believe that these Epistles of Ignatius where allwaies of the same esteeme with that of Clemens from Rome to the Corinthians of which he treats at large in his fourth Dissertation or that of Polycarpus to the Philippians which we have in Eusebius he addes in the judgment of Salmasius and Blondeâ—lus Solus Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus tamen Epistolae pari semper cum illis per universam ab omni avâ— patrum nostrorum memoriam
was sent out by the command of the Holy Ghost more eminently peculiarly then formerly for the conversion of the gentiles Act 13. 1 2 3 in this undertaking in the space of a yeare or two he preached gathered Churches whereof express mention is made at Salamis Act 13. 5 in the Isle of Paphosv 6 at Perga in Pamphilia 13 at Antioch in Pisidia 14 at Iconium chap 14. 1 at Lystra and Derbe v 6 and at Perga 26 in all these places gathering some Believers to Christ whom before they returned to Antioch he visited all over the second time and setled Elders in the several congregations chap 14. 21 22 23 in this journey and travel for the propagation of the Gospel he seemes in all places to have been followed almost at the heeles by the professing Pharisees who imposed the necessity of the observation of Mosaical ceremonies upon his new Converts for instantly upon his returne to Antioch where during his absence probably they had much prevailed he falls into dispute with them cap 15. v. 1 and that he was not concerned in this controversy only upon the Account of the Church of Antioch himselfe informes us Gal 2. 4 affirming that the false Brethren which caused those disputes dissentions crept in to spy out his liberty in his preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles 2. v that is in the places before mentioned throughout a great part of Asia For the appeasing of this difference and the establishing of the soules of the disciples which were grieviously perplexed with the imposition of the Mosaical yoake It is determined that the case should be resolved by the Apostles Act 15. 2 partly because of their Authority in all the Churches wherein those who contended with Paul would be compelled to acquiesce partly because those Judaizing Teachers pretended the commission of the Apostles for the Doctrine they preached as is evident from the disclaimure made by them of any such commission or command v 24. Upon Paul's returne from the Assembly at Jerusalem wherein the great controversy about Jewish Ceremonies was stated and determined after he had in the first place delivered the decree and Apostolical salutation by Epistle to the Church at Antioch he goes with them also to the Churches in Syria and Cilicia expressed in the letter by name as also to those in Pamphilia Pisidia Derbe Lystra Iconium c. chap 16. v 1 2 3 4 and all the Churches which he had gathred and planted in his travells through Asia whereunto he was commanded by the Holy Ghost Act 13. 1. 2. Things being thus stated it necessarily followes that the Apostles had instituted Diocesan and Metropolitan Bishops For though the Churches were so small and thin and few in number that 7 yeares after this may we believe our Doctour the Apostles had not instituted or appointed any Elders or Presbyters in them viz when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Philippians which was when he was Prisoner in Rome as appeares cap 1 7 13 14 chap 4 22 about the third yeare of Nero yet that he had fully built and setled the Hierarchical fabrick contended for who once dares question Audacia Creditur à multis fiducia But if this will not do yet Ignatius hits the nayle on the head and is ready at hand to make good whatsoever the Doctour will have him say and his Testimonie takes up the sense of the 2 next following Sections whereof the first is as followes Hinc dicti Ignatianiratio constat in Epistolâ ad Romanos ubi ille antiochiae Episcopus se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pastorem Ecclesiae quae est in Syriâ appellet cùm ad Antiochiam sci ut ad Metropolin suam tota Syria pertineret Sic Author Epistolae ad Antiochenos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eam inseribens totam Syriam ejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse concludit But yet I feare the Doctour will find he hath need of other weapons and other manner of Assistance to make good the cause he hath undertaken The words of Ignatius in that Epistle to the Romans are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he recommends to them that particular Church in Syria which by his imprisonment was deprived of it's Pastor therefore without doubt he was a Metropolitical Arch-Bishop Tytere tu patulae c But the Doctour is resolved to carry his cause and therefore being forsaken of all fair and honest meanes from whence he might hope for assistance or successe he tryes as Saul the Witch of Endor the counterfeit spurious Title of a counterfeit Epistle to the Antiochians to see if that will speak any comfortable words for his relief or no. And to make sure worke he causes this gentleman so to speak as if he intended to make us believe that Syria was in Antioch not Antioch in Syria as in some remote parts of the world they say they enquire whether London be in England or England in Londan What other sense can be made of the words as by the Doctour transcribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Church of God dwelling in Syria which is in Antioch now if this be so I shall confess it is possible we may be in more errours then one and that we much want the Learned Doctour's assistance for our information the words themselves as they are used by the worshipful writer of that Epistle will scarce furnish us with this learned and rare notion they are at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so he first opens his mouth with a lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is here more expressed then that the latter passage in Antioch is restrictive of what went before was spoken of it's residence in Syria with reference to the name of Christian first given to the Disciples in that place I know not and therefore it is most certaine that the Apostles instituted Metropolitan Arch-Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to make all sure the learned Doctour will not so give over But Sect 11 he adds that the Epigraphe of the Epistle to the Romans grants him the whole case that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex quâ saith he Ecclesiae Romanoe eiusque Episcopo super ecclesiis omnibus in urbicariâ regione aut provinciae Romana contentis praefecturam competiisse videmus Although I have spent some time in the consideration of mens conjectures of those suburbicarian Churches that as is pretended are here pointed to and the rise of the Bishop of Rom's jurisdiction over those Churches in a correspondency to the civil goverment of the Prefect of the City yet so great a Critick in the Greek tongue as Casaubon Exerc 16. ad An 150 having professed that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be barbarous and unintelligible I shall not contend about it For the presidency mentioned of the Church in or at Rome that it was a presidency of Jurisdiction and not only an eminency of faith and holinesse that is intended the Doctour thinks it
