a time which a man putting away soone after makes shipwrack concerning faith that is either concerning the doctrine of faith by maintaining errors as both Bertius and the Appealer haue done or concerning the act of a temporary faith by ceasing to beleeue and professe the faith Thirdly it is to be noted that the Apostle saith not losing but putting away a good conscience which words may be most properly meant of such who hold faith and notwithstanding put away a good conscience that is gladly embrace the promise of the Gospell and remission of their sinnes by faith but reiect the condition vpon end for which grace is offered Tit. 2. 12. To deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world such are all carnall Gospellers who beleeue well but liue not accordingly Fourthly the phrase making shipwracke doth not import the vtter losse of faith for many things that fall out of the ship by wrack are recouered again and saued and therefore Tertullian in his book de Poenitentiâ elegantly calleth repentance Tabulam post naufragium A board or broken peece of the ship on which after ship wracke a man may as they did Act. 27. 44. Escape safe to land Plerique naufragio liberati exinde repudium naui mari dicunt Dei beneficium salutem suam scil memoriâ periculi honorant Most men that haue escaped in shipwrack renounce both ship and sea and by remembrance of their former danger more highly prize Gods benefit and their saluation Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersary thus If those who are here said to make shipwracke of faith are not to be thought to haue fallen away finally from grace and saluation but rather the contrary then this place maketh nothing for the finall Apostasie of true beleeuers But those who are here said to make shipwracke of faith are not to be thought to haue fallen away finally from grace and saluation but rather the contrary Therefore this place maketh nothing for the finall Apostasie of true beleeuers The first Proposition is euident the Assumption is thus confirmed Those who were deliuered to Satan by the Apostle for their amendment and that their spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus are not to be thought to haue fallen finally from grace and saluation But those who are here said to make shipwracke of faith to wit Hymeneus and Alexander were deliuered to Satan by the Apostle for their amendment 1 Tim. 1. 20. and that their spirit might be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. Therefore those who are here said to make shipwracke of faith are not to bee thought to haue fallen finally from grace and saluation ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 25. Apostasie is proued by this phrase of Scripture to fall away from grace Galath 5. 4. Whosoeuer of you are iustified by the Law yee are fallen b from grace Bertius pag. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 20. For if after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are again c intangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them But it is hapned vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Bert. pag. 12. To Saints irrecouerable destructiō is threatned Heb. 6. 4. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they d fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame APPEALER APPEALE pag. 160. Galat. 5. 4. Saint Paul spake not vpon supposition of impossibilitie yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from b grace Ibidem pag. 160. 161. Nor in point of onely Heresie wa◠faith by them lost but also of good liuing and conuersation 2 Pet. 2. 20. where those that had escaped the filthinesse of the world therefore washed and made cleane through the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ therefore iustified truly by saith are yet c intangled againe therein and ouercome Therefore lapsed from faith as is expressed vers 21 and 22. ensuing Ibid. pag. 164. Beside if faith had cannot be lost the dog cannot be said to returne vnto his vomit nor the swine to wallowing in the mire Idem pag. 161. I adde but one of them Heb. 6. 4. It is impossible that they which were once enlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if these were not iustified they know not who were if these had no faith where was it to be found if they d fall away should be renued againe by repentance seeing they crucifie againe the Sonne of God vnto themselues and make a mocke of him b To the place Galath 5. 4. wee answer First the maine scope and drift of the Apostle is to confute those among the Galathians who went about to ioyne Iudaisme with Christianisme Legall righteousnesse with Euangelicall these the Apostle shewes cannot stand together For the one consisteth in the perfect fulfilling of the Law Rom. 10. 5. the other in forgiuenesse of sinnes Rom. 4. 7. The proper meaning therefore of the words is that whosoeuer seekes for iustification by the Law that is the workes of the Law is fallen from grace that is hath lost his claime by the couenant of grace or is excluded from all hope of obtaining mercy and grace for such a one is become a debtor to the whole Law that is cannot bee iustified to wit by the couenant of workes vnlesse hee fulfill the whole Law which no man is able to doe Secondly Grace is sometime taken for a reward of free gift and so it is opposed to merit sometime it is taken for supernaturall habits infused putting a man in grace and fauour with God or making him gratious and so it is opposed to nature sometime it is taken for the doctrine of free remission of sinnes by Christ or couenant of grace and so it is opposed to the Law or couenant of works and that it is taken in the last sense in this place is euident by the antecedents and consequents and the very opposition to the Law in this fourth verse Gal. 5. Thirdly admit the word Grace were here taken for the grace of regeneration or iustification as the Aduersaries would haue it yet the Text maketh nothing for them
