vnderstanding onely or to any one faculty of the soule though hee place it principally in the will in regard of those natiue and inseporable qualities of true sauing saith namely confidence and affiance in Gods promises So that I wonder how this Doctrine of that good Cardinall hath escaped the flames of their Purgatory Index But his owne life paid for it when he with his fellow Cardinall Fregosus being suspected too much to fauour the Doctrine of Luther were both quickly taken out of the way non sine veneni suspicione not without suspicion of poyson But those Diuines that liued in more ancient ages contented themselues with the most simple but most eâ—phaticall tearmes of the Scripture not troubling their heads with quirks and questions of this nature whether faith were in the vnderstanding or in the will c but with the Scripture they include altogether in the heart the seate and confluence of all the powers of the soule Bernard saith that first the sâ—â—ncere roote of holy faith is planted in the ground of mans heart and when faith is fully growne vp it becomes as a great tree hauing in it sundry sorts of apples wherewith the soule being full of God is refreshed St. August takes no more care but to place faith in the soule Vnder whence comes death in the soule because faith is not there whence in the body because the soule is not there therefore the soule of the soule is faith Againe Fides quae credit in Deum vita anima existit per hanc iustus viuit Faith which beleeueth in God is the life of the soule and by it the iust man liueth And speaking of the vnderstanding hee saith Intellectus merces est sides c. The vnderstanding is the reward of faith doe not then seeke to vnderstand that thou maist beleeue but beleeue that thou maist vnderstand And againe Intellectui fides viam aperit infidelitas claudit faith opens the way to the vnderstanding but infidelity shuts it And speaking of the will he saith Fides excitat ad exercitium voluntatem Faith stirreth vp the will to excercise And in a word Fides sic est in anima vt radix bona quae pluuiam in fructum ducit Faith is so in the 〈◊〉 as a good roote which peoduceth the raine into fruit I might adde many others but this may suffice Babylonius But Sir whereas you seeme to oppugne the Councell of Trent doth it not also acknowledge faith to be the roote of all other graces Doe the Church of Rome right I 〈◊〉 you Orthodoxus God forbid else The prouerbe is Giue the Diuel his due Indeede the Trent Councell confesseth that faith is the beginning of mans saluation the foundation and roote of all iustification But vnder this painted Sepulcher she buries the bones of true sauing faith which she hath slaine there to ly rotting as the Iewes did with Gods Prophets whom their Fathers had slaine and vpon the foundation they erect the Monument and Trophe of their Pageantfaith For vndertaking to glâ—sse vpon the Apostles wordes A man is iustified by faith and gratis freely she saith These wordes are to be vnderstood in that sense which the perpetuall consent of the Catholicke Church hath holden and expressed to wit that we are said therefore to be iustified by faith because it is the beginning of mans saluation the foundation and root of all iustification So that they attribute iustification to faith not simply for it selfe but relatiuely as it hath reference to the fruits whereof they say faith is the roote namely their inherent righteousnesse But the truth is this restrained yea constrained sense of theirs is most absurd and senslesse as hauing neither foundation nor roote of reason to support and maintaine it All is but wordes They neither meane nor will nor can maintaine it For how is faith a beginning of grace if grace be no necessary consequent of their faith For they confesse they may haue faith and want grace which is the Diuels case Or how is faith the roote of grace and iustification sith it is impossible for this roote to produce any fruite at all For how can a dead roote bring forth any liue-fruite And they confesse their faith to be a dead and dry roote of it selfe vntill the sap of charity be powred into it to actuate and quicken this otherwise dead roote So that by Babylons Doctrine the fruite must giue life to the roote not the roote to the fruite And yet forsooth faith must be the roote of iustification the foundation of mans saluation Surely the Prouerbe may here well be verified Dignum patella operculum like roote like iustification both dead like foundation like building both sandy yea meere aery and imaginary Babylonius But is not faith dead and vnformed vntill it be inliued and formed by charity Doth not St. Iames say that as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also Therefore the good workes of charity giue life vnto faith as the soule to the body Orthodoxus Doth charity giue life to faith How is then faith the roote your owne reason may teach you the contrary as wee haue showed But to