Lord But nothing is so contrary to this intention as for any man so to boast of his merits as though he had done them to himselfe and not the Grace of God but that Grace which differenceth the good from the bad not that which is common to good and bad From Election many heare the word of truth some beleeve others gaine-say these therefore will beleeve these will not who knowes not this who denies But for as much as in some the will is prepared of the Lord in others it is not prepared verily we must distinguish what comes from his Mercy and what from his Judgement What Israel sought saith the Apostle he obtained not but the election hath obtained and the rest were blinded Behold Mercy and Judgement Mercy in the election which hath obtained the righteousnesse of God but Judgement upon the rest which were blinded and yet these because they would beleeved these because they would not did not beleeve therefore Mercy and Judgement are done even in the wills themselves for Election is of Grace not verily of Merits Therefore freely hath the Election obtained what it hath obtained there was not something of theirs that went before which they first gave and recompence was made to them for he saved them for nought but to the rest who were blinded as it is not there concealed retribution was made All the wayes of the Lord are Mercy and Truth but his wayes are unsearchable unsearchable therefore are his Mercy whereby he freely acquits and his Truth whereby he justly condemnes cap. 7. But haply they say the Apostle distinguisheth faith from workes and Grace he saith is not of workes he doth not say it is not of faith true but Christ saith Faith likewise is the worke of God Joh. 6. So therefore the Apostle distinguisheth Faith from Workes as in the two Kingdomes of the Hebrewes Iudah is distinguished from Israel when as yet Iudah is Israel for yee are saved by Grace through faith and that not of your selves it even faith is the gift of God and faith is not of workes lest any one should boast and all that the Father hath given me shall come unto me What is this shall come to me but shall beleeve in me but that it may be done the Father gives No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And they shall all be taught of God and every one that hath heard of the Father and learned comes to me If every one that hath heard of the Father and learned comes truly who comes not hath not heard of the Father nor learned for had he heard and learned he would come Farre removed from the apprehensions of the flesh is this Schoole in which the Father is heard and teacheth to come to the Sonne There is likewise the Sonne himselfe because he himselfe is the Word of the Father whereby he so teacheth neither deales he with the eare of the flesh but of the heart there is together likewise the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne for neither doth he not teach nor doth he teach apart because we say the workes of the Trinity are inseparable and he is verily the Holy Ghost of whom the Apostle saith Having the same Spirit of faith Farre removed I say from the apprehensions of the flesh is this Schoole in which God is heard and teacheth we see many come to the Sonne because we see many beleeve in Christ but where and how they have learned this of the Father we see not verily this grace is secret but that it is grace who doubts This Grace therefore which by Divine bounty is after an hidden manner given unto the hearts of men is by no hard heart refused because it is therefore given that the hardnesse of the heart may first of all be removed when therefore the Father is inwardly heard and teacheth to come to the Sonne he takes away the stony heart and gives a heart of flesh as he promised by the Prophet Ezek. 36. for so doth he make the sonnes of the Promise and the Vessels of Mercy which he hath prepared unto glory why therefore doth he not teach all that they may come to Christ but because all whom he teacheth in mercy he teacheth but whom he teacheth not in Judgement he teacheth not because he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardens but he hath mercy bestowing good he hardens recompencing according to desert But why he teacheth not all the Apostle opens so farre as he thought fit to be opened Rom. 9. 22 23. Hence it is that the word of the Crosse is foolishnesse unto them that perish but to those that are saved the power of God All these God teacheth to come to Christ all these he will have saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth for if he would have taught those to come to Christ also to whom the word of the Crosse is foolishnesse without doubt even they had come too for he neither deceives nor is deceived who saith Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me farre be it therefore that any man should not come who hath heard and learned of the Father When therefore the Gospel is preached some beleeve some doe not beleeve but they that beleeve whilst the Preacher sounds without they heare and learne of the Father within but they that beleeve not they heare without not within neither doe they learne that is to the one it is given to beleeve to the other it is not given which afterwards is more openly spoken No man can come to me except it he given him of the Father Therefore to be drawne by the Father to Christ and to heare and learne of the Father is nothing else but to receive the gift of the Father whereby to beleeve in Christ. For he did not distinguish Hearers of the Gospell from no Hearers who said No man can come to me except it be given him of the Father but Beleevers from unbeleevers Faith therfore both begun and finished is the gift of God and that this gift is given to some and not given to all he cannot doubt who will not oppose most manifest holy Scriptures Chap. 12. When we come to little ones and to the Mediator betwixt God and man the Man Christ Jesus all assertion of humane merits going before the Grace of God falls to the ground because they are not distinguisht from the rest by any good preceding merits that they should belong to the deliverer of men nor he by any preceding humane merits when he is a man also was made the deliverer of men For Infants Originall sinne being by the Grace of God forgiven or by the Judgement of God not forgiven when they dye they either passe by Regeneration from an evill to a good state or by Originall corruption from an evill to an evill state And Lib. de bono persever
