the death of Christ are not bound to beleeue that Christ dyed for them which yet are the greatest part of the world Neither are they to whom Christ is preached bound to beleeue absolutely and without condition that Christ died for them but on this condition if they be conuerted For if they shall perseuere in impenitency they are bound to beleeue that the death of Christ doth nothing pertaine to them XV. Arminius pag. 77. against Perkins and his sectaries doe repeate and heape vp these things euen to tediousnesse If there be any for whose sinnes God would not haue satisfaction to be made to himselfe by the death of Christ then in no right can faith be required of them nor can Christ be made their iudge neither can the reprobate be blamed for refusing the grace of redemption because it did not pertaine to him I answere all these things are grounded on this false supposition that faith is required of all men for wee haue already taught that it is not required of them who neuer had any meanes to know Christ as also that they to whom Christ is preached are not bound absolutely and without condition to beleeue that they are redeemed by the death of Christ but on this condition that they be conuerted They to whom the Gospell hath not beene preached shall not be condemned for the reiection of the Gospell but for the breach of the Law of which iudgement Christ by his father is appointed to be the Iudge who doth leaue vnder the Law those whom he doth not saue by the Gospell But they who by their incredulity haue refused the grace offred them by the Gospell are iustly condemned for refusing that grace not because they haue reiected that which pertaineth to vnbeleeuers and impenitent persons but because hauing despised the condition they haue neglected that which was offered to them vnder the condition of beleeuing which condition although they cannot fulfill by their naturall powers yet it is their debt for man himselfe by his owne fault brought vpon himselfe the disabilitie of beleeuing which disability God is not bound to cure in all Of which thing it is largely spoken Chap. 11. But say they Reprobates cannot be blamed for despising that grace which doth not belong vnto them But they are quite out of the way For reprobates cannot be accused for despising grace if they did despise it because they knew it did not belong vnto them But they therefore reiect it because they loue not Christ and they are led to the contempt of it by their owne will For Reprobates doe not therefore beleeue because saluation doth not belong vnto them but rather saluation doth not belong vnto them because they doe not beleeue and they draw destruction to themselues by their owne incredulity and impenitency It is true indeede that reprobation is the cause why God will not giue faith and repentance to this or that man But it is not the cause which doth put in and breâ—de impenitency and incredulity in man Wherefore that speech of Christ Iohn 10.16 Yee beleeue not because ye are not of my sheepe is so to be taken as if hee had said Therefore God doth not giue you faith which is peculiar to the elect because yee are not elected XVI This is the obiection of Greuinchouius P. 19. If election be before the obtayning of saluation then God first decreed of the communicating of saluation before he decreed of the obtaining of it But I am so far from thinking this to be absurd that I beleeue it is plainely necessary For it is alwaies first thought of the end before of the meanes to the end The saluation of man was the end God propounded to himselfe that this was the end is hence manifest because this is last in execution Therefore God first thought of giuing saluation before he thought of the obtayning of saluation by Christ because this is the meanes by which he doth leade vs to saluation XVII The same man Page 87. doth thus dispute They to whom this price being fit to saue them is offered if they themselues will embrace it for them also it is payed by the purpose of God But it is offered to Reprobates on this condition if they will embrace it therefore it is payed also for them by the purpose of God I answere that the minor part is not vniuersally true for this price is not offered for all the Reprobates and the maior part doth offend against the rules of precognition or supposition which will haue the subiect of euery Axiome or sentence to be or to haue being For examples sake this sentence Whosoeuer fulfilleth the law is saued is not false But the falshood of it is in the presupposition whereby it is presupposed That some men fulfill the Law The Maior of this Sylogisme hath the same fault For the subiect of it is imaginary and not existent For the subiect is this They to whom this price is offered to embrace it if they will I deny that there are such men to be found For this price is not offered to the Reprobates if they will embrace it seeing it is most certaine that they will not and that they cannot will of which disabilitie man himselfe is the cause Neither is this price offered to the Elect if they will but God in offering that price doth worke in them that they should will XVIII And when they speake of the sufficiency of the death of Christ as they extoll the efficacy of it so they say that it is sufficient not onely for men but also for the diuells Which if it be true it must needes be that God doth take away and cut off something from the price of the death of his Sonne and doth shorten the efficacy of it But although I know that the price and dignity of the death of Christ doth not depend on his humane nature but on the infinite excellency of his diuine nature yet I denie that his death is fit for the redemption of diuels because the iustice of God requireth that man who sinned should beare the punishment and it was needfull that the mediator betweene God and man should haue reference to both in the communion of his nature Therefore to saue man he tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham Heb. 2. And if the death of a man is sit to satisfie for the sinnes of Angels then the torments of an Angell if Christ had taken the nature of Angells had beene fit to satisfie for the sinnes of man Finally when it is spoken of the fitnesse is not to be disputed of the sufficiency For otherwise it might also be disputed whether the death of Christ be sufficient to saue Horses or Beetles and to giue them immortality which surely is not without impietie XIX These in a manner are the arguments wherwith these innouators do defend themselus But they doe exagitate and wrong our opinion after their owne manner which is euill for they change it
Preâ—estination although some abuse it to curiosity and impiety And whereto it is profitable THere are some who being weary of the contentions which proceede from the doctrine of Prouidence and Predestination doe thinke that it is most safe for the peace of the Church and quiet of conscience not to touch these questions nor to speake any words of them to the people to be suggested into them seeing that by these speeches scruples are fastned in mens mindes doubtings are bred and the faith of the weake is shaken Let the people be taught say they not what God doth or decreeth but what he would haue to be done by vs let the doctrine of good Workes be instilled into their minds and the secrets of Election and Reprobation left to God Surely this speech sauoureth more of honesty then truth For these men while they make shew of the study of piety and loue of concord they doe secretly accuse Christ and his Apostles of imprudency and indiscretion because they so often beate vpon the doctrine of Election in the new Testament And while they are held with a preposterous religion they are the authors that the Pastours of the Church cut away a portion from the word of God neither doe they propound to the people the intire Doctrine of the Gospell And whilest in a voluntary ignorance they affect the praise of modesty they require discretion in God himselfe And what shall we say to this that without this Doctrine due honour cannot be giuen to God nor our faith made stable For by the Doctrine of Predestination that immeasurable heape of the goodnesse and loue of God towards vs by which he loued vs and respected vs before the foundations of the world were laid doth enter into our mindes Also whatsouer light or grace God doth measure to vs is acknowledged to be a riuer flowing from that eternall loue By this doctrine mans merits doe fall to the ground and the imaginary faculty of free-will in things pertaining to saluation doth vanish away The confidence of our saluation will also stagger vnlesse it be vpholden by the immutable decree of God and not by mans free-will This doctrine also is a great lightning of our sorrowes and mittigation of all bitternesse while we consider that all things euen those that are most grieuous turne to the good of them who are called by the purpose of God Neither is there any more forcible instigation to good workes then the acknowledgement of that eternall loue wherewith God in Christ hath loued vs before all worlds Finally by this doctrine we are taught to search into our selues and to try our owne consciences to finde in vs and to stirre vp the