So these two Opinions offend much against Gods Goodnesse and Truth yet this second well acknowledgeth that God decreed something upon his foreknowledge what man would doe being permitted That this foreknowledge is so certain that upon it God builded his greatest Counsels of the mystery of the Gospell as upon the foreknowledge of Adams fall the decree to send Christ Secondly It provideth well for the justice of God on Infants dying who have no other desert of death but Originall sin from which as to the paine of eternall death Gods mercy delivereth whom hee pleaseth by Baptisme or the vow thereof in the holy Church Parvulorū autem causam ad exemplum Majorum non patiuntur afferri sayes Hilary of the Massilienses in which they were right for the Election or Reprobation which is of Infants that live not to years of discretion is no necessary pattern for the Election or Reprobation of them that live into a further Age. The Defenders of this Opinion claime our 17. Article as for them and surely better may they doe it than they of the former for those words To deliver from curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen import a curse and damnation fallen into by those who are delivered But how those words chosen in Christ and the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ and those words Wee must receive Gods Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scriptures How these will stand with a decree of Election made before Christ be thought on otherwise than as the Meanes to bring the Elect to salvation for the Article makes these two things To choose some in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation or how a generall promise will stand with a particular purpose meaning or intending the promise but to some few let them consider how they can make it good by their Doctrine and I will consider how I can make it good which the Article saith by the Doctrine of the fifth Opinion As to the appeale to Bucer and P Martyr for the sense of our Articles used by Doctor Whitakers in his time and of late by the Bishop of Chichester Carleton the answer is full 1. That Bucer is not of the same Opinion with Martyr nor Carleton with Whitakers in the apprehension of the order of Predestination 2. That it is not true that the Disciples of P. Martyr and Bucer composed our Articles for these Articles on which there is now question were the same under King Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth but the Bishops and Divines under King Edw. 6. had composed the Articles and Liturgy before P. Martyr and Martin Bucer came hither as doth appeare in Mr. Fox his story To Bellarmine objecting that England had Bucer and Martyr Seminatores fidei the renowned Doctor Andrews answereth p. 31. Non tamen Si verum volumus seminarunt duo illi viri fidem in Anglia c. Neverthelesse if we will speake truth those two men did not plant the reformed faith in England but sought to weede out some Tares of superstition long since oversow'd by you Papists Although even those Tares themselves before their comming hither were for the most part condemnd and rooted out But these men entred upon others labours and bestow'd their paines also here that they might be helpfull to them in Vniversity matters 3. Whosoever were the chiefe Composers of our Articles of whom it is certain Archbishop Cranmer was one they had more respect to the Augustan Confession than to any other as appeares by the very Identity of many of the Articles and more familiarity with Melanchton and Erasmus than any other Divines singularly approving their Expositions of the sacred Scriptures and of the principall Articles of the Christian Faith insomuch that they caused to be translated into English Erasmus paraphrase on the Gospels and injoyn'd them to be studyed by Priests and to lye ready in Churches for all men to reade and as it were to drinke in the Doctrine of Scriptures according to Erasmus his interpretation whose writings which way they goe in those controversies all men well know that have read them CHAP. 3. The Third Opinion THe third Opinion seemes to be defended by the reverend and learned late Bishop of Norwich Doctor Overald and Richard Thompson his diligent Audiditor and familiar as may be gathered out of the Bishops judgement de quinque Articulis in Belgia controversis and out of the Conference at Hampton Court and out of Thompsons Diatribe de intercisione justitiae c. 4. And it is 1. That God decreed to create mankinde good c. as the second Opinion said 2. That he foresaw the fall of man c. as in the same second Opinion was said 3. That he decreed to send his Sonne to dye for the World and his Word to call and to offer salvation unto all men with a common and sufficient grace in the meanes to worke faith in Men if they bee not wanting to themselves 4. That out of Gods fore knowledge of mans infirmity and that none would believe by this common grace he decreed