Pelagianorum si ego quicquam intelligo Scotus then teacheth that faith charity and repentance may be had ex puris naturalibus Concerning faith he saith Fide acquisita ex puris naturalibus potest homo assentiri omnibus reuelatis à Deo And a little after Hoc igitur tenendum est tanquam certum quod reuelatorum in Scripturis est nobis acquisita fides generata ex auditu actionibus nostris qua eis firmiter adhaeremus And speaking of faith infused he saith De fide infusa quomodo sit ponenda in nobis hoc non est ita certum an fit vel quomodo sit ponenda in nobis After the same manner he speaketh of charity Lib. 3. Distinct. 27. Quaest. 1. dist 28. Now seeing these be their positions it is not much materiall what words they giue when speaking of grace they intend to giue all to nature in the end The subtle Doctor saw that they who bring in the respectiue decree affirming that God in conferring of grace respecteth somewhat in man must needs yeeld that the thing respected in man must be nature nothing but nature And therefore Scotus beeing a Famous Pelagian granteth that roundly because hee perceiued that the respectiue decree cannot stand without this ground But others are or seeme to bee offended at such grosse proceedings and therefore they would temper this morter and daube it vp thus That it is not Nature but Grace that God respecteth Thus they would in words mollifie the horrour of the other opinion and yet they retayne the same absurdities The Author of the Appeale is running on with these but God knoweth which way hee is going for hee himselfe knoweth not Hee sayth God called Saint Peter in respect of his Faith Obedience and Repentance and then hee thinketh that hee hath well sayd in laying this respect not vppon nature but vppon grace as hee thinketh But hee doth not vnderstand the absurdity that this draweth after it For if God called Saint Peter in respect of his Faith Obedience and Repentance then were Saint Peters Faith Obedience and Repentance some cause why hee was called and therefore before his calling But in true Diuinity Saint Peters Faith Obedience and Repentance are the effects of his calling not the cause and come after the calling but goe not before it It may well bee sayd that God iustified him in respect of his calling and God called him in respect of Predestination and God predestinated him Secundum propositum in respect of his purpose For so Saint Augustine reasoneth that for the grace of Predestination wee haue the grace of Gods calling that is grace for grace And for the grace of his Calling wee haue the grace of Iustification that is grace for grace But the Ancients that reasoned thus alwayes obserued that the Consequent grace might be giuen for and in respect of the Precedent grace but that the Precedent grace might bee giuen for or in respect of a Subsequent grace there was neuer Orthodoxe Writer that taught so Yet the Pelagians and after them the Arminians seeming willing to auoyde the danger of that Rocke at which so many haue made Shipwracke that grace is giuen for some respects in nature to auoyde this absurdity they labour to mollifie the matter but runne still vppon the same danger They change the manner of speaking and say that a Precedent grace is giuen in respect of subsequent grace as this man sayth When hee holdeth that the grace of calling is giuen in respect of Faith and Obedience which are subsequent graces But this is nothing else but for the loue to holde with Pelagius to say something Wherein they forsake Vnderstanding Reason Diuinity and Philosophy and speake Non sence For that I call Non-sence that is against Diuinity Philosophy and Common reason as this is which maketh a subsequent grace to bee the cause of a Precedent grace to set the effect before the cause And because in this manner of speech there is nothing to satisfie the vnderstanding of a Diuine or a Philosopher it is apparant that this was deuised for none other end but onely to dazle the ignorant with Wordes without Vnderstanding But a matter of this nature will not bee carryed with empty Wordes And in so high a poynt of Diuinity to speake without expresse Scriptures is a signe that they presume too much eyther vppon their owne wit or vppon other mens weaknesse Their end is that if thus much might be obtayned that God giueth the precedent grace for or in respect of the consequent they might with more ease afterward fall into the playne tearmes of Pelagius For howsoeuer they may palliate the matter with strange VVordes not vnderstood yet the Truth is as Scotus confesseth that if Gods grace bee giuen in respect of any thing in man that can bee nothing but nature For in man before he be called there is nothing but nature And therefore the playne Doctrine of Scotus that a man may merite grace Ex puris naturalibus standeth more probable in reason then this opinion which deuiseth a subsequent grace to be the cause of a precedent grace For as this is against Diuinity