and practice but of curious and carnall men and such as lack the Spirit of Christ to whom also these evills doe betide of despaire and security and therefore this would be shunn'd and avoyded as he that loves his safety would shun to walk upon or gaze from some high and deep downfall One point in this comparison needeth some more full Explication for it may be questioned whether the Article meanes that these different Effects of comfort or downfall doe proceed onely from the difference of the persons that doe consider being either pious or curious carnall or spirituall having the Spirit of Christ or lacking the Spirit of Christ or doe flow also from the difference of the things considered viz. either of Predestination or Election in Christ or the sentence of Gods Predestination There are that make no difference betweene these two and so to them the difference that the Article moteth must arise onely from the difference of the persons considering one and the same Doctrine of Predestination But I may bee bold to put a difference betweene the things considered aswell as betweene the persons considering because the Article doth so so for curious and carnall persons c. The Article doth not say it is a dangerous downefall namely the consideration of Predestination and Election in Christ as keeping the same subject whereof hee had spoken before as comfortable but it substituteth another subject to have continually before their Eyes the Doctrine of Gods Predestination that is a dangerous downefall and not the other And to mee it should seeme incredible that either the Article should say or that Doctor Bancroft should say That the sound full and whole Doctrine of Predestination and our Election in Christ such as is here delivered in the former paragraph should be a dangerous downfall even to carnall men and even them that lack the Spirit of Christ For although it be true that the fruit and comfort of this and many other Divine truths bee reaped onely by godly persons when they are come to have the Spirit of Christ c. And it be true also that our curiosity and carnall affections bee great impediments to the right conceiving and judging of Divine truths yet it is as true that every necessary Doctrine is in sacred Scripture so fully perfectly and coherently delivered and ought to be therefore fitly deduced by the Church that of it selfe it have no aptnesse to become a praecipitium even to carnall men and such as have not the Spirit of Christ since the Scripture was not written to be reade onely of them that doe already in humility beleeve it and are filled with the Spirit of Christ but even by naturall men having onely ordinary humane judgements and to taste of the things of God What then is it that the Article saith hath so much as a likelyhood of a downfall to the curious and carnall To have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination what is this Sentence The bare and naked Sentence that very decree it selfe in generality That God hath Predestinated some men to life and hath reprobated some to death such is the first of the 9. Assertions at Lambeth without any mention or consideration of Christ of faith of Gods Prescience or any other of his Attributes This naked Sentence without any thing of the order or manner how this decree is concluded or come unto is that praecipitium that exceeding height from whence the Devill doth or may thrust men curious carnall into despaire or security laying all their religion upon Predestination If I shall be sav'd I shall be sav'd This is that which Bancroft calleth a desperate Doctrine pag. 29. of the Conference The selfe-same for substance methinks I find expressed by Hemingius in his Syntagm loco de praedest whom I beseech you heare with a little patience 1. De aeternâ praedestinatione rectè erudir◠ecclesiam summoperè necessarium est nam ut nulla doctrina uberiorem consolationem piis conscientiis afferre solet quam doctrina praedestinationis rectè explicita ita nihil periculosius est quam rectâ praedestinationis ratione aberrare 2. Nam qui à verâ deflectit in praecipitium fertur unde se recipere non potest 3. Sunt quidam qui cum audiunt nostram salutem in Dei electione proposito sitam esse modum verum haud observant somnia Stoica fabulas Parcarum fingunt quibus seipsos miserè implicant alios perniciosè seducunt vide Thes 4 5 6 7. 4. Modus autem praedestinationis verissimus est quem Paulus nobis commonstrat cum ad Ephes scribit Elegit nos in Christo 1. 9 10 11. in hoc modo conditio fidei includitur Nam cum fide inserimur Christo ejus membra efficimur ideo electi quia Christi membra sumus The Sentence therefore of Predestination without the Modus is Praecipitium but the Modus in Christo is the fountain of all comfort and hope and godliness which maketh this matter of so much worth to contend for The true Modus Praedestinationis divinae Now I come to the period of the second Paragraph and the whole Article Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scripture and in our doings that Will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God This part of the Article Bishop Bancroft shewed King James at Hampton Court pag. 29. line 19 20. as the Doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination and it was there very well approved Moreover the Kings most excellent Majesty that now is in his Declaration commanding that all farther curious search be layd aside willeth that these disputes be shut up in Gods promises as they be generally set forth unto us in the holy Scripture as if the generall promises of God were the surest principles to determine all these doubts and differences by and they rest safely that rest in them The Authority of this Article together with other like passages in our Catechisme and Homilies constrained our divines that were at Dort to deliver in secundo Articulo these Theses for the third and fourth 3. Deus lapsi generis humani miseratus misit filium qui seipsum dedit precium redemptionis pro peccatis totius mundi 4. And for the fourth Thesis In hoc merito mortis Christi fundatur universale promissum Evangelicum juxta quod omnes in Christo credentes remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam reipsâ consequantur which they confirme by Mark 16. 15. so that this part of the Article though it be the last yet it is not the last in worth and use For whereas it saith Furthermore we must receive c. It intendeth to give farther remedy against the harme which may be taken by curious and carnall persons from the Sentence of Predestination had continually before their Eyes Which
nihil est It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed and therefore let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. But for the points in question they might sure be debated with lesse edge and stomach as they are at this day in the very * Inter aliquot Jesuitas Dominicanos Church of Rome and it were happy if we could suffer Charity to moderate in all our disputations If it be truth wee seeke and not victory why take wee not the counsell of S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 15. To seeke and speake truth in love Since the matters questioned are clogged and perplexed with so many insuperable difficulties that the greatest Wits and Spirits of all Ages have here found themselves entangled in a maze and at length after all vexing disquisitions seeing no evasion no issue out of this Labyrinth no banke or bottome in this Ocean were forced to checke their restlesse repining understandings with Saint Paul's O Altitudo Since on all hands they are a Pareus in Iren. Frid. 3 Palat. in Confess ad fin Admon Neustad confessed to be not fundamentall not essentiall to the Faith since our own Church as the b Coelestin Ep. R. ad Episc Gall. c. ult Vid Epistolas Prosp Hilarii ad Aug. Primitive in great wisedome hath thought meete here to walke in a latitude and to be sparing in her definitions why should wee not all be wise unto sobriety and let God alone with his secrets why may not our c Rom. 14. 1 Phil. 2. 3. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 22 1 Cor. 13. 