this cloud is ouer it sends forth new rayes of grace It is the soule of the soule which euen in the middest of extream fainting of the soule yet remaines intire without diminution by the aqua caelestis of Gods neuer failing mercy actuates euery faculty of the soule afresh to the atchieuing of greater workes It is the ship of good hope which when couered with waues sets prayers to awaken Christ asleepe in it who by and by stilleth the storme or sends his Angel as to Paul to assure him that none in this little barke of ours shall perish but safely arriue vpon the hony hauen of Melita euen that true hony-flowing land of Canaan It is a fire which while raked vp vnder the dead ashes of deepe contrition though it seeme dead yeelding neither light nor warmth to our weake senses yet it is but fostered for a new fire that though heauinesse for sinne may indure for a night yet ioy of faith commeth in the morning feeding it selfe with the fewell of new works of obedience flaming forth in a holy conuersation The faithfull man as Dauid as Peter may be ouertaken with a dead sleepe of faith but awakened by grace his soule is inlightned that hee sleepes not in death but as the Sunne arising reioyceth as a gyant to runne his course with greater alacritie and vigor Thus wee see the fruite of sauing faith may be for a time suppressed yet the roote not supplanted the act of it may be suspended yet the habit not lost it may be ecclipsed to our sense yet his light not lessened or his course stayed it may bee in a dead sleepe yet liue faint yet not faile sicke yet not to death weather beaton yet not wracked languish yet not perish Babylonins But the famous Schollar Doctor Ouerall alledged by the Authour late Deane of Pauls and Bishop of Norwich held that a man might fall from grace into the very state of damnation and so remaine vnder Gods wrath till hee did recouer Yea that he auouched this to his late Maiestie and what concertations hee had with other Doctors in the Vniuersitie about it Orthodoxus If we take vp all the Appealer faith vpon trust without further examination wee shall recken before our host for hee playes the shuffler egregiously Nor will he I perceiue to saue his owne stake sticke to pawne the best credit of the most famous of our Church for the security of his most shamelesse slaunders of the truth And if we had not all the better euidence to conuince him he would carry it away hand smooth with downe right daring Pardon my zeale hearein I cannot but be moued when not only Godscause and glory then which nothing ought to be more precious vnto vs but also the credit of our learned and reuerend Fathers is so traduced But the summe of the Conference before the Kings Maiestie at Hampton Court now newly published in print will tell vs the plaine truth of the matter And that we may not with the Appealer falsifie the truth in dealing by halfes I will giue you the intire words of that worthy Deane and reuerend Bishop as they are set downe in the 42 page of that booke Namely that whosoeuer although before iustified did commit any greeuous sin as adultery murther treason or the like did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrath and guiltie of damnation or were in state of damnation quoad praesentem statum vntill they repented adding hereunto that those which were called iustified according to the purpose of Gods election howsoeuer they might and did sometime fall into greiuous sinnes and thereby into the present state of wrath and damnation yet did neuer fall either totally from all the graces of God to be vtterly destitute of all the parts and sccde thereof nor finally from iustification but were in time renued by Gods Spirit vnto a liuely faith and repentance and so iustified from those sinnes and the wrath curse and guilt annexed thereunto whereinto they are fallen and wherein they lay so long as they were without true repentance for the same Doe we not see plainely here how hee distinguisheth betweene a common iustification in regard of the externall and ordinary meanes of the Word and Sacraments and the true and reall iustification according to Gods purpose yet in the first he maketh no mention of a totall falling away Or if the Appealer will contend that so much is implyed we will not contend for that for such as are not truely and really iustified according to Gods purpose but onely according to the externall vocation no maruaile if they both totally and finally fall away But for those that are iustified according to Gods purpose to wit the elect and praedestenate vnto life he saith expresly that though they may and doe fall into greiuous sinnes yet they neuer fall either totally or much lesse finally from the grace of God but are in time renewed by Gods Sririt vnto a liuely faith and repentance A golden speech which all the Apealers chimicall counterfeit Philosophers stone cannot so easily transmute into his base copper alcumy coyne how brauely and boldly soeuer he braze it on according to his rule Caluâ—niare audacter aliquid barâ—bit To conolude this point of perseuerance in true grace it stands firmely built vpon sure grounds and euident reasons set downe in the Scriptures such as no wit of man or deuill can ouerthrow For the purpose one reason of the elects perseuerance in grace vnto glory is taken from the nature of that holy feare which God puts in the hearts of all his faithfull ones as Ier. 32. 