so the reason of the Naturall man refuseth it The graces of God are ordered and they that would disorder them trouble the whole frame of our saluation For God hath set the order From Gods purpose proceedeth Predestination from Predestination Calling from Calling Faith and Iustification from Iustification Obedience and all fruitefull workes The first grace that wee apprehend is Calling And therefore before we are called there is nothing in vs but nature If then God respect any thing in man in respect whereof hee calleth him that can be nothing but nature and free will This the Pelagians taught plainely but some following the Pelagians are ashamed to vtter themselues so plainely They striue to handle the matter more finely but whilest they seeke finenesse they haue lost their wits Surely they haue forsaken reason and vnderstanding Now it is not possible that from nature and freewill any grace should rise because the Lord sayth That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit Here be two principles set one in Nature the other in Grace The principle of grace and all good motions is the Spirit the highest principle of nature and naturall motions is the Flesh Therefore no grace of the spirit can proceede from the flesh but nature and free-will is nothing but flesh Againe the order wherin the Blessed Apostle setteth downe these things the purpose of God predestination calling iustification glorification doth prooue that a precedent grace may be some cause to draw after it a subsequent grace but for a subsequent grace to be any manner of cause to draw a precedent this is impossible The blessed Apostle sayth All things fall out for the best to them that loue God to them that are called according to his purpose Before I
of his calling giuen in consideration and respect of these things and so Gratia datur secundum merita Secundum merita whether we Translate according to merits or in respect and consideration of merits all is one I stand not vppon any curiosity of Words there is no difference in the matter It followeth necessarily that this man teacheth that Doctrine for which Pelagius was condemned for an Hereticke let him shift this as hee can Here the Author of the Appeale may consider what wrong he hath done to the Church of England in obtruding for Doctrines of our Church the old rotten Heresies of Pelagius And let him also consider who doth now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble and betray the Church of England Wee teach with the Scriptures and with the most Orthodoxe Ancient Church that St. Peter was predestinated and called vnto faith obedience and repentance This man runneth with the Arminians into the depth of Pelagius his poysoned Doctrine And was it not likely that hee should run this way who being a priuate man without authority taketh vpon him to impose Doctrines to our Church to change those that are receiued and in place thereof to reuiue the Pelagian errours to beare men in hand that these are the Doctrines of our Church to scorne men that haue beene reuerenced for their Learning and will bee reuerenced in the ages following such as Arch-bishop Whitgift Arch-bishop Hutton Doctor Rainolds Doctor Whittakers and the other Bishops and Learned men that joyned with them whom this man accounteth sometimes Caluinists and Puritanes sometimes that They were reputed learned as if himselfe had that in Truth which they did but seeme to haue Who being a Priest of the Church of England accuseth Bishops his superiours to be Puritanes as all must be to him who yeeld not to his foolish and erroneous Doctrines who in commendation of his owne stile calleth it an Exasperating stile Who in this exasperating humour careth not and professeth that hee careth not what any thinke that please not this his humour Who with such height of disdayne sleighteth the diligence and industry of his brethren gathered at the Synode at Dort Yet they who were imployed in that seruice were authorized by his Majesties Commission directed by his Instructions and when they returned rendring to his Maiesty an account of their imployment were most graciously approoued of by his Maiesty onely they cannot get the approbation of this Gentleman It were good for him to consider these exasperating humors they proceede from Pride Here is neyther Humility nor Charity to be found and therefore not the Spirit of God And what good can he do in Gods Church that commeth in Pride and a spirit exasperating without charity and humility Sir I write not this in choller nor in malice to your person but I haue told you plainely the censures of those men with whom I haue spoken in this matter both of the higher sort in the Church who are your Fathers of inferior ranke who are your Brethren I omit the censure of the Layty I speake of them that are able to iudge of your spirit And because they haue obserued these things in you I thought the best seruice I could do you was plainly to let you