the Inke passively and brings nothing of its owne to the writing but being written on it becommeth an Instrument with me of the writing so is it in the Will of man at his Conversion It is God only that doth justifie Rom. 8. 33. For it is he onely that forgiveth sins Esa 43. 25. It is he only that can by makeing us righteous in Christ gives us right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven It is no action therefore of our owne or of any Creature neither is it wrought by our owne Preparations and Dispositions For although every man is bound to use all Meanes to attaine to Justification Yet it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. For if God bee the Agent in justifying us then are We the Patients and for that cause we are never in the Scriptures exhorted to justification or to the parts thereof which are not our officia or duties but Gods beneficia or blessings as we are to the duties of sanctification whereunto we being already justified and regenerated doe cooperate with the Spirit of Grace If the Sonne have made us free wee shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 36. We are made free for of our selves we are the servants of sinne Rom. 6. 18. 20. Better is it to ascribe too little then too much to Free Will if I offend be it rather in giving more to Gods Grace Absur 7. Seventhly hence it follows that Predestination is mutable all things being forelaid which are necessary sufficient for perseverance it remaineth still in the power of man to persevere or not to persevere saith Bertius in his Booke of the Apostacy of Saints and he endeavoureth to prove this bold I had almost said blasphemous Assertion by divers Texts of Scripture Non esse hominum alios ad vitam alios ad mortem aut perditionem deputatos sed de salute ad perditionem de perditione ad salutem transire posse there are not any particulars appoynted to life or death but they may passe from either state to the other sayd Pelagius and numerus Electorum potest augeri ac minui the number of the Elect may be lesse or more sayd Gâ—evincho Thes exhibit pag. 137. Then Paul may or may not be saved and whosoever is Predestinated is but contingently Predestinated if he persevere then the Authour to the Hebrewes is out where he saith the Counsell of God is immutable Heb. 6. 17. Then the Papists may say there is no Predestination of the Reprobate they are onely fore-knowne which is true in sano sensu but not in their sence Absurd 8. Eightly hence it followes all men are disposed and ordained of God so as they may obtaine Eternall Life if they will their Predestination being like unto an Hypotheticall Proposition Absurd 9. Ninthly hence follows falling from Grace that the Seale of Gods Election is not sure that some who were given to Christ may be lost Or as if after our Regeneration there were as at our Creation a posse mori we might die from God woe to man if his condition were the same in the second Adam that it was in the first Indeed sides quae creditur may be forsaken but from or a side qua creditur we cannot fall away It is contrary to the sixteenth Article which is against a totall and finall falling from Grace for the Article speakes of falling into sinne after Baptisme and rising againe by the same Grace Now he that falleth finally cannot rise againe and he that falleth totally from Grace cannot rise againe by the Grace he had received because he is supposed to have lost all the Grace he received The Reformed Churches all of them united disclaime the Doctrine of falling from Grace Indeed the Righteousnesse required by the Law may be lost and it is of that the Prophet speakes Ezek. 18. But the Righteousnesse promised by the Gospel cannot be lost Card. Bellarm. himselfe speakes truth sometimes in this particular touching the Apostacy of Saints it is true saith he that the Predestinated or Elected are in no danger of losing Eternall Life and that the terrifying threats used by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures are to this end to stirre up the Elect to watchfulnesse and diligence Lib. 3. de Justif cap. 12. so that Motives they are to and Meanes of Perseverance no Arguments at all to prove the Saints Apostacy Absurd 10. Tenthly hence Justification by God onely is utterly overthrowne even in the Nature of it which signifies justum facere to make just not invenire to finde us just for Justification is the Action of God without us To the Faithfull there belongeth a two fold Righteousnes the one of Justification the other of Sanctification the former is the Righteousnesse of Christ and therefore the Righteousnesse of God because it is the Righteousnesse of him that is God and is imputed onely to the Believer The latter is ours because inherent in us though received from God as all our good things are of this second there is no question and the first being ab extra cannot be from our fore-seene Faith or Workes Absurd 11. Eleventhly hence it followes that God cannot tell who are his till they persevere to the end and therefore Arminius was forced to make the Object of Gods Decree onely qui vixerunt quoties fideles statuimus objectum Electionis toties nos fidem perseverantiam in fide conjungimus saith Grevinchovius Our Register Bookes must first be given in such a man dyed such a day before his name can be written in the Register Booke of God contrary to Act. 9. 15. where Paul is called a chosen Vessell even whilst he was a Persecutor and was going to Damascus with that intent and contrary to Act. 13. 48. where in the first instance of their Conversion it is sayd As many as were ordained to eternall life did believe Absurd 12. Lastly Universall Grace or Universall Redemption was the opinion of that wicked Heretick Pelagius condemned in a Generall Councell held at Malta about the yeare 425. against the Pelagians and Donatists at which Augustine was present and 214. Bishops and at a Counsell in Affrick where all the Provinces came together in the time of Boniface and Celestine Bishops of Rome to condemne Pelagius Prosper in an Epistle which hee writ to Augustine de Reliquiis Pelagianae Haereseos hath these words Hane Pelagianorum definitionem professionemesse Universis hominibus propitiationem quae est in sacramento sanguinis Chriti sine exceptione esse propositam pro Universo humano genere mortuum esse Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum neminem prorsus a Redemptione sanguinâ—s ejus exceptum etiamsi omnem hanc vitam alienissimam ab eo mente pertranseat that is the Pelagians professe that the propitiation into or by the bloud of Christ without exception is common to all that Christ died for all mankinde and none is excepted although he be all
