Propositions Doth it not cease upon the change of the subject Jesus Christ is to come in the flesh was once a true proposition and the object of the faith of those that lived before Christ his Incarnation but is it so still and is not veritas ethica or the agreement of the judgement or minde with the proposition changeable likewise upon the same ground To your minor whereas you alledge the changeablenesse of all Bibles in the contents of them what meane you by contents meane you inke papers letters c. such changes either pervert the sence and so farre as the Scriptures are thus chang'd they cease to be the written Word or they pervert it not Waleus T. 1. p. 129. Scriptura substantiâ— non potest corrumpi and if any such changes be they nothing hinder the written Word from being the foundation of faith Sphalmata Typographica Typographicall faults makeerrours in Orthography none in Divinity Your last demonstration Arg. 3 Yo. Eld. p. 36. If the Scripture be the true foundation of Religion it must be understood either of the Scriptures as in the originall Languages only or only as translated into other Languages or as both but the Scriptures neither in the originall Languages nor as translated nor as both are the foundations Ergo I deny your minor and assert the Scriptures as in the originals Answ and also as translated so farre as agreeing with the originals are the foundation 1. How prove you that the Scriptures in the originalls are not the foundation of religion thus If the Scriptures be the foundation as they are in the originall Bibles then they say you that understand not these Languages as illiterate men cannot build upon this foundation for your unworthy scoffe of the danger of my Religion you representing me as one that understands not the originals you may please to know that I am not ignorant of all originals for either concerning your scoffing or your unmannerly jeering Mr. T. G. said lately that you had it from your Father cheap enough it seemes but to the point This cavill is borrowed of your old Masters whom in this point you follow already answered by Anth. Wotton Pop. Artic. Ar. 3 p. 20. and by Baronius against Turnbul de objecto formali fid p. 44. but I answer Illiterate or unlearned men who cannot understand originals Answ nor yet can read translations doe build neverthelesse their saith upon the Scriptures contained in them though mediatly virtually and not with that distinctnesse which one learned doth the unlearned knowing not particularly in what words the minde of God was revealed though you call me a Novice yet let me teach you if at least so plaine a lesson hath not hitherto been learned by you that unto faith there is required Principium quod or the foundation to be beleeved Principium propter quod or the reason why men beleeve the former and media per quae those necessary meanes by which they come to beleeve and these are externall the ministery of the Word and internall the witnesse and effectuall working of the holy Ghost by which the heart is enabled to close with the formall object of faith viz. the revelation of Gods will in writing Now the Ministry of the Word and Spirit are limited to the written Word these teach no other things than God hath revealed therein and perswade not men but God as the Apostle saith Gal. 1.10 so that these lead the most illiterate to the Scriptures and are so administred that they draw the heart even of such to assent to the written Word as that into which their faith is ultimately resolved as the Scriptures abundantly testifie and you can no more conclude from the strangenesse of the originall Languages to those that are illiterate that illiterate persons doe not build their faith upon the written Word contained in them than that one who only understands the English tongue and receives a Letter from his Father in the French tongue for the explaining whereof the Father hath appointed an Interpreter builds not his obedience ultimately upon the writing of his Father though in a strange tongue 2. You endeavour to prove that the Scriptures are not the foundation of Religion as in Translations and Originalls thus If they be this foundation in both those considerations or as well in the one or the other then two things or more specifically differing one from another may notwithstanding be one and the same numeriall thing You should rather have laid your consequence thus Answ then 〈◊〉 subject numerically the same may be the subject of accidents specifically different but you tell me of two suppositions upon which your consequence stands 1. That the foundation of Religion is but one and the same numerically 2. That the Scriptures in severall Languages differ specifically among themselues About the identy of the foundation numerically I shall not contend but how prove you your second supposition viz. That the Scriptures in severall Languages differ specifically you indeavour it thus Two things you say which differ more than numerically differ specifically Now an Hebrew and a Spanish Bible differ more than numerically because they differ more than two Spanish or two Hebrew Bibles differ from one another and yet these differ numerically the one from the other 1. Had the Youngling Elder disputed thus how many exclamations of poore man illiterate soule silly man c. would your tender heart have bestowed upon him but I shall not retaliate for the Reader if intelligent I am confident will spare me a labour Things you say that differ plusquam numero do differ specie Should a fresh-man hear you reason thus Mas faemina differunt plusquam numero ergo differunt specie or a learned man and an ideot differunt plusquam numero ergo differunt specie they would laugh at your argument the very boyes would judge you a professor fitter for an alley than an Academye Do not you grant that these differ specie accidentali onely and will you conclude that therefore they differ specifically 2. You say That though the difference betweene an Hebrew Bible and a Spanish is but in specie accidentali or specificall accidentall yet such a difference as this is sufficient to prove that they differ numerically You give in already and shew your self but a founder'd disputant for what is this to your undertaking which was to prove your second supposition viz. That they do differ specifically and not numerically onely which was nothing to the second supposition page 37. 3. You contend that a Spanish Bible a Latine and an English differ in specie accidentali or with a difference specifical accidentall in regard of the specifically different Languages wherein they were written Ergo quid how by all this prove you your assertion which was that the scriptures in their severall Languages do differ specifically nay how prove you by the specifical accidental dâ—fference of the Bibles that the Scripture or the
