Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	adam_n	law_n	transgression_n	5,599	5	10.5016	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75582	The just mans defence, or, The royal conquest being the declaration of the judgement of James Arminius, Doctor of Divinity in the University of Leyden, concerning the principall points of religion, before the States of Holland and VVestfriezland / translated for the vindication of truth, by Tobias Conyers, sometimes of Peter-house in Cambridge.; Declaratio sententiae de predestinatione. English	Arminius, Jacobus, 1560-1609.; Conyers, Tobias, 1628-1687.	1657 (1657)	Wing A3700A; ESTC R208013	52,267	187

subsequent thereunto Amongst other reasons inducing these men to deliver the Doctrine of Predestination this way without keeping the high Road with their Predecessors this was not the meanest their willingness to prevent lest God with the same probability should be concluded the Author of sin from this their Doctrine as some of them have judged it concludable from the first But really if with diligent inspection we well examine these Opinions of a later * The second and third Opinions about Predestination Edition compared with the Judgements of the same Authors in other points of Religion we shall find the fall of Adam not possibly otherwayes considerable according to the Tenents of these men then as a necessary executive means of the preceding Decree of Predestination and this the purport of the two reasons comprehended in the second Opinion apparently evidence The first is Gods determination by the Decree of Reprobation to deny unto man that grace necessary to the antidoting his nature against the poyson of sin i. e. decreed not to confer that grace which was necessary to avoid obliquity so that mans transgression being under a Law becomes inevitable and his fall a means appointed to bring in to act the Decree of Reprobation The second is their bicotomy of Reprobation into Preterition and Predamnation which according to the tenor of this Decree are coupled together by a necessary connexion one with another and equally extensive for all they that were passed by of God in the collation of grace are also damned and no others whence we gather Sin is a necessary result of the Decree of Reprobation otherwayes there were a possibility of not sinning left unto persons under this Preterition and so of not perishing sin being the only procuring cause of damnation and so some thus passed by of God neither saved nor condemned which is a great absurdity This Opinion we see is obnoxious to the same inconvenience with the first and whilest it endeavours to avoid it it falls into an open and absurd contradiction of it self according to this Prima ubique su similis sit The third Opinion escapes this Rock better then the other had Permissio peccati est privatio auxilii Divini quo posito peccatum impediretur VVhitaker quoted by Maccovius Coll. Theol. not the Patrons thereof deliver'd some thing for the declaration of Predestination and Providence from whence the necessity of the Fall may be inferred which cannot have any other rise then Predestinatory ordination Their description of divine permission of sin is very pertinent Permission is the substraction of Divine grace whereby God executing the decrees of his will by rational creatures Substracto auxilio Dei homo facultatibus ad standum bene ut● non potuit Paraeus cap. 4. p. 46. lib. De Gratia primi hom either doth not reveal his will to the creature whereby he would have it effected or doth not incline its will in that act in obedience to his own To which they adde If it be so the creature sins necessarily yet voluntarily and freely If any reply This description is not quadrant to Gods permission of Adams sin we close with him yet nevertheless hence it follows That all other sins are done unavoidably Again It 's reducible hither what some of them contend with that eagerness for viz. That the manifestation of glory divine which needs must be illustrated is placed in the demonstration of Mercy and Justice punitive which cannot be effected but by the entrance of sin and misery by it at least to the lowest desert thereof into the world such a declarative of Gods glory introducing a necessity of sinning And the Apostacie of Adam being unavoidable therefore it together with Creation are means subservient to the execution of this Decree mans revolt could not necessarily ensue upon his Creation unless by vertue of this predestinatory Decree which cannot hold any middle place betwixt them but is set over them precedaneous to them both subordinating Creation to Apostacy and both to the execution of one and the same decree to demonstrate Justice in the punishment of sin and Mercy in the remission thereof Otherwise the necessary sequel of Creation had not been intended by God in it which is impossible But grant the necessity of the fall could not be concluded from the premises of either these two last Opinions yet all the forementioned Arguments levell'd against the first with a little diversification are prevalent against these as would plainly appear upon a debate of them Hitherto I have declared the