death a weake and wofull foundation to build the salvation of man be it but in part or in poynt of Perseverance upon himselfe To reconcile Gods secret and revealed Will because we shall be judged by the evidence of his revealed Will yet according to his secret Will and though formal is ratio peccati without all question is not from God yet how far he suffers or sets on Sinners seeing he must not be outed in any humane Actions and Events which are all sinfull or accompanied with such Circumstances I say these two stumble mee most and though I thanke God he hath given me some satisfaction yet I believe he is out that expects a plaine Reason or to prove all things in Scriptures by evident Demonstrations Faith must believe what Sence cannot conceive it is a Christian mans honour that he over-reacheth Reason Now for a Colophon or Period to this point of Predestination I will set down three or foure Examples which if they do not probare yet they may serve a little illustrare therefore I say thus Suppose a Lord set 20. men on worke upon condition that if they do his will they shall be all Lords even Co-heires with his owne Son if they do it not they shall suffer untill they give satisfaction On ten of these twenty he set his affections so far that if they did miscarry he would take a course to deliver them from the danger they all do quite contrary to their Lords Command therefore hee sent his onely Son who both did his Fathers Will which they should have done suffered for that they did not or did amisse and gave sufficient satisfaction which the Father accepts as it was intended by the Son for them ten on whom he set his first Love but as for the other hee suffers them to perish in Prison or to lye there untill they pay that which can never be paid Can these last accuse their Lord of Injustice Or can the first ten conclude because their Lord hath set his love upon them therefore they may be carelesse Nay rather they will be carefull and fearefull to offend so kinde and loving a Lord. I know similitudo non currit quatuor pedibus yet this I take to be not far from the Case 'twixt God and Man but this Example is to be understood of Man in that condition God Created him for if considered in that condition into which he cast himselfe then hee is justly condemned for not doing that which now hee cannot doe For suppose the Parliament command me to come to London and I can ride further but because I will not doe the Parliaments Commands I cut one of my legs off or lame my selfe and then plead I cannot come may not the Parliament yet justly command me to come though then I cannot come because when they commanded mee I might have com'd Mr. T. dare not speake against the Parliament in such a case but I can shew how desperately Hee did speake against God if he dare offer to condemne any man for not doing that which in this condition hee cannot doe as if God were bounden to cure us when we have wounded or killed our selves Indeed the Father ran to meet his son afar off but he was not bound to go one foot from home Suppose two Travellers come to my house I may receive one or both or neither of both that comparison of two poore people is not so proper for we were Created in a Rich Condition Suppose Two Houses built upon the same Ground Foundations Timber Stone Workemanship and all alike able to stand twenty yeares if no Stormes or Tempests touch them But the Raine fell the Flouds came the Windes blew and beat upon the Houses yet the Builder having resolved to repair and prop one of them it fell not the other he left to it selfe and it soon tumbled downe was the Master bound to uphold them both because he built them both Suppose Two Candles burning by the same light a blast of winde blowes out both of them I come instantly and light the one and it burnes againe the other I will not light so it never burnes again was I bound to light both of them Let us give God that same liberty which we take Audax Japheti genus see the boldnesse of the sonnes of Adam that would faine enter an Action against God Almighty if they could tell in what Court for that this Potter useth his Clay as he pleaseth and hath not made all Vessels of Honour as they would have him yea and which is worst of all they are so addicted or rather wedded to their own conceites that they can hardly with patience indure to heare the reasonable Opinion of others contrary to their owne Every Sentence in the Scriptures makes for them like the Foole in Athens that thought every ship in the Haven was his owne they will hold the Conclusion what Arguments soever are alledged to prove the contrary Thus zeale misled is like mettall in a blinde horse which is his owne or his Riders ruine They love the Children of their Braines better then the Children of their Bodies so that when they have conceived mischiefe and brought forth an Idol or an idle conceit of their owne fancying it groweth up with them it delighteth them and they rejoyce in their own inventions perswading themselves that now the Lord will bee good unto them seeing they have found out a Truth as Micha supposed when hee had got a graven Image an Ephod a Teraphim and a Wandring Levite Judg. 17. 5. 11. for this their Device especially if it be painted with some colour of holy Scripture they esteem as an Image come downe from Jupiter Acts 19. 35. as a Doctrine from Heaven it selfe and hence forward all the blessings that they injoy flow from this Opinion that they hold thus they burne incense to the Queene of Heaven Jer. 44. 17. the Idol that they have made after their owne hearts therefore they will lose their life rather then their Religion which they will defend with tooth and naile They will Preach for it as Hannaniah did for his false-hoods Jer. 28. 11. They will dispute for their Opinions as the Epicureans and Stoicks did Acts 17. 18. and write Books in defence of them as Shemaiah did Jer. 29. 25. and persecute if it be in their power all that contradict them as Jeroboam did in defence of his Idolatry 1. Kings 13. 4. whatsoever is spoken out of the Word of God against them they will not heare no more then the Jewes would the Word of the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 44. 16. being as hardly induced to thinke it no truth that their owne wit hath discovered as the Ephesians to thinke them no Gods that were made with hands Acts 19. 26. Aseduced spirit hath deceived them as that did Ahab when he fell at Ramoth in Gilead 1 Kings 22. 21. so that they cannot deliver their owne soules nor say is there not a
