A DISCRIPTION OF WHAT GOD hath Predestinated Concerning MAN In his CREATION TRANSGRESSION REGENERATION As also an Answere to Iohn Robinson touching Baptisme 1. THES 5.21 Try all thinges keepe that which is good ACT. 17.11 These were more noble men c. which searched the Scriptures dayly whether those thinges were so Printed 1620. The Contents of the Booke 1. Of Predestination 2. Of Election and Reprobation 3. Of Falling away 4. Of Free-will 5. Of The Originall estate of Man 6. Of The beginnings of CHRIST or Foundation 7. And lastly An answ to a little Printed writing of Iohn Robinsons touching Baptisme To euery vnpar◠〈◊〉 Grace and Truth WEE are not ignorant of the great oppositions that are in the world at this day about the most righteous Predestination of GOD and the true consequences thereof and that among the Wise and Learned of which number wee account not our selues neither are accounted of others but are willing to bee accounted of the lower sort Euen of the foolish weake vile dispised and those that are not Yet hauing receiued something of the Lord in this thing and perceiuing that many thousands are ignorant of the difference and are violently carryed rather by tradition then by sound knowledge to detest the Truth and imbrace the error wee among others holde our selues bound to make knowne what wee haue receiued to the end all may weigh it in the ballance of Gods Sanctuary try it by the true touchstone and measure it with the Golden reede It is a thing not carelesly to bee minded but seriously to be considered of and searched into If any will be ignorant and goe on in their blinde zeale according to tradition let them be ignorant and remember that If the Truth be hid it is hid to them that perish * 2 Cor. 4. There can be no hurt by trying our wayes for as true tryall will burne vp the chaffe of falshood so will it refine the way of Truth as Gold tryed in the fire seauen times in which we must take heed Wee presume not aboue what is written * 1 Cor. 4. Neither adde too nor diminish the perfect Law of the Lord contayned in the Scriptures * Reuel 2 18.19 Secret thinges belong to the Lord our God thinges reuealed belong to vs * Deut. â— 29 But some man will say vnto vs what shall wee neede tryall of this thing againe the Counsell of Dort hath sufficiently tryed it and haue passed their sentence to establish Caluins Doctrine and to reject the contrary but to such wee will answer by asking question was not the Counsell of Dort subiect to erre If yea Then is it safe for men to build their Faith vpon their sentence their answer is yea for not onely so they haue Decreed but also that whosoeuer teacheth contrary shall be persecuted Ah heauy case will men teach they are subiect to erre and yet decree Persecution for them that cannot beleeue their Decrees Well yet thus fâ—rre wee are sure they will grant they may erre and whether they haue erred or no let that bee scanned by Gods worde and iudged by euery mans Conscience It is a maine controuersie between the Papists and Protestants whether the Church and Counsels may erre the Papists affirme they cannot and so constraineth all to beleeue as the Church beleeues The Protestants affirme the contrary viz. That there is no Church no Counsell no man but they are subiect to erre and therefore ought to be no further beleeued then euery mans Conscience can iudge them to accord with the meaning of God in the Scriptures which being true as it is most true then why may not the Counsell of Dort haue erred in its sentence in these thinges â—sa 29.14 Math. 11. â—5 26 Ioh. â— 48.49 â— Cor. 1.19 â—6 c. If any say it was Learned wee answer God vsually hidâ— his secrets from thâ— Learned and reuealeth them to Babes And destroyes the wisdome of the wise casts away the vnderstanding of the prudent makes the wisdome of the wise foolishnes If any say the assembly was great wee answer greater Counsels by much euen vniuersall Counsels haue grosely erred who is ignorant of this How did the Counsels of Ephesus Seâ—â—sia Trident Laterenâ— and others erre where the vniuersall Learned of the world were assembled whose numbers and errors were too many to relate but to be short in this thing we may truely conclude with the wordes of Nazianzen who saith* ad proâ— 346 Hee neuer saw any Counsell haue a good end For what is the end of them but cruelty and persecution that when they haue decreed what they thinke good then they procure the Magistrates sword to impose their Decrees vpon mens Consciencs And why any Church should call Counsels to make Decrees in cause of Conscience but Rome it cannot be defended The Counsell at Ierusalem will not warrant them that assembly could not erre who dare say so besides that Mother of whoredomes Rome of whom wee may say with the Prophet Thou hadst an Whores forehead thou wouldst not be ashamed Ier. 3.3 Men are couered with the Spirit of slumber that call Counsels to make Decrees to bee imposed vpon mens Consciences and yet hold that the Counsels may erre And for the Armenians as they are called wee are not truely enformed of their opinions but for their tumultuous courses wee much detest the ground of their and their aduersaries proceeding being that deuillish perswasion that it is lawfull to persecute yea to kill one another for difference in Religion the Lord giue them to see their sinne on both sides Against which opinion and practise that Noble and worthy Prince the King of Bohemia hath written in these wordes And not withstanding the successe of tâ—se latter times wherein sundry opinions haâ—e beene hatched about the subiect of Religion may make one clearely discerne with his eye and as it were touch with his finger that accâ—rding to the veritie of holy Scripture and a Maxime heretofore held and maintayned by the auncient Doctors of the Church that mens Consciences ought in no sort to bee violated vrged or constrayned and whensoeuer men haue attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret meanes the issue hath beene pernicious and the cause of great and wonderfull innouations in the principallest and mightiest Kingdomes and Countries of all Christendome c. And further his Maiesty saith So that once more wee dâ— protest before God and the whole world that from this time forward wee are firmely resolued not to persecâ—te or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whosoeuer for matter of Religion no not they which â—rofesse themselues to bee of the Romane Church neither to trouble or disturbe them in the exercise of their Religion So they liue conformably to the Lawes of the States c. Whose wordes and practise the King of Kings grant that the Gouernors of the earth and particularly