Opinions of others in the point of Predestination so much inculcated in our Churches and university of Leyden together with my own reasons inducing me to a disallowance of them I come in the last place to offer my own Judgment concerning it and as I beleeve most conformable to the Word of God 1. The first and absolute decree Arminius his own Judgement in the point in hand of God concerning the salvation of sinful Man is that whereby he decreed to appoint Jesus Christ the Mediator Redeemer Saviour Priest and King who should abolish sinne by his death recover by his obedience lost righteousness and by his vertue communicate the same 2. The second precise and absolute decree of God is that whereby he determined to receive into favour repentant and believing persons and those persevering to the end to save in Christ for Christ and by Christ the impenitent and unbelievers to leave in sin under wrath and destroy as aliens from Christ 3. The third decree is that whereby he ordained to administer sufficiently and efficaciously means necessary to faith and repentance and this administration to be framed according to his Wisdome whereby he knowes what best becomes his mercy and severity and according to his Justice by which he is prepared to follow the prescript of his Wisdome and put the same into execution 4. Hence follows the fourth whereby he decreed the salvation and condemnation of some singular and certain persons and this Divine Ordination leans upon his Presciency whereby hee knew from eternity who according to the vouchsafement of idoneous means to faith and conversion by his preventing grace were to believe and by his subsequent persevere who were not to believe nor persevere This Predestination thus explained is 1. The Foundation of Christianity Salvation and Assurance 2. The Materials of the Gospel yea the very Gospel it self and as to the two first Articles thereof necessary to be believed unto salvation 3. Neither hath it had need to be examined or discuss'd in either General or Particular Councils being clearly and expresly totidem verbis contained in the Scriptures nor ever contradicted by any Orthodox Divine 4. Alwayes acknowledged and held forth by all sound Teachers 5. It accords with the Harmony of all Confessions set forth by the Protestant Churches 6. It agrees very fitly with the Belg●ck Confession and Catechisme and if the words in the 16. Art Some

or intermediate cause by which God executeth his decree or will of reprobation 13. This predestination fighteth 13 Arg. against the very nature of the grace of God and as much as in it lyeth destroys its very being although it is pretended to bee most advantagious and necessary for its establishment and this it doth three wayes First Grace is accommodated to the nature of man not abolishing the liberty of his will but rightly disposing it and correcting its depravity yeelding unto him his proper motions and inclinations But this Doctrine introduceth such a kind of grace by which the freedom of the will is wholly taken away and the exercise of it hindred Secondly Grace in the Scripture is set forth unto us as resistible that may bee received in vain omitted not assented unto not co-operated with this Predestination affirming the contrary that it is an irresistible force and operation Thirdly Grace according Acts 7. 51. 2 Cor. 6. 1. Heb. 12. 15. Matt. 23. 37. Luk. 7. 30. to the primary intent and minde of God leads to the good of those to whom it is tendered and received but this doctrine imports grace to be afforded some reprobate persons and communicated to the very illumination of their understandings and participation of the Heavenly Gift for no other end and purpose then that being lifted up on high their fall might be the greater that they might merit and receive the more heavy condemnation 14. It 's injurious to the glory of 14 Arg. God which stands not in the declaration of Liberty or Authority consists not in the demonstration of Wrath and Power but as it 's well consistent with his Justice with the honorable salvage of his goodness but it strongly results from this Doctrine That God is the author of sin upon this four-fold account 1. In that it makes God precisely to have decreed the demonstration of his glory * Glory by punitive Justice supposeth a subject peccant and culpable if he decree the end necessarily why not the means sin and transgression by punitive Justice and Mercy in the salvation of some and condemnation of others which neither is nor ever could be effected but by the entrance of sin into the world 2. In that it affirms God for the attaining of his end * See p. 21. where the ordination of mans fall is made a means to execute the decree of Predest ordained that man should sin and become vitious by which appointment of God man's fall was unavoidable 3. For that it asserts God to have substracted and denied that grace to man sufficient and necessary to the avoidance of sin and that before his actual transgression which is all one as if he had imposed upon his creature a Law impossible for him to keep consider●d in the natural capacity wherein he was created 4. Because it attributes to God those actious