39 40. where the Lord saith I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer c. And I will make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So here is a double reason of the Saints perseuerance first on Gods part He will not turne away from them to doe them good and that by an eternall couenant And secondly they shall not depart from him Vpon which words Saint Augustine saith Quod quid est aliud quam talis actantus erit timor meus quem dabo in cor coruÌ„ vt mihi perseueranter adhareant which what is it else but that my feare which I will put in their hearts shall bee such and so great that they shall perseueringly cleaue vnto me A second reason is alledged Ioh. 13. 1. drawne from the immutabilitie and eternity of Christs loue to his elect saying Hauing loued his owne which were in the world he loued them vnto the end * And as the Apostle saith The gifts and calling of God are without repentance A third reason of the Saints perseuerance is taken from the power of Christ and of the Father Ioh. 10. 28. where Christ saith I giue vnto
will in the state of nature hath such a vast disproportion to the grace of Christ as it hath no disposition at all vnto it This is a mystery hid from Nature a Transcendent far aboue the capacity of Natures reach To this grace nature is not bleareeyd but blinde not a sleepe but dead not lame but a senslesse stocke So that more then a slender mouing or stirring vp of I wot not what first grace I wot well no grace is requisite to set the will a foote to the setling of it in the state of grace of that grace I say of true iustification to which Romes first grace hath no more proportion then her free-will in her purâ—st naturalls But the grace whereof the Scripture speakes and the worke of it in mans conuersion is no such grace as Romes first grace for that is no other but the true and effectuall sauing iustifying and sanctifying grace of God the first act and worke whereof in the soules conuersion to God is not a faint and impotent mouing and stirring or awakening of the sleepy will which then begins to dispose it selfe to grace but it is a powerfull and effectuall worke vpon the will and the whole soule with euery faculty thereof and that not to the disposing vnto but to the present possessing of the state of grace and true iustification apprehended by sauing faith the free gift of this grace Besides this effectuall grace of God for mans conuersion the Scripture knows none Nor is the Scripture acquainted with such ieiune and faint termes as Rome vseth in setting forth the worke of grace in our conuersion The Scripture flyes in a more lofty stile to giue Gods grace the full prayse in the effectuall worke of our conuersion Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and will put a new spirit within you I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will giue them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes So Ezech. 36. 26 A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and cause you to walke in my statutes And this is as Augustine saith the taking away of our stony heart and the giuing of a heart of flesh when the Father is heard within and teacheth vs to come and draweth vs to his Sonne by giuing vs a sauing faith in Christ. By which places wee see what a noble and powerfull worke of grace is wrought in vs by Gods holy Spirit in our conuersion not a bare stirring vp or mouing or helping the old decrepit stiff-limd will of the naturall mans stony heart but a mighty remouing of it cleane away and insteed therof putting a new heart a heart of flesh a flexible and obedient heart and a new spirit into vs by the vertue and power whereof we are effectually inabled to walke in Gods statutes and to keepe them And this worke of grace where begins it but at the very first act of our effectuall calling and conuersion of our iustification and sanctification from our sinnes and against our sinnes As in the forecited place of Ezechiel Then will I sprinkle pure water vpon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse for a new heart will I giue you c so in Ieremy The Lord ioynes his grace and remission of sinnes together saying I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall bee my people For I will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more The Lord in the Gospell compares the state of a naturall man vnregenerate to a house possessed