sed sine quo per liberum arbitrium perseuerare non posset Nunc vero sanctis in regnum Dei per gratiam praedestinatis non tantum tale adiutorium perseuerantie datur sed tale vt ijs perseuerantia ipsa donetur non solum vt sine isto dono perseuerantes esse non possint verumetiam vt per hoc donum non nisi perseuerantes sint Secondly from Gods dealing with the Angels that kept not their first estate but c. to his dealing with man after his fall no good president can be taken for it is certaine God prouided a Redeemer for man but none for them As the Angels sin was greater so their iudgement was more heauy and losse irreparable Neither is the consequence good from Adams losse of his estate of Innocency to the like possibilitie of the regenerates losse of their estate of Grace because God made no euerlasting couenant of peace with Adam before his fall as he did since with the regenerate in Christ the Peace-maker He made no such promise to Adam before his fall as he hath made to his Church since that Hell gates should not preuaile against her Adam had no Mediator before his fall to pray for his perseuerance in the state of Innocencie but the faithfull and truly regenerate haue the effectuall prayers of Christ the Mediator for their perseuerance in faith and grace I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not And I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from the euill neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on me through their word Thirdly Adam in Paradise stood by the power of his owne free-will and naturall integrity but the regenerate are now kept by supernaturall grace and the power of God through faith vnto saluation and therefore albeit Lucifer in Heauen and Adam in Paradise who stood meerely of themselues fell from their first estate it is no consequent that the regenerate may in like manner fall from their estate who stand not by themselues but by Christ and are supported by God Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersary thus If the state of Creation and Redemption differ especially in this that men and Angels in the state of creation had power to perseuere if they would but not will and men in the state of redemption haue not only power but also will giuen them to perseuere and grace by which they cannot but perseuere then the argument drawne from the totall fall of Adam and finall of Lucifer to the totall and finall falling away of the regenerate maketh nothing for but strongly against the Aduersary But the state of Creation and Redemption differ especially in this that men and Angels in the state of Creation had power to perseuere if they would but not will and men in the state of Redemption haue not only power but also will giuen them to perseuere and grace by which they cannot but perseuere as hath beene proued Therefore the Argument drawne from the totall fall of Adam and finall of Lucifer to the totall and finall falling away of the regenerate maketh nothing for but strongly against the Aduersary ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 28. Of Saul what saith the Scripture 1 Sam. 9. 2. The sonne of Kish whose name was h Saul an elect and good man and there was not of the sonnes of Israel a good man beyond him Yet of him chap. 15. 11. we reade It repenteth me that I haue made Saul King for he is turned backe from following me Bert. ibid. ex Cypriano Epist. 7. i Salomon Saul and many others while they walked in the wayes of the Lord could haue held the grace giuen to them but departing from the ordinance of God grace departed from them APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 162. h Saul was at the first the childe of God called according to the election of grace not only temporall for the kingdome of Israel but also eternall for the heauenly kingdome In opinion of Antiquity thus he was and yet afterward he fell it is confessed totally all say eternally these say that maintaine iustifying faith cannot be lost Ibidem But if Saul were not of Gods children in grace indued with faith and the holy Spirit yet i Salomon was there is no question with them because he was a writer of holy Writ and wrote as he was inspired by God If they did not grant it the Scripture would euict it 2 Sam. 7. 12. yet Salomon fell as Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome are cleare for it at least temporally and totally too when he serued other gods h To the first instance in Saul we answer First with Melancthon that Saul seemed to be a faithfull man but the euent sheweth that he was an hypocrite He was indeed chosen to the Kingdome of Israel but not to the Kingdome of Heauen by the Appealers leaue there is no syllable in Scripture importeth so much hee was indeed indued with the Spirit of Gouernment and the Spirit of Prophecie but not with the Spirit of Regeneration for ought appeares in Scripture hee might be and as most thinke he was among those to whom that speech of our Sauiour might be applied Many shall say to me in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy name c. then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquitie Secondly we answer The words alledged by Bertius 1 Sam. 9. 