go to the Devill Thus every day they wrested my words all their thoughts were against me for evill Psal 56. 5. They set their Children and Servants to disturb me in praying and Preaching and to trouble the Assembly that either they might not heare or I might not speake One of these two Brethren stayed to heare me in the Morning and gave information to the other Brethren in the Afternoone Sometimes he came to my house and called me Master as if he meant to kisse mee when the Judas had an intent to betray me and to be the utter ruine of me and mine When they waxed worse and wickeder still I moved a Discourse with Mr. T. in private publickly I durst not meet But that being denied I sent a Letter to a Worthy Gentleman Justice of Peace entreating him to tell Mr. T. I desired a friendly Discourse with him in writing but for this boldnes they gave out such fearfull words against me as have been seldome heard The Brethren met about it after some sober cōstultatiō I judge charitably they drew up a Charge of high Treason committed by Mr. Wetherall against the Crown Royalty Love Goodnes and Soveraignty of the Son of God for that I denyed Universall Redemption Free Will and other false Opinions which they calld Truth To prove this Charge they empanell a Jury of 12. Places in Scripture but the Verdict is ungiven up for they applyed not one Place to prove any thing but desiring simply to believe left it to the consideration of Rationall men And after many shameless slaunders as their maner is and threatnings what they meant to do against me this Charge was signed by Mr. Thomson and sent abroad among the Brethren walking without a passe till it was weary fainted and could travell no further for it began to be torne all in pieces even covered with grease and dirt and then 4 unruly Fellows came with it into our Church Decemb. 28. a Smith a Miller a Thatcher a Thrasher For their Countrey they came from the 4 Windes 4 severall Towns far asunder But for their Maners sure more barbarous then He that sent them Four Beasts would have been more civill than they in Sermon time immediately after Sermon they brought forth their Charge the Smith discharged it and they all charged me with preaching false Doctrine that Day they forgat what I had said and remembred only what they were sent to say I thought it not fit to tempt God in trusting my selfe among such so I left them without answering either to their Words or their beastly Behaviour but my Neighbours were amaz'd They spake and did on such a manner that Children will remember when they are old and Old men would never have forgot had they seene the like since they were Children But when they saw my Neighbours were not pleas'd nay heartily displeas'd at their Behaviours They went instantly and informed the other Brethren who came together about or above 30. before Night and concluded a generall Meeting at our Town on Thursday after they menac'd as if they meant a War against me and my Neighbours gave out Mr. T. should teach at my Door Their Words were so high that I might well fear the pulling down of my House or the pulling out of my House but it came only to a Chair or a Chimney Business and so the Town Clerke dismissed the Assembly Acts 19. 41. Therefore when I saw the danger I lived in every day and how they went from evill to worse I resolved upon a Discourse against some of their Opinions and their Practises for better satisfaction of my owne People over whom God had given mee the Charge If peradventure I might shew it to some few of my Friends was the top of my intent I began Jan. 1. and ended before Jan. the last but when I shewed it to my Neighbours next Sabaoth after I had made an end never furious Lions were more fierce then the Brethren and Sisters because I durst bee so bold beyond their expectation their words were intollerable their writings incredible but that I have them by me sent to my house to incense me and shewed to any that would see them to shame me by John Hatfield one of the two Brothers I spake of before a man whom malice hath made to ride and go many miles to doe me mischiefes They cried not out against Paul at Ephesus Acts 19. more then these men did against me as if I were unworthy to live for writing that which Christiā Reader I here present to publick view being compelled to take this course partly out of pitty towards the poore seduced people and in part to recover my own Credit their Words may leave a skar if the wound be cured Silence in such Accusations is a crying sin Every man but most of all Ministers are bound to discharge themselves from all imputations especially of false Doctrine and Heresie wherewith I have been charged openly a Crime which Water cannot wash away it hath been usually burnt out with Fire It leaveth such a spot in the Conscience that Cyprian conceiveth the bloud of Martyrdome can not fetch it out I hope I have made it appeare plainly whether our Protestant Profession or their Pelagianisme be false Doctrine and Heresie Here is a Salve to cure the biting of these Serpents Solinus writeth that in Sardinia where there is a venemous Serpent called Solifuga whose bitting is present death yet there is also at hand a Fountaine in which they who wash themselves are instantly cured and so if any of my Neighbours be now bitten by these Solifuga's these Serpents here is a remedy at hand the Antidote may be there ready where the Infection first breakes out We run to the Physitian to cure the Diseases of our bodies but the Diseases of our soules are far more dangerous we ought to have a greater care to cure them even the bruite Beasts that have no understanding will teach us so much providence The Harts of Creete or Candy as we now call it being wounded with an arrow will run to seek some Dictamnie which they say doth pull the arrow out and heale the wound The Swallows to cure the blindnesse of their yong ones Eyes flie to fetch Celandine which restores their sight The Dog when he is sick hasts to his Grasse to give himselfe a Vomit The Toade fighting with the Spider as soon as she feels her selfe begin to swell crawleth to her Plantaine and so is recovered even the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her time the Turtle and the Crane Jer. 8. 7. and they make use of their time but we poor miserable men more unreasonable then bruit Beasts are wounded spiritually every day many times deadly and yet seldome seek for medicines to cure the maladies of our souls I know the Means I offer unto thee gentle Reader is very simple so they must be my selfe being even a Child in understanding but being in the dark a Child with