by a strong man This strong man is Satan the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience such as all vnregenerate are who in that state are dominered ouer and captiuated of the tyrant Diuel at his will Who then shall binde this strong man and dispossesse him of his house and strong hold euen the heart of a naturall man vnregenerate Surely none but a stronger then he euen Christ. And is this done so slightly as by stirring vp the will by some first grace No more but so The strong man will not so easily forgoe his hold He must bee driuen out by strong hand When the Disciples could not by all their delegated power Christ must be faine to put to his immediate power authority to driue the Diuel out A sinner vnregenerate is as Peter fast asleepe and fast chained in the dungeon And to free him did the Angel no more but with a iogge awake him How fell his chaines so easily of How came the prison dores open How the iron gate leading into the citie to open of it owne accord Surely here was no small power vsed Nay the vnregenerate is like Lazarus fast bound and lying dead in the graue And is it so easie a matter to raise him vp to giue him life and to free him from the bonds of death But you hath hee quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes wherein once yee walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also wee had our conversation in time past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind c. Eph. 2. 1 c. Our will being then captiuated chained imprisoned in the dungeon of death kept and possessed by the strong man the Diuel are we so easily freed Saint Chrysostome amplifieth this by an excellent comparison or two All men saith hee before sinne as once in Adams loynes before his fall haue free will to follow the Diuels will or not but when once by sinne wee haue captiuated our selues to his workes wee cannot now free our selues But as a ship the rudder being broken is carried whither the tempest will so man having by sinne lost the helpe of divine Grace doth not that which himselfe willeth but which the Divell willeth and vnlesse God with a strong hand of mercy loose him hee shall abide in the bonds of his sinnes even vnto death And in the same place he compareth mans will before sinne namely in the state of Adams innocency to a free people or stare in whose power and election it is to chuse what King they will but hauing once chosen him whom they best like it is not now in their power vpon any dislike to depose him againe although hee tirannize ouer them neuer so much none can free them from this grieuous bondage but onely God So it being once in the power of mans will in the free state of innocency to chuse a King God or the Diuel hauing once by consent of sin made choise of the Prince of darknesse who tyrant-like ruleth in the children of disobedience it appertaines now onely to the mightie power and infinite goodnesse of God to set
it with my best strength courage and skill against the adversary of this grace who saith that the Child of God maâ— fall away totally and possibly also finally from grace and justification Which one Heresy overthroweth the whole tenure and truth of the Gospell it turneth vpside downe the very foundation of our salvation grounded vpon Gods eternall loue in Electing and Predestinating vs in Christ to Grace and Glory those gifts and calling of God without repentance it revineth directly in part and by consequence altogether that wicked heresy of the Pelagians noted by the Reverend Bishop of Chichester and the worshipfull M. Francis Rovs two noble champions of Gods Truth it comes close vp also to make a league with the Councel of Trent to truck with Rome in all that fardâ—ll of Apostaticall doctrines packed vp in the sixt Session of it as of Freewill Iustification Predestination Cortaintie of salvation Perseverance in grace c. In which poynts and many more of that nature coincident to the doctrine of Iustification the subiect of that whole Session I had I confesse formerly taken some paynes in setting downe the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in this mayne fundamentall And having the Treatise by me already finished and priviledged also while the season served for the Presse onely prvented by the last visitation I haue ben the more willing to take this new occasion to borrow at least some Artillery from that greater worke to encounter these fresh Assaults made against the Truth And see how the same motiue that put me vpon the former worke hath drawne me also to this Shall I tell the plaine truth Why not But I must name Doctor Francis White then and discover something which passed betweene him and me in private But this I hope shall not violate the Law of fidelity sith I shall say no more but what himselfe in his Approbation prefixed to the Appeale hath not stuck to make open profession of to the world It is this I having