judgements are of such a nature that they are least felt where they are most suffered And as he opposeth this so doth he impugne the doctrine of Gods word concerning the impotency that is found in all to beleeve to repent untill God be pleased to cure that infidelitie and impaenitency which by propagation of nature is derived unto us all and made as naturall unto us as flesh and bone As where it is sayd that men cannot beleeve cannot repent they that are in the flesh cannot please God That the naturall man perceaves not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes unto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned that the affection of the flesh is enmitie against God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be That we are all naturally dead in sinne and that our raysing therehence is no lesse worke then regeneration or new birth All this he setts himself purposely to oppose and that in a vile manner by base insinuations to undermine this doctrine rather then by any just argument to overthrow it But when we deale about the reformation of such a one we will pray unto God to accept our endeavours and to shew his power in making his word in our mouths powerfull as to the convicting of his sinne so to the humbling of him and bringing him acquainted with the Spirit of bondage to make him feare and that he may be pricked in the heart as the Iewes were when by Peters Sermon the Lord brought their horrible sinne close home unto them in crucifying the Sonne of God If so be he may finde sinn to be as an heavy burthen unto him and cry out unto us to minister a word of comfort unto his weary soule and in this case we will be â—old to apply unto him the comforts of God in Christ because our Saviour calls unto him all such as labour are heavy laden promising that he will ease them Yet if we doe exhort him to pray it followeth not that this exhortation is in vaine no more then exhortation to Infidels is in vaine when we exhort them to faith in Christ. For albeit neyther the one nor the other can be performed without grace Yet upon our exhortation God can worke this grace in him if it please him Many come to Church with a profane heart yet in the hearing of it it pleaseth God to convert some of them and Ekron may be as the Iebusite and God is able to turne Lebanon into Carmel and to make the most wast places finitefull even as the garden of the Lord. And Saul was converted in his heate and furious persecution of the Church of God God can convert not only aversas à vera fide but adversas verae fidei voluntates ex nolentibus volentes facere and that omnipotente facilitate as Austin hath observed It is untrue that grace workes a man to pray in such sort as to make it impossible for him not to pray for that were not to worke him to pray freely Vpon supposition that God by his Spirite doth worke a man to pray it is impossible he shoulde not pray but how contingently and freely So that impossibilitie is not simply an impossibilitie but only secundum quid and joyned with a possibilitie simply so called to the contrary Otherwise it could not be done contingently and freely For to produce a thing contingently is to produce it with a possibility to the contrary and to worke this or that freely is so to worke this or that as joyned with an active power eyther to forbeare and suspend the action or to produce a contrary operation And thus Aquinas most learnedly sheweth how that the efficacious will of God is the cause why both necessary things come to passe necessarily and contingent and free things contingently and freely and accordingly he hath ordeyned different second causes some working necessarily others working contingently freely But this is more it seemes then this Author hath hitherto beene acquainted with And as he hath exercised his Provinciall witt in opposing the doctrine of Gods word in the most untheologicall manner that I thinke was ever knowne to the world so I wish he would keepe his course and shew as little scholasticalitie in refuting Aquinas also in this particular And albeit God gives him not grace to mocke him yet the dutie of prayer doth no lesse oâ—lige man then any other duetie seing God gave this grace to us all in Adam and in Adam we all have sinned and by that sinne our nature is become bankrupt of grace untill God in mercy and for his sons sake be pleased to have compassion upon us to restore it But he is master of his owne times and bestowes this grace on some sooner on others later on some not at all When God sent Ezechiel to his people it seemes by that we read Ezechi 2.3.4.5 he sent him not to better them but that they might not say they had no Prophet among thâ—m and to cuâ— of that excuse yet I hope this Author is not in such a measure obduâ—ate as to say there was any such confusion in Ezechiels doctrine as here he chargeth upon ours which yet is merely according to his owne shapinge and with what felicitie he hath succeeded in this aâ—tâ—fice of his I have endeavaured to make it appeare unto the indifferent and unpartiall Reader We teache that no man can have evidence of his reprobation but by finall impenitency or by committing the sinne against the holy Ghost and in eyther of these cases there is just cause of despayre to Pelagius himselfe how much more to his disciples that oppose the grace of God after the truth therof is in such sort cleered let them looke unto it whether not against the voyce and light of their owne conscience As for securitie can the feare of God open a way therunto or doe we maynteyne any other perseverance in the state of grace then by the feare of God according to that Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me To the question in what state David had bene had he dyed in his adultery he tells us of an answeare which is usually made by the Synodists as he saith namely that it was impossible for David to have dyed before he had repented because that after this he was to begett a sonne from whom the Messias must descend But who these Syndodists be whether of Dort or of Arles he mâ—ntions not much lesse the place where As for the Synod of Arles I never heard of it but by this manuscript In the Acts of the Synod of Dort I have beene something versed but I have not mett with this answer there nor ever heard of it before I read it in this Pamphlet And to my judgement it is imperfect in two particulars neyther of which this Author takes notice of the one is in altering the
one hayre of his head he might well prescribe the time and houre of his conversion But seeing it is Gods worke alone to circumcise our heartes Deut. 30.6 to take away the stony heart and give us an heart of flesh and put his owne spirit within us Ezech. 36 27. to quicken us when we are dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.15 Surely it belongs to God alone to prescribe the time and houre when a man shall be converted And accordingly our Saviour gives us to understand that some are called at the first houre of the day some at the third some not untill the last And the Apostle exhorts Timothy in effect by his meeke cariage to wayte when God will give them repentance that are without that so they may acknowledge his truth and come out of the snare of the devill by whom they are led captive to doe his will 2. Tim. 2. last And albeit men are living as beasts why should they be thought to have any more power to rayse themselves or quicken themselves unto life spirituall then a dead man hath to quicken himself to life naturall Now that men are dead in sinne the scripture teacheth evidently and that the worke of conversion is called regeneration but the Scriptures are a strange Language to these Arminians They are diserti lingua sua And they discourse amongst Christians as if they should discourse among Cannibals Yet there is a difference betweene him that is dead naturally and him that is dead spiritually For he that is dead naturally can performe no naturall action at all but he that is dead only spiritually is able enough to perform any action naturall And some naturall actions are required without which a man cannot be converted As for Example it is requisite a man should be acquainted with Gods word which alone is the ordinary means whereby the Spirit workes in mans conversion Now it is in the power of man to heare the word And albeit he cannot hearken unto it in a gracious manner pleasing unto God yet shall not that hinder the efficacy of Gods word if God be pleased to shew mercy on him No though he comes to the hearing of it with a wicked minde As they that came to take Christ Iohn 7. yet when they heard him were taken by him and returned without him saying Never man spake as this man speaketh So is it in the power of a man to reade the word Now suppose he exercise this power and that with a minde averse from it yet may this word proove a word of power to the changing of his heart As Vergetius tooke Melanthons writings to reade with a purpose to confute them yet in the reading himself was confuted by them and this was a meanes of hâ—s conversion from Popery to the Protestant confession This Author discourseth in such sort as if the power of God to quicken a man though 4 dayes dead and stinking in the grave as Lazarus were taken up in his mouth in scorne For such is the manner and strengâ—h of his discourse in the most hungry fashion that ever I thinke proceeded from a reasonable man Our Saviour hath given us to understand that some are not called till the last houre we have an example of it in the thiefe upon the crosse If God hath not giveÌ„ him as yet the grace to cry Abba Father that Spirit of adoption requiring a spirit of bondage to precede it Rom. 8.15 Yet this houre and that by our admoniâ—ion and conviction of his sinnes God may humble him and make him feare and thereby prepare him to the Spirit of adoption For his word is as a fire as an hammat that breaketh the bones the Infidell findes this by good experience when hearing one prophecy he is rebuked of all judged of all the thoughts of his heart are made manifest and he falls downe on his face and confesseth thaâ— God is in his ministers of a truth 1. Cor. 14.24 The Iewes did finde this power of the word when hearing Peter discoursing how God made him both Lord and Christ whom they had crucified they were pricked in their hearts and sayd Men and Bretheren what shall we doe Act. 2. When in the course of his histrionicall fictions he feignes his Factor not daring to endeavour to doe well He supposeth and insinuateth that he would endeavour it but dares not for his hatred to the Arminian doctrine which is nothing answerable to our doctrine who deny that there is any such will in a carnall man We say the maine reformation of man consists in the change of the will from evill to good we know that God accepteth the will for the deede And the Saints of God commend themselves in this manner unto God We that desire to feare thy name Nehem. 