testimonies of our election knowing that our owne endeauour and care ought to further the election of God and that by the way of hell that is by impenitency and vnbeliefe it is impossible to come to heauen This Doctrine therefore the Scripture being our guide may profitably be propounded so we keepe mediocrity betweene affected ignorance and rash curiosity and follow such a moderation that while we doe auoide things vnlawfull we doe not abstaine from those that are lawfull In this worke we haue to doe with men which offend both wayes and doe runne vpon either extremity For if any one Arminius doth breake into the secrets of God and doth with a scrupulous curiosity cut into peeces the decree of Election and yet the same man doth extenuate the whole doctrine of Election as a thing which if it were not knowne Gods loue by it would not be diminished towards vs nor any iniury done to his grace They which denie this election saith he denie that which is true In Perkin Pag. 84. but without any wrong to the grace or mercy of God CHAP. III. What the prouidence of God is How farre it extends That God is not the author of sinne What permission is And what blinding and hardening is I. PRouidence is a diuine vertue the gouernesse of all things by which God hath fore-knowne and fore-ordained from eternity both the ends of all things and the meanes tending to those ends II. All things being present to God there is nothing which from eternity he hath not foreseene But whether hee hath made a peculiar decree for all seuerall euents it may be doubted For it doth not seeme likely that God from eternity hath decreed how many eares of Corne shall grow in the Neapolitan or any other field or how many shreds hang on the torne beggars coate or couering Because these things haue no respect of good or euill neither doe they adde to the glory of God or protection of the world Summ Theol. 2 part Qu. 23 Art 7. And therefore Thomas is of opinion That by the decree of God the number of men is determined but not the number of Gnats or Wormes Not that those little things doe escape rhe knowledge of God or that God cannot extend his prouidence to them but because it doth not seem conuenient to his so great wisdome to decree any thing which doth adde nothing to his glory or to the protection of the vniuerse Surely God hath from eternity fore-knowne all things euen those that are least But hee hath onely pre-ordained and decreed those things which haue in them some matter of good and whereby the glory of God is made more illustrious or the world more perfect III. The will of God cannot bee resisted Rom. 9.20 God speaketh of himselfe Esay 46.10 My Counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure And Saint Paul Ephes 1. God hath made all things according to the purpose of his Will This doth not please Arminius For he in his booke against Perkins the 60. page is of opinion that God may make frustrate that particular end which hee hath propounded to himse fe and page 198. doth thinke that the antecedent will of God may be resisted But how truely we shall hereafter see IV. God is in no wise the author or instigator of sin Psal 5.5 Ps 45.8 For God is not onely iust but also iustice it selfe And it is as impossible that hee who is iustice it selfe should sinne or be the author of sinne as that whitenesse should blacke the wall or heate make one cold Neither doth God onely doe the thing that is iust but therefore the thing is iust because God doeth it And surely that idle deuise of some is to be hissed out who say that God though he doth enforce men to sinne yet himselfe doth not sin because there is no sin where there is no law and God is bound by no laws I confesse indeed that God is obnoxious to no Law And yet it is certaine that hee can doe nothing that is contrary to his owne Nature God cannot lie because hee is truth it selfe God cannot sinne because he is perfect righteousnesse it selfe These speeches that sinne is committed eyther by Gods procuring or furthering are altogether to be rooted out of diuinity
They therefore doe inuert the nature of things who say that God decreed that Adam should sinne because hee had determined to send Christ who should cure Adams sinne when rather God decreed to send Christ because Adam was to sinne Man did not sinne that Christ should abolish sinne but Christ came that he might abolish sinne Here is nothing said that ought to trouble tender eares or which should make God partaker of sinne which yet if any one doth either not conceiue or not digest it is better to accuse his owne dulnesse then accuse the iustice of God and to abstaine from lawfull things then attempt vnlawfull things CHAP. VII That all mankinde is infected with Originall sinne I. SInne is either Originall or Actuall I vse the accustomed words for clearenesse of speech for if one would deale strictly he shou d abstaine from these tearmes seeing it is certaine that Originall sin is in act and therefore is actuall But vse hath obtained that that sinne should be called actuall which is committed in action or in deede and that originall which we haue from the birth that hereditary blot which is sent into vs from our Parents II. Of Originall sinne Saint Paul doth treat in the fifth and seauenth Chapter to the Romanes In the fifth Chapter how it hath passage into all mankinde in the seauenth Chapter how it doth remaine in him in whose minde the law of God is perfectly written III. That no man is free from this blot the Scripture doth cry and experience doth witnesse Whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh saith Christ Iohn 3. And there he doth plainely teach that all men are defiled with Originall sinne when he saith that it is necessary to be borne againe and to be formed anew We are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Who can bring forth a cleane thing out of an vncleaâ—e there is not one Iob 14. Dauid acknowledgeth himselfe infected with this contagion Psal 51. Behold saith he I was formed in iniquity and in sinne my mother conceiued me He doth not acâ—use his father nor expostulate with his mother but although hee was adorned with fingular prerogatiue and replenished with benefits yet hee doth confesse himselfe to be defi ed with that vniuersall contagion he fetcheth the cause of his sinne from that originall and in this common lot he doth lament his owne Circumcision signiâ—ied this for by that externall symbole â—e Church was warned that there was something â—n man 〈◊〉 soone as he was borne that ought to be cut off and â—â—â—râ— ted The end of Baptisme is the same watch 〈◊〉 the Sacrament of our cleansing in the bloud of Christ by which our naturall filthinesse is washed away IV. Not onely the progenie of Ethnicks and Infidels or euill Christians is borne in this Originall sinne but also the off-spring of the godly and faithfull No otherwise then he that was Circumcised begat one that was vncircumcised and as a graine of Wheate well cleansed and receiued in the lap of the earth afterward growing doth bring forth Wheate with chaffe Then was Adam iustified then did hee by his faith cleaue to the promise of his seede that should bruise the serpents head when he begot Cain the heire of his naturall wickednesse and not of his faith or repentance Piety is not hereditary to be deriued to ones heires neither doth holinâ—sse come into vs by nature but by grace not generation but regeneration doth make men holy and good After the same manner that Aristotle lib 2. Phisic doth teach That artificiall formes as the forme of a statue or image are not begotten but onely naturall formes Therefore in the children of the best man as soone as they beginne to speake you may see a crafty and lying disposition and prone to reuenge stubbornenesse against those that admonish them prickes of glory and sporting vanity also that great honour wherewith they prosecute their puppets and babyes are no obscure seedes of their inclinablenesse to Idolatry For as puppets are the Idols of infants so Idols are the puppets of those that are growne in age And therefore when any man hath children of euill manners he ought to acknowledge his image in them when he hath good children he ought to admire the worke of God in them For these are they of whom Saint Iohn saith Chap. 1. who are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God V. The second Canon of the Mileuitan counsell is expresly to this thing It pleaseth vs that whosoeuer doth deny little ones that are new borne to be Baptised or doth say that indeede they are Baptised for the remission of their sinnes but yet they drew no originall sinne from Adam which is to be taken away by the lauar of regeneration whence it followeth that the forme of Baptisme in them is to be vnderstood not to be true but false be an Anathema VI. Christ alone was free from this blot he deriued not Originall sinne from his Mother Saint Paul indeede Rom. 5.10 saith that all men sinned in Adam neither is it any doubt but that Christ was in Adam as being one of his posterity but that sentence of the Apostle doth not concerne Christ because the person of Christ was not in Adam but onely his humaine nature neither is he from Adam as from the agent