they peremtorily deny that Christ merited faith and regeneration for any Exam. Censurae p. 59. Now let any indifferent person judge by this who they are who streiten the vertue of Christs sufferings most they or we In the last place he telleth us that our Prayers common both to the Pastor and the flocke cannot be of any profitt eyther to the one or to the other that is as I conceave his meaning eyther to the Pastor or to the people and why so Observe I pray the strange reason which he gives hereof to witt because they are all eyther Elect or reprobates For doth not this Author beleeve this as well as we namely that all are eyther elect or reprobate eyther registred in the booke of life or not registred therein To qualifie this he doth afterwards more advisedly ground his reason not upon election and reprobation simply considered as being already passed upon them all but upon the manner of these in as much as election is shaped by us to have its course without any more regard unto mens prayers then unto their faith and that it is impossible for them to be razed out we willingly acknowledge it and withall shewe how inconsequent is his inference which he makes herheÌ„ce God we say hath no more regaâ—d to our prayers then to our faith having aequall regard of both not that upon the foresight herof he did elect us but in that as he did ordeyn us unto everlasting life by way of reward of our faith repentance good workes so likewise he did ordeyne us to the obteyning of faith repentance and good workes to be wrought in us partly by the ministery of his word therin speaking unto us partly by our prayers seeking unto him to blesse his word unto us and fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnesse towards us and the worke of faith in power For God doth expect that we should seek unto him by prayer for this as we read Ezech. 36.37 Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought of the house of Israel to perform it unto them Neyther doe we mainteyne that God doth ordeyne any man of ripe yeares unto aeternall life in any moment of nature before he ordeynes him to faith repentance good works that to be wrought in him by the ministery of the word with Gods blessing thereupon according to the prayers in common both of the Pastor the people So that neyther our faith nor the ministery of the word and Sacraments nor prayers are any whit in vaine or without profitt to Gods elect though I willingly confesse they are nothing profitable unto reprobates save that hereby they may profitt somewhat quoad exteriorem vitae emendationem quo mitius puniantur Neyther doe I thinke that eyther this Author or any Arminian eyther on this side or beyond the Seas will affirme that any of these are any farther profitable unto reprobates my meaning is they will not say as I presume that any reprobate obteynes salvation hereby For I presume they hold with us that Gods decrees are unchangeable As for inevitable decrees that is a wilde phrase the denomination of evitable or inevitable being onely in reference unto things possible for the time to come but Gods decrees we know full well are everlasting as ancient as the very ancient of dayes and therefore it is very absurd to discourse of the evitable or inevitable nature thereof And yet it may be they have a tooth against the unchangeable and irrevocable condition of Gods decrees I know none that speakes so plainly thereof as one that hath written of divine essence And it may be this Author lickes his lips at the revocable nature of divine decrees By this we may see what estimation ought to be made of this vile discourse that hath nothing in it worthy of the witt and learning of a very vulgar divine And with what applause he hath playd his severall parts labouring to defame our doctrine as if it stood in opposition to the conversion of Infidels the amendment of the scandalous and consolation of the afflicted The true ground of all which imputations is because we mainteyne with the Apostle that God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth bestowing the grace of faith and repentance on some to cure that naturall infidelitie and impenitency which is common to all and leaving it uncured in others by denying unto them the grace of faith and of repentance Forsooth if we should mainteyne with them that God gives faith and repentance not absolutely but conditionally to witt upon some condition to be performed by man then our doctrine should be magnified as they magnifie their owne as very profitable for conversion reformation consolation which is as much as to say in effect if with theÌ„ we would directly becom Pelagians theÌ„ we should prove very profitable and powerfull Christians for then it should be out of question that Pelagianismus est verè Christianismus It may be they would have us come one step farther and deale plainly in denying faith regeneration to be any gifts of God for if they be I wonder with what face they should deny them to be bestowed upon us for Christ his sake being they are such thinges as accompany salvation in a very speciall manner Now they have lately professed to the world that Christ merited not faith and salvation for any But because we coumpt all such Pelagian spirits no better then inimicos gratiae as Austin sometimes did Prosper went farther in his Epistle ad Ruffinum and in plaine termes calleth them Vasa irae in distinction from vasa misericordiae therefore it is that this flourishing divine in putes unto us that our Religion makes the preaching of the word to be of none effect and that it quite overthrowes the use of the Sacraments and exercise of Prayers and all this like a very confident Cavalier before the combate he presumes he hath very sufficiently demonstrated in this his enterlude consisting of three Actes and severall scenes belonging to each and in the judgement of some Scholers in the Vniversitie he is deemed to have performed his part so wel ut abducant stultum that they may well bring him a stoole ut sit foris eloquentia that he may sitt for his eloquence And because he hath already atteyned to such credite and reputation among the learned he addes in the close upon his word like a man of authoritie that it overturneth the foundation of the ministry which consisteth in sound doctrine good discipline for I doe not remember that this came any where in his way throughout his whole discourse And thus I have examined with what judgement this Author hath reduced the two Synods of Dort and Arles unto practise FINIS Praeface Consid. Praeface Sect. 2. Consid. sentent I. Armin. cap. 1. p. 6.7 Resp. ad Apologet. Bertiâ— p. 150. 1. q. 23. art 5.1 cap Hist. Pelag p. 368. Censura Censura p. 59. 1. Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.7.8 2. Tim. 2. last Eph. 2.1 Eâ—hic 4. cap. 5. Act. 4.24 Ioh. 5. Exam. p. 150. matth 24.24 2. Tim. 4.17 Treat 1. part Sect. 1. Tit. 1.10 Hist. l. 5. 2. Cor. 4.3.4 Prov. 16.4 Defens Armin. p. 394. Rom. 9.11.12 20.21.22 V. 1â— Enchirid. cap. 96. De civit Dei l. 21. c. 24. 1. Ioh. 2 19. 1. q 23. art 2. ad 1. Ier. 9.24 Heb. 1â— 10 1 Cor. 9.22 Act. 18.9.10 Ioh. 11.52 Ioh 10.16 Gratia de lib. arbit cap. 2 Prov. 16.4 Sect. 2. Vossius in trist Pelag p. 638. Austin dâ— civit Dei l. 21 c. 24. Aug. de civit Dei lib. 12. c. 7 Ne quaerat efficientem causam malae voluntatis Non enim efficiene sed deficiens Sect. 3. Consid. Ezech. 2.5 Instit. l. 3. c. 24. num 13. 1. Pet. 2.8 Rom. 7.8 Act. 13.48 Act. 11.18 2. Thess. 2.13 2. Cor. 1.14 Rom. 8. Sect. 1. Hebr. 13.21 Esa. 63.18 Rom. 9.28.19 Exam. 166.167 Sect. 2. Treat Gal. 5.24 Esa. 49. 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Ezech. 2. Sect. 3. Treat 1. Sam. 18.4 V. 3. 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Ioh. 5.44 Sect. 4. Treat 3. Part. Sect. 1. Treat Sect. 2. Treat 1. Cor. 13. 1 Thess. 1.3.4 Philip. 3. Sect. 3. Treat 1. Iohn 2.19 Matt. 16. 1 Pet. 1. Luc. 23. Bert. de apostas SanctoruÌ„ Ier. 17.9 1. Cor. 11. Hos. 2.15 Sect. 4. Treat Consid. Psalm 51. Ier. 32.40 Esa. 27.2 Sect. 5. Treat Heb. 13 21 1. Cor. 15 10. 1. Thes. 1 11. Ezech. 36.27 2. Thess. 5 1.11 Sect. 6. Treat Ezech. 20.12 Deu. 29.6 Esa. 37.18 Mich. 7. Psa. 64 18 Ezech. 36.26.27 Ier. 31 3â—
