your owne interpretation of the Apostles expresse doctrine here if you doe allow him above the natural man then you grant the word Supernaturall vertually in that sense wherein you formerly denyed it so that you are full of interwoven contradictions at every turne refuting your selfe 3 You deny here an utter incapacity of these things in the Natural man c. but such as he may out-grow according to the ordinary course of providence 1. Your Doctrine is evidently false 1. These things of the spirit of God are discerned by another light and another principle then the Natural man hath He neither knowes nor can know them saith the Apostle because they are spiritually discerned and this light of the spirit specifically distinct from the light of Reason in the Natural man as the light of reason is from the light of Sense in the bruit beast v. 11. And this spirit the world hath not therfore not the Natural man v. 12. Formerly he made such an observation as this his refuge that the Evangelist said not Darknesse could not but did not comprehend the light which how slender a refuge it was for him we there saw here the Apostle is expresse Cannot yet he attempts an evasion There is no end of this mans sophistry nor can be upon his principles that the Grammar and Logick of the Scripture must vaile to his Reason 2 Your Doctrine here as all along is purely Pelagian for you acknowledge no such incapacity in the Natural man of discovering all Gospel-truths leading to salvation but what by the diligent use of meanes hee may overgrow c. therefore of himselfe not onely may he make use of the means but so make use of them as that thence he shall certainly be savingly inlightened Which must bee one of these wayes 1 Either the seeds of naturall light shall hereby grow up into a saving light so Nature improves it selfe into Grace and this is according to your Doctrine that there is nothing supernatural in the efficacy of Grace and this is highly Pelagian for it makes Nature Grace Sub laude Naturae latent inimici Gratiae and Nature before this improvement must be Grace in the seed as by it it becomes grace in the fruit Or 2 By this use of means he shall procure the giving of saving light and grace from the hand of God which is still the Pelagian doctrine that the grace of God is given according to mans merits but still it is a Riddle to mee how you can allow thus much and make good your doctrine against the supernaturall efficacy of grace As for your glosse upon 1 Cor. 3. 1. It is evident the Apostle calls them carnall opposed to spiritual not absolutely as formerly he had opposed the natural man but in part therefore he addes by way of limitation babes in Christ but when he expostulates with them v. 3. are yee not carnall and walke according to max he there implies that the meer man is wholly carnall for as much as the weake Christian so farre as he is carnall he is according to man and wherein he walkes carnally he walkes according to man Goodwin 4 And lastly to the Objection concerning Heathen Philosophers and others of great parts and naturall endowments of reason wit understanding c. who either rejected the Gospell as a Fable as the Philosophers or else perverted and wrested the truth thereof in many things to their owne destruction and possibly to the destruction of others as Hereticks I answer when I affirme and teach that Reason or the intellectuall part of a man is competent to apprehend discerne subscribe unto the things of God and of the Gospell my meaning is not to affirme withall that therefore men of these endowments though never so excellently enriched with them must of necessity apprehend discerne or subscribe unto these things Reason and understanding even of the greatest advance in man will serve men for other ends and purposes besides the apprehension and discerning the things of God in the Gospell and may accordingly be improved and imployed by them yea they may be imployed against the Gospell and made to warre and fight against the truth of it it is a saying of knowne truth concerning all things that have not an essentiall connexion with a mans soveraigne good Nil prodest quod non laedere possit idem i. e. Nothing there is so profitable But to doe mischiefe is as able Because some men suffer themselves to be bewitched with a corrupt desire of drawing away Disciples after them and for the fulfilling of such a Lust speake perverse things as the Apostle speaketh it doth not fellow from hence that therefore they were in no capacity or in no possibility of speaking the truth and refraining from the teaching of perverse things Aristotle speaking of riches saith That it is unpossible that he should have them who takes no care to have them So are we to conceive of the knowledge and true discerning of the things of God in the Gospell in what capacity soever men are either for ability or meanes otherwise for attaining them it is unpossible that ever they should actually attaine to them unlesse they be carefull and shall bend the strength of their mindes and understandings in order to the attainment of them Now the Heathen Philosophers more generally became vaine in their imaginations as the Apostle speaketh i. e. they spent themselves the strength of their parts time and opportunities upon matters of a low or secondary concernment and which they apprehended to have a more ready and certaine connexion with their owne honour and esteeme amongst men and did not charge themselves their gifts or parts with that worthy and blessed designe which the Apostle calls the having of God in acknowledgement upon this their unnaturall unthankfulnesse towards God uttering it selfe in their addition of themselves to studies speculations and enquiries of a selfe concernment with the neglect of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their foolish heart was darkned Concerning Hereticks it is a common Notion amongst us that these from time to tâ—me were turned aside from the way of truth by some uncleane Spirit or other as Pride Ambition Envie Voluptuousnesse or the like if these Spirits once enter into a man they will soone call in and take unto themselves other spirits worse then themselves I meane spirits of errour and delusion to advocate for them and plead their cause as for the mistakes and miscarriages in judgement of good men upright in the maine with God and the Gospell about some particular points they are to be resolved into several causes of which we shal not now speake particularly only this I shall say whatsoever any mans errour or mistake in judgement is about the things of the Gospell it is not to be imputed to any deficiency on Gods part in the vouchsafement of meanes unto him competent and sufficient as well for the guiding into as for the keeping of his judgement in the way
the Gospel RICHARD RESBURY An Answer to Mr. JOHN GOODWINS LETTER Vainly by him Entituled Confidence dismounted Sir WHy you had not my Answer sooner you may find in my Epistle to the Reader viz. Because I intended something else besides an Answer to your Letter which indeed I should not have answered at all but onely to make good the particulars of my charge which you challenge me to I shall therefore touch upon other things as no better than impertinent generally and hasten to that First you find some exception against my reflection upon you in the Title and Epistle of my former Book that you never saw my face never heard of my name before Your meaning I suppose is to render me a son of the Earth an obscure and worthless man I confess my self such an one But what if God will by the foolish and weak things of the World confound the Wise and Mighty You might have made this construction thence that I had no animosity against your person upon any private interest you having never done me harm neither which you mention as another aggravation but onely upon the publick interest of Truth and Christianity did I touch upon you Secondly whereas the main of your grief and distaste is that I have uttered hard sayings against the Truths of God If they had been Truths which you defended you had sayd something That which follows representing me according to the practice of the Heathen cloathing the Christians in Wolves and Bears skins c. As likewise your high scorn of my expectation to give any stop to your Gangrene may pass for a strain of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Rhetorique But whereas you charge the Truths of God by me maintained as monstrous Principles uncouth hard and horrid Notions concerning God this passage I must put amongst your consequentiall Blasphemies In the next place you declame against my Book as a dead Drug lying upon my hands it is now in the hands of men let it answer for it self But whereas you so magnifie your self as though you was another Luther a man of such name weight and worth that great preferment is little enough to discourage any to oppose you you are in a pleasing dream It is not unlikely but divers hands will be against you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what