the waies of the Lord which are therefore prepar'd that walking therein they may retaine the certainty of their perseverance for feare least abusing his fatherly kindnes Gods favourable countenance the contemplation whereof is sweeter to the faithful then life and the privation more bitter then death turne not againe from them and so they fall into more grievous afflictions of minde XIIII And as it hath pleased God to beginne in vs by his Grace this his work by the preaching of the Gospel even so he preserues continues and accomplishes it by the hearing reading exhortations threatnings and promises of the same Gospell as also by the vse of the Sacraments XV. This doctrine of the perseverance of the truely faithfull holy of the certainty thereof which God hath most abundantly revealed in his word to the glory of his owne name and to the consolation of godly soules and which he imprints in the hearts of the faithful is such That the flesh truely comprehends it not Satan hates it the world laughes at it the ignorant and hypocrits abuse it and the erroneous fight against it But yet so it is That the Spouse of lesus Christ hath alway most ardently loved it and mainetained it constantly as a treasure of inestimable value which God also will see that it shall continue to doe against whom no counsell nor force can prevaile To which God alone the Father Sonne and holy Ghost be honour and glory forever and ever Amen A reiection of Errours The true doctrine being thus expounded the Synode rejecteth the errours of those I. VVHo teach that the persenerance of the truly faithful is not an effect of electioÌ„ or a gift of God purchased by the death of Iesus Christ But that it is a condition of the new covenant which man before his election and peremptory Iustification as they call it ought to accomplish by his owne free will For the holy scripture testifieth That it commeth from election and that it is given the Elect by vertue of the death resurrection and intercession of Iesus Christ Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest are hardened Againe Rom. 8.31.32.33.34 He which spared not his own Son but delivered him vp for vs all how shall he not giue vs also all things with him Who will bring in any accusation against the elect of God It is God that â—â—stifies who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead and that more is which is raised againe who also is at the right hand of God and who himselfe maketh request for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall oppression or anguish or persecution or famine 〈◊〉 nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in al these things we are more then conquerours by him that hath loved vs c. II. Who teach that God indeed provides the faithful maÌ„ of sufficient strength to persevere and that he is ready to preserue it in him if he doth his duety Neverthelesse that all things being put which are necessary for perseverance in faith and the which God will imploy for the preservation of it It stil dependeth on the freedome of mans will to persevere or not to persevere For this sentence containes in it manifest Pelagianisme and whiles it goes about to make men free it makes them sacrilegious contrary to the perpetuall consent of the doctrine of the Gospel which taketh away from man all matter of boasting and attributes the praise of this benefit to the divine grace alone And contrary to the Apostle testifying 1. Cor. 1.8 That God also will establish vs even vntill the end that we may bee vnblameable in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ III. Who teach that the truly faithful regenerat not only may fall wholly finally from iustifying faith from grace salvation but that oftentimes they doe indeed fall perish everlastingly For this opinion annulleth not only the grace of justification and regeneration but also the perpetuall preservation of Iesus Christ Contrary to the expresse words of the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 5.9.10 If Christ dyed for vs then when we were but sinners much rather then being now iustified in his blood shall we be saved from the wrath by him And contrary to the Apostle S. Iohn 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth no sin For the seed of Him remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God Also contrary to the words of Iesus Christ Ioh. 10.28.29 And I giue them eternal life they shall never perish Also none shall snatch them out of my hand my Father who hath given them vnto me is greater then all no man is able to snatch them out of the hands of my Father IIII. Who teach That the truely faithfull and regenerate may sin the sin vnto death that is to say the sin against the holy Ghost Forasmuch as the Apostle S. Iohn chap. 5. of his first after he had in the 16. and 17. verses made mention of those who sin vnto death and forbidden to pray for them presently addes in the 18. verse We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not to wit this kinde of sin But he that is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the Evill one toucheth him not V. Who teach that in this life one can haue no certainty of perseverance for the time to come without speciall revelation For by this doctrine the faithfull are depriu'd of the most solide consolatioÌ„ which they can haue during this life the doubtfulnesse and wavering opinions of the Romane Church are brought in againe But the holy Scripture draweth every where this certainety not from any speciall and extraordinary revelation but from the proper markes of the children of God and from his most sure promises aboue all the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.38 No creature shall be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which