2. speake of the lineaments of his body and proper personage not of the inward vertues of his minde or graces of his soule There was not a goodlyer the text saith not a godlyer person than hee from the shoulders and vpward he was higher than any of the people To argue from stature to grace from the bodie to the soule from proceritie to sinceritie from a corruptible crowne to an incorruptible is scopam dissolutam facere to make a besome without a band or to make a rope of sands Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus The gifts and calling by God of the regenerate are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. Sauls gifts and calling by God were not without repentance for the text saith 1 Sam. 15. 11. God repented him that he had made Saul King c. Therefore Sauls gifts and calling were not the calling and gifts of the regenerate i To the second instance in Salomon wee answer That Salomon was indeed a childe of God and is called the beloued of the Lord because the Lord loued him indeed 2 Sam. 7. 12. But we deny that he fell from grace either totally or finally Hee was a type of Christ a pen-man of the holy Ghost God threatned grieuously to scourge him for his sinnes yet promised withall neuer quite to cast him off His fall I confesse was grieuous but his repentance in his booke of the Preacher sheweth that the seed of God still remained in him as it doth in all
learned Bishop of Sarisbury in the words of Tertullian himselfe Salomon in lapsu gratiam fidei remisit actum intermisit habitum non amisit motumque fuit in co spiritualis vitae robur non amotum concussum non excussum There was in Salomons fall a remission or abatement of the grace of faith an intermission of the act not an amission of the habit the strength and vigour of his spirituall life was moued in him not remoued shaken but not shaken out or quite lost Tertullian speakes of Peter but it may be applied as well to Dauid and Salomon who are not said here to haue lost grace totally and finally but to haue fallen into grieuous sinnes the one into adultery the other into idolatry And notwithstanding Dauids fall that hee retained the Spirit of Grace in him it is manifest out of that prayer of his in the 51. Psalme Renoua spiritum rectum intra me Renew a right Spirit within me vers 10. Spiritum sanctum ne recipias à me Take not thy holy Spirit from me vers 11. Establish me with thy free Spirit vers 12. These prayers of that holy Prophet shew that Dauid in his grieuous fall lost the comfort of Gods Spirit vers 12. and the free and quickning motions thereof and therefore he humbly desires a renouation and confirmation of the Spirit but not a new donation thereof That which he prayes to God not to take from him certainly he had in some degree when he so prayed Take not thy Spirit from me As for Salomons recouery after his fall we haue the testimonies of Gregory of Neocaesarea Cyril of Ierusalem Hilary Ierome Ambrose Aquinas Bonauenture Hugo Cardinalis Petrus Comestor Paulus Burgensis Carthusian Soto Genebrard Serarius Delrius Lorinus and many other cited to our hands by Caleb Dalichampius student in Scedan in his booke intituled Vinditiae Salomonis Lastly this place of Tertullian de praescript cap. 3. If it had beene entirely cited by the Appealer would haue vtterly ouerthrown that for which it is cited If those words nemo autem Christianus alledged by the Appealer nisi qui ad finem perseuerauerit That no man is a Christian but he that perseueres to the end wound not the Appealers Tenet yet the words following in the end of this very Chapter cut the very throat thereof Miramur de Ecclesijs eius si à quibusdam deseruntur quum ea nos ostendunt Christianos quae patimur ad exemplumipsius Christi ex nobis inquit prodierunt sed non fuerunt ex nobis si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum Maruell we if some forsake the Churches of Christ whereas those those things which we suffer after the example of Christ doe manifest vs to be Christians They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs saith Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. 19. In this allegation as many other in his booke the Appealer resembles the Cappuchin Friers who when they haue gathered great store of meat at rich mens doores I know not out of what blinde superstition they eat the worst and leaue the best and daintiest meat and vain-gloriously put it into the Almes-box and giue it to beggers at the doore l To the place of Saint Cyprian Epist. 7. we answer First that Saint Cyprian in that Epistle exhorts Rogatianus and other Confessors to perseuere in the profession of their holy faith therefore this place is brought obtorto collo for Apostasie His words are immediatly before the words alledged by the Appealer and Bertius Danda opera est vt post haec initia ad incrementa quoque veniatur consummetur in vobis quod iam foelicibus rudimentis esse coepistis You must vse diligence that after these beginnings you may proceed and that may be perfected in you which is happily begun Secondly we answer Cyprian saith that Saul and Salomon lost the grace which was giuen them but expresseth not what grace he meant whether gratiam gratis datam or gratiam gratum facientem whether the grace of illumination only or of sanctification whether the spirit of Prophecie or of Gouernment or of Regeneration Thirdly whether he meaneth grace of wisdome or grace of holinesse ordinary or extraordinary gifts of the Spirit hee saith not that the Spirit or grace departed from them totally or finally and therefore this shaft is not onely blunt in it selfe but also falls very short of the marke Lastly Saint Cyprian as he perseuered himselfe a constant Martyr to the end so is he a great patron of the perseuerance of Saints In his booke against Nouatia◠of the Vnity of the Church he sets a marke vpon backsliders to distinguish them from