their Head is not common to all And againe Saint Augustine Christ is put on sometimes vsquâ— ad Sacramenti perceptionem as far as to the receiuing of the Sacrament sometimes also vnto sanctification of life Atque illud primum bonis malis potest esse commune â—oc alterum proprium est bonorum piorum The first is common to good and bad the other is proper to the good and godly Saint Austines hands are supported by Chrysostome and Ierome as Moses were by Aaron and Hur. Saint Chrysostome Many are baptized with water which are not baptised with the holy Ghost they seeme to be the sons of God in regard of their Baptisme but indeed they are not the sonnes of God because they are not baptised with the holy Ghost Saint Ierome Si quis hoc corporeum quod oculis carnis aspicitur aquae tantum accipit lauacrum non est indutus dominum Iesum Nam Simon ille Magus acceperat lauacrum aquae verum quia Spiritum sanctum non habebat indutus non erat Christum Et haeretici vel hypocritae hi qui sordidè victitant videntur quidem accipere baptismum sed nescio an Christi habeant indumentum If any man receiue only the visible lauer of water he hath not put on Christ c. From these and many other the like testimonies of the Ancient Fathers I infer that the foundation of this argument is sandy and sinking Although the inward grace ordinarily accompany the outward signe and we ought to beleeue by the iudgement of Charity that all who are baptised are truly regenerate yet iudicio veritatis as Iunius distinguisheth that is by the iudgement of precise and infallible truth all are not so as the Fathers speake roundly and plainly Now as in the iudgement of Charity we are to beleeue that all that are baptised are regenerate so by the same iudgement we are to beleeue that though they fall into grieuous sinne and sometime come to a fearefull outward end God notwithstanding giueth them grace to repent at the last gaspe and consequently they fall not away finally Inter sacrum saxum inter pontem fontem misericordia Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus If Baptisme may not be reiterated then the grace of regeneration cannot be totally lost But Baptisme may not be reiterated Therefore the grace of regeneration cannot be totally lost The consequence of the maior is thus made euident A man that hath lost the grace of regeneration totally is as if he neuer had been regenerated and therefore must be borne again if borne againe againe baptised because the signe and the thing signified or as they make it the cause and proper effect cannot be seuered if then the effect to wit regeneration be lost and must be reproduced the proper cause as they say the necessary condition and seale as we say must be againe put If regeneration may bee had the second time without Baptisme why not at first which the Aduersaries absolutely deny pressing farre that text Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen It is a thing vnconceiueable that the shadow should be more permanent than the substance the Baptisme of water than that of the holy Ghost If then a regenerate man lose totally his regeneration and be as if he had neuer beene regenerate he is as if he had neuer beene baptised This reason may be further confirmed when this question is propounded why Baptisme is but once to be administred and the Lords Supper often It is most vsually answered because a man is borne but once but is fed often The edge of this argument cannot be turned by the Aduersarie vnlesse he can shew more Regenerations in Scripture then Baptismes or any new Regeneration without a new lauer any new Couenant without an authenticall instrument and new seale r To the reason drawne from mortall sinne in the regenerate we answer First if mortall sinne be taken for such sinne as deserueth of it selfe eternall death all sinne is mortall if by mortall sinne such sinne for which a man is bound ouer by God and sentenced to eternall death no sinne in the Elect is mortall for how grieuous soeuer they sinne the seed of God remaines in them which in time will bring forth repentance and repentance saluation In the interìm betweene their sinne and the renued act of their repentance God suspendeth but he reuoketh not his pardon of their sinnes he is angrie with them and they indeed haue forfeited their estate in his grace and fauour and title to the Kingdome of Heauen but God will not take the forfeit they lose the sense and present fruit but not the state of iustification Habituall repentance they haue alwayes and shall haue the Act if the sinne be such for which habituall repentance and the continuall asking of a generall pardon for all sinne will not suffice A tender hearted father though his sonne prouoke him very farre so that