that place of Saint Iames it is too commonly abused For marke first hee saith not As the body without the soule is dead but as the body without the spirit is dead The spirit is the breath by which the body is knowne to liue So that the body receiueth life from the soule but sheweth it by the spirit which it breatheth The spirit then is an effect and signe not a cause of the life of the body So charity and the workes therof are a fruite and effect breathing from sauing faith testifying that it is a liuing faith not causing it so to be for that were to turne the tree vpside downe as if the roote which is faith should receiue life sap and groweth from the branches And it is plaine by the whole analogy and tenure of the chapter that the Apostle speakes of good workes as they are demonstratiue signes and fruits of a liuing faith not as causes of it Againe he putteth a distinct difference betweene the true sauing faith which alwaies shewes it selfe to liue by the fruits of it for it is that faith euer working by loue and betweene a false counterfeit faith such as is dead and knowne to bee so by the not breathing out of good workes So that the true sauing iustifying faith is that which worketh by loue So the Apostle saith But how by loue as by the efficient mouing cause of the working of it or rather as the instrumentall cause moued by the hand of faith Loue is faiths instrument whereby it worketh Yea it is an inseparable quality of sauing faith whereby faith workes as the heat is the inseperable quality of the fire whereby the fire worketh This is the Doctrine also of the ancient Fathers They so make faith the roote as
immortall God to dye no not for a moment Of this nature also is the borne of God hee cannot fall away totally that is dye in his spirituall life no not for a moment for hee is borne of that Father the seede of that God remaineth abideth in him and neuer departeth from him which is immortall and cannot dye This truth that the borne of God are preserued from euer falling from grace is confirmed by many other cleare places of Scripture if time would permit to recite them Now this being so cleare a proofe if any places of Scripture seeme to be opposite they are so onely in sound not in sense For proofe the Scriptures are full of admonitions the onely proofes that they bring for their opinions against the positiue truth to take heede of falling away from the grace of God as Heb. 12. 13. So 1 Cor. 10. 12. He that think he standeth let him take heed lest he fall the like also of exhortation if any man be fallen as Ezech 18. and elsewhere all which places must not so be taken as if Gods children did at any time fall away totally from grace but they are as so many Preseruatiues and Antidotes as so many directions to keep Gods childe in his way they are a part of those meanes which God hath ordained to preserue vs in the way from falling Hereupon I remember Saint Augustine saith excellently alledgâ—ng these words Reu. 3. 11. Tene quod habes c. Hold that thou hast least another take thy Crowne now that these things are so spoaken euen to the saints that shall perseuere as if it were vncertaine that they shall perseuere they ought not to heare this otherwise to whom it belongeth not to bee high minded but feare Hence also it was saide to the Apostles If yee shall abide in me himselfe speaking it who knew full well that they would abide in him And by the Prophet If yee be willing and will hearken vnto mee when himselfe knew in whom he would worke euen to will And many such things are spoken for the vtility and profit of this secret least any should be puffed vp but that all euen thâ—se that runne well should feare So he Nothing can be added to it Againe when wee reade of any Apostates and such as make shipwracke of faith as 2 Tim. 2. Himeneus and Alexander and the like then haue recourse to that saying of Saint Iohn 1. 2. 19. where speaking of Antichristian reuolters saith They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had ben of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. For there is a common temporarie faith a commoÌ„ grace a common illumination whereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 6. from which men may fall away totally and finally as Iudas and Iulian and others but the sauing grace the iustifying faith which is proper to Gods elect is of the foundation of God which standeth sure vpon which they that are built shall neuer fall away as Aquinas in Rom. 8. ver 30. whom he hath iustified them he hath glorified To this purpose I remember a saying or two of Saint Augustine Fides Christi c. The faith of Christ the faith of Christian grace namely that faith which worketh by loue being put in the foundation permits none to perish And in another place Nic nos moueat c. Nor let it moue vs saith he that God doth not giue this perseuerance to some of his sonnes For there are some who because of a temporarie grace receaued