one hayre of his head he might well prescribe the time and houre of his conversion But seeing it is Gods worke alone to circumcise our heartes Deut. 30.6 to take away the stony heart and give us an heart of flesh and put his owne spirit within us Ezech. 36 27. to quicken us when we are dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.15 Surely it belongs to God alone to prescribe the time and houre when a man shall be converted And accordingly our Saviour gives us to understand that some are called at the first houre of the day some at the third some not untill the last And the Apostle exhorts Timothy in effect by his meeke cariage to wayte when God will give them repentance that are without that so they may acknowledge his truth and come out of the snare of the devill by whom they are led captive to doe his will 2. Tim. 2. last And albeit men are living as beasts why should they be thought to have any more power to rayse themselves or quicken themselves unto life spirituall then a dead man hath to quicken himself to life naturall Now that men are dead in sinne the scripture teacheth evidently and that the worke of conversion is called regeneration but the Scriptures are a strange Language to these Arminians They are diserti lingua sua And they discourse amongst Christians as if they should discourse among Cannibals Yet there is a difference betweene him that is dead naturally and him that is dead spiritually For he that is dead naturally can performe no naturall action at all but he that is dead only spiritually is able enough to perform any action naturall And some naturall actions are required without which a man cannot be converted As for Example it is requisite a man should be acquainted with Gods word which alone is the ordinary means whereby the Spirit workes in mans conversion Now it is in the power of man to heare the word And albeit he cannot hearken unto it in a gracious manner pleasing unto God yet shall not that hinder the efficacy of Gods word if God be pleased to shew mercy on him No though he comes to the hearing of it with a wicked minde As they that came to take Christ Iohn 7. yet when they heard him were taken by him and returned without him saying Never man spake as this man speaketh So is it in the power of a man to reade the word Now suppose he exercise this power and that with a minde averse from it yet may this word proove a word of power to the changing of his heart As Vergetius tooke Melanthons writings to reade with a purpose to confute them yet in the reading himself was confuted by them and this was a meanes of hâ—s conversion from Popery to the Protestant confession This Author discourseth in such sort as if the power of God to quicken a man though 4 dayes dead and stinking in the grave as Lazarus were taken up in his mouth in scorne For such is the manner and strengâ—h of his discourse in the most hungry fashion that ever I thinke proceeded from a reasonable man Our Saviour hath given us to understand that some are not called till the last houre we have an example of it in the thiefe upon the crosse If God hath not giveÌ„ him as yet the grace to cry Abba Father that Spirit of adoption requiring a spirit of bondage to precede it Rom. 8.15 Yet this houre and that by our admoniâ—ion and conviction of his sinnes God may humble him and make him feare and thereby prepare him to the Spirit of adoption For his word is as a fire as an hammat that breaketh the bones the Infidell findes this by good experience when hearing one prophecy he is rebuked of all judged of all the thoughts of his heart are made manifest and he falls downe on his face and confesseth thaâ— God is in his ministers of a truth 1. Cor. 14.24 The Iewes did finde this power of the word when hearing Peter discoursing how God made him both Lord and Christ whom they had crucified they were pricked in their hearts and sayd Men and Bretheren what shall we doe Act. 2. When in the course of his histrionicall fictions he feignes his Factor not daring to endeavour to doe well He supposeth and insinuateth that he would endeavour it but dares not for his hatred to the Arminian doctrine which is nothing answerable to our doctrine who deny that there is any such will in a carnall man We say the maine reformation of man consists in the change of the will from evill to good we know that God accepteth the will for the deede And the Saints of God commend themselves in this manner unto God We that desire to feare thy name Nehem. 1. And the desire of our hearts is towards thy name Esa. 26. And we desire to live honestly Heb. 13. And Austin mainteynes as I remember that the Saints of God no otherwise fullfill the Law of God then desiderio conatu And albeit this Author at pleasure feigneth his prolocutor to embrace our Tenets yet if he be but a carnall Christian he cannot embrace them or any doctrine of faith Fide vera infusa but onely fide acquisita Yet againe it is in the power of any man not onely to desire and endeavour to doe well but also to doe indeed quoad exteriorem vitae emendationem All the morall vertues as they were found in Heathen men so are they atteynable by a naturall man For even Heathens were famous and renowned some of them not onely for their good rules but for their vertuous practise of moralitie which yet nothing hindered Austin from passing his censure upon their best actions professing them to be no better then splendida peccata and for a rule of direction to judge aright herein he tells us non officijs sed finibus discernendas esse virtutes And therefore there is no cause of so superficiary a conceyte forged in this Authors braines as if endeavours to such moralitie should any way obscure the prerogative of Gods grace as only effectuall to the working of that which is pleasing in the sight of God Such moralitie shall nothing at all commend the will for any goodnesse in the sight of God any more thâ—n Socrates or Plato or Aristides their moralitie did though their damnation shal be farre lesse then the damnation of such who among the Heathens have bene given to a debaucht life and conversation Good motions undoubtedly God can rayse by his Spirit in the heart of the most wicked in the Church of God but like as the devills suggestions are not our fault if we resist them so such good motions of God doe nothing commend us in the sight of God if we doe not give way unto them but rather one day rise up in judgment against us to our greater and more inexcusable condemnation But that a carnall man is here brought-in conceyted