hee hath shewed vs in Iesus Christ our Lord 1. Ioh. 3.24 He which keepeth his commandements abideth in him and He in him hereby know we that he abideth in vs to weet by the spirit which he hath given vnto vs. VI. Who teach that the doctrine touching the certainety of perseverance salvation is naturally of it selfe a coushion of the flesh and hurtfull to piety good manners prayers and other holy exercises but on the coÌ„trary that it is a laudable thing to doubt For such men declare that they are ignorant of the efficacie of divine grace and of the operation of the holy Spirit dwelling in the Elect and contradict the Apostle S. Iohn who in expresse words saith the quite contrary 1. Ioh. 3. ver 2 dearely beloved we are now the children of God but what wee shall bee doth not yet appeare but we know that after that he shall haue appear'd we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is Further more they are convinced by the examples of the Saints as wel in the Old as New Testament who albeit they were assured of their perseverance salvation did notwithstanding continue the dayly vse of praiers and other exercises of pietie VII Who teach that there is no difference betweene a temporall faith and that which iustifieth and saveth saue onely in continuance For Iesus Christ himselfe Mat. 13.20 Luk. 8.13 and in the verses following doth manifestly oâ—serue three other differences betweene those that belieue for a time and those that are truely faithfull when he saith that those forâ—â—â—ceiue the seed into stonie ground these into good ground or into a good heart that those haue no root these haue a firme root that those beare no fruit these bring forth their fruit in diverse and sundry measures constantly and continuingly VIII Who teach That it is no absurdity that the first regeneration being extinct a man should be borne againe the second yea often times For by this doctrine they denie the incorruptibility of the seed of God whereby we are borne againe contrary to the testimony of the Apostle S. Peter 1 Pet. 1.23 being borne a new not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible IX Who teach that Iesus Christ prayed no where for the infallible perseverance of the faithfull in faith For they contradict Iesus Christ himselfe who saith Luk. 22.32 I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not And the Gospel of S. Iohn which witnesseth Ioh. 17.11 That Iesus Christ pray'd not onely for the Apostles but also for all those that should belieue through their word Holy Father keepe them in thy name and verse 15 I pray not that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest keepe them from evill FINIS
the infallible fruits of Election pointed out in the word of God Such as are a true Faith in Iesus Christ a filiall feare of God sorrow according to God hunger and thirste after righteousnesse c. XIII From the assurance and inward apprehension of this Election the children of God take occasion daily more and more to humble themselues before God to adore the bottomlesse depth of his mercies to purifie themselues and also most ardently to loue him on their parts who so exceedingly first loued them So far are they from waxing more idle or carnally negligent and catelesse of keeping Gods Commandements through this doctrine of Election and the meditation thereof which indeed by the iust iudgement of God commeth vsually to passe in those who either rashly presuming on or idly and wantonly prating of the Grace of Election will not walke in the wayes of the Elect. XIIII Now as this doctrine of Diuine Election according to the most wise counsell of God hath beene preached by the Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe and the Apostles aswell vnder the old as vnder the new Testament and afterwards recorded in the holy Scriptures So ought it also euen at this day be proposed in the Church of God whereunto it was specially appointed with the spirit of discretion religiously and holily in time and place omitting all curious search of the wayes of the Lord All onely to the glory of Gods holy Name and the liuely consolation of his people XV. Moreouer the holy Scripture doth further set foorth and recommend this eternall and free grace of our Election when besides it witnesseth how that all men are not chosen but that there are some Non-Elect or such as in the eternall Election of God were passed ouer and left out to weete they whom God according to his most free most iust vnblameable and vnchangeable good pleasure decreed to leaue in the common misery whereinto through their owne fault they had plunged themselues and not to giue them sauing grace nor the grace of Conuersion but hauing abandoned them in their owne wayes and through iust iudgement finally to condemne and punish them eternally not onely because of their infidelitie but also for all their other sinnes to the manifestation of his owne iustice And this loe is the Decree of Reprobation which makes not in any wise God the authour of Sinne the bare thought whereof were blasphemie but shewes him to be a dreadfull vnblameable and rust Iudge and auenger of sinne XVI Those which as yet feele not in themselues effectually a liuely Faith in Iesus Christ or an assured confidence of heart peace of conscience an earnest care of filiall obedience and a glorying in God through Iesus Christ and yet notwithstanding vse the meanes whereby God hath promised to effect these things in vs They I say ought not to be dishartened when they heare of Reprobation nor to range themselues among the Reprobate but rather they ought to goe forward carefully in the vse of these meanes and feruently desire and long after the houre of more abundant grace and expect it