principle and from the seminating power but thence he tooke that matter which by the ouer-shadowing of the holy Ghost was freed from the common contagion VII Now if you should aske me whether Originall sinne is done away by Baptisme or whether that blot doth yet remaine in those that are regenerated by the holy Ghost it is readily answered out of the Scripture and experience which is so certaine here that there is no place left for doubting Dauid was circumcised and plentifully instructed with the gifts of the holy Ghost and yet he doth confesse that he was not free from this staine but was polluted in an equall contagion with others And Saint Paul Rom. 7. speaking vnder his owne person of euery man in whose minde the law of God is faithfully imprinted doth acknowledge that sinne doth dwell in him which he â—aileth the law of sinne because it doth stirre him vp to sinne We see infants dye as soone as they are baptised and death the Apostle being witnesse Rom. 6. is the wages of sinne I demand for what sinne doe those Baptised infants dye is it for actuall sinne but they haue committed none therefore it is for Originall sinne Whence it appeareth that Originall sinne doth remaine after Baptisme wherein sinne is remitted as touching the guilt although it remaine in the act as Saint Austen teacheth at large in his first Booke against Iulian concerning Marriage and concupiscence Cap. 25. and 26. The concupiscence of the flesh saith he is forgiuen in Baptisme not that it should not be at all but that it should not be imputed for sinne VIII
But seeing the regenerate doe afterward sinne whence are these sinnes but from their inward corruption For that being taken away the effects also which doe flow onely from this cause would be taken away IX And what shall we say to this that the best men beget their children tainted with this blot and therefore standing in neede of Baptisme Now if the parents begetting children were without originall sinne how could they send this blemish to their issue and giue that to their children which themselues haue not X. Therefore say you marriage is euill seeing by it children of wrath are begotten and sinne is propagated which ought rather to be pulled vp by the roote and to be choaked in the very seede I answere that marriage is more ancient then sinne and instituted by God himselfe the sinne that came vpon it doth not hinder but that marriage is naturally a good thing No otherwise then meate and drinke are things that are good and to be desired although thereby the life of wicked men is sustained Besides marriage doth bring forth sonnes to God and doth serue to fill vp the number of the Elect. I let passe that the faithfull couple doe ioyne their prayers doe stirre vp one another to good workes doe cure one anothers incontinency and in slippery places doe stretch forth the hand one to another Neither are there wanting examples of wicked men to whom by Gods benefit there haue happened good and godly children euen as God doth send seasonable raine on those seeds which were stollen and sowed by a theefe CHAP. VIII What Originall sinne is and whether it be truely and properly sinne I. ORiginall sinne is the deprauation of mans nature contracted and drawne from the very generation it selfe and deriued from Adam into all mankinde consisting of the priuation or want of originall righteousnesse and the pronenesse to euill II. These two things to wit the priuation or want of originall righteousnesse and the inclinablenesse to euill are in originall sinne For as sicknesse is not onely a priuation of health but also an euill affection of the body from the distemper of the humours so this hereditary blot is not onely the want of righteousnesse but also the inclinablenesse to vnrighteousnesse III. The last of these proceedes from the former For the soule which by originall sinne hath ceased to be good is necessarily euill and the soule being instructed by the will which cannot be idle holines and righteousnesse being lost must needes turne to the contrary part IV. This corruption brings blindnesse to the minde peruersenesse to the will perturbation to the appetites the losse of supernaturall gifts and the corruption of those that are naturall V. And although in Adam the minde was first stained with errour before the will was infected with peruersenesse yet is the corruption of the will farre worse and that blot more foule because wee are not made good or euill by the vnderstanding but by the wiâ—l for whatsoeuer euill is committed it is the sinne of the will the committing of wickednesse is a greater sinne then the ignorance of the truth VI. The guilt or obliging to punishment cannot be any part of the definition of Originall sinne Lombard lib. 2. dist 30. Thâ—mas t. 2 Quest â—2 art 3. seeing it is the effect of it VII Lombard and Thomas and the other schoolemen who say that originall sinne is concupiscence doe not attaine sufficiently to the nature of concupiscence For Originall sinne doth infect all the faculties of the reasonable soule and concupiscence is the disease of the will and appetite also concupiscence is contrary to one commandement of the Law and Originall sinne is contrary to the whole Law Neither by it doe men sinne more against the second table of the law then against the first What that concupiscence is forbidden by a proper law But I know not whether Originall sin may be said to be forbidden by the law for God doth not command that wee should be generated or begotten pure without sin for so God should speak to man before he were born Surely man is not bound to obey the law before he be man and seeing the law doth not speak but to them that heare are partakers of reason to think that the law commands a man that is growne to age to be born without sin is a ridiculous thing well nigh a dreame For so the law should command him to be born that is already born him to be begotten that is already grown a man The law doth not command but presuppose Originall righteousnes doth speake to man being considered in the state wherein he was before the fall requiring that old debt and naturall obedience Whence it is manifest that Originall sin is condemned by the law but not forbidden VIII Of this sinne although the Scripture speaketh so expressely and sense it selfe and experience doth abundantly testifie it yet there haue not beene wanting some who did deny this sinne and would not acknowledge mankinde from his first stock and originall to be infected with sinne Cyrillus Ierosolomytanus or whosoeuer else is the author of those Catechismes which goe vnder his name in his fourth part of his Catechisme hath these words Thou dost not sinne by generation thou dost play the adulterer by fortune And a little after Wee come without sinne but now we sinne by our owne election IX In Saint Austins age Pelagius Celestius did deny Originall sinne and did contend that sinne did passe from fathers to their issue onely by example and imitation They did deny that sinne was remitted to infants by Baptisme because they had none and did affirme that by it onely the kingdome of heauen was opened to them whose heresie is long agoe hissed out and strongly confuted by Saint Austin X. Saint Hierome or whosoeuer else is the author of those briefe comentaries vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule which are put in among Saint Hieromes works doth fauour Pelagius For those words of the Apostle Rom. 5. in whom all haue sinned he restraines to example and doth take them as spoken of the imitation of the sinne of Adam XI Saint Chrisostome in many places doth seeme to creepe into this error In his Homily vpon new Conuerts he denyeth Baptisme to be profitable only to the remission of sinnes For saith he wee Baptise infants although they are not polluted with sinne that holinesse and righteousnesse adoption and the inheritance c may be added to them And in his tenth Homisie vpon the Epistle to the Romanes expounding that of Saint Paule Rom. 5. By the disobedience of one many were made sinners by sinners hee would haue vs vnderstand those that are guilty of punishment and mortall and not those that are defiled by the blot of sinne XII Lombard lib 2. distinct 30. litera E. saith there were some that said Originall sinne was no vice in vs but onely the guilt of punishment euen of that eternall punishment which is