know these things that you may amend them It were good and necessary for you to vnderstand how you haue bin fetched ouer by those cosening companions the Arminians who haue plunged you in with themselues in the depthes of Pelagius Their end in deuising that respectiue decree is that Predestination should not be ruled by Gods will and eternall purpose but by mans free will And this is the end which you must imbrace vnlesse God turne your heart and warne you to auoide these dangerous and pernitious doctrines wherein you draw the yoake with Pelagius God make you to see your errour and to make some satisfaction to the Church of England whom you haue so much wronged We say in this as Saint Augustine sayd in the like Promisit Deus quae ipse facturus erat non quod homines facturi erant quum Abrahae promiserat in semine eius fidem gentium quia etsi faciunt homines bona ipse tamen facit vt faciant quae praecepit Alioquin vt Dei promissa compleantur non in Deised in hominum est potestate That which Saint Augustine saith here of the promise of God is in like manner true in the purpose of Gods Predestination For God doth predestinate that which he himselfe will do not that which men would doe For albeit men according to Gods purpose are called doe beleeue are iustified walke in obedience repentance and other good workes yet it is God that worketh that which he predestinateth and worketh according to his owne exceeding great power faith in men charity and hope and maketh them walke in obedience otherwise that Predestination should haue his effect it should not be in Gods power but in mans power Now if it be Gods calling that gaue to Saint Peter faith obedience and repentance how then doth this man say that Saint Peter was called in consideration and respect of his faith obedience and repentance This is true that God giueth these graces Now he sayth that Saint Peter was called in respect of these graces what can followe but this that God giueth these graces to Saint Peter in respect of these graces Which were to run giddy in a circle CHAP. 4. A preuention of such answers as may be made against this that hath bene sayd SOme happily may obiect that this is not so plaine Pelagianisme For Pelagius taught that there was somewhat in Nature that did cause God to confer grace but this man seemeth to say that God giueth grace not in respect of nature but in respect of grace For faith obedience and repentance are graces and if in these respects God giue grace then it is grace that draweth grace and not nature This obiection as it may proceede from the Pelagians is of no validity For Saint Augustine doth witnesse that Pelagius himselfe did confesse grace in words but in truth denied it I will not thinke that this man doth so collude in this word Grace But because hee followeth the same course which the Pelagians held whether wittingly or as I rather thinke vnwittingly We may not suffer the grace of God whether wittingly or vnwittingly to be defaced The Pelagians when they speake of faith and charity and such like graces giue but smooth words to colour their meaning and to deceiue the simple Some of them doe more plainely open themselues Iohn Scotus who was the greatest Pelagian that liued in his time for it was he that brought in the doctrine of Meritum ex congruo which some of the most learned Papists amongst whō we may account Franciscus Victoria do confesse to be the true doctrine of Pelagius Victoria speaking of that doctrine De merito ex congruo saith plainly Haec erat bona pars erroris
totally and finally The thing which I especially obserue out of these wordes is that there is somewhat which is heere called the Seede of God abiding in him that is once borne of God And this declareth a regeneration which proceedeth from the purpose of God and from that powerfull calling which is according to his purpose What this seede is let any man declare This is certaine all is not gone all is not cut off by intercision here is a Seede of God abiding Call it what you will all is one to our purpose For whether this Seede of God be Faith or the Word of God or the Grace of Gods calling according to his purpose or the Spirit or any of these or all these It prooueth our purpose that all is not gone all is not falne away If all be not falne away then this man in whom it abideth can not fall totally If Faith bee the Seed the Word of God soweth it the calling of God rayseth it and makes it fruitfull the Spirit of God quickneth it To this purpose St. Peter sayth Being borne againe not of corruptible Seede but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liueth and abideth for euer The VVord of God is sayd to liue and abide for euer because of the effect which it worketh as some learned Interpreters haue obserued For here he speaketh of the new birth as Saint Iohn did of the incorruptible seede as Saint Iohn called it the seede of God abiding of the word of God whereby the grace of regeneration