hee chastise him with many stripes yet will hee hardly be brought to disinherite him yet if a father could God will not for if euer sonnes then heires if euer iustified then glorified The Apostle will make good the Consequence if the Spirit in our heart make good the Antecedent Lastly this Obiection may be retorted thus Nâ— Ordinarie and small sinnes doe put the regenerate out of the state of grace All ordinarie and small sinnes are in their owne nature mortall Therefore some sinnes in their owne nature mortall doe not put the regenerate out of the state of grace Or thus Peter committed a most grieuous and hainous sinne Peter was not thereby vtterly excluded from the grace of God Therefore a man may commit some most grieuous and hainous sinne and not be vtterly excluded from the grace of God The like may be said of Dauid of which aboue The first proposition is in the Gospell the second is in the Homily of Repentance Sir Thomas Moore hauing tracked Gallus in the Ancient Poets from whom he secretly had borrowed many verses and bragged much of the genius and spirit of Ancient Poësie wittily thus plaieth vpon him in the Epigram saying Thou Gallus hast the very spirit of the Ancient Poëts for thou makest the selfe-same verses that they made before Vatibus idem animusque verè spiritus idem Qui fuit antiquis est modo Galle tibi Carminanamque eadem versusque frequenter eosdem Quos fecêre illi tu quoque Galle facis Doubtlesse if the Appealer neuer read Arminius or Bertius as he seemeth deeply to professe I may say truly of him as he did of Gallus that he hath the very spirit and soule of Arminius and Bertius for he deliuereth not only the same â—enents but he vseth the selfe-same Authorities Scriptures Fathers and Reasons and for the most part in the same words All which Arguments common to them
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
only in their liuing and manner of ceremonies But also in matters of faith Apolog. Church of Engl. c. 16. div 1. part 6. Wee haue gone from that Church which Christ who cannot err told so loÌ„g before it shold err Neither had we euer intended so to do except both the manifest assured wil of God opened to vs in his holy scripture regard of our owne saluation had euen coÌ„strained vs. Apol. Chur. of Engl. par 6 div 2. c. 20. We are fallen from the Bishop of Rome because the case stood so that vnlesse wee left him we could not come to Christ Apol. par 5. c. 15. d. 3. We haue renounced that Church wherein we could neither haue the word of God sincerely taught nor sacraments rightly administred and wherein there was nothing able to stay a wise man or one that hath coÌ„sideration of his own safety In this head touching the Church of Rome the Appealer directly contradicts the Church of England in these particulars The Church of England 1 The church of Rome holdeth not the same foundation 2 Hath erred in matter of Faith 3 Hath not the nature of the true Church 4 Must be left on paine of damnation 5 Is departed from the Primitiue and Catholike Church Appealer 1 The church of Rome holds the same foundation 2 Hath not erred in matters belonging to faith 3 Hath the essence being of the true Church 4 Ought not to be left on paine of daÌ„nation 5 Is not departed but holds coÌ„muinion with the Primitiue and Catholike Church Of Generall Councels Harmony Church of Rome BEllarm de concil Eccles. 2 Booke 2 Chap. Wee are bound by the Catholike faith to beleeue That Generall Councels cannot erre in faith or manners The like is affirmed by Gregory de Valentia Analys fidei Cathol lib. 18. Hosius de legit judicibus reruÌ„ Ecclesiasticarum Andradius Defence of the Councell of Trent in his Chapt. Of the authoritie of Councels Canus in his common places of Diuinity 5 Booke and the Romanists generally Campian rat 4. Concilia Duraeus in confut respons Whitak de Conciliis Appealer ANsw. to Gag page 48. To coÌ„clude The Church cannot erre neither collectiuè nor representativè Thus your Masters distinguish the terms of this question that goe workmanlike not like you clutteringly to worke so they so wee in the largest extent not erre at all Secondly not erre in points of faith for in matters of fact they coÌ„fesse error Appeale p. 124. Many things appertain vnto God which are not of necessity vnto saluation both in practice and speculation in these haply Generall Councells haue erred in those other none can erre Discord Church of Engl. ARticle 21. Generall Councels when they be gathered together for as much as they are an Assembly of men whereof all bee not gouerned with the Spirit and word of GOD they may erre and sometime haue erred euen in things appertaining to God Wherefore things ordained of them as necessary to saluation haue neyther