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
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.
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
c. The Scripture considered immediately is onely a fit rule to men learned nor can it be of any use to the illiterate So Canus in Locis l. 2. c. 13. Discourse concerning the rule of faith sect 7. Scriptures cannot bee a rule of faith accomodate to the capacities of unlearned men who cannot read them Discourse uhi supr sec 6. These Translations are not infallible as the rule must be for neither were the Scriptures written in this Language neither were the Translators assisted by the same spirit infallibly as if it were imposble they should erre c. Protest Writers confuting them both Chamierius Panstr t. 1. l. 7. c. 7. Rivet Cath. or Trac 1. q. 1. Gerrand Exeg pag. 16. Whitak de Script Baronius Apol. pr. object formali fidei tr 4. p. 155. Maresitheol elench T. 1. p. 24. Sol. Glass T. 1. de pur Text. Chamierius Paustr T. 1. l. 12. c. 10. Baron Apol. Tr. 1. c. 2. Dr. White way to the Ch. p. 17. Dr. Whites way to the Church p. 13 I shall conclude with observing that in this Mr. Goodwin is worse than either Papists Enthusiasts or such other Sectaries that oppose the written Word because though they deny it to be the formall object of faith or that upon which we are to ground and build our faith in beleeving the matters of the Scriptures yet they have held forth some other foundation in stead of the written Word but never were we beholding to Master Goodwin for such a favour This Bishop of Bangor vainly threatned when he entred upon the handling of this question about the Scriptures Yo. Eld. p. 26. that he would make his friend William as hereticall as himselfe before they parted at this turning My Lord we are now parting at this turning but all that your young friend hath received at your Lordships hands is confirmation in the same truth which he entertained before you and he first met and which so much opposeth your Errours and he hopes that he shall ever forsake you and these your workes CHAP. IIII. Shewing the weaknesse and erroneousnesse of Master Goodwins pretended Answers to what I bring against his Errours about the power of man to good supernaturall IN my former Booke called Busie Bishop I charged you with Arminianism in the handling this Doctrine of grace and free will Yo. El p. 43 44. Sect. 56. you deny not the charge but acknowledge it true though not penitentially but impudently But what say you in your owne defence 1. You slight the charge Yo. Eld. p. 43. as fit to be regarded onely by women and childâ—en and not by mâ—n of worth parts c. But is it so small a matter to be accounted Answ nay to be a profest Arminian Câ—nc Carthâ—g sub Aurel. Apud Bin. To. 1. p. 864. Conc. Mileu 868 869. Nefarius ab omnibus anathematizandus error haeresis nimium periculoso error pernitiosissimus Aug. ad Hilar. ep 94. pestifeta impietas execrabile dogmald fidei venena Aug. Contr. Julian would it never have moved men of worth parts c. Were they men of no worth or parts c. that censured the Tenets in Pelagius which afterward revived in Arminius have none but women and children held these forth as accursed abominable most pernitious heresies execrable pestilent impieties the poyson and bane of faith The many holy and learned men who have been moved against the errours of Arminius were so far from being children for their deep resentment of this heresie that they shew you a childe for sleighting the charge of it Neither women nor children sit in Parliament and yet the House of Commons in their Remonstrance to the King June 11. 1628. professe themselves no lesse perplexed with the growth of Arminianism than of Popery that being a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of Arminianism they looke upon as the common disturbers of Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten head being Protestants in shew Vid. Prin. neces Introd p. 92. but Jesuites in opinion and practice It s cleare what Master Goodwins esteeme was of that Parliament for being so moved against Arminians and I doubt not but this present Parliament which hath been so earnest in suppressing Arminians is yet lower in the opinion of this censor 2. In this section you plead that truth is not the worse because bareticks hold it I my self you say hold some things that Devills Pharisees Arminians beleeve Yo. Eld. p. 4â— It s confest but this comes not up to your case Answ If you hold any truth which the Arminians hold I blame you not Lâ—de nup Conc. c. 3. libeâ—wn in homâ—ne esse arbitrium utrique dicimus hinc non estis Celestiani liberum autem quenquam esse ad faciendum bonum hoc vos dicitis hinc estis celestiâ—ni It s for the embracing the errours which they maintaine that I charge you It s a speech of Augustine to the Sectaries That there is free will in man we say on both sides hence therefore it