The sum of his passage cited for an error in our testimonie is this If God should deprive men of all power to beleeve yet perswade to beleeve c. God would be like a King that causeth a mans legs to be cut off and yet urgeth him to run a Race with those that have limbs Div. Au. p. 168. Naturall men may doe such things as whereunto God hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation All the world even those that have not the letter of the Gospell have yet sufficient meanes granted them of beleeving these two viz. That God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him which is all the faith that the Apostle makes necessary to bring a man into grace or favour with god They who have only the heavens the sun m one and starrs to preach the Gospell to them have also reason sufficient to judge the same judgment with them who have the letter of the Gospell for they have the Gospell the substance and effect of it the willingnesse of God to be reconciled to the world preached unto them by the Apostles aforesaid the sun moone and stars Div. Auth. p. 183. p. 186 Nor were it a matter of much more difficulty to bring antiquity it selfe and particularly those very Authors who were the greatest opposers of Pelagius as Hierom August Prosper c. with mouthes wide open in approbation of the same things for which I am arraigned at the tribunall of Sion Col. Sion Col. Vis p. 24. These men have exchanged the Fathers adjutorium into their owne compulsorium Sion Col. Vis p. 28. The question between Pelagius and the Fathers was not whether man had freedome of will in respect of good or evill but whether men notwithhstanding their freedome of will did not still stand in need of the adjutory of grace both for the performance of and perseverance in what was good Answered in busie Bishop 1. T Is you sorrow to see that they are so much as reputed Ministers your sinne to say they are onely reputed Ministers for want of mens knowing better Tell me of one man either Minister or private Christian differing from the Subscribers onely in the point of Independency who dares say thus with you If you do account your self a Minister which way had you your ordination Whether by that way that the Ministers of London had theirs who you say are no Ministers c. 2. You say The Ministers have vested themselves with the priviledge of the Church of being the ground and pillar of truth The Church as a pillar holds forth the truth either in a common way to all Christians mutuall exhortations profession practice c. or in a ministeriall way preaching administration of Sacraments c. If you say the Ministers have vested themselves with the priviledge of being the pillars of truth the first way 't is ridiculously false profession of the truth being common to every one in the Church If you mean as you must needs that the Ministers have vested themselves with the priviledge of pillars in the second respect 't is odiously false for the Lord Jesus himselfe and not themselves vested them with the priviledge of holding forth truth by way of Office Eph. 4.11 Christ gave some Pastors and Teachers 1 Cor. 12.38 God hath set some in his Church c. Busie Bishop pag. 3 4. Though no act unto which man is enabled by God such as beleeving be a foundation in that sense in which Christ is upon whom we build the hope of out salvation to be obtained by his mediation yet beleeving of the Scripture as it is an assenting to a maine and prime credendum viz That the Scriptures are by divine inspiration is a necessary foundation for other subsequent graces that are required in the Christian Religion and without which foundation all godlinesse and Religion would in a short time fall to the ground no theologicall grace can be without faith and no faith if the authority of the Scriptures fall If beleeving be no foundation why doth the Apostle give to faith the name of foundation Heb. 6.1 Not laying againe the foundation of repentance and of faith c. Bu. Bish p. 9. These words therefore questionlesse no writings c. are the conclusion and the result of your premisses in severall long winded pages If your conclusion be crasie and hereticall your premisses must needs be so too and therefore the setting them downe could not have helped you and if the conclusion be not hereticall why do you not defend it against the accusation of the Subscribers which you dare not do but only send the Subscribers to your premisses in the thirteenth page leaving the poore 18. the conclusion to mercy Suppose you had in the thirteenth page written the truth therefore ought you not to be blamed for writing errours in the 18. pag. 21. Bu. Bush At your command I shall consult the pages wherein you would be thought to say The Scriptures are the word of God In these pages and pa. 17 you say That you grant the matter and substance of the Scriptures the gracious counsels of the Scriptures to be the Word of God As that Christ is God and man that he dyed that he rose againe c. These you say are onely the word of God and not the writings or written word when you say the matters c. are the Word of God you suppose they should be beleeved for such But upon what ground