a Lanthorn and Candle lighted is better then a Man that hath a Torch if it be unlighted now in all these 4. or 5. years that they have roved in our corner of the Country I heard of none that made day resistance or did or durst say Sir Why doe you so The feare of Captaine T. and his Troops did shake some Ministers and many other men besides like a Fever or as the Trees of the Forest are shaken with the Wind Therefore rather then Gods Cause should sustaine such damage as I saw it did by a general silence I stept forth like the Lacedemonian Soldiour impotent of his legs and neither meet to fight nor to flie yet had he this hope that he might blunt the edge of his Enemies swords and set on or make others ashamed that were more able to fight Silver and Gold have I none but Goats hair or Rammes skins or such as I have I give to cover the Tabernacle of my God It pitied mee to see the Sheepe of Christ like Wolves swallow down whole whatsoever was put into their mouthes by such Carvers and if I gain or beget but one Soule it will be some comfort to me That one in time may beget another and that other another and so I may bee a means to beget many Soules to God I shall pray as it is my part that my poore paines may profit thee Reader and prevaile to the beating down of Sinnes and Schismes which God grant for Christ Jesus his sake our only Lord and Saviour It shall be in the dayly devotions of Thy Brother in Christ JOHN WETHERALL In pag. 4. line 17. for Earth read Church A Discovery and Confutation of the Opinions and Practises of some false Brethren c. SUch as are Adversaries to the Truth slaunder our Doctrine touching Predestination and Free Will as if thereby we led men to bee carelesse in their lives because as they urge it God having Predestinated all things mans Free Will is lost thereby so that he can not doe otherwise then he doth but God himselfe by our Doctrine must be the Authour of sinne Wherein they shew their unsatiable desire of contētion that besides the Grave the barren Womb the Earth the Fire which are never satisfied Pro. 30. 15. There is yet a fifth thing as unsatiable as they that is the Contentious Spirit of an Adversary never satisfied with lying and contradiction For let them say directly what they mislike Is it our Doctrine of Predestination Yea besides that it is the Profession of all the Protestant Churches you shall see it presently proved by one who is able to say the least of ten thousand Is it because we deny Free Will Yea they bely their owne knowledge they know we deny it but in part In statu integro it was Free in statu laeso it is Free from constraint Is it because we teach God is the Authour of sinne Even the Jesuits excuse us the Protestants know well saith Suarez that God intendeth not that Opuse lib. 2. cap. 2. which is formall in sinne nor inclineth the Will of man that he should intend it Or is it finally because we hold some fatall necessity constraining the Will of man that he cannot doe otherwise then he doth That so all care and consultation should be to no purpose Indeed some of the old Philosophers and new Mahumetans tell such Tales but we teach the contrary These and the like being malicious and base imputations devised by men in their fury and desperate adventures against us to seduce the ignorant and make our Cause odious which even their owne people would embrace if they knew it And my selfe being threatned by many ignorant men of meane condition set on by others not onely with the losse of my Living but I may almost say of my life besides the slaunders cast upon me by such as can doe nothing else I am forced therefore to this Defence for my selfe the Church of England and other Reformed Protestant Churches against Pelagians Papists Arminians Universalists I have read of a studious Father who meditating very much upon the Mystery of the Trinity there appeared unto him a Childe that with a Shell was lading the Sea into a little hole he demanded of the Child what he was about to doe I intend sayd the Childe to empty all the Ocean into this Pit it is impossible for thee sayd the Father as possible the Childe replyed as for thee to comprehend this profound Mystery in thy shallow capacity De me nunc narratur fabula and this is the Case of the most able men in these deepe Divine Mysteries Simonides being asked by Hiero King of Sicily what God was he desired a day to deliberate then being asked again he desired two daies and being asked again he desired four daies and ever as he was asked he gave no other answer but desired to have the dayes doubled but double and triple daies and yeares yet that time is no time for such an undertaking For the men of this World to undertake to tell what God did even before there was one man or a world is but a desperate adventure even beyond the Gyants of old but it is able to make any mans heart ake and his haire stand upright to heare how our ignorant people prate as boldly as if they had beene by and say what they say concerning the secret unsearchable Decree of our Great God Almighty if any man list to heare he may for they will speake that which I may not write For my owne part in this mysterious point of Predestination I could have chosen rather to ascend by Repentance New Obedience Good Workes c. Then descend diving into or determining Gods Decree For I know that in the true Doctrine of Predestination we should reason rather ascendendo then descendendo thus I live in obedience to God in love with my Neighbour I follow my Vocation honestly and therefore I trust that God hath Elected and Predestinated mee to salvation not thus which is the usuall course of Argument God hath Predestinated and chosen me to life therefore though I sinne never so grievously yet I shall not be damned For whom he once loveeth hee loveth to the end I say that this is the right manner of reasoning in the point of Predestination But unlesse we will suffer our people to be led I verily believe they will be loth to let me tell the manner how they are led I must declare my conscience to cleare my self that it is none of my fault if any persevere and perish in this rent now new made in the Earth through which they may as easily fall into Hell as Korah and his Company did through that rent in the Earth therefore with as great a care as I can to avoyd Presumption I proceed First touching Predestination we hold according Rom. 9. Eph. 1. 4 5. 1. Thes 5. Acts 2. 23. 2. Tim. 2. 20. to the Scriptures