curse What Predestination is The parts of it That Arminius did not vnderstand what the decree of Predestination is and that he hath vtterly taken away Election I SEeing that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and all men without exception are borne guilty of the curse it is certaine that that no man can be freed from the curse but by the meere grace and fauour of God This grace he hath reuealed to vs in Christ without whom there is no saluation For he put on our nature that by this meanes of his comming betweene and as it were by this knot man might be ioyned with God and hee suffered death that hee might satisfie for our sinnes and so reconciliation being made wee might be restored to the title and degree of the sonnes of God II. This benefit and sauing grace God doth declare to vs by the Gospell wherein that couenant of free grace whereof Christ is the mediator and foundation is propounded III. By this Gospell eternall life is promised to those that beleeue in Christ For as there is no saluation without Christ so without faith Christ cannot be apprehended nor can we come to the saluation appointed onely for the faithfull For as the Apostle saith Heb. 11 Without faith it is vnpossible to please God I call faith not that vaine trust whereby men sleepe in their vices and their consciences are benumbed while they haue a good hope of the mercy of God but a liuely faith which doth worke by charitie Gal. 5.6 which by that very meanes doth increase loue because it driues away feare IV. This faith man hath not of himselfe neither is it a thing of mans free will but the gift of God and the effect of the holy-Ghost who doth draw men by a powerfull calling and doth seale in mens hearts and deepely impresse in their consciences the promises of God propounded in the Gospell V. All men haue not this faith as the Apostie saith 2. Thes 3. for then all men should be conuerted and saued but onely they whom Paul saith are called by the purpose of God Rom. 8.28 and whom God of his meere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure hath chosen to saluation VI. Faith is giuen by the meer good pleasure of God neither is it giuen to the worthy but it doth make them worthy when it is giuen For God doth not find men good but makes them so neither doth he foreknow any good in man but that which hee himselfe shall doe as hereafter shall more fully be taught VII This eternall and therefore immutable decree of God is called Predestination which is a part of the prouidence of God For prouidence is called Predestination when it doth apply it selfe to the saluation or condemnation of the reasonable creature and when it doth dispense and dispose the meanes by which men come to saluation for that these things are gouerned by the diuine will and that God according to his good pleasure doth giue to some that which he doth deny to others cannot be doubted For though the Scripture were here silent yet reason would cry out that it is not likely that God who doth extend his care to all things is negligent in this thing alone which is the chiefest VIII Furthermore although there be a Predestination among the Angels as Saint Paul witnesseth who 1. Tim. 5.21 calleth the Angels Flect Here we are to deale onely with the predestination of men as that which alone belongs to vs. IX Predestination is therefore the decree by which in the worke of our saluation God hath from eternity determined what hee will doe with euery man Or thus Predestination is the decree of God by which of the corrupted masse of mankinde hee hath decreed to saue certaine men by Christ and iustly to punish the rest for their sinnes X. Of this Predestination there are two parts the one is election the other is reprobation whereof the first doth necessarily lay downe the second For as often as some are chosen out of many the rest are necessarily reprobated and of them that are chosen some are preferred before others XI Of election and of the Elect there is often mention in the Scripture Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20.16 God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid Ephes 1.4 The purpose of God according to election doth stand not of workes but of him that calleth Rom. 9.11 There is a remnant according to the election of grace Rom. 11.5 False Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible euen the elect Mark 13.22 XII On the other side that some are reprobates the Scripture doth witnesse 1. Pet. 2.8 Which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed And Iude v. 4. Certaine men are crept in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Hitherto belongs that which is said Reuel 20.15 That there is cast into the lake of fire whosoeuer is not sound written in the booke of life Which booke is nothing else but the Catalogue of the Elect determined by the decree of God XIII We haue Iacob and Esau for a notable example of this difference of whom whilest they were yet shut vp in the wombe before they had done either good or euill God doth pronounce I haue loued lacob I haue hated Esau Rom. 9. Also the two Theeues crucified with Christ Two shall be in a bed the one shall be receiued and the other left Luk. 17.34 Not much vnlike that which happened to Pharaohs Butler and his chiefe Baker who being shut vp in the same prison the one was brought forth to honour the other to punishment XIV An example of this difference God hath shewed not onely in Abraham but also in his stocke which for no desert of theirs hee preferred before other Nations When the most high diuided to the Nations their inheritance when he seperated the sonnes of Adam the Londs portion was his people Iacob was the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32. And least any one should suppose that that was done for the vertue of that people fore-seene he thus speaketh to his people Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giueth thee not this good Land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse for thou art a stiffe-necked people Deut. 9.6 XV. And although Predestination doth comprehend reprobation seeing that it is certaine that the wicked are appointed to a certaine end and to their deserued punishments yet the Apostle by the word Predestination doth vnderstand onely Election as Rom. 8. Those that he predestinated he called c. And Ephes 1.5 Hauing predestinated vs to the adoption of children Thomas imitating this manner of speaking doth thus define Predestination 1. Part. Sum. Quest 23. Art 2. Predestination is the preparation to grace in the present and to glory in the world to come XVI But when
curse neither can any one know this except he be instructed by the word seeing I say it is thus whatsoeuer the Arminians doe tattle of vniuersall and sufficient grace doth fall to the ground seeing that by it a man cannot attaine to that which is the beginning and first element of conuersion and that from which grace doth necessarily begin certainely hee that shall turne ouer the writings of the heathen shall finde nothing of the death in sinne nothing of the viuification and regeneration nothing of the necessity of supernaturall grace The best of the heathens set this as the Cynosure and starre by which they would direct the course of their life viz. to follow nature when on the contrary this is the office and worke of the grace of God viz. to restore and change nature X. But in setting downe the time wherein this sufficient grace is at the first giuen to euery man by God they doe not explaine themselues For if all men haue this grace from the wombe then it is not rightly distinguished from nature seeing that that is natural which is ingrafted in euery man from his birth and natiuity But if this grace be giuen onely to them that are growne in yeares in what yeare of their age is it giuen Is it giuen to all at a certaine and equall age or is it giuen to some sooner and some later And if it be giuen in the tenth or twelfth yeare of the life what shall be done with those who dye in the seauenth or ninth yeare what shall be done with them whom death doth take away a day or two before that grace is bestowed Also if one dye presently after that sufficient grace is giuen before hee hath time of well vsing this grace what shall become of this man Being excluded from the right vsing of grace by the shortnes of the time shall he be excluded therefore from the kingdome of heauen Surely while they tye God to lawes they doe entangle themselues in bonds which cannot be shaken off XI And when the Arminians say that sufficient grace which is common to all men euen to vnregenerate men and in fidels is supernaturall it is a hard thing that he who is at the first touched with this supernaturall and helpefull motion should not feele it Or if the beginnings of it are doubtfull and vncertaine at the lest it must needes be felt in progresse of time But neuer any of the heathen hath professed that he hath euer felt this grace nor is there any mention of it in their wrightings XII Also it would be worth the labour to know by what degrees the heathen man dwelling in the south countrie or in the inmost part of Tartaria well vsing naturall instructions may at length come to faith in Christ For these Sectaries must needes faigne many things here and wantonly play with bold coniectures and with vnconstant rashnesse For they must faigne that eyther Oracles were poured on that man from heauen or that Angels were sent to him or some Prophet lifted vp by the hayre hath beene carried thither from some other place that he might instruct that man in the Christian faith For where the Scripture is wanting audacity must needes supply the place of the Scripture XIII Finally what is to be thought of this sufficient grace may hence be iudged in that the Arminians themselues are not constant to themselues and they doe so build it vp that they pull it downe For they which say and doe maintaine with great force that God doth giue sufficient grace to all men doe afterward say that God is ready and prepared to giue it to all as if he indeede were willing