ought I to beleeve them I hope you wil not say because a province of London Ministers saith they are to be beleeved nor barely because the spirit tels me they are to be beleeved for the Word of God for the spirit sends me to the written Word bids me by that to try the spirits and tels me I must be leeve nothing to be from God but what I finde written I therefore desire to go to the written Word as revealed by God for the building my confidence upon the matters of the Scriptures as pardon through Christ c. but then J. Goodwin tels me this written Word is not Gods Word So it must be the word of vaine man and so I have no more to shew for this precious truth Christ dyed for lost man than mans word In your alledged pages you make no distinction between res credenda and ratio cudendi the matter to be beleeved and the ground of beleeving that matter The matters to be beleeved are the precious truths you speake of The ground of beleeving them is the revelation of God in his written Word The Revelation of God hath alwayes been the foundation of faith and now this Revelation is by writing the ground of faith is it is written What course tooke Christ and his Apostles to prove the matters and doctrinall assertions which they taught but by the written Word and when they would render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for belief they ever more tell
how it is written Consult with the places in the Margin and you will finde that the matter substance precious counsell c. contained in the Scripture are proved to be things to bee beleeved because they are written yeeld your self to that evident Scripture Joh. 20.21 These things are written that ye might beleeve that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of God c. The rativ or ground of beleeving this precious truth That Christ is the Son of God is its revelation by writing So Act. 14.24 Rom. 15.4 Job 5.47 If therefore you deny as you do in terminis the written Word to be the word of God what formall object hath faith i.e. to whom or what will you send me for the building my confidence upon the matters and counsels of the Scripture c. Touching this I added in Busie Bishop the testimonies of Tertullian Ireneus Aug. Chrisost c. Bu. Bish p. 24. Is not every man as a man a debtor to God and a creature tyed to obedience and doth his making himselfe insufficient to discharge the debt discharge him from payment it would follow that if such impotency excused from duty and from the obligation of the the command that those men were most excusable that were most sinfull and had by long accustoming themselves to sin made themselves most unable to leave and forsake sinne nay if by reason hereof God did not command obedience from them it would follow that such did not sinne at all for where there is no precept there is no transgression and so according to you by a mans progresse in sin he should make himselfe cease to be sinfull Bus Bish p. 29. In your next prove 1. That they who perish have power to beleeve The Scripture denyeth it when it saith The world cannot receive the Spirit c. Joh. 14.17 2. Prove if a man hath not power that this impotency is meerely poenall as inflicted by God so involuntarily indured by man for that is the nature of a punishment properly so called the Scripture saith Man hath found out many inventions Eccl. 7. c. Gen. 6.12 All flesh hath corrupted its way c. Bus Bish p. 31. I suppose by your naturall man who you say doth things to which God hath annexed acceptation you meane the same man the Apostle speaks of Rom. 8.8 The man in the flesh now that man cannot please God though your naturall man doth things acceptable to God Invert not gods and Natures order First let the tree be good and then the fruit Bus Bish p. 34. What stuffe is here have all the world sufficient meanes of beleeving these two 1. That God is 2. That he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Paraeus informes you that those two heads of saith that God is and that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him are not to be understood Philosophically but Theologically that the eternall God is Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that be is a rewarder of them that seeke him Evangelically by faith in Christ with the benefits of the Gospell pardon adoption sanctification glory And can heathens by the sim moone and sâ—arres do this Can they by the light of nature beleeve a trinity of persons in unity of essence None saith Gerrard can be led to the knowledge of God by the creatures but only so farre forth as God is their cause Now God is their cause by a divine power common to the three persons therfore by the creatures we can onely attain to knowledge of these things which are common to the three Persons and not to the knowledge of the distinction of Persons Ger. de Trin. and can the heathens by the workes of creation have the discovery of a Mediator and have Christ made knowne to them and beleeve in him I am sure you nsver learned this of the Apostles who saith that faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. or are you of Smalcius the Socinian his judgment who saith that faith in Christ is not alwaies required to justification but faith simply and he proves it out of this very Sctipture that you have alleadged Heb. 11.6 for the faith of heathens c. Bus Bish p. 36. The Fathers assert the being and nature of free-will only and not its power to supernaturall good in all the passages which you alleadge out of them Though Austin and Jerom against the Manichees maintained the nature of free-will yet 't is as true that against the Pelagians they denyed the abilities of free-wil to good supernaturall Of this latter you wisely take no notice at all as making directly against you though there are hundreds of instances to that purpose to be found in them And thus the learned and orthodox Divines of the reformed Churches abroad understand Austin and Hierom when alleadged by Papists and Arminians as writing