yet your arguments no nor yet your uncivil and disparaging language But you drive me out of the field with your dust you confound me with your confused significations I cannot plainly perceive your meaning and when I think that I have it you have another at hand because it concerns you not a little to deal in obscurities and ambiguities and to have your reserves readie and places of retreat And you either cannot or will not perceive my meaning As here in the Section next following that which I thought had been plain enough to be understood you have so taken snatching one part from the other as to wring out an impertinencie from my words that never came into my minde that so you might have something to busie your self about Quintilian will have his Oratour so to speak not onely that he may be understood but so clearly and in such a manner that he cannot possibly but be understood even by those that are negligent in hearing and are minding other matters There he some and you may be one of them that through their wilfulness make this advice of his to be needfull and a verie difficult task too you are quick enough and ready to defend whatsoever it be you chance to say and you seem as backward to apprehend what anothers meaning is But I pray if you finde no tolerable sense in what you read look it over again and mark it better lest the fault be found to be in your self As for universal objective grace by whomsoever maintained it seemeth to implicate in the terms as doth the Catholick-Romane that is an universal particular Church To which purpose may briefly be considered wherein grace as it is grace consisteth Some will tell you that it is not grace because it is given to one and denied to another but because it is given to the unworthy But the elect Angels were confirmed by grace and yet were worthy so far as any creatures can be worthy And our Saviour Jesus Christ was full of grace and did partake of Gods favour in the highest degree yet withall was most worthy Others say that if it be grace it must be added to nature and natural parts or perfections Now this indeed is true of Gods grace shewed to man but doth no way agree to grace in general neither hath it any place in such grace as one man sheweth to another or as a king sheweth to one or more of his servants or subjects But you may say to me thus The subjects of a kingdome may be supposed even every one of them more or less obnoxious to the strictness or rigour of law for submitting to a forreiner invading or a domestick usurping if the king be pleased to pardon every one of them not excepting any this would be a great grace and yet is universal therefore there may be universal grace without any opposition in the terms To this I answer Although the grace of the king thus pardoning all his subjects be universal in some respect that is in respect of the persons yet it is singular in respect of the case or of the time and in respect of the kings carriage to his subjects otherwhile And if he should in like manner pass by all offences against him and his crown during his whole reign this semper-lenitas were not grace but an aberration in government and a kinde of injustice through excess of clemencie and remissness But Gods goodness in creating all things and his providence in governing and disposing all things these two shining forth from the beginning of the world to the end cannot be called grace as being no way singular For according to Scripture and common custome of speaking grace always implieth something singular or particular therein CHAP. XXI Rahab and Cornelius IN my second Edition because I see it might be questioned touching Cornelius I left him out and mentioned besides Rahab Naaman and the Ninevites And are these any better instances to prove that Faith hath been wrought by means of Gods works Jonas preached to the Ninevites and what Faith they had was by his means and Naaman was a Proselyte and desired so much earth from the land of Israel as might serve for an altar and resolved thenceforth to offer neither offering nor sacrifice to any but the Lord. Rahab was brought to her Faith by the works of God for Israel which she heard of before the spies came to her That which Rahab knew of the true God was made known by the Church as the Apostle speaks in another case Ephes 3.10 Whether by the Church as a glass or whether by the ministerie or teaching of the Church that was the school and not the school of the creatures in which she was taught God was pleased to work faith in her by the miracles she heard of so way was made for further instruction For proof that there is varietie of means to saving faith you send me to Rom. 2. If uncircumcision keep the Law it shall be counted for circumcision Whence you seem to argue thus Pagans Infidels uncircumcised may keep the Law and do as much yea more than some Jews or Christians that have the written word and Sacraments as varietie of means Answ There were many of the Gentiles who were Proselytes to the Jews Religion and remained uncircumcised who had the knowledge of the true God and walked in obedience to him Jews inwardly and in the Spirit which were better Jews than others who were circumcised and disobedient What gather you hence for varietie of means or from the other place following chap. 3. v. 21. The righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Where Law in the first place is taken strictly for the doctrine of the Moral Law whether written or natural as it stands in opposition to the Gospel and the righteousness of God without the Law is elswhere in other words called The Righteousness of faith without works or without works of the Law And in the second place Law signifieth the writings of Moses in which Evangelical promises were many ways contained When you broach such new and scandalous opinions as you do it is not sufficient to refer to chapter and verse you should bring the words and shew wherein consists the strength of your argument or proof CHAP. XXII False conceptions Four instances I Did not quarrel with you as you say I did for making crueltie a false conception but for setting it in opposition to all mercie If you saw not this it was your own blindness whether wilfull or no I say not because I know not He taxes me with partialitie for putting four false conceptions into the same different character or else I know not wherefore I think indeed the subtillest of all our Readers is not able to finde out what should be the partialitie to include four false conceptions in the same different character And withall I think the meanest of all if he dare adventure