* 1 Cor. 10.13 Now if the word suffering were vsed in all places in stead of sending they would not thus peruert the Scriptures labouring to make wickednes come frō Gods decree originally for which cause let the holy Euangelists decide the controuersie Mathew saith Math. 8.31.32 And the Deuils besought IESVS saying If thou cast vs out suffer vs to goe into the heard of Swine And Iesus said goe so they went c. Marke saith Mark 5.12.13 the Deuils said Send vs into the heard of Swine c. and Iesus gaue them leaue Luke saith Luk. 8.32 the Deuils besought him that he would suffer them so he suffered them All which proues plainely that the Deuill can doe nothing without Gods suffering as also that God or Christs sending is nothing but suffering in this case And so this sending of Ashur is suffering Now for that of Iosephs brethren wee dispute not about Gods decreeing hee should goe into Aegypt for the preseruation of their liues c. but whether God decreed that their action in selling a mans Childe from him against the Lawe yea their enuy also in selling him * Act. 7.9 for I say Ioseph might haue come into Egipt by good meanes aswell as his Brethren did afterward they thought euill and did euil yet God turned it to good * Gen. 50.20 their thoughts Gods thoughts were contrary their thoughts were euill Iames saith no man is tempted of God Iam. 1. but to moue with euill thoughts is to tempt If all that come from the Father of Lights be good and this to moue by decreeing vnauoidably to these euill thoughts came from God then was it good and not euill but if their whole action was euill as it was then was it not of the Father but of this world 1 Ioh. 2.16 though God brought out of it goodnes who can bring good out of euill Lastly for that of our Sauiours death I acknowledge that God apointed him and gaue him to the Death for our sinnes * Rom. 5.25 8.32 and deliuered him or suffered to bee deliuered into the hands of the wicked by his determinate coūsell and fore-knowledge * Act. 2.23 with Chap. 4.27.28 but I deny that God determined appointed or decreed that the wicked should betray or murther him otherwise then by suffering them hee knew what they would doe to him and foretolde it long afore in the Scriptures and decreed to suffer them who if hee had pleased hee might haue consumed before they did it but he decreed not that they should so doe it for in doing thereof they were of their Father the Deuill who was the author of Murther from the beginning Iohn 8.44 and not Gods decree For might not God haue appointed some to sacrifice his Sonne CHRIST as he did Abraham to sacrifice his sonne Isaac and Israell their sacrifices which were types of him which might haue beene done without wickednes But hee could not appoint Iudas to betray him nor the Scribes and Pharises to murther him this was wickednes which God cannot appoint he cannot lye * Heb. 6.18 hee cannot destroy the righteous with the wicked * Gē 18.25 he cannot condemne the heyres of Promise * Heb. 6.17 and so cannot appoint Iudas and the rest to commit such horrible wickednes as they did euill cannot come from God euery good giuing cōmeth from him hee suffereth wicked men to doe those thinges which hee cannot doe himselfe for which cause men think God to be like themselues * Psa 50 2◠Thus you may see that although God determined certainly that his Sonne should be slaine yet he might haue beene slaine without sinne and therefore the betraying and murthering was not from God Wee acknowledge that God is omnipotent but wee say his omnipotencie is guided by his Iustice Omnipotency he can doe onely the things that pleaseth him which is Iustice and Equitie It is no part of Gods Omnipotencie to lye to destroy the righteous with the wicked to appoint and by an vnauoydable decree force men to betray and Murther c. these are not any part of Gods Omnipotencie but rather attributing that to the most holy and iust God which is proper to the Deuill Gods holy will is the rule of his Power and not his power the rule of his will he will not lye therefore I say he cannot lye Thus haue I shewed how God is said to doe a thing when he onely suffereth it wherein a principall Caluin agreeth with me vpon the Petition Lead vs not into Temptation Vrsinus pag. 1041. that the wicked execute the Iustice of God by sinning that commeth not to passe by any fault of God himselfe but through the proper corruption of the wicked and such as themselues haue purchased God neither willing nor allowing nor working nor furthering their sinne but in his most iust iudgement onely permitting it c. and Pag. 1042. The difference of the works of God and the Deuill c. is euidently confirmed by the Story of Iob cap. 1. 2. where God purposeth to try Iob but the Deuill to destroy him The same is likewise confirmed by the Story of Ahab 1. King 22. and by that Prophecie of the Apostle concerning Antichrist 2. Thes 2. where the Deuill seduceth men to destroy them and God will haue them to be seduced thereby to punish them and suffereth the Deuill c. And againe Lead vs not into temptation that is suffer vs not to be tempted aboue our power these are his wordes Ereu. Well let vs now proceed what answer you to the place of Amos 3.6 or shall there be euill in the Citty and the Lord hath not done it Odeg. I answer First I demand what they meane by euill if euill of punishment for sin as is apparant by the place and others * Deut. 29.21 then wee agree but if they vnderstand euill of sinne else why bring they this Scripture then I abhorre their horrible blasphemie If God doe euill of sinne then it first dwelleth with him and it cōmeth from him as it doth with all that doe it And herein they speake no parable but plainely that God doth all euill of sinne in a Citty oh the the patience of God to suffer such monstrous blasphemers who should attribute righteousnes to their Maker * Iob. 36.3 in stead of which they doe without all feare or shame make God the Author and doer of sinne in a Citty contrary to so many plaine Scriptures Iob 34.10.12 Psal 92.15 Psal 5.4 Iam. 1.13 Ereu. What say you to the place of Iohn 12.39 c. Therefore could they not beleeue because that Isayas saith he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their hearts and should bee conuerted that I should heale them Odeg. I say this these wordes being collected from Esa 6.9 and repeated in many places * Math.