this Subject of Perseverance In the entrance of his disputation he layes down the same Principles with the Former concerning the necessity of the Peculiar Grace of Perseverance to this end that any one may persevere Disput 103. Then Disp 108 He further manifests that this gift or Grace of Perseverance does not depend on any Conditions in us or any Cooperation of our wills His position he layes down in these words Donum perseverantiae in ratione Doni perseverantiae efficacia illius nullo modo dependet effectivè ex libera Cooperatione nostri Arbitrii sed à solo Deo atque ab efficaci absoluto Decreto Voluntatis ejus qui pro suâ misericordiâ tribuit illud Donum cui vult In the further proof of this proposition he manifests by clear Testimonies that the Contrary Doctrine hereunto was that of the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians which Austine opposed in sundry Treatises And in all the Arguments whereby he further confirmes it he still presses the absurdity of making the Promise of God concerning Perseverance Conditional and so suspending it on any thing in and by us to be performed And indeed all the Acts whereby we persevere flowing according to him from the Grace of perseverance it cannot but be absurd to make the Efficient Cause in it's Efficiency and operation to depend upon it's own effect This also is with him Ridiculous that the Grace of perseverance should be given to any and he not persevere or be promised and yet not given yet withal he grants in his following Conclusions that our wills secundarily and in dependency do cooperate in our Perseverance The second Principle this learned School-man insists on is that this gift of perseverance is peculiar to the Elect or praedestinate Disput 104. 1. Con Donum perseverantiae est proprium Praedstinaterum ut nulli alteri conveniat And what he intends by Praedestinati he informes you according to the Judgment of Austin and Thomas Nomine praedestinationis ad Gloriam felùm 〈◊〉 praedestinationem intelligunt Augustinus Thomas quâ Electi ordinantur efficaciter transmittuntur ad vitam aeternam cujus effectus sunt vocatio Justificatio perseverantia in gratiâ usque ad Finem not that or such a Conditional predestination as is pendent in the ayre and expectant of men's good final Deportment but that which is the eternal free fountaine of all that grace whereof in time by Jesus Christ we are made Partakers And in the pursuit of this proposition he further proves at large that the persverance given to the Saints in Christ is not a supplement of Helps and advantages whereby they may preserve it if they will but such as causes them on whom it is bestowed certainly actually so to do and that in it's efficacy and operation it cannot depend on any free cooperation of our wills all the Good Acts tending to our perseverance being fruits of that Grace which is bestowed on us according to the absolute unchangeable Decree of the will of God This indeed is common with this Authour and the Rest of his associates the Dominicans and presâ—â—â— Jansenians in these controversies together with the residue of the Romanists that having their Judgments wrested by the abominable figments of implicite Faith and the efficacy of the Sacraments of the new Testament conveying really exhibiting the grace signified or sealed by them that they are inforced to grant that many may be are Regenerate made True Believers who are not predestinate that these cannot persevere nor shall eventually be saved Certaine it is that there is not any Truth which that Generation of men do receive admit but more or less it suffers in their Hands from that gross ignorance of the free Grace of God in Jesus Crhist the power whereof they are practically under what the poor Vassailes and Slaves will do upon the late Bull of their Holy Father casting them in sundry maine Concernements of their Quarrel with their Adversaries is uncertaine otherwise setting aside some such deviations as the above mentioned whereunto they are enforced by their Ignorance of the Grace and Justification with is in Jesus Christ there is so much of Antient Candid Truth in opposition to the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians preserved and asserted in the writings of the Dominican Fryers as will rise up as I sayd before in Judgment against those of our Dayes who enjoying greater Light Advantages do yet close in with those and are long since Cursed Enemies of the grace of God To this Dominican I shall only adde the Testimony of two famous Jesuites upon whose understandings the light of this glorious Truth prevailed for an Acknowledgment of it The first of these is Bellarmine whose disputes to this purpose being full and large and the Authour in allmens hands I shall not transcribe his assertions arguments but only referre the Reader to his l. 2. de Grat. l. Ar. Cap. 12. Denique ut multa alia Testimonia c The other is Suarez who delivers his thoughts succinctly upon the whole of this Matter Lib. 11. de perpetuitat vel Amis Grat Cap. 2. Sect. 6. saith he de praedestinatis verum est Infallibiliter quòd gratiam finaliter seu in perpetuum non amittunt unde postquam semel gratiam habuerant ita reguntur proteguntur à Deo ut vel non cadant vel si ceciderint resurgant licèt saepius cadant resurgant tandem aliquando ita resurgunt ut amplius non cadant in which few words he hath briefly comprized the summe of that which is by us contended for It was in my Thoughts in the last place to have added the concurrent witness of all the reformed Churches which that of the most eminent Divines which have written in the defence of their Concessions but this Trouble upon second considerations I shall spare the Reader my selfe for as many other reasons lye against the Prosecuting of this Designe so especially the uselesness of spending-Time and paines for the demonstration of a thing of so evident a truth prevailes with me to desist Notwithstanding the Indeavours of Mr. Goodwin to wrest the words of some of the most antient Writers who laboured in the first Reformation of the Churches I presume no unprejudiced Person in the least measure acquainted with the systeme of that Doctrine which with so much paines diligence piety and Learning they promoted in the world with the clearness of their Judgments in going forth to the utmost compass of their Principles which they received and their constancy to themselves in asserting of the Truthes they embraced owned by their Friends and Adversaries until such time as Mr. Goodwin discovered their selfe Contradictions will scarce be moved once to question their Judgments by the Excerpta of Mr. Goodwin Cap 15 of his Treatise so that of this discourse this is the Issue There remaines only that I give a brief account of some concernments of the
debilitate and overthrow an acquired habit whereunto it is opposite 2. Meritoriously by provoking the Lord to take them away in a way of punishment for of all punishment sinne is the morally procuring cause Let us a little consider which of those wayes it may probably be supposed that sinne expelles the spirit and habit of grace from the soules of Believers 1. For the spirit of grace which dwells in them it cannot with the least colour of reason be supposed that sinne should have a naturall efficient reaction against the spirit which is a voluntary indweller in the hearts of his he is indeed grieved and provoked by it Ephes. 4. 30. Heb 3. 10 11. Isa. 63 10. but that is in a morall way in respect of its demerit but that it should have a naturall efficiency by the way of opposition against it as Intemperance against the Mediocrity which it opposeth is a madnesse to imagine The habit of Grace wherewith such believers are indued §. 26. is infused not acquired by a frequency of Acts in themselves the root is made good and then the fruit and the work of God It is a new Creation planted in them by the exceeding greatnesse of his Power as he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead which he also strengthens with all might and all power to the end Is it now supposed or can it rationally be so that vitious acts acts of sinne should have in the soule a naturall efficiency for the expelling of an infused habit Col. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 1. 19. Col. 1. 11. and that implanted upon the soule by the exceeding greatnesse of the power of God That it should be done by any one or two acts is impossible to suppose that a man in whom there is an habit set on by so mighty an impression as the Scripture mentions to act constantly contrary thereunto is to think what we will without troubling our selves to consider how it may be brought about Farther whilest this Principle life and habit of Grace is thus consuming doth their God and Father look on and suffer it to decay and their spirituall man to pine away day by day Eph. 1. 23. Col. 2. 19. giving them no new supplies nor increasing them with the increase of Gods hath he no pitty towards a dying child Eph 4. 16. 1 Thes 3. 12. or can he not help him doth he of whom it is said that he is faithfull and that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able Phil 1. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 13. but with the very temptation will make way for us to escape let loose such floodgates of Temptations upon them as he knows his grace will not be able to stand before but will be consumed and expelled by it what also shall we suppose are the thoughts of Iesus Christ towards a withering member Heb 2. 17 18. 3. 15. 7. 25. a dying brother a perishing child a wandring sheep where is his zeale and his tender mercies and the sounding of his bowells are they restrained Isa 40. 