to adde a speciall grace more effectuall and abundant to whomsoever he pleased chosen according to his own Purpose and Grace by which they shall not onely bee able to believe but also actually believe This Opinion if I understand it aright I have not found expresly or strictly examined by any Divine Doctor Abbot in his animadversion upon Thompsons Diatribe suspecteth * c. 4. Insuavis quidam gravis halitus Arminiani dogmatis Arminianisme in it and rejected it But Doctor Overald doth clearely sever it from the Remonstrants Tenet as you shall see by and by I object it thus 1. That common Grace by which no man is sav'd which is inferiour to the infirmity of man is not the Grace of the Gospell nay deserves not the name of Grace which never brought forth the effect Salvation 2. That superabundant speciall effectuall Grace seemes not to be the Grace of the Gospell being rejected of none to whom it is offered for the Grace of the Gospell is such as is receiv'd by some and the selfe same rejected by other some to some 't is in vaine to others not in vaine 3. This Opinion with the two former seemes to bring in a certaine desperation into the mindes of men as was of old objected to St. Augustine seeing none can be saved but by that speciall and abundant Grace which is given but to a few out of the secret purpose of God which whether God doth intend to give or no the generall promises in the Gospell do not assure seeing they sound no more than a common grace which is ineffectuall by this Opinion But before I censure it farther bee it presented unto you in the words of one of the most illuminate Doctors of our Age. There were five Articles controverted in Holland 1. Of Gods Predestination 2. Of
was made we are in God through the knowledge which is had of us and the love which is borne towards us from everlasting But in God we are actually no longer than onely from the time of our naturall adoption into the body of his true Church into the fellowship of his children For his Church he knoweth and loveth so that they which are in the Church are thereby knowne to be in him our being in Christ by eternall foreknowledge saveth us not without our actuall and reall adoption into the fellowship of his Saints in this present world for in him we actually are by our actuall incorporation into that society which hath him for their head c. By the change of the letter are marked out the things which I would wish the Reader to marke with his attentive mind THE THIRD PART CHAP. I. Of the Creation THe Creation of the World was the first act of Gods Power beginning to execute in time his Counsell and Decree which was from everlasting The World is that whole frame of Gods building set up perfected and furnished according to the plot or modell in the minde and purpose of God who hath built all things Heb. 3. 4. In it God made manifest the invisible things of his Wisdome and Goodnesse to his own glory Rom. 1. 20. Therein he hath made Creatures of sundry Natures Motions and Perfections to sundry ends Above others he created Man in more excellent perfections to a more excellent end For hee created Man an Image of God as farre as was meete for a Creature to partake of the Divine Nature that was to be Good but Mutable This Image or likenesse to God was to be seen in three things the first and second as Mans perfections the third as his End 1. In Vnderstanding and Will 2. In Holinesse and Righteousnesse 3. In Immortality Blessednesse These three were subalternate one to the other Understanding and Will to Righteousnesse Righteousnesse to Blessednesse Blessednesse to bee the reward of Righteousnesse and Righteousnesse to bee the worke of Willingnesse for vertue is not necessitatis sed voluntatis CPAP. II. Of Gods Government of Man under the Covenant of Works THe second Act of Execution in time of Gods eternall Counsell was the Government of Man created so as hee might use his perfections and attain his end In this government God as the supreme Lord was to command and Man as his Creature and Vassall was to obey yet God being a free and gracious Lord and Man not a brute but a reasonable and free servant it pleased his Lord to descend and come into a Covenant with him as is used betweene party and party The sum of this Covenant was Doe this and thou shalt live called therefore the Covenant of Workes The Law Naturall or Morall written in the heart of Man comprehended all Works to be done by him The Law positive namely that one of abstaining from the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden was a tryall and experiment of his Obedience and the exercise of the duties of the Law Morall in a particular To Man appertained the observing of these Lawes To God appertained the performance of the Promise of life to Man observing them as being faithfull in the Covenant CHAP. III. Of the fall of Man ADam Dei manu nec non deliciis Paradisi legislatione prima factus est dignus sed ne