Cornelius and his houshold were ordained or not no bodie can tell Some will tell you that Peter himself baptized them neither is it said that Peter commanded any to baptize them but jussit haptizari he commanded them to be partakers of that Sacrament or if he commanded any man to baptize them you cannot tell but he to whom he gave that charge was ordained and have far more reason to think he was than to think he was not I think you may remember who it was that once brought an argument to your present purpose in behalf of persons unordained from the name Eucharist which signifyeth Giving of thanks What fault is it if some of Gods people administer a Thanksgiving and I do remember that a certain Authour that wrote against mixt Communions brought twenty arguments to prove the Lords Supper not to be a converting Ordinance and fetched one of them namely the eleventh from the name Eucharist The Euchharist saith he is an Ordinance of Thanksgiving and Consolation but unconverted persons are not to be called to thanks and joy but weeping and mourning So that from the word Eucharist which yet is not directly found in Scripture but assumed by the Church to note The Lords Supper while one maintaineth that He who is not a converted Christian may not be partaker of it another would maintain that He who is but a professed Christian and no more may be the minister of it Both which opinions are as unwarrantable as the reason taken from the Name is weak and groundless For in words and names we must not regard what their original is and their etymologie or whence they came but what they are brought to by use and custome if Eucharist doth signifie Thanksgiving in the Greek yet in the Church of God it is appropriate to the Lords Supper in common acception But secondly take the word in that sense whence it is taken to denote the Lords Supper and it doth not signifie Thanks-giving but Benediction or Blessing and as may easily appear by conferring the Evangelists To give thanks is to bless as when many sit down to meat at table we will suppose that all of them give thanks morally yet formally one doth give thanks or which is the same blesseth the table and when Justin Martyr Apolog. pag. 76. maketh mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the Lords Supper it is plain that he took Eucharist for Consecration or Sacerdotal benediction and not for giving of thanks From the consecrating of the bread and wine or blessing of them which is but one act the whole service is called the Eucharist So that this word being rightly understood affordeth a solid argument against lay-mens administring the Lords Supper For to whom doth it belong to bless but to the Priests and the Ministers under both the old and new Testament Deut. 10.8 to this office he separated the Tribe of Levi to bless persons and things and in this also consisted chiefly the priesthood of Melchisedek before the law of Moses was given And this may well be supposed and is moreover recorded to have been the practice of Christ and his Apostles So to conclude this matter as the people would not eat untill Samuel came because he did bless the sacrifice 1. Sam. 9. I hope there are none but Anabaptists or who are the same with somewhat more learning and more errours Socinians that will presume to eat untill a publick authoritative minister doth according to peculiar dutie bless the Sacrament CHAP. X. Of the twofold Resurrectian FOr distempered or greensick appetites that long for unwholesome food you have in this chapter especially made provision A thousand years reign upon earth in all worldly felicitie before the day of judgement But you say though you speak besides the ordinary common rode yet von trust not besides the Scriptures nor the judgement of the ancient Orthodox They had need be Scriptures of clear evidence or proof that should be brought to call in question so many principles of Divinitie plainly delivered in holy writ quite contrary to this millenarian fancie that Christ should come from heaven and raise the Saints and reign with them a thousand years and after that space the wicked should rise and receive sentence at the day of judgement First The Scripture saith Act. 3.21 The heavens must contain Jesus Christ till the times of the restitution of all things and in our Creed we beleeve that Christ from thence that is from heaven shall come to judge the quick and dead But by this opinion he should continue on earth so many years and then judge the world Secondly The day of judgement is secret and unknown shall be hid from the world and come like a snare when men shall not think of it but by this opinion all men shall know certainly when it shall be namely at the term of a thousand years Thirdly It makes two Resurrections of the bodie one a great distance of time after the other We beleeve but one Resurrection of the just and unjust the Athanasian Creed at whose coming all men shall arise with their bodies they that have done good and they that have done evil The words are most clearly grounded upon what our Saviour saith Joh. 5.28 The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Dan. 12.2 Many or the multitude of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt And those that are christs and whom the Father hath given him he will raise up at the last day not at the first day of the Resurrection as you imagine Those that are Christs at his coming and the rest afterwards but beleevers shall be raised at the last day Joh. 6. four several times there it is so said namely 39 40 44 54 verses I will raise him up at the last day It is not the last day if a thousand years follow The trump of God at the sound of which the dead shall rise 1 Thess 4. is called the last trump 1 Cor. 15.52 last not because there were any the like before it but because there shall be none after it yea because there shall be nothing at all after it it shall be in the last hour when an end shall be put to all things in this world Fourthly Our Saviour saith Joh. 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self Christ shall come back to take his disciples with him not to abide with them upon earth but to place them in the mansions of his fathers house which he went to prepare for them Fifthly This opinion makes the kingdom of God to be of this world contrary to what our Saviour saith and to consist in meat and drink contrary to what the Apostle saith whereas the