1. And the desire of our hearts is towards thy name Esa. 26. And we desire to live honestly Heb. 13. And Austin mainteynes as I remember that the Saints of God no otherwise fullfill the Law of God then desiderio conatu And albeit this Author at pleasure feigneth his prolocutor to embrace our Tenets yet if he be but a carnall Christian he cannot embrace them or any doctrine of faith Fide vera infusa but onely fide acquisita Yet againe it is in the power of any man not onely to desire and endeavour to doe well but also to doe indeed quoad exteriorem vitae emendationem All the morall vertues as they were found in Heathen men so are they atteynable by a naturall man For even Heathens were famous and renowned some of them not onely for their good rules but for their vertuous practise of moralitie which yet nothing hindered Austin from passing his censure upon their best actions professing them to be no better then splendida peccata and for a rule of direction to judge aright herein he tells us non officijs sed finibus discernendas esse virtutes And therefore there is no cause of so superficiary a conceyte forged in this Authors braines as if endeavours to such moralitie should any way obscure the prerogative of Gods grace as only effectuall to the working of that which is pleasing in the sight of God Such moralitie shall nothing at all commend the will for any goodnesse in the sight of God any more thâ—n Socrates or Plato or Aristides their moralitie did though their damnation shal be farre lesse then the damnation of such who among the Heathens have bene given to a debaucht life and conversation Good motions undoubtedly God can rayse by his Spirit in the heart of the most wicked in the Church of God but like as the devills suggestions are not our fault if we resist them so such good motions of God doe nothing commend us in the sight of God if we doe not give way unto them but rather one day rise up in judgment against us to our greater and more inexcusable condemnation But that a carnall man is here brought-in conceyted
state of the supposition without shewing cause why the supposition is unlawfull yet such an answer was made by King Iames to D. Overall his interposition in the Conference of Hamton Court as I receaved from the mouth of one that was an Agent in that Conference the other is in feigning that David must begett a sone after his repentance from whom the Messias should descend for which fiction I know no ground But as for this Authors exception that is very vaine and frivolous for certeynly they that make this answer meant not to accommodate it to any other then to the particular of David on whose part there might be a particular reason of his repentance besides the generall ground which is common unto all As for the argument it self I finde it in Arminius in the Theses he wrote ad Hippolytum de collibus And I know how our English Arminians doe glory in it but I answer that the supposition is most unjust dividing two decrees of God which he hath conjoyned in which case no merveyl if absurdities follow upon such wild suppositions more then enough For in case God hath ordeyned both that no sinn shall cast a regenerate person out of the state of grace and neverthelesse that no sinn shall be pardoned without repentance in this case that a man may be saved he must not only continue in the state of grace but repent also so that upon this feigned supposition it followes not that David dying in the sinnne of adultery unrepented shall dye out of the state of grace onely it followeth that notwithstanding his dying in the state of grace he shall be damned to witt by our wilde suppositon this would follow not by any ordinance or constitution of God Yet how can he dye in impenitency that hath the Spirit of repentance in him though upon the fiction here represented repentance actuall is not exercised The case is all one of any sinne upon this supposition vules they will deny every sinne to be mortall And to compare this argument of theirs with an argumeÌ„t of ours to the contrary what a worthy act was that of Abrahams in sacrificing his sonne of the Martyrs in sacrificing theÌ„selves Nay put all the heroically vertuous and religious acts together that have bene at any time performed by the Saincts of God and suppose them to have bene performed by one child of God yet coulde not this roote out the fleshe that is the part unregenerate How improbable is it then that one act to witt of adultery is able to roote out in the childe of God the Spirit that is the part regenerate But against this doctrine that a regenerate person shall not dye in any sinne unrepented of this Author brings an argument wherin he glorieth not a litle but one of the wildest that I thinke was eveâ— knowne to the world To my thinking such a wild goose disputeâ— deserves to be sett in the Stocks in the Parvis that yong sophisters might gaze upon hâ—m as smaller birdes doe at the broad faced foule in the day time There was a time when witâ—s did flourishe in Rome and as some prooved excellente and were delivered of materiall expressions to the admiration of their hearers so others affecting applause and streyning to surmount the expectation of their Auditors sometimes dâ—scovered most absurd conceytes such Seneca censures in his declamations for corrupta and corruptissima And sometimes baâ—e floorishes were applaudâ—d by the people which Porcius Laâ—â—o observing when he came to declayme gave himselfe purposely to imitate those absurdities and once concluding an absurde gradation like unto some mountabanke orators that had bene in the place before him with this Inter sepulchra monumenta sunt and the people breakinge foorth into â—cclamation or clapping of handes therupon he leaves the prosecution of his oration and falles upon the people discovering the absurditie of that his floorishe and reproching them as Audithors of no judgment but applauding such passages as were nothing woorth but most insipidly delivered without art or witt or judgment Now let us see what good mettall there is to be found in this argumentation and whether it be not of as base an alloy as ever dropped from the mouth of a sober man And first if this were a course to prolonge a mans life what neede he affect to sinne when the corruption of his nature caryeth him to sinne in such sort more or lesse that he is driven to professe with Paul what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I and agayne I finde that when I would doe good I am thus yoked that evill is present with me For I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inner man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde leading me captive to the law of sinne Have we not dayly cause to pray unto God to pardon our sinnes both morning and eveninge yea and every houre yea and as soon as we have done our prayers to pray unto him to pardon the sinnes of weakenes that have had their course in our very prayers Abraham when he was sacrificing unto God was put to drive away the foules that fell upon his sacrifice This Gregory interprets of evill motions that have their course in us even while we are at our prayers And in Zach. 3.1 we reade how while Iehoshuah was standing before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right-hand to resist him Certeynly if the Lord should be extreame to marke what is done amisse even in our best performances we should not be able to abide it Therfore to helpe this flawe in this argument the Author makes it proceede not of sinne in generall but of mortall sinne which if it be delivered only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplificandi causa accoumpting all sinne mortall my solution stands still in full force but if it be delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguendi causa as if in his opinion all sinne were not mortall doth it become him to take that for granted which we generally impugne as an untruth in disputing against Papists Secondly will he impute unto us by way of exprobration our doctrine concerning Gods decreâ—ing all thinges and will he not suffer us to make use of it or doth he not or will he not perceave that upon this supposition his argument is of no force nay if we doe but acknowledge that God hath power to hinder any sinne it is of no force For God can hinder them from accomplishing any such vile thought that this Author very fruitfull of wild inventions feigneth and imputeth to a regenerate person Like as Ezech. 20.32 the Lord professeth that that shall not be done which came into their mindes For they sayde we will be as the heathen serve wood a stone but the Lord professeth he would rule them with a mightie hande and the issue v. 37. is this I will make you passe under the rod and bring