on them that seeke him by the meanes that hee himselfe appointeth such finde Grace and mercy as Moses and not by our owne willing nor running Exod. 33. nor working as the Iewes Ereu. What is the meaning of the hardning of Pharaoh Vers 17. Odeg. This Pharaoh being a wicked man and hardning his heart against Gods Commaundements and iudgements Exod. 9 34. 1 Sam 6. euen as these Iewes Paul speaketh of did against CHRIST and his Gospell yea making his heart as an Adamant stone as others did Vers 17. Zach. 7.12 so that he would not let the people goe for his cruelty against Gods people in killing their Children and ouertasking them and in not letting them goe for these causes God hardned his heart that is as the holy Ghost explaines it gaue him vp to the hardnes of his owne heart as Psal 81.11 12. euen to Sathan who worketh hardnes of heart against God and his truth in all the Children of disobedience who when the word and Iudgements of God as to Pharaoh and these vnbelieuing Iewes is manifest to them and they dispise them that which was ordained a meanes of humiliation and softening the hart becommeth a meanes of hardning that which is of it selfe and to the belieuers the sweet sauour of Life becoÌ„meth to them the sauour of Death 2. Cor. 2.15.16 Rom. 7.13 and thus doth God harden the harts of the wicked by giuing them vp to Sathan to their own harts lusts to vile affections to reprobate minds RoÌ„ 1.24.26.28 Thus hee hath mercy on whom he will Vers 18. and whom he will he hardeneth his will being to shew mercy on such as Moses that seeke his fauour by his appointed way and hardeneth such as Phoraoh who hardneth their hearts against the same way as those Iewes did of whom Paul speaketh Ereu. How answer you these wordes who hath resisted his will Vers 19. Odeg. I answer them thus Vers 19. Paul in these wordes speaketh as in the person of one of these Iewes or declareth what these Iewes will answer to this Doctrine who hath resisted his will and why doth hee complaine For this was his will that wee should obey these his precepts of the Law which who so doth should liue in them and in sticking to the Law wee haue not resisted his will vnto which th'Apostle giues the answer that man must not plead against God to say why hast thou made me thus that is that I cannot obtaine saluation by the workes of the Law for God seeing the weaknes of the Flesh to obserue the Law * Rom. 8.3 sent his Sonne in the flesh for iustification to euery one that beleeueth prouing plainely to all that both Iewes and Gentiles were vnder sinne and that there was not one righteous by the Law Rom. 3. and therefore their cauill was vaine For Gods will was to saue all that seeke it by the Faith of IESVS and not by the workes of the Law which they did resist and so were iustly conuicted Now the aduersaries exposition of this verse is that God hated Esau so Pharaoh and all the reprobate before they were borne from which hatred he Decreed their damnation and because the will of God is declared to be contrary in the Scriptures therefore they call this his secret will against which will say they no man can resist but the most holy GOD declareth the contrary It is not my will that any man sinne they haue done that which I commaund them not neither came it in my minde c. * Ier. 32.35 neither is it my will that any sinner dye but that hee amend and liue and this I testifie as I liue â—aith the Lord * Ezek. 18. 33. Chap But if he will not amend but continue in sin as Pharaoh these Iewes others him will I punish in my iust Iudgement wherefore if any suffer iustly for his trespasse he ought not to accuse GOD as our aduersaries doe saying that God decreed him yeâ— by power compelled him to trespasse and so to suffer â— and say who can resist his Will Gods will is that all repent and beleeue the Gospell which may be and is resisted and also his will is that they who will not repent and belieue â—e damned which caÌ„not be resisted This his will is iust full of mercy and thus I haue sufficiently answered these words Ereu. What say you to these wordes Hath not the Potter power of the Clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honor another to dishonor Vers 21. Odeg. For the better vnderstanding of these wordes let vs reade the 18 Chaâ— Vers 21. of the Prophet Ieremie from whence th'Apostle hath these words And we shall see through the Grace of GOD that that making of the clay in the Potters hand is not in creation but in vocation the wordes are these O House of Israell cannot I doe with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are you in my hand O house of Israell GOD is this Potter the House of Israell is the Clay And Vers 7. I will speake against a Nation or against a Kingdome to plucke it vp to roote it out and to destroy it That is to make it a vessell of dishonor But Vers 8. If this Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednes I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them Again Vers 9. And I will speake concerning a Kingdome and concerning a Nation to build it and to plant it and so make them vessels of Honor. But Vers 10. If it doe euill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I thought to doe for them Therefore Vers 11. Thus saith the Lord vnto the men of Iudah and Inhabitants of Ierusalem Beholde I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you returne you therefore euery one from his euill way c. This doth th' Ap stle apply to the thing in hand proclayming from this glorious Potter that all that seekes saluation by Faith and obedience to the Gospell as the Gentiles did he will make them vessels of mercy prepared for Glory but those that seeke it by the Flesh or by workes of the Law as the Iewes did he will make them vessels of dishonor prepared for destruction Thus doth God make vâ—seâ—s of Honor and Dishonor and not otherwise for in Creation hee made Man good and in vocation he saith As hee liueth he would haue him good by turning vnto him from his wicked way which if he will not then he maketh him a vessell of dishonor by bâ—inging vpon him as a iust recompence of reward dishonor and confusion and thus the Apostle alludeth to this Scripture in this place for hee wished the saluation of the Isralites whom God had planted a noble vine with the best plantes Esa 5. doing vnto it what he could doe
