that is stronger then hee And indeed this is the very cause of our ouer comming if we beleeue S. Iohn Because 1 Ioh. 4. â—… hee that is in vs is greater then hee that is in the world Therefore Gods constant loue is still to bee lookt vnto as the only cause of our safetie which keepes our wills by grace against these ouer-mightie enemies and wretched were wee if our wills were put to keepe themselues by grace For then if we were but as Adam these principalities and powers would prevaile with vs as with Adam especially having a body of sinne about vs which hee had not But the only cause of our standing against these principalities vnder whom Adam fell is the constant loue and purpose of God By that as S. Paul saith We are more then 2 Cor. 1. 21. conquerours and thence it is that Principalities and Powers cannot separate vs from the loue of God And as by this constant loue of God we are constantly and safely preserued from separation and Apostasie so let our constant saftie ever acknowledge this constant loue and purpose of God to bee the cause of it But both this safetie and the cause of this safetie the teachers of Apostasie doe denie so robbing God of the glory of mans stabilitie and robbing man of the safetie and stabilitie which hee hath from God Finally that yet wee may know our selues to be fully and finally safe the blessed Apostle is not contented to speake of safetie from separation and Apostacie onely in the present time but he denies Apostacie beth by future things and in the future time Nor things present nor things to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God Behold a finall and full perseuerance in safetie for things present cannot separate vs and things to come shall not be able to separate vs yea no other creature that is nothing can separate vs and therefore not the Arminians A third way by which our Church in this Article doth teach Certaintie of Saluation is this shee saith that the consideration of Election doth establish in the Saints a Faith of their saluation to bee enioyed through Christ. For the Saint finding in himselfe the mortification and vivification of the Spirit hence ascendeth vp to the knowledge view and consideration of his Election and from this constant Election hath a stable and sure Faith that hee shall enioy eternall saluation in Christ. Now from hence plainly issueth this argument That saluation is certaine whereof there is an established Faith But there is an established Faith of the Saluation of of the Saints Therefore the Saluation of the Saints is certaine The first proposition cleareth it selfe by its owne light For there is not an established Faith of vncertaine and fallible things but of certaine Yea if there were no other word but the word of Faith this Faith presumeth and pâ—…esupposeth a certaine and infallible truth for the obiect of it and consequently in this place a certaine and infallible saluation of the Saints The second proposition is raysed plainly out of the words of the Article For the consideration of Election is there said vpon the view of Sanctification to establish a Faith of Saluation to be enjoyed Wherefore I may conclude in the words of the ninth Article There is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are baptized Which the Article of Ireland thus resembleth Howsoeuer for Christs sake there be no condemnation Num. 34. to such as are regenerate and doe beleeue The first of which is a position of our Sauiour They that beleeue and be baptized shall be saued They Mark 16. 16. are not onely now in the state of Saluation but they shall hereafter be saued for hee that beleeueth shall not Ioh. 5. 24. see condemnation And the other resteth on the saying of Saint Paul who saith that to the Saints there is no condemnation For the Law of the Spirit of life which Rom. 3. is in Christ Iesus freeth a Saint from the law of sinne and death Now if a Saint bee free from death who can make him a bondslaue of death This were flatly to affirme that which the Apostle denyes both here and else-where Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to Rom. 8. 15. feare againe but the spirit of Adoption by which wee cry Abba Father And if a sonne then no more a seruant Behold Saint Paul saith wee haue not receiued the spirit Psal. 46. 7. to feare againe who then dares to put vpon the Saints a spirit of bondage to feare againe and Saint Paul saith by the Spirit of God If a sonne then no more a seruant And how dares flesh and blood to say if a sonne yet againe a seruant But let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free neither let vs againe be intangled with the yoke of bondage Let vs say with Saint Paul once a sonne and no more a seruant once a sonne and a sonne for euer And indeed Christ himselfe saith That a sonne abides in the house Ioh. 9. 35. for euer onely let vs remember that therefore we are deliuered from this feare and house of bondage That Luk. 1. 74. being deliuered from our enemies wee might serue God without feare In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues Our safety is giuen vs mainly 1 Ioh. 3. 