to giue it to all but it was hindred by man that it was not done Also the same men teach that no man is conuerted without speciall grace by which speech they confesse that generall grace is not sufficient Finally when they diuide that grace into grace which is sufficient mediately and grace which is sufficient immediately they doe confesse that some grace is sufficient mediately which is vnsufficient immediately and they make many degrees of sufficient grace which degrees how many and what they are none of them hath explained CHAP. XLI The Arguments whereby the Arminians doe maintaine vniuersall sufficient Grace are refuted I. THE arguments of the Arminians for Vniuersall Sufficient and Helpfull Grace are almost the same with them which they are wont to bring for the liberty of free-will in an vnregenerate man which seeing they are aboundantly confuted Chapter 34. there will be no great labour in examining some few which they most frequently vse to proue sufficient grace common to all men They maintaine it by that place of the Apostle Rom. 1.19 where Saint Paul doth thus speake of the Gentiles That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them Surely here is no mention of sufficient grace which the Arminians think to be supernaturall For here the Apostle speaketh of the light of nature and of any sort of the knowledge of God by the creatures which may be had without supernaturall grace by which the Apostle doth not say that man hath power of beleeuing in Christ or that he can dispose or prepare himselfe to regeneration but he onely saith that the power and that the deity of God was seene of them by the creation that they might be inexcusable And they are inexcusable not because they haue abused that grace which was mediately or immediately sufficient to saluation but because they haue not vsed the light of nature as farre as they might and haue endeauoured to choake that light engrafted in them II. They pretend the words of the same Apostle Chapter 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law But neither can this place be drawne to stablish sufficient grace which these Sectaries will haue to be supernaturall For it speaketh onely of naturall impressions of equity and goodnesse and of outward actions that are ciuilly honest which are done by the guidance of nature for Saint Paul doth here make no mention of grace Furthermore those things contained in the law may be done by him who doth violate and breake the law for in the externall worke he may doe the things commanded by the law and yet not doe them after that manner and to that end which the law doth require that is with faith and to the glory of God III. That which they obiect out of the foureteenth Chapter of the Acts Vers 17. is nothing to the matter where Saint Paul doth thus speake of the heathen people Neuerthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse They doe falsely thinke that this witnesse was some sufficient sauing and supernaturall grace and the law naturally engrauen in their hearts which should be a Schoole-master to Christ For the Apostle in the following words doth explaine what manner of testimony this is saying that God gaue
THE ANATOMY OF Arminianisme OR The opening of the CONTROVERSIES lately handled in the Low-Countryes Concerning the Doctrine of Prouidence of Predestination of the Death of CHRIST of Nature and GRACE BY PETER MOVLIN Pastor of the Church at Paris Carefully translated out of the originall Latine Copy LONDON Printed by T.S. for Nathaniel Newbery and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornehill and in Popes head Alley 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sr. Henry Mildmay Knight Master of his Maiesties Iewels and Sir HENRY ROVV Knight All Health Prosperity and Happinesse RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL It is not a new fashion for such as publish any Bookes whether of greater or lesser worth to present them to some worthy Personages for to be patronized which howsoeuer it may be superfluous and vnfit at sometimes and for some Bookes yet it cannot but be very requisite and sit in this both in respect of the Authour and of his worke For the Authour by Nation is a stranger and the worke doubtlesse shall meete with many enemies And therefore howsoeuer they are both of them of very great worth yet both of them will haue neede of good countenance and defence And as their necessitie in a forraine Region requires this so their great worthinesse and pious intention demaunds it as a dutie at the hands of all good men for herein the scrupulous doubts or rather the subtle and querilous questions and disputes of ouer-witty and audacious men in very waighty points of Faith are exquisitely discussed and resolued to the pacifying no doubt of many vnsetled and vnquiet mindes in the Church of Christ which are more ready to be inquisitiue into deepe mysteries then to beleeue them Now then my selfe being vtterly obscure and indeed altogether vnaccomplished for such a businesse yet the Lot being fallen to mee to send this translation forth into the world I had almost let it goe at all aduentures to receiue such entertainment as the world vsually affords vnto strangers but that calling to minde your Worships great courtesie and affabilitie I thought they should not be vnwelcome vnto you Besides hauing a great desire to testifie the loue and much respect I beare vnto you I imagined that I could not better doe it then by intitling your Worships vnto so learned and holy a Treatise tending to the maintenance of Religion and Truth because as one of your Names is honoured Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge founded by Sir Walter Mildmay and that most worthily by a famont and lasting Monument of loue vnto Learning Religion and Truth so I rest assured that by your patronage of this Booke your Honourable fame shall be encreased for which and for all other blessings abundantly to be conferred vpon you praying vnto almighty God I beseech your Worships to pardon the boldnesse and to accept of the good will of him who euer will rest most humbly At your Worships command TO THE MOST JLLVSTRIOVS AND Most Potent Lords the Lords the States generall of the Vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countryes INnumerable are the benefits most Renowned and most mightie Lords which haue happened to your Prouinces by the goodnesse of God and are supplyed to you as it were by the immediate prouidence of God These are great things that your Common-wealth flourishing with Riches inlarged with Territories potent by sea and land famous in the Artes both of Warre and Peace hath so beaten backe the force of a most mighty enemy that you haue alwayes waged warre on your enemyes ground and your Cities in the midst of the heate of the warres enioyed Halcion-dayes of Peace All which are done by the authority of your most Honorable Senate and by the conduct of the Prince of ORENGE of whose prayses it is better to be silent then to speake but little Euen they who enuy your good successes doe yet admire your vertue Finally your Common-wealth hath had such a Senate and such Princes as God doth giue whensoeuer hee will aduance poore and afflicted estates to the highest top of power and glory But among the other benefits of God this is most eminent that when the bottomlesse pit doth cast out that thicke smoake which couereth almost the whole world in a thicke mist of ignorance amongst you the Sunne of Truth doth clearely shine in his pure orbe and hath scattered the darknes of ignorance Whence it is come to passe that your country together with ciuill bondage hath shaken off the yoke layd vpon your consciences Sathan that hee might hinder the course of these prosperous affaires hath for many yeares tryed outward forces From which enterprise being driuen he hath betooke himselfe to craftie subtiltyes and to intestine dissentions hauing gotten men who affecting nouelty vnder the pretence of Pietie haue torne the bowels of their owne Country and Church Pittifull was the sight of your Pouinces The enemy of our saluation did brandish amongst you the fire brand of deadly dissention A tumultuous tragedy was acted on the Theatre of Belgia your aduersariâ—s beholding it with much pleasure Finally wee saw your Common-wealth shaking and your estate almost desperate had not God appearing beyond all expectation turned away this imminent destruction by timely and seasonable remedyes vsing to that purpose your Authoritie Wisedome and prudent Constancie With how great patience you haue endured these turbulent wits with how great vigilancy you haue preuented this spreading contagion if no man should speake of it yet the greatnesse of the disease and your estate restored againe to safety would aboundantly witnesse In which enterprise the vertue of the most famous Prince of ORENGE hath manifestly appeared in whom wee haue a singular proofe what very great industry can performe with greatest fortitude who hath added to so many warlike acts the praise of ciuill prudency By this deed most Honourable Lords yee haue obtayned more praise by restoring then by enlarging the Common-wealth For this intestine pestilence hath in few yeares brought more dammage then forraine warres were able to bring in many ages Of which your vertue all the Orthodoxe Churches throughout Europe doe reape great fruit because the sparkes of this flame did already flye to them and the iudgements of many among forraine nations did wauer concerning these controuersies For in the questions of Prouidence and Predestination that opinion is wont to be most acceptable among the common people which doth measure the counsels of God by the counsels of men and doth put vpon God humane affections But among other things which were prudently and happily done by you the conuocation of the Synode of Dordt hath obtained the chiefe place Then which Synode for many ages past there hath beene none more famous more holy nor more profitable to the Church Wherevnto that yee might call most choise men from diuers parts yee spared neither cost nor labour wherein all things were done so orderly and grauely that it hath drawne the people into admiration and hath stayed those