concerning man as well external as internal mediate by the intervening of other creatures as immediate by which man was necessitated to sin and that necessitate consequentis by a consequential necessity as the School-men call it anteceding the thing it self which is wholly destructive to the freedom of mans will this act it imputeth to God as out of his chief primary intention without any presciencie or fore-knowledge of mans inclination will or action Hence may be deducted That God truly sins because according to this Doctrine he provokes to sin by an unavoidable act out of his own purpose and primary intent without the least inducement from the precedent merit and sin of the creature It 's further concludable from these Premises That God onely sins it not being competible to that man being the commission of a forbidden act who is moved thereunto by force inevitable Lastly It follows That sin is no sin it neither being so in its self nor worthy of that Name which God himself doth Besides these it wounds the honor of God another way but for the present these may seem sufficient to be alledged Fifteenthly This Doctrine is highly ignominious to Christ our 15. Arg. Saviour for 1. It shuts him out Vid. pag. 22. where Christ is placed as a means to put into execution the Decree of election of the Decree of Predestination by pre-determining the end and affirming men were first fore-appointed to salvation and then Christ ordained to save them which removes him from being the foundation of Election 2. It denies him to be the meritorious cause in the recovery of our lost salvation placing him only as a cause subordinate to the salvation fore-appointed as a Servant Instrument to apply the same to us and this holds corespondency which that opinion wherein God is judged absolutely to will the salvation of some men and that in his first and supreme Decree upon which all his other Ordinations depend and follow so that it was impossible those men should lose their salvation and therefore not necessary by the merit of Christ preordained a Saviour to them alone to be repaired and as we may so speak found anew and recovered for them only Sixteenthly This Doctrine is 16. Arg. noxious and harmful to the salvation of men For 1. It hinders that saluteferous and godly sorrow for sin which cannot be found in those who have no remorse and feeling thereof which Contrition no man is capable of who commits sin by the inevitable necessity of 2 Cor. 7. 10. the Decree of God 2. It puts to flight that pious solicitude of turning our selves from fin to God for he that is purely passive and like a dead man not only in the preception Rev. 2. 3. of the present Grace of God exciting him but also in his assent and obedience thereunto and is so converted by an irresistible power that he cannot but feel the pulses of grace forced to give up his assent thereunto whereby he is changed cannot conceive or induce into his minde any such carefulness unless he hath first felt that irresistible motion or if at any time he should stirre up in his heart any such solicitude it would be frustraneous and of no advantage unto him for it could not be any true carefulness which was not begotten in him by that irresistible force according to the precise purpose and absolute intent of God for his salvation 3. It inhibiteth and restrains the zeal and study of good works in converted persons when it saith regenerate persons are in no capacity of doing either more or less good then they do for he that is acted by saving-grace is obliged to work neither can he intermit it but not being agitated therewith he can do nothing he must of necessity omit it 4. It extinguisheth all precatory zeal and fervencie Prayer is that efficacious means instituted of God for the obtaining of every good thing especially salvation at his hands but from him who hath determined the salvation of these men by an unchangeable and immutable Decree

wave the title of Deputation and proceed in their own name to a conference with me I was ready at that instant to imbrace it provided that in every point to be debated they would explaine their judgment and I mine each of us alledging our proofs and debating one anothers judgments and reasons if by this means we could satisfie one another well and good if not no further relation should be made of it but the whole matter deferred till a National Synod This being refused we had departed asunder had I not desired them that in like manner they would move a Conference to Mr. Gomar Trelcatius of blessed memory not judging my self to have given greater cause to them of such a motion as this then either of them had done The grounds of this my request I then added which were too long now to repeat To which they answered they would do accordingly and that before their departure from Leyden and so they did as they themselves told me And this was the first request of this nature that ever was made to me which occasion'd much Discourse some giving a Narrative thereof imperfectly and not as the whole matter was carried smothering in silence the motion made by me and the grounds thereof Not many dayes after about the 28. of Iuly in