2.13 And that sufficient grace which is giuen to all men yea to the reprobates doth take away the impotency and doth stablish the liberty of free-will as Arminius against Perkins pag. 245. and 246. teacheth Let vs heare the proud words of Greuinchouius p. 253. I separate my selfe for when I might resist God and his predetermination yet I haue not resisted and therefore why may it not be lawfull for me to boast in that as of my owne For that I was able it was of God shewing mercy but that I was willing when I might haue beene vnwilling it was my owne power It is a venter but this little worme will swell so big that he will breake O it is the part of a magnanimious great minded man to be vnwilling to owe too much to God and not to be ouercharged with his benefits Those things which the same author saith pag. 279. sauour of no lesse pride You will say that in this manner of working God doth after a certaine manner depend on the will of man I grant it as concerning the act of free determination Indeede this one thing was wanting to the very height of pride that God should be said to depend on man XXIX There meete vs in the writings of these innouators some places in which they say that man in his corrupted state was altogether dead and that of himselfe he can neither thinke nor will nor doe any thing that is good But these things are said but for a colour and that they might deceiue the vnwary reader For they say that a man is able to doe no good without grace but by this grace they vnderstand vniuersall grace which is common to all men and sufficient grace which is giuen euen to them to whom Christ was made knowne and which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature They say indeede that grace is the cause of beleeuing but they neuer adde that it is the cause alone The Arminian conferrers at the Hage in the third and fourth Articles doe so speake as if they were of the same opinion with vs For there they professe that man hath not saning faith from himselfe and that the grace of God is the beginning the proceeding and the finishing of all good and that all good actions are to be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ But the subtle men when they say that a man hath not faith from himselfe they vnderstand that he hath it not from himselfe alone And when they say that euery good worke is to be ascribed to grace they are very wary least they should say to grace alone Then also in the word grace they lay a snare and being the Apes of the Pelagians they faigne a certaine grace which is common to all which doth extend it selfe as farre as nature Also they distinguish grace from the vse of grace for indeede they will haue grace to be from God but the vse of grace to be in the power of mans free-will With the like craft they say that the power of beleeuing is from grace for they presently draw backe what they haue reached forth while they say that to beleeue it selfe is of mans free-will and that grace is giuen to man to beleeue if he will But whensoeuer they will haue a kinde of speciall grace to come to that generall grace they make the vse of this speciall grace to depend on free-will and they roundly and without any circumstances affirme that the efficiency and working power of grace doth depend vpon it We shall also see that by that vniuersall and sufficient grace common to all men is vnderstood naturall gifts notions that are naturally engrafted and that they cloath nature with the goodly name of grace which thing also Pelagius did Which thing when they doe with their greatest cunning yet their dissembling is neuer so wary but that their Pelagian eares and errour doe appeare and although they doe imitate the speech of truth yet their vizard doth often fall from them vnawares and their vlcers being pressed doe presently cast forth stinking corruption XXX Yet Vorstius here doth differ from his Master For when Arminius saith that no man is conuerted and doth beleeue in act by that vniuer sall grace alone which is common euen to the reprobates but that there is also some speciall grace required Vorstius on the contrary side doth affirme Collat. cum Piscat pag. 57. that some are conuerted by vniuersall grace which he calleth the lesser mercy that is without speciall grace which he calleth grace more then sufficient and super abounding helpe Therefore if this man be beleeued some men come to saluation by that grace alone which is common to all heathen men CHAP. XXXIII It is proued out of the holy Scripture that an vnregenerate man is altogether destitute of the power and liberty of his will in those things which pertaine to faith and saluation I. IF they stand here to the iudgement of the holy Scripture there will be no place of doubting Of a man that is vnregenerate and in his meere naturals the Scripture speaketh thus Gen. 6.5 Euery thought of the heart of man is onely euill continually The same is repeated Chap. 8. Ver. 21. Ieremy in his seauenteenth chapter consenteth to this The heart of man is wicked and vnsearchable And Rom. 3. There is none righteous no not one They are all gone out of the way and are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And Rom 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And Chap. 8. ver 8 The wisdome of the flesh that is whatsoeuer a carnall man vnderstandeth or perceiueth is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Compare these things with the doctrine of Arminius who is of opimon that a man that is an infidell and vnregenerate hath sufficient power to beleeue and to fulfill the law For the Apostle is of opinion that our flesh not onely is not subiect to the law of God but that it cannot be The same Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 saith that the naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them Hitherto pertaineth that which the Scripture saith Ezech. 36. That the heart of man is stony and therefore of its owne nature vnapt and vncapable to receiue the impression of the law of God vnlesse God as hee did of old write it on that stone with his finger Also that which Saint Paul saith Ephes 2.1.5 that not onely the Ephesians before their calling but that all of vs were dead in sinnes Hee hath the same words Coloss 2.13 And that which Christ saith Iohn 14.17 The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Christ in these words doth plainely acknowledge that there is no free will of man no power to receiue the spirit of