11. 63. 8. Will he not lay hold of his strength and stirre up his Righteousnesse to save a poore sinking creature Ezek 34. 4 12. Also He that is in us is greater then he that is in the world and will he suffer himselfe to be wrought out of his habitation and not stirre up his strength to keep possession of the dwelling place which he had chosen So that neither in the nature of the thing it selfe nor in respect of him with whom we have to doe doth this seem possible But secondly §. 27. Sinne procureth by the way of merit the taking away of the Spirit and removeall of the Habit graciously bestowed Believers deserve by sinne that God should take his Spirit from them and the Grace that he hath bestowed on them They doe so indeed it cannot be denied but will the Lord deale so with them Isa 48. 9. Will he judge his house with such fler and vengeance Is that the way of a Father with his Children untill he hath taken away his Spirit and grace although they are Rebellious Children yet they are his Children still and is this the way of a tender Father to cut the throats of his Children when it is in his power to mend them The casting of a wicked man into Hell is not a punishment to be compared to this the losse of Gods presence is the worst of Hell How infinitely must they needs be more sensible of it who have once enjoyed it Isa 49. 15 16 Isa 66. 13. then those who were strangers to it from their wombe Certainly the Lord bears another Testimony concerning his kindnesse to his Sonnes and Daughters Ierem 2. 14. Hos. 2. 14. c. then that we should entertaine such dismall thoughts of him He chastises his Children indeed but he doth not kill them he corrects them with rodds but his Kindnesse he takes not from them notwithstanding of the attempt made by the Remonstrants in their Synodalia I may say that I have not as yet met with any tolerable extrication of those difficulties more to this purpose will afterwards be insisted on 3. That which we intend when we mention the Perseverance of Saints is their continuance to the end in the condition of Saintship whereunto they are called Now in the state of Saintship there are two things concurring 1. That Holinesse which they receive from God and 2. That Favour which they have with God being justified freely by his grace through the blood of Christ and their continuance in this condition to the end of their lives both to their reall Holinesse and gracious Acceptance is the Perseverance whereof we must treat The one respecting the reall estate the other their relative of which more particularly afterwards And this is a briefe delineation of the Doctrine §. 28. which the Lord assisting shall be explained confirmed and vindicated in the insuing discourse which being first set forth as a meere Skeleton its Symetry and Complexion Its Beauty and Comelinesse Its Strength and Vigor Excellency and Vsefulnesse will in the description of the severall parts and branches of it be more fully manifested Now because Mr Goodwin §. 29. though he was not pleased to fixe any orderly state of the Question under debate a course he hath also thought good to take in handling those other Heads of the Doctrine of the Gospell wherein he hath chosen to walke for the maine with the Arminians in Paths of difference from the Reformed Churches yet having scatterd up and downe his Treatise what his conceptions are of the Doctrine he doth oppose as also what he asserts in the place roome thereof and Upon what Principles I shall briefly call what he hath so delivered both on the one hand on the other to an account to make the clearer way for the proofe of the Truth which
Glorified with his Father according to his Promise Heb. 12. 2. and yet upon the account of that Glory which he was so assured of being set before him he addressed himselfe to the sharpest and difficultest passage to it that ever any one entred on He indured the Crosse despised the shame for the Gloryes sake whereof he had assurance Heb. 12 And why may not this be the state of them to whom in his so doing he was a Captaine of Salvation Why may not the Glory and Reward set before them though injoyed in a full Assurance of Faith in the excellency of it when possessed as promised stirre them up to the meanes leading thereunto 4. The truth is the more we are assured with the assurance of Faith not of Presumption that we shll certainly obtain enjoy the end whereunto the meanes we use do lead as is the Assurance that ariseth from the Promises of God the more eminently are we pressed in a Gospell way if we walke in the Spirit of the Gospell to give up our selves to Obedience to that God and Father who hath appointed so pretious and lovely meanes as are the pathes of Grace for the obtaining of so Glorious an end as that whereunto we are appointed And thus I doubt not but that it is manifest by these Considerations of Mr Goodwins Objections to the contrary that the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints asby us taught and delivered doth not only fall in a sweet Compliance withall the meanes of Grace especially those appointed by God to establish the Saints in Faith and Obedience that is to Worke Perseverance in them but also to be eminently usefull to give Life Vigour Power and Efficacy in a peculiar Gospell manner to all Exhortations Threatnings and Promises appointed and applyed by God to that end and purpose CAP. XIII 1. The maintainers and propagators of the severall Doctrines under contest taken into consideration 2. The necessity of so doing from M. G. undertaking to make the comparison This inquiry confined to those of our own Nation 3. The chiefe Assertors of this Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance in this Nation since it received any opposition what was their Ministry and what their Lives 4. M. G's plea in this case 5. The first Objection against his Doctrine by him proposed Second and Third 6. His Answers to these Objections considered Removed His own Word and Testimony offer'd against the experience of Thousands 7. The Persons pointed to by him and commanded considered 8. The principles of those Persons he opposeth vindicated 9. Of the Doctrine of the Primitive Christians as to this head of Religion Grounds of mistake in reference to their judgements 10. The first Reformers constant to themselves in their Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance 11. Of the influence of M. Perkins his judgement on the propagation of the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance 12. Who the Persons were on whom his judgement is supposed to have such an influence 13. The consent of Forraine Churches making void this surmize 14. What influence the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance had into the holinesse of its Professors 15. Of the unworthinesse of the Persons who in this Nation have Asserted the Doctrine of Apostasy the suitablenesse of this Doctrine to their practises 16. Mr G. attempt to take off this charge 17. How farre mens Doctrines may be judged by their lives 18. Mr G's Reasons why Episcopalise Arminianised the first 19. Considered and disproved 20. His discord c. 21. Generall Apostasy of men entertaine the Arminian tenents 22. The close AS to the matter in hand §. 1. about the usefulnesse of the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints in and unto the Ministry of the Gospell and the obstruction pretended to be laid unto it thereby It may be somewhat conducing and of Concernment to consider who the Persons are and were and what hath been and is the presence of God with them in their Ministry who have been Assertors and Zealous maintainers of this Doctrine And withall who they were and what they have been in their Ministry and the Dispensation of the Word committed unto them who have risen up in opposition thereunto How also those different Partyes have approved their Profession to the World and acquitted themselves in their Generation in their walking with God may be worth our Consideration doubtlesse if the Doctrine whose declaration and defence we have thus far ingaged in be of such a pernicious tendency as is pretended so destructive to Gospell Obedience and so evidently rendering that great Ordinance of the Ministry uselesse it may be traced to its product of these effects in some measure in the Lives Conversations and Ministry of those who have most zealously espoused it most earnestly contended for it and been most given up to the forme and mould thereof It were a thing every way miraculous if any Roote should for the most part bring forth fruite disagreeing to the nature of it A Taske this is §. 