with all reuerence and humilitie Muchlesse ought such be terrified with the doctrine of Reprobation who though they desire to turne seriously to God and to please him onely and to be deliuered from this body of death yet for all that cannot as yet make such progresse in the way of godlinesse and faith as they faine would Seeing God who is mercifull hath promised that he will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor bruise the broken reed But worthily and of good reason may this doctrine be terrible to those who casting God and the Sauiour Iesus Christ behind their backes haue wholy enthralled themselues to the cares of this world and the lusts of the flesh as long as they so continue and turne not vnto God XVII In regarde wee are to iudge of Gods will by his word which testifieth that the children of the faithfull are holy not verily by nature but by the benefit of the couenant of grace wherein they are comprised with their father and mother Those Parents which feare God ought not to doubt of the Election and saluation of their children whom God calles out of this life in their infancie XVIII If any one murmure against this Grace of free Election and against the seueritie of iust Reprobation we oppose him with the words of the Apostle Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou that contestest with God and with those of our Sauiour Matth. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for mee to dee what I will with mine owne goods But for our selues who religiously adore these mysteries we cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11.33.34.35.36 O the depth of the riches and of the wisedome and of the knowledge of God! how his iudgements are incomprehensible and his wayes impossible to be found For who is he that hath knowne the thought of the Lord or who hath beene his counseller or who hath first giuen vnto him and it shall be repayed him againe For of him and by him and for him are all things To him be glorie for euermore Amen A reiection of Errours The true doctrine of Election and Reprobation being expounded the Synode reiecteth the errours of those I. WHo teach that the will of God to saue those that will beleeue and perseuere in Faith and in the obedience of Faith is the whole and entire Decree of Election to Saluation and that there is nothing else reuealed in the word of God touching this Decree For these men deceiue the simple and manifestly contradict the holy Scripture which testifie not onely that God will saue those which will beleeue but also that from all Eternitie hee hath chosen certaine persons to giue to them in his appointed time rather then to others Faith in Iesus Christ and perseuerance as it is written Iohn 17.6 I haue manifested thy Name to the men which thou hast giuen me Againe Actes 13.48 All they that were ordained to life Euerlasting beleeued And Ephesians 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world to th' end we should be holy II. Who teach that the Election of God to Eternall life is of diuers sorts the one generall and indefinite the other particular and definite And this latter againe either Incomplete Revocable not Peremptorie but conditionall or compleate irrevocable Peremptorie and absolute Also that Election to faith is one and Election to Saluation another so as there may be an Election to iustifying Faith without a peremptorie Election to Saluation For this is nothing else but an inuention of mans braine forg'd without the Scriptures which corrupts the doctrine of Election and breakes asunder the golden chaine of our Saluation Ro. 8.29 Whō God hath predestinated those he hath also called and whom he hath called those he hath also iustified whom he hath iustified those he hath also glorified III. Who teach that the good pleasure and purpose of God whereof the Scriptures make mention in
6.23 The wages of sinne is death II. Who teach that spirituall gifts or good habitudes and vertues such as are goodnesse holynesse righteousnesse could haue no place in mans will when he was first created by consequent that they could not be lost in the fall For this directly thwarteth the description of the image of God which the Apostle maketh Ephes 4.24 Where he describes it by righteousnesse and holynesse which vertues certainely haue their seats in the will III. VVho teach that spirituall gifts were not separated from the will of man in the spirituall death since that in it selfe was never corrupted but hindered only by darknes of the vnaerstanding and vnrulinesse of the affections which hinderances being removed the will is able to make vse of its libertie which to it is naturall that is it is of it selfe able either to will and choose or not to will and choose any good proposed vnto it This is new and erroneous tending to nothing but to exalt the power of free will contrary to the saying of the Prophet Ieremy 17.9 The heart is wily and desperately evill aboue all things And that of the Apostle Ephes 2.3 Among whom children of * In the French it is by mistake of the Printer children of Religion Rebellion we all conversed once in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of our thoughts IIII. VVho teach that a man not regenerate is not totally properly in Sin or destitute of all power concerning spirituall good but that he can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and life and can offer vnto God the sacrifice of a contrite and broken spirit such as may be acceptable vnto him For these things contrary the plaine testimonies of Scripture Ephe. 2.1.5 Ye were dead in your trespasses and sinnes And Gen. 6.4 8.21 Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of men is nothing else but evill at all times Adde hereto that to hunger