men must bee continually in seruile feare and to this very end they abusiuely alledge Bee not high minded but feare and Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling In Scriptura sacra aliquando c. In the holy Scripture Id. in Iob. lib. 16. cap. 2. sometimes the gift of the Holy ghost is called an Earnest because thereby our soule is strengthned vnto the Certainty of inward hope Well therefore it is said by Paul Who hath giuen vs the Earnest of his Spirit For to this end haue wee receiued this Earnest that wee may hold a Certainty of that promise which is made vnto vs. Mandatum Dei si timore fit poenoe c. If the commandement Anselme in Rom. 8. of God be done by the feare of punishment and not by the loue of righteousnesse it is slauishly done and therefore not done For that fruite is not good which doth not proceede from the roote of loue c. Wee haue receiued the Spirit of Adoption whereby wee call God our Father For the veryspirit of God himselfe giueth witnesse to our spirit that is hee makes our spirit to know and vnderstand that wee are the sonnes of God Habes homo huius arcani Indiceâ—… spiritum c. O man Bernard Ep. 107 thou hast the iustifiing Spirit for a Teacher of this secret in the same witnessing to thy spirit that thou also art the Sonne of God Take knowledge of the counsell of God in thy Iustification c. For the present Iustification of thee is both a reuelation of Gods counsell and a certaine preparation vnto future glory Aliquis non potest c. A man cannot haue that friendship Aquinus 1. 2. quest 65. art 5. with God which is called Charity except hee haue a Faith by Which he beleeueth that there is such a Society and Familiarity of Man with God and do hope that himselfe pertaines to this Society Now how certaine and infallible this hope is let himselfe also speake Hope goeth Id. 2. secudae q. 18. art 4. on to her end by way of Certainty as partaking Certainty from Faith which is in the knowing Faculty Bradwarden proues Perseuerance to be a free gift of God unto man and therefore not of man to himselfe by Gods Bradwarden de de causa Dei lib. 2. cap. 14. Grace which first position is the very ground of infallible Perseuerance and the latter of falling away and hee inferres Propter haec huiusmodique moâ—…iua c. For these and the like motiues it seemes more probable to mee and more agreeable to reason and Catholicke Doctrine that Perseuerance is not giuen to merits but is freely giuen of God according to his free Grace free Praedestination and free Purpose as the first working grace that iustifieth a sinner Non peccat videlicet ad mortem c. Hee doth not sinne Fâ—…rus in 1. Ioa. 5 vnto death but this hee hath not of himselfl but from this that hee is regenerated into a Sonne of God by Faith and Baptisme for this regeneration doth preserue him For by Faith hee is made the Sonne of God by Faith he is clensed from sinne by Faith hee is preserued in the obtained righteousnesse by Faith hee ouercomes the world the flesh and the Deuill and by Faith hee riseth againe after falling and therefore Satan cannot touch him Hee may indeede dare to tempt the godly So likewise hee durst to tempt Christ Yea sometimes hee driues iust men vnto a fall as wee see Dauid and Peter But FINALLY as in Christ hee could haue nothing so neither can hee preuaile ouer the Saints For none can take Christs sheepe out of his handes Wherefore going to his Passion hee recommended all those that beleeued in him vnto his Father A heartie desire for the conversion of those that hold the finall a version and falling of the Saints AS themselues hold that they may depart from fundamentall Truths vnto fundamentall Errours so I wish that they may also depart from fundamentall errors whereof this seemes to be one That Christ Iesus the Sonne of God is not that Rocke which preserueth the Church that is built on him that the gates of Hell cannot praeuaile against Her THE GROVNDS OF ARMINIANIS ME Naturall and Politicke NAture is a ground of Arminianisme but it is corrupted Nature euen that Nature by which wee are the children of wrath Neither is Nature the fountaine Eph 2 and spring of it by a large common way as the Gal. 5. 20. flesh is generally the mother of haeresies but by a more peculiar inward and deepe generation There are two euills that by mans wretched fall are deepely grounded and intermingled with the very principles and rootes of man and as farre as man is man so farr and so deepe their venome and infection doth enter The one is Prede and evill that by the fall hath so throughly soked and pierced into the foundations of man that man naturally desires to stand by himselfe and to bee a selfe-vpholder which is no other then that miserable perferment which the Divell at the beginning promised to mankind in their first parents That they should bee as Gods For it is God onely Exod. 3. 14. whose Name is I am it is God onely that is a selfevpholder and standeth of himselfe and it is by the stabilitie of God alone that all other things are established from whose establishment as much as the wills of the Creatures are freed so much they are in danger Yea this substantiue and selfevpholding estate is to corrupted Nature a very plausible and desirable thing and man exceedingly desires with the prodigall sonne to haue his portion put by his Father into his one hands euen to haue Gods grace deliuered over to the keeping of Mans Freewill But the miserable consequence of this in that prodigall sonne plainely appeared when hee had gathered all Hee went into a Luk. 15. 13. farre countrey and there wasted all his substance with riotous living Mans will will not keepe the grace of God but will forfite and spend it as Adam our common Father did at the beginning neither may it be hoped that the sonne with a great portion of corruption should stand in that state of fredome wherein his Father newly comming from the hands of God his maker would fall Therefore it is the true safety of mans will to bee held by God rather then to be left free to hold God to bee established by grace rather then to establish grace in it selfe to bee apprehended by God rather then to bee left free whether it will apprehend God or no. Surely the Diuell is as strong as euer if not more strong by being more cunning and man being lesse strong because more corrupt his fall cannot bee but more certaine Therefore if the Diuell and his spirituall wickednesses powers Eph. 6. 19. and principalities must bee resisted and ouercome wee haue need of the whole armour of God yea wee
