sed sine quo per liberum arbitrium perseuerare non posset Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam praedestinatis non tantum tale adiutorium perseuerantie datur sed tale vt ijs perseuerantia ipsa donetur non solum vt sine isto dono perseuerantes esse non possint verumetiam vt per hoc donum non nisi perseuerantes sint Secondly from Gods dealing with the Angels that kept not their first estate but c. to his dealing with man after his fall no good president can be taken for it is certaine God prouided a Redeemer for man but none for them As the Angels sin was greater so their iudgement was more heauy and losse irreparable Neither is the consequence good from Adams losse of his estate of Innocency to the like possibilitie of the regenerates losse of their estate of Grace because God made no euerlasting couenant of peace with Adam before his fall as he did since with the regenerate in Christ the Peace-maker He made no such promise to Adam before his fall as he hath made to his Church since that Hell gates should not preuaile against her Adam had no Mediator before his fall to pray for his perseuerance in the state of Innocencie but the faithfull and truly regenerate haue the effectuall prayers of Christ the Mediator for their perseuerance in faith and grace I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not And I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from the euill neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on me through their word Thirdly Adam in Paradise stood by the power of his owne free-will and naturall integrity but the regenerate are now kept by supernaturall grace and the power of God through faith vnto saluation and therefore albeit Lucifer in Heauen and Adam in Paradise who stood meerely of themselues fell from their first estate it is no consequent that the regenerate may in like manner fall from their estate who stand not by themselues but by Christ and are supported by God Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersary thus If the state of Creation and Redemption differ especially in this that men and Angels in the state of creation had power to perseuere if they would but not will and men in the state of redemption haue not only power but also will giuen them to perseuere and grace by which they cannot but perseuere then the argument drawne from the totall fall of Adam and finall of Lucifer to the totall and finall falling away of the regenerate maketh nothing for but strongly against the Aduersary But the state of Creation and Redemption differ especially in this that men and Angels in the state of Creation had power to perseuere if they would but not will and men in the state of Redemption haue not only power but also will giuen them to perseuere and grace by which they cannot but perseuere as hath beene proued Therefore the Argument drawne from the totall fall of Adam and finall of Lucifer to the totall and finall falling away of the regenerate maketh nothing for but strongly against the Aduersary ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 28. Of Saul what saith the Scripture 1 Sam. 9. 2. The sonne of Kish whose name was h Saul an elect and good man and there was not of the sonnes of Israel a good man beyond him Yet of him chap. 15. 11. we reade It repenteth me that I haue made Saul King for he is turned backe from following me Bert. ibid. ex Cypriano Epist. 7. i Salomon Saul and many others while they walked in the wayes of the Lord could haue held the grace giuen to them but departing from the ordinance of God grace departed from them APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 162. h Saul was at the first the childe of God called according to the election of grace not only temporall for the kingdome of Israel but also eternall for the heauenly kingdome In opinion of Antiquity thus he was and yet afterward he fell it is confessed totally all say eternally these say that maintaine iustifying faith cannot be lost Ibidem But if Saul were not of Gods children in grace indued with faith and the holy Spirit yet i Salomon was there is no question with them because he was a writer of holy Writ and wrote as he was inspired by God If they did not grant it the Scripture would euict it 2 Sam. 7. 12. yet Salomon fell as Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome are cleare for it at least temporally and totally too when he serued other gods h To the first instance in Saul we answer First with Melancthon that Saul seemed to be a faithfull man but the euent sheweth that he was an hypocrite He was indeed chosen to the Kingdome of Israel but not to the Kingdome of Heauen by the Appealers leaue there is no syllable in Scripture importeth so much hee was indeed indued with the Spirit of Gouernment and the Spirit of Prophecie but not with the Spirit of Regeneration for ought appeares in Scripture hee might be and as most thinke he was among those to whom that speech of our Sauiour might be applied Many shall say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy name c. then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquitie Secondly we answer The words alledged by Bertius 1 Sam. 9. 