in himselfe but in all his posterity because God held him not as one person but as the whole nature of mankinde untill such time as he was come into that state in which God thought it best to governe the race of mankinde to the end of the World whereto hee foreknew that he would soone come namely the state of sinne and misery needing grace and mercy No doubt God in justice might have here rejected and condemned for ever not onely the greater part but the whole of mankinde for this Apostacy from him as hee did the Angells that fell But the Scripture testifieth greater grace Rom. 5. 12. 16. deinceps Jeremy 3. 1. Tu autem fornicata es cum amatoribus multis tamen revertere ad me dicit Dominus ego suscipiaÌ„te verba Domini sunt Non est fas suspendere fidem saith Bern. 84. in Cantic applying that to every sinfull soule which Jeremy applies to Israel and I may well to all mankinde in Adam after whom God call'd Adam ubi es And to the same purpose heare what the confession of the Church of England saith in the tenth Article The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that hee cannot turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good worth to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to doe good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the Grace of God by Christ preventing us that he may have a good will and working with us when wee have that good will CHAP. V. Of Gods Government of Man under the Covenant of Grace THe third act of Execution of Gods Eternall Counsell was the Restauration of man fallen For the most Wise and Mighty God having created the World for Man and Man for happinesse in the fruition of himselfe would not suffer either the whole destruction of his Creature or the frustrating of his end though he pleased to permit the depraving of his Creature and to forsake one ill succeeding way to take a better for the attainment of this end Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 33. Omnis dispositio salutis quae circa hominem fuit c. The whole ordering of Salvation touching Man was wrought according to the good Pleasure of the Father so as God should not bee overcome nor his skill impair'd for if that man who was made of God to live here losing life being wounded by the Serpent which had deprav'd him should not againe returne to life but be wholly swallow'd up of death God had beene overcome and the Serpents craft had conquer'd the Will of God Hence God that foreknew before all time the fall of Man hee Dâ—creed in mercy to spare and preserve some degrees of his Imâ—ge in Man and so did and to suspend the Exâ—cution of some effects of his fall else hee had dyed presently or lived a mad or brutish creature that hee might be a subject possible to be repayred and capable of healing God in wisdome and goodnesse chose rather so to doe than to destroy him and wholly make him anew Moreover out of the same Wisdome and Goodnesse hee had Decreed to supply another way that which was lost and so bring Man back from the gates of Hell and to set him in a new and faire way to Heaven This his thought magnum cogitatum Patris as Tertul calls it from everlasting was now in due time the time of Mans misery revealed namely soone after the fall For this Gospell in effect was preached unto him That God would send his owne Sonne made of a woman that should dissolve the workes of the Devill and by See the Homily of the Nativity death overcoming him that had the power of death should deliver man from bondage and restore unto him righteousnesse and life Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 14. Now what by the remaines of Gods Image left in man what by the supply that God would make by his gracious help miserable man fallen was reputed by God a fit person once againe to be a party in a Covenant A Covenant of new Conditions suiting to the state of a sinner but tending to the same Ends righteousnesse and life This new Covenant is called the Covenant of Grace 1. because it was freely made with man a sinner utterly unworthy to have any more communion with God Secondly Because in it the righteousnesse and salvation of man is wrought in him rather by God than by himselfe being more in receiving than in giving in beleeing than in doing Yet hath it the nature of a true Covenant both parties having something for either to performe God to send his Sonne and his spirit to releeve the miseries and wants of man and to forgive sinnes to impute righteousnesse and to give life to such as obey his Sonne and his Spirit This part of God in the Covenant the Prophet Jeremiah speaketh of cap. 31. ver 33. and 't is repeated Heb. 8. 8. Man to humble himselfe for his sins to God his Creator to beleeve in Christ his Redeemer and to yeeld himselfe to be led by the holy spirit his Sanctifyer This part of Man in the Covenant the whole Gospell speaketh of requiring Repentance and faith and new obedience Act. 20. 21. Here are 2. things affirmed which may seeme to require proofe 1. That the Covenant of grace was made with all mankind 2. That God supplyeth by his spirit whatsoever is needfull to the keeping of this Covenant on the behalfe of Man who is confessed impotent in himselfe through his former fall These 2. shall by Gods assistance be sufficiently proved hereafter under the heads of Calling Commission Grace Free-will Now let these suffice as prescriptions for the Truth 1. That we find here in the day of the first publishing of the Covenant all mankind in Adam and Eve receiving the promise of the Gospel at the same time that they received their penances which we see to be universall to all their Seed it is therefore probable that promises should be taken as universall since the wise doe say Ampliandi favores 2. That we find left after the fall Remaines of some part of the Image of God as life understanding of good and evill liberty of Will in naturall and civill things conscience accusing or excusing c. which though they were given at first by Creation and so belong to nature yet the staying of them to remaine in man after his fall was of Grace both to make him capabâ—e to contract and covenant withall and also to be some beginnings and principles in order to his Restauration but since these alone are not sufficient to make him able to rise againe or to recover righteousnesse or keep the new Covenant of the Gospel of himselfe and these remaines it is decent to think of God who doth nothing imperfectly and who in Covenanting is no hard Master That he would supply by his spirit whatsoever was needfull more to the keeping of that new
Christs Consule Articulos Lambethanos boc Anno 1651 Editos Death 3. Of Freewill and Grace 4. Of the manner of working of Gods Grace 5. Of the Perseverance of Believers Touching which the Remonstrants or Arminians and the Contra-remonstrants or Puritans doe maintaine contrary Opinions the middle way between which our Church as I conceive doth much more rightly hold Article 1. of Gods Predestination First the Remonstrants make the generall and conditionall Decree of Predestination to be upon condition of believing according to the generall Gospell-promise of saving all men through Christ dying for them if with a lively and persevering faith they shall believe in him by the Word and holy Ghost assisting it Secondly the speciall and absolute Decree to be out of the foreknowledge of Faith touching the saving all such particular men whom God foresaw would believe through grace and on the other side condemning of those whom hee foresaw would continue impenitent in sinne and unbelievers And this is the Opinion of the antient Fathers before S. Augustine and of many after him and of many Papists Lutherans and many others Secondly The Contra-Remonstrants excluding the generall and conditionall Decree make one onely particular and absolute Decree touching the saving and enduing with Faith and preseverance some certaine particular men chosen out of mankinde through Christ dying for them alone by the effectuall or irresistible grace of the Holy Ghost peculiar onely to them All others by an absolute Decree being rejected and condemn'd And this is the Opinion of Zuinglius Calvin and the Puritans but is rejected by all Papists Lutherans and many others Thirdly our Church taking the middle way joynes the particular absolute Decree not out of foreknowledge of mans Faith or Free-wil but out of the purpose of Gods Will and Grace touching the freeing and saving those whom God hath elected in Christ with the generall and conditionall Will or the generall promise of the Gospell Teaching Gods Promises are so to be embraced as they are proposed to us in the holy Scriptures and that Will of God is to be followed of us which wee have expresly revealed in his Word as namely that God gave his Sonne for the World or for all mankinde That Christ offered himselfe a Sacrifice for all the sinnes of the whole World That Christ redeemed all mankinde That Christ commanded the Gospell to be preached unto all that God Wils and Commands all men to heare Christ and to believe in him and in him to offer grace and salvation unto all men That this is the infallible truth in which there can be no falshood otherwise the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell preaching the same should bee false witnesses of God and should make him a Lyar And this Opinion agrees with the judgement of St. Augustine as he is expounded by Prosper and Fulgentius It is the more common Doctrine of the Church after St. Augustine And these two things do well stand together God in the first place to offer salvation to all if they will believe and common grace and sufficient in the means ordain'd by God if men will not be wanting to the Word of God and his holy Spirit And then in the second place God that he might be helpfull to humane frailty and mans salvation might bee more certaine would adde his speciall more effectuall and abundant grace to be communicated to whom hee please by which not onely they are able to beleeve or obey if they please but also actually do will believe obey and persevere according to the sentence of St. Augustine Sic Deus ordinavit omnium Angeloru hominumque vitam c. So God ordain'd the life of all Angells and Men that therein hee might first manifest how farre Freewill could goe and then what the benefit of his grace and the judgement of righteousnes could doe De correp grat cap. 10. Article 2. Of Christs Death In like manner of the Death of Christ for all there are three Opinions The first that Christ dyed for all men and by his Death did redeeme all mankind in Gods generall and conditionall purpose of giving salvation for Christs sake that dyed to all upon condition of Faith depending on the free cooperation of men under Grace The Second contrary to the first that Christ did not dye for all c. nor did redeeme all mankinde c. nor that God by any manner of meanes or upon any condition did will or intend to give salvation or Grace for Christs sake to any other save only the Elect c. The Third supposing Christs Death for all men and Gods purpose conditioned with the generall grace of the Gospell-promises addes the speciall intention of Faith touching the applying the benefit of Christs death by grace more abounding and effectuall absolutely certainly and infallibly onely to the Elect without any prejudice or any diminution of the Will and Grace common and sufficient Article 3. Of Freewill and Grace All agree that Freewill is not able to do any thing that is good without Grace preventing present and subsequent so as it holds the beginning middle and