2. I confesse which were we not necessitated unto I could easily dispence with my selfe from ingaging therein But Mr Goodwin having voluntarily entred the list as to this particular and instated a comparison between the Abbettors of the severall Doctrines under Contest Chap. 9. of his Booke a matter we should not have expected from any other man it could not but be thought a grosse neglect of duty and high ingratitude towards those great Blessed Soules who in former and latter dayes with indefatigable pains and eminent successe watred the Vineyard of the Lord with the dew of this Doctrine to decline the Consideration of the comparison made and dressed up to our hand Now because it is a peculiar taske allotted to us to manifest the imbracement of this Truth by those who in the Primitive Church were of greatest note and Eminency for Piety Judgement and skill in dividing the Word aright with the Professed Opposition made unto it by such as those with whom they Lived and succeeding Ages have branded for men unsound in the Faith and leaving the good old Paths wherein the Saints of old found peace to their Soules As also to manifest the receiving propagation of it by all not any one of name excepted those Great Famous Persons whom the Lord was pleased to imploy in the Reformation of his Church walking in this as in sundry other particulars closer up to the Truth of the Gospell than some of their Brethren that at the same time fell off from that Church which was long before fallen off from the Truth I shall in my present inquiry confine my selfe to those of our owne Nation who have been of Renowne in their Generation for their Labour in the Lord and of name among the Saints for their worke in the service of the Gospell For the one halfe of that small space of time §. 3. which is passed since the breaking forth of the light of the Gospell in this Nation
the consideration of what hath been from a like disposition of Causes to an Answerablenesse of Events What Mr Goodwin hath to plead in this Case he insists on §. 4. Chap. 9. Sect. 24 25 26 27. Pag. 167 168 169 170 171 172. The summe and aime of his Discourse is to Apologize for his Doctrine against sundry Objections which in the Observations of men it is lyable and obnoxious unto Now these are such as whatever the Issue of their Consideration prove doubtlesse it can be of no Advantage unto his Cause that his Doctrine is so readily exposed to them The first of these is §. 5. that the Doctrine he Opposeth and in Opposition whereunto that is set up which he so industriously asserts hath generally been received and imbraced by men eminent in Piety and Godlinesse famous on that account in their Generations with the generality of the People of God with them And this is attended with that which naturally insues thereon viz. The Scandalousnesse of the most of them yea of them all of this Nation is it spoken who have formerly asserted the Doctrine which Mr Goodwin hath lately espoused Whereunto in the third place an Observation is subjoyned of the Ordinary defection of men to loose and unsavory practises after they have once drunke in the principles of that opinion which he now so industriously mixeth and tempereth for them It is usually said there is no smoake but where there is some fire It would be strange if such Observations as these should be readily and generally made by men concerning the Doctrine under Contest unlesse there were some evident occasion Administred by it thereuto And I must needs say that if they prove True and hold under Examination they will become as urging a prejudice as can lightly be laid against any cause in Religion whatsoever The Gospell being a Doctrine according unto Godlinesse severall perswasions pretending to be parts and portions thereof if one shall be found to be the constant Faith and profession of those who also have the life and power of Godlinesse in them the other to be maintained by evill men aud seducers who upon their receiving it doe also wax worse and worse it is no small advantage to the first in its plea for admittance to the right and title of a truth of the Gospell To Evade this charge Mr Goodwin premises this in Generall §. 6. The experience Asserted in the Objection is not so unquestionable in point of Truth But that if the Asserters were put home upon the proofe they would I seare doubtlesse he rather hopes it accompt more in presumption than in reasonablenes of Argument For if Persons of the one judgement of the other were duly compared together I verily believe there would be found every whit as full a proportion of men truly Conscientious and Religious amongst those whose judgements stand and have stood for a possibility of falling away As on the other side but through a foolish and unsavoury kind of partiality we are apt on all hands according to the Proverb to account our own Geese for Swannes and other mens Swannes Geese Certaine I am that if the writings of men of the one judgement and of the other be compared together and an estimate made from thence of the Religion Worth and Holinesse of the Authors respectively Those who oppose the common Doctrine of Perseverance doe account it no Robbery to make themselves every way equall in this honour with their opposers The truth is If it be lawfull for me to utter what I really apprehend and judge in the case I doe not find that spirit of holinesse to breath with that Authority height or Excellency of power in the writings of the latter which I am very sensible of in the writings of the former These call for Righteousnesse Holinesse and all manner of Christian conversation with every whit as high a hand as the other and adde nothing to check obstruct or infeeble the Authority of their demands in this kind when as the other though they before many times in their exhortations and conjurements unto holinesse yet other while render both these and themselves in them contemptible by avouching such principles which cut the very sinews and strength of such their exhortations and fully ballance all the weight of those motives by which they seek to bind them upon the Consciences of men And for men truly holy and Conscientious doubtlesse the Primitive Christians for three hundred years together and upwards next after the times of the Apostles will fully ballance with an abundant surplusage both for numbers and truth of Godlinesse All those in the Reformed Churches who since Calvins daies have adhered to the common Doctrine of Perseverance And that the Churches of Christ more generally during the said space of three hundred years and more held a possibility of a totall and finall defection even in true and soun◠Believers is so cleare from the Records yet extant of those times that it cannot be denied Ans. To let passe M. Goodwins Proverb with its Applycation it being very facile to returne it to its Author there being nothing in the World by him proposed to induce us to such an estimation of his associates in the work of teaching the Doctrine of the Saints Apostasy and their labours therein or any other undertaking of theirs as he labours to beget in guilding over their Worth and Writings but only his own judgment an overweening of their Geese for Swans Let us see what is offered by him to evince the Experience Asserted not to be so unquestionable as is pretended He offers First his own Affirmation That if an estimate may be made of mens Worth and Holinesse by their writings Those who oppose the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance will be found in the promotion of Holinesse and the practice of it to out goe their Adversaries Their writings he tells us breath forth a spirit of holinesse such as he cannot find in the writings of others But first for this you have only M. Goodwins naked single Testimony And that opposed to the common experience of the people of God What weight this is like to beare with men the event will shew It is a hard thing for one man upon his bare word to undertake to perswade a multitude that what their eyes see and their eares heare is not so M. Goodwin had need have Pythagorean Disciples for the imbracing of these dictates of his The experience of Thousands is placed to confirme the observation insisted on saith M. Goodwin It is not so they are in my judgement all deceived But Secondly § 7. who are they in whose writings Mr Goodwin hath found such a Spirit of Holinesse breathing with Authority as is not to be found out nor perceived in the writings of them that assert the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints Calvin Zanchius Beza c. and to confine our selves home Reynolds Whitaker Perkins Greenham
