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
them Ego autem nolo c. I will not exaggerate the matter with my words but I rather leaue it to them to consider that they may see what that is which they haue perswaded themselues that by the preaching of praedestination the hearers are possessed rather with desperation then with exhortation for this is all one as to say that then a man despaireth of his saluation when he hath learned to put his hope not in himselfe but in God Whereas the Prophet proclameth Cursed is euery one that putteth his hope in man Miror saith he homines infirmitatis suae se malle committere quà m firmitati promissionis Dei I wonder that men had rather commit themselues to their owne infirmity then to the stability of Gods promise Therefore we must not measure the wisdome of God in his word by the last or model of our owne braine Indeede mans reason when it stands alone seemeth very selfe-wise But if it bee compared and set by Gods wisdome then the folly of it is by and by discouered The Pontificians haue a plausible reason for their iustification by workes because say they it is a meanes to stirre vp men to good workes The Vniuersalists haue their plausible reason also for their vniuersality of grace as indifferenly offered to all men alike if they will but receiue it because say they all men may hereby bee won to imbrace the grace offered and so be saued But we know that neither the externall ordinary meanes are equally offered to all For many thousands haue not the meanes at all much lesse in an equall measure Againe the ordinary meanes doe of themselues worke no more but ordinary grace as illumination and temporary faith c. But the effectual sauing grace though it be not wrought simply by the ordinary meanes but by the especiall efworke of Gods Spirit in and by the meanes yet we know that the ordinary meanes are to bee diligently and reuerently attended of all men wheresoeuer God affordeth them Howsoeuer in all this generalitie Gods purpose and grace remaines firme to all the seede onely this is Gods wisdome Therefore if Gods worde satisfie not our carnall reason but crosse it rather shall wee presume by straining and wresting to fit it to our owne fancy and not rather submit all our humaine wisdome vnto it Euen Heathen Cato following Pompeis part against Caesar because he tooke it to be the juster and seeing Pompeis side declining and Pompey himselfe at last beaten out of the fielde hee looked vp to heauen and cryed In rebus diuinis magnam esse Caliginem that in diuine things there was a great deale of darknesse which mans wit could not discouer As St. Augustine in his answere to the Pelagians cauill in quarrelling the Scriptures about the imputation of sinne saith Quid si ego essem hebetior nec statim possem has rationes diluere an propterea minus deberem diuinae Scripturae credere Imò mullo magis conuenit vt ego ruditatem meam agnoscam quà m vt falsitatem sacris literis impingam What if my dulnesse were such as I could not by and by disproue these reasons must I therefore not beleeue the diuine Scripture Nay so much the rather ought I to acknowledge mine owne ignorance then to impute falshood to Gods holy word A rare humility and candid ingenuitie of this holy man captiuating all his carnall reason to Gods profound wisdome in the holy Scriptures Babylonius But Sir giue me leaue a little to apologise in the Appealers behalfe You say his opinion is impious as impugning the glory and mercy of God But doth he not say in expresse words that God did out of his mercy in his loue motu mero they be his owne wordes and not otherwise stretch out to mankinde lying in their blood in Adams corrupt loynes deliuerance in a Mediatour the Man Iesus Christ and drew them out that tooke hold of mercy c so that you see the Authour doth ascribe our deliuerance to the mercy and meere motion of Gods loue to mankinde Therefore this his opinion is not so impious as you would make it as if guilty of high sacriledge against Gods glory and grace Orthodoxus Indeede Sir you say something for him as he doth for himselfe but that is said is so far from acquiting as it doth deepely accuse the Authour of high treason against the Maiestie of God and the throne of his grace True it is indeede that it was Gods incomprehensible loue to mankinde to ordaine for him such a Redeemer as was his owne and onely Sonne to assume our base nature and therein to liue and dye contemtibly An exceding great fauour of God towards man to shape make and fit his Sonne Iesus Christ as a most glorious robe to couer our nakednesse as some of this Pelagian race teachers of vniuersall grace make the comparison All this is well thus farre But is this all If Gods mercy and grace stinte here and goe no further farewell deliuerance we may wallow in our blood still we may weare our filthy nakednesse as our best garment still In vaine Gods mercy in vaine