the salvation of all of every particular man it 's true they affirme both of these and I prove them both false on this manner for either God wills not or he wills the salvation of every particular man if God will not the salvation of every particular man it is that which we say the Scriptures and the Reformed Churches with us if he will and cannot or will and doth not which is all one as the Papists Pelagians Arminians and Universalists say then how is God Omnipotent if he cannot doe what he wills or will he once save all and will he not-afterward Is God mutable as man No sure his name is I am he is the same yesterday and to day hee is in one minde Job 23. 13. With God is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Ja. 1. 17. God wills a Change but he changeth not there may be mutatio facti not deereti Nineveh was changed but there was no change in God Incomplete and compleat antecedent and consequent wills are fictions of our Adversaries and are the Attributes of some other God our God is one so is the will of our God He but willed and it was so Gen. 1. 6. 9. Dixit factum est willing and Doing are all one with God in him for him by him and through him alone are all things Rom. 12. 36. That Idea Divina is both the Being and the well Being of every thing in Heaven or Earth he worketh all things upon no Condition after no Example but after the counsell of his owne will Ephes 1. 5. He wills not therefore it is not so because hee will not have it so that every particular man should be saved Arg. 6. If Christ layd downe his life for his sheepe was delivered to Death for his Church and Children gathered together Pilios Dei dispersos the Sonnes of God dispersed in what place soever died and gave himselfe to Redeeme a peculiar People prayed not for all c. Then he did not Redeeme everyone Fideles and Infideles all are not Sheep his Church his Children his People nay his peculiar People as it appeares John 10. 27. 28. John 17. 9. and almost the whole Chapter Tit. 2. 14. Acts 20. 28. Ephes 5. 25. John 1. 12. Psal 33. 12. sed verum prius ergo posterius the first is true therefore the last I know they distinguish 'twixt Impetration which they say was for all and reall fruition which they say is but for a few Christs prayers they feigne are meant of the first not of the last but it is false for these prayers were fulfilled eo ipso momento quo Christus ponebat animam at that instant when Christ laid downe his life though the actuall fruition followed after the prayers of Christ had been to small purpose had they not apperâ—â—â—ned both to the first and last there is not one place of Scripture where Impetration is named without respect to Application it must needs follow therefore that Christ died not for all Arg. 7. For whom Christ died he so died that he tooke their death and the punnishment they deserved upon himselfe so the Phrase of dying for any is to be understood as it is plaine 2. Sam. 18. 33. Rom. 9. 3. but they dare not say that Christ took the Death and Punishment which all deserved upon himselfe it is against John 3. 36. Mat 7. 23. therefore he died not for All. How to answer this Argument which they are never able they make themselves Socinians as in many things they make themselves Massilians they will hardly put mee to prove Arg. 8. All those for whom Christ died may say who can condemne us Christ died for us who shall seperate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 34. 35. but all cannot say so for there are infinites condemned and therefore Christ died not for All. Arg. 9. Are all those whom Universalists say have received this Grace of Redemption Regenerate or are they not Regenerate if they be Regenerate then all men are Regenerate if not then have all men power to believe and to attaine salvation if they will whilest they remaine unregenerate they will not say the first and Pelagius could say no more then the last I might double this number of Arguments against Universall Redemption but that may bee done when my Adversaries undertake to answer these which they that is the Thomsonists will never attempt Yet let me alledge the words of Mr. Perkins Tom. 1. pag. 302. where he saith thus Universall Grace appertaining to all and every man may sitly be termed the Schoole of Universall Atheisme for it pulls downe the Pale of the Church and laies it waste like to a common Field it breeds a carelesnesse in the use of the means of Grace the Word and Sacraments when as men shall be perswaded that Grace shall be offered to every one effectually whether he be of the Church or not at one time or other wheresoever or howsoever he live c. Now whether were the Smith the Miller the Thatcher the Thrasher or he that sent and set them on more ignorant or impudent to charge me and all the Reformed Churches with me of high Treason against the Crowne Royalty Love Goodnesse Soverainty of the Son of God for the words which the truth is I tooke out of Mr. Perkins in the place aforesaid they might have had more reverence to that worthy Mans memory though they regarded not me It may be at that grand meeting to devise and do me some mischiefe they know where and when they all laid their little wits together to devise and draw the Charge but the Smith that read it writ it sure it was so like him Children challenge their Parents like Lips like Lettice the Matter and the Letter stunke much what alike Thus fearfully they fall whom God forsakes they run out of one Extreame over the Medium into another Extreame and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle cals it 2. Thes 2. 2. quite out of their wits High Treason against the Doctrine of Jesus Christ so they call their Vniversall Redemption Free will c. charged upon or against all the Reformed Churches at once by such men of ignorance Father forgive them they knew not what they did Now let me use a few Arguments against their fictitious Election Arg. 1. If perseverance bee a condition required in the Object of Election as they say then there are none Elect til the End of this life but Paul is called an Elect Vessell even whilest he was a Persecutor Act. 9. 15. And S. John wrot his second Epistle to the elect Lady yet alive and her children 1. John 2. 1. Therefore Perseverance can bee no Condition required in the Objection of Election the Antecedent is confessed for perseverance is a part of their Thesis as I shewed out of Amesius de Electione pa. 1. neither do they deny it then the Consequence cannot be denied how can it bee knowne who will