about foure yeares agoe taken a thorow survey of the sixt Session of the Councel of Trent and finding therein Romes Apostacy from the faith of Christ cunningly couched I tooke occasion simply suspecting nothing as then to goe to the said Doctor wishing he would vndertake so worthy a Taske as to declare fully the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in the doctrine of Iustification according to the Councel of Trent But his answer was that the difference was but small between vs. I wondring at his answere No Sir said I then let vs shake hands with them and be good friends For on this foundation stands the maine fabrick of Romes Religion consisting in humaine satisfactions and merits all devised to fill vp the vast emptines of their Iustification from which Roote they all as branches doe receiue life and growth Yet to be sure another time I propounded the same question vnto him his answere was the same and so was my reply Hereupon farre aboue my strength I tooke courage to attempt that taske my selfe leuelled against Pontifician and Arminian Doctrines ioyntly all along and now againe am I no lesse if not much more iustly prouoked to reuiew and reuiue something of that former worke being spurred thereunto more I confesse by Doctor Whites Approbation then Master Mountagues Appeale Nor in such a Cause am I a whit moued with the name and fame of Doctor White He is a learned man I confesse but Truth is better learned Hee is an ancient graue Diuine crowned with an hoary venerablenesse true but Salomon saith The hoary head is a crowne of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnesse And howsoeuer the world may value Truth according to personall respects yet God is no Accepter of persons My brethren saith Saint Iames haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons He condemnes those that in points of faith preferres the Gold-ring the soft or white rayment before the poore man Tertullian saith Quid si Episcopus c. What if a Bishop if a Deacon if a Widdow if a Virgin if a Doctor if also a Martyr shall fall away from the Rule therefore shall haeresies seen e to obtaine the truth Ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Doe we approue the faith by the persons or the persons by the faith Nemo sapiens c. No man is wise but hee that is faithfull none great none a Christian. Nemo auteÌ„ Christianus c. And no man is a Christian but hee that shall perseuere vnto the end Auolent quantum volent paleae leuis fidei c. Let the chaffe of light faith fly away as fast as they will with euery breath of temptation the cleaner heape of graine shall be laide vp in the Lords Garner Nonne c. Did not some of the Lords Disciples forsake him being scandalized and offended with his Doctrine Yea was not Iudas the Traitor one of the twelue Apostles What then if any great Doctor yea or Bishop fall away from the faith they once professed Is this a sufficient proofe that Gods saints may fall away totally or finally from sauing grace and iustification Will any Appealer or his Approuers make this good by their owne examples of falling away No saith Saint Iohn cited by Tertullian in the foresaid place Phigellus Hermogenes Philetus and Hymeneus forsooke the faith they went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not all of vs. And why weÌ„t they out Saint Iohn a little before admonisheth Gods children to beware of the loue of the world whereupon he giueth them examples of Apostates inferring that the loue of the world drew them away Demas forsooke Paul and imbraced this present world So easie a thing is it for a louer of the world to fall into all heresy the God of this world hauing blinded his eyes Therefore when we see a starre shoote as the vulgar call it doe we as they thinke it to be a very starre falling from the firmament Nothing lesse We know it to be nothing else but an earthy slime falling to the earth whence it ascended in a vapour For earth will to earth Stella cadens non est stella cometa suit Such acry vapours then when you see ambitiously mounting aloft towards the vpper part of the lowest heauen well may they shine there for a time like starres but maruaile not when you see them fall backe againe they were no true starres Sacerdotium quod intus cecidit diu foris stare non potest It was Gregory the greats saying of ambitious simoniacks Was Iudas once in the state of grace iustification because he was an Apostle Indeede Andreas Vega one of the champions of the Trent Councell puts him downe fâ—â— an in instance