the sinnes of their Ancestors Arminius ought not to extend it to so many ages seeing the law doth not extend the visitation of the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children beyond the third and fourth generation And that because a man can scarce liue so long as to see his issue beyond the third or fourth generation For therefore are children punished their fathers beholding it that griefe might thereby increase to their parents and that the fathers might be punished by the misâ—ries of the children which is a cause to me of suspecting that this visitation of the sinne of the fathers vpon the children ought to be vnderstood of temporall and not of eternall punishments VII But to that which was said that the punishment was greater then the sinne because they which in Adam sinned onely in power are for his sinne punished in act it is easie to answere For wee so sinned in Adam in power that also the sinne was in vs in act neither doe we onely beare the punishment of anothers sinne but also of our owne nor is it any maruaile if God hath pardoned Adam and doth not pardon many of his posterity for Adam beleeued and repented but these refuse the grace of God offred and persist in impenitency CHAP. X. Of the propagation of the sinne of Adam to his posteritie where also of the traduction of the soule and of sinne it selfe WE haue already said that the sinne of Adam is conueyed to his posterity two manner of wayes by Imputation and Propagation Of imputation it hath been spoken now we are to speake of Propagation I. That the sinne of Adam hath infected all mankinde with an hereditary deprauation and that this contagion hath farre spred it selfe hath beene abundantly proued by those places by which we haue declared that euery man was conceiued and borne in sinne As by one man sinne entred into the World and death by sinne so death went ouer all in whom all men sinned Rom. 5. II. And if any one would exactly view the manner and circumstances of Adams sinne he shall finde that in euery man the character and no obscure image of that first sinne is deepely impressed for there is engrafted in euery man curiosity desire of knowing those thin gs which pertaine nothing to him and also a distrustfull haesitation and doubting of the word of God And as Adam laid the fault vpon his wife and his wife vpon the Serpent so is it naturall to euery man to couer his fault with anothers fault Also flight and trembling at the meeting of God lying dissembling and a sense of vndecent nakednesse are in all men by nature and are deriued into posterity from that fountaine and to these things we are not taught but made not instructed but infected To these things we doe not onely not need a master but contrary to the teaching of masters and to discipline all stayes and barres being broken wee returne to them nature being conqueror III. As therefore the egges of the Aspe are iustly broken and serpents new bred are iustly killed although they haue yet poysoned none so infants are rightly obnoxious and subiect to punishments For although they haue not yet sinned in act yet there is in them that contagious pestilence and that naturall pronenesse to sinne IV. But hence ariseth a question hard to be dissolued to wit by what meanes sinne is traduced from parents to their posterity and how mens soules may draw this deprauation For seeing all things that God doth are good it is not credible nor likely that God put Originall sinne into mens soules For how should he punish those soules which hee himselfe had corrupted And if he created the soule pure and iust but being included in the body it is defiled with the contagion other discommodities no whit lesse doe arise For to include a pure and innocent soule in a stinking prison and to thrust it as it were into a bridewell that it might bee corrupted there doth not seeme to agree with the iustice and goodnesse of God V. Hereto is added also that sin is the deprauation of the soule not of the body for sin is a spirituall thing a vice of the will the body therefore cannot giue that to the soule which it hath not And seeing the body doth not sinne but when the soule doth vse the body as an organ to sinne Rom. 6.13 it is manifest that sinne doth passe from the soule into the body and not from the body into the soule to which thing the very sinne of Adam is a cleere testimony to vs For Adam first sinned in will before hee stretched forth his hand to the forbidden Apple Caluin saw this who in the first chapter of the second booke of his Institutions hath these words This contagion hath not its cause in the substance of the flesh or of the soule but because it was so appointed by God that what gifts hee had bestowed vpon the first man he should haue them and also loose them both for himselfe and his VI. Here is a way that is obscure and slippery in which we must goe with wary steppes I doe not propound to my selfe to satisfie them that are braine-sicke and wickedly acute I will onely set downe those things which seeme to mee to be agreeable to the word of God and to reason whereunto that the way may be made plaine some things are to be spoken of the originall of the soule and of the traduction of it VII Origen following Plato was of opinion that all soules were at first created together with the Angels and afterwards put into bodies This hee disputes lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 7. Tertullian will haue the soule to be conueyed with the seede and the soule of the sonne to be from the soule of the father which is not to be marueiled at in him who doth contend that the soule is the body lib de anima Chap. 5. Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Marcellina and Anapsychia doth witnesse that the greater part of the west were of the same opinion Saint Austin hath writ foure bookes of the originall of the soule in which he leaueth this question vndecided neither dares hee rashly determine any thing And his second booke of retractations Chap. 56. doth witnes that hee continued in that doubt to his death Yet in his 157. Epistle hee doth debate with Tertullian and doth more incline to the contrary opinion VIII But we determin that the reasonable soule is infused into the * i e. The childe conceiued and not yet borne embryon but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come from without as Aristotle would haue it lib. 2. de generat animal Cap. 3. But we thinke that it is formed by God in the fruit and in the rudiment of mans body being led thereto by the authority of the Scripture whereunto reason and the nature of the soule it selfe doth agree IX Moses Numb 27.16 saith thus to God Let the Lord the
be for sin But to reprobate men to be willing to condemne are the same thing euen as to elect to be willing to saue is the same thing Therefore God doth not reprobate vnlesse it be for sinne IV. Furthermore it cannot be denied but that reprobation or reiection of the creature from God is the punishment which can be inflicted on the reasonable creature because eternall torments doe necessarily follow it which if we get to be granted it will thence follow that it is not the part of infinite goodnesse and highest iustice to forsake his owne creature and that not because he hath sinned but because it so seemed good to God that hee might seeke matter for his glory out of the desertion and forsaking of the soule which hee created Can the father who knoweth that the happinesse of his sonne depends on him without the crime of cruelty and want of naturall affection forsake his sonue that is innocent and found guilty of no wickednesse especially if by this forsaking his son should fall into eternall torments and by it be made not onely most miserable but also most wicked V. Neither should God deale iustly if he should giue more euill to the creature by infinite parts then he hath giuen good To which when he had giuen esse a beeing a while after without any fault of it he gaue it male esse an euill and miserable being for euer Indeede if God should onely take away that he hath giuen and should bring the creature to nothing there were no cause at all of complaining But to giue an infinite euill to that creature to whom he gaue a finite