2. speake of the lineaments of his body and proper personage not of the inward vertues of his minde or graces of his soule There was not a goodlyer the text saith not a godlyer person than hee from the shoulders and vpward he was higher than any of the people To argue from stature to grace from the bodie to the soule from proceritie to sinceritie from a corruptible crowne to an incorruptible is scopam dissolutam facere to make a besome without a band or to make a rope of sands Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus The gifts and calling by God of the regenerate are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. Sauls gifts and calling by God were not without repentance for the text saith 1 Sam. 15. 11. God repented him that he had made Saul King c. Therefore Sauls gifts and calling were not the calling and gifts of the regenerate i To the second instance in Salomon wee answer That Salomon was indeed a childe of God and is called the beloued of the Lord because the Lord loued him indeed 2 Sam. 7. 12. But we deny that he fell from grace either totally or finally Hee was a type of Christ a pen-man of the holy Ghost God threatned grieuously to scourge him for his sinnes yet promised withall neuer quite to cast him off His fall I confesse was grieuous but his repentance in his booke of the Preacher sheweth that the seed of God still remained in him as it doth in all
of the Apostasie of Saints Edit Lugduni Anno 1615. pag. 12. Demand the first There is no absolute Election and b pag. 25. Absolute Predestination granted it was necessary to remoue the whole Scripture to settle that head or doctrine Arminius in the forecited Declaration pag. 33. Out of this doctrine to wit of absolute solute Predestination it c followeth that God is the Author of sinne And this may bee proued by a foure-fold Argument 1. Because this Doctrine layeth it downe that God precisely hath decrâ—ed to demonstrate his glory by punishing or punitiue iustice and mercy sauing some men and damning others which but by d Sinne entring into the world neither was nor could be done c. Arminius respons ad Artic. 10. It would be easie for mee to conuince the opinion of some of the brethren of Manichâ—isme and Stoicisme We protest to the whole world that by our aduersaries e Manicheisme and f Stoicisme or fatall necessitie is â—rought into the Church The Embleme of their booke of the Acts of the Synod of Dort hath this triumphant title Destructo fato or the 〈◊〉 of Fate Ex Act. Syn. Dordrac in Peror Bert. epist. Dedic before his booke of the Apostasie of the Saints There are who flie Pelagianisme not seeing that they plainly side with the Manichees Hee citeth these words as out of an Epistle of Casâ—ubon but forged by himselfe Hag Conference set out by Bert. pag. 90. This absolute Decree openeth a gate on this side to a g dissolute life on that side to h desperation APPEALER APPEALE to Caesar pag. 58. In all which passage to wit of the seuenteenth Article there rehearsed both concerning Gods decree and execution of that decree is not one word syllable or apex touching your absolute necessary determined irresistible irrespectiue decree of God to call saue and glorifie Saint Peter for instance infallibly without any consideration had of or regard to his faith obedience and repentance Appeale to Caesar pa. 54. Nothing is by mee ascribed to your side and to your Doctors but an absolute and irrespectiue decree concerning man in vtramque partem I brought no inferences to presse you withall such as are commonly and odiously made against you by opposites whose virulent inuectiues though too true imputations I vsed not I did not charge you with making God the Author of sinne That the reprobate are iâ—cited on and prouoked to sinne by God That God was the Author of Iudas treason and the like Appeale pag. 68. I neuer yet read of any prime preuious determining decree by which men were irrespectiuely denied grace and excluded from glory vnlesse from damned e Heretiques or f Stoâ—call Philosophers Appeale pag. 30. Against that absolute irrespectiue necessitating and fatall decree of your new Predestination Appeale pag. 60. I must confesse my dissent through and sincere from the faction of Noâ—â—lising Puritans c. but in no one point more than in this their h desperate doctrine of Predestination in which as they delight to trouble themselues and others in nothing more so I professe I doe loue to meddle nothing lesse I haue not I did not desire nor intend to declare my opinion in that point a Edit Lugduni Batau ex officina Tho. Basson 1512. b Positâ Praedestinatione illâ absolutâ necessarium fuit totam scripturam loco mouere vt illud caput adsereretur c It no way followeth See Caluines Preface of his booke of Diuine Predestin and first booke of Institut 17. Chap. Beza against Castellio Peter Martyr in his Comment on the 1. Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans Zuinglius in his Sermon of Prouidence Abbot Prelect of the Author of sinne Paraeus Answer to Bellaâ—mine second booke of the state of sinne and losse of grace chap. 4. and diuers others d God decreed the permission and disposing of sinne which he fore-saw vpon his permission would be hee did not decree the effecting or existence of it that it should be Saint Augustine fully answereth these and the like Arguments in his booke de Corrept Grat. cap. 10. We freely confesse that which we most rightly beleeue that the God and Lord of all things who made all things exceeding good and fore-saw that euill things would arise out of good and knew that it more appertained to his most omnipotent goodnesse to draw good out of euil than not to suffer euils to be hath so ordred the life of men and Angels that in it first he might shew the power of their owne free-will and then the benefit of his grace and iudgement of his iustice And in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium cap. 11. God being most exceeding good would not by any meanes suffer any euill to be in his workes but that he is also so omnipotent and good that he can and doth worke good euen out of euill e As Iulian the Pelagian often in his bookes vpbraided Saint Augustine with Manicheisme so doth Arminius and the Appealer following the Pelagians step by step lay the same imputation vpon the orthodox defenders of Predestination But the imputation is most false for the Manichees held two soules in a man one good another bad and ascribed good and euill not to the free-will of man but to those two soules We with the holy Fathers teach but one soule in man and referre good and euill to Free-will but so that the will of it selfe is free to euill but is not neither can sithence the fall of Adam be free vnto good till God hath freed it by his grace according to the words of our Sauiour in Saint Iohns Gospell Chap. 8. 36. But if the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed And of Saint Paul Rom. 6. 18. Made free from sinne c. f A stale obiection long sithence answered by Saint Augustine in his second booke cap. 5. ad Bonifac. Wee maintaine not Fate or fatall necessity vnder the name of grace but if it please some men to call the omnipotent will of God vnder the name of Fate we seeke indeed to auoid prophane nouelty of word but wee will not contend about words To which answer of Saint Augustine we may further adde that the beleefe of Christians touching the falling out of all things according to the determinate counsell of God Act. 2. differeth from the Stoicke Fate or Fatality in foure things 1. The Stoicks subiected God himselfe to Fate Iupiter though he most desired could not free Sarpedon we subiect Fate that is the necessitie of things to Gods most free-will 2. They vnder the name of Fate vnderstood an eternall fluxe and necessary connexion of naturall causes and effects we teach that all natural and second causes had their beginning in the Creation neither is there such a necessary and absolute depeÌ„dance of effects from their naturall causes but that God can and often doth suspend those effects and miraculously worke beside aboue nay against nature 3. The Stoicks by their Fatality took away all contingencie wee admit
this worke of God Of falling away from Grace ARMINIANS HAGE Conference pag. 355. The Doctrine of our Aduersaries who teach that a man cannot fall away from grace totally nor finally is an q hinderance to godlinesse and also to good manners Theses exhibited to the Synod of Dort concerning the fifth Article All things being fore-laid which are necessarie and sufficient for perseuerance it remaineth still in the power of man to perseuere or not perseuere Bertius in his booke of Apostasie of Saints endeuoureth to proue that his blasphemous Assertion by diuers texts of Scripture Authorities of Fathers and Reasons from whose Armory the Appealer furnisht himselfe as will appeare by comparing their allegations together Bertius Iidit Lugduni Batauorum apud Lodouicum Elzeuirium in the yeare of our Lord 1615. pag. 169. You could not be ignorant that the Confession of the Church of England was cited by mee truly in the Acts at Hampton Court pag. 107. The English Confession set out in the yeare of our Lord 1562. Article 16. After we haue receiued the holy Ghost we may r depart from grace Bertius in his Dedicatory Epistle Doctor Bancroft at the Conference at Hampton Court withstood Doctor Rainolds who to that Article of the English Confession concerning departing from grace would haue those words added but not totally nor finally APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 157. That faith once had may be lost may be interpreted and is more wayes than one whether not lost at all whether totally and finally lost Men are diuided in this tenent Some suppose neither totally nor finally some totally but not finally some both totally