is not that you are called Celestians but that any one hath free will to good you say and hence you are called Celestians you tell me that the devill holds Jesus Christ to be the holy one of God but this confession makes him not a devill its common with the Church of Christ but your tenets are properly Pelagian Arminian condemned by the Churches of Christ whom you leave therefore particularly this Church of England of which the learned Davenant saith No man can embrace Arminianism in the Doctrinâ— of predestination and grace Prin. Comp. Tr. p. 166. but he must first desert the Articles agreed upon by the Church of England And in this you close with the Jesuite building upon that foundation which he laid and watering that plant which he planted in England and Holland as a soveraigne drugg to purge the Protestants from their heresie 3. You say That this practice of mine to defame books by saying that those who are erroneous hold them is an old device of Papists whereby they endeavour to render such truths of God as made not for their interests hatefull you instance in one Prateolus Yo. Eld p. 44. A triviall passage that needs not a reply Papists slander truths Answ I discover'd errours where 's the harmony They load truths with imputation of errour I compare errour with errour Morton Cath. Apoâ—par 1. c. 24 Spr. de haeres p. 1. l. 2 3. Riv. Cath. Orth. Tr. 1. When you shall have cleered your self and opinion from the imputation of Arminianism as Morton Springlius Rivet have vindicated the Protestants against Prateolus and his compeers you may say I used a popish stratagem but till then you must be under the accusation of heresie for ought I can do to relieve you I having told the Reader that your charging the Subscribers of the Testimony with Manicheism is as old as
and it is man and not God who beleeveth but the question is who maketh him to beleeve certainly that is not of himselfe it is the gift of God In the next Section you say Yo. Eld. p. 59. Sect. 68 Evident it is that the Apostle speakes not of any difference between man and man which is made by faith or by any saving worke in either but of such a difference which stands in more or fewer in greater or lesser gifts A difference frequent in the primitive times and God was indeed the sole cause of such differings Answ Profound 1. God was the sole cause you say of sptrituall gifts speaking with tongues c. but not of beleeving for here you say that man himselfe is a subordinate cause its man that beleeves when he beleeves and not God but how prove you that God is rather the sole Author of spirituall gifts than of saving graces I thought that the former gifts had not been as grace above nature but had been attaineable by study and industry you say that its man that beleeves when he beleeves and is' t not man that speakes with tongues when he speakes you say that man beleeves and not God and is' t not man that speakes with tongues and not God take him not Bedlam but Beth-lehem 2 Doth not the Apostle make use of generall maximes as that none but God makes to differ and that there 's nothing that a man hath but he received it according to that of the third of John A man can receive nothing unlesse it be given him from heaven and drawes not the Apostle these generall maximes downe to this particular case of which he is speaking 3 Cannot a man make himselfe to differ from another in the least things as more or fewer gifts and can a man make himselfe to dâ—ffer in the greater You conclude this Section with singing your Jo Paean thus you chante to the Reader Yo. Eld. p. 60. you have seene the young mans ankednesse in point of arguing he neither leavies â—easons nor Scriptures with any pertinency There 's not the least haire of the head of my opinion concerning the naturall mans power to good supernaturall falne to the ground which passage I am confident every pious and prudent Reader will interpret thus You have seene the old mans nakednesse in point of answering he neither answers Scriptures nor reasons with either piety or pertinency and there 's not only the haire of the head of his opinion concerning the naturall mans power c. but even that very head it selse falne to the ground being struck off by the sword of the Spirit the Word of God who I desire may have the only glory of it I propounded Yo. Eld. p. 60. Sect. 69. busie Bish p 54. foure quaeries to you to know what kinde of adjutory it was which you acknowledg'd grace to be that you might not under the pretended name of grace obtrude nature as the Pelagiams of old and Jesuits and Arminians of late have done Yo. Eld. Sect. 69. and now you come to taste my genius and strength you say in quaereing You begin with a scoffe you say Arisiotle cannot answer so much as an asse can aske you have prefac'd a good apology for the weaknes of your following answers for how then say I should an asse answer more then ever Aristotle could