TESTIS VERITATIS 〈…〉 KING JAMES 〈…〉 OF THE 〈…〉 OF ENGLAND OF THE CATHOLICKE CHVRCH Plainely shewed to bee ONE 〈◊〉 the points of 〈◊〉 Free will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With a discouery of the Grounds Naturall Politicke of ARMINIANISME By F. ROVS Printed at London by W. I. 1626. To the Reader HAuing heard of a publike declaration Doctor Palcaâ—…quell in his Coâ—…cio ad 〈◊〉 Febr. 27. made by a reuerend and right worthy Diuine of his Most Excellent Majesties Resolution and Decree to oppose Arminianisme I thought it a fit time to put in order some pieces which being set together might amount to an euident Proofe and Testimonie that his Maiestie herein hath merited most glorious and incomparable Titles euen such as haue in them the Weight and Substance of High and supreame Excellencie For first herein Hee is the Successor of his Father as in Bloud and Royalty so in his excellent Thoughts Designes and Actions for this is a proceeding and going on in the same worke wherein the most learned King and absolute Iudge of Doctrines began a most noble Foundation His zeale in this matter would not bee bounded with the seas but on the wings of an heauenly fire flying beyond them it there consumed the fifties and their Captaines it dissolued the Bands of the Enemies of the truth Secondly herein the Title of Nursing Father of the Church a Title giuen to Religious Kings by the heauenly Oracles more strongly fastneth and spreadeth the Roote of it So that at once the same Person hereby acquireth the Dignitie both of a perfect Sonne and a glorious Father When the Doctrine of a Church is cherished the life of a Church is cherished and when a contrary Doctrine is opposed then the Doctrine of a Church is cherished Thirdly hereby the Title of Defender of the Faith hath still more Realitie put into it and it is made more vnlike to those empty Titles that haue the Word without and not the matter within Each of these I hope shall appeare in that which followeth For though it consists of many seuerall pieces like vnto broken accounts yet I hope being all set together they will arise to make vp the promised summes both in weight and number F. R. The Doctrine of Predestination deliuered and approued by King IAMES our late Soueraigne of Famous MEMORY GOd hath two wills a reuealed will towards vs Medit. on the Lords prayer and that will is here vnderstood hee hath also a secret will in his eternall counsell whereby all things are gouerned and in the end made euer to turne to his glory often-times drawing good effects out of bad causes and lightout of darknesse to the fulfilling either of his Mercy or Iustice c. The first Article of the Apostles Creed teacheth vs that God is Almightie how euer Vortius and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall Decree and secret will making things to bee done in this world whither he will or not Wee doubt not but that their Ambassadors which Declar against Vorstius were with vs about two yeares since did informe them of a fore-warning that we wished the said Ambassadors to make vnto them in Our name to beware in time of seditious and hereticall Preachers and not to suffer any such to creepe into their state Our principall meaning was of Arminius who though himselfe were lately dead yet had he left too many of his disciples behinde him Wee had well hoped that the corrupt seed which that Ibid. enemy of God Arminius did sow amongst you some few yeares since whose disciples and followers are yet too bold and frrequent within your Dominions had giuen you a sufficient warning afterwards to take beede of such infected persons seeing your owne Countrey-men already diuided into factions vpon this occasion a matter so opposite to vnitie which is indeed the onely prop and safety of your state next vnder God as of necessitie it must by little and little bring you to vtter ruine if wisely you doe not prouide against it and that iâ—… time Thus while his Maiestie is an enemie to the enemies of Praedestination he is a friend and protector to that Doctrine whose enemies he doth oppose The Articles of Ireland agreed on in his Maiesties Articl agreed on anno 1615. Raigne cannot bee thought to containe any other Doctrine but such as was approued by his Maiestie In them we reade The cause mouing God to praedestinate to life is not Num. 15. the fore-seeing of faith or perseuerance or good works or of any thing which is in the person praedestinated but ONLY the good pleasure of good himselfe For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his Glory and his Glory being to appeare both in the workes of his Mercie and of his Iustice It seemed good to his heauenly wisdome to chuse out a certaine number towards whom hee would extend his vndeserued Mercy leauing the rest to bee spectacles of his Iustice. And that wee may yet more punctually know this Doctrine there allowed by Him to bee verily his owne Doctrine we reade thus from his owne Dictates God drawes by his effectuall Grace out of that at Medit on the Lords prayer tainted and corrupt masse whom hee pleaseth for the worke of his Mercy leauing the rest to their owne wayes which all leade to perdition Praedestination and Election dependeth not vpon Conference at Hampt Court any Qualities Actions or Workes of Man which bee mutable but vpon God his eternall and immutable Decree and Purpose THE DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England concerning Praedestination PRaedestination to life is the euerlasting purpose of Article 1â—… God whereby before the foundation of the world was laid hee hath constantly decreed by his counsell secret to vs to deliuer from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ vnto euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour wherefore they that be indued with so excellent a benefite of God bee called according to Gods purpose by his spirit working in due season they through grace obey that calling they be iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by adoption they be made like the image of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercie they attaine to euerlasting Felicitie Vpon the Articles of the Church of England Master Rogers Chaplaine to Arch-Bishop Banâ—… See the Epistle Dedicatorie where hee affirmeth these propositions to be maintained by the Church of England there is set forth an Analysis of these Articles resoluing them into propositions which propositions he saith are maintained and approued by the authority of the Church of England and this Analysis vpon this Article of Praedestination thus inferreth Hereby is discouered the impiety of thâ—…se meâ—…â—…hich thinke that mâ—…n doth make himselfe eligible for the â—… Proposition kingdome of heauen And that God beheld in euery man