shew mercy Rom. 11.30 Hereupon we conclude that faith and regeneration are gifts of grace which God bestowes absolutely according to the mere pleasure of his owne will regenerating whom he will and denying the grace of regeneration to whom he will Now then who are they on whom God should bestow faith and regeneration but his Elect and accordingly the Apostle calleth it the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and Act. 13.48 The Evangelist cleerely telleth us that as many believed as were ordeyned to aeternall life and Rom. 8.29 Whom God foreknewe them he predestinated to be made confoâ—mable to the image of his Sonne and whom he predestinated them he called and whom he called he justifyed and whom he justified he glorified And accordingly baptisme as it is a sâ—ale and assurance of performing this promise of justification and salvation unto them that believe so it is a seale and assurance of the promise of circumcising the heart and regeneration only to Gods elect Yet I confesse that according to the booke of Common prayer in use with the Church of England we professe of every Childe as he comes to be baptized and when he is baptized that he is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs regeneration whereupon Mr. Monâ—acute sometimes tooke advantage to justifie his opinion touching falling away from grace as the Docteine of the Church of England but he was answered by D. Carleton then Bishop of Chichester that there is a regeneration so called Sacramento tenus and which Austin as he shewed distinguished from true regeneration And for ought we know to the contrary every one that comes to be baptized by a minister may be an elect of God and therefore we have no reason to conceave them to be reprobates And I would gladly knowe what this our adversary conceaves of every one that is brought unto him to be baptized will he conceave them in the judgement of charity to be elect or no Or doth he beleeve them in judgement of faith to be elect In my judgement his opinion hereabout is no more then this that God hath ordeyned that in case they beleeve they shal be justified and saved and accordingly that in Baptisme assurance hereof is sealed unto them and no more Now that God hath so ordeyned we beleeve as well as they and that baptisme is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith and of salvation by faith But if he thinkes the covenant of grace comprehends no more then this herein alone we differ from him and are ready to mainteyne that all who are under the covenant of grace are such as over whom sinne shall not have the dominion Rom. 6.14 and that the Lord vouchsafeth to become their Lord and their God to sanctifie them and to circumcise their hearts to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule as he seeth their wayes so to heale them to subdue their iniquities to give giftes even to the rebellious that he may dwell among them to powre cleane water upon them that they may be cleane and from all their filthinesse to clense them A new heart also to give unto them a new spirit to putt within them and to take away the stony heart out of their body and give them an heart of flesh And to putt his owne Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them And as in the Prophet Ieremiah the Lord professeth This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes sayth the Lord I will putt my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shal be my people And Ier. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the wealth of them of their children after them And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will never turne away from them to doe them good but I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Ezech. 16.60 Neverthelesse I will remember my covenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth and I will confirme unto thee an everlasting covenant 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed when thou shalt receave thy sisters both thy Elder and thy yonger and I will give them unto thee for daughters but not by thy covenant And 20.37 I will cause you to passe under the rod bring you into the bond of the covenant And 37.23 Neyther shal they be polluted any more with their idols nor with their abominations nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned I will clense them so shall they be my people and I will be their God 24. And David my servant shal be King over them they shall have one sheapheard they shall also walke in my judgements and observe my statutes doe them So that regeneration sanctification faith repentance holinesse obedience these be the works which God promiseth to worke in them and that by vertue of the covenant of grace he hath made with them The Eucharist we confesse is likewise given to all who for their profanesse impuritie or conâ—umacy are not excommunicated and that with assurance that Christ dyed for all those that doe receave it worthily not otherwise but as many as receave it unworthily doe receave it to their owne condemnation And doe the Arminians themselves administer it with assurance of the favour of God towards them any otherwise then in case they are found worthy pertakers As for Christs dying for mankind I have already shewed at large how this Author treates of it hand over head carying it in the cloudes of generalitie Now it is a rule of schooles that in genere latent multae equivocationes Therefore for the cleering of the truth in this particular I have distinguished the benefits which Christ procured for us some of them as remission of sinnes and salvation are conferred onely conditionally to witt upon condition of faith And herein we extend the vertue of Christs death as fart as they to witt in conditionall manner for we willingly professe that if all and every one should believe all and every one should be saved by Christ On the other side no Arminian will say that any man of ripe yeares shall be saved by Christ if he never beleeve in Christ. But other benefites there are which God bestowes upon man for Christs sake as we say to witt faith regeneration repentance Now these are conferred not conditionally for if they were then should grace be given according to mens workes which is manifest Pelagianisme Therefore these must be conferred absolutely not on all for then all should believe and be saved but on some and who can they be but Gods Elect Now as for the Remonstrants
the libertie of mans will and not in the appetition of the ende it being naturall to a man to be caryed to the liking of his ende necessarily according to that of Aristotle Qualis quisque est ita finis apparet And doth it become these men to dictate unto us not only a new divinitie but also a new Philosophy at pleasure As for the reason here added fetched from the aeternall and efficatious decree of God this is so farre from confirming their premises as that it utterly overthrowes them and confirmeth ours For we say with Aquinas that the efficacions will of God is the cause why some things come to pasâ—e contingently and freely as well as it is the cause why other things come to passe necessarily Was the burning of the Prophets bones by Iosiah performed any whit lesse freely by him then any other action of his Oâ— the proclamation that Cyrus made for the returne of the Iewes out of the captivitie was not this as freely done by him as ought else Yet both these were praedetermined by God Nay I say more that every thing which cometh to passe in the revolution of times was decreed by God I proove by such an argument for answeare wherunto I chalenge the whole nations both of Arminians and Iesuits It cannot be denyed but God foresawe from every lastinge whatsoever in time should come to passe therfore every thinge was future froâ— everlasting otherwise God could not foresee it as future Now let us soberly inquire how these thinges which we call future came to be future being in their owne nature merely possible and indifferent as well not at all to be future as to be future Of this transmigration of things out of the condition of things merely possible such as they were of themselves into the condition of things future there must needes be some outward cause Now I demand what