Dodde Preston Boulton Sibbs Rogers Collverwell Cotton c. whose fame upon this very account of the eminent and effectuall breathing of a Spirit of Holynesse in their writings is gone out into all the Nations about us and their Remembrance is blessed at home and abroade are some of the men who have as hath been shewed laboured in watering the Vineyard of the Lord with the dew and raine of this Doctrine Who or where are they who have excelled them in this undertaking Let the men be named and the writings produced that Mr Goodwin may have some joyned with him in a search after and Judgement of that Spirit that breathes so excellently in them that we be not forced to take his Testimony of we know not what nor whom Those amongst our selves of cheifest name who have appeared in the Cause that Mr Goodwin hath now undertaken are Tompson Mountagu c. with an obscure Rabble of that Generation I shall easily allow Mr Goodwin to be a man more sharpe sighted than the most of those with whom he hath to do in this present contest as also to have his sences more exercised in the Writings of those eminent Persons last named But yet that he is sensible of such a Spirit of Holines breathing in their writings which for the most part are stuffed with cruell scoffings at the Professours of it and horrible contempt of all close walking with God I cannot easily readily believe should he adde to them Arminius with all that followed him in the Low Countryes their most Learned Corvinus Drunke and Sober As also such among the Papists and Lutherans as are his Companions in this worke and swell thē all with the Rethorick of his commendations untill they breake I dare say he will never be able before indifferent Judges to make out his Assertion of the excellency of their writings for the futherance of Holinesse compared with the Labours of those great and holy Soules who have both among our selves and abroad Laboured in the worke I am at present ingaged in The World of men professing the Reformed Religion have long since in their Judgments determined this difference nor doth it deserve any farther debate Secondly That those who maintaine the Perseverance of the Saints are sore indeed in their Exhortations to Holinesse § 8. but contemptible in their Principles upon which they should build those Exhortations Is an insinuation that Mr Goodwin sometimes makes use of handsomely to beg the thing in Question when he despaires to carry it by any convincing Argument in a faire dispute That the Principles of this Doctrine are eminently serviceable to the furtherance and promotion of Holinesse hath been formerly evinced beyond all possibility of Contradiction from them who in any measure understand what true Godlinesse is and wherein it doth consist Neither ought Mr Goodwin if he would be esteemed as a man disputing for his perswasion so often to begge the thing in Question knowing fullwell that he hath not so deserved of them with whom he hath to do as to obtaine any thing of this nature on those tearmes at their hands Thirdly §. 9. what was the judgement of the Primitive Christians as in others so in and about this head of Christian Religion is best known from that rule of Doctrine which it is confessed they attended unto being delivered unto them and in the defence whereof and to give Testimony whereto so many Thousands of them loved not their lives unto death Of those that committed over to posterity any thing of their thoughts in that space of time limited by M. Goodwin viz. three hundred years he names but two of whom I shall not say that if they failed in their Apprehensions of the Truth in this matter It is not the only thing wherein they so failed And yet that it can be evident in the least that they were consenting in judgement with M. Goodwin wherewith from us he differs is absolutely denied This elsewhere is already farther considered It is a common observation and not destitute of a great evidence of Truth that the Liberty of Expression which is used by men in the delivery of any Doctrine especially if it be done obiter by the way before some opposition hath been framed and stated thereunto hath given advantage to those following of them when death hath prevented all possibility for them to explaine themselves and their own thoughts to draw them into a participation with them in that which their Soules abhorred The plea of Arius and his Associats concerning the judgement of the Doctors of the Church in the daies before him about the great Article of our Faith The Diety of Christ is known That there are in many of the Ancients sundry expressions seemingly varying from that Doctrine we Assert upon the account of their different apprehensions of the tearmes of Faith being Regenerated Holinesse and the like which are all of them still with us as in the Scripture of various significations and not clearely expressive of any one sence intended by them untill distinguished is not denyed Speaking of all those who had been Baptized and made profession of their Faith as Believers it is no wonder if they granted that some Believers might fall away But yet in the meane time the most eminent of them constantly affirmed that there is a sort of Believers who upon the matter with them were the only true and Reall Believers being such as we formerly described that could not fall either totally or finally but as for this I hope full satisfaction is tendered the Learned Reader in the Preface of this Discourse So that these Exceptions notwithstanding the prejudices that Mr Goodwin's Doctrine labours under from the opposition made to it and against it in the defenee of that which it riseth up to overthrow by that Generation of the Saints of God lyes upon the shoulders thereof as a burthen to heavy for it to beare Secondly §. 10. Mr Goodwin farther proceeds Sect. 27 to informe us of some other mistakes in the instance given to make good the former observation For as for Calvin Musculus Martyr Bucer with the Ministers of this Nation who in the last Generation so Zealously opposed the persecutions and innovations of some returning with speed and violence to Rome He tells us they were very farre from having their Judgments settled as to the Doctrine under contest so as resolvedly to have imbraced the one and rejected the other I should willingly walke in the heigh way for the manifestation and cleare eviction of the untruth of this suggestion viz. by producing their Testimonyes in abundant plentifull manner to confirme their clearenesse and Resolution in the Truth we professe with their Zealous indeavours for the establishment confirmation and propagation of it but that some few Considerations delivered me from ingaging in so facile a taske For First I am not able to perswade my selfe that any man who ever read the writings of the first
sort of men mentioned and knowes the constant Doctrine to this day of the Churches which they planted and watered or ever did heare of the latter will entertaine this Assertion of Mr Goodwins with any thing but Admiration upon what grounds he should make it And Secondly Himselfe discovering in part on what account he doth it namely because of their Exhortations to watchfulnesse carefulnesse and close walking with God with their denuntiations of threatnings to them that abide not in the Faith which he fancyes to be inconsistent with the Doctrine of Perseverance so as by him opposed which inconsistency we have long since fully manifested to be the issue offspring of his owne imagination begotten of it by the cunning Sophystry of his Pelagian Friends I know not why I should farther insist upon the wiping away of this Reproach cast upon those Blessed Soules whom God so magnified in the worke of the Gospell of his Sonne in their Generation I remember Navaret a Dominican Fryer upon his Observation of the subtiltyes of the Jesuits to wrest many sayings of the Ancients in favour of their Opinions in those Doctrines wherein those two Orders are at variance Affirmes That he was afraid that when he was dead although he had written disputed so much against them they would produce him for a Testimony and Witnesse on their side What he feared