drawing of God and yet God standeth threatning Hell to all those that will not ascend vp Which opinion is so vaine that a man would not threaten a horse fallen into a ditch to rowse himselfe vnlesse he intended that the horse moued with the imagination of terror should helpe himselfe and concurre with his maister to get forth for if the owner would wholly hoyse him out by maine strength he would neuer threaten him 4 Those that be endued with libertie to chuse or refuse wee perswade and exhort to that part we desire they should follow because perswasions bend the will of man and induceth him to change opinion and leaue his former determinations hence it is that Christian Preachers vse no lesse diligence to finde out such reasons as may remoue men from vice and incline them to Vertue The like perswasions God vseth in the Scriptures to incline our wils to obserue his Law Come vnto me all that labour and are heauy loaden and I will refresh you * Math. 11.28 Conuert to me and I will turne vnto you * Zach. 1.3 Returne vnto me and I will not lâ—t my wrath fall vpon you * Ier. 3.12 To what other end tend these inducements but to bend our wils to the one side 5 When men possesse libertie wee blame them for their offences or wee relate vnto them their misdemeanors because they haue done euill and might haue done well as if an vnthrift spend his mony riotously and after be cast into Prison or fall into some incurable disease by his euill carriage we may iustly say surely hee deserued it who might haue carryed himselfe better and would not The same course wee finde in the Scriptures vsed by God concerning men after their sinnes Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets c. how often would I haue gathered thy Children as a Henne gathereth her Chickins vnder her wings and thou would'st not * Math. 23.37 Ezek. 18. 33. Chap. Psal 81.13 â—5 And why will yee dye in your sinnes Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me and Israell had walked in my wayes The haters of the Lord should haue beene subiect to him and their time should haue endured for euer What should I haue done to my vineyard that I haue not done I expected sweet Grapes and it yeelded sower the Caâ—uinists answer is you should haue giuen sâ— Grace vnto them that your vineyard that is the Iewes could not but bring forth sweet grapes for they holde without it they could bring forth no other then they did And thus they condemne you in their iudgement not to haue performed all thinges necessary to cause your vineyard to bring forth fruit according to your expectation Againe they accuse you most blasphemously of dissembling in saying you expect sweet grapes of that Vine when you had decreed â—hat it should bring foorth such sower grapes as it did and that by compulsion of your Predestination Our Sauiour cryeth * Math. 11. Luk. 10. Woe be to thee Corazâ—n woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the works that hath bene done in thee had bent done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agone in sackcloth ashes CHRIST lamenteth that the inhabitants of these Cities were not conuerted to shew that the fault was their owne obstinacie not the defect of his Grace he affirmeth that with the helpes they had others would haue conuerted 6 Another inuinsible argument that there is yet in men Free choyse may be collected from this that somtimes those good workes wrought in vs by God are also attributed to vs in such manner that the same clensing of our soules the selfe same new heart the same iustification the same preparation whereof in one place holy writ acknowledgeth GOD the author in another place it confesseth that Man worketh them What better reconcilement can be hereof made then that of Paul 1 Cor. 15.10 Not I but the Grace of God with me God knocketh and wee let him in * Reuel 3.20 God inuiteth vs to the Mariage and we come and bring our wedding garments * Math. 22. God teacheth and we accept his Doctrine God illuminateth and wee open the windowe of our hearts God soweth his seede and wee receiue it and bring foorth fruit * Math. 13. 1 What is more proper to God then to wash our soules and therefore Dauid saith Thou shalt wash mee and â— shall be whiter then snowe Psal 50. yet this same God coÌ„mands the Children of Israell to doe O Ierusalem wash malice from thy heart that thou mayst be saued 2 What wonder worketh God aboue vs more admirable then in changing our hearts in giuing vs hearts of Flesh plyable to be wrought vpon and in taking away hearts of flint not able to be pearced and so by creating in vs a new heart * Ezek. 11.19 this same is ascribed to man * Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new Spirit why will yee dye oh house of Israell the meaning is in that man doth not hinder nor resist God in his new making it as God saith To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts * Heb. 4.7 Dauid saith incline my heart to thy CoÌ„mandements and not to couetousnes * Psal 119.36 yet the same saith I haue inclined my heart to obserue thy Command-ments alwayes Vers 112. 3 In one place a sinner cryes to God Conuert vs O God our Sauiour In another place God cryes to them Conuert vnto me and I will conuert vnto you 4 God iustifies a sinner and as a proper tytle he taketh it to himselfe yet Dauid saith If the wicked prosper and the iust be afflicted to what end haue I iustified my heart Againe God saith Psal 73.12.13 I will cause you to keepe my Commandements Yet saith CHRIST If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements 5 Wee may gather from holy Scriptures that men are said to prepare their hearts to God and are reprehended for not doing the same The wiseman saith * Pro. 16.1 The preparations of the heart are in man but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord that is Although man through Gods Grace prepare his soule yet hee needeth particuler succour to vtter his conceits Samuell willed the Isralites if they had determined to abolish all prophane Gods that they should prepare their hearts to God Prepare your hearts to God and serue him alone 1 Kin. 7. 2. Chro. 12. Rehoboam is reprehended because he did not prepare his hart to serue the Lord. And all the Euangelists except Iohn alledge the wordes of Esa as from Iohn Baptist Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his paths straight These preparations affected by man ascribed to man and man reprehended for not making them doe sufficiently proue the concourse of mans Free choyse with Gods Grace for otherwise God should be said to doe all and man nothing 6 Holy men