was the cause of this transmigration And seing nothing without the nature of God could be the cause hereof for this transmigration was from everlasting but nothing without God was everlasting therfore some thing within the nature of God must be founde fitt to be the cause herof And what may that be not the knowledge of God for that rather presupposeth things future and so knowable 〈◊〉 in the kinde of things future then makes them future Therefore it remaines that the meere decree will of God is that which makes them future If to shift off this it be said that the essence of God is the cause hereof I further demaunde whether the essence of God be the cause hereof as working necessarily or as working freely If as working necessarily then the most contingent thinges became future by necessitie of the divine nature and consequently he produceth whatsoever he produceth by necessitie of nature which is Atheisticall Therefore it remaines that the essence of God hath made them future by working freely and consequently the meere will and decree of God is the cause of the futurition of all things And why should we doubt hereof when the most foule sinnes that have beene committed in the World are in scripture phrase professed to have beene predetermined by God himself Vpon supposition of which will and decree divine we confesse it necessary that things determined by him shall come to passe but how not necessarily but either necessarily or contingently and freely to witt necessarie things necessarily contingent things and free things contingently and freely So that contingent things upon supposition of the will divine have a necessitie secundum quid but simply a contingencye and that the same thing may come to passe both necessarily secundum quid and simply in a contingent manner ought to be nothing strange to men of understanding considering that the very foreknowledge of God is sufficient to denominate the most contingent things as comming to passe necessarily secundum quid I come to the consideration of the fourth 4. As touching this Article here objected unto us we have no cause to decline the maintenance thereof but chearfully and resolutely to undergo the defense as of the truth of God clearly sett downe unto us in the word of God The illumination of the minde is compared to Gods causing light to shine out of darkenesse in the creatioÌ„ 1 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of the darknes is he which hath shined in 〈◊〉 heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And for God to say unto Sion thou art my people is made aequivalent to the planting of the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth Es. 51.16 I have putt my wordes in thy mouth and defended thee in the shadow of my hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people Ps. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart saith David and renewe a right spirit within me Yet was David a regenerate childe of God but when he fell into foule sinnes and sought unto God to restore him he acknowledgeth this his spirituall restitution to be a creation giving thereby to understand that the very children of God have savage lusts wild affections in them the curing mastering wherof is no lesse work then was the work of creation or making of the world 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gal. 6 1â— In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Now this new creature is all one with faith working by love Gal. 5.6 For there the Apostle expresseth the comparison antitheticall in this manner In Iesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith working by love And Eph. 2.10 We are said to be Gods workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created in Iesus Christ marke a new creation unto good workes which he hath ordeyned that we should walke in them God made the world with a word but the new making of man cost our Saviour Christ hot water the very blood of the Sonne of God agonies in the garden agonies upon the Crosse and he must rise out of his grave to worke this The Schoolemen doe acknowledge this namely that grace is wrought in man by way of creation Otherwise how could it be accoumpted supernaturall And as for the power whereby God raiseth the dead It is expressely said Col. 2.12 that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised Christ from the dead whereupon Cornelius de Lapide acknowledgeth that faith is wrought by the same power wherby God raysed Christ from the dead And Eph. 1 19. the Apostle tells us of the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power towards us which beleeve adding that this is according to his mightie power which he wrought in Christ whom he raysed from the dead And therefore most congruously doth the Apostle take into consideration that worke
offered at all in the Gospell men are called upon to believe and promised that upon theire faith they shall obteyne the grace of remission of sinnes salvation and these graces may be sayde to be offâ—red unto all upon condition of faith but faith it selfe in no congruity can be sayde to be offered though by the preaching of the Gospell the Lord workes faith in the hears of whom he will as it is sayde that he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth But as for suasion exhortation unto faith this grace the reprobates in the Church of God are pertakers of as well as Gods elect I come unto the fift and last 5. That they who have once receaved this grace by faith can never fall totally or finally notwithstanding the most enormous sins that they can committ Here are three thinges to be considered first his phrase of a certeyne grace receaved by faith in reference to the premises for he calls it this grace by faith wheras in the premises there is no mention at all of any grace receaved by faith much lesse any such grace particulated but this is their jugling cariage throughout First he spake of Gods producing faith then of Gods giving his grace now he supposeth he hath spoken of a certeyne grace receaved by faith this is their cogging course when no such grace as receaved by faith was at all mentioned before We speake playnly in saying of faith not of a grace I knowe not what receaved by faith that it cannot totally or finally perishe The scripture playnly professeth that it is not possible the elect should be seduced by false Prophets now the practise of false Prophets is to corrupt their faith but it is not possible they should herin prevaile over Gods elect Now by the elect are here to be understood the regenerate elect for before regeneration it is apparent they are as obnoxious to errours of faith and errours of life as any other And the reason why they cannot be thus seduced our Saviours signifies Ioh. 10.29 to be this that they are in the handes of God the Father My Father which gave them me is greater then all now to be given to Christ by God the Father is to be brought unto faith in Christ by God the Father Ioh. 6.37.44 compared with verse 35 and 47. and Ioh. 17.9.20 And none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand So that when we say they cannot fall from grace this is spoken not in respect of any absolute impossibilitie but merely upoÌ„ supposition to witt manutenentiae divinae of Gods upholding of them And accordingly they are sayd to be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. Now