and finally which is indeed the assertion of antiquitie Ibid. The learnedst of the Church of England assent to antiquity in their tenent which the Protestants of Germany maintain at this day hauing assented therein to the Church of Rome Appeale pag. 36. In my iudgement this is the doctrine of the Church of England not deliuered according to priuate opinions in ordinary Tracts and Lectures but deliuered publiquely positiuely and declaratiuely in Authentick records Appeale pag. 28. They were the learnedst in the Church of England that drew composed and agreed the Articles in 52. and 62. that ratified them in 71. that coÌ„firmed them in 604. that iustified and maintained them against the Puritans at Hampton Court but all such doe assent to antiquity in this tenent Ibid. p. 29. The Minor I make good particularly will proue it obsignatis tabulis In the 16. Article we reade and subscribe this After wee haue receiued the holy Ghost wee may r depart away from grace and fall into sinne Appeale pag. 30. This Article was s challenged as vnsound at the Conference at Hampton Court by those that were Petitioners against the Doctrine and Disciplie established in the Church of England and being so challenged before his Sacred Maiestie was there defended and maintained c. namely by Doctor Ouerall pag. 31. q See this obiection answered in the first question of absolute Predestination r The Article hath not the word Alway that is the Appealers addition The words are not After we haue receiued the holy Ghost we may fall into sinne and so fall away from grace but we may depart from grace giuen and fall into sinne that is so farre depart from grace that a man may fall into sinne after grace receiued which is confessed on all parts The Article speaketh not of a totall falling away from grace much lesse finall for the words immediatly following are and by the grace of God to wit before giuen we may rise againe He that falleth finally cannot rise againe he that falleth totally from grace cannot rise againe by the grace he had receiued because he is supposed to haue lost all the grace he receiued and the Article speakes not of new grace but onely of grace before receiued and giuen Besides the words of the Apostle to the Hebrewes 6. 6. beare strongly that way that a man who was once partaker of the holy Ghost if hee fall away that is totally cast away the Spirit of grace cannot possibly be renewed againe by repentance Whence we thus argue None who may after their fall rise againe by repentance fall totally or finally Heb. 6. 6. But all those of whom the Article speakes may after their fall rise againe by repentance Therefore none of whom the Article speaks fall totally or finally s The Appealer vttereth two manifest vntruths in this allegation out of the Conference at Hampton Court The first is That he faith the sense of the Article was there challenged as vnsound for Doctor Rainolds who in the name of the rest desired a fuller explication of the meaning of the Article to preuent that mistaking which is sithence fallen out in M. Montague and others began with this Preface Though the meaning of the Article be sound and good c. The second is That he affirmeth that this tenent a iustified man may fall away from grace and become ipso facto in the state of damnation c. now styled Arminianisme by these Informers was resolued and auowed for true by Doctor Ouerall and that honourable and learned Synod For Doctor Ouerall after he had affirmed That a iustified man committing any grieuous sinne as adultery murther or treason became ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath and was in the state of damnation quoad praesentem statum addeth yet those that are called and iustified according to the purpose of Gods election did neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to be vtterly destitute of all the parts and seeds thereof or finally from iustification but were in time renewed by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely faith and repentance and so iustified from those sinnes and the wrath curse and guilt annexed thereunto whereinto they were fallen and wherein they lay so long as they were without true repentance for the same Of Falling away from Grace ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 25. De Apostas Sanct. That which we haue proposed we proue first by those formes of Scripture by which Apostasie is diuersly described for this the Scripture calleth to turne away from righteousnesse Ezek. 33. 13. If the righteous commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall be no more remembred but for his â—niquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same Ibid. pag. 27. He who can turne away from his righteousnesse can forsake his former righteousnesse but a righteous man can turne away from his righteousnesse Ezek. 18. 24. Therefore the righteous can forsake his former righteousnesse Bert. pag. 41. Hee out of whom the Deuill is cast may become secure and made a Temple in which the former Deuill taking seuen other spirits with him may be lodged and so the latter coÌ„dition of that man made worse than the former Mat. 12. 43. Demonstrat Hee out of whom the Deuill is cast is truly iustified but such a one may by securitie and negligence fall into an estate worse then the