cry vnto God to helpe them * Psal 108.12 Psa 118.13 Mark 9.24 O Lord giue vs helpe against trouble c. And the Lord hath holpen me and Lord helpe my vnbeliefe and many the like Yet also God requireth men should worke out their owne saluation c * Phil. 2.12 To open the doore c * Reuel 3 20. Cam 5.2 All which sheweth that man worketh with Gods Grace Also it is proued that man may resist that Grace of God wrought by his word and Spirit * Act. 7.5 Act. 13.46 Yee haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost and you haue put the word of God from you and iudged your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life what can be more plaine then that man hath Free choyse to worke with God or against God in the worke of his Grace Hauing thus by the euidence of Scriptures proued that man hath free choyse to chuse or refuse in matters of God I will now speak somthing to common experience 1. First remorse of Conscience in this life and in Hell doe sufficiently proue this thing for if men had not libertie remorse would not trouble any for whatsoeuer euill we doe of necessity presently we excuse it iustly and acquite our Consciences by impossibility as if a man should drinke poyson not knowing of it he neuer would haue any scruple of conscience because it was vnauoidable hee could not preuent it but if hee procured it himselfe or might haue preuented it and would not then the torture of conscience will possesse him Againe that worme of Conscience that sticketh so deepe in the soules of all damned creatures should neuer appeare in hell if men were depriued of libertie for their torment consisteth in this that for their owne demerits being treated of God in such sort that if they would Heauen laide open for them by accepting Gods Grace through Faith and obedience to the Gospell and yet they cast themselues into Hell of their owne accord through vnbeliefe and rebellion 2 No humane Law can with iustice be enacted but such as may be obserued because the end of euery iust Law is to make good subjects and therefore it were most absurd that all men were not able to keepe that Law which was ordained for all and by which all shall be iudged to be punished that breake it Moreouer the very state of man who is in this world fighting requireth libertie for standing betweene Heauen and Hell God and the Deuill to ouercome or be ouercome all reason requireth that he might be plyable both wayes either to accept God or reject him follow Sathan or resist him 3 If men want free choyse what iudgement shall that be in the Scriptures so often repeated that euery man shall receiue according to his workes What iustice will appeare to torment men for sin wickednes to whom it was impossible to do otherwise 4 All the Theeues and wicked persons that either are punished with the Magistrates sword or with euerlasting torments shall giue witnes against the Caluinists in this thing For if they could not chuse at that time they committed such euills but doe the same by the force of Gods Predestination then what Law will punish a man with death for doing a thing vnauoydable for it lay not in their power to auoyde The Law of God neuer inflicted it vpon any and the Law of the Princes of the earth doth not inflict it For if a man kill another against his will or when by no meanes he could auoyd it death is not inflicted But if he might haue auoyded it and did not then had he libertie to auoyde euill and did it not and so iustly deserueth punishment Finally this error is the roote of all licentiousnes for thus may men truely reason according to this Doctrine either wee are decreed to doe well or euill If to doe well then it is impossible to doe euill If to doe euill then it is impossible to doe well For all goodnes proceedeth of Grace compelling our wills and all euill commeth of Gods decree which wee haue not power to resist neither can we chuse but doe it for they say as before wee are compelled to sinne by power which how wicked it is hath sufficiently I hope bene shewed by holy writ Ereu. You haue very largely and vndeniably proued that there is yet left in man free choyse to will or nill in matters of God yet you confesse all is through Gods Grace not otherwise Odeg. Yes I say what is in man whether by creation or regeneration he hath it only by God and therefore to God onely is all the glory to be attributed for whatsoeuer is wrought in man or by man that good is and I say that what Adam had in creation and lost by transgression for himselfe and his posterity that is restored through Christ yea and more too for although of our selues we can doe nothing as of our selues that good is 2. Cor. 3. â— yet through the strength of Christ wee shall bee able to doe all things Phil. 4.13 This the Apostle also affirmeth in Rom. 8. that what was impossible to the law in that it was weake because of the flesh God sent his Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh So that although the flesh of it selfe cannot perceiue the things of God nor fulfill the law yet through Christ it is able to performe the same Ereu. I thinke your opposites will not denie but that vnregenerate men may doe morall duties of the law and also that the regenerate may doe Spirituall duties of the Gospell But the greatest difficulty is whether a man can doe any thing in the worke of his regeneration either chuse life being offered by Christ or refuse it for they say as before the Elect cannot chuse but be regenerate and the reprobate cannot be regenerate Odeg. I haue shewed sufficiently before that Gods Grace that bringeth saluation through regeneration Tit. 2.11 Math. 22. Ezek. 18. not otherwise appeareth to all that all are called to this Grace and that vnfainedly GOD would haue all euen all sinners come that they might liue and not dye I haue shewed also that men may resist the holy Ghost in the offer of this Grace Act. 7.51 Act. 13.46 and put this word of Grace from them and iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life that although Christ Iesus would gather men to saluation as a Hen her Chickens Mat. 23.37 yet they can refuse it And although the Lord calleth men to heare the voyce of the Gospell Heb. 4.7 yet may they harden their hearts against it by all which and much more formerly related it is most apparant that although the Lord stretch out his hand all the day long Rom. 10.21 yet men may gainsay him Verse 3. and also they may submit themselues vnto this righteousnesse of God the promise of saluation through faith and obedience which