persevere to the end whilest they are yet alive The Minor is true for they are the words of S. Luke and S. John ut suprà and I could prove it out of a hundred places therefore the Conclusion cannot be false Perseverance can be no condition in the Object of Election They even all of them Universalists Papists Arminians defend falling away from Grace and they prove it de facto by a fearfull Argument for they themselves have faln from the Faith and the Reformed Churches Arg. 2. They who were given to Christ antecedenter ad Fidem that they might be Faithfull they were Elect antecedenter ad Fidem that they might have Faith and Perseveranee not because they were such but some are given to Christ that they might have Faith and Perseverance therefore they were elect that they might be Faithfull not for their Faith the Major none can deny and the Minor may be proved out of Ephes 1. 4. Hee hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him not because we were holy the Apostle saith the same Ephes 2. 10. Faith is the fruit not the tree the Effect not the Cause of Election we are elected to faith not for faith antecedenter ad fidem as I said not propter fidem there is no other Cause of our Election but only the Will of God Nay more the mediation of Christ is not the Cause of Gods Decree but Gods Decree è contra is the Cause of Christs mediation he Predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephes 1. 5. The Jewes were rejected for their unbeliefe the Gentiles were not elected for their Faith but they stood by Faith Rom. 11. 20. We never read that any People or particular Nation was elected for their Faith the contrary we often read as Deut. 7. 7. 8. Ezek. 16. First the Lord saith this is my People before the People can say the Lord is our God Zach. 13. 9. Vera Electio non invenit sed facit fideles true Election finds us not but makes us faithfull Qui enim de mundo mundum eligi fecit quod eligeret non invenit saith Augustin in Joh. 15. God chose a World out of the World for nothing that was in the World Indeed Arminius stands to it stoutly that Faith in Gods Decree of Election doth in order goe before not follow Election But yet that old Axiome is and will be truth when Heresies and Hereticks are dead with the Devill their Father Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extrà se God in Predestination goes not out of himselfe Arg. 3. The Scriptures teach us that on some God will shew Mercy on others his Justice Exod. 33. 19. Rom. 9. 22. 23. of his owne Free Will or good pleasure which proves that Election is neither for Faith nor of all Of the same Clay the Potter maketh both the Vessels that serve for cleane uses and likewise also such as serve to the contrary but what is the use of either sort the Potter himselfe is the Judge Wisedome 15. 7. O house of Israel can not I doe with you as the Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine O house of Israel Jer. 18. 6. And if any man will strive against God for doing with us as he pleaseth the Prophet Isaiah pronounceth a woe against such an one Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Woe unto him that saith to his Father what begettest thou c. Isa 45. 9. 10. God hath got the upper ground doe not contend against him Arg. 4. Christ saith hee had sheep among the Gentiles Other sheep I have that are not of this fold John 10. 16 Therefore God had much people among them that had not heard of him now this cannot be by Election or in the Decree and Eternall Counsell of God therefore there is a singular Election even of such as never had Faith Arg. 5. Our Adversaries might remember Christ sayth But many are called and fewer chosen Matt. 20. 16. 22. 14. From which words it followes there is neither an universall Vocation nor an universall Election but I touched these things before and shall heereafter when I come to prove Gods absolute Decree Their Universall Vocation is of the same stampe with their Universall Election as counterfet coyne I proved it before and I may adde further This Opinion necessarily implies that God gives grace and means sufficient for salvation to all men and supposes that there is no mortall man old or yong Christian or Pagan from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof but God reveales to him the means of salvation and at least in some instant of his life he sets him in such a state that he may enjoy the means if he will and be saved the Consequence is thus proved because if God will onely save such as use the means of salvation well and damn such as use them ill and that consequently because they use them well or ill then he must in justice reveale and exhibit these means unto them because no man by himselfe can recover them and hee must reveale and exhibite them to man when he is in such a state that he hath the use of his Free Will as a King that wills the safety of his Subjects on condition that they keep his Lawes is bound to publish and make his Lawes known unto them else if he execute any of them it must be upon a new point and not upon their not keeping his Lawes so also it is impossible that God should reprobate any for the ill use of his grace and contempt of the means of salvation that never had those meanes nor ever heard of his grace as many millions of people in all Ages have beene and now are The first sort whereof are Infants that either die in the womb or unbaptized or reach not to years of discretion and the use of reason and Free Will now Predestination is of no other reason in Infants then in Old folke but upon the same grounds and in the same maner that God wills the salvation of the one he wills the salvation of the other then let the Universalist tell me how the means of salvation is applied to Infants or how they can make use of the means The second sort that never had or heard of the means of salvation are Idiots such as are born Naturalls without the use of Reason of whom the same may be sayd that is of Infants that for want of Reason and the use of Free Will they cannot be said to have sufficient means for to the sufficiency of the meanes must concurre not only the perfection of the helpe revealed but also the ability of