that is stronger then hee And indeed this is the very cause of our ouer comming if we beleeue S. Iohn Because 1 Ioh. 4. â—… hee that is in vs is greater then hee that is in the world Therefore Gods constant loue is still to bee lookt vnto as the only cause of our safetie which keepes our wills by grace against these ouer-mightie enemies and wretched were wee if our wills were put to keepe themselues by grace For then if we were but as Adam these principalities and powers would prevaile with vs as with Adam especially having a body of sinne about vs which hee had not But the only cause of our standing against these principalities vnder whom Adam fell is the constant loue and purpose of God By that as S. Paul saith We are more then 2 Cor. 1. 21. conquerours and thence it is that Principalities and Powers cannot separate vs from the loue of God And as by this constant loue of God we are constantly and safely preserued from separation and Apostasie so let our constant saftie ever acknowledge this constant loue and purpose of God to bee the cause of it But both this safetie and the cause of this safetie the teachers of Apostasie doe denie so robbing God of the glory of mans stabilitie and robbing man of the safetie and stabilitie which hee hath from God Finally that yet wee may know our selues to be fully and finally safe the blessed Apostle is not contented to speake of safetie from separation and Apostacie onely in the present time but he denies Apostacie beth by future things and in the future time Nor things present nor things to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God Behold a finall and full perseuerance in safetie for things present cannot separate vs and things to come shall not be able to separate vs yea no other creature that is nothing can separate vs and therefore not the Arminians A third way by which our Church in this Article doth teach Certaintie of Saluation is this shee saith that the consideration of Election doth establish in the Saints a Faith of their saluation to bee enioyed through Christ. For the Saint finding in himselfe the mortification and vivification of the Spirit hence ascendeth vp to the knowledge view and consideration of his Election and from this constant Election hath a stable and sure Faith that hee shall enioy eternall saluation in Christ. Now from hence plainly issueth this argument That saluation is certaine whereof there is an established Faith But there is an established Faith of the Saluation of of the Saints Therefore the Saluation of the Saints is certaine The first proposition cleareth it selfe by its owne light For there is not an established Faith of vncertaine and fallible things but of certaine Yea if there were no other word but the word of Faith this Faith presumeth and pâ—…esupposeth a certaine and infallible truth for the obiect of it and consequently in this place a certaine and infallible saluation of the Saints The second proposition is raysed plainly out of the words of the Article For the consideration of Election is there said vpon the view of Sanctification to establish a Faith of Saluation to be enjoyed Wherefore I may conclude in the words of the ninth Article There is no condemnation to them that beleeue and are baptized Which the Article of Ireland thus resembleth Howsoeuer for Christs sake there be no condemnation Num. 34. to such as are regenerate and doe beleeue The first of which is a position of our Sauiour They that beleeue and be baptized shall be saued They Mark 16. 16. are not onely now in the state of Saluation but they shall hereafter be saued for hee that beleeueth shall not Ioh. 5. 24. see condemnation And the other resteth on the saying of Saint Paul who saith that to the Saints there is no condemnation For the Law of the Spirit of life which Rom. 3. is in Christ Iesus freeth a Saint from the law of sinne and death Now if a Saint bee free from death who can make him a bondslaue of death This were flatly to affirme that which the Apostle denyes both here and else-where Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to Rom. 8. 15. feare againe but the spirit of Adoption by which wee cry Abba Father And if a sonne then no more a seruant Behold Saint Paul saith wee haue not receiued the spirit Psal. 46. 7. to feare againe who then dares to put vpon the Saints a spirit of bondage to feare againe and Saint Paul saith by the Spirit of God If a sonne then no more a seruant And how dares flesh and blood to say if a sonne yet againe a seruant But let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free neither let vs againe be intangled with the yoke of bondage Let vs say with Saint Paul once a sonne and no more a seruant once a sonne and a sonne for euer And indeed Christ himselfe saith That a sonne abides in the house Ioh. 9. 35. for euer onely let vs remember that therefore we are deliuered from this feare and house of bondage That Luk. 1. 74. being deliuered from our enemies wee might serue God without feare In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues Our safety is giuen vs mainly 1 Ioh. 3. 3. for an incouragement to holinesse For hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure And now that it may appeare that I haue not wrested a priuate sense out of these publike Articles let vs see whether the same truth hath not beene publikly taught by others There is a worke formerly alledged which hath this Title The Faith Doctrine and Religion professed and protested in the Realme of England and Dominions of the same expressed in thirtie nine Articles the said Articles analysed into propositions c. This worke was made by a Chaplaine of Doctor Bancroft late Archbishop of Canterbury and to his Grace Dedicated But it is well knowne Arch-bishop Bancroft did not fauour any Puritanicall or Schismaticall Doctrine neither is it to be thought that his Chaplaine would or durst offer any such vnto him Neither is it to be beleeued that he would be so shamelesse as to say to the same Arch-bishop in his Dedicatorie Epistle That these Propositions shee that is the Church of England publikely maintaineth if there had beene any Puritanicall Doctrine maintained in them Now this Writer hauing raysed a Proposition vpon these words of the seuenteenth Article constantly decreed he inferreth Wander then doe they from the truth which thinke That the Regenerate may fall from the Grace of God may destroy the Temple of God and be broken off from the 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus The same Doctrine is proued by other Articles more plainely and punctually vnfolding what was in the former Articles truly and really contained though not so manifoldly