for free-will Rivetus and Walleus two famously learned writers among the Protestants shall suffice for instances Baily the Jesuit objected out of Austin to prove free-will that very place against the Protestants which you alleadge against the Ministers The words of Austine which both Baily and your selfe alleadge are these Si non estliberum arbitrium quomodo Deus judicat mundum If there be no free-will how doth God judge the world This place Rivet understands onely of the naturall being of free-will For saith he if man were turned into a stone or a block or a bruit creature be should be exempted from Gods Judgement but since when he acts out of deliberation be chuseth and willeth what pleaseth him he deservedly gives account of his actions Riv. to 2. p. 183. The place you alleadge out of Jerom is this Frustra Blasphemas ingeris c. Thou blasphemest in vaine buzzing in the eares of the ignorant that we condemne free-will And Waleus T. 2. p. 95. answers Corvinus in these words of Hierom. Frustra c. but then he gives the reason why and how both be and Hierom did allow of free-will not in regard of its abilities to good supernaturall But because saith Waleus He denyeth man to be created according to the Image of God who denies him to be adorn'd with the naturall faculty of free-will Bus Bish p. 46. In Bus Bish I set downe the agreement betweene the Fathers and the Subscribers concerning the doctrine of the adjutory of grace at large and concluded thus I should gladly be informed by you in your next what the Ministers adjutorium differs from that held forth by the Fathers and what they hold tending more toward a compulsory then these Fathers here and in hundreds of other places have written but he answers nothing Your mistake here is pittifull for the great question between Hierom Augustine and Pelagius was not whither the will did stand in need of the adjutory of grace for the performance of good but what kinde of adjutory it was of which the will did stand in need and wherein grace was an adjutory and I alleadge sundry
coales of fire upon their heads which I desire may be in remedium not in ruinam The great God guide us all into the wayes of peace truth and holinesse So prayeth Your loving Brother in the worke of the Minestry EDM. CALAMY What a vast Ocean of scorns jeers vilifyings childish ventosities and prophane puffs of wit do I sayle through before I can espy the least point or spot of land any thing wherein he so much as pretends to theologicall argumentation sollid matter lodgeth in his great booke of words as a childe of two dayes old in the great bed of Ware Going over many pages fill'd with nothing but with scum and scurrility he vents among hundreds of other such unsavoury passages this gentle expression Sect. 90. Yo. Eld. p. 85. Sect 90. Confident I am that there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a gâ—neration of Christians scarce of men so bloody in asserting their opinions c. as the greatest part of the London Subscripturients I marvaile not at your confidence Solomon tels me who it is that rageth and is confâ—dent Prov. 14.16 Foâ— the bloody asserting c. never were the veines of any writings so fill'd with the blood which you speake of as those of this last and worst of your pamphlets certainly when you wrote it you were under a quatidian fury or sick of the miserere mei the Reader beholds you vomiting your excrements of scurrility and wrath in every page what is there that you mention through your booke if you would have it help you but either you feigne it your friend or else you frowne upon it that it may not dare to be your enemy the Scriptures the Fathers your mother Tongue your opposites against their bent and mindes are threatned unlesse they stoop to your sence and service Scriptures must speake for you against themselves and Vrijab-like must carry letters for their owne destruction Bucer Ball the Father under the paine of self contradiction and of being accounted naked and unstable must turn Pelagians Yo. Eld. p. 5. p. 76 79. If you will have it so it must be sence for the garment to be clothed with the man and it must be as proper to say exchange this thing into another as to say exchange it for another thing Who ever will lift up a pen against you must expect no other guerden but to have your pen cased in his heart and to lye bleeding at the feet of your writings the pulling downe of Sion Collâ—dge shall be voted the taking away of the pillar of all impiety and opposition to the truth all the workes that ever stood it out against you must be demolisht and dismantled Your next wrath is expected against those daring and yet more knowing than daring men who have prizâ— your works that now lye upon the hands of your late booksellers widow but for wast paper which by the way I note as a just retribution of providence that those writings which value the Scriptures below the Word of God should themselves be valued below the word of man You recite an argument which you brought in Sion Coll. visited Sect. 91. p. 85. to prove that naturall men have eyes to see spirituall things Naturall men say you have eyes to see because it is not needlesse for Satan to blinde them I deny'd your consequence and gave you the ground of that my denyall viz. because the Scripture saith 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God After your scoffs which I answer with neglect you returne thus 1. You say That by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the naturall man is not meant the man that is simply naturall or unregenerate but such a kinde of men whâ—m the Apostle cals carnall babes in Christ meaning weake Christians Confidently concluding from my producing of this Scripture for this purpose I understand little of it Answ I had rather suspect any interpretation of Scripture when you say 't is true and sound than when you say 't is false and misunderstood You have the streame of godly and learned Interpreters against you Piscator takes this naturall