terme onely as an Ishmael 〈◊〉 â—…nitie After this you tell me it 〈◊〉 reasonably be thought by any thing in my Book that I ever looked so much as a line of your Book in the face I see your mighty reason deludes your self as much in your conjectures as it strives to do others in your Doctrines Truly Sir I was not so scared with your Medusa's head but I durst look upon it And still I must tell you there are those Truths maintained in that little Book of mine which overturn your Babel In the next place you tell me that I or some Factor of mine purchased the Outcries of two Diurnalists whereas indeed I neither knew nor thought of any such thing till I saw it done but howsoever it is a thing of common course and for ought I know without offence for them to give notice of such Books as are newly printed After this you fall into a raving fit of pride and bitterness where I leave you to come to your self Then you beseech me by the love I bear or pretend to bear to the Lord Christ which comparing your sweet water with your bitter I conceive a Pharicall prophanation of the name of Christ to tell with what goodness of Conscience c. I can say that the main Truths of God concerning his Electing and Redeeming Grace have been highly assaulted by you For answer I refer you to my instances of your consequential Blasphemies at the end of this my Rescript and so your admonition here subjoyned may pass After this you run your descants that I termed you an unhappy man But Sir to let aside your trifling I therefore call you an unhappy man because you are a bold instrument to serve Satan against the Truth and that not onely whiles you live but in after Ages too when your bones shall be as rotten in the Grave as your Errours are now in the World Next you tell me what a daring hand you have for the Truth Happy was you if you sayd true less unhappy if the contrary was not true That your hand is daring against the Truth For the Title of your Book Redemption Redeemed whether right or no you shall be judged you say by a streighter Rule than my notion No doubt and that to your shame In the next place you tell me that I little know what Arminianism indeed meaneth If I be amongst those that know not the depths of Satan I am not much the worse but so much I know of it as I know that Arminius and Mr. Goodwin are Master and Scholar against the Truth of the Gospel Then you tax me for dictating rather than arguing Sir I was then doing another thing than taking your book to task I doubt not but you shall find that in this following discourse I have argued with you In the next place you resent it very deeply that I should pray that the Lord would rebuke you Our Saviour divers times rebuked his Disciples and Satan in one of his great Apostles why we may not pray that in Mr. Goodwin he would rebuke the spirit of Error I know not I think we pray it in effect as often as we pray that His Kingdom may come After this you challenge me to shew you where you at all much less seriously despise the peculiar Grace of God boldly bid defiance to it I answer the whole bent of your discours is both against it against Election the ground of it carried on with much defiance And even here where you would wipe off this spot you shew what an adversary you are to it by a famous contradiction You demonstrate you say the peculiarity of it that is in your interpretation the signal excellency glory of it to consist in this that it encompasseth the whole world about and particularly addresseth it self to every creature of Mankind A worthy demonstration peculiar because common such a thing is light because it is darkness Would any man have thought that Mr. Goodwins Logick could not distinguish between particular and peculiar And that what is common that is belonging to all suppose particularly presented and tendered should yet be peculiar that is belonging onely to some I do not much wonder that you have proved all Orthodox Writers of Primitive and Modern times to be with your self Pelagian forasmuch as you can prove one opposite species to be another therefore the same because opposite here is a way of demonstration which neither Euelide nor Archâ—â—ede ever dreamed of Concerning the saving Grace of God you say that we hold it so decreed to them that shall be saved that there is an absolute nenecessity for them to embrace it You knovv that we
maintain the necessity flowing from the Decree of God In this argument is an hypotheticall necessity For your own Tenet here it may well be added to your monstrous conclusions For your challenge of the University here you lay down my words where you make much a do about the word it when I say that you may set it off bravely what this it should refer to Briefly it is an indefinite expression very usuall as much as if I had sayd that you might set off the matter bravely Then you deny that you challenge the University It is evident hence that you do because though disjunctively you desire their attestation or contestation yet so confident are you that if your doctrin be not as indeed it is nothing less the Truth of God you are an high Blasphemer more than once Upon this occasion you inform me of some gracious characters found in Arminius and hereupon I must crave leave to inform you that Pelagius was an errant Heretique though a man so far of name for Piety that Austin in his first Writings against him forbore to name him that he might preserve his honour By this time you are come to the particulars of my charge and here you are very willing to tell me that I had not read your book Truly Sir I had been a very adventurous man if I had proclamed you a nourisher of those evil beasts and had not taken notice of their dens that I might point them out when called thereto Though this I will grant you how much or little soever I had read a man need not read one quarter of your Book to make good such a charge But why did I not with one pointed Argument draw blood of this evill beast That which then I had to do was onely to give warning against it and the book by me published doth afford many Arguments against your Doctrins though it be no formall answer to your Book And whereas here you twit me proverbially in these words Is it fair for you to say that you never indeed read all Chrysostoms Works whereas you never read so much as one line of them I shall for answer return you a few lines out of Chrysostome which methinks run very cross to your Doctrin in your long digression contended for but all in vain of the Apostafie of True Beleevers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I care not if I English it for the Readers sake Again by what is past what is to come is confirmed for if it be he that establisheth us in Christ that is that suffers us not to be moved aside from the Faith in Christ and he that hath annoynted us and given the holy Spirit in our hearts how shall he not give us the things to come For if he hath given the beginnings and the foundations and the root and the fountain as the true knowledge of himself the participation of his Spirit how shall he not give us the rest For if those things be given for these much more he that hath given these will also give those And if he gave us these things whilst we were yet enemiet much more will he freely give those things to us being made friends Wherefore he said not simply the Spirit but called it the Earnest that thence thou mightst trust boldly for the whole for except he would give the whole he would not have chosen to give the Earnest and to lose it vainly and to no end In that which next followes you please your self with vain talk then you pick a quarrell with me for my Antithesis when I say Mr. Goodwins boldness will excite modesty you like it better to oppose impudence to modesty take what you like I hoped a soft word might have found pardon Hence you pass to the particulars of my Charge all which I shall give you in a Catalogue by and by mean time touching upon particulars First Imperiall dictates the sum of what you say here is 1. That you abound with Arguments no less than Newcastle with Coles Well sometimes good Homer may be taken napping 2. You fly upon the Assembly of Divines as if the Confession of Faith by them set forth was not proved Sir by Scripture it is proved but whether all those Scriptures you will allow or not I cannot tell this I know they are many of them above many of them cross to your reason and therefore it is not according to your rule to allow them Secondly monstrous Conclusions these you tell me are the genuine issue of mine own Principles you shall see the contrary presently Then you give me as my Prophets and Founders of my Faith in Election c. Calvin Musculus Bullinger Martyr c. And this c. takes in Beza Luther Piscatâ—r Pareus Zanchy Perkins Twisse Aâ—es Rivet and whom not of savoury name and eminent service in the Church of God since her coming out of mysticall Babylon These not Founders of Faith but blessed Instructers in the Faith and Defenders of it the Synod of Dort the only Synod of eminency