the libertie of mans will and not in the appetition of the ende it being naturall to a man to be caryed to the liking of his ende necessarily according to that of Aristotle Qualis quisque est ita finis apparet And doth it become these men to dictate unto us not only a new divinitie but also a new Philosophy at pleasure As for the reason here added fetched from the aeternall and efficatious decree of God this is so farre from confirming their premises as that it utterly overthrowes them and confirmeth ours For we say with Aquinas that the efficacions will of God is the cause why some things come to pasâ—e contingently and freely as well as it is the cause why other things come to passe necessarily Was the burning of the Prophets bones by Iosiah performed any whit lesse freely by him then any other action of his Oâ— the proclamation that Cyrus made for the returne of the Iewes out of the captivitie was not this as freely done by him as ought else Yet both these were praedetermined by God Nay I say more that every thing which cometh to passe in the revolution of times was decreed by God I proove by such an argument for answeare wherunto I chalenge the whole nations both of Arminians and Iesuits It cannot be denyed but God foresawe from every lastinge whatsoever in time should come to passe therfore every thinge was future froâ— everlasting otherwise God could not foresee it as future Now let us soberly inquire how these thinges which we call future came to be future being in their owne nature merely possible and indifferent as well not at all to be future as to be future Of this transmigration of things out of the condition of things merely possible such as they were of themselves into the condition of things future there must needes be some outward cause Now I demand what was the cause of this transmigration And seing nothing without the nature of God could be the cause hereof for this transmigration was from everlasting but nothing without God was everlasting therfore some thing within the nature of God must be founde fitt to be the cause herof And what may that be not the knowledge of God for that rather presupposeth things future and so knowable 〈◊〉 in the kinde of things future then makes them future Therefore it remaines that the meere decree will of God is that which makes them future If to shift off this it be said that the essence of God is the cause hereof I further demaunde whether the essence of God be the cause hereof as working necessarily or as working freely If as working necessarily then the most contingent thinges became future by necessitie of the divine nature and consequently he produceth whatsoever he produceth by necessitie of nature which is Atheisticall Therefore it remaines that the essence of God hath made them future by working freely and consequently the meere will and decree of God is the cause of the futurition of all things And why should we doubt hereof when the most foule sinnes that have beene committed in the World are in scripture phrase professed to have beene predetermined by God himself Vpon supposition of which will and decree divine we confesse it necessary that things determined by him shall come to passe but how not necessarily but either necessarily or contingently and freely to witt necessarie things necessarily contingent things and free things contingently and freely So that contingent things upon supposition of the will divine have a necessitie secundum quid but simply a contingencye and that the same thing may come to passe both necessarily secundum quid and simply in a contingent manner ought to be nothing strange to men of understanding considering that the very foreknowledge of God is sufficient to denominate the most contingent things as comming to passe necessarily secundum quid I come to the consideration of the fourth 4. As touching this Article here objected unto us we have no cause to decline the maintenance thereof but chearfully and resolutely to undergo the defense as of the truth of God clearly sett downe unto us in the word of God The illumination of the minde is compared to Gods causing light to shine out of darkenesse in the creatioÌ„ 1 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of the darknes is he which hath shined in 〈◊〉 heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ And for God to say unto Sion thou art my people is made aequivalent to the planting of the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth Es. 51.16 I have putt my wordes in thy mouth and defended thee in the shadow of my hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people Ps. 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart saith David and renewe a right spirit within me Yet was David a regenerate childe of God but when he fell into foule sinnes and sought unto God to restore him he acknowledgeth this his spirituall restitution to be a creation giving thereby to understand that the very children of God have savage lusts wild affections in them the curing mastering wherof is no lesse work then was the work of creation or making of the world 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gal. 6 1â— In Christ Iesus neyther circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Now this new creature is all one with faith working by love Gal. 5.6 For there the Apostle expresseth the comparison antitheticall in this manner In Iesus Christ neither circumcision avayleth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith working by love And Eph. 2.10 We are said to be Gods workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created in Iesus Christ marke a new creation unto good workes which he hath ordeyned that we should walke in them God made the world with a word but the new making of man cost our Saviour Christ hot water the very blood of the Sonne of God agonies in the garden agonies upon the Crosse and he must rise out of his grave to worke this The Schoolemen doe acknowledge this namely that grace is wrought in man by way of creation Otherwise how could it be accoumpted supernaturall And as for the power whereby God raiseth the dead It is expressely said Col. 2.12 that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who raised Christ from the dead whereupon Cornelius de Lapide acknowledgeth that faith is wrought by the same power wherby God raysed Christ from the dead And Eph. 1 19. the Apostle tells us of the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power towards us which beleeve adding that this is according to his mightie power which he wrought in Christ whom he raysed from the dead And therefore most congruously doth the Apostle take into consideration that worke
of God in raysing Christ when he prayeth for the Hebrewes that God would make them perfect to every good worke working in them that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ Heb. 30.20.21 The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great sheapheard of the sheepe through the blood of the everlasting covenant Make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will c. It is called the worke of faith in power 2. Thes. 1.11 And as for perseverance therin with patience the Apostle requires such a strength as is wrought by Gods glorious power Col. 1.11 2. Pet. 1.3 we are â—ayde to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator not knowing well what good sense to make of it as it lyes interprets it unto glory and vertue as if it were in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daniel Heynsius in the preface to his Aristarchus Sacer on Nonnus upon Iohn makes bold to censure this interpretation and shewes whence it proceedes to witt herupon because he knew no other signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then vertue and that in the sense as we usually take it But sayth he in the Greeke Etymologicum we finde that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion therof is as much as potentia and accordingly we are called as Saint Peter sayth by glory and power as much as to say by Gods glorious power And doth not the scripture clearly professe that God found us dead in sinne Eph. 2.1 Col. 2.13 And is not the worke it selfe called regeneration Ioh. 3. and 1. Pet. 1. and in other places Is it not a new life wrought in us we were before estranged from the life of God Eph. 4.18 now we are not And is not this life the life of faith accordâ—ng to that Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the fleshe is by faith in Christ who loved me and gave himselfe for me Austin in playne termes professeth that God converâ—eth men omnipoâ—ente facilitate therfore he used his allmightie power therin though he did it with case like as he both made the world and shall raise the dead with ease For he speake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created and in like sort the time shall come when they that are in the graves shall hâ—are the voyer of the â—one of man and shall come foorth some to the resurrection of life some to the resurrection of condemnation And power lesse then the power of God is not able to regenerate man For can an Angell regenerate man or can man regenerate himselfe and make himselfe pertaker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the divine nature Or breath the life of God the life of grace or the Spirite of God into him Consider but soberly the importance of faith that is so much slighted by this generation Consider it aâ— touching the object therof and the things believed consider it as touching the forme of it and the confidence of the creature â—n his creator and judge indifferently whether any created power can suffice to create faith in man The thinges believed are the mystery of the Trinitie the incarnation of the Sonne of God God manifested in the flesh and to what end that his soule might be made an