4. 7. See Perkins in Gal. 1. 2. Gal. 3. 15 Vide insignem S. Cypr. erga dissentientes à se modestiam Epist 73. ad Jubaian in fine in praefat concil Carthag laudatam saepe ab Aug. de bap cont Donat. l. 2 c. ult l. 3. c. 3. l. 4. c. 8 9. c. hearts be united though our heads doe differ why doe wee not desire rather safely and sweetly to compose these differences than rashly and with d Aug. Enchir. ad Laurent c. 59. danger to define them and forbeare all Capitall censures either way which must needs involve many holy Soules now at rest with God many e Bez. Annot. major in Rom. 11. v. 35. Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 22 Sect. 1. Sect. 8. P. Melanc in Rom. 9. Sixt. Scu. lib. 6. ann 251. Catholique Bishops of the ancient Church many learned and godly Doctors of our owne nay entire reformed Churches all which have varied in these Opinions though most neerly linked in their affections The faire and moderate carriage of these Controversies betweene those two Reverend Men whose memories wee justly honour * Vide eum in praefat ad Loc. com Melanct. Gallicè à se versos Epistolas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John Calvin and Philip Melancthon easily perswades mee that their violent followers at this day are not more learned but more uncharitable And it appeares by that which Master †Exam. of Ioh. Careles Fox hath recorded that our owne blessed Martyrs in the dayes of Queene Mary in their very prisons freely disputed and dissented in these Opinions And Bishop Hooper hath left his judgement to posterity in the Preface to his Exposition of the Decalogue which haply hee learnt at Zurich of H. Bullinger his intime Friend and Familiar Dr. POTTER to Mr. V. GOod Mr. V. and my honest Friend I shall answer your late loving and vehement Letter which I received but yesterday with no lesse love but with lesse vehemency Onely before I beginne let mee entreate that though wee be two in Opinion yet wee may bee still one in amity wherein for my part I am resolved to persist with an invincible constancy and if you become mine enemy because I tell you the Truth yet I will be still to you the same your most affectionate entire Friend I like and love the heate of your Zeale onely I desire in it a little more mixture of cooling Charity I verily beleeve your zeale to be true but you shall give mee leave to tell you that in very many that which is so called is indeed but an angry unmercifull Passion and that I may speak plainly and name things as they are Scapham Scapham a pure pang mixt of Pride and Ignorance It appeares by the whole Tenour of your Letter that you are affected with a strong suspition that I am turn'd Arminian And you further guesse at the motive that some sprinkling of Court-holy-water like an Exorcisme hath enchanted or conjur'd mee into this new shape How loth am I to understand your meaning and how faine would I put a faire interpretation upon these foule passages if they were capable what man not an Arminian onely but hyred into that Faith by carnall hopes one that can value his Soule at so poore a Rate as to sell it to the times or weigh or sway his conscience with Money My good friend how did you thus forget mee and your selfe and the strict charge of our Master Judge not well you have my pardon and God Almighty confirme it unto you with his But to prevent your errour and sinne in this kinde hereafter I desire you to beleeve that I neither am nor ever will be Arminian I am resolved to stand fast in that Liberty which my Lord hath so dearly bought for me In Divine Truths my conscience cannot serve men or any other Master besides him who hath his Chaire in Heaven I love Calvin very well and I must tell you I cannot hate Arminius and for my part I am verily perswaded that these two are now where they agree well in the Kingdome of Heaven whilst some of their Passionate Disciples are so eagerly brawling here on Earth I should honour Truth if I heard it out of the Popes mouth or the Devills nor can I believe a falsity though published by an Angell I prize my soule so dearely that I dare not venture it upon any mans credit or take upon trust any opinion which may endanger it nor can the worth of all this world perswade me in matters of Faith to maintaine or beleeve any Conclusion which I finde not to issue from Premisses of Scripture or Reason But most especially I tremble to think or speak any thing of God Almighty which hath not expresse warrant in his owne word and so much the more if it seeme injurious or dishonourable to that most glorious and gratious Deity For my life I cannot obtaine of my conscience to declame and revile and cry downe an opinion when I cannot see any solid satisfying answer to many contrary Scriptures and Reasons It is a very easie way which many walke and if it were as safe I would be content to walk it with them Blind-folded they follow their leaders sparing their own eyes they presume their guides so learned so holy see clearly enough Therefore they beleeve all
in sundry Sermons by Dr. Jackson The name Altar or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anciently given to the Holy Table by Mr. Joseph Mede Churches that is appropriate places for Christian worship both in and ever since the Apostles times by Mr. Jo. Mede The Reverence of Gods House a Sermon at St. Maries in Cambridge by Mr. Joseph Mede Daniels weekes an interpretation of part of the prophecy of Daniel by Mr. Joseph Mede Diatribae first part discourses on divers Texts of Scripture by Mr. Joseph Mede Diatribae second part or a continuation of certaine discourses on sundry Texts of Scripture delivered upon severall occasions by Mr. Joseph Mede Diatribae third part or a Continuation of certaine Discourses on sundry Texts of Scripture by Mr. Joseph Mede Remaines on some passages in the Revelation whereunto are added severall Discourses concerning the holinesse of Churches by Mr. Joseph Mede The undeceiving of the People in the Point of Tithes by Ph Treleinie Gent. Sacred Principles Services and Soliloquies or a Manuall of Devotions made up of three parts 1. The grounds of Christian Religion c. 2. Dayly and Weekly formes of Prayers c. 3. Seven Charges to Conscience c. by Philo-Christianus Appello Evangelium FOR The true Doctrine of the Divine Predestination concorded with the Orthodox Doctrine of Gods Free-Grace and Mans Free-Will PART 1. The Introduction or Preface THe principall end of that labour which brought forth this work was by the helpe of God and through his blessing to get some satisfaction to my selfe in the great Question of this Age De ordine modo praedestinationis in mente divina secundum nostrum intelligendi modum concerning the order and manner of Divine predestination conceived in the minde of the onely wise God after the manner of our understanding as the holy Scriptures have revealed it unto us Therefore about this Order I have searched out and here set down the severall opinions of note and estimation which are five in number these I have examined and compared together In foure of the five I doe finde and acknowledge some parts and pieces of truth for no probable Doctrine can subsist all of falsehoods but mingled with such defects as they seeme to me to lead both into error in Faith and into corruption of manners if men should live after them and that not by abuse only as may be pretended but by just and necessary consequence and by the nature of the very Principles But in the fifth opinion I will not say there shineth forth the perfection of the full and naked truth for since we see now per speculum in aenigmate if I should say Nudam veritatem videmus nihil esset coecius ista arrogantia visionis yet this I say there seemeth Aug. Epist 150. to appeare a certaine way of apprehending and of teaching this high mysterie such as is farre more free from occasion of error either in faith or in life that may arise as from it self than in any other forme of the foure formerly delivered In the Explication whereof to make it intelligible it being though not new in it selfe but little opened or touched in English or popular Bookes or Sermons unlesse it be to carpe at the leaves of some boughs or branches thereof And in the confirmation thereof to make it demonstrable by the holy Scripture and to shew it consonant to other heads of Divinity declared I have here taken much more paines and am far more large than in the demolishing and confuting of the different and as I take them defective Opinions partly because that is already done to my hand in the domestick conflicts of the defenders of the foure Opinions in their bookes written in the elentique and the invective vein more to the breach of the peace of the Church than to the edifying of the truth in love And partly because as it is an harder so it is a nobler thing to build than to destroy to abet and to maintain a lovely truth tending to peace both inward in the conscience and outward in the Church rather than to labour to hew downe those falsehoods which fall of themselves the more curiously they are polish'd and wrought upon by their zealous Lovers Yet because our great Master of Methods Ethic. 