corruption of the worship and service of God with superstition idolatry Yet amongst them all is the Gospell preached What colour of reason then is there to conceave that in joyning with us any should suspect himself to be of the number of the Reprobates rather then of Gods elect although the most part of them to whom the Gospell is preached were reprobates But suppose that in every congregation the most part were reprobates If they are so allready before the Infidell comes to joyne himself unto us the number of the most being up allready on the reprobates part what reason hath he to conceave that he is of the number of them rather then of Gods Elect Againe his case is different from all the rest for all the rest have beene borne and brought up in the Church of God and therefore it is more hard to distinguish betweene true faith and hypocrisie But in case an Infidell convert and become a Christian This alteration is so great that it is more likely to affoord him better evidence and assurance of his election then others have whose conversion hath not beene from Infidelitie to Christianitie For all that are brought up in the Church of God whatsoever their hearts be yet they have alwayes concurred in the profession of Christianitie Adde to this why should it be more likely that he is of the number of Reprobates then any other upon this ground that the most part are Reprobates And if it be as likely for all and every one then it were most likely that all every one were reprobates which is contradictious to the suppositioÌ„ Lastly what if it were more likely as he speaketh shall this be a sufficient motive not to hearkeÌ„ at all to the doctrine of the Gospell The coÌ„mon practise of the world doth manifest this to be most untrue as it appeares by mens forwardnes to venture in lotteryes where it is most certeyn that the greatest part by farre sit downe with losse At the poole of Bethesda how many wayted for the mooving of the waters by an Angell yet but one could be cured namely he that prevented all the rest in stepping into the poole Nay we reade how that a creeple wayted there amongst the â—est and how unlikely a thing was it that he could get in before the rest yet there he wayted in hope And what if some are more hardned upon the hearing of the word is this any discouragement to us to present our selves before the Lord and to be humbled at his feete to heare the word In the course of his fiction he feignes his proselyte to remember somewhat out of Calvin namely that God directeth his word unto them wherby he makes them more deafe sheweth them the light of the Gospell to blinde their eyes but he tells not where Calvin sayth so But are not these the words of Calvin which here he shewes his teeth at Ecce vocem ad eos dirigit sed ut magis obsurdescant lucem accendit sed ut reddantur caeciores Now Calvin here in speakes not out of his owne Spirite but represents the word of God as playnly signifying so much in his judgment and gives reference to the place immediately related by him in the first word Ecce and the places immediately before alleaged by him partly out of Esa. 6 9. and partly out of Ioh. 12.34 His words are these Sed magis etiamnuÌ„ premit I saiae prophetia Sic enim a Domino dimittitur Vade dic filijs Israel Audiendo audite ne intelligatis Videndo videte nesciatis Obstina cor populi hujus aures eius aggrava oculos eius obline Vt ne fortè videat oculis suis corde intelligat quò conversus sanetur And hereupon he saith Ecce vocem ad eos dirigit sed ut magis absurdescant lucem accendit sed ut reddantur caciores Now this Author blames not Calvin either for false translation of the Prophets or for false interpretation of them onely takes his words a part from the place quoted by him as if he delivered this at large out of his owne doctrine without reference to any particular passage of holy scripture by concealing the place where Calvin writes this thought himself safe from having his unconscionable caryage herein discovered Yet Calvin sayth noâ— that God by his word doth make them more deafe or blindes their eyes as this Author forgeth Calvins wordes He signifies only Gods intention that they shoulde herupon be more deafened and blinded and Saint Peter as good as in expresse termes professeth as much where he sayth of some that Christ is a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offense to witt to them that stumble at the word being disobedient and that to this thing they were even ordeyned But how come they to be more deafened and blinded upon hearing the word as Act. 19.9 it is sayde that some herupon were hardned and disobeyed speaking evill of the way of God before the multitude surely after the same manner that Saint Paul sayth some are the worse for Gods lawe Sinne sayth he tooke occasion by the commandement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence So then their owne corruption is it that blindes them deafens them hardens them more and more together with the God of this world 2. Cor. 4.3 God only refuseth to cure that natural infidelity impenitency he finds in them and in this respect only he is sayde to harden them to blinde them that is in denying mercy according to that Rom. 9.18 God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth And our Saviour was not ashamed to professe to the faces of the Iewes Therfore we heare not my woordes because ye are not of God And Ioh. 12.39 Therfore they coulde not believe because that Isaias sayth againe He hath blinded their eyes hardned their hearts that they should not see which theyr eyes nor understaÌ„d with their heart should be converted I should heale them Yet this Author to shewe of what Spirit he is and how opposiâ—e to the Spirit of Christ and his Apostles as if he were neyther new nor old Evangelist but a very Atheist rather woulde as much oppose them all as he opposeth Calvin if he dâ—â—st reproâ—heth us with this very doctrine as namely that therfore men cannot believe because God would not give them grace sufficient to believe which is as much as to reproache us for saying that all men are born in sinne that infidelitie and impenitency is naturall unto all God alone can cure it I wonder they doe not call Moses to a reckoning also and reproach him for saying as he doth unto the Iewes Ye have seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Aegypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his Servants and unto all his Land The great temptations which thine eyes have seen those great miracles and wonders Yet the