since the Protestant name you grant me a little after Who now are the men of your Faith What obscure names compared with these Armiâ—ius that bold corrupter of the Truth Bertius the Apostate Tilenus his brother in Apostacy Corvinus Squire of the body to Arminius with such like Thirdly your wrested Quotations if I should instance in the Scriptures wrested by you together with Authors I must instance your whole Book Tolli tota theatra jube I shall therefore in this place give you a taste of Quotations out of Authors onely The speciall reason of your quoting Authors you say is to shew that your Doctrine wants not an arm of flesh to stand by it that is that it hath been held by Orthodox and pious men but the defence of the truth by Orthodox and pious men according to the Word of God is the arm of the Spirit rather than an arm of Flesh indeed it hath been onely an arm of Flesh that hath stood by your Doctrines 2. That the greatest opposers of your Doctrine were inconsistent with themselves in this endeavour you shew not them inconsistent but your self a Jugler Fourthly uncouth Philosophy This by and by with the rest of his fellowes Fifthly Consequential blasphemies here you want my Heifer to plow with to sinde out the riddle and then you sweat and trifle and seem to be wandring in a filthy dream your expressions are so immodest and unchast I will tell you my riddle briefly I suppose you rather blinded with error than sinning of malice against the truth and therefore your blasphemy not intentionall but upon supposition that they are the truths of God which you oppose as indeed they are his main Gospell Truths your revilings are so high against them as they amount to no less than high blasphemy such as Paul was guilty of when yet he sinn'd of ignorance and unbelief which I was willing to
darkned our Land What Jesuite hath a blacker mouth or a stronger breath But let us enquire into his Doctrine and the mystery of deceit working in the bowels of it and that by distinct proceeding in particulars which he hath fraudulently wrapt up together in generall 1 Then it is true that in some sence Reason is to be made use of in these enquiries of Religion and Spirituall concernments as 1 Suppose an Heathen not yet owning the true God and his Word he is by arguments propounded to his reason to be dealt with by the Booke of the Creation to prove the one true God as likewise by extrinsecall arguments to be drawne to read the Word of God that by the word it selfe as the Spirit shall please to enlighten by it he may come to owne the Divine Canon for the true word of the true God 2 Granting the Scripture the un-erring Word of God in whatsoever it shall deliver we are diligently to employ our reason in searching into the minde of God by the Scriptures as our light to enlighten and rule to direct our reason as that word which is able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect throughly furnisht to every good worke And in two things here are our reasons to be exercised 1. The Grammar of the Scriptures or the formes of expression to finde out the truth of them 2. The Logick of the Scripture or the true discourse thereof and this in three things the Scope the Context and Selfe-consent Scripture compared with Scripture the more obscure places interpreted by the clearer and so in all the analogy of faith held Now Sir you know very well that in this sence and upon these termes none of those against whom you bend your stile deny the use of reason for they doe not teach that men in seeking into the meaning of the Scripture must become either fooles or mad-men or Enthusiasts And was it in this sence only that you require the use of reason or in any such sence as preserves the due authority of the Word as for it selfe to be beleeved as the perfect rule you had never raised such Tragedies about the use of reason or the laying it aside as here you have but we shall now passe to the enquiry in what sence it is to be laid aside and there I am affraid we shall finde you requiring the use of it so as to evacuate the authority of the Word therefore we say 2. It is true that in some sence man must lay aside his reason in matters of religion and in enquiries after matters of Spirituall and supernaturall concernment as 1 That our assent to such truthes as the Scriptures hold forth may be the assent of Faith the immediate ground of it must not be the Selfe-evidence of the thing testified by the Scriptures unto reason but the authority of God testifying Hence that knowne Doctrine of the Schooles that the formall object I like as well to say the proper ground of faith is the first truth or God himselfe revealing his minde Hence suppose a truth taught in the Scripture is likewise demonstrated to my reason by Philosophicall arguments as for instance That God created the world that is made it of nothing so farre is my assent to this truth the assent of Divine faith as it is grounded upon the authority of Divine testimony that assent which is grounded upon Philosophicall demonstration is not Divine faith but only Humane knowledge He that trusts a man no further then he sees him as we say Proverbially trusts him not at all Hence the Apostle Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seene were not made of things that doe appeare It is only the Christian sure not the meere Philosopher that by faith understands this though haply both of them may understand it by demonstration but the Christian alone by Divine testimony for its owne authority assented to 2 We may not oppose our naturall conceptions to the Word of God or make our apprehensions before-hand the rule of what we will receive for the Word and revealed Will of God and what we will reject but what the Grammar and Logick of the Word holds forth must be the rule of our apprehensions whether we can discerne how in reason the things affirmed should be or not we must not Afferre sensum Scripturae but referre otherwise we subject the authority of Gods Truth to our owne apprehensions and beleeve him not because he hath said it but because we by reason see it neither shall we ever otherwise embrace the Word of God for as much as the Word it selfe teacheth many things 1. Above reason Great is the mystery of godlinesse saith the Apostle yet it is no great mystery if reason may comprehend it What reason of men or Angels could ever have thought of such a thing as the three Persons of the God-head as the Personall union of God and Man in the Mediatour the imputation of the Mediatours righteousnesse to beleevers of Adams sinne to his Posterity with many others or who comprehends clearly these things at least some of them when revealed in the Word 2 Many things against reason that is crosse to the apprehensions of corrupt reason as it is now in all naturall men The minding of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are Spiritually discerned Your fruitlesse attempt to avoyd the strength of this text of Scripture we shall consider in due place It is one vertue of the VVord preached to cast downe the reasonings of the naturall man 2 Cor. 10. 5. Many others of like import we shall have occasion afterwards to mention On the one hand such is the blindnesse and wickednesse of man by Originall sinne which are withall daily encreased by themselves and Satan on the other hand such is the mysterious height and transcendent purity of the Word of God that mans reason must receive light from it is not a light otherwise then as enlightned by it whereby to judge of it And as the truth we are now upon is evident by the Word so is it by all experience name me any one people or any one person since man was Created upon earth that without the word or voyce of God for direction by the light and ducture of reason either worshipped the true God or did not fall upon a most abominable way of Worship or light upon the Gospel-way of Salvation to omit all other deviations Nay you your selfe who leane so much to your owne wisdome and are so much in advancing the Rush-Candle of reason against the Sun of the Scripture are amongst others an evidence even in this the Master-piece of your reason the Treatise in