offering for sinne the just dye for the unjust that so God might justifie the ungodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. What wisedome is there in this by the judgment of flesh and blood Are not these thinges of God foolishnes to the naturall man 1. Cor. 2 14. then the resurrection of the dead the aeternall judgment the powers of the world to come what reason can draw a naturall man to the embracing of these Then as touching our confidence in God and dependance upon him according to these mysteries Is it in the power of nature a man should be brought to repose the fortunes of his salvation upon a crucified God which was a scandall to the Iewes foolishnes to the Gentiles but to us that are saved it is the very power of God and wisedome of God For a sinner to be assured that God is his Father in Christ and receaveth us unto him as sonnes and daughters and if sonnes then heyres allso even heyres of God and heyres annext with Iesus Christ. To say with Iob Though he kill me yet will I put my trust in him not only mangre his judgments by which he fights against us causing his arrowes to stâ—ckâ— fast in us and the venome therof to drinke up our Spirits but allso in despight of our owne sinns wherby the best provoke him too oft even the eyes of his glory Yet these disputers would not have it thought that they denyed faith to be the woorke of God but they have come so farre as to deny in expresse termes that Christ merited eyther faith or regeneration for any Censura Censurae â— 59. A time may come for them to open their mouths 〈◊〉 litle wider deal plainly openly profes that faith is meerly the worke of man not the worke of God But as yet they thinke it not seasonable to divulge this mystery of State They praetend acknowledgement that it is the gift of God only they will have it wrought in such a manner that man may reject it and they reproach us for saying that they to whom God giveth his grace are not able to reject it Forsooth they will have God to work faith in a man no otherwise then by way of suasion For Arminius professeth that there are but two wayes whereby God workes upon the will the one as he expresseth it is per modum naturae the other secundum modum voluntatis libertatis ejus The former he calleth a Physicall impulsion the latter he sayth may fitly be called suasion By the former operation the effect comes to passe necessarily and this they cannot brook So that it remaines that Gods operatioÌ„ in bestowing faith is only by way of suasion Now here they dash themselves upon a rock of manifest heterodoxy even in Philosophy For he that persuades workes immediately upon the understanding representing the object whereunto he persuades in the most alluring manner that he can Suadens agit sayth Bâ—llarmine per modum proponentis objectum And consequently leaves it to the object thus sett forth to worke upon the will Now the object works only in genere causae finalis not in genere causae effiâ—ientis And the end is well knowne to moove only motu metaphorice dicto not vero motu herehence it follows that God while he persuades only is no efficient cause at all of faith which indeede is the most genuine doctrine of these divines though they are loath the world should know so much Secondly observe their language more narrowly here is mention of Gods giving grace yet so as they to whom he gives it are able to reject it and withall that this abilitie is very often
exercised in such sort that albeit God gives it yet they to whom he gives it doe reject it Now this may be understood two wayes as namely that after God hath given it and they receaved it they doe reject it or that they so reject it as not at all receaving it The first sense includes a sober notion though the truth of it may be questioned But in that sense it belongs to the next Article but in the latter sense only it belongs to this present Article Now say I in 〈◊〉 this sense there is no sobriety For it mainteynes some thing to be given which is not at all receaved which is clearly non sense and no merveyl if in opposing Gods grace they cary themselves as destitute of common sense A thing may be offered and rejected but that cannot with sobriety be said to be given which is not receaved Especially of gifts given to the soule For a gift given to the soule must eyther be a qualitie permanent or an act immanent both which are inhaerent in the soule and unlesse they are made inhaerent in it and the latter also produced by it cannot be said â—o be given unto the soule As for example the praesent quaestion is of producing faith in the soule of man Now this may be understood either of the habite qualitie of faith or of the act of faith but neither of these can be said to be given unlesse the one be made the qualitie of the soule and the other the act of the soule Which supposed they are not rejected nor can be rejected in such sort as not at all to be receaved And this inconvenience the Author seemes to have beene sensible of and accordingly desirous to avoyde and therefore observe in the third place he doth not say that they to whom God giveth faith are able to and accordingly some times doe reject it according to our opinion which would imply that in his opinion though God gives faith to men yet they to whom he gives it doe sometimes reject it But he makes our doctrine to be this that to whom God gives his grace they are able to and accordingly sometimes doe reject implying thereby that the grace which God gives man may be and is sometimes rejected And indeed this grace being not faith it selfe but an opeâ—ation tending thereunto and that no other then suasion this may in a good sense be said to be rejected though it be both given by God and receaved by man though the like cannot be said of faith which is not receaved but by beleeving and unles it be thus receaved by man it cannot be said to be given by God In like sort if God exhort a man to faith it cannot be said that that man is not exhorted thereunto and therefore to whom God gives exhortation it cannot be but that the exhortation given be receaved so farre forth as the man is justly said to have beene exhorted thereunto But besides the receaving of suasion and exhortation in this sense which cannot possibly be denyed wheresoever it is given there is another sense hereof namely of receaving it so as to obey it and yeelde unto it And in this sense we confesse that the grace of suasion and exhortation though it be made by God yet may it be rejected by man for though it cannot be denyed but he hath receaved it so farre foorth as wherby he hath heard it which is sufficient to denominate him a man exhorted unto faith yet he hath not receaved it in such sort as to embrace it and obey it And upon this ambiguitie of sense and aequivocation doe these impostors proceede first willingly cheating themselves their affections being possessed with a love of errour which will allwayes to use the judgment from the truth and afterwards labouring to cheate others as many as doe not discerne their juglinge Now we clearely professe that like as in case the Sunne doth inlighten the world it is not possible but that the world should be inlighteyed so if God inlighten mens mindes the minde cannot choose but be inlightened For the understanding is a power naturall not free And consequently if God make it appeare to a Christian soule that God is his summum bonum not only summum bonum but his summum bonum it is not possible but he shoulde be inlightned with this light of his loving countenance which is called in scripture the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. last and it is signified to be the glory of his grace appearing in Christ Ioh. 1.14 which we are sayde to behold in Christ with open face 2. Cor. 3. last Agayne this glory of Gods grace appearing unto us as our chiefest good it is not possible but we should love it For we love him because he loved us first 1. Ioh. 4.19 our wills should be fixed upoÌ„ him as on our supreame ende For the libertie of the will consistes not in appetitione finis but onely in electione mediorum which is a rule of Schooles acknowledged by Aristotle and receaved generally without controll sealed unto us by the light of nature And accordingly we are sayd by the very beholding of the glory of the Lord with open face to be transformed into the same image what is that but the image of Christ as by the Lord there Christ is meant in whom appeares the glory of Gods grace and of his love to man and that hath two parts the one Christ crucified the other Christ raysed from the dead and ascended into heaven and there sitting at the right hand of God to make requests for us And our transformation into this image is our regeneration consisting in mortification which is a conformity to Christs death and vivication which is a conformity to Christs resurrection thus we feele the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his passions Phil. 3.10 And in this worke of regeneration consisting in the illumination of our minde and renovation of our affections we are meerely passive and so changed as to discerne our chiefest good and to have our heart sett upon it as upon our ende all which is naturall not free Freedome having place onely in the election of meanes unto our ende wherein we faile often partly through weaknesse of judgemeÌ„t partly through perversnesse of our affections For we are regenerate but in part both darknes in part possesseth the understanding in our hearts and affections there is a principle of the flesh which inclines inordinately to the creature as well as a principle of the Spirit which inclines to God our creator And whereas in the last place it is said that the Reprobates cannot obtaine this grace of God although it be offered them in the Gospell this eyther hath no sobriety or being brought to a sober sense is utterly untrue And nothing but the ambiguous notion of grace serves their turne and gives them libertie to prate they knowe not what For as for faith it selfe that is not