are called of vs the sonnes of God and yet with God they are not so of whom Iohn speaketh They went out from vs but they were not of vs they were not of the number of sonnes no not when they were in the faith of sonnes For the sonne of promise perisheth not but the sonne of perdition Those were of the multitude of the called not of the small number of the elect And againe in the 9. Chapter reciting Christs words Si man eritis in verbo meo c. If ye abide in me then are yee my Disciples indeed he saith Therefore because they had not perseuerance as also being not Christs Disciples indeede so neither were they the sons of God indeed euen then when they seemed to be and were called so Therefore we call those both the elect Disciples of Christ and the soâ—â—â—s of God because they are so to be called whom being regenerate to wit sacramentally and in our account wee see to line godly but then they are indeede that which they are called if they abide in that for which they are so called But if they haue not preseuerance they are not truly called that which they are called and are not Thus we see Saint Augustine following the rule of Gods word hath truly laid downe the state of the perseuerance of Gods saints in faith and grace distinguishing all along betweene sauing grace and common temporary grace betweene iustifying faith and common historicall faith betweene the outward ordinarie calling of Christians and the inward effectuall calling betweene the externall regeneration and the internall betweene the sonnes of God in mens account or in appearance and those in Gods account and in truth And in this sense not otherwise is that to bee vnderstood which the Appealer vrgeth of all that are baptized of whom we professe wee beleeue that they are regenerate and in the state of grace who comming afterwards to liue lewdly and so to dye the Author by their example would proue both a totall and finall falling away from grace True it is that Baptisme is called regeneration but Sacramentally and so all children baptised are said to be regenerate and so generally wee beleeue they are saved while we iudge them to be in the state of grace in regard of the common sacred Ordinance of God which is alwayes effectuall if it be accompanyed with the effectuall and inward working of the Spirit of God and received by a saving faith wrought by the same Spirit I say all children duely baptized we beleeue to be made the members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heaven and to be saved dying before the committing of any such sinnes as might giue vs occasion to judge and beleeue the contrary This is the pious faith of the Church and of Christians Yet though in our accompt many are called by receiuing the outward Ordinances of God and the externall ordinary meanes of salvation notwithstanding in Gods account few are chosen And the chosen are onely those that are truely saved in Gods account The Lord knoweth who are his As aboue Saint Augustine speaking of the impious after baptisme saith Fuerunt isti c. Such were of the multitude of those that bee called not of the small number of the Elect. Babylonius But Saint Aug as our Authour alledgeth him both
in this booke and in his Gagge deliuereth it as an Article of the Creede Credendum est quosdam de filâ—is perditionis non accepto dono persuerandi vsque in finem in fide quae per dilectionem operatur incipere vinere aliquandiu iuste fideliter vinere et postea cadere c. That some may fall away quite from that faith which worketh by loue And you see the words there Iustè fideliter and postea CADERE are set downe in Capitall letters as being most remarkable Orthodoxus It is a faire flourish indeed I remember the place quoted in his former booke nor doth hee in this vary from that But I must tell you the Authour besides his misquoting of the * booke hath not dealt altogether so squarely with Saint Augustine herein as hauing broken off the chiefe corner of this stone which else would stand firme and vniforme with the entire fabricke of Saint Augustines building For Saint Augustine speaking there of perseuerance to admonish the truely faithfull to be the more carefull in the constant pursuit of it he setteth downe the sentence thus PROPTER HVIVS VTILITATEM SECRETI Which words the Appealler leaues out credendum est c. Which words are the maine qualification and seasoning of the whole sentence that is in regard of the benefit of this secret Credendum est c. Which wee may translate wee are to suppose as well as we must beleeue But if wee must beleeue it it is propter huius vtilitatem secreti a phrase which S. Augustine often vseth vpon this purpose And wherfore would Saint Augustine haue vs to thinke or beleeue so but to containe vs the better within the bounds of feare and humilitie in regard of our humaine frailtie as he specifieth both a little before and after this sentence And elsewhere hee saith expresly to the purpose God