end in conversion and Faith and every good worke yet they dissent in this that the first Opinion makes exciting Grace so to bee joyn'd with the word heard and understood and meditated upon that in some degree it is common to all who are willing to obey it The Second strives to make grace proper and peculiar only to the Elect and will not confesse it to bee in any manner of way common to all The Third conjoynes both sides acknowledging Grace so to bee common and sufficient being joyned with the word as withall to professe 't is speciall and effectuall to produce certainly salvation being propâ—r to those whom God out of his good pleasure hath gratiously elected in Christ Article 4. Of the manner of working of Gods Grace The first Opinion makes Grace so to worke in man that it takes not away the liberty of his Will but preserves it so that a man may by Grace so beleeve and obey as that hee may also by his Freewill resist Grace The second makes the workes of Grace to be irresistible so as wherever it comes it doth immutably incline and draw the minde to assent and obey The third Opinion teacheth men may be so stirr'd up and mov'd by Grace that they may both obey that Grace calling and moving if they attend thereto and also may through their Freewils resist Gods Call and Motion but it addes further that God when hee will and to whom hee will doth give Grace so abundant or powerfull or congruent or some other way effectuall so that although the Will in respect of its liberty may resist yet it doth not resist but certainly and infallibly obey and thus God to deale with those whom hee hath elected in Christ so far forth as is necessary to their salvation Article 5. Of the Perseverance of Believers The first Opinion makes
Gentiles called 2. That even yet hee should withhold from many Nations the very word and outward calling as the new-discover'd Indians doe shew being found as farre from the knowledge of Christ as ever the Heathen were before the Apostles preached to them But wee being under this grace of Gods Calling it behoveth us to looke that it be not in vaine unto us CHAP. VII Of the Concurrence of the Word and Spirit in Calling SOme great Divines do distinguish Calling into two kindes one outward of the Word onely another inward of the Spirit joyn'd with the Word That they say is Ineffectuall This Effectuall That common to the Reprobate This speciall and peculiar to the Elect That never obeyed with truth of heart This never disobeyed This Doctrine is to bee examined I distinguish not two Callings but compound one Calling of the Word and Spirit as it were of a Body and a Soule supposing it to have in it selfe power to bring forth Effect in all that are under it and if it doe not so the cause not to arise from the Calling but from the Called that obey not 1. For declaration of this Point it must not be thought that the Spirit goeth with the Word to make the hearer performe that which he can doe by naturall strength for the Spirit is given to helpe where nature faileth as to keepe waking and to be attentive for that which Men can bring of their owne strength God expecteth to finde and to meete One case then where to many the Spirit is not present to the Word is when they are not present to the very Word through their sottish carelesnesse 2. Againe it must not be thought that the concurrence of the Word and Spirit is as it were naturall necessary and inseparable but voluntary and arbitrary in the Will and good Pleasure of God and as grace is annexed to the Sacraments so is it to the Word onely by Divine Institution and Ordination Hence the Church prayeth before Sermons for the illumination and power of the Spirit to come with the Word God expecting to have this asked of him by them that can pray both for themselves and others Another case then where the Spirit is not co-working with the word many times is when it was not duly and diligently asked 3. There are men that are past grace to whom the Spirit is not present with the Word such as for their former neglect and contempt of the time of their visitation when God did call them are now given up to blindnesse and hardnesse and have the light of the Spirit and the dew of grace held back from that Word which is Preached in their hearing by accident not for their sakes though we know them not in particular and so admit all 4. It must not bee thought that the Spirit goes with the Word to worke any grace in any person whatsoever but according to the order of Divine Providence which dispenseth his grace wisely which is thus to be declar'd Wee are to distinguish the Word that calleth the Persons that are called and operations of the Spirit by the Word in those persons The Word is either the Law or the Gospell 1. The Law hath two parts as the Preacher of the Covenant of Grace useth the Law 1 The Precepts 2. The Curse to the transgressors of the Precepts So the Law hath a double use to accuse and convince with the Precepts to wound and to kill with the Curse and to these the Law is effectuall and of force after the fall of Man 2. The Persons called by the Minister of God using the Law are all naturall unregenerate sinfull men or the regenerate relapsed and fallen into grievous Sinne who are of two sorts either ignorant of their evill Estate to whom the Precepts of the Law are to be Preach'd to bring them to the knowledge of Sinne. Rom. 3. 20. Or they are such as know sin buâ— are sâ—cure benummed senselesse of theâ—â— miserable estate to these the Curse is to be denounced untill they begin to feare to be cast down and perplexed Act. 24. 25. 3. The Operations of the spirit upon these Men by the Ministry of the Law are two First to open their eyes to see their sinnes Second to prick their hearts with feare of the Curse Acts 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15. For these effects ordinarily the Spirit goeth with the Word of the Law calling Men out of the pit of sinne and they are more easily admitted and wrought into the heart upon those remaines of light in the minde discerning good and evill and of Conscience accusing it selfe consenting to the Law Rom. 2. 15. But that these workes of the Spirit by the Law are wrought in many Reprobates our adversaries deny not that grant some initiall parts of grace to be begotten even in castawayes The Ministry of John Baptist figured this of which S. Ambrose in 1. Lucae Hoc mysterium in hac vita nostra hodieque celebratur praecurrit enim animae nostrae quaedam virtus Johannis cum credere paramur in Christum ut paret ad fidem animae nostrae vias Thus much of the word of the Law with its persons and operations 1. The Gospell hath two parts A Commandement A Promise The Commandement To repent of Sin shewed by the Lawes Precepts To beleeve in Christ to give life to him whom the curse of the Law hath killed The Promise is of forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting to him that repenteth believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ Act. 2. 38 39. 2. The Persons called by God in the word of the Gospell are all manner of sinners but convict terrifyed wounded full of compunction and selfe-condemning wrought in them by the Spirit in the preaching of the Law Mat. 11. 28. 3. The Operations of the Spirit upon these Men by the Ministry of the Gospell are 1. To open their eyes to see the marvelous light of Gods Mercy to Sinners of the infinite love of Christ in dying for sinners and the inestimable Merits of his Death of the powerfull graces gifts and aides of the holy Ghost to helpe and relieve the impotency and misery of sinners to the end that by this light this Opinion may be begotten in them that it is possible for them to be recovered 2. To poure into their hearts hope or to stay them from desperate sinning or sorrowing 3. To inspire the grace of Prayer at least to wish or desire Oh that they might be so happy as to escape the wrath to come and recover the favour and love of God! 4. To give them repentance that is to sorrow for sin past with a godly sorrow and to purpose to break off sin to cease from any further offending God or endangering the Soule 5. To worke in them Faith that is To run to Christ and to cast themselves into the Armes of his goodnesse and power to be saved by him These Graces in this Order the holy Ghost is present and ready
to worke by the Gospell upon a sinner convict humbled and prepared by the Law And looke what proportion of power the Spirit had in the Law upon an unregenerate Man to humble him the same hath it in the Gospell upon the humbled to worke in him Hope him Hoping to winne to Wish and Pray to him Praying Wishing Willing to give Repentance unto him Repenting to instill Faith and so to justifie him being justifyed by Faith again by the Law and the Gospell together to mortifie corruptions to quicken in him a new life and to strengthen him to new obedience Now thinke not that the Spirit is present in the preaching of the Law to an unregenerate Man to give him strength to new obedience because it is present to convince and condemne his wickednesse or because it is so present to a justifyed Man to give him strength to new obedience Thinke not that the Spirit is present in the preaching of the Gospell to a Man yet not penitent nor believing to worke in him Peace Joy Love because it is present to worke these in the Believer Degrees here are not given per saltum The sum is The Spirit of God is annexed to his Word for such gifts and operations as to which the hearer is a fit disposed subject There is an order in the Divine working wherein there are things antecedent preparatives to things subsequent which antecedents if they found no place and were not admitted the subsequent are suspended Hence is there so frequent and just separations of the Spirit from the Word by the great Pastor of Soules who walketh in the midst of the Churches and scarcheth the hearts and reynes Hear what saith our Homily of declining from God When God withdrawes from us his Word the right Doctrine of Christ his gracious assistance and aide which is ever joyned to his Word and leaveth us to our own wit our own will and strength hee declareth then that he beginneth to forsake us And againe hear The words of the holy Scripture bee called words of eternall life for they be Gods Instrument ordained for the same purpose they have power to convert through Gods Promise and they be effectuall through Gods assistance So our Church in the first exhortation to the reading of the Scriptures and the first Booke of Homilies Thus much for Declaration of this point For Confirmation of it I allege all the Elogia of the Word of God as Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soule c. Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerfull c. Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by this Truth Thy word is truth Joh. 20. 21. When Christ ordained his Apostles hee breathed on them and said Receive the holy Ghost to testifie that the power of the holy Ghost should goe with them Hence is the Gospell call'd the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and the Ministers of the new Testament Ministers of the Spirit not of the Letter vers 6. because the Gospell dat quod jubet whereas the law jubet sed non juvat but without the Spirit the Word of the Gospell it selfe is but a dead letter whence it is said Joh. 1. 