the act another speciall as touching the manner of performing it Lastly as touching the manner how all things shall come to passe by vertue of Gods decree this Author lurkes purposely under a miserable confusion which we cleere thus All things come to passe we say by Gods decree whether they are such things as come to passe necessarily by second causes working necessarily Or such as come to passe contingently by second causes working contingently and freely And accordingly upon supposition of Gods decree we say it is necessary that such things as God hath decreed shall com to passe but how Not necessarily allwayes but eyther necessarily or contingently and freely according to the condition of second causes some of them onely working necessarily but others working contingently freely All this this Author most judiciously confoundes as whose ende is to serve his owne turne and the advantage of his owne cause but not the cause of God in the sincere and faithfull investigation of his truth As in the very next sentence he manifesteth himself deep in this confusion as when he saith That the first cause doth in such manner moove and direct the second among which is the will of man that they cannot otherwise stirre then they are stirred For here he confoundes the different manner of Gods mooving and directing second causes as if there were no difference herin wheras indeede there is a very vast difference For wheras of second causes some worke necessarily some contingently God mooves them all not after one manner but differently that is agreably to their different conditions Second causes working necessarily he mooves and directs to worke necessarily in such sort as they cannot otherwise stirre then they are stirred but as for second causes working contingently and freely he mooves and directs them to worke accordingly that is contingently and freely to witt so as they have power eyther to suspende their operation which is their libertie quoad exercitium or to produce another operation which is their libertie quoad specificationem Thus he mooved Cyrus to builde his cittie and lett goe his captives as he had foretolde long before thus he mooved Iosiah to burne the prophets bones upon the altar which was foretold in the dayes of Ieroboam many hundred yeares before and no sober man makes doubt but that these workes of theirs though predetermined by God yet were performed as freely by them as any other workes of theirs In like manner he mooved the souldiers to absteyne from breaking of Christs bones prophecyed of about a thousand yeares before and the bordering nations to forbeare to invade the land of Israel when all the males came up thrise in the yeare before the Lord in Ierusalem according to the promise made unto them Exod. 34.24 I will cast out the nations before thee enlarge thy coasts so that no man shall desire thy land when thou shalt come up to appeare before the Lord thy God thrisâ— in the yeare Yet who doubts but they did as freely forbeare this as ought els and that the souldiours as freely absteyned from breaking Christs bones as they did freely breake the bones of them who were crucified with him But these Lucifugae delight in confusion like owles that are in love with darkenes that is their best time for prey In that which followes I confesse he deales clearly saying that though a man be given to sinne yet in case he knowes God would have it so by his secret will and that God hath predestinated him therunto this is a comfort unto him and truly I doe not envy him such a comfort and I see no reason but in the midst of the torments of hell it shoulde be likewise a comfort unto him that God did predestinate him therunto by his secret will Only he is pleased to speake in his owne phrase when he talkes of predestinating unto sinne Of predestinating unto damnation the Ancients spake acknowledging such a predestination But they acknowledged no predestinating unto sinne for as much as they tooke predestination to be only of those things which were wrought by God not of sinnes which are only permitted by God Yet these even as foule sinnes as were committed Herod and Pilate together with the Gentiles and people of Israel when they were gathered together against the holy Sonne of God are in the mouthes of the Apostles confessed to have bene foredetermined by the hand and counsel of God which wee understand thus God did fore-determine they should come to passe by his permission as touching the sinfulnes of them Now as for the Spirit of this Author how well it suiteth with the Spirit of Gods Saints we may easily judge by the word of God For when they doe expostulate with God in this manner Lord why hast thou caused us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts against thy feare it seemes apparantly that they tooke no comfort at all in this that God hardned their hearts against his feare and caused them to erre from his wayes And when the Lord revealed unto Moses that he would harden Pharaohs heart wherupon he should not let Israel goe for a long time I never perceaved that herby any comfortable condition was denoted that shoulde be unto Pharao in case he had known so much It seemes allso S. Paul tooke no notice of any such comfortable condition when having taught that God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth he bringâ—s in one herupon expostulating thus why then doth he yet complayne For who hath resisted his will Neyther doth the Apostle take any such course to pacifie him as by representing any coÌ„fortable condition redounding unto him hereby namely in as much as God it is who hath hardned him unto disobedience But the course he takes to stop his mouth is of another nature thus O man who art thou that disputest with God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one a vessell unto honour and another unto dishonour And whatsoever a debaucht Christian may be feigned to conceave for mine owne part and so I thinke I may be bold to say of every one of our profession whose hearts God hath seasoned with his feare I may be bolde to professe a truth that albeit I take notice of Gods hand sometimes hardening me against his feare yet God knowes I take no comfort in it but rather in this that God knowes how to worke it for my good according to that of Austin Audeo dicere vtile est superbis in aliquod apertum manisestumque cadere peccatuÌ„ c. when I find that my sinnes doe not make a finall or a totall separation betweene my soule God this may well tende to the corrobaration of my faith and persuade my soule that nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Iesus our
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
he believes the remission of his sinnes But this consequence agayne we utterly deny we suppose not any such faith in him nay we have it rather most probable that in case of his debaucht course of life and conversation that such a one hath no true faith at all For if the Apostle exhorts such as the Corinthians were to proove and examine themselves whether they were in the faith writing to the best of them why shoulde we conceave a wicked person that lives in manifest profanenesse and uncleanes to have any true faith at all Perhaps he may reply why then doe you exhort him to repentance seing without faith he cannot repent I answere why did Peter exhort the Iewes to repentance who had killed the Lord of life as he tells them Act. 3.14.15 and desired a murtherer to be given them But saith he v. 18. those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath thus fulfilled Amend your lives therfore and turn that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Did Peter suppose them to have any faith in Christ when thus he exhorted them to amendment Surely he did not and no more doe wee but by Peters ministery God might be pleased to worke them both to faith and to repentance so he did for many that heard the word believed and the number was about 5000 and the like he may and doth usually worke by our ministery allso Then agayne there