the Subject to whom the sayd helpe is offered if God have left his Word to lead a man and yet with-holds Reason and faculty from him that hee cannot hear nor use it it cannot bee conceived how hee may bee sayd to have left sufficient meanes to that man The third sort that never had the means of salvation are Barbarians and Pagans that never heard of God or Christ or the Gospel these also cannot be sayd to have sufficient means of salvation because the revelation of Christ and his Gospel is the means and they never had it if it bee objected that the Heathen may have certaine inspirations which may guide them first to Grace and then to Glory then I demand first touching these inspirations that are sayd to bee thus offered and stirred up in the Gentiles are they super-naturall or naturall if supernaturall by what meanes are they wrought for the Word of God they have not and Gods Spirit doth never sufficiently inspire when it doth not sufficiently reveale it selfe to be his Spirit are they naturall arising only from a naturall knowledge then I demand againe whether they bee able to bring him that hath them to Justifying Grace if they be not able they are insufficient if they say they be able then this is Pelagianisme that a man by naturall strength may obtaine the Grace of God Two prodigious Opinions have I read touching this poynt In Whites Way pag. 280. one of the Papists or some of them who say that the very Gentiles knew God and did many things wherein was no sinne and this was sufficient to save them The other of that man of ignorance who wrote the Charge of high Treason against all that deny Universall Redemption there hee saith but God helpe him hee knowes not what he saith that man hath yet liberty and power to escape Condemnation and can doe that which God Commands These Opinions are fitter for Pelagians who say Gratia significat naturam ratione voluntate praeditam that Grace is Nature indued with Reason and Free Will and that per Opera Naturae homo promeretur auxilium gratiae a man may open the window to let Grace come in as besides Pelagians most of the Papists say but they become not us who professe our selves Protestants Yet further to prove that Infants Idiots Infidels never had the meanes of Grace I may say thus that the word of Reconciliation was not preached to all Reconciliation is by faith and faith by the word Ro. 10. 14. Which Word was not nay is not yet preached to all was there not a Partition wall till it was broken downe Did not Christ charge his Disciples not to goe into the way of the Gentiles nor into the Cities of the Samaritans Mat. 10. 5. 6. Look into that Parable of the Woman of Canaan if the Word of God was not the Childrens bread Mat. 15. 24. 26. All the blind Americans many of the barbarous Affricans the savadge Canibals besides the Chinoys so quick-sighted in other things yet had not heard of a Saviour till some few hundred years since nay more our Brethren if they please to prove Universall Vocation may bee yet almost the first to Preach the word of God to a great part of Finmark the Scricfinians Lappians and some Northerne Isles within the Artick Circle among us Europeans then how can they dreame of Universall Vocation Now our Question is not If grace be free but whether this Free grace bee effectually and freely offered to all Yea but the Black-smith in that ugly thing he brought as blacke as himselfe tells us of the Spirit but it was writ by a foul spirit well yet there were 12. Places of Scripture to prove Universall Redemption I think set downe by some simple Brother sure not by Mr. T. for hee applied not one place but said they were plaine Places and so left it simply to beleeve now to these I need not answer for they were barely named and nothing concluded neyther Syllogisme nor sence but left simply as the Letter sayd yet in answer to them and the like places I say thus There are severall interpretations of such places as say God will have all to bee saved the chiefe whereof are these foure that follow 1. God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth in that he makes us to wish and desire this our selves by stirring us up to seeke and pray for salvation because the Will that God workes in us is said to bee Gods Will 2. Where the Scriptures say God will have all to be saved by the word all such only are meant who are saved by restraining the Universall signe to the Elect alone that is all who are saved are all saved only by vertue of the Will of God as a Schoole-Master may be said to teach all the children in a Towne when hee only teaches all that are taught 3. God by the signification of his Will revealed in his Word would all men to bee saved in as much as hee offers to all men either the Doctrine of the Gospell or some other signe whereby hee invites them to salvation and this Exposition denies that there is any Will of good pleasure or absolute Will in God referred and determined to the salvation of all but onely to the Means propounded which of themselves are sufficient and able to lead men to salvation thereby he carries himselfe as one that hath a purpose to save all They call this Will of God Voluntas Signi not Beneplaciti the Will of the Signe but not his absolute Will which first may not be fulfilled and yet the last his absolute Will is alwayes fulfilled 4. God would have all to be saved that is he saveth some in all Estates and Degrees of men not singula generum but genera singulorum of all sorts some not every singular person of all sorts whether they be rich or poore old or young Jewes Greekes Barbarians God saves some of every Condition so Christ is sayd to have Redeemed some out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5. 9. to have healed every Disease that is every kinde of Disease Mat. 4. 23. This and the second distinction I thinke the best to be applyed to such places of Scripture where it is said God will have all to be saved Againe I say that by the word all wee must understand all that believe by him all that believe are justified Acts 13. 39. all that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish John 3. 16. the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promise by the Faith of Christ should be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. I might inferre but all and every one believes not therefore Christ died not for All and every one It is apparent that the word All is oftentimes used for Many as Rom. 5. 18. 19. Augustin in