Christs death while it is left to vs to receiue and accept this grace In vaine doth a man tell a blinde man of a glorious sunne in the firmament which he wanteth eyes to see or a maimed man without hands of a goodly garment made vp for him vpon condition that none but himselfe must put it on such is our condition by nature we perceiue not we receiue not the things of the Spirit of God concerning Christ. Tell vs of the glorious sunne of righteousnesse risen who hath healing vnder his wings we are blinde we apprehend it not we are not affected with it as not sensible of our spirituall diseases Tell vs of the Robe of Christs righteousnesse dipped and dyed in his blood wee want the hand of faith to put it on yea we cannot duely prize it we disesteeme it we count it no better then that poore coare of his which the Souldiers cast lots for yea wee hide our faces from him hee was despised and wee esteemed him not saith Esay Yea we are by nature like those Lâ—odiceans we say wee are rich and increased in goods and haue neede of nothing and know not that we are wretched miserable and poore and blind and naked Reu 3. 17. But as God is the good Physician who of his meere grace and fauour prepares and prouides a remedie for our dead-sicke soules so he alone out of his free mercy must apply this remedy else wee can reape no more benefit by it then a sicke Patient of a soueraigne Cordiall while it is close kept in the Apothecaries box whereof he seeth the inscription and title onely We haue a pregnant example hereof in that man that fell among theeues who stript wounded and left him halfe dead vnable to helpe himselfe whom the Priest and Leuite passe by on each
will in the state of nature hath such a vast disproportion to the grace of Christ as it hath no disposition at all vnto it This is a mystery hid from Nature a Transcendent far aboue the capacity of Natures reach To this grace nature is not bleareeyd but blinde not a sleepe but dead not lame but a senslesse stocke So that more then a slender mouing or stirring vp of I wot not what first grace I wot well no grace is requisite to set the will a foote to the setling of it in the state of grace of that grace I say of true iustification to which Romes first grace hath no more proportion then her free-will in her purâ—st naturalls But the grace whereof the Scripture speakes and the worke of it in mans conuersion is no such grace as Romes first grace for that is no other but the true and effectuall sauing iustifying and sanctifying grace of God the first act and worke whereof in the soules conuersion to God is not a faint and impotent mouing and stirring or awakening of the sleepy will which then begins to dispose it selfe to grace but it is a powerfull and effectuall worke vpon the will and the whole soule with euery faculty thereof and that not to the disposing vnto but to the present possessing of the state of grace and true iustification apprehended by sauing faith the free gift of this grace Besides this effectuall grace of God for mans conuersion the Scripture knows none Nor is the Scripture acquainted with such ieiune and faint termes as Rome vseth in setting forth the worke of grace in our conuersion The Scripture flyes in a more lofty stile to giue Gods grace the full prayse in the effectuall worke of our conuersion Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and will put a new spirit within you I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will giue them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes So Ezech. 36. 26 A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and cause you to walke in my statutes And this is as Augustine saith the taking away of our stony heart and the giuing of a heart of flesh when the Father is heard within and teacheth vs to come and draweth vs to his Sonne by giuing vs a sauing faith in Christ. By which places wee see what a noble and powerfull worke of grace is wrought in vs by Gods holy Spirit in our conuersion not a bare stirring vp or mouing or helping the old decrepit stiff-limd will of the naturall mans stony heart but a mighty remouing of it cleane away and insteed therof putting a new heart a heart of flesh a flexible and obedient heart and a new spirit into vs by the vertue and power whereof we are effectually inabled to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe them And this worke of grace where begins it but at the very first act of our effectuall calling and conuersion of our iustification and sanctification from our sinnes and against our sinnes As in the forecited place of Ezechiel Then will I sprinkle pure water vpon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse for a new heart will I giue you c so in Ieremy The Lord ioynes his grace and remission of sinnes together saying I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall bee my people For I will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more