good men and true beleeuers Nemo aestimet bonos de Ecclesiâ posse decedere Let no man imagine that good men can marke the word Posse depart from the true Church Triticum non rapit ventus nec arborem solidâ radice fundatam procella subuertit inanes paleae tempestate iactantur inualidae arbores turbinis incursione euertuntur The wind doth not blow away corne neither doth a storme ouerturne a tree deepely and strongly rooted it is emptie chaffe that the wind scattereth and they are weake and rotten trees that are ouerthrowne in a storme In this sweet straine Saint Cyprian playeth on his Master Tertullians Key Auolent quantum volent paleae leuis fidei quocunque afflatu tentationum eo purior mass a frumenti in horrea domini reponetur Let the Chaffe that is men of light beleefe be blowne or flie away with euery puffe of temptation by this meanes Gods floore is purged and cleansed I maruell none of this Chaffe flew in Bertius eyes to make him misse his way to Paris who destitute of better arguments for Apostasie became himselfe an example of Apostafie but the best is before his departure he was knowne to be no Saint He went away from vs because he was not of vs for if he had beene of vs he would without doubt haue remained with vs according to the words of Saint Iohn 1 Epist. 2. alledged by Tertullian and Saint Cyprian in both passages m To the place alledged out of Nazianzen we answer That it is like Didoes sword wherewith shee pierced her owne bowels Non hos quaesitum munus in vsus If Bertius who only tasted Nazianzens waters in a muddy streame or the Appealer who hath drunke deepely of them in the pure fountaine had searched diligently thorow all the writings of that profound Diuine for a testimony against themselues they could hardly meet with a more pregnant Because Saul saith this holy Father became not purely and sincerely another man nor gaue himselfe wholly and entirely to be directed by the Spirit he came to a fearefull end Hypocrites therefore and such as are not sincerely conuerted and truly regenerate may fall away not they who wholly and entirely yeeld themselues
he alleadgeth this sentence in approbation thereof and commendation of the Author moderate men saith he ibid. on both sides confesse this controuersy may cease hee should haue said luke-warme men on both sides Secondly he resteth on this passage as being a full answer to the Popish obiection concerning the visibility of the Church Thirdly in other places of his booke Appeale page 113. and 139. and 140. he affirmeth in his owne words as much in effect as he here coteth linguâ Romanâ out of Cassander but fide Graecâ His words are page 113. I am absolutely perswaded and shall be till I see cause to the contrary that the church of Rome is a true though not a sound church of Christ as well since as before the Councell of Trent a part of the catholike though not the catholike church which wee doe professe to beleeue in our Creed In essentialls and fundamentalls they agree holding one faith in one Lord. And p. 139 Rome is and euer was a true church since it was a church And page 140. the church of Rome is a true church ratione essentiae and being of a church not a sound church euery way in their Doctrine Vt Marci Antonij de Dominis discipulum possis agnoscere I know well the mint where these new tenents were coined the Appealer shewes himselfe a tractable and respectiue Prebend to his late Deane following him pene ad aras neere to the Romish Altars That his Deane after his relapse into Popery in the last booke containing his poenitendam poenitentiam et retractandam retractationem his repentance to be repented of and retractation to bee retracted renouncing the true religion which he had defended laboureth to cleare the present church of Rome from the imputation of heresie because as he saith the wiser and learneder Ministers of the church of England teach that the church of Rome doth not erre in any fundamentall articles of faith In defectu credendi haeresis est non in excessu haereticus est censendus qui in fide deficit aliquid quod scriptum est non credendo non is qui in fide superabundat plus quam scriptum est credendo Heresie consists in the defect not in the excesse of beleeuing and he is an Heretike who is deficient in his faith by not beleeuing something that is written not he that superabounds in his faith by beleeuing more then is written This errour as I am informed spreads farre like a Gangreane therefore most needfull it is it be lookt to in time It is true that the Church of Rome holdeth if not all yet most of the fundamentall and positiue articles with vs. It is true also that most of their errours are by way of addition Yet whosoeuer from hence will conclude that the Church of Rome is not hereticall or erreth not in any point necessary to saluation grossely mistaketh the matter as will appeare to any whose iudgement is not forestalled by the demonstration of these two conclusions 1 That Heresy or damnable Errour may be as well by adding to as taking from the Orthodoxe faith 2 That the Church of Rome erreth not onely in excesse or beleeuing more then is needfull but also in defect and beleeuing lesse The first is thus demonstrated Whatsoeuer errours are alike forbidden in Scripture vnder the same punishment are alike damnable Errors by adding to and detracting from the Orthodoxe faith are alike forbidden in Scripture vnder the same punishment Therefore errours by adding to and detracting from the Orthodoxe faith are alike damnable The first proposition is cleare by it owne light The assumption or second proposition is deliuered expresly in holy Scripture Deut. 42. Ye shall not adde vnto the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it Proverb 30. 