I try this touch-stone I answer By it selfe as the rule by reason as the eye enlightned and guided by this rule according to the Grammar and the Logick of it He objects That it is impossible to prove the truth or disprove an errour meerly by the Scriptures because still the question will be about the sence of the Scripture I answer By the Scripture alone as the rule by reason as making use of this rule but so as in making use thereof it be guided by this rule and resolves all conclusions into the authority of this rule is the truth to be proved or errours disproved and the sence of whatsoever controverted text discussed and cleared As for that which you adde about irrationall last and grating upon reason c. for as much as you doe not object reason to the Word but oppose it thereunto and advance it there-above and will have reason the touch-stone of the Word beside and above the Word you shew your selfe as formerly a most impure and prophane Socinian by all good men to be abhor'd and whilst you plead so much for reason you are a man mad with reason no way solving those difficulties which you pretend upon supposition that the Scripture shall be the touch-stone for let us suppose reason the touch-stone must you not be at the same losse your adversary denying that to be according to the principles and grounds of reason which you affirme to be according to them But here is no such difficulty as you pretend for allowing the Scripture the Touch-stone you shall by some Scripture-truthes wherein both your selfe and adversary agree cleare the controverted text and resute his errours about it that he must either yeeld to the truth therein or deny what he affirmed and overthrow his owne foundations Goodwin The reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace from whence it appeares that God is not divided in himselfe or contradictious to himselfe so as to write or assert that in one Booke as in that of the Scriptures which he denieth or opposeth in another as viz. That of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Resbury A doughty reason God is not the Author of confusion true but man is who hath so corrupted his reason as he hath night for a vision and gropes in the darke like a blinde man It is one thing what God wrote upon the nature of Man in his Creation who made man upright another thing what man hath written upon his owne nature by the Fall who hath found out to himselfe many inventions what the Devill likewise hath written upon his minde by deluding suggestions You may remember formerly a peice of discourse much like this of yours by your elder Brother the Collator with whom Prosper hath to doe confounding the state of Man by Creation with his condition since the Fall and Prospers answer to him It is admirable to see how the same spirit that possest Pelagius and his Disciples of old speakes the same things and useth the same Arguments in Mr. Goodwin One borne out of due time so many Ages after In the praise of five things did they craftily couch their sacrilegious Doctrine at so great enmity with the Grace of God as Aug. observes Lib. 3. contra duas Epist. Pelagian viz. In the praise of the Creature of Marriage of the Law of Free-will and of the Saints How oft doe we heare Mr. Goodwin extolling man and the noble faculties of reason understanding c. in man and here from the Law of Nature and from the Wisdome of God hee thinkes to extoll the reason of blinde corrupt wretched selfe-confounded man against the Grace of God I hinted to you before what a faire offer you made against Originall sinne I beleeve your Doctrine about it is That it is wholly taken off from man by that glorious vouchsafement of light you told us of by Iesus Christ to every one that comes into this world but your darknesse about that light and the darknesse of Man-kinde about things of the Spirit of God that light notwithstanding we have lately seen As for the fleshly tables of the heart we know no such but in the regenerate when the Lord shall have taken away the heart of stone and given an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. You may remember how Austin concludes hence as formerly we alledged him that the will of man is wholly adverse and inflexible unto good before the effectuall and peculiar worke of regeneration and where then shall be that provoking and stirring up of reason understanding c. you tell us of so often in the Naturall man We told you before how ill-pleasing it was to you to hold fast the for me of found words I doe not wonder at it it is not for your advantage I perceive if we might have a new Scripture see forth by your superlative reason we should have the text much altered for the Tabernaâ—le of David the Tabernacle of Adam for the heart of stone the fleshly tables of the heart Goodwin Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Master Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speakes of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the 〈…〉 of coâ—â—on reason and of that knowledge of God which may be obtained by the light of Nature In 〈◊〉 â—…ing of his â—e â—â—â—arly supposeth That whatâ—… should be taught by any in the mysterious and high pâ—…ts of Predistination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. The disagreement of it with the câ—…on grounds of reason and of that knowledge of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men if himselfe had kept close to this Principle of his owne in drawing up his judgement in the point of Predostination the world had received a fâ—rre diffâ—ring and better account from his â—en of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were That the heights and depths of Religion for so we may call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c. 〈◊〉 nothing in them but what agrees with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Diâ—â—ates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of reason Resbury For Master Perkins his Testimony and your Descant upon it you doe but wander 1. He builds the doctrine of Predestination upon the Word of God in opposition to the judgements of men his words are these The Doctrine of Predestination and of the Grace of God is to be built
least of these great and most important commands in any due manner but by interressing my Reason Iudgement and Understanding and this throughly and effectually in and about the performance The truth is I stand bound in duty and conscience towards God and in faithfulnesse to mine owne soule neither to beleeve any thing at all as coming from God which I have not or may have a very substantiall ground in Reason to beleeve commeth indeed from him nor yet to doe any thing at all as commanded by him unlesse there be a like ground in Reason to perswade me that it is indeed his command Resbury Many waste words still according to your manner One passage or two we must call to account 1. God commands you you say in such and such precepts to rise up in the might of your Reason c. Wee heare in Scripture of the weaknesse of Reason as to the things of God not sufficient of our selves to thinke a good thought c. We hear of the might of the Word Preached to cast down the strong holds and reasonings in man against the things of God But where this mighty Reason dwels I would willingly aske Mr. Goodwin but that I feare he will send mee Racovia 2. Nothign may you beleeve as comming from God which you have not very substantiall ground in Reason to beleeve commeth from him the like for obedience to his Commands If you meant Reason enlightened and sanctified by the Word and Spirit thence beleeving upon the authority of the Word your meaning was the same with theirs whom you oppose but your meaning is Reason by its own light receiving or rejecting the Word it selfe according as such and such Doctrines are above or not above contrary or agreeable to the apprehensions of the Naturall man as wee have clearly found you out formerly and to this you have been answered over and over according as your tautology hath given occasion Goodwin I confesse good Reader I have presumed at somewhat an unreasonable rate upon thy patience in detaining thee so long with the Argument yet in hand But the sense of that unconceiveable mischiefe and misery which I most certainly know have been brought upon the World Christian at least in our Quarters of it and