7. c. 14. teacheth us that it is not enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver the truth unlesse we do shew also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause why that is false which is false and that this doth much availe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to win credit to our own Opinion therefore I give in briefe some reasons for my dislike of any opinion which I reject in their severall and proper places and then proceed to my chiefest care and hardest taske In which weighty worke quoniam conamur tenues grandia I still doe most humbly pray the Spirit of truth to leade me into all Truth that is according unto Godlinesse Sadolet in Rom. 8. Cupimus enim investigare quid verum sit neque id solum sed quod cum veritate pietatem quoque praeterea erga Deum habeat conjunctam not approving their saying that tell us one doctrine is for Schools where Truth is tryed and another for Pulpit where Piety is perswaded never am I perswaded where Exhortations sound contrary to Doctrine forelayd nor where the Pulpit differs from the Chaire Now if this worke had been intended for the publique it had been best to have suppressed and concealed all names of the Authors of Opinions Ut nullus emulatione aliqua a veritatis Cajetan Summula sequela retrahatur knowing it is as true in our Age as it was in S. Hilary's Quanto plures sunt in Ecclesia qui authoritate Epist ad Aug. nominum in sententia teneantur aut ad sententiam transferantur But this was not written ad plures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who will themselves and allow me also to search the Scriptures whether things be so as Doctors say will not be offended Si authorem neminem Plin. proaem l. 3. unum sequar sed ut quemque verissimum in quaque parte arbitrabor and from any of them to appeale to the Gospell For the second end and purpose of this writing especially in this booke forme was to give satisfaction to some of my learned and loving friends to whom I might communicate it who having heard either of my studies in these Controversies or of my Opinions and happily not throughly apprehending them may have conceived worse of me and them than either there is cause or than I ought to suffer them long to beare in their minds For as concerning my studies I may be deemed to have walked in magnis in mirabilibus super me seeing it is true that Saint Jerome saith Grandes materias ingenia parva non sustinent that I have approch'd too neer to Majesty in searching into mysteries above
So these two Opinions offend much against Gods Goodnesse and Truth yet this second well acknowledgeth that God decreed something upon his foreknowledge what man would doe being permitted That this foreknowledge is so certain that upon it God builded his greatest Counsels of the mystery of the Gospell as upon the foreknowledge of Adams fall the decree to send Christ Secondly It provideth well for the justice of God on Infants dying who have no other desert of death but Originall sin from which as to the paine of eternall death Gods mercy delivereth whom hee pleaseth by Baptisme or the vow thereof in the holy Church Parvulorū autem causam ad exemplum Majorum non patiuntur afferri sayes Hilary of the Massilienses in which they were right for the Election or Reprobation which is of Infants that live not to years of discretion is no necessary pattern for the Election or Reprobation of them that live into a further Age. The Defenders of this Opinion claime our 17. Article as for them and surely better may they doe it than they of the former for those words To deliver from curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen import a curse and damnation fallen into by those who are delivered But how those words chosen in Christ and the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ and those words Wee must receive Gods Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scriptures How these will stand with a decree of Election made before Christ be thought on otherwise than as the Meanes to bring the Elect to salvation for the Article makes these two things To choose some in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation or how a generall promise will stand with a particular purpose meaning or intending the promise but to some few let them consider how they can make it good by their Doctrine and I will consider how I can make it good which the Article saith by the Doctrine of the fifth Opinion As to the appeale to Bucer and P Martyr for the sense of our Articles used by Doctor Whitakers in his time and of late by the Bishop of Chichester Carleton the answer is full 1. That Bucer is not of the same Opinion with Martyr nor Carleton with Whitakers in the apprehension of the order of Predestination 2. That it is not true that the Disciples of P. Martyr and Bucer composed our Articles for these Articles on which there is now question were the same under King Edward the 6. and Queene Elizabeth but the Bishops and Divines under King Edw. 6. had composed the Articles and Liturgy before P. Martyr and Martin Bucer came hither as doth appeare in Mr. Fox his story To Bellarmine objecting that England had Bucer and Martyr Seminatores fidei the renowned Doctor Andrews answereth p. 31. Non tamen Si verum volumus seminarunt duo illi viri fidem in Anglia c. Neverthelesse if we will speake truth those two men did not plant the reformed faith in England but sought to weede out some Tares of superstition long since oversow'd by you Papists Although even those Tares themselves before their comming hither were for the most part condemnd and rooted out But these men entred upon others labours and bestow'd their paines also here that they might be helpfull to them in Vniversity matters 3. Whosoever were the chiefe Composers of our Articles of whom it is certain Archbishop Cranmer was one they had more respect to the Augustan Confession than to any other as appeares by the very Identity of many of the Articles and more familiarity with Melanchton and Erasmus than any other Divines singularly approving their Expositions of the sacred Scriptures and of the principall Articles of the Christian Faith insomuch that they caused to be translated into English Erasmus paraphrase on the Gospels and injoyn'd them to be studyed by Priests and to lye ready in Churches for all men to reade and as it were to drinke in the Doctrine of Scriptures according to Erasmus his interpretation whose writings which way they goe in those controversies all men well know that have read them CHAP. 3. The Third Opinion THe third Opinion seemes to be defended by the reverend and learned late Bishop of Norwich Doctor Overald and Richard Thompson his diligent Audiditor and familiar as may be gathered out of the Bishops judgement de quinque Articulis in Belgia controversis and out of the Conference at Hampton Court and out of Thompsons Diatribe de intercisione justitiae c. 4. And it is 1. That God decreed to create