V. Man by his owne fault hath brought destruction to himselfe neither can the fall of man be imputed to God Thy destruction O Israell is from thy selfe but in mee is thy helpe Hosea 12.9.10 As in the generation of the Infant the sunne and man doe worke together yet if a monster be generated it is not ascribed to the sunne but to man For therefore is the monster bred because through the defect of the organs or the euill affection of the matter the vniuersall agent cause is withdrawne from the accustomed course Euen so to humane actions God and mans will doe concurre yet if any euill bee in the action it ought not to be ascribed to God but to the disposition of mans will VI. And yet the Scripture doth sometimes vse those phrases of speech which doe yeeld occasion to the prophane of imputing their sinnes to God as being committed by his will and incitation It is well knowne with how great wickednesse the sonnes of Iacob moued with enuy sold their brother Ioseph Of this fact Ioseph himselfe thus speaketh Genes â—0 Yee indeede thought euill against mee but God meant it vnto good that hee might saue much people aliue As if GOD had beene the authour of this fact The Scripture saith of the sonnes of Samuel that they did not obey their fathers admonitions because God would slay them 1. Samuel 2.25 And 1. King 2. the malignant spirit sets himselfe before the tribunall of God and offers to God his seruice to deceiue the Prophets To whom God said Thou shalt deceiue and thou shalt preuaile Goe forth and doe so Shemei curseth Dauid with foule imprecations 2. Samuel 26. which Dauid receiues as done by the incitation of God Let him curse saith hee for God hath said vnto him Curse Dauid Very grieuous calamities followed Dauids adultery with Bathsheba and his murther of Vrias by the rebellion of his sonne Absalon who droue his father from his kingdome and openly abused his wiues Nathan sent to Dauid from God doth declare how these things came to passe in these wordes Thou didst this secretly but I will doe these things before all Israell 2. Sam. 12. Satan afflicted Iob the Chaldees steale away his goods what saith this seruant of God to these things The Lord saith hee hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the name of the Lord. In the fourth Chapter of the Acts Saint Peter saith thus Against thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israell are assembled together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell haue determined before to bee done Saint Paule in his first chapter of the Epistle of the Romans speaking of the people that were worshippers of Idols and were giuen ouer to all wickednesse saith that God gaue them vp to vile and wicked affections that they might doe these enormious things God himselfe doth witnesse Exod. 10. Rom. 9. That he hardned Pharaohs hart Finally who doth not tremble at these words of God which are set downe in the sixt Chap. of Esay Make the hart of this people fat and make their eares heauy and shut their eyes Least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and so conuert and be healed Least any prophane person should abuse these things to the vnloosing of the claspe of intemperancy and least any whose heart is hardned against the word of God should impute the hardnesse of it to God who cannot be resisted As that yong man in Plautus In â—ulularia thus excusing himselfe Deus mihi impulsor fuit God was an incitor to me it was he drew mee to her therefore some things are to be set downe wherby this question may be cleered and the truth may be brought out of this darkenesse VII Before all other things wee admonish that the middle way be kept betweene the two extreames One whereof is to make God the authour of sinne the other is to assigne any thing to be done God being vnwilling ignorant or not regarding as if sitting in a watch-tower he did expect casuall euents depending vpon chance or vpon mans pleasure Let him runne into neither of these who would acknowledge the prouidence of God without damage of his iustice not fathering his sinnes vpon him and would not call in ignorance or neglect of things in God for the defence of his iustice VIII First therefore it must be graunted that sinne is not committed without Gods permission Neither ought this word of permitting offend any one as if it derogated from the care and prouidence of God seeing Saint Paul himselfe in the 14. chapter of the Acts doth vse this word where he saith to the men of Lycaonia God in times past * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes therefore God suffered sinne To permit sinne is not to hinder it when thou canst thence it comes to passe that there are so many meanes of permitting sinne as of hindring it God doth hinder sinne two manner of wayes either by his Iustice or by his Power By his Iustice he hindereth sinne by commanding by forbidding by admonishing by threatning and by promising By his power he doth hinder it when he doth take away ability or remoue the occasion of sinning or by the efficacy of his spirit doth change and encline to piety our wils that are prone to sin The former is a morall impediment the latter a naturall or euen a supernaturall According to these meanes of hindering sinne the meanes of permitting it are also diuers For God doth permit sinne either by vnloosing the Law and giuing liberty of sinning or by not drawing away the ability of sinning which might hinder men from sinning in act After the former manner God doth neuer permit sinne after the latter manner he doth permit it which he doth in not hindring that man should assay it and in not giuing a certaine succour and measure of his grace which if it were present the sinne might be preuented IX This permission is a certaine act of the diuine will seeing it is voluntary for God doth nothing vnwitting or vnwilling God therefore permits sinne because he will permit it neither had he permitted it if it had not beene good that it should be permitted for if there were not euill it would not be known what is good euen as we should not know what light were vnlesse there were a night neither had his iustice whereby he punisheth nor his mercy whereby he pardoneth beene made knowne nor his wisedome whereby he can draw good out of euill nor his infinite loue whereby hee sent his sonne into the world that he might die for vs not that God doth stand in neede of our wickednesse to illustrate his glory but because otherwise man could not come to that full felicity to which hee was created For God cannot be perfectly knowne and therefore not
God of the spirits of all flesh set a man ouer the Congregation And the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 12. v. 9. And if saith he wee had fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence Shall we not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirits and liue It is not without consideration that God by a peculiar elegie and stile is called the father of spirits that he might be opposed to the fathers of the flesh for if the soule be by traduction those that are fathers of the flesh would also be the fathers of the spirits Neither should God by this title be distinguished from the fathers of the flesh if he wrought alike in both and did not forme mens soules otherwise then their bodies X. Wherefore Ecclesiastes Chap. 12. saith The body is dissolued to dust and the spirit returneth to God that gaue it which surely would not be aptly spoken if God should giue the spirit no otherwise then he giues the body Certainly by that word of returning of the soule to God Salomon doth insinuate that the soule came from God and doth returne thitherwhence she had her originall which cannot be said of the body XI The conception of Christ in the wombe of his mother doth adde credit to this opinion For seeing that according to the flesh he had not a father it is plaine that his soule was immediately created by God And if it be necessary that thou maist be sonne of Adam to haue thy soule traducted by thy fathers seede Christ could not be called the sonne of Adam nor of Dauid XII It is vnsauory which is brought out of the beginning of Exodus to proue the traduction of the soule Seauenty soules came out of the loynes of Iacob for the propriety of the Hebrew is well knowne that by soules are vnderstood persons XIII Also reason it selfe doth agree with the word of God 1. For the soule