which lyes sore upon it at this day by meanes of the reigning of this Notion and Doctrine amongst us That men ought not to use but lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion lyeth so intolerable sad and heavy upon my spirit that I could not relieve my selfe to any competent degree with saying lesse then what hath been said to relieve the world by hewing in sunder such a snare of death cast upon it most assuredly all the ataxies disorders confusions seditions insurrections all the errors blasphemous opinions apostaâ—ies from the truth and wayes of holinesse all trouble of mind and sad workings of conscience in me all unrighteousnesse and injustice all bribery and oppression all un-man-like selfe-seeking and prevaricating with publique interests and trusts all covetousnesse and deceit and whatsoever can be named in this world obstructive destructive to the present comfort and peace to the future blessednesse and glory of the sons and daughters of men proceed and spring from this one root of bitternesse and of death they neglect to advance and ingage home their Reasons Iudgements Understandings in matters of Religion to imploy and improve them according to their proper interests and capacities in these most important affaires Resbury Your tongue is your owne in way of apology for your wandring discourse hitherto you tell us of the deep apprehensions you had of that unconceiveable mischiefe c. brought upon the world by that doctrine That men must lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion a meer Hob-goblin of your own making that you may have somthing to pelt at How Reason is to be laid aside and how not we have shewed distinctly formerly not as you represent as if men should look at it as their duties to be Ideots and mad men in seeking into the things of God As for those Ataxies c. hence they are That men have been so bold to oppose their owne corrupt reasonings against the word of God instead of following the light and guidance of it and captivating their fleshly reason to the Doctrines of Faith Goodwin O Reader my mouth is open unto thee my heart is enlarged now for a recompence in the same I speake unto thee as a deare Brother in Christ be thou also enlarged say unto the world round about thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light doubtlesse the world should soone finde it self in another manner of posture then now it is and see the whole Hemisphere of it filled with the glorious light of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ if the inhabitants thereof every man from his quarters would be perswaded to rise up in the might of his abilities those heavenly endowments of reason judgement understanding wherewith God by Jesus Christ hath re-invested them to seeke after him by enquiring diligently into by weighing narrowly all those things as workes of Creation workes of Providence inscriptions upon the Soule and especially the sacred word of extraordinary revelation wherein and whereby God hath drawne neare unto men and as it were prepared postured and fitted himselfe on purpose to be found and knowne and this as well in the excellency of his Grace as of his Glory by all those who upon these termes seeke after him The time was when the Spirit was not given because Christ was not glorified in Heaven the time now is wherein the Spirit is not given unto the world according to the preparations and royall bounties and magnificence of Heaven because he is not glorified on earth by the worthy imployment of the meanes abilities opportunities vouchsafed unto men the Word of God makes it one argument of the wickednesse and sensuall wayes of men that they have not the Spirit yea the Apostle Paul by charging the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit clearly supposeth it to be a sensuall straine of a voluntary unworthinesse in men if they have not a very rich and plentifull anoynting of the Spirit Resbury A word or two to this wordy Paragraph 1 Say unto the world awake c. Say you to your Reader But for as much as this sleep is the sleep of death as is here evident in that the waking from it is standing up from the dead where is now that mighty Reason Understanding Judgement you have so often told us of as here again you doe in the naturall man 2 The time now is you say wherein the spirit is not given unto the world according to the preparations of the royall bounty and magnificence of heaven because c. this is as formerly we have seen at large the Pelagian doctrine so famously branded that grace is given according to our merits the Popish doctrine of the
reason which God hath planted in them cannot but beleeve and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel and repentance he requires before faith as is evident in that passage of his God cals upon all men every where to repent and so to beleeve if they cannot but beleeve and that they may beleeve they must repent then from this knowledge in the Naturall mans power both faith and repentance necessarily ensue That this knowledge is in the power of the Naturall man according to his Doctrine is evident because the Objection and Answer is about the Naturall man whence he inferres this conclusion Now for answer here is the fallacy he confounds that knowledge which may be in the Naturall man with that which cannot be but in the Spirituall There is a two-fold knowledge about Spirituall things The 1 Naturall 2 Spirituall The former Historical or of Logical apprehension of Propositions rather then of things or of Propositions only distinctly of things contained in the Propositions confusedly and afar off as when a man reads an History of persons places c. but sees them not with his eye The latter Iniuitivè or of Spirituall Vision the things themselves in the light of the Spirit beheld as it were by Vision distinctly and at hand the former like that knowledge which the Queene of Sheba had of Salomon in her own Country only by heare-say the latter like that which she had of him at Ierusalem by the sight of her eyes 1. King 10. 4 5 6 7. then she beleeved then she admired not till then This is the knowledge whence springs faith and repentance and this is peculiar to the Saints 1 Ephes. 17 18. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Mat. 16. 17. CHAP. V. Goodwin YEa and evident it is from the Scriptures that men act beneath themselves are remisse and slothfull in awaking those Principles of light and understanding that are vested in their natures or else willingly choake suppresse and smother them if they remaine in the snare of unbeleefe Pray for us saith Paul so the Thessalonians that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evill men for all men have not faith By unreasonable or as the word signifyeth absurd and evill men he plainly meaneth not men who naturally or in actu primo were unreasonable such as those were not like to endanger him or to obstruct the course of the Gospel but such as were unreasonable Actu secundo that is persons who acted contrary to the light and principles of reason and hereby became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 industriously evill or wicked that there were such persons as these abroad in the world he gives this account For all men have not faith which clearly implyeth that men who act and quit themselves according to the true Principles of that reason which God hath planted in them cannot but