quid blasphemum contra primaevum proferam parentem reverentiâ dictum sit Mandatum non servavit quoth Nazianz orat 8. Adam being tempted by Satan did transgresse that one easy Commandment and so became guilty of all and losing his righteousnesse hee forefeited his happinesse by Sin the breach of Gods Commandement and Covenant This Sinne of Man was voluntary not necessary though he sinned being tempted by another for hee had strength enough given him of God and more was ready to have been supplyed unto him if he had craved it wherby he might have vanquished the Tempter and have stood firme in his obedience but hee willingly consented and yeelded to the deceiver Neither was this fall caused by God though foreknowne but onely permitted when God if hee would could have hindred it And God permitted it 1. Because hee would not impeach the freedome of will that hee had given unto Man Continuit in ipso praescientiam praepotentiam suam per quas intercessisse potuisset quo minus homo malè libertate sua frui aggressus in periculum laberetur si enim intercâ—ssisset rescidisset arbitrii libertatem quam ratione bonitate permiserat Tert. in Marcian 2. where note that is call'd libertas Arbitrii which is ad malum and was in Adam before he sinned 2. Because hee saw it would offer him a faire occasion to manifest his Wisdome and Goodnesse yet more graciously than hee had done in the Creation which hee had forethought on and foreknew how to restore man fallen before hee decreed to permit the fall namely by the most admirable and glorious workes of the Incarnation Sufferings Resurrection and Assension of the Sonne of God intending by the obedience of one Man to make many righteous as by the disobedience of one many were made sinners 3. Because God knew it would offâ—r unto man a just occasion if he were dealt withall againe in the second Covenant both to be more thankfull and more wary and carefull and so many more possible to be saved by a second Covenant made with man fallen then would have beene by the first if Adam had stood and the Covenant of workes had beene held on with all his posterity for naturall perfections easily beget Pride and Confidence in our selves which is the first degree of aversion from God and the beginning of ruine but wants and weaknesses do humble us and make us fly to God and cleave more close unto him That the fall of man was known before the Decree of Creation the Creation it selfe doth shew where there are infinite things prepared for mans use onely as fallen as all medicinall Herbs prepared for Physick Physick presumeth sicknesse and sicknesse presumeth sin CHAP. IV. Of the Effects of the Fall THe Effects of the Fall of Man are twofold Within him Without him Within him that which is call'd originall Sinne comprehending both the losse of his originall righteousnesse and of his supernaturall perfections and also the decay of his very naturall faculties whence floweth a continuall lusting after that which is evill and a repugnance to that which is good A mans heart being a roote and a fountain of bitter water and sower fruit which before was right sweet and good The effects of the fall without man are comprized under the curse of the ground the subject of mans labour comprehending all the miseries of this life and under the sentence of death comprehending both deaths Temporall Eternall and all the miseries of both The Effects of the fall of Adam tooke place not onely
order after another and not one thing for the sake of another If any thing be named Grace and tend not to mans recovery and Salvation or be not in some degree fit sufficient potent and available to further this work it is not to be esteemed worthy of the Noble and blessed name Grace The Distinctions of Grace The same Grace and power of Gods Spirit which in essence is no way diverse yet hath diverse denominations according to the diversities of relations and effects as the same Sunne first warmeth the Earth and then makes it fruitfull and beautifies it with flowers Quae enim in verbo pro ejus singulari divinae naturae simplicitate unum sunt unuÌ„ tamen effectuÌ„ in animâ non habent sed ad ejus varias diversas necessitates veluti diversa sese participanda accommodant Bern. in Cant. Ser. 85. The most antient and usefull distinction of Grace is that which we have in the tenth Article of our Church and in divers Collects of the booke of Common-prayer Into preventing following working coworking exciting helping Againe Grace is in Scripture set forth as standing without calling knocking Prov. 1. 20. Rev. 3. 20. Entred in inhabiting as in a Temple house 1 Cor. 3. 