the same yeere 1605. the like was required by me in the Name of the Synodry of the Church of Leyden yet with this Proviso That if I approved of it others likewise should be moved unto the same if not they would not proceed any further in this case But when I had signified my dislike with the Reasons thereof herein to the Burrough-Master Brouchovius and Mr. Merula of godly memory the Elders and Deputies sent to me in the Name of the said Synod they were so well satisfied therewith that nothing was further attempted by them in this business November the 9th in the same yeer Francis Lansberge Festus Hommius and their Associates Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland exhibited nine questions to the Lords Visitors of the University of of Leyden with a Petition annexed that they would please to command the Professors of Divinity to answer to the same The Lords Visitors returned Doctor Arminius was now Professor of Divinity at Leyden that they could not approve the Proposal of any such questions to the Professors of Divinity if they supposed any thing to be taught in the University contrary to the Truth it was to be refer'd to the National Synod which was hoped to be had very shortly in which they might more fully come to the knowledge and debate of it Notwithstanding this Reply the Deputies of the Synod further urged that with their good leave they themselves would propound them to the Professors S. T. to know what every of them would voluntarily and freely answer thereunto but neither could this likewise be obtained by them All this being done without my knowledge being ignorant why these Deputies came to the City although not long after I came to know it In the mean while the whole yeer passed over and I was not called upon again touching this matter except Anno 1607. A little before the Synod of South-Holland was held at Delphe there came to me Iohn Barnard Minister of Delphe Festus Hommius of Leyden and Dibbetius Minister of Dort to know of me what I had done in the refutation of the Anabaptists of which giving them an account it afforded matter of much discourse to us being about to take their leave they moved if I had done any thing in the business of Religion that I would not think much to communicate the same to them and they to the Synod to satisfie their Brethren herein which I could not consent unto in that it could not be with that fruit fitness and advantage any where as in the National Synod which wee hoped upon the first opportunity to be celebrated according to the purpose of the noble and potent Lords the States and there I would endeavour openly to manisest my thoughts not being reserved in any thing of which they might complain To which I added if I should open my self in any thing to them I could not commit the relation of it to their fidelity every one in things of this nature being his own best Interpreter and so we took our leaves one of another Besides all these I was privately desired by some Ministers that I would vouchsafe to communicate my Meditations to the Colledge of Brethren in the Synod By others I was moved to declare my thoughts to them which in the fear of God they would consider amongst themselves giving their Faith not to divulge them To the first of these I answered indifferently that they had no ground why they should importune me in this more then others To one of them he none of the meanest I offred a conference 3 severall times touching all the heads of Religion to be debated whereby the truth of them might be solidly fortified and the falsity refuted and that in the presence of the chiefest of our Countreymen which was refused by him To the rest several answers were given plainly denying what was requested to some to others opening my self a little and this as they were more or less known to me But this accident somtimes befel me that whatever I manifested to any 't was presently reported to others although in the delivery it was judged Orthodox and their Faith ingaged not to divulge it It 's necessary that I also add what passed by Letters the utmost confines of our own Nation viz. when in the Preparatory Convention at the Hag●● June 1607. by the Summons of the Potent Lords the States General celebrated by the COLLEDGE of BRETHREN I was friendly desired to make known my thoughts in the business of Religion to the said Colledge ingaging to do their utmost endeavour to satisfie me I should utterly refuse so to do Now being sensible what a great deal of envie the matter thus related hath created me with many who thought greater honour due to this Assembly from me being congregated from all the Provinces I think my self obliged to give a more perfect account of it Before my departure from Leyden to this Convention at the Hague there came to my hands five Articles appertaining to Religion dispersed in some Provinces read by some Ministers in their Ecclesiastick Conventions judged by them as containing my Judgement in those points of Religion The Articles were concerning Predestination the fall of Adam Free-will Original Sin and the Eternal Salvation of Infants which when I had thoroughly perused I easily perceived by the Author of them whom I then spoke being there present signifying freely to him that I had ground to believe those Articles proceeded from him which he not obscurely confessing answered That they were not sent abroad as mine but as points controverted amongst the Students at Leyden To which I Reply'd He wel knew that what ever was