this impossibilitie of falling away from grace in Scholasticall accoumpt is but an impossibilitie secundum quid like as we say t is impossible that Antichrist should fall or the Iewes be called till the time which God hath appoynted is come for bringing foorthe these great and wonder full workes of his but the contrary is simply possible on eyther part As for the last clause not withstanding the most enormous sinnes which they can committ this is most calumniosly annexed as if we maynteyned that the children of God cannot fall from grace allbeit they should let the reynes loose to their lusts to committ sinne that with greedines wheras to the contrary we teache that God keepeth them from falling away by putting his feare into their hearts according to that Ierm 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me so that the right state of our Tenet is not that God will keepe them from falling away in spight of their praesumptuous courses but that he will keepe them by him through an holy feare which is as much as to say he will holde them fast by him by keeping them from presumtuous courses and accordingly David after he had prayed that God woulde clense him from his secret faults he entreates God that as touching presumptâ—ous sinnes he would keepe him from them that so he might be innocent from the great offense And as this was Davids prayer so answereable hereunto was Pauls faith He will deliver me from every evill worke to witt eyther by obedience or by repentance or els from every prâ—sumptuous course and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom And accordingly the Saints of God as they are stiled his called ones his sanctifyed ones so likewise are they denominated his reserved ones in the Epistle of Iude For his course is to make them meete pertakers of the inheritance of Saints in light not to save them in spight of their unfitnes for it but to make them first sitt for it by holinesse and then to make them pertakers of it Never any of our divines maynteyned any such presumtion in Gods children as to say with them Deut. 29.19 I shall have peace though I walke according to the stubbornne of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenes unto thrist but rather their faith is like unto that of Pauls formerly mentioned The Lord will deliveâ— me from every evill woorke preserve me to his heavenly kingdome It is true David once committed adultery and that drewe after it a greater sinne a practise to take away Vriah that so he might cover the shame and scandall of the first but we know the first occasion of it was by improvidence hapning to spye Bathsheba from the battellments of his house going to wash her selfe but he never committed the like afterwards And as for these sinnes of his Bertius the chiefest maintainer of the Apostacye of Saints professeth he will not say that David by these sinnes did expell the Spirit of God and that for weightie reasons Peter likewise sinned fowly in the progresse of the temptation denyâ—ng his Master â—hâ—ise and that in a strange manner but if we looke into the origâ—nall of it we shall finde how through improvidence he cast himself into the devills mouth ere he was aware but our Saviour had prayed for him that his faith should not faile and remembring his promise though Peter remembred not as yet the faire warning our Saviour gave him of Satans desire to winowe him as wheate looked back upon him and he went forth and wept bitterly And immediately upon his resurrection word was sent hereof to the Apostles and by name to Peter that he should not thinke the worse of the love of God and of Christ towards him for this Thus He that is borne of God sinneth not to witt the sinn unto death or the sinne of apostacye for his seede remayneth in him neyther can he sinne that sinne because he is borne of God But yet as I said this impossibilitie is not absolute or simply so to be called but only secundum quid and upon supposition to witt of manutenency divine And as for the true state of our Tenets and the truth of our Doctrine I
commandement precedes the doing of that which is commanded but Gods approbation followeth the doing of it But this Author takes voluntas approbans in a different sense presupposing it to precede the doing of a thinge as if it were all one with that will which the Schoolemen call voluntas beneplaciti which is nothing so for that voluntas beneplaciti is all one with voluntas propositi or voluntas decernens the will of Gods decree denoting that which God thinkes good shall come to passe whether it be good or evill good by his effection evill by his permission For even the Iewes and Gentiles Herod and Pilate when they were gathered together against the holy Sonne of God did but that which Gods hande and Gods counsayle had foredetermined to be done So that taking Gods will of approbation as this Author takes it to witt preceding the thing done it is all one with Gods decree and therfore cannot make a member distinct from it Vndoubtedly the sacrificing of Isaake had bene accepted with God and Abrahams obedience therin had not God restrayned Abraham from execution of that which God commanded him albeit by Gods restraint it appeares that God had determined that when it came to the issue he shoulde not sacrifice him which will of God was voluntas beneplaciti as Schoolemen call it In like sort had Pharaoh let Israel goe in obedience to Gods commande God had approved it albeit it appeares by the revelatioÌ„ made to Moses that God hardened Pharaohs heart that he should not let Israel goe this with us is as true as the oracles of God whatsoever this Author conceytes newe Euangelist like out of the oracles and dictates of his owne brayne In like sort that God ordeyneth that many thinges which he naturally detesteth and hateth shall nevertheles come to passe is no newe Gospell of ours but the very doctrine of the newe testament For the ignominious usages of the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world wrought by Herod and Pontius Pilate together with the Gentiles and people of Israel were as naturally detested hated by God as ever any courses were from the beginning of the world unto this day yet the holy Apostles with one consent professe that both Herod PoÌ„tius Pilate together with the Gentiles people of Israel were gathered together against the holy Sonne of God to doe that which Gods hande Gods counsayle had not only determined but predetermined to be don What courses are more naturally detested hated by God then for Kings to use their power to the supporting of Antichrist O what bloody courses were these take but a scantling of them by the martyrdomes of Gods Saincts in the dayes of Queen Mary when this land was made another Aceldama a field of blood Yet hath the holy Ghost testified that God it was who put into the hearts of those Kings to fulfill his will not his will of commandement but only his decree to doe with one consent for to give their professe that Non aliquid sit nisi omnipotens fieri velit he doth not say nisi quod omnipotens fieri praecipit and because amongst such things as come to passe some are evill some are good and in this saying of his he comprehendes them all therfore he addes by way of explication vel sinendo ut fiat vel ipse faciendo Therfore even evill thinges God will have come to passe in Austins judgment But how Only by