good and to create man to that end onely that he might destroy him that out of this destruction he might get glory to himselfe the goodnesse and iustice of God abhorreth VI. Yet this is the most grieuous thing that by this eyther reprobation or desertion of man being considered without sinne the innocent is made not onely most miserable but euen most wicked For the auersion and turning away of the will doth necessarily follow the denying of the spirit of God and seeing according to this opinion God hated man that was made by him before man hated God it cannot come to passe but that the hatred of God whereby he hates man by the same opinion should be made the cause of that hatred whereby man hates God and so God should be made the author of sinne VII And if God hated Esau being considered in the vncorruptible masse as not a sinner it must needes be that God hates the innocent creature and hatred in God although it is not an humane affection nor a perturbation yet it is a sure and certaine will of punishing and punishment cannot be iust if it be without offence neither can a man be iustly punished vnlesse he be considered as a sinner VIII If any man should say that God is obnoxious or subiect to no lawes and therefore his actions are not rightly examined according to the rule of iustice seeing hee is tyed to no rules I will anfwere that the nature of God is more mighty then any law That naturall perfection by which it is impossible that God should lie or that he should sinne is also the cause why he could not hate his guiltlesse creature or appoint man to eternall torments for no fault of his Yea if these things were true it were the part of a wise man to suppresse these things not to moue this anagyris or offensiue matter and rather to command silence or ignorance to themselues then to breake into these secrets which being declared doe cast in scruples and doubts and yeeld occasion to the aduersaries of defaming the true religion and by which no man is made fitter to the duties of a Christian or of a ciuill man or to any part of piety IX That could not escape which should say that by reprobation men are not appointed to damnation but onely are passed by or not elected Thus they seeke gentler words that by them the same thing might be said for it is all one whether God doth appoint a man to damnation or doth that from which damnation must necessarily follow Whosoeuer God doth not elect whether hee be said to be omitted and passed by or to be reprobated hee is alwaies excluded from the grace of God damnation doth certainely follow this excluding because without the grace of election there is no saluation For seeing it is manifest to all that men by election are appointed to saluation I would haue it told mee to what they that are not elected but passed by are appointed Surely if election doth appoint men to saluation it is plaine that by reprobation which is called omission or passing by the rest are excluded from saluation and appointed to destruction X. And if God haue appointed the innocent creature to destruction it must needes be that hee hath appointed it to sinne without which there can be no iust destruction and so God would be the impulsiue and mouing cause of sinne Neither could man iustly be punished for that sinne to which he is eyther precisely appointed or compelled by the will of God XI That the decrees of God are eternall and that he hath fore-knowne all things from eternity doth not hinder this opinion which doth maintaine God in election and reprobation to haue considered man as fallen before he considered him as condemned For although the decrees of God are certaine yet there is some order among them as the eternall decree of ouerthrowing the world by fire was in order after the decree of creating the world So although God from eternity had appointed the wicked to punishment yet nothing hinders but that the consideration whereby hee considered men as sinners should be in order before that whereby hee considered men as reprobate or appointed to punishment XII Neither doth it follow of the opinion of the reuerend Synod and the confession of our Churches by which man fallen is the obiect of predestination that God created man to an vncertaine end or to haue missed of that end which he propounded to himselfe The last end propounded to God was the illustration and setting forth of his glory by the manifestation of his goodnesse and iustice that hee might come to this end hee decreed to create man iust but mutable and free The fore-knowledge of the fall of man doth follow this decree not in time but in order and election and reprobation doth in order follow this fore-knowledge XIII They are very farre from the truth which would haue God in electing and reprobating to haue considered man as not created for they doe as much as if they should say that God considered man as nothing and therefore as not man Surely in that very thing that they call him a man they call him somewhat but to consider something as nothing is a thing well-nigh a dreame He that will saue or punish a man must necessarily first haue
that they should beleeue Truely if it be so then Christ hath not made intercession for all For that which is asked on a condition take away the condition and it is not asked He that saith to God I pray to thee for all so they beleeue doth plainely declare that he doth not pray for them which doe not beleeue Wherefore Christ himselfe doth restraine his sending into the world and therefore also his intercession to the faithfull alone Iohn 3.13 God so loued the world that he sent his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life There you see that not onely the fruit or application of the donation and giuing of the Sonne that I may so speake but also the donation it selfe doth belong onely to beleeuers XXV But it is worth the labour to know what that particular intercession is with which as these sectaries doe confesse Christ Iohn 17. doth make intercession for the faithfull alone and to know what it is that he asketh by it Father saith he keepe them And a little after I pray thee that thou wouldest keepe them from the euill If this intercession be peculiar to the faithfull I doe not see what remaineth for the generall intercession For without these things all intercession is vaine And seeing in the Lords prayer these two things are asked ioyntly and together to wit remission of sinnes and freedome from euill who would endure such a bold forgery whereby the Arminians doe pull asunder these things and will haue Christ to obtaine remission of sinnes for all but not freedome from the euill XXVI And if Christ prayeth for all he prayeth also for them whom hee knoweth doe sinne the sinne vnto death for which Saint Iohn doth not suffer vs to pray Iohn 5.16 XXVII Yea the Arminians here are not constant to themselues when they say that Christ did intercede by a particular intercession for the faithfull and for those whom the father gaue to the Sonne for seeing they teach that the faithfull godly men may fall from the faith be condemned it appeareth that they will haue Christ to intercede for many reprobates by a particular intercession if many of the faithfull are reprobates XXVIII Arminius p 70. against Perkins doth bring for this purpose many things which I doe not know whether they will be alowed by his followers First he thinks that Christ doth sacrifice himself for many for whom he doth not make intercession because his sacrificing was before his intercessiō For he wil haue the sacrificing of Christ to pertaine to his meriting his intercession to pertain to the application of his merit These things seeme to me to be repugnant not onely to the truth but euen to common sence For whosoeuer doth prepare himselfe to be a purging sacrifice for another doth necessarily pray that the sacrifice which he is to offer may be pleasing and acceptable for him for whom he doth offer himselfe for a sacrifice And whosoeuer doth offer a price of redemption doth first intreate this price may be receiued as that Chryses in Homer speaking thus Iliad ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Release to me my louing daughter and accept the gifts See in the first place his prayers and then the offering of the price Therefore intercession doth necessarily goe before the sacrifice Arminius addes It is true indeede that Christ in the daies of his flesh offered vp prayers and teares to God the father but those prayers were not made for the obtaining of those good things he merited for vs that is for the obtaining of saluation but for the assistance of the spirit that he might stand in the combat An impious and wicked opinion for by it it is denyed that Christ prayed for our saluation before he died when yet Iohn 17. hee prayeth thus before his death Keepe them in thy name And Father I desire that those which thou hast giuen me may be with me that they may see the glory which thou hast giuen me Arminius himselfe is ashamed of so false a doctrine for by a certaine doubtfull Epanorthosis or correction he doth seeme to condemne that which hee said for he addes But if he did then offer prayers for the obtaining of this application they did depend on his sacrifice