not believinge Therfore if a quaestion be made why the wicked doe not this or that which is good his answeare is quia nolunt but sayth he if you further demaund Quare nolunt Imus in lâ—gum sayth Austin yet without prejudice to a more diligent inquisition of the truth I answere sayth the same divine that the reason is eyther because it appeares not unto them what it is or appearing what it is yet it doth not delight them Sed ut innotescat quòd latebat suave fiat quod minime delectabat gratiae Dei est quae humanas adjuvat voluntates But to prosecute this argument farther then this Author dreames of we say there are but three sorts of supernaturall acts and they are eyther faith devine or hope devine or charitie divine all other acts are naturall and performable by a naturall man whether they be the acts of all morall vertues or an â—xterior conformitie to the meanes of grace wherby it comes to passe that some doe proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem but none of these acts are acceptable with God unles they proceede from and are rightly qualified by those three theologicall vertues faith hope and love all which are divine and supernaturall the love of God being such as is joyned with the contempt of our selfes as for faith and hope it appears how supernaturall they are by the supernaturall condition of theire objects Now suppose that a man were so exact both in naturall moralitie and in an outward conformitie to the meanes of grace as not to fayle in any particular as he hath power to performe any particular hereof naturally in this case I say if there were any such he shoulde be in the same case with those that are guilty of no sinne but sinne originall which yet the word of God teacheth us to be sufficient to make all men to be borne children of wrath though as Austin speaketh their poena be omnium mitissima and that such perhaps for so as remember he proposeth it ut mallent paenamillam subire quam non esse As for the necessitie of sinning which he saith God hath imposed upon them Corvinus confesseth that all men by the sinne of Adam are conjecti in necessitatem peccandi and that out of the opinion of Arminius his wordes are these Fatetur Arminius hominem sub statu peccati necessariò peccare nisi Deus istam necessitatem gratiose tollat And this he calls a litle after necessitatem peccandi But yet to cleare this necessitie which he doth not we doe not say that any man sinnes any particular sinne as the sinne of lying whoring swearing stealing necessarily for undoubtedly it is in the power of man to absteyne from any of these but this we say whatsoever they doe they sinne in some sort or other whether they committ fornication or whether they absteyne from fornication or from any other act forbidden in as much as they doe not absteyne from it in a gracious manner and acceptable unto God For they that are in the flesh cannot please God as in not absteyning from it for Gods sake in conscience of his word in reference to his glory out of the sence of his love towards them in Christ in acknowledgment that all power of doing things pleasing in his sight proceedes from him c. As for the imposing of this necessitie of sinning upon man When a man by defiling his body through incontinency bringes some filthy disease upon him which he propagates to his posteritie shall we say God imposeth this disease upon him and his though it cannot be denyed but even the course of nature is the worke of God in the like sort when Adam by sinning against God corrupted his owne nature and therewithall his whole posterity shall we lay the blame of this on God and call him the imposer of it and not on Adam yea on our selves who sinned in Adam as the Holy Ghost teacheth us to speake We speake plainly in saying that the love of God to the contempt of our selves is not naturall to any man unlesse he be indued with the Spirit of God but Adam was created and we in him in the state of grace and indued with the Spirit of God by vertue whereof the soule of man was fixed upon God as upon his end to enjoy him and to use all other things even our selves and all for him and in reference to his glory But whan man by the practise of Satan circumvented did voluntarily avert himself from God and converted himself first inordinately to the love of himself and then to the eating of the forbidden fruite for the acquiring of a state of better perfection It was just with God to withdraw his Spirit from him and leave him in that condition wherein he found him that is averted from God as his end and convert to the love of himself and to the creature â—o use not for Gods sake but for his owne sake and for the satisfying of his owne lusts 1. Thus were we all in Adam averted from the love of God to the contempt of our selves unto the love of our selves joyned with the contempt of God and consequently in an inordinate manner converted to the creature which is the originall corruption wherein we are all borne bereaved and that justly of the Spirit of God Wherefore let us not blaspheme God and blame him as the imposer of this necessity upon us but blame our selues as the corrupters of our selves Or at least if we cannot concoct this yet let us deale plainly and deny originall sinne and give Paul the lye to his face in saying we were all boâ—ne children of wrath Yet know and consider that Gods power in thus abandoning all mankinde for their sinne 〈◊〉 Adam is farre inferior to that power he shewed in cruciating his owne Sonne his most innocent and holy Sonne in making his soule an offering for our sinne And that God hath power not only to annihilate the holiest which is without all question but to inflict upon him any payne Medina is bolde to professe Ex concordi omnâ—um Theologorum Sententia And Vasques the Iesuite acknowledgeth as much though herein they say he should not cary himself as Iudex but as Dominus vitae mortis What that Zanchy is who is here mentioned as one of the principall Doctors of that Synod of Arles for so I presume is his meaning and not of the Synod of Dort I know not but had he alleaged the booke and quoted the place I would have returned my answer thereunto and shall be ready to doe as much as soone as I shall be made acquainted with the particulars out of the Author Zanchy himself It is as cleare as the Sunne that God in his word makes himself the lover of Iacob and the hater of Esau before they were borne and that as the Potter at his pleasure makes of the same lumpe vessells some to honour some to dishonour so God
Lord and I have good cause to take comfort in this But it is untâ—ue that God hath as much willed the treason of Iudas as the conversion of Paul though Bellarmine hath so calumnated us longe agoe For albeit the treason of Iudas in betraying his mayster is one of the thinges meant by the Apostle which Iewes and Gentiles did against the holy Sonne of God and which they say were foredetermined by the hand and counsell of God And Austin is bolde to professe that Iudaâ— electus est ad prodendum sanguinem Dominisui notwithstanding which as another Father speaketh etiam Iudas potuisset consequi remedium si non festinasset ad laqueum yet there is a vast difference betweene Gods willing Iudas his treason and Pauls conversion For as for Iudas his treason his will was that should come to passe onely by Gods permission And Arminius is bold to profes that Voluit Deus Achabum mâ—nsuram scelerum implere but as for Pauls conversion that was not only willed by God but wrought by God and that in an extraordinary manner appearing unto him in the way and striking him downe with a light from heaven so with a strong hand taking him off from his persecuting courses when Ferox scelerum quia primò provenerat and flesht in the blood of Steven Iehu like he maâ—ched fuâ—iously against the Church of God As for no power in man to retain grace when God will take it away First where man is found willing to reteyne grace I know no just cause to complaine of the want of power for this And where there is no will to reteyne it I see no likelyhood that any man should complaine of want of power to reteyne it Yet like as man is not Lord of his owne Spirit nor able to reteyne it so I wonder it should seeme strange that men should have no power to reteyne the Spirit of God in case God should withdraw it from them And as for grace of sanctification which God should take away from man we know none as who mainteyn that God will deliver his children from every evill work and preserve them unto his heavenly Kingdom and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation That the Spirit bloweth where it listeth is the doctrine of our Saviour to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. That God inspireth whom he will with the Spirit of faith repentance we take to be all one with that Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will And accordingly he denyes this inspiration to whom he will as much as to say He hardeneth whom he will But as for any actuall withdrawing of the Spirit of sanctification we acknowledge not It is true even his owne Servants he hardneth sometimes against his feare as the Scripture speaketh Esa. 63.17 Whereupon their peace of conscience is disturbed and they have cause to pray unto God to restore them to the joye of his salvation Psal. 51. as David there did But David did not pray that God would restore him to his Spirit but rather that he would not take it from him And Bertius professeth that he will not say that David by those foule sinnes of his was wholy bereaved of Gods Spirit and that propter graves causas As for Gods permission of men to sinne for their amendment Arminius himself acknowledgeth in effect