which is something which is aboue nature cannot be in a common condition generated with other naturall things 2. Because it is immateriall it cannot be brought forth by the power of any matter 3. If the soule were not generated vnlesse by the body it could not be without the body nor could it subsist by it selfe alone 4. They that would haue the soule to be traduced by the seede doe driue themselues into straights from which they cannot possible free themselues For why should not the soule of the mother be also traduced into the sonne or if the soule of the sonne be traduced as well from the soule of the mother as of the father it must needs be that two soules doe grow together are mingled into one 5. What will be come of so much seede that is lost which either fals from them that sleep or is vnhonestly lost or being receiued into the wombe doth not come to conception Will so many soules of men be lost or shall they be choaked in the wombe or shall they remaine alone without matter seeing it is certaine that they belong not to the number of men 6. Also it must neede be that eyther the whole soule of the father is traduced and so the father shall be made soule-lesse or else a portion and part of the soule and so the soule shall be diuisible Neither can the whole soule be transmitted as when light is kindled of light for such a propagation is made by the transmutation of the matter applyed vnto it and so the applyed matter of the begetting soule should be turned into the soule 7. If the definition of the soule laide downe by Aristotle Lib. 2. de anima Cap 1. and euery where conceiued be true by which he defineth the soule to be the first act of the naturall originall body hauing life in power I doe not see how the rationall soule can enforme and shape the seede in which there are no Organs XIV Neither is man therefore to be said not to beget man although he doth not beget the soule nor the soule be brought forth of the power of the seed yet is it sufficient for the generation of man that in generating although he doth not giue the whole substance yet he doth giue the subsistance of the person and doth not onely supply the matter of the infant but doth also minister dispositions and aptitudes to receiue that forme by which man hath his being For seeing that by the testimony of the Scripture the Virgin Mary is the mother of Christ although the extraordinary power of the holy-Ghost perfected his conception who neede doubt to affirme that commonly man doth beget man seeing all naturall things are done by ordinary meanes and rules These thornes being plucked vp the way to know the manner of the traduction of sinne from parents to their children is made playner XV. In the beginning I thinke I haue shewed by sure reasons that sinne doth not passe from the body into the soule And on the other side that God put into the soule this inclination to sinne it is a great wickednesse to beleeue And yet that originall sinne was in the soule God being vnwilling or being indifferent and permitting it with an idle permission cannot be spoken or beleeued without great offence For seeing Originall sinne is the punishment of the sinne of Adam he that saith that this punishment was inflicted onely by the permission of God and not by his will doth take away from God the office of a Iudge for Iudges doe not punish by permitting but by decreeing XVI For the explication of this Doctrine we lay downe these sixe propositions and foundations of the truth First Although we had not beene borne of Adam yet because hee had receiued supernaturall good things both in his owne and our name seeing he lost them by his owne fault wee are iustly depriued of them Euen as among many brethren one doth waste and consume that mony to his owne and brothers losse which hee receiued in his owne and brothers name Secondly God put into the soule these faculties Vnderstanding Will Sense Appetite which are naturally carried to things that are obuious known and not to things that are vnknowne and farre remoued Thirdly Man cannot know and loue supernaturall and diuine things without diuine and supernaturall enlightning Fourthly Neither could man vse those things that are obuious and naturall iustly and conueniently and to the glory of God vnlesse some supernaturall light did shine forth to him Fifthly God hath put into euery man for his owne preseruation a loue of himselfe which loue is naturally good but doth then beginne to be morally good when it doth accord to and helpe forward the loue of God Sixthly the manners of the minde doe for the most part follow the temper of the body XVII These things being laid down I say that God doth create the soules of men good but destitute of heauenly gilts and supernaturall light and that iustly because Adam lost those gifts for himselfe and
that they should beleeue Truely if it be so then Christ hath not made intercession for all For that which is asked on a condition take away the condition and it is not asked He that saith to God I pray to thee for all so they beleeue doth plainely declare that he doth not pray for them which doe not beleeue Wherefore Christ himselfe doth restraine his sending into the world and therefore also his intercession to the faithfull alone Iohn 3.13 God so loued the world that he sent his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life There you see that not onely the fruit or application of the donation and giuing of the Sonne that I may so speake but also the donation it selfe doth belong onely to beleeuers XXV But it is worth the labour to know what that particular intercession is with which as these sectaries doe confesse Christ Iohn 17. doth make intercession for the faithfull alone and to know what it is that he asketh by it Father saith he keepe them And a little after I pray thee that thou wouldest keepe them from the euill If this intercession be peculiar to the faithfull I doe not see what remaineth for the generall intercession For without these things all intercession is vaine And seeing in the Lords prayer these two things are asked ioyntly and together to wit remission of sinnes and freedome from euill who would endure such a bold forgery whereby the Arminians doe pull asunder these things and will haue Christ to obtaine remission of sinnes for all but not freedome from the euill XXVI And if Christ prayeth for all he prayeth also for them whom hee knoweth doe sinne the sinne vnto death for which Saint Iohn doth not suffer vs to pray Iohn 5.16 XXVII Yea the Arminians here are not constant to themselues when they say that Christ did intercede by a particular intercession for the faithfull and for those whom the father gaue to the Sonne for seeing they teach that the faithfull godly men may fall from the faith be condemned it appeareth that they will haue Christ to intercede for many reprobates by a particular intercession if many of the faithfull are reprobates XXVIII Arminius p 70. against Perkins doth bring for this purpose many things which I doe not know whether they will be alowed by his followers First he thinks that Christ doth sacrifice himself for many for whom he doth not make intercession because his sacrificing was before his intercessiō For he wil haue the sacrificing of Christ to pertaine to his meriting his intercession to pertain to the application of his merit These things seeme to me to be repugnant not onely to the truth but euen to