it be obserued what Baptisme is I say a washing away the filth of the Flesh is not Baptisme that is the least part of Baptisme where the greater is and where the greater is wanting it is no part of Baptisme at all the which not onely the Scriptures teach but our aduersaries confesse as shal be shewed First the Scriptures teach that the Baptisme that saueth vs is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God * 1. Pet. 3.21 c. It is the Baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes * Mark 1.4 The Sprinkling of the heart from an euill conscience and washing the body with pure water is that whereby wee come to God * Heb. 10.22 It is the washing of the new birth and renuing of the holy Ghost * Tit. 3.5 For we must be borne of the Spirit or we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God * Ioh. 3.5 for nothing auayleth in CHRIST but a new creature * 2. Cor. 5. Gal. 6. 2. The Cathechisme set forth by authority saith That a Sacrament as Baptisme c. hath two partes the outward visible signe and the inward Spirituall Grace the outward visible signe is Water c. the inward Spirituall Grace is a death vnto sinne a new birth vnto righteousnes The English Primmer for being by Nature borne in sinne and the children of wrath we are hereby made the children of Grace And further they confesse that Repentance and Faith is required of euery person to bee Baptised Repentance whereby they forsake sinne and Faith whereby they stedfastly beleeue the Promise of God made to them in that Sacrament And Vrsinus saith thus * Cathechism pag. 723. Hee that shall beleeue c. In these wordes is noted briefly the right vse of Baptisme in which right vse the Sacraments are ratefied but in whatsoeuer corrupt and vnlawfull vse and administration the Sacraments are no Sacraments but are Sacraments to them onely who receiue them with a true Faith c. All which being considered If they cannot proue and that by the Scriptures that Infants haue their hearts Sprinkled from an euill conscience and so haue a good Conscience that they haue Repentance that they haue the washing of the new birth which is to be born againe euen of the Spirit and that they haue Faith I say all these or any one of them let them proue by Scripture Infants haue or else their consequence vanisheth and it is no Sacrament by their owne confession The blasphemous inuention of Pope Iginius will nothing auayle them which is that they haue or doe performe them by their Godfathers and Godmothers for the which there is not the least shew in all the Scriptures of God For the iust shall liue by his owne Faith * Heb. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 the righteousnes of the righteous shall * Ezek. 18. 14. be vpon himselfe Iust Iob Noah and Daniell shall deliuer neither Sonne nor Daughter but onely themselues by their righteousnes * Ezek. 14. Chap. They affirme indeed that Infants be regenerate but let vs agree what Regeneration is so Repentance Faith by Gods Scriptures then it will appeare plainly Infants haue them not Regeneration is a turning from sinne to God * Rom. 6.11 1 Thes 1.9 Tit. 3.5 Repentance is a sight and knowing of sinne by the Law a confessing of sinne a sorrowing for sinne and a promise and endeauour to forsake sinne as before Heb. 11.1 Faith is the ground or assurance of thinges hoped for the euidence of things not seene and it is accompanied with obedience Iam. 2.17.26 For Faith without works is dead Our aduersaries say Repentance is a forsaking of sinne and Faith is a stedfast beleeuing of the Promises of God made to them that are Baptised Let them either now proue that Infants are turned from sinne to God in righteousnes that they see know sinne by the Law that they confesse sinne sorrow for it and promise and endeauour to forsake it that they haue stedfast beliefe of the promises of God Let them proue these or they say nothing and wee may truely conclude they are neither Regenerate neither haue they Repentance nor Faith and so may by no consequence be Baptised Ereu. They alledge Act. 2. as a place much making for them Amend your liues and bee Baptised euery one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ for the Promise is made to you and to your Children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call Odeg. The place truely considered maketh against themselues for these to whom the Apostle speaketh being pricked in their hearts by the call of God in Peters Preaching and crying out men brethren what shall we do Peter answeres them Amend your liues and be Baptised euery one not onely be Baptised but also amend your liues and such as gladly receiued his word were Baptised So that Fathers of the Iewes and their Children and Fathers of the Gentiles and their Children must all amend their liues and be Baptised gladly receiue the word or else this Promise here made appertaineth not to them for the Promise is to all that the Lord our God shall call Fathers and Children Children must amend their liues and gladly receiue the word or else their sinnes cannot bee put away neither can their Fathers repentance saue them from damnation Againe let it be well obserued that this Couenant or Promise * Act. 1. is the couenant of saluation by Christ made vnto the Children of Abraham vpon the same Condition that it is made to Abraham himselfe namely vpon repentance and Faith in Christ as is most plaine in these wordes * Act. 13.31 c. And wee declare vnto you that touching the Promise made vnto the Fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their Children in that hee raised vp IESVS from the dead Verse 38. c. And bee it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is Preached vnto you remission of sinnes and from all things from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified In these wordes we see the Promise made vnto the Fathers is thus fulfilled to their Children that Christ is raised from the dead that through him they might haue remission of sinnes euen euery one that beleeueth might bee iustified Fathers and Children And whereas many stumble at the worde Children conceiuing that it is meant of Infants it is heere and elsewhere vsed often in the Scriptures for men of vnderstanding * Act. 3.25 Gal. 4.19 1 Cor. 14.20 Heb. 2.10.14 1 Ioh. 12 28. â— 21 3.18 Ereu. They obiect 1. Cor. 7.14 the Children of beleeuing Parents are holy and being holy they may be Baptised say they Odeg. This place