suffering them and good things by effecting them So that this doctrine of ours is as old as the doctrine of Austin yea as the doctrine of the holy Ghost And let this Author looke unto it how he will cleare himselfe from coyning a newe Gospell and that neyther out of the new Testament nor out of the old nor out of any tolerable monument of Antiquitie so much as pretended by him but merely out of the invention of his owne brayne Yet we want not cleere demonstration of the truth of this manifestly provinge that eyther they must deny Gods fore-knowledge of evill or be driven to acknowledge that God decrees it shall come to passe by his permission For it cannot be foreknowne by God as future and that from everlasting vâ—les it were future that from everlasting as all confesse Now let us soberly inquire how the crucifying of the Sonne of God became future and that from everlasting Not of its owne nature for if so then shoulde all things even the most contingent things become future by necessitie of nature But if of their owne nature they were thinges merely possible their transmigration out of the condition of things merely possible into the coÌ„dition of things future coulde not be wrought without a cause And what coulde be the cause herof Not any thing without God for as much as this transmigration was made from everlastinge for from everlasting they were foreknowne by God as future therfore from everlasting they were future But without God nothing was from everlastinge and consequently coulde not be the cause of that which was from everlastinge Therfore the cause of this transmigration must be found within the nature of God or no where Inquire we therfore what that is within the nature of God that may be a fitt cause here of Now the knowledge of God alone cannot be the cause herof as which rather supposeth things future then makes them so It remaynes then that the decree of God and that alone is the cause of this transmigration If to avoyde this they fly to the essence of God as the cause herof I farther urge that if the essence of God be the cause herof then eyther as working necessarily or as working freely Not as workinge necessarily for then all things shall proceede froÌ„ God working by necessitie of nature which is Atheisticall utterly overthrowing all divine providence if as working freely this is as much as to confesse that Gods free will is the cause herof which indeede is most true But this Author like his fellowes is very cautious for he doth not deny that God hath ordeyned that those thinges shall come to passe which he naturally detesteth and hateth but only seemes to deny that God hath ordeyned it by an absolute and irrevocable decree So that he seemes willing to confesse that what evill soever was or is or shall be found in the world comes to passe by Gods decree only he denyes that this decree wherby he decreed the crucifying of Christ and such like abominable courses was an absolute and irrevocable decree So that the question betweene us according to this Authors judicious stating of it is not whether evill thinges are decreed by God or no but rather supposing on both sides that they are decreed by God the question betweene us is only about the manner of this decree or about the nature of it as whether it be absolute or conditionall for what other member they devise in this case contradistinct to decree absolute I
judgements are of such a nature that they are least felt where they are most suffered And as he opposeth this so doth he impugne the doctrine of Gods word concerning the impotency that is found in all to beleeve to repent untill God be pleased to cure that infidelitie and impaenitency which by propagation of nature is derived unto us all and made as naturall unto us as flesh and bone As where it is sayd that men cannot beleeve cannot repent they that are in the flesh cannot please God That the naturall man perceaves not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes unto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned that the affection of the flesh is enmitie against God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be That we are all naturally dead in sinne and that our raysing therehence is no lesse worke then regeneration or new birth All this he setts himself purposely to oppose and that in a vile manner by base insinuations to undermine this doctrine rather then by any just argument to overthrow it But when we deale about the reformation of such a one we will pray unto God to accept our endeavours and to shew his power in making his word in our mouths powerfull as to the convicting of his sinne so to the humbling of him and bringing him acquainted with the Spirit of bondage to make him feare and that he may be pricked in the heart as the Iewes were when by Peters Sermon the Lord brought their horrible sinne close home unto them in crucifying the Sonne of God If so be he may finde sinn to be as an heavy burthen unto him and cry out unto us to minister a word of comfort unto his weary soule and in this case we will be â—old to apply unto him the comforts of God in Christ because our Saviour calls unto him all such as labour are heavy laden promising that he will ease them Yet if we doe exhort him to pray it followeth not that this exhortation is in vaine no more then exhortation to Infidels is in vaine when we exhort them to faith in Christ. For albeit neyther the one nor the other can be performed without grace Yet upon our exhortation God can worke this grace in him if it please him Many come to Church with a profane heart yet in the hearing of it it pleaseth God to convert some of them and Ekron may be as the Iebusite and God is able to turne Lebanon into Carmel and to make the most wast places finitefull even as the garden of the Lord. And Saul was converted in his heate and furious persecution of the Church of God God can convert not only aversas à vera fide but adversas verae fidei voluntates ex nolentibus volentes facere and that omnipotente facilitate as Austin hath observed It is untrue that grace workes a man to pray in such sort as to make it impossible for him not to pray for that were not to worke him to pray freely Vpon supposition that God by his Spirite doth worke a man to pray it is impossible he shoulde not pray but how contingently and freely So that impossibilitie is not simply an impossibilitie but only secundum quid and joyned with a possibilitie simply so called to the contrary Otherwise it could not be done contingently and freely For to produce a thing contingently is to produce it with a possibility to the contrary and to worke this or that freely is so to worke this or that as joyned with an active power eyther to forbeare and suspend the action or to produce a contrary operation And thus Aquinas most learnedly sheweth how that the efficacious will of God is the cause why both necessary things come to passe necessarily and contingent and free things contingently and freely and accordingly he hath ordeyned different second causes some working necessarily others working contingently freely But this is more it seemes then this Author hath hitherto beene acquainted with And as he hath exercised his Provinciall witt in opposing the doctrine of Gods word in the most untheologicall manner that I thinke was ever knowne to the world so I wish he would keepe his course and shew as