not our priuate troubles and afflictions For these bee the conditions of an Aduocate or Mediatour first that our Mediatour bee nominated and commended vnto vs vpon good and sufficient warrant of Gods Word Secondly that that same intercessour be perfectly righteous and holy Thirdly that hee also know the groanings and afflictions of him for whom hee meanes to mediate none of all which agreeth vnto the Saints For the Saints are neither appointed vnto vs by God to be our intercessours neither haue we any command in holy Scripture that we are to make the Saints Mediatours for vs or to call on them Nay rather quite contrary precepts hereunto which wee haue before cited Againe wee finde not through the whole volume of of Gods booke any one example of any Saint that hath prayed vnto a Saint and entreated him to play the Mediatour for him Neither does the second condition agree to them for that they are not altogether pure before God that they may mediate for others but they themselues rather haue need of a Mediatour as it is said Iob 15.15 Yea in his Saints bee found vncleannesse Thirdly the Saints are ignorāt of our afflictiōs affections how can they therfore interceed for vs if they wot not what we aske for God alone challengeth this priuiledge to himselfe to be the searcher of the heart and the discouerer of the thoughts and groanings of men Yea but say the Papists the Saints as the friends of God haue all our groanings and prayers disclosed vnto them in the glasse of the Trinitie Note Si quando homines exorare oportet ianitorib prius occurrere oportet c. In Deo nihil tale ad quem confugies ad Abrahamum non te audiet Ille solus precandus exorandus qui scriptam in te damnationem delere potest incendium restinguere Chrysostom Whereto I answer first that if the Saints come to the knowledge of our groanings by God what need is there that first wee should call on the Saints and to what end is it to haue any such Mediators with God sithence he to whom they mediate knoweth better what is wanting to vs then the Mediators themselues For it should seeme to bee a preposterous course to vse any intercessour vnto a King if the King knew the party for whome the Mediatour would interceede Solent tamen pudorē passi miser◠vti excusatione per istos posse iri ad Deū sicut per comites peruenitur ad regē age nunquid tam demōs c. Vide Amb. in 1 ca. epist ad Rom. better then the Mediatour himselfe And how absurde should it be if the intercessour should say Tell me I pray you O my King what this felloW askes for whom I am to mediate Secondly I say that the Scripture hath broken that prospectiue glasse all to shiuers Esay 63.15.16 Heare from heauen thy holy dwelling place for thou art our Father Abraham heareth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs but thou art our Father thy name is from euerlasting Where it is plainely affirmed that Abraham and Israel which long agoe were dead and whose soules rested with God in the Heauens did not in any glasse behold and know the groanings and afflictions of the Church militant on earth And indeed that the Saints departed are not priuie to our affaires done vpon the earth nor know any thing in specialtie what happeneth among the liuing that place in the second of Kings Cha 22.20 witnesseth where God saith vnto Iosiah a most religious holy King I will gather thee vnto thy Fathers that thine eyes may not see all the euills which I will bring vpon this place Esay 57.1 The iust and the righteous are taken away from the sight of the euill that in his yeares hee may not behold the calamities which are to be sent vpon the Land for wretched impiety Ec. 9 4 the dead know nothing any more to wit of those things which are done vpon the earth Hence therefore is it rightly inferred that the Saints cannot bee Mediators And indeed wee haue no neede of them to be our intercessours first because God knoweth our afflictions better then they yea better then the Angels secondly because God is more merciful then any Saint and more desirous that wee should liue then any Saint can be Ideo ad regem per tribunos aut comites itur quia homo vtique est rex nescit quib debeat rempub credere Ad Deum autem quē vtique nihil latet c. Vid Am. vbi supra in 1. cap ad Rom. Now that we doe vse the intercession of some Noble man or great man vnto Kings which is their most plausible argument it is for the great defect and weakenesse that is in man for that Princes are not acquainted with all mens grieuances secondly because Princes are more affected vnto one man then vnto another but no such respect of persons is there with God as it is said Acts 10.34 the Papists bring vs in a distinction betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seruice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration and say that the one to wit Seruice is due to Saints the other that is Adoration is due to God Against which distinction Calu. Instit l. 1. cap. 12. §. 