beleeve and be partakers of the precious faith of the Gospel To this purpose that passage in Chrysostome is memorably worthy As to beleeve the Gospel is the part of a raised and nobly ingenuous soule so on the contrary not to beleeve is the property of a soule most unreasonable and unworthy and depressed or bowed downe so the soâ—â—ishnesse of bruit beasts Resbury Reader here we must grapple close with him observe in his owne words what here he saith about the understanding of the Naturall man and his power to make use of it for repenting and beleeving now one of these two he must needs affirme either that he may so use his naturall understanding as thence without any peculiar and higher worke of the Spirit of God he may repent and beleeve or rather he must or else upon such use of it as he may make he shall certainly receive such a worke of the Spirit upon his soule as thence not only may but must faith and repentance be produced whether of these he affirmes I charge it with 1. Evident falshood 2. With Pelagianisme First for the falshood of both these I shall use only foure Arguments to evince it I. From the doctrine of Naturall corruption If we be not sufficient of our selves as of our selves to thinke a good thought If there be none in the state of naturall corruption that understands that seekes after God If that that is borne of the flesh be flesh If in this flesh there dwels no good thing If the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God but they are foolishnesse unto him neither can know them because they are Spiritually discerned If the flesh and the lustings thereof be contrary to the Spirit and the lustings thereof If in the regenerate with the flesh the Law of sinne is served in opposition to the minde serving the Law of God If vaine man though he would faine be wise yet is borne like a wilde Asses Colt If the naturall man be dead in trespasses and sins If he be darknesse If the minding of the flesh be enmity against God If it be not subject to the Law of God neither can be so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God then in neither of those sences is faith and repentance in the Naturall mans power But the Antecedent or the former is true Therefore the Consequent or the latter As for those frivolous exceptions which you have against some of these particulars concerning naturall corruption we shall blow them away when we come to them for they are light chaffe II. From the Doctrine of the Naturall mans subjection to Satan If Satan be the Prince of the world the god of the world If the course of the world in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh be according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that workes effectually in the children of disobedience If Satan the strong man have such possession of the Naturall man as without the peculiar worke of the Holy Ghost as the stronger he cannot be dispossest Then is not repentance and faith in either of the two named sences in the power of the naturall man But the former is true Therefore the latter III. From the subjection of the Naturall man to the Law as the Covenant of Workes If in this estate of naturall corruption and subjection to the Devill therein all Naturall men be under the Law as the Covenant of Workes and the Law only reveales sinne and wrath stirres up and increaseth finne but gives no strength against it When we were in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the Law did worke in our members Rom. 7. 5. Sin tooke occasion by the Commandement and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence ver 11. Then as formerly But the former is here true likewise Therefore the latter IV. From the Doctrine of Regeneration If Regeneration be as the word sounds a New Birth a birth of the Spirit in opposition to the naturall Birth as the birth of the Flesh a birth not of bloud nor of the will
the Epistle to the Philippians chap. 2. and how saith he shall that of the Apostle stand It is God that workes in us both to will and to doe Then that he might as it were answer this objection which he saw so vehemently against his opinion going on he addes He works in us to will what is good to wil what is holy whilst he inflames us who are addicted to earthly things after the manner of the dumb beasts loving only the things present with the greatnesse of the glory to come and with promise of rewards whilst by the revelation of wisdom hee stirs up the listlesse Will to desire after God whilst he exhorts us to all that is good To the same purpose c. 7. and c. 41. 2 What Austine requires in his answer hereto when he had first discovered his subtlety that all that he intends here by revelation of wisdome and exhortation may be nothing else but according to his former doctrine the law of God and doctrine of his word as all that Mr. Goodwin means by his concession of grace is nothing but what is natural He addes But no such grace will we owne Let him at length acknowledge that grace whereby the greatnesse of the glory to come is not onely promised but is withall beleeved and hoped for nor only is wisdom revealed but withall it is beloved nor onely is all that is good exhorted to but perswaded for all have not faith who by the Scriptures hear the Lord promising the Kingdome of heaven neither are all perswaded who are exhorted that they would come to him who saith Come unto me all yee that labour But who they are that have faith and who are perswaded to come to him hee hath showne clearly enough where he saith No man can come unto me except the father draw him and a little after where he speakes of unbeleevers I have said unto you saith he that no man can come to me except it be given him of the father Iohn 6. 44. and 65. This grace Pelagius must confesse if hee will not only be called but likewise be a Christian Hearken to this Mr. Goodwin least your Christianity be called into question And chap. 12. speaking of the same grace by this grace saith he we not only know what to do but we do what we know nor only doe we beleeve what we should love but we love what we beleeve Then he goes on chap. 13. If this grace must be called doctrine let it be so called but so as that we beleeve that God poures it into the soul more deeply and inwardly by an unspeakable sweetnesse not only by those who plant and water outwardly but also by himselfe who gives the increase in secret so as not only to shew the truth but to bestow love For so doth God teach those who are called according to his purpose giving at once both to know what they should doe and to doe what they know whence the Apostle to the Thessalonians 1 Epistle 4. 