mankinde good c. as the second Opinion said 2. That he foresaw the fall of man c. as in the same second Opinion was said 3. That he decreed to send his Sonne to dye for the World and his Word to call and to offer salvation unto all men with a common and sufficient grace in the meanes to worke faith in Men if they bee not wanting to themselves 4. That out of Gods fore knowledge of mans infirmity and that none would believe by this common grace he decreed to adde a speciall grace more effectuall and abundant to whomsoever he pleased chosen according to his own Purpose and Grace by which they shall not onely bee able to believe but also actually believe This Opinion if I understand it aright I have not found expresly or strictly examined by any Divine Doctor Abbot in his animadversion upon Thompsons Diatribe suspecteth * c. 4. Insuavis quidam gravis halitus Arminiani dogmatis Arminianisme in it and rejected it But Doctor Overald doth clearely sever it from the Remonstrants Tenet as you shall see by and by I object it thus 1. That common Grace by which no man is sav'd which is inferiour to the infirmity of man is not the Grace of the Gospell nay deserves not the name of Grace which never brought forth the effect Salvation 2. That superabundant speciall effectuall Grace seemes not to be the Grace of the Gospell being rejected of none to whom it is offered for the Grace of the Gospell is such as is receiv'd by some and the selfe same rejected by other some to some 't is in vaine to others not in vaine 3. This Opinion with the two former seemes to bring in a certaine desperation into the mindes of men as was of old objected to St. Augustine seeing none can be saved but by that speciall and abundant Grace which is given but to a few out of the secret purpose of God which whether God doth intend to give or no the generall promises in the Gospell do not assure seeing they sound no more than a common grace which is ineffectuall by this Opinion But before I censure it farther bee it presented unto you in the words of one of the most illuminate Doctors of our Age. There were five Articles controverted in Holland 1. Of Gods Predestination 2. Of
might avoyd all inconveniences the thing which I desire to doe by the light of Gods Holy Spirit and Word 1. So conceiving the order of Divine Predestination as that wee set not forth onely some one or two of the Divine attributes and properties but preserve and present them all His Dominion and Power as the first Opinion would His Mercy and Justice as the second Opinion would His Truth and speciall Grace as the third Opinion would His Wisdome and foreknowledge as the fourth Opinion would And yet to acknowledge his judgements unsearchable c. as the Apostle would Rom. 11. 33. 2. So conceiving it as may agree with the holy Scripture expounded literally without Tropes in the greatest Propriety and by the light of the most the plainest the most fundamentall places and principles therein 3. So conceiving it as that the order in Grace doth not subvert the order in nature but that wee confesse the Wisedome of God so to worke his Will as yet hee preserveth the nature freedome and properties of the Creature in which hee worketh 4. Lastly conceiving it so as that God may both save the World in mercy and judge the World in righteousnesse CHAP. V. The fifth Opinion THe Fifth Opinion may be lesse acceptable to some for the Teachers and the defenders sake but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepts no persons These are Arminius himself if he be interpreted according to his owne principles in his Theses de naturâ Dei and Vorstius in his Tractate De Deo and the Jesuits Molina Vasquez Zuarez Becanus and others Besides that this is the Opinion of the Fathers Greeke and Latine before St. Augustine if their Doctrine concerning Prescience be rightly examined and declared namely 1. That God by his infinite understanding from all Eternity knew all things possible to bee seeing them in his owne Omnipotency 2. That among other infinite things possible in his understanding he conceived all this one frame of the World that now is and in it all the Race of Mankinde from the first man to the last every one in his severall order government and event only as possible to be if he will say the Word Wherein hee understood there might be things necessary things contingent some things causes some effects some as ends some as meanes to ends some Acts of God some acts of a free Creature some good some evill some things as rewards some as punishments 3. That hee knowes how to vary or alter the ordering either of all or of any part or person in the race of men so as other effects and other ends than those that now are might be brought forth if hee would otherwise order them 4. But considering this frame of the world and order of mankinde as now it is but then onely as possible that he judged it was exceeding good for the manifestation of the glory of his Wisdome Power Goodnesse Mercy Justice Dominion and Lordship if hee should will or decree to put it into execution and into being 5. That God infallibly foreknew that if hee should decree to put it into execution that then these and these particular persons would certainly by this order of meanes and government be transmitted and brought to eternall life and that those other particular persons under their order of meanes and government through their owne fault would goe into perdition if Justice should bee done them 6. That though hee knew what these would be yet hee determined and decreed out of his owne absolute Will and pleasure to say Fiat Be it so and to put into execution and into being all this which he had in his understanding and in so doing hee predestinated all men either to life or death Eternall For he predestinated to life those particular men to whom out of his owne good pleasure he decreed to give those happy meanes wherby hee foreknew they would be Vessells fit for honour being given unto them Hee rejected those letting them to perish to whom he decreed to give no other meanes than such under which hee foreknew that through their owne ingratitude they would be fit for wrath if no other were given them and out of his owne just Will when as hee could have ordered them otherwise to the producing of another event he would not doe it but make them vessells of his wrath With reference to this order the Elect are stiled by St. Luke Acts 13. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Such as were ordained to eternall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the reprobate by St. Jude vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Such as were before of old ordained to this condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Providence in generall see Acts 17. 27. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determining the foreappointed times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Predestination in speciall see Rom. 8. 28. And Ephes 1. 11. There is †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the setting and placing of things by the counsell of his owne will in that order of Causes and of meanes which he infallibly understands will bring forth such ends and such effects if he please to doe his part as is laid out by himselfe in this order and please to permit the creature to doe its part as is observed in the same Order By this Order meanes government benefits aides c. I understand the creation of man righteous the permission of his fall the corrections of his sinne the meanes of his restauration by the Sonne of God made man the calling the converting of a Sinner his faith repentance perseverance his blessings chastisements tryalls and whatsoever else is now found in the order of any mans salvation or in the aberrations from that order whereby men come to destruction And to this agrees the antient definition of Predestination that it is Praeparatio beneficiorum Dei quibus liberantur quicunque liberantur * The preparation of Gods benefits whereby all are delivered that are set free And Fulgentius his definition lib. 2. ad Monimum Praedestinatio Dei nihil est aliud quam praeparatio operum ejus quae in aeterna sua dispositione aut misericorditer se facturum praescivit aut juste that is Divine Predestination is nothing else but the preparation of Gods workes Which in his eternall providence he foreknew he would doe either mercifully Vid. infra 3. part cap. 20. or justly CHAP. 6. An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fifth Opinion THis Opinion in the decree of Predestination observeth 1. An Act of Gods understanding and an Act of his will 2. The Act of his Understanding is his knowledge in respect of things not yet in being call'd foreknowledg which foreknowledge is put by this Opinion before the act of Predestinating according to the Scriptures Rom. 8. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 1. 2. Whom he foreknew he Predestinated 3. It taketh knowledge here properly and without any trope for that within Schooles