lie in my right hand Isa 44. 20. They are blinde and which is worse they will not see foolish Prophets that follow their owne spirit Ezek. 13. 3. What pitty is it that this Viper should creep continually upon the body of our Church and yet the hand of Authority I hope for want of information hath not shaken it into the fire Usque quò Domine Usque quò how long Lord how long all those things are come upon us and yet there is none that knowes how long Psal 74. 9. 10. It is our parts to pray thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven but even the Lord for Christs sake when it is his blessed Will deliver this Church from the effects of blinde zeale and over-bold devotion And thus I have set downe some of the Opinions of the Brethren in the Gospel about us all their Opinions it is impossible to relate they cannot tell their own Tenets they hold any thing but the Truth A certain Mathematician in reading a Lecture to his Scholars was quite out so hee asked them if they understood him no replied they Indeed I wonder not said he nam Ego meipsum non intelligo for I understand not my selfe the Brethren are as much out as this Mathematitian and may say on the same maner A Neighbour not a fortnight since discoursing with Mr. T. told him he ought not to take the Scriptures alwaies in a literall sence for Christ said he was a Door a Vine vet he was neither of both in a literall sence he called the Bread his Body yet it was not literally his Body Mr. T. made answer that our Saviour Christ when he said so clapt his hand on his Body and said Hoc est corpus meum This is my Body but hee meant it not of the Bread They say Affrica semper aliquid apportat novi and Anglia abounds as much with Monstrous Opinions as Affrica with Monsters and the Fruits of these evill Trees are as bad as those that grow upon the banks of the Dead Sea A Stranger can scarce ride twixt Bridge and Lincolne but he may heare or see the Country all set on fire our parts of Lynsey vomit out flames as fast as Vesuvius the Father against the Son and the Son against the Father the Husband against his Wife and the Wife against her Husband the Brother would betray the Brother to death Friends and Neighbours are even ready to eat one another Warres and Warlike Opinions as if the Times that Christ foretold had overtaken us At first The Netherlands received the infection of this pestilent Doctrine from Britaine by Pelagius and now at last Britaine hath received the same infection from the Netherlands by Arminius The Peach-tree brought out of Asia and planted in Italy of ranke poyson became pleasant fruit but the Papists and Arminian Opinions brought out of Italy and Germany and planted upon our Heaths among us mad Hylanders have a quite contrary effect for the practises of the Brethren passe and repasse Papists and Arminians all but Anabaptists in a super-superlative degree Nero set Rome on fire that he might sing the Destruction of Troy in suo genere in kind or in its proper colours he that hath a minde to sing Lachrymae in a sympathizing tune may see a sad example with us Let a man but looke into the Townes all about Mr. T. and he may see or heare them brawle and brangle so soone as they arise and so they continue till they go to bed such Divisions and Sub-divisions as cannot but make our Enemies to laugh and ous Friends to weepe The Church of God is now in two Extreames a floud and a fire in a floud of teares and yet on fire in her different affections alas that neither this floud can quench that fire nor any fire can dry this floud The Divisions of Simeon the Divisions of Levi the Divisions of Simeon against Levi and the divisions of Levi among themselves who is able to behold with dry a man cannot thinke of as hee ought without without wet eyes The Divisions of Reuben doe pierce the very soule of the Mother that bore him and there is none of all the Children that shee hath brought forth able to comfort their Mother that is even sick at heart and sits by the high way side begging helpe of every one that passeth by Come hither Heraclytus stay Travailer and weep with us If any man would tell wonders in his own let him come first into our Country and there he may see that which no good Christian can desire or delight to see I have read of one who being borne blind he had his sight given him by his Prayers to God but then hee saw so many wickednesses that hee desired of God to be blind againe and if the story tell truth it was granted Was it then such an Age as God hath reserved us to live in Our Mother is sore sicke of a Convulsion pulld all to peeces on a pitifull maner like an Oake that is cleft in sunder with Wedges made out of its own body Plutarch reports of a beautifull Damosell whom a company of yong men contended for to be their Bride they would all of them have had her but they could not agree that any one of the should enjoy her therfore they cut her all to peeces and tooke each one a part so then they all of them had her and yet they none of them had her Religion is that beautifull Damosell whom Papists Antinomians Anabaptists Arminians Universalists and other Schismatiks say they strive for but the truth is they cut poore Religion all to pieces and each one of them have a part but none of them have pure Religion If any man had lost his Religion he might once have found it in Poland afterward in Amsterdam but now in England or else it is vanished out of the world Medaea cut her childe in pieces a cruell Mother but that Children should cut their Mother in pieces Ah cursed Children Woe is me that ever I bore you may may our Mother the Church say to such churlish Children as the Prophet Jer. of his Mother Jer. 15. 10. Surely bloudy Children have you been unto me may the Church say unto such as Zipporah to her Husband when she threw the Childes foreskin at his feet Exod. 4. 23. Call me not NAOMI that is a beautifull Church but call mee MARAH may our Mother say for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me Ruth 1. 20. Richard the first K. of England being in his Fathers life time a disobedient Child comming to meet his Fathers dead body Royally adorned for the Buriall according to the Majesty of his State the very Corpse as it were abhorring and accusing him for his unnaturall cruelties gushed forth bloud whereat Richard pierced with remorse melted into a floud of tears on a most penitent manner But we may see the wounds of our Mother the Church as wide as in the Warres