and thirst after life and to be delivered from misery to offer vnto God the sacrifice of a broken spirit is proper to the regenerate Psal 51.19 And of those that are called happy Mat. 5.6 V. VVho teach that a corrupt and naturall man may so well vse common Grace whereby they vnderstand the light of Nature or the gifts which remaine in him after the fall that by the good vsage thereof he may by degrees and little by little obtaine greater grace to wit Evangelicall and saving grace yea salvation it selfe And that by this meanes God for his part sheweth himselfe ready to reveale Iesus Christ to all forasmuch as he affordeth vnto all sufficiently and efficaciously the meanes necessary to the Revelation of Iesus Christ and to faith and repentance For that this is false besides the experience of al times the Scripture witnesseth Psal 147.19.20 He declareth his words to Iacob and his statutes ordinances to Israell he hath not done so to all nations and therefore they know not his ordinances Act. 14.16 In times past God suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies Act. 16.6.7 It was forbidden them to wit Paul and his companions by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia comming therefore to Mysia they assayed to goe into Bithynia but the spirit of Iesus permitted them not VI. VVho teach that in the true conversion of a man it cannot be that God should poure into his will new qualities habits or gifts Therefore the faith by which we are first converted and from which we are named faithfull is not a qualitie or gift infused by God but only a bare action of man And that it cannot otherwise be called a gift then in regard alone of the power which a man hath to attaine therevnto For these things contradict the holy Scriptures which testifie That God sheddes in our hearts new qualities of faith obedience and the feeling of his loue Ier. 34.33 I will put my law within them and will write it in their heart Es 44.3 I will poure forth waters vpon him that is a thirst and rivers vpon the dry ground I will poure forth my spirit vpon thy posterity Rom. 5.5 The loue of God is shedd in our hearts by the holy spirit which is giuen vnto vs. They are also repugnant to the perpetuall practise of the Church that prayes on this manner Ierem. 31.18 Convert me O Lord and I shall be converted VII VVho teach that the Grace whereby we are converted vnto God is nothing else but a sweete perswasiō or as others expound it that the most noble maner of working in the conversion of a man and the most agreeable to the nature of man is that which is effected by perswasions And that nothing hinders but that the Grace which they tearme Moral that is to say which is wrought by perswasiue reasons may make a carnall man spiritual yea that God makes the will to consent no otherwise saue only by this kind of perswasion and that herein consisteth the whole efficacie of the divine operation whereby he su mounteth the operation of Satan inasmuch as God promiseth eternall good Satan onely temporall For this is pure Pelagianisme and contrary to all Scripture the which beside this kinde of operation in the conversion of a man acknowledgeth another over aboue to wit that of the Holy Spirit much more effectuall and divine as in the 36. chap. of Ezechiel ver 26. I wil giue you a new heart and will giue a new spirit in the midst of you and vvill take away the heart of stone and will giue an heart of flesh c. VIII Who teach that in the regeneration of a man God imployeth not his almighty power in such sort as that he mightily and infallibly benas the will to belieue and to bee converted but that notwithstanding all the operations of Grace which God vseth to the conversion of man man may resist God and the holy Spirit even then when God purposeth and would regenerate him that oftentimes man resisteth in deed effect so as he vtterly hindereth his owne regeneration yea that it resteth in his power to be or not to be regenerated For this is nothing else but to take away from God the efficacie of his Grace in our Conversion and to subiect the action of God almighty to the wil of man and that contrarie to the Apostles who teach Ephes 1.19 That wee belieue according to the efficacie of the power of his might And 2. Thess 1.11 That God fulfilleth in vs al the good pleasure of his goodnes and the worke of faith Mightily Againe 2. Pet. 1.3 That his Divine power hath given vs all whatsoever appertaineth to life and godlinesse IX Who teach that Grace and Freewill are causes that worke each their severall part and both concurre togither in the first point of conversion that Grace as a cause hath no precedence in order before the efficiencie or motion of the wil id est that
subiect to condemnation or shall bee condemned for originall sinne but that all are generally exempted from the guilt of the said sin For this opinion is repugnant to the Scripture which affirmeth Ephes 2.3 that we are by nature children of wrath VI. Who vse the distinction of Impetration Application therby to instill into the simple and ignorant this opinion that God for his part would equally bestow vpon all men the benefits purchased by the death of Iesus Christ And whereas some rather then others are made partakers of remission of sinnes and life everlasting that this difference dependeth on their owne freewill applying it selfe to that grace which is offered indifferently but that it dependeth not vpon any singular gift of mercy that works effectually in them rather then in others for to apply themselues therevnto For seeming to propose this Distinction in a good sense they go about to drench the people with the pernicious poyson of Pelagianisme VII Who teach that Iesus Christ neither could neither ought neither