2. you may reade a most cleare disputation in the exposition of Vrsins Catechisme pag. 739. where it is proued by holy Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the one and the other agrees vnto God and neither of them both vnto Saints Only this one thing I will not let passe that the Papists themselues breake downe the pale of their owne distinction which I proue by this reason All those thinges which Dauid in the Psalmes giues vnto God hee giues them all by the way of adoration but all those very things which Dauid giues vnto God are attributed vnto the Virgin Mary in Bonauentures Psalter Ergo. The other errour of the Papists is about the worshipping of Images and so also of that worship which they make vnto the Reliques of the Saints And first of all the Papists hold that those prayers which are made in or at certaine set Chappels and Churches and before the Images of the Saints are of greater efficacie and greater worth then those which are in other places powred forth before God quite against the holy Word of God Ioh. 4.21.23 The time shall come when the true worshippers shall neither be at Jerusalem nor in this mountaine but in spirit and truth worship the Father Matt. 6.6 Christ bids vs go into our chāber and there the doores being shut to powre out our prayers 1. Tim. 2.8 The Apostle willeth men to pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands Now against reliques and Images let that place bee well obserued Esay 42.8 My glory wil I not giue vnto another nor mine honor vnto the grauen Images Calv. Insti l. 1. c. 11. §. 9 But we
But as for those obstinate wretches furious spirits branded with the marke of the Beast and therefore firebrands of hell too too headstrong in their erroneous opinations as the Lord gaue them vp to a reprobate sense that they should not receiue the loue of the truth and so be saued and they now fry for it So assure your selues if yee insist in their steps and resist all good admonitions you can neuer flye their Mat. 23.33 punishment For it is iust with God that those which haue beene Quos similis culpa coinquinat par quoque paenâ— constringer Gregor pares culpa shall be also pares pana Bee partakers of their sinnes you shall certainely be sharers in their punishment O then yee Mat. 3.7 generation of Vipers bee forewarned of the heauy vengeance to come Doe not with the deafe Adder alwaies stop your eares to all godly and Christian admonitions but take them at length to heart and say not with your selues Wee haue had ranke Papists to our Fathers we haue had such as haue derided and mocked your Orthodoxe Religion for our patternes and presidents for I dare boldly affirme in the words of our Sauiour that vnlesse yee repent and be conuerted you shall likewise perish Be not like them in Saint Austine Verum est quod dicitis to professe all true that wee say Non est quod respondeatur and that you haue nothing to say against it Aug. Vincent epist 48. Sed durum est nobis traditionem Paretum relinquere but it seemeth a hard thing vnto vs to forsake the faith and tradition of our Fathers For consider it well in your hearts why should your Fathers examples mislead you into errour O what a senselesse part is this in you Mast Scots Phylomythologie p. 41. Your Fathers faults and errours to allow And not much rather to reforme your owne By shunning the defect which they haue showne Shall the vaine conceit of your Fathers worth Ezech 20.18.19.20 Quos Christus vocat secum in aternum mansuros pater forsaÌ„ reuocat secum in aeternuÌ„ arsuros vid Bern Epist 2. weigh downe Gods holy Word Will you conferre nay preferre man to God If the Fathers of your bodies leade you one way and Father of Spirits bid you goe another haue you not learn'd to obey God rather then men will you not grant that which reason hath alwaies held for certaine and grounded truth Demosth contra Aristocrat Viuendum est legibus non exemplis Goe to then thinke not to shrowd your doings with your Fathers exemplarie dealings For as it is well vttered by the Heathen Oratour Jmpudens est Oratio dicere sic factum est But let the bright and cleere Law of God shine in your hearts let it dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome here the Word of God from others Si non dedignentur legere malè mihi sit ita enim in tanta causa iurare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Petr. Mart. Loc. com c. 6. clasi 1. sect 14. reade it by your selues Ab eo speranda est intelligentia qui pulsantibus aperiet querentibus demonstrabit petentib non denegabit Hilar. in Ps 125. Multum domini de tua bonitate praesumo quoniam tu ipse docet petere quarere pulsare tu domine qui iubes petere fac accipere consulis quarere da inuenire doces pulsare aperi pulsanti confirma nie infirmum restaura nie perditum suscita mè mortuum c. August Meditat. cap. 39. sect 9. pray to God for a right vnderstanding of it marke it well ponder it in your heart and examine all your tenents and courses by it and then the Lord opening your eyes to see your owne mis-doings and your Fathers mis-leadings you will confesse your Fathers follies wherein you haue liued and professe to leaue them with all speedie reformation in new obedience vnto Gods holy will and Commandements And this I pray God that of his infinite goodnesse he will grant vnto you that so by the conuersion of your soules his holy Name may be glorified his Angels gladded his faithfull confirmed â— our hearts comforted and the borders of Christs Church enlarged and that for the merits of Chrst Iesus his onely true naturall Sonne our alone all-sufficient Sauiour and Redeemer Amen An Apologetique to tâ— Christian Reader for the worke in and about the Translation Gregor Nazian Monostich Horat. Carm. l. 3. od 6. Reu. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc omne principium liue reâ— exitum Of all thy studies and intentions seâ— That God the Alpha Omega be DA veniam Scriptis remembring that of the â—postle 1 Cor. 12.7 The maâ—festation of the Spirit is giâ— to euery man to profit withâ— The Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—â— is the gâ— and graces of the â—pirit of 〈◊〉 are bestowed vpon vs noâ— bee wrapt vp in a Napkin 〈◊〉 hid in the earth but for maâ—festation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon the aâ—ent Greekes well expressed 〈◊〉 and light by one common na◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch shews in the â—â—futation of that common M◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what our Sauiour spake with a primary direction to his Apostles Vos estis lux mundi Yee are the lights of the world may in a secondary application be affirmed of euery Christian or else Saint Paul would not say Among whom yee shine as lights in the world Now least any one should exempt himselfe therefore euery one is put in the â—ext 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as there are none furnished with all gifts so there are none but they haue some gift and the doner will looke for his owne with aduantage As euery man therefore hath receiued the gift so let him minister thereof to others for the good of others Looke not euery one on your owne things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but euery one on the things of other A good lesson for this incroaching and Monopolizing world wherein euery man is for himsefe as the prouerbe saith and as the Apostle The Attestation of a friend touching this Booke inserted in a Letter to the Translatour In your Translation you haue laboured that they that will read may haue delight and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might haue ease and that all into whose hands it commeth might haue profit 2 Maâ— 2.25 Adam Airay S.S. Theol. Bat. M.D. Esquire To his good Friend T.V. WHat Thou do'st teach by others heretofore Hath likewise bin But yet by no man 〈◊〉 To the true life That by thy godly care Thou and thine Authour equally doe share Thou praisest him Translating but if he Vnderstood English he would more praise thâ—â—e Thou to our Nation ha'st his Doctrine showne Which to our vulgar else had not â—eene knowne As much by this thou get'st as ere he wanâ—â— England praise Vicars Dâ—ntâ—k her Keâ—keâ—man Mich. Drayton 〈◊〉 â—postle complaineth Euery man seeketh his owne things none â—he things of
Lerinens Mâ—â—â— Dâ—â—â— tam non habit hoe illud quam non haec illa Bern. or these diuerse manners of Gods being doe not multiply the Diuine Essence no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light doe multiply the light or heatâ— so that I speake right when I say there are moe persons in the diuine Essence but it cannot be vttered without blaspheâ—y to say there are in God more Natures or more Gods then one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NazianzeÌ„ Qui nescis TrinitateÌ„ ito ad Iordanem Mat. 3. Aug. Syst Th p 46 vide etiaÌ„ p. 35. seqq Dicamus tres sed non ad praiudiciaÌ„ vnitatâ— dicamus vnâ—â— sed non ad confussionem Trinitatis Ber. v. Syst Theol p. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Na. Quomodò pluralitas in vnitate sit aut ipsa vnitas in pluralitate scrutari hoc temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vita vita aeterna est Bern. How many persons are there Three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which is proued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matth. 28 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the namâ— sc by the Authority and appointment of the Father thâ— Sonne and the Holy Ghost Iob. 15.26 When that Comforte shall come whom I will send tâ— you from the Father euen tâ— Spirit of Truth who proceedeth from the Father he well testifie of me where they are all three plainely named the Father from whom the holy Spirit is sent the Sonne who sendeth and the Holy Ghost who is sent 1. Ioh. 5 7. There bee three which beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in Essence or Nature How proue you that these three persons bee that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because hee that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent and hee from whom is distinguished from him that is sent Now Iâ—â—c 15. plainely saith that Christ is hee that sendeth the Holy Ghost him that is sent and the Father from whom the Sonne sendeth the holy Ghost Whence I doe necessarily inferre that these three manners of being in God are distinct which being graunted I shall easily prooue this three-fold manner of being or these three Persons in the diuine Essence to be that true God For first as touching the Father the very aduersaries themselues yeeld Christus est Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tra AriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Apolinar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Eutych Syst Theol. pag. 52. seqq that he is truely God And touching the Sonne wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Of whom namely the Israelites are the fathers of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh who is God aboue all blessed for euer If aboue all therefore about those who by reason of their excellent gifts are called Gods That the holy spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely proue Acts 5.3 Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lye against the holy Ghost And presently he addeth vers 4. Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence wee may thus reâ—son whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the Holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo The Maior is euident the Minor is exprâ—sly in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the Holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple Essence void of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the Text v. 11. where it is said As the reasonable soul is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may tha testimony 1 Cor. 3.16 be referred â— August Enchirid. cap. â—6 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the holy spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words doe expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the Aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.4.5.6 There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11. All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the Holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the Text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth al those gifts Another argument out of the same text may bee this Hee that is endued with a will hee cannot be a bare vertue or accident but is a substance subsisting by it selfe but the Holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstandeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth hee must bee a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set downe in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will Fuit principium essendi DEVS sequiter cognoscendi principium VERBVM DEI non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum Christi Syst Th p. 167. Qui ScripturaÌ„ ignorat ChristuÌ„ ignorat Hieronym de Scriptura Zanch. Confess pag. 482. item in illud Pauli 2 Tim. 3.14 tom 8. p. 319 seqq I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell mee now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those thinges which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the Time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that Authority it hath in proouing thirdly by reason of the Matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherin it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The Old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of Man-kind people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which hee reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to Man-kind after the birth
Zanch. Miscellan 1. par p. 214 seqq Calv. Insti l. 3. c. 13. §. 3. who in their Trent Councell Session 6. boldly affirme that a man cannot hereof bee certaine in this life but ought alwayes to doubt of it and they adde that there can bee no greater sinne before God then that a miserable sinner should assure himselfe of Gods fauour yea and further they adde that whosoeuer shall holde that opinion ought to bee accursed To this their abominable errour we oppose most plaine places of holy Writt Rom. 8 vers 15. Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage but that spirit of Adoption by which wee crie Abba Father which spirit beareth witnes to our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God This is a very horrible impiety that wee will not receiue the testimony of the Spirit but doubt of the truth certainty therof 1 Iohn 5.10 Hee that beleeueth in the Son of God hath the Testimonie in himselfe And surely if God would haue had vs to haue doubted Hoe dixit Deus hoc promisit si parum est hoc iurauit Aug. hee would neuer haue sworne that hee would bee mercifull to vs. But now he hath sworne thus much very euidently EZech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord that is as truely as I am and liue I will not the death of a sinner but that hee liue Also Iohn 5.24 Verely verely J say vnto you whosoeuer beleeueth in the Son hath eternall life And Woe bee to thee then saith Saint Austin if thou beleeue not God when he sweares to thee But the Papistes obiect Obiect Tria considero in quibus tota spes mea consistit Charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis Potestatem redditionis c. Bern. They that are weak are subiect to falling and they cannot bee sure of the grace of God Answ Who so are weake they may easily fall I limit the proposition thus vnlesse there bee one that is mightier who vpholdeth them Now God it is that holdes vs vp and that helpeth our infirmities And therefore certaine wee may be of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the grace of God not by any thing in our owne nature indeed which is weake but by the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost making vs strong according to those sayings of holy Writ Psal 37.24 Though the righteous fall he shall not bee cast off because the Lord putteth