common sence For whosoeuer doth prepare himselfe to be a purging sacrifice for another doth necessarily pray that the sacrifice which he is to offer may be pleasing and acceptable for him for whom he doth offer himselfe for a sacrifice And whosoeuer doth offer a price of redemption doth first intreate this price may be receiued as that Chryses in Homer speaking thus Iliad ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Release to me my louing daughter and accept the gifts See in the first place his prayers and then the offering of the price Therefore intercession doth necessarily goe before the sacrifice Arminius addes It is true indeede that Christ in the daies of his flesh offered vp prayers and teares to God the father but those prayers were not made for the obtaining of those good things he merited for vs that is for the obtaining of saluation but for the assistance of the spirit that he might stand in the combat An impious and wicked opinion for by it it is denyed that Christ prayed for our saluation before he died when yet Iohn 17. hee prayeth thus before his death Keepe them in thy name And Father I desire that those which thou hast giuen me may be with me that they may see the glory which thou hast giuen me Arminius himselfe is ashamed of so false a doctrine for by a certaine doubtfull Epanorthosis or correction he doth seeme to condemne that which hee said for he addes But if he did then offer prayers for the obtaining of this application they did depend on his sacrifice that was to be finished as if it were finished That speech But if is the speech of one doubting when yet it is a thing most certaine But what is this against Perkins who saith that Christ doth not sacrifice himselfe for them for whom hee doth not pray Surely these things which Arminius doth heape vp are nothing to the purpose nor doe they touch the matter For although the prayers which Christ offered vp for our saluation before his death are grounded on the merit of his death that was to come yet that remaineth which Perkins saith that Christ doth not sacrifice himselfe for them for whom hee doth not pray For the death of Christ had not beene a sacrifice vnlesse hee had prayed that it might be accepted of the father for their life for whom he died For griefe and torment is not of its owne nature a sacrifice vnlesse there be also such a petition XXIX I doe not deny but that Christ in his death prayed for them that crucified him But I denie that he prayed for all without exception but for them alone who did it by ignorance for he saith Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Luke 23.24 Whom a little after as Saint Luke doth testifie were conuerted to the faith Act. 2. and Chap. 3.17 Doth not Christ say this with an humane affection and not as the redeemer For as he was man he might wish well to those whom as he was God he knew were reprobates Thus hee wept ouer the inhabitants of Ierusalem the fall and reiection of which Citty as he was God he had decreed XXX And when the sectaries doe deny that Christ on the crosse sustained the person of the elect they doe openly impugne that speech of Christ Iohn 10.11 I am that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe And Iohn 15.13 Greater loue then this hath no man that one should lay downe his life for his friends And Ephes 5.25 Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it Christ therefore died for his sheepe for his friends for his Church and what are these but the faithfull and elect Can Pharaoh Iudas c. in any respect be called the sheepe of Christ The Arminians answere that they are called sheepe not in respect of the present condition but of that to come A vaine thing For the condition to come was already present in the decree of God in respect of which decree they are called sheep before their conuersion Iohn 10.16 For they are called sheepe not onely because they were to gather themselus to the fould of Christ but because God in his eternall counsell decreed to giue them faith by
vnwilling wee cannot be made willing of dead aliue vnlesse God draw vs and make vs aliue XII And to ouerthrow those preparations by which the sectaries thinke that an vnregenerate man well vsing vniuersall grace and naturall light doth dispose and prepare himselfe to regeneration that which God saith Ezech. 36. doth greatly preuaile I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of you and I will giue you an heart of flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes For seeing that God himselfe witnesseth that in those things which belong to the worship of God and to saluation man hath naturally a stony heart which hath neede to be taken away and another to be giuen by God in which God should imprint the character of faith and repentance it manifestly appeareth that an vnregenerate man cannot prepare himselfe to his regeneration For that which must be taken away and must be changed for another that we may be regenerated certainely that doth not further regeneration nor doth prepare vs to it for otherwise we should be helped by the impediments themselues XIII Arnoldus pag. 461. doth answere that this phrase of a stony and fleshly heart is figuratiue and Symbolicall diuinitie cannot proue any thing I answere that figuratiue speeches haue the force of those that are properly spoken when they are expounded by the Scripture it selfe when it is euident to what end and in what sence they are vsed Now in the same place of Ezechiel there are many words that are plaine and not figuratiue which doe make cleare this figure for in the same place God doth promise that hee will giue them a new spirit by which he would cause that they should walke in his waies XIV Wherefore Arnoldus with a superfluous diligence and nothing to the purpose doth heape together the differences betweene the heart and a stone A stone hath not life the heart hath a stone cannot be softned without the taking away of the substantiall forme the hart may the stone caÌ„not resist his own softning the heart may All besides the matter for in that one thing of which it is spoken here the comparison is most apt For euen as the stone cannot soften it selfe but it is softned onely by the power of an outward agent so the vnregenerate heart cannot conuert it selfe or dispose it selfe to regeneration but it is done onely by the efficacy of the spirit of God He that without this shall seeke comparisons shall finde infinite differences as that a stone may be engrauen and broken may be taken out of the quarries and be laid on the building c. but the heart cannot XV. The words of Saint Paul doe vexe these Semipelagians when he saith that man is dead in sinne and he speaketh of the vnregenerate man The point of which dart that they might auoide and make frustrate they doe laboriously heape together differences betweene a dead corps and an vnregenerate man which doe tend thither that they might proue that an vnregenerate man is not altogether dead in sinne and as Arnoldus saith hath some reliques of the spirituall life To which naturall reliques and remainds of vniuersall and sufficient grace he added which they say is giuen to all men euen vnregenerates and reprobates by which there is no man but may fulfill the law and obtaine faith certainely there will be found in an vnregenerate man very much life and there will be none or very little conueniency or similitude with him that is dead It is well