by Faith And Rom. 6.3 c. they were grafted into Christ and his death by Baptisme according to Christs commandement in his Cōmission Goe make to Disciples all Nations baptising them into the name of the Father c * Mark 28.19 And Christ promiseth his presence vnto two or 3. so gathered into his name * Mat. 18.20 so that to be gathered into the name of CHRIST by being made Disciples and baptised is to be made members of his body which is his Church of his Flesh and of his bone plainely confirmed * 1. Cor. 12.13 wee are all by one Spirit baptised into one body as also except a man be borne of water and the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God * Ioh. 3.5 Thus Christ made Disciples * Ioh. 4.1 c. wee must be the sonnes of God by Faith and put on Christ by Baptisme * Gal. 3.26.37 Our entrance into the holy place is to drawe neare with a true heart in assurance of Faith sprinckled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water c. and wee are made partakers of Christ by hauing the beginnings * Heb. 10.22 which beginnings are Repentance Faith and Baptisme * Heb. 3.14 other beginnings or foundation can no man lay * Heb. 6.1 c. * 1 Cor. 3.11 Thus was the members and Church of Ierusalem made which was the first Church of Christ 1. The 120. euen by Iohns Doctrine which was Faith and Baptisme into the name of IESVS * Act. 19.4 and thus were the 3000. added by gladly receiuing the Word and being Baptised * Act. 2.41 Thus were the Churches of Samaria made * Act. 8.12 Act. 16. Act. 18.8 the Church at Phillippi at Corinth in Galatia * Gal. 3.26.27 Col. 2.12 Collossa and as the Gospell came to these Churches so came it vnto all the world Col. 1.6 The manifestation of Faith and Baptisme hath Christ ioyned together and what is mortall man that he should seperate them * Mat. 19.6 This is the doore into his Kingdome by which if any man enter Ioh. 10. hee shall goe in out and finde pasture and whosoeuer climbeth vp another way they are Theeues and robbers This is the word of the Lord it endureth for euer * 1. Pet. 1.25 and it must be kept without spot vntill Christs appearing * 1 Tim. 6. and cursed are they that teach otherwise * Gal. 1.8.9 This being thus declared it followeth that the Church of Rome at this day and for diuers hundred yeares not being made by Baptising beleeuers but by washing fleshly Infants vpon confession of suerties for them therefore they haue not Christ but are in Gods accompt as the worst Pagans Egiptians Sodomites Babilonians Gentiles a habitation of Deuils * Reuel 18. ◠a holde of all soule Spirits and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird as also all that seperate from her doe confesse From whence I reason If such as came from Gods own people the Iewes must enter into the Church by manifestation of Repentance Faith and Baptisme aswell as the Gentiles for there was but one entrance for them both * Ephes 2.18 then much more such as come from Egiptians Sodomites Babilonians yea from a habitation of Deuils c. must manifest Repentance beliefe and be Baptised and so enter into Christs Church but the former is true as all the afore named Scriptures proue therefore the latter much more must follow in that if any should haue had priuiledge this way Gods people the Iewes should That such is and was the estate of Rome and England when Iohn Robinson and his company left it olde Brownisme freely confesseth yea he himselfe acknowledgeth * Justific of super pa. that the Lord neuer made Couenant with Rome nor England and not onely Brownists but Caluinists Church of England and others apply all these thinges before named against Rome yet being loath to cast her downe to the ground euen all of them retaine maintaine the Babilonish Egiptian Sodomitish washing of this habitation of Deuils for the outward badge of their Christianity wherein they take the chiefe Corner Stone of Babilon for foundation contrary to the expresse commaund of the Lord * Ier. 51.26 and besides they take an other course in the building of their Spirituall Temple Ezra 3. then Gods people tooke in the rebuilding of the materiall Temple who made all things according to the first patterne and so take counsell in their new buildings but not of the Lord therefore shall they bee destroyed and are in Gods account so farre from being true Churches that they are Synagogues of Sathan But Christs sheepe will heare his voyce and follow him calling them Goe out of her Goe out of her * Reuel 18.4 harken to the Angell flying through the mid'st of Heauen * Chap. 14. hauing an euerlasting Gospell not a new Gospell they that bring new Gospell are to be held accursed * Gal. 1.8.9 the old Gospell of IESVS CHRIST is to saue all such as beleeue and are Baptised * Mark 16.16 Thus doe Christs follow him in what he hath commanded and so become a habitation of God by the Spirit * Ephes 2.22 and water which Church Christ sanctifieth by the washing of water through the Word * Ephes 5.26 All which I haue shewed to this end to make plaine that if Iohn Rob and others did walke in the path of the Lord as they follow the vision of their owne hearts they should be constrayned to practise that in the building of the Church of Christ which they disaproue in vs that is That when they seperated from that habitation of Deuils Rome and were to combine themselues together to be a Church some one must Baptise not being yet Pastor or Elder For there must be a Flocke before a Shepherd as were all the Churches of the Primitiue time and as was Io. Rob. flocke before they made him their shepherd And one thing more I would demaund of him seeing he hath cast away his Popish Priesthood and yet retaineth his Popish washing for his Christianity for other christianity hath be none in that by Baptisme men put on either a true or false Christ Why he could not as well haue repented of the euils of his Ordination and yet retaine that ordination still as repent of his Baptisme and yet keepe it In his Baptisme hee confesseth there was neither fit party to be Baptised right party to Baptise Pag. 136. nor true fellowship to bee Baptised into but onely washing with water with the wordes vsed in Christs Baptisme So I say was therein his ordination imposition of handes with fasting and Prayer If he say there was no right party to be ordayned true parties to ordayne nor true cōmunion to be ordayned in which is all he can