and others be explained by beleevers and unbelievers my judgement is dilucidly comprehended in it which moved me being to dispute publikely in the Colledge to order the questions In Collegio publicoprivato Academiae to be stated in the words of the Confession It agrees with the Catechism Quest 20. 54. 7. It very well sutes the Nature of God viz. his wisdome goodness and righteousness is the principal matter and clearest demonstration of them 8. It 's at very good agreement with the Nature of Man whether considered in the state of Innocency Apostacy or restauration 9. It holds good correspondency with the Act of Creati●n confirming it to be the communication of good according to the intent of God and the event of the thing that it had its rise from Divine goodness its continuation and preservation from Divine Love and that it is the perfect and proper work of God wherein he pleased himself and procured all things which were necessary ad non peccandum to a not sinning 10. It consents with the Nature of eternal life and those titles wherewith it is dignified in Scripture 11. With the Property of eternal death and those names put upon it by the Holy Ghost 12. It makes sinne to be truly disobedience and the meritorious cause of condemnation and so concords with Apostacy and Transgression 13. It harmonizeth with the Nature of Grace by ascribing all things competible thereunto reconciling it to his justice and the nature and liberty of Mans will 14. It 's a most advantagious declarative of the glory of Gods Justice and Mercy representing him the cause of all good and our salvation and Man the cause of fin and his own ruin 15. It contributes to the honor of Iesus Christ appointing him the foundation of Predestination the procuring and communicatory cause of salvation 16. It greatly promotes the salvation of men being the power and means unto everlasting life procreating in them sorrow for sin a sollicitous care of conversion faith in Christ study of good works zeal in prayer causing us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and as far as is necessary hinders desperation 17. It confirms and establisheth that Order and Method the Preaching of the Gospel requires First exacting Faith and Repentance then promising Remission of Sin the grace of the Spirit and eternal life 18. It strengthens the dispensation of the Gospel and renders it fruitful in the promulgation thereof administry of the Sacraments and Publike Prayers 19. It is the foundation of Christianity in that in it the double Love of God are haply joyned together and at good agreement one with another namely his Love of Righteousness with his love of men Lastly This doctrine hath always been allowed of by the major part of Christians and to this day stands approved by them neither can it administer an occasion of its abhorrency or ground of contention in the Christian Church It s much to be wished that men would proceed no further in this matter neither be inquisitive into the unsearchable judgements of God any more then as revealed in the Scriptures And this is that most Noble and Potent States I have to declare to your Highness's concerning this Doctrine so much ventilated in the Church of Christ And if I should not be burdensome I have other things to offer to your Highness's conducing to the declaration of my ●udgement and leading to the self-same end for which I am commanded hither by your Highness's The Providence of God the Free-will of Man Perseverance of Saints Assurance of Salvation are points of so great affinity with this Doctrine of Predestination and have so much dependance upon it that with your good leave I shall deliver my self upon them THe Providence of GOD I judge to be that careful continual and ever-present eye of God by which the care of the whole Universe and all particular Creatures not one exempted is upon him to the conservation and government of them in their essence qualities actions and passions as it best becomes him and sutes them to the glory of his Name and salvation of Believers Herein I substract nothing from Divine Providence competible to it but yeeld it the conservation regulation gubernation and direction of all things even to the abolition of Chance and Fortune yea I subject to the great Providence the Will of Man and the very acts of the rational creature so that nothing is done without its will though contrary thereunto This difference betwixt good and bad actions onely observed in that we affirm God both to will and do good acts but freely to permit the bad being willing to concede the attribution of all acts excogitable concerning evil to the providence of God so wee take heed lest thence God be determin'd The Author of Sin which I evidently enough testified in a Dispute once and again under me at Leyden concerning the righteousness and efficacious Providence