is giuen which liueth and abideth for euer This agreeth with that which St. Iohn sayd of the same new birth Saint Peter confirmeth this further in those wordes Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten vs againe to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in Heauen for you which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation It is hard to deuise more expresse words to deliuer this Doctrine of perseuerance then Saint Peter vseth here For he speaketh of them that are regenerate according to the purpose of God when hee sayth According to his aboundant mercy he hath begotten vs againe he sayth to a liuely hope and inheritance the inheritance is sayd to be reserued for vs in Heauen and we are kept by the Power of God through faith vnto it If we be kept for it by Gods power through faith and it be kept for vs then he that denieth perseuerance vnto the end must breake this power of God by which we are preserued to the end For what is this power of God that keepeth vs through faith to the end but the grace of perseuerance to the end The same Doctrine of perseuerance or of our preseruation by Gods power to the end is confirmed vnto vs from the nature of Faith and of Charity Of Faith the Lord saith He that heareth my Word and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The Lord speaketh of Faith but this faith is not an Historicall faith nor a Temporary faith for these doe fade and haue not this promise which this faith hath of which the Lord speaketh Then what faith can this bee but such a iustifying faith that proceedeth from the Calling of God according to his purpose The Lord sayth that Hee who thus beleeueth hath euerlasting Life If hee hath euerlasting Life then what Arminian or Pelagian can take this from him that Christ sayth hee hath Some may answere that when it is sayd hee hath it it may bee vnderstood hee shall haue it I stand not much vppon that for whether the Lord that giueth euerlasting life say hee hath it or hee shall haue it is not much differing But yet I cannot but obserue the Lords speech who knew best how to speake When hee sayth He hath it his meaning is that euerlasting life shall be as firmely and truely giuen to him as if hee had it already in possession which yet hee holdeth but in hope Now which of all the Pelagians dare say that perhaps hee may haue it and perhaps hee may loose it or that hee may fall totally or finally from it when the Lord sayth hee hath it Hee could haue sayd hee shall haue it but why doth hee say He hath it but onely to teach vs that true beleeuers haue such a grace heere which can not be lost The Lord sayth also of the man that hath this grace that He shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to Life What is that is passed but to make this Doctrine sure that there is such a grace giuen heere which cannot be lost Let the Pelagians wrangle as they will about losse of grace this may be sufficient for vs to rest in the plaine and euident words of our Lord and Maister Christ Iesus Thus we see that a true and liuely faith carrieth with it vndoubtedly the grace of perseuerance vnto the end The same may be confirmed from Charity I meane such charity whereby such a faith worketh as was last described Of charity the Apostle hath these words Charity neuer faileth though prophecie fayle and tongues shall cease and knowledge shall vanish away If any man shall here say that this is spoken in respect of other graces that in this life we haue vse of and go no farther I answere I admit that to be so but here the Apostle sayth Charity neuer fayleth It is true he numbreth vp some graces that do fayle I graunt that in the life to come we shall not haue vse of these graces that fayle The Apostle obserueth a difference here betweene graces and graces some for the vse of this life onely others for this life and for that to come Of these that are both for this life and for that to come he nameth charitie which fayleth neuer If charity neuer faile no not in the life to come then it must follow that it neuer faileth in this life because if it should faile in this life then it must needes faile in the life to come For no man shall haue the glorious comfort of charitie in that life who looseth altogether the gracious comfort of it in this life Charitie neuer faileth therefore it abideth for euer therefore there are graces wherein true beleeuers perseuere to the end Heereupon some Schoolemen say that perseuerance is a grace not really differing from charity It is true that charity waxeth cold and the charity of many may faile and the faith of many may faile but the purpose of God cannot faile and those graces that proceede from Gods purpose neuer faile them to whom they are so giuen But because these controuersies were not knowne in the Church before the time of S. Augustine and by him more diligently handled