indeed he standeth not as those that killed the Apostles did thinke that they did God good seruice Iohn 16. 2. The Pharisie thought that he was rather iustified than the Publican yet he was not Saint Paul thought he had done a worke acceptable to God and aduantagious to the true Church when he persecuted the Saints and made hauocke of the Church The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things as it deceiueth others so sometimes our selues also Wee may conceiue that we are highly in Gods fauour and a great way toward heauen when yet indeed we are cast backe or stand at a stay It is therefore a speciall point of wisdome to examine our spirituall estate and proue whether we are in the faith or no that is whether we stand indeed or thinke onely that we stand for he that thinketh only that he standeth and hath no sure footing nor ground of his perswasion may fall and that irrecouerably Thirdly He that standeth may fall yet not totally or finally A man may fall and yet not bee hurt by his fall a man may be hurt and that dangerously by a fall and yet not die of that hurt Iustus cadit non tamen excidit The righteous falleth seuen times a day Si cadit quomodo iustus si iustus quomodo cadit If he fall how is he righteous if righteous how doth he fall Saint Ierome answereth sed iusti vocabulum non amittit qui semper per poenitentiam resurgit He loseth not the name of righteous who as often as he falls by sinne riseth againe by repentance Epist. 44. Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None of those whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation can fall totally or finally Those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall are such whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation in the next verse 1 Cor. 10. 13. But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but wil with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it Therefore those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall cannot fall totally or finally f To the place alledged Phil. 2. 12. we answer First that the argument drawne from the feare of Gods Saints hath beene before refuted and retorted in the handling that text of the Apostle Be not high-minded but feare Secondly we answer Feare is not here opposed to religious confidence but to carnall security and presumption The trembling here commanded is an awfull reuerence and filiall trembling not a seruile affrighting this feare and trembling is not only ioyned with assured hope that God will worke both the will and the deed in them that so feare vers 13. but also with ioy Psal. 2. 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Feare cannot be here taken for a distrustfull feare or a feare of being damned but of a sollicitous and watchfull feare for this were no good consequence God worketh in you the will and the deed therefore feare that is doubt and distrust your saluation but vse all diligence to make your election sure and be carefull to stirre vp God his grace in you and to call on him continually in all humblenesse of minde for the assistance of his Spirit without which you can neither doe nor will any good This grace and assistance of his Spirit God promiseth to none but to the humble and such as tremble at his word Esay 66. 2. Why doth the Apostle say saith Saint Augustine worke out your saluation with feare and trembling and not rather with securitie if God worke it vnlesse because in regard of our will without which we cannot well worke it may soone come into mans heart to esteeme that which he doth well to be his owne worke and say I shall neuer be remoued therefore he who gaue power to his will turned his face for a while froÌ„ him that he which said so might be troubled quoniam ipsis est ille tumor sanandus doloribus Because that swelling pride is to be healed with very sorrowes of a troubled minde Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None in whom God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed can fall totally or finally In those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed Philip. 2. 13. Therefore those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling cannot fall totally or finally ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 28. The Scriptures relate this to haue come to passe in the Angels Iude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Ibid. In our first Parents for Adam being holy created after Gods owne image yet was by his wife drawne to fall yea and the craftic serpent deceâ—ued his holy wife 2 Cor. 11. 