immortall God to dye no not for a moment Of this nature also is the borne of God hee cannot fall away totally that is dye in his spirituall life no not for a moment for hee is borne of that Father the seede of that God remaineth abideth in him and neuer departeth from him which is immortall and cannot dye This truth that the borne of God are preserued from euer falling from grace is confirmed by many other cleare places of Scripture if time would permit to recite them Now this being so cleare a proofe if any places of Scripture seeme to be opposite they are so onely in sound not in sense For proofe the Scriptures are full of admonitions the onely proofes that they bring for their opinions against the positiue truth to take heede of falling away from the grace of God as Heb. 12. 13. So 1 Cor. 10. 12. He that think he standeth let him take heed lest he fall the like also of exhortation if any man be fallen as Ezech 18. and elsewhere all which places must not so be taken as if Gods children did at any time fall away totally from grace but they are as so many Preseruatiues and Antidotes as so many directions to keep Gods childe in his way they are a part of those meanes which God hath ordained to preserue vs in the way from falling Hereupon I remember Saint Augustine saith excellently alledgâ—ng these words Reu. 3. 11. Tene quod habes c. Hold that thou hast least another take thy Crowne now that these things are so spoaken euen to the saints that shall perseuere as if it were vncertaine that they shall perseuere they ought not to heare this otherwise to whom it belongeth not to bee high minded but feare Hence also it was saide to the Apostles If yee shall abide in me himselfe speaking it who knew full well that they would abide in him And by the Prophet If yee be willing and will hearken vnto mee when himselfe knew in whom he would worke euen to will And many such things are spoken for the vtility and profit of this secret least any should be puffed vp but that all euen thâ—se that runne well should feare So he Nothing can be added to it Againe when wee reade of any Apostates and such as make shipwracke of faith as 2 Tim. 2. Himeneus and Alexander and the like then haue recourse to that saying of Saint Iohn 1. 2. 19. where speaking of Antichristian reuolters saith They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had ben of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. For there is a common temporarie faith a commoÌ„ grace a common illumination whereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 6. from which men may fall away totally and finally as Iudas and Iulian and others but the sauing grace the iustifying faith which is proper to Gods elect is of the foundation of God which standeth sure vpon which they that are built shall neuer fall away as Aquinas in Rom. 8. ver 30. whom he hath iustified them he hath glorified To this purpose I remember a saying or two of Saint Augustine Fides Christi c. The faith of Christ the faith of Christian grace namely that faith which worketh by loue being put in the foundation permits none to perish And in another place Nic nos moueat c. Nor let it moue vs saith he that God doth not giue this perseuerance to some of his sonnes For there are some who because of a temporarie grace receaued are called of vs the sonnes of God and yet with God they are not so of whom Iohn speaketh They went out from vs but they were not of vs they were not of the number of sonnes no not when they were in the faith of sonnes For the sonne of promise perisheth not but the sonne of perdition Those were of the multitude of the called not of the small number of the elect And againe in the 9. Chapter reciting Christs words Si man eritis in verbo meo c. If ye abide in me then are yee my Disciples indeed he saith Therefore because they had not perseuerance as also being not Christs Disciples indeede so neither were they the sons of God indeed euen then when they seemed to be and were called so Therefore we call those both the elect Disciples of Christ and the soâ—â—â—s of God because they are so to be called whom being regenerate to wit sacramentally and in our account wee see to line godly but then they are indeede that which they are called if they abide in that for which they are so called But if they haue not preseuerance they are not truly called that which they are called and are not Thus we see Saint Augustine following the rule of Gods word hath truly laid downe the state of the perseuerance of Gods saints in faith and grace distinguishing all along betweene sauing grace and common temporary grace betweene iustifying faith and common historicall faith betweene the outward ordinarie calling of Christians and the inward effectuall calling betweene the externall regeneration and the internall betweene the sonnes of God in mens account or in appearance and those in Gods account and in truth And in this sense not otherwise is that to bee vnderstood which the Appealer vrgeth of all that are baptized of whom we professe wee beleeue that they are regenerate and in the state of grace who comming afterwards to liue lewdly and so to dye the Author by their example would proue both a totall and finall falling away from grace True it is that Baptisme is called regeneration