The Lord in the Gospell compares the state of a naturall man vnregenerate to a house possessed by a strong man This strong man is Satan the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience such as all vnregenerate are who in that state are dominered ouer and captiuated of the tyrant Diuel at his will Who then shall binde this strong man and dispossesse him of his house and strong hold euen the heart of a naturall man vnregenerate Surely none but a stronger then he euen Christ. And is this done so slightly as by stirring vp the will by some first grace No more but so The strong man will not so easily forgoe his hold He must bee driuen out by strong hand When the Disciples could not by all their delegated power Christ must be faine to put to his immediate power authority to driue the Diuel out A sinner vnregenerate is as Peter fast asleepe and fast chained in the dungeon And to free him did the Angel no more but with a iogge awake him How fell his chaines so easily of How came the prison dores open How the iron gate leading into the citie to open of it owne accord Surely here was no small power vsed Nay the vnregenerate is like Lazarus fast bound and lying dead in the graue And is it so easie a matter to raise him vp to giue him life and to free him from the bonds of death But you hath hee quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes wherein once yee walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also wee had our conversation in time past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind c. Eph. 2. 1 c. Our will being then captiuated chained imprisoned in the dungeon of death kept and possessed by the strong man the Diuel are we so easily freed Saint Chrysostome amplifieth this by an excellent comparison or two All men saith hee before sinne as once in Adams loynes before his fall haue free will to follow the Diuels will or not but when once by sinne wee haue captiuated our selues to his workes wee cannot now free our selues But as a ship the rudder being broken is carried whither the tempest will so man having by sinne lost the helpe of divine Grace doth not that which himselfe willeth but which the Divell willeth and vnlesse God with a strong hand of mercy loose him hee shall abide in the bonds of his sinnes even vnto death And in the same place he compareth mans will before sinne namely in the state of Adams innocency to a free people or stare in whose power and election it is to chuse what King they will but hauing once chosen him whom they best like it is not now in their power vpon any dislike to depose him againe although hee tirannize ouer them neuer so much none can free them from this grieuous bondage but onely God So it being once in the power of mans will in the free state of innocency to chuse a King God or the Diuel hauing once by consent of sin made choise of the Prince of darknesse who tyrant-like ruleth in the children of disobedience it appertaines now onely to the mightie power and infinite goodnesse of God to set
that all other graces are radically in faith and spring from it They make all other holy graces to be inherent in sauing faith as the natiue qualities of it essentiall and inseparable not as accidents which are seperable Saint Augustine saith What is it to beleeue in him By beleeuing to loue him by beleeuing to affect him by beleeuing to goe vnto him and to be incorporated into his members And againe Paulus fidem c. Paul approueth and commendeth that faith which worketh by loue which cannot be without hope therefore neither is loue without hope nor hope without loue nor both without faith And which we cited before Faith is so on the soule as a good roote which bringeth forth the fruite S. Chrysostome saith Faith is the foundation of the most holy religion the bond of charity the supply and succour of loue it confirmes sanctity it strengtheneth chastity it gouernes all sexes it promotes all degrees it obserueth all offices faith keepeth the Commaundements practiseth the precepts accomplisheth the promises And much more to this purpose according to his fluent golden elegancy Saint Ambrose There are in faith great prerogatiues what be they piety iustice sobriety charity discipline or good gouernment And to conclude with St. August In ipsa fide sunt omnia opera quae diligit Deus in faith it selfe are all those workes which God loueth Nor need this poynt seeme so strange Morall Philosophy can teach vs that there is such an inseparable combination of all moral vertues as he that hath one hath all And shall wee deny then this inseparable conjunction of Spirituall graces whereof Faith is the Radicall and principall Though it is a marveile that these Philosopers Aristotle and Tully haue escaped the fiery purgatory-Index sith not even Romes owne Gratian for saying no more in Divinitie then those in Morality hath had the grace to escape their