the letter and words exhibit that is the Grammar of the Scripture in conjunction with the scope context and concordance thereof that is with the Logick of the Scripture by mans reason to be questioned but reason is to be captivate to the authority thereof 2. I hope you doe not thinke of any way for obtaining the sence and minde of God otherwise then by the letter if an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine let him be accurst Goodwin Now if the Scriptures themselves be upon no other termes nor in any other case serviceable or usefull unto men for the tryall of Doctrines and Opinions but only as and when they are clearly understood by them it clearly followes that whatsoever is requisite and necessary to bring men to a true understanding of the Scriptures is of equall necessity for the distinguishing of Doctrines and to interpose or be made use of in all affaires and concernments in Religion if then the reasons judgements and understandings of men must of necessity interpose act argue debate and consider before the true sence and minde of God in any Scripture can be duly apprehended understood and beleeved by men it is a plaine case that these are to be used and to be interessed in whatsoever is of any religious consequence or concernment to us That the minde of God in the Scriptures cannot be duly apprehended received or beleeved by men but by the acting and working of their reasons mindes and understandings in order hereunto is evident from hence viz. because the minde of God cannot be thus apprehended or beleeved by men but by meanes of an intellectuall or rationall difference tasted or resented by them between this minde of his and all other mindes meanings or sences whatsoever that may be supposed to reside or be in the words Resbury If you was not a man whose eare is chain'd to the musicke of his owne Tongue you might spare the greatest part of your words and yet speake as much as you doe In what sence Reason is to be used in what sence to be laid aside we have seene already as likewise the use and necessity of the Word of God for begetting in mans understanding that intellectuall or rationall difference tasted or resented by him which you speake of the Word being the rule and light to the understanding as to matters of religion Goodwin For example If there be another sence to be given of such or such a passage of Scripture either contrary unto or differing from that which I conceive to be the minde of God here which hath the same rationall or intellectuall savour and taste with this that is which as well suits with the words agrees with the Context falls in with the scope and subject matter in hand is as accordable with Scripture-assertion elsewhere coâ—ports as clearly with the unquestionable Principles of reason and the like how is it possible for me in this case to conceive or beleeve especially with the certainty of faith that my sence is the minde of God and consequently the true sence of that place rather then that other which hath all the same Characters Symptomes and Arguments of being the minde of God which none hath therefore it must needs be by the exercise and acting of my reason and understanding and by the report which they make of their discoveries in their enquiries that I come regularly to conclude and to be satisfied that this is the minde of God in such or such a Scripture and none other Resbury 1 In our enquiries into the true meaning of any text of Scripture the word it selfe by the formes of expression scope context and agreement with Scripture-assertion elsewhere is our Card and compasse by which reason is to steere her enquiry not reason the Judge above or against the word 2 Such an example doe you here give and so doe you state it as it labours of a most evident contradiction For how is it possible that two different much lesse contrary sences should have the same intellectuall taste or savour should as well suit with the words agree with the context and have those other Characters which you name one as another Secondly suppose such a thing possible how is it yet possible that reason should determine which is the true sence If both sences have both Scripture and reason equally for them as is here supposed whence shall reason frame a judgement for this rather then that or for that rather then this I beleeve you made great haste when you made so little speed One thing further let me minde you of that wheras you begin with intellectual savour and taste and conclude with the unquestionable principles of reason you might in both have spared your paines for where the other Characters are found they will conclude the sence and if reason shall discerne them she must needs see there is reason to conclude with them Goodwin If it be here objected and demanded But is it meet or tolerable that the reason of man should judge in the things of God or that the understandings of men should umpire and determine in his affaires I answer 1 If God pleaseth to impart his minde and Counsels in his Word and writing unto men with an injunction and charge that they receive and owne them as from him and that they take heed they doe not mistake him or embrace either their owne conceits or the mindes of others in stead of his in this case for men to put a difference by way of judging and discerning between the minde of God and that which is not his minde is so farre from being an act of Authority Presumption or unseemly Vsurpation in men that it is a fruit of their deep loyalty submission and obedience unto God When Christ enjoyned the Disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods he did not only give them a warrant and Commission to judge and determine what and which were the things of God as well as which were the things of Caesar but laid a charge upon them also to put this warrant in execution and this not only by judging actually which were the things of God but by practising and acting also upon and according to this judgement 2 To judge of God and of the things of God in the sence we now speake is but to acknowledge owne and receive God and the things of God in their transcendent excellency goodnesse and truth and as differenced in their perfections respectively from all other beings and things the poorest and meanest subject that is may lawfully and without any just offence judge his Prince yea or him that is made a lawfull Iudge over him to be wise just bountifull c. at lest when there is sufficient ground for it Resbury Here according to your manner you spin out your discourse by triviall Objections and Answers for your answer it is true allowing
venturous assertion with great confidence set off that the naturall man may discerne of all the Truthes of God contained in the Scriptures according to their degree of discovery and manifestation there that is according as they are more or lesse clearly laid downe there That it is affirmed here of naturall men is evident both from the Objection it selfe and the Answer in divers passages of it Secondly This assertion endeavoured to be proved by severall instances but neither any of them nor all together reach the proofe there being nothing at all in them thus applyed but meere fallacies 1 From the part to the whole Suppose these instances were obvious enough to the Naturall man it doth not therefore follow that he can discerne all Scripture-truthes this is too slender an induction of particulars to prove the generall And as all of them together labour of this fallacy so the last instance particularly Suppose the naturall man may discerne some things to be beleeved and repented of it doth not thence follow that he may discerne all things of that kinde 2 From unequals as if equals 1. The Naturall man hath light to discerne some particulars of the Law of God unto Conviction yet in divers cases this light is very glimmeting and vanishing it doth not hence follow that he hath light to discerne all the Mysterious truthes of the Gospel Instances belonging to the Law are the first second and third 2 By Naturall light may in divers cases a Prophecy fulfilled be discerned comparing the event with the Prediction of it Thus in the fourth instance might the dayes of the Messiah have been discerned by the Iewes who owned and conversed with those Prophesies which fore-told them and that being discerned a granted duty likewise depending on it must needs be discerned as that the Messiah was to be embraced and sins to be repented of but neither doth it hence follow that all Gospel Mysteries might be discerned as for your observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning may very well be why not without a Monitor 3. Suppose by Naturall light the Omnipotency of God may be discerned and thence the possibility of the Resurrection of the dead for that is it the Apostle urgeth why should it be incredible to men as though impossible with God Still will it not hence follow that more Mysterious Gospel truthes may be discerned though many Attributes of the Divine Nature may in some measure be discerned by Naturall light and workes thereon depending yet doth it no wise hence follow that therefore all Gospell truthes are discernable of this kinde is the fifth Instance there being a great disparity betwixt these and those 3 From the Argument to the Question this in the fourth Instance the Question to be proved is of Naturall men the instance here for proofe of it is of the Saints an Argument altogether impertinent Ignoratio Elenchi 4 From the Object The Command of God to the Adjunct related to it mans ability for discerning it the Command or Expostulation aequivalent Why doe yee not discerne and why of your selves doe yee not judge and when God cals men to beleeve and repent he must suppose them in a capacity to distinguish and discerne betwixt the things c. For answer hereto from the command of discerning to the power of discerning there is no consequence except God who commands give that power man commanded cannot understand many maine things otherwise why doth David pray so earnestly that God would open his eyes that he may behold the wonderfull things of his Law Psal. 119. ver 18. That he would give him understanding that he might keep his Law ver 34 Why doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians That God would give unto them the spirit of Wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of Christ that the eyes of their understanding being enlightened â—â—ey might know what is the hope of his calling 1 Ephes. 