aske you are such a friend to independency that your first quaâ—nell against my quaerces is that they have a dependance the three last upon the first My first quaeree is whether grace be an adjutory by way of insluence into the will or by way of concourse unto the work only Your answer is you understand it not he hath opposed me with his first question I see my mishap to aske a tallent of him that is not worth a mite and your audaciousnesle to undertake to be a Rabbi and to pretend to a tractate of the power of naturall mans will to good supernaturall like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that did not know what they said or whereof they did affirme This question is of great weight famous in the Schooles and the first usually handled in this controversie but I perceive that Jesuits and remonstrants are halfe as bad to you as modall Propositions in Logick De quibus non gustabit Asinus what J. Goodwin apposed Yo. Eld. p. 53. he even he not understand a question so frequently agitated penotrus in his Propugna bum lib. L. 8. C. 15. propounds it thus An concursus Divinus sit influxus in secundas causas in illarum effectus an solus sit influxus cum causis secundis in effectus non autem in ipsas secundas causas esse vero hanc controver siam gravissimam c. Whether the divine concourse be an influx into the second causes and into their effects or only with the second causes into the effects and not into the causes themselves So Alvar. de auxil lib. 3. disp 18. c. and this question was determined in the affirmative by Augustine de grâ Chri. c. 16. viz. that the grace of God was an adjutory by way of influence into the will Certum est nos servare mandata si volumus sed quia preparatur voluntas a Domino ab illo petendum est ut tantum velimus quantum sufficit ut volendo faciamus Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed ille facit ut velimus bouum de quo dictum est quod preparatur voluntas a Domino It s certaine saith he that when we are willing we will but he makes us to will good of whom it s said that the will is prepared of the Lord But this question is determined negatively by Arminius Cont. Perkins Convursus influxus Dei nihil confert creaturae liberae quoad agendum vel inclinetur vel juvetur vel confortetur The influx of God conferres nothing to the free creature to helpe incline or strengthen it The Schoole of the Arminians follow their Master and joyne with Jesuits making the grace of God and mans will the partiall causes of mans conversion as if two men between them both should beare a burden thus Grevinchovius contr Ames p. 208. Gratia arbitrium concurrunt ut partiales causae ad conversionem hominis partialitate causae non effectus eodem planè modo quo pater filiâ—s unam eandemque navem trabunt Grace and free will coucurre as partiall causes to the conversion of man with a partiality of the cause not of the effect as a Father and a Son draw between them both the same ship the father not contributing strength to the Son c. Such an answer as this will make short work for it leaves no place at all to the grace of Christ but resolves all at last into nature acknowledging no other influence from God into the will but that generall influence God affordeth unto it as the author and preserver thereof And
will or do that which is spirituall and supernaturall as to repent believe c. I fiâ—de that Master John Goodwin hath alleadged some passages in my booke Christians daily walk cap 15. sect 1. page 452 453. as if I did concurre with him or favour his opinion I have hereupon considered and weighed well what I have there written and finde nothing tending to the maintenance of his errour but something expresly against free will to good I declaring That notwithstanding Christ may be said to give himselfe a ransome for all c. yet this doth not argue universall Redemption nor that all men may be saved if they will I appeale to any judicious and impartiall Reader whether in any thing I have there written I have justified his opinion which I am utterly against Henry Scudder SIR Undeâ—standing of your purpose to returne an answer to Master John Goodwins booke Master Calamy his Vindication and finding that therein I am brought upon the stage as one that in a Sermon preached Jan. 12.1644 should say something to countenance that heterodox opinion of his That a naturall man hath power to believe and repent I thought it my duty so far at least to vindicate my selfe and my Ministry as to intreate you to insert in your Answer thus much as from me by way of reply 1. That I do and alwaies did abhorre that proud Pelagian and Arminian Tenent And that 1. because it seemes to me as it is defended by him in his booke to set up free will which by the fall of Adam is no longer liberum but servum arbitrium in the place of free grace And to make free will to put the difference betweene the Elect and the Reprobate and not free grace which is coutrary to Rom. 9.11 18. Eph. 1.5 11. 