man for a man that Nihil eximium in se habet prater animam rationalem qui non est regenitus a man that hath nothing excellent but a rationall soule and is not borne agains Ans saith this naturall man is one Qui animalium more versatur qui put at nihil esse pâ—st mortem one that lives like a brute creature and thinks there 's nothing more after death to be expected Ambrose thus Animalis homo pâ—coribus similis c. Ambr. in Lee. Sensum in terram deprimit ideaque non â—ssequitur nisi quae vâ—let 〈◊〉 putâ—t aliquid posse fieri quam quomodo 〈◊〉 ideo quicquaid aliter audit quam norit stâ—ltum juditar Theophilact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This naturall man like the beasts keeps downe his sence to the earth and therefore he only reacheth what be sees nor thinketh he that any thing can be but as he beares therefore whatever he heares to be otherwise he judgeth it foolish Theophilact saith This naturall man is one that is given altogether to naturall reasonings thinking not that he wants sâ—â—our from alove Oecumenius thus The naturall man is one that lives after the flesh and hath not his understanding enlightned by the Spirit Theadoret thus Qui Contentus propriis Cogitationibus spiritus doctrinam non admiâ—tit One that is pleased with his owne cogitations and gives no admittance to the Doctrine of the Spirit Calv. in Loc. Homiâ—em onimalem vecat queml bet hominem solis naturae facult tibus praelitum in puris naturalâ—tus relictum Ter spirituâ—lem intelliâ—iur is eujus mâ—ns illuminatione spiriâ—us Dei regitur Calvin saith By the Naturall man is meant a man endowed onely with the faculties of nature and by the spirituall a man whose minde is governed by the illumination of the Sprit I shall make bold to instruct my instructor out of Isidorus Pelusiota Ep. l. 5. Ep. 128. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Scripture distinguisheth as he shews between the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Carnall the naturall and the spirituall The Carnall that fall by reason of their weaknesse into many wayes that are fleshly Naturall that follow the reasoning of the naturall minde and understanding The spirituall that are adorned with the gift of the holy Ghost and are illuminated above nature as he divinely expresseâ—h it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having gotten above naturall reasonings I stay in Arminius Disp 11. Thes 8. who saith Mens hominis non renati in isto stain Caeca est salutari Dei ejusque voluntatis cognitione destituta non capax illorum quae sunt spiritus Dei juxta Aposlolum Animalis homo c. The minde of an unregenerate man saith he is blinde and destitute of the saving
a power as is contended for you must understand a power of knowing savingly and beleeving the things of the Spirit of God The summe of all which is thus much A naturall man by the ordinary assistance and blessing of God afforded to every one may so improve his naturall Principles of Reason Judgement Memory c. as savingly to know and believe the things of God This your similitude of a youth that may be paines acquire skill in the tongues further declareth to be your meaning by which wretched opinion you hold out That there 's nothing in grace above nature which nature may not reach unto or rather That grace it selfe is nothing but polisht nature But how stands this with the words of the Apostle who saith That the naturall man cannot know the things of God because they are spirituaily discerned and elsewhere That the carnall minde cannot be subject to the Law of God as being enmity against God Can all the paines improvement pollishing make nature any other than nature and make a naturall man to understand or believe any thing but after a naturall manner can it give ability to know spiritually can all the care and cost and dressing make a bad tree to be of a good kinde and while bad to bring forth good fruit I adde in explication of this of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.14 and for your information that excellent passage of learned Musculus upon the place Confert utrinque tam hominem c. Musc in Loc. Confert utrinque tum hominem animalem tum spiritum dei doces ita esse comparatum hominem animalem ut quae spiritus Dei sunt nequeat cognoscere quemadmodum si dicas bestiam cognoscere non posse quae bominum sunt plus interest inter animolem hominem spiritum Dei deinde inter intellectam hominis ea quae sunt Dei quâ—m inter hominem bestiam The Apostle compareth the naturall man saith he and the Spirit of God and he teacheth That the naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit any more than a beast the things of a man c. In your 95. Yo. Eld. p. â—9 Sect. 95. Section you produce a double construction of the Apostles words 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit c. This unabtlity you say may either be understand of the greatâ—d dâ—ffiâ—ultie that lyes in the way of such men to attame the knowledge of these things or else of their present actuall indâ—sp 〈…〉 to â—nder them capable of such knowledge Answ I meet in these â—ections with a sea of words and a 〈◊〉 of matter you multiply expressions to no purpose 1. If you say The naturall man is unable in the former sence because of the 〈◊〉 that lyeth in his way c. you are a 〈…〉 and that by your owne cleare confession which is in these very words The 〈…〉 Austin and Pelagius was 〈…〉 simply and absolutely necessary for the 〈◊〉 to do that which is good c. which was Austius opinion or Whether it was necessary 〈◊〉 by way of acconmâ—dation and facilitation for such a perfromance which was the sence of 〈◊〉 Yo. Eld. p. 51. 