is a legall repentance and there is an Evangelicall repentance And that legall repentance may be unto desperation as Iudas his repentance was Agayne that legall repentance may be a fruite of the Spirit of bondage which praepares for the hearing of the Gospell and for the receaving of the Spirit of adoption by the Gospell Then in the preaching of the Gospell the tender mercies of God displayed unto us and how ready he is to pardon sinne in generall and that of free grace may better our repentance and when we are thus by degrees brought to the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father then our repentance shall be most perfect as before I sayde and when we looke upon him whom we have pearced and can in assurance of faith professe with the Apostle saying I live by faith in him who loved me and gave himselfe for me this is of power to pricke a Master veyne and make us bleede out our repentance in the sight of our gracious God whom we have offended and who yet in despight of our sinnes hath loved us more devoutly and affectionately then ever before Yet is it true as he saith that repentance is nothing worth without faith What thinkes he of Ahabs repentance when he put on sackcloth and wallowed in ashes upon the word of judgment against his house brought unto him by the Prophet Eliah Doe we not know what the Lord sayde herupon unto Eliah seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring that evill in his dayes The uttermost of the Ninivites faith was but this that we reade of who can tell if God will turne and repent turne from his feirce wrath that we perish not yet their repentance was such that when God sawe their workes that they turned from their evill wayes he repented of the evill that he had sayde that he woulde doe unto them and he did it not Ion. 3.9.10 And certienly the moralitie of some Heathens was such that their damnation will be easier then the damnation of those that lived in all manner of impuritie and vncleanes By faith we say the children of God are assured of the love of God towards them which was aeternall and is unchangeable and consequently that God will never forsake them but will from time to time pardon their sinnes according to that faith of Paul The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom 2. Tim. 4.18 And no other faith of remission of sinnes doe we teach or any of our divines that I know and this Author foreseing it likely enough that his Synodicall adversary will except against such a ones election much more against his effectual vocation who walkes not after the Spirit but after the fleshe yet to shewe his confidence of holding to hard-meate his wilde adversary being in some degree wilder himselfe though he were sayth he of the number of reprobates yet his censurer shoulde gayne nothing by it for as much as his exhortations and threanings coulde not any way alter the decree of heaven but only molest him with the torments of hell and stirre up a worme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Wherto I answere that by our doctrine as we have no encouragement to conceave such a person as here is brought in to play the part appointed for him and wherto this Author promts him to be an elect of God so neyther have we any reason to conceave him to be a reprobate for as much as there neyther is nor can be any ordinary evidence of any mans reprobation but eyther finall impaenitency or guiltines of sinning against the holy Ghost So that albeit where we observe the worke of a mans faith the labour of his love the patience of his hope we have good reason to conceave of such a one that he is an elect of God as Paul did of the Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1 3.4 Yet where we finde these to be wanting and a carnall walking and sensuall conversation in the steede therof we have no cause to conclude herupon that such a one is certeynly a man rejected and reprobated of God For we were carnall and sensuall before God visited us with his grace and quickned us by his holy Spirit What a strange race did Manasses runne for a long time in a most siâ—nefull course in the way of idolatry blood sorcery yet God brought him to repentance before he died Paul likewise for a time was a bloody persecutor of Gods Church yet even then was he a chosen vessell not only to be a professor but a preacher allso of that way which formerly he had opposed and persecuted even unto blood whether a man be an elect or reprobate we leave that as a secret unto God only considering that Gods long suffering is sayde to be salvation we hope the best and it is our duty to become all thinges to all men that we may save some as Paul professeth of himselfe 2. Cor. 6. and those some whose salvation he aymed at he professeth to be Gods elect 2. Tim. 2.10 wherfore we enterteyne no such thought as of altering the decrees of heaven as this Author in his scenicall imagination shapeth the matter but we endeavour therby to take him off from his ungodly courses and worke him to godly sorrowe that bringes forth salvation never to be repented of as in case he may proove to
did beseeche you So the Iewes with their Fathers resisted the holy Ghost Act. 7.51 For as much as the wordes delivered unto theÌ„ which they resisted were sent by the Lord of hosts in his Spirit by the ministery of his prophets Zach. 7.12 accordingly God is sayde to have protested among them by his Spirit by the handes of the prophets but they would not heare Nehem. 9.30 But they doe not resist nor can resist the holy Ghost working immediately and physically upon their wills the act of conversion and physicall or rather hyperphysicall transmutation We willingly confesse that the elect resist neyther tending to their first conversion provided the time be come which God hath appoynted for their conversion till then they resist all exhortations tending thereunto as well as others but as for any divine act for a physicall transmutation of their wills they are not made pertakers thereof till the time of their effectuall calling Yet after their effectuall calling as they doe too often disobey God in his particular exhortations So likewise they have cause sometimes to expostulate with God for hardning their hearts against his feare But in their first conversion he doth not only pierce their eares the word of the minister being able enough for that but he gives them eares to heare so also he gives them eyes to see and as for the opening of the heart that also I take to be all one with giving them an heart Deut. 29.4 Now hereupon this Author tells us we must be driven to confesse that the word preached for the most part is destitute of that operation of the Holy Ghost as it appeares by the misprise that the most part make of it which cannot be when the efficacy of the spirit doth accompany it but this is untrue we are not driven nor neede to be driven hereunto we must willingly acknowledge it rightly understood namely that God â—nto the outward ministery of the word doth not for the â—ost part adde the efficacy of his Spirit to worke men unto faith and repentance as it is most evident by experience and our Saviour in the parable of the sower that went forth to sowe his seede teacheth us as much And the Prophet Esay also when prophecying of the times of the Gospell he beginnes thus Who hath beleeved our report and giving the cause hereof in the next words addeth And to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed But as touching the consequence herhence deduced namely that the whole ministery is but a dance no more cooperating wâ—th mans