3. Idem pag. 30. That which befell the blessed Angels and Adam and Eue in the state of innocencie that may befall any Saint now but it is certaine the holy Angels fel and our first Parents therefore any Saint may forsake his owne righteousnesse APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 161. Thus Scripture speaketh plaine Their reasons from Scripture are euident Man is not likely in state of grace to be of an higher g alloy than Angels were in state of Glory than Adam Was in state of Innocencie For Grace is but a conformity thereto and no conformitie exceedeth the Architype At most it is but an equalitie thereto and equals are of the same proportion Now if Adam in Paradise and Lucifer in Heauen did fall and lose their Originall estate the one totally the other eternally what greater assurance hath any man in state of Proficiencie not of Consummation g To the instance in Lucifer and Adam we answer First that though man in the state of Proficiency be not simply in an happier estate and better then Adam in Paradise much lesse then Lucifer in Heauen yet he may haue and hath a greater assurance of his estate then they had Saint Augustine confidently affirmeth That the grace which was giuen by the second Adam exceeds that which was giuen to the first Adam in that it was more powerfull Haec potentior est in secundo Adam prima est enim quâ sit â—t habeat homo iustitiam si velit secunda plus potest quâ sit vt velit tantumque velit tanto ardore diligat vt carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate Spiritus vincat And againe Primo homini qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non peccare posse non mori posse ipsum bonum non deserere datum est adiutorium perseuer antiae non quo fieret vt perseueraret
learned Bishop of Sarisbury in the words of Tertullian himselfe Salomon in lapsu gratiam fidei remisit actum intermisit habitum non amisit motumque fuit in co spiritualis vitae robur non amotum concussum non excussum There was in Salomons fall a remission or abatement of the grace of faith an intermission of the act not an amission of the habit the strength and vigour of his spirituall life was moued in him not remoued shaken but not shaken out or quite lost Tertullian speakes of Peter but it may be applied as well to Dauid and Salomon who are not said here to haue lost grace totally and finally but to haue fallen into grieuous sinnes the one into adultery the other into idolatry And notwithstanding Dauids fall that hee retained the Spirit of Grace in him it is manifest out of that prayer of his in the 51. Psalme Renoua spiritum rectum intra me Renew a right Spirit within me vers 10. Spiritum sanctum ne recipias à me Take not thy holy Spirit from me vers 11. Establish me with thy free Spirit vers 12. These prayers of that holy Prophet shew that Dauid in his grieuous fall lost the comfort of Gods Spirit vers 12. and the free and quickning motions thereof and therefore he humbly desires a renouation and confirmation of the Spirit but not a new donation thereof That which he prayes to God not to take from him certainly he had in some degree when he so prayed Take not thy Spirit from me As for Salomons recouery after his fall we haue the testimonies of Gregory of Neocaesarea Cyril of Ierusalem Hilary Ierome Ambrose Aquinas Bonauenture Hugo Cardinalis Petrus Comestor Paulus Burgensis Carthusian Soto Genebrard Serarius Delrius Lorinus and many other cited to our hands by Caleb Dalichampius student in Scedan in his booke intituled Vinditiae Salomonis Lastly this place of Tertullian de praescript cap. 3. If it had beene entirely cited by the Appealer would haue vtterly ouerthrown that for which it is cited If those words nemo autem Christianus alledged by the Appealer nisi qui ad finem perseuerauerit That no man is a Christian but he that perseueres to the end wound not the Appealers Tenet yet the words following in the end of this very Chapter cut the very throat thereof Miramur de Ecclesijs eius si à quibusdam deseruntur quum ea nos ostendunt Christianos quae patimur ad exemplumipsius Christi ex nobis inquit prodierunt sed non fuerunt ex nobis si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum Maruell we if some forsake the Churches of Christ whereas those those things which we suffer after the example of Christ doe manifest vs to be Christians They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs saith Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. 19. In this allegation as many other in his booke the Appealer resembles the Cappuchin Friers who when they haue gathered great store of meat at rich mens doores I know not out of what blinde superstition they eat the worst and leaue the best and daintiest meat and vain-gloriously put it into the Almes-box and giue it to beggers at the doore l To the place of Saint Cyprian Epist. 