16. Againe God doth work in us these three things after these manners Bonum Cogitare sine nobis Velle nobiscum Perficere per nos Bern. de gratia libero Arbitrio Cornelius Muss 4. Ciner The Distinction of Grace into Sufficient and Effectuall is a frivolous distinction one member having too little the other too much to be found in rerum natura for how can that be a Grace or sufficient that never as such produceth any Effect but must have something more put to it in the entity of Grace to bring forth an Effect and then it loseth the name of Sufficient and winneth the title of Effectuall 2. What effect flowes except it be in miracles from one sole cause which is certaine and infallible and despising all other causes claimes to it selfe the title of Effectuall All Grace is in it selfe sufficient and efficient no lesse no more See Paulum Bennium de efficaci Dei auxilio purposely written to explode this distinction If there be a defect in the Effect it proceedeth from a defect in some other cause or the Subject or some other thing than from the defect of Grace Yet I will not stick to acknowledge Grace Effectuall to be well so called from the Event and as proceeding from Gods speciall mercy guided by his foreknowledge if that will satisfie their desires which affect this distinction Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continuall help that in all our workes begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtaine everlasting life c. Almighty God we humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put in our mindes good desires so by thy continuall helpe we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord. Collect on Easter day The Necessity of Grace In the defence hereof Saint August deserveth highly of the Church of God against Pelagius who denyed the Necessity of Grace For Pelagius denying Originall Sinne and not acknowledging any losse to Adams posterity by Adams transgression but holding mankinde to be now as sound as the Creator made it he must needes by consequence hold Grace to be superfluous which the Church held was prepared to supply that losse and hath its whole occasion out of the Fall He then that confesseth the effects of Adams sinne as fully as any man cannot be counted of Kindred to Pelagius in sleighting the necessity of Grace I subscribe to S. Augustine pressing home that Text Joh. 15. 5. Without me you can doe nothing Lib. 2. cont duas Epistolas Pelagii c. 8. alibi Autor operis imperfecti in Matth. c. 7. Hom. 18. in illud Petite dabitur vobis c. Because the Commandements were greater than to be fulfill'd by mans strength he directs us to God to whose grace nothing is impossible and that rightly because 't is exceeding just the Creature should stand in neede of its Creators help Se Saint Augustine de Genesi ad literam lib. 8. cap. 12. Mâ—â—i autem adhaerere Deo bonum est c. It is good for me to stick close to God for neither is the Creature any such thing as that without his Maker he should be able of himselfe to doe any good thing But his chiefe good worke is to be converted to his Maker and by him continually to be made Just Godly Wise and Blessed c. As the Ayre light being present is not made a lucid Body like the Sun which gives light but onely becomes light because if it were made such it could not possibly be but that even in the absence of light it should continue lucid Even so man God being present with him is illightned but being absent is immediatly darkned from whom we depart not so much in distance of place as in forsaking him wilfully This is even like Gods owne a glorious power such as wrought in Christ when God raised him from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. and 3. 20. Whence our Conversion is called a new birth a new creation the first Resurrection 1. For first the power to will that which is good is created in us againe as it was at the first 2. When this power is as it were in actu primo by that gift or Creation it is not brought forth in actum secundum by our selves alone using that power but by the helping and co-operating of the divine power here again as Bernard saith Conatus nostri nulli sunt nisi excitentur cassi sunt nisi adjuventur 3. Bee we never so willing The habits of faith or love are no more in our power than it is in the power of a blind man to give himselfe sight though he be most willing to see and say Lord that I may receive my sight or no more than it is in him that hath present within himself to will but to doe that which the law commandeth he findeth not Rom. 7. 18. except the Spirit help him Rom. 8. 3. So that after we are willing and ready to receive the mighty power of God worketh and giveth that which we desire For our prayers implythree things First That we want something and feele our want Second That we cannot help our selves to supply our want but therefore goe to another Third That he alone to whom we goe as supplyants we confesse to be able and ready to help us and therefore we goe to him This is that which Saint Paul teacheth Phil. 2. 13. exhorting them that received and obeyed the Gospel to worke out their Salvation having received the power to worke yet because they might feare their owne weaknesse and infirmity even in using the