little scholasticalitie in refuting Aquinas also in this particular And albeit God gives him not grace to mocke him yet the dutie of prayer doth no lesse oâ—lige man then any other duetie seing God gave this grace to us all in Adam and in Adam we all have sinned and by that sinne our nature is become bankrupt of grace untill God in mercy and for his sons sake be pleased to have compassion upon us to restore it But he is master of his owne times and bestowes this grace on some sooner on others later on some not at all When God sent Ezechiel to his people it seemes by that we read Ezechi 2.3.4.5 he sent him not to better them but that they might not say they had no Prophet among thâ—m and to cuâ— of that excuse yet I hope this Author is not in such a measure obduâ—ate as to say there was any such confusion in Ezechiels doctrine as here he chargeth upon ours which yet is merely according to his owne shapinge and with what felicitie he hath succeeded in this aâ—tâ—fice of his I have endeavaured to make it appeare unto the indifferent and unpartiall Reader We teache that no man can have evidence of his reprobation but by finall impenitency or by committing the sinne against the holy Ghost and in eyther of these cases there is just cause of despayre to Pelagius himselfe how much more to his disciples that oppose the grace of God after the truth therof is in such sort cleered let them looke unto it whether not against the voyce and light of their owne conscience As for securitie can the feare of God open a way therunto or doe we maynteyne any other perseverance in the state of grace then by the feare of God according to that Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me To the question in what state David had bene had he dyed in his adultery he tells us of an answeare which is usually made by the Synodists as he saith namely that it was impossible for David to have dyed before he had repented because that after this he was to begett a sonne from whom the Messias must descend But who these Syndodists be whether of Dort or of Arles he mâ—ntions not much lesse the place where As for the Synod of Arles I never heard of it but by this manuscript In the Acts of the Synod of Dort I have beene something versed but I have not mett with this answer there nor ever heard of it before I read it in this Pamphlet And to my judgement it is imperfect in two particulars neyther of which this Author takes notice of the one is in altering the
affirme that in expresse termes which this Author saith they doe to witt that Christ dyed for all and every one and if it did affirme any such thinge in expresse termes we should be farre enough from denying it nay wee doe maynteyne it not only as farre as they doe but much farther Where the Synod of Dort doth commaunde every one to believe that he is elected unto life I knowe not Only I have read lately such a thing objected unto us as out of the particular opinion of Zanchy and Bucer Yet they deliver this only of Christians who are such as believe in Christ and for whom they make no question I trowe but that Christ dyed so that the congruitie herin is accurate without all colour of contradiction And yet if it should proove to be contradictious the one unto the other I never observed such a condition to be taxed for ficklenes in the embracers of such opinions till nowe Ficklenes is shewed in changing from one opinion to another not in holding the same opinions still albeit some one perhaps may seem in the judgment of some malevalent adversaries contradictions unto the other Yet Zanchy who sayth every one is bound to believe speaking of Christians that he is elected unto life was never knowne to affirme that every one is bound to believe that he is elected to faith and regeneration Now aeternall life we knowe is ordeyned by God to be the portion of men not whether they believe or no whether they persevere in faith holines and repentance or no but only of such as believe repent and are studious of good workes for it is ordeyned to be bestowed on men by way of reward for their faith repentance and good workes And will any Arminian deny but that every one that heares the Gospell whether he believe or no is bound to believe that aeternall life shall be his portion in case he believe repent and be given to exercise good workes Now albeit this Author be for the present upon the pinne of disparaging our doctrine as utterly unsufficient for consolation to an afflicted soule yet he spares not as it were in the same breath to cry downe our doctrine as touching perseverance in the state of grace and holde up the Arminian Tenet as touching the Apostacye of Gods Saints as if their doctrine in this particular were more seasonable for consolation then ours The sinnes of David were very foule adultery and murther yet Bertius that zelous maynteyner of the Apostacye of Gods Saints will not say that David by these foule sinnes did expell the holy Spirit out of his heart and that propter graves causas And in deede the Scripture teacheth us that albeit David prayed in his paenitentiall Psalme conceaved in reference to those sinnes that God would restore him to the joy of his salvation yet he prayes not that God would restore him to his Spirit but rather that he would not take away his Spirit from him And Peter sinned fouly and shamfully in denying his master with execrations and oathes and that as it were before his Masters face yet our Saviour had tolde him before that he had prayed for him that his faith should not faile And we knowe what promise the Lord made to David Psal. 89.30 If his Children forsake my law and walke not in my judgements 31. If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements 32. Then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes 33. Yet my loving kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth The scripture this Author sayth denyes this doctrine of ours as a thing most false in like termes that is in expresse termes But he quotes no place referres to none nor so much as intimates any such place where this which he pretends should be delivered in expresse termes Yet to the contrary Matth. 24.24 our Saviour setting downe the efficacy of false Prophets in the seducing of many expresseth it in this maÌ„ner so that if it were possible they shold deceave the very elect plainly signifying that it was a thing not possible that the Elect should be seduced Now this cannot be understood of the elect as yet unregenerate for in the state of nature who sâ—â—th not that they are obnoxious to the same errours whereto others are And Iohn the 10.29 he plainly gives us to understand that his sheâ—pe are in the hands of his Father and that none is able to take them out of his hands and accordingly S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Yet when we say that this faith cannot be lost we deliver it upon supposition of Gods purpose to mainteyn them in that state of grace against all the powers of darkenesse which purpose is manifest by his promise I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me and accordingly the Apostle promiseth on Gods behalf that he will perfect the good work he hath begunne in us Philip. 