iudged it better to mingle somâ— that should not perseuere among the certaine number of his Saints that they for whom securitie in the tentation of this life is not expedient might not be secure Babylonius But Saint Augustine saith that a man may fall from that faith which worketh by loue and so dye in that fall Orthodoxus Besides the former qualification PROPTER HVIVS HVIVS VTILIT ATEM SECRETI and besides our former allegations out of Saint Augustine he doth in another place speake conclusiuely with an asseueration saying The faith of those which worketh by loue doth in very deede either not faile at all or if their bee any whose faith doth faile it is repaired before this life be ended and the iniquity which came betweene being blotted out perseuerance is reckoned euen vnto the end Now if this be true that faith worketh by loue either faileth not at all or if it doc any whit faile it is repaired in time then his former speech of the falling away from faith working by loue is to be vnderstood not really of true faith working by loue but as it is in apparance to our sense as hee saith formerly of the sonnes of God Yea Saint Augustine is so copious in this point of perseuerance of Gods Saints that I maruell any man that hath read Saint Augustine of these points would euer meddle with him in this matter to wrest one bare mangled testimonie against so many pregnant proofes of this truth And to conclude this clause with Saint Augustine who saith nothing but vpon the expresse ground of Scripture Christ saying saith he Rogaui pro te c. I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not let vs vnderstand as spoken to him which is built vpon a Rocke and so the man of God not onely because he hath obtained mercy to be faithfull but also because faith it selfe doth not faile He that glorieth let hiâ— glory in the Lord. And againe God doth worke in his Saints a will to perseuere that because they shall not perseuere vnlesse they both can and will therefore both the power and will of perseuering is by the bountie of Gods grace giuen vnto them therefore the weaknesse of mans will is helped that by Gods grace it might be firmely and vnseperably vpholden and therefore though weake yet it should not faile nor be ouercome by any aduersitie And he that holds the contrary hee calls him Inimicum gratiae Dei an enemy to the grace of God Babylonius But iustifying faith may be diminished and consequently wholly abolished Orthodoxus It doth not necessarily follow Faith indeede may be saide to be diminished in regard of the act operation externall fruits sense and apprehension of it but not in regard of the habit and substance of it To illustrate this a little The seede cast into the ground lyes there hid appeares not for a good space is it therefore dead waite a little and so it begins to sprout and spring forth and by degrees commeth to a mature haruest The sappe in the winter lyes hid in the roote and the withered vine seemes dead with cold yet the cold blowne ouer and sommer approching so the goodly leaues it puts forth and goodlier clusters vnto a full vintage The Sunne ecclipsed by the Moones interposition or by some blacke cloud from our aspect yet wee know it keepeth his course looseth none of the natiue light the while onely our sense misseth it till anon it breake forth with a fresh luster and glory The soule while the body suffereth a kind of dâ—liquium or fowning though now it exercise not the organicall operations 〈◊〉 the body yet we know the soule is inâ—ue and whole still without any substantiall diminution so that the body being reuiued with some aqua caelestis the soule actuates euery organ and member of it afrâ—sh as before The ship as that wherein Christ slepâ— may be euen couered ouer with waues and giuen for lost as in the Disciples sense and apprehension but Christ being awakened and commanding a calme the ship comes safe to the Port. The fire raked vp close vnder the ashes though you neither see nor feele it yet so it is preserued till the morning to feede vpon new fewell A man in a deepe or dead sleepe may seeme dead but awakening hee feeles himselfe the more refreshed after his sounder sleepe So is faith It is a seede though but as a graine of mustard seede well may it lye hid for a time yet the while it is but fastning the root the more firmely to bring forth the better and more abundant fruite It is the sappe which in time of wintery persecutions and afflictions coucheth close to the heart roote but the sommer of Gods comforts returning it displayeth it selfe in leaues and fruits shewing plainly it was not dead though to our sense it seemed so It is the Sun inlightning the soule which though ecclipsed from our sense by some interposition of transitory temptation yet retaines his full light holding on his insensible course and when this nubecula pertransibit when