17 18 Why doth the same Apostle teach That the Naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God adding the reason because they are spiritually discerned If the Naturall man can discerne all the truthes of God all Gospel Mysteries In a word to argue from the command in generall to ability for performance in things of Spirituall nature is an old Pelagian errour the Lord commands the Iewes to make to themselves new hearts but otherwhere he declares himselfe the Maker thereof to circumcise their hearts but otherwhere it is his promise to doe it Christ commands the Iewes to beleeve on the light Iohn 12. 36 yet could they not as being hardned and of whom it was long since Prophesied that they should not 39 40. A thousand instances might be given to confirme this truth but we shall have more occasion afterwards in the meanetime when the Pelagians were thus wont to argue from the command to the power as Austine every where refutes them by the promise of God to worke in the Elect by peculiar grace what he requires and by the prayers of the Saints and by their thanksgivings and the like so he layes downe this generall conclusion Nothing doe I see in the Holy Scriptures commanded by the Lord to man for the proving of his free will which may not be found either to be given of his goodnesse or to be desired for manifesting the ayde of Grace Lib. 2. contra dâ—as Episto Pelag. c. 10. And in his Book De correp gratia c. 2. Against that Pelagian clamour why are we commanded to turne from evill and doe good if we doe it not but God workes in us both to will and to doe he answers Let the Sonnes of God know that they are acted by the Spirit of God to act what is to be acted and when they have acted it to him let them give thankes by whom they were acted for they are acted that they may act not that they may act nothing and this is shewed to them what they ought to act that when they have acted as they ought to act that is with love and with the delight of righteousnesse they may rejoyce to have received that sweetnesse which the Lord hath given that the earth might bring forth her fruit but when they act not whether by not doing at all or by not doing out of love let them pray that they may receive what yet they have not For what shall they have that they shall not receive or what have they that they have not received A little after Cap. 3. he concludes that in the command man is to take notice what he ought to have in the reproofe that it is his owne fault that he hath it not in prayer whence he is to receive what he would have 5 From Disparates as one and the same he affirmes such a knowledge in the power of the Naturall man as whence he may repent and beleeve nay must for thus he inferres that men who act and quit themselves according to the true Principles of that
world so that what light soever of truth what clear and sound principle or impressions of Reason or Understanding soever is since the fall to be found in any man is an expresse fâ—utt of the Grace that is given unto the world upon the account of Iesus Christ and is reinvested in the soule by the appropriated interposure of the spirit of God the gift whereof upon this account is so frequently and highly magnified in the Scriptures Yea not only the habituall residency of all principles of light and truth in the soule is to be attributed unto the Spirit of God as supporting and preserving them from defacement but also all the actings and movings of the rationall powers of the soule according to the exigency ducture and import of them as in all right apprehensions of things in all legitimate and sound reasonings and debates whether for confirmation of any truth or the confutation of any error or the like But Resbury Here we have a Question and an Answer for the Answer we have much to observe and contend against it 1 You say that you Answer to the heart of those c. then as is your perpetual manner upon this Argument you Cant in high words and generall expressions Briefly that you may answer to the heart of those that hold the truth against you You must Answer two things first that the soule must be renewed by habituall grace Secondly That so renewed it must be acted by effectuall grace 2 You grant the utter dissolution of the intellectual frame by Adams fall hereby no doubt you thinke to finde out an evasion from the charge of Pelagianisme We shall see how well you will acquit your selfe of this charge in the examination of your doctrine in the meane time here is deep silence about the will of man and about the sensual appetite do you grant the Will as to supernaturals wholly dispoiled as to naturals deeply wounded doe you deny the lustings of the sensuall appetite in the state of innocency against right reason Or do you with the Iesuiticall Schoole hold such lustings natural to that state 3 You lay down your maine doctrine that there is such a light vouch safed to all men by the procurement of Iesus Christ as that according to your former doctrine every man in the world may improve it to faith and repentance Here 1 We must take notice of an unsound dropping of your pen by the way and upon the by Christ you say raised up the Tabernacle of Adam this no doubt to insinuate that all men without exception are redeemed by him But by your leave Sir it is the Tabernacle of David that he raiseth up as he took upon him the seed of Abraham but men of unsound doctrines have no minde to hold fast the form of sound words 2 For the doctrine it self which you ground upon Ioh. 1. 9. It is such as that Scripture will not at all countenance 1. They give a very fair interpretation of the place and as to me it seems genuine who understand by this light natural Understanding and Reason bestowed upon man by Christ as God and mans Creator which natural light still remains though much obscured by the fall in man without which he was not man and of this light Christ as the Son of God and Author of nature is the Author unto every one borne into the World Thus Calvin and with him others resolving the place thus The Evangelist setting forth the divinity of Christ shewes him to have been the Creator of all things v. 3. And because man is the choicest peece of the creatures here below and wee are most affected with truths concerning our selves he set forth Christ not onely as the Author of being to all creatures in general v. 3. but particularly instanceth in man whose being iâ— of the best beings a life and this life of the best of lives a rationall and intellectuall In him was life he is life of himselfe and he is the spring or author of life to all living creatures more particularly of that life of light which the rational creature Man lives v. 4. the same light with that v. 9. The Author of which light the Creator of man Iohn testifies him to be giving witnesse to his God-head He that commeth after me is preferred before me for he was before me v. 15. Of this light Austine speakes Tract 2. in cap. 1. Ioan. This life was the light of men did hee say the light of beasts There is a certaine light of men whereby they differ from beasts Let us now see and understand what is this light of men Thou differest not from a beast but by thy Understanding whence art thou better then the beast from the image of God where is the image of God in the minde in the understanding If therefore thou beest better then a beast because thou hast a mind by which thou understandest what the beast cannot understand and thence thou art a man that thou art better then the beast The light of men is the light of minds the light of mindes is above minds and excels all minds This was that life by which all things were made here then the Creator of man is set forth his restorer 2 If we must suppose it supernaturall Light then must we limit the Subject enlightned thus He enlightens every man that comes into this world who is enlightned that is there is no other fountaine of Light but he to all that are enlightned here we may fitly bring in that illustration of that eminent light Austin upon that text They shall all be taught of God who when he had according to truth interpreted it onely of the Sons of the Promise and the Vessels of Mercy according to Election he addes for further clearing But as we speake rightly when we say of any Schoole-master who is alone in the City this man teacheth all not because all learne but because none learn but of him whosoever doe there learne so we rightly say God teacheth all men to come to Christ not because all come but because no man comes otherwise Lib. de praedest Sanct. chap. 8. so here Christ enlightens every man that comes into this world not that every man coming into the world is enlightned but of all commers into the world whosoever is enlightned he alone is the enlightner though as I said the former interpretation seemes most genuine but whether the former or this or whatsoever other interpretation may be the truth it is evident that Mr. Goodwins who will have such a gift of illumination vouchsafed by Christ unto all as that every man may improve to faith and repentance cannot be the truth 1 From the context here for notwithstanding this light and enlightning such is the darknesse both of the world and of his owne the Iewes as comprehended not this light or rather laid no hold upon it as knew him not 〈◊〉 received him not these only excepted who 〈◊〉 distinction from