is because both man hath neede of God and God is helpfull to man for the performing of Righteousnes For as Man can doe no good except he have Gods helpe so neither doth God worke any good in man except man be willing As neither the earth without seed fructifies nor seed without the Earth so neither man without God nor God without man doth worke righteousnesse in man Even as if hee had said If yee doe these things if yee pray for these things yee are children worthy of such a Father Now to try out the Truth let mee set forth into view foure Propositions 1. Without the Grace of God the will of Man can and doth both will and perform that which is good 2. Without the Grace of God the will of Man cannot will good but through Grace being once made able to will afterward without any further Grace it can alone both will and performe that which is good 3. By or through the Grace of God working on the will the will of Man can both will and performe that which is good and without grace it cannot will nor without further grace performe that which is good 4. By or through the Grace of God working on the will the will of man cannot but will cannot but performe that which is good The first Proposition of these is the Heresie of Pelagius detested by the whole Church of Christ The Second Proposition is the error of the Massilienses or Semipelagians And both these are against my first Principle or Maxime The Third Proposition holdeth out the light of Truth subjoyning the will of man to the Grace of God both in willing and performing that which is good and is the Doctrine of S. August in his setled judgement and the Catholick Doctrine of the Church The Fourth Proposition is the extreme opinion of S. August in his heat of disputation against Pelagius and the Massilienses and of many moderne Divines of force defended to support your Doctrine of the Order of Predestination without the prescience of all particular events putting onely the prescience of Adams fall But this fourth Proposition is destroyed by my two latter Principles or Axioms or they destroy'd by it Well said Nazianz. in the case of extreme Opinions about the Trinity Quid enim necesse est tanquam ramum omnino in aliam partem declinantem c. For what necessity is there as a bough declining altogether one way by force to bend it the other way and so by crookednesse to rectifie crookednesse and not rather to keep to the middle way and continue within the bounds of divine Piety but when I name the middle way I meane the Truth to which onely we so rightly direct our selves Orat. 17. Saint Augustine maintained through Grace such help was afforded to the predestinate that not onely they were not able to persevere without that gift but also through meanes of that gift could not chuse but persevere whereupon Saint Hilary writes to Saint Augustine His verbis Sanctitatis tuae ita moventur ut dicant quandam desperationem hominibus exhiberi That by such Speeches of his Sonne men were moved to say They held forth a kinde of Desperation unto men It were a labour worth the taking to compare the two Epistles of Prosper and Hilary with the two books of Saint Austin de praedest sanctorum and de bono perseverantiae wherein he laboureth to answer those two Epistles to see to what he maketh solid answer to what he faileth or what he slippeth untouched that is of moment sed hoc alias The Question then is betweene the third and fourth propositions and about the manner and measure of working Grace upon the Will or with it whether it be such as positâ gratiâ operante the Will may be Coworker or no as the third proposition affirmeth or whether positâ gratiâ operante the worke of Grace is such as the Will of Man cannot but be a Coworker as the fourth proposition maintaineth That is to say for the state of a question rightly put is almost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said of an Oath Heb. 6. 16. the end of all strife whether the Grace of God be onely an efficient operant adjuvant prior cause and the Will also of Man an efficient prepared by Grace cooperant and collaborant second cause in the worke of our Conversion and every other good worke or whether the Grace of God be an effectuall prepotent invincible prevalent sole efficient that carries the Will to consent and obey willingly if that be willingly as it neither will nor can choose to doe otherwise For distinction sake I will call the grace meant in the third proposition Efficientem and the Grace meant in the fourth proposition Efficacem The issue will be that if Gratia Efficax do worke the Conversion and perseverance of a Christian then all in vaine I have disputed before de Praedestinatione secundum praescientiam which is therefore defended because it giveth place to freedome of Will proper freedome in our working out our Salvation which gratia Efficax utterly destroyes If Gratia Essiciens doe work our Conversion but not absolutely alone but with another co-worker which is free and Lord of its owne action and may faile in working then there must needs be prescience certaine of this contingent event or else Predestination shall not be certaine and then this doctrine of a sinners conversion will well stand with the doctrine of Predestination after foreknowledge of all contingences and this with that as all parts of truth ought to agree one with another The question in the usefull termes is as some love to speak whether grace be resistable which word though it be grounded upon Act. 7. 51. yet I had rather use words more frequent in the Scripture whether Grace can be disobeyed whether it can be in vaine whether a man can be wanting to the grace of God that hath him in hand to convert him or to worke in him some good as Act. 5. 32. and 6. Rom. 1. 5. and 10. 16. 2 Cor. 9. 13. and 10. 6. Gal. 3. 1. and 5. 7. 2 Thes 1. 8. To come to the Truth by a neere and compendious way Let me take that first which is given by an ingenuous and judicicious Adversary the Reverend professor Doctor Ward in his Clerum Phil. 2. 12. who yeildeth so much to the Truth and puts the question in so narrow a point as he seemes to me plainly to give over the cause which he would expugne See what hee grants pag. 9. after much spoken pro libertate Arbitrii Nos enim libere profitemur c. For we freely professe neither operating nor cooperating Grace neither in Conversion nor after Conversion doth take away from mans Will in the very exercise of its Elicite Act the power of Resisting or dissenting if he will For this Resistibility is naturall and borne with us insoparable from the Will it selfe as t is a naturall faculty