7. we answer First that Saint Cyprian in that Epistle exhorts Rogatianus and other Confessors to perseuere in the profession of their holy faith therefore this place is brought obtorto collo for Apostasie His words are immediatly before the words alledged by the Appealer and Bertius Danda opera est vt post haec initia ad incrementa quoque veniatur consummetur in vobis quod iam foelicibus rudimentis esse coepistis You must vse diligence that after these beginnings you may proceed and that may be perfected in you which is happily begun Secondly we answer Cyprian saith that Saul and Salomon lost the grace which was giuen them but expresseth not what grace he meant whether gratiam gratis datam or gratiam gratum facientem whether the grace of illumination only or of sanctification whether the spirit of Prophecie or of Gouernment or of Regeneration Thirdly whether he meaneth grace of wisdome or grace of holinesse ordinary or extraordinary gifts of the Spirit hee saith not that the Spirit or grace departed from them totally or finally and therefore this shaft is not onely blunt in it selfe but also falls very short of the marke Lastly Saint Cyprian as he perseuered himselfe a constant Martyr to the end so is he a great patron of the perseuerance of Saints In his booke against Nouatia◠of the Vnity of the Church he sets a marke vpon backsliders to distinguish them from good men and true beleeuers Nemo aestimet bonos de Ecclesiâ posse decedere Let no man imagine that good men can marke the word Posse depart from the true Church Triticum non rapit ventus nec arborem solidâ radice fundatam procella subuertit inanes paleae tempestate iactantur inualidae arbores turbinis incursione euertuntur The wind doth not blow away corne neither doth a storme ouerturne a tree deepely and strongly rooted it is emptie chaffe that the wind scattereth and they are weake and rotten trees that are ouerthrowne in a storme In this sweet straine Saint Cyprian playeth on his Master Tertullians Key Auolent quantum volent paleae leuis fidei quocunque afflatu tentationum eo purior mass a frumenti in horrea domini reponetur Let the Chaffe that is men of light beleefe be blowne or flie away with euery puffe of temptation by this meanes Gods floore is purged and cleansed I maruell none of this Chaffe flew in Bertius eyes to make him misse his way to Paris who destitute of better arguments for Apostasie became himselfe an example of Apostafie but the best is before his departure he was knowne to be no Saint He went away from vs because he was not of vs for if he had beene of vs he would without doubt haue remained with vs according to the words of Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. alledged by Tertullian and Saint Cyprian in both passages m To the place alledged out of Nazianzen we answer That it is like Didoes sword wherewith shee pierced her owne bowels Non hos quaesitum munus in vsus If Bertius who only tasted Nazianzens waters in a muddy streame or the Appealer who hath drunke deepely of them in the pure fountaine had searched diligently thorow all the writings of that profound Diuine for a testimony against themselues they could hardly meet with a more pregnant Because Saul saith this holy Father became not purely and sincerely another man nor gaue himselfe wholly and entirely to be directed by the Spirit he came to a fearefull end Hypocrites therefore and such as are not sincerely conuerted and truly regenerate may fall away not they who wholly and entirely yeeld themselues
only in their liuing and manner of ceremonies But also in matters of faith Apolog. Church of Engl. c. 16. div 1. part 6. Wee haue gone from that Church which Christ who cannot err told so loÌ„g before it shold err Neither had we euer intended so to do except both the manifest assured wil of God opened to vs in his holy scripture regard of our owne saluation had euen coÌ„strained vs. Apol. Chur. of Engl. par 6 div 2. c. 20. We are fallen from the Bishop of Rome because the case stood so that vnlesse wee left him we could not come to Christ Apol. par 5. c. 15. d. 3. We haue renounced that Church wherein we could neither haue the word of God sincerely taught nor sacraments rightly administred and wherein there was nothing able to stay a wise man or one that hath coÌ„sideration of his own safety In this head touching the Church of Rome the Appealer directly contradicts the Church of England in these particulars The Church of England 1 The church of Rome holdeth not the same foundation 2 Hath erred in matter of Faith 3 Hath not the nature of the true Church 4 Must be left on paine of damnation 5 Is departed from the Primitiue and Catholike Church Appealer 1 The church of Rome holds the same foundation 2 Hath not erred in matters belonging to faith 3 Hath the essence being of the true Church 4 Ought not to be left on paine of daÌ„nation 5 Is not departed but holds coÌ„muinion with the Primitiue and Catholike Church Of Generall Councels Harmony Church of Rome BEllarm de concil Eccles. 