strength nor authoritie vnlesse they may bee declared that they bee taken out of holy Scripture In this point touching the not-erring or infalliâ—itie of Generall Councels the Appealer howsoeuer by distinguishing of points fundamentall and accessory endeuoureth to difference his opinion from the Church of Rome and reconcile it to the Article yet in truth he faileth in both For first the Church of Rome holdeth all doctrines de fide determined by the Church to be necessary to saluation and consequently in the Appealers sense fundamentall points In particular she defineth the decisions of the Councell of Trent in the controuerted points betweene vs to be part of the Catholike Faith without which no man can be saued Pius 4 in Bullâ super formâ juram pag. 441. If therefore the Appealer maintaine as hee doth That Generall Councells cannot erre in matters fundamentall and necessary to saluation he holdeth consequently that they cannot erre in matter de fide Secondly his doctrine cannot stand with the Article of our Church for the Article both supposeth and proueth that Generall Councels may erre euen in points necessary to saluation It supposeth it in those words things ordained of them as necessary to salvation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse c. For if Generall Councels could not erre in things necessary to saluation we might in such things safely rely vpon their authoritie without warrant of Scripture which the Article expressely denyeth If Generall Councels may iudge those things to be necessary to saluation which are not as the Article implyeth they may in like manner iudge those things not to bee necessary to saluation which are and so erre bothe wayes in the iudgement of points necessary and fundamentall And verily the reason annexed to the Article concludeth as strongly that Generall Councels may erre in fundamentals as in Accessory the reason is because Generall Councels are an Assembly of men whereof all are not gouerned by the Spirit and Word of God Now they who are not gouerned by the Spirit and Word of God haue and may erre euen in points fundamentall in asmuch as nothing can preserue a man from fundamentall error but the Spirit and Word of God whereby they are not gouerned as hath the Article Notwithstanding all this iarring and discord from the Article I find some harmony and concord in the close Appeale pag. 147. Detali Concilio saniore parte de coÌ„clusionibus in fide probabile est It is probable that in a Generall Councell lawfully called the sounder part cannot erre in conclusions of faith But this straine was not the Appealers but a learned Asaffs Of Iustification Harmony Church of Rome COunc. of Trent Sess. 6. c. 4. Iustification is a translation from the state in which a man is borne the sonne of the first Adam into the state of Grace and adoption of the sons of God by the second Adam Counc of Trent Sess. 6. c. 7. Iustification is not onely remission of sinnes But also sanctification and renouation of the inward man by the voluntary receiuing of grace and those gifts whereby a man of vniust is made iust Counc of Trent Sess. 6. canon 11. If any man say that A man is iustified onely by remission of sinnes excluding grace and charity which is shed into their hearts by the holy Spirit and is inherent in them let him bee accursed Appealer ANswer to the Gagg page 142. A sinner is then iustified when hee is made iust that is translated from state of Nature to state of Grace Answer to Gagg page 143. Iustification consisteth in forgiuenesse of sins primarily and grace infused secondarily Both the acts of Gods Spirit in man Answer to Gagg page 140. To iustifie hath a threefold extent First to make iust and righteous Secondly to make more iust and righteous Thirdly to declare and pronounce iust Page 142. Iustification properly is in the first acceptance A sinner is theÌ„ iustified when he is made iust that
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
the naturall will of a regenerate man so much of Adam remaining and carnall concupiscence as may make him resist and rebell against the Law of God l We answer with Saint Augustine in his first booke De gratiâ libero arbit cap. 16. It is certaine that we will when we will but he makes vs to will that is good of whom it is said Pro. 8. The will is prepared by God and God worketh in vs to will Philip. 