but Sacramentally and so all children baptised are said to be regenerate and so generally wee beleeue they are saved while we iudge them to be in the state of grace in regard of the common sacred Ordinance of God which is alwayes effectuall if it be accompanyed with the effectuall and inward working of the Spirit of God and received by a saving faith wrought by the same Spirit I say all children duely baptized we beleeue to be made the members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heaven and to be saved dying before the committing of any such sinnes as might giue vs occasion to judge and beleeue the contrary This is the pious faith of the Church and of Christians Yet though in our accompt many are called by receiuing the outward Ordinances of God and the externall ordinary meanes of salvation notwithstanding in Gods account few are chosen And the chosen are onely those that are truely saved in Gods account The Lord knoweth who are his As aboue Saint Augustine speaking of the impious after baptisme saith Fuerunt isti c. Such were of the multitude of those that bee called not of the small number of the Elect. Babylonius But Saint Aug as our Authour alledgeth him both
from the reproach of Puritanisme the very name being enough to cause Truth to be taken for Heresie sincerity for hypocrisy a peaceable Conformitant for a seditious Schismaticke a loyall subiect for a traitor an honest man for a varlet Thus by iustice shall Your Maiesties throne be established Thus may fearefull consequents bee preuented if the causes be timely remoued I reade but of two maine things which wrought Ierusalems wracke the one Idolatry causing often desolations and miseries vpon that Church and state the other Heresy in reiecting of Christ and his righteousnesse seeking iustification by workes This later alone euen without the other for in Christs time and after not an Idol or Image was found in Iudea caused that fatall and finall irreparable ruine once for all Parallel to these two are Pontifician Idolatry and Arminian Heresy the summe whereof is to abolish the true and to establish a new Religion For the first it is grosse enough to bewray it selfe and to deserue to bee cast out least such lading not onely cause but conspire with the storme to drowne the ship it is carried in For the second because it is somewhat more refined and hath learned to goe vailed vnder the Maske of the Church of England the more dangerous both for seducement and sedition as a poyson the more subtile the more mortall be your Maiestie pleased to take aduertisment of the more proper markes of an Arminian An Arminian is in his personall qualities just like his Religion First he is no lesse ambitious of head-ship ouer men then his Religion is of copartnership at least with God in His glory Secondly as his Religion flatters him so he men very officious in soothlesse soothings the Spaniels that finde his ambition game Thirdly as his religion is contrary so hee cannot away with Reformed Churches and their learnedest and foundest writers as Caluin specially beyond the Seas Fourthly as he hates to be reformed so one peece of his Sermon must be an inuectiue against a reformed Christian his Puritan Fifthly sith his Religion complies so well with Popery he will therefore euer preferre the Church of Rome before any yea all Reformed Churches Sixthly though he loue to be a droane yet brings he a kinde of honey to Preferments hiue And he is now so fleshed with confidence that as euery where abroad hee will more frankly at Court make the theames of his Sermons to be Uniuersall grace equally offered to all to receiue if they will when a man hath receiued grace he may fall away totally yea finally from that grace of God and iustification Hee teacheth also that man can haue no other certainty of saluation but coniecturall that God hath predestinated none to glory but those whom hee foresaw would both by their Freewill receiue grace and would or could of themselues perseuere to the end that in the maine and fundamentall points of religion the Doctrine of the Church of England agreeth with the Councell of Trent These and the like bee the Doctrines of the Appeale which how true this insuing Plea will plainly shew Pardon my plaine zeale gratious Prince The Romaines despised not the noyse of their geese whereby their Capitol was preserued from the Gaules Let mee be accounted one of them for telling truth so our dangers may thereby bee preuented Yea those geese were highly rewarded I desire no other but that I may bee a common sharer in those blessings which shall attend both Church and State if but those Plaintifs bee righted whose satisfaction shall bee Your Maiesties honour the setling of Your Crowne the comfort of Your best friends the confusion of Your greatest foes the retaining of Gods fauour vpon Your Maiesties Person for grace peace and prosperity here for glory