3. for an incouragement to holinesse For hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure And now that it may appeare that I haue not wrested a priuate sense out of these publike Articles let vs see whether the same truth hath not beene publikly taught by others There is a worke formerly alledged which hath this Title The Faith Doctrine and Religion professed and protested in the Realme of England and Dominions of the same expressed in thirtie nine Articles the said Articles analysed into propositions c. This worke was made by a Chaplaine of Doctor Bancroft late Archbishop of Canterbury and to his Grace Dedicated But it is well knowne Arch-bishop Bancroft did not fauour any Puritanicall or Schismaticall Doctrine neither is it to be thought that his Chaplaine would or durst offer any such vnto him Neither is it to be beleeued that he would be so shamelesse as to say to the same Arch-bishop in his Dedicatorie Epistle That these Propositions shee that is the Church of England publikely maintaineth if there had beene any Puritanicall Doctrine maintained in them Now this Writer hauing raysed a Proposition vpon these words of the seuenteenth Article constantly decreed he inferreth Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke That the Regenerate may fall from the Grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus The same Doctrine is proued by other Articles more plainely and punctually vnfolding what was in the former Articles truly and really contained though not so manifoldly
c. To dye is to Id. cap. 10. loose the habilitie of life c. But this doth not happen to the soule for it is the breath of life neither to the Spirit for the Spirit is simple and cannot be dissolued and is the life of them that receiue him Partem aliquam spiritus eius sumimus c. We receiue Id. cap. 11. a part of his spirit vnto the effecting and preparing of incorruption by degrees accustoming to receiue and carry God in vs which the Apostle also called an earnest that is part of that honour which is promised to vs of God Qui credit in filium habet vitam aeternam c. He that beleeueth elemens Alexa. padag lib. 1. cap. 6. in the Sonne hath life eternall If then wee who haue beleeued haue life eternall what remaineth beyond the possession of life eternall Non es inquit amplius servus c Hee saith Thou art Idem Ibid. no more a seruant but a sonne If a sonne then also an Heyre through God What then wanteth to a Sonne when hee is an Heyre Qui credidit in nomine eius c. Hee that beleeued in his Ciprian de Orat. Dominiea name and is made the Sonne of God from that time must begin both to giue thankes and to professe himselfe the Sonne of God Scriptum est enim Iustum fide viuere c. It is written Id. de Mort. The Iust shall liue by Faith If thou art Iust and liuest by Faith If thou truly beleeuest in God why since-thou art to liue with Christ and art secure of the Lords promise dost thou not reioyce that thou art called by death vnto Christ Plus amare compellimur c. wee are inforced to loue the Id. ibid. more while it is granted to vs to know what wee shall bee and to condemne that which wee were Hilary dâ—… Triniâ—… lib. 1. Conscia securitatis suae ocio c. The soule knowing her owne safety resteth in quietnesse reioycing in her hopes so much not fearing death that shee accounteth it as the way to life eternall Chananeaiam ipsa c. The Chananitish woman being Ibid in Mat. c. 15 now saued by faith and CERTAINE of that inward Mystery and sure of her owne saluation Per spiritum sanctum datur c. By the Holy Spirit it is Basil. de spiritu cap. 15. giuen a restoring into Paradise a returne into the Kingdome of heauen a recouery of the adoption of sonnes a confidence of calling God Father a partaking of eternall glory and that I may say all at once to be in the fulnesse of all blessednesse both of this life and of those good things which are laid vp for vs in the life to come which in the meane time wee do enioy by FAITH beholding that Glory as in a glasse For if the EARNEST bee such how excellent is the Perfection Bene ait confido c. Hee saith well I am confident For Ambrose Serm. 15. confidence is the strength of our hope and an authority of hoping Therefore hope still and no man can make tâ—…ee ashamed of thy expectation Our expectation is life eternall Signauit nos dando spiritum c Hee hath sealed vs Id. in 2 â—…or 1. by giuing his Spirit to vs for an Earnest that wee may not doubt of his promises for if when wee were in the state of death hee gaue vs his Spirit it is not to be doubted but that to vs being made immortall hee will adde glory Non praeter spem esse debemus c. Wee must not bee Angust in Psal. 1â—…2 without hope yea wee may bee bold with great confidence because if hee be with vs on earth by charity wee are also with him in heauen Hee is below by the compassion of charity wee are aboue by the hope of charity For wee are saued by hope But because our hope is certaine though saluation be to come it is so spoken of vs as if it were already done Tribulatio est enim nostra in presenti seculo c. Our Id in Psal. 123. suffering is in this life and our hope in the life to come and except in the sufferings of this life the hope of the life to come did comfot vs wee should perish Our ioy brethren is not yet in performance but in hope But our hope is as certaine as if the thing were already done Diuers other places haue beene allready cited out of him of Finall perseuerance I referre the Reader particularly to his booke De Bono Perseuerantiae de Correptione gratia Where among many other sentences approuing the Perseuerrance of the sonnes of God hee saith cap. 9. Nullus eorum c. None of them being changed from good into euill doth end his life Exempta est a morte anima c. That soule is freed Prosper in Psal. 114. from death euen though shee bee compassed with mortall flesh which of vnbeleeuing is made beleeuing and besides that perfit eternall rest from all labours which the death of the Saints precious in the eyes of the Lord doth obtaine the soule which is deliuered from the death of infidelity hath also her rest in this life euen that soule which ceaseth from the workes not of righteousnesse but of iniquity Such a soule which is now aliue vnto God and dead to the world and is diligently buried in spirituall indeauours not resting in an idle but a quiet tranquility of humility and meek nesse she accounteth