conversion then the clay which our Saviour applyed to the eyes of the blind did unto his sight or the sole voyce calling upon Lazarus made him to rise out of his grave Here this great master of ceremonies is miserably out in his formalities as well as in his realities It followeth not herehence that the ministery is a dance but a piping rather as our Saviour signifies in the Gospell when he sayth wherunto shall I liken this generation they are like to litle Châ—ldren sitting in the market place and saying we have piped unto you but ye have not danced we have mourned unto you but you have not wept yet piping is a naturall provocation to dance but the exhortation of the word without a more speciall operation of Gods Spirit is no provocat on at all to believe how can it be to naturall man to whom it seemes foolishnes and witt wisdome is naturally more affected by men then honestie For qui velit ingenio cedere rariu erit and the Italians have a proverbe that witt is aequally divided and the instance is given thus Let a proclamation be made that all Taylers appearing in an assembly stand up in this case Taylers will stand up and none but Taylers so of shoemakers so of other â—â—ades But if a proclamation be made that all wise men should stand up every one will be ready enough to stand up men of the meanest trade being apt to conceave that they are likely enough to be as wise as they who are of the best Yet by this Authors leave the ministâ—ry of the word confers more to a mans conversion then the clay did for ought I know to the curing of the blinde mans eyes c. For the word informes what is to be beleeved and likewise what is to be practised though to discerne the wisedom of God in the one and to be in love with the other and to feele the power of God in both requires another operation of the Spirit oâ— God to the inlightning of the minde and renewing of the will He that said nature doth nothing in vaine saâ—de God and nature doe nothing in vayne so that there was litle neede of such a gradation as here is made Nâ—yther is the ministery of the word in vayne though all or the most part are not converted by it For it informes all it takes away excuse from all they cannot say si audivissem credidâ—ssem they know hereby a Prophet hath beene amongst them though they who yeelde obedience to it have no need of any such excuse and for their sakes it is principally intended as appeares both by the revelation made to Paul Act. 18. Feare not and holde not thy peace for no man shall lay holde on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city And accordingly by the Apostles scope in his ministery For albeit he professeth that he became all things to all men that he might save some 2. Cor. 6. Yet he manifests who those some were whose salvation he sought where he sayth I suffer all things for the elects sake 2. Tim. 2.10 And lastly it is not in vayne towards any for as much as the ministers thereof are the sweete savour of God both in theÌ„ that are saved in them that perish To them that perish a savour of death unto death to them that are saved a savour of life unto life in both a sweete savour unto God in Christ. As for the things which we ascribe onely to the Spirit of God we ascribe them to that Spirit of God onely in the way of a cause physicall we ascribe them to the word also in the way of a cause moâ—all as both informing the understanding concerning them and persuading thereunto But the Spirit of God alone both opens the eyes to discerne them and the heart to embrace them as the things of God And for the cause fore-mentioned to witt because the Spirit of God doth not inlighten to discerne the things of God but as revealed in his word nor to incline to any thing as to the will of God but as proposed in his word therefore is the word called the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. Thus justly are we said to be begotten by the word renued by the word aedified by the word fed by the word clensed by the word And I finde it very strange that when these men will have all that
mayntâ—ynes any such doctrine it is more then hitheâ—to I have learned or can justifie It is untrue that the word is dangerous by our doctrine but rather that it is dangerous for any man to contemne or despise the goodnes of God therin their condâ—mnation it aggâ—avates only occasionally it is a mans owne coâ—ruption causally that aggravates his damnation when the Lord calls unto them and they will not heaâ—e admonisheth them but they will not hearken It is true that it is not in the power of man to adde unto the word the efficacy of Gods Spirit and it is as true that a carnall man hath no desire that God would adde the efficacy of his Spirit therunto The discipline of Christs Kingdom is as cords and bonds unto them they desire to breake them and to cast off the yoke of obâ—dience unto him And agayne it is as true that no man is damned for not adding the efficacy of Gods Spirit unto his word They are damned for contemning Gods word and not hearkning to his gracious admonitions but they coulde doe no other as this Author intimats but what impotency is this is it any where els then in theiâ— wills which this Author considers not nor distinguisheth betweene impotency naturall and impotency morall were they willing to hearken hereunto but coulde not then indeede their impotency were excusable but they please themselves in their owne and 〈◊〉 in their obstinate courses and if they woulde doe otherwâ—se I make no question but that they shoulde have no more cause to complayne of their impotency to doe that good which they would doe then the servants of God have yea and holy Paul himselfe had How can you believe saith our Saviour here is a certeyne impotency of believing which our Saviour takes notice of but what manner of impotency is it observe by that which followeth who receave honour one of another regard not the honour that comes of God only Therfore you heare not my wordes because ye are not of God Ioh. 8.47 this is as true as the word of the Sonne of God is true allthough this Author setts himselfe to impugne this kinde of doctrine all alonge But withall consider doe they deplore this impotencye doth the consideration herof humble them nay rather they delight in it as the Prophet noteth Ier. 6.10 Their eares are uncircumcised eares they cannot hearken beholde the word of God is as a reproch unto them they have no delight in it The fourth Section THere now remayneth no other instance for our Censurer theÌ„ to exhort this profane fellow to pray unto God that he would be pleased to give him the grace to leave his lewdnes promising that if he pray as he ought to doe that he shall be heard and receave what he demaundeth But herupon this profaner being well instructed in the doctrine of Dort will demaund of him how it is possible to pray as we ought if God give him not the grace before hand and that allso so effectually that it shoulde be impossible for him not to pray therfore seing that he faileth so to doe the Censurer must needes see that God will be no more invoked on by him then he hath given him grace wherby to doe it And that it is no lesse easye to perceave that God sent this Corrector unto him with an intention not to better him by his ministery when he findes more confusion in the doctrine of the speaker then ameÌ„dment in the practise of the hearer to whom he bringeth either the pillow of Epicurus to lull him asleepe in his securitie or else the haltar of despayre wherewith he may hange himselfe as Iudas But above all this profaner will finde yet one more