9. But concerning brotherly love yee neede not that I write unto you for yee are taught of God to love one another And that hee might prove that they were taught of God he addes presently And indeed yee doe it towards all the brethren which are in Macedonia Shewing this to be a most certaine evidence that they are taught of God if they dâ—e what they are taught After this manner Are all taught who are called according 〈◊〉 purpose as it is written in the Prophets They shall all be taught of God But hee that knowes what he ought to doe and doth it not hath not yet learned of God according to Grace but according to the Law not according to the Spirit but according to the Letter Then chap. 14. speaking of the same effectuall teaching of grace Of this manner of teaching saith he the Lord sayes Every one who hath heard and learned of the father comes to me whosoever therefore hath not come it is not rightly said of him he hath heard indeed and learned that he should come but he will not doe what hee hath learned In no wise is it rightly said of that manner of teaching whereby God teaches through grace For if as the truth speakes every one who hath learned comes whosoever comes not hee hath not learned but who sees not that each one comes and comes not by the liberty of the will but this liberty may be alone if it comes not but if it come assisted it must be and so assisted as not onely that it may know what is to bee done but that likewise it may doe what it knowes And hence when God teacheth not by the letter of the Law but by the grace of the spirit he so teacheth that what any one hath learned he doth not onely see by knowing but also desire by willing and performe by doing and by that divine manner of teaching even the Will it selfe and the operation it selfe not onely the naturall possibility of willing and working is assisted For if onely our power was helped by grace the Lord would have said thus Every one who hath heard and learned of the father may or can come to me but hee saith not so but dâ—th come to me A power of coming Pelagius places in Nature or even as he hath now begun to speake in Grace of what kind soever he accounts it by which as he saith the possibility it self is helped but to come is now in the will and the worke But it followes not that hee that can come doth come except he will it and doe it But every one who hath learned of the father not onely can come but doth come where there is now both the advance of possibility and the affection of the will and the effect of the action Reader It is easie for thee to observe from these testimonies out of this most learned and pious Father how powerfull upon the will how effectuall in the worke how infallible how peculiar the grace of God is according to what I affirmed before and all with cleare evidence and much strength of Scripture made good But indeed this great assertion of Grace doth so abound in this doctrine which he doth most strenuously maintain that it is very hard to make an end of quotations out of him not so much for his authority as for his demonstration by Scripture and his singular excellency in discussing it Wee shall adde a little more and but a little In his booke de gratiâ— lib. arbitr c. 16. It is certain that when we will we will but it is he who makes us to will what is good of whom it is said that the will is prepared of the Lord of whom it is said It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do It is certaine that when we doe we doe but he makes us to doe affording most effectuall strength to the will who hath said I will make you to
preveniency efficacy and peculiarity of Grace I shall shut up this Discourse with certaine determinations of the second Arausican Councell which Councell was held about the middle of the fifth Century Canon 3. If any man saith That the Grace of God may be conferr'd by Humane invocation but not that Grace it selfe makes that it be invoked by us he contradicts the Prophet Isaiah or the Apostle saying the same I was found of those that sought me not I appear'd openly to those who asked not for me Can. 4. If any man contends That God expects our will that we may be cleans'd from sinne but doth not confesse that by the infusion and operation of the Holy Ghost it is brought to passe in us that even we will be cleans'd he resists the Holy Ghost affirming by Salomon that the Will is prepared by the Lord and he resists the Apostle wholsomely preaching that It is God that workes in us to will and to doe according to his good pleasure Can. 5. If any man saith that as the increase so the beginning of faith and the very affection of beleeving by which we beleeve upon him who justifies the ungodly and come to the Regeneration of Baptisme is not in us by the gift of Grace that is by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost correcting our will from â—nfidelity to faith from ungodlinesse to godlinesse but naturally he is an Adversary to the Apostles determinations blessed Paul saying We are confident that he that hath begun this good worke in you will finish it untill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ and that to you it is given for Christ not only to beleeve but to suffer for him And yee are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God For they that say that faith whereby we beleeve on God is naturall doe after a sort define all that are strangers to the Church of Christ to be Beleevers Can. 6. If any man saith That Mercy from God is bestowed upon us beleeving willing desiring endeavouring labouring watching caring asking seeking knocking without the Grace of God but doth not confesse that it is wrought in us by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Ghost that we may beleeve will or be able to doe all these things as we ought to doe and doth subjoyne the ayde of Grace either to humility or mans obedience and doth not agree that it is the gift of Grace it selfe that we are obedient and humble he resists the Apostle saying What hast thou that thou hast not received and by the grace of God I am that I am Can. 7. If any man avouch That by the strength of Nature we can thinke any good that belongs to the Salvation of eternall life as we ought or that we can chuse or consent to the saving that is Evangelicall preaching without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Ghost who gives unto all sweetnesse in consenting to and beleeving the truth he is deceived by an Hereticall spirit not understanding that voyce of God in the Gospel saying Without me yee can doe nothing and that of the Apostle Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Can. 8. If any man contend That some may come to the grace of Baptisme by Mercy others by Free-will which as it is evident is depraved in all that are borne of the transgression of the first Man he is proved an Alien from the right faith for he doth not affirme that the free will of all men is weakned by the sinne of the first Man or certainly he thinkes it so hurt as that yet some may be able to search out the Mystery of eternall life by themselves without the revelation of God which how contrary it is the Lord himselfe proves who testifies not that some men but that no man can come unto him but whom the Father drawes As he saith likewise to Peter Blessed art thou Simon the son of Ionah for flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And the Apostle No man can say that Iesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Can. 9. It is of the gift of God both when we thinke rightly and keep our feet from falshood and unrighteousnesse for as often as we doe good God workes in us and with us to work Can. 10. The Divine ayde is alwayes to be implored even by the regenerate and the Saints that they may come to a good end or that they may abide in a good worke Can. 19. The nature of man though it should remaine in that integrity wherein it was Created yet could it in no wise keep it selfe without the ayde of the Creator whence since without the Grace of God it could not keep safe that health which it received how without the Grace of God shall it restore what it hath lost Can. 20. Many good things are done in man which