as now possessed whatsoeuer with an vndoubted hope she patiently expecteth Neque vsque eo solum c. Neither is the grace of Christ â—…irill Alex. Comment in Esa. lâ—… 3. the Sauiour of vs all onely so farre extended toward vs but in good hope the possession of the Kingdome of heauen lasting and eternall life and the absence of all euill which vseth to affect with griefe are likewise added For it is written of the Saiuts euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads Probi viri cùm munduÌ„ possideant cor c. Good men hauing a pure heart became the receptacles of the comforter as Id. in Ioan. lib. 9. cap. 44. it is possible to men in this life and they do know that they shall enioy great and wonderfull rewards For they shall bee sanctified of the spirit and they shall be made partakers of all good things and the basenesse of bondage being cast off they shall be adorned with the dignity of adoption of the sons of God which Paul sheweth saying Because yee are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his son crying Abba Father Non accepistis spiritum seruitutis c. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage c. For hee cannot bee a iust man in the sight of God who serueth him not for loue but for feare Which place I alledge because the fallers from Grace by teaching this falling from Grace do teach men a Doctrine by which
men must bee continually in seruile feare and to this very end they abusiuely alledge Bee not high minded but feare and Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling In Scriptura sacra aliquando c. In the holy Scripture Id. in Iob. lib. 16. cap. 2. sometimes the gift of the Holy ghost is called an Earnest because thereby our soule is strengthned vnto the Certainty of inward hope Well therefore it is said by Paul Who hath giuen vs the Earnest of his Spirit For to this end haue wee receiued this Earnest that wee may hold a Certainty of that promise which is made vnto vs. Mandatum Dei si timore fit poenoe c. If the commandement Anselme in Rom. 8. of God be done by the feare of punishment and not by the loue of righteousnesse it is slauishly done and therefore not done For that fruite is not good which doth not proceede from the roote of loue c. Wee haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption whereby wee call God our Father For the veryspirit of God himselfe giueth witnesse to our spirit that is hee makes our spirit to know and vnderstand that wee are the sonnes of God Habes homo huius arcani Indiceâ—… spiritum c. O man Bernard Ep. 107 thou hast the iustifiing Spirit for a Teacher of this secret in the same witnessing to thy spirit that thou also art the Sonne of God Take knowledge of the counsell of God in thy Iustification c. For the present Iustification of thee is both a reuelation of Gods counsell and a certaine preparation vnto future glory Aliquis non potest c. A man cannot haue that friendship Aquinus 1. 2. quest 65. art 5. with God which is called Charity except hee haue a Faith by Which he beleeueth that there is such a Society and Familiarity of Man with God and do hope that himselfe pertaines to this Society Now how certaine and infallible this hope is let himselfe also speake Hope goeth Id. 2. secudae q. 18. art 4. on to her end by way of Certainty as partaking Certainty from Faith which is in the knowing Faculty Bradwarden proues Perseuerance to be a free gift of God unto man and therefore not of man to himselfe by Gods Bradwarden de de causa Dei lib. 2. cap. 14. Grace which first position is the very ground of infallible Perseuerance and the latter of falling away and hee inferres Propter haec huiusmodique moâ—…iua c. For these and the like motiues it seemes more probable to mee and more agreeable to reason and Catholicke Doctrine that Perseuerance is not giuen to merits but is freely giuen of God according to his free Grace free Praedestination and free Purpose as the first working grace that iustifieth a sinner Non peccat videlicet ad mortem c. Hee doth not sinne Fâ—…rus in 1. Ioa. 5 vnto death but this hee hath not of himselfl but from this that hee is regenerated into a Sonne of God by Faith and Baptisme for this regeneration doth preserue him For by Faith hee is made the Sonne of God by Faith he is clensed from sinne by Faith hee is preserued in the obtained righteousnesse by Faith hee ouercomes the world the flesh and the Deuill and by Faith hee riseth againe after falling and therefore Satan cannot touch him Hee may indeede dare to tempt the godly So likewise hee durst to tempt Christ Yea sometimes hee driues iust men vnto a fall as wee see Dauid and Peter But FINALLY as in Christ hee could haue nothing so neither can hee preuaile ouer the Saints For none can take Christs sheepe out of his handes Wherefore going to his Passion hee recommended all those that beleeued in him vnto his Father A heartie desire for the conversion of those that hold the finall a version and falling of the Saints AS themselues hold that they may depart from fundamentall Truths vnto fundamentall Errours so I wish that they may also depart from fundamentall errors whereof this seemes to be one That Christ Iesus the Sonne of God is not that Rocke which preserueth the Church that is built on him that the gates of Hell cannot praeuaile against Her THE GROVNDS OF ARMINIANIS ME Naturall and Politicke NAture is a ground of Arminianisme but it is corrupted Nature euen that Nature by which wee are the children of wrath Neither is Nature the fountaine Eph 2 and spring of it by a large common way as the Gal. 5. 