1 Tit. 1.9 2. Because it makes a man able by nature to do something that will positively and infallibly dispose and prepare him to conversion which is contrary to Rom. 11.35 John 15.5 John 6.44 And contrary to right reason also as * * Nâ—lil se disponit ad gradum altiorem quam habet natura Atqui graâ—ia regenerans excedit totam naturem quicquid igitur est à viribus naturae id inferioris est ordinis improportionatum ad gratiam Potest quidem homo minus peccando miâ—us indispositus reddi ad recipiendam gratiam quam alius sed nihil tamen facere potest per quod ad gratiam disponatur Vossi historia Pelagiana lib. 4. part 1. pag. 420. pag. 419. Dispositio ad gratiam est pars converfionis nostrâ— Conversio autem est opus Divinwn Psal 85.5 Lam. 5.21 Vossius excellently sheweth 3. Because his opinion as he defends it seems to me wholly to take away the necessity of preventing grace and to make the grace of conversion to be subsequent onely to mans naturall endeavours or at least but concomitant Which is contrary to Isa 65.5 Rom. 9.16 4. Because the Scripture sets out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inability of anaturall man to beleeve and repent in such full and expresse termes as that as I conceive it is impossible to be my opinion without wresting the Scriptures Witnesse Gen. 6.5 Gen 8.21 Jer. 17.9 Eccl. 36.26 Mat. 7.18 John 5.25 Rom 8.7 Rom. 5.6 10. 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.5 Ephes 2.1 2 3 Col. 2.13 John 3.6 and divers others of the like nature The Scripture doth not onely say That a man by nature is in the darke as Master G. erroneously affirmes but that he is darknesse Eph. 5.8 not onely that he wants light but that he wants eyes also Deut. 29.4 Not onely that he is de ad in sinnes in regard of the guilt of sinne as Master G. saith but also in regard of all spirituall ability to raise himselfe as appeareth by the next argument 5. Because conversion in Scripture is not onely said to be a giving of light to one that hath eyes before is Master G. saith but a giving of sight also Isa 42.7 Lu. 4.18 It is not onely a giving an immediate actuall or present capacity as Mr. G. minceth it contrary to Scripture but it is a sutting within us a principle of spirituall life It is not onely a raisâ—ng us up from the guilt of sinne but it is a bestowing upon us a new heart and a new Spirit it is a spirituall resurrection and regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 Ja. 1 1â— John 3.3 Ezek. 36.26 And therefore as a naturall man cannot contribute any thing to his naturall being no more can he contribute any thing properly to his supernaturall being These and divers other reasons have induced me alwaies since I knew what belonged to Divinity to detest and abhorre this his unsound and unjustifiable opinion There is a second thing that I would have you likewise to put into your Answer Secondly That I am much wronged and abused in what Master G. relates concerning the Sermon I preached Jan. 12.1644 The truth is looking over my notes I finde that I made two Sermons upon the Doctrine mentioned in the Booke In which I laid downe this position quite contrary to his assertion That man by nature is dead in sin and trespasses unable to do any thing that is spiritually good as he ought to do That man by nature is unable to believe and repent and is like the cold earth able of it selfe to bring forth briers and thornes but not able to do any thing pleasing to God in order to eternall life unlesse he be enabled by the seed of grace sorcen in his heart by Gods holy Spirit Indeed I added That a man unconverted remaining unconverted might do that that was right in the sight of the Lord he might do bonum though not benè And by the helpe of the Holy Ghost in the common worke of it he might do many things in order to salvation And that the reason why he is damned is not for want of power but for not improving the power he hath not for cannot but will not But then I subjoyned two other positions 1. That no unconverted man did ever improve the power that God hath given him but doth give advantage to God to damne him for voluntary refusing to do what he hath power to do 2. That though an unconverted man did improve his naturall abilities to the utmost of his power yet notwithstanding God was not bound by any promise to bestow the grace of conversion upon him This I proved by five arguments too long here to repeat And thus I have given you a short account of what concerns me in his Booke I have but a word more to say and that is to a passage in the 131 page in which he saith He will not so far abuse me as to call me either learned or pious For my part I thanke God I am not solicitous what he or his Pulpit-Incendiary say of me I have learned of my great Master to requite good for evill and to heape
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