is a difficulty where there was none indeede I will try if I can â—ight of the right keyes out of the Psalmes to open this locke that is to dissolue this difficulty which he maketh heere of a totall fall from grace Psalme 19. verses 12 13. Who can vnderstand his faultes cleanse mee from my secret sinnes and keepe thy seruant also from presumptuous sinnes and let them not reigne ouer mee so shall I bee vpright and made cleane from the great transgression Hee prayeth to bee cleansed from other sinnes but to bee preserued from presumptuous sinnes that they haue not the dominion ouer him Whereby wee may collect that the Saints are freed and still pray to bee freed from presumptuous sinnes such as reigne in the wicked but for other sinnes altogether they are not free Psalme 25. verse 5. Vnto thee O Lord I lift vp my soule my God I trust in thee Heere hee professeth his faith And yet verse 11. hee saith For thy names sake O Lord hee mercifull to mine iniquitie for it is great then in him there was a true faith and great iniquity dwelling together It followeth that not onely sinne but sometimes great sinnes may bee in a godly man but such as are not ioyned with presumption but with true and sincere repentance Psalme 37. verse 24. Though hee fall hee shall not bee cast downe for the Lord holdeth him vp with his hand In this Scripture there is another instance giuen of that which this Author called for when hee saide cedo tertium For the Prophet saith Though hee fall hee shall not bee cast downe To fall and yet not to bee cast downe is a tertium in respect of a totall and finall fall For hee that falleth so as yet hee is not cast downe falleth and yet neither totally nor finally the reason is giuen which is beyond all answering For the Lord putteth his hand vnder him to stay him Psalme 38. verses 3 4. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone ouer my head and as a weighty burthen too heauy for mee And yet verse 15. he saith On thee O Lord do I waite thou wilt heare mee my Lord my God Hee feeles the heauy burthen of his sinnes he doth not conceale the multitude of them they are so many that they are gone ouer his head hee confesseth hee complaineth hee cryeth to God What then where so great and so many sinnes were felt as a tender conscience must needes feele them shall we say that this man lost all grace No. If he had not beene much troubled with his sinnes hee would not thus haue spoken of them if hee had not had grace he would not thus confesse them and call to God for mercy Psalme 40 verse 12. My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp they are mee in number then the haires of head Yet verse 17. Though I bee poore and needy the Lord thinketh of mee Thou art my helper and my deliuerer my God Heere wee finde great and many sinnes and yet a great and a precious faith It were too long to rehearse all of this kinde This may suffice to prooue that grace in the regenerate is not totally lost by sinnes vnlesse they bee presumptuous sinnes which raigne But from these raigning sinnes they that are borne of God are preserued according to that of S. Iohn He that is borne of God sinneth not Hee that standeth vpon the top of the stayres may fall and slipp downe a steppe or two and yet not fall to the bottome There is danger I grant it And if we stood by our owne power and strength as the Pelagians and Arminians would haue it then might wee fall away altogether But in a regenerate man there is power and weaknesse the power is Gods the weaknesse is his owne When he falleth this is his weaknesse but God by his power doth so order that weaknesse and those fals that hee will haue his great power manifested in this great weakenesse Therefore the Apostle had this answer My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknes Wherefore the blessed Apostle maketh this vse Very gladly therefore will I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in me I say further that sinne is so farre from cutting off faith totally in the regenerate that it is rather ordained by the infinite mercy of God which is rather to bee adored and wondred at then disputed it is I say ordained for the better exercise of faith and repentance For if by falling into sinne faith were totally lost in the regenerate then a man so falling could neuer rise againe vnto repentance For hee that hath lost grace totally hath nothing left in him but flesh and his owne nature and free-will Which of it selfe can neuer raise a man to repentance though the Pelagians and Arminians striue for this and would haue all grace lost that they might inferre that nature and free-will may raise vp a man to repentance but this is the poyson of their heresie Saint Peter fell into sinne and rose againe by repentance because his faith remained and failed not which drew him to repentance But Iudas fell and neuer rose againe because he neuer had true faith Now why doe men striue for this or what doe they ayme at When they would haue faith vtterly lost against the Apostle who teacheth that the