20. flesh is generally the mother of haeresies but by a more peculiar inward and deepe generation There are two euills that by mans wretched fall are deepely grounded and intermingled with the very principles and rootes of man and as farre as man is man so farr and so deepe their venome and infection doth enter The one is Prede and evill that by the fall hath so throughly soked and pierced into the foundations of man that man naturally desires to stand by himselfe and to bee a selfe-vpholder which is no other then that miserable perferment which the Divell at the beginning promised to mankind in their first parents That they should bee as Gods For it is God onely Exod. 3. 14. whose Name is I am it is God onely that is a selfevpholder and standeth of himselfe and it is by the stabilitie of God alone that all other things are established from whose establishment as much as the wills of the Creatures are freed so much they are in danger Yea this substantiue and selfevpholding estate is to corrupted Nature a very plausible and desirable thing and man exceedingly desires with the prodigall sonne to haue his portion put by his Father into his one hands euen to haue Gods grace deliuered over to the keeping of Mans Freewill But the miserable consequence of this in that prodigall sonne plainely appeared when hee had gathered all Hee went into a Luk. 15. 13. farre countrey and there wasted all his substance with riotous living Mans will will not keepe the grace of God but will forfite and spend it as Adam our common Father did at the beginning neither may it be hoped that the sonne with a great portion of corruption should stand in that state of fredome wherein his Father newly comming from the hands of God his maker would fall Therefore it is the true safety of mans will to bee held by God rather then to be left free to hold God to bee established by grace rather then to establish grace in it selfe to bee apprehended by God rather then to bee left free whether it will apprehend God or no. Surely the Diuell is as strong as euer if not more strong by being more cunning and man being lesse strong because more corrupt his fall cannot bee but more certaine Therefore if the Diuell and his spirituall wickednesses powers Eph. 6. 19. and principalities must bee resisted and ouercome wee haue need of the whole armour of God yea wee
Suffer me also to obserue another saying in the very entrance of that worke Repertus est c. There is found one Bartius a false teacher of Leyden who was not afraid to set forth a booke execrable in the very Title of it OF THE APOST ACY of the SAINTS a man as it seemes of the Schoole of Arminius whom also the Vorstian liberty of Prophecying that is a licenciousnes that growes mad against wel established Religion hath transported and perswaded him that out of one inch of Noueltie most vaine desire of singularity he should depart from the receiued sentence of our Churches Wherin it may evidently appeare in what contrarietie to the Doctrine of our Church standeth or rather falleth this Apostacy and falling away of the Saints Augustine saith not That no man can be sure of perseuerancet Doctor Fulke c. But of perseuerance he affirmeth ca. 12. De Correp gra To the first man which in that good wherein hee was made right had receiued that hee might not sinne that hee might not dye that hee might not forsake that good an ayde of perseuerance was giuen not whereby it should come to passe that he should perseuere but without which he could not perseuere by Freewill But now vnto the Saints praedestinated by the grace of God vnto the kingdome of God not onely such an ayde of perseuerance is giuen but such that euen perseuerance it selfe is giuē to them not only that that they cannot perseuere without this gift but also by this gift they are not but perseuerant For he not only said without me yee can doe nothing but also he said Yee haue not chosē me but I haue chosen you and haue appoynted you that you may goe bring forth fruit and that your fruit may abide By which words he shewed that hee had giuen them not onely Iustice but perseuerance in it For when Christ so appointeth them that they go and bring forth fiuite and that their fruit should abide who dare be bold to say peraduenture it shall not abide All Christians therefore ought to be assured that they shall remaine in the Vine keepe his Commandements and such like conditions as be required of them For as S. Augustine saith He that maketh men good maketh them also to perseuere in good Answ. to the Rhemist Testa See more there vpon Rom. 8. Hee held of the Angels somany as he was pleased and Doctor Field suffered them not to decline and goe a side with the rest and raised vp and severed out of the masse of perdition whom hee would among the sonnes of men The Angels now confirmed in grace and those men whom in the multitude of his mercyes he deliuered out of the State of condemnation and reconciled to himselfe do make that happie societie of blessed ones whom God hath loued with an euerlasting Loue. This Societie is more properly named the Church of God then the former consisting of men and Angels in the state of that integritie wherein they were created in that they which pertaine to this happy company are called to the partitipation of Eternall happinesse with the calling of a more mightie potent and preualing grace then the other For whereas they were partakers onely of that grace which gaue them power to attaine vnto and continue in the perfection of all happie good if they would and then In tanta faelicitate non-peccandi facilitate in so great faelicity and facility of not offending left to themselues to doe what they would and to make their choise at their owne perill These are partakers of the grace which winneth Infallibly holdeth Inseperably and leadeth Indeclinably in the wayes of eternall blessednesse Without which efficacy of Grace winning Infallibly holding