this cloud is ouer it sends forth new rayes of grace It is the soule of the soule which euen in the middest of extream fainting of the soule yet remaines intire without diminution by the aqua caelestis of Gods neuer failing mercy actuates euery faculty of the soule afresh to the atchieuing of greater workes It is the ship of good hope which when couered with waues sets prayers to awaken Christ asleepe in it who by and by stilleth the storme or sends his Angel as to Paul to assure him that none in this little barke of ours shall perish but safely arriue vpon the hony hauen of Melita euen that true hony-flowing land of Canaan It is a fire which while raked vp vnder the dead ashes of deepe contrition though it seeme dead yeelding neither light nor warmth to our weake senses yet it is but fostered for a new fire that though heauinesse for sinne may indure for a night yet ioy of faith commeth in the morning feeding it selfe with the fewell of new works of obedience flaming forth in a holy conuersation The faithfull man as Dauid as Peter may be ouertaken with a dead sleepe of faith but awakened by grace his soule is inlightned that hee sleepes not in death but as the Sunne arising reioyceth as a gyant to runne his course with greater alacritie and vigor Thus wee see the fruite of sauing faith may be for a time suppressed yet the roote not supplanted the act of it may be suspended yet the habit not lost it may be ecclipsed to our sense yet his light not lessened or his course stayed it may bee in a dead sleepe yet liue faint yet not faile sicke yet not to death weather beaton yet not wracked languish yet not perish Babylonins But the famous Schollar Doctor Ouerall alledged by the Authour late Deane of Pauls and Bishop of Norwich held that a man might fall from grace into the very state of damnation and so remaine vnder Gods wrath till hee did recouer Yea that he auouched this to his late Maiestie and what concertations hee had with other Doctors in the Vniuersitie about it Orthodoxus If we take vp all the Appealer faith vpon trust without further examination wee shall recken before our host for hee playes the shuffler egregiously Nor will he I perceiue to saue his owne stake sticke to pawne the best credit of the most famous of our Church for the security of his most shamelesse slaunders of the truth And if we had not all the better euidence to conuince him he would carry it away hand smooth with downe right daring Pardon my zeale hearein I cannot but be moued when not only Godscause and glory then which nothing ought to be more precious vnto vs but also the credit of our learned and reuerend Fathers is so traduced But the summe of the Conference before the Kings Maiestie at Hampton Court now newly published in print will tell vs the plaine truth of the matter And that we may not with the Appealer falsifie the truth in dealing by halfes I will giue you the intire words of that worthy Deane and reuerend Bishop as they are set downe in the 42 page of that booke Namely that whosoeuer although before iustified did commit any greeuous sin as adultery murther treason or the like did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath and guiltie of damnation or were in state of damnation quoad praesentem statum vntill they repented adding hereunto that those which were called iustified according to the purpose of Gods election howsoeuer they might and did sometime fall into greiuous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to be vtterly destitute of all the parts and sccde thereof nor finally from iustification but were in time renued by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely faith and repentance and so iustified from those sinnes and the wrath curse and guilt annexed thereunto whereinto they are fallen and wherein they lay so long as they were without true repentance for the same Doe we not see plainely here how hee distinguisheth betweene a common iustification in regard of the externall and ordinary meanes of the Word and Sacraments and the true and reall iustification according to Gods purpose yet in the first he maketh no mention of a totall falling away Or if the Appealer will contend that so much is implyed we will not contend for that for such as are not truely and really iustified according to Gods purpose but onely according to the externall vocation no maruaile if they both totally and finally fall away But for those that are iustified according to Gods purpose to wit the elect and praedestenate vnto life he saith expresly that though they may and doe fall into greiuous sinnes yet they neuer fall either totally or much lesse finally from the grace of God but are in time renewed by Gods Sririt vnto a liuely faith and repentance A golden speech which all the Apealers chimicall counterfeit Philosophers stone cannot so easily transmute into his base copper alcumy coyne how brauely and boldly soeuer he braze it on according to his rule Caluâ—niare audacter aliquid barâ—bit To conolude this point of perseuerance in true grace it stands firmely built vpon sure grounds and euident reasons set downe in the Scriptures such as no wit of man or deuill can ouerthrow For the purpose one reason of the elects perseuerance in grace vnto glory is taken from the nature of that holy feare which God puts in the hearts of all his faithfull ones as Ier. 32. 