gifts and graces of God are without repentance what haue they gotten that thus striue or what would they haue forsooth they would make Praedestination hang vpon vncertainties vpon mans will that a man may predestinate himselfe when he will as often as he will For they haue no better ends then these Pag. 18. Speaking of Bellarmines words Petro dominus impetrauit vt â—on posset eadere quod â—d fidem attinet He addeth these words Iust your Puritane doctrine for finall perseuerance This is the first time that euer I heard of a Puritane doctrine in points dogmaticall and I haue liued longer in the Church then hee hath done I thought that Puritanes were onely such as were factious against the Bishops in the poynt of pretended Discipline and so I am sure it hath beene vnderstood hitherto in our Church A Puritane doctrine is a strange thing because it hath beene confessed on both sides that Protestants and Puritanes haue held the same doctrines without variance The discipline varied in England Scotland Geneua and other where Yet the doctrine hath beene hitherto held the same according to the Harmonie of the seuerall Confessions of these Churches Not one doctrine of the Church of England another of the Church of Scotland and so of others What is your end in this but to make diuisions where there were none and that a rent may bee made in the Church forsooth that place may bee giuen to the Pelagian and
throwne into condemnation in respect of their sins For to speake somewhat to this particular If that be granted which we haue prooued before by euident Scriptures that both Predestination and Reprobation respect the corrupt masse of mankinde This I say beeing granted It followeth that Gods iustice did find a iust cause to condemne all men because all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God But God in his mercy receyueth some to fauour Of this we can finde no other cause but the meere and onely Will of God God in his iustice condemneth other of this beside the Wil of God wee finde a cause to be the sinne of those men that are condemned Here riseth a question whether there be an absolute decree of Reprobation If we vnderstand an absolute decree to be such as dependeth vpon the onely wil of God without respect to any other thing then I confesse I cannot vnderstand any such absolute decree in this For those things are here vnderstood absolute which depend vppon no other cause but only the wil of God Now heere besides the wil of God wee find sin to be a iust cause to condemne and to reprobate For this ground wee take with Saint Augustine that Predestination and Reprobation doe respect sinne And if besides the wil of God sinne also be a just cause of condemnation then I vnderstand not how any decree herein can be absolute But if it should be further questioned whether dereliction of some in their sinne be absolute so far as my knowledge reacheth I must yeeld that this may be called absolute because in this there is no other cause but onely the will of God For seeing that all men are once found sinners there may be a cause giuen why all men may iustly deserue condemnation The cause is apparant that is sinne but why any man should bee saued no cause appeareth but onely the will of God and his mercy to them whom hee is well pleased to deliuer from sinne Vpon these grounds St. Augustine sayth Obdurationis meritum inuenio misericordiae meritum non inuenio But some obiect thus If sinne be the cause of condemnation and reprobation then must all men be condemned and reprobate for all haue sinned Whereby they would inferre that sinne is no cause of condemnation and reprobation but onely the will of God but I deny the consequence for the true consequence should be this If sinne be the cause of condemnation and reprobation then no man can find any cause in himselfe why he should not be condemned and reprobate For I suppose that the greatest Saints that euer liued could finde no cause in themselues why they might not bee condemned and reprobate I say in themselues for if they looke out of themselues vpon Christ then they finde an high and only cause the will of God in Christ in whom he hath fully reuealed his will and mercy to saue sinners For Christ was sent to saue them that were lost and to call sinners to repentance Some may happily say that these questions and quirkes might be forborne and not spoken of at all I answere I am of the same minde But when the enemies of the Truth Pelagians and Arminians are euer busie in stirring these questions these busie heads impose a necessity vppon them that loue the Truth to maintaine it and by plaine writing to walke safely and plainely euen through the middest of Maeandrian crookes and windings of the Aduersaries The Church sayth Tertullian hath a rule and this rule hath no question but such as Heresies bring in Thus we see there may be a cause of condemnation besides the onely will of God but concurring with Gods will but of