52. Quicurq 〈◊〉 vit ideo 〈◊〉 graâ—am 〈◊〉 ut quod faceâ— jabemur rer lihernm 〈◊〉 faciâ—ius pessimus 〈◊〉 per gratram ta quam 〈…〉 vina ma data Anathema sit De 〈…〉 sine me difficalius potestis facere sed art sine 〈…〉 facere Conc. Afr. Can. Cap. 5. And if this be your opinion with Pelagius why bring you the Fathers particularly Austin as joyning with you in the point of the 〈◊〉 of grace in Sion Coll. visited when as by your owne 〈◊〉 Anâ—in was against you and your 〈◊〉 I shall adde you were condemned for holding this opinion long before you were borne 2. If the latter be your opinion viz. That naturall men are 〈…〉 their present and actuall indisposednesse and 〈…〉 c. Besides that I save confuted it before it is evidenâ—ly coutrary to those Texes of Scripture impâ—dently and impertâ—nently cited by your self for your self as Matt. 12.24 Hew 〈◊〉 being evill speak good things Joh. 5.44 How can yee beleeve c. Job 6.44 No man can come to me unlesse the Father 〈◊〉 c. Jo. 12.39 Therefore they could not believe c. Joh. 15. Without we can dâ— nothing and Joh. 14.17 The Spirit of truth which the world cannot receive c. Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot pltase God to which you might as well have added had it not oppos'd you a little too palpably Rom. 8.7 The carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be These Scriptures clearely teaching that though man have a soul passively capeable of saving grace faith knowledge repentance c. and his want of them be indeed accompanied with present hatred and contempt of them yet that he is also absolutely unable to attaine them and that it is possible onely to God to worke them in him nor do you in alledging these Scriptures for me an argument out of them to prove that this want of power is onely in regard of actuall indi posednesse Sure I aâ— you might have rais'd severall arguments against that your cursed and rotten exposition as That its an impotency consisting in the want of a spirituall principle and faculty suitable to the duties and performances which men are said to be unable to do with ut me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 1 Cor. 2 14 The naturall man cannot know the things of God for they are spiritually discerned Mat. 7.18 a coâ—rupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 12.34 how can ye being â—bill speake good things Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God and as the naturall mans impotency proceeds from the defect of a spirituall principle so for the removall of that impotency God bestoweth a new principle of spirituall life which were needlesse if mans impotency proceeded onely from actuall indisposednesse Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put into you and I will give you a heart of flesh And that it s not an impotency that proceeds onely from actuall indisposednesse or unwillingnesse is cleare in that a naturall man cannot but be indisposed Joh. 6.44 and unwilling to every spiâ—tuall act to believe and repent c. No man can come to me except the Father draw him Joh. 14.17 No man can be willing or consent unlesse the Father make him so the world cannot receive the spirit The like also is evident from Rom. 8.7 The carnall minde is enmity against God and cannot be subject to the Law of God c. These are the principall passages which I finde in his Booke wherein he pretends either to Scripture or Argument for indeed the businesse of argumentation is but the by-worke of this his big work The bulk of his booke being a heap of defamations and scurrilities fitter for a sinke than a study concerning which I say 't were easie to returne him reviling for revileng but this were to lay aside the Minister the Christian nay the man and as ridiculous as for a man whom an asse hath kickt Yo. Eld. p. 1. to kick the asse again I shal couclude mine mutatis mutandis as M. Goodwin began his Though more truly For a great part of Mr. Goodwin his pamphlet the constitution and complexion of it easeth me of the labour of making any answer or reply unto it for consisting of such reproaches vilifications and disparagements the madnesse whereof is sufficiently knowne unto and cryed out against by all men I should but actum agere and do that which is abundantly done already to my bond if I should go about to possesse men of sobriety and judgement with the unsavourinesse thereof FINIS ERRATA PAg. 5. Marg. read Ac. 1. 25. p. 2. l. ult for streames read steames p. 13. l. 35. r. pore than himself p 14. l. 25. instead of for r. only â—o amaze p 17 l. 2. r. their l. 3 r. not p. 26. l. 25. r. neaver p. 31. m. r. Cc. de Scar. d 36. m. l. 15. r divinarum p. 37 l. 15. r. waâ— p. 40 l. penult r place what follower p. 41. l. 32 r. sumimus p. 43. m r. script p. 47. l 3â— r. tradita p. 58. l. r. revealed p. 77. m. r. hominis p. 77. m. r. efficaciffirâ— p. 80. m r. concupiscentem p. 81. l. 11. r. illum p. 85. m. r. qua semper mala ib. l. arbâ— um p. 86. l. 25. l. scriptures p. 87. l. 14. r. makes p. 88. l. 25. r. undervalewing ib. in m. â— ut p. 89. m. l. perpetrando p. 94. l. 34. r. and. l. penult del you p. 95. l. 9. r. causality p. 93. l. 5. dele of p. 117. l. 30. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
deep reach because he feared not the same issue Exempla gratia p. 26. Y. El. You laid Master Walker and Master Robroughs writings in the dust with the former of which you encountred as an asse with a lyon and with the latter of which you never durst enter the Lists though provoked by an elaborate Treatise in confutation of your errors about justification So you laid Master Edwards his Antapologia in the dust a booke that so fully and clearly detected your frauds that instead of answering the matter of it by Scripture or reason you were faine to betake your self to your Grammer and only here and there snarle at the seeming impropernesse of a word He threatens That before he and his friend William part he will make him as hereticall as himselfe c. And rather than he will not prove himself a boaster he makes himself a ballad-maker he saith or rather saweth thus in the height of menacing The time will come that youthfull Turnus shall Wish dearly Pallas neâ—'r had been encountred But why rather makes he not use of the skill of a far better Poet who brings in Master Goodwins younger brother expressing himself thus to David Art thou weary of thy life so sâ—one O foolish bay phantasticall baboon I will not file My feared hands with blood so faintly vile Go seeke thy match thou shale not dye by me Thine honour shall not my dishonour be No silly lad no wert thou of the Gods I would not fight at so unknightly odds This among the rest of the characters of those ungodly men spoken of by Paul and Peter 2 Tim. 2.3 4. 