concerning himselfe Mr Goodwin hath attempted concerning many more worthy Persons cutting off sentences from what goes before and followes after restrayning generall expressions imposing his owne Hypothesis on his Reader in making application of what he quotes out of any Author he hath spent one whole Chapter to perswade the world that men of as great Abilityes Judgments as any in the world since the Apostles fell a sleepe have usually exprest themselves in a direct contradiction to what they are eminently and notoriously knowne as their professed deliberate Judgments to have maintained Secondly He farther informes us § 11. how this Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints came to be so generally entertained by the Godly Zealous Able Ministers of this Nation that when we see how they fell into it their Testimony given thereto may be of the lesse validity withus This he telleth you was the Permission of M. Perkins his Judgment to be overruled by the Texts of Scripture commonly insisted on for the proofe of this Doctrine the great worth of the Person commended therefore the worth of the Opinion he verily believeth as men were then induced to receive this Opinion sâ— to a relinquishment of it they went nothing but the countenance and Authorty of soâ— Person of popular acceptance to go before them And the Reason he giveth of this his Faith is the Observation of the Principles they usually hold forth especially in the Applicatory part of their Sermons Ans. What § 12. and who they were who are thus represented by Mr Goodwin in their receiving and imbracing of that Doctrine which with the great travell of their Soules all their dayes they Preached and pressed to and upon others is knowne to all The Persons I named before one of them only excepted with all those eminent burning and shining Lights which for so many yeares have laboured with Renowne and successe to the astonishment of the world in the Preaching of the Gospell in this Nation are the men intended Doubtlesse such thoughts have not in former dayes been entertained of them however the contemplation of any mans owne ability may now raise him to contempt of them M. Perkins received this Doctrine and therefore all the Godly Ministers of this Nation did so to If any one of the like esteeme with him did fall off from it Now whom they should obtaine to lead them of equall reputation and acceptance with him who hath in vaine attempted it I know not they would quickly follow not like Shepheards but Sheep into an opposition thereunto Those who have not very slight thoughts of theÌ„ which doubtlesse they that are fallen a sleep did not deserve will scarcely suppose that they entertained a Truth of so great importance as this upon so easie tearmes as these insinuated or that they would have parted with it at so cheape a rate Farther §. 13. why the Ministers of England should be thought to entertaine this Doctrine meerely upon the Authority and countenance of Mr Perkins given thereunto when the universality of the Teachers of all other Reformed Churches of the same confession in other things with them did also embrace the same Doctrine and do continue in profession of it to this day what reason can be assigned Had there been a particular inducement to the Ministers of England for the receiving of it which was altogether forraigne unto them who as to our Nation are forraigners whence is it that there should be such a a coincidence of their Judgments with them therein Or why may not ours be thought to take it upon the same account with them upon whose Judgements understandings the Authority of Mr Perkins cannot be supposed to have any influence Is M. G. the only Person who in this Nation hath impartially weighed all things of concernement to the refusing or imbracing any matters or Doctrines in Religion Have no other in the sincerity of their hearts sâ—earched the Scriptures earnestly begged the guidance of the Spirit according to that incouraging Promise left by their Master that they should receive him so doing The good Lord take away from us all high thoughts of our selves and all contempt of them that professe the Feare of the Lord with whom we have to do For the Reason of Mr Goodwin's Faith in this thing concerning the readinesse of the Godly Ministers of this Nation to Apostatize from the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance namely their manifesting themselves to be possessed of many Principles of a contrary tendency unto it in the applicatory parts of their Sermons the vanity of it hath been long since discovered so that there is no farther need to lay open the unreasonablenesse thereof M. Goodwin mistrusting his ability to perswade men §. 14. that the Persons of whom he hath discoursed were not cleare in their Judgments as to an opposition to that Doctrine which he positively owneth and zealously contendeth for and knowing that it cannot be denyed but that they were men of eminency for Godlinesse and close walking in Communion with God all their dayes Yet he excepteth as his last refuge That it cannot be manifested that this Opinion had the least influence in their pious conversation which is wholly to be ascribed to other commendable Principles that they embraced This indeed may be said of any part of the Doctrine whatsoever that they received some of them suffered for Atheists may say it of the whole profession of Christianity ascribe the goodnes of the lives of the best of them that professe it to some other principles common to them with the residue
having cast an eye on the body of the Discourse will scarcely be received by his Reader without the helpe of that vulgar Proverbe Good Wits jumpe But yet on that occasion I cannot but say however he hath dealt in that Treatise this Discourse I have under consideration is purely translated from them the condition of very much of what hath ben already considered having the same which I had there thought to have manifested by placing their Latine against his English in the margent but these things are personall not belonging to the cause in hand M. G. is sufficiently known to have Abilityes of his own such as wherewith he hath done in sundry particulars considerable service to the Truth as sometimes they have been unhappily ingaged in wayes of a contrary nature and tendency It being evident from these Considerations that our Author is not able in the least to take off this witnesse from speakeing home to the very heart of the cause in hand §. 39. that it may not seeme to be weakened and impaired by him in the least I shall farther consider that diversion which he would intice the words unto from their proper channell and Intendment and so leave the Apostacy of the Saints dead at the foote of it He gives us then Sect. 23 24. an Exposition of this place of Scripture upon the Rack whereof it seemes not to speake what formerly we received from its mouth For the occasion of the words he sayes For the true meaning of this place §. 40. 't is to be considered that the Apostles intent in the words was to prevent or heale an offence that weake Christians might take at the Doctrine which was taught and spread abroad by those Antichrists or Anticristian teachers spoken of in the former verse and they are said to have been many that especially because they had sometimes liv'd conversed with the Apostles themselves in Christian Churches and had profest the same Faith Doctrine with them by reason hereof some Christians not so considerate or judicious as others might possibly thinke or conceive that surely all things were not well with the Apostles and those Christian societyes with which they consorted There was something not as it ought to have been either in Doctrine or manners or both which ministred an occasion to these men to breake communion with them and to leave them Ans. §. 