therefore that these sectaries doe thither apply all their force that they might shew that Saint Paul doth not speake so properly as he should Arnoldus layeth downe these differences pag 466. and 468. In resurrection the soule is insused in regeneration it is onely changed in resurrection there doth no dispositions and preparations goe before but regeneration is made after some fore-going dispositions Also our resurrection is done in an instant but our regeneration by degrees Resurrection is done necessarily but regeneration is wrought our free will remaining In the dead carkasse there are no reliques of life but in an vnregenerate man there are some reliques of spirituall life God doth not speake to a dead carkas but he speaketh to them that are dead in sinne and doth propound his word to them He that is dead cannot resist his resurrection the vnregenerate man may I doe not deny but that this similitude doth not square in all things there is no doubt but that Arnoldus could haue found many other differences as that the resurrection of the body shall not be till the last day that it shall be at the trumpe of the Angell c. But it is sufficient that this similitude doth well square in that which is the principall of the matter and in that concerning which the controuersie is betweene vs to wit in this that as the dead corps is altogether vnapt to motion and cannot dispose nor prepare it selfe to the resurrection so the soule of a man that is vnregenerate and dead in sinne doth want in things spirituall and pertaining to saâ—uation all sense and motion and cannot prepare nor dispose it selfe to regeneration vntill the spirit of regeneration descend into the heart stirre vp new motions and doth worke the first beginnings of the new life By sense in spirituall things I vnderstand zeale by motion good workes And surely these things seeme to me to be repugnant vâ—z to be dead in sinne as Saint Paul saith and to haue reliques and remainds of spirituall life as Arnoldus saith For death in spirituall things doth altogether exclude spirituall life I willingly acknowledge that there are some motions of truth and spurkes of light in an vnregenerate man some obscure prints of the Image of God But these reliques are not any part of spirituall life regeration the diuels themselues haue much more light derstanding and yet they are altogether dead in sins XVI Neither are all those differences true which they doe bring First we deny that God hath respect to the dispositions of free-will or that a man by free-will can prepure himselfe to regeneration God indeede doth by a mans calamities and by his freedome out of them and by the examples of the vengance that he taketh of the wicked sometimes make way to himselfe for his regeneration Also a man by a seruile feare and dread of punishment may profitably be troubled but I maintaine that those inward motions doe then begin to be laudable and acceptable to God when they are produced by the holy spirit and not before which when it is done then I say such morions are a part of regeneration and the first motions pulses of the new man although weake yet sure beginnings of the new life not preparations of the free-will which goe before regeneration and by which God is
speake of my selfe Hence they would proue that one may doe the will of God before he know Christ and his doctrine This is to delude the Scripture and to wrest it at their pleasure For they speake as if Christ had said Hee that doth fulfill the commandements of God shall afterward know of my doctrine whether it be of God c. Also by the words to doe the will of God they vnderstand to acknowledge their sinnes to feare God with a seruile and slauish feare seriously to wish the grace of God and remission of sinnes to doe those things which are of the law c. All false For to doe the will of God in this place is nothing else then to beleeue Christ speaking for this is that which Christ doth vrge that this is the will of the father that we should beleeue on the Sonne Whose words if any man beleeues hee thereby knoweth that his doctrine is heauenly and diuine wherefore we are not to thinke that we doe the will of God before we beleeue in his Sonne Thus although it be true that he who is moued doth liue yet it doth not thence follow that motion is before life So in that Christ saith Whosoeuer will doe the will of the father shall know that my doctrine is from God It doth not thence follow that the will of the father must be done before it can be knowne that his doctrine is from God But if there is any order of time here it must needes be that the doctrine of Christ be first knowne to be from God before he can be beleeued or obeyed when he speakes For no man doth beleeue that which hee doth not in some part know Christ followeth this order Iohn 17.8 They haue knowne that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send mee And Chap. 14.17 he saith that the spirit of truth is not receiued by the world because the world doth not know him To know therefore is before to receiue V. That is no better which Arnoldus doth adde Page 409. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1. And The Lord reuealeth his secrets to them that feare him Psal 25. But I deny that the feare of the Lord of which it is spoken here can agree to vnbeleeuers and vnregenerate men Salomon saith that the feare of the Lord is the head of wisedome that is the chiefe part and that wherein wisedome doth chiefely consist for this the Hebrew word Reshith doth plainely signifie And those that feare God to whom he reuealeth his secrets are not vnregenerate persons but those which are truely godly to whom hee doth daily giue increase of wisedome and of the true knowledge of God VI. To the same end Arnoldus Page 397. doth bring the words of the 51. Psalme A contrite spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God And Esay 66. God will dwell in a contrite spirit Arnoldus thinketh that these things are spoken of an vnregenerate man but yet such a one as doth confesse his sinnes doth grieue hath the beginning of feare c. But hee eyther deceiues or is deceiued For there Dauid lamenting his sinnes with a large confession doth comfort himselfe with this hope and doth promise to himselfe that his contrition will be an acceptable sacrifice to God Whosoeuer therefore doth say that Dauid there speaketh of the contrition of an vnregenerate man doth affirme that Dauid himselfe was vnregenerate And there is no man but seeth that Esay doth speake of them that are truely faithfull and of a filiall feare and contrition and not of that feare which may be in the vnregenerate and in the heathen who haue not heard the word of God For the Prophet saith To whom shall I looke To him that is afflicted and of a contrite heart and trembleth at my word Hee speaketh of the man who is instructed in the word of God and who with a holy feare is moued to the hearing of it VII Arnoldus a little before had reckoned vp the good workes which may be done by an vnregenerate man viz. To doe those things which are of the law to haue some sparkes of light and knowledge engrauen on his heart to grieue for his sinnes to implore the grace of remission of sinnes and of the new spirit But how many nations are there who doe not know what this new spirit is nor haue euer heard any thing of the grace of remission of sins Also I would know whether such things that are done by