39 40. where the Lord saith I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer c. And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So here is a double reason of the Saints perseuerance first on Gods part He will not turne away from them to doe them good and that by an eternall couenant And secondly they shall not depart from him Vpon which words Saint Augustine saith Quod quid est aliud quam talis actantus erit timor meus quem dabo in cor coruÌ„ vt mihi perseueranter adhareant which what is it else but that my feare which I will put in their hearts shall bee such and so great that they shall perseueringly cleaue vnto me A second reason is alledged Ioh. 13. 1. drawne from the immutabilitie and eternity of Christs loue to his elect saying Hauing loued his owne which were in the world he loued them vnto the end * And as the Apostle saith The gifts and calling of God are without repentance A third reason of the Saints perseuerance is taken from the power of Christ and of the Father Ioh. 10. 28. where Christ saith I giue vnto
take vpon mee to be a censurer of bookes much lesse of an Appeale to Caesar if the Author haue any just cause for which to Appealâ— to Caesar and which is just and fit for Caesar to judge no doubt but hee shall finde a just Caesar to doe him right But the points you seeme to propose to me are matters of Faith wherein the Author seemeth too suspicious of his owne cause that like to fraudulent Merchants who haue run themselues into many mens debt and danger hee appeales to Caesar to haue a protection for his person But blessed be God wee haue a Caesar The Defender of the Faith not a protector of oppugners and vnderminers of the Faith And for matters of Faith our Caesar knowes they ought to be pleaded onely at Gods barre and tryed at the Common Law of the holy Land the Scriptures Nor will hee giue way for any Prohibition out of any Court of Chancery or conscience which may inhibite the proceeding of Gods cause in Gods Court by any prerogatiue whatsoeuer Therefore in such causes causes of Faith I say to appeale to Caesar giues to speake plainly a strong suspition of the weakenesse at least of the cause For so did Heretickes in times past to maintaine their heresies they had no other way but to patronize themselues vnder Caesars wings Thus did the Arians so mightilie preuaile against the Orthodox professors by the onely helpe and authority of Caesar. Not that I impute heresie to the Author of this booke onely for his appeale to Caesar. Let the booke like Baal plead for it selfe Asotus Sir you make me begin to suspect something Did Hereticks so as you say I pray you for my better satisfaction giue me some example of it Orthodoxus I will briefly Constantine the great he that restored the Church to a generall peace and calme sitting at the first Councell of Nice not as Iudge but rather as a Minister as himselfe piously confessed did for his part ratifie the Councels Decrees against Arius yet afterwards growing old hee was wonne by a woman his sister Constantia and she seduced by a sycophantizing Arian Priest to recall Arius from banishment that hee might againe declare his Faith whereof comming before the Emperour he made such a cunning confession as formerlie hee had done to the whole Councell of Nice which he had well nigh imposed vpon by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in steed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that the good Emperour suspecting no deceit tooke it to be in all points the very same with the Councels owne confession yet so as hee referred Arius to the determination of a Councell But the Emperour not long after dying Arius with his faction creepe into the fauour and protection of Constantines successors especially of his sonne Constantins who was by the same Arian Priest who had formerly inueagled Constantia about Arius perswaded to fauour and protect the Arians and the rather was the Emperour perswaded by this old Priest because Constantine had committed to him his last Will and Testament to deliuer it to his sonne Constantius which he did Thus Arius by his Appeale to Caesar and by the cunning insinuaâ—ion of his craftie confederate an old Court Priest got footing againe and had in all likelihood mightilie preuailed but that God in justice to that impious impostor and in mercy to his Church and children calling the cause into his superiour Court cut Arius short by a suddaine and strange infamous iudgement euen in hot blood as he was going with all his pompe and traine into the Cathedrall in Constantinople in despight of the good Bishop