c. To dye is to Id. cap. 10. loose the habilitie of life c. But this doth not happen to the soule for it is the breath of life neither to the Spirit for the Spirit is simple and cannot be dissolued and is the life of them that receiue him Partem aliquam spiritus eius sumimus c. We receiue Id. cap. 11. a part of his spirit vnto the effecting and preparing of incorruption by degrees accustoming to receiue and carry God in vs which the Apostle also called an earnest that is part of that honour which is promised to vs of God Qui credit in filium habet vitam aeternam c. He that beleeueth elemens Alexa. padag lib. 1. cap. 6. in the Sonne hath life eternall If then wee who haue beleeued haue life eternall what remaineth beyond the possession of life eternall Non es inquit amplius servus c Hee saith Thou art Idem Ibid. no more a seruant but a sonne If a sonne then also an Heyre through God What then wanteth to a Sonne when hee is an Heyre Qui credidit in nomine eius c. Hee that beleeued in his Ciprian de Orat. Dominiea name and is made the Sonne of God from that time must begin both to giue thankes and to professe himselfe the Sonne of God Scriptum est enim Iustum fide viuere c. It is written Id. de Mort. The Iust shall liue by Faith If thou art Iust and liuest by Faith If thou truly beleeuest in God why since-thou art to liue with Christ and art secure of the Lords promise dost thou not reioyce that thou art called by death vnto Christ Plus amare compellimur c. wee are inforced to loue the Id. ibid. more while it is granted to vs to know what wee shall bee and to condemne that which wee were Hilary dâ—… Triniâ—… lib. 1. Conscia securitatis suae ocio c. The soule knowing her owne safety resteth in quietnesse reioycing in her hopes so much not fearing death that shee accounteth it as the way to life eternall Chananeaiam ipsa c. The Chananitish woman being Ibid in Mat. c. 15 now saued by faith and CERTAINE of that inward Mystery and sure of her owne saluation Per spiritum sanctum datur c. By the Holy Spirit it is Basil. de spiritu cap. 15. giuen a restoring into Paradise a returne into the Kingdome of heauen a recouery of the adoption of sonnes a confidence of calling God Father a partaking of eternall glory and that I may say all at once to be in the fulnesse of all blessednesse both of this life and of those good things which are laid vp for vs in the life to come which in the meane time wee do enioy by FAITH beholding that Glory as in a glasse For if the EARNEST bee such how excellent is the Perfection Bene ait confido c. Hee saith well I am confident For Ambrose Serm. 15. confidence is the strength of our hope and an authority of hoping Therefore hope still and no man can make tâ—…ee ashamed of thy expectation Our expectation is life eternall Signauit nos dando spiritum c Hee hath sealed vs Id. in 2 â—…or 1. by giuing his Spirit to vs for an Earnest that wee may not doubt of his promises for if when wee were in the state of death hee gaue vs his Spirit it is not to be doubted but that to vs being made immortall hee will adde glory Non praeter spem esse debemus c. Wee must not bee Angust in Psal. 1â—…2 without hope yea wee may bee bold with great confidence because if hee be with vs on earth by charity wee are also with him in heauen Hee is below by the compassion of charity wee are aboue by the hope of charity For wee are saued by hope But because our hope is certaine though saluation be to come it is so spoken of vs as if it were already done Tribulatio est enim nostra in presenti seculo c. Our Id in Psal. 123. suffering is in this life and our hope in the life to come and except in the sufferings of this life the hope of the life to come did comfot vs wee should perish Our ioy brethren is not yet in performance but in hope But our hope is as certaine as if the thing were already done Diuers other places haue beene allready cited out of him of Finall perseuerance I referre the Reader particularly to his booke De Bono Perseuerantiae de Correptione gratia Where among many other sentences approuing the Perseuerrance of the sonnes of God hee saith cap. 9. Nullus eorum c. None of them being changed from good into euill doth end his life Exempta est a morte anima c. That soule is freed Prosper in Psal. 114. from death euen though shee bee compassed with mortall flesh which of vnbeleeuing is made beleeuing and besides that perfit eternall rest from all labours which the death of the Saints precious in the eyes of the Lord doth obtaine the soule which is deliuered from the death of infidelity hath also her rest in this life euen that soule which ceaseth from the workes not of righteousnesse but of iniquity Such a soule which is now aliue vnto God and dead to the world and is diligently buried in spirituall indeauours not resting in an idle but a quiet tranquility of humility and meek nesse she accounteth as now possessed whatsoeuer with an vndoubted hope she patiently expecteth Neque vsque eo solum c. Neither is the grace of Christ â—…irill Alex. Comment in Esa. lâ—… 3. the Sauiour of vs all onely so farre extended toward vs but in good hope the possession of the Kingdome of heauen lasting and eternall life and the absence of all euill which vseth to affect with griefe are likewise added For it is written of the Saiuts euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads Probi viri cùm munduÌ„ possideant cor c. Good men hauing a pure heart became the receptacles of the comforter as Id. in Ioan. lib. 9. cap. 44. it is possible to men in this life and they do know that they shall enioy great and wonderfull rewards For they shall bee sanctified of the spirit and they shall be made partakers of all good things and the basenesse of bondage being cast off they shall be adorned with the dignity of adoption of the sons of God which Paul sheweth saying Because yee are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his son crying Abba Father Non accepistis spiritum seruitutis c. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage c. For hee cannot bee a iust man in the sight of God who serueth him not for loue but for feare Which place I alledge because the fallers from Grace by teaching this falling from Grace do teach men a Doctrine by which