man doth not but no good things doth man which God doth not make man to doe Can. 22. No man hath of his own but a lye and sin but if any man have truth and righteousnesse of that fountaine it is which we ought to thirst after in this wildernes that being as it were bedewed with some drops from it we may not â—aint by the way To the same purpose with these is the five and twentieth Canon which because it is something long and we have in these sufficient I forbear to transeribe CHAP. XII ANd now Reader thou mayest tax me for my prolixity in this Argument let me plead my excuse in a word or two 1. We shal be shorter in many other things hereafter which we may the better be because we have been so long here 2. Thou hast by this discourse something to recompence the length of it as 1. The severall states of the Pelagian heresie declared 2. The doctrine of naturall corruption how utterly impotent unto all saving good man is thereby dead in sin under the power of the devill altogether in the dark about averse from adverse to the things that according to the mystery of godlinesse accompany salvation 3. The doctrine of saving grace if thou beest any thing attentive thou mayst observe that 1 For the nature of it It is by the supernaturall operation of the spirit plainly of divine originall and extraction in opposition to what is naturall to fallen man 2 For the Subject of it that the Understanding is the subject of internall illumination by the holy ghost that the Will is the subject of renewing of regenerating of quickening of soâ—…ing of subduing of healing of rescuing of effectuall of determining of transforming of cleanâ—ing of infranchising Grace 3 For the Distinctions of Grace First Prevenient and Subsequent that prevenient grace findes many unwilling and resisting makes him of unwilling willing of resisting obeying that subsequent Grace carries on what by prevenient Grace was begun in
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naturall and falsely interprets it of the weakâ— Christian we shall see in its proper place 3 Whereas he denyes the word naturall to be found in Scripture in any such sense as should distinguish the unregenerate state of man from the regenerate and the word supernaturall in the argument of the efficacy of grace to be found either formally or vertually I must charge this bold assertion of his 1. With selfe-contradiction 2. With notorious falsehood 3. With ranke Pelagianisme First With selfe-contradiction pag. 9. of his Preface hee chargeth them with great errors who will have reason laid aside in enquiries after matters of a spirituall and supernaturall concernment which he there makes the same with matters of Religion what is then spirituall and what is of religious nature by your own confession there is supernaturall But all Christian graces Faith Hope Love c. are spirituall and of religious nature therefore grace and the efficacy of it are supernatural Vertually then at the least this word supernatural is found in Scripture in this argument of the efficacy of grace for those graces are by the efficacy of a gracious influx and in them is there an efficacious vertue of spiritual nature otherwise how are they spirituall 2 With notorious falsehood so obvious that was not the sword upon his right eye utterly darkening it I cannot imagine how such a doctrine should have escaped his pen. Let us bring it to the touch-stone of the Scriptures singling out of many texts a few Iohn 3. 5 6 7 8 Is not there a first and second birth the first natural the second supernatural and is not this the effect of grace is it not by divine impression upon the soule by the spirit of God that any one is borne of the spirit Iohn 5. 25. The hour is coming and now is that the dead shall hear the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that â—èare shall live Is not the conversion of a sinner here set forth to be a spiritual resurrection and is not a spiritual resurrection both as spirituall by your owne grant and as a resurrection supernatural Eph. 2. 5 6. Is it not a supernatural work To quicken such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes to raise them up together with Christ and make them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus This union with Christ and these spirituall advancements of the soule in Christ are they not supernatural and by the efficacy of grace Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. Is not that change In putting off the old man in being renewed and putting on the new man which is created c. by the operation and efficacy of Grace and is it not supernaturall 1 Cor. 2. 9. to the 15. Is not that revelation of the spirit discovering what eye hath not seen c. Searching the deepe things of God things as farre above the spirit of the naturall man as the things of man are above the spirit of a beast Things which the spirit of the World that is that spirit which is common to men cannot discover things that can no otherwise be discovered but by Spirituall light things which the Naturall man therefore cannot receive because they are Spiritually discerned Is not the revelation of these things supernaturall A revelation which flesh and bloud makes not Titus 3. 5. The washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Doth it report nothing supernaturall to your eare We might adde 2 Cor. 5. 17. that new Creation there and Iam. 1. 18. that new generation there and Iob. 6. 44 45. that drawing and teaching of the Father with many others of like kinde are all these naturall nothing in these above the power and operation of Nature and that in this corrupt state By this time I hope it appeares that the word Naturall belongs to the unregenerate and that Regeneration is by supernaturall operation and that the unregenerate or Naturall man as such is in Scripture Language darknesse Thirdly with ranke Pelagianisme I call it ranke because thus farre it agrees with the first and second state formerly declared as to admit no supernaturall operation upon the Soule for conversion or recovery from sinne if this be not your meaning I pray disclose your Riddle for no man I thinke can judge otherwise by your words Goodwin Those Ephesians of whom the Apostle saith They were sometime darknesse had been not only or simply unregenerate but had walked in sins and trespasses according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the Aire that worketh effectually in the Children of disobedience by whom their understanding had been darkned and they possessed with many false wicked and blasphemous conceits concerning God and the Gospel c. All which imply on unregenerate estate most dangerously encumbred and from whence it argued the high and signall grace and favour of God that even they should be delivered The Jewes also Joh 1. 