State of a good Subject but they that stand out and refuse this grace be after such a day pursued with fire and sword They that submit magnifie the amplitude of the Kings mercy sorrow for such as obstinately stand out justifie his Execution done upon stubborn ungratefull Rebels You think to win greater thanks to God by amplifying his Grace upon one consideration of sparing some simply but with prejudice to his Truth proclamed to all I think to winne greater thanks to God by amplifying his Grace upon another consideration of sparing all upon favorable conditions according to the Gospell the most wise comprehension of the Grace Mercy Justice and Truth of the Almighty 3. To the third particular I answer for matter of glorying let this Rule stand firme Qui gloriatur in Domino glorietur let him that glorieth glory in the Lord or let him not glory Remember againe that the gifts of God are either immediate and proceeding from himselfe alone as prophecy tongues c. or mediate and such as proceede from Gods Grace and Mans will together as I have declared of those immediate gifts there is no glorying the latter part of the Text is strong What hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast received why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received here accepisse excludes boasting over another whose non-accepisse hath been no fault of his it having proceeded from the meere will of the giver But for gifts mediate as Faith and Repentance and obedience in any particular duty they must be considered as Dona Dei and as Debita à nobis as the gifts of God as our duties things necessary upon Gods Commandement and upon perill of our Salvation as they are gifts of God wrought in us by his Grace preventing helping and strengthning us there is no glorying of them but in the Lord So Paul gloryeth 1 Cor. 15. 10. Plus omnibus laboravi yet not I but the Grace of God with me which Grace was not in vaine Phil. 4. 13. I have the art both to abound and to want c. I am able to doe all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Christ that strengthneth me here also accepisse excludes glorying in a mans selfe Againe the same gifts considered as duties owing by us and as proceeding from the will of man yet helped by Grace are no matter of glorying because they are done S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. 16. Though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea woe is me if I preach not the Gospel So woe is to me if I beleeve not the Gospel doth the hearer say accepisse is not the onely excluder of Glory debuisse is as much Luk. 17. 9. Doth he thank that Servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not So likewise we when we have done all those things which are commanded us say Wee are unprofitable Servants we have done that which was our duty to doe What matter of boasting is it for a man to have kept himselfe from a detestable crime whereinto another rushing precipitated himselfe to Hell Yet I pray you doe not exclude all kinde of glorying not that which Saint Paul names so 2 Cor. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The testimony of a good conscience is some comfort and some joy that he wanteth who hath an Evill conscience Let Innocency wash her hands without a check of Vaine-glory Let Samuel call witnesse of his Integrity and Nehemiah record his owne good deeds cap. 5. 15. The former Governours before mee had beene chargable to the People even their servants bare rule over them but so did not I because of the feare of the Lord. In generall I answer to these three Objections when things succeede well and prosperously unto us whatsoever bee our naturall parts whatsoever have beene our industry or our labour more than others who is so voyd of piety or of understanding that doth not ascribe his good successe unto God the Fountaine of all good and the universall or principall cause of all happy events who builds the house more than all that labour on it who keeps the City above all that watch or ward who gives more to the increase than all that plant or water yet the Builder the Watchman the Planter the Waterer have their parts and offices which being neglected the house is not builded the City is betrayed the Tree is unfruitfull Because some little thing is done by men but nothing comparable to that great which is done by God therefore the forme of the Saints rejoycing is thus conceived Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give glory that not unto us implies that something hath beene done by us and that mans corrupt heart is too ready to claime some glory to it selfe for it but true Wisdome and Piety soone removeth it and saith Not unto us O Lord but to thy Name give glory Neither truly should these poore things of the will of Man whether wish or will whether endeavour or labour whether yeelding or obeying have been once named the same day that Gods Grace and Works are praised or have beene pleaded or contended for in these disputes had not there beene a necessity compelling thereunto Qui verò necessitate cogente vera de se bona loquitur tantò magis veriùs humilitati jungitur quantò veritati associatur saith Bern. Serm. 20. in coena Domini They have compelld mee who under a colour of magnifying the grace of God and bringing greater thankes to him and of justly reproving them that have beene Adulatores naturae are turned themselves Adulatores gratiae so farre forth as by them Satan seeketh to subvert the Truth and righteousnesse of God and to extinguish and destroy all Piety and Religion in Men bringing into the World a stupid sloth for some a remorslesse infidelity and impenitency for others and an invincible desperation and hardnesse for other some the naturall off-spring of that Doctrine that takes away all manner of freedome of will from men in matters of Salvation that turnes the generall Promises of the Gospell into particular and private that limits an especiall kinde of grace which is onely effectuall to a few secret ones by a direct decree the rest being left destitute of true grace though they be called by the word of the Gospell These things I was warned of long agoe by Melanchton before the name of Arminius was heard of here in his common places cap. de Praedest Removeamus à Paulo Stoicas Disputationes c. Let us remove from S. Paul such Stoicall disputes as overthrow Faith and Prayer for how could Saul believe or pray when he doubted whether the promise belongd to him or when that fatall Table of the Destinies had prepossess'd him For it is decreed that thou shalt be a castaway c. And in the Chapter de lib. Arbitr hee admits of their disputation
their Dictates as if they were divinely inspired and spake Oracles without examining which eases them of much trouble and difficulty in sifting and judging For my part I ever thought it a thing unworthy of a Christian and yet more of a Minister and full of Danger to invassall his understanding to any man or any men or to embrace and espouse opinions in Religion without judgement out of fantafie and prejudice because they are recommended by some great names which we have in Admiration But because you are my friend I will yet farther reveale my selfe unto you I have labour'd long and diligently in these controversies and I will tel you with what minde and method and with what successe For some yeares in my youth when I was most ignorant I was most confident before I knew the true state or any grounds of these questions I could peremptorily resolve them all and upon every occasion in the very Pulpit I was girding and railing upon these new Heretiques the Arminians and I could not finde words enough to decipher the folly and absurdity of their Doctrine Especially I abhorred them as venemous enemies of the Precious Grace of God whereof I ever was and ever will bee most jealous and tender as I am most obliged holding all I am or have or hope for by that glorious grace yet all this while I tooke all this that I talkt upon trust and knew not what they said or thought but by relation from others and from their enemies And because my conscience in secret would often tell mee that rayling would not carry it in matters of Religion without Reason and Divine Authority that I might now solidly maintaine Gods Truth as it becomes a Minister out of Gods Word and clearly vindicate it from wicked exceptions And that I might not onely revile and scratch the adversary but beate and wound him and fight it out fortibus armis non solùm fulgentibus I betooke my selfe seriously and earnestly to peruse the writings of both parties and to observe and ballance the