of God in evill in which I endeavoured to ascribe unto Providence all those acts concerning sin attributed to God in Scripture making such progress herein that occasion was taken by some of impeaching me with making GOD the Author of Sin which was often produced against me at Amsterdam according to their suggestion from those Theses but how justly it is sufficiently manifest from my answer to the one and thirty Articles mentioned above falsly imposed upon me this being one of them Touching mans will I am of that opinion that he was in dowed with knowledg holiness and other ablities by his Creation whereby he was able to understand estimate consider will and performe true good even as far as the commandment obliged him yet not this without the auxiliaries of Divine grace In the state of Apostacy and sin he is disabled of himselfe and by himself to think will or do any thing truly good and stands in need of the renovating and regenerating power of God in Christ by his Spirit in his intellect affections will and all other faculties to impower him hereunto but participating hereof as freed from sin he is able to think will and do good yet still as under the Supplies of the grace of God Concerning the grace of God I believe it to be that gratuitous and undeserved assio● whereby God is well affected towards a miserable sinner by which first he gave his Son that whosoever believe's in him might have eternall life and then in and for Christ justifies him and adopts him into the right of his sons unto Salvation 2. It is the infusion of Spiritual gifts into the understanding will and affections of man appertaining to his regeneration and renovation viz. Faith hope Charity c. without which gratious donatives man is not meet to think will or do any thing that good is 3. Grace is that continued assistance that non-intermissive helpe of the Holy Ghost by which the Spirit doth instantly perswade excite man before Regenerate unto goodnesse infusing Salutiferous cogitations

a private person Lastly By this means I should have yeelded the Convention some right and prerogative over mee which it neither hath nor I could give considering my place without injuring those our common Magistrate would set over me Therefore Equitie did not more constrain me then Necessity to repudiate this conference yet might they have obtained their desire if they would have imbraced a private Debate of all the Articles of Christian Faith as ● offered them this being more accommodate to a mutual edification where every one as the manner is may speak with freedome and familiarity then the other where the Formalities of De●utations are observed Neither was there the least ground why they should shew themselves so hard to be intreated in this case when every one might have done it himself having further delivered my mind herein that whatever should be transacted by us should abide with us and not pass abroad to any which if they had consented to I doubt not but we had either satisfied one another or at last made appear that no damage could accrue upon this our mutual controversie to the Truth necessary to salvation godliness or christian peace To omit these things I cannot give an account to my self how these rumours are consistent one with another I am complain'd of for not declaring my judgement and yet in my own Countrey and forraign parts I am inveigh'd against as if I indeavoured the introduction of some impure Novel and false Tenents in Church and Christian Religion If I declare not my judgment whence is the unsoundness of it manifest If I explicate not my self how can I bring in any falsities If they be nothing but suspitions obtruded upon me it 's against the rule of Charity to attribute so much to them But I am reported to express my selfe in some things but not in all yet even in them it 's not darkly manifest whither I tend That 's to be here observed whether any thing delivered by me be judged contrary to the Word of God or the Confession of the Belgick Churches If the last * Not agreeing with the Belgick Confession be proved that I have taught any thing contrary to that I ingaged my self by my own subscription I am liable to punishment if the first * Contrary to the Word of God be made good I ought to be much more strictly dealt with and obliged either to recant or to lay aside my place especially if the heads of doctrine were notoriously injurious to the honour of God and salvation of men But if they were found neither to clash with the Word of God nor the Belgick Confession neither the inferences depending upon them according to the Rule of the Schoolmen The consequences of a doctrine being false the doctrine is false likewise and so on the contrary One of these ought to have been done either a charge brought in against me or a discrediting the reports of me The later I wished for the first I feared not notwithstanding the one and thirty Articles dispersed every where under my name to the great prejudice of me were noted by persons of great quality into whose hands they were given with what unsavouriness they were framed with what faith and conscience they were imposed upon me But I expect to hear Why did you