2 Pet. 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agrees with him to be fierce and high minded to speak great swelling words of vanity He expressing himself more like a Russian than a Minister he shining not like a sweetly influentiall star but flashing like an angry bloody Comet he speaking after the rate of the eldest sonne of Godmagog more like a Polyphemus than like a Paul more like a swash-buckler than a Bishop a Lamech than a Moses and expressing more the presumption of Behemoth Job 40.23 who trusteth that be can draw up Jordan into his mouth than the lamb-like spirit of a Saint In a word he hath so much of the Goodwin that be hath nothing at all of the John in him for From his eyes All drunke with rage and blood the lightning flyes Out of his beaver like a boar be foams A bellish fury in his bosome roams But alas this Ivye-bush of boasting doth but shew the badnesse of his wine to all prudent passengers his booke is a meer thundring trifle a mountaine of chaffe a terriculament onely for the ignorant of the alley like the logg in the fable it makes a great noise in its falling but then it lies still for every frog to skip upon it The truth is he might well have spared the paines of setting his name unto it for so poor a weakling and so mishapen a monster it is that as none will challenge it for theirs so none will doubt it for his although in two regards it be very unlike the father it having a rich and a full bead a stuffed title and a thin empty body the residue of the book He doth not so much as pretend to answer the greatest part by far of what I bring in opposition to his errours There 's not so much as any mention in his Youngling Elder of the most materiall passages contained in mine but he prudently passeth them by in learned silence and onely here and there toucheth superficially upon a few by-passages not but that he was able I trow with the least puffe to send them all on an errand to the wormes had not his owne goodnesse and noble nature more prevailed with him than any merit in such a naughty youth as I so that as to the businesse of answering me his booke is a meer by-work and indeed among all judicious men a meer by-word which he prudently foreseeing confesseth by way of anticipation that his booke is not a formall confutation of mine but that his end in fetting of it forth Epistle to the Reader was to make me know my selfe but of his childish and impotent omissions I shall God willing give a more particular account in the following Chapter But if at any time he doth vonchsafe a mentioning of any of my passages against him instead of an answer he either brings scoffs and reproaches or else he labours to do the work of an opponent bringing in stead of a solution of my arguments a bumble of musty reasons taken out of his other books to fill up paper in this or else his poore sew answers are so miserably unsatisfactory impertinent and hereticall that this his last worke appeares plainely to be the issue of his very dotage to all impartiall observers I shall onely in this fiâ—st Chapter barely recite some of his answers to some places of Scripture and passages contained in my booke reserving the refutation of them to the third and fourth Chapters though indeed the recitation of such cheape and poore stuffe be a sufficient refutation of them among intelligent Readers The places of Scripture which I bring against his Errours he either wholly passeth by as if they had never been alledged by me and thus he dealeth with all those many places which I alledge against his Errours about the Scripture or else if he pretends to answer them he puts such false and unsound glosses upon them that he speakes himself most erroneous even when he goeth about to cleere himselfe from errour like the swearer that being reproved for his oathes sware with a greater oath that he did not swear To that place Acts 26.18 where Paul declares That he was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes c. I having said That conversion is the restoring of sight not of light onely T. El. p. 54. he asserts most prophanely and erronously that mens eyes are onely opened in conversion as the light of the morning or the sun may be said to open a mans eyes which were shut by the darknesse of the night so that naturall men have good eyes onely they are in the darke there 's nothing perisht in the faculty of seeing To that place Yo. Eld. p 55. Epist 2. dead in trespasses and sins he answers by saying the meaning onely is That they of whom the Apostle speaks were guilty of death and liable to condemnation The meaning of that place Yo. Eld. p. 87. 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God neither can be know them c. he gives us thus by the naturall man he saith is not meant the man that is simply or meerly naturall or unregener are but such a kinde of men as are babes in Christ and whereas it s said be cannot know the things of the spirit of God Yo. Eld. p. 89. this profound