Scriptures produced for both Opinions But my aime in this inquiry was not to informe my selfe whether held the Truth for therein I was extremely confident presuming it was with us and reading the opposers with prejudice and detestation but the better to fortifie our Tenets against their Cavills and subtilties In the meane while knowing that all light and illumination in Divine Mysteries descends from above from the Father and Fountaine of all light without whose influence and instruction all our studies are most vaine and frivolous I resolved constantly and dayly to sollicite my gracious God with most ardent supplications as I shall still continue that hee would bee pleased to keepe his poore servant in his true faith and feare that hee would preserve mee from all false and dangerous errors how Specious or Plausible soever that hee would fill my heart with true Holinesse and Humility empty it of all Pride Vaine-glory Curiosity Ambition c. all other carnall conceits and Affections which usually blinde and pervert the judgement That hee would give mee the grace to renounce and deny my foolish Reason in those holy studies and teach mee absolutely to captivate my thoughts to the obedience of his heavenly Word finally that he would not permit me to speak or think any thing but what were consonant to his Scriptures honourable and glorious to his Majesty I dare never looke upon my Bookes till I have first looked up to Heaven with these Prayers Thus I begin thus I continue and thus conclude my studies In my search my first and last resolution was and is to beleeve onely what the Lord tells me in his Booke And because all men are lyars and the most of men factious to mark not what they say but what they prove Though I must confesse I much favoured my owne side and read what was written against it with exceeding indignation especially when I was pinched and found many objections to which I could finde no Answers Yet in spight of my Judgement my Conscience stood as it could and still multiplying my Prayers and recurring to my Oracle I repelled such thoughts as Temptations Well in this perplexity I went on and first observ'd the Judgements of this age since the Reformation And here I found in the very Harmony of our Confessions some little discord in these opinions but generally and the most part of our Reformed Churches favouring the Remonstrants and among particular writers many here differing in Judgements though linked in affection and all of them eminent for learning and Piety and being all busied against the common adversary the Church of Rome these little differences amongst themselves were wisely neglected and concealed At length some of our owne gave occasion I feare to these intestine and wofull warres letting fall some speeches very scandalous and which cannot be maintained This first put the Lutheran Churches in a fresh Alarum against us and imbittred their hatred and now that which was but a question is made a quarrell that which before was fairly and sweetly debated betweene private Doctours was now become an appeale to contention betweene whole reformed Churches they in one army we in the other But still the most wise and holy in both parties desired a Peace and ceased not to cry with teares Sirs ye are Brethren why doe ye strive and with all their Power laboured that both the Armies might be joyned under the Prince of Peace against the Pope and the Devill But whilest these laboured for Peace there never wanted some eager spirits that made all ready for warre and whose nailes were still itching till they were in the wounds of the Church for they could not beleeve they had any zeale unlesse they were furious nor any Faith unlesse they wanted all Charity and by the wicked diligence of those Boutefeus that small sparke which at first a little moderation might have quenched hath now set us all in a woefull fire worthy to be lamented with teares of Blood For the late Arminians wee say they are fled and they say they are chased from us to the Lutherans wee accuse them of Sedition Heresie and Schisme they often protest deeply before God Almighty how truely ipse viderit judicet that out of meere tendernesse of conscience and zeale to Piety and Gods Glory they desired a moderation in some rigorous opinions But however a mutuall toleration of one anothers Errors and infirmities still keeping the ligament of Christian communion and fraternity inviolable They complaine that in the late Synod things were carryed very unequally That Truth was not sought but Victory That their professed enemies were their Judges That the Scriptures and Reasons since published in the Scripta Synodica were not throughly examined and so their Consciences convicted That they were condemned but not confuted That now they rest worse satisfied than before That those which before were but private opinions and disputable Problemes and so accompted are
now made necessary truthes and Canoniz'd decisions And they say withall that this hath beene the Prime cause of all Schismes and ruptures in the Church in all ages That matters of Faith and matters of Opinion have not beene exactly distinguished but the one obtruded with Tyranny upon the Conscience for the other They aske whether we think our first Reformers like the Pope infallible whether it was not possible for them to erre whether it were not ingenuous to confesse and correct a fault when we are told of it But Principally next after the Bible they insist with great boldnesse upon their appeale to venerable antiquity which they challenge entirely to side with them All the Greek and Latine Doctours for six hundred yeares after the Apostles having expresly declared themselves against us and many of them in whole Treatises of Purpose onely Saint Anstine they say seemes to favour us with his two disciples Prosper and Fulgentius and yet they onely in the first Point concerning the Irrespective Decree of Election yet therein speaking variously and uncertainly In the rest concerning the Death of Christ and Perseverance of all the faithfull they clearly make for them You will aske mee what I say of this I must confesse these Reasons have convicted mee not so farre as absolutely to yeeld unto them or take part with them in any Faction you need not feare mee for that but so farre as not rashly to censure damne or Anathematize them Till I can see their pretensions voided But I was especially netled with their confident appeale to Antiquity For let mee tell you Nature hath planted in mee a very great Opinion and Reverence of those Ancient Worthies which were as farre before us in true Devotion and Piety as they are in time and which the Catholique Church of Christ hath ever justly honoured as her fathers And though I know them to have erred as men and will never make them the Rule of my Faith yet I abhorre to thinke that they should live and die and concurre in any dangerous or damnable Opinion wherefore I purpose to sift this allegation to the Bottome and impartially to enquire into their judgement Many of my houres for these many yeares last past have beene spent upon these venerable Doctors and I have with fruit and fidelity collected out of many of them many good and wholesome Observations Upon this occasion I betooke my selfe to my Notes and Exceptions and in truth found nothing in them that favoured those Opinions that I favoured I observed many shrewd and pertinent passages alleged by the Arminians even out of S. Augustine and Prosper and upon triall found their Quotations very faithfull Especially Vossius in his Pelagian History hath with great learning and diligence diduced the judgement of all Antiquity in all these Controversies yet I suspected him as a Partisan till I was better informed by some that knew him well and particularly by your owne most worthy learned godly and reverend Father the late * Doctor Carleton Bishop of Chichester with whom having some private Conference in London some two yeares since at his Lodging in Westminster among other good Discourse wee fell in talke of that man and I humbly desired his