2. It is certaine that we work when we worke but he worketh in vs to worke by giuing most efficacious power to the will who saith I will make you to walke in my waies Ezek. 36. Faith and repentance are our workes because in vs though not of vs actions and passions denominate the subiect not the cause God is the efficient cause of faith and repentance but the subiect in which these vertues are wrought is man who therfore is said to beleeue and repent because these things are wrought in him but not by the power of his own will but by the effectuall worke of grace stirring the will and making it freely to assent vnto and beleeue the Gospell Bernard de lib. Arbit What doth free-will I answer in one word it is saued or cured this worke cannot bee done without two one by whom the other in whom it is wrought God is the Author of it the health or cure of the will free-will is only capable of it m Grace is two-fold Outward Inward Outward Offered in the ministery of the Word Inward Enlightning and inciting only Renewing and regenerating Men can and do resist outward and inward only enlightning grace but not renewing and regenerating grace so far as to hinder their conuersion or after they are cōuerted vtterly to cast away the spirit of sanctification and thereby fall away totally finally If God should giue no other grace but such as man at his pleasure might reiect or repell hee should haue no kingdome within vs and if he could not by his grace absolutely subdue and conquer the stubbornesse of mans will he should not be omnipotent If grace doth not determine mans will but mans will the influxe and effect of it the peace and grace of God should not rule in our hearts but euery man should be ruled to righteousnesse as well as to sinne by his owne free-will which was the expresse heresie of Pelagius and Caelestius as Prosper in precise termes sets it downe in his Chronicle in the yeare of our Lord 414. n To the place in the Acts I answer First That Saint Steuen speaketh of the Iewes resisting the Spirit of Prophecie not the Spirit of regeneration the Iewes gain-said withstood and opposed the Word of the holy Ghost vttered by the Prophets not the secret working of the holy Ghost by grace in the hearts of such whom he would and did conuert Secondly We confesse that men vncircumcised in heart such as were these Iewes whom Saint Steuen vpbraideth not only can resist but can doe no other then resist the holy Ghost but regenerating grace by circumcising the heart remoueth that hardnesse whereby it resisteth grace and then it cannot resist because that which makes it resist is taken away as Saint Augustine inferreth vpon that of Ezechiel the eleuenth I will take away your stony-hearts and giue you an heart of flesh His inference is Chap. 8. of Predestination of Saints This grace which is secretly conueighed into the hearts of men is not refused or repelled by any hard heart for it is therefore giuen that the hardnesse of the heart may first be taken away o Not to insist vpon the distinction of the double will of God well knowne to the learned by the notions of signi beneplaciti his commanding or declaratiue will which is not alwaies fulfilled and his powerfully working and absolute good will and pleasure which is alwaies fulfilled I further answer that this place of Scripture rightly interpreted as it is by Saint Augustine makes against and no way for the Arminians and Appealer for Christ saith not How often would I haue gathered you Scribes and Pharises and those Rulers and Gouernours of Ierusalem which killed my Prophets and you would not but how often would I haue gathered your Children that is the inhabitants of Ierusalem and I did also though you would not but did what you could to hinder their gathering vnder my wings that is their assembling to the true Church and sheltring themselues vnder the shade thereof Quos volui te nolente congregaui Whom I would gather I gathered though thou wouldst not So Saint Augustine vpon these words p If by operating grace hee meaneth that grace whereby God circumciseth the heart Deut. 30. openeth the heart Acts 16. conuerteth the heart Ierem. 31. taketh away a stony heart Ezek. 36. writeth his Law in the heart Ierem. 31. worketh faith in the heart by the mightinesse of his power Eph. 1. and 2 Thess. 1. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man I suppose who is well catechised in the principles of Religion will maintaine that such grace may be resisted For this were to make the impotencie of mans will to preuaile against the omnipotencie of God and to disappoint his purpose and frustrate his worke Saint Augustine that Delian diuer into the depth of this mystery resolueth the contrary in many places in his booke of Predestination of Saints Chap. 8. Why doth he complaine sithence no man doth or can resist his will Doth the Apostle answer O man it is false that thou sayest No he saith no such thing But who art thou O man that answerest God And de Corrept Gratiâ cap. 12. The weaknesse of mans will is helped in such sort that it is led by diuine grace indeclinably and vnconquerably