and immortality hereafter for all which I shall be as I am euer bound Your Maiesties most humble Orator though vnworthy seruant HENRY BVRTON The Preface to the Reader CHristian Reader I present thee here with a Plea to an Appeale That Appeale I meane styled An Appeale to Cesar. Which is such as I confesse sauing for the Titles wherein I find the Sacred name of Cesar I had filed my feete rather then my hands with it if after my long frustrate expectation of seeing it burned I had not to my great wonderment seene the contrary namely that it found so many friends and favorites Besides sundry things therein which at first might haue passed onely for errours as falling from some distemper of hastie passion being now stoutly and stiffly in cold blood defended they grow to be flat heresies and so no further to be tollerated as S. Augustine speaketh For my owne part when I perused the booke my spirit was not a little stirred in me to see Gods glory defaced our Salvation vndermined our Church scandalized and popish Arminianisme triumphing even vpon the open Theater Faine would I haue beene dealing with it but both the consciousnes of my many both naturall disabilities and personall infirmities as also the hope I had of so many my worthy and able elder brethren who I trusted would and still hope will vindicate at least their deare Mothers credit the Church of England held me backe Notwithstanding at last though the least of all I gaue the on-set nec tardum opperiens nec praecedentibus instans as well knowing that Hosanna is accepted of Christ as well from the mouthes of little children as of others Yea and sometimes if those should hold their peace the very stones would cry And where as not only my personall imperfections but my naturall corruptions also stood vp to disswade me from such a Taske yet even from them also did I draw motiues vnto it First because I thought my example of shewing willingnesse to my weaknesse might provoke the more able to be the more willing to supply my wants Secondly out of the sense and conscience of my many corruptions that Law in my members leading me miserable captiue to the law of sinne having such abundant experience of that superabundant grace of God which hath mightily borne me vp even against the streame of rebellious nature so that when my foote slipped his mercy held me vp I have learned hereby how deepely I am bound to expresse my thankfulnes to God in setting forth to the vttermost of my power the praise of the glory of his Grace sufficient for me against those thornes in my flesh against those buffering messengers of Satan threatning to overthrow me if the Lords never fayling grace had not made me to stand Yea how many stormes of temptations hath my brittle barke indured yet blessed be God it is not wracked Those Reliques of rebellious Canaanites dwelling in me as thornes in my side and pricks in myne eyes by Gods grace humble me onely overcome me not So that God having put in my hand such a tryed weapon of infallible experience of his saving grace I should be very ingratefull to let it lie rusting in the sheath and not to use
that the Elect may fall away finally from grace because Christ said Haue not I chosen you twelue Iudas then saith he was one of the Elect. But as Saint Augustine answereth well it is one thing to be elected to the office of Apostleship another to the fellowship of the Saints For there is as a twofold vocation so a twofold election externall and internall temporary and eternall Iudas was of the externall and temporary but not of the internall and eternall election For of this Christ said elsevvhere I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen There Christ puts a plaine difference between Iudas an elect Apostle the rest who were also elect Saints But how came Iudas an elect Apostle to fall away hee was a theefe and bare the bagge Yet he bâ—ught not his Apostleship he was elected by Christ. He had a faire and lawfuâ—l calling Yet his coueteousnesse brought him to Apostacy and euen to betray the innocent blood of the Lambe of God Then wonder not at the Church of England The saâ—e Rebecca brought forth as well a rough Esau as a smoâ—th Iacob And as Tertullian saith to the same purpose Of the kernell of the milde and fat and vsefull oliue doth spring the rough wilde oliue and of the most pleasant and sweete figges seede doth grow the windy and empty wilde figtree So heresies saith hee haue fructisied of that which was ours but they are not ours being degenerate from the graine of truth and by lyes become wilde They went out from vs but they were not of vs. What then if wee shall see some of the Apostles or such as would bee accounted Apostolicall to proue Apostaticall from the faith shall this stumble Gods Saints Or shall an impotent admiration of their persons draw beliefe to their heresies God forbid For as the same Tertullian for I finde not an