Lordships judgement whether hee were an Arminian or no Hee answered mee that hee was no Arminian but a very honest man and among other Synodists hee bestowed a Coppy of his Booke upon him Since that himselfe hath assured mee that the good Bishop spoke true for hee hath declared himselfe in his last Booke De Scriptoribus Latinis to be of Saint Augustines minde in these questions and is allowed by the States publique Professor at Leyden where no Arminian is tolerated of him I will say no more but this They that know the reading and judgement of that man by his workes will confesse that there lives not this day in Europe any one more learned and by the relation of some Persons of credit and since that by himselfe when hee was with me of late in Oxford I knew that when the miserable Schisme was at the hottest in those Countries hee never sided with either Faction but would repaire to both their Churches and Communions to testifie that he meant to keepe Peace with both But now you long to heare what is the issue of all my study and enquiry what my resolution why you may easily conjecture finding upon this serious search that all doubts are not clearly decided by Scripture that in the ancient Church after the age of S. Augustine who was presently contradicted by many Catholiques as you may see in the Epistles of Prosper and Fulgentius to him upon that very occasion they have ever beene friendly debated and never determined in any Councill that in our age whole Churches are here divided either one from another as the Lutherans from us or amongst themselves as the Romanists amongst whom the Dominican Family is wholy for the Remonstrants that in all these severall Churches some particular Doctors vary in these Opinions Out of all this I collect for my Part that the Points are no necessary catholique verities not essentiall to the Faith but meerely matters of Opinion Problematicall of inferiour moment wherein a man may erre or be ignorant without danger to his Soule yet so still that the glory of Gods Justice Mercy Truth Sincerity and Divine grace be not any wayes blemished nor any good ascribed to mans corrupt will or any evill to Gods Decree or Providence wherein I can assure you I doe not depart from my ancient judgement But doe well remember what I affirmed in my Questions at the Act and have confirmed it I suppose in my Sermon  Efficacia gratiae pendeat à libero influxu arbitrii neg An Christus Divinae justitiae vice nostrâ propriè integrè satisfecerit aff Quaestiones inceptoris Christopheri Potter 1627.  Ipse actus fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere imputetur nobis in justitiam sensu proprio neg So you see I am still where I was If I can clearly discover any errour or corruption in my selfe or any other I should hate it with all my might But pity support and love all that love the Lord Jesus though they erre in doubtfull Points but never break Charity unlesse with him that obstinately erres in fundamentalls or is wilfully factious and with this moderation I dare with confidence and comfort enough appeare before my Lord at the last day when I feare what will become of him that loves not his brother that Divine precept of love being so often ingeminated why may I not when the Lord himselfe hath assured me by his Beati Pacifici you tell me of a Deane that should say Maledicti Pacifici but you and hee shall give me leave in this contradiction rather to beleeve my Saviour My loving friend I do very much esteem your learning and judgement and am so much the more confirmed by your Letter in my
Absolute irrespective Decre◠In which point if you collect and number the suffrages ten for one against the Arminians Tho. Aquine you know was a great School-Master and had man Schollers observe and See whether they all and many more doe not strongly swim in the streame after Austine And the truth is our first reformers did herein but say over againe those Lessons which they had learned in the Roman Schooles And the hardest passages that have fallen from Calvin or Piscator may easily be Parallell'd with others as Rigorous in many Romish Doctours especially of late yeares the whole Dominican familie have beene zealous and voluminous in these questions which they call de Auxiliis wherein though they sweat to sever their Opinion from the Calvinists as they call us yet some Jesuites tell them and very truly that their labour is very vaine and ridiculous Among the Jesuites themselves the more Ancient Tollet Bellarmine Valentia Suarez doe not in effect dissent from the Dominicans onely some few new ones Molina Lessius and take up the Bucklers against them and bid them Battell but in very faire and friendly manner for they try it in a manly conflict not as we doe with Passionate and mutuall revilings but with reasons and arguments Salvâ semper charitate For so they are commanded by their great Dictator at Rome who indeed dares not otherwise decide the Doubts lest the grieved partie raise another more dangerous question Whether his Judgement be infallible In like manner the Councill of Trent if you marke it cunningly here declines the decision and lurks in such generall termes like him that was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the old Oracle that both sides confidently avow the sentence to be given for them when indeed it is given for neither It is high time to ease both you and my selfe for surely we are both weary of this tedious Letter I will draw to a conclusion I hold all necessary verities to be clearly revealed in Gods divine Booke and therein abhorre all Pyrrhonian suspension For he is an Atheist that will not beleeve God Almighty when he speakes I constantly beleeve all Scripture to be an heavenly Truth though I cannot comprehend it with my Reason I Beleeve likewise we shall know much more in Heaven than we can doe on Earth I resolve never to be an Arminian and ever to be moderate Howsoever some thoughts or perplexities may trouble my owne conscience yet I resolve never to trouble the Church with them They shall die in silence with me Errare Possum haereticus esse nolo Reason shall drive me from any opinion for I will espouse none out of obstinacy and truth ever command me I shall labour effectually as I can in the service of my Master Christ and preach him crucified I shall deplore with a bleeding heart the Schismes of the Church and ardently pray for her Peac and prosperity I shall study more to live than ro dispute for none but the Devill gaines by these contentions Who keeps mens heads thus busied whilst he seizes upon their hearts For these questions the next age may see their issue For me I rest in that of Gamaliel If this Counsell or worke be of men it cannot stand if it be of God it cannot be destroyed For my Sermon I shall desire you to give a faire and benigne interpretation and to take it no worse than I intended it when it was Preached It and I had many more thankes than wee deserved from the best of my Auditors among others from the Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield from the Deane of Winchester the Deane of Glocester Doctor Goad Doctor Harris and how thinke you of these are they Arminians Doe not helpe to cast upon your friend an odious and ungrounded imputation from which he is yet and ever will be free If you have any more to say yet write no more for I shall answer all your Letters in this kinde with silence When you and I next meet we may more freely and safely communicate our thoughts If I have beene vehement excuse mee and blame your selfe my Reputation is deare unto mee and I could not be patient in the reproach and suspition of Heresie In the meane while continue to love your poore Friend but especially to assist him with your Prayers I shall retaliate in both and so commending you with all that are deare unto you with my loving good Cosen Mr. Benson his Wife and Family to the rich Mercies of God in our Lord Jesus I cease to Write but never to be Your most affectionate true Friend and Brother in Christ Jesus C. 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