Alexander who all the night before and that morning continued his earnest supplications to God prostrate in the Temple to â—uert and preuent Arius from setting his wicked foote and proude Standard of triumph against Christ in that sacred place His deuout and zealous prayers were heard and Arius his infamous death strucke all his traine with a shamefull amazement and confusion I would this example might teach the Appealler to tremble before that God from whose Tribunall is no appeale but by speedie flying with repentance to his throne of grace and mercie in Iesus Christ. But for the Appeale here let me tell you thus much by the way which I dare be bold to auouch that as he thinks he hath done politickly so I know hee hath done very poorely to appeale to Caesar being such a Caesar as when his many waightie affaires shall lend him leisure to view the Appeale the Appealer will quickly find his owne errour and haue cause to repent his appealing to a Prince of such dexteritie and judgement as in humaine so also in diuine matters Asotus Sir I thanke you I am satisfied in this matter Now let me intreat you to performe your promise in resoluing some doubts ministred by this booke Orthodoxus If you instance any particular I am ready to doe my best indeauour Asotus Sir because this Gentleman my friend hath some more learning then my selfe and is somewhat acquainted with the booke I shall entreate him to propouÌ„d and obiect and your selfe to resolue the Obiections Babylonius Friend Asotus I pray you doe not impute that to mee which I was neuer guiltie of as matter of learning yet if as a friend you impose this taske vpon me to ease you I will the more willingly vndertake it prouided that where you see me faile you will supplieâ— and Master Orthodoxus pardon I shall onely act your part in propounding those particular pointâ— which you say are contrary to those which Master Orthodoxus hath taught you as being also the most materiall things in the booke Asotus Sir I thanke you I desire no more Babylonius Then to begin in order as they lye the first thing is about the losse of Faith and Iustification in the third Chapter and so consequently of falling away from grace totally in the fourth Chapter and if totally possibly also finally without recouery Now although the Authour doe not auouch absolutely his owne oppinion yet hee proues the affirmatiue from antiquitie of Fathers and from the authoritie of the Church of England vnto whose Articles and Homilies all the Ministers thereof haue subscribed Now we desire your resolution herein Orthodoxus True it is that the Authour is very cauâ—elous in auerring any thing in his owne opinion especially in points of such consequence therein I commend his wit as the Lord did the wisdome of the vniust Steward but his priuate conception hee fathereth vpon the Fathers and his mother Church yet it is to be concluded that what he goes about to proue by the Fathers and by the authoritie of the Church of England though most falsly by him forced and forged glosses himselfe is of the same judgement with them and by the way for the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England wee subscribed vnto them indeede but not to the priuate sense which any particular man may make of them Now
for losse of faith he must meane iustifying and sauing faith and not that faith of the Romane Church hee alledgeth the 16. Article in these words After we haue receiued the holy Ghâ—st we may depart from grace giuen fall into sinne and by the grace of God wee way rise againe and amende our liues Now in all due remembrance to my blessed mother the Church of England is it not as lawfull for mee her Sonne to take her in a good sense as for another in a bad And if it be lawfull for me to interpret her words according to the letter it is one thing recedâ—re a gratia another excidere one thing to depart aside as out of the way erroniously another 〈◊〉 fall quite away and to abandon the way at least for the time to fall quite away from grace nor doth the Article speake of a totall falling away but of such slips as are recouered by repentance against the Doctrine of Nâ—â—atus as is there expressed It being one thing to fall into sin of infirmitie another to fall away from grace totally But if by departing be meant a totall falling away then how doth this accord with the Scripture that saith If such as were once enlightned c doe fall away it is impossible they should be renewed againe to repentance Againe for the words of the Homilie alledged by the Appealer they containe a wholsome admonition to pietie and perseuerance therein but they mention no totall falling away from true and sauing grace in any one particular true beleeuer Therefore by departing is meant some other thing then any totall falling away from grace so that howsoeuer wee imbrace and adore the generall Doctrine of the Church of England our deare Mother yet whatsoeuer she saith we must