17. That the Law was given by Moses but wee had no hearts to receive it The Gospell Grace and Truth was not only given but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But why should I multiply places The learned Divines in suffrâ—gio Collegiali de 20. Articulo Thesi 5a. doe allege some of these and other more places to prove aliquam mensuram gratiae ordinarie in Ministerio Evangelii administrari quae sufficiat ad convincendos omnes impoenitentes incredulos contemptus vel saltem neglectus ob non impletam conditionem though by their favour the places prove a great deale more than Eam mensuram gratiae supernaturalis administrari quae sufficiat ad convincendos c. namely quae sufficiat ad convertendos The sentence of Prosper which they alleage speakes more home Non omnes vocari ad gratiam quibus omnibus Evangelium praedicatur non rectè dicitur etiamsi sint qui Evangelio non obedâ—ant But that Calling is the same to them that obey not as to them that obey I shall urge onely these two places more Mat. 22. 14. Many are called but few chosen Here Many are distributed into two sorts some that are called and not chosen some that are called and also chosen for these few chosen are a part of the many called so that the whole many are put under one and the same Calling which Calling is not by the outward Word alone for from that Calling arise none chosen therefore the Calling was by the Word and Spirit common to both and the few chosen excelled not in Calling but in some thing else viz. in obeying the Calling to come when others refused or in comming worthily in a wedding garment according to the Parable Mat. 12. 41. The Men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it c. If Jonas preached to the Ninevites without the Spirit how did they repent If Jesus Preached without the same Spirit how is he greater than Jonas nay how is hee equall in the power of Preaching If they that disobey be not equally called with them that obey how can these rise up in judgement against them when their answer is ready wee had not the same Calling with you ours differed toto genere you were partakers of an Heavenly calling wee but of an Earthly you were called by the Voyce of God speaking to your hearts we but by the bare voyce of Men speaking to the eare If God had moved and excited us as much as hee did you wee would have done as well as you For vocatio refertur ad auxilium Dei interius moventis excitantis mentem ad deserendum peccatum Thomas 12 ae 113. 1. ad 3m. The example of the Jewes at this day confirmeth this for they are said to be yet uncalled not because they live without the sound of the Gospell as the Indians have done for they may heare our Sermons and reade our Scriptures living in Rome Italy and Spaine but because the veile is not taken from their hearts because the Spirit of illumination and softning is as yet withheld from them which is granted gratiously to us Gentiles To conclude That Distinction of Calling propounded in the beginning of this Chapter into Outward Inward Effectuall Ineffectual seemeth to be vaine 1. Because it giveth unworthily the name of Calling to the bare outward Preaching of the Word which may bee a Commanding but not a Calling a Commanding as of the Law not a Calling as of the Gospell for God may still require to be obeyed in whatsoever new thing hee shall command because it is our duty naturall whether wee be now able to doe it or no being wee were able But seeing the word of the new Covenant comes to call Men to Repentance and
Faith for their recovery after notice taken of their impotency to rise again of themselves it seems an insulting mock and not a Call to say to sinners Turne repent believe and live unlesse there be some grace prepared for them whereby they may be able to repent and believe 2. Because it attributeth the Effect of obeying the Calling to the kinde of Calling it selfe and onely to one cause the operation of the Spirit as if many causes did not concur to produce an Effect and if any one faile the Effect faileth As if obedience to the Calling of God were not an Act of the will of Man under the ayde of the Spirit of God as if the ayde of the Spirit were never refused nor the Grace of God never received in vaine For though God be almighty and able to draw all second Causes unto his part and side yet he doth not use to disturbe or crosse the Nature of Causes nor the order of things which himselfe hath established 3. Because it maketh Gods Covenant to differ from all Covenants in humane affaires even in that which is essentiall to a Covenant yet this terme and title is borrowed from men the better to conceive of the Grace of God the duty of man In our Covenants each party hath something to performe and no one party doth all in a Covenant but by this distinction God is supposed both to provide infallibly to have the conditions fulfilled and also to fulfill his owne promises whereas all that he undertaketh for us is to make the conditions possible and not to be wanting in his helpe so far as is needfull for us Esay 59. ult And check me not that I am afraid to give too much to God lest I check you againe that you looke to be so much favoured as to be tyed to nothing Truth flattereth neither God nor Man Non est bonae solidae fidei c. T is not the part of a good and sound faith so to referre all things to Gods will and so to flatter every one by saying Nothing can come to passe without Gods permission that so we may imagine our selves are to doe nothing Tert. de Exhort Castitatis not far from the beginning CHAP. VIII Of Conversion THe Conversion of a sinner is the End which God seeketh in sending his Word and in Calling men Act. 3. 26. The Effect of Calling when it speedeth It may shortly be defined The Obedience of him that is called for it his part Vocantem audire obedire In Conversion there be two Termes A quo Ad quem From the power of Satan unto God Act. 26. 18. It is in all parts of Man In his Vnderstanding he is turned from darknesse to light In his Will from Idols of all sorts to serve the living God 1 Thes 1. 9. In his whole life from unrighteousnesse to Holinesse Rom 6. The Conversion of a sinner is also to be considered as Prima or Posterior The first is when a man of a naturall man is made a regenerate man and a member of Gods Church as the Gentiles called by the Apostles Act. 15. 3. Such were we all that are converted unto God having been first averted foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts Tit. 3. 3. The latter Conversion is when a regenerate man having committed iniquity and fallen into sin returneth unto God by repentance of that sinne Thus Peter that was foretold of denying Christ and that yet his faith should not finally faile was willed that he being converted should strengthen his Brethren Luk. 22. 32. See Bilson of supremacy pag. 278. 279. in 4. Next the Causes of our Conversion are to be considered without question Gods holy spirit working upon the heart of a sinner is the prime principall efficient powerfull Cause of his Conversion Turne us and we shall be turned Lam. 5. 21. in the beginning in the middle and in the end of it The word preached is the ordinary Instrumentall Cause Psal 19. 7. Adjuvant Causes are the Crosse that chastneth Jer. 31. 18. Blessings that draw and allure the prayers of others the holy example of others already converted c. But it is in question what part the Sinner himselfe who is the subject to be converted beareth in his owne Conversion being a living and reasonable Subject Whether he be active or passive in it when and how far whether he can further it or hinder it or whether it be possible for two supposed equally called one to be converted and not the other If so then whence this difference shall arise whether from God or from Man The determination of these questions cannot be cleare nor the manner of our conversion opened untill we have declared what is to be holden according to the Scriptures touching Gods free Grace and Mans freewill which we will indeavour to bring into more manifest light after so vehement Conflicts of the learned in all Ages which have raised clouds of obscurity to the losse of Truth amongst the strivers for it CHAP. IX Of Grace OF Grace and Freewill I will speak by Gods grace first severally then joyntly that so we may returne to the point of our Conversion to behold what be the parts of God therein and what of Man Of Grace I shall endeavour to declare the Thing the Distinctions the Necessity the Amplitude the Power and force thereof By Grace may be understood all that proceedeth from God out of free favour to an unworthy sinner tending to his Salvation yet here by Grace I will not understand the remaines of Nature as some light of Reason some sense of Conscience and the like though it was of Grace that these were spared and left to remaine in Man fallen Neither will I by Grace understand the Law describing the righteousnesse of works though the preacher of Grace doth use the Law to shew a sinner his Estate and to prepare him to Christ Nor will I understand the bare outward word of the Gospel though it be called Verbum gratiae Act. 20. 32. if not rather it be so called because the internall Grace of God goeth with it But by Grace I understand the internall Illuminations Teachings Motions Tractions Inspirations Operations Gifts of the holy Ghost merited by Christ to be given to the sinfull Sons of Adam in their fit time and order to the end to raise them fallen and to save them lost whence I shall call it with Saint August Gratiam Christi There is in man no merit of Grace for then grace were no grace there is only an occasion namely the wofull misery of Man which yet was in Gods pleasure to take as an occasion or to refuse it Even the good use of former Graces is no merit or cause of the giving of following Graces but the second are as freely given as the first for Gods good pleasure alone is the Author and Cause of that order and succession that is in graces in which he hath appointed to doe one thing in
by the interposition of some obstacle that hinders Gods influence of love from comming into the Soule But 't is manifest every mortall finne that is contrary to Gods Commandements is such an obstacle of hindring the foresaid influence because by that very act man chuseth sinne and prefers it before Gods love c. Whereby it followes that presently by one Act of mortall sinne the habit of love is lost 3. My third way to come to the true meaning of our Article was to parallel it with the twelfth of the Augustane Confession c. Art 12. Augustanae Confess Art 16. Anglicanae Confess De poenitentia docent quod lapsis post Baptismum contingere possit remissio peccatorū quocunque tempore cum convertuntur Et quod Ecclesia talibus redeuntibus ad poenitentiam absolutionem impertiri debeat Not every deadly Sin c. is unpardonable wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denyed to such as fall into Sin after Baptisme Damnant Anabaptistas qui negant semel jnstificatos posse amittere Spiritum Sanctum Item qui contendunt quibusdā tantam perfectionem in hac vita contingere ut peccare non possint Damnantur Novatiani qui nolebant absolvere lapsos post Baptismum redeuntes ad poenitentiam After we have received the holy Ghost we may depart from Grace and fall into sinne c. Therefore they are to be condemned which say they can no more sin as long as they live here or deny place of forgivenesse to such as truly repent What need many words there is nothing more cleare than that this is the Doctrine not onely of the Church of Rome from which our first Reformers desired not to depart but where it had departed from Scripture and Antiquity But also of the Churches of upper Germany and of Denmark with which ours kept most conformity So that the Calvinists are singular