same measure of affection wherewith hee loves the whole World Therefore indeed was hee offered a Sacrifice for our whole nature and 't was sufficient to save all but to them onely it will be profitable and usefull who have believed Neverthelesse hee was not skared from this kinde of dispensation because all would not come but in like manner as in the Gospell the feast was made ready for all but because they which were invited would not come he did not presently take away what was provided but called others thereto August ad artic falso sibi impositos art 1. Quod ad magnitudinem potentiam preti◠c. As to the Greatnesse and vertue of the price and as far as concernes the sole cause of Mankinde Christs blood is the Redemption of the whole World but such as passe away this present life without Faith in Christ and the mystery of the New birth are aliens to that Redemption when therefore by that one Nature of us all which for all our sakes was truly taken by our Lord and Saviour all of us are rightly said to be redeem'd yet are we not all freed from captivity c. That Cup of Immortality which was prepared partly out of our infirmity and partly out of Gods Power hath enough in it to profit all but if it be not drunke off it is nothing profitable Homily 2. Concerning the Death and Passion of our Saviour Christ Concerning the great Mercy and Goodnesse of our Saviour Christ in suffering Death Vniversally for all Men in the very beginning And afterwards But to whom did God give his Sonne Hee gave him to the whole World namely to Adam and all that should come of him And after It remaines that I shew you how to apply Christs Death to our comfort as a medicine to our wounds so that it may worke the same effect in us wherefore it was given namely the health and salvation of our Soules for as it profiteth a Man nothing to have salve unlesse it be well applyed to the part infected so the Death of Christ shall stand us in no stead unlesse wee apply it to our selves in such sort as God hath appointed Of Free-will CHAP. X. THis title now adayes is in great disgrace and envy invisum nomen Dr. Abbot Sarisbur in Thompsoni Diatribam pag. 143. Ille verò Thompsonus sc hîc mereticulam suam Arbitrii libertatem quem commendaverat antè timidius in theatrum Ecclesiae productam palà m exosculatur Sic ille But time was when the Church of Christ stood and strove as earnestly in the defence of this Lady ut Gratiae pedissaeque as the handmaid of Grace against the Manichees and other Heretikes as any do now against her which when learned Men doe finde in Irenaeus Origen Chrysostome and other great Fathers I can but wonder they should bee so carelesse of their lavish termes as also I marvell they should be so mindfull of the one part of a wise saying Si non sit gratia Dei quomodo mundum salvabit Deus and so forgetfull of the other part Si non sit liberum Arbitrium quomodo judicabit mundum Deus when they finde both in the same Authors Aug. Epist 46. Valentino Hieronym If the thing be of God I will not feare the envy of the Name and my defence thereof shall be with such caution as I will not offend against the grace of God by the helpe of Gods grace Freewill is a naturall power in a reasonable Creature whereby it can will or nill this or that chuse it or refuse it be it good be it evill Of Freewill to Good Freewill to Good was put into the first Man by God at his Creation a faculty of his reasonable soule created good It was corroborated and guarded then by an assistance of supernaturall grace given by God to make him will good more cheerfully constantly and the highest eminent kinde of good But by the fall of Adam this supernaturall grace fortifying the will to good was utterly lost and Secondly the very freedome to any good of the superiour kinde 1. Spirituall as to love God above all to worke the righteousnes of the Law as the Law is spirituall to doe any act sutable or equall to these as to repent to believe in Christ This freedome to good is wholy lost Some freedome to humane naturall civill and morall good acts is onely remaining and freedome to the outward good acts of Religion as to goe to a Church to heare to attend to consider and compare the things delivered by the Preacher of Gods Word as a man can doe the rules or definition of any act or Science in the Schooles If then wee seeke for a freedome of will to spirituall and supernaturall good in the nature of man now fallen wee shall not finde it there unlesse we find it restored and renewed by the grace of Christ that goes with the Gospell If the Sonne makes us free wee shall be free indeed Without Grace Freewill to Good is not once to bee imagined in fallen man I must declare this by distinguishing the spirituall good to which freedome is restored by grace There is the spiritual good commanded by the Law as Righteousnesse and true Holinesse To this good Freewill is lost and is not restored by grace at first and immediately but late