did die for them whom God loued before most tenderly and had elected to eternall life in as much as such had no need of the death of Iesus Christ For they contradict the Apostle who saith Gal. 2.20 Christ loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee Rom. 8.33 Who shall bring in any accusation against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead to weet for them also they contradict our Saviour who saith Ioh. 10.15 I lay downe my life for my sheepe Againe Ioh. 15.12.13 This is my commandement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you None hath greater loue then this to weet when one layeth down his life for his friends CHAP. III. Of the Corruption of man his Conversion to God and the manner thereof The first Article MAn in the beginning was created after the image of God and adorned in his vnderstanding with the true and saving knowledge of his creatour of spirituall things with righteousnesse in his heart and will with puritie in all his affections yea hee was perfectly and entirely holy but turning himselfe from God through the instigation of the Divell and by his owne free will he deprived himselfe of these excellent gifts and contrarywise insteede thereof drew on himselfe blindnesse horrible darknesse vanity and perversitie of iudgement in his vnderstanding malice rebellion hardnesse in his heart and will and therewithall impuritie in all his affections II. Now such as man was after the fall such children begate he to wit himselfe corrupted children corrupted corruption by the iust iudgement of God being derived from Adam vnto all his posterity excepting Iesus Christ alone and that not by imitation as heretofore the Pelagians would haue it but by propagation of a corrupted nature III. Whence it commeth to passe that all men are conceived in Sinne and borne children of wrath vnprofitable to all saving good enclined to evill dead in sinne and servants of sin And without the Grace of the regenerating spirit they neither will nor can returne to God nor correct their depraved nature nor dispose themselues towards the amendment of it IIII. True it is that after the fall there remained in man some light of nature by meane whereof hee still retaineth some knowledge of God and of naturall things hee discerneth betwixt honestie and dishonestie and seemeth to haue a little regard and care of vertue and outward discipline But so farre is it that by this light of nature he can come to the saving knowledge of God and convert himselfe to Him that even in things naturall and civill he vseth it not aright but rather as little as it is abuseth and defileth it diverse waies withholds it in vnrighteousnesse and so becommeth inexcusable before God V. Looke how it is with the light of Nature just so it fareth with the Decalogue which God gaue particularly to the Iewes For it discovereth indeede the grievousnesse of sinne and more and more convinceth man but forasmuch as it affordeth no remedie nor giveth any ability to get out of that miserie so being weak through the flesh leaveth the transgressour in the Curse it is impossible that by it man shoulde obtaine saving grace VI. Wherfore what neither the Light of Nature nor the Law could doe that God effecteth by the power of the Holy Spirit by meanes of the Word or the ministerie of Reconciliation that is by the Gospell of the Messias whereby it pleased God to saue beleevers aswell vnder the Old as the New Testament VII God manifested this secret of his Will to fewer persons vnder the Old Testament but since vnder the New Testament the difference of Nations is taken away he now manifesteth it vnto more The reason of which dispensation wee ought not to attribute to the dignity or worth of one Nation aboue another or because it maketh better vse of the Light of Nature but to the good pleasure of God which is most free to his vndeserved loue And therefore they on whom so great Grace hath beene shewed aboue and contrarie to all desert ought to recognize it in humility of heart with thanksgiving And the rest vnto whom this Grace hath not yet been shewed they ought to adore with the Apostle the severity iustice of Gods iudgments but not curiously to sound them VIII Furthermore as many as are called by the Gospell are called in good earnest For God shewes in good earnest and most truely and sincerely by his word what is pleasing vnto him namely that they which are called should come vnto him also he promiseth in good earnest to all that come and belieue in him rest vnto their soules and life everlasting IX And whereas many that are called by the ministrie of the Gospel come not nor are converted the fault is not in the Gospell nor in Iesus Christ offered by the Gospell nor in God who by the Gospell calleth them and withall bestowes many gifts vpon them but in those themselues which are called whereof some through their owne carelesnesse receiue not the word of life others receiue it indeede but not within their hearts and therefore after some light ioy of a temporall faith they fall backe againe others through the thornes of cares through the pleasures of this world choake the seede of the word and bring forth no fruit according as our Saviour teacheth in the parable of the seede Mat. 13. X. But whereas others being called by the ministerie of the Gospell doe come and are converted that is not to be attributed vnto the man as if hee by his owne free will made himselfe differ from others which are also furnished with like or at least with sufficient grace to belieue and bee converted as the prowde heresie of Pelagius mainetaineth But vnto God who as he hath elected his from all eternity in Christ so hee cals them effectually in their due times giues them faith and repentaunce