in the particular case of David His words are these Permisit Deus ut ille in negligentiam istud incideret peccatum istud illa occasione perpetraret quò diligentiùs seipsum observaret peccatum suum exemplo aliorum deflerâ—â— egregium humilitatis resipiscentiaeque specimen Exemplar praestaret gloriosiùs ex peccato resurgeret As for the impossibilitie to withstand Gods operation the Scripture doth expressely justifie Eze. 20.32.33.37 Neyther shall that be done which commeth into your minde For ye say we will be as the Heathen as the families of the countries and serve wood and stone As I live sayth the Lord God I will surely rule you with a mightie hand a stretched our arme c. And the issue followeth which is this I will cause you to passe under the rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant Yet what is the issue of this impossibilitie Is it only in respect of the thing which God will bring to passe as these Arminians most superficially conceave and not as well in respect of the manner how it shall come to passe Nothing lesse but as God will have it come to passe and come to passe contingently and voluntarily and freely So it is impossible upon this supposition but that it shall come to passe but how not necessarily but contingently voluntarily and freely And as it thus comes to passe and no otherwise when the time which God hath appointed is come So before that time it shall not come to passe but how contingently also and voluntarilly and freely and impossible it is that it should be otherwise The second Section THat it is not for him to prescribe the time and houre of his conversion wherein a living man doth no more then a dead man in his resurrection That God is able to quicken him endue him with his Spirit though he were allready dead 4 dayes as stinking in the grave as Lazarus yea and that perhaps it shall not be untill the last houre of the day That as yet God giveth him not the grace to cry Abba Father That he so abhorreth the doctrine of those that are stiled Arminians that he dares not use the least endeavour to doe well for feare of obscuring that grace which worketh irresisâ—ibly and attributing of any thing â—o the will of man Yet he remembreth that he had sometimes good motions proceeding doubtlesse from the spirit of God which hath given him the true faith which can never faile and that for the present he is like the Trees in Winter which seem dead though they are alive That being of the number of the Elect as every one is bound to beleeve by the two Synods if he will not be declared perjured by that at Arles his sinne it self how enormous soever worketh together to his salvation yea and that he hath allready obteyned pardon for it That his Censurer cannot deny it seeing that he instructeth him unto repentance which is nothing worth without faith no more then faith it self if it beleeve not the remission of all sinns both done and to be done And though he were of the number of the Reprobates a thing which he will not affirme for â—â—are of being so held indeed by the Synod yet notwithstanding his Censurer would gayne nothing by it who by his exhortings and threatnings could not any way alter the decree of Heaven but onely molest him with the torments of Hell and stirre up a wâ—rme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Consid. Were it in the power of man to change his owne heart who is not able to change
he believes the remission of his sinnes But this consequence agayne we utterly deny we suppose not any such faith in him nay we have it rather most probable that in case of his debaucht course of life and conversation that such a one hath no true faith at all For if the Apostle exhorts such as the Corinthians were to proove and examine themselves whether they were in the faith writing to the best of them why shoulde we conceave a wicked person that lives in manifest profanenesse and uncleanes to have any true faith at all Perhaps he may reply why then doe you exhort him to repentance seing without faith he cannot repent I answere why did Peter exhort the Iewes to repentance who had killed the Lord of life as he tells them Act. 3.14.15 and desired a murtherer to be given them But saith he v. 18. those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath thus fulfilled Amend your lives therfore and turn that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Did Peter suppose them to have any faith in Christ when thus he exhorted them to amendment Surely he did not and no more doe wee but by Peters ministery God might be pleased to worke them both to faith and to repentance so he did for many that heard the word believed and the number was about 5000 and the like he may and doth usually worke by our ministery allso Then agayne there is a legall repentance and there is an Evangelicall repentance And that legall repentance may be unto desperation as Iudas his repentance was Agayne that legall repentance may be a fruite of the Spirit of bondage which praepares for the hearing of the Gospell and for the receaving of the Spirit of adoption by the Gospell Then in the preaching of the Gospell the tender mercies of God displayed unto us and how ready he is to pardon sinne in generall and that of free grace may better our repentance and when we are thus by degrees brought to the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father then our repentance shall be most perfect as before I sayde and when we looke upon him whom we have pearced and can in assurance of faith professe with the Apostle saying I live by faith in him who loved me and gave himselfe for me this is of power to pricke a Master veyne and make us bleede out our repentance in the sight of our gracious God whom we have offended and who yet in despight of our sinnes hath loved us more devoutly and affectionately then ever before Yet is it true as he saith that repentance is nothing worth without faith What thinkes he of Ahabs repentance when he put on sackcloth and wallowed in ashes upon the word of judgment against his house brought unto him by the Prophet Eliah Doe we not know what the Lord sayde herupon unto Eliah seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring that evill in his dayes The uttermost of the Ninivites faith was but this that we reade of who can tell if God will turne and repent turne from his feirce wrath that we perish not yet their repentance was such that when God sawe their workes that they turned from their evill wayes he repented of the evill that he had sayde that he woulde doe unto them and he did it not Ion. 3.9.10 And certienly the moralitie of some Heathens was such that their damnation will be easier then the damnation of those that lived in all manner of impuritie and vncleanes By faith we say the children of God are assured of the love of God towards them which was aeternall and is unchangeable and consequently that God will never forsake them but will from time to time pardon their sinnes according to that faith of Paul The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom 2. Tim. 4.18 And no other faith of remission of sinnes doe we teach or any of our divines that I know and this Author foreseing it likely enough that his Synodicall adversary will except against such a ones election much more against his effectual vocation who walkes not after the Spirit but after the fleshe yet to shewe his confidence of holding to hard-meate his wilde adversary being in some degree wilder himselfe though he were sayth he of the number of reprobates yet his censurer shoulde gayne nothing by it for as much as his exhortations and threanings coulde not any way alter the decree of heaven but only molest him with the torments of hell and stirre up a worme in his conscience to gnawe him to no purpose Wherto I answere that by our doctrine as we have no encouragement to conceave such a person as here is brought in to play the part appointed for him and wherto this Author promts him to be an elect of God so neyther have we any reason to conceave him to be a reprobate for as much as there neyther is nor can be any ordinary evidence of any mans reprobation but eyther finall impaenitency or guiltines of sinning against the holy Ghost So that albeit where we observe the worke of a mans faith the labour of his love the patience of his hope we have good reason to conceave of such a one that he is an elect of God as Paul did of the Thessalonians 1. Thes. 1 3.4 Yet where we finde these to be wanting and a carnall walking and sensuall conversation in the steede therof we have no cause to conclude herupon that such a one is certeynly a man rejected and reprobated of God For we were carnall and sensuall before God visited us with his grace and quickned us by his holy Spirit What a strange race did Manasses runne for a long time in a most siâ—nefull course in the way of idolatry blood sorcery yet God brought him to repentance before he died Paul likewise for a time was a bloody persecutor of Gods Church yet even then was he a chosen vessell not only to be a professor but a preacher allso of that way which formerly he had opposed and persecuted even unto blood whether a man be an elect or reprobate we leave that as a secret unto God only considering that Gods long suffering is sayde to be salvation we hope the best and it is our duty to become all thinges to all men that we may save some as Paul professeth of himselfe 2. Cor. 6. and those some whose salvation he aymed at he professeth to be Gods elect 2. Tim. 2.10 wherfore we enterteyne no such thought as of altering the decrees of heaven as this Author in his scenicall imagination shapeth the matter but we endeavour therby to take him off from his ungodly courses and worke him to godly sorrowe that bringes forth salvation never to be repented of as in case he may proove to