that St. Paul doth when hee planteth and buildeth a certaintie of Saluation Yea shee almost vseth the same words Saint Paul first in a generall sheweth that there is a constant and vninterrupted progresse of good and happinesse to the Saints that loue God and are called of his purpose This generall hee makes good by particulars for hee bringeth them in as proofes of the generall Therefore hee begins with the word For For whom her did fore-know hee also did praedestinate to bee made like to the Image of his Sonne whom hee did praedestinate them he also glorified Behold the Apostle hath made good his generall by these particulars His generall of the constant good and happinesse of the Saints is proued by these particulars because God from his first fore-knowing or taking notice of them neuer leaues doing them good from one degree of good to another vntill hee hath brought them to eternall glory and blessednesse So that this place is no other but a proofe of the constant and vndefeasable happinesse of the Saints Now let vs see how our Church doth paralell this Doctrine of Saint Paul with the Doctrine of her Article Our Church first in the generall teacherh that God by his constant Decree bringeth his Elect to Saluation And then shee also descends to particulars in the like manner Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God be â—…alled according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they hee iustified freely they be made sonnes of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ they walke religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy they attaine to euerlasting felicitie Behold here also the particulers by which that generall bringing to Saluation is perfited so that to ioyne both together The businesse of Saint Paul and our Church is both one or rather the purpose and businesse of Saint Paul is the purpose of our Church euen to shew that the Saints and Elect are constantly and infallibly brought to Saluation and happinesse by Gods loue and Election And indeed there is such a continued and indissoluble chaine beginning in Gods purpose and Decree and not ceasing vntill it bring the Saints to Gods to be glorified that there is no roome nor gappe for this full and finall Apostasie to breake in and interpose it selfe And that wee may be yet more sure that this place of Saint Paul did intend this very thing to proue the infallible stedfast and perpetuall blessednesse of the Saints as before it hath appeared both by his generall position at his entrance after by the particulars in his progresse so it may also most fully appeare and strongly for a three-fold cord cannot be broken by the vse that he makes in his egresse It were too much to stand vpon each particular of his inference and application I will take notice of a few First he triumphs like a conqueror beholding the safetie and assured victory of the Saints What shall wee then say to these things If God be for vs who can bee against vs God is for the Saints all the way from the first foreknowledge vnto the finall glory what Arminius or Bertius can make any Apostacy to be against vs when God is throughly for vs. God being stedfast with vs from Election to glorification no interloper can come in with intercision to cut off and put a sunder this continued chaine of happinesse which God hath ioynd together and guardeth all the way And that yet more plainly you may see that this was St. Pauls very meaning and purpose behold it in his owne words Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ See here a challenge sent to the whole world for hee defieth any thing that would seeme to seperate Gods beloued from the loue of God Wherefore let the Arminians take heed how they come within Saint Pauls defiance For the truth is they doe vndertake to accept Saint Pauls challenge and giue an answer to his question for when Saint Paul saith Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ They answer that there are many things that may seperate Saints from â—…he loue of Christ. But let them take heed how they make St. Paul their aduersary For it concernes them neerely to agree with this aduersarie while they are in the way lest their aduersary deliuer them to the iudge c. Neither is Saint Paul contented to defie their Apostacy separation only by way of a question in generall termes but he passeth on to particulars and most weightie ones which if any might cause an Apostacy and separation of Saints from the loue of God But both these particulars he denyeth to bee able to separate yea generally all or any creature hee denyeth to bee able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Here also I will spare to insist on euery particular but I desire the Reader to consider of â—… few of them which I thinke include all other if the rule be true that the greater includes the lesse First Life and Death cannot separate vs. Now the Author of Apostacy himselfe could say Skin for â—…kin and all Iob. 24. that a man hath will he give for his life Touch therefore his bone and his flesh and hee will curse thee to thy face But both the example of Iob and the Doctrine of Saint Paul shew that death nor paine doe not separate the Saints from the loue of God For Iob will trust in God though hee kill him and Paul saith That in all thosâ—… things wee are more then conquerors Now if this maximum terribilium cannot separate the Saints from the loue of God what can lesser terrors doe surely they can separate lesse But here by the way let me giue a note of instruction or at least remembrance to the Doctors of Apostacy that in this case of Iob and other Saints of whom S. Paul speaketh it is God that loued vs who makes vs to conquer and not our owne Free-will for certainly if God did not hold vs by his loue but wee held him only there were quickly an end of the businesse death and many things else would separate vs from the loue of God Especially if among those many things wee take notice of those that follow Angels Principalities and Powers These are the mightiest creatures of all and yet these cannot separate vs from the loue of God Now if these that excell in power cannot separate vs how can any lesser and inferior powers separate vs But here also wee must carefully and humbly acknowledge that we haue no defence safetie and securitie against these mighty powers but the preuailing power of God which assisteth those whom he loueth and makes them conquerors For these are the sonnes of Anah of whom it is said who can stand against the Sonnes of Anah This is the strong man whom none can binde but one