after a man is justified and made a new creature by grace There is another kinde of spirituall good not simply good but in a case when sinne is once committed as Aristotle saith of Verecundia that it is good Ex hypothesi of a fault that is Compunction Feare Conscience accusing sense of guiltinesse The freedome of will to this good remaines commonly in a sinner after his fall nay sometime hee is smitten with terror will hee nill hee As Adam when hee had sinned feared and fled and hid his head But if by custome in sinne this also be lost the Spirit of God in the Law setteth upon the will to free it from the bondage of this security and under the Law the will is free to feare There is a third kinde of spirituall good commanded by the Gospell To repent and to believe in Christ To these the will of Man is not free of it selfe but the same Gospell that commands them brings to the will a freedome to them which may be conceived possible to be done by two manner of wayes 1. By framing the Commandments of the Gospell so easy and accomodate to the weaknesse and misery of the Will of man that there may be a proportion betweene the will of a sinner and the Commandement of the Gospell and then the grace of the Gospell shall lie in this descending to the imbecility of the will and in accomodating the worke to the workeman the task to the labourer 2. Or by bringing and giving to the will so much power and helpe as is requisite to make a sinner able to doe the Commandements of the Gospell admitting the Commandements
is wee estimate Good and Bad men not from their manners nor for their conversation but by the faction they take and those things which this day did please in such a man to morrow if hee turne on the other side wil be disliked and he that was praysed yesterday shall be faulted to day CHAP. XIV The Sum of the Doctrine of Grace and Free-will IN the yeare of the Lord 1543. 35. H. 8. some three yeares before his death there was published a Booke by the King made by the Clergy seene and very well liked by the whole Parliament intituled A necessary Doctrine and erudition for any Christian man c. In which Booke there is a Declaration of the Article of Freewill with the understanding whereof and some other points the heads and senses of the People in those dayes were wuch imbusied and travelled saith the Preface This Declaration I have transcribed wholly not to presse the Reader with the authority of this Booke for there are therein some few things of the error of former Times although the Authors rejoyce in God and that worthily for the light and knowledge then manifested in comparison of the darknesse and ignorance of the former Times But first to make use of the cautelous Expression and Declaration of this Article composed by the best and soundest judgements of that Time and secondly what was the last and immediate Doctrine in this point that went before our Articles and Homilies in the beginning of Edw. 6. and finding that Doctor Cranmer and some others were of the Clergy in both Kings Reignes and likely to have had their heads and hands in both these workes it may well be presumed the difference not to be much in any matter of moment Let it not bee troublesome then for you to reade that which was not tedious for me to write The Article of Freewill The Commandements and threatnings of Almighty God in Scripture whereby Man is called upon and put in remembrance what God would have him to doe most evidently doe expresse and declare that Man hath Free-will also now after the fall of our first Father Adam as plainly appeareth in these places following Bee not overcome of evill Rom. 12. Neglect not the Grace that is in thee 1 Tim. 4. Love not the World 1 Joh. 2. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements Mat. 19. which undoubtedly should bee said in vaine unlesse there were some faculty or power left in Man whereby he may by the helpe and Grace of God if hee will receive it when it is offered unto him understand his Commandements and freely consent and obey unto the which thing of the Catholick Fathers is called Freewill which if wee will describe wee may call it conveniently in all Men A certaine power of the Will joyned with Reason whereby a reasonable Creature without constraint in things of reason discerneth and willeth good and evill but it willeth not that good which is acceptable to God except it be holpen with grace but that which is ill it willeth of it selfe And therefore other men defined Freewill in this wise Freewill is a power of Reason and Will by which Good is chosen by the assistance of Grace or Evill is chosen without the assistance of the same Howbeit the state and condition of Free-will was otherwise in our first Parents before they had sinned than it was either in them or their posterity after they had sinned for our first Parents Adam and Eve untill they wounded and overthrew themselves by sinne had so in possession the