you into the bond of the covenant Thus the Lord caryeth himselfe towards them in their first conversion and taking them off from their ungodly and wilfull courses as he tooke off Saul from his persecuting courses even then when he breathed out threats against the Saints of God and had gotten him a commission from the high Priests to goe to Damascus and bind all that called on the name of Iesus But when he hath converted them which is my third answere then he putts his feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from him so that by restrayning them from sinne and preserving the feete of his Saints he keepes them unto him not suffering such wilde thoughts as these which this Author feigneth to have place in them Fourthly that which here he fitteneth is incompetent to a naturall man that hath but any sparke of naturall ingenuitie in him For suppose a Father shall be resolved concerning a debaucht and lewde sonne never to disinherit him though he shoulde continue to the ende in his disobedient and rebellious courses if the Sonne should herupon take occasion to be the more riotous and disobedient would not the world of naturall men generally condemne such a Sonne as most unnaturall and voyde of all sparkes of common ingenuitie How much more incompetent is such a disposition to him who is ruled and governed by the Spirit of God an earthly Father being not able to change the heart of his rebellious childe but God our heavenly Father being sufficiently armed with power for this who hath gifts even for the rebellious to make them a fitt habitation for him that so the Lord God may dwell among them Fiftly albeit the Spirit of this Author should perhaps serve him to be so much in love with this temporall life as by any vile meames to prolong it as namely by committing one mortall sinne as he calls it upon the necke of another yet why shoulde he be so charitable towards us his adversaries as to thinke so well of us as he doth of himselfe and of those of his owne sect who coumpt it our duetie to endeavour to be so possessed with the love of Christ and to enjoy him as to desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ in such sort that if he shoulde give us leave to choose whether we would live Methusalehs yeares in all happines to serve him glorifie him or for the triall of our Christian faith to be burnt at a stake and as it were in a fiery charet to goe to Christ we ought to accoumpt that God doth farre more honour us in this then in the other and we have good reason to make choyse of this to suffer for him who was so well content to leave as it were the glory he had with his Father and to empty himselfe for us and to take upon him the shape of a servant and be crucified upon the crosse between two theeves that so he might overcome death and open the gate to us of everlasting life Let this Montabanke of discourse goe then and applaude himselfe for the subtiltie of his invention and sacrifice to his witt and burne incense to his artifice and cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and solace himselfe in the sport he makes amongst his consorts and make themselves merry with their Ambrosia beyond Paracelsian drugges For these are his inventions not ours manifesting withall how savoury they shoulde be to his affections but that he wants faith to embrace our doctrine And no mervaile if such as is their faith they unadvisedly declare that such like are their affections That God is not angry for ever is for substance the phrase of the Holy Ghost And it is as true of some that their worme shall never dye their fire shall never goe out and there is no greater kinde of Gods anger then that and consequently his Anger shall never end towards them and if we devide the world of men into Elect and reprobates who can these be but reprobates and consequently they towards whom God is not allwayes angry must needes be his elect and not reprobates Yet I nothing merveyle at this Authors Spirit who throughout passeth his scoffes and scornes upon that which is the cleere doctrine of the word of God as on that which he conceaves to be the doctrine of the Synods of Dort and Arles And therfore I commende his wisedome that to avoyde the appearance thereof medles so litle with taking notice of any passage out of Gods word alleaged by any of us to addres any answer thereunto for if he had his blasphemous scoffes had been more apparantly terminated upon the doctrine of the Holy Ghost as well as upon the doctrine of Dort and Arles I finde this Author is a very kindhearted Gentleman towards himself and to the Helena he cherisheth in his bosom For whatsoever his premises be he will be sure to be full for his owne cause in the conclusion Yet will we neyther forsake our owne principles by the grace of God nor give over our course of reformation of any that is under our charge to draw him from his profane courses taking our president direction herein from the holy Apostles admonition unto Timothy The servant of the Lord must instruct them with meeknesse that are contrary minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if so be at any time therfore it becomes us continually to wayt for this time and not to prescribe unto God God will give them repentance that they may acknowledge his truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the devill of whom they are taken prisoners to doe his will The THIRD PART The first Section BVt perhaps he will acquit himself farr better in undergoing the office of a Comforter to one that is afflicted then he did in playing the Converter of an Infidell or Corrector of the profane Christian. The ground of all comfort and consolation to each afflicted soule hath been ever sought and found in the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ whereby having satiâ—fyed the justice of his Father he obteyned reconciliation for all mankind actualâ—y appliable to all those who acknowledging the infinitenes of the benefite doe therupon imbrace the Author of it with a true and lively faith Neyther can our comâ—orter find any other foundation wherby to consolate assure his patient against the terrors of Godâ— justice the condemnation of the lawe and accusation of his owne conscience But the sicke or otherwise afflicted can never make this true foundation of Gods word agree with the false foundations of the second article of the Synod of Dort to witt that Christ dyed not but for a very small number of persons allready elected unto salvation by the heavenly Father who in his decree did no more consider the death of his Sonne then the faith of the elect How shall I truely know will the patient then say that I am rather of the small number
affirme that in expresse termes which this Author saith they doe to witt that Christ dyed for all and every one and if it did affirme any such thinge in expresse termes we should be farre enough from denying it nay wee doe maynteyne it not only as farre as they doe but much farther Where the Synod of Dort doth commaunde every one to believe that he is elected unto life I knowe not Only I have read lately such a thing objected unto us as out of the particular opinion of Zanchy and Bucer Yet they deliver this only of Christians who are such as believe in Christ and for whom they make no question I trowe but that Christ dyed so that the congruitie herin is accurate without all colour of contradiction And yet if it should proove to be contradictious the one unto the other I never observed such a condition to be taxed for ficklenes in the embracers of such opinions till nowe Ficklenes is shewed in changing from one opinion to another not in holding the same opinions still albeit some one perhaps may seem in the judgment of some malevalent adversaries contradictions unto the other Yet Zanchy who sayth every one is bound to believe speaking of Christians that he is elected unto life was never knowne to affirme that every one is bound to believe that he is elected to faith and regeneration Now aeternall life we knowe is ordeyned by God to be the portion of men not whether they believe or no whether they persevere in faith holines and repentance or no but only of such as believe repent and are studious of good workes for it is ordeyned to be bestowed on men by way of reward for their faith repentance and good workes And will any Arminian deny but that every one that heares the Gospell whether he believe or no is bound to believe that aeternall life shall be his portion in case he believe repent and be given to exercise good workes Now albeit this Author be for the present upon the pinne of disparaging our doctrine as utterly unsufficient for consolation to an afflicted soule yet he spares not as it were in the same breath to cry downe our doctrine as touching perseverance in the state of grace and holde up the Arminian Tenet as touching the Apostacye of Gods Saints as if their doctrine in this particular were more seasonable for consolation then ours The sinnes of David were very foule adultery and murther yet Bertius that zelous maynteyner of the Apostacye of Gods Saints will not say that David by these foule sinnes did expell the holy Spirit out of his heart and that propter graves causas And in deede the Scripture teacheth us that albeit David prayed in his paenitentiall Psalme conceaved in reference to those sinnes that God would restore him to the joy of his salvation yet he prayes not that God would restore him to his Spirit but rather that he would not take away his Spirit from him And Peter sinned fouly and shamfully in denying his master with execrations and oathes and that as it were before his Masters face yet our Saviour had tolde him before that he had prayed for him that his faith should not faile And we knowe what promise the Lord made to David Psal. 89.30 If his Children forsake my law and walke not in my judgements 31. If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements 32. Then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes 33. Yet my loving kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth The scripture this Author sayth denyes this doctrine of ours as a thing most false in like termes that is in expresse termes But he quotes no place referres to none nor so much as intimates any such place where this which he pretends should be delivered in expresse termes Yet to the contrary Matth. 