5. 6. Euery word of God is pure adde thou not vnto his words lest he reproue thee Galat. 1. 18. If we or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you beside that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Reuel 22. 18. For I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this book And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy City and from the things that are written in this Booke Secondly thus Whatsoeuer things alike destroy the nature of faith are alike damnable Errours by addition and detraction alike destroy the nature of Faith Therefore errors by addition and detraction are alike damnable The first proposition is vnquestionable The assumption I declare thus Faith is of the nature of a rule or certaine measure to which if any thing be added or taken away it ceaseth to be that rule Cùm credimus saith Tertullian nihil desideramus ultra credere prius enim hoc credimus non esse quod ultra credere debeamus Fides in regulâ posita est nihil ultra scire est omnia scire When we beleeue we desire to beleeue no more for wee first beleeue this that there is nothing more we ought to beleeue Faith is contained in a rule to know nothing beyond it is to know all things Virtue is in the meane vice as well in the excesse as in the defect In our body the superabundance of humours is as dangerous as lacke of them as many dye of Plethories as of Consumptions A hand or foot which hath more fingers or toes then ordinary is alike monstrous as that which wanteth the due number To vse their owne similitude A foundation may be as well ouethrowne by laying on it more then it will beare as by taking away that which is necessary to support the building Thirdly thus The errours in faith and religion of the Samaritans Malchamites Athenians Galatians Ebionites Nazarites Quartadecimans Manichees and Nestorians were damnable But all these seuerall errours were errours of addition Therefore errours of Addition are damnable The first proposition will not bee gainesaied For all these errours are branded as hereticall or damnable either by the Spirit of God in Scripture or by the catholike christian Church The Assumption will appeare in the suruay of those particular errors The Samaritans feared the Lord and serued their owne Gods The Malchamites worshipped and sware by the Lord and sware by Malcham The Athenians worshipped the true God by the name of THE VNKNOWNE GOD and withall worshipped Idols The Galatians Ebionites Nazarites and Quartadecimans beleeued the Gospell yet retained also and obserued the legall ceremonies But now after ye haue knowne God or rather are knowne of God how turne ye againe to the weake and beggerly elements whereunto ye desire againe to bee in bondage saith Saint Paul of the Galatians Ebionitae ceremonias adhuc legis retinent pauperes interpretantur et vere sensu
faith be the meere gift of God it can be no reason of difference betweene the Elect and Reprobate on the part of the Elect and Reprobate why the one should bee chosen and the other refused for the Elect haue it not of themselues and the Reprobate haue it not at all because it is not giuen To referre election in this sense to faith as it is Gods meere gift is to make election to depend vpon Gods meere will who giueth faith to some and not to others which quite ouerthroweth the foundation of Arminianisme If they meane that fore-seene faith is in part or in whole a Worke of mans free-will by nature and not meerely a gift of God then their opinion dasheth directly on the rocke of Pelagius that Grace is giuen according to some merit of man that is as Saint Augustine expoundeth it De bono perseuer c. 19. Some good thought word or deed or the good will it selfe to receiue grace and faith when otherwise man might haue reiected or repelled it whereas the Apostle teacheth that it is God which discerneth one man from another that no man hath any good thing different froÌ„ another which he hath not receiued 1 Cor. 4. 7. Whereupon Saint Augustine concludeth in his Epistle to Sixtus and in his booke of Predestination of Saints Chap. 5. And in his Enchiridion ad Laurent cap. 99. That which putteth a difference betweene a beleeuer and vnbeleeuer making him to beleeue and not the other is a speciall grace giuen by God to the one and not the other and consequently that the separation of some men and taking them out of the masse of perdition is of Gods meere grace and not in regard of any different qualities in men A proud man might haue said saith that holy Father of Predestination of Saints chap. 5. against another man my faith maketh me to differ from thee my righteousnesse or the like which insolent words of a proud man rehearsed by Saint Augustine Greuinchouius is so impudent as to take vpon and patterne in himselfe saying Ego me discerno I discerne my selfe The good Doctor meeting with such thoughts and checking them saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued from whom but from him who made thee differ from another to whom he hath not giuen that he hath giuen to thee and if thou hast receiued it namely that wherein thou differest from another Why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not receiued it Nothing is so contrary to the meaning of the Apostle as that any man should so glory of his owne merits or good workes as if he had wrought them to himselfe and not the grace of God to wit that grace of God which discerneth good men from bad not that which is common to good men and bad The maine conclusion of Saint Augustine in his Enchiridion is most direct to our purpose Sola gratia redemptos discernit à perditis Grace alone discerneth or differenceth the redeemed from the lost whom a common cause deriued from the beginning or root had vnited in one masse of perdition k This argument from disproportion deceiued sometime Saint Augustine till he better considered of the words of the Apostle Rom. 11. 