Inseparably and leading Indeclinably no man euer attained to saluation of which who so is partaker shall vndoubetly be saued Of the Church Lib. 1. cap. 3. cap. 17. Doct Ioh. White This holy reuerend and greatly learned man in his Way to the Church hath a Digression with this Title Digres 41. Intreating of Praedestination Freewill as the Protestants hold them and shewing that their Doctrine concerning thosepoints doth neither make God the author of sin nor leade men to becareles of their liues c. And indeede he excellently proues what he vndertakes in this Digression In another we reade thus Perseuerance in good beginneth not in the will but in Gods protecting Grace that vpholds the will from desisting whence it followes that to euery new worke the will needes a new Grace as Organs giue sound no longer then while the bellowes are blowing Against this our Aduersaries teach that a iust man when himselfe will can practise any Righteousnesse internall or externall by doing good workes and keeping Gods Law neither needes he ordinarily a new Grace to excite him but onely to helpe him And in case of falling into sin when it is said the will cannot cooperate to rise againe the meaning is that it cannot do◅ it so easily And this he calls An impious blasphemy and sauouring of Pelagianisme Digress 42. The Title of another Digression 43 is this Prouing that Gods children without miracles or extraordinary Reuelation may be and are infallibly assured that they haue grace and are in the state of saluation There we reade in the Digression it selfe The manner how we know wee haue grace and shall be saued is by the meanes of the holy Ghost whose worke it is to assure vs I thinke then it is the euill spirits worke to take away this assurance the which he doth first by producing in vs the effects of sauing Grace and Praedestination which i◅ the constant reforming of our life within and without Whereupon it followes that he which giues himselfe effectually and stedfastly to a godly life may infallibly bee secured thereby of his Saluation because God whose promises are infallible hath promised saluation to all such Where the Reader may note That the constant Reformation of our life is an effect of Praedestination and a worke of the Spirit Now if this constant Reformation be wrought in vs by the spirit and is giuen to vs as a fruite of Gods constant Decree of Praedestination how can wee fall away for a constant Reformation and falling away cannot stand together But here we see Gods Spirit giues vs a constant Reformation of life and therefore falling away is excluded A little after Stapleton confesseth that S. Paul pronounceth the same certainty of other mens saluation that 1 Cor. ◅ 40. Rom. 8. 38. ◅ Tim. 4. 8. he doth of his owne And therefore we may haue assurance of Grace and Perseuerance as well as he had For in diuers places he shewes that he was assured of Gods spirit and Grace and eternall life You shall heare what the Auncient Fathers say touching this matter Macarius saith Although they are not as yet entered into the whole Inheritance prepared for them in the world to come yet through
wrath may be vpon lesser sinnes yea a hot wrath may be vpon a Saint â—…or greater 〈◊〉 but a whole displeasure is not vpon him except he had a whoâ—…e reigne of sinne and from that as I shewed before a Saint is preserued For there is still a seede of Grace remaining and with that seede God cannot be angry yea he still loueth it and where this loue remaines there the wholenesse of wrath is abated so much as is the measure of this remaining loue Neither is this without the word of God For God himselfe when he hath said of a Saint I will be his Father and he shall 2. Sam. 7. 14. be my sonne he saith also If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rods of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul God when he was angry with Iehosaphat Hee told him by the Prophet Shouldst thou helpe the vngodly c. Therefore is wrath vpon thee from the Lord. Yet withall God forgat 2. Chron. 19. â—… not the seede of Grace in his heart Neuerthelesse there are good things found in thee thou hast prepared thy heart to seeke the Lord. So though there be a measure of wrath and God in measure contend with these branches Esay 27. 8. of sinne yet the roote of grace remaining Grace also remaineth As long as the seede of God remaineth so long vnion with God remaineth and as long as vnion with God remaineth so long a man is in the state of grace and cannot be wholly in the state of displeasure But as millions of sinnes lying vpon the Sonne of God brought with them such a heauy displeasure of God that in regard of the anguish and plague of it to which he was deliuered vp he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and yet as concerning vnion God had not forsaken him so also in the sonnes of God vnited to this Sonne though for some single sinnes a great wrath may arise and God in regard of outward feeling may seeme to forsake them yet that vnion still remaineth and whom God hath thus knit together no man can put asunder In Christ that became sinne for vs all the sinnes of the Saints and vnion with God were not incompatible wherefore sinnes and vnion with God are not incompatible And though this vnion was Hypostaticall and our a lower vnion yet from that Hypostaticall vnion our vnion is deriued and that vnion safegards and preserueth the vnion deriued from it His vnion is the Rocke on which our vnion being built that Rocke preserueth the Church vnited vnto it The strength of Christs vnion is not the weaknesse Math. 16. 18. Math. 7. 25. Ioh. 14. 19. Ioh. 17. â—…0 c. â—… Pet. 2. 5. 6. 