insuperabiliter ageretur and what is vnconquerably lesse then irresistibly if grace vnconquerably lead the will the will cannot conquer grace in striuing against it And Chap. 14. ibidem No will of man resisteth God when God will saue And hee confirmeth his Assertion with a reason prouing that the will of man neither doth nor can resist the will of God for saith he To will and to nill are so in the power of him that willeth or nilleth that it can neither hinder Gods will nor conquer his power And in his first booke of questions to Symplician 2. Quest. The effect of Gods mercy cannot be in mans power to frustrate it if he list or that God should haue mercy in vaine if man would not take hold of it because if God would haue mercy on those who are reluctant and withstand it he could so call them as it might befit them that is be effectuall vnto them Saint Bernard in his booke of Free-will followeth Saint Augustine close There is made a creation of the will by Christ into liberty and that without vs if into then not out of liberty or freedome of will if without vs then it is not in our Power to hinder
eternall life and that the terrifying threats vsed by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures are to this end to stirre vp the elect to watchfulnesse and diligence motiues they are to and meanes of perseuerance not arguments at all to proue the Saints Apostasie u To the place of Matth. 12. 44. we answer First we ought not to ground any doctrine of faith vpon a meere parable or allegory because as Saint Augustine in his booke de Doctrinâ Christianâ deliuereth it All those points which belong to faith and manners are plainly deliuered in the Scriptures Secondly we cannot aâ—gue strongly from corporall possession or dispossession to spirituall as a Lunaticke man so a man possessed with the Deuill in body may be yet in the state of grace in his soule and in like manner as a man that is cured of his frensie or lunacie may be yet an vnsanctified man so a man out of whom the Deuill is cast from tormenting or possessing the body may be yet an vnregenerate man although I grant our Sauiour seldome or neuer cured any mans body but first he healed the soule as some Interpreters haue obserued yet no necessary consequence can be drawn from the health or sicknesse of the body to the health or sicknesse of the soule Neither is it said here that the vncleane spirit was cast out by Christ nor by any other but that he went out of himselfe and returned againe and therefore this possessed person can be no fit embleme of a truly regenerated and iustified man out of whom the Deuil is powerfully cast out and the party is no way vnder him or in his power but led by the spirit of God Rom. 8. and wholly deliuered from the power of Satan Thirdly the meaning of the Parable is as appeareth by our Sauiours application that as the latter state of that man out of whom the Deuill first departed and afterward returned with seuen worse than himselfe was worse than the former so it should be with the wicked Iewes out of whom the vncleane spirit had gone out for feare of the Law but now was returned againe vnto them through their refusall of the Gospell and despiting the Spirit of Grace Thus Saint Hilary Ierome and Bede expound the Parable and their Exposition is euidently grounded vpon our Sauiours words vers 45. Euen so shall it be also vnto this wicked generation As it is particularly applied by our Sauiour to the Iewes so it may be to any Nation out of which the vncleane spirit departeth for a while or is driuen away by the preaching of the Gospell if it be empty of good workes and giuen to the pleasures of this world like the lodging of the vncleane spirit which he found empty swept and garnished The vncleane spirit will enter with seuen worse that is the Gospell shall be taken away from them and the Kingdome of Grace for the abuse of it and they shall be brought into worse bondage of the Deuill then before according to Saint Peter 2 Epist. 2. 20. If after they haue escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and ouercome the latter end shall be 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 away from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them This was the case of the Kingdome of Congo which for a time embraced the Gospell but afterwards perceiuing that it restrained their carnall libertie and no way permitted pluralitie of wiues they cast off the yoke of Christ and enthralled themselues againe to Satan But it is not so with those that are truly regenerate for to them his yoke is easie and his burthen light Lastly this obiection may be retorted against the Aduersaries thus This Parable is meant of a wicked generation Matth. 12. 