singular benefit to the flattering of his flesh by the answâ—r which the Synodists doe usually make unto those who aske in what case David would have beene had he dyed in his adultery whereunto they say it was impossible for David to have dyed before he had repented bâ—cause that after this he was to begett a Sonne from whom the Messias must descend But hereunto our profaner will reply that the impossibilitie of dying before repentance according to the doctrine of the Synods is founded upon the generall promise made to all the Elect and not on any particular promise made to David touching the Messias whom God had sent into the world by other meanes had he foreseen the impenitency of David as he foresaw his repentance That if the Synod be not deceaved he is sure to dye never without repentance as was David So that following this doctrine the true meanes to avoyde death is to committ and ever to continue in some mortall sinne it being impossible for him to be killed in adultery or perish in any other sin before having first made his recoÌ„ciliation with God who is not angry for ever to speake in the language of the Synod of Dort but onely against the Reprobates See then the invention of immortalitie found out to satisfye the Paracelsians and such like fooles who search for this remedy against death in drugs and naturall causes Our Synods shew the Anâ—idote in a morall cause of so facile and agreable execution to their facile Auditors that the Poets Ambrasia and Medusaes charmes are fabulous unto it Now then our Corrector will eyther desist his enterprise in reforming this mans deboisnes or else forsake his owne principles and correct the doctrine of his Synods Consid. Surely we have small reason to exhort a profane fellow to pray unto God that he would be pleased to give him the grace to leave his lewdnesse so long as we finde him to delight in his profanesse and take pleasure in his unrighteous courses had he a desire to leave it but findes himself unable to cast off this yoake of sinne oâ— to breake the bonds of iniquitie then and in this case it were seasonable to admonish him to cry unto God that he would be pleased in mercy to loose him whom Satan hath bound so many years and that for his Sonnes sake whom he sent into the world to loose the workes of the devill he would be pleased to sett him free and give him the libertie of his children like as the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord by reason of their sore bondage and the Lord heard their crye and considered their sorrowes and came downe to deliver them Neyther are we driven to any such course as this Author feigneth who all along opposeth the secret providence of God in shewing mercy to whom he will hardning whom he will in giving hearts to perceave and eyes to see and ears to heare to whom he will and denying this grace to whom he will I say this he opposeth all along to the very face of it nothing fearing the judgements of God nor his power to harden theÌ„ to make theÌ„ feele that powr which they will not confesse saving that these such like spirituall
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
Christ as on a rocke and our Saviour hath tolde us that the gates of Hell shall not prevayle against them that are built thereon and no meâ—veyle for they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation And consequently whosoever is assured that he once had Faith may be as well assured that he hath it still Peter sinned fowly in denying his Master yet Christ had prayed for him that his faith should not fayle Anâ— not for Peter onely did our Saviour pray but for all those whom his Father had given hâ—m and that in this forme Father keepe them in thy name Ioh. 17. Nor for those onely whom his Father had at that time given him but for those also who hereafter should beleeve through their word Ioh. 17. And we know full well what smal fruit Peters faith brought forth at thâ—t time when he denyed his Master and in David also when he sinned in the matter of Vriah yet would not Bertius professe that David by those sinnes of his had deprived himself of the Spirit of God and that propter graves causas Neither doth it follow that because true faith bringeth forth small fruit at sometimes as in the houre of temtation and when a man sinkes under it therefore it brings forth small fruit simply as this Author caryeth the matter It is untrue that Calvin doth troâ—ble or obscure this doctâ—ine of Certitude and that the Patient will say so is but this Authors fictâ—on if he should say so we will be as ready to disproove it The words of Calvin are these Tot vanitatis recessus habet tot mendacii latebris scatet cor humanum tam fraudulenta hypocrisi obâ—ectum est ut seipsum saepe fallat He might as well have said that the H. Ghost troubles obscures this doctrine of Certitude by saying That the heart of man is deceitfull above all things who can know it But the Apostle makes this use of it 2. Cor. 12.5 Examine your selves whether you are in the faith proove your selves know ye not your selves that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates There is indeede a secret hypocrisie unknowne to a mans owne heart as when he presumes that all thinges goe well betweene him and God when indeede it is not so their rightousnes such as it is is not simulata conterfeyted by them but they deceave themselves as well as others and from such a state a man may fall as Austin acknowledgeth who nevertheles cleerly professeth his minde that no man falls away from the state of spirituall and wholsome repentance that being such a condition as wherunto God never brings any one whome he hath not predestinate Istorum that is non praedestinatorum neminem adducit ad spiritualem salubreÌ„ paenitentiam qua homo reconciliatur Deo in Christo five illis ampliorem patientiam five non imparem praebeat Contr. 〈◊〉 Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 4. This is not the case of an afflicted soule the hypocrite is secure and without suspicion of the integritie of his condition in the state of grace but the afflicted soule is too suspicious of himself conceaving his faith at the best to be but counterfeyte this is his sorrow this is the cause of the disquietnesse of his minde and whereof we may take good advantage for his consolation both in respect that he judgeth and condemneth himself And in this case the word of God assures us we shall not be judged of the Lord as also that hereby is clearly manifested a desire to be free from hypocrisie to be in a confortable condition by a true and sincere faith in Christ Now these are manifest evidences of the life of grace Not to speake of generall grounds of consolation such as these Blessed are they that mourne they shall be comforted Blessed are they that hunger thirst after righteousnesse they shall be filled It is true that all are not called at the same houre and seeing affliction especially when it is of a spiâ—ituall nature is the ordinary introduction into the state of grace in the course of Gods providence like as the valley of Achor was a doore of hope unto the Children of Israell and our Saviour in going to Ierusalem the vision of peace did commonly take Bâ—thany the house of mourning in his way we have cause to conceave good hope that thâ—se pangs may be as the pangs of childbirth unto an afflicted soul. But yet we will not satisfy our selves with our Patients saying that he never felt the testimony of adoption in his heart as therupon to conclude that as yet he is but in the state of nature and not washed from his filthines we will