Singe or Spunge For where he saith Sed commodo c. But how can I haue such a faith to remoue mountaines and not charity Sith he that hath one vertue hath all I could not haue it but miraculously All these words must out as may be seene in Collat. censurae in gloss iuris canonici vum 84. Such a hatred they haue to the living saving faith as though a Princesse they will not allow her any necessary attendance coÌ„comitancy of other graces Whereas Bernard saith To beleeue in God is to hope in him and to loue him And Hieronymus Osorius Faith containeth all religion and piety for all vertues are by faith consorted and combined together and with it are connexed and intwined in a most holy knot But Deleantur haec verba let these words be cancelled saith the Index expurgatorius Also these words of his Ergo cùm fides c. Therefore seeing faith doth governe the whole soule and drawe it to the studie and loue of Gods word it followeth necessarily that it is proved not only in beleeving but also in obeying And those words also of Osorius must passe their purgatory Tune igitur verè fideles sumus cùm Dei verbo audiontes sumus Therefore then are wee truely faithfull when wee are obedient to the word of God I will conclude with the golden saying of our Royall Paraphrase vpon the Reuelation God by faith onely iustifieth man which notwithstanding is done according to his workes because they as the fruits of faith cannot be seperated from it and be are witnesse of the same to men of the earth I might seeme to haue digressed all this while from the point of freewill in speaking of faith But partly you haue moued me and the more willingly haue I followed you it being very pertinent to set forth discouer the Councell of Trents egregious hypocrisy in her Doctrine of grace and freewill For vnto what is the will stirred moued assisted by grace Parturient montes we expect some wonderfull consequent Thereby forsooth the will conceiueth faith by hearing the word and prepareth and disposeth it selfe to iustification And what faith is this thus conceiued Nascetur ridiculus Mus behold a ridiculous Mouse in steede of a young Mountaine For of their freewill is conceiued by hearing not that iustifying sauing liuing faith whereof the Apostle Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. 17 that faith whereof rightcousnesse is ver 5. that which beleeueth to righteousnesse ver 10 that which beleeueth In D. Iesâ—m in the Lord Iesus ver 11 but this conceiued faith of Rome is a bare historicall implicit generall dead faith like that of the Deuils no grace but such as euery wicked man may haue as their * fideles fornicarii c. their faithfull fornicaters adulterers c. And that grace of God their first grace whereby they say the will is first moued to conceiue a dead faith is with them but an ordinary common grace in deede no grace and by their owne confession no sauing sanctifying iustifying grace at all Yea and though they stile it a preparatory grace yet it neuer bringeth a man to true iustification sith they disclame that liuing sauing faith the onely faith whereby instrumentally we are iustified The summary conclusion then is that seeing the Trent Councell hath in her Doctrine of freewill so slily vndermined and ouerturned the fundamentall doctrine of saluation consisting in the iustifying sauing liuing faith powerfully wrought by the sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit in the heart euen in the whole man the soule with all the faculties from which faith as from a liuing and fructifying roote doe spring all other holy graces therefore for any man to goe about to excuse the Councell of Trent in the point wherein for the maine she is altogether to be condemned yea executed with Anathema Maran-atha I see not how such a one can be excused from being a reconciled confederate in all that damnable Doctrine of Trent about freewill Is this the way to make vs beleeue the Apppealers profound protestations that he is a Protestant of the Church of England while he so religiously pleadeth for the Councell of Trents mystery of iniquity and that flatly against the Doctrine of the Church of England Doth he thus perswade vs hee is no Papist Fy Maister Mountagu for shame learne not thus of your Councell of Trent to equiuocate with your brethren yea with your Mother Church of England You hold with the Step-mother of Rome in her most damnable Doctrines whereby she vtterly euacuates Christ Iesus and the whole mystery of our saluation and yet you are no Papist Why Because forsooth you doe not hold those Doctrines to be Popery but catholicke with those of the Church of England If you can bring no better arguments to proue you a good Protestant these you haue brought will sufficiently conclude you to be a reconciling reconciled English Romane-catholicke Babylonius Sir to trouble you no longer for this time and for a conclusion of the first part of this Appeale