and alone in their Opinion Other doctrine of our Church of like nature to this is found in the booke of Homilies especially in that which is intituled Of declining from God in the Table and of Falling from God in the booke Out of the first part whereof I transcribe but this sentence pag. 54. For whereas God hath shewed to all men that truly beleeve his Gospell his face of Mercy in Jesus Christ which doth so lighten their hearts that they if they behold it as they ought to doe bee transformed to his Image be made partakers of the heavenly light and of his holy Spirit and be fashioned to him in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God So if they after doe neglect the same if they be unthankfull unto him if they order not their lives according to his doctrine and example c. He will take away from them his Kingdome his holy word whereby he should riegne in them Out of the second part thereof I transcribe this sentence pag. 57. God will take from them the teaching of his holy word so that they shall be no longer of his Kingdome they shall be no longer governed by his holy Spirit they shall be put from the grace and benefits that they had and ever might have enjoyed through Christ they shall be deprived of the heavenly light and life which they had in Christ whilst they abode in him c. In the second tome in the Homily of Repentance the first part pag. 261 262. there is a full paraphrase upon the 16. Article according to the two parts I made of it too much to write out admitting that we may chance after we be once come to God and be grafted into his Son Jesus Christ to fall into some horrible Sinne and yet be received againe into favour defining that the Sin against the holy Ghost is a finall faling away from Christ that the promises of mercy to them that turne to God Jer. 4. Isay 55. Osee 6. ought to be understood of them that were with the Lord before and by their sinnes and wickednesse were gone away from him that David and Peter were justified yet fell horribly but by repentance were forgiven Lastly the prayers of the Church have ever beene a place from which Arguments have beene drawne thus Against them that say the Regenerate may be perfect without sinne Why then doth our Lord teach them to pray Forgive us our trespasses against them that say they cannot be tempted to evill to be overcome why doth he teach us to say Leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill So Jerome 2. lib. Contra Iovinianum In like manner I argue if a Beleever cannot finally fall from God why doth our Church pray in the Liturgie at the buriall of the dead O God most mighty suffer us not at our last howre for any paines of death to fall from thee CHAP. XVII Of the Persevering Faith of the Elect. THe second question stated was of the Perseverance of the Elect whether it be without interruption in a perpetuall constancy or happy if it be finall that is what the state of a regenerate man is suppose him one of the Elect though knowne so to God onely under some grievous Sin into which he is fallen untill he repent Here I will first argue ex concessis and then rest in one argument out of the Scripture Our Judicious Divines that were at Dort apprehending well the danger of their Tenent that maintaine the Regenerate sinning to be still actually in the state of Salvation say very much of the evill plight of a regenerate man lapsed so much as I require no more That he is not actually reconciled untill he repent but verily in state of damnation and unapt for to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Yet some things they hold fast that they may not forsake their party altogether That which I object is that the things which they deny cannot stand together with the things they grant 1. They say first Though the Regenerate so sinning be guilty yet they are in the purpose of God to be absolved Ans So they were before they were regenerated or repented or beleeved at all Secondly That they are not dealt withall by God in rigor Ans No more are many reprobates fallen from Faith whom yet God would bring to Repentance by his long-suffering Thirdly That they have not lost jus ad Regnum but usum Juris as a leprous man hath not lost the right of his house but the Vse Ans I understand you well by a similitude but I care not for an Argument out of that place Then belike an Elect person guilty of Murther hath jus ad regnum O Sancte Paule thou speakest too loosely 1 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 21. Be not deceived I tell you that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Shall they not inherit that have jus ad regnum that have right to a Kingdome Fourthly They say That their Vniversall Justification is not made void Ans Truly their former absolution from former sins
Appello Evangelium FOR THE TRUE DOCTRINE OF THE Divine Predestination Concorded with the Orthodox Doctrine of Gods Free-Grace AND Mans Free-Will By John Plaifere B. D. Sometime Fellow of Sidney-Sussex Col. in Cambridge and late Rector of Debden in Suffolk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Amicum Amice Evangelium appellasti Ad EvangeliuÌ„ ibis Bern. in Cant. Ser. 65. Responsio Nullus reprehensor formidandus est amatori Veritatis Aug. de Trin. in Prooem Hereunto is added Dr. Chr. Potter his owne Vindication in a Letter to Mr. V. touching the same Points LONDON Printed by I. G. for John Clark and are to be sold at his shop under S. Peters Church in Cornhill 1651. The Severall Heads handled in this Treatise CHAP. The First Part. Page  THe Introduction or Preface p. 1 1. The first opinion of M. Perkns c. p. 9 2. The 2d opinioÌ„ of the Synod of Dort c. p. 16 3. The third Opinien of Dr. Overald c. p. 22 4. The fourth opinion of Hemingius c. p. 34 5. The fifth opinion of the Fathers c. p. 38 6. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fifth opinion p. 42  The Transition to the Second Part p. 52 CHAP. The Second Part.  1. Of Gods Knowledge p. 54 2. Of Gods Will p. 67 3. Of Providence and Predestination p. 71 4. Of Election and Reprobation p. 73 5. The Transition to the Third Part p. 76 CHAP. The Third Part.  1. Of the Creation p. 79 2. Of the Covenant of works p. 80 3. Of the Fall of Man p. 81 4. Of the effects of the Fall p. 84 5. Of the Covenant of Grace p. 86 6. Of Calling the Dspensation of the Covenant of Grace p. 91 7. Of the concurrence of the Word and Spirit in Calling p. 97 8. Of Conversion p. 110 9. Of Grace 113  The Distinctions p. 115  The Necessity p. 117  The Power p. 119  The Amplitude p. 122 10. Of Freewill to Good Evill p. 128 11. Of Grace and Freewill conjunctim p. 235 12. Of two equally called p. 251 13. Of Conversion under the termes of Regeneration a new Creation c. p. 273 14. The Article of Freewill as taught in a book published 35. Hen. 8. p. 278. 15. Of Perseverance p. 287 16. Of the Faith of such as persevere not together with an Exposition of the 16 Article of our Confession p. 291 17. Of the persevering faith of the Elect p. 230 18. Of the Certainty of Perserverance Election Salvation p. 318 19. Of the last Judgement p. 325 20. An Abridgement of the whole Book p. 334 21. An Analysis to the 17 Article Confessionis Anglicanae p. 350 Courteous Reader these bookes following are Printed for John Clark and are to be sold at his shop under S. Peters Church in Cornhill THe Stewards last accompt in five Sermons by Master Robert Bagnall Evangelicall Spices or the Incense of the Gospell in a Sermon by Doctor Wall Search the Scriptures or an enquiry after Verity by Master George Langford Manasses miraculous Metamorphosis in a Sermon at Saint Maries in Cambridge by Master George Langford Gods Smiting to amendment or revengement in a Sermon by Master Hanniball Gamon A Plea for Peace in a Sermon by Master Henry Vertue Evodius and Syntiche in a Sermon by Mr. John Elborow The Sharpnesse of the Sword or Abners Plea for accomolation in a Sermon by Master Iohn Pigot The Descent of Authority or the Magistrats Patent from Heaven by Doctor Hurst The Souldiers Triumph and the preachers Glory in a Sermon by Master Milward A thanksgiving Sermon by Master John Squire A Visitation Sermon by Doctor Read Ten Sermons upon severall Sundayes and Saints dayes â—y Master Peter Hawsteed A divine prospective representing the Just mans Peacefull end in a funerall Sermon by Master Nathaniel Hardy Christs Love and affection towards Jerusalem delivered in sundry Sermons by Master Richard Maden A discourse of the Sabbath and the Lords day by Doctor Dow. Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State by Doctor Dow. Antidotum Lincolniense or an answer to a booke entituled The Holy Table Name and Thing c. by Doctor Heylin The Equall wayes of God tending to the rectifying the unequall wayes of man by Master Thomas Haines The Weapon-salves maladie translated out of Senartuâ— his works A ready way to remember the Scriptures or a Table of the Old and New Testament by Master Ezekiell Culverwell Want of Charity justly charged on all such Romanists a dare without truth or modesty affirme that Protestancie de destroyeth Salvation by Doctor Potter A Sermon preached at Ely-House in Holborne by Doctor Potter A Commentary of the whole book of Ecclesiastes by Doctor Jeremin The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation by Master William Chillingworth The Soules misery and recovery or the grievings of the Spirit by Master Samuel Hoard The Churches Authority asserted in a Visitation Sermor preached at Chelms ford by Master Samuel Hoard Gods love to mankind manifested by disproving his absolute decree for their damnation The new Art of Lying covered by Jesuites under thâ— veile of Equivocation discovered and disproved by Master Henry Mason Christian Humiliation or the Christians Fast by Masteâ— Henry Mason The Epicures Fast by Mr. Henry Mason The Tribunall of the Conscience or a Treatise of Examination shewing why and how a Christian should examine his Conscience and take an account of his life by Mr. Henry Mason The Cure of Cares or a short discourse declaring the condition of worldly Cares with some remedies appropriated unto them by Mr. Henry Mason Hearing and Doing the ready way to blessednesse with an appendix containing Rules of right hearing Gods Word by Mr. Henry Mason Contentment in Gods Gifts or some Sermon Notes leading to equanimity and contentation by Mr. Henry Mason Justifying Faith or the Faith by which the Just doe live by Dr. Jackson A Treatise containing the originall of Unbeliefe Misbeliefe or Misperswasions concerning the Verity Unity and Attributes of the Deity with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the forementioned Points by Doctor Jackson A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes First Part by Dr. Jackson A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes the Second Part containing the Attributes of Omnipotency of Creation and Providence c. by Dr. Jackson The knowledge of Christ Jesus containing the first and generall Principles of Christian Theology with the more immediate Principles concerning the true knowledge of Christ by Dr. Jackson The Humiliation of the Sonne of God by his becomming the Sonne of man by taking the forme of a servant and by his Sufferings under Pontius Pilate c. by Doctor Jackson A Treatise of the Consecration of the Sonne of God to his everlasting Priesthood and the accomplishment of his glorious Resurrection and Ascension by Dr. Jackson Christs Answer to Johns question or an Introduction to the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified
Covenant whereupon depends the Eternall woe or the Eternall happinesse of the party covenanted with seeing it would be found a true Maxime Quod nemo teneatur ad impossibile CHAP. VI. Of the dispensation of the Covenant of Grace by calling THe Covenant of Grace being once made with mankinde in the root of all men Adam and Eve it pleased the same goodnesse of God that made it to preserve it continue it and keep it a foot and so will doe to the end of the world by proclaiming it from time to time by renewing it often calling men to the knowledge and participation thereof else it would long since have beene forsaken forgotten extinct and utterly lost This is that Act of God which is termed Vocatio Divina the heavenly Calling Heb. 3. 1. wherein his divine power giveth us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1. 3. that is wherein he doth execute his Predestinated order of meanes and benefits by the right use whereof men are brought to the high End Happinesse Or by the neglect and abuse whereof they faile and come short of it and fall into endlesse misery Hence Saint Paul speaking of the Saints Rom. 8. 30. as he had joyned those two together Quos praescivit Praedestinavit so he joyneth these two together quos praedestinavit Hos vocavit by calling putting that into Act which he had seen and allowed in Predestinating as a successfull course bringing them to glory And Saint Jude v. 4. speaking of ungodly men saith They were of old written to condemnation being such as turned the grace of God into Wantonnesse and deny God the onely Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ whence the Author to the Hebrews gives a good caveat Let us therefore feare lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us should seeme to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. This point having more connexion with the Doctrine of Predestination hath more controversie and therefore I must of necessity be in it more large craving the patience of some contrary minded who in their writings use a certaine censorious and magisterial Severity which I rather pray God to forgive then I purpose to returne upon them Calling defined Distributed Calling is the Revelation and Proclamation of the Gospel the Covenant of Grace Rom. 16. 25. commanding repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ Act. 20. 21. and promising forgivenesse of sins and life everlasting to all that obey Act. 2. 38. 39. Calling consisteth of two essentiall parts or two divine acts requisite to make up one whole perfect work of calling The outward preaching of the word sent by God whereto belong the Sacraments outward blessings and corrections The inward operation of the holy spirit accompanying the outward meanes Calling hath been dispensed by the wisdome and good pleasure of God diversly according to the diversity of times 1. Before Christs comming under the old Testament 2. Since Christs comming under the new Testament This diversity hath been seen In the manner of the outward Meanes In the measure of the inward operations of the Spirit In the effects suitable to both Under the old Testament The bounds more narrow than under the new Testament  The word more obscure   The Sacraments more mysterious   The Spirit more sparing   The Obedience more slender  From Adam to the Confusion of tongues while the whole Earth was of one lanuage it doth not appeare but the Calling was Universall all men being within the hearing of the Preachers of Righteousnesse After the division of Tongues men forsaking the religious Fathers God permitted them to walk in their owne wayes and renewed his Calling and Covenant with Abraham and his seed Psal 147. 19. and so narrowed the bounds of his Church that is of the Called Of the Gentiles before Christ. Far be it from mee the lover of truth to maintaine that the Gentiles without Christ were under grace or had any power to recover out of the Kingdome of Satan They were under wrath rather and not under mercy without God in the World strangers from the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2. 12. for as the Church excommunicateth unworthy persons so God excommunicates unworthy Nations And howsoever the Covenant of Grace were made at first with all men and calling was Universall to all the World yet in the dispensation of Calling for after times it may be just with God to exclude whole Nations out of Communion in his Covenant them and theirs for many generations either for to punish their ingratitude and contempt of his Word or to humble the heart of man to teach Ages to come to cleave unto God by the vanity of Ages past left unto themselves or for other causes knowne to God who judges them that are without the mystery of whose unsearchable judgements we are to admire with the Apostle Paul Rom. 11. 25. 33. That one while the Gentiles should bee shut out and the Jewes admitted and another while the Gentiles admitted and the Jewes excluded from the Mercy of Gods gracious Calling of which St. Paul Rom. 9. 10. 11. Now in the division and dispersion of Nations why God did leave the rest and called out Abraham and his seede to make Covenant with no reason can be given of merit or demerit more in one than in the other but it must be ascribed to the Free-grace and pleasure of God alone as it is by Moses Deut. 7. 8. 10. 15. by Josua cap. 24. 2 3. by Nehem. cap. 9. 7. by S. Paul Rom. 9. 11. Not of workes but of him that Calleth Let them therefore fall for mee that defend any other Universall Grace than within the Church where the Word of grace is Preaced where I maintaine that God calls not some secret ones onely but all that can heare although but some obey and some disobey the gracious Calling of God Thus the seventh and ninth Assertions of Lambeth are true speaking of all men even extra Ecclesiam but if they speak of men within the Church where the word of grace soundeth I doubt Of Calling under the new Testament Calling under the new Testament hath for the outward part the Word and Sacraments more clearly revealing and exhibiting Christ and his benefits for the inward part a more abundant measure of the power of the holy Ghost extendeth further to multitudes of Nations hath greater fruit and successe in Mens conversion than under the old Testament Acts 17. 30. 31. This Calling because it is of those Nations which were before excluded when the Jewes were admitted the Jewes being now excluded is not unfitly tearmed vocatio Gentium untill it please God to call the Jewes also Here the same depth of Gods Judgement is to be admired in the dispensation of Calling that was under the old Testament 1. That God should now withhold from the Jewes that inward illuminating Spirit and softning Grace which he grants to the
power in this working out their own Salvation he doth Comfort and encourage them that they shall not work alone a stronger than they shall joyne with them God who it is that ever worketh in them both to will and to doe Where we have full proofe for the power and presence of the helpfull grace of God but for Gratia discriminatrix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The weaknesse of many in temptations and persecutions that sheweth it selfe testifieth that they who in those are more than Conquerors over Satan the flesh and the world are defended and fought for by the mighty power of God when they cry unto him So prayeth the Church on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany Lord we beseech thee to keepe thy Church and houshold continually in the true religion that they which doe leane onely upon hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power through Jesus Christ our Lord. Against whom then do these accusations lye To say that the Will of man resists the power of God as if it were stronger than it That man doth more to the work of his Faith than the Grace of God That God doth no more in us for good than Satan doth for evill incline perswade sollicite c. I am no way guilty of these crimes If Gods power be resisted or frustrated it yeeldeth not out of weaknesse but out of will God not pleasing to put forth his power where he feeles himselfe resisted or neglected The best that we doe in the bringing forth of any good is To yeild and to permit God to work upon us to follow him leading or drawing of us to accept of that he giveth us to fence that which he soweth or planteth in us not to marre that which he maketh not to harden the heart when his voice is to be heard In summe to be passively obedient more than actively For this is that onely which the Power of Grace will not extend it selfe unto To necessitate and to hold us up to an undeclinable obedience The reason is because that power of God which buildeth up supernaturall things doth not destroy naturall but the possiblity in the Will to decline to evill and the liberty to disobey is not evill but naturall being found in Adam before his fall and as it was not impeached then by the supernaturall grace which Adam had no more is it now in us by the grace of God that worketh in us To this agrees the learned Doctor Ward in his Clerum on Phil. 2. 13. page 6. and 7. of the last Edition Of the Amplitude or Vniversality of Grace From this Title there are to be excluded three things as Heterodoxa and three other things to be referred to it as Orthodoxa 1. Exclude from hence the opinion of Origen and of those that Saint Aug. calls Misericordes that thought all men and Angels at the last should be received to Mercy against whom Saint Aug. disputes 21. lib. de Civitate cap. 17. deinceps 2. Exclude from hence the opinion of Samuel Huber against whom Hunnius and other Lutherans dispute who taught an Universal Election c. and that all men by the death of Christ were brought into the state of Grace and salvation which proposition is worthily rejected by our Divines at Dort in their Suffrage de 2 Articulo Thesi ult Heterodoxa 3. Exclude from hence the opinion of Andradius and other Papists and whosoever else that hold the Gentiles and Heathens without the Church to have sufficient grace to Salvation by the light of Nature or to have that whereupon well used the Grace of the Gospell shall be reveiled unto them With these I will have no fellowship But under the Vniversality of Grace I comprehend but these three things 1. That as Christ our Lord took the nature of Mankinde and not the Nature of Angels So by his death he paid the price of Redemption for the Sinnes of the whole world this agrees with the third Thesis suffragii de art secundo and with our Catechisme I believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the world and in God the Sonne who hath redeemed me and all Mankinde and in God the holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Where note the order and degrees 2. That the promise of the Gospel is Vniversal to all that are within the hearing of it and that it might be truly and seriously proffered to any man alive whatsoever This agrees with the latter part of our seventeenth Article That we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in the holy Scripture 3. That with the promise and word of the Gospel there goeth ordinarily such Grace of the holy Spirit as is sufficient to all under the Gospel to worke in them to believe and to obey the Gospell and that all doe not obey proceedeth not from the want of Grace on Gods part but from mens being wanting to the Grace of God to whom it is in vaine as is evident by 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. Heb. 4. 1. 2. 12. 15. Now whereas it is as clearly said in the Holy Scripture that Christ laid downe his life for his Sheepe John 10. 15. for the Children of God John 11. 52. and that he loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. as it is said He dyed for all men These two must be so construed that they may both stand together Thus that out of Gods goodnesse mercy and love to mankinde hee sent his Sonne to die for all men as willing by his primary and antecedent will the salvation of all men But because Omniscience is in God as one of his Divine perfections hee could not bee ignorant or incertaine what would be the fruit and successe of the Death of his Son that such would not receive him that others such and such would thankefully embrace him if hee were sent unto them out of this foreknowledge his especiall love accepting even these though few in number in comparison did send his Sonne with intention to save though it were but these in whom hee would glorifie his bounty that for their sakes hee would have his Sonne to give his life though hee should gaine no more than them who had they beene much fewer or none at all surely the wise God either would not have sent his Sonne to die in vaine or he would have mended the measure and course of his graces and government by which more might have come into the Kingdome of Heaven Chrysostome in illud Pauli ad Gal. 2. Dilexit me dedit semetipsum pro me Declarat hoc quoque par esse c. He declares this also to be meet that every one of us no lesse give thanks than if hee had come into the World onely for his sake for neither would Christ have refused even for one so great a dispensation hee doth so mightily love every particular Man with the