vnder his hand Iohn 10.28 I wil giue vnto my sheepe eternall life neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any one take them out of my hand my Father which hath giuen mee them is greater then all that is hee can supply their wants readily and vphold them mightily Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Again they obiect that place Obiect 1 Cor. 10.12 Hee that standeth let him take heed that he fall not I answer Solut. That the Apostle there speaketh of hypocrites which doe perswade themselues falsly that they stand and further he speakes also of the weaknesse of men touching which wee cannot be enough admonished to the end that wee may thinke saluation not to lie in our owne strength but in the grace of God only Obiection They vrge also that place Eccles 9.1 A man knoweth not whether hee is worthy loue or hatred Solut. Whereto I answere First that this is a fallacie not beeing limitted wee ought then thus to limit it A man knoweth not of himselfe but hee may know it The fathers speake against a vaine presumptioÌ„ not a godly assurance God reuealing it vnto him and the holy Spirit witnessing it Secondly a man knoweth not by those humane causes by the euent of Fortune and the chances and changes of these outward things And therein the Text it selfe is a mouth to expound it selfe for there it is said that a man by externall changes such as are riches pouertie health sicknesse honour contempt that a man cannot by these things nor any other externall estate iudge and certainely know whether hee bee in the fauour of God or be hated by him And therefore that their Argument is not sound which argue thus as many doe I am rich Ergo I am the sonne of God or I am poore Ergo God doth hate me This iudgement then whether wee bee in the fauour of God or not wee must take from Gods Word Sithence therefore it is certaine that a faithfull soule may bee assured of the fauour of God and the forgiuenesse of sinnes and may bee made partaker of the peace of Conscience as it is said Ro. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace thence another thing doth necessarily follow De perseuerantia Zanch. Miscellan 1. part p. 91. seqq iteÌ„ pag. 347. to wit That a man when hee is once receiued into the fauour of God and hath obtained remission of his sinnes that hee I say cannot fall away from the Grace of God nor lose his Faith nor be obnoxious vnto eternall daâ—nation For because we ought not to doubt of the grace of God therefore neither can wee fall away from the grace of God for if we could fall away from it then wee might doubt of it but we being once receiued into the grace and fauour of God that wee cannot altogether loose that grace of God the Scripture witnesserh Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus if no condemnation then perpetuall fauour if no condemnation then also no time is wherin they may slide from the grace of God fall into condemnation for by no condemnation is excluded both all the kinds thereof and all occasions of falling thereinto Hitherto appertaineth that place Ipse ergo eos facit perseuerare in bono qui facit bonos qui autem cadunt pereunt in Praedestinaâ—orum numero non fuerunt August which before wee haue cited Iohn 10.28 My sheepe none shall take out of my hand which is all one as if hee had said My sheep shal neuer be taken out of my hand Which must be diligeÌ„tly noted against the Papists who affirme that a man after that he is taken into the fauor of God may fall again out of his fauour euen as if he had neuer been in fauor but may haue of a mercifull God an vncompassionate and irreconcileable God euen as when one falls out of the fauour of the King in stead of a gentle and kinde master hee hath now an angry and cruell Lord. Obiect But here they obiect that place in the 51. Psalme where Dauid after that horrible sinne of his was committed prayeth Restore vnto mee the ioy of my saluation vers 12. therefore say they hee had lost the fauour of God Solue I answer that the Papists doe not halfe well enough looke into the text for it is not said Restore vnto me my spirit
106. The grace of God must of necessity precede euery good worke of ours or else there will be no good done VI. Our actions depend Reas 6 vpon the will the will is directed by the vnderstanding the vnderstanding cannot direct except it bee inlightened Now our vnderstanding is darkened naturally so the Apostle describes vnregenerate men hauing their vnderstandings darkened walking in the vanity of their senses Eph. 4 18. Nay which is more wee are naturally darknesse it selfe Ye were ende darkenesse saith the Apostle but now ye are light in the Lord. and Ioh. 1.5 the light shined in the darknes the darknesse comprehended it not VII If an vnregenerate man can doe any good thing before his conuersion then all his doings are not sin but he may doe something which is pleasant to God But he can doe nothing pleasing to God for without faith it is impossible to please God but hee hath no faith And againe all his workes are sinfull for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. last They may appeare glorious in outward shew but bring them to the touch once and they will proue to be nothing but splendida peccata glistring sinnes as Saint Austine calls them VIII