1.6 that he will not tempt us above our strength but with the temtation will give an issue that we may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.13 Now albeit their opposite doctrine of the Apostacy of Saints savoureth of no consolatory nature yet to spitt his poyson against that also though out of season in this place he hath some what else to objâ—ct against that as namely that it overthrowes the ministry of preaching which consists in exhortations by promises and threatnings which can no longer be meanes to doe any good worke if so be the good work be wrought by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost as it hath beene above sayd indeed this coms in here as it were against the hayre first considering that we are now upon the point of consolation Now I presume no Arminian will say that their doctrine as touching the Apostacy of Saints is to be magnified as a very comfortable Doctrine Secondly whether good workes are wrought by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost is nothing to the present purpose For that he avoucheth is this that the doctrine of perseverance overthrowes the ministry of preaching not that immediate working of perseverance by the Holy Ghost overthrowes the ministry of preaching yet if this were the present assertion of this Author I have already sufficiently disproved it before â—f his vineyard of red Wine the Lord professeth that he is the keeper of it and that he watereth it night and day God keepes it and waters it and by watering it he keepes it Can any sober man devise any sober opposition betweene these Yet he can keepe it without the preaching of the word and where that is is wanting the Lord is able to keepe it and will keepe it And where these meanes are most rife yet this hinders not the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost unto every good work as I have shewed For
notwithstanding all exhortations backt with promises and threatnings the will for all this is left at liberty to obey or disobey but God by his Spirit doth immediately worke the will to obey the ministery of the word He is brayne sicke with errour that seeth not how the preaching of the word nothing hinders the immediate operation of the Spirit of God in working the will to assent and yeelde obedience thereunto He saith there is not to be found in all the Scripture any one promise of such a perseverance in faith as the Synod intimates yet is it possible that he should be so ignorant as not to knowe that many passages of holy Scripture are alleaged to confirme this and that in the very Acts of that Synod but this Author being of a comicall witt doth not finde himselfe so fitt as to enter upon a serious encounter And insteede of debâ—litating any one passage of scripture usually alleaged by our divines for the confirmation of this their Tenet this judicious Author outfaceth them all blindfold saying that all exhortations wherof the scriptures are full doe directly oppugne the pretended promise But we utterly deny this nay nothing but shamefull inconsideâ—atenes makes this Author so bolde as by such base pretences which were exploded in the dayes of Austin by himselfe and others in their disputes against the Pelagians to cry downe the truth of God For he considers not that as God workes men to perseverance so it is fitt he should worke them hereunto in such manner as is agreeable to their natures Now this is by admonition and exhortation God promised Paul that he would give him freely all that sailed with him Act. 27.24 Yet this hindred not Pauls exhortation to the Centurion to stay the marriners in the shippe saying except these abide in the ship ye cannot be safe v. 31. And what an absurd thing is it to conceave that by begetting feare through admonitions we overthrow the promise when the promise it selfe is not accomplished but by this feare as Ier. 31 40. I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me For God that he may beate presumption out of us and teach us to depend on him that so we may give him alone the glory of our preservation will have us sensible of our owne weaknesse and feare thereupon and therefore exhorts us expressely to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Philipp 2.13 That so all our confidence may be in God and none in our selves and thus he leades us along in all the Holy wayes thereof unto salvation to witt with confidence in him but with no confidence in our selves but rather with feare and trembling in respect of our selves The promise saith not there is no cause of feare in respect of our selves but rather overcomes those feares by calling us to lift up our eyes towards our maker that so we may be a people saved by the Lord he being the shield of our streÌ„gth a sword of our glory we feare unto the Lord Hos. 3. last that is come flying with feare and trembling unto him and Hos. 11.10 They shall walke after the Lord he shall roare like a Lyon When he shall roare then the Children of the West shall feare trepidabunt that is festinabunt trepide ad dominum Be it that the danger cannot happen by vertue of Gods ordinance yet if God hath ordeyned that it shall not happen by meanes of our fearing it out of the sense of our owne impotency to guard our selves from it thereupon are stirred up to make the Lord our strength whose grace we know is sufficient for us are we foolish in fearing it when our feare makes us fly and cleave to God who alone can and hereupon will preserve us from it Nothing is to be done by us to keepe the Heavens from falling but something is to be done by us to keep us from falling that something in part is to feare least we fall The heavens shall one day passe away and Gods covenant with day and night shal be at an end but Gods covenant for the perseverance of his Saints shall never be at an end onely a time shall come when perfect love shall supply the place of feare in our fruition of God which shall be everlasting The fift Section FOr summe of all it will come unto that passe to believe it were better to addresse our admonitions unto God for him to finish his worke in men to convert correct and comfort them by his omnipotency which no person is able to resist and that it is his fault that so many persons continue faithlesse profane and desperate because it is he that refuseth to give or taketh away the grace necessary as well to their conversion as to their repentance and perseverance in the faith If any of these Synodâ—sts were sicke of the palsie and praesented themselves to some Physician who by the meanes of an excellent potion promiseth him to make him leave his bed ere long goe whither he pleaseth the other having recovered his health and the use of his arme and legge would he further binde his physician to cary him upon his shoulder from place to place for the sparing of his legges and nourishing of his sloth while he in the meane time lyes lazy in his bed and continueth the excesse which brought him unto his sicknes and yet not withstanding these men are not contented that God should furnish them with necessary and sufficient grace to preserve and keepe them from all temtaâ—ion from the divill the world and the flesh and to continue in that faith and therby to conserve this grace in watching fasting and praying they will allso have God immediately and irresistibly to produce all thâ—se thinges in them What remayneth then but to say that God himselfe doth beleeve repent and persevere in well doing even as Servetus said that the Fire doth not burne the Sunne doth not shine that bread nourisheth not but onely that God doth all these things immediately in his creatures not having given them their properties Consid. In the like manner some there were who opposed the grace of God 1200 yeares agoe in the dayes of Austin and thereupon he wrote his booke de Correptione gratia Rursus saith he ad eosdem scripsi alterum librum quem de correptione gratia praenotavi cum mihi nuntiatum esset dixisse ibi quendam neminem corripiendum si Dei praecepta non facit sed pro illo ut faciat tantummodò or andum And in the booke it selfe and 4. chapter he represents their discourse more at large in this manner Praecipe mihi quid faciam si fecero age pro me gratias Deo qui mihi ut facerem dedit Si autem non fecero non ego corripiendus sum sed ille orandus est ut det quod non dedit id est ipsam qua praecepta ejus fiant fidelem Dei