not to avoyd these commotions and to satisfie so many Ministers fully open your selfe to your fellow-brethren in the whole matter of Religion either for your own timely instruction or their seasonable preparation to a mutuall conference Three inconveniences deterred me from this Least First my judgment professed should afford matter to them to frame an Action against me 2. Least the same should be disquieted and refuted in their Pulpits and Academical Disputes 3. Least it should be transmitted to Forraign Universities and Churches with hope of obtaining a condemnatory sentence against it and of bearing me down this way that I had weighty cause to fear all these things were not hard for me from the Tenents and Writings of some of them clearly to demonstrate That which respects my Infortion or instruction which I might hope from thence so it is there being besides my selfe many others who had drawn up their meditations in the matters of Religion instruction could not so profitably be administer'd any where as in the place of our joynt appearance where a Definitive Sentence as they call it might and ought to be pronounced as for my brethrens seasonable Preparation to the Conference certainly it would be Then most commodious When every one have produced their meditations together and so the reason of all things at once might be had And thus I have washed away the things chiefly cast upon me and come to discharge my promise and execute the commands which you my Lords the Noble and Potent Sates have laid upon me being confident hence no prejudice will arise either to my person or judgment in that obedience ariseth from it which next after God and according to God I owe to this honorable Assembly The first and chief b●anch in Religion upon which I have fixed my thoughts for these many years last past is the Predestination of God That is the election and reprobation of men to life and death making my entrance here I le first explain what some have delivered in our Churches and this University of Leyden both in words and writings concerning it then manifesting my thoughts upon that I wil lastly proceed to a Declaration of my own judgment in this point The Teachers in our Churches are not at oneness and simplicity in their judgments touching this doctrine but various and different amongst themselves The opinion of those who take the high and rigid way as 't is every where contained in their writings is this 1. That God by an eternal and immutable decree out of men not considered as made much less as fallen hath predestinated some to everlasting life others to eternal destruction without any intuition or respect to righteousness or sin obedience or disobedience of his pure good pleasure to demonstrate the glory of his justice and mercy or as others his saving grace wisdome and most free power 2. Besides this decree God to have fore-appointed some certain means belonging to the execution thereof and this by an everlasting and unchangeable Ordination these meanes are necessarily to follow by vertue of the preceding decree and unavoidably to lead him that is predestinated to his fore-appointed end Some of these Meanes lying in Common appertaining joyntly to the decree of Election and Reprobation others in special respecting each 3. Means common to both are three First the Creation of Man in the right state of Originall righteousnesse or according to the image and likeness of God in Righteousness and holiness Second the permission of the fall of Adam or the Ordination of God that man should sin and become vitious The Third the losing or the taking away of Originall Righteousness and the

shutting of him up under sin and condemnation IIII. For unless God had created some he had not had upon whom he might bestow eternall life and bring upon everlasting death had not he created them in righteousness and sanctitie God himselfe had been the Author of sin and so had been deprived of the right of punishment to the praise of his Iustice and salvation for the honour of his mercy unless they themselves had sinned and by the merit thereof rendered themselves guilty of Death there could have been no place to demonstrate either Justice or Mercy 5. The meanes fore-ordained These are the special means for the putting into execution the decree of election are these three First The preordination or the giving of Jesus Christ a mediatour and Saviour who should purchase by his merit for all and onely the Elect life and lost righteousness and by his vertue communicate the same Second Their vocation to faith outwardly by the word inwardly by his spirit in the mind affections and will by an operation so efficacious that the elect person must needs assent and yeeld obedience thereunto in so much as he is not in any capacity able not to beleeve this his Calling or not to be obedient thereunto Hence comes to passe their justification and sanctification by the blood and spirit of Christ and in like manner all their good workes and this by the same forementioned force and necessity Third meanes to be is the Keeping the Elect in the faith sanctitie and zeale of good works or the donation of the perseverance to them whose