41. First The intendment of the Apostle in the Context is evidently to caution Believers against seducers acquainting them also with the sweet and gracious provision that God had made for their preservation in the abiding teaching anointing bestowed on them In the verse under present consideration he gives them a description of the persons that did seduce them in respect of their present state and condition They were Apostates who though they had sometimes made profession of the Faith yet indeed were never true Believers nor had any fellowship with Jesus Christ as he and the Saints had which also they had abundantly manifested by their open Apostacy and ensuing opposition to the Doctrine of the Gospell and the eternall Life manifested therein Secondly That any Christians whatsoever from the consideration of these seducers falling away did entertaine any suspicion that all things were not well in that society of which the Apostle speakes not with the Apostles which were all dead himselfe only excepted when John wrote this Epistle either as to Doctrine or manners so supposing them to take part with the Apostates in their departure is a surmize whereunto there is not any thing in the least contributed in the Text or Context nor any thing like to it being a meere invention of our Author found out to serve this turne and confidently without any induction looking that way or attempt of proofe imposed upon his credulous Reader if men may assume to themselves a liberty of creating occasions of words discourses or expressions in the Scripture no manner of way insinuated nor suggested therein they may wrest it to what they please and confirme whatever they have a mind unto This false foundation being laid he proceeds to build upon it §. 42. and suitably thereunto feignes the Apostle to speake what never entred into his heart and unto that whereof he had no occasion administred To this saith he the Apostle answereth partly by Concession partly by Exception First by Concession in those words they went out from us which words doe not so much import their utter declining or forsaking the Apostles communion as the advantage or opportunity which they had to gaine credit and respect both to the Doctrine and Persons among professours of Christianity in the World In as much as they came forth from the Apostles themselves as men sent and commissioned by them to teach The same phrase is used in this sence and with the same import where the Apostles write thus to the Brethren of the Gentiles Acts 15. 24. For as much as we have heard that certain that went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your soules saying you must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such commandement So that in this clause they went out from us the Apostle grants First That those Antichristian teachers had indeed for a time held communion with them And Secondly That hereby they had the greater opportunity of doing harme in the World by their false Doctrines But Secondly He Answers farther by way of Exception but they were not of us whilest yet they conversed with us they were not men of the same spirit and principles with us we walk'd in the profession of the Gospell with single and upright hearts not aiming at any secular greatnesse or worldly accommodations in one kind or other these men loved this present World and when they found the simplicity of the Gospell would not accommodate them to their minds they brake with us and with the truth of the Gospell it selfe at once Ans. §. 43. First I suppose t is evident at the first view that this new glosse of the Apostles words is inconsistent with that which was proposed for the occasion of them in the words foregoing There an Aspersion is said to be cast upon the Churches and societyes whereof the Apostle speakes from the departure of these seducers from them as though they were not sound in Faith or manners here an insinuation quite of an other tendency is suggested as though these persons found continuance in their teachings and seductions from the society and communion which they had had with the Apostles as though they had pretended to come from them by commission and so instead of casting reproach upon them by their departure did assume Authority to themselves by their having been with them But to the thing it selfe I say Secondly That the Apostle is not answering any Objection but describing the state and condition of the Antichrists and seducers concerning whom and their seduction he cautioneth
persevere He compares it further with the Grace that Adam received Lib. De Correp Grat Cap. 12 primo itaque homini qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non Peccare posse non mori posse ipsum Bonum non deserere datum est Adjutorium Perseverantiae non quo fieret ut perseveraret sed sine quo per liberum Arbitrium persever are non possit Nunc verò Sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam Dei praedestinatis non tantum tale adjutorium Perseverantiae datur sed tale ut iis Perseverantia ipsa donetur non solùm ut sine isto done Perseverantes esse non possint verùm etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perseverantes sint And a little after ipseitaque dat perseverantiam qui stabilire potens est eos qui stant ut perseverantissimè stent And in the eight Chapter of the same Book expounding that of our Saviour Luke 22 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not he manifesteth how upon that account it was impossible that the will of Peter should not actually be established to the end in believing His words are an audebis dicere etiam rogante Christo ne deficeret fides Petri defecturum fuisse si Petrus eam deficere voluisset idque si eam usque in finem perseverare noluisset quasi aliud Petrus ullo modo vellet quà m pro illo Christus rogâsset ut vellet nam quis ignorat tunc fuisse perituram fidem Petri si ea quae fidelis erat voluntas ipsa deficeret permansuram si voluntas eadem permaneret quando ergo oravit ne fides ejus deficeret quid aliud rogavit nisi ut haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam invictissimam Perseverantissimam voluntatem And in this persuasion he had not only the consent of all the sound and Orthodox Doctours in his time as was before manifested but he is followed also by the School men of all ages and not forsaken by some of the Jesuites themselves as we shall afterwards see when we have added that consideration of the Doctrine of this learned man which hath given occasion to some to pretend his consent in opposition to that which most evidently He not only delivered but confirmed There are in Austine and those that either joyned with him or followed immediately after him notwithstanding the Doctrine formerly insisted on that Actual perseverance is a Gift of God and that it flowes from Predestination as an Effect thereof and is bestowed on all Elect Believers infallibly preserving them unto the end wherein they assert and strongly prove the whole of what we maintaine sundry Expressions commonly urged by the Adversaries of the truth in hand granting many who were Saints believing and Regenerate to fall away and perish for ever I need not instance in any of their sayings to this purpose the Reader knowes where to find them gathered to his hand in Vossius Grotius Mr. Goodwin from them The seeming contradiction that is amongst themselves in the delivery of this doctrine will easily admit of a Reconciliation may they be allowed the common courtesy of being Interpreters of their own meaning What weight in those dayes was layd upon the Participation of the Sacramental figures of Grace and what expressions are commonly used concerning them who had obtained that Priviledge is known to all Hence all baptised persons continuing in the Profession of the Faith and Communion of the Church they called counted esteemed truly regenerate and justified and spake so of them Such as these they constantly affirme might fall away into everlasting destruction but yet what their judgment was concerning their present state indeed even then when they so termed them Regenerate and Believers in respect to the Sacraments of those Graces Austine in sundry places clearly delivers his thoughts to the undeceiving of all that are willing to be free This he especially handles in his book de Correp Grat Cap 9 non erant saith he filii etiam quando erant in professione nomine filiorum ◠non quiae justitiam simulaverunt sed quia in eâ non permanserunt This Righteousness he esteemed not to be meerly feigned and hypocritical but rather such as might truly intitle them to the state and Condition of the Children of God in the sense before expressed And againe isti cùm piè vivunt dicuntur filii Dei sed quoniam victuri sunt impie in eâdem impietate morituri non eos dicit filios Dei prascientia Dei And further in the same chapter sunt rursus quidam qui filii Dei propter susceptam temporalem gratiam dicuntur à nobis nec sunt tamen ` Deo and againe non erant in numero filiorum etiam quando erant in fide filiorum And sicut non verè Discipuli Christi ita nec verè filii Dei fuerunt etiam quando esse videbantur