the vnregenerate without faith are truely good If they be truely good then we can doe that which is truely good without Christ without his spirit and without faith If they are not truely good how can that not be truely good and iust which God alone intendeth and which alone nothing more if Arminius be beleeued he doth require from the vnregenerate man as long as he is vnregenerate VIII A little after he saith that the same worke cannot be performed as perfect in its essence without the faith of Christ and he doth put this difference betweene workes which are done before regeneration and they which are done after regeneration to wit that they are imperfect these are perfect These are the two kindes of merits with which in the Schooles of the Papists make such a noyse merits of congruity and merits of condignity but new dressed and cloathed with other names The Reader therefore shall note that the Arminians place in a regenerate man perfect workes and a perfect loue of God For they thinke that the regenerate may by the spirit of Christ so conforme their life according to that law that they may come to that degree of obedience which God doth require of them These are the words of Arnoldus pag. 492. and pag. 399. according to Arminius he saith that there is a double spirit one that doth goe before regeneration and doth tend to it which is the spirit of bondage to feare the other which doth regenerate and doth perfect regeneration Arminius Resp ad 31. Art pa. 164. and 165. I doe not repugne that opinion of Austin whereby he determines that man may be without sinne in this life Truely it is boldly spoken The Arminians then are better then the Apostle Iames who speaketh thus Chap. 3. In many things we offend all In which speech he doth account himselfe among them who offend in many things Better then Saint Iohn whose confession is this If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs Yea better then all the Apostles who did daily say Forgiue vs our trespasses Neither is it to be maruailed at if the Arminians thinke that the regenerate can fulfill the Law seeing they also say that the Law of nature may be fulfilled by the heathen and vnregenerate Now the Law of nature is that to which Adam before his fall stood bound which bond passed to his posteritie This Law forbids a man to lye but the
Scripture that cannot lye saith that euery man is a lyar The same Law commandeth that God be loued withall our heart and all our strength which thing how can it be performed by the vnregenerate seeing it was neuer peeformed by the regenerate themselues That which a liuing man neuer performed how can it be performed by him that is dead Finally we must bid Christian religion farewell and another Gospell must be coyned if this prodigious doctrine be admitted IX But that we may come to that double spirit of God Arminius and according to him Arnoldus pag. 399. doe deuise two spirits or rather two acts of the same spirit The one of these spirits they will haue to be common to all men euen to the vnregenerate yea and to heathen men to whom the Gospell hath not come by which spirit they thinke that God doth worke in all men and is idle in none This is that spirit which they call the spirit of bondage of which it is spoken Rom. 8.15 which is opposed in that place to the spirit of Adoption which is peculiar to the true faithfull This spirit of bondage the Arminiaâ—s will haue to be effectuall in the law not onely in the written law but also in that which is naturally imprinted in mens hearts By this spirit they thinke that vnregenerate men doe tremble with a sauing feare doe acknowledge and confesse their sinnes doe implore the grace of God and apply themselues to the obedience of the law of nature these they thinke are preparation and dispositions to regeneration if so be that free-will doth vse well that vniuersall and sufficient grace which is common to all men These are the decrees of this new sect full of many perplexities and filled with nice and slender points X. I finde in the holy Scripture the spirit of adoption the first fruits of the spirit the spirit of sanctification but I no where finde a spirit of God that is tyed to the law and common to all men Nor can the spirit of God working in our hearts be without very great wickednesse seperated from the knowledge of Christ 2 Cor. 3.6 Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life Nor doe I see how there can be in them whom Saint Paul Ephes 2. saith to be dead in sinne strangers from the life of God and without God in the world either any spirituall life or the spirit of God dwelling in their hearts and sauingly mouing and affecting them Certainely the Apostle had neuer called the Law seperated from the Gospell a killing letter nor had opposed it to the spirit if the spirit of God were alway ioyned to the law or if the spirit of God did worke in mens hearts and dispose them to faith and conuersion without the knowledge of the Gospell Nor is the Law a Schoole-master vnto Christ vntill the grace of Christ is offred to vs for then the Law with terrour and threats doth compell vs to imbrace the grace offred XI But that is most dangerous which the Arminians presse downe and hide but dare not vtter to wit that the holy spirit is naturally in euery man For if the spirit of God be effectuall in the law and the law be naturally engrauen in euery man it must needes be that the spirit of God is naturally in euery man And so whatsoeuer the Scripture speaketh of the second birth by the spirit of the creation of the new man and of the spirituall resurrection will fall to the ground yea will be ridiculous For what neede were there to infuse a new spirit for regeneration if the same spirit of God did already dwell in the hearts of the vnregenerate XII And that place of Saint Paul Rom. 8. Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare they doe falsely and against the Apostles will draw to this matter For Saint Paul neuer called the spirit of God the spirit of bondage for so he had reproached the spirit of God but he onely saith that the spirit that was giuen to them was not seruile and such as should strike their hearts with a slauish feare For where the spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. If I should say that we haue not receiued from God the spirit of lying should I therefore say that there is a spirit of God that compels to lying Is the spirit of God contrary to it selfe that one spirit of God should be called the spirit of bondage and another the spirit of liberty The plaine and simple meaning therefore of the words of the Apostle is this Ye haue receiued the spirit of God not that which should terrifie your consciences with a slauish feare which made you vncertaine and doubtfull before the grace of God and the adoption of Christ was reueiled to you c. XIII And they doe extreamely dote when they put the feare and terrour wherewith the law destitute of the spirit of regeneration and the knowledge of Christ doth strike mens hearts among the effects of the spirit of God For the law thus receiued can onely restraine the raging affections with the feare of punishment and frame a man to certaine outward obedience but it will neuer purge the inward filthinesse or instill any one drop of true repentance yea rather it will stirre vp the inward lusts by the resistance of it as it is engrafted in euery man to encline to that which is forbidden