2 Booke 2 Chap. Wee are bound by the Catholike faith to beleeue That Generall Councels cannot erre in faith or manners The like is affirmed by Gregory de Valentia Analys fidei Cathol lib. 18. Hosius de legit judicibus reruÌ„ Ecclesiasticarum Andradius Defence of the Councell of Trent in his Chapt. Of the authoritie of Councels Canus in his common places of Diuinity 5 Booke and the Romanists generally Campian rat 4. Concilia Duraeus in confut respons Whitak de Conciliis Appealer ANsw. to Gag page 48. To coÌ„clude The Church cannot erre neither collectiuè nor representativè Thus your Masters distinguish the terms of this question that goe workmanlike not like you clutteringly to worke so they so wee in the largest extent not erre at all Secondly not erre in points of faith for in matters of fact they coÌ„fesse error Appeale p. 124. Many things appertain vnto God which are not of necessity vnto saluation both in practice and speculation in these haply Generall Councells haue erred in those other none can erre Discord Church of Engl. ARticle 21. Generall Councels when they be gathered together for as much as they are an Assembly of men whereof all bee not gouerned with the Spirit and word of GOD they may erre and sometime haue erred euen in things appertaining to God Wherefore things ordained of them as necessary to saluation haue neyther strength nor authoritie vnlesse they may bee declared that they bee taken out of holy Scripture In this point touching the not-erring or infalliâ—itie of Generall Councels the Appealer howsoeuer by distinguishing of points fundamentall and accessory endeuoureth to difference his opinion from the Church of Rome and reconcile it to the Article yet in truth he faileth in both For first the Church of Rome holdeth all doctrines de fide determined by the Church to be necessary to saluation and consequently in the Appealers sense fundamentall points In particular she defineth the decisions of the Councell of Trent in the controuerted points betweene vs to be part of the Catholike Faith without which no man can be saued Pius 4 in Bullâ super formâ juram pag. 441. If therefore the Appealer maintaine as hee doth That Generall Councells cannot erre in matters fundamentall and necessary to saluation he holdeth consequently that they cannot erre in matter de fide Secondly his doctrine cannot stand with the Article of our Church for the Article both supposeth and proueth that Generall Councels may erre euen in points necessary to saluation It supposeth it in those words things ordained of them as necessary to salvation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse c. For if Generall Councels could not erre in things necessary to saluation we might in such things safely rely vpon their authoritie without warrant of Scripture which the Article expressely denyeth If Generall Councels may iudge those things to be necessary to saluation which are not as the Article implyeth they may in like manner iudge those things not to bee necessary to saluation which are and so erre bothe wayes in the iudgement of points necessary and fundamentall And verily the reason annexed to the Article concludeth as strongly that Generall Councels may erre in fundamentals as in Accessory the reason is because Generall Councels are an Assembly of men whereof all are not gouerned by the Spirit and Word of God Now they who are not gouerned by the Spirit and Word of God haue and may erre euen in points fundamentall in asmuch as nothing can preserue a man from fundamentall error but the Spirit and Word of God whereby they are not gouerned as hath the Article Notwithstanding all this iarring and discord from the Article I find some harmony and concord in the close Appeale pag. 147. Detali Concilio saniore parte de coÌ„clusionibus in fide probabile est It is probable that in a Generall Councell lawfully called the sounder part cannot erre in conclusions of faith But this straine was not the Appealers but a learned Asaffs Of Iustification Harmony Church of Rome COunc. of Trent Sess. 6. c. 4. Iustification is a translation from the state in which a man is borne the sonne of the first Adam into the state of Grace and adoption of the sons of God by the second Adam Counc of Trent Sess. 6. c. 7. Iustification is not onely remission of sinnes But also sanctification and renouation of the inward man by the voluntary receiuing of grace and those gifts whereby a man of vniust is made iust Counc of Trent Sess. 6. canon 11. If any man say that A man is iustified onely by remission of sinnes excluding grace and charity which is shed into their hearts by the holy Spirit and is inherent in them let him bee accursed Appealer ANswer to the Gagg page 142. A sinner is then iustified when hee is made iust that is translated from state of Nature to state of Grace Answer to Gagg page 143. Iustification consisteth in forgiuenesse of sins primarily and grace infused secondarily Both the acts of Gods Spirit in man Answer to Gagg page 140. To iustifie hath a threefold extent First to make iust and righteous Secondly to make more iust and righteous Thirdly to declare and pronounce iust Page 142. Iustification properly is in the first acceptance A sinner is theÌ„ iustified when he is made iust that