said power of Freewill by the most liberall Gift and Grace of God their Maker that not onely they might eschew all manner of sinne but also know God and love him and fulfill all things appertaining to their felicity and wealth For they were made righteous and to the Image and Similitude of God having power of Free-will as Chrysostome saith to obey and disobey So that by obedience they might live and by disobedience they should worthily deserve to dye For the wise Man affirmeth that the state of them was of that sort in the beginning saying thus Ecclus 15. v. 14 15. God in the beginning did create Man and left him in the hands of his owne counsell If thou wilt to keepe the Commandements and to performe acceptable faithfulnesse From this most happy estate our first Parents falling by disobedience most grievously hurt themselves and their posterity For besides many other evills that came by that transgression the high power of mans Reason and Freedome of will were wounded and corrupted and all Men thereby brought into such blindnesse and infirmity that they cannot eschew sinne except they be illuminated and made free by an especiall Grace that is to say by a supernaturall helpe and working of the Holy Ghost which although the goodness of God offereth to all Men yet they onely enjoy it which by their Freewill doe accept and embrace the same Nor they also that bee holpen by the said Grace can accomplish and performe things that be for their wealth but with much labour and endeavour So great is in our nature the corruption of the first sinne and the heavy burden bearing us downe to evill For truly albeit the light of reason doth abide yet it is much darkned and with much difficulty doth discerne things that be inferiour and pertaine to this present life but to understand and perceive things that be spirituall and pertaine to the everlasting life it is of it selfe unable And so likewise although there remaine a certaine freedome of will in those things which doe pertaine to the desires and workes of this present life yet to performe spirituall and heavenly things Freewill of it selfe is insufficient and therefore the power of Mans Freewill being thus wounded and decayed hath neede of a Physician to heale it and an helpe to repaire it that it may receive light and strength whereby it may see and have power to doe those Godly and spirituall things which before the fall of Adam it was able and might have done To this blindnesse and infirmity of mans Nature proceeding of originall sinne the Prophet David had regard when he desired his eyes to be lightned of Almighty God that he might consider the marvelous things that be in his Law Psal 119. 18. and also the Prophet Jeremy saying Heale me O Lord and I shall be made whole Jer. 18. Saint Austin also plainly declareth the same saying We conclude that Freewill is in Man after his fall which thing who so denyeth is not a Catholick man but in Spirituall desires and works to please God it is so weak and feeble that it cannot either begin or performe them unlesse by the Grace and helpe of God it be prevented and holpen And hereby it appeares that Mans strength and Will in all things which be healthfull to the soule and shall please God hath need of Grace of the holy Ghost by which such spirituall things be
hee saw a fit occasion to open all these by separating some ex promiscua illa perditione quâ ad unum omnes pari mortis aeternae conditione obstricti erant the Scripture no where saith and hee himselfe that saith it dares not doe it but with this parenthesis interponente se hîc dilecto filio quos in illo voluit it would clearly appeare that the separation of man was not made upon the view of Mankinde corrupted no more than upon the view of the same uncorrupted but upon Christ interposing Himselfe God separating quos in illo voluit voluit autem credentes in ipsum This let mee expresse in the words of Alesius on John 17. 1. Cum filius Dei praevidisset genus humanum ruiturum in aeternum exitium propter peccatum factus est supplex aeterno Patri ecce interponente se hîc dilecto filio ac promeruit Pater ei daret universos qui credituri essent in ipsum ut eos servaret à tyrannide Diaboli morte aeternâ The Father never denyed the Son any thing which hee asked Psal 2. Aske of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance So by this the intercession of Christ hath obtained all that beleeve in him to bee given to him to deliver from curse and to bring to eternall Life and Salvation not their faith nor their works but Christs favour with his Father The last thing in the Definition is an illustration the predestinated to Life are accounted as Vessells made to honour This is taken out of S. Paul Rom. 9. 