Lord and I have good cause to take comfort in this But it is untâ—ue that God hath as much willed the treason of Iudas as the conversion of Paul though Bellarmine hath so calumnated us longe agoe For albeit the treason of Iudas in betraying his mayster is one of the thinges meant by the Apostle which Iewes and Gentiles did against the holy Sonne of God and which they say were foredetermined by the hand and counsell of God And Austin is bolde to professe that Iudaâ— electus est ad prodendum sanguinem Dominisui notwithstanding which as another Father speaketh etiam Iudas potuisset consequi remedium si non festinasset ad laqueum yet there is a vast difference betweene Gods willing Iudas his treason and Pauls conversion For as for Iudas his treason his will was that should come to passe onely by Gods permission And Arminius is bold to profes that Voluit Deus Achabum mâ—nsuram scelerum implere but as for Pauls conversion that was not only willed by God but wrought by God and that in an extraordinary manner appearing unto him in the way and striking him downe with a light from heaven so with a strong hand taking him off from his persecuting courses when Ferox scelerum quia primò provenerat and flesht in the blood of Steven Iehu like he maâ—ched fuâ—iously against the Church of God As for no power in man to retain grace when God will take it away First where man is found willing to reteyne grace I know no just cause to complaine of the want of power for this And where there is no will to reteyne it I see no likelyhood that any man should complaine of want of power to reteyne it Yet like as man is not Lord of his owne Spirit nor able to reteyne it so I wonder it should seeme strange that men should have no power to reteyne the Spirit of God in case God should withdraw it from them And as for grace of sanctification which God should take away from man we know none as who mainteyn that God will deliver his children from every evill work and preserve them unto his heavenly Kingdom and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation That the Spirit bloweth where it listeth is the doctrine of our Saviour to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That God inspireth whom he will with the Spirit of faith repentance we take to be all one with that Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will And accordingly he denyes this inspiration to whom he will as much as to say He hardeneth whom he will But as for any actuall withdrawing of the Spirit of sanctification we acknowledge not It is true even his owne Servants he hardneth sometimes against his feare as the Scripture speaketh Esa. 63.17 Whereupon their peace of conscience is disturbed and they have cause to pray unto God to restore them to the joye of his salvation Psal. 51. as David there did But David did not pray that God would restore him to his Spirit but rather that he would not take it from him And Bertius professeth that he will not say that David by those foule sinnes of his was wholy bereaved of Gods Spirit and that propter graves causas As for Gods permission of men to sinne for their amendment Arminius himself acknowledgeth in effect in the particular case of David His words are these Permisit Deus ut ille in negligentiam istud incideret peccatum istud illa occasione perpetraret quò diligentiùs seipsum observaret peccatum suum exemplo aliorum deflerâ—â— egregium humilitatis resipiscentiaeque specimen Exemplar praestaret gloriosiùs ex peccato resurgeret As for the impossibilitie to withstand Gods operation the Scripture doth expressely justifie Eze. 20.32.33.37 Neyther shall that be done which commeth into your minde For ye say we will be as the Heathen as the families of the countries and serve wood and stone As I live sayth the Lord God I will surely rule you with a mightie hand a stretched our arme c. And the issue followeth which is this I will cause you to passe under the rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant Yet what is the issue of this impossibilitie Is it only in respect of the thing which God will bring to passe as these Arminians most superficially conceave and not as well in respect of the manner how it shall come to passe Nothing lesse but as God will have it come to passe and come to passe contingently and voluntarily and freely So it is impossible upon this supposition but that it shall come to passe but how not necessarily but contingently voluntarily and freely And as it thus comes to passe and no otherwise when the time which God hath appointed is come So before that time it shall not come to passe but how contingently also and voluntarilly and freely and impossible it is that it should be otherwise The second Section THat it is not for him to prescribe the time and houre of his conversion wherein a living man doth no more then a dead man in his resurrection That God is able to quicken him endue him with his Spirit though he were allready dead 4 dayes as stinking in the grave as Lazarus yea and that perhaps it shall not be untill the last houre of the day That as yet God giveth him not the grace to cry Abba Father That he so abhorreth the doctrine of those that are stiled Arminians that he dares not use the least endeavour to doe well for feare of obscuring that grace which worketh irresisâ—ibly and attributing of any thing â—o the will of man Yet he remembreth that he had sometimes good motions proceeding doubtlesse from the spirit of God which hath given him the true faith which can never faile and that for the present he is like the Trees in Winter which seem dead though they are alive That being of the number of the Elect as every one is bound to beleeve by the two Synods if he will not be declared perjured by that at Arles his sinne it self how enormous soever worketh together to his salvation yea and that he hath allready obteyned pardon for it That his Censurer cannot deny it seeing that he instructeth him unto repentance which is nothing worth without faith no more then faith it self if it beleeve not the remission of all sinns both done and to be done And though he were of the number of the Reprobates a thing which he will not affirme for â—â—are of being so held indeed by the Synod yet notwithstanding his Censurer would gayne nothing by it who by his exhortings and threatnings could not any way alter the decree of Heaven but onely molest him with the torments of Hell and stirre up a wâ—rme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Consid. Were it in the power of man to change his owne heart who is not able to change