I try this touch-stone I answer By it selfe as the rule by reason as the eye enlightned and guided by this rule according to the Grammar and the Logick of it He objects That it is impossible to prove the truth or disprove an errour meerly by the Scriptures because still the question will be about the sence of the Scripture I answer By the Scripture alone as the rule by reason as making use of this rule but so as in making use thereof it be guided by this rule and resolves all conclusions into the authority of this rule is the truth to be proved or errours disproved and the sence of whatsoever controverted text discussed and cleared As for that which you adde about irrationall last and grating upon reason c. for as much as you doe not object reason to the Word but oppose it thereunto and advance it there-above and will have reason the touch-stone of the Word beside and above the Word you shew your selfe as formerly a most impure and prophane Socinian by all good men to be abhor'd and whilst you plead so much for reason you are a man mad with reason no way solving those difficulties which you pretend upon supposition that the Scripture shall be the touch-stone for let us suppose reason the touch-stone must you not be at the same losse your adversary denying that to be according to the principles and grounds of reason which you affirme to be according to them But here is no such difficulty as you pretend for allowing the Scripture the Touch-stone you shall by some Scripture-truthes wherein both your selfe and adversary agree cleare the controverted text and resute his errours about it that he must either yeeld to the truth therein or deny what he affirmed and overthrow his owne foundations Goodwin The reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace from whence it appeares that God is not divided in himselfe or contradictious to himselfe so as to write or assert that in one Booke as in that of the Scriptures which he denieth or opposeth in another as viz. That of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Resbury A doughty reason God is not the Author of confusion true but man is who hath so corrupted his reason as he hath night for a vision and gropes in the darke like a blinde man It is one thing what God wrote upon the nature of Man in his Creation who made man upright another thing what man hath written upon his owne nature by the Fall who hath found out to himselfe many inventions what the Devill likewise hath written upon his minde by deluding suggestions You may remember formerly a peice of discourse much like this of yours by your elder Brother the Collator with whom Prosper hath to doe confounding the state of Man by Creation with his condition since the Fall and Prospers answer to him It is admirable to see how the same spirit that possest Pelagius and his Disciples of old speakes the same things and useth the same Arguments in Mr. Goodwin One borne out of due time so many Ages after In the praise of five things did they craftily couch their sacrilegious Doctrine at so great enmity with the Grace of God as Aug. observes Lib. 3. contra duas Epist. Pelagian viz. In the praise of the Creature of Marriage of the Law of Free-will and of the Saints How oft doe we heare Mr. Goodwin extolling man and the noble faculties of reason understanding c. in man and here from the Law of Nature and from the Wisdome of God hee thinkes to extoll the reason of blinde corrupt wretched selfe-confounded man against the Grace of God I hinted to you before what a faire offer you made against Originall sinne I beleeve your Doctrine about it is That it is wholly taken off from man by that glorious vouchsafement of light you told us of by Iesus Christ to every one that comes into this world but your darknesse about that light and the darknesse of Man-kinde about things of the Spirit of God that light notwithstanding we have lately seen As for the fleshly tables of the heart we know no such but in the regenerate when the Lord shall have taken away the heart of stone and given an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. You may remember how Austin concludes hence as formerly we alledged him that the will of man is wholly adverse and inflexible unto good before the effectuall and peculiar worke of regeneration and where then shall be that provoking and stirring up of reason understanding c. you tell us of so often in the Naturall man We told you before how ill-pleasing it was to you to hold fast the for me of found words I doe not wonder at it it is not for your advantage I perceive if we might have a new Scripture see forth by your superlative reason we should have the text much altered for the Tabernaâ—le of David the Tabernacle of Adam for the heart of stone the fleshly tables of the heart Goodwin Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Master Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speakes of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the 〈…〉 of coâ—â—on reason and of that knowledge of God which may be obtained by the light of Nature In 〈◊〉 â—…ing of his â—e â—â—â—arly supposeth That whatâ—… should be taught by any in the mysterious and high pâ—…ts of Predistination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. The disagreement of it with the câ—…on grounds of reason and of that knowledge of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men if himselfe had kept close to this Principle of his owne in drawing up his judgement in the point of Predostination the world had received a fâ—rre diffâ—ring and better account from his â—en of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were That the heights and depths of Religion for so we may call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c. 〈◊〉 nothing in them but what agrees with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Diâ—â—ates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of reason Resbury For Master Perkins his Testimony and your Descant upon it you doe but wander 1. He builds the doctrine of Predestination upon the Word of God in opposition to the judgements of men his words are these The Doctrine of Predestination and of the Grace of God is to be built
which springs from it yet no such body shal spring from those seeds in the soyl of an unregenerate soul partly through darknes error and partly through pravity and perversnes therefore your conclusion here is most impertinent wherein you so insist upon the goodnesse of these seeds in their owne Nature and in reference to their Author God as you over-look the badnesse of man the subject of them through the corruption of his Nature so full of darknesse falsehood and enmity against the truth of God as thence these seeds must needs rot under the clods except the soyle be supernaturally changed CHAP. XVII Goodwin COncerning the mystery of the Trinity the incarnation of God or the Son of God the conception of a Virgin with some other points of like consideration commonly pretended to be against or at least above and out of the reach and apprehension of Reason I clearly Answer 1 That they are every whit as much yea upon the same termes out of the reach of faith as of Reason For how can I beleeve at least upon good grounds â—…d as it becommeth a Christian to beleeve that which I have no reason nor am capable of apprehending any reason nay for which there is no reason why I should beleeve it If it be said I am bound to beleeve the doctâ—ines specified because they are revealed by God I answer That this is a rationall ground whereof my Reason and Understanding are throughly capable why I should beleeve them the light of Nature clearly informeth me that what God revealeth or speaketh must needs be true and consequently worthy and meet to be beleeved If it be further said But Reason is not able to apprehend or conceive how three should bee really and essentially one and the same how a virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son c. I Answer That no faith or beleefe in such things as these is required of me nor would be accepted with God iâ— case it were in me above what I am able by Reason to apprehend