expositer of Scripture gives us this to be the meaning The naturall man whilest he continues thus bath not a power actually and for the present to know simply the things of the spirit but he hath such principles which by a due and regular improvement may advance and rise into such a capacity or power as is contended for That place of 1 Cor. 4.7 Yo. Eld. p. 59. Who maketh thee to differ he tels us is not to be understood of any difference betweene man and man which is made by any saving worke but of such a difference onely which stands in more or fewer or in greater or lesser gifts which difference in the primitive times was frequent He having said That no writings originals or translations are the Word of God the matter and substance of things as that Christ is God is Man that be dyed that be rose from the dead c. conteyned in the books of the Old and New Testament being by him acknowledged only for the word of God I demand of him thus Bu. p. 22. how can any beleeve that the matter and substance of the Scripture as that Christ is God and Man c is the Word of God when as be must be uncertaine whether the written word wherein that matter is conteyned is the Word of God or no This hereticall and rediculous soul fetcheth off himself thus by asking me againe Cannot a man beleeve these matters conteyned in the Scripture The Sun is the greater light and the Moon the lesser light unlesse he be certaine that the written word is the Word of God To my charge of his joyning hands with the Arminians in heir errours concerning power to good supernaturall he answers â—ot a sillable by way of denying the charge but tels me That in holding Jesus Christ to be they holy one of God Yo. Eld. p. 43. Y. El. p. 44. I joyn hands with the Devill Yea he saith the Arminians attribute all the praise of conversion to God Nay he slights and neglects as much the accusation of agreement with Pelagius in his Errours impudently affirming Youngl Elder pag. 52. that between Augustine and Pelagius there was little or no difference To my allegations out of the Fathers and Bucer for vindicating either of the Scriptures or the grace of God he answereth not a word And instead of doing so when I bring multitudes of evident places out of them to shew how those places which he wresteth ought to be understood he very modestly rather than they shall not be though to speak for him in some few places tels us that they contradict themselves in all the rest To cite saith he other words of a contrary import to those quâ—ted by me out of the same Author is no manifestation of the impertinency of my quotations Yo. Eld. p. 5. but it is indeed a discovering of the nakednesse of an Authâ—r to present him contradictious to himselfe and to expose the unstablenesse of his judgement to the eyes of men So that â—ucer Ball Augustine Hierome are self-contradictors unstable naked unable rather than this petty-toes of a Pope can erre an haires breadth He scoffs at the absolute decree and saith Yo. Eld. p 10. That I and my mates tremble not to inform the creature against the Creator as if from eternity be had shut up his grace c. with the iron barres of an irreversible indispensable decree He tels us pag. 62. that ther 's nothin but morall perswasion to act the will into a saving consent Yo. Eld. p. 62. pag. 63. for thus he wanders It passeth my understanding to conceive how the will should be wrought or acted into a consent in any kinde otherwise than by argument motive and perswasion unlesse it be by force violence and compulsion The essentiall constitution and falâ—ick of the will exempt it from being drawnely an other meanes And page 65. he thus debaseth the working of Gods grace There is no man converted actually but might possibly have acted or demeaned himselfe so as never to have been thus converted And pag. 52. The adjutory of grace doth not imply a necessity of effecting that which is effected by it He clearly takes part with that infamous Pelagius against those holy men Vid. p. 5. Y. El. in charging them with Manicheism I having told him That the charge of Manicheism was an old calumny cast upon the Fathers by Pelagius he tels me again We are not to enquire by whom or upon whom it was cast but by whom it bath beene taken off from any of your judgement Youngl Elder pag. 45. till this feat be done he concludes the charge must be continued But of his omissions and slender and erroneous performances you may please more fully to take this following account in these three following Chapters CHAP. II. Shewing Master Goodwin his omissions in his Youngling Elder and totall passing by of most of the materiall passages contained in my booke called The busie Bishop against his pamphlet called Sion Coll. visited by way of parallel Asserted in Sion Colledge visited IT was never well with Christian Religion since the Ministers of the Gospell so called by themselves and so reputed by the generality of men for want of knowing better cunningly vested that priviledge of theChurch of being the ground and pillar of truth in themselves There came lately out of the presse a few papers stiling themselves A testimony to the truth c. and pretending to a subscription by the Minist of Christ c. Sion Coll. visited pag. 1. It is a precious truth of Jesus Christ That no act of man what soever is any foundation of Christian Religion the Apostle affiâ—ming that other foundation can no man lay but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 and yet the denyall of the act of man to be a foundation of Christian Religion as viz. The beleeving that the Scriptures are the Word of God is by the said Booke called A Testimony to the truth ranked among infamous and pernicious errours Sion Colledge â—sited pag. 3. You cite some of my words barely suppressing craftily my sense You cite these words Questionlesse no writing whatsoever whether translations or originals are the Word â—f God Divine Author pag. 18. without citing those other words of mine Divine Author pag. 13. wherein I assert them to be of Divine Authority Si. Coll. visited p. 11 12. Let the thirteenth and fifteenth pages of Divine Author be lookt upon pag. 12. Sion Coll. visited I beseech you brethren where lyes the error of these words 〈◊〉 God should not endue men with such principles abilities c. by the diligent improvement whereof they might come to be convinâ—ed of a readinesse and willingnesse in him to receive them into grace and favour upon their repentance and turning to him upon which conviction that repentance and turning to God alwaies followes they which are condemned would have their mouthes opened against God and surmshed with and excuse c.