different measure even of saving graces yet that difference of an Emptinesse and absence of fayth in them that heare the word he putteth not he approveth not Lastly the difference in the measure of gifts of all sorts may come from God that giveth but the different using of these gifts doth come from man that is to reckon with God about the usage of them That one Servant received five another two another one Talent this difference was from the Lord but that one Servant gained five another two another none this difference was not from the Lord but from the Servants whence it is that one heareth Euge serve bone fidelis and another Serve nequam piger Vid. Origen super Numeros homil 12. Being secure of this place of Saint Paul I come with greater confidence to avoyd those absurdities in pressing of which some so much triumph They say that if man make the difference betweene himselfe and another then it followes 1. That God doth no more for his Elect than for the Reprobate 2. That the Saints have no more to give thanks to God for than the wicked 3. That one man may glory against another for that he hath done something more than another did To these I answer 1. in particular 2. in generall 1. To the first admitting for a while that God in the grace of Vocation doth no more for the Elect than for the Reprobate yet in the grace of Predestination he doth incomparibly more In that foreknowing the different successes of his Calling and the Ends of the called so different he was pleased to decree and confirme that Calling to some which he foreknew would be saving to them and to decree no other to the rest than that which he foresaw would not be saving to them through their owne disobedience when it was in his power to have altered their Calling to such as obedience in his knowledge would have followed So that in the Preparation and in the Execution of his gracious Calling which God knew would prove happily to these his Election of them and his love to them appeareth singular and they have infinite reason of gratitude above the Reprobate The Reprobate have cause to thank God for preparing that Calling whereby they might have been saved as well as others are and are to blame onely their owne contempt and folly but they have not this to thank God for that he did alter their Calling to a better when he found the Event of this would be Evill unto them neither can they blame him seeing he was no way bound to doe so for if he were He should not have suffered any to perish at all And the Elect who obey their Calling which of them can tell in the preparation of their Calling how often God changed it and amended it to speak after our manner of Understanding who use to bring things thus to perfection and to our liking untill he had brought it to that order as where of he saw the Effect would be the free Conversion of the Called But it was admitted onely not affirmed that in the Grace of Vocation God doth no more for the Elect than for the Reprobate for what if the time wherein a Convert obeyeth be not the first second third or the hundredth time that he hath Suffr 3. 4. thesi 6. beene called upon but God hath shewed him that Patience as one that would not give him over untill he win him What if the time wherein the unconverted refused mercy was but the first second or the third after which God in just severity would no more move him by his Spirit nor wait upon him but forsooke him here is much inequality in Grace and favour for it is enough for my supposition of the liberty of mans Will under Grace and of two equally called that one may obey and not another that sometime two may be equally called and unequally obey though all that be called be not every one called as oft as another for as we may suppose an equality in some so doe we confesse an infinite variety and inequality in most yet there is a time when that hath place which our Church saith in the Homily of the knowledge of the Scripture the second part pag. 5. That God receiveth the learned and unlearned and casteth away none but is indifferent unto all 2. To the second I answer for matter of thankfulnesse That as Grace is not therefore Grace because it is given to one and denyed to another but because it is given the Unworthy for Grace were not the lesse but the greater if it were given to all So my thanks are not therefore given to God because he hath beene mercifull to me more than to another but because he hath been mercifull to me unworthy and my thanks are not diminished because many more are partakers with me in the same benefits but the greater and should have been yet greater had more still been partakers than are Heare the words of Salvianus or whosoever be the Author l. 2. ad Ecclesiam Catholicam prope à principio Sed forsitan dicis c. But happily thou dost say there is a generall debt of all men touching these things of which we speak and that all mankinde without exception are obliged thereunto namely in the Passion of Christ we confesse it is Truth Yet doth any man therefore owe the lesse because another also owes the like summe c. That which I said formerly though it be a general debt yet no question it is also a special debt although all men in common be engaged yet every one in particular is also bound For Christ as he suffered for all so he suffered for every one and bestowd himselfe upon all as well as upon every one and gave himselfe wholly for all and wholly for every one And in regard of this whatever our Saviour by his suffering perform'd as all owe themselves wholly to him for it so every one wholly except in respect of this every one owes more than all Mankinde because every one hath reaped as much benefit thereby as all men This is a good rule for thankfulnesse but take heede of the Pharisees forme of thanks for Graces with comparisons to other folkes Lord I thank thee I am not like other men or as this Publicane Indeed as some put the case of mankinde like a company of Rebels out of whom the King chooseth whom he pleaseth to pardon and executes the rest with the sword those pardoned owe thanks for their pardon and more thanks for culling them out that were like to the rest in Rebellion But the Scripture puts not the case of mankinde so but rather thus God by the Gospell as a King mercifully proclames a generall pardon to all the company of Rebels in such a County upon condition that he that comes in and yeelds his sword and takes at the Kings Pavilion a Ticket of his pardon be free to goe home and enjoy the
inspired into men and strength and constancie given to performe them if men doe not wilfully resist the said Grace offered unto them And likewise as many things be in the Scriptures which doe shew Freewill to be in man so there be no fewer places in Scripture which doe declare the Grace of God to be so necessary that if by it Freewill be not prevented and holpen it can neither doe nor will any thing that is good and Godly Of which sort be these Scriptures following Without me ye can doe nothing John 15. No man commeth unto me except it be given him of the Father John 6. We be not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to think any good thing 2 Cor. 3. According unto which Scriptures and such other like it followes that Freewill before it may think or will any good thing must be holpen by the Grace of Christ and by his Spirit be prevented and inspired that it may be able thereto And being so made able may freely thenceforth work together with Grace and by the same sustained holpen and maintained may doe and accomplish good workes and avoid sinne and persevere also and increase in Grace It is surely of the Grace of God onely that first we be inspired and moved to any good thing but to resist temptations and to persist in goodnesse and goe forward it is both of the Grace of God and of our Freewill and endeavour And finally after we have persevered to the End to be crowned with glory therefore is the gift and mercy of God who of his bountifull goodnesse hath ordained that reward to be given after this life according to such good works as be done in this life by his Grace Therefore men ought with much diligence and gratitude of mind to consider and regard the inspirations and wholsome motions of the Holy Ghost and to embrace the Grace of God which is offered unto them in Christ and moveth them to good things And furthermore to goe about by all meanes to shew themselves such as unto whom the Grace of God is not given in vaine and when they doe feele that notwithstanding their diligence yet through their owne infirmity they be not able to doe that they desire then they ought earnestly and with a fervent devotion and stedfast faith to aske of him who gave the beginning that he would vouchsafe to performe it which thing God will undoubtedly grant according to his promise to such as persevere in calling upon him for he is naturally good and willeth all men to be saved and careth for them and provideth all things by which they may be saved except by their owne malice they will be evill and so by righteous judgement of God perish and be lost For truly men be to themselves the Authors of sinne and damnation God is neither Author of sinne nor cause of damnation And yet doth he most righteously damne those men that doe with vices corrupt their Nature which he made good and doe abuse the same to evill desires against his most holy will wherefore men be to be warned that they doe not impute to God their vice or their damnation but to themselves which by Freewill have abused the Grace and benefits of God All men also be to be monished and chiefly Preachers that in this high matter they looking on both sides so attemper and moderate themselves that they neither so preach the Grace of God that they take away thereby Freewill nor on the other side so extoll Free-will that injury be done to the Grace of God In horum numero me quoque cupio inveniri Nazianzen in Apolog. Thus was it determined in that age from which I wish there had beene no declining neither to the right hand nor to the left Here is no Freewill to spirituall good without Grace Here is no Grace so prepotent but may be disobeyed Here is enough for the praise of Gods Grace and for convincing of mans ingratitude This booke is alleged by Doctor Ward in his determination Omnes infantes baptizati proculdubio justificantur as agreeing with the Doctrine of our Liturgie in the baptisme of Infants shewing that our Reformers had a respect to the Doctrine lately before published CHAP. XV. Of Perseverance THe next worke of the Divine Providence executing the decree of his Predestination is to preserve and continue the Called and Converted in that State of Regeneration and Sanctification unto the End it being our assured Confidence That he which hath begun a good work in us will finish it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will hold it out to the End Phil. 1. 