and understand As I am not able by my Reason to apprehend the particular and distinct manner how the three persons subsist in one and the same divine Nature and Essence So neither am I bound to beleeve it that which I am bound to beleeve in this point is only this That there are three who doe thus subsist I mean in the same divine essence and for this my Reason is apprehensive enough why I should beleeve viz. Because God himselfe hath revealed it as hath been said If I should confidently beleeve any thing more or further concerning the Trinity of persons commonly so called and there is the same reason of the other points mentioned then what I know upon the cleare account of my Reason and Understanding it would be presumption in me and not faith and I should contract the guilt of those whom the Apostle chargeth with in truding or advancing themselves into the things which they have not seen i. e. rationally apprehended and understood But Resbury 1 Whereas you say these mysteries here mentioned of the Trinity Incarnation and the virgins conception are pretended to be against at least above Reason it seemes you deny even these to be above the reach of Reason in fallen man which yet in your discourse immediately insuing you grant in deed though not in termes but contradictions are no rare things in your discourse 2 Whereas you say they are every whit as much yea upon the same termes out of the reach of Faith as of Reason 1 It is false for Faith hath the proper and immediate ground of beleeving them the authority of the Word revealing them But Reason hath not an immediate ground of discerning them viz. such a light as whereby they of themselves are visible to the naturall understanding therefore when they are within the reach of Faith yet are they not within the reach of Reason upon the same termes 2 You equivocate for seeming to carry on your former doctrine you relinquish it Formerly you made Reason the touchstone of the Scriptures and whatsoever text of Scripture should not be found to agree with Reason and to be relished by it must be rejected here you make the Scripture to be above the tryall of Reason as appeares by that which followes For how can I beleeve c If it be said I am bound c. This is a rationall ground c. the light of Nature c. Here you grant that Reason is to beleeve what the word affirmes meerly for the authority of the word But 1. This is contrary to your former doctrine requiring that Reason finde a rationall tast and savour in the thing it selfe to bee beleeved 2. Here Reason beleeves rather then discernes the thing beleeved it discernes the ground of beleeving but not the nature or manner of the thing beleeved therefore as before the thing beleeved is not upon the same terms out of the reach of Faith as of Reason 3 Whereas you object That Reason is not able to apprehend or conceive how three should be really and essentially one and the same c. and then answer no faith or beleefe in such things as these is required c. Let me aske you this one thing Is it not a fruit of naturall corruption by the fall that we apprehend no more towards the distinct knowledge of these things If so then are you bound to know and knowing to beleeve more of them and your discourse about beleeving more then you apprehend how unacceptable it would be fals to the ground But here againe you discover that Popish Pelagian leaven that God hath no right to require of man any more then man hath power to performe as formerly you argued from the command of God to the faculty of man As for your Interpretation of Colos. 2. 18. I cannot receive it intruding into the things which they have not seen is in true interpretation which they have not seen in the doctrine of the Scriptures Goodwin 2 If it be yet demanded but is it not contrary to the grounds of Nature and so to Principles of Reason that a virgin should conceive a childe and if so how can such a doctrine according to what you have asserted be received as from God or as a truth I Answer It is no wayes contrary to Reason nor to any principle thereof that God should be able to make a virgin to conceive but very consonant thereunto 〈◊〉 the Apostle Paul supposed it credible enough as we lately heard even in the eye of Reason that God should make the earth bring forth her dead alive indeed that a virgin should conceive in a naturall way or according to the course of ordinary providence is contrary unto Reason but this Religion requireth not of any man to beleeve nor doth it bear hard at all upon any Principle of Reason that God should be willing to doe every whit as great and strange a thing as thaâ— I mean as
to cause a virgin to conceive for the accomplishment of so great and glorious a designe as the saving of a lost world Nor is it contrary to Reason or any Principle thereof that God or the first Being being infinite should have a manner of sulsisting or being far different from the manner of subsistence which is appropriate to all created and finite beings or that this manner of subsisting which is proper unto him should be unto men incomprehensible But most consonant it is to Principles of Reason when God himselfe hath pleased so farre to reveale that appropriate and incomprehensible manner of his subsisting as to declare and say that he subsisteth in three that men should accordingly beleeve it so to be So that most certaine it is there is nothing in Christian Religion which so far as it concerneth men to know and beleeve but what fairly and friendly comports with that Reason and Understanding which God hath given unto man and what by a diligent and conscientious use of these noble faculties be may come to know and beleeve at least so far as to salve his great interest of salvation Resbury This Section is of the same stamp with the former the sum of it is this That it is agreeable to Reason to conceive of God that he is and that he can doe above the course of Nature and comprehension of Reason and that when God shall declare that such is his being and his doings such it is likewise agreeable to Reason to beleeve him upon his word But 1 Who denies this but Mr. Goodwin and his associates in error This is the very Doctrine of your adversaries against which you dispute 2 This no way agrees with your former Doctrines 1. That which affirmes that all men have that light of Reason and Understanding which according to Gods dispensation towards all men they may improve to saving Faith and Repentance For saving Faith requires the knowledge of these mysteries which you grant here come onely so far within the reach of Reason as that when God hath revealed them it is rational to beleeve his Word without which Reason could never find them out But the greatest part of the men of the world have not the Scriptures 2. That which affirmes Reason to bee the touchstone of the Scriptures you said but lately of Predestination that whatsoever should be taught about it otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the truth might be clearly disproved by the grounds of common Reason You affirme page 16. That whatsoever doctrine or saying beares hard or fals foule upon any undoubted Principle or ground of Reason within you must of necessity be an errour Now this principle and ground of Reason must be such as in the account of men generally passeth for such a principle or ground Now doubtlesse that three should be essentially one bears hard upon whatsoever grounds of Reason in you or any man since the fall That a Virgin should conceive beares hard likewise upon Reason I am sure it did so in the blessed virgin her selfe Luk. 1. 34. therefore according to your doctrine formerly laid downe these mysteries should be rejected and indeed the whole doctrine of godlinesse which the Apostle tels us is a great mystery and therefore beares hard upon Reason Neither do you salve your former discourse when you say it doth not bear hard upon any principle of Reason that God should be willing to doe as strange a thing as to cause a virgin to conceive For because the thing it selfe beares so hard upon Reason and is so strange therefore according to your former doctrine the word affirming it should be rejected So for the manner of his subsistence three in one because it bears so hard upon Reason as you here grant that it is incomprehensible according to your former doctrine it ought not to be beleeved as you know upon that very account your good friends the Socinians beleeve it not But when you meet with such instances as you dare not deny as these now in hand and yet they cannot be made to close with your doctrine then you wind out of your owne doctrine it selfe yet so as you would seem still to hold it In other instances as about Election and Reprobation Redemption Renovation the perseverance of the Saints you will hold stifly to your grand doctrine of the preheminence of Reason because the doctrine of personall election and reprobation and the dominion of God therein relisheth not with your Reason because the dependance of redemption upon election and the doctrine