7. but the strength of our vnion and in his safe vnion our vnion is safe against the gates of Hell And this is the very point that accuseth and conuinceth their horrible blasphemy that say wee are no safer by vnion with Christ who was God and man then by generation from Adam who was but a man that had not vnion with God But perchance some will obiect this is a dangerous doctrine to be taught That Saints cannot fall from the State of Grace And why Because men will presume But let the obiectors remember that the question is whether it be true or vntrue not whether there may be ill vses made of it For if it be true then this is iust Gardiners argument against whole relying on the merits of Christ because the people would breake out at this gappe and leaue buying of heaven with their owne merits So might wee argue that the Grace of God may not be taught because some turne it into wantonnes noâ—… men send their sonnes to the Vniversity because knowledge puffeth vp But let not Gods truth be muzled vp with carnall policy especially let not truth bee denyed to bee truth because flesh and blood makes ill vses of a spirituall truth But secondly I deny that this doctrne is dangerous to breede carelesnesse in obedience yea it is a spurre and encouragement vnto obedience For if wee consider how it is deliuered and to whome it is deliuered and with what cautions and conditions it is to be delivered it will be found to be a doctrine most comfortable and most advantagable vnto holinesse The vsuall manner of delivering it is by the way of incouragement vnto obedience Euen the whole Law is inforced vpon this ground I am the Lord that hath delivered thee from the house of bondage thou shalt haue no other Gods but me c. which agrees iust with the song of Zacharie That wee being deliuered from our enemyes might serue God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse c. In the next place we may consider that this Doctrine only appertaineth to the Regenerate To them only it can be so deliuered that it may bee received Now the Regenerate haue in them a godly nature a spirit of loue and the loue of God being shewed and sealed to them the spirit of loue in them is enflamed to a more seruent loue of God And the more a man loues God the more will hee keepe his Commandements So that it is most true which S. Iohn speakes Hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure But the cleane contrary is said by these men He that hath this hope defileth himselfe 〈◊〉 the 1. Ioh. 3. 3. Deuill is filthy In the last place let vs take notice what cautions conditions are annexed vnto this Doctrine God knoweth our frame and he seeth that by nature wee are nothing but flesh Ioh 3. 6. And even after Regeneration there is a great remainder of the flesh even in the Regenerate Now this flesh is apt to be puffed vp not vpon this onely but vpon any excellencie of the Spirit knowledge Revelation yea vpon the grace of God yea vpon humilitie it selfe Therefore God hath certaine scourges for his childreÌ„ to beate downe this flesh from presuming and exalting it selfe aboue measure Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and hee Heb. 13. â—… scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiueth Hee hath scourges of diverse sortes he scourges them in their estates he scourges them in their bodies he scourgeth them in their mind yea in their soules themselues He scourgeth them by men hee scourgeth them by Devils he scourges them by good Angels he scourgeth them by his owne hand even by hiding his face by withdrawing his comforts by sending terrours into their soules so that no scourge almost is wanting but only Hell yea their is not wanting a kind of temporall Hell but only a Hell eternall Dauid is scourged with the death of the sonne of his sinne with the rebellion of another sonne with the rayling of Shimâ—…i with an exclusion from the Royall Citie So that hee wept as he went vp and had his head couered and he went â—…refoote he was called A bloody
haue neede of God himselfe to support strengthen and establish vs and accordingly the Apostle fitly begins 2. Cor. 1. 21. Bee strong in the Lord and the power of his might For as else where Hee which establisheth vs in Christ is God The Deity is the Rocke which in Christ Iesus establisheth vs and makes vs to stand and so to stand that the Gates of Hell cannot preuaile against vs. The Rocke keepes vs wee keepe not the Rocke yea the Rocke keepes vs that wee keepe the Rocke for if it did not so the Rocke did not keepe vs for if our keeping of the Rocke were not kept by the Rocke wee should neither keepe it nor bee kept But Scripture saith wee are kept from falling because wee are grounded on the Rocke and therefore the Rocke doth Mat. 7. 25. keepe vs euen from falling from the Rocke But this true and onely ground of safety the Pride of man scorneth and despiseth and it still desires to haue the will free and loose from this establishment of the Rocke that in the sand of this freedome hee may build a glorious but a ruinous house and walking in the Turrets of it hee my say of it as that stalking and presumptuous Monarch Is not this great Babylon Dan. 4. that I haue built by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiesty But this Pride is a most certaine way to ruine For the same man that would bee like a God God made him vnlike a man and the same heart that swelled into the assuming of God head was changed into the heart of a beast vntill hee lifted vp his eyes oâ—… Heaven and honoured him that liueth for ever whose Dominion is an euerlasting Dominion and who doth what hee will in the army of Heaven and the inhabitantes of the Earths Wherefore it is the safety of ouâ—… Will to be established by that supreme Will which onely is stable and to attribute the safety of our Will to that GOD from whom onely wee can receiue it