Naturally wee are Reas 8 enemies to God and auerse or vntoward to all goodnesse Our vnderstanding is enmitie with God Rom. 8 7. Our wisdome is foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 1. Our hearts are stony hearts so that God must bee faine to take them from vs and to giue vs for them hearts of flesh Ezek. 11.19 We must be made new creatures before wee can follow that which is good Ephes 2.10 We are the workemanship of God created vnto good workes Did man who was nothing conferre ought to his creation no more can wee who are worse then nothing conferre ought to our conuersion Alasse wee are quite averse from it as I said a little aboue and therefore must bee drawne of God according as our Sauiour speaketh No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the Father that sent me draw him Ioh. 6.44 It is a very strange speech and yet true because the Truth it selfe hath spoken it we must be drawn to Christ or we shall neuer come to him But you will say voluntas non potest cogi that the will of man cannot bee compelled I acknowledge the truth of that Philosophicall axiome but see in our Sauiours speech the condition of euery man as he is in his corrupt nature hee is averse hee is vnwilling to receiue good to doe good sed ex nolentibus volentes facit saith S. Austine of vnwilling God doth make vs to bee willing Certum est nos velle cum volumus fed ille facit ut velimus It is true and certaine that wee doe will when we doe will but it is God that makes vs will Certum est nos operari cum operamur sed ille facit ut operemur It is true and certaine that we doe well when wee doe well but it it God that makes vs to doe so so that all must bee ascribed to God and nothing to our selues which shall be my ninth reason IX If euery good thing in Reas 9 man doth proceed from God then it cannot bee ascribed to the power of Freewill or strength of corrupt nature to will or doe any thing that is good because God workes this in nobis sine nobis â—in vs without our helpe But whatsoeuer good thing is in man it proceeds from God For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued saith Saint Paul and Saint James very plainely euery good giuing and euery perfect gift commeth from aboue euen the father of light I am 1. And therefore we shall finde reading the Scriptures with a single eye and sincere heart that the beginning and progresse consummation of our saluation all is from God and from Gods grace nothing from our selues By the grace of God I am what I am saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. Hee that hath begunne that good worke in you will also perfect in vntill the day of Christ Iesus Phil. 1.6 ther 's the bâ—gin in expressed and consummation too and not to reckon all in is God that worketh in you velle perficere both to will and to doe euen of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Marke that last place well it beates downe the strength of corrupt nature and batters the walls of Freewill especially if the whole context bee considered For hee saith Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe euen of his owne good pleasure It is the common vse of ignorant Papists to take the first part of this sentence for their working but they leaue the latter part which expounds the former for wee must worke out our saluation with feare trembling True but when wee worke so the Apostle tells vs that God set vs on worke and the worke which we worke is Gods worke Wee in all our workes that are good doe but follow the motion of the first worker which is God working in vs. See Didac Stella vpon the first verse of the first Chap. of Saint Luke I conclude with that speach of Saint Austine lib. 1. de gra lib. arbit Cap. 16. Vt velimus Deus sine nobis operatur God doth worke a willingnesse in vs to doe good without our helpe Cum autem volumus sic volumus ut faciamus nobiscum cooperatur When wee are once willing and so willing that we doe indeede that which is good God workes with vs praeuenit gratia ut velimus he doth preuent vs with his grace that wee may will subsequitur gratiane frustrà velimus and hee doth follow vs with his grace that wee may not will in vaine tamen fine illo operante ut velimus vel cooperante cum volumus ad bona pietatis officia nihil valemus So that except God first worke in vs the will and then worke with vs when wee will we are not able to performe any worke of Piety and Godlinesse The X. and last reason Reas 10 which I meane to stand vpon at this time which shall be a touchstone vnto you for the tryall of those two opposite opinions mentioned in the state of the question shall bee this That Doctrine which giues the most glory to God vndoubtedly is the true doctrine that which takes away all boasting from man is the right opinion But our doctrine ascribes all vnto God the power of his grace that hee alone might haue the glory the Popish doctrine makes sinfull man a partner with God in his glory ascribing part to Gods grace part to mans Free-will Our tenent disrobes man of all boasting and glorying in himselfe and teaches that hee that glorieth must glory in God the Popish tenent ascribing a great part to corrupt Natures strength teacheth a man in part to glory and boast of his owne goodnesse and so pares away from Gods glorie