5. So then there remaineth a remnant according to the election of grace It is impossible indeed to conceiue an election according to desert of some rather than others in a meere paritie there must needs be a disproportion in such an election but in an election of free grace there needs none there can be no such disproportion for if election be of workes then it is not of grace Here if the Appealer or any his friend shall difference his opinion from the Arminians by distinguishing the decree of election in which there is no respect had to faith from the execution in which all sides confesse respect is had to faith and perseuerance I answer that the Appealer hath shut the doore of this Sanctuary against himselfe and debarred himselfe from this defence pag. 61. saying I shall as I can briefly and plainly without scholasticall obscurities set downe what I conceiue of this Act of God or decree of Predestination setting by all execution of purpose After which Preface without any interruption of other discourse he deliuereth his opinion of election as is aboue rehearsed Of Free-will ARMINIANS THe Arminians differ from Orthodoxal Diuines about Free-will in two points 1. They teach Hag. Confer pag. 502. sequent That the will of man hath some operation of it selfe in the first act of our conuersion and doth cooperate with grace God giueth grace sufficient to conuert but doth not so determine the will but that it may out of it's freedome admit grace or not Their main reason is God doth not beleeue but wee therefore l we worke euen in our first conuersion otherwise the assent should bee Gods not ours 2. They teach that the will of man hath power to hinder and resist the worke of grace in his regeneration and conuersion Arminius in his Orat. to the States pag. 53. I beleeue according to the Scriptures that grace is not vis irresistibilis an irresistible force or power but that many doe m resist the holy Spirit Hag. Confer pag. 502. The question is whether grace which worketh in man faith and conuersion cannot be hindred but is an irresistible operation such as God vseth in raising the dead They alledge to proue â—hat man may resist grace Act. 7. 51. Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares yee haue alwaies n resisted the holy Ghost And Matth. 23. 37. How oft would I haue gathered your Children as a Hen gathereth her Chicken vnder her wings and yee o would not APPEALER APpeal p. 84. It is supposed by some that the difference betweene the Pontificians and vs consists in this that the will of man concurreth and cooperateth with diuine grace in the first very instant and point of conuersion wee teach that the will of man doth not cooperate in the first point but in progresse of our iustification so Keckerman in his Systeme a better Logician than Diuine This Assertion of Keckerman he refelleth from pag. 85. to 89. and pag. 92. he insisteth vpoÌ„ the same reason with the Arminians If this were not so then faith and repentance were no the actions of man neither could man be said to beleeue and repent but the holy Spirit Appeale pag. 89. The Councell of Trent addeth that a man may resist the grace of God admit then first man hath m free-will against God Saint Steuen in terminis hath the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you n resist nay fall crosse with the holy Ghost not suffering him to work the worke of grace in you And what said our Sauiour How often would I and thou wouldst o not If the Councell meant of stirring preuenting and p operating grace I thinke no man will deny it if of adiuuant subsequent and cooperating grace there is without question in
former therefore he that is once truly iustified may fall into an estate worse than the former Bert. pag. 36. Among the causes of Apostasie one is the feare of persecution He that receiued the seed in stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with ioy receiueth it yet hath he not root in himselfe but dureth for a while for when tribulation ariseth because of the Word he is offended APPEALER APpeale pa. 159. Ezek. 18. 24 26. If the righteous t turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquitie and doe according vnto all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred but in his transgression that he hath committed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shall he die Ibid. Ezek. 33. 13. If hee commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shal be no more remembred but for his iniquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same Therefore the righteous may lose his righteousnesse abandon his faith die in his sinne c. Ibid. pag. 159. The vncleane spirit eiected returneth vnto his former residence entreth possedeth his former state and the case of that man is worse than the beginning Matth. 12. 44. u Satan is not eiected but where the partie is in the state of grace with God being regenerate by faith Reposseding is not but by relapse into sinne nor a worse state but where a man dieth in sinne Ibid. pag. 159. Luke 8. 