45. an euill and adulterous generation vers 39. a generation of vipers vers 34. such as the Scribes and Pharises were who in this Parable are reproued by our Sauiour But the regenerate children of God are not a wicked adulterous or viperous generation but a chosen generation a royall Priest-hood an holy nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. Therefore this Parable is not meant of the regenerate children of God * To the place of Saint Luke 8. 13. and Mat. 13. 20. we answer First the heart of a man truly regenerated is not compared to a stony ground for God by regenerating grace takes away our stony heart and giues vs an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. Secondly a temporary faith is not of the same nature with a iustifying faith a temporary faith hath no root Matth. 13. 22. and Luke 8. 13. a iustifying faith hath a temporary faith beareth no fruit but a iustifying faith beareth fruit Matth. 13. 23. and Luke 8. 15. Those who beleeue the Gospell meerely out of temporary hopes because godlinesse hath the promise of this life they receiue the word with ioy while they thriue and gaine by it but when there ariseth trouble and persecution for the Word they are offended and fall away but those who ground their faith vpon the promises of a better life their faith like gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. being tried in the fire is made much more precious and found vnto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ beleeuing with ioy vnspeakable and full of glory receiuing the end of their faith the saluation of their soules vers 8. Their faith differeth from the faith of Hypocrites and Temporizers in the cause and kinde their ioy in the degree and both in the continuance Lastly this obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie First thus They who are compared vnto the good ground are not meant here by stony ground But truely regenerate Christians and beleeuers Luke 8. 15. and Matth. 13. 23. are compared to good ground Therefore they are not here meant by stony ground Secondly thus That faith which is distinguished from a iustifying faith in this Parable cannot be taken for the faith of a true regenerate Christian But the temporary faith is distinguished in this Parable from a iustifying faith Therefore the temporary faith cannot be taken for the faith of a true regenerate Christian and consequently the Appealer and Arminians are in this their allegation mistaken Of Falling away from Grace ARMINIANS BERTIVS of the Apostasie of Saints pag. 26. Apostasie is described by the phrase to wax cold Mat. 24. 12. And because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall x wax cold Bertius pag. 34. The Apostle fore-seeing that the conuerted Gentiles might be bewitched with that opinion That they could not be cut off from the Church warneth them that they wax not proud against the Iewes but that they learne by their example that it may come to passe that they also may bee cast away Rom. 11. 19. They were broken off
indeed he standeth not as those that killed the Apostles did thinke that they did God good seruice Iohn 16. 2. The Pharisie thought that he was rather iustified than the Publican yet he was not Saint Paul thought he had done a worke acceptable to God and aduantagious to the true Church when he persecuted the Saints and made hauocke of the Church The heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things as it deceiueth others so sometimes our selues also Wee may conceiue that we are highly in Gods fauour and a great way toward heauen when yet indeed we are cast backe or stand at a stay It is therefore a speciall point of wisdome to examine our spirituall estate and proue whether we are in the faith or no that is whether we stand indeed or thinke onely that we stand for he that thinketh only that he standeth and hath no sure footing nor ground of his perswasion may fall and that irrecouerably Thirdly He that standeth may fall yet not totally or finally A man may fall and yet not bee hurt by his fall a man may be hurt and that dangerously by a fall and yet not die of that hurt Iustus cadit non tamen excidit The righteous falleth seuen times a day Si cadit quomodo iustus si iustus quomodo cadit If he fall how is he righteous if righteous how doth he fall Saint Ierome answereth sed iusti vocabulum non amittit qui semper per poenitentiam resurgit He loseth not the name of righteous who as often as he falls by sinne riseth againe by repentance Epist. 44. Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None of those whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation can fall totally or finally Those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall are such whom God preserues from being ouercome in temptation in the next verse 1 Cor. 10. 