6. yet about this work there was much Dispute I by searching for the true State of the questions will endeavour to shorten it 1. I take it there is no question Whether there be a speciall gift or Grace called Perseverance like to the gift of Faith Charity Patience Chastity or the like for that a man may as safely deny as that there is a Grace of Beginning seeing Perseverance is but the continuing and abiding in the same Graces of Faith Charity c. So long as I confesse that by the protection government Visitation and supportance of Gods Grace all gifts given by God are by him continued and preserved from losse or from decay 2. There is no question that without the Grace Protection preservation of God no man of himselfe alone is able to continue in the midst of so many assaults of Satan the World and the Flesh 3. There is no question that the Elect doe finally persevere in Faith and Sanctification for whosoever persevereth not by that selfe-same not-persevering he is declared to be none of the number of the Elect Election according to my fifth opinion presupposing an infallible foreknowledge of finall perseverance if there be any such as Doctor Carlton late Bishop of Chichester saith as maintaine that the Grace of Predestination or Election may be lost I have no acquaintance or confederacy with them 4. The question is not about every beleever for all confesse that some beleevers of some kind or degree of Faith may lose it Nor is it whether a beleever not perseveing doth lose all Graces at once or all at last it being confessed that he may keep many by which yet he cannot be saved and may lose those that be essentially necessary to Salvation as fides mentis may abide with an evill Conscience when fides cordis cannot but is lost by mortall sinne 5. But the question is of a beleever whose Faith worketh by love whether it may be lost and it is the same question which heretofore was wont to be disputed in these termes An Charitas amitti poterit and is handled at large by Gratian de Paenitentia distinct secunda where the distinction of Charity is into Inchoatam Perfectam begun and perfect planted and radicated and so may Faith be distinguished as often in the Gospell into weake and strong little Faith and great Faith c. Now the
he would make him a reasonable Creature and so a free Creature not free to be under no superiour or to be absolute and sufficient in himselfe to himselfe and independent on any other for this belongs onely to God himselfe but in such things as he should will or nill the Nature of his will to be free and at liberty to choose or refuse this or that to be the Master and owner of his owne Acts to be thereby capable of righteousnesse or of Sinne of doing good or evill of obedience or disobedience and thence a Subject of praise or punishment of bounty or of Justice which no Creature could properly be that is not free in Will and loose and at liberty from all kinde of Necessity This perhaps may be said to be true of the first man Adam in his Creation but since his fall that freedome of man is to all kind of things decayed and to things Spirituall utterly lost which being granted yet this is to be added That God who knew and permitted this fall and losse knew also how to provide and to prepare graces of his powerfull Spirit to restore and supply that which was lost and how to give a new Commandement or make a new Covenant with man fallen fit and proportionable to the impotent will of Man and to those graces of his Spirit which he would be ever ready to supply either preventing man or working in him or assisting helping protecting preserving him as need shall require So that this Noble creature still might hold and keepe the place and ranke of a free Creature For we may not think that the wisdome of God made such an one to shew him to the Angels and to the world and ever after to have banished him out of the world or to have admitted so notorious a defect in this Universe that there should not be found in it the noblest Nature of things here below above a day or two in the very infancy of the world and ever after men should all either be necessarily evil or necessarily good after the Maniches heresie seeing God created man to be the Subject of his righteous Judgement The old saying therefore must be remembred If there be not the Grace of God how shall God save the world If there be not Freewill in Man how shall God judge the world Grace is to be defended so as we doe not subvert the freedome of mans Will and the Freewill of man is to be defended so that we doe not evacuate the Grace of God To conclude with uniting the consideration of these two Natures together of God and man in our conceiving the Order and manner of the divine Predestination Seeing the Nature of a free creature is the Subject and the roote of most contingency in the world and the Natural knowledge of God or his simple Understanding is the infallible foreknower of all future contingents even conditionall if God please to create such a free Creature it followeth from hence that a just Decree before all time what shall become of every free Creature in the end of time cannot possibly be conceived by us to have beene made but as proceeding from that infallible foreknowledge which is in God of every mans workes since he will render to every man according to his workes And againe because the same Decree doth proceede from a Soveraigne Lord whose Will is absolute who will be debtor to none but will have all debtors to him it followeth againe that the foreknowlege out of which the Decree proceedeth can be no other after our manner of Understanding than that of Gods Naturall simple understanding of things when they were but as possible before any Decree was made that they should be created or come into being To which knowledge when the omnipotent will of God adjoyned it selfe an infallible an unchangable Decree was made that things should be such as they are now Necessary or Contingent Meanes or Ends Causes or Effects such as foreknowledge had apprehended them and understood them so that the Salvation of every man who is saved is from God and the Perdition of every man that perisheth is from himselfe To God onely wise the Gracious and Righteous Lord be all Honour Glory and Dominion for ever Amen Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 34. Sufficiant quae dictasunt Nec enim oportet quod dici solet universum ebibere mare eum qui velit discere quoniam aquâ— ejus salsa est CHAP. XXI An Analysis to the 17th Article Confessionis Anglicanae TO make manifest how perfect a consent the fifth Opinion hath with the Confession of the Church of England in the 17 Article which is of Predestinated and Election and to shew who are worthy to be accounted Heterodox from the Church I most humbly crave leave to Analyse and explicate the said Article In doing whereof I desire the judicious Reader to consider with mee three things 1. The Scope and Intent of the Article 2. The Parts and Paragraphs with their Connnexion 3. The lowest and particular termes in every part and that in their literall and Grammaticall sense as wee are commanded by His Majesties Declaration and according to those places of Scripture from whence the termes are taken so religiously as nothing could be better 1. The Scope of the Article is 1. To establish an Unity of Doctrine in the high point of Predestination and Election among the members of this Church 2. To direct them to the right use of this Doctrine and to prevent abuses 2. The Parts and Paragraphs distinguished to the Eye in most Editions are two The first from the beginning to these words They attaine to everlasting felicity This hath respect chiefly to the First end the establishing of the sound Doctrine of Predestination The second beginneth at these words As the Godly consideration c. and reacheth to the End This hath respect chiefly to the Second To direct the Church in the direct use of this Doctrine and to avert abuses and scandals 3. The lowest and particular termes will come to be considered in their own places as they lye in every Paragraph The first Paragraph that concerneth Doctrine hath two Branches The first the Definition of Predestination The second the Description of the Execution and Manifestation thereof The first branch the Definition is set downe in these termes Predestination to Life is the Everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundation of the World was layd he hath constantly decreed by his Counsell secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankinde and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honor. Here be two things to be considered The thing defined The Definition The thing defined is Predestination to life which very terme admits another Predestination which is to death though the Article say nothing expresly of it or of Reprobation Not as if God decreed nothing what to doe with wicked men or