that was to be finished as if it were finished That speech But if is the speech of one doubting when yet it is a thing most certaine But what is this against Perkins who saith that Christ doth not sacrifice himselfe for them for whom hee doth not pray Surely these things which Arminius doth heape vp are nothing to the purpose nor doe they touch the matter For although the prayers which Christ offered vp for our saluation before his death are grounded on the merit of his death that was to come yet that remaineth which Perkins saith that Christ doth not sacrifice himselfe for them for whom hee doth not pray For the death of Christ had not beene a sacrifice vnlesse hee had prayed that it might be accepted of the father for their life for whom he died For griefe and torment is not of its owne nature a sacrifice vnlesse there be also such a petition XXIX I doe not deny but that Christ in his death prayed for them that crucified him But I denie that he prayed for all without exception but for them alone who did it by ignorance for he saith Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Luke 23.24 Whom a little after as Saint Luke doth testifie were conuerted to the faith Act. 2. and Chap. 3.17 Doth not Christ say this with an humane affection and not as the redeemer For as he was man he might wish well to those whom as he was God he knew were reprobates Thus hee wept ouer the inhabitants of Ierusalem the fall and reiection of which Citty as he was God he had decreed XXX And when the sectaries doe deny that Christ on the crosse sustained the person of the elect they doe openly impugne that speech of Christ Iohn 10.11 I am that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe And Iohn 15.13 Greater loue then this hath no man that one should lay downe his life for his friends And Ephes 5.25 Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it Christ therefore died for his sheepe for his friends for his Church and what are these but the faithfull and elect Can Pharaoh Iudas c. in any respect be called the sheepe of Christ The Arminians answere that they are called sheepe not in respect of the present condition but of that to come A vaine thing For the condition to come was already present in the decree of God in respect of which decree they are called sheep before their conuersion Iohn 10.16 For they are called sheepe not onely because they were to gather themselus to the fould of Christ but because God in his eternall counsell decreed to giue them faith by
it is not therefore ouerthrowne Our nature is necessarily determined and directed to the desiring of felicity and yet it is not therefore destroyed The will of the Israelites whose hearts God touched that they should cleaue vnto Saul 1 Sam. 10.26 The will of Esau yeelding with a suddaine change to the embracing of his brother Gen. 33. The will of the Thiefe crucified with Christ and of Paul in the very point of conuersion were determined limited to one thing and yet force was not therefore offered to their free-will or their nature destroyed The vehemency of him that is thirstie mouing him to the drinke that is offered is determined and limited to that one thing and yet he doth not therefore cease to be a man nor is his nature therefore ouerthrowne God hath some secret and vnperceiueable meanes by which he can bow mans will the liberty thereof being vntouched An addition to the thirteenth Chapter containing some places that are taken out of the confession of the Churches of France and out of the chiefest Doctors of this age concerning the obiect of Predestination THe twefth Article of the confession of the Church of France is this We beleeue that God out of that corruption and generall curse into which all men were plunged doth free those whom in his eternall and immutable counsell he elected of his meere goodnesse and mercy in our Lord Iesus Christ without the consideration of workes leauing the rest in the same corruption and damnation to shew forth in these his iustice and in them the riches of his mercy For none of them are better then others before God hath separated them c. Iohn Caluin in his Comentary vpon the ninth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes speaking of Iacob and Esau in the wombe hath these words God in the defiled nature of man such as was in man could consider nothing whereby be might be induced to doe good to it when therefore he saith that both of them had done neither good nor euill that also is to be added which he doth presuppose to wit that they were both the sonnes of Adam by nature sinners indued not with a mite of righteousnesse Esau was iustly reiected because he was naturally the childe of wrath yet least any scruple should remaine as if his condition had beene the worse for the beholding of any sinne or vice it was expedient that his sinnes should be no lesse excluded then his vertues It is true indeede that the neare cause of reprobation is because we are all cursed in Adam The same Caluin in his Booke of the eternall predestination of God in the beginning of the Epistle which is set before the booke The free Election of God saith he is whereby he adopted to himselfe out of mankinde lost and condemned those whom it seemed good to him Pag. 955. He doth allow the opinion of Saint Austin speaking thus They that are not to perseuere are not seperated by the Predestination and fore-knowledge of God from that masse of perdition and destruction and therefore are not called according to his purpose Pag. 691. I would know if Esay and Iacob should haue beene left to their common nature what good workes God should haue found in Iacob more then in Esau Surely they both by the hardnesse of their stony heart would haue alike refused saluation offered In the same place When Paul tooke that for granted which is incredible to these good Diuines that all men are equally vnworthy that alike corruption of nature is in all men hee thence safely determined that God doth by his free purpose elect whomsoeuer he electeth In the same place that of Austin is most true That those that are redeemed are seperated from those that perish onely by grace whom the common Masse deriued from the same originall had ioyned together to destruction Pag. 965. He doth witnesse that God prepared the vessels of mercy for his glory if this be speciall to the elect it is manifest that the rest are sitted to destruction because being left to their nature they are certainely deuoted to destruction Pag. 970. The Readers are to be admonished that both these are equally condemned by Pighius viz. That God from the beginning when yet the state of man was intire decreed what afterwards should come to passe and that now hee chose out of the perished Masse whom he would He mocketh Austin and all that are like him that is all the godly who doe thinke that God after he fore-knew the vniuersall ruine of mankinde in the person of Adam appointed some to life and some to destruction The same man in his Institutions Lib. 3. Chap. 22. Sect. 1. When Paul teacheth that we were elected in Christ before the creation of the world certainly he doth take away all respect of our owne worth for it is as much as if he should say Because our heauenly father found nothing worthy of Election in the whole seede of Adam he turned his eyes vpon Christ that as it were out of his body he might choose members whom he would after take into the fellowship of life Therefore let this reason preuaile with the faithfull that therefore God adopted vs in Christ to his heauenly inheritance because in our selues we were not capable of this excellency And Section 7. If any one aske from whence God elected he in another place answereth out of the world which he excludeth from his prayers when he doth commend his Disciples to his Father And Chap. 23. Sect. 3. If any one should set vpon vs with these words Why God from the beginning predestinated some men to death who when they were not could not deserue the iudgement of death Instead of an answer we may againe aske them What they thinke God is indebted to man if he will esteeme him according to his owne nature As we are all defiled with sinne we cannot but be odious to God and that not in a tyrannicall cruelty but in the most equall respect of iustice And if all they whom God doth predestinate to death are by a naturall condition obnoxious and subiect to the iudgement of death of what iniustice I pray you of his towards them can they complaine Let all the sonnes of Adam come let them contend and dispute with their Creatour because by his eternall prouidence they were appointed to perpetuall calamity before their generation What could they speake against this defence when as God shall on the contrary side call them to the knowledge of themselues If all are taken out of the corrupted Masse it is no meruaile if they lye vnder damnation Hieronymius Zanchius Miscellan Lib 3. In his Treatise of the Saints at the end of the first Chapter hath these words Generall Predestination that is the predestination of all men is the eternall most wise and immutable decree of God by which he determined with himselfe from eternity first to create all men iust and wise according to his image and likenesse and