alwayes liue as Christ by whom he hath Ioh. 14. 19. life liueth alwayes I might if I had not other where largely done it already shew by many and sundry manifest and cleare proofes how the 〈◊〉 and operaâ—…ns of life are sometimes so indiscerâ—…ble and so secret that they seeme stone dead who notwithstanding are still aliue vnto God in Christ. For as long as that abideth in us which anima teth quickneth and giueth life so long wee liue and wee know that the cause of our Faith abideth in vs for euer If Christ the Fountaine of life may flit and leaue his habitation where he once dâ—…elleth what shall become of his promise I am with you to the worlds end If the Seed of God which contayneth Christ may be first conceiued 1. Pet. 1. and then cast out how doth S. Peter terme it immortall 1. Ioh. 39. How doth S. Iohn affirme it abideth If the Spirit which is guen to cherish preserue the seed of life may be giuen and taken away how is it the EARNEST of our INHERITANCE vntill Redemption If the Iustified â—…rre aâ—… he may and neuer come to vnderstand his error God doth saâ—…e him through generall repentance but if he fall into Hâ—…risy he calleth him at one time or other by actuall Repentance but from 〈◊〉 which is an inward direct deny all of the foundation 〈◊〉 preserâ—…eth him by speciall providence foreuer Discourse of Iustification Thus haue the Fathers and Doctors of our Church plainly shewed the Doctrine of our Church And this last witnesse a man beyond all exception of Schisme or Partialitie the enimies of this Doctrine being Iudges hath strongly confirmed and established it Yea he hath cut off that Goliâ—… Head which commonly marcheth against the hoast of God to terrifie them out of their assurance of Finall perseverance and certaine Saluation For he sheweth that the truely iustified after their errors are saued either by generall or actuall repentance but from Infidelitie Fundamentall Errors they are preserued for euer And Dr. Overall seemes to ioyne in one harmonie with this doctrine of M Hooker saying the like for Errors of life that this other did for errors in beleife In the Conference at Hampton Court these are his words Those which were called and iustified according to Gods purpose and Election howsoeuer they might and did sometimes fall into greiuous sinnes c. were in time renewed by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely Faith and Repentance and 〈◊〉 iustified from those sinnes and the wrath and Curse and Guilt annexed thereunto So that the obiection now adayes vrged was long since prevented with an answer and should haue kept silent the mouth of it being stopped For to what purpose is it to aske and obiect What if a iustified man commit a great sinne and dye without Repentance When it hath ben answered long since that Iustification hath such a Repentance annexed to it as shall suffice to wash away the guilt and wrath of those Errorâ—… sinnes into which the iustified shall fall If true Iustification and 〈◊〉 Repentance goe still together and 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 what a strange question is that which rayseth an obiection from IustificatioÌ„ separated from Repentance Iâ—… it lawfull for them to make a Iustification of their owne severed from Repentance and to raise an obiection thence against our Iustification conioyned with repentance This is a meere deceit to argue from things ill divided against things well conioyned Yea cursed are they that put a sunder what God hath knit togâ—…thhr King Iames said in the Conference at Hampton Court It was hypocrisie and not true iustifiing faith that was seuered from Repentance If then true Iustifiing Faith and Repentance be not seuered their argument against perseuerance taken from iustifiing Faith seuered from Repentance is a meere imaginarie and fantasticall argument For they imagine a severing of things not indeed severed and then they raise an argument from the seperation which is onely in their owne braines and not in the thing So that the ambition and vtmost hope of such an argument is onely this If such a thing were that indeed is not then that would not be that indeed is If iustifiyng Faith were wholly severed from Repentance as it is not then perseverance would not be Persverarance Wee haue seene out of S. Austen Our Church Doctors that the same Election which Decreeth to the Saints glory Salvation Decreeth also perseverance Now Perseverance must needes haue that sufficient Repentance without which it cannot be perseverance And therefore the same Decree that decreeth Perseverance must needes also Decree that Repentance without which Perseverance cannot be And in deede one and the same Seede of God Decreed to all the Elect is an immortall seede both of repentance and perseverance Briefely then though a man were to be excluded from Salvation for not performing a condition yet if he be sure to performe the coÌ„dition he is still sure of Salvation As on the other side if he be sure of Salvation then he is sure to performe the condition without which he cannot be sure of Salvation Now those whom our Article saith God hath coÌ„stantly Decreed to bring to Salvation they are sure of Salvation And therefore are they sure of that Repentance and all other conditions or qualifications without which they cannot be sure of Salvation Perchance the same matter in Mr. Hookers words will be Discourse of Iustification of more authority Our Saviour when he spake of the sheepe effectually called and truely gathered into his fold I giue vnto them Eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hands In promising to saue them he promised no duobt to preserue them in that without which there can be no Salvation as also from that by which it is recoverably lost But in a second place let the questioners giue mee leaue to aske them a question Whether in this their damning of men regenerate that doe not particularly repent for euery great sinne they doe not bring in a Doctrine of despaire For if one of these great sinnes euer happen to be forgotten it is the very case of sinne against the Holy Ghost There remaineth no more sacrifice for Heb. 10. sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of Iudgement and fiery indignation A sinne forgotten cannot be for given There is no salvation without particular Repentance noâ—… no particular Repentance without patticular Remembrance Againe wee know that some liue in an innumerable variety of grea horrible sinns such as S. Paul reckons 1. Cor. 6. 9. Now if these men after come to repent it is impossible for them to remember their numberlesse particular sinns which they haue committed and to apply to them a particular repentance Then by the same reason it seemes to mee it were impossible they should be saued But if God accept a generall repentance of them it were good to bring some place of Scripture which saith that