5. are termed darknesse upon a like account viz. because they were strangely and desperately prejudiced and pre-possessed with erroneous Notions and conceits against Christ and about the estate of their Messiah's first coming unto them they expecting the forme of a great Monarch rejected and Crucified him in the forme of a Servant it was this darknesse which they had through an oscitant loose and sensuall converse with their owne Scriptures voluntarily suffered to grew and spread it selfe upon the face of their mindes and understandings that was a snare upon them and occasioned the sad event here mentioned viz. That when the light shone upon them i. e. when sufficient and pregnant meanes were vouchsafed unto them to have brought them to the knowledgement of their Messiah they comprehended it not i. e. did not by the meanes of it come to see and understand that for the sight and knowledge whereof it was given them for that by the way is to be observed that the Evangelist doth not say that the darknesse in which the light shined could not or was not able to comprehend it but only that it did not comprehend it Now it is a knowne Principle in reason that a Negatione actus ad negationem potentiae non â—alet argumentum there may be a defect in action or performance where there is no defect of power for action And the very observation and report which the Evangelist makes of the Non-comprehension of the light by the darknesse in which it shone plainely enough imports that the defectivenesse of this darknesse in not comprehending the light did not consist in or proceed from any Naturall or invincible want of power to comprehend it but from a blindnesse voluntarily contracted and willingly if not wilfully persisted in for how can it be reasonably supposed that this Evangelist who flyeth an higher pitch then his Fellowes in drawing up his Evangelicall Tidings for the use and benefit of the World should in the very entrance of his Gospell and whilst he was thundring
your owne interpretation of the Apostles expresse doctrine here if you doe allow him above the natural man then you grant the word Supernaturall vertually in that sense wherein you formerly denyed it so that you are full of interwoven contradictions at every turne refuting your selfe 3 You deny here an utter incapacity of these things in the Natural man c. but such as he may out-grow according to the ordinary course of providence 1. Your Doctrine is evidently false 1. These things of the spirit of God are discerned by another light and another principle then the Natural man hath He neither knowes nor can know them saith the Apostle because they are spiritually discerned and this light of the spirit specifically distinct from the light of Reason in the Natural man as the light of reason is from the light of Sense in the bruit beast v. 11. And this spirit the world hath not therfore not the Natural man v. 12. Formerly he made such an observation as this his refuge that the Evangelist said not Darknesse could not but did not comprehend the light which how slender a refuge it was for him we there saw here the Apostle is expresse Cannot yet he attempts an evasion There is no end of this mans sophistry nor can be upon his principles that the Grammar and Logick of the Scripture must vaile to his Reason 2 Your Doctrine here as all along is purely Pelagian for you acknowledge no such incapacity in the Natural man of discovering all Gospel-truths leading to salvation but what by the diligent use of meanes hee may overgrow c. therefore of himselfe not onely may he make use of the means but so make use of them as that thence he shall certainly be savingly inlightened Which must bee one of these wayes 1 Either the seeds of naturall light shall hereby grow up into a saving light so Nature improves it selfe into Grace and this is according to your Doctrine that there is nothing supernatural in the efficacy of Grace and this is highly Pelagian for it makes Nature Grace Sub laude Naturae latent inimici Gratiae and Nature before this improvement must be Grace in the seed as by it it becomes grace in the fruit Or 2 By this use of means he shall procure the giving of saving light and grace from the hand of God which is still the Pelagian doctrine that the grace of God is given according to mans merits but still it is a Riddle to mee how you can allow thus much and make good your doctrine against the supernaturall efficacy of grace As for your glosse upon 1 Cor. 3. 1. It is evident the Apostle calls them carnall opposed to spiritual not absolutely as formerly he had opposed the natural man but in part therefore he addes by way of limitation babes in Christ but when he expostulates with them v. 3. are yee not carnall and walke according to max he there implies that the meer man is wholly carnall for as much as the weake Christian so farre as he is carnall he is according to man and wherein he walkes carnally he walkes according to man Goodwin 4 And lastly to the Objection concerning Heathen Philosophers and others of great parts and naturall endowments of reason wit understanding c. who either rejected the Gospell as a Fable as the Philosophers or else perverted and wrested the truth thereof in many things to their owne destruction and possibly to the destruction of others as Hereticks I answer when I affirme and teach that Reason or the intellectuall part of a man is competent to apprehend discerne subscribe unto the things of God and of the Gospell my meaning is not to affirme withall that therefore men of these endowments though never so excellently enriched with them must of necessity apprehend discerne or subscribe unto these things Reason and understanding even of the greatest advance in man will serve men for other ends and purposes besides the apprehension and discerning the things of God in the Gospell and may accordingly be improved and imployed by them yea they may be imployed against the Gospell and made to warre and fight against the truth of it it is a saying of knowne truth concerning all things that have not an essentiall connexion with a mans soveraigne good Nil prodest quod non laedere possit idem i. e. Nothing there is so profitable But to doe mischiefe is as able Because some men suffer themselves to be bewitched with a corrupt desire of drawing away Disciples after them and for the fulfilling of such a Lust speake perverse things as the Apostle speaketh it doth not fellow from hence that therefore they were in no capacity or in no possibility of speaking the truth and refraining from the teaching of perverse things Aristotle speaking of riches saith That it is unpossible that he should have them who takes no care to have them So are we to conceive of the knowledge and true discerning of the things of God in the Gospell in what capacity soever men are either for ability or meanes otherwise for attaining them it is unpossible that ever they should actually attaine to them unlesse they be carefull and shall bend the strength of their mindes and understandings in order to the attainment of them Now the Heathen Philosophers more generally became vaine in their imaginations as the Apostle speaketh i. e. they spent themselves the strength of their parts time and opportunities upon matters of a low or secondary concernment and which they apprehended to have a more ready and certaine connexion with their owne honour and esteeme amongst men and did not charge themselves their gifts or parts with that worthy and blessed designe which the Apostle calls the having of God in acknowledgement upon this their unnaturall unthankfulnesse towards God uttering it selfe in their addition of themselves to studies speculations and enquiries of a selfe concernment with the neglect of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their foolish heart was darkned Concerning Hereticks it is a common Notion amongst us that these from time to tâ—me were turned aside from the way of truth by some uncleane Spirit or other as Pride Ambition Envie Voluptuousnesse or the like if these Spirits once enter into a man they will soone call in and take unto themselves other spirits worse then themselves I meane spirits of errour and delusion to advocate for them and plead their cause as for the mistakes and miscarriages in judgement of good men upright in the maine with God and the Gospell about some particular points they are to be resolved into several causes of which we shal not now speake particularly only this I shall say whatsoever any mans errour or mistake in judgement is about the things of the Gospell it is not to be imputed to any deficiency on Gods part in the vouchsafement of meanes unto him competent and sufficient as well for the guiding into as for the keeping of his judgement in the way