13.14 c. Act. 28.26 c. by which it is manifest that the Lord sending vnto this people the light of his Truth by the ministerie of his seruants the places plainely affirmeth that they wincked with their eyes least they should see it For which cause God gaue them vp to this reprobate sence as at large I haue answered vnto the place in Rom. 9. of Gods hardening Pharaohs heart whether I referre you for your full satisfaction how God hardeneth mens hearts and for what cause and not otherwise not willing to relate the particulers heere againe because I would auoyde tediousnes To conclude this of Predestination This opinion of desteny was banished out of Rome because it destroyed the state of a Common-wealth Lib. quest 〈◊〉 nouo â—esta as August declareth in these wordes by what reason saith Augustine were they borne which banished Mathematicos the setters forth of Desteny out of Rome which law was kept and they were but Heathen how were those thinges done by Desteny which maketh against Desteny But surely if there be a Desteny it doth nothing against it selfe saith Augustine for so were Desteny no desteny or at least desteny fighting against it selfe Or to speake the same in those words which the Caluinists by abuse take out of the Scriptures to maintaine the very same matter If it bee Gods Predestination that men should write and speake against his Predestination as I and others doe then is Gods Predestination a Kingdome not onely deuided but a so fiercely fighting against it selfe O miserable absurditie which any man may perceiue must needes follow if all thinges what soeuer come to passe with absolute necessity by Gods Predestination as they teach Of Election Ereunetes FRiend Odegos wee reasoned before concerning Predestination and I must needes confesse you satisfied mee therein throughly Now my harty desire is that you will be pleased to reason of Election after the fall and to resolue mee of the difficulties of the same and of such Scriptures touching the same as in our present conference wee shall meete withall Odeg. I will most willingly doe it as the Grace of GOD shall enable me First therefore tell me what these mens opinion is concerning Election Ereu. Sometimes they doe say that God before the foundation of the world in his Decree Elected some few of Mankinde to saluation who cannot but be saued the rest of Mankinde hee reprobated to be damned and who by no meanes can be saued Sometimes they say that all wenâ— damned in Adam and that some few of those are Elected vnto saluation and that in Christ who doth cure them and this they call Election and they say that the greatest number are left in euill vnto damnation this they call reiection or reprobation this they teach by a similitude thus A certaine Physition doth enter into the house of sicke men where he cureth some and that freely for nothing and those are bound to giue him thankes others hee cureth not yet can they not complaine against him for hee oweth them nothing In like manner they whome God chuseth to heale are bound to giue him thankes and they whome he will not heale cannot iustly complaine for God oweth nothing to any man Odeg. You say true one while they say one thing and another while another thing to the first I shall answer presently and to the second declared by a similitude I say it is a dissimilitude for therein they doe compare a Physition that hath little mercy in him with GOD and CHRIST who are most mercifull that can be imagined in healing but a few and leauing infinite numbers vncured but Christ saith Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all that are laden and I will ease you therefore if they will vse a similitude let them make choyse of a true similitude thus A good Physition one that is truely mercifull goeth into the house of sicke men there he proclaymeth that hee will cure all those that will take a medicine now some of them take the medicine and are cured but others because the medicine is bitter will not take it and therefore are not cured and in this case you may lawfully say that this Physition hath both power and will to cure them all But why then doth he not cure them all because all will not take the medicine without the which it is not possible they should bee cured And thus wee may speake of CHRIST hee came into the world to cure all men of their sinnes and he is able to doe it but he offereth a bitter medicine * Math. 16.24 which is That we must deny our selues take vp his crosse and follow him So many as refuse to take this medicine cannot be cured but such as receiue it are cured and thuâ— is Christ that blessed Physition to all sicke sinnerâ— that they may be cured being most willing and able to cure them by the meanes that they are curable ☞ but not by the meanes whereby they caÌ„not be cured For his power is herein subiect to his will his will is that they should take the medicine Wherefore to the intent that wee may plainely perceiue what and how Election is let vs consider that similitude of CHRIST concerning those that are inuited to the marriage wherein he speaketh of the Elect and thus it is Mat. 22. cap A certaine King married his Sonne and sâ—nt forth his seruants to call them that were bidden to the wedding but they would not come Againe hee sent forth other seruants saying tell them that are bidden beholde I haue prepared my dinner my Oxen and my faâ—lings are killed and all thinges are ready come vnâ—o the marriage but they made light of it and went their wayes one to his Farme another about his marchandize and the remnant tooke his seruants and intreated them sharpely and slew them But when the King heard it he was wroth and sent forth his Warriers and destroyed those murtherers and burnt vp their Citty then said hee to his seruants truely the wedding is prepared but they that were bidden were not worthy goe yee therefore into the highwayes and as many as ye finde bid them to the marriage So those seruants went out into the high wayes and gathered together all that euer they found both good and bad so the wedding was furnished with guests Then the K ng came in to see the guestes and saw there a man which had not a wedding garment and he said vnto him Friend how camest thou in hither and hast not on a wedding garment and he was speechlesse Then said he King to his seruants binde him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth This is the similitude which so soone as Christ had spoken he addâ—th this sentence For many are called but few are chosen here you see the whole argument of Election or choyse for the better vnderstanding whereof