Except wee rather approue this Great Monarch in his pride then in his repentance and do loue proud Râ—…ine rather then humble stability And indeede Arminianisme may iustly looke for Ruine for it opposeth stability Yea I dare confidently to affirme that Arminianisme opposeth the maine scope and summe of the Scripture The maine scope of the Scripture is this to bring all Glory to the Creator from the Creature This Glory plainly ariseth while wee see the great vncertainty and mutability of the most perfect Creatures not established by vnion with the Creator and the strength and stability of the weakest and most fraile creatures being knit to the Deity A paterne of the one is Adam with his Free-will and a paterne of the other are the members of Christ Iesus And that this latter paterne may bee more euidently emminent God hath chosen out of weake and corrupt mankind the most weake and wretched That hee which glorieth may glory in the 1. Cor. 29 Lord. Thus is the whole Frame of Scripture as it were a maine Body of our Doctrine which giues glory to God by making the Greature wholly to depend on his Creator And Arminianisme is an opposition to the same Scripture and to the Doctrine thereof while it giues the stability of the Creature to the will of the Creature so that a Creature may answere St. Paul as I learne an Arminian hath answered Ego meipsum discerno I make my selfe to differ from another I am mine owne establisher But be it still our steâ—…fast 2. Cor. 4. 7. ground That Hee which establisheth vs in Christ is God 2. Cor. 1. 21. Psal. 18. 31. And who is God saue the Lord and who is a Rocke saue our God Another Naturall ground of Arminianisme is the Naturall wisedome of man or the wisedome of Naturall man This Naturall wisedome approues that onely for true wisedome which it selfe comprehendes and the wayes which are past finding out or are contrary to that which it hath Decreed for Wisedome are meere foolishnesse to it Wherefore euen the Wisedome of God and the Iustice of God if they bee not wise and iust that way in which the Naturall man thinkes Wisedome and Iustice onely to bee hee censureth the one to be Folly and the other Iniustice Thus by the fall of man man is fallen into this drunkennesse that hee thinkes the wisedome creating can bee measured and iudged by the wisedome created yea not by the wisedome created but by the wisedome corrupted The wisdome of man fallen is set for a Iudge of the incomprehensible wisedome of him who made man in his perfection and hee that is now lesse then himselfe will comprehend him that was infinitely greater then man when hee was greater then himselfe Neither is this a stone that wee stumble at for lacke of notice For God hinselfe hath shewed vs this Rocke of offence The naturall man perceineth not the thinges 1. Cor. 1. â—… c of God but they are foolishnesse to him And The world in the wisedome of the world knew not God Now by the same reason the more of this wisedome that knoweth not God and that counts Gods wisedome to be foolishnesse the more doth the wisedome of God seeme folishnesse to it Therefore there were no greater enemies and opposers to the Doctrine of God then Politicians and Philosophers both which were vnited in that most able Naturall man and most venemous adversary of Christianity Iulian the Apostate And that God may glorify this wisedome of his which they count foolishnesse and make it to triumph ouer their foolishnesse which they so seriously and reuerently thinke to bee wisedome hee takes simple weake and base men euen foolish thinges and by his spirit giuing them his diuine wisdome hee confoundes the wisedome of the worldly wise while these foolish thinges are saued by the wisedome of God and the wise men perish by the wisedome of man So that there remaines no other remedy for this disease of humane wisdome but that such men become fooles that they may bee wise They must put off humane wisdome and esteeme it to bee folly if they will put on the wisdome of God The Naturall wisedome must bee captiuated by the Spirit and a spirituall Doctrine must be receiued by a spirituall vnderstanding for spirituall truths are not kindly to bee receiued but by a spirituall hand And surely if Humane wisdome had neede to bee put off in the receiuing of any spirituall Doctrine it had neede especially to bee laid aside in receiuing the Doctrine of the Grace of God For that Doctrine is very spirituall it flyes high and the top of it pearcheth the cloudes and hides it selfe in heaven to bee adored rather then to bee discerned And so the great Apostle him-selfe doth leaue it Now these high and most spirituall doctrines offend the eyes of naturall wisdome which enioyeth those secrets chiefly which it selfe comprehendeth and accountes a transcendent
the earnest which they now receiue they are as certaine of it as if they were already crowned and reigning c. Bernard saith who is iust but he that returneth loue to God who hath loued him which is done when the Spirit by Faith REVEALETH to a man the eternall PVRPOSE of GOD concerning his FVTVRE SALVATION Dr. Reynoldes was a man indifferently well esteemed by some for his learning in the place where he liued and not accused by any that I knew for not being orthodoxe in any point of the Doctrine of our Church Yet Salomons saying is true That the Race is not to the swift c neither is fauour stil to men of skill wherfore as when a Countrey-Gentleman would borrow money in this Citie though his estate be neuer so great in the Countrey yet commonly hee must hauea Citizen bound for him that is knowne to the Cittie so since Doctor Reynoldes though well knowne for his learning in the place where he liued yet perchance may faile to haue trust among some men I must take leaue to