13. But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but wil with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it Therefore those whom Saint Paul aduiseth to take heed lest they fall cannot fall totally or finally f To the place alledged Phil. 2. 12. we answer First that the argument drawne from the feare of Gods Saints hath beene before refuted and retorted in the handling that text of the Apostle Be not high-minded but feare Secondly we answer Feare is not here opposed to religious confidence but to carnall security and presumption The trembling here commanded is an awfull reuerence and filiall trembling not a seruile affrighting this feare and trembling is not only ioyned with assured hope that God will worke both the will and the deed in them that so feare vers 13. but also with ioy Psal. 2. 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce with trembling Feare cannot be here taken for a distrustfull feare or a feare of being damned but of a sollicitous and watchfull feare for this were no good consequence God worketh in you the will and the deed therefore feare that is doubt and distrust your saluation but vse all diligence to make your election sure and be carefull to stirre vp God his grace in you and to call on him continually in all humblenesse of minde for the assistance of his Spirit without which you can neither doe nor will any good This grace and assistance of his Spirit God promiseth to none but to the humble and such as tremble at his word Esay 66. 2. Why doth the Apostle say saith Saint Augustine worke out your saluation with feare and trembling and not rather with securitie if God worke it vnlesse because in regard of our will without which we cannot well worke it may soone come into mans heart to esteeme that which he doth well to be his owne worke and say I shall neuer be remoued therefore he who gaue power to his will turned his face for a while froÌ„ him that he which said so might be troubled quoniam ipsis est ille tumor sanandus doloribus Because that swelling pride is to be healed with very sorrowes of a troubled minde Lastly this Obiection may be retorted against the Aduersarie thus None in whom God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed can fall totally or finally In those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling God worketh both the will to perseuere and deed Philip. 2. 13. Therefore those whom Saint Paul here aduiseth to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling cannot fall totally or finally ARMINIANS BERTIVS pag. 28. The Scriptures relate this to haue come to passe in the Angels Iude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Ibid. In our first Parents for Adam being holy created after Gods owne image yet was by his wife drawne to fall yea and the craftic serpent deceâ—ued his holy wife 2 Cor. 11. 3. Idem pag. 30. That which befell the blessed Angels and Adam and Eue in the state of innocencie that may befall any Saint now but it is certaine the holy Angels fel and our first Parents therefore any Saint may forsake his owne righteousnesse APPEALER ANswer to Gag pag. 161. Thus Scripture speaketh plaine Their reasons from Scripture are euident Man is not likely in state of grace to be of an higher g alloy than Angels were in state of Glory than Adam Was in state of Innocencie For Grace is but a conformity thereto and no conformitie exceedeth the Architype At most it is but an equalitie thereto and equals are of the same proportion Now if Adam in Paradise and Lucifer in Heauen did fall and lose their Originall estate the one totally the other eternally what greater assurance hath any man in state of Proficiencie not of Consummation g To the instance in Lucifer and Adam we answer First that though man in the state of Proficiency be not simply in an happier estate and better then Adam in Paradise much lesse then Lucifer in Heauen yet he may haue and hath a greater assurance of his estate then they had Saint Augustine confidently affirmeth That the grace which was giuen by the second Adam exceeds that which was giuen to the first Adam in that it was more powerfull Haec potentior est in secundo Adam prima est enim quâ sit â—t habeat homo iustitiam si velit secunda plus potest quâ sit vt velit tantumque velit tanto ardore diligat vt carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate Spiritus vincat And againe Primo homini qui in eo bono quo factus fuerat rectus acceperat posse non peccare posse non mori posse ipsum bonum non deserere datum est adiutorium perseuer antiae non quo fieret vt perseueraret
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