21. where you shall finde the Vessells made to honour to be also called Vessells of mercy vers 23. and the Vessells made to dishonour called Vessels of wrath vers 22. but mercy and wrath doe both presuppose sin Both so farre wide from the Apostle and our Article are the defenders of the first Opinion What sinne is it that is presupposed That 's now in the question Whether Originall sinne or sinne against Christ It seemes by the Apostle that Vessels of Wrath were such as God endured with much long-suffering which being despised hee then shewed his wrath and his power over them ver 22. which argued their sinne to be impenitency And Vessels of Mercy to be such in whom he maketh knowne the riches of his Glory but this is done in Christ above all Eph. 1. 6. 7. and 2 Tim. 2. 20. the very visible Church of Christ is the great house wherein are Vessels some to honour some to dishonour But the whole Chapter Rom. 9. deserves an especiall elaboration that together with the whole the similitude of the Potter and his lumpe and his Vessels might be openly cleared The summe is That whereas the Salvation of all those that are saved and the perdition of all those that perish is referred as it ought to be to the Will of God to his mercy to his love to whom he will inlarged and from whom he will restrained and that there is no resisting nor complaining against this Will that then God and his Will is to be considered as it is by the Apostle as the Universall and supreme Cause of all things and as the generall Mover Governour disposer of them through whose understanding judgement and allowance they have all passed and might have been otherwise disposed and other Events have proceeded out of them if God had willed And againe the Supreme Cause as such must not onely be considered as the chiefe and prime agent of things or as alone doing all but permitting other created Natures to use their properties faculties and freedomes and to governe them and to use them to such ends and uses as the wisdome of God his Justice his Mercy his Dominion shall judge fit to use them and apply them holily and righteously and according to Gods Nature God therefore in contemplation of his owne workes which he himselfe would doe and of his creatures of free nature what they would doe if he permit conceiving the issues would be diverse some good some evill out of his owne Soveraigne pleasure and power confirmed and ratified by an immutable decree those issues and their free causes that would bring them forth whereby he prepared some men to glory some men to destruction as unto ends but not without the intervent of their owne acts as well as of his who though he could have mended or altered any of his own workes or any of the other Creatures to other issues yet hee would not notwithstanding hee knew that letting things goe thus the greatest part of the Masse or multitude of Mankinde would goe into perdition and but a few in comparison would be transmitted to life and glory yet he rested in this purpose with as much blamelesse liberty as the Potter hath who makes of the same lumpe of Clay vessells for honorable uses and vessels for viler and baser uses For although there seeme a great deale of neerenesse betweene the Potter as a man an owner and his Clay and there come but few things betweene the Will and power of the one and the uses and End of the other as put case the aptnesse and inaptnesse of Clay to an end which yet the Potter could mend if hee list by cost and labour whereby the Potters power seemes to be more great and absolute yet it is most true that there is a great deale more of neerenesse betweene God and his Creature and though there come many more things betweene the Will of God and the End of his Creature yet is the infinite Knowledge Wisdome and Power of God that notwithstanding these many more things intervenient Gods Will is neerer to the End of his creatures than the Potters Will can be to the End of his Clay where so little or nothing come betweene Those then whom God chose in Christ and decreed to bring to Salvation by Christ upon supposition of his owne acts in giving Christ and his Spirit unto them and upon supposition of their acts in receiving Christ and obeying his Spirit these are Vessells made unto honour And againe those whom hee rejected and decreed to bring into everlasting destruction upon supposition of their acts in despising his Promises and inabusing his benefits given unto them those are Vessels made to destruction There is a necessity of such suppositions here because the Masse of Mankinde is not like unto the Masse of Potters earth rude reasonlesse and senselesse but is a free Creature whose nature is by the Ordinance of the Creator to worke out and to procure to it selfe its owne End good or evill good by working according to God seeking that good to men or evill by declining from or forsaking of God in his Worke and so failing of God hee falls into evill But because God was able to have altered or amended the whole or any peece of the Masse which happily the Potter is not alwayes able to doe in his Masse therefore God must needs bee acknowledged to have a