not presently take it at the first rebound according to our priuate fancie which what it affects and inclines to it can easilie as the corrupt stomacke assimilate euen wholesome meates and cause them to corrupt or as the Naturall thinkes the bells ring that which hee imagines so apt is mans fancie to take words rather by the sound then by the sense to feede his pre-conceiued opinion yet as neither the Church of England her selfe auoucheth or concludeth any thing for Doctrine and matter of Faith but so farre as is consonant to the word of God so that her Doctrines are to be called the Doctrines of God rather than of the Church so neither are we to measure her Doctrines but by the onely line and rule of the Scriptures But by the Scriptures there is either no totall falling away from grace or if there be as from the common grace it must necessarily be finall too for it is impossible saith the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 such as fall away should be renewed againe to râ—pentance Therefore the Church of Englands words speaking of dâ—pâ—â—ting from grace and yet of returning againe cannot be understood of a totall falling away of particular persons from 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 grace so that it appeaâ—es the Appeallâ—r hath wrested the words of the Article to his owne fancie he should first conclude out of the Scriptures that there is a falling away from grace totally But if the Scriptures teach the contrary let no man fasten such a reproach vpon the Church of England casting durt in his Mothers face as teaching otherwise then her heauenly Husband hath taught in his Word Babylonius But where doe the Scriptures teach that a man cannot fall away from grace and saâ—ing 〈◊〉 after he once hath it Orthodoxus In many places and that so pregnantly and definitiuely as the very Aduersaries of this truth confesse it may be waued and taken indifferently either way whither for a penny as we say their OpinioÌ„ or Gods Truth Babylonius But if Scripture say and gainsay how shall we beleeue them or how shall we reconcile them Orthodoxus Very easily for as there is but one truth so if wee first pitch vpon that truth where wee finde it clearely and positiuely laid downe in the Scripture then whatsoeuer places of scripture seeme to contradict yet the sense thereof must of necessitie bee reduced to that positiue truth For the purpose 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sinne because hâ— is borne of God Here is set downe a positiâ—e truth Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne and the reasons are annexed first for the seede of God remaiâ—eth in him and secondly because he is borne of God he cannot sinne But this seemes a hard and a darke saying doe not Gods 〈…〉 sinne yoâ— surâ—ly for In many things we 〈◊〉 all saith Saint 〈◊〉 but the same Apostle cleares the sense in his 5. Chapter of the Epistle Verse 16 17. There is a sinne vnto death and there is a 〈◊〉 not vnto death now Gods children commit sinne which is not vnto death whereof ver 16. If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shall aske and he shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death But of the sinne that is vnto death of that the Apostle speakes ver 18. Wee know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is not vnto death Now Gods child sinneth not vnto death that is falleth not from faith as Saint Augustinâ— vnderstands this sin vnto death neither totally nor much lesse finally for the seede of God remaineth in him The seede of God is the holy Spirit of God by which as a holy and liuing seede wee are begotten and borne of God This seedâ— is that annointing whereof the Apostle speakes 1 Iohn 2. 27. The annointing which yee haue receiued of â—im abideth in you and therefore yee shall abide in him Therefore none shall be able to seduce you v. 26. Now if thâ— the annointing abide in vs if the seede of God remaines in vs how then can we fall totally much lesse finally from grace for the Spirit of grace remaineth in vs. So long as this seed of God remaines in vs and being once receiued it abideth with vs Gods regenerate cannot so degenerate as by falling from grace to cease to be his sonnes He that is of the blood royall yea who is descended immediately from the Kings owne loynes cannot cease to bee the Kings sonne for the seede and blood of the King is in him And yet though a Kings sonne may degenerate from his Fathers vertues notwithstanding his Fathers blood bee in him yet the bâ—gotten of God as they haue his seede alwaies remaining 〈◊〉 them so it is an actiue quickning and pregnant seede springing vp to life eterâ—all wherin Gods child groweth in grace till he be a perfect man in Christ Iasus Againe this seede of God is immortall as the Father is immortall Now as a mortall father begets a mortall son So the immortall God can beget no sonne but is immortall as his Father is It is impossible for the