of the Saints perseverance and of the efficacy and peculiarity of grace relish not with your Reason therefore they must be rejected though the Scriptures be as evident for them as for the Trinity and Incarnation And hee that should argue with you as you doe here that it is not contrary to Reason neither doth it bear hard upon any principle of Reason that God should have a dominion to man incomprehensible would be rejected by you upon this account that such a Doctrine it selfe was not according to Reason Look over your conclusion concerning the unchangeable love of God to the Saints and your questioning of the Scriptures in case they either in terms or by just consequence avouch the same pag. 335. of your book formerly alleadged and tell me if it be not as I say As for the close of your Section 1. That there is nothing in Christian Religion c. but what fairly comports c. To this I oppose this assertion formerly made good That in Christian Religion there are many things above many things crosse to mans corrupt Reason 2. That by a diligent and conscientious use c. I have formerly shewed at large what putid Pelagianisme is here obtruded Goodwin 2 Looke how many precepts exhortations admâ—nitions I stand charged by God to submit unto and practise I am under so many charges and engagements from him likewise to exercise my Reason and understanding 1. To apprehend aright the mind of God in every of these respectively left when he injoyneth me one thing I through mistake should doe another 2. To consider how when and in what cases I am commanded by him to doe this or that 3. And lastly to passe by other particulars To gather together and call up upon my soul all such motives and considerations which I am able whereby to provoke stir up and strengthen my self to the execution and performance of all things accordingly When God commandeth me to strive to enter in at the streight gate to seek his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof in the first place To labor for the meat which endureth to everlasting life To bee a man in understanding To omit other precepts of like nature without number he commandeth me consequentially and with a direct clear and necessary implication to rise up in the might of my reason understanding in order to the performance of these things nor am I capable of performing the
Ministers who give diligent heed to the worke of the Ministery which they have received of the Lord their increase is the fruits of their labours in the conversion and edification of soules in planting and propogating the Churches of Christ By the faithfull discharge of the Gospell ministery the Kingdome of Christ in the world increaseth as when leaven is put into dough the Masse encreaseth or as when a graine of Mustardseed growes into a spreading tree The third diggs into the earth and hides his Lords money this is the unfaithfull Minister who neglects the charge committed to him the doctrine of the Gospell by Christ committed to his hand as a lighted candle which he puts under a bushell or under a bed so that it gives no light to the house the unfruitfull Steward that gives not the family their meat in due season too sloathfull to endure the labours of the Ministery too fearefull to abide the hazards and undergoe the sufferings too worldly and sensuall to minde the spirituall concernments thereof with the necessary neglect of the things of this life Now ensues the third part of the Parable the returne of this Noble man his calling these servants to account and rendring to them according to their carriage in his absence v. 19 to the 31. The returne of this Noble man is the coming of Christ to judgement his reckoning with his servants his calling the Ministers of the gospell to account A word of weighty caution here to them with them shall Christ begin in the day of judgement The accounts of the first and second here are the accounts of the faithfull ministers the ministery in their hands hath been fruitfull the recompence rendred them by their Lord making them rulers over many things and receiving them into his joy is the State of glory conferd upon them a state of highest honor and fullest joy agreeable hereunto is that of the Apostle 1 Thessal 2. 19 20. The account of the third servant is the account of the evil and unfruitfull Minister who to colour his own sloath and wickednesse chargeth the Lord with austerity and unrighteousnesse the manner of hypocrites and wicked ones to cast their faults upon the Lord guilty at once of disobedience and insolence The labours and hazards which are indeed required of the faithfull Minister he looks at as intollerable and therefore takes and easier course but to the destruction of himself and his hearers repining in his spirit against the Lord who hath made the ministeriall charge so laborious and hazardous vers 24 25. The answer of his Lord unto him vers 26 27. is such as makes way for his condemnation out of his own mouth Lu. 19. 22. Because he had such hard thoughts of Christ to whom he must give account he should therefore have used his utmost diligence to have fulfilled his ministry Christ shall need no other testymonies against the wicked then their own at the day of judgement nay their own mistakes evil apprehensions of him shal yet be testimony sufficient against them to condemn them and justifie him in their condemnation But who are these exchangers here the hearers of the gospell preached by the faithfull preaching of the gospell many hearers are gained unto the Lord others are left more inexcusable both making for the glory of Christ at the great day and therefore the faithfull Ministers a sweet savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. The sentence of judgement is begun ver 28. That trust and honour which was conferd upon him shall be taken from him and conferd upon the faithful minister what is that the glory of the faithfull minister in the fight of men and angels shall receive increase from the condemnation of the unfaithfull Stript of all that honour which sometime was vested in him the confirmation of this sentence vers 29. He that hath not onely what the Lord committed to him but what he required of him the encrease of his talents to him shall be given glory as a a recompence of his faithfulnesse and he that hath this recompence of glory shall receive encrease and it shall be abundant to him from the condemnation of the wicked and unfaithfull servant as by the destruction of the vessels of wrath is made knowne so much the more the riches of glory on the vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 22 23. On the contrary from him that hath not viz. that which the Lord required the encrease of his talent shall be taken away even that which he hath viz. that honour which he received from Christ committing to his trust the Gospell Ministry and which in the eyes of men by vertue thereof he bore in this world which now shall end for ever in utmost shame and torments v. 30. and so as from the Glory of the faithfull Minister his misery shall encrease as hence weeping and gnashing of teeth to the wicked Iewes that they see Abraham Isack and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and themselves thrust out Luke 13. 28. so that every way to him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath And now I appeale to the Judicious reader if this be not a naturall interpretation of this Parable and what is there now in it for the improvement of naturall indowements to the obtaining of regenerating Grace This Section he closeth with a false charge as if his adversaries taught men so to lay aside reason and understanding as to be meerly passive in matters of Religion with avile slander as though they consulted their owne worldly concernments in holding the truth against him and his fellowes with Laodicean pride assigning unto man his excellency upon these termes that upon the improvement of his natural abiilites preventing regenerating grace he is made great by God If I should now shew what by regenerating grace the men of his Confideracy understand his errour would yet further appeare but the digression would beâ— too long Onely this passeth as an Article of Faith amongst them That all the operations of God being performed which he useth for working Conversion in us yet so doth Conversion remain in our power as that we may not be converted So that all the efficiency they acknowledge in converting grace is to give us a power of Conversion not Conversion it selfe which how contrary it is to the truth and with how much clearnesse the efficacy of grace certainly and infallibly working Conversion it selfe is by the Fathers in the Pelagian controversie demonstrated I shall not need here to say if the Reader beare in minde what hath been said above CHAP. XIX We have done with his Motives to read his Book Now follows the third part of his Preface viz. A prevention of Objections against the reading thereof In this and the next which is likewise the last part we shall not need to spend much time there