saluation no cause can be giuen but the onely will of God Yet our Author here vndertaketh to find a cause besides the only wil of God though concurring with Gods will This hee doth in the instance of St. Peter For he sayth that There is neither word apex nor syllable to proue that God did call saue and glorifie St. Peter without any consideration had or regard to his faith obedience and repentance The better to vnderstand this we must cleare some things which hee hath confounded They that deale not playnely confound many things of purpose which must be distinguished that the matter may bee cleared Hee sayth that Saint Peter was not called saued and glorified without consideration or regard of his Faith Obedience and Repentance This proposition in Truth containeth three propositions in it And neither can he conclude three propositions at once neyther can any man answere to three at once Therefore wee must distinctly separate these three propositions that his confusion may appeare and that a cleare answere may be framed vnto the poynt in question Of these three propositions the first is St. Peter was not called without respect to his Faith Obedience and Repentance The second is Saint Peter was not saued without respect to his Faith Obedience and Repentance The third is Saint Peter was not glorified without respect to his Faith Obedience and Repentance These three things are not all of one kinde The two latter propositions we grant the reason is because saluation and glorification are in the nature of a reward Now the Scripture witnesseth that God will reward euery man according to his Workes And therefore Saint Peters faith obedience and repentance shall-bee rewarded with saluation and glorification And saluation and glory may bee sayd to respect these goods workes that went before But the first of these propositions is that Saint Peter was not called without respect to his faith obedience and repentance Here we close with him I must charge with Pelagianisme in that very point of this Heresie for which Pelagius was condemned for an Hereticke in the Synode of Palestina as St. Augustine often relateth In which Synode the Doctrines of Pelagius were condemned as they were also in many other Synodes Concilio Carthag 7. Concilio Meleuitano Concilio Arausica And also condemned by the decrees of the Popes that then were and the Emperors He sayth that St. Peter was not called without respect and consideration had to his faith obedience and repentance In denying this proposition he affirmeth the contradictory That St. Peter was called in consideration and respect of his faith obedience and repentance This is the same which the Church hath condemned in Pelagius For Pelagius taught no otherwise but thus Gratia Dei datur secundum merita nostra In respect or consideration of our merits This man teacheth that St. Peter was called in consideration or respect of his faith obedience and repentance This is euidently Secundum merita as Pelagius vnderstood merita For those things which Pelagius and the Ancient Fathers who wrote in his time called merita were no other then these which this man calleth faith obedience and repentance Pelagius knew no greater merits then these If St. Peter was called in consideration and respect of these things then was that grace
in grace there is the power of God If they tell vs that grace may bee vtterly lost wee say it proceedeth from the purpose of God and is giuen to vs from the power of God His purpose is immutable his power who can resist They must ouer-reach the purpose of God and ouercome the power of God before they can vndoe this great worke which God with such wisedome purposeth and with such power performeth If it were in the wisedome of man to deuise it or in the power of man to performe it then might it be soone vndone but this worke is Gods and all men must giue God the glory who onely hath vndertaken this worke and onely is able to bring it to an end When God hath once manifested his will it is strange that the pride and ignorance of man should deuise wayes to bring that into questions and doubtes which God in his Scriptures hath euidently set downe But there must bee heresies that they which are approued may be knowne 1 Cor. 11.19 Now I thinke this long contention may bee brought to a short end If any of the Pelagians or Arminians or if all of them be able to proue that the grace of God by which wee are called and iustified and saued is nothing but a gentle or morall perswasion then the Pelagians haue ouercome vs But if this grace bee wrought in vs by the power of God then hath the truth ouercome the Pelagians and Arminians Now I come to take a view of some particuler escapes in his booke CHAP. 10. PAge 17. speaking of Saint Peters fall hee saith Christ prayed for Saint Peter that hee might not fall and Christ was euer heard in that he prayed for And a little after If he fell hee must needes fall either totally or finally for cedo sertium