and wheresoeuer hope of impunity is propounded men hauing broken their barres doe so much the more outragiously riot by how much they were straightly bridled in This is that which the Apostle would expresse Rom. 7.5.8 The motions of sinnes by the law did worke in our members and sinne taking occasion by the commandement it selfe wrought concupiscence And that vntill the spirit of life which in Christ frees vs from the law of sinne and death as it is said Chapter 8.2 that is vntill the powerfull efficacy of that quickning which we haue from Christ free vs from that bondage of deadly sinne XIV It is vaine and idle which they obiect that the corruption of an vnregenerate man is compared to sleepe and to an Vlcer I confesse it is compared to a sleepe but to a deadly one and such a one out of which man cannot awaken and raise himselfe That Vlcer and scarre which is spoken of Esay 53.1 and 1 Pet. 2. doth not signifie sinne it selfe but the punishment of sin This therefore is nothing to the reliques and remainds of spirituall life in an vnregenerate man CHAP. XXXV The Obiections which the Arminians borrow from the Pelagians and Papists are answered Whether an vnregenerate man doth necessarily sinne and whether necessitie excuseth the sinner Also whether God doth command those things which cannot be performed by man I. THese thornes and difficulties being taken away wee are to come to the Arguments or rather Declamations with which they
it hath the cooperation of the Holy-Ghost alwaies ioyned to it And this he saith being vnmindefull of that which hee had said a little before where speaking of the word and of the cooperation of the holy spirit he saith these two are almost alwayes ioyned together therefore not alwayes Neither is Arnoldus vnwilling that Arminius should doubt in that thing for pag. 432. he speaketh thus It may be doubted whether Arminius thought that the inward succour of the spirit was alwaies and in all men ioyned with the outward preaching But that which the Master speakes fearefully and doubtingly is openly and without any circumstance affirmed by his schollers For Arnoldus Chap. 4. would draw Arminius into this opinion that the outward calling doth happen to none without the inward and pag. 433. The opinion of Arminius is that the efficacy of the holy Ghost is present with all them who at the first are called The Arminians in their Epistle against the Walachrians pag. 49. doe labour much to teach that in those who are not conuerted the word is not destitute of the quickning spirit Arnoldus pag. 464 teacheth that this quickning force is ioyned not onely to the preaching of the Gospell but also to the preaching of the law and that this change is made by the spirit by the word of the Law preparatorily and by way of preparation by the word of the Gospell consummatorily in respect of the finishing of it and that so as man cannot but receiue that sence and be affected with it and in this action the spirit carrieth himselfe altogether passâ—uely By which feeing hee saith the spirit doth allure the assent the liberty of the will yet remaining safe and whole This holy spirit working in mens hearts by the knowledge of the law Arnoldus doth put euen in Infidels and those that be not regenerate which although it is not the spirit of regeneration yet it doth dispose to regeneration V. This doctrine is repugnant not onely to the holy Scripture but also to experience and common sence For we see many hearers of the word that are no more affected with the preaching of it then if lessons should be sung to them that are deafe those whose mindes doth wander other-where and doth neuer returne besotted with such a stupidity that they haue no relish of the Gospell no feeling of it nor assent vnto it although to other things they are not slow Also there are very many who when they heare the Gospell receiue it with gibing laughter as an absurd thing as the Athenians Acts 13.32 For Christ preached is an offence to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Greekes because they are offended and these mocke at it I haue seene those who being asked what they brought from the Sermon and what they remembred haue seriously answered they could not discerne whether the Preacher spoke French or Latine VI. In such men yea and in Infidels instructed in the law alone the Arminians say that the spirit of God doth worke and doth necessarily and as they speake vnresistably giue the sence and feeling of the true doctrine although he doth not giue the assent and agreeing to it but by the helpe of free-will Much more therefore among the Arminian multitude there will be none who is not drawne with the holy Ghost and who doth not feele in him the quickning spirit This flying in the ayre doth not much disser from the fanaticall enthusiasme and inspiration of the Anabaptists but that the Anabaptists will haue this sence and feeling peculiar to themselues but these innouators will haue it to be common both to the faithfull and to Infidels yea to all to whom either the Gospell is preached or the Law without the Gospell VII It is to no purpose to reckon vp places of Scripture to ouerthrow this opinion For hitherto belong all those places which wee haue brought Chapter 34. to proue that an vnregenerate man and an infidell is vnable and vnfit to euery worke that is good and profitable to saluation All which were false if the quickning power of the holy spirit did dwell in infidels and vnregenerate persons and if all men were drawne inwardly and by an internall calling VIII To this purpose are those places which teach vs that they alone come to Christ whom the father draweth Iohn 6.44 But according to Arminius all men are drawne and are inwardly affected by the holy Ghost As the winde bloweth where it listeth so also the spirit Iohn 3.8 Therefore hee doth not breath euery where In the multitude of people God opened the heart of Lydia before the rest When the Apostles were astonished the theefe beleeued among the cries of the raging people and so many impediments of beleeuing One little call of Christ moued Mathew that leauing the receipt of Custome he followed Christ when the men of Capernaum among so many miracles and good lessons were hardned at the preaching of the Gospell Whence it appeareth that some men are drawne by the efficacy and power of the spirit and some men are left in their naturall wickednesse Whence is this difference If dignity be respected who among the vnregenerate is not vnworthy of the grace of God seeing all men are of a stony heart and are dead in sinne But if the precedent disposition be respected why are the men of Capernaum rather called by the Gospell then the men of Tyre seeing that Christ doth witnesse that the men of Capernaum were worse affected and lesse inclined to repentance IX Arnoldus Page 445. doth contend that the heart of Lydia was therefore opened because shee was well affected and disposed and that God therefore opened her heart because she opened it her selfe For in that place shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was addicted to the worship of God before she beleeued Paul I might say that there are many who worship God with a wicked and vnlawfull worship But I am more prone to this opinion that I should beleeue that Lydia a Iewish woman was indued with the spirit of regeneration and had receiued true pietie and beleeued in the Messiah promised although she did not yet know that Iesus the Sonne of Mary was the Christ because he was not preached to her Such a one was the Eunuch of Candaces and Cornelius who Acts 10. is called a deuout man whose prayers and almes and piety was praised before hee had heard any thing of Christ These were some of those men who as Saint Luke saith Chapter 2.25 Did expect the consolation of Israell I thinke it were wickednesse to account these among insidels and among the rest of the Iews who did blaspheme Christ and dispise him preaching Seeing therefore that Lydia was such a one God opened her heart that shee might attend to the words of Saint Paul and might learne from him that Christ whom shee did expect was already come and that those thinges were fulfilled which were fore-told of him by the Prophets X. Against these