13. * They on the rock are they who when they heare receiue the Word with ioy who for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away t Because this place of Ezekiel is set in the fore-front both by the Appealer and by Bertius as a testimony on which they most rely and are most confident of I will endeuour both fully to answer and retort it against them Besides those Answers by which others haue rebated the edge of this Obiection As * first that this speech is conditionall suppositiue and not positiue and therefore no more inferreth that a righteous man may fall from his righteousnesse then those words of Saint Paul If an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you another Gospell than that you receiued let him be accursed conclude that an Angell from heauen can preach another Gospell Or the like of our Sauiour They shall doe signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible the Elect therefore it is possible to seduce the elect whereas indeed the contrary may be inferred euen from those words Secondly That the Prophet speaketh of him that is righteous in his owne opinion and before men but not in the sight of God such a man may fall away from his righteousnesse but the question is of a man regenerate and truly righteous and such a one cannot turne away from his righteousnesse Of this minde is Saint Gregory Moral in Iob. lib. 34. cap. 13. They who may be seduced in such sort that they neuer returne againe may seeme to lose the habit of sanctitie before the eyes of men sed eam ante oculos Dei nunquam habuerunt but indeed they neuer had any holinesse in the sight of God Thirdly that the Prophet speakes here of actuall righteousnesse which may be lost and is lost by the committing of any wilfull and grieuous sinne against conscience not of habituall which cannot be lost if he doe that which is lawfull and right Ezek. 18. 21. and 24. If he doth according to all the abominations the wicked man doth all the righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred here is not a word that importeth habituall righteousnesse but meerely actuall which all sides confesse may be lost Besides these answers I say further that this Scripture no way tendeth to Bertius or the Appealers purpose For they should proue that a iustified man may lose Euangelicall righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of Faith not Legall righteousnesse Now it is euident that the Prophet speaketh of Legall righteousnesse First by the pronoune his if the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse of his owne workes or his inherent righteousnesse not the imputed righteousnesse of Christ for that is not his owne Philip. 3. 9. That I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Secondly by the enumeration of particulars vers 6 7 8. 15 16 17. all which appertaine to Legall righteousnesse If he hath not eaten vpon the mountaines nor lift vp his eyes to the Idols of the house of Israel nor come neare to a menstruous woman and hath spoiled none by violence and hath not giuen his money vpon vsury c. Lastly this argument may be retorted against the Aduersaries two wayes First thus If the difference of the Couenant betweene the Law and the Gospell consisteth especially in this that the righteousnesse required by the one may be lost but the righteousnesse promised by the other cannot be lost then the argument from the losse of Legall righteousnesse to Euangelicall is of no force but to disproue our Aduersaries tenent for that which in this place of Ezekiel is affirmed of the one may not be affirmed of the other but the difference of the Couenant betweene the Law and the Gospel cōsisteth especially in this that the righteousnesse required by the one may be lost but the righteousnesse promised by the other cannot be lost Ierem. 31. 31. 33. 34. Heb. 8. 8. Behold the dayes come that I will make a new Couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah not according to the Couenant that I made with their Fathers c. but this shall be my Couenant which I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinne no more And Ierem. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting Couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Secondly thus If these words are spoken generally to the children of God and belong to the elect as well as others they cannot imply a totall and finall falling away from righteousnesse no not in the iudgement of the Arminians and Iesuites themselues with whose Heifer the Appealer plowes For as the Iesuites so Arminius himselfe teacheth that a man that is elect and predestinated to eternall life cannot fall finally nor perish for euer But the words of the Prophet Ezekiel are spoken generally vnto all and belong to the very Elect therefore I conclude in the words of the great Champion of Popery in generall and of this particular touching the Apostasie of Saints Card. Bellarm. lib. 3. de Iustif. cap. 12. It is true that the predestinated or elected are in no danger of losing
of true beleeuers to this end that they may not fall away from him is a certaine meanes to preserue true beleeuers in the faith else God should faile in his end But the feare here enioyned is that feare which God promiseth to put into the hearts of true beleeuers to this end that they may not fall away from him Ierem. 22. 40. Therefore the feare here inioyned is a certaine meanes to preserue true beleeuers in the faith and consequently a strong argument for the perseuerance of Saints in faith and grace as it is vrged by Saint Augustine in his booke de Perseuer Sanctorum cap. 2. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me What is it else then to say the feare shall be such and so great that they shall for euer cleaue vnto me z To the places alledged Iohn 15. 