take notice of all circumstances of his cariage in this condition and of such observations as we have made of them in the course of their conversation for the time past and not suffer a melancholy passion to obscure the mercy of God towards them we will be very loath to be streitned in our proceedings in the course of our consolation by a Comaedians witt that coms to discourse of such tender pointes as if he came to make a play or to act a part upon the stage to make his Arminian hearers sport In the next place he puts a most absurd demaund in the mouth of his Patient requiring forsooth some assurance that he shal be thus efficaciously called before his death A demaund I am verily persuaded never brought to light but by Arminian invention Can any Arminian assure their Patients of any such condition We willingly professe we can assure none therof but where we find men afflicted in soule through conscience of sinne and a fearfull apprehension of Gods wrath this Spirit of bondage makes us to conceave hope that a child is now come unto his birth and that there shall not want strength in good time to bring him forth We are not likely to tell him that Christ surely dyed for him if so be he believes in him this is a Gossips bowle of this Authors making to carouse an health to his companions But by the way it appeares that howsoever this Comedian did at the first entrance hereupon professe that consolation in Christs death was not actually applyable to any but such as beleeve in Christ and consequently that a man can have no confort in Christ untill he beleeve in him by a true and lively faith yet he carryeth the matter so as if this were comfort enough to a man to believe that Christ dyed for him albeit as yet he hath obteyned no true faith in Christ wheras it is apparant that no more consolation can arise is this case to a Christian then to a Turke to a childe of God then to a childe of the divil to an elect then to a reprobate For their doctrine is that Christ dyed indifferently for all Yet albeit this practise of his is base enough at pleasure to putt upon us what cause of consolation he
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
that worketh in us every thing that is pleasing in his sight doth the Physician sett the mans leggs whom he hath cured I thinke he hath enough to doe to sett his owne legges members going according to their severall motions was holy Paul nourished in his sloath who both professeth that he laboured more abundantly then they all yet in the same breath acknowledgeth that nevertheles it cannot he but rather the grace of God in him Nay how is it possible that God should bring a man to a sermon while he lyes lazy in his bed How is it possible he should continue that excesse which brought him to his sicknes when God workes in him that which is pleasing in his sight and fullfills the good pleasure of his goodnes towards him and the worke of faith in power But we may easily proceave the Spirit of his Author he would not be a child still he would goe on highe alone and not have any neede of the leading of his heavenly Father his owne Spirit serves his turne to performe any holy duetie any gracious worke And as Plato discerned the pride of Antisthenes through his patcht coate so may we thorough these wilde expressions as if God did mans worke for him while he lay in sleepe we may easily perceave the pride of his heart requiring no more succour from God to the performance of to velle agere of that which is good then Pelagius of olde did Yet the Lord by his prophet playnely professeth of himselfe that he causeth us to walke in his statutes and judgments and to doe them and the Apostle as playnely teacheth us that God workes in us both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure yea that he workes in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. The meaning whereâ—â— Pelagius his opinion was only this that suadet omne quod bonum est and in all liklihood no other is the meaning of the Apostle in the opinion of this Author though he comes not so farre as to the discussing therof and to treate of Gods concourse For which kinde of exercise this comicall witt of his is nothing accommodated and like enough this discourse of his is plausible to none but such comicall witts as himselfe is of and no merveyle if it be magnified of them For Lactucas similes labra simillima habent like lettice like lips Yet he doth us wrong in saying we are not content that God should furnish us with necessary and sufficient grace to preserve and keepe us from sinne For albeit we doe require that God should immediately and irresistibly worke all our good workes in us yet surely we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse and the word of God it selfe we acknowledge to be sufficient in its kinde to witt in the way of instruction but the ministery therof we willingly professe goes no farther then Pauls planting and Apollos wateringe over and above all which unles God be pleased to give the encrease we shall continue unfruitfull still only there is a sect that have a better opinion of their activitie unto that which is good then so Sure I am the Apostle tells us that God doth fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnes in us and the worke of faith with power and if he fulfill the worke of faith with power doth he not fulfill the worke of love of repentance of obedience of all holy conversation and godlines that with power Molira will have Gods concourse to be simultaneous with the will not antecedaneous in nature to the wills operation least otherwise God should not be the immediate cause of the act of the maintenance wherof he was zelous and it seemes Arminiâ—â—s tooke his conceyte from him of making God in the same manner an immediate cause of every act But Suares his fellowe Iesuite doth not approove of that Molinaes conceyte and is of opinion that albeit God doth worke the will to her operation yet this nothing hinders the immediate condition of Gods causalitie So that all of them stande for the maintenance of Gods immediate causalitie which this Author very judiciously and profoundely out of the depth of his scholasticalitie rejects and after his manner takes it in scorne that God shoulde be required to performe an immediate operation in producing any good worke he would have that left to the will of man not that he desires to have wherof to boast for he will be ready in great plerophory of wordes to professe that he gives God the glory of all but how Forsooth of working him so to that which is good as to leave it to his will at the pleasure therof to be the immediate operator in all Otherwise he should worke irresistibly which is a phrase of an ill accent in their eares and stickes as a burre in their throate it will not downe with them for they are verily persuaded it would breede no good blood in them not for feare least herby they should ascribe too much to God and too litle to themselves farre be that from the Spirit of their humilitie but they would have the Allmightie cary himselfe decently in dealing with them and sith he hath indued them with free will not to damnifie the free course therof which were to disanull his owne workmanship For as yet they are not arrived to any such faith as to believe that it is in the power of the Almightye to make them to worke this or that freely But let me have leave to spurre this Author one quaestion Cannot he endure that God should so powerfully worke them unto that which is good that the world should have no abilitie to resist him nor the divill and his Angells of darkenes We knowe the course and fashions of the one and the practises and suggestions of the other are prest and forward enough to hinder us in the good wayes of the Lord as much as ever the Angell of God was to hinder Balaam in his wicked courses Now why should you be so zealous of maynteyning the power eyther of the world or the divill to corrupt your soule and overthrowe your faith were it not rather cheifly to be desired that God should so worke us by his holy Spirit unto every thing that is pleasing in his sight that it shoulde not be in the power of the very gates of hell to prevayle against us that is I trowe to worke us unto that which is good irresistibly that is so that the world nor the divill should not be able to resist Gods operation though they much desire it I shoulde thinke it is not the genius of this Author to oppose irresistible operation divine in this sense though it may be he was never cast upon this distinction untill now In respect of whom then would he have this