ita vocabantur He concludes Appellamus ergo nos Electos Christi Discipulos Dei filios quos regeneratos that is as to the Sacramental signe of that Grace piè vivere ceruimus sed tunc verò sunt quod appellantur si manserint in eo propter quod sic appellantur Si autem persever antiam non habent id est in eo quod caperunt esse non manent non verè appellantur quod appellantur non sunt As also de Doct Christianâ Lib. 3. C. 32 non est revera Corpus Christi quod non erit cum illo in aeternum And these are the Persons which Austine and those of the same judgment with him do grant that they may fall away such as upon the account of their Baptismal entrance into the Church their Pious devout lives their profession of the faith of the Gospel they called and accounted regenerate believers whom yet they tell you upon a through search into the nature and causes of holyness grace and walking with God that they would be found not to be truly and really in that state and condition that they were esteemed to be in of which they thought this a sufficient Demonstration even because they did not persevere which undeniably on the other hand with the testimonies foregoing and the like inumerable that might be produced evinces that their constant judgment was that all who are truly really and in the sight of God believers ingrafted into Christ and adopted into his family should certainly Persevere and that all the passages usually cited out of this holy and learned man to perswade us that he ever cast an eye towards the Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints may particularly be refer'd to this head and manifested that they do not at all concerne those whom he esteemed Saints indeed which is cleere from the consideration of what hath been insisted on Thus far He of whom what were the thoughts of the Church of God in the dayes wherein he lived hath been
declared He who hath been esteemed amongst the Ecclesiastical Writers of old to have laboured more and to more purpose in the Doctrine of the Grace of God then all that went before him or any that have followed after him whose renowne in the Church hath been cheifly upheld and maintained upon the account of the blessed paines and labours wherin the Presence of God made him to excel for the depressing the pride of all flesh and the exaltation of the riches of God's love and efficacy of his grace in Jesus Christ wherewith the whole Church in succeeding Ages hath been advantaged beyond what is easy to be expressed That Prosper Hilary Fulgentius and the men of renowne in the Congregation of God at the end of that Age did fall in with their judgments to that which Austine had delivered I suppose will be easily confessed Prosper ad Cap 7. Gal. quomodo eos habeat praeordinata in Christo Electio cum dubium non sit donum Dei esse Perseverantiam in bono usque ad finem quod istos ex io ipso quod non perseverârunt non habuisse manifestum est Also the breaking of the Power and 〈◊〉 of the attempt of Pelagius by sundry Doctors of the Church and Synods to that end assembled whereof Prosper gives us an account reckoning them up in their order and Austine before him Epist 42. 47 with special relation to what was done in Africk and in the begining of his verses De Ingratis with what troubles were raised and created anew to the Champions of the Grace of God by the writings of Cassianus Faustus Vincentius the Masilienses with some others in France and the whole rable of Semi-Pelagians with the fiction of Sigibert about a Predestinarian Heresy whereof there was never any thing in being no not among the Adrumetine Monks where Vossius hoped to have placed it the Councel of Arles the Corruptions and falsifications of Faustus in the business of Lucidus the impositions on Goteschalcus with the light given to that business from the Epistle of Florus have exerciâ—ed the commendable endeavours of so many already that there is not the least need further to insist upon them What entertainment that peculiar Doctrine which I am in the Consideration of found in the following ages is that which I shall further demonstrate After these was Gregory 1 who Lib. 1. Epist 99 speakes to the same purpose with them in these words Redemptor noster Dei hominumque mediator Conditionis Humanae non immemor sic imis summa conjungit ut ipse in unitate permanens ita Temporalia occulto Instinctu piâ consulens moderatione disponat quatenus de ejus manu antiquus Host is nullatenus rapiat quos ante Secula intra Sinum matris Ecclesiae adunandos esse praescivit nam et si quisquam eorum inter quos degit Statibus motus ad Tempus ut palmes titubet radix tamen rectae Fidei quae ex occulto prodit divino judicio virens manet quae accepto Tempore fructum de se ostentare valeat qui latebat This is the summe of what we contend for viz that all those whom God hath predestinated to be added to the Church receiving a saving faith though they may be shaken yet on that account the Root abides firme their Faith never utterly perisheth but in due time brings forth accepted fruits againe And most expressive to our purpose is that discourse of his which you have Lib. 34. Moral Cap. 8 saith He Aurum quod pravis Diaboli persuasionibus quasi lutum sterni potuerit Aurum ante Dei Oculos nunquam fuit qui enim Seduci quandoque non reversuri possunt quasi habitam Sanctitatem ante ocules hominum videntur amittere sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt The Exclusion of those from being True Believers who may be seduced and fall away doth most eminently infer the Perseverance of all Them who are so Adde unto these Oecumenius though he be one of a latter date and those shall suffice for the period of time relating to the Pelagian Controversy saith he in Epist ad Ephes cap. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is confirmed and Ratified by the earnest of the Spirit that is given to them that believe Of those that lived after the days of the forementioned I meane all of them but the last that I may not cloy the Reader I shall not mention any until the business of Divinity and the profession of it was taken up by the School-men and Canonists who from a mixture of Divine and Homane principles framed the whole body of it anew and gave it over into the possession of the present Romish Church moulded for the most part to the worldly carnal Interests of them on whom they had their Dependency in their several generations But yet as there was none of those but one way or other was eminently conducing to the carrying on of the mystery of Iniquity by depraving perverting and corrupting one Truth or other of the Gospel so all of them did not in all Things equally corrupt their waies but gave some Testimony more or less to some Truths as they received them from those that went before them so fell it out in the matter of the Grace of God and the Corruption of the Nature of man though some of them laboured to corrode and corrupt the ancient received Doctrine thereof so some againe contended with all their might in their way and by their Arguments to defend it as is evident in the Instance of Bradwardine crying out to God and Man to help in the Cause of God against the Pelagians in his Dayes in particular complaining of the great Master of their Divinity So that notwithstanding all their Corruptions these ensuing Principles pass currantly among the most eminent of Them as to the Doctrine under consideration which continue in credit with many of their Sophistical Successours to this Day 1 That Perseverance is a grace of God bestowed according to Predestination or Election on men that is that God gives it to Believers that are Predestinated and Elected 2 That on whomsoever the Grace of Perseverance is bestowed they do Persevere to the end and it is impossible in some sense that they should otherwise Doe 3 That none who are not predestinate what grace soever they may be made partakers of in this world shall constantly continue to the end 4 That no Believer can by his own strength or power incited or stirred up by what manlike or rational considerations so ever Persevere in the Faith the Grace of Perseverance being a gift of God It is true that their Judgments being perverted by sundry other Corrupt Principles about the Nature and Efficacy of Sacraments with their Conveyance of Grace ex opere operato and out of Ignorance of the Righteousness of God and the Real work of Regeneration they generally maintaine though Bradwardine punctually exprest himselfe to be of another