more excellent power over Mankinde his Masse than any Potter hath of his Clay to make Vessels to honour or dishonour whereby at last all is resolved into the Will of God but as it is the supreme and universall cause which doth allow all inferiour causes to move and worke according to their Natures which movings and workings hee orders and applyes to his owne Glory of Justice or Mercy as seemeth agreeable to his Will Vide Epiphan Haeres 64. contra Orig. p. 246. Et Hieronimum Hebdiae Quaest. 10. Thus much for the first branch of the first paragraph viz. The Definition of Predestination to life Now followeth the second Branch which is a Description of the Execution or of the manifestation of our Predestination to life which is expressed in these words Wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God bee called according to Gods Purpose by his Spirit working in due season This straine seemes to be an Imitation of S. Paul Rom. 8. 29. and it is a good explication thereof saving that S. Paul tyeth the Linkes together one unto another by a repetition or replication Those whom hee foreknew hee did predestinate And whom hee did predestinate them hee also called whom hee called hee also justifyed and whom hee justifyed hee also glorifyed But our Article uniteth all these latter unto one the first as so many effects of one cause and implyeth the connexion of one of them to the other onely by the order of their enumeration saying thus They that bee endued with so excellent a benefit of God which is as much as they that bee elected by Christ as foreknowne they be called they be justifyed they be glorifyed So the imitation agreeth well without any materiall difference The Explication our Article makes appeares most by the additions which it putteth to S. Paul 1. As first instead of whom hee foreknew it calleth our Predestination praeclarum Dei Donum those that hee endued with so excellent a benefit with reference to the Definition afore 2. That it esteemeth this excellent benefit the Fountaine and the cause of all spirituall blessings that follow in the Article viz. Calling Justifying Glorifying for it saith Vnde qui tam praeclaro Dei beneficio sunt donati vocantur wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God are called 3. That to S. Pauls words called according to purpose the Article addeth by his Spirit working in due season and they through grace obey the Calling By which two additions the Article declareth what Calling according to purpose is viz. when Gods Spirit worketh in Calling and not the outward word alone and when by grace that Calling is obeyed for these two are in the course and plot approved by God 4. When to S. Pauls justifyed the Article addeth They be made the Sonnes of God by adoption they bee made like to the Image of his holy Sonne Jesus Christ they walke righteously in good Workes These are added as so many effects of our Election originally and as so many effects of our Justification immediately and as so many pledges and signes of our future Glorification for upon this is concluded that at length by Gods Mercy they attaine to everlasting felicity Out of this Declaration which the Article maketh of the Execution and Manifestation of Predestination there bee foure things especially to bee learned 1. That the Article intendeth the same thing which Melanchton sayes S. Paul intended Rom. 8. 29. Totum ordinem complecti voluit quo Ecclesia condita est à Deo To the end that our Faith of eternall Salvation by Christ might bee established and confirmed since God hath contrived the whole course whereby hee will build his Church that is whereby hee will have on Earth a chosen Generation that shall inherit in Heaven everlasting felicity And this wee may certainly beleeve because the Knowledge of God which is infallible his purpose which is unchangeable his Calling according to purpose which cannot bee frustrate his justifying which cannot be controuled and his glory which is invincible are all found in this order and course here set downe besides the Scripture saith The Counsell of the Lord standeth sure and the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Psal 33. 11. 2. Secondly whereas in this chaine there is one linke which is put not onely as the first in order but also as the cause and fountaine of all the rest which are not onely tyed to it but derived from it namely the excellent benefit of our Election and Predestination in Christ which was given unto us by God and settled upon us by his purpose before the Foundation of the World 2 Tim. 1. 9. from whence doe flow all the lower blessings of Calling according to purpose justifying glorifying as effects as issues out of the first and highest Therefore wee are bound to blesse God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as S. Paul doth who hath blessed us with all Spirituall blessings viz. with calling justifying and according as hee hath chosen us in him that wee should be holy and unblameable before him in love Eph. 1. 3 4. for the latter blessings doe call upon the first not onely as a patterne but as a Fountaine and root of them all Now if it should seeme strange that those should be the Effects of Predestination and yet bee foreknowne before Predestination according as S. Paul setteth Foreknowledge before Predestination and Calling after it as the Effect this doubt is cleered by the remembring that the foreknowledge that S. Paul speaketh of is that onely of Simple understanding which is not the cause of any thing absolutely to bee but onely as possible or futurum but sub Hypothesi if the Will of God say it and by remembring secondly that the Will and Decree of God wherein Predestination properly consisteth is onely the cause why any thing comes to act and into being absolutely God willing it to be indeed after that manner as hee knew it might be before hee willed it to bee So by this it is plaine that the things which were the Objects of the Understanding foreknowing them first as possible are after the Effects of the Will of God when they are commanded by a Decree absolutely to be and to come into act The knowledge of God being unto him a light and a guide but his Will being to us the Fountaine of all our good and the ground of the duties of thankfulnesse 3. Thirdly whereas the lower linkes say whom hee predestinated hee called c. we learne from hence that the ministery of the Word whereby the holy Ghost calleth justifyeth sanctifyeth the Elect people of God chiefly intendeth the Execution of Predestination according to S. Paul Eph. 4. 12. That Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the Edifying of the Body of Christ Non ergo alios sed quos praedestinavit vocavit justicavit ipsos glorificavit
and practice but of curious and carnall men and such as lack the Spirit of Christ to whom also these evills doe betide of despaire and security and therefore this would be shunn'd and avoyded as he that loves his safety would shun to walk upon or gaze from some high and deep downfall One point in this comparison needeth some more full Explication for it may be questioned whether the Article meanes that these different Effects of comfort or downfall doe proceed onely from the difference of the persons that doe consider being either pious or curious carnall or spirituall having the Spirit of Christ or lacking the Spirit of Christ or doe flow also from the difference of the things considered viz. either of Predestination or Election in Christ or the sentence of Gods Predestination There are that make no difference betweene these two and so to them the difference that the Article moteth must arise onely from the difference of the persons considering one and the same Doctrine of Predestination But I may bee bold to put a difference betweene the things considered aswell as betweene the persons considering because the Article doth so so for curious and carnall persons c. The Article doth not say it is a dangerous downefall namely the consideration of Predestination and Election in Christ as keeping the same subject whereof hee had spoken before as comfortable but it substituteth another subject to have continually before their Eyes the Doctrine of Gods Predestination that is a dangerous downefall and not the other And to mee it should seeme incredible that either the Article should say or that Doctor Bancroft should say That the sound full and whole Doctrine of Predestination and our Election in Christ such as is here delivered in the former paragraph should be a dangerous downfall even to carnall men and even them that lack the Spirit of Christ For although it be true that the fruit and comfort of this and many other Divine truths bee reaped onely by godly persons when they are come to have the Spirit of Christ c. And it be true also that our curiosity and carnall affections bee great impediments to the right conceiving and judging of Divine truths yet it is as true that every necessary Doctrine is in sacred Scripture so fully perfectly and coherently delivered and ought to be therefore fitly deduced by the Church that of it selfe it have no aptnesse to become a praecipitium even to carnall men and such as have not the Spirit of Christ since the Scripture was not written to be reade onely of them that doe already in humility beleeve it and are filled with the Spirit of Christ but even by naturall men having onely ordinary humane judgements and to taste of the things of God What then is it that the Article saith hath so much as a likelyhood of a downfall to the curious and carnall To have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination what is this Sentence The bare and naked Sentence that very decree it selfe in generality That God hath Predestinated some men to life and hath reprobated some to death such is the first of the 9. Assertions at Lambeth without any mention or consideration of Christ of faith of Gods Prescience or any other of his Attributes This naked Sentence without any thing of the order or manner how this decree is concluded or come unto is that praecipitium that exceeding height from whence the Devill doth or may thrust men curious carnall into despaire or security laying all their religion upon Predestination If I shall be sav'd I shall be sav'd This is that which Bancroft calleth a desperate Doctrine pag. 29. of the Conference The selfe-same for substance methinks I find expressed by Hemingius in his Syntagm loco de praedest whom I beseech you heare with a little patience 1. De aeternâ praedestinatione rectè erudir◠ecclesiam summoperè necessarium est nam ut nulla doctrina uberiorem consolationem piis conscientiis afferre solet quam doctrina praedestinationis rectè explicita ita nihil periculosius est quam rectâ praedestinationis ratione aberrare 2. Nam qui à verâ deflectit in praecipitium fertur unde se recipere non potest 3. Sunt quidam qui cum audiunt nostram salutem in Dei electione proposito sitam esse modum verum haud observant somnia Stoica fabulas Parcarum fingunt quibus seipsos miserè implicant alios perniciosè seducunt vide Thes 4 5 6 7. 4. Modus autem praedestinationis verissimus est quem Paulus nobis commonstrat cum ad Ephes scribit Elegit nos in Christo 1. 9 10 11. in hoc modo conditio fidei includitur Nam cum fide inserimur Christo ejus membra efficimur ideo electi quia Christi membra sumus The Sentence therefore of Predestination without the Modus is Praecipitium but the Modus in Christo is the fountain of all comfort and hope and godliness which maketh this matter of so much worth to contend for The true Modus Praedestinationis divinae Now I come to the period of the second Paragraph and the whole Article Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scripture and in our doings that Will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God This part of the Article Bishop Bancroft shewed King James at Hampton Court pag. 29. line 19 20. as the Doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination and it was there very well approved Moreover the Kings most excellent Majesty that now is in his Declaration commanding that all farther curious search be layd aside willeth that these disputes be shut up in Gods promises as they be generally set forth unto us in the holy Scripture as if the generall promises of God were the surest principles to determine all these doubts and differences by and they rest safely that rest in them The Authority of this Article together with other like passages in our Catechisme and Homilies constrained our divines that were at Dort to deliver in secundo Articulo these Theses for the third and fourth 3. Deus lapsi generis humani miseratus misit filium qui seipsum dedit precium redemptionis pro peccatis totius mundi 4. And for the fourth Thesis In hoc merito mortis Christi fundatur universale promissum Evangelicum juxta quod omnes in Christo credentes remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam reipsâ consequantur which they confirme by Mark 16. 15. so that this part of the Article though it be the last yet it is not the last in worth and use For whereas it saith Furthermore we must receive c. It intendeth to give farther remedy against the harme which may be taken by curious and carnall persons from the Sentence of Predestination had continually before their Eyes Which