beene made partakers of that perseuerance that they could not but perseuere Thence it is that they will not admit of this that they should allow that the number of them that are predestinated and the number of them that are reiected is determined These are they whose authority was more to Arminius then the authority of Saint Austin yea then of Saint Paul himselfe For they haue liberally and manifestly borrowed all their opinions from the Semipelagians CHAP. XLIII The opinion of the Arminians of the manner of the operation of Grace and of that power which they call vnresistable Also of morall perswasion And of the power and act of beleeuing WHat the secret motions of the holy-Ghost are what the efficacy of it is by what degrees it doth further regeneration what impediments are cast in the way by man what is the conflict of the flesh with the spirit and the strife of the new man with the old who as another Esau doth at length shake off the yoake and doth hinder the worke of God as much as it can I thinke cannot be throughly knowne by any nor can that little which we know by experience be explained in fit words Surely Christ Iohn 3. doth rightly compare the spirit the author of regeneration to the winde which bloweth where it listeth and whose sound is heard but men know not whence it commeth nor whether it goeth It is a thing therefore whose experience is rather to be wished then the efficacy of it to be explained There are many who while they peere into the nature of the operation of the holy-Spirit are themselues led by a reprobate spirit And while they discourse concerning the efficacy of the spirit of peace they themselues being prone to discord and puft vp with pride doe sufficiently bewray that they are led by that spirit which doth effectually worke in the sonnes of rebellion Ephes 2. These things although they be thus and that it be safer to follow God calling then to enquire by what power he doth call and draw vs yet the obstinate rashnesse of those men with whom wee haue to doe compelleth vs to descend to these things For these innouators haue drawne out of the puddles of the spanish Iesuites I know not what words of resistability and vnresistability with which they entangle mens wits The scope whereof is to furnish the will of man with powers wherewith he may resist the Holy-Ghost with how great efficacy soeuer hee should worke in mens hearts that by this meanes man might owe his conuersion to his owne strength and power and the confidence of our saluation resting on a weake supporter might stagger and fall into desparation The words of Arnoldus against Tilenus are direct pag. 125. Collat Hag pag. 304. Negat propositum Deo decretumque esse absolute hunc vel â—lum conuertere Armin. in Perk. 199. Falsum est Deum simpliciter absolute velle vt alij credant perseuerent c Quâ—st Artiâ— Remâ—nst iâ— Collat. Hag. Modus operatiâ—nis graâ—â—â—â— non est resistibilis We deny that the difference of Grace calling is not placed as much in the free will of men as in the will of God And they all affirme with one mouth that God doth not absolutely will that this or that man should beleeue but that hee indeede doth giue sufficient grace and power of beleeuing which man may vse or not vse according to his owne free-will And that grace and the power of the holy Ghost working in the heart is resistable euen in the most holy men and in the elect and that the finall effect thereof may be hindred by man Whence they gather that those who are elected may be reprobated Indeede say they the power of beleeuing is giuen vnresistably and the vnderstanding is so instructed in knowledge and the affections stirred vp that it cannot be resisted but they contend that the act of beleeuing it selfe is giuen resistably and that it is in the power of free-will to vse grace or not to vse it to beleeue or not to beleeue For they doe not thinke that the liberty of free-will can stand vnlesse he that is elected may sinally resist grace and so be reprobated Arnoldus against Bogermannus pag. 263. and 274. All the operations of grace being granted which God doth vse to the working of conuersion in vs yet conuersion it selfe doth so remaine free in our power that we may not be conuerted that is we may conuert or not conuert our selues For they teach that the effect of grace doth depend on mans free-will and that free-will is a part-cause of our conuersion in so much that Greuinchouius against Ames Greuinch pag. 198. 204. 208 297. is bold to write these things You will say that in this manner of operation God doth on a sort depend on the will of man I grant it as concerning the act of free determination Truely this is to disgrace God and to make him subiect to mans free-will Nor doe they doubt to say that God seriously desiring that this or that man should be saued is disappointed of his wish and desire and that therefore hee doth grieue and beare it heauily and doth not doe that which hee had sworne he would doe as before we haue proued Euen with these shores doe these good men vnderproppe Christian faith being about to fall And the manner whereby the grace of God and his Spirit doth worke in vs they determine to be this They say that the vnderstanding of man is vnresistably enlightned Câ—â—lat Hag. p. 272. Illuminatâ—â—mint ellectus 〈…〉 p. â—6 and that his affections are vnresistably stirred vp but the assent of the will doth remaine free The same men thinke that God doth vnresistably giue to man the power of beleeuing of conuerting himselfe but the act it selfe of beleeuing and conuerting himselfe may be done or hindred by mans will and that the feeling is vnresistibly giuen but not the assent For they say that there is in the will an essentiall indifferency and indetermination to receiue or refuse grace and as being put in an equall ballance doth turne to neither part for it lost no spirituall gifts by the fall of Adam because it had not these gifts before the fall The conferrers at the Hage pag. 307. Although it is to be determined that the infusion of abilityes is done by an vnresistible power that the matter become not infinite yet it cannot come to passe that the act it selfe that is to beleeue and be conuerted should be wrought vnresistibly And they doe plainely deny that actuall faith and the act of beleeuing is the gift of God For although they doe sometimes make shew of this and doe thunder out with full mouthes that faith is from God yet in the whole thred of their disputation they doe openly bewray that they are verry farre from that opinion For they deny that faith is iufused by God into the hearts of men but that God