get a surety for him euen one that is liuing and whose wordes I thinke will be taken in the Citie The man whome I produce to giue his word for Dr. Reynoldes is Doctor Francis White Deane of Carlile I haue already indeede produced him for a witnesse but now I produce him for a surety yea since he can here be a witnesse also let him be both a witnesse and a surety First therefore I take him as a witnesse of Perseuerance in that which I formerly cited out of him That our Tenet concerning Praedestination is no other then what Saint Austen and his Schollers maintained against the Pelagians Now it may plainly appeare by diuers of Saint Austens workes that the Praedestination taught by Saint Austen gaue to the praedestinaite an infallible perseuerance a perseuerance by which a Saint could not but perseuere And that I may not send away my Reader presently to reade or buy the workes of Saint Austen let him but looke backe to the allegation of Doctor Fulke and there he shall plainly see that which here I tell him so that thence will arise a plaine Argument The Tenet of our Church concerning Praedesti nation is the Doctrine of Saint Austen But the Doctrine of Saint Austen teacheth a Praedestination that giues a sure and infallible Perseuerance Therefore the Tenet of our Church teacheth a Praedestination that giues a sure and infallible Perseuerance Neither may aman dare to meddle with any thing but the Conclusion for the former proposition is guarded by Doctor White and the second by Saint Austin and Doctor Fulke But Doctor White comes somewhat nearer and RePly to Fisher. Proues that A member of Christ and the Catholicke Church in the Creede which consists of the true members of Christ can neuer fall away vnto damnation and therefore must needs be possessed of finall perseuerance That Church or the Catholicke Church in the Creede hath the remission of sinnes and life eternall and passeth not to Hell Ioh. 10. 28. Aug. de Doctr Christi lib. 3. cap. 32. Againe The testimonies of St. Austen obiected by the same Aduersary which are that the Catholicke Church is the Body of Christ whereof he is the Head and that out of this Body the holy Ghost quickneth no man make altogether against himselfe For none are vitall Members of Christs mysticall Body but Iust and Holy persons And it is the same Fathers Doctrine Impii non suntreuera corpus Christi wicked persons are not in Deed Veritie the Body of Christ. And in another place In corpore Christi non sunt quod est Ecclesia quoniam non potest Christus habere membra damnata They are not in Christs Body because Christ CANNOT haue DAMNABLE members Thus are Christs members sure of Salvation because safe from damnation they cannot be damned therefore they must be saved and I thinke that they will not deny that finall perseverance is an inseparable companion of Salvation And now wee come to another place in the same worke which though it begin in Witnessing yet it ends in Suretiship It that is still The Catholicke Church in the Creede is the Church builded upon the Rocke against which the gates of Hell shall not preuaile either by Herisie Tentation or Mortall sinne Matt. 16. 18. Matt. 7. 24 And if it bee a meere fancie to hold this then Gregory the great with many ancient Father were fantasticks for teaching in this manner Which to make good there are many citations adioyned Aug de Ciâ—…it Dei lib 20. cap 8. Nunquam ab illo ecclesia sed vcetur praedestinata electa ante constitutionem mundi Origin Trac 1 Mat Vnumquodque peccatorum c. portae sunt Inferorum Vna Inferorum porta vocatur scortatio Câ—…mmultae sunt neque recenceri numero possint Inferorum portae nulla porta Inferorum valet aduersus petram aut Ecclesiam quam Christus super illam aedificat Gregor Morall lib. 28. cap. 6 Sanctam EcclesiaÌ„ de Sanctis in aternum perman suris constructam nullis huius vitae persecutionibus superandam Ipse super quem â—…dificata est euidenter ostendit cum ait Portâ—… Inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam Ambr in Luc lib. 2. cap. 3. Bern in Cant serm 7â—… Dr. Raynold de Script Eccles. Thess. 4 confirme the same at large Thus are we referred to Doct. Reynolds by this learned man and therefore we may safely passe on to see what hee sayes Neither is this Reference meerely generall and learge but punctuall to this very poynt of the finall Perseuerance of the Saints A more generall commendation hee hath besides of this same worke when he sayes The aduersaries haue made no Reply to Doctor Reynoldes Theses Neither are any endued with sanctification but those whome God hath Elected that they should bee Saints And to true Sanctification Iustification concurreth But God Iustifieth onely the Elect and Iustifiing Faith by which the Hearts are purified is the Faith of the Elect of God The wicked are not beeleeuers in the Apostolicall vse of that word For whosoeuer beeleeueth shall bee saued and the end of Faith is the saluation of the soule And howsoeuer they may bee called beeleeuers for a profession of faith or for a temporary Faith yet they are not redeemed as those which are grounded on Christ For those that are Redeemed are made Kings and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God which is the Prâ—…per prerogatiue of Saints And they that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did vp on Christ haue built houses grounded vpon the Roâ—… which shall neuer fall Thes. 4. which is the very same wherevnto D White referred the Reader The 〈◊〉 Doctrine of Finall perseuerance 〈◊〉 againe confirmed in the Apologie of these Thesâ—… Master Hooker As Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more power ouer him so the iustified man be ing allyed to God in Iesus Christ our Lord doth as necessarily from that time