pass that he was so great an adversarie to that sect if he were not how come those men to be Manicheans whose Doctrine is the same that his was as I hope you have so much modestie as to acknowledge what danger they are in to fall into Manicheism or something that is worse who denie Gods Providence in the evil of sin so far as commonly they do denie it I wish they would timely consider and beware So much for Manicheism Verily all my instructions given to seek the Lord imply that I think God can do more than he hath done Though what he could have done more for our redemption and for providing salvation for us than to have given his onely son to death for us and raise and glorifie him as he hath done I suppose must pose all men when the time comes when God will be cleared in his sayings and in his doings and that shall be his appeal Judge between me and my vineyard what more could have been done c. and that to little comfort to the censurers of his goodness now which we desire together with his power and wisdome to adore Whether or no you have and how far in this chapter impeached three of Gods most sacred attributes namely First his Immutabilitie while you reckon it for an errour to say that he cannot will anew Secondly his Providence while you compare it with the Stoicks fate Thirdly his Omnipotence while you speak as if he could do no more than he hath done for mans salvation whatsoever he is able to do for other things This leave to others to judge who are more able to judge and whom it better becometh to give their censure Of this I am well assured that without doing wrong more or less to these three aforesaid and divesting God of them so far as to think him like our selves in things which argue our imperfection which the fiftieth Psalm reproveth as wickedness The Remonstrants Divinitie can never consist nor hold together while the world standeth And of these three attributes I understand the second namely Gods Providence to comprehend 1. his seeing and foreseeing all things 2. his upholding or maintaining all things in their being and actions 3. his orderly directing and governing all things to his own ends and according to his own will Yea whosoever looketh into their writings and is not partial will soon perceive what expence they are continually put to in making good their first breach what waste and havock they make of their old stock and patrimonie to maintain the title of their late purchase And you show your self as bad as the worst of them in giving such a maim and imperfect enumeration of the mean and helps that God hath afforded to salvation H◠hath given his Son to death raised him and glorifie him and here you stay and tell us there is n◠more that could be done very offensively yet giving us fairly leave to guess when at other times you speak of any further help or grace or strength and divine assistance whether thereby you mean any thing or nothing The means to life eternal are of two sorts The frist called Media immediata or Media interna internal and immediate means by which a Christian is placed and set in the state of regeneration and life spiritual as Faith Repentance Sanctification and justification these are proper to the Church invisible or mystical bodie of Christ The second media mediorum Or Media externa outward means tending to produce the former sort of means as not onely Preaching of the Gospel sending of Pastours Administration of the Word and Sacraments which are common to the Church visible but moreover the Incarnation of Christ his Passion and Resurrection which are in some sort and in a sense formerly explained common to all the world Now you have omitted the former sort of Means and mentioned onely this latter and most remote of Christs Death and Rising again as if you had rather follow Puccius and Huberus whom both Papist and Lutheran count Monsters than conform to the Doctrine of the reformed Churches It is a Custom with you and with other men of your minde to deface and obscure Gods Grace by discourse tending to set forth his Mercy and Goodness and Love to all mankinde But such Mercy it is by which none are saved no man is brought to heaven by universal Grace or that sufficient Help that is given to all men You may for that matter beleeve your Dutchman in his Diatriba pag. 17. Divitias illas bonitatis divinae omnes fastidirent nisi abundans misericordia Dei quosdam sib◠separâsset quibus efficacem vocationem ac finalem perseverantiam dare ab aeterno decrevisset praeteritis aliis quos demum propter impoenitentiam insidelitatem esset damnaturus The riches of Gods goodness would be despised and abused even by all men unless the mercy of God had set apart and chosen some upon whom he did decree from eternitie to bestow effectual vocation and final perseverance in Grace while he passed by others who at last are to be condemned for their impenitence and unbelief This Doctrine therefore that you so zealously obtrude upon the world is no such friend to the world as may be imagined For while you plead for some kinde of intention and will that God hath to save all men you do withall violently plead against any absolute intention he hath to save any man in particular Corvinus contr Molin cap. 12. § 25 26. Admittimus fieri potuisse ut nemo in Christum crederet ut nulla sit Ecclesia We grant it follows for what we teach that there may be no church at all and not one true beleever And it cannot well be otherwise because the preventing Grace you speak of I mean those of your minde is no other than is given in the first Covenant whereby God doth teach and instruct command and forbid and threaten and promise All this was done in the covenant of works in which yet they continued not Hebr. 8.9 And if it be not this grace you mean why should you bring the examples of the Angels in heaven and Adam in Paradise to prove the Apostasie of Saints and that true grace may fail And doubtless should man be left now as he was at the first creation in manu consilii sui Ecclus 15. in the hand of his counsel a place commonly brought to the present purpose he must needs be seduced now who fell when he had a far greater stock of strength wherewithall to resist and stand And as the grace you plead for and the onely grace you think is to be had is the same by which Adam stood and notwithstanding which he fell so is it no other nor better than that grace which is bestowed upon the reprobates for whom your Adversaries do beleeve Christ did and doth as much as you hold he did and doth for the elect both the one and the other being left to