And againe auoyde it if you can you come vp and home to our Gagger that Saint Peters faith did not faile and so subscribe to Bellarmine Petro dominus impetrauit vt non posset cadere quod ad fidem attinet Thus writeth the Author FIrst this is granted that Saint Peter fell into a great sinne but euery fall into sinne prooueth not a failing in faith Christ prayed that his faith should not faile and hee was heard in that hee prayed for therefore this is true that his faith failed not If any Papist speake or write this truth consonant to the Scripture I take not that for Popery This Author saith that Christ prayed that Saint Peter might not fall and Christ was euer heard in that hee prayed for his conclusion should bee that Saint Peter did not fall Which because hee seeth to bee false hee would interpret it that hee fell not finally though hee fell totally But the ought to haue interpreted the wordes of the Scripture and not to make words of his owne and interpret them Hee doth strangely confound the thing whereof hee speaketh Where hee saith Christ prayed for Saint Peter that hee might not fail these bee his owne words they are without warrant against the euidence of the story For Saint Peter did fall into a great sinne But Christ knowing that hee should fall and giuing him warning thereof prayed that though hee fell yet his faith should not faile Hee is intangled with an idle and vnnecessary confusion as though the failing of Saint Peters faith and his falling into sinne were one and the same thing Distinguish these things that are confounded and then it is cleere that Saint Peter did fall into sinne and yet his faith failed not But saith hee hee fell either totally or finally for cedo tertium The ancient Fathers writing of the sinnes of the Saints giue to him his tertium which hee requireth For when they speake of the falles of the Saints they vse to note them by this word Lapsus which though wee in English ordinarily call a fall Yet it is a tertium in respect of a totall and finall fall and so saueth such a fall from beeing either totall or finall So whether wee call Lapsus a fall or a slipping we stand not vpon words the thing wee seeke is whether euery sinne in the regenerate cutteth off faith as Maister Thomson deuised and this man seconds him This they affirme and wee deny The iust man sinneth often but who did euer say that hee looseth his faith as often as hee sinneth For in the iust and regenerate man there are two men dwelling together the old and the new man and sin that is still dwelling is sometimes working This is manifested in diuers places of the Scripture as namely Romanes 7. In which Chapter whatsoeuer some say to the contrary the Apostle speaketh in the person of a regenerate man Saint Paul confesseth that sinne dwelleth in him that the good which hee would doe that hee doth not but the euill which hee would not doe that hee doth that hee delighteth in the Law of God after the inward man which words are sufficient to prooue against the Pelagians Arminians and Papists that hee speaketh in the person of a regenerate man for an vnregenerate man cannot truely vtter those words And yet hee confesseth that he seeth an other Law in his members bringing him to the captiuity of the law of sin Then it must be confessed that sin may dwell there where faith dwelleth This doctrine is contained in the Articles of faith and religion Article 9. in these wordes Although there is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are Baptized yet the Apostle doth confesse that concupiscence and lust hath of it selfe the nature of sinne In the same Article it is saide that this concupiscence deserueth Gods wrath and damnation So that wee must admit that sinne and faith may dwell together vntill wee come to an Angelicall state And therefore sinne in a regenerate man doth not make a cutting off of faith according to the new deuised cut Yet in this is our Author resolute that Saint Peter fell totally I answer that cannot be in the regenerate where there is repugnance and reluctation As long as the warre is maintained the flesh striuing against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so long the fall is not totall neither can it bee when the spirit is still striuing and disallowing and recouering the hold againe And if this warre bee maintained there must needes bee the Spirit For the flesh doth not striue against the flesh and where the Spirit is there is faith And therefore as the Spirit is not totally lost in the regenerate though many times it may bee and is greeued so faith is not totally lost in them though they may fall into diuers sinnes by which sinnes the Spirit is greeued Saint Hilary compareth the booke of Psalmes to a bundell of keyes to open the lockes that is the difficult places of the Psalmes and of other Scriptures If the right key bee taken and rightly applyed it will open the locke The Author of the Appeale hath set a locke heere that