acuter authour for this purpose comparing champion-like hereticks to wrastlers or sword players which many times ouercome not by their owne strength but by the others weaknesse no otherwise saith he doe heresies preuaile ouer the infirmities of men but haue no power at all vpon a sound faith Yea of what qualitie or dignity soeuer hereticks be whether for personall or politicall respects the holy Ghost warnes the Saints to auoid and contemne them Auoide an hereticke saith the Apostle And St. Iohn If there come any vnto you that brings you not this Doctrine receiue him not to your house neither bid him God-speede for hee that biddeth him God-speede is partaker of his euill deedes And Saint Paul doubles his admonition If an Angel from heauen preach vnto you any other Gospell then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed which is not another Gospell but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospell of Christ. Into this condemnation be the new Pontifician Arminian shall I say Hereticks I need not if they persist I will not if they recant and desist Approvers of the Councel of Trent fallen the doctrine whereof is a fowle and flat Apostacy from the Mystery of godlines They would bring in another Gospell though no Gospell but they would obtrude it far the true and only Gospell of the Grace of God And if the Galatians were said to be fallen from Christ onely for mingling Circumcision with the Gospel as requisite with faith to their iustification how fearefull is that Apostacy from Christ which quite ouerthroweth the effectuall and free grace of God excluding yea accursing the true sauing faith in our iustification as the Doctrine of Trent doth so dangerous it is to be any way accessary by yeelding the least assent vnto it And what execrable heresies will these proue to be that goe about to pluck vp the tree of life by the roote out of the Paradise of Gods Church and would plant instecde thereof the forbidden tree of knowledge teaching and perswading the eaters that they are made thereby as Gods selfe-sufficient selfe-wise selfe-able to saue themselues not onely in their receiuing but retaining grace which worke of their owne wills being foreseene of God was say they the first mouing cause of electing and praedestinaring them to saluation which what is it else but a meere making voide of Gods vnchangable Decree of Praedestination and free grace of Election no farther fixed and certaine but as mans receiuing and retaining of grace and perseuering therein is certaine which say they is vncertaine Pardon my zeale gentle Reader Impute it not to any bitternesse of spleene I beare it not to any mans person liuing God is my record much lesse to the Authours of the Appeale and the Approbation I know none whom I hate more then my sinfull selfe But the Lord knowes it is no small greife to me that I am thus forced to sharpen my style Which if it seeme tarter to thy Palate then may sure with Christian moderation and modesty examine I pray thee whether the long custome of Court-smoothing and eare-pleasing specially in Diuine matters haue not bred such a delicacy in the soules tast as that downe right zeale for Gods glory can hardly finde a slomack to take it downe or digest it but is reiected as a bitter pill or potion of such Patients as account the remedy worse then the disease Zeale will not passe now but for fury or rude incinility at the best But ab initio non erat sic In old time it was lawfull to call a spade a spade Saint Peter dealt roundly with Simon Magus for his Simony Thy money perish with thee How sharpe was Paul with Elimas the Sorcerer for going about to turne away the Deputy fioÌ„ the faith O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe thou child of the Deuill thou enemy of all righteousnesse c. And what would he haue said trow we to those men who goe about to turne away not a Deputy but a whole kingdome a well settled flourishing Church from the faith What if they were graue learned Diuines So much the worse If an enemy had done this it had ben more tolerable but it was euen thou my guide and familiar freind I will not adde Dauids imprecation but rather aduise them as Peter did Simon to pray that if it be possible the sinne not of their heart onely but of their hand may be forgiuen How did Paul though but a young Apostle reproue the prime Apostle Peter onely for a matter of dissimulation in his conuersation not any default in his preaching And shall wee not zealously resist those to the face that noâ— now dissemblingly anymore but with opeÌ„ profession approue auow stafly maintaine grosse and greiuous heresies deuised by the Deuil to betray Gods glory and mans saluation That sticke not to call the Doctrinas of Pradestination freewill and the like Scholasticall speculations meerely questions of obscurity not fit for pulpits and popular eares but procuring rather discord and troubles in