vertue is to be this that the beleeving and elect persons do not onely not sin with that plenitude and wholeness of will or not fall Totally from faith or grace but they Cannot sin with that full bent of mind neither Can they totally or finally fall away from faith or grace received 6. The two * Vacotion perseverance last of these means belonging onely to the adult elect person of ripe years but for the children of beleevers who pass out of this life and never come to maturity of age God leads them a shorter way to salvation if they belong to the number of the elect which God onely knows by giving Christ a Saviour to them and them to Christ who saves them by his blood and holy spirit without actuall faith and perseverance and this according to the promise of the Covenant I will be your God and the God of your seed 7. The means appointed to These proper to the decree of Reprobation put into execution the decree of reprobation are partly proper to All the reject and reprobate whether they have lived to ripeness of years or died before their maturity partly peculiar to Some of them onely Means Common to them all is their dissertion in sin by the suspension of that saving grace which is sufficient and necessary to salvation and this hath two branches 1. God not being willing that Christ should die for them neither * i. e. He neither dignitate pretii died for them in regard of the value of the price Nor voluntate propositi God never intending that hee should shed his blood for them Quoad Voluntatem Antecedentem according to his Antecedent will as some call it or Quoad Sufficientem according to the sufficient or the valew of that reconciliatory Price which was never offerd for the Reprobate either in respect of the divine decree or the vertue and efficacy of it The 2. branch Gods unwillingness to communicate the spirit of Christ to them without which 't were impossible for them to be made partakers of him and his benefits 8. The means Peculiar to some of them onely is that obduration which befalls Adult persons for their often enormous violation of the Law of God repudiation of the Grace of the Gospel To the executing the first * For their violation of the law of God induration appertains the witness of their minds to the righteousness of the Law by knowledge illumination and conviction it not being possible for the Law not to detaine them in unrighteousness onely but necessary to the rendring them inexcusable To the execution of the second * For their refusing the grace of the Gospel obduration God makes use of their calling by the preaching of the word which is to be both insufficient and ineffectuall as well in regard of the decree of God as the event thereof This vocation is to be either externall onely which they neither will nor can obey or internall whereby some of them are raised in their understandings to embrace and beleeve the things they heare yet with such a faith as the devils endowed with beleeve and tremble some of them are carried on further even after a manner to desire to taste of the Heavenly Gift these being the most miserable of all who are therefore taken up on high that their fall may be the greater it being impossible that this event should not befall them necessitated to returne to their vomit and to fall away from the f 〈…〉 9. From this decree of election and reprobation divine and the administration of the means appertaining to the execution of both it followes that the elect should necessarily be saved so as they are not in any possibility of perishing and the reprobates unavoidably damned so as 't is utterly impossible for them to be saved and that out of the absolute purpose of Gods preceding all things and causes which are in things or could result from things This Opinion by some of those that adhere thereunto is judged the foundation of Christianity Sa●vation and the certainty thereof in which the sure and undoubted consolation of all beleevers giving them a peaceable conscience is founded and upon which the praise of the grace of God leaneth in so much as the contradicting this doctrine is surely to rob God of the glory of his grace to attribute the merit of salvation to the free-will and power of man which savours of Pelagianisme these being the causes pretended why they labour so anxiously to retaine the purity of this doctrine in their churches and oppose themselves to all alterations repugnant there unto For my part to speake what I thinke freely with the Salvage of a better judgement I am of that minde That this doctrine of predestination containeth in it many things false impertinent and discrepant with it selfe which Universally to run thorough time permits me not but I shal leave it to be examind in grosse in its latitude There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are foure speciall heads in my view and those of the greatest weight in this doctrine I shall first declare them then give you my own judgement concerning them They are these First That God hath Absolutely and precisely decreed the salvation of some particular men by his mercy or grace and the condemnation of others by his justice without any sight or intuition in this