24.24 our Saviour setting downe the efficacy of false Prophets in the seducing of many expresseth it in this maÌ„ner so that if it were possible they shold deceave the very elect plainly signifying that it was a thing not possible that the Elect should be seduced Now this cannot be understood of the elect as yet unregenerate for in the state of nature who sâ—â—th not that they are obnoxious to the same errours whereto others are And Iohn the 10.29 he plainly gives us to understand that his sheâ—pe are in the hands of his Father and that none is able to take them out of his hands and accordingly S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Yet when we say that this faith cannot be lost we deliver it upon supposition of Gods purpose to mainteyn them in that state of grace against all the powers of darkenesse which purpose is manifest by his promise I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me and accordingly the Apostle promiseth on Gods behalf that he will perfect the good work he hath begunne in us Philip. 1.6 that he will not tempt us above our strength but with the temtation will give an issue that we may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.13 Now albeit their opposite doctrine of the Apostacy of Saints savoureth of no consolatory nature yet to spitt his poyson against that also though out of season in this place he hath some what else to objâ—ct against that as namely that it overthrowes the ministry of preaching which consists in exhortations by promises and threatnings which can no longer be meanes to doe any good worke if so be the good work be wrought by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost as it hath beene above sayd indeed this coms in here as it were against the hayre first considering that we are now upon the point of consolation Now I presume no Arminian will say that their doctrine as touching the Apostacy of Saints is to be magnified as a very comfortable Doctrine Secondly whether good workes are wrought by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost is nothing to the present purpose For that he avoucheth is this that the doctrine of perseverance overthrowes the ministry of preaching not that immediate working of perseverance by the Holy Ghost overthrowes the ministry of preaching yet if this were the present assertion of this Author I have already sufficiently disproved it before â—f his vineyard of red Wine the Lord professeth that he is the keeper of it and that he watereth it night and day God keepes it and waters it and by watering it he keepes it Can any sober man devise any sober opposition betweene these Yet he can keepe it without the preaching of the word and where that is is wanting the Lord is able to keepe it and will keepe it And where these meanes are most rife yet this hinders not the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost unto every good work as I have shewed For
shew mercy Rom. 11.30 Hereupon we conclude that faith and regeneration are gifts of grace which God bestowes absolutely according to the mere pleasure of his owne will regenerating whom he will and denying the grace of regeneration to whom he will Now then who are they on whom God should bestow faith and regeneration but his Elect and accordingly the Apostle calleth it the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 and Act. 13.48 The Evangelist cleerely telleth us that as many believed as were ordeyned to aeternall life and Rom. 8.29 Whom God foreknewe them he predestinated to be made confoâ—mable to the image of his Sonne and whom he predestinated them he called and whom he called he justifyed and whom he justified he glorified And accordingly baptisme as it is a sâ—ale and assurance of performing this promise of justification and salvation unto them that believe so it is a seale and assurance of the promise of circumcising the heart and regeneration only to Gods elect Yet I confesse that according to the booke of Common prayer in use with the Church of England we professe of every Childe as he comes to be baptized and when he is baptized that he is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs regeneration whereupon Mr. Monâ—acute sometimes tooke advantage to justifie his opinion touching falling away from grace as the Docteine of the Church of England but he was answered by D. Carleton then Bishop of Chichester that there is a regeneration so called Sacramento tenus and which Austin as he shewed distinguished from true regeneration And for ought we know to the contrary every one that comes to be baptized by a minister may be an elect of God and therefore we have no reason to conceave them to be reprobates And I would gladly knowe what this our adversary conceaves of every one that is brought unto him to be baptized will he conceave them in the judgement of charity to be elect or no Or doth he beleeve them in judgement of faith to be elect In my judgement his opinion hereabout is no more then this that God hath ordeyned that in case they beleeve they shal be justified and saved and accordingly that in Baptisme assurance hereof is sealed unto them and no more Now that God hath so ordeyned we beleeve as well as they and that baptisme is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith and of salvation by faith But if he thinkes the covenant of grace comprehends no more then this herein alone we differ from him and are ready to mainteyne that all who are under the covenant of grace are such as over whom sinne shall not have the dominion Rom. 6.14 and that the Lord vouchsafeth to become their Lord and their God to sanctifie them and to circumcise their hearts to love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule as he seeth their wayes so to heale them to subdue their iniquities to give giftes even to the rebellious that he may dwell among them to powre cleane water upon them that they may be cleane and from all their filthinesse to clense them A new heart also to give unto them a new spirit to putt within them and to take away the stony heart out of their body and give them an heart of flesh And to putt his owne Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them And as in the Prophet Ieremiah the Lord professeth This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes sayth the Lord I will putt my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shal be my people And Ier. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the wealth of them of their children after them And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will never turne away from them to doe them good but I will putt my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And Ezech. 16.60 Neverthelesse I will remember my covenant made with thee in the dayes of thy youth and I will confirme unto thee an everlasting covenant 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed when thou shalt receave thy sisters both thy Elder and thy yonger and I will give them unto thee for daughters but not by thy covenant And 20.37 I will cause you to passe under the rod bring you into the bond of the covenant And 37.23 Neyther shal they be polluted any more with their idols nor with their abominations nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned I will clense them so shall they be my people and I will be their God 24. And David my servant shal be King over them they shall have one sheapheard they shall also walke in my judgements and observe my statutes doe them So that regeneration sanctification faith repentance holinesse obedience these be the works which God promiseth to worke in them and that by vertue of the covenant of grace he hath made with them The Eucharist we confesse is likewise given to all who for their profanesse impuritie or conâ—umacy are not excommunicated and that with assurance that Christ dyed for all those that doe receave it worthily not otherwise but as many as receave it unworthily doe receave it to their owne condemnation And doe the Arminians themselves administer it with assurance of the favour of God towards them any otherwise then in case they are found worthy pertakers As for Christs dying for mankind I have already shewed at large how this Author treates of it hand over head carying it in the cloudes of generalitie Now it is a rule of schooles that in genere latent multae equivocationes Therefore for the cleering of the truth in this particular I have distinguished the benefits which Christ procured for us some of them as remission of sinnes and salvation are conferred onely conditionally to witt upon condition of faith And herein we extend the vertue of Christs death as fart as they to witt in conditionall manner for we willingly professe that if all and every one should believe all and every one should be saved by Christ On the other side no Arminian will say that any man of ripe yeares shall be saved by Christ if he never beleeve in Christ. But other benefites there are which God bestowes upon man for Christs sake as we say to witt faith regeneration repentance Now these are conferred not conditionally for if they were then should grace be given according to mens workes which is manifest Pelagianisme Therefore these must be conferred absolutely not on all for then all should believe and be saved but on some and who can they be but Gods Elect Now as for the Remonstrants