wrath may be vpon lesser sinnes yea a hot wrath may be vpon a Saint â—…or greater 〈◊〉 but a whole displeasure is not vpon him except he had a whoâ—…e reigne of sinne and from that as I shewed before a Saint is preserued For there is still a seede of Grace remaining and with that seede God cannot be angry yea he still loueth it and where this loue remaines there the wholenesse of wrath is abated so much as is the measure of this remaining loue Neither is this without the word of God For God himselfe when he hath said of a Saint I will be his Father and he shall 2. Sam. 7. 14. be my sonne he saith also If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rods of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul God when he was angry with Iehosaphat Hee told him by the Prophet Shouldst thou helpe the vngodly c. Therefore is wrath vpon thee from the Lord. Yet withall God forgat 2. Chron. 19. â—… not the seede of Grace in his heart Neuerthelesse there are good things found in thee thou hast prepared thy heart to seeke the Lord. So though there be a measure of wrath and God in measure contend with these branches Esay 27. 8. of sinne yet the roote of grace remaining Grace also remaineth As long as the seede of God remaineth so long vnion with God remaineth and as long as vnion with God remaineth so long a man is in the state of grace and cannot be wholly in the state of displeasure But as millions of sinnes lying vpon the Sonne of God brought with them such a heauy displeasure of God that in regard of the anguish and plague of it to which he was deliuered vp he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and yet as concerning vnion God had not forsaken him so also in the sonnes of God vnited to this Sonne though for some single sinnes a great wrath may arise and God in regard of outward feeling may seeme to forsake them yet that vnion still remaineth and whom God hath thus knit together no man can put asunder In Christ that became sinne for vs all the sinnes of the Saints and vnion with God were not incompatible wherefore sinnes and vnion with God are not incompatible And though this vnion was Hypostaticall and our a lower vnion yet from that Hypostaticall vnion our vnion is deriued and that vnion safegards and preserueth the vnion deriued from it His vnion is the Rocke on which our vnion being built that Rocke preserueth the Church vnited vnto it The strength of Christs vnion is not the weaknesse Math. 16. 18. Math. 7. 25. Ioh. 14. 19. Ioh. 17. â—…0 c. â—… Pet. 2. 5. 6. 7. but the strength of our vnion and in his safe vnion our vnion is safe against the gates of Hell And this is the very point that accuseth and conuinceth their horrible blasphemy that say wee are no safer by vnion with Christ who was God and man then by generation from Adam who was but a man that had not vnion with God But perchance some will obiect this is a dangerous doctrine to be taught That Saints cannot fall from the State of Grace And why Because men will presume But let the obiectors remember that the question is whether it be true or vntrue not whether there may be ill vses made of it For if it be true then this is iust Gardiners argument against whole relying on the merits of Christ because the people would breake out at this gappe and leaue buying of heaven with their owne merits So might wee argue that the Grace of God may not be taught because some turne it into wantonnes noâ—… men send their sonnes to the Vniversity because knowledge puffeth vp But let not Gods truth be muzled vp with carnall policy especially let not truth bee denyed to bee truth because flesh and blood makes ill vses of a spirituall truth But secondly I deny that this doctrne is dangerous to breede carelesnesse in obedience yea it is a spurre and encouragement vnto obedience For if wee consider how it is deliuered and to whome it is deliuered and with what cautions and conditions it is to be delivered it will be found to be a doctrine most comfortable and most advantagable vnto holinesse The vsuall manner of delivering it is by the way of incouragement vnto obedience Euen the whole Law is inforced vpon this ground I am the Lord that hath delivered thee from the house of bondage thou shalt haue no other Gods but me c. which agrees iust with the song of Zacharie That wee being deliuered from our enemyes might serue God without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse c. In the next place we may consider that this Doctrine only appertaineth to the Regenerate To them only it can be so deliuered that it may bee received Now the Regenerate haue in them a godly nature a spirit of loue and the loue of God being shewed and sealed to them the spirit of loue in them is enflamed to a more seruent loue of God And the more a man loues God the more will hee keepe his Commandements So that it is most true which S. Iohn speakes Hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as God is pure But the cleane contrary is said by these men He that hath this hope defileth himselfe 〈◊〉 the 1. Ioh. 3. 3. Deuill is filthy In the last place let vs take notice what cautions conditions are annexed vnto this Doctrine God knoweth our frame and he seeth that by nature wee are nothing but flesh Ioh 3. 6. And even after Regeneration there is a great remainder of the flesh even in the Regenerate Now this flesh is apt to be puffed vp not vpon this onely but vpon any excellencie of the Spirit knowledge Revelation yea vpon the grace of God yea vpon humilitie it selfe Therefore God hath certaine scourges for his childreÌ„ to beate downe this flesh from presuming and exalting it selfe aboue measure Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and hee Heb. 13. â—… scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiueth Hee hath scourges of diverse sortes he scourges them in their estates he scourges them in their bodies he scourgeth them in their mind yea in their soules themselues He scourgeth them by men hee scourgeth them by Devils he scourges them by good Angels he scourgeth them by his owne hand even by hiding his face by withdrawing his comforts by sending terrours into their soules so that no scourge almost is wanting but only Hell yea their is not wanting a kind of temporall Hell but only a Hell eternall Dauid is scourged with the death of the sonne of his sinne with the rebellion of another sonne with the rayling of Shimâ—…i with an exclusion from the Royall Citie So that hee wept as he went vp and had his head couered and he went â—…refoote he was called A bloody