divine operation to be resistible Is it in respect of the fleshe But if he be well content that it shoulde not be in the power of the worlds or the divill to resist Gods operation working us to good why should he affect to have it in the power of the flesh 1. Considering that if it be in the power of the flesh to resist divine operation it is therwithall in the power of Satan For in fulfilling the will of the flesh and the minde we are sayde to walke after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre Eph. 2. 2. Why should any man be so zealous for upholding the power of his flesh is it not a signe he is in love with it still 3. Or rather is it in zeale of the honour of his owne performances in doing good as it were in despight of such a potent adversary If so then let hell be loosed and the divill and the world both armed with the like power and that honour in withstanding them is likely to be greater and you shall have the greater cause to rejoyce but where is your respect to the glory of God in all this Or in fine would you have your regenerate part to be so strong and able that neyther flesh within nor world or divill without be able to resist its course in grace only you would have it free eyther to yeilde or to resist divine exhortations But consider I pray is not your unregenerate part your flesh free enough and forward enough yea most propâ—ne and propense to resist that and shoulde you not rather desire that your regenerate part should be as free and forward as propense and prone to resist them and to doe that which is good Otherwise in what a miserable case shall man be even in state of regeneration when his worse part is still prone to sinne and wants not the world and the divill to drive him headlong therinto and his best part to witt his regenerate part shall not be as prone to good but only indifferent to good or evill Beside doe you not consider how you debase the grace of regeneration making it inferior to morall goodnes For morall goodnes doth not leave a man indifferent to good or evill but inclines him naturally to that which is good and to that alone but the grace of regeneration is so shaped by you as to bring a man but to an indifferent constitution to doe eyther good or evill But perhaps you will say if regeneration and the grace thereof shall cary a man naturally unto that which is good only where is a mans freedome I answere as much as in a morally vertuous constitution For who was ever knowne to affirme that morall vertues take away a mans libertie Agayne why should any man be so eagerly sett upon libertie to doe evill were it not better for us to enioy such a libertie alone as of many good â—hings to choose which we thinke good but must we needes affect such a libertie as to choose evill allso if we thinke good and doe you not perceave what colour of contradiction steales upon you ere you are aware and shrewde evidence of the unreasonablenes of your affections Yet take one thingâ— more to acquaint you with that which perhaps may seeme a mystery unto you in morall philosophy for some may be so given to the stage and taken up with the obsequies therof that they may forget their philosophy Therfore I say that like as morall vertues tende only to the ordering of the reasonable soul aright as touching her right ende by light of nature so the grace of regeneration tendes to the ordering of the degenerate soule aright as touching her right end discovered by the light of grace Now Libertie of will consists not in appetitione finis the nature of man rightly ordered is naturally caryed on thereunto But freedome of will hath place in electione mediorum So that albeit my right end being once discovered and my nature so qualified as it ought to be in respect thereof albeit I am necessarily naturally caryed to the affecting of that end yet still I am free to choose amongst many what shall seeme most convenient to the obteyning of that end Whether in all this I have not spoken parables and mysteries in the judgement of this Author I know not yet this I know God can open his eyes and the eyes of those that are in love with these frivolous discourses of his and make them to discerne the vanity of their wayes in opposing the grace of God and withall Gods judgements upon them in striking them with such confusion as not onely to shutt their eyes against the light of grace but runne themselves on ground and cast themselves away as touching common sobriety while the courses they take are contradictious to the very light of nature What a sottish objection is that which followeth how dissolute a consequence is this which here he frames namely that because we say God doth worke in us both the will and the deed Ergo it is not Man that willeth but God not man that doth this or that good worke but God God doth repent in making us repent and God doth obey his owne commandements in making us obey them God hath given all creatures their naturall properties and on som he bestoweth supernaturall qualities and mooves them all that effectually to worke according to their properties whose operations though they are from him as the efficient cause thereof for in him we live and moove and have our beings and hitherto the Arminians themselves have pretended to concurre with us herein yet they are not formally to be attributed unto him but to the secoÌ„d causes whose proper operations they are as for a Lyon to roare for an horse to neigh an asse to bray an oxe to lowe a dogge to barke and the like The sixt last Section THe preaching of the word being thus made of none effect by the doctrine of these Synods there will remayne no use and profit of the Sacraments of baptisme the Lords Supper unlesse it be that the Ministers themselves in administring thereof doe destroy this unhappy doctrine For to every person whom they baptise they apply the promises of the covenant of grace cleane contrary to their owne doctrine which saith that they nothing belong to the Reprobates of the World The Eucharist is likewise given to all with assurance that Christ dyed for all those who do receave it although their doctrine doe affirme that he dyed not for those who receave him unworthily and to their owne condemnation the number of whom is very great in the Reformed Churches by their owne confession What then remaines Even their prayers themselves the exercise wherof is common both to the Pastor and the Flocke cannot be of any profit either to the one or to the other seeing that all are eyther elect or reprobate they for their parts obteyne nothing by this meanes if that God