to pray you to speak plainly and particularly you use the same Artifice and Cant most extreamly Afterwards in the first Chapter of your booke when you should lay downe your expresse doctrine about the divine influx and concourse we must try if wee can hunt you out of your holes there CHAP. XVI Goodwin 1. THough the spirit of God contributes by his assistance after that high manner which bath been declared toward the right apprehending understanding discerning the things of God by men yet this no wayes proveth but that they are the Reasons and Understandings of men themselves that must apprehend discerne and understand these things and consequently must be provoked raised ingaged imployed and improved by men that they may thus apprehend and discerne notwithstanding all that assistance which is administred by the spirit otherwise nothing will be apprehended or discerned by them Nor will the assistance of the spirit we speake of turn to any account of benefit or comfort but of losse and condemcondemnation unto men in case their Reasons 〈◊〉 Understandings shall not advance and quit themselveâ— according to their interest thereupon Resbury This may passe as impertinent It is the Reason of man that must apprehend c. But it is Reason sanctified that apprehends savingly man must stirre up his owne soule but it is by the worke of the sanctifying spirit that so he doth effectually These things have been proved abundantly already Goodwin 3 In case the Spirit of God shall at any time reveale I mean offer and propose any of the things of God or any spirituall Truth unto men these must be apprehended discerned judged of yea and concluded to be the things of God by the Reasons and Understandings of men before they can or ought to receive or beleeve them to be the things of God Yea before such a revelation can any wayes accommodate benefit and blesse their soule When our Saviâ—â—â— speaking of that spirit to his Disciples saith And he will shew you things to come And againe he shal receive of mine and shal shew them unto you Joh. 16. 13 14. he supposeth that they viz. with their own Reasons and Understandings were to apprehend and judge of the things that should be thus shewed unto them to have been shewed unto them by the spirit of God and not to have proceeded from any other Author Yea in case men shall receive the things of God themselves for the things of God or of the spirit of God before their Reason and Understanding have upon rationall grounds and principles judged them to be the things of God yet can they not receive them upon these termes as the things of God I mean as the tnings of God ought in duty and by command from himselfe to be received by men or so as to benefit or iâ—â—ich the soule by their being received For as God requires of men to be praised with understanding i. e. out of a rationall apprehension and due consideration of his infinite worth and excellency so doth be require to be beleeved also and they that beleeve him otherwise beleeve they know not what nor whom and so are brethren in vanity with those that worship they know not what and build Altars to an unknowne God to trust or beleeve in God upon such termes as these is being interpreted but as the devotion of a man to an Idol yea the Apostle himselfe arraignes the Athenians of that high Crime and misdemeanour of Idolatry upon the account of their sacrificing to an unknown God Resbury This is of the same Spirit Error and impertinency with the last 1 The Spirits revelation he interprets his Proposall This is just Pelagius his revelation proposall by his word and doctrine 2 The things by the Spirit proposed must be discerned the things of God by our owne reasons c. Who doubts this but which he meanes not by our owne reasons enlightened by renewing and peculiar Grace hee saith They must be received upon rationall grounds true reason being by Scripture enlightned Goodwin 4 And lastly The interposure and actings of reason and understanding in men are of that soveraigne and most transcendent use yea necessity in and about matters of Religion that all the agency of the Spirit notwithstanding a man can performe 〈◊〉 thing no manner of service unto God with accepâ—… nothing in a way of true edification to himselfe withâ—… their engagement and service First I stand chargâ—… by God not to beleeve every Spirit but to try thâ— Spirits whether they be of God I demand bâ— what rule or touch-stone shall I try any Spirit whâ—… or upon what account shall I reject one as a Spirit 〈◊〉 errour falshood and delusion and doe homage 〈◊〉 my judgement and conscience to another as the Spirit of God If it be said I ought to try the Spirits by the Scriptures or Word of God I demand againe But how shall I try my touch-stone or be sure that that Principle notion or ground which I call thâ— Word of God and by which I goe about to try the Spirits is indeed the Word of God There is scarce any errour that is abroad in the Christian world but freely offers it selfe to be tryed by the Word of God as well as the true Spirit of God himselfe i. e. by such meanings sences or conclusions as it selfe confidently asserts to be the Word of God i. e. the minde of God in the Scriptures so that I am in no capacity to try such a Spirit which upon such an account as this pretends his coming forth from God unlesse I be able to prove that those sences â—eanings and conclusions by which be offers to be tryed are not indeed the Word of God Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly and only by the Scriptures themselves because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proofe or tryall in this case this Spirit will reject my sence and interpretation in case it maketh against him and will substitute another that shall not oppose him Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case at least as an untruth unlesse I apprehend some relish or taste therein which is irrationall or some â—…on which jâ—rreth with or grateth upon some 〈◊〉 principle 〈◊〉 other of reason within me for as 〈◊〉 â—…e one hand what Doctrine or Notion soever clearly â—â—cordeth and is commensurable with any solid and 〈◊〉 â—…ted Principle or ground of reason within me 〈◊〉 â—…by demonstrably evinced to be a truth and from God so on the other hand what Doctrine or saying sâ—…r beares hard or falls foule upon any such Principle must of necessity be an errour and somewhat that proceeds from Satan or from â—…n and not from God Resbury 1 The same things most impertinently stil over and over an endlesse waster of words 2 By what rule or touch-stone shall heâ—ry any Spirit or Doctrine he answers If it be said by the Scripture but how shall