Nauies Wee neede no other Religion no other vnity to prevaile against him hereafter then that wherein wee haue miraculously preuailed against him hertofore The same God of truth and peace will defend vs in the same Truth and the same Peace And I doubt not but the heart of the Parliament is to this Truth and Vnity and fully resolued to passe by that path vnto all due seruice and fit supply that may tend to the strength of HIM who is called in the Scripture The breath of our Nostrills and to the confusion of His and our Enemies Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT CONcerning the Allegations I thinke it fit to cleare the pertinencie of the Allegations which perchance by some may be misconceived First in the point of praedestination I thinke those since Austen are most of them without exception and speake to the poynt it selfe which is a free choice of some from the whole corrupted Masse they being like the rest when they were chosen but made to differ by choosing Those before Austen if they bee not so full and punctuall Austen himselfe there alledged doth excuse them yet I doubt not but they do shew a difference of men made by the meere grace and pleasure of God Secondly in the point of Freewill I thinke the maine point of supposed freedome is this An indifferency or aequilibriousnes of the will no way partially inclined but aequally able to incline it selfe any way In this freedome the will is imagined of some to bee set by a generall sufficient grace whereby it is freely able to bleeue or not to beleeue to receiue the grace of saluation or to resist it And in this opinion the will it selfe is the fountaine of receiuing saluation and grace doth not phisically and effectually moue the will to an assured receiuing of it but the will freely moues it selfe yea moues grace toward the receiuing of it Yet further some do not only put freewill where there is a state grace but even there where is onely the state of nature and vnregeneration and to this end they peruert the place of Paul To will is ready with mee but there wantes power to effect it by reason of the loade and chaynes of sinne which hinder the affecting For here they say St. Paul spake of himselfe as hee was vnregenerate though it cannot bee denyed but Saint Paul was regenerate when hee spake it yea hee sayes in the same place that hee serued with his mind the Law of God which no vnregenerate man doth Rom 8. 7. Now these places which shew the power and efficacy of Grace on the will not leauing it in an aequilibriousnesse and indifferency to all wayes but inclining it certainly and effectually one way these I thinke are pertinent to disproue the supposed freedome of will which rather moueth grace then is moued by grace They disproue the kingdome of the will ouer grace and do proue the Kingdome of God in grace on the will Againe those places which shew the power dominion and tyranny of Lust and the Law of sinne on the will they are also pertinent to disproue the same supposed freedome of will For they shew the mighty and effectuall power of sinne on the wil in the Captiuity of the will vnder the Law of sinne For where there is a Captiuity there cannot bee this imaginary Freedome Againe this very Captiuity of the will vnder Concupiscence necessarily inferreth a subiection of the will in Regeneration vnder effectuall and raigning Grace as profound Bradwarden excellently gathers in the place alledged vpon this point of Free-will For the strength of Concupiscence must be connterpoysed in the will at least by an aequall strength of grace wherefore if Concupiscence haue so much power to incline the will from God to the Creature surely Grace in the conuersion of a sinner must haue so much power as to incline the will to the Creator from the Creature If it bee sayd That some of the Fathers do speake somwhat more largely for freewill in other places that moues mee litle The one may bee the sayinges of preiudice the other of Iudgment the one may proceede from an opposition to the Manichees the other from a single and irrespectiue consideration And it is acknowledged generally that before pelagins there was an inconvenient largenesse in many speaches concerning Freewill Sure I am that seemes most to come from the Spirit that attribute especially in first motions vnto God lest glory to man and most to God And the Dictates of the Spirit should onely bee of Authority in points of Diuinity Lastly for the point of Certainty of Saluation I know there is a two fold Certainty Thinges are certaine in themselues or they are certaine to vs And places that affirme either of these concerning the Salvation of Saints do also affirme a finall Perseuerance of Saints For if our saluation bee certaine in it selfe our perseuerance without which there is no saluation is also certaine And if our saluation bee certaine to vs our perseuerance without which there can bee no saluation is also certaine to vs. And howsoeuer some may perchance obiect other places of the Fathers that from temporall desertions great falls of the Saints and finall Apostalyes of temporary beleeuers Matt. 4. 16. 17. do seeme to intimate a generall possibility of falling from grace yet it is worthy to be noted that among and amid these doubts which humane frailty suggesteth the voice and testimony of the Spirit breatheth forth that layes hold on heauen as an vndoubted inheritance inferring now in these Saints as before in St. Paul If sons then heyres and he yâ—…â—…exed with Christ. And one tesstimony of this Spirit of Truth is of more worth then all the doubts of humane frailty True it is and wee acknowledge it that the best Saints are sometimes terrified with their owne great infirmityes Gods temporall desertions and the fearfull falls of others And in these agonyes they say Is Psal. 77. 8 c. his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore But withall being receiued by the Spirit they acknowledge This is mine Infirmity Gods way is high spirituall in the sanctuary with his strength hee redeemeth his people And euen this very terror of the Saints from which some would make an obiection against Certainty of saluation is an answere to another obiection made against the same Certainty For these terrors serue for a remedy against that carnall security which they doe vsually obiect against Spirituall Certaintie To summe vp all these Doctrines into a chaine and connexion of blessednesse while God of his free mercy chuseth some to saluation from others aequally wrapped in one masse of corruption while by effectuall Grace hee rules in their hartes and wills and lastly while hee dwelles continues his kingdome in them by an immortall seed keeping and leading them infallibly 1. Pet. 1. â—… Rom. 11. 36. Luk. 2. 13. to saluation Man is safe being kept by the power of God vnto saluation and all the glory of Mans saluation is giuen to God And then let all the world listen to the musicke of heauen resounding in this Doctrine Glory be to God on high and peace on earth And let all the people say Amen