2 5. we answer First there is a double insition or ingraffing into Christ externall when a man is made a member of the visible Church by the hearing of the Word and participation of the Sacraments internall when a man by sanctifying grace and sauing faith is made a member of the inuisible Church They who haue the outward insition only into the true Vine Christ Iesus may be cut off but they which haue the inward as well as the outward insition cannot be cut off and wither as a branch for Non est corpus Christi reuerâ quod non er it in aeternum That is not Christs true body which shall not abide for euer neither by the like reason is that a true branch which abideth not for euer in the Vine August de Doct. Chri. lib. 3. cap. 32. Which reason of S. Augustine is confirmed by Saint Gregory in his description of the Church in his Comment on the Canticles Christus sanctam Ecclesiam de sanctis in aeternum permansuris extruxit Christ hath built his Church of Saints which shall for euer perseuere Secondly as there is a double insition into Christ so there is a double profession of faith a naked and bare profession without practise of a holy life or fruit of good workes or a profession ioyned with practise a faith working through loue bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit By the barren branches cut off and withered Theophylact on these words alledged vnderstandeth those who make a naked and bare profession Saint Cyril in his tenth booke vpon Iohn Those who haue faith without loue and good works such a faith S. Iames in his second Chap. calls a dead faith but the faith by which the iust man liueth is a liuing faith working by loue Galat. 5. 6. and bringing forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. Thirdly the words in me Iob. 15. 2. may be either referred to the word Vine and the meaning is euery branch existent or ingraffed in me that beareth no fruit but leaues only of a bare profession shall be taken away or the words in me may be referred to bearing of fruit and the meaning is euery professour of Religion or member of any Congregation that beleeueth not in me and beareth not fruit in me to wit the fruits of the Gospell by my grace shall be cast forth as a dead branch and wither for as it is in the fift verse Hee that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth fruit for without me yee can doe nothing If the words be taken in the former sense they are meant of Hypocrites within the Church if in the latter of Iewes or Pagans without the Church who beare fruit that is doe morally good workes or doe by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. but because they doe not these things in faith their good workes are no better than splendida peccata sins hauing a luster or shew of vertue as Saint Augustine Take the words in either sense they belong not to regenerate persons and true beleeuers who are so ingraffed into Christ that they abide in him by faith and beare fruit in him through faith Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus No branch that beareth fruit in Christ shall be taken away but purged that it may bring forth more fruit as it followeth in the second verse vrged by the Aduersarie But euery true beleeuer is a branch that beareth fruit in Christ Matth. 13. 23. Rom 6. 22. Therefore no true beleeuer shall be taken away but purged that he may bring forth more fruit ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 26. Beleeuers may make shipwrake of faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. some hauing put away a good cōscience cōcerning a faith haue made shipwracke Ibid. 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from the a faith giuing heed to seducing spirits APPEALER APPEALE pag. 160. 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away cōcerning a faith haue made shipwracke Ibid. Nor was it onely for those times but foretold of succeeding ages 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter daies some shall depart from the a faith a To the places alledged out of Timothy wee answer First that they are fully answered by the distinction aboue mentioned ad literam y namely of a two-fold signification of the word faith which is sometimes taken for the saith which we beleeue that is the word of faith or doctrine of the Gospell as Galath 1. 23. Now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed Rom. 10. 8. This is the word of faith which we preach the hearing of faith Galat. 3. 2. A great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith Act. 6. 7. And in this sense Oecumenius taketh the word faith in the first place aboue alledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith I vnderstand faith in doctrine by conscience a godly conuersation or a good life And that it is to be so taken in the latter place it is euident by the words following 1 Tim. 4. 1. Giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrine of deuils Faith opposed to error and doctrine of deuils is the true doctrine of faith which we beleeue and preach Sometimes the word faith is taken in Scripture for the faith by which we beleeue that is the inward grace or habit of faith as Rom. 3. 28. Iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law And Rom. 4. 5. His faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 5. 1. Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God This distinction is not new coyned by nouelizing Puritans but stamped by the ancient Fathers and goes for current among the Schoole-men Saint Augustine in his thirteenth booke of the Trinity chap. 2. deliuers it in these very termes There is a difference betweene the faith quae creditur and quâ creditur And Lombard lib. 3. distinct 23. taketh the same from Saint Augustine saying Fides est interdumid quod credimus interdum estid quo credimus Secondly we answer that as there is a temporary faith so there may be a good conscience for